Category: Analysis

Instant analysis on Panthers’ reported trade of WR Jonathan Mingo

The math was no longer mathing when it came to Jonathan Mingo. So, the Panthers did a little addition by subtraction on Tuesday.

Selecting wide receiver Jonathan Mingo with the 39th overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft was always going to be a long play for the Carolina Panthers. But after just 18 months and 24 games, that play has been cut short.

NFL Network insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport were first with the news on Tuesday that the Panthers are trading Mingo to the Dallas Cowboys. The deal, which will be made official later on today, is going to see the 23-year-old pass catcher and a 2025 seventh-round pick head out in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick.

And if that is indeed the compensation for a player who the Panthers were no longer utilizing, then it’s a win.

Mingo was considered a rather raw prospect coming out of the University of Mississippi, but the upside was there—and it was quite intriguing. Perhaps reminiscent of fellow Rebel A.J. Brown, the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder possessed the size, speed and athleticism to become a game-breaking piece at the next level.

But that simply hasn’t been the case in the NFL. Mingo’s tenure in Carolina—one that has yielded 539 receiving yards and zero touchdowns—has been defined by questions about his route-running ability and a lack of effectiveness as the downfield threat the organization was hoping to develop.

Although they spent a high second-round pick on Mingo just a year ago, the Panthers made out relatively well in their return for him. An upcoming fourth-rounder, especially for a team looking to build a fresh foundation, is a solid get for a receiver who has recorded only one catch for one yard over the last month.

With the coaching staff continuing to put their eggs in the baskets of exciting rookie wideouts Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker, Mingo was turning into the odd man out. Luckily, however, the Panthers were able to make the math work on this move.

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Bucs running back group remains without a leader through Week 9

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have not one but three running backs who are more than serviceable in their backfield. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have not one but three running backs who are more than serviceable in their backfield. The issue the Bucs are now dealing with is deciding which one is worth giving the bulk of the workload to.

A few weeks ago, when Rachaad White was injured, Tucker emerged and was the NFC ground player of the week. Rookie Bucky Irving is making the most of every single touch he gets. Meanwhile, Rachaad White continues to find the endzone one way or another.

Against the Chiefs in Week 9, Irving had 10 touches for 34 yards, White had six touches for 35 yards and a touchdown, and Tucker had four touches for 17 yards.

That type of production, or lack thereof, has to be fixed. The rotation doesn’t allow any one running back to get momentum going. Liam Coen is creative; perhaps he uses White out at the slot receiver position to get him touches. Regardless, the running backs have to find some sort of consistency.

Right now, all they have is chaos and a lack of results.

NFL insider notes whether or not Bills could be ‘buyers’ at 2024 NFL trade deadline

NFL insider notes whether or not Bills could be ‘buyers’ at 2024 NFL trade deadline

We can start with the easy one: No the Buffalo Bills will not be selling at the 2024 NFL trade deadline.

Teams have until 4 p.m. on Tuesday to make such deals and why would the Bills be inclined to give away pieces?

At 7-2 overall, Buffalo might have wrapped up a fifth-straight AFC East title already. Could Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane add one more piece to put his roster over the top? That’s a question worth asking.

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, it’s looking unlikely.

In a recent insider piece, Russini noted the Bills as a team seen as one of the few around the NFL that are unlikely to make any moves on Nov. 5. Finances and the salary cap could be the most-likely reason why.

Her full update can be found below:

• This isn’t breaking any news, but it makes sense: The Denver Broncos love what they are building with their young players, especially after their best offensive performance of the season last week (28 points on four Bo Nix touchdowns). Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has been a superstar, orchestrating a unit that has slowed down some high-powered offenses this year. Still, I don’t expect the Broncos to be buyers or sellers. You can add the Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints to this group.

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Browns must take the chance on the Anthony Richardson revenge tour

You don’t give up on traits like this after effectively eight starts.

As the NFL trade deadline nears, the Cleveland Browns must be the team to call the Indianapolis Colts on their newly benched quarterback Anthony Richardson.

After drafting him with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Colts are already moving Richardson to the bench for former Browns fan favorite Joe Flacco. This is on the heels of a loss to the Houston Texans and a rough start to his 2024 campaign after returning from a shoulder injury.

While many thought this would be a short-term benching after Richardson voluntarily subbed himself off the field, Colts head coach Shane Steichen has iterated that Flacco will start the rest of the season.

This means the Colts have no franchise quarterback and are effectively giving up on the highly talented Richardson. They are also tanking his trade value in the meantime as the NFL trade deadline nears.

The Browns must be on the phone about the quarterback who has the tools we have never seen before with Cam Newton being his closest athletic comparison. He has perhaps the strongest arm in the NFL, up there with Josh Allen. He runs a 4.43 40-yard dash.

Are there areas of his game that need to be worked on and improved? Absolutely. But if the cost is right, why shouldn’t the Browns be the ones go give him that time and space? The risk is well worth the reward.

