Not only does Bruce Gradkowski recognize Antonio Brown’s considerable talent, he also sees his ability to mean so much more to the team than just putting up big numbers. And that’s why Gradkowski thinks Brown should recognize that he should be the last player to not show up at the facility the Monday after a game, as Brown did this week following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Carolina Panthers expect an enormous challenge Sunday when they face the Cincinnati Bengals. Not only do the Bengals bring a 2-0 record into the game against the 1-1 Panthers, but they also bring an offense that has the talent and scheme to give any opposing defense fits.

What’s the reaction when a play like the one for which Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews was penalized shows up on the screen? “There’s definitely some eye-rolling that goes on, other than (from) the quarterbacks, obviously,” Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn told Jim Miller and Pat Kirwan on Movin’ The Chains.

Beating the Seattle Seahawks, 24-17, at Soldier Field Monday night for their first victory of the season carried a larger impact beyond the won-loss column for the Chicago Bears. As far as wide receiver Taylor Gabriel was concerned, it was an ideal time and place to showcase the new and improved Bears under first-year coach Matt Nagy.

Dante Fowler is realistic about the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 31-20 victory against the New England Patriots Sunday. Although it was a rematch of the teams in the 2017 AFC Championship Game, the winner did not advance to the Super Bowl.

Dion Lewis knows that after the Tennessee Titans’ season-opening loss at Miami, the path to improvement only gets more difficult. That’s because the highly versatile running back and his Titans’ teammates know that they’ll be facing a solid defense when the Houston Texans visit Nashville.

Chris Thompson can’t deny being awestruck when he suddenly found himself a teammate of a childhood hero after Adrian Peterson joined the Washington Redskins. Now that they’re part of the same offensive backfield, they are using their respective skills to complement each other in an effort to help the Redskins succeed.

It isn’t only 13-plus years of experience that Ryan Fitzpatrick has going for him in his role as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ starting quarterback. It’s also the ability to deliver difference-making plays, as he did in throwing for 417 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Bucs to their stunning 48-40 victory in last Sunday’s season-opener against the New Orleans Saints.

Aaron Rodgers is touted as the hero for the Green Bay Packers’ remarkable comeback victory against the Chicago Bears Sunday night, and no one would dispute that. After leaving the field in the second quarter with a knee injury, Rodgers not only returned in the third quarter but even while clearly hobbling he still managed to lead the Packers from a 20-0 deficit to a 24-23 victory. He threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns. But it was his final scoring throw, a 75-yard connection with Randall Cobb, that decided the outcome. And Cobb’s role in the play can’t be overlooked.

On some level, the Cleveland Browns had to view Sunday’s 21-21 season-opening tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a plus. After all, the Browns were 0-16 last year and 1-15 in 2016. Avoiding a loss out of the gate had to be viewed as progress, right?

The biggest disappointment for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season was their 5-11 finish. On top of that, however, there was the frustration players such as wide receiver DeSean Jackson felt over the inability to consistently make the game-changing big plays he and the rest of the Bucs’ passing game were capable of producing.

The Philadelphia Eagles successfully began the defense of their Super Bowl championship in large measure because their defense came up big in Thursday night’s 18-12 victory against the Atlanta Falcons.

Christian Kirksey has started 32 consecutive games at linebacker for the Cleveland Browns. The team only won one of them. So why is Kirksey so enthusiastic about the 2018 season, which the Browns open Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers?

After signing a contract extension with the Detroit Lions that makes him one of the highest-paid safeties in the NFL, Quandre Diggs wanted to make one thing clear. He will not be seeing himself any differently than he did before signing the three-year deal reportedly worth up to $20.4 million.

Now that he’s 41 years old, Tom Brady is seen as entering overtime of a career in which he has established himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. Some people thought he should, and even expected he would, have walked away after another MVP and Super Bowl season last year.

Wesley Woodyard is entering his 11th season as an NFL linebacker, his fifth with the Tennessee Titans. For Woodyard, however, the preparation has felt noticeably different.

