We’re four days into NFL free agency and nearly 100 of my top 150 players are off the board, along with dozens of other signings and a handful of trades. Here are my biggest insights from the first week of the new league year.

Live updates: Free agent news from around the NFL
FA tracker: New teams and contract details for the top 150 free agents
Best available players: Who is still on the market?
Numbers: The best and worst free agent deals

Losing four players from the front seven of your squad can be devastating for many teams. Vikings edge players Danielle Hunter, DJ Wonnum and Marcus Davenport and linebacker Jordan Hicks all left for various deals elsewhere.

But Minnesota had a plan and replaced them with Jonathan Greenard (two years younger than Hunter), Andrew Van Ginkel (young, up-and-coming player) and Blake Cashman, whose football IQ, range and ability to slip blocks got him into a three-down create inside linebacker. and an upgrade over Hicks. That trio gives the Vikings a better defensive package going forward than what went out the door. Sometimes plans need to flow, and the Vikings’ decision makers made me believe in their evaluation skills, which I previously had some doubts about.

I also like the move to Sam Darnold for $10 million on a one-year deal, while leaving Kirk Cousins ​​to Atlanta for $45 million per year for four years. The money saved can still be used by upgrading their third wide receiver spot and extending Justin Jefferson at wideout.

Without a doubt, this must be what GM Jason Licht did to the Buccaneers’ roster this past week. No GM has protected their roster and re-signed their core guys like Licht. After killing Pro Bowl safety Antoine Winfield Jr. had tapped, he re-signed quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receiver Mike Evans and found a way to keep linebacker Lavonte David. Licht also brought back defensive tackle Greg Gaines and safety Jordan Whitehead, who was part of the 2020 Super Bowl championship team. The band reunites just in time.

Bucs GM Jason Licht calls this one of “the greatest free agents of all time” to play players like Mike Evans, Antoine Winfield Jr. and re-signing Lavonte David – players who could be in the Hall of Fame.

— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 13, 2024

Licht also acquired a third-round pick to replenish his roster with some youth on draft day by trading cornerback Carlton Davis (who had a hefty cap number in the final year of his contract) to the Detroit Lions. In my opinion that was a smart move. Sportsbooks have made the Atlanta Falcons clear favorites to win the NFC South after adding Cousins ​​and others, but I’d still favor the Bucs after they maintained continuity.

If this were a game of old-fashioned “Battleship,” the Ravens’ ship would be at the very least veering starboard and perhaps on the verge of tipping over. Considering the number of free agents Baltimore had pending, this was to be expected, as I wrote last week.

The Ravens kept Justin Madubuike and added Derrick Henry, but they have already lost Patrick Queen, John Simpson, Gus Edwards, Geno Stone and Ronald Darby, while Jadeveon Clowney, Odell Beckham Jr. and Kevin Zeitler are still on the market. Add to that the decision to move on from starting right tackle Morgan Moses (let’s call this “friendly fire”), and they’ve taken their share of hits.

Rebuilding this roster will challenge GM Eric DeCosta and his staff at the highest level. They always have a plan in place if something happens, so I have no doubt their answer will be clear. I’m just concerned that this excessive amount of change will lead to a natural adjustment period, which may take some time. Nobody wants to turn a renovation into a renovation. Time will tell how much change a roster can absorb.

The Giants added proven but still emerging players to the offensive line: former Green Bay Packers guard Jon Runyan Jr. and former Las Vegas Raiders guard/tackle Jermaine Eluemunor. It’s rare to add two starting offensive linemen who have a clear body of work. These were two of the top five linemen on our free-agent board. Eluemunor was very good at right tackle for the Raiders in 2023, but can also play guard. That flexibility is valuable, considering the problems Evan Neal tackles in the right way. Runyan has excellent initial speed and the ability to involve his lower body in contact, which is rarely seen anymore in our world of spread offenses.

Oh yeah: Adding Brian Burns — who was my top-ranked player before he was franchise-tagged and the closest thing to Micah Parsons I’ve seen on tape recently — for second- and fifth-round picks is like adding a first-round talent on draft day. Any team would make that trade. The Giants struck in an opportune manner.

Yes, they lost Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney, two of my favorite players in this class, but it’s hard to justify paying big money at running backs and safety for a team that isn’t anywhere near contending. Improving the offensive line and landing Burns will help them immensely.

Favorite signing

Fantasy owners, take note. I liked the Los Angeles Chargers and added Edwards from the Ravens. I had thought all along that Barkley would be a culture upgrade for new coach Jim Harbaugh and his vision for the Chargers’ new offense. But as Barkley’s contract numbers increased, Edwards became more attractive.

He brings a full toolbox and good production with slightly less dynamic athleticism. The Ravens’ running backs committee kept Edwards’ grades down, but he’s a better player than that. He’ll be a 235-pound bellcow for a Chargers team looking to add toughness and physicality to its new identity.

Most confusing signing

I wasn’t surprised at how many expensive veteran safety items were released before release. I am shocked that teams are still adding veteran safeties who have marginal athletic ability. The Chicago Bears’ signing of Kevin Byard was a prime example. The Philadelphia Eagles bet on Byard at the trade deadline last season, acquiring him from the Tennessee Titans. Not only did it not work, but it went very badly.

In a passing league, it is very difficult to hide players who struggle in space, whether in coverage or tackling. There is no longer a ‘box safety’ position. Byard was a great player a few years ago, but he’s clearly lost a step. Bears fans have to hope things turn out differently when he joins his third team in six months.

Deepest positions remaining

Rarely is it possible not at all to find quality edge pass rushers or offensive perimeter speed on the open market. This year, there are options for both on the market, even after the free tree has been picked of its low-hanging fruit. Clowney and Van Noy — who each signed after camps opened last fall — and Chase Young and Bud Dupree can all still contribute to teams looking to upgrade and rush the passer. Teams probably won’t have to pay retail prices for it either.

The same can be said about wide receiver. Vastly underrated Lions wideout Josh Reynolds can still make an impact as a solid WR2 or WR3. Beckham, who everyone loves to hate, is still very explosive and can change games. I realize this year’s draft is chock full of good young prospects, which could impact the market, but these guys are proven commodities who could deliver great returns at the right price.

The value phase has arrived

There is usually a lull in free agency after the initial flurry of big-money signings and press conferences, before the market settles into the ‘finding value’ phase. As far as I see, the market has already reached that stage. I see players willing to take less than premium deals to avoid being left without a seat when the music stops.

Guys like Gaines (back to the Bucs for one year, $3.5 million), Zack Baun (to the Eagles for one year, $3.5 million), Nick Harris (to the Seattle Seahawks for one year, $2.51 million) and Saahdiq Charles (to the Titans for one year, $2.5 million) could normally linger on the market for weeks or months after their markets failed to materialize. Instead, they signed quickly and teams were able to find some value in those deals.

I appreciate agents for doing their homework – most likely at the company’s Indianapolis location, during meetings with teams – and team builders for identifying down-the-line guys who fit them. These value deals are a great way to build depth and have contributors ready when injuries strike.

Are teams getting wiser?

With the $30 million increase in the salary cap, teams are spending money freely, but I think teams – this year more than other years – are also spending money more wisely. Normally at this stage I would have questions about various signings where the plan seems difficult to justify. I have very few of those question marks through four days of the free-agent shopping season.

My goal in free agency was always to fill needs and check as many boxes as I could, within my limits, before the draft. This allows you to draft without worrying too much about needs, more often than not using the best players available rather than reaching for worse players in the early rounds. This has been a proven philosophy for years, and I think teams are following it and using valuable signings to fill gaps and add flexibility.

(Photos of, from left, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Brian Burns and Kevin Byard: Adam Bettcher, Grant Halverson, Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

The three biggest names in the quarterback market were taken off the board within 24 hours at the dawn of free agency, as Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield and Russell Wilson evaluated their markets and capitalized on their opportunities.

They all had different priorities at unique stages of their careers. And as they quickly secured their next contracts, the veteran trio also helped shape the QB market for the remainder of the offseason.

Mayfield started the chain reaction Sunday afternoon when he agreed to a three-year, $100 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wilson agreed to a one-year deal with the league minimum of $1.2 million on Sunday night with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cousins ​​capped it off Monday afternoon when he signed a four-year, $180 million pact with the Atlanta Falcons.

While the moves and financial parameters were unique, they were also somewhat connected when they came together, according to at least a half-dozen sources with direct knowledge of the situations.

Mayfield had the best season of his career in his first-round pick with the Bucs, and the 28-year-old wanted to stay in Tampa after bouncing around the league for a few years. He has had eight head coaches and seven offensive coordinators while playing for four teams in his first six seasons, so continuity has been a goal of his for some time, league sources say.

Mayfield appreciated the way the Bucs set him up for success last season, not only with former offensive coordinator Dave Canales, but also with coach Todd Bowles’ leadership and the culture of the veterans around the building. And while Canales left for Carolina, Mayfield is somewhat familiar with new offensive coordinator Liam Coen from their month together with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.

The Bucs and Mayfield accelerated negotiations last week, and over the weekend they intensified with a series of offers and counter-offers. For Mayfield and that desire for continuity, the guaranteed money in the second year of the deal was especially important from a job security perspective.

He got $40 million fully guaranteed, with $30 million in 2024 and another $10 million in 2025, plus another $10 million for injuries. So as long as he plays well, Mayfield should be back with the Buccaneers in 2025. But if the Bucs decide to part ways after the 2024 season, he will have earned $40 million for his services.

Last month, league officials believed Mayfield could view New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones’ four-year, $160 million contract as a similar deal. And perhaps, if Mayfield had wanted to push his free agency in on Monday when the NFL negotiating window opened, he might have been able to find a deal with more total money.

But that’s not as easy as it sounds. Over the weekend, people around the league believed that Cousins ​​would choose between the Falcons and Minnesota Vikings, leaving the losing team and the Buccaneers alone in a competition for Mayfield. But the hypothetical risk of that strategy could have led to the Vikings offering a low number and the Buccaneers withdrawing their best offer. And while the New England Patriots were high on Mayfield internally, a union between the sides simply didn’t make sense — once again, Mayfield left behind two potential suitors with the right cap space to make a good offer and the personnel to challenge for a division title.

Ultimately, Mayfield wanted to return to the Bucs. He received an offer that should provide him with security for at least two years and he accepted it.

The best chance to start

Wilson’s situation was very different from Mayfield’s. The Denver Broncos will officially release him on Wednesday at the start of the new league year, but they informed him of that decision last week and allowed him to visit with teams in the meantime.

Then there was the wildcard with the economy. The Broncos are still dependent on Wilson’s $39 million salary in 2024, which is significantly more than he could have gotten in free agency. So Wilson informed the teams that he would play for the minimum — with the Broncos picking up the balance of the account — so they could use their cap space elsewhere.

Wilson had two quality meetings with the Giants and Steelers. Both were considered exploratory sessions and they got a sense of their vision for the offense and Wilson’s goals for the season.

The Giants made no guarantees about playing time, as Jones is expected to start once he is cleared of his torn ACL. As for the Steelers, who benched Kenny Pickett in the 2022 first-round pick last season, Wilson has a very realistic path to a starting job for a team that has consistently been in the playoff mix in coach Mike’s 17 seasons Tomlin never finished below .500.

Wilson met Friday with Steelers decision makers, including Tomlin, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and general manager Omar Khan. With Tomlin and Smith, the offense should again be physical with a strong ground game and provide plenty of opportunities for Wilson to throw the deep ball, assuming he wins the lane.

Wilson put together a better season in 2023 before the Broncos benched him in December, in part to ensure injury wouldn’t further complicate their offseason decision with the quarterback. If the 35-year-old can maintain that trajectory, he will increase his chances of a more lucrative payday in 2025, whether that be in Pittsburgh or elsewhere.

A two-team race for Cousins?

Cousins, despite coming off a torn Achilles tendon, was the central figure in the quarterback carousel, and he had indeed established himself in Atlanta and Minnesota, where he played from 2018 to 2023. If any of those options fell by the wayside and financial offers plummeted, a league source said the Broncos likely would have become involved.

But dwindling offers haven’t been an issue as the Falcons and Vikings push hard for Cousins, who is guaranteed $90 million in the first two years of the deal. Cousins ​​had previously crossed paths in Washington with new Falcons coach Raheem Morris, and quarterback should be a quick study with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, whose principles are similar to those of Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell from their days along with the Rams.

It’s been an eventful first day of NFL free agency!

Which team made the best move? pic.twitter.com/s9LP5GjdCI

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) March 12, 2024

The Falcons have also put together a better roster in recent years, and the arrival of Cousins ​​should help them compete for the NFC South title and a playoff spot. They have a strong running game, an improving offensive line and attractive pass catchers in Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

It was a perfect recipe for Cousins, who turns 36 early next season.

