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Giants' Brian Daboll emerges from dark place well-versed on QBs, draft

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll has spent a lot of time in a dark place -- the film room -- since the end of the regular season, and he's already reaping the benefits.

Daboll emerged from the film room on Tuesday morning at the NFL annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., one of the first times this offseason anyone spotted him without a clicker in his hand.

Daboll said he personally watched every snap in 13-year veteran Russell Wilson's career -- over 10,000 and more than 7,400 pass plays -- to become familiar with exactly where he excels and what the Giants' playcaller might need to avoid as Wilson gets to work with his fourth NFL team.

"Did a lot of work on him," Daboll said. "He makes good decisions with the football. He's athletic. He's a little bit older -- so maybe not as athletic as '13 and '14 -- but certainly has ability to use his legs, extend plays, create explosive plays."

The Giants brought back Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen with a stern directive to fix the QB position. It's a hard reset that began last November, where Daniel Jones' six-year run with the franchise ended with his outright release. Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito didn't fare well behind a line besieged by injuries and weren't fully healthy themselves.

The Giants are still addressing the QB depth chart, even after Wilson and Jameis Winston signed, and Daboll doesn't rule out the possibility of selecting a prospect with the No. 3 pick in the draft. He doesn't expect the Giants to trade out of the No. 3 slot, even to move up for Miami's Cam Ward, but with three more weeks to go, Daboll also said there are numerous questions left to answer.

"The face of a franchise is a quarterback, and it's not an easy position to evaluate. It's not an easy position to coach. It's not an easy position to play," Daboll said. "You do the best job you can to try to find the right one for your team."

Daboll won't be on the road -- Colorado's Shedeur Sanders is among the top prospects in the draft and has a pro day Friday -- but said he's hosted a number of private workouts with quarterbacks in the 2025 draft class. And he's been seeing plenty of Ward and Sanders in the film room, scratching notes and creating reports that could be useful if the Giants opt to add to the QB room.

"We've got three weeks to keep grinding on them. They're good players. They're good people," Daboll said.

His film study of Sanders includes throws to a player Daboll can't hide his affinity for: Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. A wide receiver and cornerback at Colorado, Hunter has piqued the Giants' interest and is the No. 1 prospect in the draft, according to ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr.

Hunter had 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a receiver to go with four interceptions and 11 passes defensed at cornerback.

But would New York dare to double up on top-10 picks at wide receiver with 2024 sixth overall pick Malik Nabers on the roster?

Well, the answer to that question lies at the end of a few thousand more plays, Daboll said.

"There's a lot of tape. It's really remarkable what he has done and the ability to perform at that level not really getting a rest," Daboll said. "He's been a fun player to evaluate and to meet and talk with. He's a heck of a player."

Reports: Vote on tush push ban tabled by owners

NFL owners are tabling a vote on whether to ban the "tush push" play at the annual league meetings in Palm Beach, Fla., multiple outlets reported Tuesday.

The Green Bay Packers had proposed a ban on the play, which the Philadelphia Eagles and quarterback Jalen Hurts, especially, run with great success in short-yardage situations. The Packers' proposal sought "to prohibit any offensive player from pushing a teammate who was lined up directly behind the snapper and receives the snap, immediately at the snap."

The decision not to vote now does not mean the issue won't be put before owners in the future. It means the owners could hold further discussions and the proposal could return with modifications.

Concerns about player safety -- particularly the possibility of neck injuries because of the way both offensive and defensive players must position their bodies during the play -- has fueled the thought of a potential ban.

"I think certainly the medical professionals at the league have high concerns about putting players in positions that could lead to catastrophic injuries," Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said, per The Athletic. "I think this is something that needs to be discussed and we need to be proactive with it rather than be reactive on that.

"I think we owe it to our players. It's not about success. It's about safety here."

Not everyone agrees, including Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen.

"I'm not in favor of taking it out. I think it's good for the game," Steichen said, according to The Athletic. "What (the Eagles) do, they do it better than anyone. Other teams are doing it. Buffalo's doing it. I think it's been around for a long time, to be completely honest, because when you're on the half-yard line and backed up, you gotta run a QB sneak. People (are) usually back there pushing."

Cowboys expect Micah Parsons at voluntary workouts amid negotiations

Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said he expects star Micah Parsons to take part in the team's voluntary offseason workouts despite ongoing contract negotiations.

The workouts begin Monday.

