By Chris Moore (Twitter: @fantasy_moore)

Potential Return

Following his walk-off against the Jets, many thought it was the end of Antonio Brown in the NFL. But that potentially may not be the case. Brown has had multiple off-field issues during his career in the NFL, but due to his talent, NFL franchises have continued to give Brown chances. Brown had a disastrous exit with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. While most franchises probably won’t take the flier on Brown due to his character concerns and off-field drama, there could be a few that take the chance.

Baltimore Ravens

After Brown was released from the Buccaneers, he expressed the next quarterback he wants to play for is Lamar Jackson. The Ravens were one of the teams Brown said he wanted to play for next, and signing Brown could make sense for the Ravens. Jackson and the Ravens’ offense struggled last season due to injuries and the lack of offensive weapons. They have one of the best tight ends in the NFL and a young pair of wide receivers in Marquise Brown and Rashod Batemen, but the offense was still very lackluster at times.

Baltimore struggled with injuries last season, so it’s fair to say Jackson had a down year in 2021. Adding a veteran receiver in Brown who could help ease the expectations off Marquise Brown and Rashod Batemen could be very beneficial to Jackson in 2022. With the emergence of the Bengals in the division and the AFC only getting better, the Ravens need to do something to elevate their offense in 2022 if they expect to compete in the conference.

Dallas Cowboys

The Ravens weren’t the only team Brown expressed interest in this offseason, as the Cowboys were also mentioned as a destination where Brown would like to play. The Cowboys just traded away star wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Browns. While the Cowboys still have Ceedee Lamb and plan to resign Michael Gallup, they still have a hole at wide receiver. Gallup is coming off a torn ACL, and the Cowboys don’t have a lot of depth behind those two guys. Signing Brown would give the Cowboys three dynamic wide receivers like they had last season, at a way cheaper cost.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals need to get Kyler Murray more help if they want to compete in the NFC. The Cardinals have looked like a completely different team when DeAndre Hopkins isn’t on the field. Murray holds onto the ball longer, and their wide receivers struggled to get open when Hopkins wasn’t in the lineup.

Christian Kirk is also set to hit the open market and could be playing elsewhere in 2022. Hopkins has had durability issues over the past two seasons, and the Cardinals need to find Murray more weapons. Brown would form a dangerous duo with Hopkins and give Murray another guy he can rely on.  

The post Top 3 landing spots for Antonio Brown appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Chris Moore, Jake Rajala, and Charlie Vakassian

The 2022 NFL draft holds many talented prospects and it is bound to be one of the most exciting parts of this NFL offseason. We feel like this NFL draft won’t bring the same results that the 2006 NFL draft or the 2013 draft displayed. The 2022 NFL draft will be special and it will start with the first overall pick.

There are a few potential first overall picks that are gifted football profiles and it’s safe to say the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hold the first overall pick, will be beyond thrilled with whoever they select. With that said, here is a breakdown of the top competitors to be potentially chosen first overall.

Aidan Hutchinson, DL, University of Michigan 

By: Jake Rajala

The University of Michigan defensive lineman, Aidan Hutchinson, went from having 3.5 career sacks in three seasons to unveiling 14 sacks in 2021. The 6’6 265 DL also had 36 combined tackles last season. We’ve seen many Michigan defensive stars like Chase Winovich and Josh Uche, but Hutchinson has been the most impressive U of M star over the past few years. Perhaps, Hutchinson can be as special as former Wolverine Charles Woodson in the NFL.

Hutchinson was so impressive as a defensive lineman in 2021 that he finished as the fourth defensive player ever to land in the top two of the Heisman voting. Unfortunately, Stanford QB Bryce Young was superb from the QB position, as he went on to win the 2021 Heisman. Young threw 47 touchdowns, 4,872 yards, and obtained an 87.6 passer rating last season. Young is the early favorite to be selected first overall in the 2023 NFL draft. 

Hutchinson isn’t only a very safe pick, but he has the potential to be a decade-like player. Mel Kiper compared Hutchinson to the Bosa brothers, which should make Jaguars fans wish for his name called. In particular, Nick Bosa was a Top 3 edge rusher in 2021, as he notched 15.5 sacks last season. I could see some similarities between Saints All-Pro DE Cameron Jordan and Hutchinson, too. They both possess unique power and a high motor against offensive tackles. The Jags were 27th in sacks last season, so it’s clearly a major issue for them. Hutchinson and Josh Allen (7.5 sacks in 2021) would be a fantastic pass-rushing duo for years to come. They have failed to replace edge rusher Yannick Ngakouye, who has been a stud with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Aidan Hutchinson is also PFF’s highest-ranked draft prospect in 2022. Kiper also projects Hutchinson to land first overall with the Jaguars. Hutchinson can be the face of the Jaguars defense for many years to come, while T-Lawrence is the face of the Jags offense for the next decade. We’ve seen how beneficial elite defensive players have been in the NFL. The future Hall of Fame Rams defender Aaron Donald was the key reason why the Rams won Super Bowl LVI and 2021 Defensive Player of The Year T.J. Watt was the leader for the Steelers in their surprise playoff berth. The Jags can ink an offensive lineman like Terron Armstead in free agency or select an OT in round two, while they select the supreme Hutchinson and strive to return to the days of “sacksonville”. The Jags may also bring back Left Tackle Cam Robinson via a franchise tag, so it would really make sense for the Jags to strike gold at the edge-rushing position.

