Happy midweek, everyone! John Breech is still resting up for the fast-approaching 2024 season, so you’ve got me, Cody Benjamin, to deliver all the latest from around the NFL, right here in the Pick Six Newsletter. Be sure to subscribe right here to ensure you never miss a daily dose of NFL updates. And keep on reading for everything from an inside report on Bryce Young, a look at contender red flags, and more:
1. Inside the Panthers: Bryce Young still believes
CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones was on the ground at the Carolina Panthers’ minicamp this spring, and one thing is for certain: Second-year quarterback Bryce Young still warrants belief inside the building, and believes in himself, despite a listless rookie season in 2023. “I haven’t seen [last year] really impact him,” [new coach Dave] Canales says when I ask what residual is on his quarterback from last year. “And I think the more that everybody gets to know Bryce, the more you’re going to see the guy’s really composed. He’s got the same effect on his face. … When I watched him at Alabama for all those years, whether it was one of their early games where they’re running somebody out of a stadium or whether it was a game late in the year, he’s got the same effect in those moments. He’s the same way when it comes about his work. … He’s a guy that has been the best player in high school. The best player in college. So he expects to be the best player again.”
2. Biggest red flags for NFL’s top 20 contenders
Everyone finds a reason to believe at this point in the offseason, but the truth is even the league’s most talented teams have hurdles to clear. So what are the biggest concerns for some of the top projected playoff contenders in 2024? We identified one for 20 different squads, including these prominent clubs:
- Bengals: Joe Burrow’s health. Obvious, yes, but facts are facts: Burrow is an MVP-level quarterback when at full strength. He’s also missed extensive time due to injury in two of his four NFL seasons. Cincinnati shuffled its front once again, adding Trent Brown at right tackle, but if Burrow can’t stay close to 100%, it might not matter.
- Bills: The overhauled WR corps. In theory, Buffalo has swapped out one bona fide pass catcher (in this case, Stefon Diggs) for a slew of solid role players: a red zone outlet (Keon Coleman), a utility man (Curtis Samuel) and a speedster (Marquez Valdes-Scantling). Is that really a better supporting cast for Josh Allen?
- Cowboys: Pressure on the QB and head coach. It’s one thing to expect big things from your leaders. It’s another to let your longtime franchise quarterback in Dak Prescott enter a contract year behind a shuffled offensive line, and/or retain a repeatedly embattled coach in Mike McCarthy. Results will surely follow, but what kind? A title run? Or a total fallout?
3. Ranking top 20 WRs: Stefon Diggs still in top 10
Pass catchers got paid this offseason, and Jordan Dajani has confirmed the position’s dominance by ranking this year’s top 20 wide receivers, stuffing the pecking order with Pro Bowl talents and even leaving out big names like DK Metcalf (!) due to the sheer volume of star power out wide. Check out his full rundown here, which includes a notable top-10 placement for the Houston Texans’ splashy addition:
9. Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans Maybe he wasn’t brought to Houston to be Stroud’s unquestioned top target, but he’s clearly capable of that. Some believe Diggs fell off at the end of last year, but the truth is his role in the Buffalo Bills offense completely changed once Joe Brady took over as offensive coordinator. He was on the field less (snap count went from 87% to 77%), while the Bills went from a pass-heavy team (7th-highest dropback rate) to a run-heavy team (2nd-lowest dropback rate). Diggs was no longer a focal point on offense, as his target share dropped (29% to 11% in the red zone and 34% to 19% on third down).
4. Aiyuk adds fuel to ongoing 49ers trade rumors
Another day, another entry in the months-long saga of contract negotiations (or a lack thereof) between Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers. While the reigning NFC champions have publicly supported their