The Dallas Morning News reported late last week that Parsons was seeking a record-setting $200 million contract extension that would make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. And while there had been thoughts that the pass rusher would hold out of team activities until a deal is done, Schottenheimer said at the NFL annual meeting in Florida that he didn't think so.

"Hey, look, at the end of the day this is a business and when you're dealing with the money that's being tossed around, not just with Micah but with the big-name players, negotiations sometimes take time," the first-year coach said, per ESPN. "I feel very comfortable. Micah said he's going to be around. I think that he wants to be. I think we're all very comfortable with that."

With the departure of longtime defensive leader DeMarcus Lawrence, Parsons has a chance to fill that void.

"Micah's excited about the opportunity to step up in a leadership role," Schottenheimer said. "There's no reason he shouldn't. The best teams I've ever been around, their best players are their best leaders, and so again, I think the more you're around, the more you have a chance to influence the guys, and not just the guys that are back but there's a bunch of new faces. We've added the free agency group. We're going to add some guys in the draft. That's a part of the puzzle. But I know he's excited about that. I think that's one of the reasons why he will be around."

Parsons, 25, recorded 12 sacks, 43 tackles and two forced fumbles in 13 games (all starts) last season.

A Pro Bowl selection in each of his first four seasons in the league, Parsons has totaled 256 tackles (63 for loss), 112 quarterback hits, 52.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 63 career games (all starts).

Bill Parcells selected to Patriots Hall of Fame

Former New England head coach Bill Parcells will be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame as a contributor.

Franchise owner Robert Kraft made the announcement Tuesday in a news release.

Parcellls guided the Patriots to a 32-32 regular-season record from 1993-96. While the .500 mark pales by comparison to what was to come for the franchise under Bill Belichick, it marked a turning point for New England, which was 14-50 in the four seasons before his arrival.

"In the early 1990s, the Patriots were in disarray," Kraft said. "But the hiring of Bill Parcells in 1993, a two-time Super Bowl champion, brought instant credibility to the franchise. We had never had a head coach with his credentials. He was a master motivator and always got the most out of his players. In my first season as owner, he led us on that unforgettable seven-game win streak to qualify for the playoffs.

"Two years later, he accomplished something Patriots fans had never seen before, leading us to our first two home playoff wins in franchise history, and another trip to the Super Bowl. Those are memories I will never forget and achievements worthy of this honor. As a five-time finalist for our Hall of Fame, I am sure he would have been voted in eventually, but I wanted to expedite the process so he can enjoy the ceremony. I look forward to welcoming Bill back to Foxborough and celebrating his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame."

The Patriots' honor comes 12 years after Parcells, now 83, was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is the only coach in NFL history to lead four different teams to the playoffs and three different teams to a conference championship game.

Parcells had a career 172-130-1 record with the New York Giants (1983-90 with two Super Bowl wins), Patriots, New York Jets (1997-99) and Dallas Cowboys (2003-06).

Kirk Cousins not expected for Falcons' offseason workouts

Kirk Cousins wants to be a starting quarterback, which he made clear in one-on-one meetings with Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, owner Arthur Blank and his head coach.

Raheem Morris said Tuesday the Falcons are still comfortable keeping Cousins as the backup to Michael Penix Jr., but after those meetings the likelihood of Cousins playing in Atlanta remains unlikely at best. There's even less of a chance Cousins will attend offseason voluntary workouts, Morris said.

"I'm not going to be foolish to think that he's going to show up for voluntary work," the coach said Tuesday at the NFL's annual league meeting. "Right now, we're dealing with a businesslike mode. ... We're dealing with that type of feel. I don't think he'll be there. If he is, we'll welcome him with open arms. But I'm not going to be foolish enough to make myself get worked up and angry about Kirk Cousins missing voluntary workouts."

Cousins is not expected to waive his no-trade clause until after the 2025 NFL Draft later this month to avoid finding himself back in the same position he encountered in Atlanta. After signing a four-year, $180 million contract in March 2024, the Falcons surprised the former Washington and Minnesota Vikings starter by drafting Penix with the No. 8 overall pick.

The Falcons started the season 6-3, but a nosedive Cousins told NFL Network coincided with a shoulder injury prompted Morris to turn the offense over to Penix with three games left in the regular season. Penix went 1-2.