Ikem Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State

My top-ranked tackle in the 2022 draft, Ekwonu is an absolute mauler. He has immense versatility as well, with the ability to play guard or tackle. He does his best work in the run game, where he absolutely demolishes blockers going up to the second level. His pass protection is less refined, but he has room for improvement, a scary thought for a player who is already proficient in most areas. 

A giant of a man at 6’4 and 320lbs, Ekwonu’s strength lies in the point of attack. His size and strength allow him to push defenders back, and he has incredible football intelligence, with the ability to pick up any twists or stunts. Ekwonu plays with unmatched aggression, pancake blocking every chance he gets, establishing his dominance as the best lineman on the field. NC State ran a lot of zone-heavy concepts, playing to the strengths of Ekwonu, Doug Pederson, the Jaguars new head coach, also likes to run zone schemes, along with some gap concepts mixed in. Ekwonu would thrive in this type of system. 

No prospect is perfect, and Ekwonu does have some concerns which will need to be ironed out at the professional level. He did face trouble with inside pass rush moves over the course of this past season and tended to break out of his stance. He will also need to work on holding his sets longer, as he occasionally would break down too soon, allowing defenders to penetrate the line. There will be some other kinks that NFL coaches will want to work out, but all in all, Ekwonu is one of the more complete prospects, with few flaws in what has been an impressive college career. 

As implied earlier, the Jacksonville Jaguars have the first overall pick in this year’s draft. The chances of trading back from that spot are slim since there are no difference maker quarterbacks to move up for. Since Jacksonville will stay at one, they have to analyze what makes the most sense. They already have multiple edge rushers, with first-round picks invested in Josh Allen and K’lavon Chaisson. So drafting Kayvon Thibodeaux or Aidan Hutchinson may not make the most sense. While they would most certainly improve the Jaguars defense, the offensive side of the ball is where help is needed. 

Trevor Lawrence could not stay on his feet at all last season, with a subpar offensive line in front of him. The Jaguars line ranked 24th overall, according to PFF, and the most reliable lineman in Cam Robinson is headed to free agency. An overhaul is needed. While I expect free agent money to go into the line, the draft will be a necessary avenue to beef up the line. And who better than Ekwonu? If Robinson is retained, he can play at the right tackle, with less pressure on him. He has the most upside, will immediately be a mauler in the run game, and can do enough in the passing game to start out, while the coaches work on refining his skills. Ekwonu can also slide over to guard as necessary, where his skillset projects just as well. He will be an excellent starter on day one, and by the end of his rookie contract will have earned at least one, if not multiple Pro Bowl selections.

Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

While you can make the case that the Jaguars should be drafting the best player in the draft class in Aidan Hutchinson, it makes sense for them to pass on a premier pass rusher to support their franchise quarterback. The Jaguars should focus on getting Trevor Lawrence more help this offseason, and selecting one of the best offensive linemen in the draft should help.

Neal is not a flawless prospect, but he for sure has the tools to excel at the tackle position in the NFL and carries the most upside out of all the offensive linemen in this draft class. I expect Neal to be the leading candidate for the first-round selection after his performance at the combine. We should see Neal’s athleticism shine during the combine and see him show the league why he deserves to be the pick. While Neal’s athleticism is off the charts, he also provides a lot of utility, as he can play multiple positions on the offensive line. Neal started his career at Alabama playing left guard. He played right tackle in 2020 and finished his career at Alabama playing left tackle. He’s shown he can play at all three positions, and it’s a nice benefit to have when drafting linemen.

While I believe Aidan Hutchinson is the best prospect in this year’s draft class, the Jaguars need to prioritize protecting their franchise quarterback. After the year Trevor Lawrence just had, I don’t see the Jaguars taking the Bengals approach of ignoring their offensive line. The Jaguars should be committed to a complete overhaul of the offensive side of the ball this offseason. Adding the best offensive linemen prospect in the class would be a step in the right direction for the organization. I also don’t see the Jaguars investing more draft capital into an edge rusher.

The Jaguars used a premier draft pick in 2019 on Josh Allen and another first-round selection in 2020 on K’Lavon Chaisson. The Jaguars selected Chaisson in the hope he would become a dominant edge rusher to pair with their star Josh Allen. Now I know Chaisson has been disappointing so far and hasn’t lived up to the play many expected from him. That’s a ton of draft capital over the past three seasons into the pass rush to use another first-round pick on an edge rusher. Not to mention the first pick in the entire NFL Draft.

