Caleb Harris
Have a good mid-week everyone! The draft is in retrospective and now we finally have some clarity on when the timeline will be finalized (more on that below). John Breech is taking advantage of the day to order new Bengals gear for his inevitable primetime appearances, so you have me, Cody Benjamin, to deliver the news.
This is the Pick Six newsletter. Now let’s go. (And please do yourself a favor and make sure you sign up for this newsletter every day! You won’t want to miss our daily deals on everything you need to know about the NFL.)
We have insights into rookie camp, a new Quarterback Power Rankings, and more:
1. Today’s program: Special minicamp for newbies
EUATSI
With rookie camps underway, ex- NFL players Brady Quinn and Leger Douzable joined Will Brinson on the latest “Pick Six NFL Podcast” to explore the next steps of the offseason and what’s to come for the key newcomers. Some highlights:
- Brady and Leger explain how rookie minicamp really works, sharing stories from their own experiences
- Brinson weighs in on which of this year’s rookie quarterbacks will earn a starting job in Week 1
- Quinn suggests there’s already enough pressure on Kirk Cousins in Atlanta, where the Falcons surprisingly spent a first-round pick on Michael Penix Jr., which could lead to the rookie winning the city quickly.
Watch the full episode (and sign up for all kinds of daily NFL talk) here.
2. Schedule disclosure: reveal date, strength of schedule
In each of the last three years, the NFL has released its regular season schedule on the second Thursday in May. This year as of Tuesday, all indications are that the 2024 schedule will be it actually falls on Wednesday, May 15. Meanwhile, we already know all the opponents for all 32 teams, which is why John Breech was able to rank the entire league in terms of Strength of Schedule to 2024. Two NFC South clubs, in particular, could have a smooth path to playoff contention thanks to their draw.
3. QB Power Rankings: Purdy, Love open in top 10
Kim O’Reilly, CBS Sports
With the draft complete, we have a good idea of each team’s starting quarterback for the 2024 season, barring some last-minute surprises in training camp contests or abrupt injuries that require roster changes. So how do all signal callers compare? We just released our first edition of the 2024 Quarterback Power Rankings, and hot on the heels of the standard-setter that is Patrick Mahomes, we’re giving Brock Purdy his due:
Two seasons, two NFC title games, one valiant Super Bowl effort. Does he have a great setup in San Francisco? Yes. Does he operate like a 10-year vet, managing the purse strings like an efficient, mobile gunfighter? Also yes. Let’s give the kid the credit he deserves.
Check out the full analysis from 1 to 32 right here.
A month after turning himself in to police following a high-speed multi-vehicle crash, the Chiefs’ second-year wide receiver faces additional legal problems, with Dallas police investigating a recent nightclub attack. Rice, 24, is accused of assaulting a photographer. He still faces eight criminal charges from the earlier car crash. A late-year standout for Kansas City’s offense as a rookie, he could face NFL discipline regardless of his legal results.
EUATSI
Months after signing Calvin Ridley to a lucrative deal, Tennessee returned to added to your offensive arsenal, signing former Cincinnati Bengals standout Tyler Boyd to a one-year deal, as reported by NFL Media. Once heralded as one of the best players in the game, Boyd will likely compete for the No. 3 spot behind Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins, but he helps give Levis, the second-year quarterback, one of the most experienced groups of receivers in the NFL.
Nephew of former Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, 30-year-old Toronto Argonauts signal-caller will miss at least 11 games — two preseason contests and nine regular-season games — after the CFL concluded he violated the league’s gender-based violence policy. A third-party investigation led to the suspension, the CFL announced, which stemmed from allegations of unwanted romantic advances by a former strength and conditioning coach. Kelly briefly played for the Denver Broncos in 2017-2018 before being released mid-arrest.