That's the thrust of the conundrum for Cousins -- and the Falcons, who are on the hook for $27.5 million guaranteed in 2025 with $10 million more due as a roster bonus in 2026. He turns 37 in mid-August and a team with an opening at the position would need to rewind his 2024 game film to before a dismal five-game stretch in November and December where Cousins had a record of 1-4, was sacked 11 times and threw nine interceptions and one touchdown pass.

Even the most QB-needy teams are not expected to knock on Fontenot's door and take on Cousins' deal as comprised. That's why the GM and Morris have taken a position that they'll go into the season with Cousins as a backup.

"I do know he would like to try to be a starter at some point," Morris said. "That's definitely been clearly communicated with me and whoever else he had an opportunity to talk to. I do know that. The way about that, I'm not sure. But we have to figure those things out. We have to get to that process."

Richard Sherman shares images of gunmen breaking into home

Former All-Pro NFL cornerback Richard Sherman on Monday took to social media to share security footage and stills of armed gunmen breaking into his home with his family inside.

ABC News reported that the break-in occurred on Sunday evening, Sherman's 37th birthday.

"House being robbed at gun point with my family in it isn't what anyone wants for a birthday gift," Sherman posted on X.com. "Scary situation that my wife handled masterfully and kept my kids safe. If anyone has any info that can help find these people please reach out."

The security footage shows three armed men breaking through a window in Sherman's home.

Per ABC, no arrests have been made.

The five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro currently works as an analyst for Amazon Prime Video.

Selected in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by Seattle, Sherman went on to star for the Seahawks for seven seasons, winning a Super Bowl in 2014. He also played three seasons for the San Francisco 49ers (2018-20) and one season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2021).

Jameis Winston ‘ready for anything’; Giants not ruling out QB at No. 3

Though the New York Giants have signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this spring, another quarterback early in the draft is not off the table.

However, general manager Joe Schoen made clear he isn't going to "force" taking a quarterback that early in the draft, setting a high bar for such a selection.

"Yeah, if you're talking about where we're picking, you'd like that guy to be able to be a franchise quarterback that you can win with, you're winning the NFC East every year," Schoen said. "The ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl if you're taking a guy that high, so they have to be able to check (all) those boxes."

Schoen added that the Giants are in a position to take the best player available at No. 3, regardless of position.

The Giants are picking behind the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, two quarterback-needy teams, and Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders are the two QB prospects universally projected to be high picks.

Giants owner John Mara said at the start of the offseason that finding a "quarterback of the future" was their No. 1 priority. Since then, New York signed ex-Super Bowl champion Wilson, 36, and former No. 1 overall pick-turned-journeyman Winston, 31.

Wilson said in his introductory press conference that he expects to be New York's starter. Schoen said Monday that the team didn't guarantee to Wilson that it wouldn't also draft a quarterback.

"I didn't tell him what we're going to do at (Pick) 3, but I said we're open to everything," Schoen said. "So yeah, you can't give a promise that you're not going to take a certain position or something like that. That's not fair.

"We can go any which direction. We can go play a game right now. So, it doesn't force you into a corner or force you to have to take something based on needs, so gives us optionality to go many different directions."

Winston met with reporters Monday and said he was looking for a team that could offer a starting or "bridge" quarterback role. The Giants signed him before adding Wilson.

"My role was explained to me as there is an opportunity at the quarterback position that we're looking forward to getting better at," Winston said. "I signed up for that because I'm looking forward to getting better and being my very best self myself.

"So that's how was it. I didn't get a clean explanation of my role because I played so many different roles already. I've played every role that the quarterback room has to offer, so I'm ready for anything."

Winston said he had a good relationship with Wilson, revealing that Wilson once let him have a look at how "Russ ran his enterprise, ran his businesses, how he took care of his body and how he trained and what did he do to go into his mental approach."

If the Giants add a quarterback in the draft, at No. 3 or in a later round, Winston will be happy to play the mentor.

"Me having that experience, being in rooms with great veteran quarterbacks such as Ryan Fitzpatrick, being in rooms with ... Derek Carr, Deshaun Watson last year, having the chance to mentor Dorian Thompson-Robinson when he had a chance to get back in his starting role with the Cleveland Browns. I've been able to learn so many different things from my time, my career," Winston said.

"So catering to a young quarterback and serving them would be something that I would definitely take on with a great responsibility and cherish it."

Raiders expect new deal for QB Geno Smith 'fairly soon'

No deal is in place yet to keep quarterback Geno Smith in a Raiders uniform past the upcoming season, but Las Vegas general manager John Spytek said Monday he is confident such a deal will come "fairly soon."

