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USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
The Athletic Fixes Browns 2018 NFL redraft
The Athletic Football Show relived the 2018 NFL draft. Robert Mays, the host of the show, invited Dane Brugler, The Athletic's draft guru, to redraft the first round of the 2018 draft. The 2018 draft was very successful for the Cleveland Browns. They scooped up franchise players Denzel Ward and Nick Chubb. However, it's still a very regrettable draft as the Browns missed on two MVP quarterbacks. Mays and Brugler help the Browns rectify their past mistakes. The 2018 draft was a pivotal point for the Cleveland Browns. The team juked their blossoming analytics department for a more traditional approach. Newly hired general manager John Dorsey burned through the team's excess draft capital from their 1-31 campaign. Dorsey managed to find a few franchise players in the draft, but couldn't find an answer at quarterback. Dorsey was fired a year later after he completely mismanaged the team's war chest. Mays and Brugler, with the benefit of hindsight, fix the Browns' quarterback woes by selecting Josh Allen. Allen was a raw quarterback prospect entering the league. He refined his throwing technique and became one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. However, I think the two made a mistake by not selecting Lamar Jackson in the redraft. Jackson and Allen have been neck and neck in the rankings. The media cemented their rivalry this year by awarding Allen the MVP and giving Jackson the first-team All-Pro nod. I think Jackson has more magic than Allen. The Ravens have failed to build a passing attack around Jackson. However, Jackson has made the offense work with Baltimore's island of misfit toys. If the Ravens ever get him a top-notch wide receiver, they'll become a dangerous playoff team. While Allen is a dynamite quarterback, I still give the nod to Jackson. The Browns should've drafted either one. Mays and Brugler fixed the Browns' defense with the fourth pick. The Browns drafted Ward with the pick in real life. However, the two had other plans to restore the defense. They selected linebacker Fred Warner to man the middle of the defense for the Browns. Warner has been the best linebacker in the league for the last few seasons. He's become the prototype for the position. The Browns would've been lucky to have him. But I have an allegiance to Ward. I think he's been the best cornerback after Jalen Ramsey since his rookie season. He's one of the best technicians in the NFL. I believe he has the best soft press coverage skills in NFL history. His injuries have prevented him from getting the accolades he rightfully deserves. Warner is a fantastic player, and he's on the path to Canton. Mays and Brugler have the Browns' two future Hall of Fame players in their redraft. The duo showed a lot more love to the team as they had four Browns players selected in their first-round redraft. Watch the show to find out where they sent some current Browns' greats.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Titans facing unavoidable recent history they must overcome to keep Cam Ward from having Trevor Lawrence, Bryce Young rookie year
Titans facing unavoidable recent history they must overcome to keep Cam Ward from having Trevor Lawrence, Bryce Young rookie year originally appeared on A to Z Sports. Let's talk about a little cognitive dissonance with the Tennessee Titans. Advertisement Everybody is excited about what 2025 will bring for this franchise, at least to some extent. Some are looking forward to it marking the end of a three-year slide out of relevancy. Some are looking forward to a frisky Year 1 with a new QB earning his stripes. And some think this team has 2024 Washington Commanders potential, to be the latest worst-to-first explosion onto the national stage. Well, Washington didn't actually get all the way to first… but you know what I mean. And just about all of that optimism is built around rookie 1st overall pick Cam Ward. Of course it is! He's a very exciting prospect who has given us nothing but green flags so far. Even if you want to be patient and skeptical, he's made it increasingly difficult to maintain that sobriety. I know I've certainly felt that pull. But when we look back on recent history, a sobering reality can make you think twice about coming back down to earth for the time being. On the Athletic Football Show last week, hosts Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen talked through the duality of NFL expectations, hunting down common threads in the kinds of teams that over or under-perform our preseason expectations. It was a fun topic, I recommend giving the episode a listen. Advertisement Now what you need to know going into this is that both Derrick and Robert have previously expressed their cautious optimism for the Titans and Cam Ward this year. But during a conversation about teams who have failed to meet expectations, which had nothing to do with the Titans, they stumbled into an uncomfortable realization. Mays begins by describing the type of team here that tends to underperform: 'The quarterback teams that I think we overrate, where there's a little bit too much excitement on it, are teams with young, highly drafted quarterbacks… but everything else around them is really dangerously fragile. And I think the two most recent examples of two teams that underperformed their over/under total pretty significantly the last two years: the 2024 Bears had an 8.5 over/under, they won 5 games. The 2022 Panthers had a 7.5 over/under, won 2 games. Both of those teams had the number one pick at quarterback. Both of those offensive play callers were fired before that first season was over. So just because you have a shiny new quarterback, if you haven't gotten some of the other stuff right, there is a decent chance you will not be as good as the market expects you to be.' Klassen agreed: 'That's a good one. The young quarterbacks play into so many of the overrated and underrated ones, honestly. But that's one of those things where regardless of how you feel about the player, right, Caleb Williams, Bryce Young, whoever it is, Trevor Lawrence, even if your team is picking first overall, you're probably not a very good team. That's kind of what makes the whole Jayden Daniels/Washington thing