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O’Halloran: Before starting college career, Broncos’ Devontae Jackson had another type of job By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post June 24, 2019

Jackson’s first trip to Colorado was for rookie minicamp and during organized team activities.

Unable to post test scores good enough to accept a Division I offer, Broncos rookie running back Devontae Jackson had a different type of freshman year in 2014.

From 10 a.m.-1 a.m., he worked at a restaurant in Georgia. He wasn’t in school and wasn’t playing football, but refused to drown himself in self-pity.

“It was tough,” Jackson said earlier this spring. “But every time I got off from work, I would go straight to the weight room and train. I just made sure I continued to work while I wasn’t able to be on the field.

“The love of football was always there. I just wanted to get back on the field.”

And Jackson did in 2015, starting a four-year career at Division II West Georgia that included rushing years of 1,057, 487, 1,175 and 1,320 yards and a contract with the Broncos.

“My first couple offers were D-1, but I didn’t get my scores in time,” Jackson said. “West Georgia, through the process, made sure I was straight because they really wanted me. They stayed with me.”

Listed at 5-foot-7 (tied with running back Khalfani Muhammad for shortest on the Broncos) and 170 pounds (lightest on the team), Jackson figures to get plenty of carries during the five-game preseason schedule.

The week of the draft, Jackson said he talked to Arizona, Oakland, Buffalo, Washington and Carolina while staying in touch with Broncos special teams coordinator Tom McMahon, who first contacted him in February.

“(McMahon) said I reminded him of Phillip Lindsay and I look up to Lindsay a lot,” Jackson said. “His story, first undrafted rookie in the , inspired me.”

Jackson’s first trip to Colorado was for rookie minicamp and during organized team activities. He was toward the back of the running back line and his team reps were limited even with Lindsay (wrist injury) sitting out.

The key for Jackson will be in the return game.

“I’m excited about that,” he said. “I’m definitely big on the return game. That was the main thing (McMahon) emphasized.”

Miller on … Outside linebacker Von Miller hosted his two-day football camp Thursday-Friday at Englewood High School.

Miller on a few Broncos- and Von-related topics:

On why he enjoys the camp, which he estimated had 400-500 kids each day: “It’s the 1-on-1 interaction. It’s really the only place where you can get a chance to do that and I can do that with 500 kids in one day. Just that individual interaction — run the route, play defense — is dope.”

On new right tackle Ja’Wuan James: “He’s the best right tackle I’ve had to go against (in practice) throughout my whole career here and I said that last year with Jared Veldheer and we got even better this year with Ja’Wuan James so I get to spar, get better and sharpen the sword every day with him and (left tackle) . It’s going to be a great year for the offense and defense.”

On which rookies stood out this spring: “(Tight end) Noah Fant has looked pretty good and (quarterback) Drew Lock has looked pretty good, too. You can see the talent from those guys. And they haven’t done anything yet. Just by watching (Fant) do little routes and Drew throwing the deep ball or scrambling around and throw little dink and dunk passes, you can see the talent and why they’ll be really good for us.”

On accepting the Jefferson Award for outstanding public service in sports last week in Washington, D.C.: “It was a great award. I felt like it was just an indication of the type of work my (charitable) team is doing around me. I have a dream team.”

Around the Broncos Second-round story. As of Friday, only four second-round picks remained unsigned and two were Broncos left guard Dalton Risner (No. 41 overall) and Lock (No. 42). Every second-round selection below them has signed. So that’s the deal?

One NFL executive provided two potential hiccups: Signing bonus payment dates (wanting all of the money in 2019 as opposed to, for example, two payments a year apart) and “language about default is always an agent favorite,” which is contract provisions protecting a player from defaulting his deal if he were to get suspended for on-field playing rules (penalties, fights, etc.).

MJD ranks Lindsay. Old friend Maurice Jones-Drew, now with the Rams radio network and NFL.com, ranked ’s 32 running backs last week. He had Lindsay at No. 23. Jones-Drew said in his recap that the Broncos should have Lindsay “leading the charge,” in the run game. Jones-Drew’s top five: Saquon Barkley (Giants), Alvin Kamara (New Orleans), Le’Veon Bell (Jets), Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas) and Christian McCaffrey (Carolina).

Around the NFL Greedy’s confidence. Former LSU Greedy Williams was one of the best interviews at the Scouting Combine because he was honest. That has transferred to Cleveland, which took Williams in the second round. “I remember my first game, (I had) an and I said, ‘When I get to the NFL level, I want to be a Hall of Famer,’ ” he told reporters last week. “My job isn’t finished until I have a gold jacket.” Williams is expected to start for the Browns opposite 2018 first-round pick .

Roberts bounces around. If Michael Roberts’ family wanted to see his name on the NFL’s transaction wire, then last week has been a dream. June 13 — Traded to New England. June 14 (part 1) — Trade voided (Roberts failed his physical). June 14 (part 2) — Roberts waived by Lions. Monday — Green Bay claims Roberts on waivers. Wednesday — Packers waive Roberts (failed physical). A lot of paperwork for a player who appeared in only 23 games (13 catches) in two years for Detroit.

Mason's Mailbag: Defining Noah Fant's expected production By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com June 24, 2019

I am excited to see this offense and what it can do with Noah Fant in the mix. But, my question is on the defensive side. What role, or how big of a role do you think Su'a Cravens will play this year? I am hoping he will be the guy that shores up the TE coverage problems we have been accustomed to.

-- Denis Thornton

First of all, he's working as a pure safety, not in a hybrid sub-package box-linebacker role.