Former NFL General Manager Mark Dominik wasn’t the least bit surprised by the monster, six-year, $135-million contract the Los Angeles Rams gave defensive tackle Aaron Donald Friday. While co-hosting on the SiriusXM Blitz, Dominik said he saw the annual average of $22.5 million as being right what he thought it would be.

Free-agent defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins isn’t sweating the fact he remains unemployed with the start of the NFL regular season just around the corner. Hankins is confident he will wind up with a team for which he expects to be a good fit in the near future.

This week, the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks kicked the tires on free-agent defensive end Junior Galette. The Oakland Raiders did so last March. Galette, who previously turned down an offer from the Rams because he opted to take care of his sick mother, is still searching.

Before last season, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ quarterback had to do a major overhaul of his mechanics. The repairs paid off in helping Bortles lead the Jaguars all the way to the AFC Championship Game. Through the offseason and during the Jaguars’ training camp this summer, Bortles has been able to concentrate more on smaller, but no less important, details to sharpen his play even further. He and the Jaguars are hoping for an even larger pay off this season.

As Jon Gruden wrapped up the first training camp since his return to head-coaching after nine years away from the sidelines, he’s certain of one thing. The practice hours logged by his Oakland Raiders are second to none in the NFL. Now, he hopes that will translate well once they begin playing games that count.

Although LeGarrette Blount worked on the offensive side of the ball, he managed to form a bond with then-defensive coordinator Matt Patricia on the New England Patriots from 2014 to 2016. It’s a relationship that has carried over to this year, with the two reuniting on the Detroit Lions — Patricia as head coach and Blount as a veteran running back with an uncanny knack for helping his teams win Super Bowls.

Tyreek Hill has more than one reason to be excited about entering his third season with the Kansas City Chiefs.

This is no ordinary training camp for Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

A year ago, the Denver Broncos’ defense improved an area of weakness, but it wasn’t strong in the place that is supposed to be its greatest strength: rushing the passer.

With an eventual offseason behind him, Matt Ryan has been focused on a training camp that has allowed him and the rest of the Atlanta Falcons’ offense to thrive on being in the same offense for the second year in a row.

Most prognosticators aren’t expecting a whole lot from the Cincinnati Bengals this season. You don’t hear them mentioned as a popular pick to win the AFC North or even reach the playoffs as a wild-card. But Bengals standout receiver A.J. Green thinks the rest of the NFL is in for a big surprise.

The Carolina Panthers’ defense appeared to take two major hits in the offseason with the free-agent departure of defensive tackle Star Lotulelei to the Buffalo Bills and the four-game suspension of outside linebacker Thomas Davis for PEDs. Luke Kuechly doesn’t quite see it that way.

Day after day, practice after practice, they make each other better. Alex Smith, the new Washington Redskins’ quarterback who is known for his precision, realizes he has to be at the very top of his game every time he faces cornerback Josh Norman.

So what was it? What part of Kirk Cousins’ game was the most attractive to the Minnesota Vikings when they decided to sign him to a three-year, $84-million contract? Mike Zimmer, the Vikings’ coach, was as enamored by what Cousins didn’t do then what he did do. And what he did a good job of avoiding was mistakes with his throws.

For Josh Allen, virtually every moment at the Buffalo Bills’ training camp has felt like being in a classroom. Whether he’s on the field or sitting in a meeting, the rookie quarterback finds himself learning something new all the time. And much of that learning comes from making mistakes.

There were so many unknowns and a great deal of trepidation throughout the Chargers’ organization before the team’s move from San Diego to Los Angeles last year. The biggest immediate change was training camp, which went from the club’s former headquarters in San Diego to Costa Mesa, Calif. Adjusting to that was a big deal and set the tone for an entire year of adjustment.

Todd Bowles has a matter-of-fact perspective on the New York Jets’ quarterback situation. He sees himself and the Jets’ other coaches evaluating the competitors daily before picking a starter from Josh McCown, Teddy Bridgewater and recently signed first-round draft pick Sam Darnold. “They’re battling it out and we just monitor it and we’ll go by practice every day and see what happens at the end of the preseason,” Bowles told Bruce Murray and Erik Coleman at the Jets’ training camp in Florham Park, N.J., Sunday, a day before Darnold agreed to a deal and report to camp.

