The Chicago Bears have never had a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards in a single season in their 102-year history, but Justin Fields is confident he'll surpass that mark."I will," Fields told Bryant McFadden of CBS Sports when asked if he'll accomplish the feat. "I plan on doing it this year, too."Erik Kramer holds the Bears' single-season passing record when he threw for 3,838 yards in 1995. Chicago is the only franchise in the league not to have a 4,000-yard passer in a single season.Fields threw for 2,242 yards in 15 games last campaign. The Bears ranked last in passing yards per contest, averaging only 130.5 per game.But Chicago has made significant moves to help Fields become a better passer. The team added wide receiver Chase Claypool at last year's trade deadline and acquired wide receiver D.J. Moore this offseason, who's the best pass-catcher the Bears have rostered since Alshon Jeffery left in 2017.Fields has struggled to get consistent production throwing the ball since entering the league, but he flashed his passing potential at Ohio State. He threw for 3,273 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2019 en route to finishing third in the Heisman Trophy voting.The 24-year-old has 4,112 passing yards in 27 career NFL games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley laid out what his next steps could be under the franchise tag."My leverage is I could say, 'f--k you' to the Giants, I could say, 'f--k you to my teammates,'" Barkley said on 'The Money Matters Podcast' last week, just ahead of Monday's deadline to sign a new long-term contract."And be like, 'You want me to show you my worth? You want me to show you how valuable I am to the team? I won't show up. I won't play a down.' And that's a play I could use."Barkley and the Giants couldn't agree on a long-term contract before the deadline. He's scheduled to play on the franchise tag next year, worth $10.091 million for running backs in 2023.The 26-year-old isn't expected to report to training camp. During the 'The Money Matters Podcast,' Barkley expressed that he could sit out the 2023 season."Anybody (who) knows me knows that's not something I want to do," Barkley said. "Is it something that's crossed my mind? I never thought I would ever do that, but now I'm at a point where I'm like, 'Jesus, I might have to take it to this level.'"He added: "Am I prepared to take it to this level? I don't know. That's something I have to sit down and talk to my family, talk to my team (of advisers), and strategize about this."The Penn State product also said he rejected a contract offer from the Giants during the team's bye week. He added that he believes he's the best running back in the league but isn't looking to be the highest-paid rusher."I know what Derrick Henry signed for, I know what (Nick) Chubb signed for, I know what Dalvin Cook's contract previously was, I know what Christian McCaffrey's contract is - he's the highest," Barkley said."I'm not even asking to be the highest paid. In my belief, I believe I'm the best running back in the NFL."Barkley ran for 1,312 yards last campaign, the most he's recorded in a single season since being drafted second overall in 2018. His 1,650 scrimmage yards ranked seventh in the league.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With 13 victories, the Bills cruised over their 2022 regular-season win total despite playing in just 16 completed games. But when it came to playoff success, it came as a surprise to most when the Bengals marched into Orchard Park and - as they did a year earlier in Arrowhead Stadium - walked out with an upset win. Even more shockingly, it wasn't particularly close.The Bills' biggest issue on that snowy day in western New York was that their team didn't seem to suit the conditions on offense (just 64 yards rushing) or defense (allowing 5.8 yards per play). Josh Allen and Buffalo's pass-centric approach seems ideal for benign conditions, while the Bills couldn't muster the traction for a decent pass rush against an offensive line ravaged by injury.As often happens, a 13-3 straight-up record didn't guarantee Bills' bettors profitability against the spread, as they went 8-7-1 versus the number.2023 season oddsMARKETODDS(O/U)Win total10.5 (-135)Division+120Conference+450Super Bowl+900Estimated rating68/100Buffalo's win total has come down, and its odds to win the AFC East have shifted from bettors having to lay significant juice last year to getting a plus-money price. This is due to a combination of the bitter taste in the market's collective mouth after last season and the improvement of a pair of teams within the division.Schedule outlookWEEKOPPONENTLOOKAHEAD LINE1@NYJBUF -1.52LVBUF -83@WSHBUF -4.54MIABUF -3.55JAXBUF -3.56NYGBUF -77@NEBUF -3.58TBBUF -109@CINCIN -110DENBUF -611NYJBUF -412@PHIPHI -2.514@KCKC -3.515DALBUF -416@LACBUF -117NEBUF -6.518@MIAMIA -1.5The lines for the Bills' pair of games against the Dolphins are intriguing, with a five-point shift for the venue, even across the key number of -3. This continues a trend of some odd Week 18 lookahead point spreads, probably factoring in how strange things can get in the season's final week. By comparison, the difference between the Bills and their other AFC East opponents is three points (versus NE) and 2.5 points across the key number of -3 (versus NYJ).Despite still not making a Super Bowl in 30 years, the Bills will be hunted. High-profile road games in Cincinnati and Kansas City should have similar lines based on our estimation of how tightly those teams are rated. The question is: Should those spreads be around a field goal like the Chiefs game or a pick'em like the matchup with the Bengals?What's to like about the BillsIn short - Allen is the reason to like the Bills. Second in the league in yards per play last year, the Bills' offense should continue to light up the scoreboard in favorable conditions. After another year of seasoning for 23-year-olds James Cook and Khalil Shakir and the addition of star Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo's offense remains lean and mean.Keeping payroll down on offense has allowed the Bills to spend on defense. They added Leonard Floyd to bolster the aforementioned pass rush, extended Ed Oliver, and expect to get Von Miller back. Unsurprisingly, the Bills' pass rush tailed off after Miller tore his ACL in the first week of December. Overall, it would be hard not to improve health-wise on defense this year after Oliver, Micah Hyde, Tre'Davious White, Matt Milano, Tremaine Edmunds, Gregory Rousseau, and Damar Hamlin all missed time as well.What's not to like about the BillsAt 34 years of age, Miller's return from reconstructive knee surgery in less than a year seems like quite the task. Floyd's been durable but is on his third team - usually a sign of a pending fall-off. While the assumption is better health for those mentioned above, once injuries hit in the NFL, they tend to persist.We've gotten this far without mentioning Stefon Diggs' discontent. It's expected that gets ironed out, but controversy before training camp even begins doesn't jive with the connection we're told Diggs has with Allen.Two of the Bills' three regular-season losses came in the division last year, and they had their hands full with the Dolphins despite facing Skylar Thompson in the wild-card round. Both Miami and the Jets are better this year, but are the Bills?Other notable betting marketsPLAYERMARKETODDSJosh AllenMVP+800Offensive POTY+3500Most passing yards+800Most passing TD+500Most rushing TD+6000Stefon DiggsOffensive POTY+3000Most receptions+1200Most receiving yards+2000Most receiving TD+1200James CookMost rushing yards+10000Most rushing TD+7500Dalton KincaidOffensive ROTY+4000Most rookie receiving yards+2000Von MillerDefensive POTY+6000Most sacks+5000Leonard FloydMost sacks+5000Demar HamlinComeback POTY-285Sean McDermottCoach of the Year+3500The Bills' offense will once again be on the shoulders of Allen, which is why he's an MVP candidate. Since he can put up points with both his arm and his legs, a run at Offensive Player of the Year at far more lucrative odds is in play.December trips to Los Angeles and Miami should provide peak weather for the Bills' offense at a time of year when that can be hard to come by. If the squeaky wheel does get the grease, Diggs is interesting for most receiving touchdowns at 12-1.We don't have enough room in this space to get into the complicated issue of Hamlin's Comeback Player of the Year odds, but we haven't ever seen odds that short in that award market.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With fantasy draft season underway, theScore has the award-winning rankings and expert advice you need to dominate your league. Make sure to check back for daily updates right up until the regular season kicks off.You can also subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section. theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest. Follow the links below to see his rankings for every position.QBRBWRTE1. Hurts1. McCaffrey1. Jefferson1. Kelce2. Mahomes2. Ekeler2. Chase2. Andrews3. Allen3. Robinson3. Kupp3. HockensonMoreMoreMoreMoreHalf PPR

With the 2023 season quickly approaching, let's assess the NFL's eight divisions and sort them from easiest to hardest to win.8. NFC South Michael Owens / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC South with an 8-9 record last season, and we could see the 2023 division winner take the crown with a losing record again. The New Orleans Saints are considered the favorites in this wholly uninspiring division.The Saints are handing the franchise over to Derek Carr, who's the most experienced starting quarterback in the division. He has the supporting cast around him to lead them to a division title, but it's still unknown how Carr will gel with his new squad.The rest of the division has more significant question marks at quarterback. The Atlanta Falcons made a flurry of moves this offseason to help solidify the roster around Desmond Ridder. However, the Cincinnati product only threw 115 passes in four starts and is still an unproven commodity.The Carolina Panthers will hand the offense to first overall pick Bryce Young, but the former Heisman Trophy recipient winning the division in Year 1 is a tall task. Tampa Bay has arguably the best roster in the division outside of quarterback, but Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask leave the Buccaneers in a tough spot.7. AFC SouthThe Jaguars took the division title in a Week 18 thriller over the Tennessee Titans last season after rallying from a 2-6 start. This year, Jacksonville is the overwhelming favorite to win the AFC South.Calvin Ridley slots into the Jaguars' offense after being reinstated from an indefinite gambling suspension. Ridley had 90 catches for 1,374 yards in 2020, the last time he played at least 15 games in a campaign. With Ridley's addition and quarterback Trevor Lawrence entering his second season running head coach Doug Pederson's offense, the Jaguars are set for a terrific year.The Tennessee Titans added wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, but the rest of their offense has serious question marks. The offensive line is projected to be one of the weaker units in the league, and quarterback Ryan Tannehill will be 35 years old when the season begins and is coming off an ankle injury.The Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans are in similar positions, where a rookie head coach-rookie quarterback tandem will look to change the franchises' fortunes. Anthony Richardson or C.J. Stroud could catch fire and lead a run at the division, but odds are both teams will be picking in the top 10 in next year's draft.6. NFC NorthThe Detroit Lions are the favorites after a series of roster upgrades this offseason. They added safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Cam Sutton to help solidify a defense that ranked 30th in passing yards allowed. The offense will have to deal Jameson Williams' six-game suspension for violating the league's gambling policy, but there are high hopes that first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs can elevate the passing attack.The Vikings won the division last year with a 13-4 record but finished with a point differential of minus-3 and lost in the wild-card round. Quarterback Kirk Cousins is entering the final year of his contract, and his status with the team is uncertain after this season. Minnesota will need rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison and new starting running back Alexander Mattison to take some of the load off star pass-catcher Justin Jefferson's shoulders.The Aaron Rodgers era is over in Green Bay, as Jordan Love takes the reins as the Packers' starting quarterback. Love flashed potential last season when he took over for an injured Rodgers in Week 12, but it's unknown whether the 24-year-old can become the franchise QB.The Bears have a bright future after flipping the top selection in the draft for wide receiver D.J. Moore and future high picks. Quarterback Justin Fields is expected to take another positive step, but the Bears' defense has serious holes. Chicago finished tied for last in sacks last season and didn't make any big moves to help the pass rush in 2023.5. NFC West Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / GettyDespite question marks regarding who will start Week 1 at quarterback, the division will run through the San Francisco 49ers.Brock Purdy is expected to be ready for Week 1 and is the projected opening-day starter, but Trey Lance is fully healthy heading into training camp and has the opportunity to win the job. Regardless of who starts, head coach and offensive play-caller Kyle Shanahan can get the best out of this offense, which is littered with elite talent. DeMeco Ryans departed for Houston, but Steve Wilks is more than capable of getting the best out of this star-studded defense.The Seattle Seahawks have the best chance of dethroning the 49ers, as Geno Smith returns for his second campaign as the starting quarterback. He threw for 4,282 yards and completed over 69% of his passes last season, but it's up for debate whether last season's Comeback Player of the Year can replicate his 2022 success.Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald, and Cooper Kupp are healthy for the start of the season, but outside of that trio, the Rams' roster lacks talent. Los Angeles' defense has no star power outside of Donald, and it shows on the books; the Rams are spending less than any other club on their roster for 2023, according to Over The Cap. This is a team in transition.The Cardinals will start the season without starting quarterback Kyler Murray, and it's still up in the air who will start Week 1. The rest of the roster lacks the talent to stay competitive. Arizona is a serious contender to select first overall in 2024.4. NFC EastThe NFC East took the league by storm last season, bringing three double-digit-win teams to the playoffs.However, this division looks like a two-horse race. The Philadelphia Eagles will attempt to defend their division crown and are bringing back 10 starters on an offense that ranked second in points per game. The defense will look different, but Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith were drafted to help fill in for some of the departures. Sean Desai takes over as the defensive coordinator and has the potential to get more out of the defense than Jonathan Gannon did.The Cowboys will give the Eagles all they can handle and arguably had the best offseason of all NFL teams. Dallas filled glaring holes by adding wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Quarterback Dak Prescott threw 15 interceptions last year, which is unlikely to carry over into 2023, as many of the turnovers were the result of tipped and dropped passes.The Giants gave quarterback Daniel Jones a hefty contract this offseason to be the franchise leader, but there's still has a lackluster supporting cast around him. New York added tight end Darren Waller, but he hasn't been fully healthy since 2020. The Commanders will be led by quarterback Sam Howell, who only started one game last year and carries unreasonably high expectations for a former fifth-round pick. Ron Rivera hasn't posted double-digit wins in three seasons, and Washington's new ownership will likely be looking for a new bench boss after the 2023 campaign.3. AFC WestThe Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs enter the year as the favorites to hoist the Lombardi trophy again, but this division should be better than last year after unrealistic 2022 expectations.As long as Kansas City has head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes calling the shots, this team will remain the favorite to win the division. Mahomes will have new tackles protecting him, as Jawaan Taylor was signed to a large contract in free agency to be the right tackle of the future, while Donovan Smith was inked to a one-year deal to stabilize the left side.The last time the Chargers took the field, they blew a 27-7 lead in the playoffs. Head coach Brandon Staley is feeling the pressure and most likely needs to find playoff success to keep his job. Los Angeles drafted wide receiver Quentin Johnston, who should help an offense that desperately needs a field-stretcher.Sean Payton takes over as the Broncos' head coach and will instantly bring stability to a team that lacked leadership. Payton is one of the most innovative offensive football minds around and will be tasked with getting the most out of Russell Wilson in his second season in Denver. Wilson had the worst year of his career, only throwing 16 touchdown passes. However, the Broncos dealt with a rash of injuries so spent the most money in free agency to help fix depth issues.The Raiders will begin the Jimmy Garoppolo era after Carr departed for New Orleans. All the 32-year-old has done in his career is win, as he racked up a 38-17 record in 55 starts with the 49ers. However, Garoppolo is coming off a severe foot injury, and the rest of Las Vegas' roster is dull outside of wide receiver DaVante Adams and defensive end Maxx Crosby.2. AFC East Rich Schultz / Getty Images Sport / GettyRodgers, welcome to the AFC East. The four-time MVP has won eight division titles in his career, but winning this division will be a tougher task.The Jets dealt with the worst quarterback play in the league last season but still won seven games. Having Rodgers at the helm should bring stability. Pair that with a defense that includes star cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, and this team has the makings of a Super Bowl contender.Quarterback Josh Allen returns for his sixth season as the Bills' starting quarterback and is hoping this year has a better ending than 2022. He finished the season playing through an elbow injury and his squad ultimately lost in the divisional round. Buffalo added tight end Dalton Kincaid in the draft, which should transition this team to a 12-personnel offense with Dawson Knox and Kincaid on the field simultaneously.The Dolphins' offense was electric with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at the helm, and head coach Mike McDaniel proved to be one of the best play-callers in the league. However, Tagovailoa suffered multiple concussions last season, which held him out of five games, including Miami's wild-card round loss to the Bills. Tagovailoa has to stay healthy for this team to have a chance at the division title.The post-Tom Brady era has not been kind to Bill Belichick. The Patriots are 25-25 in three seasons without Brady, and this year doesn't project to be any better. New England will be banking on Bill O'Brien to fix its offensive woes, but even with a new play-caller, the offense lacks the high-end talent to take the team to the playoffs.1. AFC NorthAll four teams have a shot at taking the AFC North title.The Bengals enter the year as the slim favorite and will look to finally win the Super Bowl after coming close in back-to-back years. Cincinnati made a massive splash in free agency, signing offensive tackle Orlando Brown to a sizeable contract to protect Joe Burrow for the foreseeable future. With Brown added to the offensive line and Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins rounding out one of the NFL's best wide receiver cores, the Bengals' offense should remain elite in 2023.Lamar Jackson heads into this year with a new, big contract and a new supporting cast in Baltimore that will be the best he's ever played with. Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers were added to the Ravens' wide receiver room, which will take the pressure off Rashod Bateman, who has failed to stay healthy over two years.The Browns' first year with quarterback Deshaun Watson was a failure. The 27-year-old went 3-3 in six starts and failed to eclipse 300 passing yards in a game. But there's reason for optimism heading into 2023. Cleveland added Elijah Moore to help Watson on the outside, but most importantly, the club fixed the front seven of the defense, which struggled mightily in 2022. Pass-rusher Za'Darius Smith and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson will help stabilize the unit.Don't count out the Steelers. They had a tremendous draft class, adding Joey Porter and Broderick Jones, who are expected to start Week 1. Kenny Pickett flashed potential down the stretch last season, and the team is expecting a big jump from the young quarterback in Year 2. Pittsburgh is always competitive under Mike Tomlin, who has never had a losing season in 16 campaigns with the Steelers.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Texans are on their fifth head coach this decade.That sentence alone should keep you skeptical of an organization, but as we know, what matters is not how bad you are but how bad the betting market thinks you are.Houston finished 3-13 last year, and that third win was somewhat controversial as it cost them a chance to draft Bryce Young. The Texans will probably never admit whether they liked Young more than their new franchise quarterback, C.J. Stroud, but an against-the-spread record of 8-8-1 kept bettors on their toes, even with Davis Mills, Jeff Driskel, and Kyle Allen taking snaps. If Stroud can step right in and do better than that trio's 20:19 touchdown-to-interception ratio, then the Texans' real record could look closer to their spread record. That's probably why the Texans have taken money to the over on their season win total.2023 season oddsMARKETODDS(O/U)Win total5.5 (-165)Division+900Conference+10000Super Bowl+20000Estimated rating33/100The Texans covered in four of their final five games last season, not because they played particularly better late in the season but because the market rated them down in the low 20s. Being 17.5-point underdogs at the Cowboys or 14-point underdogs at home to the Chiefs is going to set up even the worst team in the NFL to cover a point spread.With a higher starting point this season at 33/100 - thanks to a 5.5 win total with a -165 price to the over - the Texans won't likely see the same inflated numbers for their opponents. Houston will have to earn a respectable ATS record this year.Schedule outlookWEEKOPPONENTLOOKAHEAD LINE1@BALBAL -92INDHOU -13@JAXJAX -74PITPIT -3.55@ATLATL -36NONO -38@CARCAR -39TBHOU -110@CINCIN -9.511ARIHOU -1.512JAXJAX -4.513DENDEN -414@NYJNYJ -8.515@TENTEN -316CLECLE -417TENTEN -118@INDIND -1.5Let's check our work on the ratings ahead of Week 1. The Ravens' rating of 64 earns them 16.6 points on a point-spread scale of 27 points. Then, 33% of 27 is nine points, which sets the difference between Baltimore and Houston at 7.6 points. Give the Ravens 1.5 points for home-field advantage, and you've got a spread of -9.The Colts' rating of 37/100 gives them a point spread value of 10.1 - one better than the Texans. Week 2's matchup is in Houston, though, so the Texans go from the smallest of underdogs to the smallest of favorites.What's to like about the TexansThere finally seems to be something of a blueprint now that DeMeco Ryans has been hired away from the 49ers. Houston took a huge swing on draft night, getting Will Anderson as well as Stroud in the top three. They've added veteran pieces via free agency - a testament to new interest from players in going to Houston. Former 49er Jimmie Ward stands out as a leader in a secondary that has promising young stars in Jalen Pitre and Derek Stingley.Ryans brings over Bobby Slowik to revamp the offense after spending six years on the staff in San Francisco. The 49ers' system should take some pressure off of a mediocre interior line, while Laremy Tunsil is one of the best left tackles in football. Stroud will be put in a position to succeed if he can grasp things quickly.What's not to like about the TexansIt'll all be very new in Houston. You're within your rights to be concerned about an Ohio State quarterback picking up an NFL offense. The Buckeyes do a great job at getting their more talented players open on one or two reads for the quarterback. Dameon Pierce burst onto the scene last year, but unlike in Columbus, Stroud won't just be able to turn and hand off for big gains on days where he's not playing his best.Anderson was as reliable a pick as you could make - an almost definite 10-year starter - but will he be a star, and right away? Ryan can scheme some pressure, but he might find things as difficult as Robert Saleh did when he took over the Jets. It's easier to get pressure when you have the 49ers' players.Other notable betting marketsPLAYERMARKETODDSC.J. StroudMVP+15000Offensive POTY+15000Offensive ROTY+850Most passing yards+10000Most passing TD+10000Most rookie passing yards+105Dameon PierceOffensive POTY+7500Most rushing yards+4000Most rushing TD+6500Comeback POTY+5000Will AndersonDefensive ROTY+350Defensive POTY+13000Most sacks+5000Jalen PitreDefensive POTY+15000Derek Stingley Jr.Defensive POTY+20000John MetchieComeback POTY+3000Demeco RyansCoach of the Year+2200Ryans is definitely a legitimate Coach of the Year candidate. Expected to win six games, that's already a three-win jump on last year, so an eight-win season would be really impressive. The problem is there'll inevitably be a team that makes the playoffs as a surprise, and a non-playoff team's coach will be overlooked in first-place votes.The most interesting futures bet to me is John Metchie for Comeback Player of the Year. One of the many star receivers to come out of Alabama recently, Metchie missed his first season after being diagnosed with leukemia. On a team without much receiver depth, he could get plenty of targets and quickly get the attention he deserves from coming back from cancer - a scenario that's won players this award in the past.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams reported for training camp on Tuesday after signing a massive contract extension, and he's ready to prove that the Jets will get their money's worth."I haven't scratched the surface on what I can do," Williams said, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.Williams did not participate in New York's offseason workout program due to his contract status. He said he never doubted a deal would get done, and being away from the team was "hard," but he took his personal training "to a whole new level," according to Cimini.The 25-year-old agreed to a four-year, $96-million contract extension last week, making him the second-highest-paid defensive tackle in the league behind Aaron Donald, according to Spotrac.Williams had a breakout season in 2022, recording 12 sacks and 12 tackles for loss, along with 55 tackles. He was awarded a first-team All-Pro selection and received his first Pro Bowl nomination.The Alabama product has 27.5 sacks and 191 tackles in 57 career games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed pass-rusher Alex Highsmith to a new four-year contract extension, the club announced Wednesday. The deal is worth $68 million, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.Highsmith was entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. He's been with the Steelers since being selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.The 25-year-old became a full-time starter in 2021, recording six sacks and 74 tackles.Highsmith broke out in 2022, posting 14.5 sacks with 63 tackles and five forced fumbles. Star pass-rusher T.J. Watt and Highsmith are now both under contract through the 2025 season.The Charlotte product has 22.5 sacks and 185 tackles in 49 career games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New England Patriots safety Adrian Phillips says this year will be a new challenge for the secondary after longtime Patriot Devin McCourty retired in March."We appreciate him for everything that he did, and obviously, we still keep in contact, but you have to find a way to move forward without him," Phillips said on Tuesday, according to The Boston Globe's Christopher Price. "That's the only way you can move forward. If you keep trying to find somebody to replace him or somebody to be like Dev - 'Do this like Dev. Do that like Dev' - we'll never be able to grow to where we need to be."McCourty spent his entire 13-year career in New England after being selected with the No. 27 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft."This is like the ultimate test for our secondary to be able to grow because he's always been that backbone for so long," Phillips added. "But the good thing is we (have) a lot of veterans back there, and we have guys who have played the game at a high level, so we understand what it takes."McCourty finished his career with three Super Bowl wins, a pair of Pro Bowl selections, and 35 interceptions - third in franchise history behind Hall of Famer Ty Law and Raymond Clayborn, who both finished with 36 career picks.Kyle Dugger, whom the team selected 37th overall in the 2020 draft, is also bracing for the change that'll come with McCourty's absence."You can't just replace a guy like Devin," Dugger said. "We're just going to have to make sure we're communicating and talking. Communication will be important and help tremendously."New England finished eighth in total yards allowed per game (322) and tied for 10th in points conceded per contest (20.4) in 2022. The club finished with an 8-9 record and missed the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin is considering not reporting to training camp due to his unhappiness with his current contract, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN.The Cowboys have shown a lack of interest in restructuring Martin's deal, and the 32-year-old believes he is "woefully underpaid relative to the market," Schefter adds.Martin is scheduled to have an $11-million cap hit in 2023, according to Over The Cap. Atlanta Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom is the NFL's highest-paid guard and is scheduled to make $20.5 million per season over his five-year contract, according to Spotrac.The eight-time Pro Bowler signed a six-year, $84-million contract extension in 2018.The Cowboys have $20.6 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap. Dallas has many key players scheduled to hit free agency in 2024, including cornerback Trevon Diggs, offensive tackle Tyron Smith, and center Tyler Biadasz.Dallas is also expected to re-work quarterback Dak Prescott's contract, who is scheduled to have a $59.4-million cap hit in 2024.Martin had another terrific campaign in 2022, starting all 17 regular season games and earning first-team All-Pro honors. The Notre Dame product has been selected to six first-team All-Pro's in nine seasons since entering the league.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa thinks the Miami Dolphins belong in the AFC's elite."We're definitely legit contenders," Tagovailoa said Tuesday, according to Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post. "There's no doubt with the guys we have on the defensive side of the ball. With the guys we have on the offensive side of the ball. And now with this being the first time as an offense, we get to come back understanding the plays already kind of molded into the offense a little more. I think it can get very, very scary."The Dolphins posted a 9-8 record last season, including an 8-5 campaign with Tagovailoa under center. The 25-year-old landed in the concussion protocol multiple times and missed several games, including Miami's wild-card loss to the Buffalo Bills. The postseason defeat extended the Dolphins' playoff winless streak, which dates back to the 2000 season.In 2023, Miami added to both sides of the ball. Its defense, in particular, saw big changes - the club acquired cornerback Jalen Ramsey and hired Vic Fangio as its defensive coordinator. The team ranked 24th in points allowed last year.With Tagovailoa as its quarterback, the AFC East team boasted one of football's most efficient offenses. The 2020 first-round pick led the league in passer rating (105.5) and yards per pass attempt (8.9). Tagovailoa hasn't played more than 13 games in a season since entering the league but remains optimistic he'll prove that he's Miami's long-term quarterback."I've got to do what I've been doing this past year, outside of injuries," Tagovailoa said. "Just the way I play football, play my style of football. But I think the things that have hurt me have been just the injuries. So I've been working really hard to hopefully elongate myself throughout to withstand seasons. We'll see how all that plays out. And God-willing, I can make it through the entire season and we can win a playoff game, we can win a Super Bowl."The Kansas City Chiefs have dominated the AFC, hosting the conference's title game for five straight seasons and winning two Super Bowls since Patrick Mahomes became a starter in 2018. The Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals faced off in the AFC championship matchup in the last two campaigns.The Dolphins play in one of the NFL's toughest divisions. The Bills have won the AFC East in each of the last three seasons after the New England Patriots did so for 11 consecutive campaigns. The New York Jets, who've finished in the division's basement since 2020, landed four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers in a trade this offseason.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes reported for training camp Tuesday and is already thinking about how the reigning Super Bowl champions can keep competing in a stacked AFC."The thing this year is how we can keep building?" the quarterback said, according to NFL.com's Michael Baca. "Obviously, we won the Super Bowl last year and it was amazing, but we still have a lot of young guys, and we want to continue to get better and better. You look around the AFC, everyone has gotten better. So you want to continue to build and build and not be satisfied with what we did last year and see if we can take that next step."The New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens, among other AFC teams, significantly improved their rosters this offseason. New York made headlines when it traded for four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. Meanwhile, Baltimore re-signed quarterback Lamar Jackson, added two new starting receivers, and hired Todd Monken as the new offensive coordinator.Kansas City won its second Super Bowl with Mahomes in February. Only seven NFL franchises have ever lifted the Lombardi Trophy in back-to-back years - the New England Patriots were the most recent club to achieve the feat in 2003-04. Led by Mahomes, Kansas City reached consecutive big games in 2019-20 but fell short against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV after winning the previous campaign.The Chiefs, who've hosted the AFC title game for five straight seasons, bolstered their offense by signing tackles Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith and drafting wide receiver Rashee Rice in the second round. Defensively, the AFC West club used a first-round pick on defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Kansas City also signed lineman Charles Omenihu."I'm always confident that we have a chance to get to the Super Bowl, but I understand it's a process, I understand it's not easy," Mahomes added. "We want to have a special group that kinda can carry out a legacy, and I think we have the right guys and now let's just go out there and do it."The quarterback also addressed the ankle injury that bothered him for most of the playoffs, saying it "feels great" ahead of the new season."Going into OTAs a little bit, I was still a little timid about running and cutting and doing stuff like that," Mahomes said. "But when I got closer to that minicamp and that later OTA stage, I got the confidence back in my ankle. I'm sure I'm not gonna be running a lot right now, but we'll be testing it a lot."The Chiefs kick off the 2023 season against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If you haven't thought about the Titans since early January, who could blame you? Same coach, same defense, same star tailback, and same quarterback (for now). You've probably already forgotten about their first-round pick, Peter Skoronski. It's all decidedly unsexy, which is exactly how head coach Mike Vrabel would want it for his constantly underrated team. Even a disappointing 7-10 season was not bad for bettors, as Tennessee went 9-6-2 against the spread.The Titans jumped back into our consciousness with the signing of DeAndre Hopkins over the weekend. It was an addition that made all kinds of sense given Vrabel has more career touchdown receptions than any of his pass-catchers.How did adding a top-flight veteran receiver - who's provided a little flash in the past - change the betting market's view of the Titans? Simply put, it didn't.2023 season oddsMARKETODDS(O/U)Win total7.5 (-105)Division+325Conference+5000Super Bowl+7500Estimated rating42/100We estimated the Titans' market rating in the mid-40s back in May, and once you factor in their weak division and a schedule crossover to the NFC's weakest division, we'll drop them down a couple of notches before we start looking at their point spreads for the season.Schedule outlookWEEKOPPONENTLOOKAHEAD LINE1@NONO -32LACLAC -3.53@CLECLE -4.54CINCIN -4.55@INDIND -16BAL*BAL -5.58ATLTEN -19@PITPIT -410@TBTEN -111@JAXJAX -512CARTEN -113INDTEN -2.514@MIAMIA -715HOUTEN -316SEASEA -217@HOUTEN -118JAXJAX -2.5*Neutral-site game in LondonThe Titans take a trip to England for a rare neutral-site game against the Ravens. As a 9.5-win team, the Ravens have a projected average win probability in the low-to-mid 60s. On a point-spread scale of 27 points, Baltimore earns 16.6 points. On the same scale, the Titans earn 42% of 27 points, or 11.2. That can explain how the Ravens are -5.5 in the lookahead line for Week 6.What's to like about the TitansEven after an 11-5 season in 2020, the Titans frequently surpassed expectations by going 19-13-2 against the spread in the past two seasons. In certain games last year, Vrabel was forced to use rookie QB Malik Willis, who wasn't ready to take NFL snaps. The club then picked up Joshua Dobbs off the street and was still competitive late in the year.We like continuity, and the Titans have that despite changing offensive coordinators, as they promoted Tim Kelly after parting ways with Todd Downing. However, if you were hoping for a revamping of the Titans' strategy with the ball, you might be disappointed.Whether or not you believe the Titans were looking to trade Derrick Henry - who turns 30 this year - he played in 16 of 17 games last year and had another 1500-yard, double-digit touchdown season. Pair that with a defense boasting both Harold Landry and Jeffery Simmons in the pass rush, and Tennessee will find itself in a lot of games.What's not to like about the TitansThe Titans seem like they're putting in a half-effort to replace Ryan Tannehill. Their quarterback - entering the season at 35 years old - doesn't have the same athleticism he once did and has long since reached his peak. Tennessee has loaded the QB room with raw prospects in Willis and Will Levis, neither of whom you'll want to back if they start any games this season. As mentioned above, the receiving group is thin, as we had it rated dead last before the Hopkins signing, and it's not like teams were moving heaven and earth to pick him up.Other notable betting marketsPLAYERMARKETODDSRyan TannehillMVP+10000Offensive POTY+10000Most passing yards+10000Most passing TD+10000Derrick HenryOffensive POTY+2500Most rushing yards+900Most rushing TD+550DeAndre HopkinsOffensive POTY+4000Most receiving yards+5000Comeback POTY+7000Will LevisOffensive ROTY+4000Most rookie passing yards+4000Tyjae SpearsOffensive ROTY+5000Harold LandryDefensive POTY+10000Most sacks+7500Jeffery SimmondsDefensive POTY+15000Most sacks+20000Kevin ByardDefensive POTY+15000Mike VrabelCoach of the Year+3500A veteran quarterback who's 100-1 in all the awards and statistical markets is a very bad sign.Henry's ceiling is probably last year's season, and he wasn't all that close to leading any of the categories that he's priced short for. I'd much rather take a swing with someone at longer odds who hasn't hit his peak.Landry is somewhat forgotten after missing the entire 2022 campaign with a knee injury, but he had 12 sacks in 2021. The Titans only totaled 39 sacks last year, but if Landry - still just 27 - is as good as new with both Simmons and Denico Autry sharing attention in protection, maybe a 16-sack season is possible. That total would give him a shot to cash a big ticket in the market for most sacks.