COLTS GM ON QB ANTHONY RICHARDSON: ‘WE’RE NOT TRADING HIM’
Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard made it clear Wednesday that he is not entertaining trade offers for quarterback Anthony Richardson.
The Colts announced last week that they are turning to free agent acquisition Daniel Jones over fellow former first-round pick Richardson as the team’s starting quarterback.
Many speculated that signals the end in Indianapolis for Richardson, who has struggled with injuries and accuracy since being selected by the Colts with the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
“It’s easy to say he’s done and I don’t agree,” Ballard said Wednesday. “I do not agree with that. I think overcoming challenges or obstacles along the way are good for anybody. I’m proud of Anthony of where he’s at, how far he’s come. He’s come miles.”
When asked if any team has reached out to potentially trade for Richardson, Ballard was succinct.
“No, but we’re not trading him,” he said.
Ballard admitted that he has been in communication with Richardson’s representatives but stressed that the team is not done with him.
“Not a lot of talks with AR but have had a lot of talks with his agent,” Ballard said. “Coaching staff, they talk to Anthony a bunch. One thing that’s getting overshadowed a little bit is Daniel. Both of them competed. … And at the end of the day, Daniel won the job. Does that mean we are done with Anthony? No. But I don’t want to dismiss the run he’s had here.”
For his career, Richardson has completed just 50.6 percent of his passes for 2,391 yards and 11 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in 15 games. He has also rushed for 635 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Richardson, 23, has been limited to 15 starts over his first two NFL seasons due to a myriad of injuries, including to his shoulder, oblique, foot, back and finger, as well as a concussion.
The Colts open the season Sept. 7 at home against the Miami Dolphins.
CHIEFS RECEIVER RASHEE RICE IS SUSPENDED 6 GAMES BY NFL, PERSON FAMILIAR WITH DECISION TELLS AP
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has been suspended six games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press, keeping him out of a series of high-profile games starting with next week’s season opener against the Chargers in Brazil.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday because an official announcement had not been made.
Six weeks ago, Rice pleaded guilty to two third-degree felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. As part of a plea agreement from the March 2024 crash on a Dallas highway, prosecutors said, he also received a sentence of five years of deferred probation and 30 days in jail as a condition of his probation.
The NFL handed down its suspension, which Rice will not appeal, after its own internal investigation. It voids a Sept. 30 hearing before former federal Judge Sue L. Robinson that was scheduled for the NFL’s headquarters in New York.
Along with missing the Chargers game, Rice will miss a Super Bowl rematch with the Eagles on Sept. 14 at Arrowhead Stadium; a Sunday night trip to New York to face the Giants; a high-profile matchup with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens on Sept. 28; a game against Jacksonville the following Monday night; and a Sunday night showdown with the Lions.
Rice will be eligible to return to the field when Kansas City faces the AFC West rival Raiders on Oct. 19.
The Chiefs did not make Rice nor coach Andy Reid available to reporters Wednesday. That was their final practice until Sunday, when the Chiefs go into their game-week schedule to prepare for the Friday night matchup with the Chargers.
“We’re just going to go out there, trust what the coaches put on our plates, whatever game plan we have regardless of who is in there,” tight end Noah Gray said Wednesday. “I’m extremely confident in all the guys.”
Rice’s status has been in limbo ever since he was driving a Lamborghini Urus SUV at 119 mph (191 kph) on the North Central Expressway, made “multiple aggressive maneuvers around traffic” and struck other vehicles, prosecutors said. After the crash, Rice did not check on the welfare of those in the other vehicles but instead fled on foot.
Rice said in a statement issued by his attorney that he’s had “a lot of sleepless nights thinking about the damages my actions caused, and I will continue working within my means to make sure that everyone impacted will be made whole.”
The Dallas County District Attorney’s Office said the 25-year-old Rice will have some flexibility in when he must serve his jail time. He also was required to pay the victims for their out-of-pocket medical expenses, which totaled about $115,000.
“I’ve completely changed. You have to learn from things like that,” Rice said during a brief media availability in training camp. “All I can focus on is what I can control right now and that’s me doing what I do.”
After a breakout rookie season, Rice was on his way to a memorable follow-up last fall, catching 24 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns in his first three games. But in Week 4, after Patrick Mahomes had thrown an interception, the QB accidentally dived into Rice’s leg as they were trying to make a tackle, tearing the lateral collateral ligament in his knee.
Rice wound up missing the rest of the season, including a loss to Philadelphia in the Super Bowl.
He spent the offseason rehabbing the knee, and Rice was ready to participate in the Chiefs’ offseason program. But under terms of the suspension, Rice now will be barred from the practice facility until the middle of next month.
The Chiefs undoubtedly believed a suspension was coming. They kept eight wide receivers on Tuesday, when NFL roster cuts were due. That group includes rookie Jalen Royals, who has been dealing with an injury and may not be available for the season opener in Brazil, and Marquise Brown, who missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.
Now, the Chiefs will be relying on Brown and second-year pro Xavier Worthy alongside tight end Travis Kelce in their passing game. The other wide receivers on the initial roster are veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster, return specialist Nikko Remigio, preseason standout Tyquan Thornton and Jason Brownlee, who spent part of last season with the Jets.
VIKINGS BRING BACK VETERAN ADAM THIELEN FOR WR DEPTH IN TRADE WITH THE PANTHERS
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings acquired 13-year veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen, who has the third-most catches in franchise history, in a trade with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday.
The Vikings sent a 2026 fifth-round draft pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Panthers for Thielen, a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick in the deal, which was pending him passing a physical exam.
Thielen, who turned 35 last week, was set to make $8.75 million this season, of which the Panthers already had paid out $1.75 million. The Vikings, who have ample salary cap space, will assume the remaining $7 million on the contract, unless the two sides agree to adjust it.