The Vikings tried to keep Cousins, but they also knew it was important to prepare for the future at the position and couldn’t make the same financial commitment. So when the Falcons upped their offer, given the appeal of the roster and coaching staff, it all came together for Cousins.

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The remaining QB market

There are still some moving pieces left. The Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and Patriots have the first three picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, and indications are that each team will take a quarterback, with USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels among the expected candidates.

That essentially left only the Vikings, Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders with openings. The Raiders agreed to a two-year, $15 million deal with Gardner Minshew that could be worth up to $25 million, and he will compete with Aidan O’Connell. The Broncos still have Jarrett Stidham, while the Vikings appear to be starting over.

With Jacoby Brissett rejoining the Patriots, the free agent market is being highlighted by Sam Darnold, Joe Flacco and Ryan Tannehill. It still feels inevitable that the Raiders will release Jimmy Garoppolo, and the Bears should still want to trade Justin Fields. It’s conceivable that the Commanders could move Sam Howell, and the Jets are expected to part ways with Zach Wilson in some capacity.

With deals completed for Mayfield, Russell Wilson and Cousins, there is one final fascinating element in play. The final three teams in need of quarterback reinforcements – the Vikings, Broncos and Raiders, respectively – are ranked Nos. 11-13 in the draft. They could compete again for Michigan’s JJ McCarthy or perhaps even Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix.

The veteran trio set the tone for more fireworks on the quarterback front over the next two months.

(Photos by Baker Mayfield, Kirk Cousins ​​​​and Russell Wilson:
Todd Rosenberg, Stephen Maturen and Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS – For the second consecutive year, the NFL Players Association has announced its results team-by-team report cardswhich assess players’ working conditions and environments throughout their seasons and off-seasons.

The Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars rounded out the top five in overall grades.

Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders received the lowest marks in the league for the second straight season, while the repeating Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs finished 31st overall. The Los Angeles Chargers (30th), New England Patriots (29th) and Pittsburgh Steelers (28th) round out the bottom five.

Team classes include their training room, training staff, weight room, strength coaches, team travel, head coach and ownership. Owners were rated based on players’ beliefs that their ownership groups operate with a willingness to invest in team facilities.

The survey data was collected from August to November of the 2023 season. A total of 1,750 players (compared to approximately 1,300 participants in 2022) participated in the survey. NFLPA leaders said they were encouraged by the increase in participation this year. About 77 percent of all NFL players participated in the survey. Players were instructed to rate their teams and from there the numbers were added up and ranked.

The player team report cards are back. Last year’s report cards helped players feel more informed about their workplace and this year several new categories have been added, including Head Coach, Owner + Dietitian/Nutritionist.
Take a look here: https://t.co/RV0ZNDNb2h. pic.twitter.com/vfEv6A7d2s

— NFLPA (@NFLPA) February 28, 2024

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers received an F for team travel, largely because players with four seasons or less and non-starters must have roommates on road trips and pay $1,750 per player if they want their own room.

The Chiefs received low marks due to player frustrations after the owner promised to upgrade the outdated locker room.

However, for the second straight year, Clark Hunt and Kansas City made no upgrades to the locker room other than replacing the stools players were given to sit on in front of their lockers with back-on seats. Chiefs players were told there was no time to adequately upgrade the team’s facilities as their season was extended into February due to their 2022 Super Bowl run.

Kansas City tied for first with the Detroit Lions and Vikings in head coaching rankings. Andy Reid, Dan Campbell and Kevin O’Connell each received an A-plus grade. The coach who received the lowest grade was Josh McDaniels, whom the Las Vegas Raiders fired during the season.

“I would say things have improved and we’re happy with that,” said NFL Players Association president J.C. Tretter, a retired offensive lineman. “Our whole purpose for this … (involves) highlighting the good teams, highlighting the team that can improve and a drive for change to make things better for players, both immediately and in the long term.”

NFLPA leaders hope the report cards serve as a tool to ensure accountability and push team owners and leadership teams to provide their players with improved facilities, adequate nutrition, medical care, family accommodations and more.

Lloyd Howell, the new executive director of the NFLPA, spent much of last season traveling to meet with the owners of all 32 teams and discuss working conditions. Some of those conversations focused on the findings from last year’s results. Howell said many owners are open to better conditions.

“This is not an exercise in shame,” Howell said. “This is really an opportunity to recognize those teams and environments that are doing it right – that are doing the right things. These are players talking about their working conditions and what they like and what they would like to see improved.”

The findings of the study, which was conducted by a third-party survey service, are fascinating, but interestingly the union found no correlation between winning and losing and the quality of grades the teams received.

This year, the union added several categories, including ownership, head coach, nutritionists and dietitians.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross received the highest ownership rating, while Hunt received the lowest.

A year after being among the worst teams in the league, the Jaguars opened a new team headquarters. The rat plague that caused complaints and low figures in 2023 is no longer an issue. The Cincinnati Bengals were among the worst in cafeteria numbers in 2023, as no meals were provided all day. A year later, the team began offering three meals a day on Wednesdays, but there is still a long way to go before players feel adequately cared for.

The Commanders were among the worst overall last season under Daniel Snyder and now have a new owner in Josh Harris. Ownership rates rose, but facilities rates improved only slightly, which is understandable considering Harris, who bought the team in late July, has had limited time to make upgrades.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys fell from fifth to 12th, with frustrations over limited resources and understaffed training staff causing a decline in player satisfaction.

One of the biggest concerns for players is adequate resources and staff in training rooms. Many teams are understaffed in this department, and the NFLPA has been in discussions with the NFL about the need for a threshold for the number of coaches employed by a team to ensure an adequate coach-to-player ratio that ensures that players receive adequate care in the event of injuries.

The NFL released a statement saying the league and teams “encourage and solicit player feedback to help improve all facets of their NFL experience. We look forward to the opportunity to review the union’s questionnaire and the data supporting it.”

The league added that it had invited the union to join it “in a rigorous third-party scientific investigation, as we have done before.”

Required reading

(Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Draft season kicks into high gear this week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis as teams will put prospects under a microscope during private interviews, news conferences and workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Quarterbacks always dominate conversations at the combine, and this year will be no different with USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels expected to be among the first handful of picks come April. But a stellar wide receiver group, headlined by Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., LSU’s Malik Nabers and Washington’s Rome Odunze, will also draw plenty of interest this week.

Beyond the draft prospects, new head coaches, led by the Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh, and GMs, including the Commanders’ Adam Peters, will be in the spotlight. And the futures of quarterbacks Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will be hot topics.

We asked The Athletic’s team of beat and national writers to fill us in on who or what they’ll be watching or listening for as the NFL world descends upon Indianapolis.

How big of a priority is an upgrade at wide receiver?

The Cardinals need help there. That’s not a question. But they have several needs, and two of the biggest are on the offensive and defensive lines. Like many of his peers, general manager Monti Ossenfort believes the quickest way to build is through the trenches. The popular theory is that if wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is there, you take him. But what if he’s not? Does Arizona select Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze, also considered elite receivers? Or do they go a different route and look to pick up a receiver in later rounds? Ossenfort, who traded back from No. 3 last year, won’t answer these questions, of course, but he might shed light on how he views Arizona’s roster priorities. — Doug Haller

How does Tier 2 of the quarterback class shake out?

The Falcons don’t have a shot at Caleb Williams or Drake Maye picking at No. 8, and trading up to No. 1 or No. 2 in this draft class doesn’t seem realistic for anyone. That means if Atlanta is going to rely on the draft to find its next quarterback, it’s going to have to decide who it likes from a group that includes LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and maybe even Oregon’s Bo Nix. Not only that, the Falcons have to figure out where they’re going to need to pick to get the player they want. McCarthy and Nix almost certainly will be available at eight, but getting Daniels might require a trade up to as high as No. 3. — Josh Kendall

Which agents is general manager Eric DeCosta meeting with?

The Ravens are picking 30th. They have myriad needs, particularly on the offensive line and at running back and edge rusher. However, they’ll stay at 30 and pick the best player available or they’ll trade back to accrue more picks. What they do in the draft is never sexy, but it’s who they are. It’s also why there will be no position focus at the combine. What will be more notable is whether DeCosta can gain any traction in re-signing his own free agents. The Ravens have nearly two dozen, including standouts Justin Madubuike and Patrick Queen. With a tight salary-cap situation, DeCosta will need to get creative to keep the core of a 13-4 team together for another run. — Jeff Zrebiec

How will the Bills navigate their currently nonexistent cap space?

The Bills have their work cut out for them this offseason. The team is in a projected $41 million hole for 2024 cap space, with only 53 players on their roster and a lot of holes to boot. The team will need to make some difficult decisions. Whom might they cut to make room? Which contracts will they restructure? Which players will they extend? How much do they want to negatively influence their 2025 cap sheet with some of their restructurings? General manager Brandon Beane hasn’t had to do anything quite like this since his early years as the team’s GM. — Joe Buscaglia

The team’s new coach and general manager

I’m interested in hearing what Dave Canales and Dan Morgan say at their first combine as the top of the Panthers’ football food chain. The two spoke in mostly general terms at their introductory news conference, where Morgan said the team needs more “dogs.” You might have heard: The Panthers don’t have a first-round pick. But this is an important offseason for a team that needs to get quarterback Bryce Young offensive line help and more weapons while figuring out how to handle a pair of key free agents in edge rusher Brian Burns and linebacker Frankie Luvu. — Joseph Person

How will Caleb Williams handle the limelight?

The most important elements of the combine for the presumptive No. 1 pick will take place behind the scenes during his conversations with teams, starting with the Bears. Most questions about Williams have more to do with what he’s like off the field, and while he’s experienced more fame than most college football players, he hasn’t experienced anything like the media onslaught that will be waiting for him Friday morning in Indianapolis. The Bears, and other teams, will likely take note of how he does in that environment. — Kevin Fishbain

The defensive tackle class

The Bengals need to attack needs at interior defensive line aggressively, so how the measurables (and interviews) shake out will go a long way to deciding if Byron Murphy of Texas and Jer’Zhan Newton of Illinois could connect at No. 18 or if a move up or down the board shakes them out of mid-first range. Will any new candidates enter the equation for Day 2 with a strong combine? The Bengals need to plot the draft path at DT and if they don’t see enough options, they could shift to a free-agent-laden approach. — Paul Dehner Jr.

The wide receivers

The Browns are focused on winning in 2024, so the “good” stuff at the combine will involve Browns GM Andrew Berry talking potential trades with his peers and potentially bumping into agents of upcoming free agents. None of that will be for public consumption. But the Browns need to upgrade their receiving corps — now and into the future — so it’s fair to think they’ll focus on their evaluations of this year’s wide receiver class. The Browns don’t pick until No. 54 of the second round, so they’ll have to determine how many wide receivers will be long gone, which ones they might like in the second or third rounds and how those receivers might fit into their ever-evolving offense. — Zac Jackson

What is the latest with Dak Prescott’s contract?

There are plenty of areas to address in free agency and the draft, from offensive line to linebacker and defensive tackle. But Prescott’s contract is the No. 1 issue because it affects everything else. The Cowboys have given no indication that they are considering an immediate future without Prescott, who is entering the final season of his current deal. The most likely scenario is that he signs a new contract next month. If the Cowboys leave his deal as is, he’d count just under $60 million against their 2024 cap, making it difficult to do anything to improve the roster outside of the draft. If Dallas is truly “all in,” like Jerry Jones said at the Senior Bowl, they need to figure out Prescott’s future so they can begin improving the rest of the roster. — Jon Machota

Russell Wilson watch

Sean Payton said after the season that a decision on the future of the 35-year-old Wilson would not be “a long, drawn-out process.” A few weeks later, at the Super Bowl, Payton said the decision would come “sooner rather than later.” The Broncos appear ready to move on from Wilson, whose $37 million in 2025 salary becomes guaranteed if he’s still on the roster on March 17, but there has been no movement yet publicly. I’m interested to see whether the activities at the combine reveal anything about what the Broncos will do with Wilson after two underwhelming seasons in Denver and what light will be shed on their quarterback plan to follow. — Nick Kosmider

The cornerback class

This is a really intriguing group of corners, with more than a handful of prospects looking like first-rounders. The Lions obviously could use some young talent at the position, whether it’s at No. 29 on the first night or on Day 2 with three picks — Nos. 61, 73 and 92. I’m curious to see which corners separate themselves in Indianapolis. Testing is obviously part of the equation, but defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn believes you have to be wired a certain way to excel at the position. Hearing from corners at the podium could help us get a better understanding of prospects the Lions might like. — Colton Pouncy

Jordan Love extension talks

I’m going to be parked next to the second-floor Starbucks at the JW Marriott for 96 consecutive hours, waiting for a glimpse of Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst and super-agent David Mulugheta talking with each other. I’d even take just a glance in each other’s direction. Then, I’ll know exactly how much the Packers are paying Love. Gutekunst can’t sign his franchise quarterback until May 3 because that’s 12 months after Love’s last extension, but he and Mulugheta will surely meet in Indianapolis to exchange contract numbers. — Matt Schneidman

Nick Caserio’s plan to build on last season

This was supposed to be a gradual and potentially painful build as Caserio and new coach DeMeco Ryans began laying the foundation last season after the GM spent the two previous years dismantling and setting the table for a true rebuild. But Caserio struck gold with his hiring of Ryans and draft selections both in 2022 and 2023 and Houston came out of nowhere to win its first division title in four years. Now Caserio must further fortify the roster, giving C.J. Stroud additional support by way of consistent weapons and more impactful defensive playmakers. With adequate cap space and eight draft picks, the Texans have resources to build with a blend of free-agent talent and young prospects. Caserio and Ryans surely will not give away any state secrets next week, but they should shed light on some of their highest priorities. — Mike Jones

Who will catch the eye of Colts WRs coach Reggie Wayne?