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Justin Fields only has two NFL seasons under his belt, but the Chicago Bears star already sees himself as one of the league's greatest running quarterbacks ever."I'm definitely in the top five," Fields said on the "All Things Covered" podcast. "No order, but I gotta go with my boy Mike Vick, gotta go with Cam (Newton), Lamar (Jackson) of course, me, and then final, Steve Young, too."Despite missing two games in 2022, Fields finished the season with 1,143 yards on the ground - the second-most for a quarterback in NFL history, only behind Jackson's 1,206 rushing yards in 2019. Fields also led the league with 7.1 yards per carry last year and set the NFL single-game QB record in the regular season with 178 rushing yards in Week 9.A first-round pick in 2021, the Ohio State product racked up 420 yards (5.8 per attempt) and two rushing touchdowns in 12 appearances as a rookie.Vick became the NFL's first quarterback to top 1,000 yards on the ground, rushing for 1,039 in 2006. The retired signal-caller, who played 13 seasons in the league, leads all QBs in career rushing yards with 6,109. He's followed by Newton and Russell Wilson, per Pro Football Reference.QBRush yardsY/ATD runsGamesVick6109736143Newton5628575148Wilson49665.526173Randall Cunningham49286.435161Jackson44376.12470Fields scored eight rushing touchdowns in 2022, including three scores of 50-plus yards.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With training camp beginning next week, star running back Dalvin Cook is taking his time before choosing his next destination.The Vikings cut Cook at the beginning of June after six seasons with the organization. However, Cook reportedly hasn't been pleased with offers from certain terms, including the Dolphins, as he holds out for the best possible offer.Cook rushed for over 1,130 rushing yards and was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of the past four seasons. There's no shortage of suitors, but who'll emerge as Cook's next destination?Where will Dalvin Cook play next season?TeamOddsPatriots+160Dolphins+200Jets+450Broncos+1600Cowboys+1600Commanders+1600Raiders+1600Bills+2000Bears+2000Giants+2000(Odd via theScore Bet and Barstool Sportsbook)AFC East teams are the favoritesThe entire AFC East is interested in Cook, with the three favorites to acquire him playing in that division.On Monday, the Patriots jumped the Dolphins as the favorites to land Cook at +160. New England desperately needs talent and experience in a young running back room. Rhamondre Stevenson is the presumed starting rusher with Pierre Strong Jr. and Ty Montgomery serving as his backups. Cook's presence would immediately boost that group and help third-year quarterback Mac Jones in a pivotal year.Cook is from Miami, which makes the Dolphins a reasonable destination. Similar to the Patriots, Cook's presence could help Miami's unproven running back room. And like New England, the Dolphins have a young quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa that could benefit from a consistent run game.Both Miami and New England ranked in the bottom third of the league in rushing yards. It's practical that both are actively seeking Cook as an upgrade. However, Miami will likely have to improve its aforementioned offer if the team is serious about acquiring Cook.The Jets are another AFC East team that makes sense for Cook. With an MVP-caliber quarterback in Aaron Rodgers and an elite defense, the Jets are all-in this season. While they have second-year running back Breece Hall, he's recovering from an ACL injury. Pairing Cook with a recovering Hall would create an explosive backfield.The Bills are also in contention for Cook, but they're the biggest long shots in the AFC East. Buffalo lost Devin Singletary in free agency and added Damien Harris and Latavius Murray. Buffalo has a pass-heavy offense, but with Josh Allen under center, the addition of Cook isn't necessary.In addition, while the idea of pairing Cook with his brother, James, is nice, he's bound to take away carries from the Bills' current starting rusher.Other potential landing spotsNFL insiders have floated the Broncos as a possible destination for weeks, but they likely don't have the cap space to sign Cook.The Cowboys are seemingly always in the mix for big-name stars, and they have the cap space to sign Cook. Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys' divorce was finalized this offseason after seven seasons, with Tony Pollard's success last year being part of the reason.Dallas doesn't necessarily need Cook, but he can only help Pollard and Dak Prescott.No matter how much Cook still has left in the tank, a grim running back market - evidenced by the Saquon Barkley situation - may eventually force him to accept less money and a shorter deal.Cook has options and time, so it's a possibility this situation won't be sorted out before training camp.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks, expectations are heightened and pressure is accentuated. Every action, quote, or even subtle movement is media gold if it comes from the Cowboys' quarterback.Dak Prescott's latest quote is just another example of that. Prescott recently said he "won't have 10 interceptions this year."Athletes and coaches have made proclamations like these before, and while it'd be nice to take their word for it, actions speak louder than words.Remember LeBron James' infamous "Not one, not two, not three ..." speech when he landed in Miami? If a bettor placed a wager on the under for Heat championships won after that speech, they certainly cashed their ticket.While these quotes sound great in theory, the proclamations are oftentimes easier said than done. That's certainly the case for Prescott. Over the last two seasons, Prescott and interceptions are like Bonnie and Clyde - they just can't seem to avoid each other.The Dallas passer has thrown 25 interceptions over the last two seasons, including a career-high and league-leading 15 last year in only 12 games.Oddsmakers aren't taking much stock into Prescott's opinion. The odds for him to go over 9.5 picks this season are set at -250, while under 9.5 is +175, according to theScore Bet and Barstool Sportsbook. That means oddsmakers give Prescott a 36% chance of throwing single-digit interceptions.Prescott has gone over that 9.5 number in four of the six seasons he's played at least half the year.Dak Prescott's exact interceptionsInterceptionsOdds5 or fewer+20006+16007+12008+9009+90010+80011+75012+50013+50014+30015 or more+200While most quarterbacks limit their turnovers as they gain more experience, Prescott has gone backward. In his last three seasons where he's played at least 12 games, Prescott has thrown double-digit interceptions. In his first three seasons in the league, he combined for 25 picks.It's an unsettling trend for Cowboys fans. It also held Dallas back last season, particularly in the divisional round against the 49ers where Prescott threw two crucial interceptions.However, there's another important part of the Prescott quote that's being ignored. He said, "You can go back and take away half of those off drops."While the passer also said he's not blaming the receiver, that's kind of exactly what he's doing. He's not entirely wrong, it's just rare to hear that honesty from a quarterback.Prescott dealt with a young receiving core in 2022. Although he still had stud wideout CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, Dallas' wideout corps missed Amari Cooper. The Cowboys had 23 drops, which ranked as the 11th most.Dallas' wide receivers have been slightly upgraded this season. The Cowboys added Brandin Cooks, who's still a problem for opposing defenses despite not being the receiver he was a few years ago.However, Dallas did lose tight end Dalton Schultz, who served as a safety blanket for Prescott.Durability is also a concern. Prescott missed five games last season and was sidelined for 11 in 2020. But injuries to receivers or offensive linemen may make it even more difficult for him to limit turnovers.It's reasonable to expect Prescott to throw fewer interceptions this season than his career-high 15 last year, given an upgraded receiving core and the noise surrounding his turnovers.Prescott is +200 to throw 15 or more picks, which are better odds than any exact number. The next best odds are at +300 for 14 picks, while they're +500 for 13 and 12. It wouldn't be surprising if he lands somewhere in the 12-14 range.Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter @soshtry for more betting coverage.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Some of the NFL's best running backs criticized how teams have approached the running-back market in what's been a quiet offseason for the position.Tennessee Titans star Derrick Henry said Monday he supports every RB "fighting to get what they deserve."

Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs and New York Giants halfback Saquon Barkley didn't sign long-term deals before Monday's 4 p.m. ET deadline for franchise-tagged players to ink extensions.Dallas Cowboys rusher Tony Pollard also didn't fetch an extension, though the team wasn't expected to sign him to a long-term contract.Barkley tweeted shortly after news broke that an extension wouldn't be reached:

With NFL training camps set to kick off, we assess each team's biggest question (rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors).1. Kansas City Chiefs Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / GettyPost-draft rank: 1How does the WR pecking order shake out? Luckily for the Chiefs, all their WRs will catch passes from Patrick Mahomes. Unfortunately, some will catch more passes than others. Kansas City has a logjam at receiver with Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, Rashee Rice, Richie James, and Justyn Ross in the mix. Toney, Valdes-Scantling, and Moore will likely make up the top three, but what happens in the back half of the depth chart is anyone's guess.2. Philadelphia EaglesPost-draft rank: 2Are the linebackers good enough? With T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White gone, the Eagles are banking on Nakobe Dean to shine as their No. 1 inside linebacker. After falling to the third round in 2022 due to medical concerns, Dean - one of the top defenders of his draft class - is expected to be a cornerstone of Philly's defense. Nicholas Morrow is the front-runner to start next to him, with Christian Elliss presumably also an option. It'll be interesting to see if new defensive coordinator Sean Desai can maximize the talents of unproven players in his care.3. Cincinnati BengalsPost-draft rank: 3Who steps up at safety? The Bengals have two gigantic holes at safety after losing Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell this offseason. Two starters will emerge out of a group that consists of Dax Hill, Nick Scott, and Jordan Battle, but the departure of Bates and Bell leaves a huge amount of experience and talent to replace.4. San Francisco 49ersPost-draft rank: 4When will Brock Purdy return? Purdy took the NFL by storm and helped San Francisco reach the NFC title game after the team turned to him under center in Week 13. However, he completely tore the UCL in his throwing elbow in January, and it's unclear if he'll be ready for Week 1. Purdy is expected to be San Francisco's QB1 when he's cleared to play, but Trey Lance or Sam Darnold will lead the offense until Purdy returns.5. New York Jets Rich Schultz / Getty Images Sport / GettyPost-draft rank: 6Where does Mekhi Becton figure in? Aaron Rodgers will dominate the headlines throughout training camp, but the Jets have another pressing issue. What do they do with Becton? The former No. 11 pick has played in just one game since 2021. He likely won't land the left tackle gig, but there will be a lot of competition for the right tackle job with Becton, Max Mitchell, and Billy Turner in the mix.6. Miami DolphinsPost-draft rank: 8What can be made of the offensive line? There is a lot in limbo on the Dolphins' O-line. Mainly, there's no clear answer as to who will emerge as the starting left guard and right tackle. Liam Eichenberg is the front-runner at LG, but newcomer Isaiah Wynn could seriously challenge him. The versatile Wynn could also figure into the RT battle between Austin Jackson and Cedric Ogbuehi.7. Buffalo BillsPost-draft rank: 5Is the Stefon Diggs issue in the rearview mirror? According to Josh Allen, the Diggs drama was overblown by the media. But it was abundantly clear throughout the offseason that there were issues to work out between the Bills and their top receiver. Head coach Sean McDermott says everything has been resolved, but we'll see if that holds true throughout training camp.8. Baltimore RavensPost-draft rank: 12How will the offense jell? The Ravens were serious about getting their offense right for Lamar Jackson. Not only did they make him $260 million richer, but they also brought in dynamic wideouts Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers while also replacing offensive coordinator Greg Roman for Todd Monken. Expectations will be sky-high for the Monken-led offense.9. Dallas CowboysPost-draft rank: 7What to expect from the new-look offense? The Cowboys parted ways with running back Ezekiel Elliott and tight end Dalton Schultz and traded for receiver Brandin Cooks. Plus, the team let coordinator Kellen Moore go, leaving head coach Mike McCarthy in charge of play-calling duties. McCarthy had a similar role in his previous stint with the Packers but left Green Bay under heavy criticism due to his uncreative offense. He'll be under a lot of pressure in 2023.10. Los Angeles Chargers Rob Carr / Getty Images Sport / GettyPost-draft rank: 9Can Kellen Moore bring Justin Herbert to new heights? The Chargers moved on from Joe Lombardi after his offense regressed in scoring. To replace him, they brought in Moore, who pushed the Cowboys to the top of the league in scoring in two of his four seasons as offensive coordinator. His task will be to replicate that success with Herbert and the rest of the Chargers' offense. Herbert is no stranger to big numbers, but he's still searching for his first playoff win after L.A. infamously imploded last postseason.11. Seattle SeahawksPost-draft rank: 10When will Jamal Adams and Jordyn Brooks return? Unlike last year, Seattle starts training camp without contract drama, so key veterans' health is its biggest question. Adams underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn quadriceps tendon after Week 1 in 2022, and there's some optimism the star safety could be ready for the start of camp. The Seahawks are also waiting for Brooks, whose return timetable is uncertain after the linebacker tore his ACL in January.12. Jacksonville JaguarsPost-draft rank: 13Can Calvin Ridley regain his form? The Jaguars took a big risk in acquiring Ridley from the Falcons while he was suspended. He's now reinstated and ready to catch passes from Trevor Lawrence, one of the highest-rising quarterbacks in the league. But can Ridley, who has been out of action since halfway through the 2021 campaign, be the dynamic receiver he was in Atlanta? If he can, he'll be able to take this Jaguars' offense to the next level.13. Detroit LionsPost-draft rank: 15Was Detroit right about its rookie class? The Lions stole the headlines in this year's draft by selecting a running back (Jahmyr Gibbs) and an off-ball linebacker (Jack Campbell) in the top 20. In what could be great steals, Detroit then scooped tight end Sam LaPorta and safety Brian Branch in Round 2. Their draft haul also includes third-round quarterback Hendon Hooker, who likely would've been drafted higher if he hadn't suffered a torn ACL in November. It'll be fascinating to see what Detroit gets from its rookies in their first training camp.14. New York GiantsPost-draft rank: 11Will Saquon Barkley attend? The deadline for teams to sign franchise-tagged players to multi-year extensions passed, and Barkley doesn't have a new deal. That means N.Y. will most likely start camp without its top offensive playmaker. Barkley, who's coming off one of the best campaigns of his career, can either play on a one-year deal or sit out for the season - an option he hasn't ruled out.15. Cleveland Browns Jason Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyPost-draft rank: 18How will Deshaun Watson look in Year 2? Watson's first year in Cleveland was below average, if not disappointing. He completed under 60% of his passes for seven touchdowns and threw five picks. The Browns gave him a few more receivers in Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman hoping that it'll help Watson regain his Pro Bowl form.16. Pittsburgh SteelersPost-draft rank: 16Who will be the starting LT? The Steelers will have a lot of new faces on their revamped offense but, in training camp, a majority of the eyes will be on the man who protects Kenny Pickett's blind side. The two competitors fighting for that title are first-round pick Broderick Jones and third-year pro Dan Moore Jr. The rookie might have a leg up in the battle, but don't discount Moore entering Week 1 as the starter.17. Minnesota VikingsPost-draft rank: 14What can we expect from Brian Flores' defense? Minnesota hired Flores as coordinator this season after ranking 28th in points allowed in 2022. But it's unclear if the Vikings are talented enough defensively, given the unit's lack of star power and depth after losing Za'Darius Smith and Dalvin Tomlinson. Plus, Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter's future with the team remains uncertain.18. New Orleans SaintsPost-draft rank: 17Will Michael Thomas be a full-go? New year, old problem. New Orleans will