"This is the most safety since I've played since my time at Washington. I don't really even play inside. They have me at safety probably 95 percent of the time," Cravens said during OTAs. "I'm getting a lot of [back]pedal work, a lot of one-on-one work, a lot of work against the wide receivers -- stuff I wasn't getting last year."

Head Coach Vic Fangio echoed that Cravens' focus must be at safety.

"He’s got to be a safety first and foremost," Fangio said during OTAs. "Anything besides safety is just a couple crumbs here and there. He’s got to win a job on this team as a safety."

Realistically, Cravens is in a fight for a roster spot. With Kareem Jackson, Justin Simmons and Will Parks leading the depth chart right now, Cravens is in a scrum with four other players who were on the roster last year: Jamal Carter (who was on injured reserve in 2018 because of a torn hamstring), Trey Marshall, Dymonte Thomas and Shamarko Thomas. Barring injuries, there is not room for all of them on the 53-man roster.

So what's the expectation for rookie TE Noah Fant? 60 catches, 700 yards and 8 TDs sounds good to me. Also, will we see him heavily involved in blocking or will that be a duty assigned to the other tight ends?

-- Ben M.

No tight end on the roster will play without having some blocking responsibilities, and while Fant should be used as the "move" tight end who operates in open space more often than others in the position group, you will see Fant block.

As for the statistical expectations, I think you should temper them a bit. Since 2000, first-round tight ends have averaged 38.1 receptions, 429.2 yards and 3.0 per 16 games. Just three of them -- Tampa Bay's O.J. Howard (2017), Evan Engram of the (2017) and Pittsburgh's (2005) scored six touchdowns, let alone eight. Engram and , a first-round pick of the New York Giants in 2002, are the only first-round rookies to hit 60 receptions and 700 yards as rookies.

So if Fant has 40 receptions for 450 yards and four touchdowns, he's above average for first-rounders and is doing well. Don't forget that you will also have , and in the mix. If Fumagalli continues to take strides like he did during OTAs and Butt shows that his knee can hold up, they could see more snaps and further cut into Fant's potential production as a rookie.

With some of the pieces in place on offense for Denver, where would be the next best place to focus on position-wise?

-- Scott Thielemier

Defensive line, because the projected starting trio of Derek Wolfe, Adam Gotsis and Shelby Harris are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next March if the Broncos do not sign them to extensions. Given the nature of free agency and the expected growth of a player like third-round pick Dre'Mont Jones, it would not be a surprise if at least one of those players ends up testing the market.

Safety is also a position that could be a focal point over the next nine months, as four-year veterans Simmons and Parks are in the final year of their rookie contracts. The Broncos have room to bring both back, but other needs and priorities on the roster may force a tough choice.

On offense, the progress of Connor McGovern as the first-team center also bears monitoring. Like Simmons and Parks, he is in the final year of his rookie contract.

Which date is designated as the date we officially panic about the secondary because the QBs are completing every pass?

#AskMase

-- Mike Birty (via )

Since my magic eight-ball is limited to vague non-answers such as "Ask again later," I'll guess August 5 and July 27, respectively.

Broncos Training Camp Preview 2019: Wide Receivers By Cecil Lammey 104.3 The Fan June 24, 2019

The Broncos want to get back to their winning ways in 2019. They’ve completely revamped the roster with the hopes that this combination of players makes a run at the postseason – or at least plays .500 football or better.

This roster is full of talented players on both sides of the ball, but there are questions that need to be answered during training camp. In this series on 1043TheFan.com, we will go through each position group searching for those answers.

This is the latest part in our Training Camp Preview. Today, we’ll take a deep dive on the position.

***

Starters: Courtland Sutton, Emmanuel Sanders

There is changing of the guard at the wide receiver position for the Broncos this year. Courtland Sutton, a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, is ready to take over as the top receiver in 2019. Sutton was drafted to be the eventual replacement for Demaryius Thomas and he got more experience last year than some originally thought, mainly because the team traded Thomas away.

Sutton’s rookie season was not overly spectacular, but it was not a disappointment. He finished the season with 42 catches for 704 yards and four touchdowns. Some fans may have been disappointed in Sutton’s rookie season because when guys above him on the depth chart were hurt (or traded away), he didn’t flourish.

I was not one of those people.

Coming out of SMU last year, I had a first-round grade on Sutton, but I also knew that he would have to work on the little things to make a big impact in the pros. Sutton wasn’t asked to run the full route tree in college and was known mostly for his size and speed. He would run “9” routes (basically a straight line down the sideline) and gather in deep catches that made the highlight reel, but Sutton was not adept at timing his steps, or manipulating his body to disguise routes.

He had a big learning curve last year and that included dropping some big passes at key moments. Sutton had a bad habit in college of “clutching” for a ball rather than plucking it with arms extended away from his body. He seemed to clean that up as a rookie, but there were times his old habits would come through.

That’s no longer the case this offseason. Sutton looks like a beast in terms of route running and snaring catches from QB Joe Flacco. He’s already big and fast, but Sutton seems to have taken his game to another level. He is doing a better job of setting up his routes and he doesn’t lean before he makes his break – so defenders are left guessing as to which direction he’s going to go.

Sutton is showing strong chemistry with Flacco, and that’s a big reason why I think a breakout season is coming for the second-year pro in 2019. Flacco has a big arm and isn’t afraid to throw it into tight windows. Sutton doesn’t want to let Flacco down and he can make circus catches seem routine. Flacco also understands that there is this huge window called “the sky” that Sutton can dominate. I’ve already seen multiple passes for Sutton that Flacco merely puts out of a defender’s reach because he knows Sutton can get it.

