Brendan Sorsby Drops NFL Lawsuit, Shifts Focus to 2027 Draft: ‘I Accept 100% Responsibility’

Brendan Sorsby is moving on to 2027. The NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams on Tuesday informing them that Sorsby, a quarterback whose college career ended when the NCAA banished him for gambling activity that included wagers on his own team while on the roster at Indiana in 2022 and betting on pro sports, will not seek legal action against the NFL after the league denied his petition to enter the supplemental draft. "I accept 100% responsibility for my actions," Sorsby posted on Instagram on Tuesday evening. "I did not have control of my gambling problem and it took getting caught to realize that, but it was truly the best thing that could have happened to me." Sorsby, who moved from Indiana to Cincinnati to Texas Tech before revelations about an extensive gambling problem surfaced, tried to enter the draft just three days before the scheduled deadline. The league, which hasn't held a supplemental draft since 2023 and hasn't had a player selected in it since 2019, denied the petition. "The issues presented by your Petition are too significant, and too closely tied to the League’s core integrity interests, to permit meaningful review within the timeline presented," NFL attorney Lawrence P. Ferazani Jr. wrote in a letter to Sorsby last week. The 22-year-old Sorsby, who cannot play in the Canadian Football League in 2026, is now considered "draft-eligible" for the 2027 NFL draft. Sorsby will not be eligible to sign an NFL contract until the draft's conclusion. The NFL has no plans to discipline Sorsby for any currently known prior misconduct but holds the right to investigate Sorsby. The league can also take Sorsby's college misconduct into account should it find cause to discipline Sorsby in the future. Sorsby's decision to not challenge the NFL in court leaves him with 10 months on his hands to prepare. Sorsby had planned to play at Texas Tech this year before the NCAA declared him ineligible for making thousands of bets on sporting events worth at least $90,000 during his college career. Those included at least 40 bets on Indiana while he was a freshman there in 2022, though none on the games in which he played for the Hoosiers that season. "I am fully committed to being the best version of myself that I can be while getting ready for the 2027 draft," Sorsby wrote. "God makes no mistakes and I look forward to seeing the good that is to come from this." Reporting by the Associated Press.

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Deion Sanders Considers Himself 'Cancer Free' One Year After Bladder Removal Surgery

Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders says he feels like his old — and younger — self again a year after undergoing surgery to remove his cancerous bladder. "I consider myself cancer-free," thanks to robotic surgery that also reconstructed his bladder using part of his intestine, Sanders told The Associated Press after getting a tutorial in the surgical system that was used in his operation. This being Men's Health Awareness Month, the University of Colorado football coach wanted to get a first-hand look at the Intuitive Da Vinci System, which is less invasive than open surgeries and cuts down on hospital stays and speeds recoveries. "I was fighting" last year at this time, Sanders recalled. "I was walking out on the property with a bag of blood and also urine and trying to get back. But this expedited the process. Last year at this time I was in a whole different place, and I'm just thankful." Sanders missed football camps last summer in Boulder as he went through cancer treatments. The Buffaloes finished with a 3-9 mark a year after making a bowl game behind Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. This summer he appears much fitter and energetic as he oversees offseason training. "If I pull my shirt up, I'm not scarred, it's not flawed. I'm not embarrassed by anything that transpired. I'm elated by everything that transpired," Sanders said. At a routine checkup last spring, a CT scan showed a mass on Sanders' bladder. He was referred to the University of Colorado Anschutz, where he met Dr. Janet Kukreja, director of urologic oncology at the CU Cancer Center and UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital. Sanders, who turns 59 later this summer, was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in his bladder. Although the tumor hadn't reached the muscle layer in his bladder it was considered "very high risk" with a 50-50 chance of recurring or progressing after treatments. Kukreja is among the small group of surgeons in the U.S. who perform robotic removal of the entire cancerous bladder — called a radical cystectomy — and robotic reconstruction of the organ, which involves having a section of intestine function as a bladder. "It got me back in the game, got me back on my feet and got me out of the darn hospital and back into the normalcy of my life," Sanders said. "I'm here to let people know there's another option if you need surgery." He called the robotic system his time machine. "I'd be a fool to be blessed the way I was blessed and not sound alarms," Sanders said. "When I opened up a club years ago I went to the mountaintop and told all the stations come on to the nightclub. So, why wouldn't I do this? Saved me time so I could get back on the field, get back on my game instead of sitting up there in the hospital having a pity party. It saves you time. That’s what we’re all fighting for is time. We never know how much we get." Football Past and Present Sanders has spent time recently with his son Shedeur, who's entering his second year with the Cleveland Browns and who will compete for the starting job with Deshaun Watson in training camp. "He's on vacation but he's going to the hills in St. Croix right now doing gassers," Sanders said. Asked what he thought about Hunter, entering his second season in Jacksonville, possibly focusing on playing defensive back after pulling double duty as a DB and wide receiver in college, Sanders said, "I just want him to be happy. I can't tell those coaches how to coach and Travis what he's gifted to do. I just want him happy; that's all I want." As for Julian "JuJu" Lewis, the Buffs' starting quarterback and former five-star recruit out of Carrollton, Georgia, who took over the starting role as a freshman late last season, Sanders said those cameos will pay dividends in 2026. "I think the entire team is benefitting" from lessons learned last year and new faces arriving this spring, Sanders said. "I have the best coaching staff I've ever featured. Everybody's unified. I just walked out of the weight room. They're lifting their butts off and they can't wait to go to camp. It's going to be phenomenal." Reporting by the Associated Press.

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Alex Freeman Headlines Kids Of Former NFL Players Making Their Names In Other Sports

While seeing second-generation NFL players isn’t uncommon, several former players have children starring at the highest level in sports other than football. Look no further than the event of the summer, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and this week's NBA Draft. Here are some of the most accomplished current athletes in the pro sports ranks with NFL bloodlines: Alex Freeman scored the second goal in Team USA’s 2-0 win Sunday over Australia in group stage play at the World Cup, where the Americans have clinched Group D and will advance to the knockout round. The U.S. faces Türkiye in their final group-stage match Thursday (10 p.m. ET on FOX). At age 21, Freeman is the youngest player representing Team USA this year. He plays his club ball for Villarreal in La Liga, the highest level league in Spain. The elder Freeman, Antonio Freeman, played nine seasons as a wide receiver in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in 1996. He was a first-team All-Pro selection in 1998. Haley, 27, is a standout for Brighton & Hove Albion in the English Women’s Super League, the most competitive tier of women's soccer in England. She starred collegiately at Stanford and was drafted seventh overall by the Chicago Red Stars in the 2021 NWSL Draft, though she never played for the team. She helped Sydney FC win the Australian League title in 2023 before joining Brighton. Madison's father, Charles Haley, is a Pro Football Hall of Famer. He won five Super Bowls and was twice named an All-Pro edge rusher in his 13 NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. Joshua Jefferson was selected in the first round of the NBA Draft on Tuesday, taken at No. 28 overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who sent him to Brooklyn in a pre-arranged trade. A 6-foot-8 forward, Jefferson averaged 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists for Iowa State last season. Ben Jefferson was a 6-foot-8, 300-plus-pound guard at Maryland in the 1980s. As a freshman in 1985, he was highlighted by Sports Illustrated as one of the biggest players in college football. He went undrafted out of college but had stints with a few NFL teams, making all four of his career appearances in 1990 with the Cleveland Browns. Koa Peat, who starred for Arizona as a freshman last season, was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 30th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft — a selection that was traded to Phoenix. A 6-foot-8 forward, Peat averaged 14.1 points and 5.6 rebounds for an Arizona team that made the Final Four. Todd Peat Sr. was an 11th round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1987 NFL Draft, making 79 appearances as a guard across six seasons with the Cardinals and Raiders. Koa's brother, Andrus Peat, is an 11-year NFL veteran and three-time Pro Bowl guard, most recently appearing in six games with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. Longtime pro tennis player Sloane Stephens has been ranked as high as the world No. 3 in singles by the Women’s Tennis Association. She has won eight singles titles as a pro, including the 2017 U.S. Open. Her father, John Stephens, was a first-round pick of the New England Patriots in 1988 and a Pro Bowl running back as a rookie. He played six total seasons, with the Patriots, Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. Jaxson Hayes was selected eighth overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, and the 7-foot center has played eight seasons and counting with the New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers. His best season to date came in 2021-22, when he averaged 9.3 points and 4.5 rebounds for the Pelicans. Jaxson's father, tight end Jonathan Hayes, was a second-round pick in the 1985 NFL Draft by the Chiefs and appeared in 184 games across 12 seasons. The elder Hayes is a former tight ends coach for the Cincinnati Bengals (2003-18) and served as the head coach and general manager of the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2020. Vashti Cunningham is a three-time Olympian for Team USA in the high jump, finishing fifth in the Paris Games in 2024. The 28-year-old has medaled twice in the World Championships, winning gold in 2016 and silver in 2018. Randall Cunningham, a second-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1985, was a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback in his 16 seasons with the Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens. Elijah Green was selected fifth overall in the 2022 MLB Draft after starring at IMG Academy in Florida. He’s hit 10 home runs in his first 62 games this season for the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the Nationals’ High-A affiliate. His father, Eric Green, was picked 21st overall in the 1990 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played nine seasons in the league and was twice named to the Pro Bowl as a tight end.