start camp without knowing how healthy its most accomplished receiver is. Injuries limited Thomas to 10 regular-season appearances in the last three seasons. With Chris Olave coming off a 1,000-yard rookie season, the Saints could have one of football's premier WR duos if Thomas is fully healthy.19. New England PatriotsPost-draft rank: 20Will Mac Jones rebound? The 2022 season was difficult for the former 2021 first-round pick. As expected, Jones struggled to take the next step without a true offensive coordinator as Matt Patricia handled play-calling. Patricia is now gone and Bill O'Brien has stepped in as the official offensive coordinator, which the Patriots hope will get Jones back on track.20. Denver Broncos Matthew Stockman / Getty Images Sport / GettyPost-draft rank: 22Can Sean Payton fix Russell Wilson? It was an overly bumpy ride for the Broncos and Wilson in 2022 as the veteran set new career lows in completion percentage, passing touchdowns, and passer rating. Denver got Wilson a new co-pilot in the hopes of addressing the problem. That new leader is none other than Payton, who has earned his reputation as one of the brightest offensive minds the NFL has ever seen. There's a lot riding on Wilson regaining his form, but Payton could be the perfect person to help him.21. Tennessee TitansPost-draft rank: 25Is the pressure on for Ryan Tannehill? Tannehill has been the Titans' starter for the better portion of the last four seasons and still hasn't won a playoff game since his first year. Making matters worse, the 2022 campaign was his least productive year in Tennessee and the Titans drafted passer Will Levis in the second round. So, in the final year of his contract, just how long a leash will Tannehill have? At least the veteran will have a new No. 1 weapon as he tries to bounce back: Tennessee recently signed DeAndre Hopkins to a two-year contract.22. Washington CommandersPost-draft rank: 19Are Sam Howell and Eric Bieniemy ready? Washington will have a new quarterback and offensive coordinator in Howell and Bieniemy, respectively, and they both have a lot to prove. Howell, a fifth-round rookie in 2022, has only one start on his resume, while Bieniemy joined the Commanders this offseason after several years in Kansas City. With support from Andy Reid and Mahomes, Bieniemy helped the Chiefs build a juggernaut. Now he has a chance to call plays and help an inexperienced QB build a sparkling new offense.23. Carolina PanthersPost-draft rank: 26How ready is Bryce Young? All eyes will be on Young at camp. The Alabama stud enters the NFL surrounded by sky-high expectations as this year's first overall pick. The 21-year-old doesn't have many flaws in his game, but some around the league believe his frame - he weighs in at 5-foot-10 and 204 pounds - will be an issue in the pros. Training camp will give us a better idea of what to expect from Young, who turned heads at minicamp.24. Las Vegas RaidersPost-draft rank: 23How is Jimmy Garoppolo's health? Garoppolo's foot injury from last season is still lingering into 2023, and the Raiders included a provision in his contract that allows them to release him if he doesn't pass a physical. Expectations aren't high for Las Vegas this season, but if Garoppolo doesn't pass his medicals, this squad could be comically bad.25. Chicago Bears Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPost-draft rank: 31Where will the pass rush come from? Everyone will be looking at the Justin Fields-led offense during the season, but Chicago's biggest question at camp is actually on the defensive side. Safety Jaquan Brisker led the team with four sacks in 2022, but the Bears didn't add any big-time pass-rushers this year. The club's edge rusher depth chart currently doesn't have any player with more than eight single-season sacks: it features DeMarcus Walker, Rasheem Green, Trevis Gipson, and Dominique Robinson, among others. Chicago did use a pair of Round 2 picks on interior linemen Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens, but pressuring opposing QBs may be an issue for the Bears.26. Green Bay PackersPost-draft rank: 27What should we expect from Jordan Love? The Love era in Green Bay kicks off with plenty of uncertainty, and training camp will give us an idea of the inexperienced fourth-year passer's comfort level with Matt LaFleur's offensive system. The 2020 first-round pick has started only one game in his NFL career. He now has to replace Rodgers in an offense that doesn't roster any wide receiver with more than a year of NFL experience.27. Los Angeles RamsPost-draft rank: 21Can the rookies step up? The Rams currently roster more than 30 rookies, and their depth chart will mostly feature unproven players in 2023, including an all-rookie group of special teams. Yes, Aaron Donald, Matthew Stafford, and Cooper Kupp are still there, but all of them are coming off injury-plagued campaigns and their health will also be in question at camp. A good mix of youth and experience is crucial, so training camp will show if the Rams - who went 5-12 last season - are on the right path.28. Atlanta FalconsPost-draft rank: 28What will the offense look like? Desmond Ridder is taking over as QB1 with several exciting playmakers around him. The Falcons used a top-10 pick on Bijan Robinson, adding him to a backfield that also features Tyler Allgeier - a 1,000-yard rusher last year - and Cordarrelle Patterson, a versatile weapon in both the passing and running game. Out wide, Drake London and Kyle Pitts headline a receiving room that welcomed Scott Miller, Mack Hollins, and Jonnu Smith this year. Arthur Smith now has to figure out how to use all of his weapons.29. Tampa Bay BuccaneersPost-draft rank: 24Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask? After three years with Tom Brady, Tampa Bay enters training camp with major questions at quarterback, as Mayfield and Trask compete for the starting role. Mayfield - the 2018 first overall pick - is trying to revive his career on his fourth different team in three seasons, while Trask has attempted only nine passes since being drafted in 2021. This competition didn't look very exciting for Bucs fans earlier this offseason.30. Indianapolis Colts Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPost-draft rank: 29How long until we see Anthony Richardson under center? It's not a matter of if but when Richardson will take over the starting job. Though he entered the league labeled as a true project, the easiest way to get him up to speed is giving him valuable experience. It's not like the obstacle in front of him is insurmountable, as the former Florida prospect will only be competing against Gardner Minshew.31. Houston TexansPost-draft rank: 30How will the highly anticipated newcomers perform? For the first time in a long time, there's serious buzz around the Texans, and the reason for that is the new faces around the team. On the sideline, DeMeco Ryans takes over as head coach after a stellar performance as the 49ers defensive coordinator. On defense, third overall pick Will Anderson gives Houston a serious edge rusher. But the biggest addition was No. 2 pick C.J. Stroud, the Texans' biggest quarterback prospect since Deshaun Watson.32. Arizona CardinalsPost-draft rank: 32Who steps up in the WR depth chart? This is one of many questions for the Cardinals, who hired a rookie head coach in Jonathan Gannon and aren't expected to have Kyler Murray available at the start of the season. But Arizona's biggest roster question is at wide receiver. Marquise Brown is taking over the No. 1 role and has big shoes to fill after the Cardinals released Hopkins. Then there's a battle for the No. 2 spot involving Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch, and third-round rookie Michael Wilson, among others.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If anything sums up the vibes for the 2023 Indianapolis Colts, it might be this tweet from early June:

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Boone discusses DeAndre Hopkins signing with the Tennessee Titans and the outlook for franchise-tag running backs now that the extension deadline has passed.

theScore's football news editors recap some of the best moves and most improved teams after an offseason with its fair share of big changes.Best Signing Julian Catalfo / theScore Lamar Jackson re-signs with RavensThere were moments when it looked like the Ravens might need to reset at quarterback, but Baltimore and Jackson eventually agreed to terms on a five-year contract worth $260 million. Baltimore retained an elite player at the most important position and Jackson became the highest-paid player in NFL history. Javon Hargrave signs with 49ersHargrave turned his impressive 2022 campaign (11 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 16 quarterback hits) into a four-year, $84-million deal with the 49ers. The 30-year-old should continue to excel on a San Francisco defensive line that also includes the likes of Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead. Orlando Brown Jr. signs with BengalsBrown signed a four-year, $64-million contract with the Bengals in free agency to solidify the left tackle position for the foreseeable future. The former Raven and Chief brings imposing size and above-average pass protection skills. Improving the offensive line has been a priority since Joe Burrow arrived in Cincinnati and this move only helped.Best Draft Haul Eagles draft trio of Georgia BulldogsGeneral manager Howie Roseman added defensive tackle Jalen Carter (No. 9 overall), linebacker Nolan Smith (No. 30), and cornerback Kelee Ringo (No. 105) in April. The three key pieces from Georgia's vaunted defense bolster a roster that made it to last year's Super Bowl. OT Tyler Steen (No. 65), S Sydney Brown (No. 66), QB Tanner McKee (No. 188), and DT Moro Ojomo (No. 249) round out the class. Steelers select Jones, Porter, and moreThe Steelers seem to have hit a home run in Omar Khan's first draft as general manager. Broderick Jones (No. 14 overall) should start at left tackle early, Joey Porter Jr. (No. 32) is a physical corner, and Keeanu Benton (No. 94) can learn behind Cam Heyward before taking over on the defensive interior. Pittsburgh also added TE Darnell Washington (No. 93), EDGE Nick Herbig (No. 132), CB Cory Trice Jr. (No. 241), and G Spencer Anderson (No. 251). Seahawks draft 9, including Witherspoon and Smith-NjigbaSeattle turned its pair of first-round selections into defensive back Devon Witherspoon (No. 5 overall) and wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba (No. 20), getting better on both sides of the ball. The Seahawks also picked up a good combination of potential starters and depth in EDGE Derick Hall (No. 37), RB Zach Charbonnet (No. 52), OL Anthony Bradford (No. 108), DL Cameron Young (No. 123), EDGE Mike Morris (No. 151), C Olusegun Oluwatimi (No. 154), S Jerrick Reed II (No. 198), and RB Kenny McIntosh (No. 237).Best Trade Dolphins trade for Jalen RamseyMiami traded just a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long for perennial Pro Bowler Jalen Ramsey. The 28-year-old is a three-time first-team All-Pro and should create a formidable tandem with Xavien Howard. Getting one of the NFL's best corners for so little is one of the best overall moves of the offseason. Arizona trades down with Houston in 1st roundThe Arizona Cardinals entered the draft with one of the worst rosters in the NFL. Despite still having plenty of holes, the club was able to send picks No. 3 and No. 105 to the Houston Texans in exchange for picks No. 12 and 33 in the 2023 draft, plus Houston's first- and third-round picks in next year's draft. The Cardinals continued to make deals with their new capital and left 2023's event with plenty of assets for the future. Cowboys trade for Stephon GilmoreGilmore doesn't have Ramsey's long-term upside, as the veteran turns 33 in September, but Dallas only had to send the Indianapolis Colts a fifth-round selection to acquire his services. Pairing Gilmore with Trevon Diggs gives the Cowboys one of the league's best perimeter duos.Best Under-the-Radar Move Lions ink C.J. Gardner-Johnson to 1-year deal worth up to $8MThe Lions made several additions to improve their secondary this offseason, but Gardner-Johnson stands out as the biggest get after he tied for the league lead in interceptions (six) despite playing only 12 games last season. They were able to secure the veteran's services for a very reasonable price and should capitalize on both his talent and experience. Vikings sign Byron Murphy to 2-year, $17.5M contractLike Detroit, Minnesota struggled to consistently defend the pass in 2022. The Vikings finished 31st in passing yards allowed per game (265.6), narrowly avoiding last place. Adding Murphy should help them improve in that regard. The 25-year-old still has plenty of room to grow, but he flashed some ball-hawk skills after recording four interceptions in 2021. Bills add Leonard Floyd on 1-year, $7M pactFloyd didn't sign until June, but he could be one of the league's most impactful additions. The soon-to-be 31-year-old has posted at least nine sacks in each of the last three seasons and should benefit from rotating with Von Miller, Greg Rousseau, and Shaq Lawson.Best Coaching Hire Julian Catalfo / theScore Texans hire DeMeco Ryans as head coachRyans brings plenty of familiarity with the Texans organization and hope for the fan base. The 38-year-old led the best defense in the league last year, with the 49ers ranking first in both yards allowed per game (300.6) and points allowed per contest (16.3) while he was defensive coordinator. There's still plenty of work to be done in Houston, but hiring Ryans was a good step. Dolphins hire Vic Fangio as defensive coordinatorMiami ranked around the middle of the league in most defensive categories a year ago. After adding Jalen Ramsey and Fangio, that's likely to change. Fangio is widely regarded as one of the sharpest defensive minds in all of football. His resume includes building multiple top-10 defenses with the 49ers and Bears, among other clubs. Ravens hire Todd Monken as offensive coordinatorAfter four years of Greg Roman's run-heavy offense, the Ravens are switching things up. New offensive coordinator Monken should create a system that promotes moving the ball through the air while still leveraging quarterback Lamar Jackson's dynamic rushing ability. Monken most recently served as Georgia's offensive coordinator, helping the Bulldogs capture back-to-back College Football Playoff National Championships.Most Improved Playoff Team Ravens add WRs, new OC in effort to build around Lamar JacksonSpeaking of Monken's willingness to call more passing plays, Baltimore added more receiving weapons this offseason. The Ravens signed free-agent receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to a one-year, $15-million deal and drafted Zay Flowers with the 22nd overall pick to bolster their passing attack. Baltimore successfully re-signed Lamar Jackson and inked Roquan Smith to a long-term extension, though those moves didn't come in the offseason. The team also drafted LB Trenton Simpson and EDGE Tavius Robinson to add more talent to their front seven. Seahawks bolster defense, add more weapons on offenseSeattle's draft haul was one of our favorites thanks in large part to the additions of Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but the club also retained quarterback Geno Smith, signed DL Dre'Mont Jones, and reunited with LB Bobby Wagner. The addition of rotation players like LB Devin Bush Jr., S Julian Love, and RB Zach Charbonnet should only help the Seahawks as they look to make the postseason for the fifth time in six seasons. Cowboys load up on veteran talentWe've addressed Gilmore, but the Cowboys made some other impactful moves, too. Dallas traded fifth- and sixth-round picks for wide receiver Brandin Cooks, shed running back Ezekiel Elliott's albatross of a contract while retaining Tony Pollard after his breakout 2022 campaign, and re-signed EDGE Dante Fowler Jr. after he posted six sacks a year ago. The franchise also drafted DL Mazi Smith in the first round and followed that by selecting his Michigan teammate TE Luke Schoonmaker in the second before adding solid depth through the rest of the draft.Most Improved Non-Playoff Team Jets make change at QB, reinforce defenseNew York missed out on a wild-card spot after finishing last year's campaign with a 7-10 record. Adding four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Allen Lazard and getting running back Breece Hall back from a torn ACL should improve the offense. Defensively, the team selected EDGE Will McDonald IV with the No. 15 pick, giving them another edge defender to rotate along the line. The Jets also recently signed Quinnen Williams to a huge extension, locking in the All-Pro and creating cap space for this season. Lions rework RB room, secondaryGeneral manager Brad Holmes made plenty of adjustments to Detroit's roster this offseason, replacing running backs D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams with first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs and free agent David Montgomery. The Lions also selected a pair of Iowa playmakers in LB Jack Campbell (No. 18 overall) and TE Sam LaPorta (No. 34), plus defensive back Brian Branch (No. 45). Pairing those young additions with veterans like DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Emmanuel Moseley, and Cameron Sutton could help Detroit make the playoffs for the first time since 2016 after finishing 9-8 a year ago. Broncos seek stability with Payton acquisitionThe biggest improvement Denver made was adding Sean Payton as head coach after he took a year off. The team had to trade a first-round pick to the New Orleans Saints, but there's hope that he'll be able to revive quarterback Russell Wilson's career after the signal-caller struggled through 2022. Beyond Payton, the club also added OT Mike McGlinchey, EDGE Frank Clark, and DL Zach Allen in free agency. Denver's top rookies include WR Marvin Mims Jr. (No. 63 overall), LB Drew Sanders (No. 67), and CB Riley Moss (No. 83), with all of them expected to contribute quickly.Juiciest Rumor Julian Catalfo / theScore Tom Brady becoming player/owner with RaidersRumors swirled that Tom Brady would unretire, again, and attempt to function as both part-owner and quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders. While Brady did submit paperwork to become a minority owner of the club, he appears content to take 2023 off before beginning his broadcasting career with Fox Sports in 2024. 49ers actively trying to trade Trey LanceSan Francisco's quarterback room is among the most intriguing in the NFL right now and there was talk that the team would trade Trey Lance, the No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft. Lance is still competing with Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold, but it's not difficult to envision the team moving on from Lance if Purdy can prove that his play in nine appearances last year was more than a fluke. Patriots shopping Mac JonesReports flew that the Patriots and Mac Jones could be heading for an early divorce with the club shopping the quarterback ahead of the draft. The team has since appeared content with keeping the former first-round pick, but pressure could be on Jones to deliver now that he's working with Bill O'Brien.Best Quote & Ja'Marr Chase and Patrick Mahomes' exchangeCincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes combined for the two best offseason quotes. Chase was asked who the best player in the NFL was and responded with his quarterback, Joe Burrow. The 23-year-old was then informed that Burrow had named "Pat" the league's top player, prompting Chase to respond, "Pat who?"