While Sutton should take over as the No. 1 receiver this year, Emmanuel Sanders is going back to his role as the No. 2 receiver. Sanders saw his 2018 season end after just 12 games due to an Achilles’ injury. Since that time, the veteran wideout has been grinding through rehab.

Out at minicamp and OTAs, Sanders was not participating with his teammates during practice. Instead, he was running off to the side of the practice field by himself. Sanders straight-line speed looks to be back in a big way, and he’s recently began cutting too. He’s fully expected to return for the Broncos at some point in training camp.

I don’t think Sanders will be ready to participate fully when camp opens in mid-July, but he doesn’t need to be – even though the Broncos are learning a new offense. Sanders is a seasoned veteran who had his best seasons as a pro with the Broncos when he was the No. 2 behind Thomas. He’s back to that role and can thrive against single coverage and No. 2 corners.

Sanders can move to the slot if the team needs him too. His versatility is a hallmark of his game, and Sanders can clean up on underneath routes due to his quickness and concentration. He is tough over the middle, even though he’s not the biggest receiver, plus his speed makes him a threat to score no matter where he gathers in a pass. So long as he comes back healthy, Sanders still has plenty of big-time football left in his game.

***

Reserves: DaeSean Hamilton, Tim Patrick, Juwann Winfree, , River Cracraft, Aaron Burbridge, Kelvin McKnight, Romell Guerrier, Fred Brown, Trinity Benson

The group behind Sutton and Sanders is limited on experience, but they are long on talent and potential – well, some of them are anyway. In a different offense, the slot receiver – the No. 3 wideout on the depth chart – might actually be considered a starter. In the Rich Scangarello offense, that won’t be the case in 2019 as the No. 3 pass-catcher for the Broncos is likely to be running back Phillip Lindsay or a tight end like Noah Fant.

This offense puts these reserve receivers in a different light, but we have to examine whether or not they would be quality receivers in the slot or if they are better off as reserves on the outside.

The most likely receiver to be the slot receiver in 2019 is DaeSean Hamilton. Like Sutton, Hamilton is a second-year pro looking to do more in his sophomore season. Hamilton feels like he can compete for the top spot on the depth chart, which is a great mindset, but the truth of the matter is that he’s likely a third receiver who is working to develop into a second receiver for the Broncos in 2020.

Hamilton finished his college career as Penn State’s all-time leading receiver. There is no question that he is nuanced as a route-runner and he was known as a reliable target with the Nittany Lions. Hamilton needs to make sure those skills sets fully translate to the pro level. Last year, we saw Hamilton get open on underneath routes, but he did struggle at times making breaks at the top of his route.

If he stays healthy, Hamilton is in line to contribute near the same level as he did last year – provided everyone ahead of him on the depth chart stays healthy too. Hamilton finished last season off strong, but he’ll likely have to wait for a larger opportunity with the Broncos.

Tim Patrick is an up-and-coming player on the Broncos roster. He’s got a great size/speed combination and is known as one of the more fiery competitors on the team. Measuring in at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Patrick is a formidable target and can win contested catches “above the rim.” Smaller defenders don’t have a chance to get the ball due to Patrick’s wingspan and slower defenders will get embarrassed by his deep speed. Patrick’s skill set is not that of a slot receiver, as he’s built to play on the outside. That means he’ll be playing a reserve role behind Sutton in 2019.

Juwann Winfree was a sixth-round pick for the Broncos in the 2019 NFL Draft. He played his college ball at the University of Colorado and has arguably the most upside of any young receiver on the Broncos not named Sutton.

Winfree has that potential because of his rare athletic traits. He’s fast, quick and moves with great fluidity in his routes. He doesn’t need a lot of space to operate and can get open in small throwing windows. His elite athleticism and body control means he can bring down passes with two feet inbounds near the sideline or the back of the end zone. Winfree will need to perfect the full route tree as a pro and stay healthy to give himself the best shot at making a big impact in the pros. In 2019, Winfree could develop on the practice squad if he doesn’t make the 53-man roster.

Brendan Langley failed as a cornerback, so that’s why he asked Broncos general manager John Elway to move to wide receiver in 2019. Elway obliged, and for good reason – Langley is very fast and athletic. Langley can make one-handed catches regularly and he’s got the speed to take the top off a defense. However, he tips off his routes before he makes a break and has shown a lack of field awareness during minicamp and OTAs this offseason.

Langley is a long-shot to make the final roster but could greatly help his chances by standing out on special teams as a gunner or return man.

River Cracraft is your classic slot receiver. He’s more quick than fast and can run “jerk” routes effectively as he sells underneath routes quite well. Cracraft is not much of a threat after the catch, but he does have sure hands and does a good job of consistently plucking passes away from his body. Unless he stands out on special teams, Cracraft is going to be hard pressed to make the team in 2019.

Aaron Burbridge has to be considered the sleeper at the wide receiver position for the Broncos this season. A sixth-round pick of the 49ers in the 2016 NFL Draft, Burbridge caught seven passes for 88 yards as a rookie – and he hasn’t played a down in a regular season game since. Burbridge has been on injured reserve or the 49ers practice squad during the last two seasons.

In college at Michigan State, Burbridge was a consistent receiver who won with savvy as a route runner. He’s not a speedy receiver, so perhaps his best chance to win a spot on the team is as a big slot. Burbridge performed well during minicamp and OTAs, coming down with clutch catches regularly. If he plays well in the preseason, Burbridge could push a player like Winfree or Langley to the practice squad.