pretty spectacular. everyone was so excited about Trevor Lawrence and they were not even close. They were the worst team in the league, like far and away. That was basically what happened with the Panthers. Again, the Bears weren't quite the worst team in the league, but they were close! So it's like… maybe it's specifically picking first overall, that you should not get too excited about it. You should really take stock. Like, man, I love this new quarterback. This is a great, shiny new toy. But let's chill out for just a little bit.' That's when the current situation with the Titans hit them. Robert shot back: 'OK, how do you square that with like the tepid Titans optimism that we've both shown over the last month?' Derrik paused, and replied with a simple expletive. Advertisement They both laughed at that dissonance, because what are you supposed to say? Recent history looks bleak for a team like the Titans. But that doesn't change how they feel about this specific team. As Klassen jokingly quipped, 'this time is going to be different, you know?' Now, this isn't some death sentence for Tennessee. It's just a gentle reminder that when all of your hope is predicated on the rookie QB, it can blind you to some unsavory realities elsewhere on the roster. And the general classification of 'team with a rookie QB and dangerously fragile things around him' applies only somewhat to the Titans in my estimation. On offense, I don't see this infrastructure as particularly fragile. I have a lot of faith in what this upgraded OL is going to do for the general success of that side of the ball, Ward especially. And while the receiver situation could prove subpar all year, I think they have enough to work with in the passing game in totality to get by. Ridley, Lockett, Okonkwo, Spears, and Pollard are all proven quantities that can keep that ship afloat enough at a bare minimum. The rest is unproven upside. On defense is where the words 'dangerously fragile' ring truest to me. I've written at length about how I think that side of the ball might be a house of cards held up by L'Jarius Sneed and all of his uncertainty. Read all about that right here. Advertisement If the defense crumbles, it could set up the offense to have to produce at untenable levels early in Ward's career just to keep up with each opponent. Look at how the Bengals had to operate in 2024 with significantly better offensive pieces at their disposal? That's the nightmare scenario that could certainly lead to an outcome like Derrik and Robert talked about on the podcast. Here's to hoping the Titans aren't the next team added to that sad lineage. Related: Titans trade saved them from being under a national spotlight for uncomfortable reasons, is the reason why one rookie won't sign Related: Titans 53-Man Roster 2025: Exciting WR youth movement, how much should you expect from rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike View the original article to see embedded media. This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Behind closed doors, the Saints admit they have to rebuild
The New Orleans Saints have drawn a lot of ire over the years for their stubborn resistance to rebuilding their team. They've continued to push money into future years and max out their salary cap resources to try and compete. Now, depending on where you look (and ultimately depending on where the NFL sets this year's spending limit), the Saints are in the hole by $54 million to $72 million. But now it's gotten to a point where they can't ignore the inevitable. After struggling to keep their heads above water in a series of 9-8, 7-10, and 9-8 seasons after Drew Brees retired, they finished the 2024 season at 5-12. That's their worst record since the Hurricane Katrina-impacted season back in 2005. It's time for change. And while general manager Mickey Loomis has pushed back on that notion publicly, that isn't what he's telling candidates behind closed doors. During a guest appearance on the Athletic Football Show, Dianna Russini shared some insight to the Saints' expectations for their new head coach. When asked about the team's ledger and whether they understand they may need to take a year to untangle their salary cap accounting, Russini responded: "They do. And that's been part of the conversations they've been having with these coaches that want this job. Which is, 'We're going to practice patience here, knowing that we've put you, if you were to get this job, in this position. It's not your fault.'" That situation isn't for everyone. Candidates who are in great spots with elite young quarterbacks (like Joe Brady and Kliff Kingsbury) have chosen to stay put. Others have gone for greener pastures with more money to invest in their roster (like Aaron Glenn), or opted to wait for better opportunities to open up in next year's cycle (like Mike McCarthy). But for a young hotshot offensive coordinator like Kellen Moore, who got thrown out with the bathwater by the Los Angeles Chargers a year ago? Who the Dallas Cowboys moved on from a year before that? And who just saw someone in his same situation, Bobby Slowik, jettisoned by the Houston Texans a year after getting these same head coach interviews? The fit might make sense. Desperation is a strong motivator. It may be driving Moore to stay in New Orleans after the Super Bowl. And it may push the Saints to finally work on getting out of the salary cap mess they've made for themselves, too. Report: NFL considering electronic system to determine first downs Saints' offseason assets ranked among the NFL's worst war chests Blake Grupe shares endorsement for Saints' next coach at Radio Row Saints have the NFL's worst odds to trade for Defensive Player of the Year Saints' roster gives their next coach a nearly blank slate when crafting the team This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Behind closed doors, the Saints admit they have to rebuild
USA Today
06-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Behind closed doors, the Saints admit they have to rebuild