Thielen will count $3.4 million in dead money against Carolina’s salary cap this year and $3.3 million in 2026. He has been Bryce Young’s favorite target over the last two years, but the Panthers took wide receivers in the first round in each of the last two drafts with Xavier Legette and Tetaiora McMillan. Undrafted rookie Jalen Coker has had a strong training camp, and David Moore gives Young and the Panthers a veteran option.
The Panthers were willing to part with Thielen because they feel strongly about McMillan, Legette and Coker, but it’s possible they’ll look at bringing back veteran Hunter Renfrow for the practice squad and give him more time to heal from a hamstring injury that slowed him last month. Renfrow was waived on Tuesday. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2021 for the Las Vegas Raiders when he caught a career-high 103 passes for 1,038 yards, but he sat out last season after losing 35 pounds while dealing with a severe case of ulcerative colitis.
The Vikings needed more depth, after losing newcomer Rondale Moore to a season-ending knee injury and rising star Jordan Addison to a three-game suspension to start the season. Two-time All-Pro Justin Jefferson is as good as there is in the league, but he missed three weeks of camp with a hamstring injury. Jalen Nailor, the third option at wide receiver, hurt his hand last week and the Vikings have been vague about his prognosis.
Thielen, a native of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, who was undrafted out of NCAA Division II program Minnesota State, became one of the NFL’s true success stories after nearly giving up on football and taking a job in dental equipment sales.
Thielen parlayed a rookie minicamp tryout into a practice squad spot in 2013 with his home-state team and carved out a special teams role the following season, making his first big impression in 2014 by blocking a punt and returning it for his first career touchdown against, coincidentally, the Panthers. He became a starter by 2016 and made two Pro Bowls, accumulating 534 receptions over nine seasons on the active roster for 6,682 yards, which is fifth in franchise history.
The 35-year-old Thielen still lives in Minnesota and even worked out with new Vikings starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy during throwing sessions each of the last two summers. His wife posted to Instagram a video of Thielen dancing with his daughter in celebration of her dad’s job change.
“We’re going home! We’re going home! We’re going home!” Thielen shouted in the video.
CHIEFS’ DOMINANCE IN AFC WEST FACES CHALLENGES FROM BRONCOS, CHARGERS AND RAIDERS
The Kansas City Chiefs have won three of the last six Super Bowls, played in seven straight AFC championship games and won the AFC West nine consecutive seasons.
Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are two titles shy of the record 11 straight AFC East crowns Tom Brady and Bill Belichick hoarded when they were together in New England.
Yet, the Chiefs’ grip on the division has never seemed more tenuous, and not just because they were humbled 40-22 by the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl that denied Kansas City an unprecedented third consecutive tickertape parade.
The Denver Broncos fortified an already elite defense spearheaded by the league’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year in cornerback Patrick Surtain II and added several key targets for second-year QB Bo Nix, who came within a blocked field goal with no time remaining of sweeping the Chiefs his rookie year. (Although Denver’s 38-0 win in Denver in Week 18 came against backups).
Broncos coach Sean Payton can’t stop raving about his roster, and for good reason.
The Los Angeles Chargers enjoyed a bounce-back in 2024 under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, with Justin Herbert winning more games (11) and throwing fewer interceptions (three) than ever.
The Chargers lost twice to the Chiefs, by seven and two points as Kansas City went a whopping 10-0 in one-score games on their way to the Super Bowl.
Whether the Chiefs can come up so clutch in close games again will go a long way toward determining if they’ll be dethroned.
And the Las Vegas Raiders hired former Super Bowl-winning coach Pete Carroll, who brought in his former QB in Seattle with the acquisition of Geno Smith, who had three winning seasons as the Seahawks’ starter following Russell Wilson’s departure.
The addition of Carroll gives the AFC West a concentration of coaching pedigree never seen before. Led by Reid, the league’s active leader in victories, the foursome of AFC West coaches own a whopping 721 collective wins in the NFL.
Can the Chiefs rebound from the Super Bowl debacle?
The Chiefs were throttled 31-9 by Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021 and the following season they lost at home in the AFC championship to Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Then they reached three consecutive Super Bowls, winning twice.
Their comeback in 2025 could rest on Travis Kelce’s bounce-back.
The four-time All-Pro tight end trimmed down considerably since the end of last season, when he was last seen walking dejectedly off the turf at the Superdome in New Orleans after the Chiefs were dismantled by the Eagles.
“He’s svelte right now. He looks like he’s 20,” Reid said.
Some had speculated the lopsided loss to the Eagles in February might drive Kelce to retire, but the newly engaged star is back and ready to serve as Mahomes’ top target once again.
Denver’s defense could go world-class
Payton hasn’t been shy about predicting great things for the Broncos this year, telling people he has one of his better teams all-time and declaring Nix among the top handful of quarterbacks in the NFL.
Much of that optimism stems from the fortification of an already stout defense.
The Broncos lured safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw from the San Francisco 49ers in free agency and used their first-round draft pick on former University of Texas star Jahdae Barron, who won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back and was a consensus All-American.
Linebacker Alex Singleton, returning from a torn ACL that sidelined him most of last season, said Greenlaw has brought a new attitude to Denver’s defense.
“I love every single day coming to work with him,” Singleton said. “It’s been a ton of fun. He plays fast, he plays violent, physical — everything you want out of a linebacker.”
Chargers’
Justin Herbert ready for next step with Harbaugh
The Chargers are aiming to win the division for the first time since 2009 following Harbaugh’s first season in which LA returned to the playoffs and Justin Herbert threw just three interceptions all year.