After ranking 10th in the NFL last season, the Chicago Bears’ defense has established a fairly lofty standard for itself. Akiem Hicks, a defensive end for the Bears the past two years, believes the unit not only can play up to that level again this season, but also show improvement.

Dak Prescott performed better as a rookie in 2016 than he did last year. But that doesn’t have Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett worried about his quarterback’s ability to find that form again.

Kyle Juszczyk had embarked on his NFL career a few years before the Ivy League, in which he played while at Harvard, decided to ban contact in practices. The move was ne as a safety measure to help reduce head trauma suffered by players. With training camps opening around the league, it is something Juszczyk can see becoming a part of the way he and others prepare for games at the professional level.

Tom Coughlin has no doubt the Jacksonville Jaguars have the right man at quarterback in Blake Bortles. Bortles proved plenty of his doubters wrong with his strong showing in the playoffs last January, nearly guiding the Jaguars to the Super Bowl. Coughlin, the Jaguars’ executive vice president of football operations, sees that and plenty of other reasons that Bortles can allow the Jags to remain a contender.

Ben Watson is beginning his second stint with the New Orleans Saints, so he is more than familiar with his iconic teammate, Drew Brees. But Brees, who is entering his 18th NFL season, never ceases to amaze Watson, who is in his 15th year in the league.

Sunday’s passing of Tony Sparano brought tributes for the long-time NFL coach from all over the league. Former running back Ronnie Brown, who played for the Miami Dolphins when Sparano was their head coach, thought one of Sparano’s greatest qualities was how he connected with players beyond preparing them for and guiding them through games.

Adam Thielen remembers being on the wrong side of Kirk Cousins’ surgical-like dismantling of a defense. Cousins was playing for the Washington Redskins, and all Thielen and his Minnesota Vikings’ teammates could do was watch helplessly as Cousins went to … Continued

Blake Bortles can sense it. The Jacksonville Jaguars have captured the imagination of their fans in Jacksonville.

Ramon Foster, who is entering his 10th season as an offensive guard, understands that the contract dispute between Le’Veon Bell and the Steelers could lead to Bell moving on in free agency in 2019. But Foster knows that Bell will be his teammate this season and, along with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and other difference-makers on offense, the veteran lineman believes there is enough talent for the team to go the distance THIS SEASON.

Chris Long’s main regret about not playing for the New England Patriots last season was failing to have the chance to help them win back-to-back Super Bowls. It stung, even though, as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, the veteran defensive end was able to not only win a second Super Bowl in a row but also do so at the Patriots’ expense.

Tim Brown would like to see Terrell Owens show up for the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on Aug. 4. Even if that isn’t going to happen, Brown would like to have a heart-to-heart conversation with his fellow Hall of Fame receiver just to let Owens know he cares and has his best interests in mind. However, Brown knows that he is one of the last people Owens would listen to.

Looking back, Case Keenum doesn’t see much reason for the Minnesota Vikings to feel any sort of shame over their 38-7 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. It also continues to serve as motivation for the quarterback to take the next step with his new team, the Denver Broncos.

Consistency. It’s what every coach wants from every player in the NFL. And it’s what new Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Norv Turner is determined to get from his quarterback, Cam Newton.

Connor Barwin has spent nine seasons in the NFL as a linebacker and defensive end. He fully expects to play a 10th. The free agent said “a number of teams” have expressed interest in signing him. He believes he’ll have a deal in place within a couple weeks, likely right before most of the league’s training camps open.

Eli Manning fully understands what the New York Giants’ decision not to select a quarterback with the second overall pick of last April’s NFL Draft means. The Giants determined that going with running back Saquon Barkley instead of Manning’s replacement was the better option, because they have faith the two-time Super Bowl MVP can still lead them to another Super Bowl crown.

Baltimore Ravens rookie tight end Hayden Hurst felt he did some immediate bonding on quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson during offseason practices. Among the qualities Hurst liked best about Flacco and Jackson is that they “both rely on the … Continued

Jameis Winston’s three-game suspension stemming from an incident with a female Uber driver that the NFL ruled was in violation of its personal-conduct policy hasn’t changed the way at least one of his Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates looks at him. Tight end Cameron Brate calls Winston a friend and continues to view the quarterback as the type of person with whom he is happy to spend time away from the game.

Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Russell Okung tweeted this week about the NFLPA needing to make guaranteed contracts for players a priority when it negotiates a new collective bargaining agreement for the one that expires in 2020. Buffalo Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander, a member of the NFLPA’s executive committee, concurs and says it is something that the union will continue to seek.

Usually, it’s the other way around. It’s the rookie, who has yet to play a down in the NFL, saying how flattered he is to be compared with a Hall of Famer. But it was LaDainian Tomlinson, the former running back with a bronze bust in Canton, expressing his appreciation to the many observers who think New York Giants rookie Saquon Barkley looks like a young LT.

Cliff Avril probably played his final down in the NFL. The former member of the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions is relieved that one of his former Seahawk teammates, Kam Chancellor, is apparently following the same road.

Thanks to the guidance of coach Sean McVay, safety John Johnson is convinced the Los Angeles Rams won’t become caught up in all of the hype of soaring expectations after last season’s 11-5 finish.

Now that the NFL has suspended Jameis Winston for three games for violating its personal conduct policy, some pundits have said, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are poised to cut their franchise quarterback. Don’t believe that for a second, according to former Buccaneers General Manager Mark Dominik.

Wide receiver was an area the Carolina Panthers set out to upgrade during the offseason. Based on what Devin Funchess could see through organized team activity and mandatory minicamp practices, the competition should be intense.

The Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t having any problems tuning out the proverbial noise that they’re expected to be a strong postseason contender this year. Although it has been a long time since any such discussion surrounded the team during the offseason, the players need only have to consider one fact before feeling even the slightest temptation to become full of themselves.

Nick Foles knows better than most how quickly life can change.

Chris Harris Jr., sees plenty of reason for excitement in the 2018 Denver Broncos. The standout cornerback expects improvement resulting from the additions of multiple newcomers, beginning with the Broncos’ first-round draft pick, defensive end Bradley Chubb from North Carolina State.

This offseason, the Vikings set out to not only take better advantage of those single-blocking matchups in the middle but also try to pull some of the additional blockers away from Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter. That was the thinking behind signing free-agent defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson.

Karlos Dansby calls his time away from football this offseason a “blessing,” because it has given the free-agent linebacker plenty of time to do what he loves best. One is spending more time with his children. Otherwise, Dansby has been making sure his 36-year-old body will be in top condition whenever he gets the call to sign with a team.

Tre Boston rattles off his accomplishments: Top five in the NFL with five interceptions last season, first on the Los Angeles Chargers in that category, second in tackles. And yet, there he is, still a free agent.

T.J. Ward is one of multiple NFL veteran safeties who remain unemployed in what he describes as a “strange offseason.”

It’s a favorite line when touting the leadership qualities of an NFL quarterback: First one to arrive, last one to leave. It sounds good, but how much does it really mean? In the view of New Orleans Saints defensive end Alex Okafor is concerned, when that point is made about Drew Brees, it means plenty.

The injuries were one thing. John Ross understood that all he could do with those was recover. The part with which the Cincinnati Bengals receiver struggled the most as a rookie last year was the pain from the criticism and second-guessing about the level of his desire to play in the NFL. Being limited to a mere 17 snaps during the 2017 season was something that bothered him more than anyone could have imagined.

For Washington Redskins outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, what he saw of the team’s new quarterback, Alex Smith, during OTAs and mandatory minicamp has left him smiling.

Mike Mitchell is noticing a clear trend. There are several veteran free-agent safeties, including Mitchell, in the open market.

Haason Reddick is “definitely loving” his new position in the Arizona Cardinals’ new defense. Mainly an inside linebacker as a rookie last year, Reddick now finds himself full-time on the outside in the 4-3 scheme of first-year Cardinals coach Steve Wilks.

Michael Irvin doesn’t get it. The Hall of Famer still sees considerable talent in fellow former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant. He still sees someone who can make a significant impact on an offense.