Kelvin McKnight can run after the catch with the best of them. He’s not a blazing wide receiver, timed at 4.62 seconds in the 40-yard dash in the pre-draft process, but McKnight gets open with quickness. He can make crisp cuts without losing much speed and McKnight toys with defenders once he has the ball in his hands. A smaller target, McKnight has a small catch radius and that can make it difficult to target him. McKnight can make catches that seem out of reach, but that takes away from his ability to hurt a defense after the catch. If he can make plays on special teams in the preseason then perhaps the team keeps him around on the practice squad in 2019.

Romell Guerrier was fun to watch on film. Undrafted out of Georgia Tech this year, Guerrier was a big- play machine in college. He has an extra gear when going downfield and can blow by defenders who are left in the dust. Guerrier has “late hands” and won’t give away that a deep pass is coming in over his shoulder. That helps him gather in clean catches for the most part. Guerrier is not nuanced as a route runner, but that deep speed and ball-tracking ability make him an intriguing prospect.

Fred Brown has had a rough road in the NFL. Kicked off his college team at Mississippi State for violating the Bulldogs honor code (it was an academic issue), Brown went undrafted in 2017. Since that time, he’s flashed here and there on the Colts and the Rams practice squad.

In 2018, Brown caught seven passes for 99 yards and a in the preseason – but he hasn’t done enough to win a spot on a 53-man roster. He was signed to a futures contract by the Broncos back in January and has been working diligently to make a positive impression.

Trinity Benson has the skill set of a dangerous weapon in the pros. He’s a strongly built 5-feet-11, 190 pounds and that helps him break arm tackles after the catch. Not only is he quick on underneath routes, but Benson has a long stride to pull away from defenders down the field. Benson has the agility to work on jet sweeps for the offense or as a return man on special teams.

No matter what happens to him in the preseason, Benson is one player the Broncos want to save a spot for on the practice squad. A “toolsy” young wideout with playmaking instincts is someone they should want to keep around.

***

Summary

The status of this position largely depends on what kind of leap Sutton takes in year two. He should get plenty of opportunity to showcase his skillset as the top receiver for the Broncos. Sutton is going to command a lot of attention but can hurt a defense deep or in the red zone.

With the attention going to Sutton, that leaves Sanders one-on-one – a huge advantage for the Broncos. In 2018, Sanders seemed rejuvenated and he was playing like a young man. He has really embraced his role as a leader on this team, and his guidance is invaluable for players like Sutton and Hamilton. However, Sanders still wants the ball as much as possible – and that’s not a bad thing. Sanders will talk a big game, but so long as he’s healthy, he can back it up.

There are a few young receivers that are interesting prospects on this team. During the five preseason games the Broncos will play, we should be able to see plenty from this group. A pecking order should be established during the preseason and we’ll know who looks like they can make it in the pros during that time. Even though they lack experience, the Broncos have a nice group of young receivers with upside behind Sanders and Sutton. Broncos TE Jake Butt ready to make comeback after third ACL tear: 'There's no excuse' By Ryan Young Yahoo! Sports June 24, 2019

Jake Butt’s season last fall was cut short after he tore his ACL in practice, just as he was becoming a solid piece in the ’ offense.

Now, though, the 23-year-old tight end will have to start over.

Butt, now nearly recovered, will join Jeff Heuerman — who stepped in for Butt last season — and rookie Noah Fant at training camp next month, will have to compete for his spot in the starting line up again.

“I’m used to being a guy that the team can rely on, used to being at the top of the depth chart,” Butt said, via the Denver Post. “For me, I’m probably going to be starting off at the bottom and work my way up. It’s a whole different deal for me, but it’s nothing I’m going to shy away from. I’m excited about the competition. I know what I can do as a football player.”

Butt had just 85 yards on eight receptions in three games for the Broncos last season, his second year in the league.

He went down with the torn left ACL in practice on Sept. 27, marking the third ACL tear in his career. Butt tore his right ACL in high school and then tore it again in the with Michigan in 2016. The Broncos picked him up in the fifth round of the draft the following spring after his injury, but he sat out his entire rookie season.

That injury also damaged his meniscus, Butt revealed on Saturday, which he said was actually the roughest part of his recovery.

“The hardest part for me was (when) I was on crutches for 10 weeks because they did a meniscus repair,” Butt said, via the Denver Post. “There is only so much you can do. Once I got through that, I was cruising right along and then you start walking, the next thing you know, you’re jogging (and) the next thing you know, you’re running. And now here I’m basically doing everything I was before the injury.”

So far, though, Butt has been happy with his progress. He plans to be completely ready when training camp starts in July, though doesn’t expect to be thrown into everything instantly.

“I haven’t had any setbacks, so that’s been great — it’s been a steady climb,” Butt said. “It’s obviously a long process, but I feel really close. At this point, it’s (about) getting back into football shape and to where I feel good every day.”

Butt knows he won’t have an easy path forward this fall. The Broncos have multiple options at tight end.

Heuerman had 281 yards and two touchdowns last season, his third in the league, after stepping in for Butt, and Fant looks to be a promising addition, too. The former Iowa standout recorded 519 yards on 39 receptions and had seven touchdowns last season with the Hawkeyes, and was the Broncos’ first selection in April’s NFL draft.

Still, Butt is ready to earn his spot back.

“I know my job on every single play,” Butt said. “There shouldn’t be (a) slow start in camp. There’s no excuse.”

NFL Division Power Rankings: NFC North stands above the rest By Gregg Rosenthal NFL.com June 24, 2019

One way to evaluate which NFL division is the best: How many teams can you realistically imagine playing in LIV in Miami next February?