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Steelers Rookie Drew Allar Embracing Understudy Role Behind Aaron Rodgers

LOS ANGELES — Drew Allar might be new to the NFL, but his first professional home provides him with some familiarity. Allar will get to back up Aaron Rodgers, a quarterback he looked up to growing up. But he's also joining an offensive system that he already knows with the Pittsburgh Steelers, believing the team that selected him in the third round of April's draft has created a "full circle moment" for him. "The West Coast offense in general was something I studied a lot in the offseasons at Penn State," Allar told me during a conversation this offseason at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere. "Kind of the newer versions like the [Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean] McVay and [San Francisco 49ers head coach] Mike Shanahan. I was on that trend for the last four years. "But it’s now kind of a full circle moment for me, going back and seeing how everything really started. Why the drops are a certain way and how they match up with the progressions. And where the concepts originated from. It’s really cool to be a part of that. It’s a lot of information, but it’s starting to slow down for me." And, as Allar mentioned, he will now get to learn from one of the innovators of the West Coast offense: Mike McCarthy. The new Steelers head coach learned from the originators of the scheme during his time as an assistant coach with the Kansas City Chiefs, including Paul Hackett. Hackett cut his teeth in San Francisco, learning from Bill Walsh, the originator of the West Coast offense. McCarthy would go on to coach Joe Montana in Kansas City before coaching Brett Favre and Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers. He also worked under another Walsh protégé, offensive guru Mike Holmgren. McCarthy has been reunited with Rodgers in Pittsburgh, and Allar said he’s privileged to share a quarterback room with the future Hall of Famer. "I’m really excited to learn from him," Allar told me. "With him being in Coach McCarthy’s system in Green Bay, it’s beneficial because he knows the system inside and out, even though he hasn’t played in it in five or six years at this point. And just everything he’s going through in his career, playing in tens of thousands of snaps, how much experience and knowledge he has — the nuances of playing the position of quarterback, reading coverages, the defensive tendencies — any little thing I can pick up to help me process faster and be more accurate, I’m all in for it." Allar didn’t always play quarterback. His father, Kevin, was Allar’s youth football coach, and as one of the bigger kids on the team, Allar was relegated to playing tight end, fullback, defensive end and linebacker during his early days of tackle football. But the chance to play quarterback full-time emerged in Allar’s first year in high school. "We didn’t have a quarterback my freshman year, and then I always loved throwing from baseball, so I just wanted to try it out," Allar told me. Allar blossomed into a five-star college recruit at Medina High School, a half hour south of Cleveland. During his senior season, Allar totaled 4,444 passing yards and 48 passing touchdowns. He also recorded 406 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. Allar helped to lead Medina to a 13-1 record, earning All-State honors. Allar was also named Mr. Football in Ohio. "High school was fun," Allar told me. "We were five wide and just throwing the ball every time. We were kind of a no-huddle, up-tempo offense. When we got to my senior year, [head coach Larry Laird] was very lenient with me. I probably called like 20 to 30% of the plays at the line of scrimmage my senior year. And that was always in working collaboration with him." Considered a first-round pick at the start of the year, Allar didn’t perform as expected and his final season at Penn State was cut short because of an ankle injury. At 6-foot-5 and 228 pounds and blessed with good movement skills, Allar showed glimpses of developing into an NFL-caliber quarterback, but remains a work in progress in the pros. It will be up to McCarthy and an experienced offensive coaching staff led by offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth to develop Allar’s unique skill set. "I believe in first impressions," McCarthy said about Allar in Pittsburgh’s post-draft press conference with reporters. I had a chance to not only watch him play but meet him at the combine. … I like everything about him. I think he’s got room for growth. He’s a young man that can throw the ball with the best of them, and that’s a great starting point to have." That’s high praise from McCarthy, but an opinion not necessarily shared by an NFL quarterback evaluator I spoke with about Allar. "I think it was a little bit of a surprise pick in the third round, given his production in college," the NFL talent evaluator told me. "He’s got all the physical tools. He’s kind of like a create-a-player in Madden. He’s 6-5 and 230. He can throw the ball a mile. He’s got a very pretty spiral. He’s a guy that scouts absolutely love, but I think the disconnect is you’ve got to become someone who coaches absolutely love in terms of decision-making, timing and accuracy. "I would say he’s a project. In my opinion, he’s got a long way to go. They’re investing in him as a guy that two years from now could have major upside. He’s got the prettiest deep ball on the planet, but I think most coaches would tell you, ‘Yeah, that’s great, but it’s second-and-10, and you overthrew the guy by five yards.’" For the past year, Allar’s worked with John Beck and 3DQB here in Southern California during the offseason to prepare him for the league. Beck also worked with another former McCarthy quarterback in Dak Prescott. Allar said Beck helped to improve his footwork, getting him in better throwing positions. Currently, Allar is No. 4 on the depth chart behind Rodgers, Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, who the Steelers took in the sixth round of last year's draft. But he’s willing to be patient, work on his craft and try to live up to lofty expectations, playing behind one of the best to ever do it in Rodgers. "It’s really just taking it a day at a time," Allar told me. "They do a great job of building it out throughout practice with the quarterback in individual drills. They do a great job of emphasizing things throughout each day, just so I can get that foundation, because the footwork is a little different than what I’m used to. "We were under center a little bit at Penn State, but not in the drop-back game. It was more run game and play-action game. So, just getting cleaner with under-center drops and drop-back footwork. And just really trying to pick up on the nuances of it. Just some different teaching, and it’s really cool to be a part of that. And kind of have another chapter to learn from and grow from. I already feel a lot more comfortable in it, and I know I’ve just got to keep my head down and keep working at it."

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NCAA's New Eligibility Rules Affect Transfers, Rosters And Playing Time

Tyler Shough needed seven years of college football to become a starting NFL quarterback. Under the new eligibility model approved Tuesday, athletes will no longer have that option. Athletes in Division I, the top level of competition, will have five years to complete five seasons of competition, a move the NCAA hopes will add structure to a system stretched into chaos and courtrooms by countless transfers, redshirt decisions, injuries, players seeking more seasons to cash in on NIL opportunities and even pandemic-era complexities. The eligibility clock starts when an athlete enrolls full-time or at the beginning of the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first. If the new rules withstand potential legal challenges, the development of college athletes will undergo a dramatic shift. There will be no more traditional redshirt years, nor will there be medical or general extension waivers available; the only limited exceptions for going beyond five-in-five would be for military service, religious missions and maternity leave. Tom Loy, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, said he believes the change could keep talented players in college for longer. "In addition, I believe this rule change would have coaches putting a significant emphasis on retaining as much of the current roster as possible, especially upperclassmen, while focusing their attention slightly less on the transfer portal," Loy said in an email. "With the opportunity to play five full seasons, they could have a roster full of 23-year-olds, for example, compared to 18- or 19-year-olds, and beyond that, potentially have a group full of talent they have developed in their system." The End Of The Redshirt Shough spent two seasons at Oregon and three at Texas Tech before suiting up at Louisville as a seventh-year senior in 2024. Injuries, a redshirt season and the pandemic extended his college career, extra time that helped turn him into a second-round draft pick and, eventually, the starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. He believes future college athletes should be given the same opportunities. "I think everybody should have a chance to at least get a medical and then a redshirt," Shough said. "I know I benefited from that experience, the maturation process, having to compete multiple years. I feel strongly about that." Detroit Lions rookie defensive lineman Aidan Keanaaina followed a similar path. His six-year college career included an undergraduate stint at Notre Dame and two postgraduate seasons at California following a medical redshirt and pandemic waiver, when the NCAA gave thousands of athletes an extra year. The 5-in-5 would have taken away his final college season in 2025, a year that helped him make his case to NFL scouts. Even so, he understands the effort to bring order to a landscape he described as the wild West. "You can’t please everyone in this world, ever, but they’re trying to please as many people as they can and do right by as many people as possible," said Keanaaina, an undrafted free agent. "As someone who was injured, I think it’s tough to make a one-size-fits-all rule. But I also get that sometimes an older player is taking opportunities away from a younger one." It Could Change Recruiting Or Have Other Ripple Effects While Shough and Keanaaina point to what the new model could eliminate, others believe opportunities will be created elsewhere in college sports. "I think it’s the NCAA’s way of keeping college sports as amateur as possible with the chaos that is the NIL era. It will be good for sports like lacrosse where post-grad and redshirt years are less common than in football," said Kelsey Fee, an assistant women’s lacrosse coach at Dartmouth. "It will open up the portal to a new slew of craziness with kids looking to use their fifth year." Fee said she also thinks the shift will bring an excitement to recruiting that hasn’t been felt in recent years. Loy, the recruiting analyst, said coaches could be more interested in high school prospects "and getting these guys on the field as quickly as possible." "Whether it works out or not, everyone would get a glimpse at where each prospect stands compared to others," he wrote. "The players would get the early playing time, the coaches would see who outperforms who, and then, without the ability to redshirt anyone, a prospect can continue to be developed if they want to stick around and compete. They also wouldn’t just rush to leave and transfer, since they know they have five years to play ball." Green Bay Packers center and 2022 third-rounder Sean Rhyan predicted stricter eligibility guidelines could change the way athletes think about transferring: Once the clock starts ticking, a case can no longer be made to rectify a misstep. "Five for five, that’s fair. I think NIL is good, but I also think it took away that loyalty aspect that I think sports need," Rhyan said. "Having that fixed amount of time is going to bring that loyalty." And then Rhyan added perhaps the most convincing argument of all: "Having like a 27-year-old linebacker or something and then you have a 17-year-old running back ... I think five for five is more than fair." Reporting by the Associated Press.

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NFL Informs QB Brendan Sorsby It Will Not Hold A Supplemental Draft This Year

The biggest storyline of the offseason just had another wrinkle thrown its way. The NFL informed former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby on Tuesday that it will not hold a supplement draft this year, instead encouraging him to focus on preparing for possible entry into the league through next year's NFL Draft. Sorsby, who transferred from Cincinnati to Texas Tech this past offseason, applied for the supplemental draft after a legal battle with the NCAA, which had declared him ineligible for making thousands of bets on sporting events worth at least $90,000 during his college career. Those included at least 40 bets on Indiana while he was a freshman there in 2022, though none of the games in which he played for the Hoosiers that season. After spending a month in a residential treatment program, Sorsby sued the NCAA and gained a court-ordered reinstatement that prompted nationwide backlash toward Texas Tech. The controversy led Sorsby to enter this special draft session that has not been used to select a player since 2019. However, since Sorsby was the only player who opted for the supplemental draft – three days before the deadline – the NFL sent a letter to Sorsby regarding their decision to opt out of the draft. "The League has not conducted such a draft for several years and, prior to your submission, the League had no plans to do so this year, as no other player has sought entry," NFL attorney Lawrence P. Ferazani Jr. said in his letter. "Your Petition — filed three business days before the deadline, without any supporting information or documentation, and only after abandoning your recent litigation efforts to avoid NCAA sanctions — does not provide a basis for the League to alter those plans. The issues presented by your Petition are too significant, and too closely tied to the League’s core integrity interests, to permit meaningful review within the timeline presented." With the supplemental draft off the table, Sorsby will not play in the NFL in 2026. His next avenue into the NFL will be the 2027 draft, which will take place in April. Despite no chance for an NFL bid this fall, Sorsby could receive an opportunity to play in the UFL or Canadian Football League. He is currently ineligible to play collegiately under NCAA rules. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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2026 NFL Offseason: Ranking 15 New Faces In New Places Who'll Make Largest Impact