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott led the league with a career-high 15 interceptions last season, but he's confident 2023 will be different."I won't have 10 interceptions this year," Prescott said, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Gabriel Trevino.In addition to his regular-season total, Prescott threw two picks in the divisional round against the San Francisco 49ers. His 17 interceptions overall tied him with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.Prescott, who only played 12 games in 2022, also accumulated a 3.8% interception percentage. His previous career high in picks came in 2017 when he threw 13."I know who I am, and you can go back and take away half of those off drops," Prescott said, per Trevino."I'm not saying it's on the receiver, but if you cut that in half, then we start talking about those; nobody is talking about it."Prescott will run a new offense in 2023 after the Cowboys mutually agreed to part ways with former play-caller Kellen Moore. The two-time Pro Bowler is looking forward to a fresh start with head coach Mike McCarthy running the offense."Some of it is the offense and them understanding exactly where we are," Prescott said, per Trevino. "Mike does an amazing job with those guys. They know where to be ... when they're getting looked at. That's going to be a big jump."Prescott has 24,943 passing yards with 166 touchdown passes and 65 interceptions in 97 career games.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

No matter what you think about the Jaguars, your understanding of their place in the betting market should start with a reminder that they were a home underdog in their wild-card game in January.Their division is projected to be the easiest in the league. Adding up the regular-season win totals for the four teams in the AFC South gives you just 30 expected wins. Take out the Jaguars' 10 projected victories, and you're left with three teams expected to win 20 games out of 51 in total - a sub-.400 win percentage.To their credit, Doug Pederson's influenced a culture change that helped the Jags storm back to beat the Chargers after falling 27-0 early on that Saturday night in Jacksonville. This likely had more to do with the confidence instilled in Trevor Lawrence after it was eroded during the brief Urban Meyer experiment. In Year 2, hopes should be high in Duval County.2023 season oddsMARKETODDS(O/U)Win total10.5 (+140)Division-155Conference+1300Super Bowl+2500Estimated rating55/100While the teams in the AFC North got a ratings bump for the difficulty of their division, the Jaguars' rating got knocked down after we had them in the high-50s in mid-May because 10 wins out of a division with the Colts, Titans, and Texans wouldn't be all that impressive. Last year's 9-8 record and 8-8-1 mark against the spread also suggests mediocrity.Schedule outlookWEEKOPPONENTLOOKAHEAD LINE1@INDJAX -3.52KCKC -33HOUJAX -74ATLJAX -45@BUFBUF -3.56INDJAX -6.57@NONO -18@PITPIT -110SFSF -111TENJAX -512@HOUJAX -4.513CINCIN -114@CLECLE -115BALJAX -116@TBJAX -3.517CARJAX -518@TENJAX -2.5No, the point-spread machine isn't stuck on repeat; that's a lot of 1-point spreads. The Jaguars are otherwise favored in nine other games this season - six in their division and three against the also sub-par NFC South. The last we saw Jacksonville, it was a 10-point underdog in Kansas City. The Jaguars host the Chiefs in Week 2, but a 7-point flip in the spread seems like too much.What's to like about the JaguarsThe biggest advantage any team has over another in the NFL is whatever continuity they can manufacture. Jacksonville is in the early stages of creating that. The less you have to work on the basics - the stuff you've already perfected - the more you can work on the hard stuff. Pederson and Lawrence haven't had to spend time getting to know each other this offseason. Instead, they have a history of what works for Lawrence and can build on that with all the other pieces that the Jags added a year ago.It took much of last season for Jacksonville to figure out what they had in tailback Travis Etienne, as he opened the year playing fewer snaps than James Robinson in the first four games. Robinson isn't even on a team as of this writing. Evan Engram, Christian Kirk, and Zay Jones are back as primary targets for Lawrence, and a former first-round wide receiver joins them.What's not to like about the JaguarsCalvin Ridley is coming off a season-long suspension for gambling violations and is a younger replacement for Marvin Jones. Ridley had 90 catches for 1374 yards in his last full season, but there are few success stories of players who miss large chunks of time in the NFL.The bigger issue is a current suspended player: left tackle Cam Robinson. The Jags went out of their way to extend Robinson before last season, opting not to draft a first-round tackle in 2022, but he'll be out the first four games due to a performance-enhancing drug suspension. With the other 2022 starter at tackle - Jawaan Taylor - having departed, the rest of the group is neither particularly talented nor deep, even after adding Oklahoma's Anton Harrison in the draft.Other notable betting marketsPLAYERMARKETODDSTrevor LawrenceMVP+1400Offensive POTY+4000Most passing yards+2200Most passing TD+3500Travis EtienneOffensive POTY+5000Rushing yards+3500Rushing TD+3500Calvin RidleyOffensive POTY+6000Most receptions+6500Most receiving yards+5000Most receiving TD+2200Comeback POTY+3500Christian KirkMost receptions+7500Most receiving yards+6000Most receiving TD+5000Travon WalkerDefensive POTY+7000Josh AllenDefensive POTY+15000Most sacks+5000Doug PedersonCoach of the Year+2200Lawrence is the sixth choice in the MVP market, with only Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen (BUF), Jalen Hurts, and Justin Herbert ahead of him. That sounds incredibly optimistic until you start looking at the list of players behind him. Outside of Lamar Jackson (+1500), it's hard to make a better case for anyone else.Coming out of college, Etienne was supposed to be more of a threat in the passing game, so an optimistic view of his second full season would be a modest increase in both rushing yards (from 1125 to 1400-plus) and receiving yards (from 316 to 500-plus). Two thousand-plus all-purpose yards isn't out of the question, which would put anyone in the Offensive Player of the Year conversation.Neither player should be relied upon in any of the big yardage markets, but it's interesting to note that there seems to be a belief that Ridley will have a bigger season than Kirk. The latter legitimized the big contract the Jaguars gave him last year, and would seem to have a better chance at a big season.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tennessee Titans are expected to sign free-agent wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, reports Diana Russini of ESPN.Tennesssee is giving Hopkins a two-year, $26-million contract, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The deal is reportedly worth up to $32 million with incentives and includes a base salary of $12 million in Year 1.A five-time All-Pro, Hopkins had been linked to several suitors since the Arizona Cardinals released him in May after failing to find a trade partner. He made free-agent visits with the New England Patriots and Titans. Hopkins was also rumored to be involved in trade talks with Tennessee on the first night of the 2023 NFL Draft.Arizona explored the potential of moving Hopkins in a trade package with multiple teams, but his $19.45-million salary proved to be a challenge. The Cardinals opted to carry a $21-million dead cap hit by releasing the veteran pass-catcher, according to Over the Cap.

The Dallas Cowboys and franchise-tagged running back Tony Pollard aren't expected to reach an agreement on a multi-year contract before Monday's deadline, reports ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.Dallas placed the tag on Pollard in March after he set career highs with 1,378 scrimmage yards and 12 total touchdowns last season. The 26-year-old, who already signed his tender, will earn $10 million in 2023 by playing on the tag.Pollard is expected to lead the Cowboys' backfield this year following the departure of Ezekiel Elliott, whom Dallas released after seven seasons. Pollard topped the 1,000-yard mark on the ground for the first time in 2022 while averaging more than 5 yards per carry for the second straight campaign.A fourth-round pick in 2019, Pollard underwent surgery this year after fracturing his fibula during a divisional-round game against the San Francisco 49ers. The Memphis product recently said he feels faster this season, adding that he expects to be a full go at training camp.Teams have until Monday at 4 p.m. ET to sign tagged players to multi-year contracts. In addition to Pollard, Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants and Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders have yet to sign long-term deals in what's been a quiet offseason for NFL running backs.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest.Follow the links below to see his 2023 rankings.Half PPR

It didn't take long for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett to impress veteran wide receiver Allen Robinson."Coming in, seeing Kenny now going into his second season, the command that he has for a second-year player is awesome," Robinson recently said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "I personally feel like you don't get a chance to see guys that young with a command that strong as far as leading us, getting guys together, throwing after watching film. Across the board, he's very experienced. It's been fun to see and it's been fun to be a part of."Pickett, whom Pittsburgh drafted in the first round in 2022, began his rookie campaign on the bench but was named the starter in Week 5. He finished the season with seven touchdown passes against nine interceptions to go along with three scores on the ground. The Pitt product also led four game-winning drives.The Steelers acquired Robinson as part of a trade with the Los Angeles Rams in April. Prior to his one-season stint with the Rams, the 29-year-old played for the Jacksonville Jaguars (2014-17) and Chicago Bears (2018-21). He has caught at least one regular season touchdown from six different quarterbacks throughout his career.Robinson recorded only 33 catches, 339 yards, and three touchdowns in 10 games in 2022. He now joins a Pittsburgh offense that rosters running back Najee Harris and wide receivers George Pickens and Diontae Johnson, among others."When you look at some of the weapons that we have, I think that we're in a position to be a well-rounded offensive group with a lot of young talent that isn't so young anymore and also some vets," Allen said. "That's really when you see some offenses start to take that next step. ... We have a lot of guys across the board who can make plays."The Steelers went 9-8 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Pittsburgh ranked 26th in points scored. Johnson didn't score any touchdowns in 2022 but led the team with 86 receptions and 882 yards.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker and team captain Lavonte David likes what he's seen from the team's quarterbacks so far, especially Baker Mayfield."Baker already has been 'the guy,' and he's expected to live up to what everybody expected him to be," David recently said, according to JoeBucsFan.com. "Baker is great for our locker room. I like the way Baker carries himself, coming in with a ready-to-work mentality. Everybody loves him already, and the way he approaches practice is great to see."After Tom Brady retired this offseason, the Buccaneers signed Mayfield to a one-year deal in free agency.The 2018 first overall pick is on his fourth different team in the last three seasons after stints with the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, and Los Angeles Rams. He's now competing for the Bucs' QB1 job with 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask."(Mayfield is) a guy who's done it before, took his team to the playoffs, and done some great things so far," David said. "So the competition with those guys is going to be very, very competitive, and I'm glad to be a part of it."He added: "During minicamp, it was really fun to see. Those guys are really having fun with it, and they're helping each other throughout the way."Mayfield was once viewed as the Browns' franchise quarterback. He passed for 26 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 2020 en route to ending Cleveland's 18-year playoff drought.However, he hasn't replicated that production since. Mayfield passed for only 10 TDs to eight picks while playing for the Panthers (seven games) and Rams (five appearances) in 2022. Cleveland traded him to Carolina during the 2022 offseason.The Buccaneers won the NFC South last year despite finishing the campaign with an 8-9 record. Tampa Bay's season ended with a wild-card home loss to the Dallas Cowboys.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed franchise-tagged tight end Evan Engram to a three-year contract, his agent, Mike McCartney, announced Sunday.The deal is worth $41.25 million and includes $24 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Engram's reported average annual salary ($13.75 million) now ranks sixth among tight ends, according to Spotrac.The 28-year-old received the $11-million tight end tag earlier this offseason after setting career highs with 73 receptions and 766 yards during his first year with the Jaguars in 2022. He also caught four touchdowns.The Ole Miss product was an important weapon in a Jaguars offense led by rising quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Jacksonville also rosters wide receivers Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, and Zay Jones, among others.Engram began his career with the New York Giants, who drafted him 23rd overall in 2017. He played five seasons in New York, earning a Pro Bowl berth in 2020.The deadline for tagged players to sign multi-year deals is Monday at 4 p.m. ET.

