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Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Jalen McMillan bounced back from a scary neck injury last season that could have jeopardized his career. Now, with the injury fully in the past, the third-year pro is ready to take advantage of more opportunities.

“I am happy,” McMillan said last week, via Pewter Report. “Just to be out there and to catch balls from Baker (Mayfield) and just to run on my feet, I feel good. … I am definitely taking appreciation for the small things and celebrating small wins and call my mom and dad every day. I am not taking any relationship for granted, so life has been good.

“I had to sit in my bed and wonder, ‘Is my neck going to heal correctly?’ So, as soon as I was given the opportunity to play again, I knew that I could not look back and there was no time to be nervous and no time to be thinking about anything.”

McMillan, a third-round pick in 2024, got off to a smashing start in his rookie campaign, generating eight touchdowns on 37 catches with 461 yards in 13 games. A preseason neck injury caused him to miss all but four games last season, but he showed fearlessness following his return, earning 12 catches for 178 yards, including a seven-catch, 114-yard Week 17 game against Miami.

With Mike Evans leaving for San Francisco, McMillan’s role is set to increase. At 6-foot-1, McMillan doesn’t replace Evans’ size, and he isn’t a burner, but the demonstrated ability to make contested catches and stretch the field will fill a needed role. With new OC Zac Robinson noting that he views Emeka Egbuka as primarily a Z-receiver, and Chris Godwin doing his best work out of the slot, McMillan could see significant reps at the X spot. At the very least, he should rotate at that position, providing the chance to make plays in Tampa’s offense.

Last week, coach Todd Bowles glowed about McMillan’s mental hardiness.

“Jalen’s tough. His mental toughness is unbelievable,” Bowles said. “His competitiveness, the way he attacks the ball, the way he fights for every route and tries to get open and wants to be ‘that guy,’ you know, that gives you a lot of confidence that he’ll be doing that in the games.”

McMillan looked poised for a significant role last year before injuries struck. With Evans gone, the 24-year-old could make good on those projections a year later.

The Caleb Downs offseason hype continues following the safety’s arrival in Dallas.

Pitched as a key playmaker in the Cowboys’ revamped defense, Downs has received near-unanimous praise in seemingly every aspect, from playmaking ability to leadership qualities. Jerry Jones had the most notable quote this offseason, comparing Downs’ leadership abilities to those of quarterback Dak Prescott.

The QB didn’t reject the comparison when asked over the weekend by the Dallas Morning News.

“Just honestly, I can say in just the month, or whatever, I’ve been around the kid and watching the kid, hell, I think I take it as a compliment when those comparisons come around,” Prescott said.

As the Cowboys worked through the early portion of voluntary offseason workouts, Downs earned praise for his confidence and demeanor.

“How professional he is, how calm he is; quiet, yet confident,” Prescott said. “It’s contagious. You feel it. He’s a man who’s sure of who he is. When you are that way in this business, you know you can speak up, speak out. You can say things you believe and age doesn’t really matter, because you know you’re doing the right thing.”

The Cowboys are set to begin voluntary OTAs on Monday, which brings increased on-field drills. While there is still no contact, the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills will provide some flashes of new defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s plans for Downs and the rest of the defense.

So far, during the mental-downloading portion of the offseason slate, Downs has passed with flying colors.

“He’s a guy that’s a leader just by the way that he carries himself and the way he approaches it,” Prescott said. “I know he’s leading that rookie class, but he understands the way that the locker room goes and what it means to earn veterans’ trust and to get their respect. He’s a humble kid that’s coming in there each and every day, quiet and grinding.”

When the Colts resided in Baltimore (and, often, atop the NFL), Raymond Berry was a fixture as arguably the game’s greatest receiver of the time.

Quiet and reserved in demeanor, Berry’s numbers were boisterous; when he finished his playing career in 1967, he was the league’s all-time leader in catches and receiving yards and was en route to a Pro Football Hall of Fame induction.

A Colts legend, two-time NFL champion and former New England Patriots head coach, Berry died on May 25 at the age of 93, the Hall of Fame announced Monday.

With Johnny Unitas leading the way, Berry was on the other end of one of the NFL’s first and greatest QB-WR combos. Following his playing career, Berry became a head coach of the New England Patriots for six seasons, guiding the franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance.

Across 13 seasons with the Colts, Berry was a six-time Pro Bowler at split end who led the league in receptions and receiving yards on three occasions apiece. It added up to 631 receptions, 9,275 yards and 68 touchdowns. A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 1973, Berry was also a three-time first-team All-Pro, a member of the Hall of Fame’s All-1950s Team and a member of the NFL’s All-Time 75th and 100th Anniversary squads.

A splendid route runner with the surest of hands, Berry overcame poor eyesight, a lack of speed and having to wear a back brace to turn in an amazing career that overflowed with statistical gaudiness in its time.

From 1956 to 1966, Berry turned in at least 600 receiving yards each season, and from 1957 to 1966, he had at least 40 catches every year.

Berry’s astonishing career is all the more amazing considering how it began. Berry, who had just 33 catches in three college seasons at Southern Methodist, was a skinny 6-foot-2, 187-pounder who was slow of step and long on odds to even make a Colts roster after the club took him in the 20th round of the 1954 NFL Draft. That was all in addition to him dealing with wearing a back brace and special shoes because one leg was shorter than the other due to a misalignment in his back.