Beyond the first-round prospects Indianapolis will consider with the No. 15 pick, this year’s draft class is supposed to be loaded with wide receiver talent. Last year, Wayne said he was very impressed with Josh Downs’ route running and sure-handedness during the combine, despite Downs being undersized coming out of North Carolina. Wayne relayed that message to GM Chris Ballard, Downs was drafted in the third round and had a standout rookie season. I’ll use my binoculars to keep a close eye on Wayne’s interactions during combine drills, while also asking several receivers if they’ve met with him and heard any feedback. — James Boyd

How they handle the tricky Calvin Ridley situation

By all accounts, the Jaguars want Ridley back after the 29-year-old receiver had 76 catches for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns in his first season in Jacksonville. However, Ridley’s contract expired and his situation is fascinating to consider. If the Jaguars re-sign Ridley before free agency begins, it qualifies as an extension and they would owe Atlanta a second-round pick in the 2024 draft as per the terms of their trade. However, if Ridley gets to free agency but still returns to the Jaguars, the new deal wouldn’t be considered an extension — rather a free-agent contract — and the Jaguars would only have to send Atlanta their third-round pick. Allowing Ridley to get to the open market is risky, but if the Jaguars play their cards right, they could bring back Trevor Lawrence’s top weapon without losing a top-50 pick. — Jim Ayello

Tier 2 of the receiver and tight end prospects

A major question for next season is whether Chiefs coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach can return the team’s offense to its previous potent form. One of the fastest ways to do that is to select the best pass-catching prospects available late in the first and second rounds. Travis Kelce will be 35 next season, so adding another tight end should be high on the Chiefs’ priority list. As for the receivers, the Chiefs should have plenty of options, considering the depth of this year’s class. Reid and Veach will use the combine to start identifying which receiver could most excel playing alongside Patrick Mahomes. — Nate Taylor

The quarterback prospects

This isn’t a unique answer, but it’s the most significant roster question for the Raiders in their first full season under general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Antonio Pierce. Quarterback Aidan O’Connell was solid in 10 starts as a rookie, but it’s hard to see the Raiders finishing this offseason without adding competition for the starting job either through the addition of a veteran or a rookie quarterback. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels are widely considered the top three quarterbacks in this class. The Raiders will do plenty of work on them, but it’ll be difficult for them to draft any of them considering they hold pick No. 13 in the first round. With that in mind, they’ll also need to deeply study J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr. and the rest of the class. — Tashan Reed

Their salary-cap situation

The Chargers are effectively $31.7 million over the salary cap as they head into the combine, according to Over the Cap. Crucial decisions loom, particularly regarding receiver Mike Williams, receiver Keenan Allen, edge rusher Joey Bosa and edge rusher Khalil Mack. All four veterans have cap hits exceeding $30 million in 2024. How will new head coach Jim Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz navigate these veteran contracts — and their cap situation in general? Who stays? Who goes? Do they inquire into the trade market? Do they offer extensions? Will they use void years? I’ll be looking for answers to these questions in Indy. — Daniel Popper

Sniffing around an offseason plan

The Rams don’t generally attend the NFL combine (here is why) other than their medical staff’s on-site collection of the all-important medical information on prospects. But Indianapolis is still a great place to gather data and tidbits from agents and other league sources about what their offseason plan could be and new trends in contract structures and team-building. The Rams will have approximately $40 million in workable cap space and a lot of needs despite a better-than-expected 2023 season. They also have brought in new assistant coaches — and the combine will be the perfect environment to mine for information about those additions. — Jourdan Rodrigue

Tua Tagovailoa extension talks

It certainly seems like a Tagovailoa extension is a foregone conclusion. But what will it look like and when will it happen? The Dolphins QB enters the 2024 season with a $23.1 million cap charge on the fifth-year option. The Dolphins then have the franchise tag at their disposal, so they don’t have to sign him to a long-term deal now or even next offseason. But for a team that could use some cap relief, lowering his cap figure with an extension could be appealing. But how much is it going to take to retain Tagovailoa? Is he the caliber of quarterback who should be paid in the neighborhood of a Joe Burrow ($55 million AAV)? Would he take less? These are the franchise-defining questions to keep in mind at the combine and beyond. — Jim Ayello

Where things stand between the Vikings and Kirk Cousins

This subject will shape the future of the Vikings organization. Keep Cousins, and Minnesota would likely be signaling its belief that it can contend in the short term. Move on from him, and the Vikings would be indicating that they’d be ready to chart a new path. Cousins’ contract is set to void March 12. If that happens, the Vikings will be on the hook for a hefty $28.5 million dead-cap hit. The only way to extend that money into the future is to come to terms on an extension with Cousins. The NFL combine stands as a prime opportunity for in-person discussions on this subject between the team and Cousins’ representatives. — Alec Lewis

Quarterback Jayden Daniels

The easiest way for the Patriots to address their issues at quarterback is to draft a signal caller — either Daniels or Drake Maye depending on who falls to them at No. 3. With Daniels, there are more unknowns. The Pats aren’t concerned about his height (6-foot-4) or hand size (9 5/8 inches), but scouts want to see him at or above 210 pounds at the combine because there are concerns about his slight frame and the big hits he too often takes. The other question for the Patriots is how Daniels will interview and how he’ll test when they run him through plays on the whiteboard. How Daniels (and Maye) do this week will go a long way in determining whether the Patriots draft a quarterback or wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the third pick. — Chad Graff

Offensive tackles and pass catchers

We’ll leave the annual “too far over the salary cap” discussion for after the combine because the Saints always find a way. And this year it should come in mass contract restructurings of several veteran players. As noted in our NFL reporters’ mock draft recently, the need for tackle and/or guard should stand high on the priority list. So you’d imagine players like Olu Fashanu (Penn State), JC Latham (Alabama), Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State), Amarius Mims (Georgia) and Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma) are all on the Saints’ radar. The Saints could also use another piece for Derek Carr at wide receiver (LSU’s Brian Thomas, Florida State’s Keon Coleman, Texas’ Adonai Mitchell) to add some more punch with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. — Larry Holder

Saquon Barkley watch

There’s a lot riding on this next period of the Giants offseason after an already noisy start to the business side of things with coaching changes aplenty. But the spotlight will be tuned to Barkley’s future at the combine as the front office and the running back’s representatives are expected to meet again. Will they be able to hammer out a deal? Will he get tagged again for $12.1 million or will he finally test the open market and venture into the interesting running back market? We’ll get a clearer picture by week’s end of where the two sides stand. — Charlotte Carroll

The pass catchers

The Jets have an obvious need at offensive tackle (and/or at guard, too, depending on some offseason decisions), but they also desperately need help at wide receiver for star Garrett Wilson. Allen Lazard won’t cut it as an option in 2024. There are some extremely talented receivers in this class who could be available at No. 10 when the Jets pick — after Marvin Harrison Jr., who will almost certainly be gone — and even if the Jets still need an offensive lineman, they might be tempted by the likes of Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze — or others later in the draft, when teams have found stars in past years while the Jets sat on their hands, like last year. — Zack Rosenblatt

Are they organized?

Fourth-year coach Nick Sirianni overhauled both coordinator positions, and there’s still not much clarity about how involved he will be in working with newly hired offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to build a less predictable offensive system that supplies a deeply talented roster with more answers this offseason. And what kind of offense is that exactly? A Howie Roseman-led personnel department that remains largely intact must also upgrade several defensive positions. How more favorably positioned will defenders be in a revamped “Fangio System” that will this time be coached by … well, Vic Fangio? — Brooks Kubena

If it’s a clean sweep concerning Kenny Pickett

The Steelers interview every single player they can and they pretty much use the combine as an assurance of what they’ve scouted throughout the year. So there’s not much to glean there. Where there could be some clarification, or at least unity, is what general manager Omar Khan says about Pickett compared with what Mike Tomlin said days after the season and what owner Art Rooney II said two weeks later. Both alluded to Pickett being the No. 1 quarterback entering the season despite not regaining his starting position from Mason Rudolph over the final four games of the season. Will the Steelers triple down on that or walk it back and hammer home that Pickett won’t be entering the offseason as the clear-cut QB1 and either a re-signing of Rudolph or an outside free agent — or a potential trade — will provide legitimate competition? — Mark Kaboly

The offensive linemen

Three of the top center prospects — Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, Duke’s Graham Barton and West Virginia’s Zach Frazier — should all have multi-positional capability in the NFL. That could be tantalizing to the 49ers, whose biggest weakness to fix lies in the offensive line. More than one spot was a problem this past season. Essentially everyone but left tackle Trent Williams endured significant struggles at one point or another. So perhaps the 49ers, who don’t pick until No. 31, will be looking for an adaptable interior lineman who can immediately fortify their especially problematic right guard position before potentially becoming the long-term solution at center. The 49ers simply need more quality options up front. Imagine the boost that could give QB Brock Purdy. — David Lombardi

John Schneider flying solo

This will be Seattle’s first combine with GM Schneider leading football operations, so his messaging from the podium will be interesting to analyze. While Schneider has long figured prominently into key decisions, coach Pete Carroll set the vision for the franchise previously. Schneider is doing more of that now. We won’t hear from new coach Mike Macdonald at all at the combine; he and his staff are expected to remain behind to install their schemes. That will put additional attention on Schneider. — Mike Sando

How they approach the quarterback position

The Bucs want to re-sign Baker Mayfield, whose contract is up. Mayfield has said he wants to remain in Tampa. But he also told ESPN he wants market value. That probably means a deal similar to the one Geno Smith recently signed with Seattle — $75 million over three years. Whether the Bucs want to pay that is the issue. A franchise tag is an option but not ideal with safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and wide receiver Mike Evans also on expiring contracts. It will be interesting to hear what GM Jason Licht says about the quarterback position, including the prospects in the draft. — Dan Pompei

Three tackles and two receivers

The free-agency picture suggests the Titans can get help at cornerback and interior offensive line before the draft but will likely have to focus their first two picks on their two biggest needs. The absence of a third-round pick increases the urgency. Second-year quarterback Will Levis needs a long-term receiver to grow with and a left tackle to protect him. The board may work out for the Titans to choose between Joe Alt and Olu Fashanu as a foundational tackle — but what about Taliese Fuaga? Does he continue his momentum in Indy? Could the Titans move down, get him and be happy with it? The board may also let Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze slide to No. 7. Would Brian Callahan prefer a playmaker over a blocker as the Bengals did when he was there and they took Ja’Marr Chase over Penei Sewell in 2021? — Joe Rexrode

The quarterbacks

It’s no secret that the holders of the No. 2 pick are expected to select a quarterback from the top group. The trick here is the new braintrust of GM Adam Peters, head coach Dan Quinn, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and the scouting department holdovers are mostly new to each other. Do they have Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels graded in the same range? If Williams is a cut above, is the gap considered enough to offer the Bears a Godfather trade for the first pick? Has Daniels’ dual-threat shine caught up to Maye or do they prefer the UNC quarterback’s prototypical size? We won’t find out the staff’s hopes and dreams, but this is where the detective work begins by examining the trio on our own. — Ben Standig

(Top photos of J.J. McCarthy, Saquon Barkley and Malik Nabers: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images; Jim McIsaac, Getty Images; Matthew Hinton / USA Today)

MINNEAPOLIS — A few times each month, Alan Page visits Justice Page Middle School, one of two schools named in his honor.

As the first African American to become a Minnesota Supreme Court justice and the first African American elected to a statewide office, Page goes to inspire students. In their upturned faces and wide eyes, he sees opportunity. He is there to show them possibilities that might have never occurred to them and to encourage hopes and dreams.

He does not go to sign autographs. But the requests always come for the former Vikings defensive tackle.

There was a time when Page, as a pillar of the Purple People Eaters, routinely turned down autograph requests. “It made me nuts,” he says. “All the people who wanted a little piece of you.”

He couldn’t figure out why anyone wanted his autograph. What is an autograph, anyway? And what had he done by being a football player to merit being put on a pedestal? He struggled to understand the overinflated value of football in culture.

