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| Monday, June 19, 2023 |
| Welcome to the Monday edition of the Pick Six newsletter! |
| If you plan on going on vacation at all over the next month, don't be surprised if you run into an NFL player and that's because it's officially vacation season in the NFL. All 32 teams are done practicing, and they won't be starting again until training camp kicks off in late July, which means this is the one time of year where NFL players are free to go on vacation. |
| Fortunately for you, though, this newsletter never goes on vacation. We've got a lot to cover today, so let's get to it. |
| As always, here's your daily reminder to tell all your friends to sign up for the newsletter. To get them signed up, all you have to do is click here. On to today's rundown: |
| 1. Ranking the NFL's top 10 quarterbacks heading into 2023 |
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| As you may or may not have noticed, we love to rank things here at CBSSports.com and because of that, we thought we would spend the next few weeks ranking every position group heading into the 2023 season. |
| From running backs to receivers to quarterbacks to kickers, we're going to put together a top 10 ranking for each position group. And since there's a zero percent chance that you're going to agree with each ranking, I'm going to be sharing the Twitter handle of each author so you can argue with them about their ranking on social media. |
| For our first ranking of the offseason, we're going to start with the top 10 quarterbacks heading into the 2023 season. This list was put together by Cody Benjamin, and if you'd like to tell him how perfect it is or argue with him, you can do that by clicking here. |
| Top 10 quarterbacks |
1. Patrick Mahomes
2. Joe Burrow
3. Jalen Hurts
4. Josh Allen
5. Justin Herbert
6. Aaron Rodgers
7. Trevor Lawrence
8. Lamar Jackson
9. Dak Prescott
10. Kirk Cousins |
| When you read this ranking, the first thing you'll probably notice is that it's loaded with AFC quarterbacks. Seven of the top players on the list are in the AFC, so, on that note, I'd just like to wish good luck to any team trying to make it to the playoffs out of the AFC. |
| As Cody notes in his story, the ranking was put together by looking at a combination of past production, present value and the quarterback's future outlook. As far as snubs go, I don't think there are any ugly ones here. You could probably make an argument for someone like Matthew Stafford, but I'm not sure who he'd replace in the top 10. Dolphins fans will probably be upset that Tua Tagovailoa isn't on the list, which I'm guessing will be the No. 1 complaint that Cody hears on Twitter today. |
| Anyway, if you want a detailed explanation of this ranking, be sure to click here so you can check out Cody's entire story. |
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| 2. Quarterbacks who could shine in their first year with a new team |
| To keep with our quarterback theme today, we're going to take a look at a few quarterbacks who could shine in 2023 after switching teams this offseason. This list isn't as easy to predict as you might think. Last year, nearly everyone thought Russell Wilson was going to shine in his first year with the Broncos, but that didn't happen. |
| Although we certainly could see some quarterbacks shine in new spots this year, we could also see several of them flop. Let's take a look who might thrive in 2023 and who might not play so well, according to CBSSports.com's Doug Clawson. |
| Aaron Rodgers will shine with Jets. "What happens when you have a ticked off four-time MVP QB with a better supporting cast, including a top five defense? You have the recipe for another potential MVP and Super Bowl year, even as Rodgers approaches 40."Sam Darnold will shine with 49ers (if he gets to start). "Sam Darnold and the 49ers look like a perfect match on paper. The former No. 3 overall pick is still just 26, and is now paired with the QB whisperer, Kyle Shanahan, plus one of the best rosters in football. Darnold actually was top 10 in the league in EPA per play in his six starts from Week 12-18 last year. He was third in completion percentage over expected for the entire season, per NFL Next Gen Stats. This could actually be a QB who is figuring it out."Derek Carr might shine, but he might not. "The stars seemed aligned for a playoff run, but I think it'll be a product of an easy division and improved defense, not a leap from Carr. ... He goes from a tough division to the easiest in the league. He goes from one of the worst defenses to a potential top 10 unit. He has weapons around him in Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara."Jimmy Garoppolo won't shine with the Raiders. "Compared with his time in San Francisco, he's going to a tougher division, playing with worse talent, a worse head coach, with a much worse defense. I would be most surprised if Garoppolo took a leap with the Raiders." |