Tyreek Hill said he'll enter the record books while helping the Miami Dolphins end their Super Bowl drought this upcoming season."I'll break 2,000 (receiving) yards (this season)," Hill said on the latest edition of his "It Needed To Be Said" podcast. "All I'm gonna say is 2,000 yards was on my bucket list to get, bro, before I leave this league. And y'all think Cheetah gonna leave without doing something he promised himself?"He added: "Two thousand yards and another Super Bowl, we getting that."Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson holds the single-season record for receiving yards with 1,964 in 2012. Only one other player has topped the 1,900-yard mark in a season, as Los Angeles Rams star Cooper Kupp racked up 1,947 yards in 2021. Kupp became the first receiver ever to top 2,000 yards in the regular season and playoffs combined after leading the Rams to a Super Bowl victory that year.Hill set a career high with 1,710 yards in his first season with the Dolphins last year. The 29-year-old, whom Miami acquired in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2022 offseason, also caught a career-high 119 passes and seven touchdowns en route to earning the fourth first-team All-Pro nod of his career.A fifth-round pick in 2016, Hill said in April that he intends to play 10 seasons in the NFL and retire at the end of his current contract with Miami. The seven-time Pro Bowler is currently signed through the 2026 season, according to Spotrac.In 2022, Hill helped the Dolphins make the playoffs for the first time since 2016, but their run ended with a wild-card loss to the Buffalo Bills. Miami hasn't won a postseason game since the 2000 campaign, and its last Super Bowl appearance dates back to the 1984 season when the team lost to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XIX.The Dolphins haven't won the big game since lifting the Lombardi Trophy in back-to-back seasons in 1972-73.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Cincinnati Bengals will be keeping Joe Mixon for the 2023 season after the running back agreed to restructure his contract, his agent Peter Schaffer told ESPN's Adam Schefter."Joe's goal is to win a Super Bowl and play his career in Cincinnati, and this is the best way to accomplish these goals," Schaffer said.Mixon, who was originally due $9.4 million in base salary, will earn a salary of just under $6 million with incentives that could boost it up to $8 million, a source told Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith.The 26-year-old recorded 210 carries for 814 yards across 14 games in 2022. Mixon's production slipped slightly after a career-high 1,205-yard campaign in 2021 earned him his first Pro Bowl invite.The Bengals' backfield took a hit this offseason when Samaje Perine departed as a free agent. Perine complemented Mixon in his three-plus-year stint in Cincinnati, racking up 1,490 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns.Mixon has produced 5,378 yards and 40 touchdowns on the ground since being drafted in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Vikings signal-caller Kirk Cousins has no hard feelings about teammate Justin Jefferson omitting him from his list of top five quarterbacks.Jefferson listed Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, and Josh Allen as his top five quarterbacks in an interview with RedeTV's Danilo Lacalle earlier this month."This is the first time hearing about it," Cousins said on "KFan Minneapolis" recently. "As a competitor, you'd always want (to be on a top five list). People have to be honest and share what they think, and I'm not going to tell somebody what they need to think."He added: "Hopefully, in 2024, I'll be on his list. We'll see what we can do this year."Cousins and Jefferson have formed one of the NFL's most dangerous quarterback-receiver duos since the latter was drafted in 2020. Their production last season was especially dominant as Jefferson led the league in receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,809).An 11-year veteran, Cousins joined the Vikings in 2018 and has put up a 46-33-1 record as a starter. He's also one of the stars of Netflix's new "Quarterback" series alongside Mahomes and Marcus Mariota.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Las Vegas Raiders and running back Josh Jacobs aren't close to striking a long-term deal ahead of Monday's deadline for franchise-tagged players to ink extensions, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports.Jacobs' status for training camp and Week 1 is uncertain if the two sides don't agree on an extension. The running back has yet to sign his franchise tag, worth $10.1 million.A former first-round pick in 2019, Jacobs enjoyed a breakout campaign with the Raiders last season. He led the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards, while his 12 rushing scores also tied a career high.The 25-year-old exceeded 1,000 yards on the ground in three of his four seasons.The deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term deals is Monday at 4 p.m. ET.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Chargers star Austin Ekeler remains unhappy with the value of running backs across the league."If I'm looking at some of the backup receivers out here that are still making more than me, that's going to piss me off," Ekeler said on the "Rich Eisen Show" on Thursday. "You're telling me ... the No. 3 receiver is going to make more than me? And I'm the starter. I get more carries, I touch the ball more, I have more of an impact."He added: "I'm bringing more value to the team than this person. I think I should be compensated for that."The Chargers granted the 28-year-old tailback permission to seek a trade this offseason after failing to agree to terms on an extension. Ekeler couldn't find a trade partner as teams were reluctant to meet his request for a new deal.He's entering the final season of his four-year, $24.5-million contract. Los Angeles added incentives to his deal in May.The 5-foot-10, 200-pound halfback wants to remain with the franchise and said his issues aren't solely about financial compensation but rather his value to the team on the field."The trend right now is not to pay running backs. ... It's going to take something - whether some guy stands out again, whether it's this year, one of these guys holds out and gets a big contract," Ekeler said.Fellow running backs Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard, and Josh Jacobs each received the franchise tag this offseason. Each player would earn just over $10 million under the one-year tender, per Over the Cap.Ekeler expressed surprise that no one else at the position has come close to earning a similar deal to Christian McCaffrey's four-year, $64-million extension signed in 2020.Chargers wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams each earn over $20 million per year, according to Spotrac.Ekeler rushed for a career-high 915 yards and posted 18 total touchdowns last season. It was the second consecutive season he led all running backs in total scores after accounting for 20 in 2021.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If you didn't read or hear about Mike Tomlin and the Steelers' streak of finishing above .500 going into last season, you obviously didn't read or hear anything about the Steelers.The streak was relevant not only because it was the season after the Ben Roethlisberger era ended but because eight wins would be good enough to cash season win total overs for Pittsburgh bettors in 2022. Sure enough, the Steelers kept the streak alive, going 9-8 and 10-6-1 against the spread.There were two personnel issues that potentially prevented the Steelers from returning to the playoffs.The first was something we expected. Whether it was journeyman Mitch Trubisky or rookie Kenny Pickett, quarterback play was always going to be inconsistent. Secondly, reigning Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt almost single-handedly beat the Bengals in the opener but came out of Week 1 with a torn pectoral. When he returned, Pittsburgh went 7-2 to close the season. A 1-6 record without Watt illuminates his importance.2023 season oddsMARKETODDS(O/U)Win total8.5 (-145)Division+500Conference+3000Super Bowl+5000Estimated rating55/100While the Steelers' win total has stayed at 8.5, enough bets have been made on the streak continuing to move the price on the over from +100 (49% average win probability) to -145. Add in a 7% bump for playing in the deepest division in the league, and the Steelers' rating goes from 49 on May 10 to 55/100 two months later without anything newsworthy happening in Pittsburgh.Schedule outlookWEEKOPPONENTLOOKAHEAD LINE1SFSF -32CLEPIT -13@LVPIT -1.54@HOUPIT -3.55BALBAL -17@LARPIT -28JAXPIT -19TENPIT -410GBPIT -311@CLECLE -1.512@CINCIN -4.513ARIPIT -6.514NEPIT -215@INDPIT -2.516CINCIN -2.517@SEASEA -2.518@BALBAL -3.5The Steelers are currently projected to be favored in 10 games, but only once would they be -200 or higher on the moneyline. In a division with the Bengals, Ravens and Browns, Pittsburgh is fortunate that its non-divisional matchups are favorable, as the team crosses over with the AFC South and NFC West.What's to like about the SteelersThe prospect of a healthy Watt and the expectation of more consistently good quarterback play should attract Steelers backers.In this space before last season, we hypothesized that Trubisky and/or Pickett could provide similar play to Roethlisberger's final season of 6.2 yards per attempt and 22:10 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and if that happened then the Steelers should maintain the level they've grown accustomed to. Steelers quarterbacks ultimately threw for 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 2023 and, incredibly, still won nine games. Pickett's the unquestioned starter in Year 2 and actually finished his rookie year with a top-15 passer rating.Either via the draft or free agency, the Steelers routinely make quality moves to add enough supporting pieces to stay competitive.What's not to like about the SteelersThe Pickett-to-George Pickens connection might rise up a notch or two this season, which would be quite the development for the two second-year players who are expected to carry the offense. It's especially important given offensive coordinator Matt Canada isn't known for being an avant-garde play-caller. Apparently, a vanilla, run-first offensive scheme is a directive from above, but that means the playmakers have to make an inordinate amount of plays by winning their matchups. This ties a collective hand behind the back of the unit compared to the other NFL offenses that do a better job of scheming players open.Other notable betting marketsPLAYERMARKETODDSKenny PickettMVP+4500Offensive POTY+10000Most passing yards+6000Most passing TD+8000Najee HarrisOffensive POTY+5000Most rushing yards+3000Most rushing TD+2200George PickensOffensive POTY+13000Most receptions+7500Most receiving yards+8000Most receiving TD+6000Darnell WashingtonOffensive ROTY+6000Joey Porter Jr.Defensive ROTY+2500T.J. WattMVP+20000Comeback Player of the Year+3500Defensive POTY+850Most sacks+850Alex HighsmithMost sacks+4000Mike TomlinCoach of the Year+2500As long as the Steelers treat offensive pace the way they do, there's no need to look at the passing game for any sort of long-shot play. Najee Harris should have more than enough opportunity to rack up big numbers, but the Steelers would need some of their four offensive line additions to be upgrades over last year's unit - particularly 14th overall pick Broderick Jones usurping Dan Moore at left tackle.Pittsburgh would probably have to surpass the other three teams in the division just to catch voters' attention for Tomlin's Coach of the Year candidacy. Still, I prefer that bet versus a flyer on the Steelers to win the AFC at similar odds since they likely need to not just win the division but also be better than the numerous other contenders in the conference.Watt already "came back" last year, so a bet in that market makes no sense, but whether it's Defensive Player of the Year or most sacks, +850 is a decent price on someone who's only ever been awesome when able to play.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn't thrilled about his team being chosen to appear on "Hard Knocks.""I understand the appeal with us," Rodgers told KPIX-TV. "Obviously, there's a lot of eyes on me. A lot of eyes on our team. A lot of expectations on our squad."They forced it down our throats, and we've got to deal with it."The league can't mandate teams that have a first-year head coach, made the playoffs in the last two seasons, or were on the show in the previous 10 years to participate in the documentary series.The Jets, New Orleans Saints, Washington Commanders, and Chicago Bears were thus the only eligible teams.Rodgers spent the previous 18 years with the Green Bay Packers.The Jets report for training camp July 19.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams agreed to terms on a contract extension, the team announced Thursday.New York didn't reveal the terms of the agreement. Williams is signing a four-year, $96-million deal that includes $66 million guaranteed, sources told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.The reported deal, which features a franchise record in guaranteed money, is the second-largest contract ever for a defensive tackle in average annual salary only behind Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald ($31.66 million)."Quinnen is the epitome of a Jet," owner Woody Johnson said Thursday. "His commitment to this organization and our fans is consistently on display in his play, in his preparation, and in his work serving those in this area."Williams was entering the final year of his rookie contract, which includes a base salary of $9.59 million, according to Spotrac. He's now signed through the 2027 season, as his new deal includes a fifth-year option, per Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.Williams, who skipped New York's voluntary workouts this offseason, has been looking for a new deal for weeks. He had removed the team name from his Twitter bio before restoring it Thursday morning.A cornerstone of New York's defense, the 2019 third overall pick is coming off the most productive season of his career after racking up 55 tackles, 28 quarterback hits, and 12 sacks en route to earning his first All-Pro berth. The Alabama product amassed 60 QB hits and 27.5 sacks in 57 career games across four seasons.The 25-year-old is the first player selected in the first round by the Jets to ink a second contract with the franchise since Muhammad Wilkerson, a Round 1 selection in 2011, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. New York also signed Williams' brother, linebacker Quincy Williams, to a three-year, $18-million contract in March.Quinnen Williams is the latest interior lineman to sign a megadeal in what's been a lucrative offseason for defensive tackles:

Deshaun Watson looked bad last season. After returning from his 11-game suspension, he couldn't crack 170 passing yards in any of his three wins with the Browns. The losses were even uglier.You hate to distill teams down to one player and the coach in a sport with 22 players on the field at one time. But whether it's Sean Payton's effect on Russell Wilson or Watson's ability to regain his form, these are the deciding factors in terms of which team to back and which team to fade.The betting markets seem to be really bullish on Cleveland. Last season, the Browns were 8-9 against the spread, including 3-3 with Watson. Additionally, the market seemed to indicate they were a below-average team after making them 2.5-point underdogs against Washington. So, why are they now deemed better than average?2023 season oddsMARKETODDS(O/U)Win total9.5 (+125)Division+400Conference+2200Super Bowl+3500Estimated rating58/100Back in May, we used the Browns' opening win total to turn their projected 53% win percentage into a 53/100 rating. The four AFC North teams are projected for 39 of an available 68 total wins, the most of any division. So, we'll give each club a 7% bump in its rating relative to the league as a whole, putting the Browns at a starting point of 58.Schedule outlookWEEKOPPONENTLOOKAHEAD LINE1CINCIN -2.52@PITPIT -13TENCLE -4.54BALCLE -16SFSF -17@INDCLE -38@SEASEA -29ARICLE -710@BALBAL -311PITCLE -1.512@DENDEN -113@LARCLE -1.514JAXCLE -115CHICLE -3.516@HOUCLE -417NYJNYJ -118@CINCIN -3.5Using a maximum betting line of 27 points, the Browns' 58/100 rating equates to 15.7 points. In Week 1, they face the Bengals, who have an estimated 74 rating. This translates to 20 points. A 4.3-point difference on a neutral field becomes Bengals -2.5 in Cleveland with a 1.8-point consideration for home-field advantage. If you think the "Dawg Pound" is worth more than that, or the line goes +3, the Browns may be the play given their historical success over Cincinnati.What's to like about the BrownsESPN rated the Browns' roster as the ninth best in the league. We've broken it down positionally, with Cleveland's secondary ranked seventh, its front seven ranked fourth after the addition of Za'Darius Smith, and its offensive line ranked fourth. Plus, we haven't even mentioned Nick Chubb, who's coming off a career high in rushing yards despite a merely tacit threat from the passing game.Watson has a full offseason to regain his confidence and get comfortable with Kevin Stefanski's offense. With an elite offensive line and ground game, he just needs to be adequate. That's a low bar for a former MVP candidate.What's not to like about the BrownsThe pricing for the Browns' win total isn't all that low. Their Super Bowl odds are comparable to that of 8.5-win teams - the Vikings, Seahawks, and Broncos. So, if the Browns rack up 10 wins coming out of the AFC North, they're Super Bowl contenders by proxy. However, all of the credit the Browns are getting is largely theoretical. That's a dangerous place to be for a bettor.Defining talent is hard. Remember when the Colts had the league's best offensive line? When the Buccaneers had a star-studded defense? Things move quickly in the NFL. Deep playoff runs rarely come from teams who are hyped on spec, unless their new quarterback is Peyton Manning or Tom Brady.Can Watson be Matthew Stafford? Can Amari Cooper be elite? Much of what we know about the Browns, we don't truly know at all.Other notable betting marketsPLAYERMARKETODDSDeshaun WatsonMVP+3000Offensive POTY+4500Comeback POTY+6600Most passing yards+3500Most passing TD+6500Nick ChubbOffensive POTY+2200Most rushing yards+450Most rushing TD+900Amari CooperOffensive POTY+6000Most receiving yards+5000Most receiving TD+3500Most receptions+6500Myles GarrettDefensive POTY+750Most sacks+650Za'Darius SmithDefensive POTY+10000Most sacks+4000Kevin StefanskiCoach of the Year+2500Stefanski's already won a Coach of the Year award, and it's very hard to top oneself in that category. Hardware might be in the cards for Myles Garrett, who's the second choice in both Defensive Player of the Year and most sacks markets.Chubb is the favorite to lead the league in rushing. He's the second choice for most touchdowns at 9-1 behind Derrick Henry, who turns 30 this season and has seen his productivity dip from his peak in 2019 and 2020. Better Browns quarterback play should mean more chances to score for Chubb.