I expect Neal to be the leading candidate for the first-round selection after his performance at the combine. We should see Neal’s athleticism shine during the combine and see him show the league why he deserves to be the pick. The Jaguars recently hired Doug Pederson to be their next head coach, and his top priority should be getting his franchise quarterback more support. Pederson should be making sure Lawrence has the tools around him to succeed. Something Urban Meyer and the Jaguars failed to do last season. The Jaguars cannot afford to remain a dysfunctional organization. Supporting Trevor Lawrence needs to be the priority this season.

The post Top 3 candidates for No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The 2022 NFL draft is the biggest focal point of the offseason and it’s where dreams come true for the next wave of draft prospects. Three of us Pro Football Mania writers decided to nicely reflect back on the most polarizing moments of the NFL draft by celebrating the biggest NFL draft trades of all time. Without further ado, here are the 10 best NFL draft trades of all time.

49ers trade up to select Jerry Rice

By: Chris Moore

You cannot have a list of the NFL’s best draft-day trades without including Jerry Rice. The Patriots probably still regret making the trade with the 49ers that allowed them to move up to select Rice 16th overall in the 1985 draft. The 49ers trading up in the 1985 draft for Jerry Rice was one of the best moves the 49ers have ever made in the history of their organization. Rice would go on to become possibly the greatest wide receiver of all time, helping the 49ers win three Super Bowl rings in the process. Rice played for the 49ers for 16 seasons, accomplishing multiple records, accomplishments, and accolades. Rice was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. He is regarded as one of the greatest if not the best receiver of all time.

The 49ers’ decision to trade up for Jerry Rice changed their franchise. It’s one of the greatest NFL draft trades to ever happen. Rice finished his career as a 13-time pro bowler, 10-time All-Pro selections, and a Hall of Famer. When talking about wide receiver’s there are not many better than Rice, if any at all. The 49ers traded up for a franchise-changing player, and it is a no-brainer to have this trade on the list.

Steelers trade up to select Troy Polamalu

By: Chris Moore

Well, we just got done talking about a team trading up for a Hall of Famer. Why not discuss another? The Steelers traded up in the first round in the 2003 NFL Draft to select Troy Polamalu. The Steelers traded up for a game-changing safety out of USC, who turned out to be a Hall of Famer. Polamalu was a superstar for the Steelers, making the Pro Bowl eight times, and was selected to the All-Pro team four times throughout his prestigious career. Trading up for Polamalu was a huge draft-day trade for the Steelers, as it was something the organization had never done before. Not only have the Steelers never traded up in a draft before.

But it was the first time the Steelers were selecting a safety that early as well. The Steelers recognized how special Polamalu was, and trading up for him is one of the greatest moves in the history of the organization. Polamalu had a historic career during his time on the Steelers, winning two Super Bowl rings on the Steelers throughout his career. Trading up for Polamalu was one of the best NFL Draft trades we have seen over the years, and Polamalu was a legendary player for the Steelers throughout his time in the NFL.

Saints trade up to select Alvin Kamara

By: Jake Rajala

The selection of Alvin Kamara was really special, especially because he was a third round draft pick. New Orleans Saints picked a future Hall of Fame talent in Alvin Kamara in the third round of the 2017 draft. Kamara didn’t take long to make his unique presence known, as he won Offensive Rookie of The Year in 2017. “AK” had a career-high 826 receiving yards in his rookie year, plus 728 yards rushing and 6.1 YPC. Kamara had a career season in 2020, where he registered a personal high 21 total touchdowns and career-best 1,688 total yards. 

Kamara has proven to be one of the most dynamic running backs of all time in his career thus far. If the Saints RB can reel in a Lombardi trophy and a few more seasons of elite play, he will be a sure-fire Hall of Famer and he will go down as one of the most superb all-purpose ball carriers of all time. Kamara was what the Saints expected to get out of Reggie Bush when they selected Bush second overall in the 2006 draft. Bush won a Super Bowl with the Saints and he was a quality weapon and special team player (especially in the 2010 playoffs), but he wasn’t even near the player that Kamara has been with the Saints. Brees expected Kamara to be a skat back, while the Saints expected Bush to be a Hall of Fame RB. It’s safe to say they switched spots.

Sean Payton selected Kamara in the third round, while also selecting Michael Thomas in the second round of the 2016 draft. Payton and Mickey Loomis have been notorious for selecting stars beyond the first round.

Ravens trading up to select Lamar Jackson

By: Chris Moore

While he might not be a Hall of Famer yet, the Ravens trading up to select Lamar Jackson in the 2018 NFL Draft deserves to be on the list. Jackson was not viewed as one of the best quarterbacks in the 2018 draft class, but he proved doubters wrong as Lamar has shown he is a franchise quarterback. Lamar was in a QB class that included the former number one pick Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and Josh Allen. Considering Jackson was selected after all of those guys, it is safe to say the Ravens made a home run pick and won the 2018 draft while grabbing their future franchise quarterback in the process.