From time to time, he acquiesced to a request. And he noticed the reaction. It started him thinking.

“What else could I do that would give somebody that kind of joy?” he wondered. “I figured maybe it could be one of my tools to make the world a better place.”

And so at Justice Page Middle School, the kids line up, a stream of them. And Page signs.

He writes his name on day planners, notebooks, phone cases, backpacks and on and on.

There are smiles and gratitude. There is joy.

One signature at a time, Alan Page makes the world a better place.

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A consensus All-American who played on an undefeated national championship team at Notre Dame, Page was chosen by the Vikings with the 15th pick of the 1967 NFL Draft.

At the end of his first training camp, the players threw a party. Jim Marshall, then a veteran defensive end and team leader, placed a beer on the table in front of Page.

“Chug,” he said.

Page didn’t drink alcohol then and doesn’t now. He told Marshall no. This was the tradition, Marshall countered. All rookies were required to chug beer. Page refused again. Marshall tried to persuade him, telling him he needed to go along to stay on good terms with his teammates. Page was steadfast. Marshall relented and told him he could chug Cokes instead. Page wouldn’t do that either. The atmosphere grew tense. Marshall told him either he had to drink or leave.

Page walked out, the first of many hard stands he took in his professional life.

Page would earn acceptance with his play. As a rookie, he tackled the quarterback for losses 8 1/2 times (sacks were not yet a statistic) to lead the Vikings. The following year, he began a run of nine straight Pro Bowl appearances. In his fifth season, he was voted the NFL’s most valuable player, which only one other defensive player has won.

His success was remarkable. How he attained it more so.

Page didn’t do things the way others did.

He didn’t always take the rush lane he was supposed to take. He followed his instincts, which were beneficial more often than not. Freelancing usually doesn’t sit well with coaches, but Page got away with it because he kept making plays.

Other defensive tackles of the day wore pounds of pads and fortified their joints with rolls of tape. Page wore shoulder pads less bulky than those in some suit jackets and a flimsy T-shirt under his jersey — nothing more. For the first six or so years of his career, he never taped his joints. Multiple ankle sprains eventually led him to tape his ankles.

All about quickness, Page was one of the first players to watch the ball at the snap instead of the blocker in front of him. It’s one of the reasons he always appeared to be the first player moving when a play began.

Sometimes, it resulted in Page being flagged for being offside. It happened in a 1971 game against the Lions. Page maintained he did not commit a penalty, and let the officials know about it. Then on the next play, he was penalized for the same infraction. Page protested verbally, then with his play. He made two tackles for losses, sacked the quarterback and blocked a punt, recovering the ball for a safety.

“It didn’t matter why they called what they did,” Page says. “They were simply wrong. And it had me wired to the ball, literally.”

It wasn’t about football. It was about justice.

“He stood up for what he believed,” Marshall says. “He had, and still has, a mindset of justice. And just as important, a will to pursue justice.”

Page became the Vikings’ union representative in 1970 and two years later was elected to the NFLPA’s executive committee, becoming one of the faces in the fight for free agency. In 1974, he was a leader in a five-week strike, picketing outside Northwestern’s Dyche Stadium, where college all-stars were practicing for a game against the Dolphins. He carried a sign that read “PEOPLE, NOT PROPERTY.”

The following year, labor unrest continued and Patriots players led a movement to strike for the final preseason game. Five NFL teams and one player struck. Without a single teammate beside him, Page walked out for one day.

The Rozelle Rule stated that a player with an expiring contract could not sign with another team without compensation. Page was an original plaintiff in the lawsuit that challenged the rule. In 1976, the Rozelle Rule was ruled an antitrust violation, which paved the way for free agency.

Players also had to bargain for the right to wear beards. When the NFL finally allowed it, Page became the first on his team to grow one, which he maintains to this day. A beard, he said, never would have occurred to him if someone had not told him he couldn’t have one.

In those days, Page drove a 1971 Dodge Charger Super Bee with a 383 cubic inch V-8. The color was “Plum Crazy,” with the word FREEDOM in large, gold capital letters on the side.

“We were still in the middle of the civil rights struggle,” Page says. “We were talking about freedom as football players. The spirit of the message was fitting.”

Head coach Bud Grant might not have thought so. Page and Grant often found themselves on opposing ends of a viewpoint. Page says he didn’t have much of a relationship with his coach, but Grant claimed he talked more with Page than any other player because Page questioned so many things.

Grant once fined Page $50 for being late to a meeting. Page filed a grievance with the union. Then he filed another, alleging Grant had not given the team the required time off during the week.

“Alan could talk all day to beat a $50 fine,” Grant said, according to the Bill McGrane book, “All Rise: The Remarkable Journey of Alan Page.”

In 1975, Page competed in ABC’s “Superteams” competition with teammates in Honolulu. In the mornings, he and his wife, Diane, walked on the beach. The morning walk became a habit. Then it morphed into a morning run, which became a shared passion between husband and wife.

Dancers don’t power lift and defensive tackles don’t run. It’s just the way it is. But Page didn’t care. He ran and ran and ran, eventually participating in eight marathons, including a 62-mile ultramarathon.

“I wasn’t trying to make some point other than, ‘This is who I am, and I can live with the consequences of that,’” he says.

Page’s initial NFL playing weight was 270. It dropped to about 245 in the mid-1970s. And then, when he committed to running, he weighed as little as 220.

It became a source of contention with Grant, and it didn’t help that the Vikings’ defensive scheme had changed, requiring defensive linemen to take on blockers. Six games into the 1978 season, Page, then 33, didn’t have a sack.

On Oct. 11, the headline in the Minneapolis Star Tribune read, “Vikings fire a legend, waive Alan Page.” The night before, a teammate had shown up at his house with his belongings in a box.

“Alan can no longer meet the standard he set for himself,” Grant said then. “He just can’t make the plays anymore.” The coach also said Page was not strong enough to rush the passer and had to be taken out in short-yardage situations.

Defensive end Carl Eller was quoted as saying, “I think there’s a lot behind this besides the way Alan is playing.”

Just one team claimed Page, the team that knew him best. Jim Finks, who drafted Page as the general manager of the Vikings, had become the general manager of the Bears. Neill Armstrong had gone from defensive coordinator of the Vikings to head coach of the Bears. After coaching the defensive line in Minnesota, Buddy Ryan was the defensive coordinator in Chicago.

Page was embraced in Chicago to the point he once said the best part of his career was the three and a half years he spent on the Bears. His contentment showed in his production. Playing at 220 pounds, Page had 11 1/2 sacks in 10 games in his first season with the team. In 58 games as a Bear, he led the team with 40 sacks. He also blocked 12 kicks (he had 28 in his career).

By 1981, Page was bored with football — not the games, but everything else around them. And football always seemed to be a means to something more, anyway. By then, he had started 215 games in a row, having never missed a game to injury, and had 148 1/2 sacks (including those that were unofficial), still the most ever by a defensive tackle. Grant called him the greatest defensive player he ever saw.

Before Page left, he had one more imprint to leave. It was obvious that Bears owner George Halas intended to replace Armstrong at the end of 1981, Page’s last season. At Page’s suggestion, Bears safety Gary Fencik wrote a letter to Halas asking that Ryan be retained by the new coach. The letter was signed by 21 defensive players, including Page. Halas subsequently hired Mike Ditka as head coach with the understanding Ryan would be his defensive coordinator.

Page walked away from the game after setting the table for the great Bears teams of the 1980s, while also making it possible for the Vikings to play in four Super Bowls between 1969 and 1976 and leading the fight for players to gain free agency.

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Page was about 8 when he bought a toy car at a five-and-dime store in his hometown of Canton, Ohio. He threw away the receipt and took the car into another nearby five and dime. As he left the second store, he was stopped and accused of stealing the toy car.

“What stuck with me from that day was being accused and not being believed,” he says. “The unfairness of it.”

In the same time frame of his life, Page remembers more unfairness and how it was dealt with. In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education ruling by the Supreme Court said segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. The following year, there was the lynching of Emmett Till and the protest of Rosa Parks.

Even at the age of 8, Page read the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Canton Repository every day. He still can visualize the headlines and photographs about the Brown decision, which moved him so much he believes it directed his path.

His father, Howard Sr., owned a bar with a gambling parlor in the back, as well as a record store. His mom, Georgiana, carried a flame for justice before her death at 42 when Alan was 13. The family, which included Alan’s older sisters Marvel and Twila and his older brother Howard Jr., had daily discussions about current events like the Brown ruling.

“You have to remember in 1954 if you were Black, you understood that, even as an 8-year-old, you were considered ‘the other,’” he says. “You were considered ‘less than.’”

He watched “Perry Mason.” He heard racial epithets from passing cars. He saw signs like “Coloreds Only.”

Before Page was in fifth grade, he decided to become a lawyer.

Who he is now is who he was then. That isn’t to say he has not evolved through life’s seasons, but there always has been this light in him.

“My dad always said (Alan) was different than the rest of us,” says Marvel, who is five years older. “He did everything he was supposed to do. He was always good.”

In 1978, Page received his law degree from the University of Minnesota. In 1979, while still playing football, he started working as a lawyer for Lindquist & Vennum, which specialized in employee labor issues. He later joined the attorney general’s office, representing state agencies in employment litigation, and eventually became assistant attorney general.

After 14 years as a lawyer, he set his sights on a Supreme Court seat. His first attempt to run, in 1990, was blocked by Governor Rudy Perpich, who was intent on appointing a candidate of his choosing. His second attempt was met with similar resistance when Governor Arne Carlson tried to thwart Page by extending the term of a sitting judge. Page subsequently sued Carlson and won the right to run.

During the campaign, there were blocks below the knees, as there often are in politics. Page was accused of being a legal lightweight and capitalizing on his fame, but he won with 62 percent of the vote. Wearing a purple bow tie — his collection of bow ties is in the hundreds — Page was sworn in as a Minnesota Supreme Court justice on Jan. 4, 1993.

Page was re-elected three times and spent 22 years on the court before stepping down at the mandatory retirement age of 70 in 2015. Unsurprisingly, he often presented dissenting opinions.

For much of what he accomplished, he credits Diane, who died in 2018 after 45 years of marriage.

“She inspired me,” Page says. “She taught me things and influenced me a great deal. I’m not sure I would have been in the position to be able to become a Supreme Court Justice without her.”

At his initial swearing-in, Diane arranged for a group of fourth graders to attend.

At Page’s induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988, he didn’t talk about football. He spoke of education and explained his commitment to improving the educational system. The year of his induction, he and Diane started the Page Education Foundation to reward Page Scholarships to students of color and then required the recipients to mentor younger children. He says the foundation has awarded nearly 9,000 scholarships and taken in approximately $16 million in grants.

“Education is a tool that overcomes poverty,” he says. “The more education, the less likely someone will find themselves in a position like George Floyd found himself in. To paraphrase Martin Luther King Jr., people who have hope want to build. And education gives hope because it empowers.”

Early in their relationship, Diane began collecting African American paintings, sculptures and artifacts of slavery and segregation. Page has more than a thousand pieces now, including a branding iron and a Ku Klux Klan robe, and has shared them publicly in various exhibits. Some of the art decorates the home they purchased 51 years ago that he still lives in.

In 2018, Page was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Trump. Page thought about turning down the award, considered the highest honor that can be given to a civilian. Page had been publicly critical of the Trump administration for “playing to people’s racial insecurities” by failing to reject the support of white supremacy groups and using racially coded language. He has other issues with Trump as well. “The way he treats people and talks about people, it’s just a bad example,” says Page, who speaks slowly, pauses often, and is comfortable with silence. “It’s manifested itself in the way we as a people are starting to treat one another.”

Ultimately, though, he saw the honor as recognition for the impact he and Diane tried to make, so he accepted the medal in a ceremony that also honored Elvis Presley, Babe Ruth and Antonin Scalia.

“I couldn’t think of someone better to represent the team, Minnesota and Black people,” says former Viking John Randle, who continued the Vikings’ tradition of great defensive tackles.

In “All Rise,” the late Notre Dame president Theodore M. Hesburgh called Page a “beacon to young people of color,” and said, “He is what they can be.”

These days, Page writes children’s books with daughter Kamie Page, one of his four kids. They already have published four, the most notable of which, “Alan and His Perfectly Pointy Impossibly Perpendicular Pinky,” is about a boy who connects with Page after asking about the mangled little finger on his left hand. The pinky is the only telltale sign that he was somebody before he was “Grandpa,” “Justice Page” and “Counselor.”

His presence is so peaceful that it’s difficult to imagine that Page was once known for slamming opponents to the ground.

Page, 78, doesn’t revel in past glories. Invitations to football reunions and Hall of Fame functions usually are respectfully declined. He doesn’t watch much football, though the Vikings usually entice him to attend a game every season.