If the Browns want to navigate their way out of the Deshaun Watson contract, they are going to have to do it with a quarterback on a cheap contract. Dorian Thompson-Robinson is not going to be that player. That is quite obvious.

The Browns could (and should bring back Jameis Winston on a similar deal in 2025 if he continues to play well. He will likely act as a bridge quarterback for either a rookie quarterback in 2025 or until the Browns draft a new young gunslinger in 2026.

Why couldn’t he be a bridge for Richardson, who is just 22 years old and has two years left on his contract (plus a potential fifth-year option), until he is ready to see the NFL field again? He has some issues to handle on his end with his accuracy and some off-season reworking on his upper body mechanics, but the tools are too good to give up on.

Besides, the 2025 NFL draft crop of quarterbacks is a subpar one. Outside of Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders there is not a quarterback that has proven worthy of being a first round pick. When looking at this crop of quarterbacks as well, Richardson is younger than Sanders, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, and is just three days older than Miami’s Cam Ward.

Trading a potential third round pick, a round where the Browns have picked up an extra selection after the trade of Amari Cooper, for Richardson is a far better option than using a first round pick on any of these rookie quarterbacks. It’s certainly better than trading up to get one if the Browns continue to win with Winston.

Could he have handled the situation where he subbed himself out for a play against the Houston Texans better? Absolutely. However, he is young and has effectively played just 20 games since high school.

The traits are simply too jarring to give up on in just this short amount of time after selecting him with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

An Anthony Richardson revenge tour may just be on the horizon, and the Browns should be the one to host it.

Vikings’ trade for Cam Robinson could be exactly what all sides need

In trading for now former Jacksonville Jaguars LT Cam Robinson, each side of the trade could be getting exactly what they need going forward

The Minnesota Vikings surprised many by pulling off a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars to address their sudden need for a left tackle. The deal has the Vikings trading away a 2026 fifth-round pick that can escalate to a fourth, depending on playing time.

In exchange, the Vikings get somewhat of a reclamation project in left tackle Cam Robinson, along with a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick – one that can go away depending on playing time.

The trade is a rare example of the kind of low-risk, high-reward deal that, if the season continues to go well for the Vikings, could wind up being great for every party involved. For the Jaguars’ part, they get a disgruntled player off their hands and get a day-three pick in 2026 in exchange – but will likely have to pay some of Robinson’s $10 million remaining salary to do so.

As for the Vikings, they get some immediate help at a sudden position of need. With starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw tearing his ACL and MCL in the Thursday night loss to the Rams, the Vikings suddenly had a huge hole to fill at a vital position.

Robinson hasn’t been great during his eight-year career with the Jaguars, but he has been serviceable – when he’s been in the lineup. That caveat has been the biggest rub on Robinson the past few years. Robinson hasn’t played a full season – whether it be due to injury, suspension, or benching – since 2020 and only once in his career.

Robinson’s benching last week with the Jaguars continued that trend into this season. That benching was—most likely—the final straw in the relationship between the teams and the impetus for this trade from the Jaguars’ end.

For Robinson, he gets a chance to rehab his image in the league’s eye for his next stop. In all likelihood, Robinson is little more than a rental for the Vikings for the remainder of the season, not a long-term option for the team.

Robinson is in the last year of the deal he signed with the Jaguars, and while Darrisaw won’t return this season, there’s little reason to believe he won’t be back to at or near his usual form for next season.

What Robinson gets is a chance to audition for 30 other teams – as he’s unlikely to return to the Jaguars in free agency – on a team that has exceeded expectations this season despite the two-game losing streak.

Robinson gets to be a lynchpin on an offensive line that protects one of the league’s leading passers in Sam Darnold, a good running back in Aaron Jones, and has weapons like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and soon the return of tight end T.J. Hockenson.

If Robinson can hold up on the offensive line, and the Vikings can make the playoffs with Robinson as their left tackle, he could see a lucrative free agency in his future. There are a number of concerns hovering around Robinson, but a good close to the season on a good team could erase many of them.

PFF: Highest-graded Bills players on defense vs. the Seahawks

PFF: Highest-graded Bills players on defense vs. the Seahawks

The Buffalo Bills defeated the Seattle Seahawks on the road in Week 8, 31-10.

Statistics might help determine who played well or not, and so may the eye test. But, let’s take it a step further with some help from the analytics folks at Pro Football Focus.

Using PFF grades from Week 8, here are the five highest-graded players from the Bills (6-2) defense against the Seahawks (4-4).

PFF grade: 74.6.

PFF grade: 75.7.

PFF grade: 77.4.

PFF grade: 82.2.

PFF grade: 86.3.

PFF: Lowest-graded Bills players on defense vs. the Seahawks

PFF: Lowest-graded Bills players on defense vs. the Seahawks

The Buffalo Bills defeated the Seattle Seahawks on the road in Week 8, 31-10.

Statistics might help determine who played well or not, and so may the eye test. But, let’s take it a step further with some help from the analytics folks at Pro Football Focus.