While many believed Jackson would not make it in the league as a quarterback. Jackson won the MVP award unanimously in only his second NFL season. Jackson led the Ravens to the playoffs in his first two NFL seasons and has made the pro bowl twice in his four NFL seasons. Jackson already has an MVP award and has shown he is one of the most electric players in the entire NFL. While he has not led the Ravens to a Super Bowl yet, Jackson has shown he is one of the top quarterbacks in the league. The Ravens got a steal trading up for him in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Ravens trade up in 2018 was one of the more recent big NFL Draft trades. It deserves to belong on the list of the best NFL Draft trades due to how special Jackson is. We do not know if Jackson will end up in the Hall of Fame, but Jackson is a phenomenal player that we don’t see often in the league. There might not be another quarterback who has the special running ability Jackson possesses. The Ravens found their franchise quarterback in the 2018 draft, and it remains one of the best NFL Draft trades of all time.

Chiefs trade up to select Tony Gonzalez

By: Jake Rajala

The Kansas City Chiefs selected “the greatest TE of all time” in the 1997 draft. Tony Gonzalez, who is now pursuing a film career, made three straight All Pro teams in 1999, 2000, and 2001. Gonzalez was also a basketball player for UCLA.

Gonzalez made 14 Pro Bowls in his career and he holds many TE records. The former gifted profile has the most yards all-time for a TE (15,127) and the most receptions of all time for a TE (1,325) and the second-most touchdowns ever for a TE (116). 

In 2008, Gonzalez made his first appearance in an Atlanta Falcons uniform. Gonzalez played his last season in the NFL as a Falcon in 2013. It’s obvious that the cream of the crop TE showcased a Hall of Fame career, but he has received his fair share of haters for failing to win a Super Bowl in his career. Meanwhile, Robert Gronkowski of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has won four Super Bowls. 

I fully expect Gonzalez to remain the greatest tight end of all time, which is impressive given his time of entrance to the league. Travis Kelce has an opportunity to put together a Top 5 TE career of all time, but it won’t come close to matching the career of former Chief Tony Gonzalez. It’s also important to note that Gonzalez didn’t play with a QB like Mahomes, yet he yielded historical dominance from the TE position.

Houston trades up to select Deshaun Watson

By: Menachem Ickovitz

In the 2017 Draft there were three quarterbacks that were highly touted, Mitchell Trubisky, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. Of the three, Watson had arguably the best college career. He threw for 10,168 yards with 90 touchdowns in his three years at Clemson. Most notably, he led Clemson to the 2016 National Championship.

The Houston Texans went into the draft looking to make a splash and get their quarterback of the future. The issue they had was they were drafting at pick #25 and the quarterbacks would most definitely be gone by then. So the Texans contacted the Cleveland Browns, who picked Myles Garrett first overall and had pick #12 from their part in the Carson Wentz trade from the 2016 Draft.

The Texans acquired the 12^th pick and game up the 25^th pick and a first round pick in 2018. Houston got their man in Watson and the Browns picked Michigan Safety Jabrill Peppers in 2017 and Ohio State Cornerback Denzel Ward with the 2018 pick they got.

Watson has had a good career with the Texans through 2020. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and was the NFL’s leading passer in 2020. However, following the 2020 season, Watson requested a trade after being upset with his voice not being listened to when it came to changes in the front office and coaching staff. Additionally, Watson had some off the field issues with allegations of sexual harassment. Meanwhile, he is still on the Texans’ payroll.

The Browns traded away Peppers as part of the deal that landed OBJ in Cleveland for the 2019 season. Ward has played well for the Browns, having been named to two Pro Bowls. He has dealt with some injuries in his short career but has 10 interceptions and 50 pass deflections.  

Atlanta trades up to select Julio Jones

By: Menachem Ickovitz

The 2011 NFL Draft will go down as one of the best in recent history. The top of the first round was filled with players with multiple Pro Bowls and probably future Hall of Famers. One such player was Alabama receiver Julio Jones. 

The 2010 Atlanta Falcons finished with a 13 ”“ 3 record, good enough for first place in the NFC South. However, they lost in the Divisional Round of the Playoffs to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 48 ”“ 21. While they had nine players make the Pro Bowl, the need for another big-play wide receiver to pair up with Roddy White was one of the team’s top off-season priorities. The problem for the Falcons was they had the 27th pick in the upcoming draft.

Sitting at the 6th pick was the Cleveland Browns, coming off a 5 ”“ 11 season and the firing of head coach Eric Mangini. The Browns were more than one superstar wide receiver away from contending and when Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff called and offered the 27th, 59th and 124th picks in the 2011 Draft as well as first and fourth round picks in the 2012 Draft, they jumped at the opportunity to accumulate assets.