In the NFC North, it doesn't take many mental gymnastics to picture the Bears, Vikings or Packers making it to the title game. That's one reason why they take over the top spot in my annual, highly scientific look at which division is the best.

NOTE: Each divisional subhead presents the teams in the order they finished last season.

1) NFC North: Bears, Vikings, Packers, Lions

The North has a nice combination of quality quarterbacks and defense-leaning rosters. Mitchell Trubisky is the division's most unproven signal-caller, but he has incredible support in head coach Matt Nagy and the league's most talented defense. The Vikings' defense has an almost unprecedented amount of continuity under coach Mike Zimmer, while the Packers' defense could be more talented than ' side of the ball for the first time in a long time.

The Lions being fourth in line says a lot about the quality of this division. It's not hard to imagine Detroit winning eight or more games, although playing six games against the teams in this division will make it tougher. The expectations for all four of these teams will be high enough to make disappointment for at least one of them inevitable.

2) AFC North: Ravens, Steelers, Browns, Bengals Like the NFC North, it's hard to find a team truly lagging in talent here. The Ravens are undergoing their most dramatic transformation on both sides of the ball in more than a decade, but they have the organizational culture to survive it with flair. The Steelers and Browns could have the two most talented rosters in the entire conference, even if they have vastly different track records over the last decade. The Bengals don't dazzle with defensive firepower, yet new coach Zac Taylor inherits a roster without many clear weaknesses. Coming out of this division with a playoff bye is going to be difficult because of its depth.

3) NFC South: Saints, Falcons, Panthers, Buccaneers Even coming off a down year, this is the league's best division for quarterbacks. There are two former MVPs (Cam Newton and Matt Ryan), a Super Bowl MVP (Drew Brees) and the arrival of in Tampa should only help Jameis Winston maximize his skill set. Atlanta's Dan Quinn and Carolina's have led their respective teams to the Super Bowl, although there might not be room for both of them to survive into 2020 without playoff appearances this season. The entire division gets bonus points for having the best food and for creating the most entertaining games, year after year.

4) NFC West: Rams, Seahawks, 49ers, Cardinals

The Rams have won 24 regular-season games in two years under Sean McVay and there's little reason to think they'll suddenly crumble. The Seahawks have been the best NFC team of the decade under Pete Carroll and last season's playoff appearance showed the coach's resourcefulness. The Cardinals have a chance to be the worst team in the NFC, but this division's ranking was helped by the 49ers' ceiling. Perhaps no team in the NFL has a bigger boom-or-bust potential. Twelve wins or 10 losses would not be a surprise, but anything close to the former projection would give this division three dangerous teams.

5) AFC South: Texans, Colts, Titans, Jaguars It's refreshing to put a division too often forgotten this high. All four teams have legitimate playoff hopes and could be Super Bowl contenders with a few breaks. Don't let television ratings that don't impact your life impact your enjoyment of the game. These squads are all eminently watchable, unpredictable and have enough playmakers to end this division's recent lack of playoff success (one conference title game appearance in the last four years).

6) AFC West: Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, Raiders It's unlikely that the AFC West will be as imbalanced as it was a year ago, when the Chiefs and Chargers both won 12 games. The Raiders' talent on offense looks more professional, while new Broncos coach Vic Fangio is likely to do a better job maximizing the talent on the Broncos' defense.

I love this division because of the long-standing rivalries, but there's quite a bit of transitioning within this quartet, from the Raiders' roster overhaul to the Chiefs' new defense under coordinator to the start of a new regime in Denver.

7) NFC East: Cowboys, Eagles, Redskins, Giants

There's an argument to be made that the NFC East has as good a 1-2 punch atop the division as any, so the fact that it comes in second to last on this list shows that we're ranking many groups that are close to evenly matched. One of the league's most injured teams last season, the Eagles should be among the NFC favorites once again. The Cowboys' offense has a lot of room to grow with new coordinator Kellen Moore expected to add some much-needed fresh ideas.

The division is ranked seventh because the Redskins and Giants would both be lucky to sniff eight wins, regardless of when their rookie quarterbacks crack the lineup. Even if and/or Daniel Jones play well, the Giants' defense looks to be a year away.

8) AFC East: Patriots, Dolphins, Bills, Jets The home to the greatest team of the decade in any decade is often home to the least amount of competition. At least the AFC East is far more compelling because of the presence of young quarterbacks Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen. This should be an improved division, but it comes in last in a balanced NFL because there's only one team with legitimate Super Bowl hopes. Yes, the Pats are the only AFC East team that can say missing the playoffs would truly be a letdown.

Between the Bills and Jets, however, there is the potential for a surprise playoff entrant and possibly a true division race for the first time in a long time if the Patriots finally begin to show their age.

FMIA Guest: Rich Eisen On The NFL’s Ultimate Course Correction On PI By Rich Eisen Pro Football Talk June 24, 2019

It was an overcast 30-degree night at in Kansas City, a classic setting for an exhilarating finish to the Week 15 Thursday game. Despite entering the contest having won nine of their previous 10 games, the Chargers still needed a victory to have a chance at the AFC West title that the Chiefs, thanks to their wunderkind eventual MVP quarterback , would eventually win.

Just not on that night.

Coming back from a 14-point first-quarter deficit, Philip Rivers some how some way had his team stationed on the Kansas City 10-yard line down seven points with 13 seconds to go. Rivers flipped one in the end zone to Mike Williams and Chiefs defensive back got flagged for interference. It was a huge penalty, turning a Chargers’ 3rd-and-goal from the 10 into a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line.