Herbert shouldn’t have any opening-day jitters when the Chargers host the Chiefs in Week 1 in São Paulo, Brazil, not after playing in the preseason for the first time in his career.
The 27-year-old quarterback entering his sixth season went 2 of 5 for 46 yards while playing the opening series against the Rams.
Herbert had never played in an exhibition game before over his first five NFL seasons, but the Chargers’ $262.5 million quarterback asked for some limited action in this outing to get some work with the Bolts’ revamped offense, which is now missing starting left tackle Rashawn Slater.
“I wanted to go out there and see the pass rush,” said Herbert, who was sacked once by the Rams. “In practice as a quarterback you don’t always get the true feeling of a pass rush so I thought it would be helpful.”
When Herbert was a rookie in 2020, the preseason was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2021, Herbert was coming off a stellar rookie year and then-Chargers coach Brandon Staley didn’t want to risk an injury during exhibition play. Staley maintained that approach in 2023. Last year, Herbert was in a walking boot with a plantar fascia injury in his right foot that caused him to miss nearly three weeks of training camp.
Carroll, Smith aim to repeat Seattle success in Las Vegas
Tom Brady’s fingerprints are all over the revamped Las Vegas Raiders, who have made significant changes to their team structure. Owner Mark Davis has given minority owner Brady more control, and Brady influenced the hiring of Carroll as coach and John Spytek as general manager, and the pair acquired Smith and drafted running back Ashton Jeanty to revamp the offense.
Carroll spent 14 seasons in Seattle, going 137-89-1 and putting together double-digit victories eight times over a nine-year stretch, reaching two Super Bowls and winning one.
Smith revitalized his career with the Seahawks, signing in 2019 as the backup and then becoming the starter in 2022. He was selected AP Comeback Player of the Year when he led the league with a 69.8% completion percentage and threw for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Predicted order of finish
Chiefs, Broncos, Chargers, Raiders
NFC WEST WIDE OPEN AS 49ERS SEEK REDEMPTION AND RAMS FACE UNCERTAINTY AT QUARTERBACK
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Headed into the 2025 NFL season, there might not be any division as wide open as the NFC West.
The NFC West has the narrowest range of odds to win the division, according to BetMGM, with all four teams having reasonable cases to take the title.
The San Francisco 49ers are the betting favorites despite a last-place finish in 2025 with hopes that better health and the easiest projected schedule can get the team back into contention after a disappointing six-win season in 2024.
With the Super Bowl being held on their home field on Feb. 8, the Niners are hoping a turnaround can lead to the championship that has eluded the franchise since winning a fifth title 31 years ago.
“I don’t look at it as being anything or bust, but obviously we want to be successful,” star left tackle Trent Williams. “We have the talent to be successful. There’s no greater motivator than the Super Bowl being here right in our backyard.”
The defending division champion Los Angeles Rams enter the season with a bit of uncertainty after 37-year-old quarterback Matthew Stafford missed most of training camp with a bad back.
Seattle and Arizona are looking to break the stranglehold Los Angeles and San Francisco have had on the division the past four seasons but have their own questions at quarterback with Sam Darnold replacing Geno Smith as starter for the Seahawks and Kyler Murray looking to fulfill his lofty potential with the Cardinals.
It all adds up to an intriguing race where each team has a legitimate chance at the playoffs or a last-place finish.
Niners seek a bounce-back season
The Super Bowl hangover hit San Francisco hard last season as a team that lost the title game in overtime to Kansas City in the 2023 season fell flat and missed the postseason for the first time since 2020.
Injuries to stars such as Williams, Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk severely hampered the offense and the defense under first-year coordinator Nick Sorensen was exposed.
That led to an offseason shakeup that had former All-Pro receiver Deebo Samuel and several defensive veterans leave as the Niners aimed to get younger and cheaper.
The star power is still there with Williams, McCaffrey, Nick Bosa, George Kittle and Fred Warner, along with quarterback Brock Purdy, who got rewarded with a five-year, $265 million extension in May.
But San Francisco will need significant contributions from the rookie class led by first-round defensive end Mykel Williams to get back to the top of the league.
Even if the Niners fall short of their 2023 level, a favorable schedule that includes 10 games against the 12 teams with the lowest win totals, according to BetMGM, could be enough to sneak back into the playoffs.
Seahawks commit to the run
Seattle won 10 games in coach Mike Macdonald’s first season but just missed out on the playoffs. This year’s version will have a very different look — especially on offense where Darnold and Cooper Kupp have replaced Smith and star receiver DK Metcalf.
New coordinator Klint Kubiak has an improved offensive line with left tackle Charles Cross healthy and rookie guard Grey Zabel looking strong in the preseason. That should allow him to rely heavily on the run and play-action passing after Seattle had the fifth-highest passing rate last season.
That should take pressure off Darnold, who had a career renaissance last season in Minnesota before a late-season collapse.
Macdonald’s defense took big strides as last season went on and could be one of the best in the league this season.
Rams depend on healthy Stafford
When the Rams brought in receiver Davante Adams in the offseason to team with Puka Nacua in what should be one of the top 1-2 receiving combos in the league, it looked as if Los Angeles could build on last season’s run to the divisional round.
But the success depends entirely on the health of the 37-year-old Stafford, who nearly led the Rams to a late-game comeback in the playoffs last season against last season’s eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Still one of the best QBs when healthy, Stafford fought through various injuries the past few seasons and missed a large chunk of camp this season with a back injury. While Jimmy Garoppolo might be able to fill in capably for a few weeks, any chance of the Rams contending in the playoffs relies on a healthy Stafford.
The defense should be solid no matter what thanks to a major upgrade on the front the past two drafts led by 2024 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Byron Young and Kobie Turner.