"We really look forward to having him not just this year, but for the years to come," Spytek told reporters at the NFL's annual spring meeting in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Smith, 34, was traded to Las Vegas earlier this month after being unable to come to terms with the Seattle Seahawks on an extension. He has one year and $31 million remaining on a three-year, $75 million deal signed in March 2023.

A full-time starter in Seattle the past three seasons with two Pro Bowl nods, Smith was reunited with former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, whom the Raiders hired this offseason. Carroll, 73, was out of coaching last year after mutually agreeing with the Seahawks to step down as head coach. He stayed on as an adviser.

"We're working on it," Carroll said of an extension for Smith.

The Raiders are not ruling out taking a quarterback with their nine picks in the upcoming NFL draft, but the acquisition of Smith takes away some of the pressure.

"We could take one anywhere, but I feel like we got a guy that can go play football right now," Spytek said of Smith. "So, the need and anxiety at that position is not as high as it was a month ago."

Smith was Carroll's starting quarterback his final two seasons, piloting the Seahawks to matching 9-8 records after taking over for Russell Wilson, who was traded away before the 2022 season.

That year, his first as a full-time starter in Seattle, was Smith's most successful, as he threw for 4,282 yards and a career-high 30 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, leading the Seahawks to the playoffs.

The follow-up year netted fewer passing yards (3,624) and touchdowns (20) as Smith missed two games to injury. Last year, under new coach Mike Macdonald, Smith rebounded to throw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns (albeit with 15 interceptions) while leading Seattle to a 10-7 record.

Smith was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round in 2013 after a highly productive college career at West Virginia. He started 29 games over his first two seasons before being relegated to the bench, bouncing to the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers before landing in Seattle in 2019.

Las Vegas was 4-13 under former head coach Antonio Pierce last season. Gardner Minshew II, Aidan O'Connell and Desmond Ridder each started games at quarterback.

Colts QBs Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones to split reps

Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen confirmed plans for a quarterback competition between incumbent Anthony Richardson and new signing Daniel Jones.

Steichen said Monday the QBs will share first-team practice reps starting in the offseason.

"Who's the most consistent, who's the most productive will be the starter," Steichen said at the NFL annual meeting in West Palm Beach, Fla.

The Colts signed Jones to a one-year, $14 million contract as the hand-selected competitor to Richardson. Jones spent six years with the New York Giants and finished last season with the Minnesota Vikings.

New York benched Jones in November and then waived him at his request before he joined the Vikings' practice squad.

In Indianapolis, the sixth overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft will battle it out with the fourth overall selection of 2023, Richardson, who's had two tumultuous years with the Colts.

Jones has thrown for 14,582 yards, 70 touchdowns and 47 interceptions in 70 career games (69 starts). He's also racked up 2,179 rushing yards and 15 scores on the ground.

"If you look at (Jones') skillset, he can run the football with the zone read game, obviously can throw the football as well," Steichen said. "Career completion percentage is 64 percent, which is pretty good, has had some production, won a playoff game, high football IQ -- really high football IQ -- which is really good."

Richardson made 11 starts in 2024 and threw for 1,814 yards, eight TDs and 12 picks, adding 499 yards and six TDs rushing.

General manager Chris Ballard wouldn't put a timeline on naming a starter and said he envisions a 50/50 split within a practice, rather than rotating who is the No. 1 quarterback in practice day by day.

"I think it'll be pretty seamless," Ballard said. "I think with any competition, you gotta spend the reps evenly and then everybody make a decision on who's going to be the guy."

49ers GM optimistic Brock Purdy contract can be done in April

Signing Brock Purdy to a long-term contract extension by mid-April is a reasonable goal, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said Monday at the NFL annual spring meeting in Florida.

"Brock wants to be with us," Lynch said. "We want Brock to be with us."

Purdy, 25, has taken the 49ers to the playoffs twice in three seasons, finishing his rookie year with a loss -- and an elbow injury -- in the 2023 NFC Championship game before piloting San Francisco to the Super Bowl in his second season.

After San Francisco missed the playoffs and posted a 6-11 record in 2024, Purdy enters the final year of his rookie contract with both sides stating their interest in completing a deal likely to bring the 2022 seventh-round pick a raise equal to about 10 times his current base salary. Because of his on-field performance, his pay for next season is up from $985,000 in 2024 to $5.346 million in 2025.

