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“Oh my goodness, we would be licking our chops,” Johnson said. “That would have been a game to see. Now, Tom (Brady) would have had his fair share, but at the same time, I don’t think he would have (won) in there in Arrowhead with Pat Mahomes as the quarterback and the defense that we had? No sir, that would definitely, we’d be going to the Super Bowl with that.”
The NFL’s prototypical receiver for each alignment heading into 2019 | Pro Football Focus
BIG SLOT – TRAVIS KELCE, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
This one is really easy. For the longest time, it was Rob Gronkowski who was the prototypical big slot receiver and since his retirement, that moniker gets placed upon No. 2 all those years in Kelce. In fact, after a dominant season in 2018, Kelce would have made a strong claim for No. 1 even with Gronk in the mix. Kelce’s career receiving grade of 90.8 when lined up in the slot is the second-highest among all NFL receivers over the span and now has Gronk beat in terms of career numbers. Nevertheless, Kelce’s place atop the big slot targets is cemented by an incredible season in 2018 that points to even more dominance likely in 2019.
2019 NFL season: Predicting every AFC team’s MVP | NFL
Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes, QB
Best not to overthink this one. Mahomes delivered one of the greatest quarterback seasons in league history en route to claiming the NFL MVP award in 2018. He is 23 years old. The greatest thing Andy Reid ever did was dominate that punt, pass and kick competition as a giant boy in 1971. The second-greatest thing he did was move up to get Mahomes in the 2017 draft. Big Red will likely get to enjoy the spoils of Mahomes’ unreal greatness for the remainder of his coaching life.
Barnwell: The 233 players who could win NFL MVP in 2019 | ESPN
Group II: The rookie-deal QBs
On the other side of the coin, there’s no reason to think that a passer needs some level of seasoning before being taken seriously as an MVP candidate. In 2017, Wentz was likely about to win the award in his second season as a starter before going down with a torn ACL. Mahomes won MVP last season with all of one professional start in his back pocket.
Candidates (14): Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Jimmy Garoppolo, Jared Goff, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Marcus Mariota, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Dak Prescott, Mitchell Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, Carson Wentz, Jameis Winston
My favorite from this group: Garoppolo (40-1). Injuries are going to be a concern, of course, but you could say that about half of the people in the list above, and most have worse odds.
Who is the No. 2 fantasy quarterback in 2019? | Pro Football Focus
There’s no debating the No. 1 quarterback in 2019 fantasy football drafts. Patrick Mahomes is locked in following his historic breakout last season. But who’s the No. 2 quarterback? This question isn’t as easily answered, but there are some candidates who stand out.
Around the league
Drew Brees not at OTA because of jewelry trial | NBC Sports Pro Football Talk
UPDATE 1:55 p.m. ET: According to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com is out because of the jewelry scam trial in San Diego, in which a man is accused of defrauding him out of $9 million (when the diamonds he bought appraised for less than he paid for them).
Pats cut TE Seferian-Jenkins on 1st day of camp | ESPN
The New England Patriots have released veteran tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
Seferian-Jenkins had signed a modest one-year, $895,000 contract on April 10, and he was vying for a roster spot at a position where the Patriots are transitioning without the retired Rob Gronkowski. The contract included just $50,000 in guaranteed money.
When he was asked if the situation has led to any form of awkwardness, Mayfield shook his head and said, “It’s self-inflicted. It is what it is. It’s not awkward for anyone else in this building.”
State of the Franchise: Raiders rising as rebuild comes together | NFL
As the late, great Al Davis once said, the greatness of the Raiders is not in their past, but in the future. The former owner’s words might not have sat easy over the past 16 seasons, a stretch during which the team finished in third place or worst 15 times, appearing adrift like a rudderless ship. But I’m here to tell Raider Nation that today is a great time to be a Raiders fan. For the first time in a long time, those magic words of Al Davis are true once again. Because the greatness is in the future for this franchise.
Le’Veon Bell’s first on-field work with Jets at minicamp missing two big things | CBS Sports
But what was missing from Bell’s first on-field work with the New York Jets Tuesday at their mandatory minicamp were a couple of things.
One being a vast knowledge of the playbook, which was evident by the way he bird-dogged the quarterbacks on every play-call, trying to learn it on the fly.
The second was the timing of the offense with him in it. Bell is a back whose game is making defenders miss, whether with a jump cut after a pause or a sleek move in the open field.
Gerald McCoy: Carolina Panthers a ‘true contender’ | NFL
“The NFC South champs are the New Orleans Saints and they’re known to have a great offense and in order to take them out you got to have a great defense. The Carolina Panthershave been known to have a great defense and I just want to add to that and I truly believe that, with the addition of me and all the pieces that are already here, we got a great shot.”
NaVorro Bowman stops by 49ers facility, tells team he’s retiring as a 49er | Yahoo! Sports
The 49ers don’t currently have an open roster spot to sign Bowman to a ceremonial contract, but that could come later this offseason. Or perhaps the gesture of telling the 49ers he’s retiring with that organization is enough for him.
In case you missed it at Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is odds-on favorite to repeat as NFL MVP
The oddsmakers think Mahomes has the best chance, but national analysts aren’t so sure
Byron Pringle has a great chance to make the Chiefs in 2019
The second-year wide receiver is turning heads at Kansas City’s OTA sessions.
Chiefs begin final week of OTAs Tuesday
The final week of OTAs leads into mandatory minicamp next week.
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