Although John DeFilippo immediately followed Pat Shurmur as the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive coordinator this offseason, he did not maintain any of the scheme that was in place. That means wide receiver Adam Thielen and the rest of the incumbents have spent OTA and mandatory minicamp practices learning a new way of doing things.

Chuck Pagano hasn’t forgotten the sheer agony Andrew Luck experienced last season. The former Indianapolis Colts coach realizes what Luck’s not playing last season due to the lingering effects of the shoulder surgery he underwent in January, 2017, had on the team.

When a player changes teams, he doesn’t simply change uniform colors. That’s the point new Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator John DeFilippo drove home about the club’s new quarterback, Kirk Cousins.

Statistically, Jarrad Davis had a strong rookie season with the Detroit Lions last year. Now, with a new defensive-minded head coach, Matt Patricia, and much more offseason time on his hands, Davis is focused on having an even better encore.

What will the New England Patriots do about filling Julian Edelman’s void at receiver during his four-game stretch for his reported suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances? As far as Jim Miller and Pat Kirwan are concerned, the answer is nothing.

James Lofton thinks the New England Patriots’ passing game will lose something because of Julian Edelman’s reported four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy. Edelman is one of the best receivers in the league. And even though he’s returning from the torn ACL that sidelined him for all of last season, he was expected to add to a pass-catching corps that is missing Danny Amendola and Brandin Cooks.

Thurman Thomas has yet to stop beaming over the news that the Buffalo Bills plan to retire his No. 34 jersey on Oct. 29, when the team faces the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football. He joins former teammates Jim Kelly and Bruce Smith in receiving the rare honor bestowed by the team.

The mission was to scout the quarterback at Clemson, Steve Fuller, not find a receiver. The problem was there were no receivers around to catch passes from Fuller for the workout Hall of Fame San Francisco 49ers coach Bill Walsh was waiting for to begin on Clemson’s campus. As former Niners president and CEO Carmen Policy remembered for Jim Miller and Pat Kirwan on Movin’ The Chains, Walsh, in looking for someone to join Fuller on the field, happened to come across the seldom-used Clark.

Now that the Cleveland Browns have acquired Mychal Kendricks, their linebacking corps has gone from good to, arguably, great. That’s what former Browns quarterback and SiriusXM Blitz co-host Brady Quinn believes.

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is thriving in his NFL career as a starting right guard for the Kansas City Chiefs. But when the day comes, as it does for all players in the league, that he’ll need something else to do for a living, his fallback plan is as impressive as any.

Jonathan Allen is running again. That, alone, is enough to keep the defensive end smiling through the Washington Redskins’ offseason workouts.

A year ago, the Philadelphia Eagles played the no-respect card to the hilt. It went a long way toward helping them win their first Super Bowl. So what will this year’s motivation be?

Jeff Fisher had never had the question asked of him publicly until Jim Miller and Pat Kirwan posed it during Tuesday’s edition of Movie’ The Chains. Has the former NFL coach received any feelers to become a television-network game analyst? “Yes, I have,” Fisher responded.

Jim Daopoulos just doesn’t get it. The former NFL official and current ESPN Monday Night Football Rules Analyst looks at the league’s dramatic rules changes to the kickoff to shrink the space of the play and slow collisions — effectively making it look more like a punt — and shakes his head.

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished 13-3 last season. Although they fell short of the Super Bowl, the Steelers demonstrated their typical dominance. And this year doesn’t appear to be any different.

To say John Mara is cautiously optimistic about the New York Giants’ offseason would be an understatement. The New York Giants’ co-owner won’t allow himself to get caught up in the mostly positive reviews the team has received for an offseason in which it seemed to make a pair of strong hires in General Manager Dave Gettleman and coach John Mara, did solid drafting, and had good attendance for voluntary workouts.

The parameters have pretty well been set. Thanks largely to the five-year, $30-million contract extension quarterback Matt Ryan recently signed with the Atlanta Falcons, the Green Bay Packers now figure to have a clearer path to getting a similar deal done with their quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.