Using PFF grades from Week 8, here are the five lowest-graded players from the Bills (6-2) defense against the Seahawks (4-4).

PFF grade: 60.9.

PFF grade: 57.7.

PFF grade: 53.8.

PFF grade: 46.4.

PFF grade: 28.6.

What could have been if the Browns hadn’t waited

What would the Browns’ record be if they had played Winston earlier?

The Cleveland Browns started Jameis Winston after the injury to Deshaun Watson and found immediate offensive success they had not seen all season.

Defeating the Baltimore Ravens by a score of 29-24, Winston threw for 343 yards and three touchdowns for the Browns, including a deep bomb to Cedric Tillman with under a minute to play to put his team back on top.

Before Winston took the field for the Browns this week, the Browns ranked 30th in Expected Points Added (EPA) per game and dead last in success rate. In Week 8? They jumped to 11th in EPA per play and 13th in success rate.

Was Winston perfect? No, he was not.

However, even in drives that ended in punts, Winston was able to sustain a bit and give the defense a rest. The against the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys slipped away largely because the defense did not have time to catch their breath due to constant failures on the offensive side of the ball.

This defense is good enough to carry the Browns through some offensive struggles, but not constant three-and-outs. Winston proved on Sunday that he can give the Browns positives.

He will give them negatives as well, losing one fumble in an avoidable area of he field and throwing the ball up for grabs on multiple occasions, but he also gives the Browns something they haven’t seen since Joe Flacco departed: explosive plays down the field.

So this begs the question: if the Browns had made the switch sooner, where would their season be? We are playing the hypothetical game at this point, but sitting at 2-6 on the season after the win against the Ravens what else do we have?

Four of the games the Browns lost were by one score, and in all of those games, they had plenty of offensive opportunities to win the game. What if Winston had been the backup against the Cincinnati Bengals last week instead of the emergency third quarterback?

Games like that against the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders, and perhaps even the Philadelphia Eagles have different outcomes. With the offensive output the Browns got yesterday, volatile yet explosive, combined with their defense when given the time to rest is a combination worth wondering about.

There is a real chance this team would be sitting at 5-3 on the season if Watson had been benched at halftime of the Giants game. The worst case scenario when playing out this hypothetical is sitting at 4-4 entering a pretty easy stretch of their schedule.

Instead, the Browns succumbed to the Sunk Cost Fallacy and decided to see it through with Watson despite finding his name at the bottom of a handful of metrics used to evaluate quarterback play.

What could have been?

Sauce Gardner and the Jets’ defense is suffering Jet lag and here’s why

Sauce Gardner and the Jets’ defense is suffering Jet lag and here’s why

Injuries, fatigue, trauma, and locker room unrest all have worked to depreciate the New York Jets defense led by All-Pro Sauce Gardner. 

After building rapport under Jeff Ulbrich as the former defensive coordinator in 2022, Gardner and company were forced to compromise Ulbrich’s leadership due to his transition over to interim head coach just weeks ago. 

Countless Jets players suffered injuries on defense this season including defensive end Jermaine Johnson, defensive back D.J Reed, safety Chuck Clark, and linebacker C.J Mosley who missed three of the Jets’ seven games this season.

Gardner hasn’t missed any games this season however, and him and all-pro linebacker Quincy Williams have done everything in their power to maintain Ulbrich’s standard. Thanks to Gardner and others, the Jets still rank No. 2 in the NFL in opponent pass yards allowed per game and rank No. 16 in opponent rush yards per game.

It doesn’t end there. What about the excessive offensive turnovers yielded by quarterback Aaron Rodgers? Those Jets’ turnovers have a trickle-down effect, playing against both the attrition and morale of the team defense. Since Gardner’s youth doesn’t merit him the vocal platform to scorn a teammate of Rodgers’ magnitude, he and others have been forced to suffer in silence internally.

Whether Gardner, Ulbrich , or Jets fans admit it or not, Rodgers’ inflated ego has fully consumed the Jets’ locker room. With a offensive third-down conversion rate of 31% over the last three games, Gardner and the defense haven’t really gotten much from their hall of fame quarterback, one they believed would take them to the next level.

Offensive struggles have only perpetuated a undertone of pessimism and if the Jets’ defense doesn’t get a tangible (not vocal) contribution from Rodgers in week 8, their jet lag may continue. 

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Bills snap counts: Depth chart breakdown vs. Titans

Bills snap counts: Depth chart breakdown vs. Titans

The Buffalo Bills got after it against the Tennessee Titans and ended up winning 31-10 on Sunday during the NFL’s Week 7 slate.

But who exactly were the ones on the field for the Bills (5-2) doing all the dirty work against the Titans (1-5)?

More often than not, taking a look in between the lines at snap count totals for Buffalo’s players can give us some insight as to what went down in between the lines on the gridiron.

There will always be plenty to discover when looking at these finer details.

With that, here’s how the Bills depth chart broke down via snap counts in their win against the Titans:

Offense

Defense

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