Just as he seemingly always found a way to get open with his dazzling route running, Berry, a marvel of fundamental excellence who fumbled just once in his 13 seasons, found a way to become a Hall of Fame talent.

He and Unitas, who connected for 63 touchdowns, were a spectacular pairing that keyed the Colts’ back-to-back NFL Championships.

The first of those titles was claimed in one of the most legendary clashes in NFL annals.

Forever tabbed as “The Greatest Game Ever Played,” the 1958 NFL Championship Game saw the Colts, champions of the Western Conference, defeat the New York Giants, champions of the Eastern Conference, in sudden-death overtime, 23-17, at Yankee Stadium. It was the first league championship decided in sudden-death OT and is largely credited as the genesis of the NFL’s surge in popularity in the country, thanks to its cast of star players playing a nail-biter in a game televised nationally on NBC. The game concluded with a now famous Alan Ameche 1-yard plunge. However, in this showcase of the then-NFL poster franchises, it was Berry who turned in the finest performance in the clutch. Berry tallied 178 receiving yards and caught Unitas’ only TD pass of the game, while his 12 total receptions would stand as an NFL title-game record for 55 years.

Berry had two catches for 33 yards on the OT drive that set up Ameche’s score, but even more impressive was the game-tying drive in regulation. Unitas went to Berry on three straight plays, accounting for 62 yards and setting up a game-tying field goal.

A season later, the Colts beat the Giants again, this time at the Colts’ Memorial Stadium by way of a 31-16 final in which Berry had five catches for 68 yards.

Berry reached the NFL Championship Game one last time with the Colts, but they were thumped by the Cleveland Browns, 27-0, in the 1964 title game.

During his days in Baltimore, Berry played for two Hall of Fame coaches: Weeb Ewbank and Don Shula.

Berry retired after an injury-shortened 1967 campaign, but he didn’t leave the NFL behind.

He quickly transferred to coaching, where he would become a wide receiver coach for the Dallas Cowboys in 1968 under another future Hall of Famer, Tom Landry. He’d later coach receivers for the Detroit Lions, Browns and Patriots until the latter hired him as head coach ahead of the 1984 season.

In six seasons, Berry produced a 48-39 record that featured a string of four consecutive winning seasons. That run was highlighted by the franchise’s first Super Bowl appearance, but it unfortunately came against the iconic 1985 Chicago Bears, who ravaged Berry’s underdog Pats. It’s a Cinderella run often overlooked because it ended with a 46-10 loss to a legendary team. However, Berry’s Patriots, a wild-card entrant, were the first NFL team to make it to the Super Bowl by winning three games on the road. The last of those wins was a stunning upset of Shula and Dan Marino’s Miami Dolphins, who were the only team to defeat the Bears and seemed destined for a rematch with Chicago.

Another 11-5 regular season followed for Berry’s Patriots in 1986, but the AFC East champions lost in the opening round and the franchise wouldn’t return to the postseason until 1994. Berry was fired after the 1989 season under Patriots owner Victor Kiam, who had recently purchased the franchise, due to differences between Berry and then-GM Pat Sullivan over how to improve the team, reportedly including Berry’s refusal to name offensive and defensive coordinators.

Berry spent a couple more years in the league as a QB coach with the Lions and the Denver Broncos in 1991 and 1992, respectively.

When the NFL truly began its love affair with the country, Berry was a focal point of one of the league’s most popular and successful franchises. As time went on, the wide receiver position boasted some of the most colorful and boastful players there have ever been. That wasn’t Berry, though, and perhaps that’s why one half of the NFL’s first great QB-WR combo is so often overlooked when gazing back into history.

His numbers and contributions certainly spoke loud enough, though.

A quiet underdog from Texas, he overcame obstacles and conventions to become an all-time great whose accomplishments and tale of desire, perseverance and glory will be forever chronicled in Canton and beyond.

The Detroit Lions’ offseason offensive line overhaul keyed on moving All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell to the left side to replace veteran Taylor Decker.

While it’s early in the process, with no contact drills yet in offseason workouts, coach Dan Campbell expressed confidence that the move will be smooth.

“Good. He’s over there, he’s been really since — he’s been working it even being back home before we started offseason, once I gave him the word,” Campbell said Friday. “So, it’ll be like riding a bike for him. Will it be things he’ll have to learn? Yeah, of course there will be. But I mean, he has played left. That’s muscle memory. He played a lot of left in college and for us in ’21, those first few games. And he still took reps at left even over the last five years, so that’ll be seamless. That’ll be seamless. Sewell can do it all.”

Sewell started the first eight games of his rookie campaign at left tackle, when Decker was injured, before making the move to the right side, where he’s established himself as one of the best linemen in all of football. In his career, Sewell has played 683 snaps on the left side, per Pro Football Focus, 536 came in that rookie season.

Switching positions on the O-line isn’t as easy as some would make it out, but Sewell’s talent and previous experience give the Lions confidence that the move won’t diminish the All-Pro’s effect on the offense.

“His talent speaks for itself, and then he’s got all the intangibles, I mean that’s why he’s rare,” Campbell said. “He has all the skills, he has all the intangibles, and he works hard, man, he works hard. So he’s versatile, I mean, there’s a number of positions he could play. I think he could play guard if we want him to play guard. I’ve already told you he can play tight end if you need him to play tight end on some stuff. Just the big thing will be don’t overload him. … He’ll do whatever we ask him to do, he’s a team guy.”