The New Orleans Saints have drawn a lot of ire over the years for their stubborn resistance to rebuilding their team. They've continued to push money into future years and max out their salary cap resources to try and compete. Now, depending on where you look (and ultimately depending on where the NFL sets this year's spending limit), the Saints are in the hole by $54 million to $72 million. But now it's gotten to a point where they can't ignore the inevitable. After struggling to keep their heads above water in a series of 9-8, 7-10, and 9-8 seasons after Drew Brees retired, they finished the 2024 season at 5-12. That's their worst record since the Hurricane Katrina-impacted season back in 2005. It's time for change. And while general manager Mickey Loomis has pushed back on that notion publicly, that isn't what he's telling candidates behind closed doors. During a guest appearance on the Athletic Football Show, Dianna Russini shared some insight to the Saints' expectations for their new head coach. When asked about the team's ledger and whether they understand they may need to take a year to untangle their salary cap accounting, Russini responded: 'They do. And that's been part of the conversations they've been having with these coaches that want this job. Which is, 'We're going to practice patience here, knowing that we've put you, if you were to get this job, in this position. It's not your fault.'' That situation isn't for everyone. Candidates who are in great spots with elite young quarterbacks (like Joe Brady and Kliff Kingsbury) have chosen to stay put. Others have gone for greener pastures with more money to invest in their roster (like Aaron Glenn), or opted to wait for better opportunities to open up in next year's cycle (like Mike McCarthy). But for a young hotshot offensive coordinator like Kellen Moore, who got thrown out with the bathwater by the Los Angeles Chargers a year ago? Who the Dallas Cowboys moved on from a year before that? And who just saw someone in his same situation, Bobby Slowik, jettisoned by the Houston Texans a year after getting these same head coach interviews? The fit might make sense. Desperation is a strong motivator. It may be driving Moore to stay in New Orleans after the Super Bowl. And it may push the Saints to finally work on getting out of the salary cap mess they've made for themselves, too.
New York Times
31-01-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
TAFS Mailbag: Bills' existentialism, rooting for the Chiefs and more
The Athletic Football Show mailbag is open for business. On the latest episode Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen dipped into the questions and picked out their favorites. Taking center stage: Should Bills fans give up hope of winning a Super Bowl? And is it really fine to be rooting for the Chiefs to make three-peat history? A partial transcript has been edited for clarity and length. The full episode is available on YouTube below or in 'The Athletic Football Show' feed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Bradley (listener): Hey guys, love the show but I couldn't bear to listen last night (Sunday night's episode). Why? Because I'm a Bills fan. Should I give up on football and do something else with my Sundays? Is there any hope at all… will we ever get the ball to the top of the hill? Robert: Why do you watch sports? Why do you love football? Is it solely to see your team win championships? I think that should be the goal every year. If you're rooting for a team that's not actively trying to win championships that would be extremely frustrating. If I were a Cowboys fan, I would just be staring into the distance for the next five years without understanding what to do with myself. But let's go back in history if you're a Bills fan. I'm old enough to remember J.P. Losman, Trent Edwards, Rob Johnson and what that felt like. If you're a Bills fan these days, you get to watch Josh Allen play football every Sunday. If I told you seven years ago you're going to have probably the second-best player in the league — a quarterback who will likely win an MVP award at some point and will go into the Hall of Fame — and will be on the doorstep of the Super Bowl every year almost guaranteed, you would sign that bargain 100 times out of 100. Advertisement Derrik: To me, make it fun however you can make it fun. I am fully an advocate of if this team is (annoying) you and not fulfilling whatever you want out of a sport, then stop attaching yourself to them. That's perfectly fine, be a Josh Allen fan and then root for five other players on different teams if that is the best way for you to get enjoyment out of the sport. You obviously know the sport is great. So do whatever you can and take off any limiters that would make you not enjoy the sport. I'm very much an advocate of 'you don't have to be a fan of anything for life'. Dan (listener): I'm not a Chiefs fan by any stretch, but I've always appreciated greatness. This entire playoffs should have been about their greatness and seemed to warp into the refs or the league. Especially from big accounts who seem to lead engagement farming Chiefs hate. Outside of my Chiefs-to-win-the-Super-Bowl bet, I found myself rooting for them because of how asinine the conversation around them had become. Since the Dolphins are never going to win a playoff game again in my lifetime, is it wrong of me to root for the Chiefs? Derrik: This goes back to what I said earlier… do whatever makes the sport fun for you. If it's rooting for the best quarterback we've ever seen potentially making history with a third Super Bowl in a row, yes go root for that. I don't care if you're a fan of another AFC team. This is why the push to talk about the refs in the league — and if it's rigged — is really frustrating the Chiefs. One; they're not a villain in the way the Patriots were, where they actually did stuff that maybe could have garnered hate. But two, this is not just them getting there a second time… this is potentially history, something we've never seen before. Regardless of whether you hate this particular Chiefs team, this is an objectively cool thing. You will be able in 25 years to tell your kids or grandkids that you might have witnessed the greatest dynasty in the history of the sport. That should be something we're all rooting for, or at least glad that we got (to see). You don't necessarily need to root for the Chiefs to win it, but the fact that we're here is something that you should absolutely appreciate. You can listen to full episodes of The Athletic Football Show for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and watch on YouTube. (Top Photo:)