Make-or-break season for Cardinals
The Cardinals haven’t had a winning record in two seasons under coach Jonathan Gannon and haven’t won a playoff game in six seasons after drafting Murray first overall in 2019.
If Arizona is unable to build on last season’s 8-9 record, it could be time for a change at one or both of those key spots.
Gannon has the most talent he’s had on defense after Arizona focused on that side of the ball in the offseason by signing Josh Sweat, Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson to fortify the front.
Second-round cornerback Will Johnson should help the back end and first-round defensive tackle Walter Nolen will miss at least the first four games because of a calf injury.
The offense needs Murray to get back to the form he had before going down with a major knee injury in 2022. Murray’s rush attempts have dropped nearly in half from 2020 to 2024, but better health could bring that needed element back to Arizona’s offense.
Receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. didn’t live up to lofty expectations as a rookie, but if he can take a major step in year two then Arizona could have a strong 1-2 combo along with tight end Trey McBride.
Predicted order of finish
49ers, Seahawks, Rams, Cardinals.
BUCCANEERS OWN THE NFC SOUTH, AND AIM FOR A DEEP PLAYOFF RUN IN THE FRANCHISE’S 50TH SEASON
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers own the NFC South.
They’ve won four straight division titles, but won’t be satisfied with just another playoff appearance. They’re looking to win their third Super Bowl title in the franchise’s 50th season.
The Atlanta Falcons won’t make it easy on them. The Falcons beat the Buccaneers twice last season and led the division midway through the season before going 2-5 down the stretch.
The Carolina Panthers finished up strong under first-year coach Dave Canales and nearly beat the Chiefs, Buccaneers and Eagles in a three-game stretch, losing by 12 points combined.
New Saints coach Kellen Moore earned a Super Bowl ring in one season in charge of Philadelphia’s offense and now aims to build a winner in New Orleans.
Let him bake
Baker Mayfield came to Tampa Bay in 2023 just looking for another opportunity after being dumped by three teams in a year. He had to compete with Kyle Trask for the starting job and the chance to replace Tom Brady. Mayfield has been sensational, unlocking the potential the Browns saw to make him the No. 1 overall pick in 2018. His 69 touchdown passes lead the NFL over the past two seasons and he’s coming off an elite season: 4,500 yards passing, 41 TDs, 71.4 completion rate, 106,8 passer rating.
The Buccaneers let Mayfield be himself. He’s matured into a team leader, a player guys rally around. With playmakers Mike Evans, Bucky Irving, Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin — once he returns from injury — surrounding him, Mayfield can be even better, especially if he cuts down on the 16 interceptions.
The key to Tampa Bay’s success will be whether the defense can stay healthy and make enough plays. The Bucs allowed 30 or more points in four of their seven losses.
If Haason Reddick boosts the pass rush, Antoine Winfield Jr. regains his All-Pro form and young cornerbacks step up, the Buccaneers could make a run.
Can’t stop Bijan
The Atlanta Falcons handed the offense over to Michael Penix Jr. with three games remaining and the division on the line. They came up short but it’s his team now, even with veteran Kirk Cousins and his $100 million guaranteed contract on the sideline.
Atlanta’s offense will revolve around dynamic running back Bijan Robinson. He finished second in the league in touches (365), third in rushing yards (1,456), fourth in scrimmage yards (1,887) and tied for fifth in rushing touchdowns (14) in his second season. Giving Robinson the ball takes pressure off Penix, who has other playmakers around him. Drake London, Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud are a top receiving trio. And, there’s tight end Kyle Pitts and running back Tyler Allgeier.
Coach Raheem Morris needs to fix a defense that was bottom 10 last year. Two edge rushers, Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., were drafted in the first round to boost a mediocre pass rush.
With the fourth-softest schedule ahead of them, the Falcons have a chance to end Tampa Bay’s streak.
Pound again
The Carolina Panthers have had seven straight losing seasons since they previously made the playoffs. But there’s reason for optimism.
Dave Canales, who helped develop Mayfield in Tampa Bay in 2023, has changed the culture in Carolina. He benched Bryce Young last year, giving him an opportunity to learn from the sideline and return for a strong finish.
The Panthers got Young a playmaker in the first round, drafting wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan to join Xavier Legette. Their offensive line improved last season, allowing Young to grow. The offense will start with Chuba Hubbard, who ran for 1,195 yards last season.
The biggest problem was a defense that allowed the most yards and most points in the league. Carolina didn’t make a big splash in the offseason but added several players who could bolster the unit, including safety Tre’von Moehrig, nose tackle Bobby Brown III and outside linebacker Pat Jones II. They drafted edge rushers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen on Day 2.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has a tough task. Getting the defense from porous to mediocre would be a great start.
March for Arch?
Moore has a tough task in New Orleans, taking over a 5-12 team without a franchise quarterback yet.
Spencer Rattler, a fifth-round pick who was 0-6 as a starter last season, beat out rookie second-round pick Tyler Shough for the starting job. Some Saints fans are already clamoring for Arch Manning, who has started just two college games and whose grandfather went 35-91-3 in New Orleans between 1971-82.
Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, Penn State’s Drew Allar and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier are also future options.
For now, it’s Rattler. Moore spent one season in Philadelphia as offensive coordinator and turned Jalen Hurts into a Super Bowl MVP.
Rattler has some playmakers around him, including Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave.
The defense struggled to stop the run last season. They’ve got leadership in veteran linebacker Demario Davis, who is still going strong.
It’s a rebuilding season for the Saints and Moore’s priority will be laying the foundation for the future.
Predicted order of finish
Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, Saints.
GAP FROM TOP TO BOTTOM IN THE AFC NORTH GREW A LOT LAST YEAR. THE QB POSITION IS WHY
Two years after the entire AFC North finished with a winning record, the division’s depth looks a lot more shaky.