On the next two snaps, Rivers connected with Williams, one for his second touchdown of the night and then on a remarkable two-point conversion dice roll by Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn. Los Angeles won and celebrated in the Kansas City cold, providing Friday morning coast-to-coast water-cooler material that’s the envy of every other major American sports league.

Cut to last week—six months later, almost to the day—to a hotel conference room in June gloomy Santa Monica. Video of the defensive pass interference call on Fuller was now up on a screen and the NFL’s senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron had a video game remote controller in his hands, toggling the play back and forth. I was in the as part of the NFL Media Group’s annual talent symposium, hanging onto every word coming out of Riveron’s mouth during his presentation to the group.

Our jaws were about to drop.

Pass Interference

You see, between that Thursday Night Week 15 monster finish and our annual symposium to prepare us for the 2019 regular season, a seismic event took place at the Superdome that’s still reverberating across the football landscape. Yes, the ending of the NFC Championship Game between the Saints and the Rams. The mother of all blown calls, leading to the mother of all course corrections: the NFL allowing pass interference to be a reviewable penalty under the auspices of instant replay in a one-year experiment.

Look, I’m not gonna lie. I’m not spending a good chunk of my downtime to bang out about 3,000 words for my good friend Peter King and post them on a special day in my life (more on that in a moment) just to BS you. That non-call in the NFC Championship Game in New Orleans was the worst non-call I’ve ever seen. It was a terrible day for the NFL and Al Riveron, and all the NFL executives making the rounds to present at all the summer symposiums for CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN and NFL Network know it.

So when Riveron stepped to the mic at the NFL Network gathering last week and finally matriculated his way to the pass interference replay portion of his two-hour presentation to the group, it was like a large piece of filet mignon steak being plated for the whole room to consume. It not only offered a remarkable glimpse of the difficult task his officials will undertake in 2019, but also how unintended consequences of the new replay wrinkle might cause occasional confusion and frequently stoke fan anger anew.

As Riveron laid out the rules—two days before the Competition Committee voted unanimously to install them—here is how adjudicating offensive pass interference (OPI) and defensive pass interference (DPI) calls and non-calls via instant replay will happen in the one-year experiment.

• Coaches still get two replay challenges per game with a third challenge awarded for getting the first two challenges correct. Coaches still can’t initiate a review in the final two minutes of a half or overtime. The replay official at the stadium will handle whether a play should be reviewed during those time periods. If the game is a nationally televised game like Thursday Night, Sunday Night or Monday Night Football, Riveron might chime in.

• When an OPI/DPI penalty or non-call occurs, there will be two standards as to what constitutes upholding or overturning an OPI/DPI penalty or what merits installing a penalty for OPI/DPI should one not get called, as happened in the NFC Championship Game. The two standards are:

1. “Clear and obvious visual evidence” a foul occurred (in the case of a non-call) or didn’t occur (in the case of challenging the correctness of a flag). If a flag was thrown on a play or a team is looking to get a flag installed through replay and no “clear and obvious visual evidence” is provided by the network TV shots or can’t be discerned, then a flag (or non-flag) will stand as called.

2. The contact clearly and obviously seen must “significantly hinder” the player being fouled.

• On Hail Mary plays, replay officials will not buzz down to the field and place the play under review unless they witness something that goes beyond what officials normally see on the field on such plays. In other words, the way officials will officiate a Hail Mary will not change and it might require an actual Hail Mary prayer to earn a buzz from the booth on a football Hail Mary in 2019.

The tough part will be actually making it work week in and week out, with as few bumps in the road as possible. And doing it all in front of a viewing audience that really only wants these decisions to come into the fray when something egregious like NFC Championship Game crops up.

From what I witnessed at the symposium, it is not going to be easy for anyone. And Riveron made sure we all understood that. For about 20 minutes, Riveron screened a half-dozen plays for OPI and DPI and asked us to decide what to do in real-time just as his officials will have to do. There wasn’t consensus in the room once. Not once.

For instance, Riveron would show a sequence involving a possible offensive pass interference, pause the play and ask the room if we would throw a flag for OPI. Half of the room would say “yes” and the other half “no.” Then, he would ask us if there was no penalty called, would we, as the replay official, put a flag down on the field for OPI. Half the room said “yes” and the other half of the room said “no.” Riveron’s well-taken point: not everything in this endeavor is going to be so glaring and easy to correct as the NFC Championship Game non-call. In fact, that’s going to be the outlier with the norm being iffy, hair-line penalties to uphold, overturn or, in the case of correcting non-calls, actually create out of whole figurative yellow cloth.

But wait, there’s more.

Before flashing back to that Thursday in Kansas City, remember the moment in Super Bowl 53 when Rams quarterback Jared Goff threw deep into Patriots territory to Brandin Cooks and New England corner Stephon Gilmore broke up the play? It happened with Rams down seven and 4:24 left in the game; Goff threw a soul-crushing interception on the very next play. At the March owners meeting at which replay was initially okayed to include pass interference, the Competition Committee admitted Gilmore’s contact should have drawn a flag. But had the new replay protocol for interference been in place then, would the league want replay officials to throw a flag on a humongous play in the biggest game of the year? You bet it would. Riveron confirmed it; this play was the penultimate piece of video shown in his presentation. So if this experiment does last only one season, it sure could go out with a bang in the next Super Bowl.

Let’s return to that Mike Williams-Kendall Fuller play that ended Week 15 and started this column. It was the last play presented by Riveron.

And it was a doozy.

Don’t worry, Chiefs fans. Riveron didn’t reveal that the DPI call on Fuller was incorrect and your team got hosed that Thursday. It’s much more complicated than that. And Chiefs fans might be the only ones NOT upset by what I’m about to reveal.