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore staff took part in a 12-team, 12-round mock fantasy draft to offer some insight on what to watch for in each round.This is a half PPR (point per reception) scoring league with the following roster spots: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, BN, BN, BN, BN. We omitted defenders and kickers, as they're normally selected in the final two rounds.Draft participants: Mike Dickson, Dan Wilkins, Caitlyn Holroyd, Brenden Deeg, Matthew Washington, Andrew Dixon, Caio Miari, Justin Boone, Navin Vaswani, Dane Belbeck, Gianluca Nesci, Brandon Wile.Round 1PickPlayerTeam1Justin Jefferson (WR1)Dickson2Christian McCaffrey (RB1)Wilkins3Ja'Marr Chase (WR2)Holroyd4Cooper Kupp (WR3)Deeg5Tyreek Hill (WR4)Washington6Travis Kelce (TE1)Dixon7Austin Ekeler (RB2)Miari8Bijan Robinson (RB3)Boone9Stefon Diggs (WR5)Vaswani10A.J. Brown (WR6)Belbeck11CeeDee Lamb (WR7)Nesci12Nick Chubb (RB4)WileRound 1: For the second straight mock, Jefferson goes off the board first overall as fantasy managers look for the stability of elite receivers over the risk of top running backs. That's a prevalent trend in drafts this year.It's nice to see Chubb sneak into the end of the first round. With Kareem Hunt gone and the Browns' offense expected to take a step forward in Deshaun Watson's second year with the team, Chubb is positioned for a monster campaign.My pick: While this might seem early to take a rookie running back, you just have to look at the first-year results of the previous five ball carriers taken with a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. Todd Gurley (RB6 in 2015), Ezekiel Elliott (RB3 in 2016), Leonard Fournette (RB6 in 2017), Christian McCaffrey (RB14 in 2017), and Saquon Barkley (RB2 in 2018) all delivered immediately as fantasy starters. On a Falcons offense that ran the ball effectively with Tyler Allgeier last season, Robinson won't waste any time becoming a fantasy factor.Round 2PickPlayerTeam13Davante Adams (WR8)Wile14Saquon Barkley (RB5)Nesci15Jonathan Taylor (RB6)Belbeck16Garrett Wilson (WR9)Vaswani17Tony Pollard (RB7)Boone18Chris Olave (WR10)Miari19Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR11)Dixon20DeVonta Smith (WR12)Washington21Derrick Henry (RB8)Deeg22Josh Jacobs (RB9)Holroyd23Jaylen Waddle (WR13)Wilkins24Rhamondre Stevenson (RB10)DicksonRound 2: Aside from a small surprise with Olave jumping St. Brown, there isn't much worth noting in the second round. Both receivers should be excellent picks this season, but St. Brown has more proven production and an easier path to significant volume - making him the safer pick between the two.My pick: My usual instinct is to remain balanced in the early rounds in an effort to stay open to any values that might fall my way later. However, Pollard's ceiling potential was too enticing to pass up. He finished as the RB8 in fantasy points per game last year while splitting time with Elliott. The Cowboys have done nothing to replace Zeke in their backfield - meaning Pollard has a chance to crack the top five RBs this season.Round 3PickPlayerTeam25Calvin Ridley (WR14)Dickson26Jalen Hurts (QB1)Wilkins27Tee Higgins (WR15)Holroyd28Patrick Mahomes (QB2)Deeg29Najee Harris (RB11)Washington30Josh Allen (QB3)Dixon31Deebo Samuel (WR16)Miari32DK Metcalf (WR17)Boone33Breece Hall (RB12)Vaswani34Mark Andrews (TE2)Belbeck35Amari Cooper (WR18)Nesci36Travis Etienne (RB13)WileRound 3: This is a little early for Ridley to go off the board, but Team Dickson is a Jaguars fan. It's understandable why he might want to get his guy, especially after positive reports about Ridley's performance in practices came out of OTAs.If you're looking to land one of the elite quarterbacks this year, this is likely the round in which you'll have to do it. While the price is steep, it's hard to argue with the advantage Hurts, Mahomes, and Allen provide in fantasy.My pick: Part of me wanted to swing for the fences and take another running back in Round 3, but fortunately, a receiver of value fell to me - getting Metcalf as the WR17. The arrival of first-round rookie wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba is more of a concern for Tyler Lockett. Metcalf had back-to-back double-digit touchdown seasons before underwhelming with just six scores in 2022. However, he was third in the league with 27 red-zone targets, so positive TD regression is likely on the way in what should be a very dangerous attack.Round 4PickPlayerTeam37Keenan Allen (WR19)Wile38Jahmyr Gibbs (RB14)Nesci39Lamar Jackson (QB4)Belbeck40Terry McLaurin (WR20)Vaswani41D.J. Moore (WR21)Boone42Aaron Jones (RB15)Miari43Drake London (WR22)Dixon44Kenneth Walker (RB16)Washington45J.K. Dobbins (RB17)Deeg46Jerry Jeudy (WR23)Holroyd47Mike Williams (WR24)Wilkins48Joe Mixon (RB18)DicksonRound 4: There are several strong builds so far, but it's hard not to like what Team Belbeck has done through four rounds. After securing a top-level wideout in Brown and a potential top-five back in Taylor, he's now paired the league's second-best QB-TE tandem together in Jackson and Andrews. If you're chasing elite quarterback production and want to get a slight discount, Jackson is the one to target - especially if you can land Andrews.My pick: With my top two running backs locked in and no quarterback or tight end worth taking in this area, I set my sights on Moore. Now that he's escaped the dreadful QB play during his last few years in Carolina, Moore has a chance to build chemistry with a young star in Justin Fields. With glowing offseason reports about his impact on the offense, there's no doubt Chicago will feature Moore heavily in its attack. A low-volume passing game might prevent him from challenging for top-12 fantasy numbers, but a solid top-20 finish is well within his range of outcomes.Round 5PickPlayerTeam49Christian Watson (WR25)Dickson50Kyle Pitts (TE3)Wilkins51Alexander Mattison (RB19)Holroyd52Christian Kirk (WR26)Deeg53Joe Burrow (QB5)Washington54Tyler Lockett (WR27)Dixon55T.J. Hockenson (TE4)Miari56Brandon Aiyuk (WR28)Boone57Miles Sanders (RB20)Vaswani58DeAndre Hopkins (WR29)Belbeck59Chris Godwin (WR30)Nesci60Justin Herbert (QB6)WileRound 5: Team Dixon is the only squad without a running back through five rounds. With nine teams already having two RBs, this could be setting up nicely for a zero-RB build. He's already secured elite options at QB and TE to go along with a quality trio of receivers - so we'll check back later to see how it all shakes out.My pick: Coming off his first 1,000-yard campaign, the drumbeat surrounding Aiyuk is as loud as can be from teammates, coaches, and beat writers. Expect another leap forward in 2023 with Aiyuk emerging as a top-24 fantasy receiver and an excellent WR3 in my lineup. This is also the second straight mock draft I've ended up with Moore and Aiyuk.Round 6PickPlayerTeam61Diontae Johnson (WR31)Wile62Cam Akers (RB21)Nesci63Treylon Burks (WR32)Belbeck64George Kittle (TE5)Vaswani65Justin Fields (QB7)Boone66Mike Evans (WR33)Miari67Michael Pittman (WR34)Dixon68Dameon Pierce (RB22)Washington69Dallas Goedert (TE6)Deeg70Darren Waller (TE7)Holroyd71D'Andre Swift (RB23)Wilkins72George Pickens (WR35)DicksonRound 6: Teams have made a run on tight ends over the last two rounds, with Team Wilkins making Pitts the third TE selected, chasing the upside he showed as a rookie. Hockenson and Kittle, who are normally drafted in this range, soon followed. But that scared Team Deeg and Team Holroyd into reaching a round early for Goedert and Waller. It's understandable given the tier drop at the position after this group, but a slight overpay nonetheless.My pick: Fields turned the corner last season and started to look like a franchise quarterback in Chicago's offense. There's still plenty of development needed in the Bears' passing game, but that level of comfort is a great sign for his future. It's also promising that his rushing production helped him post top-five fantasy stats on a per-game basis. Pairing Fields with Moore on my roster was an obvious move, especially since both players are among the top five at their respective positions for easiest fantasy schedules in 2023.Round 7PickPlayerTeam73Isiah Pacheco (RB24)Dickson74Kadarius Toney (WR36)Wilkins75Trevor Lawrence (QB8)Holroyd76Jordan Addison (WR37)Deeg77Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR38)Washington78David Montgomery (RB25)Dixon79Marquise Brown (WR39)Miari80James Conner (RB26)Boone81Rachaad White (RB27)Vaswani82Dalvin Cook (RB28)Belbeck83Gabe Davis (WR40)Nesci84Javonte Williams (RB29)WileRound 7: The running back value stood out in this round, with some starter-quality options going off the board alongside No. 2 and No. 3 receivers. Williams and Pacheco are working their way back from injuries, Cook is still searching for his next team, White is unproven, Montgomery is splitting his backfield with a more talented rookie runner, and Conner is always a durability concern. But that list of backs all have top-24 fantasy potential, making them great values at this point.My pick: It was shocking to see Conner fall to me here, despite the general public's view of him as a back who breaks down on an offense that could struggle while Kyler Murray is out. Conner missed four games last year, but he still finished as the RB10 in fantasy points per game. With Murray out, the offense will likely go through Conner - so what he loses in efficiency, he might gain in volume. Either way, he's an obvious selection this late.Round 8PickPlayerTeam85Jahan Dotson (WR41)Wile86Deshaun Watson (QB9)Nesci87Alvin Kamara (RB30)Belbeck88James Cook (RB31)Vaswani89Quentin Johnston (WR42)Boone90Brandin Cooks (WR43)Miari91AJ Dillon (RB32)Dixon92Michael Thomas (WR44)Washington93Rashod Bateman (WR45)Deeg94Antonio Gibson (RB33)Holroyd95Courtland Sutton (WR46)Wilkins96Evan Engram (TE8)DicksonRound 8: The running back values continued into this round with Kamara, Cook, Dillon, and Gibson. Kamara settling his assault case should pave the way for the league to rule on a potential suspension, which seems more likely to be four games or less now. Cook is a breakout candidate in a high-powered Bills offense, Dillon is an Aaron Jones injury away from fantasy stardom, and Gibson is gaining buzz as perhaps the better-suited back for new offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy's system in Washington. If you're going zero-RB, these are some of the names you should be targeting.My pick: The hope was that Kamara would fall to me here, giving me another strong running back option if/when Conner misses time. Instead, we went with the upside of the Chargers' first-round rookie Johnston. After impressing in OTAs, Johnston is locked in as a starter in three-receiver sets and playing next to two older wideouts who've been known to get banged up in the past. If Keenan Allen or Mike Williams are sidelined, Johnston will erupt as a fantasy producer.Round 9PickPlayerTeam97Tua Tagovailoa (QB10)Dickson98Rashaad Penny (RB34)Wilkins99Zach Charbonnet (RB35)Holroyd100Damien Harris (RB36)Deeg101Elijah Mitchell (RB37)Washington102Odell Beckham (WR47)Dixon103Samaje Perine (RB38)Miari104Elijah Moore (WR48)Boone105Anthony Richardson (QB11)Vaswani106Zay Flowers (WR49)Belbeck107Brian Robinson (RB39)Nesci108Jamaal Williams (RB40)WileRound 9: While Team Dixon got off to a very intriguing start, the decision to go with a receiver in this round seemed like an odd choice. With the elite starters at TE/QB and a quality receiving corps that was already four deep, the focus should be on running backs the rest of the way. Montgomery and Dillon were a nice start the last two rounds, but a player like Perine or Williams (who both went later in this frame) would've given Team Dixon a potential early-season starter. Javonte Williams is returning from an ACL tear and might not be ready for Week 1, and Kamara's suspension could boost Jamaal Williams' value in the opening month. If you go the zero-RB route, don't waste your time on depth WRs in this area, just stock your bench with backs.My pick: Upside is always my goal in the later rounds, and Moore's move from New York to Cleveland could restore his fantasy outlook. If offseason reports are true, Moore is soaking up targets in practice and is expected to be a major part of the Browns' passing offense. He flashed as a fantasy difference-maker down the stretch of his rookie season, so let's see if he can recapture that production with a fresh start.Round 10PickPlayerTeam109Pat Freiermuth (TE9)Wile110Jameson Williams (WR50)Nesci111Devon Achane (RB41)Belbeck112Skyy Moore (WR51)Vaswani113David Njoku (TE10)Boone114Allen Lazard (WR52)Miari115Jerick McKinnon (RB42)Dixon116JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR53)Washington117Romeo Doubs (WR54)Deeg118Jakobi Meyers (WR55)Holroyd119Khalil Herbert (RB43)Wilkins120Zay Jones (WR56)DicksonRound 10: Moore is one of my favorite late-round picks, so it was disappointing to see him go one spot before my selection. Last year's second-rounder has been getting some hype in a wide-open Chiefs receiver room and could slide into the starting role vacated by JuJu Smith-Schuster. Don't give up on him yet.My pick: The time to take a tight end finally arrived with Njoku being the last player left in this tier. The 27-year-old was the TE9 in fantasy points per game last year and has a clear path to return to that range. Though he's never going to push for high-end fantasy numbers, Njoku is a quality mid- to low-end TE1 in an ascending Browns offense.Round 11PickPlayerTeam121Tyler Allgeier (RB44)Dickson122Adam Thielen (WR57)Wilkins123Rondale Moore (WR58)Holroyd124Jaylen Warren (RB45)Deeg125Chigoziem Okonkwo (TE11)Washington126Tyler Boyd (WR59)Dixon127Dak Prescott (QB12)Miari128Tyjae Spears (RB46)Boone129Nico Collins (WR60)Vaswani130Jonathan Mingo (WR61)Belbeck131Greg Dulcich (TE12)Nesci132Kendre Miller (RB47)WileRound 11: If you're going with a receiver at this stage, you should be chasing breakouts rather than veteran depth. Moore, Collins, and Mingo are younger wideouts with the opportunity to carve out big roles in 2023. That's far more enticing than a late-career Thielen or a player who needs an injury to excel like Boyd.My pick: With all my starting spots secured, it's time to load up on lottery-ticket running backs. Spears is one of the best examples of this as a rookie RB who appears to already have the No. 2 role in his offense. The Titans' coaching staff have talked him up and may even use him as a passing-down weapon next to Henry. Spears would assume the starting job if Henry, 29, breaks down or gets traded to a contender.Round 12PickPlayerTeam133Tank Bigsby (RB48)Wile134Devin Singletary (RB49)Nesci135Roschon Johnson (RB50)Belbeck136Geno Smith (QB13)Vaswani137Chase Brown (RB51)Boone138Raheem Mostert (RB52)Miari139Ezekiel Elliott (RB53)Dixon140Darnell Mooney (WR62)Washington141Van Jefferson (WR63)Deeg142Michael Gallup (WR64)Holroyd143D'Onta Foreman (RB54)Wilkins144Aaron Rodgers (QB14)DicksonRound 12: When you compare the running backs taken in this round versus the receivers - in terms of what they can provide in fantasy - there's no contest. It's too hard to justify using a bench spot on a WR who's unlikely to ever see enough volume to impact your lineup when the RBs in Round 12 have far more paths to production.My pick: One of those backs is Brown, who's competing for the No. 2 role in Cincy behind Joe Mixon, who has a court case to sort out before the season. There are also reports the Bengals want Mixon to take a pay cut, which hasn't been addressed yet. Even if Mixon overcomes those issues, Brown could still be a one-injury-away back for fantasy.