| Clawson also listed several other quarterbacks, including Baker Mayfield and Jacoby Brissett. If you want to see his entire list, be sure to head here. |
| 3. Why Stefon Diggs is unhappy with the Bills |
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| There was a lot of drama in Buffalo last week and most of it revolved around Stefon Diggs. The Bills receiver showed up to the team's practice facility for minicamp, but then he was a no-show for the team's first practice. Bills coach Sean McDermott said he was "very concerned" about Diggs' absence before slightly backtracking on that statement (If you need a full rehash of the situation, just go here). |
| By the time minicamp ended last Wednesday, McDermott said everything was "resolved," but is that actually the case? |
| As it turns out, things might not be resolved. According to the Boston Globe, Diggs is unhappy with the Bills for two big reasons: |
| He's frustrated with his role in the offense. Diggs was irate when he walked off the field following Buffalo's 27-10 playoff loss to the Bengals and those frustrations have carried over into the offseason (Diggs had just four catches for 35 yards in the game). Although Diggs ranked fifth in the NFL in receiving yards last season with 1,429, he almost disappeared from the offense over Buffalo's final five games, which might have something to do with this frustrations. Including the playoffs, Diggs averaged just 62.7 yards per game over the final six games of the season after he had averaged 100.17 yards per game through Buffalo's first 12 games. He's frustrated that he has almost no say in play-calling. During Diggs' first two seasons in Buffalo, the Bills offensive coordinator was Brian Daboll, but after he jumped ship to the Giants, Ken Dorsey took over the OC duties and it appears Diggs isn't getting as much say in play-calling as he'd like. This isn't an easy issue to fix because no OC is going to hand any sort of play-calling power to a receiver. Let's say Diggs were to come up with three plays he likes each week, but then those plays don't get called. That would likely just add to the frustration. |
| Basically, Diggs was frustrated in January, and he then skipped the voluntary portion of Buffalo's offseason workout program. When he finally showed up for practice in June, he was still frustrated, which makes it feel like this frustration could still be lingering by the time Diggs gets to training camp. If that's the case, this could turn into an ugly situation for Buffalo. |
| For a full look at what's bothering Diggs, be sure to go here. |
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| 4. Eight players entering a make-or-break year in 2023 |
| The average NFL career is barely three years long, which means you don't get a lot of time to prove you belong once you make it to the league. With that in mind, Chris Trapasso made a list of eight players who need to have a big year in 2023. |
| Here's a look at half of his list: |
| Jets WR Elijah Moore. "Last year was ghastly for Moore. Not only were there intermittent rumors about his displeasure with the team and offense, but he also had to deal with bad quarterback play. His reception total, receiving yards, and touchdowns all dropped from 2021 totals, and his yards-per-route run average sunk to 0.91. The Jets traded him to Browns this offseason, and with Deshaun Watson, Moore should have drastically more dynamic play from his quarterback. With Amari Cooper in the mix, Moore will not be asked to save Cleveland's offense. If the light doesn't come on this year, though, Moore will be dangerously close to being considered a bust of a former top 35 pick."Steelers RB Najee Harris. "Harris has yet to average 4.0 yards per carry throughout the course of an NFL season. We all applauded his rookie campaign, though, when he was the heart and soul of an otherwise stagnant, predictable Steelers offense with a shoddy offensive line. In 2022, strides were made up front, but Harris' yards-per-carry average actually dipped from 3.9 to 3.8 and his yards after contact rate reduced from 2.98 as a rookie to 2.74 in Year 2."Browns OT Jedrick Wills. "As a rookie, Wills looked the part of the second offensive tackle selected in a loaded class -- that featured Andrew Thomas and Tristan Wirfs -- at that position in 2020. Only 18 pressures allowed all season? That's budding star stuff from a then-21-year-old rookie. Since then, Wills hasn't taken that ever-elusive next step from budding star to legitimate superstar. Rushers beat him for 28 pressures in 2022 and that number ballooned to 41 last season."Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy. "Jeudy was drifting near Bust Island, and, ironically, had his best season as a pro during the abysmal 2022 season for Russell Wilson and the Broncos offense. After not scoring a touchdown in an irritating 2021, Jeudy scored six times last year. ... Jeudy falls into this very specific category because he could continue to build momentum toward a monster extension in his fourth season, or has he already reached his peak performance capability in the NFL? If the latter is ultimately the case, there's a strong chance he inks a deal elsewhere next March." |