The explanation is simple: Two teams have top-tier quarterbacks, one very clearly does not — and the other is putting a lot of faith in an aging four-time MVP.
Last season the division produced three winning teams, but only two made the playoffs — and last-place Cleveland fell all the way to 3-14. The games within the AFC North are still spirited — those Browns managed to beat both Baltimore and Pittsburgh — but the claim that this is the best division in football isn’t as strong as it used to be.
Still, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are among the top Super Bowl contenders, and Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati team remains a likely offensive juggernaut. The Steelers have been cycling through quarterbacks since Ben Roethlisberger retired, continuing to do enough things right to produce winning records in the regular season. Will the addition of Aaron Rodgers revitalize the passing game enough to make Pittsburgh something more than a fringe playoff team?
“The way we ended last year wasn’t good enough, and we talked about change having to happen. I know people maybe expected change sooner than later, but change doesn’t always happen at the pace everybody expects,” Steelers general manager Omar Khan said at the start of training camp. “We knew changes had to be made, and here we are.”
Meanwhile, Cleveland’s quarterback outlook was so gloomy the Browns drafted two QBs and brought back Joe Flacco.
While the quarterbacking situations are all over the map, the overall talent in the AFC North remains high. The division had nine players make first-team All-Pro last season, the most in the NFL.
Cleveland managed to keep defensive standout Myles Garrett after he initially asked for a trade. Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. Watt received a new extension as well. Then the Bengals and pass rusher Trey Hendrickson ended their dispute this week.
Up the list
Derrick Henry was sensational in his first season with Baltimore last year, rushing for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns. That brought him to 11,423 yards for his career, 19th on the career list.
If he runs for 1,000 yards this season, he’d pass some pretty big names: Steven Jackson (11,438), Fred Taylor (11,695), Thurman Thomas (12,074), Franco Harris (12,120), Marcus Allen (12,243), Edgerrin James (12,246), Marshall Faulk (12,279) and Jim Brown (12,312).
If Henry rushes for 1,500 yards, he’d also pass Tony Dorsett (12,739) and move into the top 10. If Henry can reach his rushing total from last season, then Eric Dickerson (13,259) is also catchable.
Different season, same concerns
The Bengals have one of the top passing attacks in the league with Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. However, keeping Burrow upright to connect with his receivers remains a problem. So does stopping the other team so Cincinnati doesn’t have to be in shootouts.
Cincinnati will go into the season with two rookies starting at guard. Dylan Fairchild was expected to start immediately at left guard when he was drafted in the third round in April, and Jalen Rivers could get the call at right guard. Cordell Volson is out for the season after shoulder surgery. Rivers is a fifth-round pick and a converted offensive tackle.
Burrow led the league in yards passing last season but has been sacked 196 times since being the top overall pick in 2020, the second-highest total in that span. Chase was the sixth wide receiver in the Super Bowl era to lead the league in receptions, yards receiving and touchdown catches, but Cincinnati missed the playoffs for the second straight season.
Steelers take a flier
The Steelers changed their quarterback room yet again in the offseason after another quick playoff exit. Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are out, Rodgers is in, hoping Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin will help him author a more upbeat final chapter of his career than what he endured during two seasons with the New York Jets.
The 41-year-old Rodgers — the oldest active player in the league — isn’t the only big name the Steelers have brought in while hoping to end the franchise’s longest drought without a playoff win since Franco Harris hauled in the “Immaculate Reception” more than a half-century ago.
Cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay have joined longtime fixtures Watt and Cam Heyward on a defense that believes it can be the best in the league. Ramsey and Slay have what Watt and Heyward so desperately want: Super Bowl rings.
Pittsburgh’s prospects likely hinge heavily on whether the offensive line can give Rodgers time to work. If it can, the Steelers will have a puncher’s chance in a competitive division. If it can’t, the club’s long run of non-losing seasons (currently at 21 and counting) could be in jeopardy.
The starter, but for how long?
Flacco came off the couch to go 4-1 down the stretch in the regular season two years ago to get Cleveland into the playoffs. Both parties reunited this offseason after Flacco was the backup in Indianapolis.
Flacco emerged on top in a four-way quarterback competition.
The question is how long Flacco will remain behind center. Cleveland has had 10 quarterbacks start a game since it traded Baker Mayfield in 2022. It wouldn’t be a shock if rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders start at least one game.
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Predicted order of finish
Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Browns.
TEXANS AIM FOR 3RD STRAIGHT AFC SOUTH TITLE, A FEAT NOT ACHIEVED SINCE PEYTON MANNING’S COLTS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Houston Texans have a chance to win a third straight AFC South title this season with quarterback C.J. Stroud and coach DeMeco Ryans.
The challenge?
Nobody has won three straight titles since Peyton Manning was in his prime with the Indianapolis Colts in this division’s early years. The Tennessee Titans most recently came the closest only to come up short in 2022.
“I’m not really sure like what the next step is,” Houston general manager Nick Caserio said. “I mean we have a good football team, so we’ve been one of the best eight teams in the league the last two years. So what’s going to happen beyond that nobody has any idea.”
The Texans have advanced to two straight divisional rounds each of the past two postseasons, losing both with the most recent to Kansas City 23-14 in January. Caserio made a variety of moves to help Stroud, and coach DeMeco Ryans switched offensive coordinators as well.
Houston tight end Dalton Schultz said they just have to do one thing to get past the divisional round.
“It’s never the same as the year before, and there’s always some little wrinkle that is going to hit the league or hit your team,” Schultz said.
Houston went 10-7 in 2024 with the Colts at 8-9 with everyone working furiously to catch up — or else.