When he played, he rankled coaches by refusing to lift weights. Now, he lifts three times a week. He does Pilates, too, and walks four or five miles every morning, bringing a fanny pack full of dog treats for “the regulars” who look for him.

Page understands there are grand ways to make a difference. And there are modest ways.

With grandchildren Amelia, Theo, Otis and Esther, Page plays board games, cooks and bakes, goes to the mall and eats ice cream. He sometimes reads the books they are reading so they can discuss them. They compare Wordle and Spelling Bee experiences.

When the kids need a dropoff or pickup, he plays the role of “Gruber” — Grandpa Uber. Those precious drives are opportunities to talk about their world, his world, our world.

And so, one car ride at a time, Alan Page makes the world a better place.

(Top photo: Dan Pompei / The Athletic)

NFL free agency is fast approaching, offering the first window for teams to improve this offseason, provided they sign the right players.

These are my rankings and scouting reports of the top 150 free agents available, shaped by a ton of film work and perspective from many years leading NFL personnel departments. This might not be exactly how you see it, but that’s why Baskin-Robbins has 31 flavors.

A few notes:

• While these rankings factor in age (as of Sept. 5, the scheduled date of the 2024 season opener) and known injury history, they do not consider medical or character information, as teams know much more about those subjects behind closed doors.

• At each position, I’ve included some stats I find valuable. At some positions, I’ve estimated play speed from what I can see on tape (not timed 40-yard-dash speed — there is a difference). At times, I’ve used play speed as a differentiator.

• If I were with an NFL team, this would be only one part of a multilevel process to establish consensus within the building. That consensus is missing from any rankings you’ll see, here or elsewhere. You can read more about my criteria and how an NFL GM approaches free agency here.

With that, let’s dive in.

— The Athletic’s James Boyd, Joe Buscaglia, Paul Dehner Jr., Michael-Shawn Dugar, Dan Duggan, Chad Graff, Zac Jackson, Mark Kaboly, Josh Kendall, Brooks Kubena, David Lombardi, Jon Machota, Daniel Popper, Tashan Reed, Matt Schneidman, Ben Standig and Jeff Zrebiec contributed to this story.

(Top illustration: Daniel Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos of, from left, Kirk Cousins, Brian Burns and Saquon Barkley: Stephen Maturen, David Jensen / Getty Images, Michael Owens / Associated Press)

The NFL offseason began Sunday night after the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 to claim the Super Bowl LVIII title and (only slightly less importantly) the top spot in our postseason power rankings.

That means that all the fan bases that have been tuning out as their teams were eliminated from playoff contention or the playoffs are now back in the game. Hope is alive again for everyone with free agency and the draft coming into view.

With that in mind, we’re resetting our power rankings by combining some of the old (last season’s results) and some of the new (who’s getting a stud quarterback back, who might get a new coach lift, who has salary-cap space, etc.) to set the field going forward.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes, who was 8-for-8 passing on the drive that just won the Super Bowl, won his third Super Bowl MVP trophy and is one of five quarterbacks in NFL history to win at least three Super Bowl titles (and he was behind by double digits in all three of those games). He is 15-3 in the playoffs in his six-year career and has advanced at least to the AFC Championship Game in all six of those seasons. Kansas City has $24 million in salary-cap space but might as well use it all to make sure the defense stays stocked because Mahomes will make it work on offense.

2. San Francisco 49ers

This will be a tough week, but the future will be fine. The 49ers are over the salary cap (by just $3.7 million) but have all of their significant offensive weapons under contract. They also still have Kyle Shanahan, which despite what everyone is saying today, is a good thing. Shanahan is 72-54 as a head coach. San Francisco is second in the league in yards per play (5.9) and seventh in scoring (25.04) since Shanahan became the head coach in 2017, according to TruMedia.

Everyone’s favorite underdog had the 49ers on the ropes in the NFC Championship Game, has money to spend ($47 million in cap space) and, shockingly, still has offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who rebuffed the Washington Commanders to stay in Detroit. Every significant offensive contributor remains under contract on a team that finished fifth in the league in scoring (27.35 ppg). When coach Dan Campbell said after the loss to the Niners that it would be “twice as hard” to get back to that point next season, it wasn’t poor-mouthing, it was just his first motivational speech of the 2024 season.

A disappointing ending (scoring 10 points in the AFC Championship Game against the underdog Chiefs) shouldn’t overshadow the fact the Ravens, who have $7.3 million cap space, remain the class of the AFC’s B flight (which includes any team that doesn’t employ Patrick Mahomes). There won’t be any Lamar Jackson contract drama this offseason, which will allow Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Monken to strengthen their connection. That’s good news for the Ravens considering Jackson is coming off the second-best season of his career and second NFL MVP award. The quarterback’s yards per attempt (7.9) this year were a career-high and his passer rating (101.6) and touchdown passes (27) were the second best of his career.

The Texans are one of the big movers since the last publication of these rankings. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud put 45 points on one of the league’s most aggressive defenses in the playoffs, beating the Browns 45-14 in the wild-card round, and was named offensive rookie of the year. His offensive coordinator, Bobby Slowik, is back after taking head coaching interviews, and Houston has $57.4 million in cap space.

A Matt LaFleur Appreciation Post: The Packers head coach somehow is the forgotten man in the Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay conversation. LaFleur is 56-27 in five seasons in Green Bay. That .675 winning percentage is better than Shanahan or McVay, not to mention every other active coach in the league other than Jim Harbaugh (.695). Until last season, Aaron Rodgers got the credit for LaFleur’s accomplishments, but the Packers (who are $2.9 million above the salary cap) are doing it now with 25-year-old Jordan Love.

Things get a lot harder for Buffalo starting this offseason because Josh Allen’s cap hit just went from $18.6 million to $47 million, and it will be north of $40 million for the next five seasons. It’s why the Bills already are $51.3 million over the 2024 cap. The good news is they still have Allen, and he’s the reason Buffalo sits with Baltimore on the AFC’s second shelf. Remember, the Bills finished the season fourth in point margin (plus-140) despite six regular-season losses.

8. Cleveland Browns

Deshaun Watson is back, but we’re all still trying to figure out if that’s a good thing. Kevin Stefanski earned NFL coach of the year honors by getting the Browns to the playoffs with no Nick Chubb and with Joe Flacco at quarterback after Watson’s season-ending injury. Watson has started only 12 games since joining the Browns two years ago (8-4 record), and he’s 57th in the league in EPA per attempt (minus-.07) in that time, according to TruMedia. Still, the Browns, who are $19.6 million over the cap, have a great defense and Chubb returning from a devastating knee injury.

Are you ready for a lot of Tua Tagovailoa talk? Well, you better be. The Dolphins quarterback is under contract for 2024 at a $23.2 million cap hit, but that’s the last year of his deal and “Should Miami give Tua a market-setting deal?” is going to be one of the questions of the offseason. The Dolphins aren’t exactly rolling in spending money. They are $51.9 million over the salary cap at the moment and should pay defensive tackle Christian Wilkins this offseason.

Tua Tagovailoa got on stage with Darius Rucker to play the guitar & sing Wagon Wheel in Vegas

Daniel Jones was in the crowd cheering him on

(via @kasideekarsten) pic.twitter.com/LKizs1IVWs

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 10, 2024

No team has moved up this list more than the Bengals, who not only have $59.4 million cap space but are getting Joe Burrow back from a season-ending wrist injury. Offensive coordinator Brian Callahan is gone, but Burrow’s return more than makes up for it. Burrow is 27-15 as a starter in the last three seasons and cheap(-ish) for one more year. Burrow’s cap hit for 2024 is $29.7 million. After that, it goes over $46 million for each of the next five seasons.

The Cowboys are allowed to be in the top half of these rankings only because the playoffs are over. Dallas, which is $19.7 million over the salary cap, has won 12 regular-season games in each of the last three years but only one playoff game in that span. Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy are back, looking to move past last month’s embarrassing 48-32 loss to the Packers, but running back Tony Pollard is an unrestricted free agent.

Everyone of note is under contract, and the Rams have $27.7 million in salary-cap space. They won seven of their last nine regular-season games and came within a point of upsetting the Lions in the playoffs. Barring an unexpected (but you could see it at his age) retirement by Matthew Stafford, the Rams will enter 2024 as a dark-horse conference championship contender.

Did we underestimate the Bucs all season long? Did the Eagles just quit? Tampa Bay’s 32-9 win over Philadelphia in the wild-card round raised questions about both teams. Questions that probably won’t be answered until next season starts, but the Buccaneers do at least deserve some recognition here. Tampa Bay — which has $36.9 million in salary-cap space, some of which certainly will go to re-signing Baker Mayfield — has gone to the playoffs each of the last four seasons, winning the division title three times and a Super Bowl once in that span.

In a world where Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud didn’t exist, Indianapolis would be feeling very good about itself right now. The Colts are getting quarterback Anthony Richardson back from his season-ending shoulder surgery and are believers in Shane Steichen after his first year as head coach. Throw in $58.9 million of salary-cap space to plug holes, and Colts fans can talk themselves into a brewing rivalry with Stroud and the Texans.

15. Philadelphia Eagles

A case could be made to put the Eagles just about anywhere on this list. Many of the reasons they went to the Super Bowl a season ago (Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith) are still around, but questions abound. They have $20.2 million in salary-cap space but may lose Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham to retirement and/or free agency. Then there’s the coaching staff overhaul that ended with Kellen Moore in charge of the offense and Vic Fangio in charge of the defense. How good are the Eagles? Who knows?

This position is Kirk Cousins dependent. The 35-year-old free agent is coming off a torn Achilles tendon, but he’s still going to be the hottest quarterback commodity on the market. The Vikings have $24.7 million in cap space and will create as much more as they need to to get Cousins back. He’s expressed his contentment with Minnesota, and why not? In his two seasons playing for Kevin O’Connell, Cousins is third in the league in passing yards (275.12) and passing touchdowns (1.88) per game, according to TruMedia.

Robert Saleh should just pretend last year never happened. Seriously. Make it a bit starting now. Pretend this is Aaron Rodgers’ first season with the team. Claim he’s never heard the names Pat McAfee or Zach Wilson. Lean into it. The Jets have $5 million in salary-cap space, the No. 10 pick in the draft and a healthy Rodgers. New York still has Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator, but maybe Saleh can pretend that’s not real either.

Seattle gets a new head coach bump thanks to Mike Macdonald’s hiring, but it’s still in one of the league’s toughest divisions with the 49ers, Rams and perhaps ascendant Cardinals. The Seahawks need to create some salary-cap room (they’re minus-$5.2 million at the moment) and hope Geno Smith has a bounce-back season. The quarterback’s passer rating (100.8 to 92.1), touchdowns (32 to 20) and yards per attempt (7.5 to 7.3) all went down after a surprising 2022, according to TruMedia.

Mike Tomlin checked the “winning season” box again, but that’s about all the Steelers got out of the season. They weren’t competitive against Buffalo in the first round of the playoffs, and they don’t seem to know if Kenny Pickett or Mason Rudolph is the quarterback. Something everyone in Pittsburgh can look forward to, though, are some great sideline shots of new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and mercurial wide receiver George Pickens throughout the season. Pittsburgh is $16 million over the cap.

Yes, Jim Harbaugh is quirky, but only Guy Chamberlin (who coached the Canton Bulldogs among others in the 1920s; I had to look it up), John Madden, Vince Lombardi and George Allen have a better career winning percentage in the NFL than Harbaugh’s .695. He also has Justin Herbert. There are issues, though, including an aging roster and the fact the Chargers are $45.8 million over the cap.

No team will have a longer offseason than the Jaguars, who lost five of their last six games to fall out of playoff contention. Jacksonville, which has $11.3 million in cap space, has only two more cheap years of Trevor Lawrence. The quarterback will be an $11 million cap hit this year and then either play on his fifth-year option or a new deal, either of which will be a bigger number. The Jags pick 17th in the first round.

The Raiders were 5-4 under interim head coach Antonio Pierce, which was good enough to make him full-time head coach Antonio Pierce. Now, he has his work cut out for him. The Raiders have some money to spend ($36 million in cap space) and the No. 13 pick in the upcoming draft, but they probably need a quarterback and are a long way from being able to compete with the division-dominating Chiefs.

It’s hard to see where this team will find a solution at quarterback. Sean Payton still won’t say if Russell Wilson will be back, but things aren’t trending in that direction. The Broncos are set to pick 12th so they’ll either have to trade up or decide they can live with one of the second-tier quarterback prospects if they want a rookie quarterback. They are $23.9 million over the salary cap and will take another big cap hit if they cut Wilson ($85 million in dead money if he’s released before June 1), so attracting a name in free agency seems unlikely.

Matt Eberflus is coming back. Now, what about Justin Fields? Thanks to last year’s trade with the Carolina Panthers, the Bears have the No. 1 pick, which means they can take Caleb Williams (or Drake Maye or even Jayden Daniels, but probably Williams) or bank on more development by Fields. Either way, this is going to be an offseason of additions. The Bears have the Nos. 1 and 9 picks in the first round and $46.9 million of cap space.