The Lions drafting Blake Miller in the first round cemented Sewell’s move to the left side, and the addition of free-agent center Cade Mays should help stabilize the problematic middle of the line. The guard spots are held by 2024 sixth-rounder Christian Mahogany and 2025 second-rounder Tate Ratledge. Both are coming off up-and-down seasons, but the hope is that with better support, each can take a step forward in 2026.

“I like those guys. And it’s early, but Cade, man, he’s a good-looking dude, man,” Campbell said when asked if he’s confident the group will be better than last year. “He’s a big man, he’s built right, moves pretty good. And now it’s just getting up to speed with our terminology, the MIKE points, all that. But I like Cade, man, he’s a good fit for us. He’s a good fit for us. And same thing with Larry Borom, man. Moving Sewell over to left, I think for what you want from a young guy, talking about with where we are going in week six of offseason or whatever, I like where Ratledge is going. That’s good, it’s good. So I feel a guy that learned a lot and has grown, has taken some of those things, so that’s good. But yeah, we’ve got a lot of competition in there.”

Getting better line play is key for the Lions offense to get back on track after last year’s disappointing season.

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears are sticking with their current timeline for selecting a site for a new stadium amid an uncertain future for a proposal in the Illinois state legislature that would provide incentives for the NFL team to build its new home in the state.

The Illinois Senate passed a bill early Monday morning that would have cleared the way for Arlington Heights and Chicago to create local stadium authorities, creating a pathway for the Bears to avoid paying property taxes on a new stadium in Illinois. But the House adjourned without taking up the measure on the last day of the state’s spring legislative session.

The Bears said they are finalizing their evaluation of possible stadium sites in Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana, and they “remain on the late spring/early summer timeline.”

“We will provide an update when we have a decision to share,” the team said in its statement.

The twists and turns during the final days of Illinois’ spring legislative session were consistent with what has been a laborious stadium process for the Bears, a charter NFL franchise.

The team announced in September 2021 that they had signed a purchase agreement for 326 acres of land in Arlington Heights, about 30 miles northwest of Chicago. The $197 million deal with Churchill Downs Incorporated was finalized in 2023.

In September 2022, the team unveiled a nearly $5 billion plan for Arlington Heights that called for an enclosed stadium that could host Super Bowls and Final Fours. The conceptual illustrations also provided for a year-round entertainment district with restaurants and shopping.

But the Bears shifted their focus toward building a new stadium next to Soldier Field after Kevin Warren was hired as team president in January 2023, replacing the retiring Ted Phillips. The plan to transform Chicago’s Museum Campus got an enthusiastic endorsement from Mayor Brandon Johnson and a tepid reception from Gov. JB Pritzker and state legislators when it was announced in April 2024.

The team switched gears again in May 2025, announcing it had made “significant progress” with local leaders in Arlington Heights.

Amid lingering efforts to secure tax incentives in Illinois, along with as much as $855 million in public money for infrastructure at the Arlington Heights site, the Bears began to take a closer look at possible options in Northwest Indiana.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and state lawmakers jumped on the Bears’ interest. A state House of Representatives committee passed a bill in February that established a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to finance, construct and lease a stadium. The team said it was doing its due diligence on a tract of land near Wolf Lake in Hammond, Indiana.

The Bears said on May 21 that Hammond and Arlington Heights were the only sites under consideration, but some Illinois state lawmakers kept pushing for a plan that they hoped would make Chicago part of the conversation once again.

The Bears have played in Illinois since the team’s founding in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys. Since moving to Chicago in 1921, the Bears have never owned their stadium, whether playing at Wrigley Field from 1921 to 1970 or Soldier Field since.

The start of June marks 100 days until the beginning of the 2026 NFL regular season. And the past few months of team-building have given us plenty to look forward to in the fall.

Throughout the offseason, organizations have tirelessly worked to better their standing, with many hiring new coaching staffs and all retooling their rosters via free agency/trade/draft. No matter the approach, franchises have given their respective fan bases reason to believe ahead of the 2026 campaign. So, we ask the question:

Which buzz-generating team do you believe in most for the 2026 season?

PICK: Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati enters the season with the longest-tenured coach, best receiving corps and most recent Super Bowl appearance in the AFC North. Yes, the Bengals are coming off a 6-11 campaign, but they only had Joe Burrow for eight games, going 5-3 in those contests. The defensive additions — headlined by Dexter Lawrence — and a healthy, headstrong Burrow have Cincy sizzling with high expectations. The Bengals boast winning DNA. It’s time for that to show up on the field.

PICK: Dallas Cowboys

I ask, with much trepidation, is it the Cowboys’ year? After giving up the most points in the league in 2025, Dallas completely rebuilt its defense, swinging trades for players like Rashan Gary and Dee Winters and using two first-round picks on that side of the ball: taking safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 overall and pass rusher Malachi Lawrence at No. 23. The Cowboys also nabbed an important Eagles coach, Christian Parker, to serve as their defensive coordinator. With a potent offense and finally a (mostly) drama-free offseason, a turnaround feels imminent.