Through the draft, free agency and trades, NFL teams have added players who they believe will bring them success in 2026. But who are the newcomers poised to make the largest impact on wins and losses for their squads? Here’s my top 15, in descending order: A perennial Pro Bowl fullback, Ricard will be integral in helping the Giants establish the physical brand of football that new head coach John Harbaugh wants. Ricard's lead-blocking skills will clear rush lanes for dual-threat quarterback Jaxson Dart and a balanced running back room that gets Cam Skattebo back from injury. Tate, the No. 4 overall pick, has a good chance of being quarterback Cam Ward’s No. 1 wide receiver as a rookie, opening up a Titans pass game that struggled mightily last season. The Cowboys had the NFL’s worst pass defense a year ago. Enter Downs, selected No. 11 overall out of Ohio State, where he was a two-time All-American. From the nickelback position, Downs — touted as a generational safety prospect — is poised to make a massive difference in the back end with his communication skills, coverage IQ and sure tackling. In Moore, acquired from the Bears for a second-round pick, Josh Allen and the Bills get a bona fide No. 1 wide receiver for the first time since Stefon Diggs’ departure after the 2023 season. Buffalo hasn’t had a pass-catcher reach 900 yards over the past two years. With uncertainty at quarterback, the Cardinals’ offense could run through Love in 2026. Even with such talented pass-catchers as tight end Trey McBride and wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson, don’t be surprised to see the No. 4 overall pick surpass 1,000 rushing yards as a rookie. The Chiefs’ secondary underwent significant changes this offseason, highlighted by the blockbuster trade of CB Trent McDuffie to the Rams and the loss of Jaylen Watson in free agency. As a rookie, Delane, the No. 6 overall pick and an All-American out of LSU, will be expected to perform like a No. 1 cornerback. Linderbaum, a perennial Pro Bowl center for the Ravens, is expected to take significant pressure off quarterback Kirk Cousins (and eventually No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza) in reading defenses pre-snap at the line of scrimmage. His presence should also create more interior rush lanes for second-year running back Ashton Jeanty, who was frequently hit behind the line of scrimmage as a rookie. The Raiders signed Linderbaum for three years and $81 million, making him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history. In McDuffie, a two-time All-Pro selection for Kansas City, the Rams now have a cornerback capable of taking a No. 1 receiver out of the game. Given the explosiveness of its offense, Los Angeles could be playing with the lead quite often in 2026, which makes McDuffie particularly valuable. The Rams sent four picks to the Chiefs for McDuffie, including a first-rounder in 2026. The former Notre Dame standout should immediately step in as RB1 for the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks, with Kenneth Walker III signing a free-agent deal with the Chiefs and top backup Zach Charbonnet recovering from a torn ACL. Waddle, acquired via trade in March, gives the Broncos a No. 1-caliber wide receiver and the explosive playmaking their offense has lacked. The speedy Waddle averaged 14.2 yards per reception last season, which would’ve led all Denver pass-catchers. The Ravens signed Hendrickson to a four-year, $112 million contract in March after backing out of a trade with the Raiders for Maxx Crosby. A double-digit sack threat, Hendrickson’s presence could elevate Baltimore's defense to the elite status it had prior to last season. The pass-rush juice he provides should speed up the clock in the pocket for opposing quarterbacks, leading to more playmaking opportunities for Baltimore’s talented secondary. Beyond giving the Patriots a true No. 1 wide receiver, Brown — acquired from the Eagles for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick — is a star who’s shown he’s capable of rising to the occasion in big moments. That’s something New England lacked in its run to the Super Bowl last season. The Pats didn’t have a pass-catcher reach 80 receiving yards in any of their four playoff games. Stefon Diggs, who was their leading receiver during the regular season, didn’t have a postseason appearance with more than 40 yards. Lawrence, the centerpiece of the Bengals’ defensive makeover this offseason, will make a significant impact on Cincinnati’s run defense, which ranked dead last in 2025 (147.1 rushing yards allowed/game). The Bengals gave up the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 draft for the three-time Pro Bowler. If Murray plays to the Pro Bowl level we saw early in his career in Arizona, the Vikings will get more than a QB1 — they’ll have a player who can lead them back into contention in the NFC North. Plus, after the Cardinals released him, Murray is playing on a one-year, league-minimum deal worth $1.3 million. With Garrett in the fold, the Rams could have the NFL’s best defense by the end of the 2026 season. He’s that much of a force multiplier, making L.A. the heavy favorite to win the Super Bowl. And that's why the Rams traded Pro Bowl edge Jared Verse and three draft picks to Cleveland for the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. With the Rams’ explosive offense, it’s not difficult to envision a scenario where opposing offenses are scrambling for points late in games, providing many opportunities for Garrett to pin his ears back and get after quarterbacks. Just last year, he broke the NFL’s single-season sack record with 23.

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Raise Hail? 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Shouts 'Go Commanders' In Social Post

So, Brandon Aiyuk wants to play for the Washington Commanders? The San Francisco 49ers' disgruntled star wide receiver posted a video to Instagram on Sunday that shows him repeatedly saying "Go Commanders" and chanting a handful of their rallying cries such as "Raise Hail" and "Take Command." What's more, Aiyuk posted a picture of former Washington quarterback Mark Rypien hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after the team's Super Bowl XXVI triumph over the Buffalo Bills. Of course, this is just the latest chapter in a two-year saga between Aiyuk and the 49ers that has included the receiver holding out for an extension, which he ultimately received in August 2024. He also made a public pitch to reunite with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Aiyuk's teammate at Arizona State in 2019. After signing his four-year, $120 million deal, Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL seven games into the 2024 season. He didn't play in 2025, and after there were questions about whether he was healthy enough to return, the 49ers ultimately removed the injury guarantees in his contract. Following the 2025 campaign, San Francisco President of Football Operations John Lynch claimed it was "safe to say" that Aiyuk had "played his last snap with the 49ers." However, the 28-year-old receiver remains on the team's roster, with a robust trade market yet to develop. Aiyuk is entering the second season of his extension and recently called the franchise "stupid." From 2022-23, Aiyuk led the 49ers in both receptions and receiving yards. His best NFL season was in 2023, when he reeled in 75 receptions for 1,342 yards (17.9 yards per reception) and seven touchdowns. Should Aiyuk land in D.C., he'd join a Commanders' wide receiver room that includes two-time Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin, veteran Van Jefferson and 2026 third-round pick Antonio Williams, among others. Aiyuk's former 49ers teammate, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, led Washington in receptions (72), receiving yards (727) and receiving touchdowns (five) last season but remains a free agent. The Commanders are coming off a disappointing 5-12 campaign after reaching the NFC Championship Game in the 2024 season for the first time since 1991. Daniels, the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, was limited to seven games last season due to knee, hamstring and elbow injuries.

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Top 10 QB-WR Duos: Where Do NFL's Newly Formed Combos Rank?

The 2025 season might have marked a changing of the guard in the NFL, and this offseason has seen plenty of shake-ups around the league, too. For years, three-time Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes was viewed as the best quarterback in the NFL. But he's now recovering from an ACL tear, and his most reliable target, Travis Kelce, is 36 and could be playing in his final season. So, after forming arguably the best quarterback-receiver duo for multiple seasons, you won't see future Hall of Famers Mahomes and Kelce on a list of the top quarterback-receiver duos in the NFL entering 2026. With the Kansas City Chiefs stars dropping off the list, there's room for other top quarterback-receiving duos to make their way into the top 10, including a handful of newly formed combinations. As the offseason movement has largely settled, let's attempt to identify the top 10 quarterback-receiver duos with just over a month from the start of training camps in July. Yes, I understand the Minnesota Vikings have not officially named a starter in the two-man competition between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray. But for this exercise, we’ll assume Murray will be the guy who emerges as the starter for Week 1. In this career reset for the Oklahoma product, Murray is paired with the best receiver he’s thrown to since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 2019. And for Jefferson, he gets an elite thrower of the football who should more accurately connect with the LSU product on deep shots, while also providing the added dimension to distort the defense and create explosive plays on second reaction throws. Add to it one of the best playcallers in the league in head coach Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings playing most of their games indoors, and we should see some fireworks on offense from Minnesota. The two-time NFL MVP was once again slowed by injuries last season, but Lamar Jackson finally has a No. 1 receiver option on the roster in Zay Flowers. The Boston College product finished seventh in the league in receiving yards (1,211) and eleventh in receptions last year (86). Last season, Flowers eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the second time in his three-year NFL career, and at 25 years old, he still has room to grow as a receiver with the 29-year-old Jackson. Brock Purdy has had productive receivers over the years in Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings. But his security blanket has been tight end George Kittle, particularly in the red zone. And while the most explosive receiver on the roster remains Ricky Pearsall, his most consistent and reliable pass catcher on the perimeter should be free agent addition Mike Evans. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer posted an NFL-record 11 straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons to begin his career. The concern for San Francisco will be how much Evans, who turns 33 in August, has left in the tank. With Mahomes coming off an injury, Josh Allen has taken the mantle as the most talented quarterback in the league right now. And while Khalil Shakir has shown that he can be a highly productive receiver in the slot, the addition of Moore via trade gives Allen the potential for his most productive receiver on the perimeter since Stefon Diggs left three years ago. Moore hasn’t had a 1,000-yard receiving season since 2023, but if he can stay healthy, that should change this season. Specifically, Allen will do a good job of getting the ball out quickly in space to Moore, allowing him to create big plays after the catch with his elite ability to make defenders miss in space. Drake Maye played well enough to finish one vote shy of winning MVP last season in only his second year as a pro, and that was with Stefon Diggs as his most talented receiver. Now, the addition of Brown gives New England one of the best receivers in the league and should open things up for the rest of the offense. Specifically, Brown’s ability to consistently win on contested catches down the field will create more explosive plays for the extremely accurate Maye. Also, Brown’s 21 receiving touchdowns over the last three seasons are tied for ninth in the NFL over that stretch. He should improve New England’s ability to consistently get into the end zone, particularly in the red zone, in the passing game. Amon-Ra St. Brown is the best slot receiver in the league, and Jared Goff has created a unique chemistry with the USC product. St. Brown has produced a league-high 33 receiving touchdowns over the last three seasons. And Goff’s ability to deliver the ball on time and on target has been a primary reason for St. Brown’s success. St. Brown led all receivers with 59 catches for 618 yards and five touchdowns while aligned from the slot, according to Next Gen Stats. George Pickens was the most productive receiver for Dallas last year in his first season with the Cowboys, finishing with career highs in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429) and receiving touchdowns (9). However, Dak Prescott has built a stronger rapport with CeeDee Lamb because of their time together. Prescott and Lamb were particularly effective connecting on deep shots. Lamb finished with 12 receptions for 454 yards on catches of 20-plus yards or more, according to Next Gen Stats. Only Jaxon Smith-Njigba (13 receptions for 542 yards) had better numbers. Speaking of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, this past season's NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and his quarterback, Sam Darnold, land here. The Ohio State product set franchise single-season records for receptions (119) and receiving yards (1,793) in 2025. The 1,793 receiving yards are the eighth-most in league history, and his nine 100-yard games led the league during the regular season. Darnold and Smith-Njigba quickly developed chemistry after the QB signed with Seattle last offseason. Darnold and Smith-Njigba connected 31 times for 723 yards and six touchdowns on play-action last season (18.1 yards per attempt), making them the only quarterback-receiver duo to have combined for more than 700 such yards in a season during the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016). Teammates who won a national championship together at LSU, Burrow and Chase developed into the gold standard for quarterback and receiver tandem in the NFL. Chase won the triple crown as the league’s top receiver in 2021, leading the NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17). Over the last three seasons, Chase is tops in receptions (352), receiving yards (4,336) and 32 touchdown receptions. Only St. Brown (33) has more touchdowns during that time. And since he entered the league in 2020, Burrow leads the league in completion percentage (68.5%), is third in passer rating (101.5) and is seventh in passing touchdowns (157). Matthew Stafford won the league’s MVP award last season for the first time in his 17-year NFL career, dominating the stat sheet. He led the NFL in touchdown passes (46), passing yards (4,707) and finished second in passer rating (109.2). While Davante Adams led the league in touchdown receptions (14), Stafford has developed a potent rapport with the acrobatic catching style of Puka Nacua, who posted the second-most receiving yards by a player in their first three seasons in NFL history, trailing only Justin Jefferson (4,825). In 2025, Nacua finished second in receiving yards (1,715) and tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns (10). Honorable mentions: Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix and WR Courtland Sutton; Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels and WR Terry McLaurin; Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams and WR Rome Odunze; Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and WR Xavier Worthy; Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert and WR Ladd McConkey.