Mike Vrabel is out, and Brian Callahan and a more “collaborative” mindset are in. Will that and $68.1 million in salary-cap space be enough to get Tennessee back into the playoff hunt after two years out of the mix? That depends mostly on quarterback Will Levis, who started nine games last year and whom Callahan, the former Bengals offensive coordinator, was hired to elevate. The Titans were 3-6 in Levis’ starts.

26. Washington Commanders

The Commanders’ offseason of optimism — new owner, No. 2 pick, $73.6 million in cap space — lost some momentum when Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson seemed to leave them at the head coaching altar late in the process. It may turn out that Washington stumbled into a great hire with Dan Quinn, whose positive attitude should help a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2005, or it may be a bust. A lot could depend on whether Quinn’s offensive coordinator hire, Kliff Kingsbury, works out.

Jerod Mayo is on the clock, and it seems as if he’s suddenly in charge of the first round of the NFL Draft. The Patriots pick No. 3. Quarterbacks are considered locks to be taken in the first two picks, but things get interesting at No. 3. Will Mayo decide it’s time to move on from Mac Jones and draft a quarterback or will he take Marvin Harrison Jr. to help Jones’ development? What New England does with its $66 million in cap space in March may give us some clue about that.

Let’s all take a moment to appreciate the Saints for always playing their role. General manager Mickey Loomis scoffs at the salary cap, and thus New Orleans is in the worst cap shape in the league heading into the offseason ($83.9 million over the cap). The other thing Loomis always does is figure it out by the time the fall arrives, although Saints fans might be starting to wonder about the long-term strategy. New Orleans hasn’t made the playoffs or won double-digit games in the last three seasons.

The Falcons have a new head coach, with Raheem Morris taking over for the fired Arthur Smith, and $25.8 million in salary-cap space. What they don’t have is a quarterback. That’s why they will be attached to every available one until the question is settled. Justin Fields? Sure, he could be an option. Kirk Cousins? He’s familiar with the new offensive system. Trading up from No. 8 in the draft to get Jayden Daniels? Might be an option. That’s a preview of the next two months for the Falcons.

Daniel Jones will count at least $41.6 million toward the salary cap each of the next three seasons. The Giants have the No. 6 pick in the first round. They have to at least consider making a change at quarterback. They also have to figure out what to do about Saquon Barkley. They couldn’t get a long-term deal done with their star running back last offseason but have $21.8 million in cap space available they want to try harder this offseason.

31. Arizona Cardinals

This is the offseason the Cardinals have been waiting for since last offseason. Arizona has $41.9 million in cap space and has three picks in the top 35 selections and seven of the top 104. No team will get a bigger facelift before the start of next season. One place where there won’t be a change is quarterback as the Cardinals have committed to keeping Kyler Murray.

32. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers hired a new head coach, Dave Canales, to fix their still-kind-of-new quarterback, Bryce Young. Canales was the surprise hire of the offseason, coming to Carolina after only one year of calling plays at division-rival Tampa Bay. Either he blew the Panthers away in the interview process or mercurial owner David Tepper was worried he wasn’t going to be able to attract a bigger-name hire. Carolina has $28.6 million in cap space heading into the offseason.

(Top photo: Michael Owens / Getty Images)

Brian Flores swiveled in a chair and repeated the question.

“Is there anything else I want to say? … Is there anything … Hmm … ”

It was a chilled December afternoon in Eagan, Minn., and the Minnesota Vikings’ defense coordinator was seated inside his dimly lit office. His eyes, shielded by a purple flatbill cap, fixated on the floor.

Five years ago, Flores accepted the Miami Dolphins’ head coaching job. He quickly orchestrated a rebuild, producing winning records in 2020 and ’21. Then in the spring of 2022, he was fired. Less than a month after his dismissal, Flores, Black and of Honduran descent, sued the NFL and three teams, including the Dolphins. He wrote that the league remains “rife with racism, particularly when it comes to the hiring and retention of Black head coaches, coordinators and general managers.”

Flores knew that his choice to file the lawsuit could jeopardize opportunities to do what he loved most. He felt the sacrifice was worth it so long as it brought along change. “This isn’t about me,” he said at the time. “This is about something that’s much bigger than me, which is a system in the NFL that, in my opinion, is broken.”

A conversation with Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin landed him a job as a senior defensive assistant and linebacker coach in 2022. Last spring, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell sought someone who could maximize a talent-deficient defense that had been torched in the playoffs. Flores emerged as the best candidate, then proved it during the season.

Last year’s Vikings defense ranked 24th in DVOA, an all-encompassing metric that factors in strength of schedule. This year’s Vikings defense ranked 11th, even with the subtractions of premium edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, stout defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson and future Hall-of-Fame cornerback Patrick Peterson.

The 2023 transformation, paired with his overall resume, is why Flores’ name should be mentioned among the league’s premier head-coaching candidates in the coming days. Should be.

“Is there anything?”

His eyes drifted upward.

“The last five years have been so wild,” Flores said. “It’s been such a journey. And I’m not upset or regretful about any of it. It’s allowed me to grow.”

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“What the hell is this defense?” Jason McCourty asked.

He was sitting inside a third-floor conference room at the Westin Hotel in Cincinnati, about a mile from the Bengals’ Paycor Stadium. Smiling mischievously across from him was Flores.

The two go back a ways. Beginning in 2010, Flores coached McCourty’s twin brother Devin in New England. Jason joined the fold in 2018, the year the Patriots last won a Super Bowl. He then played in Miami in Flores’ third year as the Dolphins’ head coach. They’ve kept in touch. Their families remain close. But now, it was time for business.

McCourty was a color commentator for the Vikings’ Week 15 game against the Bengals. To prepare, he and the production crew lobbed questions at coaches. Few were as forward as the one he just asked.

McCourty read aloud some statistics scribbled on the paper in front of him. Most six-man pressures in the NFL. Most drop-eight coverages. More players aligned on the line of scrimmage pre-snap than any other defense. More rotations from one-high safety to two-high safeties than all but one other defense. And all of this with a bunch of overlooked veterans and inexperienced late-round draft picks.

“Flo, I’ve been in your defenses,” McCourty said. “This is so different.”

Flores agreed, admitting the 2023 iteration of his system was “a little bit out there.” He recalled the players’ disoriented reactions initially. A defender lining up in the A-gap, the space across from the center and guard, would run coverage against a deep post route?

But those questions quieted quickly. Safety Josh Metellus aligned in the A-gap, then ran the deep post. Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. blitzed. Edge rusher D.J. Wonnum dropped. The result? Turnovers, stops, even victories.

What the hell is this defense?

“It’s a defense that has been a lot of fun,” Flores said.

McCourty recognized Flores’ emphasis on the word. And he smiled.

“It’s funny,” Flores said, swiveling in his office. “When you’re a coordinator or you’ve been a head coach, nobody remembers or cares. The steps. The sacrifice. The hours.”

Flores began as a player personnel assistant working atop a cluttered office desk in the back row of the Patriots’ second-floor personnel office. Longtime Pats executive Scott Pioli hired him on the recommendation of a college coach. The role? Work your butt off and don’t moan about it.

This was 2004, as the curtains opened on the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady dynasty. The building operated like a factory. Enter, do your job, leave. No excuses, no explanations; team over individual; the standard is the standard. The ethos was born out of a different era, a generation built on discipline, seniority and obedience. Second-guessing signaled disrespect. Complaints showed weakness.

The Patriots even asked each candidate for hire to take a psychological test. “The test was built around our culture and environment, and how demanding we were,” Pioli said. “Brian fit everything that we thought we needed and wanted.”

Around 6 a.m. every morning, Flores swiped his key card at Gilette Stadium, weaved his way up to the personnel department and settled into his desk. His duties varied. He picked up Pioli’s dry cleaning. He caravanned prospects from the airport to the stadium. He filtered scouting reports. And then there were the “point-of-attack tapes.”

Online film databases did not exist yet, so the Patriots acquired Betamax tapes with film from notable college games. It was Flores’ job to search the tapes for individual plays that told the story of each player the team had identified as draftable. He spliced together five minutes of plays and transferred them to a new tape. When scouts or coaches appeared to watch a player, they did not have to sort through an hour-long process.

“Coach Belichick doesn’t have six hours to sit there and look for a player,” said Tim Pichette, who worked alongside Flores on “the back-row crew.” “We trimmed the fat. Now, imagine having to do that for every prospect in the draft.”

Pichette learned his responsibilities from Flores, who had been hired to do the job a year earlier. Knowing Flores and Pichette would be working nearly 100-hour weeks with each other in the back row, Pioli had structured Pichette’s initial interview so he and Flores spent time together. Flores struck Pichette as genuine, “a guy I would never want to let down.”

They earned $20,000 a year for those 100-hour weeks — eventually moving into public housing together — yet loved the work. They appreciated when they identified some unknown defensive structure on film from some college defense out west. Flo, come check out this Cover-4 look. They’re manning up on the backside.

Sometimes, the Patriots’ scouts spent time with them. Nick Caserio, then the Patriots’ director of player personnel, would explain the importance of smart, versatile and dependable players. Jim Nagy, then a Patriots area scout, would ask them questions about themselves. Flores rarely spoke of his upbringing in the housing projects of Brownsville, Brooklyn. But the topic sometimes surfaced during late nights in their new apartment.

He talked about how he witnessed muggings during the day and heard gunfire at night. How Maria, his mother, parented strictly and his uncle, Darrel Patterson, introduced him to football. Flores shared his reverence for intense high school coach Dino Mangiero and explained that he chose to play linebacker at Boston College so he could be close to home and tend to the special needs of his younger brother, Christopher.

“We’d talk about that stuff, but our time was always pressed,” Pichette said. “And he had a famous saying. I can see him right now. He’d turn one hand over another and say, ‘You know what, Timbo? We gotta close the yearbook.’”

By 2008, Flores decided he wanted to more closely impact the result of the games. So, he packed his belongings from the back row of the second floor of Gilette Stadium and moved down to a makeshift room on the first.

“When coach Belichick takes a liking to you,” Nagy said, “you go downstairs.”

From 2008 to 2018, Flores held a variety of assistant coach roles on offense, defense and special teams. He cared deeply about his responsibilities. There was no other option. Belichick demanded excellence. Winning hinged on commitment and discipline, penalties and miscommunications lost games. If you weren’t serious about maximizing each day, how could you turn those margins in your favor?

“New England was way, way, way different,” longtime Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich said. “You’re held at a high standard, as it should be. Before I got there, I had been in New Orleans and Miami. I had seen infighting, a lack of leadership, a lack of direction — issues that can put a team in position to never accomplish anything.”

Draftees like safety Tavon Wilson found out you were going to push or be pushed. “I didn’t understand it,” Wilson said. “But it helped me want more for myself than I thought was possible. Flo did that.”

As a position coach, Flores provided more than X’s and O’s wizardry. He offered advice when Wilson asked about raising his young child and consoled Wilson in the immediate aftermath of his grandmother’s passing. Players dined at Flores’ house for Thanksgiving. Flores often joined players in conversations with their families in the parking lot after games. Wedged between Jason McCourty and former Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy during the team meetings in 2018, Flores even cracked jokes while Belichick spoke in front of the room.

That was Jason McCourty’s first season in New England. He had played for two other teams and been a part of locker rooms that finished seasons with winning records. The Patriots’ culture differed. “It had less to do with the individual and more about the whole of the team,” McCourty said. “And everybody firmly believed that.”

The belief, paired with talent, pushed the Patriots to the stage upon which McCourty had always dreamt of playing. By the time the Super Bowl against the Rams arrived, players knew Flores would be leaving to take the head coaching job in Miami, and they wanted a victory for a coach who maximized their strengths.

All season, cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and J.C. Jackson blanketed receivers in man coverage. Second-and-long situations became Flores’ favorite for, as McCourty put it, “blitzing the hell out of people.” But to counteract the Rams’ receivers and motions, Flores, cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer and the rest of the staff shelved man coverage for zone.

“It totally caught them off guard,” McCourty said.

The Patriots secondary waited for Flores to call an all-out pressure against quarterback Jared Goff. They knew he would. In fact, on the sideline preceding Gilmore’s game-sealing interception, players prodded Flores. Send this s—. Let’s go.

“It was a microcosm of the season, sure, but also Flo’s aggressiveness,” McCourty said. “We had taken on his personality. We wanted it. We weren’t afraid.”

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Slouched in a chair in one of the middle rows of the Dolphins’ team meeting room, McCourty focused on Flores, who, as per usual, paced with presence.

This was 2021. Flores was now in his third season as the Dolphins’ head coach, but the campaign had been McCourty’s first time seeing Flores in the role. The coach delivered that day’s message deliberately and intentionally. No fluff, no phoniness, no facade. Tip-toeing around the truth was not an option.