PICK: New York Giants

The Giants have a challenging schedule with some really tough road tests, but I think this outfit is far better than the four-win team Big Blue fielded in 2025. Jaxson Dart and an emerging offense could be above average, especially if Malik Nabers is ready to go. The Giants’ defense, even without Dexter Lawrence, has a strong lot of talent. John Harbaugh appears reenergized, and I expect him to make the G-Men playoff contenders in Year 1.

Pick: Chicago Bears

For the purposes of this debate, I’m counting the Bears as “buzzy” because of how hot they were from November on last year, with Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson giving Chicagoans legitimate hope that their team finally has the superpowered QB-head coach combo that every fan base dreams of. There are legitimate reasons to fear a regression, namely the likelihood that the Bears won’t pull off so many miracle comebacks and lucky-bounce takeaways again. The scariest issue is the step-down on the O-line, with left tackle Ozzy Trapilo’s torn patellar tendon and center Drew Dalman’s abrupt retirement leaving key vacancies up front. Potential spottiness in that unit is not something to just hand-wave away, knowing how much it seemed to impact Williams as a rookie. Then again, as Football Challenges go, that might seem easy to Johnson after leading the Bears to their first playoff win since January of 2011. The offense was a legit powerhouse from Week 9 on, ranking fourth in the NFL in EPA per play (0.06), in the vicinity of true contenders like the Rams (No. 1), Patriots (No. 2) and 49ers (No. 3). The key performers on that side of the ball (Colston Loveland, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai) are all back. I feel comfortable buying in on that unit to drive the bus again.

PICK: Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens often felt like they were on the cusp of a Super Bowl breakthrough in the John Harbaugh-Lamar Jackson era, but they continuously fell short, even missing the playoffs entirely in 2025. This offseason brought about major change with a new head coach in Jesse Minter, whose presence the franchise quarterback called “a breath of fresh air.” Baltimore also filled key holes in free agency (edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, guard John Simpson) and the draft (guard Olaivavega Ioane, edge rusher Zion Young). I like the roster moves, but ultimately, I believe it’s the change at the top that will rejuvenate this group to produce positive results.

PICK: Dallas Cowboys

You can’t have a discussion about teams generating buzz without the Cowboys. OK, to be fair, Jerry Jones’ hype factory has been more reserved than usual this offseason. But I’m still here gassin’ up the ‘Boys because Lucy’s holding the football, imploring me to kick.

Why hitch my wagon to The Star? I could point to the offensive firepower or extol the defensive overall. I could also just admit that I fall for the Dallas delusion every few years. But frankly, this isn’t entirely about the Cowboys themselves. I think the NFC East is there for the taking. The Eagles remain talented but temperamental; the Commanders haven’t supported Jayden Daniels with the most inspiring weaponry; and the Giants are transitioning to a new head coach. So, I like the Cowboys to take the divisional crown. But can they get beyond the Divisional Round? That’s the question, isn’t it? After all, it’s been three decades since Dallas reached Championship Sunday. Well … Thirty-first time’s the charm!

PICK: Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals have had a busy offseason retooling their defense. Instead of using the No. 10 overall pick in April’s draft, Cincinnati acquired defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to immediately upgrade a struggling unit. The Bengals also added DT Jonathan Allen, pass rusher Boye Mafe and veteran safeties Bryan Cook and Kyle Dugger. All of Cincy’s moves have Joe Burrow optimistic, claiming this is the “most talented roster” he’s been on. The Bengals have me believing in the quick turnaround.

PICK: Los Angeles Rams

Offseason hype isn’t always the greatest thing. Teams can garner attention in a variety of ways, but those who are talking the most in the spring are often those with new coaches and high draft picks. Browns QB competition, anyone? Raiders rebuilding (again). Titans and Giants starting another new era. There’s been buzz aplenty regarding the Rams, though. They made one of the biggest moves of the entire offseason, trading for two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. And that’s not all; the Rams drafted Ty Simpson in the first round, traded for Trent McDuffie and signed him to a bank-busting extension. Los Angeles has also dealt with some Puka Nacua controversy, Davante Adams trade rumblings and discourse regarding Sean McVay’s post-draft mood. But this squad’s a Super Bowl favorite for a reason. After barely losing a riveting NFC title bout to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks, L.A. returns a team stocked with talent, including a vastly improved defensive backfield that was a glaring weakness last season. Led by reigning MVP Matthew Stafford, the Rams are experienced, talented and hungry, a team set up to be Super Bowl or bust. Bring on the expectations and scrutiny — it’s time to jump on the Rams express.

Turn back the clock to 2018: OBJ is a New York Giant.

New York is signing wide receiver Odell Beckham, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero reported on Monday, per sources. The team later announced the signing.

OBJ’s return to Big Blue comes after a Monday workout with the team, his second of the offseason. Veteran WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, who also worked out for the club on Monday, is also signing with New York, per Rapoport and Garafolo. The Giants also agreed to terms with receiver/kick returner Braxton Berrios, per ESPN.

“Nothin was ever given to me I worked for everything I have,” Beckham wrote on Instagram following the signing. “Never give up on urself. Home Team i’m back…. Let’s get itttt”

Beckham, 33, did not play last season, during which he received a six-game suspension in October for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

He last suited up during a forgettable 2024 campaign for the Miami Dolphins, making nine catches for 55 yards in nine appearances before he and the team agreed to part ways. The season before, he totaled 565 yards and three touchdowns on 35 catches for the Baltimore Ravens and then-coach John Harbaugh. He first rose to prominence with the Giants from 2014-18, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and making three Pro Bowls while amassing 390 receptions for 5,476 yards and 44 scores.