Remember, the Fuller contact with Mike Williams occurred with mere seconds to play in regulation and had featured the naked-eye triple-play for a replay official to buzz down to the field: thrown flag, visable clear and obvious contact and a significant hindrance appearing to take place. Indeed, Riveron said a play like this will cause a replay official to buzz down to the field and stop play from continuing in 2019. And that’s where things got wild.

If that play went under review that night under the rules we are going to see in place this year, Riveron said the Fuller DPI penalty would have stood as called because there wasn’t any clear and obvious visual evidence in replay to overturn it or even uphold it. However, because replay rules require everything that’s eligible for review to be reviewed once the replay process begins, they would have called OFFENSIVE pass interference on Williams.

At NFL Media Summit, #NFL SVP of Officiating Al Riveron is showing us the new OPI/DPI review rules. Week 15 between #Chiefs/#Chargers. DPI is called. Automatic review under 2 minutes. This play would be offset. Mike Williams guilty of OPI, negating Fuller's DPI. Down replayed. pic.twitter.com/LxNb2g07JI — Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) June 18, 2019 Riveron pointed out that the Chargers receiver could be seen to have made a clear and obvious push off on Fuller, who was significantly hindered on the play. So, thanks to the new replay rules including OPI as reviewable and the existing replay rules mandating everything that’s possible for review to be reviewed once the process begins, there would have been offsetting penalties installed via instant replay. The Chargers would have had to replay the down of 3rd and goal from the 10 but with only eight seconds to go this time.

Yes, you read all that correctly. The Santa Monica hotel conference room went wild.

If every review for DPI opens up the play for review for OPI, how many of these calls will wind up with offsetting penalties? No one knows. If the methods for opening a DPI or OPI to review require on terms like “clear and obvious” and “significant hindrance,” won’t replay officials in different stadiums perhaps have different interpretations of the clauses? Hopefully not.

The new rule that allows pass interference to be reviewed by replay was birthed by one of the worst non- calls in sports history and was created in the spirit of closing a loophole to make sure egregious miscarriages of sports justice would never happen again. The new rule was not passed to create unintended consequences and cause yet more stoppage of a brilliant live-action sport to parse crucial late-game plays frame-by-frame like Zapruder had filmed it.

To their credit, every single NFL executive in the room admitted they understand this change might make irate fans even more so; especially those who thought nothing should have been done in the wake of the NFC Championship Game. The amount of discussion (read: handwringing) this topic has received from coaches and executives and owners and front office officials has been intense. But the mistake the whole country witnessed and the city of New Orleans still laments left such a mark, the league felt something had to be done. I agree. “We missed the call,” Riveron told the gathering. We all noticed his use of the word “we” to share in the responsibility of the game officials who despite being in perfect position to make the call somehow did not.

Perhaps this will go off without a hitch. The Canadian Football League has allowed these calls to be reviewed the last five years and last I checked that league is still standing. Perhaps more tweaks will be needed to make it all work in the . Perhaps it will be one-and-done after a long NFL100 season. Either way, we are in a brave new officiating world and every football man, woman and child is entering this brave, new football world together.

10 Things I Think I Think

1. I think I’m okay with turning 50. Yes, today is my 50th birthday. I was 26 years old when ESPN hired me and first introduced me to many of you by perching me on a SportsCenter set. I’ll never forget that day: March 16, 1996. The Saturday of the first weekend of March Madness and I was on the 6 p.m. ET edition of SportsCenter with Larry Beil. I had 10 highlights on my portion of the rundown for that quick half-hour long show, but had only seen one prior to heading down to the set. And I remember thinking to myself: “I have two choices—either I pee down my leg or I don’t.” I thankfully chose the latter and my career was born.

Every now and then, thanks to Scott Van Pelt’s highlight vault, videos of those days will appear out of nowhere and tweets remarking on my hairline fill my timeline. It feels like a different lifetime. I met my wife Suzy in the newsroom there and met many lifelong friends in Bristol, including my dear friend , who I’m also thinking about today because he never had the chance to celebrate a 50th birthday. Which is why I’m asking for you to think about him today too by donating to the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund on the Jimmy V Foundation website. You should also give his two awesome daughters Taelor and Sydni a follow on Twitter too and keep up with everything going on with his legacy.

I’m going to have some ice cream today and turn my pillow over to the cool side tonight thinking of Stuart while celebrating life the way he always did—by not thinking of age, but of what you can do with your time in your day and age.

2. I think you’re going to love the NFL100 show I taped a couple of months ago at NFL Films. The NFL100 campaign celebrating the 100th season of professional football kicked off with the remarkable Pete Berg directed Super Bowl commercial featuring dozens of NFL stars and Hall of Famers. Next up, a series of NFL Network TV shows airing this fall, including the show I hosted. Everyone who was on the set over the two- day shoot was sworn to secrecy, but here’s what I can tell you—it’s among the most satisfying projects in which I’ve ever been fortunate to take part. And that includes launching NFL Network, my own daily TV/radio simulcast and the aforementioned ESPN SportsCenter gig. You’ll hear more in about two weeks, including one thing people are going to lose their minds over. Wait til you hear who one of the analysts on the six-week-long show will be. Wish I could tell you more now. But you’re going to love it.