Listening to Flores’ message that day, McCourty thought to himself: Flo is so serious all the time. “I was used to him laughing and joking more,” McCourty said.

The change, McCourty believed, derived from the responsibility of a strenuous job. A head coach creates the culture, holds a building accountable and navigates mandates, recommendations and feedback provided by ownership, executives and the fan base.

Flores inherited a Dolphins team with one winning season in a decade. He lost his first seven games, the first three by a combined score of 133-16. But Miami rallied in the second half of the season, winning five of its final nine games, including a season-ending victory in New England.

It would become a pattern.

In Year 2, Flores elected to go with journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback over rookie Tua Tagovailoa to start the season. Tagovailoa, reportedly preferred by team owner Stephen Ross and GM Chris Grier, would eventually start nine games, and after beginning the season 0-2, Miami rode a five-game midseason win streak to a 10-6 record.

With Fitzpatrick in Washington the next season, Miami dropped seven straight games after opening with a victory in New England. Amid reports of strife with Tagovailoa, Flores helped pull the team together to win eight of the Dolphins’ final nine games, including another season-ending win over the Patriots, this one marking Miami’s’ first sweep of New England in more than two decades.

The day after that win, Ross fired Flores, saying “an organization can only function if it’s collaborative and works well together.”

Lance Bennett, a longtime friend of Flores’ and then the Dolphins’ assistant to the head coach, said the decision was an “eye-opener from the standpoint of where talent meets the marketplace.” “Success or talent may not always matter,” Bennett said. “Because there’s other fluff and nonsense.”

Players weighed in. Linebacker Jerome Baker shared that “(Flores) just wanted you to be the best player and best person you could be. He truly wanted us to win games and be great people.” Cornerback Byron Jones tweeted, “Thank you, Flo.”

Less than a month later, Flores filed a 58-page lawsuit in Manhattan federal court alleging, among other things, that Ross attempted to incentivize him to “tank,” or purposely lose games, shortly after he was hired in 2019 by offering him $100,000 for every loss that season.

Flores had two winning seasons on his NFL resume. He could have conceivably been a candidate elsewhere as early as that offseason. But the lawsuit complicated his future in the league. After all, who was going to take a chance on the guy suing his former boss?

“He could’ve easily … said, ‘Let me protect myself and not potentially be blackballed,’” Bennett said. “But that’s just how he is. It is what it is. This is wrong. This is unjust.”

But less than three weeks after he filed the lawsuit, Tomlin’s Steelers brought him in. Time around Tomlin fostered learning. Flores observed so many minor details, from how Tomlin structured practices and led meetings to when he pressed his team.

Straddling that line — when to challenge stars and when to buddy up with them — is a key aspect of the art of good coaching in today’s NFL. The Patriot Way doesn’t always work anymore, just ask Belichick. Collaboration has taken precedence over hierarchical division. Society is more conscious of the value of mental health. Constructive feedback can be delivered in myriad ways depending on the individual.

Flores, it seems, was paying attention to Tomlin’s example.

“There’s a (balance) between holding people accountable and being intense, and understanding you can’t play this game without having fun and enjoying it,” Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks said. “Flo gets both sides.”

This Vikings defense was a byproduct of late-night film sessions in the Pittsburgh Panthers’ offices. Seated alongside Pitt wide receivers coach Tiquan Underwood, who had worked as a quality control coach under Flores in Miami, Flores scribbled the outline of head coach Pat Narduzzi’s three-deep, two-under, six-man pressure package on paper, adding entirely new plans to his already-loaded defensive playbook.

The 2023 defense was a max-pressure, max-coverage system that, in the words of linebackers coach Mike Siravo, consisted of “not standing there like it’s ‘Tecmo Bowl’” but not being so complex that the playbook contained “a conglomeration of s—, of different rules, where it’s like, ‘How the hell is this guy supposed to play football?’”

Minnesota’s was a disciplined defense, committing the fewest penalties in the NFL and ranking second in the league in fewest explosive plays allowed, per TruMedia. The unit took off in mid-October once Flores appointed rookie cornerback NaJee Thompson as the team’s “celebration coordinator.”

“We did the freakin’ limbo,” Hicks said. “The fact we pulled that off was pretty legit.”

Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones said the defense had a little bit of “I don’t give a f—” to it. Bennett, currently the Vikings’ defensive quality control coach, said the defense is built on boldness. “The boldness is what makes you say, ‘I want to run this, which has never been run before, and I’m going to have this player who has never done this before, do it.’”

The results taught Flores the value of constant innovation, of stretching the boundaries of traditionalist thought. Maybe most of all, of the importance of having fun.

“It’s gotta be fun,” Flores said last month. “Nothing else really matters if it’s not. I would say that’s a mistake I made in Miami. I didn’t make it fun enough.”

The conversation drifted to the future. To future opponents. To the possibility that his brother Christopher might soon move to Minnesota. He didn’t say it, nor did he use the hand motion that’s become a trademark, but he was closing the yearbook.

(Illustration: Sean Reilly / The Athletic; photo: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)

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“The Football 100,” the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, is on sale now. Order it here.

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, setting off a number of AFC playoff dominoes. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills clinched playoff spots with the loss to the Jags. This also gave the Houston Texans the AFC South title.

And later, the Bills clinched the AFC East title by beating the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night.

Additionally, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers punched their ticket to the postseason on Sunday by capturing the NFC South crown with a sluggish win over the Carolina Panthers. And the Green Bay Packers clinched the last remaining NFC wild card berth by defeating the Chicago Bears.

Below is a preview of all the scenarios for each team with playoff lives remaining.

Follow here for live updates on NFL Week 18 and here for live updates on Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins.

AFC

Riveted

• Baltimore Ravens (13-4) – AFC North division title, No. 1 seed, first-round bye and home field advantage
• Buffalo notes (11-6) – AFC East division title
• Kansas City Chiefs (11-6) – AFC West division title
• Houston Texans (10-7) – AFC South Division Title
• Cleveland Browns (11-6) – play-off berth
• Miami Dolphins (11-6) – play-off berth
• Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) – play-off berth

Bracket sowing

1. Raven
2. Bills
3. Leaders
4. Texans
5. Tanning
6. Dolphins
7. Steelers

NFC

Riveted

• San Francisco 49ers (12-4) – NFC West division title, No. 1 seed, first-round bye and home field advantage
• Dallas Cowboys (12-5) – NFC East division title
• Detroit Lions (12-5) – NFC North division title
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8) – NFC South division title
• Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) – play-off berth
• Los Angeles Rams (10-7) – play-off berth
• Green Bay Packers (9-8) – play-off berth

Bracket sowing

1. 49ers
2. Cowboys
3. Lions
4. Buccaneers
5. Eagles
6. Rams
7. Packers

Required reading

• NFL Week 18 playoff standings and projections: Which teams have the best chance to make the postseason?
• Russini: What I’m hearing about the NFL coaching carousel entering Week 18
• NFL Power Rankings Week 18: Browns and Packers rise, plus a lesson for each team

(Photo: John Fisher/Getty Images)

Like the rest of you, the Power Rankings are trying to make some sense of this NFL year as we head into the final week of the regular season. Nine playoff spots are spoken for — by the Ravens, Dolphins, Chiefs and Browns in the AFC and 49ers, Cowboys, Lions, Eagles and Rams in the NFC. That leaves five more to be decided by the results of Week 18.

Before all that, though, we’re going to try to take a lesson from each team’s season, even those seasons that are basically over.

1. Baltimore Ravens (13-3)

(Last week: 1)

Sunday: Beat Miami Dolphins 56-19

The lesson: Hire great assistants

John Harbaugh hit back-to-back home runs by hiring defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald in 2022 and offensive coordinator Todd Monken in 2023. As a result, his Ravens clinched the AFC’s top seed by thumping the Dolphins on Sunday. Well, that, and having Lamar Jackson, who was 18-for-21 for 321 yards and five touchdowns against Miami. Jackson’s plus-28.2 passing EPA was the best single-game performance since Joe Burrow against the Ravens in 2021 (plus-34.1), according to NextGenStats, and probably clinched the MVP award.

Up next: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET

2. San Francisco 49ers (12-4)

(Last week: 2)

Sunday: Beat Washington Commanders 27-10

The lesson: Star power matters

The 49ers have made a quarterback nobody else in the league wanted look like a superstar by surrounding him with stars. On Sunday, San Francisco became the first team in league history to have a running back (Christian McCaffrey), two wide receivers (Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk) and a tight end (George Kittle) all surpass 1,000 yards in a single season. The 49ers also clinched the top seed in the NFC, meaning teams that love playing at home on turf (looking at you Dallas and Detroit) probably will have to win in the elements to get to the Super Bowl.

Up next: vs. Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

3. Cleveland Browns (11-5)

(Last week: 8)

Thursday: Beat New York Jets 37-20

The lesson: They didn’t even need Deshaun Watson

The Browns would be one of the feel-good stories in the league this year if not for the fact that they still have a scar from their pursuit of Watson, and it looks like it was a misguided self-inflicted wound. Cleveland has won seven of its last nine games, the last five of which have come with 38-year-old Joe Flacco at quarterback. Flacco has topped 300 yards passing in each of the last four games. He had 309 and three touchdowns against the Jets on Thursday. Why did they do all they did to get Watson again?

Up next: at Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

4. Detroit Lions (11-5)

(Last week: 5)

Saturday: Lost to Dallas Cowboys 20-19

The lesson: NFL Draft maxims are flawed

Remember all the grief Detroit got for taking running back Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12 and inside linebacker Jack Campbell at No. 18? Since Week 14, Gibbs is ninth in the league in rushing (72.25 yards per game). Campbell is second on the team in tackles for the season (77). Tight end Sam LaPorta, the No. 34 pick, hasn’t been bad either, catching 81 passes for 860 yards and nine touchdowns. (Sorry about the ref thing guys. We hope leaving you ahead of the Cowboys in these rankings makes it all better.)

Up next: vs. Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

5. Dallas Cowboys (11-5)

(Last week: 6)

Saturday: Beat Detroit Lions 20-19

The lesson: Throw the ball to your best players

Dallas has lost only once this season when CeeDee Lamb gets more than 10 targets in a game. Lamb averaged seven targets and 5.7 catches per game through Week 6, and the Cowboys were 4-2. Since then, he has averaged 12.6 targets and 8.8 catches per game, and Dallas is 7-3 in that span. Saturday night, he had a career-high 227 yards on 13 catches against the Lions.

Up next: at Washington Commanders, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

.@dak said GO LONG @_CeeDeeThree pic.twitter.com/xuP9pBgndi

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 31, 2023

6. Miami Dolphins (11-5)

(Last week: 3)

Sunday: Lost to Baltimore Ravens 56-19

The lesson: Speed kills

Six of the top 10 speeds achieved by ball carriers in the NFL this year have been by Dolphins — Tyreek Hill three times, Devone Achane twice and Raheem Mostert once. They have enough speed that they’ve been able to survive injuries to all three of those players at some point this season and still get to 11 wins. It didn’t help much Sunday, but Achane did have 107 yards on just 14 carries against one of the NFL’s best defenses.

Up next: vs. Buffalo Bills, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

(Last week: 4)

Sunday: Beat New England Patriots 27-21

The lesson: Josh Allen is the MVP runner-up

All the hand-wringing after Allen’s four-turnover start to the season is long gone as the second-most unique player in the league behind Lamar Jackson has the Bills sitting at No. 6 in the AFC playoff race after their fourth straight win Sunday, and Buffalo can win the AFC East by beating Miami on Sunday. Despite a pedestrian statistical performance against the Patriots, Allen is seventh in the NFL in passing yards (3,947) and second in scramble EPA per game (3.47), according to TruMedia.

Up next: at Miami Dolphins, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

Only Josh Allen could come up with this

@NFLpic.twitter.com/s60r1P9lUV

— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) December 31, 2023

8. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)

(Last week: 9)

Sunday: Beat Cincinnati Bengals 25-17

The lesson: There are no sure things

The Chiefs may win another Super Bowl, but it’s going to be an uphill climb. All of Patrick Mahomes’ magic could only generate one touchdown against the Bengals on Sunday. Kansas City got the win thanks to six Harrison Butker field goals, and Rashee Rice, who had five catches for 127 yards, remains the only reliable wide receiver. That’s a problem that is made worse by the fact that Travis Kelce had only three catches for 16 yards against the Bengals and hasn’t topped 45 yards in any of the last three games.

Up next: at Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

9. Los Angeles Rams (9-7)

(Last week: 10)

Sunday: Beat New York Giants 26-25

The lesson: Sean McVay shouldn’t do TV

After flirting with retirement and a high-paying television job, McVay has proved he’s still really good at his current high-paying job. Los Angeles has won six of its last seven after holding off the Giants on Sunday, and the Rams will be a tough out in the playoffs as long as Matthew Stafford is playing like this. Stafford had another 317 yards Sunday and is eighth in the league in passing yards per game (264.3).