At the moment of the trade, both teams did well. The Falcons picked Jones who elevated the offense and quarterback Matt Ryan while the Browns picked up multiple assets with the opportunity to improve their team in multiple spots.

Jones, who played for the Falcons from 2011 ”“ 2020, was named to seven Pro Bowls, was a first-team All-Pro twice and a second-team All-Pro three times. In his 10 seasons in Atlanta he had 848 catches for 12,896 yards and 60 touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Browns took the five picks from the Falcons and whiffed on all of them. Most notable of the picks were DT Phil Taylor, WR Greg Little and QB Brandon Weeden. All played for the Browns, none particularly well and were out of the NFL soon after.

Chiefs trade up to select Patrick Mahomes

By: Jake Rajala

The Kansas City Chiefs made a trade up for the best young quarterback in the league right now with Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 NFL draft. Mahomes was selected 10th overall in the 2017 draft. Mahomes displayed arguably a Top 3 QB single-season performance in a season in 2018 where he unleashed 5,097 yards and 50 passing touchdowns. 

The Chiefs QB has three seasons of 37+ passing touchdowns, four straight seasons of 11+ wins, and he’s obtained a Super Bowl ring. Mahomes has serious potential to go down as the greatest QB of all time.

Mahomes has been trying to win another Super Bowl ring since achieving Super Bowl glory in 2019. He should have the fastest WR of all time in Tyreek Hill and the Top 3 TE Travis Kelce to help him make the progress for many more Super Bowl berths.

Mahomes may break all of Drew Brees’s records, but I don’t expect the Chiefs QB to come close to matching Tom Brady’s Super Bowl count. I still expect Mahomes to be in and out of the AFC Championship throughout most of his career.

Mahomes’s offense in Kansas City is very similar to that of Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos offense, or Kurt Warner’s “greatest show on turf” offense. When it’s all said and done, Mahomes’s offense could go down as the most respected offense of all time. Mahomes has quite the story, as he also chose to pursue a career in baseball.

New Orleans Saints trade up to select Rickey Williams

By: Menachem Ickovitz

When you’re one piece away from Super Bowl contention, mortgaging your future for one player makes some sense. However, this was not the case for the New Orleans Saints heading into the 1999 NFL Draft.

Saints’ head coach Mike Ditka was enamored by Texas running back Ricky Williams and traded up to the 5^th spot in the Draft to take him. Ditka gave the Washington Redskins all his picks in the 1999 Draft as well as the Saints’ first and third round picks in 2000.

For the bounty that Ditka gave up, he and Williams would forever be tied together. It got so strange that ESPN the Magazine did a photo shoot of the two of them as a bride and groom, with Williams donning the wedding dress. Sadly, for both of them, the honeymoon was over quick, after a 3 ”“ 13 season, Ditka was fired.

Williams played three seasons in New Orleans before getting traded to the Miami Dolphins. Each season in New Orleans he got progressively better, finishing with 3,179 yards in his 38 career games with the team.

The Redskins used the picks they acquired from the Saints and maneuvered around a drop. They traded back up to pick #7 and drafted cornerback Champ Bailey. They also drafted key contributors, Jon Jansen and LaVar Arrington with picks they got for New Orleans.

The infamous Phillip Rivers-Eli Manning trade

By: Menachem Ickovitz

Before the 2004 NFL Draft, the worst kept secret was that Eli Manning did not want to play for the San Diego Chargers. The problem was that Manning was considered the best quarterback in the draft and San Diego had the first pick.

As for the Chargers, they wanted a talented quarterback like Manning but also had the opportunity to work closely with NC State quarterback Phillip Rivers at the Senior Bowl and he impressed the coaching staff. When Draft Day came, the Chargers chose Manning and waited.

New York Giants GM Ernie Accorsi drafted Rivers with the fourth pick, with the thought of trading him to the Chargers to get Eli Manning. The Giants and Chargers consummated the deal, as the Giants got Eli Manning and the Chargers got Phillip Rivers and three draft picks. The Chargers used two of the picks on players who were with them for numerous years, kicker Nate Kaeding and linebacker Shawne Merriman.

This was one of those trades that you look back at and realize both teams did very well with. The Giants won two Super Bowls with Manning. He was the face of the franchise for his entire 16 year career and is a future Hall of Famer. The Chargers didn’t get the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl, but for most of his career, Rivers was the reason that Chargers were always a playoff contending team. Additionally, Merriman and Kaeding had productive careers with the Chargers.

The post 10 Biggest NFL Draft Trades of all time appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Chris Moore (Twitter @fantasy_moore)

The Bus

There’s no question Jerome Bettis will go down as one of the best running backs to ever play for the Steelers organization. Bettis is one of the most popular legends that the Steelers have had over the past two decades and remains one of the best running backs to ever play in the NFL. Bettis is currently eighth on the all-time rushing leaders list with 13,662 rushing yards throughout his career. Bettis had a bunch of historical performances from rushing for over 200 yards in 1993 against the Saints, throwing a 32-yard touchdown pass for the Steelers in 2001, and scoring the final rushing touchdown of his career in the AFC championship to send the Steelers to the Super Bowl in 2006. Bettis did it all and had an incredible ride throughout his career.