3. I think few people know that Robin Williams was the original choice to play Ray Kinsella in “Field of Dreams.” I know I didn’t when Kevin Costner came on my daily TV/radio simulcast “The Rich Eisen Show” the Friday before Father’s Day and dropped that nugget. The story of how he wound up in the role and why the director Phil Robinson waited for him to pop free to take the role is amazing. In fact, the whole 25 minute interview is must watch, what with the stories he told about Robert DeNiro and Sean Connery from the set of “The Untouchables” too. Give it a watch when you have a chance.

4. I think that next up on the Competition Committee’s hit list needs to be fixing the cockamamie rule that awards the football to the defense when the offense the ball into and out of the end zone. Regular readers of this space know that, a few weeks ago, Peter asked several NFL people about which rule change they’d like to institute and I didn’t hesitate to bang out a few words on this subject and send it in. Now, I can expand on it.

Just imagine a future Super Bowl, perhaps even the next one in Miami. It’s a tight contest, one of those games where you know the team with the ball last is going to have a chance to win. And the team with the ball last is down, let’s say, by 4 points and driving down the field. The defense protecting the lead is on its heels, perhaps even gassed by the action that’s left the entire country enrapt and exhilarated. Thirty seconds to go, a receiver snags the ball on a crossing route over the middle and has the pylon in his sights. He dives for it, knowing a field goal isn’t enough. He gets hit, the ball, inches from the pylon gets jarred loose and it lands past the pylon and kicks right out of bounds behind the pylon. By rule, the ball goes to the defense. And the Super Bowl is over.

How satisfying would that be? Exactly. It would be terrible. Also, enjoy explaining all that to the millions of casual fans watching their first game of the year at Super Bowl parties across the nation what in the hell had just happened. Also enjoy knowing that if the loose ball had landed out of bounds mere inches up the field in front of the pylon, the ball would have stayed with the offense. It just a dumb rule, especially since it benefits the defense on its heels rather than the offense trying to make an aggressive scoring play. I say a ball fumbled into and out of the end zone should remain with the offense and if you’re looking to penalize a team for it, back them up to the 20-yard line. Make it a reverse touchback. Not loss of possession. It’s outdated, it’s ridiculous and, one day, it’s going to create one hell of a mess in the biggest game of the year. Let’s head that off at the pass, shall we? Change the rule.

5. I think HBO’s “Chernobyl” might be the best miniseries I’ve ever seen. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Just make sure the kids are in bed. And that you save yourself some time. It’s a bit tough to binge because you need a few minutes before diving in for another one. But, take the time to watch it. It’s important television. Plus, the Russians don’t want you to see it.

6. I think my first overall pick in a fantasy draft should I be fortunate to get one is Saquon Barkley. Everyone else at the position scares me from injury (Gurley) to rust (Bell) to vulturing (Kamara). Maybe Zeke would make me think twice, but Barkley would be my pick.

7. I think, that said, Sony Michel is going to have a monster season for the Patriots. As in threaten-the- single-season-team rushing-record monster season. Lost amongst another historic performance by , Michel’s playoff numbers were through the roof—336 rushing yards and seven total touchdowns in three games. With Gronk swearing he’s not coming back, I’m thinking New England will lean on Michel, who had 931 rushing yards in 13 games (but just eight starts) last year. The Patriots team record for most rushing yards in a season isn’t held by Curtis Martin, by the way. It’s Corey Dillon who ran for 1,645 yards on 345 carries in New England’s Super Bowl season of 2004. Keep this in mind. Just sayin’.

8. I think some NFL fans need to recalibrate their negative attitude towards paying quarterbacks. Just because a quarterback hasn’t won a playoff game or even played in one doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be in line for a record-breaking contract. I’m looking at you, NFL fans who think Carson Wentz isn’t worth a 30- million-dollar a year contract. Who cares if he hasn’t been able to finish the last two seasons? Who cares if was the one who hoisted the Lombardi for Philadelphia and that he appeared to operate the offensive controls better than Wentz in 2018? Wentz deserved every penny he got paid simply because it was his turn. It’s what the market bears in the NFL these days for young quarterbacks who show promise during their first contract.

You too, Cowboys and NFL fans who think isn’t worth a 30-million-dollar contract. Prescott may struggle at times. He may struggle in big spots at times. But he’s won more than he’s lost. He’s actually won a playoff game, which separates him from highly paid quarterbacks named Wentz, Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garrapolo and just to name a few. And just like once upon a time it was Stafford’s turn to get paid on a second contract and it was time for Garrapolo to get locked up before he needed to get paid and Cousins got oddly pizzaid on a yearly franchise basis by the Redskins before it was his turn to get paid in free agency, it is now time for Prescott to get paid. What do you want the Cowboys to do? Let him walk? You know who would snap him up and pay him like he wants? Someone else. Because he’s shown ability to win, has a potentially huge upside and, yes, it’s his turn.

9. I think people need to put their shoes on when they’re flying. Since Peter frequently opines on travel, I figured I should include something here. Don’t take your shoes off on a plane, people. It is not OK. You are not in your living room. You are on the same tube as scores of other people who shouldn’t have to worry about whether your hygiene is up to snuff. Also, you have NO IDEA what people drop on a floor on an airplane. This means if you’re someone who exposes bare feet when on an airplane—you need to check yourself. And be put on a no-fly list.

10. I think I’m going to choose the Patriots to repeat. I know those are dirty words to a lot of NFL fans. And, as if some of you aren’t outraged enough, I’m thinking about taking them to beat the Cowboys in Super Bowl 54. I have about two months to go until I have to make my prediction on the 2019 Season Preview edition of NFL GameDay Morning, but this is the way I’m leaning right now. Anyone who thinks I’m crazy, feel free to chalk it up to my advancing age. Hope you enjoyed my pinch-hit for PK.