Indianapolis switched starting quarterbacks. Jacksonville hired a new coach and general manager before trading up to draft Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Tennessee has No. 1 draft pick overall in Cam Ward starting at quarterback after firing and hiring a new general manager.
“This league is a year-to-year league and what do I feel is best for the Colts in 2025,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said.
Texans’ challenge
Houston has to protect Stroud better. Only Chicago’s Caleb Williams was sacked more than the 2024 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. With the pounding, Stroud’s production dipped as he was sacked 52 times with his interceptions more than doubling to 12 from his rookie season.
Stroud still threw for 3,727 yards and 20 touchdowns. Ryans fired Bobby Slowik and hired Nick Caley as offensive coordinator.
“He comes from a different style than I’m used to, at least in the NFL,” Stroud said of Caley. “So, it’s cool just to learn something new and put another tool in my toolbox.”
Caserio traded five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to Washington during the offseason to clear space to sign younger players. The Texans are expected to start a rookie at left tackle in second-round pick Aireontae Ersery with Tytus Howard at right tackle where he started 16 games last season.
Houston also acquired Christian Kirk, signed Justin Watson and drafted a pair of receivers out of Iowa State to provide depth behind Nico Collins after letting Stefon Diggs leave in free agency. Caserio also sent wide receiver John Metchie to Philadelphia for tight end Harrison Bryant on Aug. 17.
Hey Danny Dimes
Indianapolis has missed the playoffs the past four seasons, and a fifth straight could cost Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard their jobs with the late Jim Irsay’s daughters now running the franchise.
Going with Daniel Jones means the franchise who went two decades with Manning and Andrew Luck at quarterback will have yet another starter on opening day. Since 2017, only Anthony Richardson has started back-to-back season openers.
Yet the fourth overall pick in 2023 couldn’t stay healthy or help Jonathan Taylor nearly enough. Taylor ran for 1,431 yards and 11 TDs as Richardson completed just 47.7% of his throws, the lowest rate of any regular starter in the NFL.
Steichen said Richardson, 23, was thrown into the fire. The Colts coach isn’t ready to talk about Jones’ future.
“Let’s see how the season goes,” Steichen said.
Jacksonville’s youth movement
The biggest makeover came in Jacksonville, firing a Super Bowl-winning coach in Doug Pederson and GM Trent Baalke. The Jaguars hired Liam Coen as coach and James Gladstone, 34, as their new GM.
The Jaguars are trying to fix a team that went 3-10 in one-score games in 2024 with the franchise losers of 18 of its past 23.
In his first head coaching job, Coen, 39, has a pair of first-timers in offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. As coordinator in Tampa Bay, Coen became the first NFL coordinator in at least 25 years to help a team average more than 28 points a game.
He has Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, who was limited by injuries to 10 games in 2024. Wide receiver Brian Thomas now can get help from Hunter, even if the rookie will also play some defense.
Tennessee time
Brian Callahan also was a first-time head coach a year ago with the Titans. He brought in a former NFL head coach in Mike McCoy this offseason among a handful of other changes to apply his lessons learned.
Mike Borgonzi was hired as GM when Ran Carthon’s big offseason spending spree didn’t pan out. The Titans have embraced their rebuild even if they added veteran receivers Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson along with left tackle Dan Moore Jr. and right guard Kevin Zeitler.
Predicted order of finish
Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Jacksonville.
EAGLES SEEK ELUSIVE NFC EAST REPEAT ON PATH TO ANOTHER SUPER BOWL TITLE
The Philadelphia Eagles are aiming for another Super Bowl championship.
Just don’t call it a repeat, even if that word will be thrown around plenty in the NFC East, a division that hasn’t had consecutive titles from the same team since the Eagles won their fourth in a row in 2004.
The Eagles have struck “repeat” from their vernacular this season as Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, 2,000-yard rusher Saquon Barkley and A.J. Brown go for another “two-peat” — division and NFL championships.
“Everything else is in the past,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “I think that when teams are trying so hard to repeat or trying so hard to recapture, there’s two mistakes that they make. They either are looking at their past accomplishments or they’re looking too far into the future of how do you do that again? And it’s really about the daily grind that you go through day in and day out. There’s a mental toughness to being able to do that and go through that every single day.”
The Eagles return most of their key starters on both sides of the ball, many in their primes and signed to long-term deals. They could be championship contenders for years to come.
Barkley had a career year in his debut with the Eagles. He ran for 2,504 yards in the regular season and playoffs, breaking Terrell Davis’ record for most yards rushing combined in one season.
Barkley had 2,005 yards in the regular season before sitting out the final game with a chance to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season mark. The Eagles rewarded him with a two-year contract extension with $36 million guaranteed.
Barkley expects bigger and better in Year 2.
“It definitely helps having another year in this organization and in this building,” he said. “I’m familiar with everybody. Stuff that I got into my routine later on in the season, it’s already part of my routine now. It’s just helpful, from the training staff to nutrition to strength coaches. It all just gets better naturally when you’re here longer.”
Commanders put drama to rest
The only topic that really mattered throughout training camp after Washington surprised everyone by reaching the NFC championship game last season was wide receiver Terry McLaurin’s desire for a new contract. The issue was finally resolved after the preseason.
He went from a brief holdout to a hold-in while on the physically unable to perform list because of an injured ankle, to off the PUP list but still not practicing.
McLaurin and AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels formed a terrific combination and were expected to go nowhere but up.
Dan Quinn stayed on message on McLaurin — “It’s part of the business of the NFL, and I don’t judge it or get too worked up about it,” the coach said — and players also steered clear of drama.
But there’s no question it was a thing, maybe the first real blip under the current triumvirate of owner Josh Harris, general manager Adam Peters and Quinn.