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Running back Breece Hall says the New York Jets don't have many flaws following the arrival of four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers."With the offense we have right now, I think we have an answer for everything," Hall said Wednesday, according to NFL.com's Coral Smith."If you don't want to load the box, Aaron's going to get the ball off all day. If you do, we've got the RPOs and we've got him to take shots. And we have the receivers that are going to make plays for us, as well. And if the offense is struggling, we have the backbones of our defense to rely on."The Jets failed to make the playoffs last season despite boasting a top-five defense. New York particularly struggled at quarterback, starting three different signal-callers en route to a 7-10 record. The team acquired Rodgers in a trade from the Green Bay Packers this offseason, adding the future Hall of Famer to one of football's most promising rosters.Hall, a second-round pick in 2022, was part of a Jets draft class that featured three first-round selections, including Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson and Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner.Hall rushed for 463 yards (5.8 per carry) and four touchdowns to go along with 218 yards and one score on 19 receptions before tearing his ACL in Week 7.The 22-year-old is optimistic he'll be ready for Week 1 this season."I'm doing pretty good right now," Hall said. "I've been saying I'll be ready for the first game, so right now, I'm just focusing on getting my knee as strong as possible, just getting that confidence back."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Lions general manager Brad Holmes believes Detroit's upgrades in the backfield will take the team's offense to new heights."I do think we'll be better offensively. ... (D'Andre) Swift is a dynamic player, and Jamaal (Williams) was a great leader for us. ... But I think (David) Montgomery and Jamaal are different backs," Holmes told "The Season with Peter Schrager" podcast."Montgomery does a little bit more in the passing game. And being able to add (Jahmyr) Gibbs, he's just so dynamic as a receiver."Williams led the team in carries last season, totaling 1,066 rushing yards and a league-leading 17 touchdowns, but provided minimal help in the passing game.The 28-year-old had 16 targets for 73 yards and zero touchdowns, as Swift was the team's go-to target for quarterback Jared Goff in the backfield. The Lions decided to replace Williams with Montgomery, who has 1,240 receiving yards in four years since entering the league.Detroit dealt Swift to the Philadelphia Eagles on draft weekend and selected Gibbs 12th overall, continuing the team's overhaul at running back.Holmes believes Gibbs can be a similar player to star running backs Marshall Faulk and Christian McCaffrey."I was a huge Marshall Faulk guy ... just kind of seeing what he does in both phases," Holmes said. "And just from a scouting standpoint, when Christian McCaffrey came out, he was the last guy that I was like, 'Holy cow, this guy can run routes like a slot receiver but also run it.' ..."I'm not sitting here saying Gibbs is those players, but (he's) just a special weapon like that. We have a lot of excitement and optimism."The Lions' offense finished 11th in yards per carry in 2022.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is very thankful to be playing with coach Andy Reid."(Reid) meant the world to me. He's just the best," Mahomes said on the AP Pro Football Podcast with Rob Maaddi on Wednesday. "He's the best coach, obviously, one of the best coaches of all time, but he's just one of the best people of all time. He's learned how to get the most out of me every day. He doesn't let me be satisfied with where I'm at."He teaches me a ton. Not only the quarterback position, but how to be a leader and how to be a great dad and how to be a great husband."The 27-year-old signal-caller also credited Reid for allowing him to operate in the way that's most natural for him."I think if I'd have went to some other places, I would've had to learn how to play the quarterback position a different way, and he just lets me play the quarterback position the way that I want to play it," he said. "I think that's what's made me such a different type of quarterback in this league."The Reid-Mahomes tandem owns a league-best 64-16 regular-season record since the Texas Tech product took over in 2018. The duo is also 11-3 in the postseason during that span, including a pair of Super Bowl victories.That track record could see Mahomes finish his career among the game's all-time greats."I think everybody thinks about legacy and how they're remembered, but I think you have to think about that and at the same time evaluate every day how you can become better," he said. "How you can really maximize every single day, and then whenever your career's done, you have no regrets."He added: "I think that if you work hard every single day and put everything you have into the game, then when you look back at the end of your career, however many trophies you have or however many Super Bowl rings you have, you'll have no regrets."Mahomes already has an impressive trophy cabinet. The 6-foot-2 gunslinger has been honored with an Offensive Player of the Year nod, two league MVPs, a pair of Super Bowl MVPs, five consecutive Pro Bowl selections, and two All-Pro first-team nods.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Stitcher.In this episode, Boone discusses the most notable position battles that need to be monitored during training camp.

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert thinks Jalen Hurts isn't too far behind Patrick Mahomes in everyone's quarterback rankings."You could say he has good talent around him, but he's a dog," Goedert said on the "Pardon My Take Podcast" when asked where he'd slot Hurts on the league's quarterback hierarchy."I think he should be top three, top two," he said, before adding, "It's hard to take anything away from Patrick."Hurts took the Eagles to the franchise's second Super Bowl appearance in six seasons but were ultimately outdueled by the Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs on four touchdown drives in the second half to secure a 38-35 victory. Hurts, meanwhile, totaled 374 yards and four touchdowns on the NFL's biggest stage but also fumbled.The 24-year-old Hurts' second season as the starter was a drastic improvement from his first. The 2022 second-team All-Pro went 14-1, racking up 4,461 yards of offense with 35 touchdowns and only nine turnovers. He was one of five MVP finalists.The Eagles' quarterback room - led by Hurts - was ranked fourth on theScore's quarterback rankings.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

(Warning: Story contains coarse language)Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray recently opened up about the 2022 season, saying that things didn't feel right for him and his team before the campaign even began."To hit a wall Year 4, especially after going through the whole contract thing, the energy, the aura, the vibes going into the season were all negative," Murray told team reporter Darren Urban. "Having to deal with all that stuff and trying to focus on football, and then I got COVID in camp, I hurt my wrist in camp, so I missed a lot of reps, and having to play catch-up in the season, starting with the (Kansas City) Chiefs, it was kind of a compilation of fucked-up things going on."Murray went on to tear his ACL in Week 14.He added: "(Last year) happened for a reason. The things we were doing weren't sustainable for success. It was necessary and in turn, good will come out of what happened."Murray and the Cardinals negotiated a contract extension for months before agreeing last July on a five-year, $230.5-million deal that includes $160 million guaranteed.With Murray under center, Arizona went 3-8 in 2022. The 2019 No. 1 pick passed for 14 touchdowns against seven interceptions before suffering the knee injury."I feel you get your little grace period right after it happens, dwell on it, soak in it, let the feelings take over," Murray said of the injury. "After that, we gotta go. Life doesn't stop. The job doesn't stop. And I'm not going to stop."Though Murray has earned two Pro Bowl berths and the 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year award since entering the NFL, he's failed to take the Cardinals to the next level; Arizona has made just one playoff appearance with him under center.The Oklahoma product seems excited about the future, however."I think winning cures all, and it's been tough to do that with some of the circumstances we've had to deal with. But I think we are headed in the right direction," said Murray, who isn't expected to be ready for the start of the 2023 campaign.It's still uncertain when Murray will be cleared to play. Arizona will rely on veteran quarterback Colt McCoy until Murray is available.The Cardinals began a new era this offseason by hiring Jonathan Gannon to replace Kliff Kingsbury as head coach. They also brought in Monti Ossenfort as their new general manager.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When thinking about the Baltimore Ravens, it's important to parse the difference between the team with Lamar Jackson and without him. Of course, predicting whether Baltimore's star quarterback will make it to the end of the season - after playing just 12 games in each of the last two seasons - is merely a guess.In the Wild Card round, after it became clear that Jackson wasn't going to be ready for the playoffs, the Bengals were pushed out beyond a converted touchdown favorite. The Ravens had the game all but won until Tyler Huntley fumbled and Sam Hubbard rumbled the length of the field to go up seven points - instead of going down that same margin - against a team that held Cincinnati to 4.8 yards per play.The Ravens missed the playoffs in 2021 because their defense was just as ravaged by injury as Jackson was, and 2022 showed they could stay afloat by allowing between three and 16 points, as they went 3-2 without him to clinch a playoff spot before Week 18. Their four losses with Jackson at the helm all featured blown leads of more than one score. Never considered a contender without Jackson, the Ravens may be under the radar this year with him healthy.2023 season oddsMARKETODDS(O/U)Win total9.5 (-150)Division+250Conference+1200Super Bowl+1800Estimated rating64/100Before Jackson got hurt last year, the Ravens were rated in the high 50s, and they dropped to the low 40s when Huntley was under center. The Ravens are expected to combine Jackson's availability and strong play from the first half of 2022 with the defense that stepped up in the latter part of the season in order to meet an estimated rating of 64 out of 100 in the market. There is enough room, as a fringe Super Bowl contender, for Baltimore to outperform this rating.Schedule outlookWEEKOPPONENTLOOKAHEAD LINE1HOUBAL -92@CINCIN -3.53INDBAL -74@CLECLE -15@PITBAL -16@TEN*BAL -5.57DETBAL -38@ARIBAL -5.59SEABAL -310CLEBAL -311CINCIN -112@LACLAC -214LARBAL -6.515@JAXJAX -116@SFSF -317MIABAL -118PITBAL -3.5*Neutral site game in LondonBefore we even get to the regular season, we're reminded that John Harbaugh's Ravens have a 23-game preseason winning streak. Do what you may with that information.The Ravens are going to be a very popular survivor pick in Week 1. On top of currently being the biggest favorite of the week, a game with the Texans at home is projected to be the highest point spread of the season for Baltimore. The Ravens are back in Cincinnati in Week 2, facing a spread 4.5 points lower than on Wild Card Weekend thanks to Jackson's expected availability.What's to like about the RavensWe saved something of a key note when it comes to the Ravens going from bad to good on defense midway through the season - the trade for Roquan Smith. It can't be a coincidence that Baltimore gave up over 20 points per game before Smith joined the team and just 13.1 in eight meaningful games with him.We also discussed Jackson's importance, but if the Ravens can have a dominant tailback tandem - with J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards healthy - that will help new offensive coordinator Todd Monken do what he did at Georgia. That is to say, the team will confuse defenses and create open receivers and running lanes - particularly for the quarterback.What's not to like about the RavensHonestly, there's not much to dislike about the Ravens beyond concerns about Jackson's ability to stay healthy and a division that includes one of the best teams in the league in Cincinnati, along with a pair of pretty good teams in Cleveland and Pittsburgh.If we were picking nits, the addition of Odell Beckham might be a tad overrated. After all the workouts and rumors of getting signed for a playoff run last year, a one-year deal suggests that evaluators might not be fully buying in. What's not to love about Zay Flowers? I guess that he's a rookie and may not light it up instantly, as rookie receivers rarely do. That leaves a lot of the heavy lifting to Rashod Bateman, who's coming off a dreaded Lisfranc injury. But as usual, the Ravens were active in addressing a positional weakness.Other notable betting marketsPLAYERMARKETODDSLamar JacksonMVP+1500Offensive POTY+2200Comeback POTY+2500Most passing yards+4000Most passing TD+4500Most rushing yards+5500Most rushing TD+5000J.K. DobbinsOffensive POTY+7500Comeback POTY+4000Most rushing yards+3500Most rushing TD+5000Odell Beckham Jr.Offensive POTY+10000Comeback POTY+4500Most receiving yards+13000Most receiving TD+4000Rashod BatemanMost receiving yards+8000Most receiving TD+15000Mark AndrewsMost receiving yards+10000Most receiving TD+6000Most receptions+6500Zay FlowersOffensive ROTY+1800Offensive POTY+8000Most receiving yards+13000Most receiving TD+10000Roquan SmithDefensive POTY+3500Kyle HamiltonDefensive POTY+15000John HarbaughCoach of the Year+3000A full season for Smith might mean he piles up tackles in a Ray Lewis-like way. On the back end, he won't win the award, but Kyle Hamilton graded out as the top safety in the league, so why can't he be in the mix as a top defensive player in his second season?I'm also ready to believe anything when it comes to Jackson awards and accolades.Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Running back Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants remain at a stalemate amid contract extension negotiations, according to ESPN's Dianna Russini.Barkley's availability for the club's season opener would be in serious question if he doesn't sign a long-term deal, Russini adds.New York placed the franchise tag on Barkley in March, although the rusher has made it clear that playing under the tag is undesirable. The deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign a new deal is July 17 at 4 p.m.The 26-year-old tailback has avoided offseason workouts with the team. Barkley was one of three halfbacks to receive the franchise tag this offseason, alongside Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard.The Penn State product excelled in his first season under head coach Brian Daboll after being hampered by injuries in his previous two campaigns. Barkley recorded 1,650 scrimmage yards last season, which included a career-high 1,312 rushing yards as well as 10 total touchdowns.Barkley burst onto the scene after the Giants selected him with the second overall pick in the 2018 draft. He recorded a league-leading 2,028 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns en route to the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year award.New York has recently negotiated lucrative extensions for quarterback Daniel Jones and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence this offseason.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's safe to say DK Metcalf likes what the Seattle Seahawks are building ahead of the 2023 season.The Seahawks used a first-round pick on wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba this year and a Day 2 selection on running back Zach Charbonnet, adding to an already solid offense that scored the ninth-most points in the NFL in 2022.Metcalf praised Seattle's rookie class, saying he's excited about the team's offensive unit."Just the type of person he is, first," Metcalf said about Smith-Njigba, according to NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "He's a great dude. And on the field, he's a great route runner, excellent hands. I think he's going to open the offense even more. And Zach Charbonnet is going to do amazing things at the running back position along with Ken Walker. We got a whole arsenal of weapons on offense."Metcalf and Smith-Njigba are part of a wide receiver depth chart that also features Tyler Lockett, who topped 1,000 yards in each of the last four seasons and led the club with nine touchdown receptions last year. Metcalf recorded team highs with 90 catches for 1,048 yards in 2022.Walker put on a show as a rookie last season, rushing for 1,050 yards (4.6 per carry) and nine touchdowns in 15 games en route to finishing second for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.The Seahawks enter 2023 with high expectations after making the playoffs with Geno Smith at quarterback in their first year following the Russell Wilson trade."We have to decide what type of team we're going to be and not just listen to the outside noise," Metcalf said. "We just got to be a band of brothers on Sunday just playing for each other, and everything is going to fall in place."Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Jets will feature on this year's edition of "Hard Knocks," sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Viewers will get the chance to watch the likes of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year wide receiver Garrett Wilson prepare for the 2023 campaign. The Jets open their camp July 19.New York was resistant to being featured. Head coach Robert Saleh said in June his team wasn't in love with the idea of starring in the program.However, only clubs that have a first-year head coach, have made the playoffs in the last two seasons, or have been featured on "Hard Knocks" in the last 10 years can't be forced to participate. As a result, the Jets, along with the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and Washington Commanders, could be mandated to appear on the show.Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.