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NFL Supplemental Draft: How Does It Work? What To Know As Brendan Sorsby Enters

Former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has brought back a rare and obscure part of the NFL vocabulary: the supplemental draft. Sorsby, 22, has applied for the supplemental draft after gambling problems complicated his eligibility at Texas Tech. He had transferred there after two seasons at Indiana and two more at Cincinnati, but now will head to the NFL rather than play a final season of college football. Sorsby would have been a top draft prospect for 2027, having thrown for 27 touchdowns against just five interceptions last year at Cincinnati. Allegations of widespread gambling, including wagers placed on his own team, put his eligibility in jeopardy, and though a judge had granted an injunction allowing him to play the upcoming season, backlash from other schools led him to the NFL. So what exactly is the supplemental draft? How will it work for NFL teams considering adding Sorsby to their rosters? Here are the basics for the process, which will unfold over the next six weeks ahead of the start of NFL training camps. The NFL Supplemental Draft is intended for players who no longer have eligibility but were not eligible for the league's regular draft in April. It has become a rare phenomenon, with no players taken in a supplemental draft since safety Jalen Thompson was taken in the fifth round in 2019. Thompson, now with the Dallas Cowboys, is the only active NFL player taken in a supplemental draft. To take a player in a supplemental draft, an NFL team must be willing to give up a pick from the next year's draft. After evaluating a prospect, each team can submit a bid, using a 2027 draft pick, and the team submitting the highest pick gets the player, essentially using a pick from next year now. The player joins the team on a rookie contract commensurate with the same pick in this year's draft. To find a player most casual NFL fans would recognize from a supplemental draft, you have to go back 14 years to 2012, when Baylor receiver Josh Gordon was a supplemental second-round pick of the Cleveland Browns. He had been dismissed due to a positive marijuana test, and his NFL career was marked by similar violations. He had some success in Cleveland, highlighted by a 2013 season where he led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards and made the Pro Bowl. He missed two entire seasons due to suspensions for violating the league's drug policies and totaled seven touchdowns in five seasons after his suspensions. Another recent example is Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who entered the supplemental draft in 2011 after he and other teammates were accused of selling memorabilia. Facing a five-game suspension, Pryor withdrew from college and was taken by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the supplemental draft. But the NFL also suspended him for five games at the start of his professional career. The precedent with Pryor shows why NFL teams may be hesitant to draft Sorsby, as the league has taken a hard line against players gambling, with a minimum one-year suspension if a player is found to have bet on NFL games. NFL players can wager on other sports, but cannot do so while at team facilities or traveling with their team. No team has used a first-round pick in a supplemental draft since 1992, when the New York Giants took Duke quarterback Dave Brown in the first round. The league had five first-round supplemental picks between 1989 and 1992, most notably receiver Rob Moore, who went to the New York Jets in 1990. Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter was a first-round supplemental pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1987. The supplemental draft becomes complicated if two or more teams submit bids for the same player in the same round. The league sorts NFL teams into three categories — those who won six or fewer games the previous season, the remaining teams who missed the playoffs and the 14 teams that made the playoffs. For this year, there are 10 teams in the first group — the Jets, Raiders, Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Commanders, New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals — and those teams are chosen in a random order from a weighted lottery for the first subgroup. The same is done for the second group (eight teams), then the third (14), to create a supplemental draft order. So if more than one team submits, for example, a fifth-round pick, the team that is first in that order would get the player from the supplemental draft. Teams that have already given up 2027 picks in trades this year cannot bid using picks they no longer have. To some extent, this will depend on how high a pick he commands from teams. If it's a high draft pick, it might be limited to teams that don't have an obvious long-term answer at quarterback, like the Cardinals or Jets. Both of those teams used mid-round picks on quarterbacks in April, with the Cardinals taking Miami's Carson Beck in the third round and the Jets taking Clemson's Cade Klubnik in the fourth. The Pittsburgh Steelers, eyeing a successor to Aaron Rodgers, could be an option, though they used a third-round pick on Penn State's Drew Allar in April. If it's a lower pick, it could be any team that doesn't have a developmental backup they like, and Sorsby could be seen as a chance to get ahead of the talented pool of quarterbacks expected to be available in the 2027 draft. Apprehensions about his gambling problems will mitigate his draft value strictly from a talent standpoint. The NFL's deadline for prospects to apply for the supplemental draft is June 22, this coming Monday, and Sorsby has already reportedly applied. The league has established a one-week window from July 5-12, in which a player can hold a pro day and work out privately for teams, and then the supplemental draft is held on the seventh day before the start of the first NFL training camp, which would be in late July.

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Cincinnati's Scott Satterfield Expects Heavy NFL Interest in QB Brendan Sorsby

Scott Satterfield has fielded plenty of questions from NFL teams about Brendan Sorsby, especially after his former quarterback transferred to Texas Tech and information about Sorsby’s gambling addiction became well known. The University of Cincinnati coach expects the queries to increase now that Sorsby has decided not to play for Texas Tech this fall and will instead apply for the NFL supplemental draft. "There certainly have been scouts and GMs that have reached out just asking questions and more on a personal level, probably more than the football level, with their interest knowing that potentially something like this could happen. I certainly think now that the news is out, over the next few weeks, there’s going to be a lot more inquiries about him and trying to find more about him," Satterfield said Tuesday. "He’s very talented, has great size, can run, can throw." Sorsby’s decision capped a week of legal drama. A Texas judge had granted Sorsby a temporary injunction allowing him to play for Texas Tech this season despite being declared ineligible by the NCAA for wagering on college sports, including bets made on his own team while he was at Indiana. Satterfield said every NFL team had already asked him about Sorsby, especially early in the year when it seemed Sorsby might declare for the NFL draft in April. However, Sorsby chose to play his senior season at Texas Tech after signing a name, image and likeness deal. Sorsby passed for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns with five interceptions last season. He also ran for 580 yards and nine touchdowns. The Bearcats started 7-1 before losing their final four regular-season games. Sorsby did not play in Cincinnati’s 35-13 loss to Navy in the Liberty Bowl. In 2024, Sorsby completed 64% of his passes for 2,813 yards and 18 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He rushed for 447 yards and nine touchdowns that year. Cleveland coach Todd Monken hinted at the kinds of research some teams might be conducting when he was asked whether the Browns would be interested in Sorsby. "I don’t think we’re in a position to want to go down that road. That’s my opinion, that’s not (general manager) Andrew’s (Berry). I think that’s a slippery slope when you go down that, irrespective of talent, right? In terms of the situation he’s himself in, we all know what that is. He put himself in that situation. And we’ve seen in other sports with players who have been banned for life from playing in professional sports. "From my end of it, it’s kind of a tough angle to go down that road and think that’s going to be your franchise quarterback if he’s ever eligible to even play in the NFL," Monken said. If Sorsby had played for Texas Tech this season, it would have created a circus atmosphere on Oct. 24 when the Red Raiders are scheduled to visit Nippert Stadium for Cincinnati’s homecoming game. Cincinnati has a federal lawsuit pending against Sorsby in Ohio accusing him of breaching his NIL contract following his transfer to Texas Tech. A pretrial conference is scheduled in that case on July 10. Satterfield said he hopes Sorsby can overcome his problems and bounce back. "I’m pulling for Brendan in his future endeavors. I think if you just look at the history of the NFL, there are guys that have made mistakes and they still have taken chances on them, so I feel like he will have certainly learned from this and grow, and somebody will give him an opportunity," Satterfield said. Reporting by the Associated Press.

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NFL Confidential: What Do Execs, Scouts Make Of Brendan Sorsby Amid Controversy?