The NFL’s head of officiating doesn’t want the league’s ever-increasing efforts to make the game safer to be misunderstood. Yes, the NFL has revamped the rules for the kickoff that reduce the speed and space in which the play is made — effectively making it more closely resemble a punt — with the elimination of double-team blocking and the wedge. Yes, it has banned players from lowering their helmets and making contact with an opponent.

Cornerback/safety Damarious Randle believed he had been productive enough since joining the Packers as a first-round draft pick from Arizona State in 2015 to warrant remaining with them. The Packers had other ideas. And now Randle is ready to contribute to what he believes is going to be a dramatic turnaround for a team that has won one game in the past two seasons.

Baker Mayfield knows all about the stigma attached to being an NFL team appearing on the HBO series Hard Knocks. All of those cameras and microphones capturing practically everything you do and say during training camp. To say the least, it all can be more than a little distracting. And all of those distractions by the annual summer invasion of a massive NFL Films crew have been considered by some as a cause for struggling once the season begins.

Lamar Jackson thought for sure he’d be selected sooner than the final pick of the first round of last month’s NFL Draft. But after waiting and waiting, he finally heard from the Baltimore Ravens, who traded down to the 32nd choice to grab the former Louisville standout.

It’s Nyheim Hines’ nature to try to get a jump on things, so the running back wasted no time looking at his iPad containing the Indianapolis Colts’ offensive playbook before the team’s recent rookie minicamp. When the former North Carolina State standout opened it up, he could barely believe his eyes.

Anthony Lynn kept putting it off. And putting it off. And putting it off. He was close to earning his college degree, but football kept getting in the way. First, it was his NFL playing career, then it was his coaching career, which saw him rise through the ranks to the position he received last year as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.

They were only together for three seasons, but the Chuck Knox’s influence on Brian Bosworth was profound. For Bosworth, a linebacker who played on Knox’s Seattle Seahawks from 1987 through 1989, the recent passing of his former coach at age 86 hit like a “body blow” that Boz said was felt throughout the NFL.

Former NFL executive Bill Polian sees the logic in David Tepper being the likely candidate to become the next owner of the Carolina Panthers, for whom Polian formerly served as general manager. Tepper reportedly is close to a deal to purchase the Panthers from Jerry Richardson.

On the field, Zach Strief helps clear paths for Mark Ingram. Off the field, the New Orleans Saints offensive tackle is no less determined to be as supportive as possible for the running back.

Joe Thomas has seen previous Cleveland Browns rookie quarterbacks fail, time and again, to simply assume things will work out just fine for Baker Mayfield.

Cliff Avril is at peace with the prospect of never stepping onto a football field again. After the Seattle Seahawks released the defensive end with a failed physical designation because of a neck injury, he has focused on recovering and figuring out what to do next with his life.

Maurice Hurst fully anticipated slipping down the respective draft boards of NFL teams. As the former Michigan standout defensive tackle pointed out to Bruce Murray and Brady Quinn on the SiriusXM Blitz, “teams can get kind of freaked out on Draft Day.”

After retiring as an NFL coach after last season, Bruce Arians couldn’t see putting a whole lot of distance between himself and the game that has consumed him for most of his life. That made it easy for the former Arizona Cardinals coach to accept an offer from CBS Sports to become a game analyst, joining Greg Gumbel and Trent Green in the booth while Jamie Erdahl handles sideline reporting.

It was close. The Carolina Panthers had the top two receiver prospects in the NFL Draft, D.J. Moore and Calvin Ridley, closely rated before making Moore, a former Maryland star, the 24th overall choice. The Atlanta Falcons picked Ridley, a former Alabama standout, 26th.

This week marked the 13th annual Covino & Rich Guac Off, and some special guests stopped by to taste test some delicious guacamole.

The Washington Redskins entered the 2018 NFL Draft the way all teams do: looking to add players who will make them better. The difference was, the Redskins took their first major step in that direction on March 14, when they made a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire veteran quarterback Alex Smith.

Ben Roethlisberger is 36 years old and nearing the end of an amazing career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are confident he can continue to be a top-level franchise quarterback for them, but they also know they eventually have to replace him.

Well before the New York Giants used the second overall pick of the NFL Draft on running back Saquon Barkley, new coach Pat Shurmur took a closer look at what he had at quarterback.