His signing therefore serves as a double reunion of sorts, bringing him back to the team that drafted him No. 12 overall in 2014 and connecting him again to Harbaugh, who in March told NFL senior national columnist Judy Battista that Beckham is one of his “favorite people in the world.”

Beckham participated in Brian Burns’ charity softball game this weekend ahead of his workout and expressed his desire for a return to New York.

“It’s a place I never wanted to leave,” Beckham said, “and it’s just a special place in my heart, just to see all of these Big Blue jerseys — just hoping for the best.”

Although it’s a fun story, the question is how much of an impact Beckham can truly make for a retooling New York squad.

There’s room for him in a somewhat underpowered wide receiver room. Malik Nabers is a superstar, of course, and the Giants used a 2026 third-round pick on Notre Dame’s Malachi Fields. The always trusty Darius Slayton also remains. However, New York lost Wan’Dale Robinson to free agency after his breakout year, and just last week lost Gunner Olszewski to an Achilles injury.

Beckham presumably should serve as depth to help fill the void alongside other additions such as Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III, but he has been off the NFL radar for quite some time and is at an age where even those making a yearly impact at wideout tend to starting diminishing. The hope is that, at the very least, he can provide a veteran voice in the locker room and assist with the development of second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.

Regardless of the eventual outcome, Beckham’s signing sets up for a fitting end to a circuitous journey. Beckham went from a beloved star to a disgruntled one in his first foray with New York, leading to a trade to the Browns, a release from Cleveland two seasons and change later, a Super Bowl-winning stint with the Rams, the aforementioned campaigns with the Ravens and Dolphins and, finally, back to Big Blue.

His addition continues a climactic offseason period for the Giants during which the team traded defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the No. 10 overall pick, combining that capital with the draft’s fifth selection to add linebacker Arvell Reese and offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa to the rebuilding formula. They also signed veterans Shelby Harris and DJ Reader to beef the interior back up in Lawrence’s absence.

With any luck, the future in New York can again be bright — and a blast from the past is back to being a part of it.

Russell Wilson is putting a pause on his playing career.

The free-agent quarterback has an accepted an offer to join CBS Sports for its Sunday pregame show and more, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday.

Wilson, 37, is opening a new chapter in his football career despite having an offer to be a team’s backup in 2026, per Rapoport.

Wilson spent 2025 with the New York Giants, starting three games before being replaced by rookie Jaxson Dart and then leapfrogged on the depth chart by Jameis Winston. He appeared in three more games by season’s end, totaling 831 yards and three touchdowns on 119 pass attempts, all career lows.

The veteran QB told the New York Post in May that he was weighing a contract offer from the New York Jets while also having an opportunity to become an NFL analyst. Wilson going to the Jets would’ve made for an interesting battle on the depth chart behind Geno Smith, with fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik, Bailey Zappe and Brady Cook also on the roster.

Perhaps a new opportunity over the coming year will sway Wilson into putting a pause on his new career as an analyst, or he returns in 2027 with a year of rest under his belt.

But for now, Wilson will begin the 2026 season behind a CBS desk instead of an NFL sideline on Sundays.

The Los Angeles Rams are at it again.

L.A. has acquired reigning AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett in a trade with the Browns, shipping Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick to Cleveland, the teams announced on Monday.

NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero and ESPN’s Adam Schefter initially reported the trade earlier in the day.

“We have long taken the stance that our goal was for Myles Garrett to be a one-helmet player for his entire career,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry said in a statement. “After rewriting the record books and representing our organization with excellence, we were sincere in that desire as we entered this offseason and did not envision a world where Myles was not a Cleveland Brown.

“When the Rams first approached us with the possibility of trading Myles, we remained convicted in our position, but as discussions intensified we were stuck at a legitimate crossroads: [D]o we hold on to a truly generational player who has become the identity of our team, or do we make the difficult decision that we think is best for the organization over the long run?

“In that framework, the decision became clear, although our emotions were muddled. We, and more importantly, our fans, have grown up with Myles, and he’s an enormous source of pride for our team. However, as we embark on a new era of Browns football with a young core and a replenished asset base, we felt this move was important to our transition.”

Hours after the trade became official, Garrett bid farewell to the Cleveland fanbase, via social media.

“What I can say with complete honesty is this: I gave this city everything I had,” Garrett wrote, in part. “I suited up and wore those colors with pride, and I don’t regret a second of being part of this storied franchise. Every Sunday. Every offseason. Every play. Every down. Every moment. You gave me more in return than I can ever repay.

“The best days for this franchise are ahead. Thank you for letting me grow here. Thank you for believing in me.

“Loving you is easy, leaving you is the hard part.

“Thank you for nine unforgettable years.”

It’s a massive, game-changing move for the all-in Rams, who have never shied away from selling future assets for star talent. Snagging Garrett is the latest “Eff-Them Picks” maneuver from general manager Les Snead, who previously has swung deals for Brandin Cooks, Jalen Ramsey, Matthew Stafford, Von Miller and Trent McDuffie, with the latter coming earlier this offseason.