After weeks of drama, Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is NFL-bound, but questions about his professional future still linger. Sorsby will enter the NFL Supplemental Draft, his legal representation confirmed on Monday. The announcement came as his gambling scandal jeopardized his college future, getting an injunction against the NCAA last week before the association, the Big 12 and others fought to make Sorsby ineligible. Now, Sorsby will become one of the most intriguing prospects to enter the supplemental draft in quite some time. He could be the first player taken in the first round of the supplemental draft in 34 years, as teams weigh whether to use a high draft pick on him. So, with Sorsby now becoming a pro, what do execs and scouts around the league think about his talent and situation? Here's what we learned from our conversations. Ralph Vacchiano: Brendan Sorsby might have had the talent to be a first-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft had he remained in college. Now, teams have to weigh whether he's worth using a first-round pick on in the supplemental draft, and his gambling problem makes him a risk that not everyone will be willing to take. "We tend to forgive a lot of things if a guy can play," one NFL executive told me. "But gambling in sports has always just been different. Betting, especially on your own team, is the one line [players] just can’t cross." Sorsby, of course, admitted to placing bets on his own team when he was briefly at Indiana University, which is why he was banned from playing college football until a court granted an injunction to let him play next season for Texas Tech. But after the NCAA, Big 12 and others sought to make Sorsby ineligible to play again, he decided to enter the supplemental draft. Now, the ball is in the NFL's court. What punishment could he receive from the league? And for the 32 teams, is Sorsby's talent worth the off-field risks? "If you need a quarterback, he’s going to be tempting," the executive told me. "But because he’s a quarterback, it’s an even tougher call. The guy isn’t just an anonymous guard. He’s going to be the face of the franchise. He’ll be watched everywhere he goes, whatever he does, every social media post, every person he takes a photo with. "And it’s not like you have to just keep him out of casinos, or can give him weekly drug tests to monitor him. Gambling is everywhere and you might never know if he’s doing it. Even if he says he’s completely beaten the problem and never has any other issues, can you really trust him? Will your fans trust him? Will the media? "Everything is a potential problem." That’s probably why one NFL scout told me, "I’m glad that’s above my pay grade. I wouldn’t want to have to make that call. He’s a really strong prospect, but there’s so much more that goes into taking him. You’re really risking a lot." Eric D. Williams: NFL front office personnel, scouts and coaches will be tasked with executing a risk assessment on Sorsby, weighing his enormous talent on the field against what he has done off it. "He’s a starting NFL quarterback," a front office executive told me. "He would have been a top 15 selection this year. But there’s no guarantee the addiction will go away." A longtime NFL scout that I spoke with believes that if Sorsby was in the 2027 NFL Draft, he’d come off the board on Day 2. "I grade him as a third-rounder," the scout told me. "I thought he should stay in school, take the NIL (name, image and likeness) money and get better. Someone will draft him and I don’t think a QB like him gets drafted past the third/fourth round. Some will reach for him in the third. "Desperation makes teams do crazy things for quarterbacks. Some teams will get scared off for sure, but one will be desperate. The reasoning is second chances. Johnny Manziel got one." And as the gambling controversy is at the forefront with Sorsby's situation, it isn't the only bit of off-field drama he's been involved in this offseason. Sorsby's previous school, Cincinnati, is also suing him, alleging he breached his NIL contract with the Bearcats when he refused to pay a $1 million exit fee after transferring to Texas Tech. So, that's why another league source I spoke with wondered about the prospect of taking a quarterback with poor decision-making off the field as the face of your franchise. "Call me crazy, but the standard needs to be much higher at the QB position," the league source told me. "You need to be a leader. I’d stay away if it was me. Decision-making and judgment are obviously lacking." Vacchiano: People around the NFL seem split on where Sorsby would have gone if he had entered the 2026 NFL Draft. One scout told me he had thought Sorsby was a Day 3 pick, even before his gambling issues were revealed. An NFL executive told me he probably was "a mid-to-high second-rounder." But another NFL scout pointed to the weak quarterback class overall in 2026 and said, "He might have been the second [quarterback] off the board … before the gambling stuff, of course." "Maybe not, because I guess the Rams really loved Ty Simpson [who they took 13th overall]," the scout told me. "But other than Fernando Mendoza, I’m not sure anyone [in the 2026 draft] had more potential than this guy. He’s huge (6-foot-3, 235 pounds), he can run, he’s got a rocket arm, and he’s good under pressure. There’s a lot to work with there. "Now, it’s not perfect. His decision-making isn’t always great. He can force some passes, and he loves to throw deep even when the intermediate throw is there. He runs a little too quickly sometimes instead of letting this develop. But in a bad quarterback class, he would’ve stood out." Prior to Monday's news, Sorsby was trying to stand out among several top quarterback prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft. If he had remained in college and gotten to play this season, where could he have gone in next year's draft? "I need to see more," the scout told me. "I’d probably put him on the fringe of the top group, just based on talent. If a guy that big has a strong season, he could really rise and be a top 10 pick. But if he struggles, and you add in the gambling stuff, he could drop himself off a lot of draft boards, too." FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang believes that Sorsby would've had the physical tools to be drafted ahead of Ty Simpson had he entered the 2026 draft, but NFL scouts will have to vet his significant, off-the-field gambling issues before taking a chance on bringing the player into their organization. Rang, who recently offered his evaluation of Sorsby, projected that the former Cincinnati quarterback would be a second-round pick in the supplemental draft. He made that projection after watching every touchdown and interception Sorsby threw this past season, along with some of his tape at Indiana. "He’s very impressive," Rang told me. "He’s got a real intriguing skill set to him in that he’s got the prototypical size. He’s got a snappy release and plenty of arm strength. Good accuracy. And he’s an athlete. He’s an aggressive scrambler and so physically speaking he’s got all the traits to be a very successful NFL quarterback. "He has the physical skills to warrant being selected ahead of Ty Simpson. He is a more physically talented player than Ty Simpson. And he’s a three-year starter, where Ty is only a one-year starter. But of course, Ty Simpson checked every box when it comes to a guy who bided his time at Alabama and played pretty well when he got his opportunity, where with Brendan you’re talking about a player who’s transferred three times and comes with questions about his decision-making that NFL teams are going to have to evaluate." On the field, Sorsby completed 61.4% of his passes for 7,208 yards and 60 touchdowns against 18 interceptions over 35 combined games at Cincinnati (2024-25) and Indiana (2022-23) while rushing for another 1,295 yards and 22 touchdowns. Those are impressive numbers. But ultimately, Rang said the issue for Sorsby’s draft future will be what teams are willing to overlook his off-the-field transgressions. "That is the million-dollar question here," Rang told me. "I think that the physical talent justifies a first-round grade. But the character concerns that may or may not be completely justified, but that’s going to require some real investigation from teams. And teams are typically hesitant to draft players in the supplemental draft with the round that equates to their talent. Usually, they drop a round or more than they normally would, just because of the fact that it’s the supplemental draft, and you wouldn’t have the opportunity to evaluate them as you normally would for a normal prospect."

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Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby Reportedly Looking To Enter NFL Supplemental Draft

One of the biggest controversies in recent college football history might soon reach a resolution. Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is set to apply for entry in the NFL Supplemental Draft, NFL Network reported Monday. Sorsby's lawyers also to withdraw their lawsuit against the NCAA, which would allow him to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft, NFL Network added in its report. Sorsby's decision to seek entry in the NFL Supplemental Draft came a week after a Texas judge granted him an injunction against the NCAA, allowing him to play for Texas Tech in the 2026 season amid his gambling scandal. However, the NCAA, the Big 12 and other college administrators have pushed for Sorsby to receive a greater punishment than a two-game suspension in recent days. Both the NCAA and Big 12 made filings in separate courts on Monday to try to overrule the decision made last week. News of the scandal broke in April, when Sorsby checked himself into rehab for a sports gambling addiction. He admitted to placing over $90,000 over four years in May, while court documents showed that Sorsby placed at least 40 wagers against Indiana or his teammates during his time with the program (2022-23). Sorsby transferred from Indiana to Cincinnati before the 2024 season. He transferred from Cincinnati to Texas Tech this past offseason, joining the Red Raiders as one of the top players in the portal. If approved, Sorsby could become the first player selected in the NFL Supplemental Draft since 2019. He also might be one of the more highly-touted players to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft in quite some time. Some 2027 NFL mock drafts had Sorsby as a first-round pick. With that in mind, Sorsby could become the first player taken in the first round of the NFL Supplemental Draft since 1992. FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang recently gave Sorsby a Round 2 grade, but believes he has a high ceiling. "There was not a player in the 2026 draft class with a higher ceiling and lower floor than Sorsby, so projecting where he would have been selected is a more complicated hypothetical than it might appear," Rang wrote. Sorsby threw for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions at Cincinnati in 2025.

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Where In The World Cup Is Jameis Winston?

Jameis Winston traded the gridiron for the world’s game this summer, living it up with a different kind of football (and football fans) as a FOX Sports World Cup correspondent for the 2026 tournament. Winston — the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner and current quarterback for the New York Giants — will take the hype around the largest World Cup yet, as a 48-team tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Here’s a look at some of the best moments from Winston’s World Cup journey: Jameis got up close and personal with one of the best fan bases in the world in Dallas, where the Netherlands and the always raucous "Oranje Army" know how to make an entrance. Winston rode along with the Dutch fans in their "Oranje Army Bus" and admitted that "there's nothing bigger than the Dutch Army." USA! USA! Jameis took in the sights and sounds at Los Angeles Stadium for the United States' opening match Friday, which included meeting up with influencer IShowSpeed. Not a bad way to see one of the USA's biggest wins ever at a World Cup.

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49ers Mourn Sudden Death Of Former All-Pro Linebacker Aldon Smith At 36

Aldon Smith, the troubled but talented pass rusher whose promising career was derailed by legal problems, has died at age 36. The San Francisco 49ers announced Smith's death on Saturday night. The team did not disclose a cause of death. "We are devastated by the sudden and tragic passing of Aldon Smith," the 49ers said in a statement. "Aldon’s undeniable talent and sheer dominance on the field were on display from the moment he joined our organization, having recorded one of the best rookie seasons the National Football League has seen. Beyond his excellence as a player, Aldon will be remembered for his infectious smile that lit up every room he walked into." Smith was drafted by the 49ers with the seventh overall pick out of Missouri in 2011 and made an immediate impact on the team, helping San Francisco snap a playoff drought and reach the NFC title game his first three seasons with one trip to a Super Bowl. He had 14 sacks as a rookie when he finished second to Von Miller in voting for the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and had a franchise-record 19 1/2 sacks in 2012 when he was named a first-team All-Pro. His 33 1/2 sacks in his first two seasons are the most in NFL history. He kept that pace up with 4 1/2 sacks in the first three games in 2013 before the off-field issues started with an arrest for DUI and a stint in rehab for substance abuse that sidelined him for five games. He was also arrested on a weapons charge that season but returned to the field. "I’m getting there," he said after his stint in 2013 on the non-football injury list. "Every day’s just a step closer to getting to where I want to be I’ve gotten a lot of support, from my family, friends, organization, teammates and everything. And it really says a lot that people care about me outside the field and they care about me as a person." Smith had 3 1/2 sacks in the playoffs that season but was suspended for the first nine games in 2014 and never made it back to his early level of performance because of suspensions and injuries. San Francisco then released him in August 2015 after another drunken driving charge — his fifth arrest in three years. He signed with Oakland just before the start of the 2015 season and had 3 1/2 sacks in nine games before being suspended again. "Aldon proudly wore the Silver and Black, was respected by his teammates and will be missed dearly," the Raiders said in a statement. Smith applied for reinstatement to the NFL in 2016, but was not allowed back initially. The Raiders released him in 2018 following a domestic violence arrest. A plea agreement was reached in that case. He eventually was reinstated in 2020 and played 16 games for Dallas that season and had five sacks. He signed with Seattle the next season but was arrested again for battery and was released in training camp. He served a six-month jail sentence for DUI in 2023 and never played again in the NFL. Smith finished his career with 52 1/2 sacks in 75 games. In college, he was a first-team All-Big 12 selection and the recipient of Missouri’s Defensive Lineman of the Year Award in 2010. Reporting by the Associated Press.