| For a full look at Trapasso's list, be sure to click here. |
| 5. Running back matchmaker: Dalvin Cook to Dolphins, Ezekiel Elliott to Patriots |
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| NFL free agency has been going on for more than three months now, and in that time, it's become pretty clear that finding a job isn't an easy thing to do if you're a running back. As we head into the dead of the offseason, there are still several top running backs available, including Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook. |
| Cody Benjamin decided to play matchmaker today by pairing up each available running back with a team that would make sense. Cody even starts off with a crazy pairing by having Josh Jacobs leave the Raiders. |
| Match: Josh Jacobs and the Broncos. "Here's a curveball for you. We doubt the Raiders would prefer to trade their franchise player inside the division, but Denver's new coach, Sean Payton, gushed about Jacobs earlier this offseason , paid decent money for starting RBs in New Orleans, and could use downhill insurance as Javonte Williams returns from injury, with newcomer Samaje Perine better suited for No. 2 duties. Las Vegas could simply rescind the franchise tag if it knows Jacobs is committed to netting a bigger deal elsewhere, allowing the Raiders' quasi-Patriots regime to save an instant $10M and revert to a RB-by-committee approach." Match: Ezekiel Elliott to the Patriots. "Elliott may be past his full-time days, but as a pass blocker and short-term rotational piece, he'd fit right into a typically crowded Bill Belichick backfield." Match: Dalvin Cook to the Dolphins. "The connections here are well-documented, with Cook growing up in Miami and the Dolphins not-so-subtly eyeing a RB upgrade. In the end, few teams have reason to outbid Cook's hometown team."Match: Leonard Fournette to the Rams. "'Playoff Lenny' fell from grace rather quickly in Tampa Bay, and his physical style has probably taken its toll. But with Cam Akers and Kyren Williams headlining a rather unproven backfield in Los Angeles, Sean McVay might prefer added experience." |
| To check out where Cody has four other running backs landing, be sure to click here. |
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| 6. Extra points: Patriots cornerback arrested at airport |
| It was a busy weekend in the NFL, and since it's nearly impossible to keep track of everything that happened, I went ahead and put together a roundup for you. |
| Jack Jones arrested for bringing guns to airport. The Patriots cornerback is facing multiple charges after being arrested for bringing guns to Boston's Logan Airport over the weekend. The 2022 fourth-round pick, who played in 13 games last year, is being charged with two counts of a concealed weapon in a secure area of an airport, possession of ammunition without a Firearm Identification Card, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm and possession of a large-capacity feeding device. For more on the situation, be sure to go here. Commanders showing interest in Kareem Hunt. The free agent running back could have a new home in the near future. CBS Sports HQ NFL Insider Josina Anderson has reported that the Commanders "have quietly been making some preliminary inquiries behind the scenes on Hunt." The running back spent his past four seasons in Cleveland, but the Browns let him walk in free agency because they believe his speed is slipping, according to one report. Hall of Famer Bob Brown dies. The former NFL offensive lineman, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of fame in 2004, passed away over the weekend at the age of 81. After being selected by the Eagles with the SECOND overall pick in the 1964 NFL Draft, Brown went on to play for three teams over 10 NFL seasons. During his decade on the field, Brown was voted a Pro Bowler six times while also being named an All-Pro five times. For a closer look at Brown's Hall of Fame career, be sure to click here. Raiders likely to sign Marcus Peters before training camp. The former Ravens corner, who started 13 games for Baltimore last season, could have a new home by this time next month. According to The Athletic , the Raiders "seem likely" to sign Peters at some point before they kickoff training camp. Peters is a three-time Pro Bowler who would be a pretty solid upgrade in the secondary for Las Vegas. |
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