Verse is a good, young edge rusher, but he is not Garrett.

The NFL’s best pass rusher is coming off a record-setting 23-sack campaign. Garrett has been named a first-team All-Pro in five of the past six seasons, earned six consecutive Pro Bowls and had at least 10 sacks in each of the past eight campaigns — all but his rookie season in 2017.

A force of nature, Garrett wins off the line with a blink-of-an-eye first step and dominates with both finesse and power. The 30-year-old can single-handedly wreck offensive game plans and force teams to send double-teams and chips his way, making life easier for the rest of the unit.

In nine seasons, Garrett has gobbled up 125.5 career sacks, tied for 20th all time. During his run, Cleveland struggled offensively, rarely giving the pass rusher opportunities to pin his ears back and snag garbage-time sacks with opponents in pass-first mode. In his nine years, the Browns never finished with an offense in the top 10 in EPA per play, and ranked dead last each of the past two seasons. That never slowed Garrett, who compiled 37 sacks in the last two campaigns.

Now imagine him playing opposite Stafford, Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Kyren Williams and the rest of Sean McVay’s offense.

As Stafford put up an MVP season in 2025, the Rams defense struggled at times to get stops — see: Seattle. Much of the issue was on the back end, which got repeatedly picked on. However, for spells, the pass rush went too quiet. Byron Young generated a team-high 12 sacks last year, with Verse coming in second with 7.5.

Enter: Garrett.

The Rams are the first team in NFL history to pair the reigning NFL MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, per NFL Network Research. They also boast the receptions leader (Nacua) and receiving touchdowns leader (Adams).

L.A. attacked the offseason, making big moves to revamp the secondary, trading a first-round pick to the Chiefs for McDuffie and adding Jaylen Watson in free agency.

Trading for Garrett trumps those moves, giving defensive coordinator Chris Shula the NFL’s top defensive weapon to deploy. Front to back, the Rams made massive moves to upgrade the unit exponentially in 2026.

The controversial move of selecting Ty Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft likely helped L.A. make this trade. With their QB succession plan for the 38-year-old Stafford theoretically handled, they could afford to send first-round picks to Cleveland, believing they won’t need to use that ammo for a signal-caller down the road.

The Browns vociferously insisted all offseason they weren’t planning on trading Garrett, the face of the franchise, after inking him to a four-year, $160 million extension last offseason. Yet, when the club modified his option bonus from March to seven days before the regular season, it opened up a greater possibility of the Browns moving on from the edge rusher.

Despite Berry’s protestations that he wouldn’t trade Garrett, the fact that the star player had never met with new coach Todd Monken, stayed away from voluntary offseason workouts and had his contract adjusted provided breadcrumbs that a move might be coming.

Once they got past the June 1 deadline, the Browns signaled their full-on rebuild by moving their best player. Waiting until now has allowed Cleveland to split the $41 million in dead money on the salary cap over the next two seasons — $15.53 million in 2026, $25.56 million in 2027 — rather than taking it all on in 2026.

The Browns spent the offseason revamping their offense, completely overhauling the offensive line and drafting receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. However, the significant questions remain at quarterback, where Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are expected to compete for the starting gig. If the franchise quarterback isn’t on the roster, moving on from Garrett now allows them to obtain picks that could help obtain one down the road. If the Browns continued to flounder, the net return on the pass rusher one or two years from now would have been significantly less.

Trading Garrett takes a massive bite out of the Browns defense, but getting Verse back softens the blow a smidge. Last year, Garrett gobbled up 23 QB takedowns while no other player on the roster hit the seven-sack mark. Cleveland now adds Verse, a bull-dog pass rusher from Dayton, Ohio, who can run over blockers and brings upside. The timeline of Verse, who is still growing his game, better aligns with Cleveland’s rebuild than the 30-plus-year-old Garrett.

“Chief among the considerations to make the decision was the inclusion of Jared Verse — a player our fan base will love,” Berry said. “At 25 years old with two Pro Bowls and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award under his belt, we receive a young, elite player at a premium position who will only continue to improve in his third NFL season. Jared’s passion and relentless style of play will be embraced by our fans. He will fit right in with the established identity of our defense.”

Cleveland could have held firm and hoped to turn things around with Garrett in the next few seasons. However, his value was never going to be higher. The Rams offered a deal they couldn’t refuse.

Following the ill-fated Watson gambit in 2022, the Browns have struggled to find any sort of footing, lack assets to make significant additions, and still have no clear future under center. In one swift move, they admitted they’re still in the early stages of a rebuild under Monken and provided future picks to one day possibly get over that hump.

Eight teams have won back-to-back Super Bowls, with only two pulling off the elusive double-dip since the turn of the century. So, the odds are stacked against the Seahawks in their quest to repeat.

But which team is most likely to dethrone the reigning champions?

All we can do is speculate with the season still months away. For any fan base feeling spurned by not having its team on the list, I don’t recall a ton of fervor around the Seahawks at this time a year ago, but it didn’t stop them from going on a dominant run to the title. It’s entirely possible a squad not on this list will emerge once the real action begins. It could even be the defending AFC champion Patriots, although their chances of winning it all seem lower than Seattle’s chances of going back-to-back considering the Super Bowl loser has made it back to the game the next season only once in the last 32 years.

With that, here’s my ranking of the biggest threats to the Seahawks.