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Andy Reid ‘Optimistic’ QB Patrick Mahomes Will Be Ready for Chiefs Training Camp

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes made it through the team's offseason program just months after surgery to repair two ligaments in his left knee, and coach Andy Reid is optimistic that the two-time MVP will be ready for training camp next month. Mahomes was excused Thursday from the traditional running test that Reid uses to wrap up his mandatory minicamps. But even that conditioning test, Reid said, Mahomes "probably could've done it and made it, I'm sure, with will." "I love what he did this offseason, the way he attacked the rehab," Reid said. "He's on course to ... get ready for camp." Mahomes, who signed a lucrative contract extension on Wednesday, has been spending the offseason in Kansas City, rather than his home in Texas, so that he can continue rehabbing with the Chiefs staff. That includes Julie Frymyer, their head physical therapist, who has helped Mahomes overcome other injuries throughout his NFL career. "The healing process has to keep taking place," Reid said. "He gets periodic checks, but he's been working close with Julie on the rehab part of it. Then he comes out and practices — he does rehab before practice, comes to practice, then goes after practice." The spare-no-second schedule is designed to get Mahomes ready to start against the Broncos in Week 1 on Sept. 14. Being ready for training camp at the end of July would be even better. "You just kind of take it day by day, I think. It looks like he's going to be able to do some things during camp," Reid said. "He did it out here, so I would presume in 40 days he'll be even better than that. So we'll just see where it goes, and you go through peaks and valleys in this thing — in rehabs — where you might plateau for a little bit, and you don't know when those are going to take place. But so far, it's been a pretty steady climb up the hill there." Mahomes signed a restructured contract Wednesday, which adds two years to the deal through the 2033 season and pushes the total compensation to $504.75 million, with incentives and escalators that could send the value to $522.25 million. Mahomes would be 38 in the final year of the contract, meaning he might well finish his career playing in Kansas City. "Listen, he's done a great job as a professional, and then off the field as a father and husband, so you got the whole package there," Reid said. "He's a great representative and a heck of a football player." Chiefs Expect Other Injured Players Back By Training Camp In other news, Reid said first-round draft pick Mansoor Delane was held out of the mandatory minicamp because of a relatively minor shoulder injury. The cornerback should be ready for the start of training camp at Missouri Western State University. Wide receiver Rashee Rice also should be ready for camp after rehabbing a minor knee surgery while serving out a jail sentence. The procedure to clean debris out of his right knee took place about a week before Rice was ordered to jail for violating the terms of his probation for his role in a car crash that left multiple people injured. The 26-year-old Rice was booked into the Dallas County jail on May 19 — he's been allowed out for supervised rehab work — and he is due to be released Tuesday. "(Chiefs trainer) Rick (Burkholder) has talked to him more than what I have," Reid said, "just making sure that everything was set where he could do some rehab with it and still do the time that he needed to take care of. So he's been on top of that, and thank good they're allowing him to do it. They've been great with that." What About Travis Kelce's Upcoming Wedding to Pop Star Taylor Swift? Reid said his plan for the six weeks until training camp is to "step away," but he sidestepped a question on whether "stepping away" involved attending the wedding of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and pop superstar Taylor Swift next month. The exact date and location — presumably Madison Square Garden in New York — has been a closely guarded secret. "Can’t talk about it," Reid said, smiling. "Listen, he’s been here most of the offseason, if not the whole offseason. He’s been around and it’s good to have him. He did the mandatory camp and did a nice job there, so it’s good to have him back in and rolling. He’s very excited. You see no distractions with that and the wedding. If it’s like when I got married, my wife did everything, so I just kind of followed her lead on it, showed up, right? Maybe he’s doing more but he looks like he’s pretty focused in on this job here, too." Reporting by the Associated Press.

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2026 NFL Odds: Back Sean McVay to Win Second COY Award

The number of Sundays without NFL football is quietly creeping towards single digits. The biggest move made this offseason was a stunner on the first day of June, with the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl, the Los Angeles Rams, acquiring the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett. After losing a nail-biter to the eventual champion Seattle Seahawks in the NFC title game, the ultra-aggressive Rams made a trade with the Cleveland Browns to add what they hope is the final piece of a championship puzzle. The Rams are now as low as +500 to win it all next year, the shortest odds on the board. While they are the rightful favorite, considering their abundance of talent on both sides of the ball, is there a better way to bet on their success and get some juicier odds? Well, Rams head coach Sean McVay is 40-1 to win NFL Coach of the Year. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Granted, this award often goes to the coach of the team who generally overachieves preseason expectations the most … but it doesn't always go to that coach. In 2019, John Harbaugh won it after leading the Baltimore Ravens to a gaudy 14-2 record. The Ravens had made the playoffs the year prior, and were not a surprise contender, so their coach won the award by simply winning a lot of football games. In 2007, the New England Patriots went 16-0, and head coach Bill Belichick was named Coach of the Year. You catch my drift: The award can be won by simply dominating the competition, and the Rams have the talent to do just that. There is also a scenario where Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is 38 years old, potentially misses a few games due to injury. Under these circumstances, McVay would have a chance, from a narrative perspective, to garner lots of support by possibly winning with a backup quarterback. In short, the Rams have the talent to flirt with 14- or 15-plus wins, and considering the odds, that makes McVay a good sleeper candidate to win the hardware. PICK: Sean McVay (40-1) to win Coach of the Year

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Who's the Next Brock Purdy? Scouts Weigh In On 6 Rookie QBs