Daniels is an ascendant star, widely considered among the league’s elite quarterbacks already. Peters went out and added some big-name veterans, including left tackle Laremy Tunsil, edge rusher Von Miller and playmaker Deebo Samuel.
“Just watching them play on Sundays for some time, and now watching them up close and personal — like, you can see why Von is going to be a Hall of Famer,” Daniels said. “You can see why L.T. is one of the top left tackles in the league. You can see why Deebo was All-Pro.”
There are questions on defense, particularly in the secondary, so if the Commanders end up needing to score a lot, a happy McLaurin will help. The two-time Pro Bowler agreed to a $96 million, three-year extension.
Giants’ QB changes
After tying for the NFL’s worst record at 3-14 last season, the Giants moved on from quarterback Daniel Jones, signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston and traded back into the first round to draft Jaxson Dart.
Wilson goes in as the starter with Dart being groomed for the future, though that could be sooner than later, given the Mississippi product’s strong impression in training camp and preseason games.
“He’s done a tremendous job,” Wilson said. “He works at it every day, and he asks the right questions. That’s what I enjoy about him.”
The success of the offense revolves around Wilson, now 36, and young receiver Malik Nabers, who had 109 catches for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie.
Defensively, the Giants hope they made a strong pass rush even better by drafting Penn State linebacker Abdul Carter third overall. Carter joining nose tackle Dexter Lawrence and edge rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux should help a beleaguered secondary, which has new faces in cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland.
“We’re bringing in two vets that know how to play the game,” cornerback Dru Phillips said. “We may put a (different) scheme in and they’re brand new here, but they came in like they knew it. They’ve played this type of stuff before at a high level, so you can experiment with a lot of new stuff and you can have a lot of versatility.”
Plenty of Cowboys questions
The Dallas Cowboys haven’t finished last in the division in 10 years. If they don’t resolve the contract issue with star edge rusher Micah Parsons, that’s where they’re headed.
Even with Dak Prescott healthy again at quarterback, the Cowboys would present first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer a monumental task if they can’t get Parsons on the field. He reported for camp but didn’t practice at all while publicly requesting a trade.
The moping got progressively worse, capped by Parsons lying on a training table on the sideline during the preseason finale. The 2021 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year is set to make $24 million in the final year of the five-year deal he got as a first-round pick. He wants long-term security.
With or without Parsons, the Cowboys have little chance unless Prescott shows his MVP runner-up form of 2023, when he led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes before a hamstring tear ended last season after eight games. His 10th season features a new playmaker outside to go with CeeDee Lamb in George Pickens, who was traded by Pittsburgh.
“Just with the experience of this game, having the teammates and the players that I have around me, getting into a new year with a new coach and a new energy with such a youthful team, I see somebody who feels young again,” the 32-year-old Prescott said.
Dallas has questions at running back and on the offensive line, and a thin secondary until 2021 All-Pro Trevon Diggs returns from a second major knee injury, which could happen early.
Predicted order of finish
Eagles, Commanders, Giants, Cowboys.
BILLS AIM FOR 6TH STRAIGHT AFC EAST TITLE, SUPER BOWL RUN AS PATRIOTS, JETS AND DOLPHINS REGROUP
The Buffalo Bills appeared vulnerable a year ago and the AFC East seemed there for the taking.
There were questions about who Josh Allen would be throwing to and whether the Bills’ window being among the NFL’s elite teams was beginning to close, while the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots had plenty of hope.
Instead, the Bills dashed to their fifth straight division title, Allen won his first AP NFL MVP award and Sean McDermott’s squad finished a victory short of reaching the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Jets, Dolphins and Patriots watched the playoffs from home and spent the offseason regrouping and, in some cases, completely revamping and reloading.
Now, Allen and the Bills enter this season looking as good as ever and one of the betting favorites to win the Super Bowl, let alone a sixth consecutive AFC East title. They know they need to get over the hump of the playoffs — particularly Kansas City, which has eliminated Buffalo in four of the past five postseasons, including twice in the AFC championship game.
“You can’t win the Super Bowl without making the playoffs, and that’s our No. 1 goal,” Allen said. “That’s the standard that Coach McDermott set here for so long, is playoff-caliber. You don’t get into the playoffs, you don’t win the Super Bowl, it’s as simple as that. … We’re just out here trying to get better.”
Same for the Jets and Patriots, who hired new coaches to try to change their fortunes with Aaron Glenn in New York and Mike Vrabel in New England — each returning to teams for which they once played.
“We have something we’re trying to create,” Glenn said. “I’m not going to end up talking about that or what those things are, but every day that’s the focus, nothing else. Take everything out.”
The Dolphins still have Mike McDaniel in charge and Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, but once lofty expectations have been replaced by doubts as to whether Miami is on its way back down.
“Instead of fighting stuff that’s based on stuff you can’t control, understanding that the only thing we can do is the daily investment into each other,” McDaniel said. “There’s a supreme clarity of focus of what matters and what doesn’t.”
Allen’s allies
The Bills’ offense returns mostly intact, including all five linemen. Buffalo also added what it hopes is an upgrade at wide receiver with Joshua Palmer, who’ll be expected to stretch the field — something the passing game lacked a year ago.
Keon Coleman will be counted on to take another step forward and tight end Dalton Kincaid will try to regain his status as a top option after injuries slowed him.
Coordinator Joe Brady will also be able to lean on his running game with James Cook signed to a four-year extension — which should help take the pressure off Allen to have to scramble.
Maye-be better days
A 4-13 season in Jerod Mayo’s first year was enough for Patriots owner Robert Kraft to move on. He turned to another former New England player in Vrabel, who had success in transforming Tennessee into a regular playoff contender.
“We talk about the good, the bad and the (stuff) that gets you beat,” Vrabel said, “and I think that they can tell the difference between those three now.”