Up next: at San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

(Last week: 13)

Sunday: Beat Tennessee Titans 26-3

The lesson: The right quarterback fixes everything

This was supposed to be a throwaway year in Houston. Instead, rookie C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 pick, is fourth in the NFL with 274.57 passing yards per game, and Houston is in the eighth spot in the AFC, still very much alive in the playoff race. After missing two games because of a concussion, Stroud returned Sunday to complete 24 of 32 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown against the Titans. Defensive end Will Anderson set the Texans’ rookie sack record with his seventh.

Up next: at Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET

11. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)

(Last week: 7)

Sunday: Lost to Arizona Cardinals 35-31

The lesson: Matt Patricia is never the answer

The Eagles have won 11 games this season and still can’t seem to help but panic. Their most recent abrupt move was to elevate Patricia to defensive play caller. On Sunday, the Eagles’ defensive success rate (40.8 percent) was their worst in a game since 2006, according to TruMedia. The Cardinals finished with 449 yards and marched 70 yards on their fourth-quarter, game-winning drive. The Eagles have lost four of their last five. (More lessons learned about former Patriots assistants below.)

Up next: at New York Giants, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

(Last week: 14)

Sunday: Beat Las Vegas Raiders 23-20

The lesson: Shane Steichen has been as good as any new hire

Steichen didn’t get the headlines among this offseason’s hires, but he’s playing Sunday for a spot in the playoffs despite losing starting quarterback Anthony Richardson for the season and not having Jonathan Taylor for seven games. Indianapolis is 10th in the league in scoring (23.56) with the former Eagles offensive coordinator in charge.

Up next: vs. Houston Texans, Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET

(Last week: 20)

Sunday: Beat Minnesota Vikings 33-10

The lesson: Draft quarterbacks early

Jordan Love is third in the NFL in touchdown passes (30) and ninth in EPA per attempt (.19) in his first season as the full-time starter. That’s after spending two seasons on the bench before replacing Aaron Rodgers, who spent three seasons on the bench before replacing Brett Favre. The Packers look like they’re going to end up having three good to very good, long-term quarterbacks, and there’s no secret to why. They draft the quarterbacks they like when that player is available and are patient enough to let him sit until the right time.

Up next: vs. Chicago Bears, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

(Last week: 15)

Sunday: Beat Seattle Seahawks 30-23

The lesson: Mike Tomlin is historically steady

After Sunday’s win, Tomlin is guaranteed his 17th straight season with a .500 or better record. Only Tom Landry (21) and Bill Belichick (19) have more. Steelers fans will point out that Tomlin has missed the playoffs in the last two seasons and in four of the last six. Even after Sunday’s win, in which George Pickens had 131 yards, Pittsburgh is only ninth in the AFC.

Up next: at Baltimore Ravens, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET

(Last week: 11)

Sunday: Lost to New Orleans Saints 23-13

The lesson: The right timing and situation matter

Baker Mayfield didn’t play his best game Sunday, finishing 22-for-33 for 309 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, but he’s been a season-saver for Tampa Bay. Playing on a one-year, $4 million contract, Mayfield is tied for fourth in the NFL in touchdown passes (28) and eighth in EPA per attempt (.19). If he can lead the Buccaneers past Bryce Young and the Panthers, he will take Tampa Bay to the playoffs.

Up next: at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

(Last week: 12)

Sunday: Lost to Pittsburgh Steelers 30-23

The lesson: Pete Carroll can really coach

Seattle still has a 23.8 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to The Athletic’s projections, despite Sunday’s loss. If the Seahawks can get there, it will be Carroll’s 10th trip in his last 13 seasons as head coach. There’s a lot of angst in Seattle right now because the Seahawks gave up 468 yards to Mason Rudolph and the Steelers on Sunday, but Seattle could do a lot worse than being in the mix every year under Carroll.

Up next: at Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

(Last week: 16)

Sunday: Beat Carolina Panthers 26-0

The lesson: There are two star Josh Allens

The Jaguars linebacker sacked Bryce Young three times on Sunday and now has the team’s single-season record with 16 1/2, which ranks third in the NFL. Allen is second in the league in quarterback hits (33) and eighth in hurries (53), according to TruMedia. He led a defensive effort Sunday that held the Panthers to 124 yards and also had six tackles, and probably should be getting more attention in the defensive player of the year conversation.

Up next: at Tennessee Titans, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

(Last week: 19)

Sunday: Beat Los Angeles Chargers 16-9

The lesson: Sean Payton is the dictator

This was mostly known when Payton took the job in the offseason, but the head coach made it official this week when he benched Russell Wilson in favor of Jarrett Stidham. Payton insisted it was a move made for football reasons only, and the Broncos did snap a two-game losing streak Sunday, but the move really was Payton officially winning the power play. Denver general manager George Paton, who gave Wilson his huge contract extension last year, may be next.

Up next: at Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

(Last week: 24)

Sunday: Beat Atlanta Falcons 37-17

The lesson: Justin Fields isn’t a quitter

The Bears might still fire Fields, but he’s going to make it as difficult a decision as he can. On Sunday, he made plays with his arms and legs and led Chicago to its fourth win in five games. Falcons defensive end Calais Campbell, a 16-year NFL veteran, said “give him his respect. I think he flashed a lot today. Obviously, it’s a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business, so he could have a bad game next week and nobody cares, but today he was a premier NFL quarterback.”

Up next: at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

“I’m gonna remember this for the rest of my life.”

– Justin Fields talking to @Amanda_Balionis about hearing WE WANT FIELDS chants raining down from @ChicagoBears fans pic.twitter.com/OOXgKEIfBQ

— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) December 31, 2023

20. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)

(Last week: 17)

Sunday: Lost to Kansas City Chiefs 25-17

The lesson: Magical runs eventually end

It took a lot longer than we all thought, but Cincinnati was eliminated from the playoff race Sunday. Everyone assumed that had happened in Week 11 when Joe Burrow was lost for the season with a wrist injury. Instead, backup Jake Browning went on a tear. On Sunday, though, Browning had his lowest-output game since replacing Burrow, completing 57.6 percent of his passes for 197 yards. That came on the heels of a three-interception game. Burrow will be back next season and so will the Bengals.

Up next: vs. Cleveland Browns, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

(Last week: 21)

Sunday: Beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-13

The lesson: The NFC South is a wreck

There’s just nothing else to be taken from this Saints’ season. They have gotten up-and-(mostly)-down play from free-agent quarterback Derek Carr. Alvin Kamara is averaging 3.7 yards per carry and still is New Orleans’ leading rusher. And yet, New Orleans will head to the playoffs if it beats Atlanta and Carolina beats Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Up next: vs. Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

(Last week: 18)

Sunday: Lost to Green Bay Packers 33-10

The lesson: Kirk Cousins is going to get paid

Viking coach Kevin O’Connell is 17-9 with Cousins as his starting quarterback. He is 3-5 without Cousins and is now very aware of what life is like in the NFL when you’re in quarterback limbo. Minnesota has cycled through Jaren Hall, Joshua Dobbs and Nick Mullens since Cousins tore his Achilles. That memory is going to loom large when Cousins, who will be a free agent, asks for his next deal.

Up next: at Detroit Lions, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

(Last week: 22)

Sunday: Lost to Indianapolis Colts 23-20

The lesson: Hiring Josh McDaniels is a bad idea

The Raiders hired McDaniels after his 11-17 run in Denver, and he went 9-16 in Las Vegas before being fired. The Raiders fell to 4-4 under interim coach Antonio Pierce with Sunday’s loss, but that’s still a better career winning percentage than McDaniels has. Davante Adams was targeted 21 times Sunday against the Colts, catching 13 passes for 126 yards. His 21 targets are the most by any player this season. Second most were Adams’ 20 targets in Week 3.

Up next: vs. Denver Broncos, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

24. Atlanta Falcons (7-9)

(Last week: 23)

Sunday: Lost to Chicago Bears 37-17

The lesson: Quarterback still counts the most

The Falcons paid their offensive line, improved their defense and spent three straight top-10 picks on offensive skill players and still are 26th in the league in scoring (19 points per game). The reason is their quarterbacks — Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke — have turned the ball over 21 times. Coach Arthur Smith, hired for his offensive acumen, is on the hot seat after Sunday’s stinker.

Up next: at New Orleans Saints, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

25. New York Jets (6-10)

(Last week: 25)

Thursday: Lost to Cleveland Browns 37-20

The lesson: Don’t be stubborn

The Jets tried so hard to prove they could make Zach Wilson work that they ruined their season. Aaron Rodgers’ injury was bad luck. Keeping Wilson as the backstop for a Rodgers injury was just hard-headed. Wilson was 34th in the league in EPA per attempt (.04) and 37th in passer rating (77.2) in 12 games before finally being benched. Remember, Joe Flacco was on the Jets’ roster last year and was available with just a phone call until six weeks ago.

Up next: at New England Patriots, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

26. New York Giants (5-11)

(Last week: 26)

Sunday: Lost to Los Angeles Rams 26-25

The lesson: Don’t pay big money for average QB play

Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito both have a better EPA per attempt than Daniel Jones’ minus-.12 this season, according to TruMedia. Jones’ number ranks 44th among quarterbacks who had more than 100 pass attempts this season. Not many people thought it was a good idea for the Giants to give Jones a four-year, $160 million contract in the offseason. New York proved all those people right by playing just as well using players it picked up for next to nothing.

Up next: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

27. Arizona Cardinals (4-12)

(Last week: 31)

Sunday: Beat Philadelphia Eagles 35-31

The lesson: We’ll see

The Cardinals are getting a pat on the back for beating a playoff team, but they also moved themselves from the No. 2 pick in the draft to the No. 4 pick for now. If that holds, it could be a costly turn of events even if the Cardinals want to hold on to Kyler Murray. A top-two pick in this draft means being able to take Caleb Williams or Drake Maye or shop the pick to someone who wants to do that. That might be worth more in the long run than feeling good on the last Monday of the regular season.

Up next: vs. Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

28. Tennessee Titans (5-11)

(Last week: 27)

Sunday: Lost to Houston Texans 26-3

The lesson: Competitive rebuilds are hard

After three straight trips to the playoffs, Tennessee is 12-21 in the last two seasons. The Titans went back to Ryan Tannehill on Sunday, but it didn’t bring back the good ol’ days. Tennessee had 187 yards of offense, was 1-for-12 on third down and didn’t manage a touchdown against the division-rival Texans, who swept Tennessee this season.

Up next: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

29. Los Angeles Chargers (5-11)

(Last week: 28)

Sunday: Lost to Denver Broncos 16-9

The lesson: Coaching hires are a crap shoot

This is not a new lesson. The Chargers are just the most recent team to highlight it. They hired Brandon Staley in 2021 because he was the hot defensive name. They fired him after 14 games this year because he was 5-9 and his defense stunk. The coaching change hasn’t changed the team’s luck. The Chargers have lost four straight and seven of their last eight heading into the season finale against the Chiefs.

Up next: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

30. New England Patriots (4-12)

(Last week: 29)

Sunday: Lost to Buffalo Bills 27-21

The lesson: Bill Belichick shouldn’t get another GM job

Taking Mac Jones with the No. 15 pick of the 2021 draft is what got the Patriots into this mess, but Belichick’s drafting miscues don’t stop there. New England used a fourth-round pick on kicker Chad Ryland and he’s 15-for-24 after missing again Sunday. Belichick’s future hasn’t been discussed much of late. Is it possible he stays as head coach in New England but gives up personnel responsibilities?

Up next: vs. New York Jets, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

(Last week: 30)

Sunday: Lost to San Francisco 49ers 27-10

The lesson: The Sam Howell talk was a smokescreen

It seems pretty clear that Ron Rivera was hoping that convincing everyone Howell was the long-term answer at quarterback would buy him some more time in Washington. Howell isn’t and it won’t. After Jacoby Brissett played well in Weeks 15 and 16, Howell was forced back into the lineup Sunday because of Brissett’s hamstring injury. The result was a 17-for-28 day with 169 yards, two interceptions and a touchdown. The Commanders will have a new coach and a new quarterback next season.

Up next: vs. Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

32. Carolina Panthers (2-14)

(Last week: 32)

Sunday: Lost to Jacksonville Jaguars 26-0

The lesson: The coach and QB are not the problem

Owner David Tepper appears to have been busted tossing a drink on a fan late in Sunday’s loss. The NFL is expected to respond with some sort of rebuke for the owner, but the biggest penalty for Tepper is that the incident confirms what everyone had expected — he’s the problem in Carolina. Hiring a coach just got harder and more expensive for the NFL’s heir apparent to Daniel Snyder.

Up next: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

(Top photo of Joe Flacco: Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

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