NFL evaluators have never been perfect, especially when it comes to the most important, most over-scouted position in sports. That’s how a quarterback such as Brock Purdy was once the "Mr. Irrelevant" of the 2022 draft, only to earn a $265 million contract just three years later with the San Francisco 49ers. And it’s how Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback of all time, was only the 199th pick of the 2000 draft. Still, there’s usually a reason why quarterbacks slip into Day 3 of the draft. And it takes a special combination of overlooked skill and unexpected opportunity for them to rise from that obscurity. So, who among the six quarterbacks selected on Day 3 this year have a chance to do that? Which, if any, can be the next Purdy and turn into a franchise-changing star? We posed that question to several NFL scouts and evaluators. Here’s how they ranked the candidates. Draft slot: Seventh round, 223rd overall Résumé: The Rutgers quarterback (and Minnesota transfer) was a bit of a surprise pick, even as a seventh-rounder. He did start 42 games over his four years at two schools, but his passing numbers were middling (8,604 yards, 55 TDs, 27 interceptions and just a 56.3% completion rate). He also offered little as a runner. The 6-2, 216-pounder did steadily improve and had a solid senior year (62.2%, 3,124 yards, 20 TDs, seven interceptions). He became a better downfield passer too. That was enough to get the "Greek Rifle" on the NFL’s radar. Scouts' takes: "The improvement was there, but you have to squint to see it. … I think this was the case of an offensive coordinator (David Blough) just falling in love and seeing something he could work with. He just doesn’t do anything good enough to be a starter in this league. At best, he’s a backup. … If you go only by his senior year, I get it. He’s smart and makes a lot of good decisions. I could see him as a game-manager who eventually you can trust for a few games if your starter goes down. Eventually. … He’s definitely a developmental prospect. But his tools are good. Nothing about him is great." Opportunity: It’s hard to see where he’d fit in Washington, where Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota are the established top two and the scheme is built for a more mobile and athletic quarterback. Kaliakmanis certainly could push Sam Hartman for the No. 3 job, but might need a strong summer to earn a roster spot. Purdy potential: He’s a long shot to even get on the field this season. He might need a few years of development before he’s ready to play at all. Draft slot: Seventh round, 234th overall Résumé: The starter for the past three-plus years at Texas Tech, he put up some good numbers in the Red Raiders’ spread offense. He completed 62.8% of his passes overall and 66% as a senior. He also threw only 28 interceptions to go with his 8,989 yards and 71 touchdown passes. The 6-2, 221-pounder showed his toughness, too, playing through knee, shoulder and leg injuries over the years. Scouts' takes: "He’s smart and he processes everything really quickly. Maybe too quickly. He’s not as accurate as his numbers suggest, and he may not have a strong enough arm to get it there against NFL defenses. … He’s not athletic. He can’t run at all. He’s a pocket statue. … He’s tough as anybody, but the kid can’t stay healthy. I bet a few teams crossed him off with all the medical issues he’s had. … He (almost) never played under center in college. I need to see him do that before I can tell what he’ll be. … He’s a really good kid and was a great leader in college. He knows how to get the most out of his teammates. They’re going to love having him in the (QB) room. … I could see him work as a backup. If he ever gets in, he can probably game-manage for you. It won’t be spectacular, but he won’t (mess) things up. Guys who don’t (mess) up can play a long time in the league." Opportunity: Since the Patriots are the defending AFC champs and have Super Bowl aspirations again, it would take a lot for them to put any part of their season in the hands of a seventh-round rookie. Even if Drake Maye and Tommy DeVito got hurt, they’d sign a veteran. So there’s just no clear path to the field for Morton. Purdy potential: He is probably more of a solid backup than a future starter. He’s even a few years away from that, though. Draft slot: Fifth round, 178th overall Résumé: He was a one-year starter at North Dakota State, where he was one of the best and most efficient quarterbacks in the FCS. He completed 71.9% of his passes for 2,719 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. And he ran for 923 yards and 13 touchdowns, too. At 6-2, 232 pounds, his 4.56 speed made him an intriguing prospect, especially because of all that untapped potential. He played running back at times during his career with the Bison, too, adding to his value for NFL teams. Scouts' takes: "I was looking at him as maybe a tight end before last year. I was surprised by how good he was at quarterback. But I don’t know how much of that was about the (low level of) competition. … That’s the key, right? Can he do it above (the FCS)? His size and arm strength are good. He was pretty accurate on that level. But his mechanics are off and he can be a mess under pressure. He waits too long on his receivers, and his first instinct is to always run. It’ll take time to coach that out of him. … He’s a gimmick guy for now. The Eagles are pretty smart. They’ll find surprising ways to use him. But he’s got a long ways to go to be a quarterback in this league. … I just don’t know what’s there. He didn’t play enough (at QB). The (competition) level was too low. His skills are worth a flier, but it’s a flier." Opportunity: He’s not beating out Jalen Hurts or backup Tanner McKee any time soon. Veteran Andy Dalton is there, too, and the Eagles wouldn’t dream of handing important reps to a project QB on a team with Super Bowl aspirations. He could have a chance to play in some short-yardage or goal-line situations where he could use his running ability. But his days as a pure QB might be on hold for a bit. Purdy potential: Maybe a few years down the road. But the real issue for him now might be getting enough practice time. His reps as a QB will be limited. And if he’s given a gimmick role, most of his reps might go toward that. His development as a passer might have to wait. Draft slot: Sixth round, 182nd overall Résumé: A four-year starter, first at Boise State, then at Arkansas, the 6-6, 227-pounder was one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football. The two-way threat ran for 1,379 yards and 16 touchdowns in his two seasons with the Razorbacks. He also dazzled with his speed, running a 4.36 40 at the Scouting Combine. His passing numbers were less electric, but still strong. He completed more than 60% of his passes, averaging 2,934 yards, 17 TDs and 10 interceptions over those two years. Scouts' takes: "His size and ability to move is jaw-dropping, and so are some of the plays he made in college. But he’s almost too big for his body when he throws. His mechanics can be awkward at times. … I could see why (Browns coach Todd Monken) would want to work with him. If you can fix his mechanics and turn him into even an average passer, you’ve got something there. But that’s a pretty big ‘if.’ … He got into trouble a lot as a passer. He probably should’ve had a lot more interceptions than he had. And he had a lot. … They need to start from scratch with him as a passer. He takes too long to get the ball out. He’s not accurate. His velocity is really inconsistent. But man, can he move. They’ll keep him on the roster just for that. … He defines the word ‘freak,’ especially at quarterback. If anybody can turn him into a better passer, he’d be scary." Opportunity: Who knows what the Browns have planned for one of the weirdest QB rooms in the league. Sheduer Sanders returns as the incumbent starter. Dillon Gabriel, who was drafted higher Sanders and started six games last year, is still there, too. And now they’re dusting off Deshaun Watson and giving him a shot to win the job. So Green has at least three hurdles to clear. But given his running ability, multiple scouts suggested he could make the roster and have a role in short-yardage and goal-line situations, at least. Purdy potential: You never know with the Browns, but Green seems to fit more as a situational weapon than anything else. Presumably the Browns will exhaust Watson, Sanders, Gabriel and maybe even another quarterback from the 2027 draft before giving Green a real shot at the job. Draft slot: Seventh round, 249th overall Résumé: As a junior at LSU, he was one of the nation’s best QBs, throwing for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns (albeit with 12 interceptions). But there was a major drop-off during his senior season thanks to a preseason abdominal injury and the struggles of his Tigers team. The 6-2, 203-pounder played just nine games and threw for 1,927 yards with only 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. He did complete 67.4% of his passes, though, which was the best percentage of his career. At the NFL Scouting Combine, doctors reportedly found that a cyst on his spine was the cause of his abdominal injury. Scouts' takes: "I’m still shocked he went so late, even with the (cyst). It was pretty obvious he was hurt last season. But he showed so much the year before. … What scares teams is he’s a ‘gunslinger.’ That can work, but it’s high-risk. He’s also not the most mobile guy, which makes his style even riskier. You’ll get a lot of big plays, but a lot of big mistakes. … He’s got such a good arm. He knows it, too. He thinks he can make every throw. Most of the time he’s right. … He’s worth a shot, but you’re going to need a strong stomach. He’ll reward you, but it’s going to hurt first." Opportunity: He certainly seems to have landed in the right place. He’ll get plenty of reps this summer while Patrick Mahomes rehabs a torn ACL, especially since Justin Fields is now the Chiefs' backup. Nussmeier will be taught by Andy Reid, one of the NFL’s best offensive coaches. It’s not crazy to think he can emerge as Mahomes’ primary backup once he’s fully healthy. The Chiefs don’t think their dynasty is over, though, so they won’t let Nussmeier step in as a starter anytime soon. Purdy potential: He’s in the perfect place to develop and iron out his flaws. He also has a chance to get a ton of valuable practice time and preseason action as a rookie. If he can stay healthy and Reid can unlock what he showed two seasons ago, his NFL future could still be bright. It’ll just be brightest someplace else. Draft slot: Fourth round, 110th overall Résumé: A three-year starter at Clemson, who started 40 games overall. The 6-2, 207-pounder had a big junior season (3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns, six interceptions, plus 463 yards and 7 rushing TDs) capped by a big game against Texas in the College Football Playoff (336 yards, three TDs, one interception). That led some to project he’d be one of the top QBs in the 2026 class. But it all fell apart during his senior year, as the Tigers struggled and his production dropped (2,943 yards, 16 TDs, 6 interceptions). Klubnik played through a severe high ankle sprain he suffered in October, and a right wrist injury later in the season. Scouts' takes: "The tools are all there: the arm, the athletic ability, and he’s really smart. His big flaw is that he can be pressured into bad decisions. That’s a worry for someone with as much experience as he had. … He was just starting to look like himself again when he got hurt last year. He started a little slow, but it was coming along. The injury changed everything. … I never thought he was a can’t-miss prospect. He’s not as cool under pressure as (Fernando) Mendoza. But had he stayed healthy he probably could’ve been a second-rounder. Maybe late first. … On the right team he could be good. Just keep the pressure off him and he’s got the skills to make things happen. But he has to be in a better situation than he’s in right now." Opportunity: Of all the Day 3 picks, the 22-year-old Klubnik has the clearest path to actual playing time. The Jets signed a stop-gap starter in Geno Smith, a 35-year-old journeyman who has thrown 32 interceptions over the past two seasons. With a good summer, Klubnik could beat out Bailey Zappe and Brady Cook for the No. 2 job. And it’s not inconceivable the Jets could turn to Klubnik late in the season. It would be worth it to see what they have before diving headfirst into the QB-rich 2027 draft. Purdy potential: It’s not crazy to think he’ll play at some point this season, but the overall situation with the Jets isn’t great. They do have a decent offensive line, though, and at least a few weapons. If injuries really were the issue last season, Klubnik could even play well. He’d have to show a lot, though, to convince the Jets to not draft another quarterback in the first round next year.

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How Bears Coach Ben Johnson Is Challenging Caleb Williams To Become An Elite QB

Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams established many routines in their first season together. One of Johnson’s favorites was their post-practice meeting. All season long, they’d finish their work on the field and, once Williams got out of pads and into street clothes, the Chicago Bears' rookie coach and second-year quarterback would log anywhere from 60 and 90 minutes together in Johnson’s office. Much has been made of how Williams once called his early-season relationship with his coach "fragile." But in those post-practice meetings, they seem to have built something solid. And when I asked Johnson about the moments with Williams that were most fun last season, the coach pointed to those one-on-one sessions, where he would lay out the nuances of opposing defenses in relation to the Bears' game plan. "It's just this complete clarity of how we want to attack that opponent this week," Johnson told me in March at the NFL Annual League Meeting in Phoenix. "I think the coolest thing was seeing [Williams'] growth from early in the season." It’s not rare for an NFL head coach to spend time with his starting quarterback every day of the season. But it is rare to see a coach have as much of an impact on his quarterback as Johnson seemed to have on Williams in 2025. After all, at this time last year, there were concerns that the previous Bears regime left the QB in a state of developmental regression. Chicago won just five games in 2024 and fired its head coach in midseason for the first time in franchise history. Williams took 68 sacks, tied for the third-most all time. It was a tough rookie year for the No. 1 overall pick, who'd been touted as a generational prospect. But these coach-QB meetings helped catalyze the Bears’ breakout success in 2025. Williams engineered six fourth-quarter comebacks to lead all NFL quarterbacks last season, earning the nicknames "Iceman" and "Cardiac Caleb" — and just recently, the cover of "Madden NFL 27." The Bears went 11-6 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2020. As Johnson tells it, those meetings had a cascading effect on the relationship between coach and QB. Everything improved: communication, repetition, execution. "We'd meet the night before the game to go over his favorite calls, and to see how that went from early in the season to what it looked like at the end of the season, [it was] much more fluid," Johnson told me. "We just saw the game so much more through the same lens as the year went on. I think all those quarterbacks saw that and witnessed that firsthand. So I think that was the coolest thing, just to see where it started to where it finished." At the end of Chicago's season, which concluded in an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round, Johnson said he wanted Williams to get away from football for a little while. But just before he let Williams go, Johnson had a message for his QB about the 2026 season. "It's going to be more difficult. I'm going to push you more," Johnson told Williams, per the QB. "Yessir, let's do it," Williams remembered telling Johnson. While the players took their time off after the season, Johnson and his staff spent their time self-scouting, a process that spanned roughly a month and a half. They dove into every phase and every element of the game. "As you watch clip in and clip out, I think it would have been easy to get a little bit upset or disappointed that it didn't look quite the way we want," Johnson told me. "And yet I see it as, ‘Man, we got so much room for improvement. This is great. This is gonna be good to get these guys back in, and they're gonna be able to see this. And hey, we can be so much better as an entire team if we just make these few small changes going forward.’" Of course, I was most curious about the Bears’ findings on the QB. Johnson told me he would boil the self-scout into three takeaways and goals for Williams, whose work is well underway, with minicamp in session this week. Johnson wouldn't disclose all three points of emphasis, but he discussed one item after Williams finished the 2025 season with a 58.1 completion percentage, second-worst in the league. "We need to get the completion percentage up," Johnson told me. "And so we'll look at that as we go through the cut-ups of where we can best do that. There were probably 80 or 90 throws on tape that we felt like could have been completions. "You're always going to have some drops by the route-runners. … We need to find a way to complete some of those other ones, though. That's really the challenge for Caleb. If we do that, then we'll be 65%, 70% completion, which is closer to where we want to be." That’s the challenge for Williams — or at least one of them. The QB is already facing that challenge head-on. "It starts with reps," Williams told the media in May at OTAs when asked about reaching the coach's goal of a 70% completion rate. "And then the next part, it comes down to comfort in the offense. And I think that toward the end of the year, it started to grow for me. … The last part is the details, whether it's the receiver's steps and where his landmark is to break or settle. And then from there, it's being able to deliver a catchable ball, whether it's velocity or ball placement." Meanwhile, Johnson is putting plenty of challenges on his own plate. That includes making sense of all the Bears’ narrow victories and come-from-behind games. As impressive as that quality was for Chicago, it can also lead to regression. Look at the Kansas City Chiefs as a cautionary tale. They made the Super Bowl in 2024 with a run of 17 consecutive wins in one-possession games (a streak that started in 2023). But the Chiefs lost nine one-possession games in 2025 and finished 6-11. As I tried to spit out a question about whether the Bears were worried about that same fate, Johnson, smiling wide, interrupted me. "You think it was fluky? Is that what you’re getting at?" he asked me. That’s not it. Anyone who listened to the Bears explain how they beat the Green Bay Packers on a bomb to receiver DJ Moore in Week 16 knows that Chicago’s comebacks were not fluky. They were a product of hard work and careful planning. That 46-yard walk-off play exemplified how Johnson’s steady hand and sharp mind can literally change the game, which was why Williams called him "the best coach in the world" after the game. Johnson had that play ready for that moment. That’s how the Bears won. "That's a play that Coach and I — we were sitting in his office, one of those meetings — and we discussed that play," Williams said after the game on the FOX broadcast. But history has a way of repeating itself, and dramatic wins are often not sustainable. Johnson admitted he’s thought about that. "It goes back to a term that I learned early as a coordinator called ‘unstable success,’" he told me. As the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator before coming to Chicago, Johnson knew that success in the screen game and the red zone did not automatically carry over from year to year. It was on the coaching staff and players to create and sustain success, rather than expect the same results, even with the same ingredients. So Johnson made that an emphasis every offseason. Detroit was a top-five team in the red zone for three years in a row, from 2022 to 2024. "I view that as a challenge," Johnson told me. "So to your point, do you want all these games to come down to the very end like that? No, hopefully our growth as a team means that we score more early and more often and our defense plays a little bit better in terms of limiting the points, and we're not in those spots. "But at the same time, I don't want to lose that. I don't want to lose that ability to score 14 points in less than two minutes. That's something that you're going to want to lean on at some point. And I think that's part of who our guys are. That's part of who Caleb is. … I view it as a challenge. And I think when you frame it that way, I think our guys will see it the same way." That actually loops back to the discussion of completion percentage. Because if Williams becomes more efficient, Johnson said he could envision scenarios where the team might not need late comebacks to win games. But that changes the equation in more ways than one. Efficiency often means taking what’s available. And in today’s NFL, with two-high-safety defenses growing increasingly popular, efficiency requires quarterbacks to check the ball down and/or make good use of the short (and quick) passing game. How will the Bears balance that with Williams, who, considering his impressively low sack (27) and interception (7) numbers last season, was just the right amount of aggressive in 2025? "He knew when he could take chances and not. And certainly when you're in that, ‘Hey, we're in fourth downs from here on out’ mode, I think that kind of helps his mentality," Johnson told me. "It's so curious with him. He's just always been such a great protector of the ball. For a guy that can be a little bit aggressive at times with some of these throws he makes, he rarely puts it in harm's way. "And so I think that's a little bit unique to him. And so maybe it's one of those things we just need to encourage him to open it up a little bit more earlier in games, when he might be just a little bit more conservative in some of the decision-making early in games." If you need any further proof that the Bears built something enviable last year, just look at their coaching staff moves this offseason. After just one year in Chicago, Johnson’s staff produced two offensive coordinators for other teams, with Declan Doyle taking over the Baltimore Ravens' offense and Eric Bieniemy returning to his old gig as Kansas City's OC. It’s clear that teams want the recipe for Chicago's secret sauce. One thing that has been a common refrain from Johnson this offseason is that the Bears are starting over. They’re tearing everything down to ground zero, and they’re piecing together a brand-new version of the team for 2026. "The number one enemy that we would have right now is entitlement or complacency based on what we did a year ago," Johnson told me. There’s no doubt the Bears are young and talented. There’s no doubt they showed tremendous progress in 2025. There’s no doubt their quarterback has the potential to be great. And how many times have we seen that go wrong in Chicago? But this particular team seems different, and that's because of Ben Johnson, who is hell-bent on bridging the gap between goals and results. Just ask Caleb Williams.