Purdy said at the end of the season he hoped for a no-drama negotiation that would be wrapped up before training camp. Lynch suggested a deal could reasonably be finished before the draft.

"I don't think it's too optimistic," Lynch said of signing Purdy in the next month. "I think I understand why Brock wants that, and we'd like that, very much so. We just got to find that right place for both sides and I would love nothing more than for that to be the case."

Lynch said he knows there are no guarantees in contract negotiations but has no plan to delay contract talks because of Purdy's modest salary.

"I think we are going to get the deal done," Lynch said. "That's what I believe, so I'll just leave it at that."

Dolphins expect WR Tyreek Hill back as better leader

A direct demand from Tyreek Hill to be traded, followed by a mea culpa, opened the door to questions about whether the All-Pro wide receiver and Miami Dolphins were staying together.

Head coach Mike McDaniel dismissed suggestions the Dolphins might part with Hill, who was adamant he wanted out of Miami when the 2024 season ended with the team outside the playoff picture at 8-9. It was the first season in Hill's nine-year NFL career with the Chiefs and Dolphins that ended without at least one playoff game.

Hill played through a wrist injury and had surgery after the season. He followed up an All-Pro campaign in 2023, when he had 1,799 receiving yards, with 959 in 2024.

McDaniel said he would be fine with Hill coming back -- and serving as a captain, if he can prove to teammates he's dedicated to making sure the Dolphins return to their winning ways.

"I think that's what Tyreek's up for ... up for the challenge, because Tyreek wants to set the standard of what type of competitors we have," McDaniel said.

"I think in that scenario, I would be pumped if he was voted captain. Because I think that Tyreek, being accountable for who he is as a competitor and what he's learned from in his journey, I think that means that his teammates have seen him completely ... embraced the whole process of, ‘Hey, I'm a human being. This is wrong. This is right. This is how we want to do things.'"

McDaniel said the Dolphins are encouraged Hill was recently cleared to begin running, but they'll take their time asking him to do much more than that during offseason workouts.

"We'll gradually work him into catching the football and going through that process so that at the end of the offseason program, we should be able to get that work that we were unable to this season before," McDaniel said.

Browns co-owner: Deshaun Watson trade a 'swing and miss'

Three years after giving up a king's ransom to bring quarterback Deshaun Watson to Cleveland, Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam admitted Monday that it was a mistake.

"We took a big swing and miss with Deshaun," he said at the league meeting in Palm Beach, Fla. "We thought we had the quarterback, we didn't, and we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we've got to dig ourselves out of that hole. (It) was an entire organization decision and it ends with Dee (Haslam, Jimmy's wife and franchise co-owner) and I, so hold us accountable."

The Browns acquired Watson from the Texans in March 2022, despite the quarterback being accused of committing sexual improprieties with multiple massage therapists in the Houston area. Cleveland sent Houston first-round draft picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024, along with a 2023 third-round pick, and fourth-round picks in 2022 and 2024 in exchange for Watson and a 2024 sixth-round pick.

After the trade, the Browns signed Watson, who then had three Pro Bowl selections to his credit, to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract. He is still owed $92 million.

In return, Watson has compiled a 9-10 record while starting only 19 of 51 possible regular-season games due to injuries and an 11-game suspension related to the sexual assault allegations. In those games, he has completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

After tearing an Achilles in January for the second time in less than a year, the 29-year-old is expected to miss most or all of the 2025 season.

The Browns finally have a first-round draft pick and own the No. 2 overall selection in the draft, to be held April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

With only Watson and Kenny Pickett on the roster, the Browns need a long-term solution at quarterback. But Haslam said the Browns won't draft a quarterback if there isn't one available whom they believe is the QB1 of the future.

"It would be great if we could get ‘the quarterback,' but we're not going to force it," Haslam said. "We're going to be patient and we're going to try to accumulate as many really good football players as we can."

Bills end contract talks with RB James Cook

The Buffalo Bills have halted contract talks with running back James Cook, who is seeking an extension worth $15 million per season.

"I don't see us getting something done anytime soon. We're onto the draft. Just because we don't get something done this year doesn't mean we can't get something done before he's a free agent," general manager Brandon Beane said at the NFL league meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

A deal for $15 million per season would rank Cook third among NFL running backs behind the Philadelphia Eagles' Saquon Barkley ($20.6 million per season) and the San Francisco 49ers' Christian McCaffrey ($19 million).