Super Bowl odds provided by DraftKings are as of 2 p.m. ET on Monday, June 1.

I’m not ready to declare the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes Chiefs dead yet, even after witnessing their very ugly unraveling last season.

The most pressing question is Mahomes’ health, but it’s not the only concern. I don’t know when he will be back to playing his usual brand of football, even if the target for his return from an ACL tear is Week 1. However, the possibility of him returning to something close to elite form — and DC Steve Spagnuolo working his magic on the other side of the ball — carries enough heft for me to include Kansas City on the list.

The Chiefs have to be better everywhere else on offense, too, and the only marquee addition they made on that side of the ball was the signing of Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III. He filled a major need, but it’s going to take Reid bringing along some young receivers and offensive linemen — primarily former first-round picks Xavier Worthy and Josh Simmons — for the offense to really pop.

On defense, Spagnuolo has to somehow generate more pass-rush juice to help a remodeled secondary that will be leaning heavily on rookie CB Mansoor Delane.

It feels like asking a lot of the Chiefs to get back to playing title-caliber football, but I do believe there is value in knowing what it takes to win in the NFL, and this franchise is only a year removed from playing in three consecutive Super Bowls. We’ll get a great look at how they measure up to the Seahawks when the teams meet on a Sunday night in Seattle in Week 7.

It was somewhat lost in Detroit’s collapse late last year, but the Lions started 5-2 and looked like they were bound for a third straight playoff appearance. They are now tied for the NFL’s fourth-longest active streak of consecutive winning seasons (four).

I’m expecting the bad taste in their mouths from the way last season ended to fuel a heightened sense of urgency in a prideful group. Yes, the NFC North remains tough, but overall, the Lions’ schedule is one of the most favorable in the league, with only two true road games against teams that won a playoff game last season. They catch a huge break by missing all of the NFC West heavyweights in the regular season — the Cardinals are the only team they play from the division.

While they wouldn’t go head-to-head unless they meet in the postseason, it’s worth noting that in the two years since Mike Macdonald took over as head coach, the Seahawks have allowed 40-plus points to only one team — the Lions, in a 42-29 home win for Detroit on a Monday night in Week 4 of the 2024 season. It’s going to take a better performance from a reworked offensive line for peak Jared Goff to return. If that group jells and they can get a relatively healthy year from Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta, the Lions are built to give even the stoutest defenses fits.

Of course, health is a major concern for the back end of the Lions defense, with Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch coming off injuries. There’s enough talent in the front seven, led by Aidan Hutchinson, to relieve some stress on the secondary, but head coach Dan Campbell has to find a way to get that group into decent shape to avoid more disappointment.

I can’t remember the last time a team coming off 14 wins entered a season with softer buzz. A quiet-as-a-mouse offseason — outside of the Jaylen Waddle trade — is probably the main culprit, but I’m not going to overlook one of the most complete rosters in the game.

When I was putting together the top five draft needs for all 32 teams after the dust settled from free agency, it was hard to fill out Denver’s list. The team is strong everywhere you look, with the interior defensive line the only spot that might have taken a significant hit this offseason, due to the departure of John Franklin-Myers.

Now, if Bo Nix is a lesser version of himself in his return from ankle surgery, the outlook changes a lot. At the same time, I also can’t rule out that he reaches new heights in Year 3, with arguably the league’s best offensive line, quality depth at running back and an upgraded receiving corps via the Waddle deal. The defense looks no worse than good on paper, even without JFM, and it’s possible DC Vance Joseph coaches the group to elite status once again after ranking first in yards allowed and third in scoring in 2025.

Sean Payton’s teams have finished with a winning record in seven of his last eight seasons as a head coach, with the 8-9 2023 Broncos the lone sub-.500 squad in his first year with Denver. They came within a touchdown of winning the AFC title last season. I’m expecting the reigning AFC West champions to contend again, although they’ll have to survive a gauntlet of a schedule in the first six weeks that concludes with a Thursday night home game against the Seahawks. We’ll know before midseason how this version of the Broncos measures up.

Playing in the NFC West helps push the 49ers up the list here, since they will get at least two chances to knock the reigning champs from their perch. San Francisco was one of the three teams that defeated Seattle last season, with a 17-13 victory at Lumen Field in the opener. The Seahawks avenged that loss by dominating defensively in a 13-3 win at Levi’s Stadium in Week 18, but by then, the 49ers were a shadow of their former selves due to injuries to a long list of starters. I can’t imagine Kyle Shanahan’s squad having worse health luck than it did in 2025, when ailments tore through the roster on both sides of the ball.

Returning from injury for the San Francisco defense will be Nick Bosa, a Pro Bowl selectee in all five of his healthy seasons since entering the league in 2019, four-time first-team All-Pro Fred Warner and 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams. The acquisition of DT Osa Odighizuwa filled a big need. The pass rush must be better for the team to have a legit chance of making a title run, and there’s nowhere to go but up after tying for the fewest sacks in a single season by any NFL team since 2022 with 20.

It’s easy to have faith in Shanahan’s ability to put one of the league’s better offenses on the field week in and week out after watching him navigate injuries to Brock Purdy and other key contributors on that side of the ball in 2025. It’s going to be fun to see what he can do with Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle (coming off an Achilles tear) and blockbuster addition Mike Evans, if they can all stay on the field.