When the head coach is a former high school wrestling standout, it only stands to reason that a college prospect with a similar background is going to have some added appeal. That was the case when Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott took a closer look at Stanford defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, whom the team made a third-round pick in the NFL Draft last Friday night.

The Buffalo Bills addressed two of their biggest needs in the first round of the NFL Draft. Time will tell whether former Wyoming star Josh Allen proves to be their long-term answer at quarterback and former Virginia Tech standout Tremaine Edmunds becomes a fixture at linebacker in a defense that has struggled the past three seasons.

Josh Rosen remembers the stories from his parents. As a baby, he always loved showing off that passing arm that is about to make him a first-round pick in the NFL Draft … and a very wealthy man.

They have been polite, saying the right things and flashing their biggest smiles. But let’s face it. The quarterbacks in this year’s NFL Draft all want the same thing: to be the top overall pick. All the politeness in the world won’t change that.

Every NFL Draft holds the potential for introducing the next superstars of the game, but there’s something so appropriate about holding the 2018 festivities at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This is going to be huge.

To look at the University of Pittsburgh’s Brian O’Neill, all 6-foot-7 and 305 pounds of him, you’d assume he spent his entire football life as an offensive lineman. Not so. ‘I was learning football all over again’ As recent as … Continued

Brady Quinn totally gets it, even if there are many other people who might not. To the former NFL quarterback, Lamar Jackson’s pre-draft visit to the New England Patriots “makes sense for a lot of reasons,” Quinn said while co-hosting with Bruce Murray on the SiriusXM Blitz.

You think 11 weeks was a long time for the NFL to put together its 2018 schedule that was revealed Thursday night? If it were up to the people to assembled it, the dates and times of games wouldn’t come out until after next week’s draft.

Nick Chubb’s journey to the NFL has played out more publicly than those of many other prospects in the Class of 2018. With the notable exception, that is, of his cousin, Bradley Chubb.

Of all of Paul Posluszny’s accomplishments during 11 seasons as an NFL linebacker, the biggest had nothing to do with individual achievement.

When Denzel Ward was a cornerback at Ohio State, he didn’t have to go very far to find top-level competition.

There were plenty of reasons the Los Angeles Rams improved from 4-12 in 2016 to 11-5 last season, but Todd Gurley knows who the driving force behind it all was.

If James Washington has his way, he’ll continue following in the path of fellow former Oklahoma State standout Dez Bryant all the way to the Dallas Cowboys, who parted ways with Bryant Friday.

Dion Lewis believes he and his new backfield partner, Derrick Henry, will be plenty productive for the Tennessee Titans this season.

James Lofton, a Hall of Fame receiver and SiriusXM NFL Radio co-host, thinks the best result for the meeting between Dez Bryant and team owner Jerry Jones would be for Bryant to remain with the Cowboys.

After the New York Giants traded away defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, conventional wisdom strongly suggested they would select the draft’s top-rated player at Paul’s position: Bradley Chubb of North Carolina State.

Eric Ebron knows that Andrew Luck is still working his way back from shoulder surgery. However, the Indianapolis Colts’ recently acquired tight end leaned on his faith that he will eventually be catching passes from Luck when he chose his new team.

For safety Landon Collins, one of the discouraging parts of the 2017 season he doesn’t want to see repeated is the acrimony among members of the Giants’ secondary. Collins told Bruce Murray and Phil Savage on the SiriusXM Blitz that steps have been taken among the team’s defensive backs to mend any lingering hard feelings and create cohesion.

The Los Angeles Rams acquired wide receiver Brandin Cooks to be another difference-making component to their explosive passing game. They are likely to get much more.

For cornerback Orlando Scandrick, the decision to sign with the Washington Redskins after 10 seasons of facing them as a member of the Dallas Cowboys had nothing to do with jumping to an NFC East rival to spite his former team.

Brady Quinn continues to pay close enough attention to the Browns to believe they were wrongfully called out by Manziel for failing to recognize he wasn’t mentally prepared to do what was necessary to live up to the first-round draft pick they invested in him in 2014.