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Brendan Sorsby Scouting Report: Where Would He Rank Among Top QB Draft Prospects?

The Brendan Sorsby saga has taken another unprecedented turn. After previously being declared ineligible by the NCAA for wagering on college sports, the star quarterback was granted a temporary injunction Monday that makes him eligible to play for Texas Tech this fall — for now. The ruling sent shock waves throughout the sport and could have major ramifications within both college football and the NFL. Sorsby, scandal aside, is regarded as one of the more talented QB prospects in the country, bringing great attention to where — and if — he will play in 2026. There's still the chance Sorsby winds up in an NFL supplemental draft this summer, which hasn't seen anyone selected since the Arizona Cardinals used a fifth-round pick on safety Jalen Thompson in 2019. While Sorsby's playing status appears to be far from settled, he'll immediately return to the NFL radar should he again lose his NCAA eligibility. In the meantime, we've examined his biggest strengths and weaknesses, where he ranks as a draft prospect, his pro comps and his best NFL team fits. Strengths At a solid 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, Sorsby certainly looks the part of an NFL quarterback. And he possesses both the arm and athleticism to star at the highest level, as well. In today’s era of simplified offenses, statistics can certainly be misleading. Sorsby’s numbers speak for themselves, however. He completed 61.4% of his passes for 7,208 yards and 60 touchdowns against 18 interceptions over 35 combined games at Cincinnati (2024-25) and Indiana (2022-23) while rushing for another 1,295 yards and 22 touchdowns. He has plenty of arm strength to make every throw in the playbook and is a gifted, creative passer who can throw from various arm slots. He has excellent touch on intermediate throws, consistently "dropping it in the bucket" on fades and verticals. Sorsby can ramp up the RPMs and fire deep crossers and deep outs with precision, as well. Frankly, the arm talent is undeniable. As his rushing totals suggest, Sorsby is also a real threat as a runner. Cincinnati and Indiana both wisely called plenty of QB runs for him, but he isn’t reliant on them to keep the defense honest. He shows patience in the pocket and looks to exhaust his downfield passing opportunities before dropping his eyes to scramble — but when he does so, Sorsby can scoot. He accelerates smoothly and has good lateral agility to elude, as well as the body armor to absorb the occasional tackle. He is a competitive runner with good vision and understanding of where he is on the field, scrambling for first downs 109 times over the past three years. Sorsby plays with a swagger that will appeal to NFL teams. He showed steady development over his three seasons as a starter and looked like a future first-round pick at Cincinnati last year. Perhaps most importantly, he showed maturity and humility in publicly admitting his gambling addiction and recently completed a 35-day inpatient rehabilitation stint at Algamus, a respected gambling treatment facility in Goodyear, Ari. Weaknesses The concerns with Sorsby are just as obvious as his talent, though most of them are off the field. The quarterback position demands leadership, accountability and selflessness. Some NFL teams may have a hard time believing Sorsby possesses enough of these to justify a draft pick. He is an admitted gambling addict who bet thousands of times, including on Indiana while he played for the Hoosiers. He used family and friends’ names as a proxies to bet, clearly attempting to evade NCAA rules. Scouts looking to vet Sorsby may find few advocates. Though Curt Cignetti and many of his coaches were not yet at Indiana when Sorsby played there, others who were there may be hesitant to sully the reputation of the defending national champion Hoosiers. The program, itself, sounded like one seeking to distance itself from Sorsby with a short, terse statement to The Daily Hoosier following the discovery of his gambling. And given that the University of Cincinnati filed a million-dollar lawsuit against him for violating the 18-month NIL contract he signed following his Indiana transfer, Sorsby may not have many Bearcats supporters, either. His former teammates at Cincinnati might feel similarly given that Sorsby opted out of the 2026 Liberty Bowl versus Navy, a Jan. 2nd game the Bearcats lost 35-13 while generating just 12 total first downs on offense. Frankly, interested NFL teams will ultimately spend more time evaluating Sorsby’s character than his weaknesses on tape. But like with any young quarterback, he certainly has flaws. Sorsby shows good accuracy to all levels of the field, but some of his deep balls do flutter a bit, providing defenders a chance to recover. A couple of his interceptions this past season came on deep balls that hung in the air, notably including one in the final seconds of Cincinnati’s season-opener at Nebraska, where Sorsby was intercepted at the goal line to seal a 20-17 loss. While I like his ability to drop his arm angle and throw around defenders as well as over them, Sorsby often needlessly resorts to more of a sling-shot, sidearm release that effectively makes him a much shorter passer and more likely to have passes batted down at the line of scrimmage in the NFL. Like most quarterbacks at this stage of their careers, Sorsby can get a touch panicky when the rush is getting home and his accuracy diminishes when his feet aren’t set. As a runner, he often carries the ball with just one hand and, despite what his statistics suggest, he has struggled a bit with fumbles. While losing "just" five fumbles over his college career, Sorsby actually put the ball on the ground 12 times on 294 career attempts, per PFF. Draft range There was not a player in the 2026 draft class with a higher ceiling and lower floor than Sorsby, so projecting where he would have been selected is a more complicated hypothetical than it might appear. Let me explain. Sorsby is a more physically gifted and significantly more experienced quarterback than Alabama product Ty Simpson. If the former didn’t come with the off-field complexities noted above, I believe he could have been drafted before Simpson, who surprisingly went No. 13 overall to the Los Angeles Rams. This isn’t to suggest that the Rams specifically would rank Sorsby over Simpson. As noted prior to the draft, I thought Simpson — an accurate and quick-thinking pocket passer — was a particularly clean fit for Los Angeles. For the record, I do not believe that Sorsby would have challenged Fernando Mendoza as the Las Vegas Raiders' No. 1 overall selection had he declared. Sorsby’s traits and ascending game would have attracted plenty of other suitors after Mendoza, however, including perhaps the New York Jets at No. 2 overall and the Cardinals at No. 3. But, of course, Sorsby does have character concerns, and NFL clubs may have known — or at least suspected — of them prior to the draft. (Reports of him being under NCAA investigation for sports gambling surfaced just days after the draft.) So, it’s also quite possible that he would have tumbled. Ultimately, though, the upside of a cheap contract for a starting caliber quarterback would just be too tempting for some clubs. I'm guessing someone would have thrown a Day 2 dart, at minimum. As for the 2027 draft, which Sorsby is presently tracking to be included in, the competition is considerably stiffer. In my way-too-early 2027 mock, I had five QBs coming off the board in the first round, and all by the No. 14 overall pick: Arch Manning (No. 1, Dolphins), Dante Moore (No. 2, Cardinals), Sam Leavitt (No. 4, Browns), Julian Sayin (No. 12, Jets) and LaNorris Sellers (No. 14, Steelers). Also of note, FOX Sports' Joel Klatt ranked quarterbacks C.J. Carr and Trinidad Chambliss among his initial top-10 prospects in the 2027 class. There's still obviously much to sort out with Sorsby, but as of today, I'd slot him behind most of this group and peg him as a second-round pick for 2027. Best NFL team fits My best NFL comp for Sorsby right now is a cross between Baker Mayfield and Jaxson Dart. It makes him suitable for several teams around the league. Chief among them: the Cardinals, Jets, Colts, Dolphins, Texans, Buccaneers, Ravens, Cowboys, Vikings and Steelers.

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