Last season ended with a thud, as the injury-plagued 49ers knocked the Eagles out of the playoffs on Wild Card Weekend. The last two times the Eagles were bounced from the first round of the playoffs, they played in the Super Bowl the following season. So, go ahead Philly fans, book your flights to Los Angeles in February!

Obviously, that pattern is only going to hold if the team gets better play from Jalen Hurts, who was a net negative in passing EPA (-10) during the final nine games of the regular season, per Next Gen Stats. GM Howie Roseman has given the QB a much different receiving corps, with Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks and Makai Lemon joining the team and A.J. Brown officially leaving town. There’s good news on the offensive line, with OT Lane Johnson and OG Landon Dickerson returning after considering retirement, but Philadelphia will need them to stay healthy to reap the benefits.

Vic Fangio’s defense isn’t without question marks (at safety, primarily), but it has the potential to be elite once again after allowing the fewest yards and second-fewest points in the league last season.

Philly gets to host Seattle on a short week (Saturday game) in mid-December, which might give Nick Sirianni and Co. an edge in a game that figures to be pivotal in determining playoff positioning. No team has won more games than the Eagles since the start of the 2022 season. They’ve earned a spot in this conversation.

With playoff appearances in each of the last seven seasons — the longest active streak in the NFL — the Bills are going to make their way onto lists like this one for as long as Josh Allen is playing at a high level. He bends the game in his team’s favor like few players can, and is only one season removed from an MVP year. Buffalo has a new head coach in Joe Brady, but any challenges related to that transition might be mitigated by the bond that already exists between Allen and Brady, who has been on the team’s staff since 2022, including as offensive coordinator for the last two-plus seasons.

The question, as has long been the case for the Bills, is whether Allen can carry the team to the top despite shortcomings in some other areas of the roster. The receiving corps was not nearly good enough last season, and while DJ Moore helps, there’s still a need for dynamic, downfield ball-winners to maximize Allen’s talent.

On the other side of the ball, the run defense can’t sag like it did in 2025 if Buffalo is going to make a deeper run. The Bills allowed 136 yards per game on the ground, fifth-most in the league. Fixing that area has to be the first priority for new DC Jim Leonhard, who has the squad moving to a 3-4 base, but squeezing more out of the pass rush ranks high on the to-do list, as well, and that might not be an easy task.

The team has a favorable schedule, at least by one metric, and won’t face the Seahawks in the regular season. If everything comes together around Allen, the Bills will have as good a shot as anyone at the title.

New Ravens head coach Jesse Minter and the Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald followed similar paths to their current jobs, with both serving on Baltimore’s staff from 2017-2020 and Minter replacing Macdonald as Michigan’s defensive coordinator in 2022. Now Minter has a shot to succeed Macdonald as a Super Bowl winner.

Minter was hired to make sure last season was an aberration and not a sign of things to come in the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson era. The ingredients are there for a rebound. After all, Jackson is a two-time MVP and still hasn’t turned 30 years old, but last year’s performance was often tough to watch as he dealt with injuries. If he returns to form, Baltimore’s probably going to win a lot of games, but it will take the team reestablishing its identity inside the trenches to advance deep into the postseason.

Help for the offensive line arrived in the form of first-round pick Olaivavega Ioane, who should start from Day 1 at guard. Marquee free-agent signee Trey Hendrickson, second-round pick Zion Young and 20th-year veteran Calais Campbell were brought in to help the defensive front regain its footing. The healthy return of Nnamdi Madubuike would go a long way to solidifying the interior, but it’s still not clear if/when he’ll be able to play after undergoing neck surgery.

The range of potential outcomes might stretch a bit wider for the Ravens than it does for some other teams on this list, even with a manageable schedule, but the ceiling earns them an enviable spot in the conversation. 

The Rams were the favorites to win Super Bowl LXI even before reports surfaced of the stunning move to acquire reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. While the surprising decision to draft Alabama QB Ty Simpson 13th overall created some questions about their all-in commitment for 2026, the Garrett trade made it abundantly clear that Los Angeles deserves top billing on this list.

Matthew Stafford, coming off an MVP year, is not showing any signs of slowing down entering his age-38 season and will be spearheading one of the league’s most explosive offenses once again. I’m sure Stafford would have preferred the addition of another weapon via the draft’s first round, but he still has offensive genius Sean McVay calling plays with Davante Adams, Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams and a deep group of tight ends at his disposal.

The focus for McVay and GM Les Snead this offseason was tightening up on defense after the team allowed 31 or more points in four of its last seven games, including the playoffs. They were aggressive in upgrading the cornerback position, trading for Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson. The defensive line has elite potential with the five-time first-team All-Pro Garrett expected to provide an upgrade over the powerful and very promising Jared Verse, who was sent to Cleveland in the swap. It would be nice if they were a little more dynamic at linebacker, but overall, this group is much better than last year’s on paper.

Los Angeles dropped two of its three games against division-rival Seattle last season, including the NFC title game. Those were some epic battles, though, with all three decided by four or fewer points. It will take surviving a meat-grinder of a schedule to get it done this season. Seattle’s road doesn’t look like it will be much easier, though. There’s a long way to go before the two teams meet in two of the final three weeks of the regular season, but it’s easy to envision them slugging it out down the stretch for the second year in a row. The Rams are in a better position to come out on top this time.