Road to Canton

The Bus’s thirteen-year career included eight 1,000-yard rushing seasons, 94 total touchdowns, and six Pro Bowl selections. Bettis was so dominant in the league he was gifted the nickname “The Bus” due to his running style.

Bettis looked for contact and was a ferocious runner. Bettis was a superstar since he entered the league, rushing for 1,429 yards and winning the Offensive Rookie of the year award in his rookie season. Bettis was so dominant he was selected to the first-team All-Pro in his first season in the league. Once traded to Pittsburgh, Bettis reclaimed his dominance over the NFL. Bettis rushed for the second-most rushing yards from 1996-2001 (7,785). Selected to six Pro Bowls, two first-team All-Pro, and known as one of the best power runners of all time. Jerome Bettis did it all and ended his career with a Super Bowl win.

Current Player Comparison

Derrick Henry is the closest elite RB to the Bus since the Bus left the field. Henry doesn’t just possess similar traits to the HOF RB, but he’s an MVP caliber player. Oddly, I think it’s fair to find similarities between Bettis and current Steelers running back Najee Harris, as well.

Harris, who is a serious power back like Bettis, is simply the future for the Steelers. With Ben Roethlisberger set to retire after the season, the Steelers will need to lean on Harris over the next few years. Harris was a first-round pick like Bettis and rushed for over 1,000 yards also in his rookie season. The Steelers found another running back who looks special. It’s up to Harris to show how special he is over his NFL career.

The post A look back on Jerome Bettis’s Hall of Fame career appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Chris Moore (Twitter: @fantasy_moore)

2021 Season

The Rams have been one of the best teams in the NFC this year and look like possible Super Bowl contenders. Even with one of their top offensive players Cam Akers out most of the year. The Rams still have a top 10 offensive unit and have found success running the ball thanks to veteran running back Sony Michel. Michel has found success on the ground ever since he took over as the bell cow a few weeks ago. While the Rams have had a top offensive unit this season, and Michel has done a great job over the past few weeks. Cam Akers elevates the Rams to a different level when he’s in the lineup.

Running Game

Michel has taken over the Rams backfield and has done a great job since becoming the bell cow. Michel rushed for 497 yards over the past five weeks when he was designated the starter. But the Rams remain 24th in the league for rushing yards over the season. If the Rams want to be a Super Bowl contender, they need to rely more on the rushing game. We have already seen this season teams have had success beating the Rams when they get away from the run. Mathew Stafford and the offense is rolling when they incorporate the run game into their offense. It’s crucial they get their star running back Cam Akers back. Akers was a star for the Rams in the playoffs last year, rushing for 221 yards and two touchdowns in their two playoff games. Akers was a big part of why the Rams made it to the NFC Divisional Playoffs, and he will be a huge factor to the team if the Rams get Akers back heading into the playoffs this year.

Potential Return

While we don’t know what Akers will look like when he steps back onto the field. If he is the same player from last year, the Rams’ offense will be even better. Add a runner like Akers to an already top offensive unit, and the Rams could do some damage in the playoffs. While the Packers look like they are on a different level in the NFC, Akers could give the Rams the extra boost they need to be on par with the top team in the NFC.

He will be pivotal against the 49ers in Week 18. He is facing a team that has had the Rams number to say the least. They have stunned the Rams five times in a row. Check this stat out. The Rams have not had a 100 yard rusher in their five game losing streak to the 49ers. Well, when was the last time they had a 100 yard rusher? It was none other than the last time they beat the 49ers, where CJ Anderson ran angry for 132 yards and the Rams controlled the game with ease.

The post Why Cam Akers is the Rams key in Week 18 and why he can take the rams to the next level appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Chris Moore (Twitter @fantasy_moore)

Heading into their week 16 matchup against the Dolphins, the Saints were down to their third-string quarterback Ian Book. Book was the next man up to start in week 16 due to Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill being placed on the COVID list. With the Saints down two quarterbacks, it was Ian Books’ time to shine on primetime. Book finished the game 12/20, passing for 135 yards and two interceptions. The Saints went on to lose 20-3 in a crucial game they needed to win. Let’s get into Book’s performance and see what went wrong for the young rookie quarterback.

Rough Performance 

Books performance against the Dolphins was rough, to put it nicely. Book faced heavy pressure all night from the Dolphins and struggled to read the defense. Book was sacked eight times and threw a pick-six on his first NFL drive. It was a terrible game for Book, as the Saints struggled to run the ball and were playing from behind all night. The Dolphins’ defense has been playing very well as of late, but Book still struggled heavily in a game the Saints needed to win. It was rather disappointing for Saints fans, as many throughout the year thought Book could potentially be the starter one day for the Saints, and many wanted Book to play when Siemian was starting earlier in the year. Now it was only one game, and Book will adjust and get more comfortable playing in the league as he gains experience. But after his performance against the Dolphins, it doesn’t look like Book should be viewed as the Saints’ next franchise quarterback. Book looked like a backup out there in week 16, and it’s clear he needs more time if he is ever going to play in the NFL.