The development of quarterback Drake Maye, who enters his second season with a revamped offensive line and some new playmakers, will be key. Maye was a positive during a dismal season last year and if he can make a big jump in Year 2, the Patriots could be at least a threat to Buffalo.
“Coach Vrabel came here and made it clear from Day 1: ‘Hey, drop your egos at the door. We’re here to work, we want guys to finish, work hard and give effort,’” Maye said. “I think we’re starting to see that and build that.”
Taking flight
Glenn, who played eight of his 15 NFL seasons in New York, is well aware of the spotlight in the Big Apple. He has insisted since his hiring, along with that of GM Darren Mougey, that the Jets are building toward being a playoff contender.
Whether that happens this season, though, will largely depend on the development of quarterback Justin Fields. The 2021 first-round pick of Chicago is on his third team in five years, but Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand believe he’s a good fit for what will likely be a run-first offense.
“I like the concepts that we have,” Fields said. “I like what Tanner’s trying to do and implement the guys on offense and kind of in our playbook. He’s a great offensive-minded coach and just the stuff that we can get done, I think the sky’s the limit.”
Swims with the fishes?
Miami made the playoffs in each of McDaniel’s first two seasons and seemed poised to challenge Buffalo for the division title.
Injuries to key players such as Tagovailoa, wide receiver Tyreek Hill and right tackle Austin Jackson took their toll, with the Dolphins struggling to a 2-6 start. They rebounded with a 6-3 finish, but this almost seems like a make-or-break season for McDaniel and GM Chris Grier.
The secondary, namely the cornerbacks, along with the depth on offense, questions on the offensive line and the health of Tagovailoa provide plenty of skepticism about the Dolphins.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say that it is a bunker mindset or a bunker mentality where we’re all kind of hunched up and it’s us against the world,” Tagovailoa said. “Really it’s us against ourselves, is kind of how we look at it.”
And in the AFC East, it seems it’s the Bills — and then everyone else. Again.
Predicted order of finish
Bills, Patriots, Jets, Dolphins.
49ERS AGREE TO 1-YEAR DEAL WITH RECEIVER MARQUEZ VALDES-SCANTLING, AP SOURCE SAYS
The San Francisco 49ers bolstered their banged-up receiver corps by agreeing to a one-year deal with Marquez Valdes-Scantling after he was cut by Seattle, a person with knowledge of the deal said Wednesday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been officially announced.
The Niners had only two healthy receivers on the 53-man roster following roster cut downs on Tuesday with Ricky Pearsall and recently acquired Skyy Moore.
Valdes-Scantling provides another as well as needed speed on the outside to stretch the field.
The 30-year-old Valdez-Scantling split time last season with Buffalo and New Orleans, recording 19 catches for 411 yards and four TDs. He has 205 career catches for 3,566 yards and 20 TDs in seven seasons that also included time in Green Bay and Kansas City.
Valdez-Scantling’s 17.4 yards per reception for his career rank fourth-best among all players with at least 200 catches since 1990.
Valdez-Scantling’s biggest production came in Green Bay and Kansas City where he was a dependable deep threat for Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes. He also had some big postseason performances with 24 catches for 406 yards and four TDs in 11 playoff games. He caught a TD pass from Mahomes against the 49ers in Super Bowl 58 when he helped Kansas City beat San Francisco 25-22 in overtime.
The Niners had major questions at receiver following cutdown day. Demarcus Robinson was suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and Brandon Aiyuk will miss at least the first four weeks on the physically unable to perform list recovering from knee surgery.
Jauan Jennings has missed almost all of camp with a calf injury and is also seeking a new contract. Jacob Cowing is expected to miss at least the first month with a hamstring injury and rookie Jordan Watkins has been out with an ankle injury but could return soon.
The 49ers open the season against at Seattle on Sept. 7 with Valdes-Scantling going up against the team he was on for the entire offseason.
RAVENS MAKE KYLE HAMILTON THE NFL’S HIGHEST-PAID SAFETY WITH A 4-YEAR, $100.4 MILLION EXTENSION
The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to a four-year, $100.4 million extension with star safety Kyle Hamilton.
The deal includes $82 million guaranteed, according to a person with knowledge of the contract, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the terms weren’t announced.
Hamilton, an All-Pro in 2023, is entering his fourth NFL season. Baltimore drafted him in the first round in 2022, and he’s performed brilliantly, helping the Ravens to NFC North titles each of the past two seasons with his versatility in their defensive scheme.
General manager Eric DeCosta said the deal makes Hamilton the league’s highest-paid safety.
JAGUARS ACQUIRE RECEIVER TIM PATRICK FROM LIONS FOR A SIXTH-ROUND DRAFT PICK IN 2026
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars acquired wide receiver Tim Patrick from Detroit on Wednesday in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in 2026.
The Jaguars said the trade would become final if Patrick passes a physical. Jacksonville waived receiver Austin Trammell to make room for Patrick on its 53-man roster.
The 31-year-old Patrick missed all of 2022 and 2023 while dealing with injuries, first a torn knee ligament and then a torn Achilles tendon. But he bounced back last season and played 16 games for the Lions, finishing with 33 receptions for 394 yards and three touchdowns.
The 6-foot-5 veteran is expected to become Jacksonville’s No. 5 receiver behind Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, Dyami Brown and Parker Washington. The Jaguars had been looking for a bigger receiver who could block on the perimeter and play special teams.
Patrick spent the first four years of his NFL career in Denver. He has 176 receptions for 2,403 yards and 15 touchdowns over five seasons. Detroit initially kept six receivers while finalizing its roster Tuesday but now has five. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond are returning starters, with rookie draft picks Isaac TeSlaa and Dominic Lovett slotted as backups.