Knowing an overhaul to the Chicago Bears’ coaching staff was inevitable, guard New Dolphins guard Josh Sitton saw what he hoped would be an ideal landing spot after his imminent departure as a free agent. Wherever his two favorite former Bears coaches ended up, of course.

Ryan Jensen signed a record contract for an NFL center with the Buccaneers ($42 million over four years), in part because they’re a team he believes provides the best chance for immediate success.

After being medically cleared to return from a concussion while sitting out the 2017 campaign, safety Su’a Cravens was ready to return. And on Thursday, the Redskins traded him to the Denver Broncos.

NFL former head of officiating Mike Pereira doesn’t like the idea the new lowering-the-head rule, nor does he think it’s the solution to the NFL’s efforts to remove the helmet as a tool/weapon when initiating contact.

Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard is struggling to wrap his mind around the league’s new rule that calls for a 15-yard penalty and possible ejection if a player lowers his head and makes contact with another player.

In a surprise move, the NFL announced at its annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., a new rule that calls for a player to be penalized 15 yards and possibly ejected whenever he lowers his head to initiate and make contact with his helmet against an opponent.

As far as Jay Gruden is concerned, the Washington Redskins’ offseason has been a success. It began with the trade that sent quarterback Alex Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Redskins.

Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden is not among the coaches who believes that the NFL’s proposed change to the catch-no catch rule provides a solution to making more correct calls.

Travis Kelce is ready for a significant change to the Kansas City Chiefs’ passing game in the 2018 season.

Jason and Devin McCourty were football teammates in Pop Warner, high school, and college. Then, once they reached the NFL after forming a cornerback duo at Rutgers University, the twin brothers went their separate ways … for nine seasons. Now, they’re back together.

There was a lot of talk about the rain, that it helped Sam Darnold prove to NFL talent-evaluators he can handle adverse weather. Brady Quinn, for one, wasn’t buying that.

When you’re presumed to be one of the top quarterback prospects in the NFL Draft, you tend to draw a lot of attention. That’s the case with former Wyoming standout Josh Allen, especially as he gets ready for Friday’s Pro Day in Laramie.

Former Seahawks wide receiver Paul Richardson is thrilled to be joining the Redskins, who have both the role that suits his skills and the quarterback in Alex Smith who can take advantage of them.

For Allen Robinson, there never was much of a question about which teams showing interest in him as a free agent would provide the best landing spot. It was always the Chicago Bears.

Kyle Williams’ hunger to win a championship with the Buffalo Bills drove him to return to the team for a 13th season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut Cameron Brate not once, not twice, but three times.

K.J. Wright can’t hide the emotional pain. Two outstanding teammates, and close friends, are gone from the Seattle Seahawks.

DaeSean Hamilton didn’t run the 40-yard dash at the recent NFL Scouting Combine, saving that event for his March 20 Pro Day at Penn State. Hamilton isn’t concerned about the one question some scouts have about the sort of impact … Continued

Pat Kirwan sees no way the Miami Dolphins can afford to pay the $8.5 million guaranteed roster bonus defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is scheduled to receive if he’s on their roster on March 19th.

As a pending free agent, guard Jack Mewhort can’t be certain of the identity of his next NFL employer, assuming there is one. He would like to remain a member of the Indianapolis Colts, with whom he has spent the past four seasons, but he realizes that anything is possible.

For Saquon Barkley, his best showing at the NFL Scouting Combine last week wasn’t on the field. It was what he did behind closed doors during the 15-minute interviews with each team that requested one with him.

As far as new Houston Texans General Manager Brian Gaine is concerned, everything about Deshaun Watson’s second season with the team looks to be encouraging.

The whirlwind that has been Mike Vrabel’s first month as coach of the Tennessee Titans has seen him pull off one of the more impressive moves by anyone to hire a defensive coordinator. Vrabel managed to land one of the best in the business by convincing Dean Pees to end the retirement he began only four weeks earlier as a member of the Baltimore Ravens’ staff.

John Elway sees no point in resisting the trend. Quarterbacks emerging from college football mostly work from spread-type offenses with ample run-pass option (RPO) plays.