Potential Future

There’s a chance the Saints don’t have their franchise quarterback on the roster yet. Winston looked very promising, but he is only getting older and will be returning from an ACL tear in 2022. The Taysom Hill experience was a fun one. But he’s not the Saints’ long-term answer at the quarterback position. Ian Book looked like he doesn’t have a future in the league in his only start, but he is still very young and is still a rookie. It wasn’t a good performance. But Book will learn from the mistakes he made and hopefully get better as he gains the experience.

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By Chris Moore (Twitter: @fantasy_moore)

Coming into the 2021 NFL season, Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns were considered Super Bowl contenders. But that quickly changed this season after a year filled with injuries, Covid, and poor quarterback play. Mayfield has been battling injuries this season. But he also hasn’t played like he did last year. At times in his career, Mayfield has shown he looks like the franchise quarterback for the Browns. But with his play this season in a contract year, it’s fair to say he doesn’t look the par. Mayfield is coming off an ugly performance in a crucial game against the Packers for the Browns to keep their playoff lives alive. Mayfield threw four interceptions and finished with a 35.2 QBR. Mayfield hasn’t looked like the Browns’ future QB and it’s fair to say he might not be.

Expensive Contract

Let’s say the Browns do intend to give Mayfield an extension. His contract would immediately move Mayfield into the top 15 for most expensive contracts for the quarterback position. The Browns giving Mayfield a contract extension at this point in his career would remind me of the Rams paying Jared Goff all the money they did. It would be even worse because it’s fair to say Goff accomplished more for the Rams than Mayfield has for the Browns at this point in his career. Due to his play and injuries paying Mayfield a new extension would be a huge mistake for the Browns right now.

Inconsistent Play  

One of the main reasons why I don’t believe Mayfield is the Browns’ long-term answer at quarterback is due to his inconsistent play. Mayfield has games like against the Steelers in the playoffs last season, where he looks like a star. Mayfield was 21/34 passing for 263 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Mayfield finished with a 90.6 QBR and outplayed a future Hall of Famer in Ben Roethlisberger that night. Then there are games like last week’s performance against the Packers where Mayfield looks like a backup. Mayfield’s inconsistent play has severely hurt the Browns and could potentially cause them to miss the playoffs because of it.

Expensive Contract

Let’s say the Browns do intend to give Mayfield an extension. His contract would immediately move Mayfield into the top 15 for most expensive contracts for the quarterback position. The Browns giving Mayfield a contract extension at this point in his career would remind me of the Rams paying Jared Goff all the money they did. It would be even worse because it’s fair to say Goff accomplished more for the Rams than Mayfield has for the Browns at this point in his career. Due to his play and injuries paying Mayfield a new extension would be a huge mistake for the Browns right now.

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By Chris Moore (Twitter: @fantasy_moore)

Defense Dominating

It’s funny how the 2021 NFL season has changed so drastically over the year. Through the first few weeks of the year, the Cardinals looked like Super Bowl favorites. Some thought the Chiefs wouldn’t make the playoffs. A lot has changed around the league from the beginning of the year to now. From 3-4 to now standing at 10-4, the Chiefs are back. The Chiefs have their offense rolling again and have surprisingly found a defense this season.

The Chiefs’ defense has been playing phenomenal lately, ranking in the top ten for turnovers forced and points allowed. The Chiefs’ defense has been a large part of the Chiefs’ current seven-game win streak. We have already seen what Patrick Mahomes and this offense can do when they are firing on all cylinders. Add in a top defensive unit, and the Chiefs are a dangerous team heading into the postseason.

Offense Heating Up

The Chiefs’ offense was struggling at the beginning of the year. But over their past five games, the offense is starting to look like the Chiefs we all know. Coming off a huge overtime win against the Chargers, the Chiefs offense just put up 498 total yards and a massive 34-28 overtime win against a division rival. Mahomes was red hot in this game passing for over 400 yards and three passing touchdowns. Last week the Chiefs offense looked like the Chiefs we have seen dominating over the past few years. With the offense starting to perform how we are used to seeing them and the Chiefs’ newfound defensive unit playing the way they are, there’s no doubt this team should be a favorite in the AFC heading into the postseason. If Patrick Mahomes doesn’t have to play a juggernaut defense “late in the postseason”, I’m not sure what can slow him down.

Super Bowl Favorites

The Chiefs are widely seen as the Super Bowl favorite.