Cook is due to make $5.3 million in the fourth and final season of his rookie deal in 2025. He would become an unrestricted free agent in 2026 if he doesn't get a new deal with Buffalo.

Cook, 25, made the Pro Bowl and rushed for more than 1,000 yards for the second straight season in 2024, leading the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns.

He has rushed for 2,638 yards and 20 TDs and caught 97 passes for 883 yards and seven scores in 49 games since being drafted in the second round in 2022.

NFL to explore playing a game in Middle East

The NFL is exploring the possibility of playing a regular-season game in the United Arab Emirates.

Peter O'Reilly, the league's executive vice president, confirmed there is "strong interest" in hosting a game in Dubai or Abu Dhabi during a news conference on Monday at the NFL owners meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

"We don't know the timing, and it's really an ‘if' in terms of whether we'll play a game there. What I will say is that's a market where there's strong interest in our game on a year-round basis. ... It's a market we'll continue to explore," O'Reilly said.

"We've done some exploratory trips there to understand the viability of a potential regular-season game in the market, but we've got more work to do there in terms of what that looks like over this next stretch."

As part of the NFL International Series, games were played in Brazil, England and Germany in 2024. All three nations are on the schedule again in 2025, along with Spain and Ireland. Australia will host a game in 2026.

The league expanded its global markets program on Monday by granting international marketing rights in the UAE to the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders.

Vikings HC: QB1 role not yet earned; vetting Aaron Rodgers was no-brainer

When the 2025 regular season begins, the Minnesota Vikings envision J.J. McCarthy as their QB1.

But as head coach Kevin O'Connell said at the NFL's annual spring meeting on Monday in West Palm Beach, Fla., that prominent distinction has yet to be earned.

"I feel really, really positive about the path we're going to take with J.J. from a development standpoint, from an acceleration of reps," O'Connell said. "And he's going to benefit from an offseason worth of reps from the offseason program to obviously training camp and being in a competitive situation when our quarterback room is all finalized."

Even as the Vikings entertained signing free agent Aaron Rodgers, O'Connell was in touch with McCarthy in "borderline real time" to apprise him of any developments. Rodgers, who remains unsigned, has maintained contact with O'Connell since their playing days and made the initial contact with Minnesota after he was released by the New York Jets.

O'Connell said the Vikings have high expectations for McCarthy but decided, as a franchise, they didn't want to resist vetting Rodgers as an option to safeguard McCarthy.

"... Aaron Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP and somebody who, not just myself, but we've all had so much respect for competing against him," O'Connell explained. "And he happened to be at a point in time in his career where he was free to have some real dialogue about what his future may look like. And we happened to be one of those teams that he reached out to."

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made it clear the preferred outcome of the offseason shuffling at the quarterback position would be McCarthy stepping into the starting role. He was essentially a professional redshirt in 2024 after being drafted 10th overall because of a post-draft knee surgery, and Sam Darnold went 14-3 to put the Vikings in the NFC playoffs as a wild card.

McCarthy took mostly "visual reps" but was in quarterback meetings and game-planning sessions to become intricately familiar with O'Connell's communication style, expectations and vast offensive playbook.

"I think it's a responsibility for me as the playcaller to make sure I'm building rapport in addition to demanding a standard of the position from a very early time here with J.J. that I think he's going to meet, and challenge himself to meet, on a daily basis," O'Connell said. "Very much excited to see him do that."

Pats DT Christian Barmore (blood clots) expected at voluntary program

New England Patriots starting defensive tackle Christian Barmore, who was limited to just four games last season because of an issue with blood clots, is expected to join the team next week for its voluntary offseason program.

That's according to first-year head coach Mike Vrabel, who talked with reporters Monday at the NFL's annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

Vrabel said he saw Barmore, 25, recently and could tell by the lineman's "energy and presence" that he was feeling better but that medical staff would continue to monitor him.

"It's something very serious. We take the health of our players extremely serious, especially when you're talking about something like blood clots," Vrabel said, adding the team would develop a plan for him.

Barmore, taken by the Patriots in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, missed the first 10 games last season. He played in four games, then missed the rest of the season due to a recurrence of the blood clots.

In 48 career games (11 starts), Barmore has 13.5 sacks, 139 tackles, 33 QB hits and one forced fumble. He signed four-year, $83 million contract extension with the franchise on April 29, 2024.

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel enamored with OT options in draft

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel admits he likes the options expected to be available when New England is on the clock with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 draft.

He just doesn't know exactly who will still be on the board.