We have already seen what the Chiefs can accomplish when Mahomes and Andy Reid are cooking. The Chiefs are a dangerous team that has already been in the Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons. I don’t know how you can look at this team and not expect them to be in the Super Bowl after the last two years. The AFC is a real tight race right now. But the Chiefs are on a different level compared to the other AFC contenders. Until he shows us a reason why we shouldn’t trust him, I’m expecting Mahomes and the Chiefs to be in the Super Bowl and find redemption this year.

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By: Chris Moore

The 2021 NFL season is almost to a close, and we still don’t have any idea what happened to Michael Thomas and his relationship with the Saints. Earlier in the year, Thomas stated he would miss the rest of this year due to his ankle injury, but it’s clear Thomas’ relationship with the Saints is rather murky. Before the season started, reports were released saying that Thomas was budding heads with the Saints management and went against their recommendations on his ankle injury.

This isn’t the first time Thomas had an issue with the team. Last season in week 5, Thomas was suspended by the Saints for punching a teammate in practice. Thomas has had multiple problems with the Saints, and after missing nearly two full seasons in back-to-back years, the Saints might be done with Thomas in 2022. A potential trade involving Thomas could be looming in 2022. Let’s get into the possible trade destinations.

New England Patriots

Do you know who traded for a superstar receiver who was upset and had a poor relationship with his former team? That’s right, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. Belichick traded for Randy Moss back in the day, and while the Patriots are rolling this season with their new franchise quarterback Mac Jones. They still lack a number one receiver for Jones.  Thomas would elevate the Patriots’ offense to a new level in 2022. The Saints wouldn’t have to trade Thomas inside the conference, and the Patriots get their QB a new weapon.

Los Angeles Chargers

While this may come as a surprise, I think the Chargers could be a potential landing spot for Thomas in 2022. While Mike Williams has had a resurgence this season for the Chargers, he is 27 years old. While the Chargers may resign Williams, the Chargers could need another big target receiver for Justin Herbert if Williams leaves. The Chargers offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi also has ties to Michael Thomas, as Lombardi was the Saints quarterback coach for the past five seasons.

Kansas City Chiefs

While this one may be a long shot, the Kansas City Chiefs could take a chance on Thomas. The Chiefs are missing another weapon on offense, besides Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. Adding Thomas would instantly make the Chiefs’ offense borderline unstoppable. I think we see the Chiefs add another receiver this off-season, as they already tried to bring in Juju Smith-Schuster before the season began, and with Kelce getting older, the Chiefs need another weapon in the passing game besides Hill.

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By Chris Moore (Twitter: @fantasy_moore)

Heading into the 2021 offseason, Richard Sherman was viewed as one of the better veterans available in free agency. Many expected Sherman to return to the 49ers. But so far, that hasn’t been the case. Sherman has yet to sign with a new team in the 2021 season, but with multiple teams in the NFL dealing with injuries to their secondaries, we should expect Sherman to be getting a call very soon. At the time of writing this article, Sherman is visiting the Buccaneers. Let’s get into the top three fits for Richard Sherman.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Like I stated earlier in the article, Sherman is currently visiting the Buccaneers for a workout. The Buccaneers make a ton of sense for Sherman. They are a Super Bowl contending team that needs cornerbacks right now. The Bucs lost one of their starting cornerbacks in Sean Murphy-Bunting to a dislocated elbow in Week 1. In Week 3, one of their other starters Jamel Dean, left the game Sunday in the first quarter and never returned. The Bucs’ secondary is decimated right now, and if they want to return to the Super Bowl, adding to this beat-up secondary is a must. Sherman would fill a need for the team at the moment.

San Francisco 49ers

Just like the Buccaneers, the 49ers are also beat up in the secondary. The 49ers lost star cornerback Jason Verrett in Week 1 due to a torn ACL. With Verrett set to miss the remainder of the season, the 49ers need some help in the secondary. They tried bringing in veteran cornerback Josh Norman before the season started, but Norman has suffered a bruised lung injury against the Packers, and his status is unknown. The 49ers need some reinforcements in the secondary if they want to have any chance of slowing down any of the top NFC contenders. In comes Sherman. Why not bring back one of your starting cornerbacks from last season? Sherman knows the 49ers system very well, and with the 49ers leaning on their young cornerbacks in Deommodore Lenoir and Emmanuel Moseley, Sherman would provide experience and leadership. A return to the Bay may be in store for Sherman.

Seattle Seahawks

I don’t think we can rule out a potential homecoming for Sherman and Seattle. Sherman has always said he’s open for a return, and I think Seattle could be interested. The Seahawks currently give up the seventh-most passing yards in the league so far, and their secondary has had trouble against the pass. A potential reunion with Sherman could help their secondary. Seattle lost one of their starting cornerbacks, Shaquill Griffin, in free agency, and they currently don’t have great depth at the position. If Seattle wants to be competitive in their division, they need to fix up their secondary. Maybe a call to Sherman is how they start fixing it. We could see a potential return to Seattle in the future.

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