"You tell me who goes 1, 2 and 3, and I'll tell you who goes 4," Vrabel said Monday at the NFL's annual spring meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.

New England didn't add a left tackle in free agency and Vrabel confesses the "draft is a good option for us" to fill what is viewed as a glaring need. The Patriots signed 34-year-old Morgan Moses to play right tackle, and the Patriots plan to give Caedan Wallace an opportunity to compete for a starting job, Vrabel said.

While not ruling out a trade down from No. 4, the top offensive tackle prospects in the draft -- LSU's Will Campbell and Missouri's Armand Membou -- are names Vrabel has heavily studied.

"They're great young, talented players that have great film. Will has a lot of snaps at left tackle. Membou has played right, but there's a lot of guys that have played right and left and switched. Those are two good young players to talk about in that conversation," Vrabel said.

Campbell's wingspan of less than 78 inches was a red flag at the NFL Scouting Combine and his arm length of 32 5/8 inches is well under the prototype baseline most teams follow. Vrabel insisted Campbell's college film at LSU proved he can play left tackle in the NFL. He also indicated there are no doubts in the Patriots' building that Membou, a 332-pound freakish athlete who played right tackle at Missouri, can operate on quarterback Drake Maye's blindside.

Vrabel went out of his way to warn media to "be careful" projecting the Patriots to pick a player at the position because it's viewed as a dire need. He said personnel boss Eliot Wolf and the scouting staff are focused on adding premium talent regardless of position, which could include wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter of Colorado.

The Patriots have Hunter ranked as the No. 1 wide receiver in the draft. New England wouldn't insist on Hunter converting to offense full-time after he played both ways at Colorado, logging more than 100 snaps per game as a two-way star and Heisman Trophy winner. New England isn't joining the debate about how difficult the double workload would be in the NFL, because there is no true precedent, Vrabel said.

"We've never seen a player necessarily do it," Vrabel said. "There are some things that he can improve on by probably concentrating more on just one position, but never going to put any restrictions on Travis or any player. We'd be open to playing everybody that we had at more than one position, anything that would help the football team."

Vrabel said defensive tackle Christian Barmore is cleared to participate in voluntary team workouts and would be closely monitored in his upramp to return from a blood clotting condition. Barmore, 25, experienced recurring symptoms in December after playing four games and his future was uncertain. Vrabel said Monday that the Patriots have "a great plan for him" now that he's feeling better.

Titans remain undecided at No. 1, not rushing decision

Titans coach Brian Callahan claimed the franchise is undecided on plans for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and insists Tennessee is open to trade offers less than a month before their selection is made.

Callahan pointed to plans on the team calendar for the Colorado pro day, where they'll finalize assessments of wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders as part of the final phase of their draft process.

"We're going to do our due diligence," Callahan said Monday at the NFL's annual spring meeting in Palm Beach, Fla. "Whatever we're doing doesn't have to do with any specific player. I wouldn't say it precludes anybody. We're just making sure the process is done the right way."

Miami quarterback Cam Ward is considered the most likely option for the Titans. Callahan, entering his second season with the Titans, was with the Cincinnati Bengals when the franchise picked Joe Burrow first overall in 2020.

"We're open to everything at this point," Callahan said. "If it's something you feel is beyond the value you ever thought you could get that's one thing. But you also have to look at what a potential quarterback could look like. Those guys, to me, are priceless."

Ward's pro day was his third known gathering with Titans' officials, who also met with him at the NFL Scouting Combine in February and hosted him in Nashville in March. Callahan said they've also scheduled another video call with Ward to exhaust all available options.

Even with Colorado's pro day ahead on Friday, general manager Mike Borgonzi disclosed at the combine that the Titans had already set their draft board with "only small moves" up or down likely because of the amount of film study and research the scouting staff had done on the class.

Borgonzi, groomed by the Chiefs the past 15 years and part of the organization when Patrick Mahomes was selected, spoke highly of Ward and Hunter. He has not indicated the door is closed on holdover quarterback Will Levis. However, Callahan and Borgonzi have been careful not to commit to Levis, either.

The head coach and GM were part of the Titans' contingent that also included offensive coordinator Nick Holz at Ward's pro day.

Ravens plan to make Lamar Jackson NFL's highest-paid player

Lamar Jackson could be back at the front of the line as the NFL's highest-paid player soon, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said Monday.

Harbaugh said at the NFL annual spring meeting that Baltimore is in discussions with Jackson, who signed a five-year, $260 million contract in 2023. That fully guaranteed deal has salary-cap figures of $74.65 million in 2026 and 2027, and it's possible the two sides are eyeing the deal Bills quarterback Josh Allen signed as a benchmark.

"The value is the top," Harbaugh said. "When Lamar gets paid, he's going to be the highest-paid player in football, just like he was last time. I think every contract he signs till he decides to hang up his cleats, he's going to be that guy."

Jackson, 28, is a two-time NFL MVP and finished second to Allen in the 2024 MVP voting by a margin of four first-place votes. It was the tightest MVP vote since 2003, when Peyton Manning and Steve McNair were named co-MVP.

Allen signed a $330 million deal with $250 million in guarantees. His annual average salary of $55 million is equal to Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Packers quarterback Jordan Love. Dak Prescott's contract in Dallas averages $60 million per year.

At the moment, Jackson is ninth in the NFL in AAV at $52 million. Addressing his contract opens the Ravens to be able to do business with other soon-to-be free agents. Safety Kyle Hamilton and tight ends Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews are high on that list.

"There's been conversations about that internally, I know. How far along that is or whatever, I don't know," Harbaugh said of the potential timing of Jackson's new contract. "That's going to continue to have to be addressed, really with all those guys. You have to manage that dance, the salary-cap dance. Lamar is the main part of that because he's the franchise player. That's a possibility, I think. Sooner or later, definitely it's going to have to happen."

Steelers keeping QB options open, with or without Aaron Rodgers

The Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback position is a work in progress, and coach Mike Tomlin said that signing Aaron Rodgers, the most prominent free agent in a thin market, is only one possible option.

The Steelers met with the 41-year-old Rodgers, a four-time NFL Most Valuable Player, on March 21 for a reported six hours. Tomlin met with media for the first time since then on Sunday at the NFL's annual meeting in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Tomlin called it "a really good day" spent with a player he has known for some time. As far as a timetable, however, the coach said there's no deadline for Rodgers to work out a deal with the Steelers from the team's perspective.

"I really wanted to spend more of our time just getting to know him better, and things that he values as a player and a man, and what he might be looking for with his next stop," Tomlin said. "I don't know that we've approached it from a deadline perspective. Certainly, as I mentioned, you'd like to have settled circumstances, but deadlines can often bring that to a head."

Tomlin called free agency a process, which has led Pittsburgh to bring back former Steelers QB Mason Rudolph, who played last season with Tennessee, and another veteran, former Miami Dolphin Skylar Thompson.

The Steelers' 2024 quarterback room has emptied, as Russell Wilson and Justin Fields were on one-year deals as they split starts, and Kyle Allen was a reserve. Wilson signed with the New York Giants and Fields went to Rodgers' former team, the New York Jets. Allen signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions. The high turnover at the QB position has gone on for two seasons.

"Oftentimes, I say ‘Two is a pattern.' It's a cliche that I use in coaching, but I don't know that I'm alarmed by that as it pertains to this discussion," Tomlin said. "We're just simply trying to put together the very best team that we can put together for 2025. Last year, we had a group in that room that were on one-year deals, and so the possibility of what we're doing right now was a real thing. But that's just one isolated scenario. If we're having similar conversations next year at this time, it's probably more of a discussion for us."

Tomlin is not glossing over the addition of Rudolph, 29, as a potential starter, as he was signed to a two-year contract.

"We're optimistic about the room that we're constructing. Obviously, we're excited about having Mason Rudolph back," Tomlin said. "But certainly we're going to continue to explore all our options in terms of rounding that room out."

That includes adding another free agent or selecting a QB in the draft. Rodgers, who was released by the Jets on March 12 and has not said whether he wants to continue playing, has the decided edge in experience.

He passed for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2024, returning from a season-ending Achilles injury suffered in his first game with the Jets in September 2023.

The 10-time Pro Bowl selection ranks fifth in league history in touchdown passes (503) and seventh in passing yards (62,952).

"We're still evaluating the acquisition of a guy at that position, whether it's free agency and/or the draft, and so we're doing our due diligence, communicating with some free agents, also preparing for the draft," Tomlin said. "(GM) Omar (Khan) and I just got off on a nice tour here last week where we were at Notre Dame, Ohio State and Texas, for example, our last three trips. I think all three of those institutions have quarterbacks that are draft-eligible, and so it's been a good process for us."