CBS NEWS: QB Baker Mayfield have finally decide on where to play which means…

Overview: Tampa Bay’s gamble on Baker Mayfield worked out, as the journeyman quarterback threw for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns with just 10 interceptions and led the Bucs to an NFC South title and the divisional round.

Now, the Bucs have some work to do to keep this group together. Mayfield is a free agent, as is star receiver Mike Evans and All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr., not to mention other aging but impactful contributors to their recent success. The ceiling with Mayfield under center may not be through the roof, but it’s hard to see better options at this point for the Bucs than running it back, capitalizing on what still appears to be a weak NFC South and seeing where that shakes out.

They’ll be doing so without offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who was hired as the new head coach of the division rival Carolina Panthers. But otherwise, things might look pretty similar in 2024 in Tampa, which isn’t a bad thing.

(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
Key free agents
QB Baker Mayfield
WR Mike Evans
S Antoine Winfield Jr.
LB Lavonte David
LB Devin White
G Aaron Stinnie
DT Greg Gaines
G Matt Feiler

Who’s in/out: Mayfield and Evans appear to be in the Bucs’ plans going forward. Head coach Todd Bowles said Mayfield “most definitely has” earned the right to return in 2024, while general manager Jason Licht said Evans spending his whole career in Tampa Bay “would mean everything for the franchise, ownership, all of us.” Evans had 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns receiving last season, extending his own record of consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to start a career, and even with a hometown discount, the Bucs would have to pay up to retain him. Winfield, meanwhile, is reportedly a likely candidate for the franchise tag should Tampa Bay opt to use it. He’s blossomed into one of the NFL’s premier defensive backs, and the Bucs figure to prioritize getting a longer deal done to keep him.

Will Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans be back together in Tampa Bay this upcoming season? (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Will Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans be back together in Tampa Bay this upcoming season? (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Key free-agent needs
Quarterback
Interior offensive line
Edge rusher

Why the holes? If Mayfield doesn’t return, then quarterback becomes the No. 1 need. Even if he does, a solid backup makes sense. Center Ryan Jensen just retired, so the Bucs need help along the interior of their O-line. And finding a pass rusher to pair with 2023 first-round pick Calijah Kancey, who was named Rookie of the Month in November and had a standout debut campaign, would boost the front seven.

Do they have the money?
Tampa Bay is $43.6 million under the salary cap, according to Spotrac, making it possible to retain most of their key free agents.

Potential notable cuts
WR Russell Gage
LB Anthony Nelson

Why they might be gone: Gage missed last season with a torn patellar tendon and is due $13.35 million against the cap in 2024, money that could go to re-signing Evans. Nelson, meanwhile, is scheduled to make $5.4 million next fall and is less impactful than other defenders the Bucs might want to bring back.

Draft picks
1st round: No. 26
2nd round: No. 57
3rd round: No. 89
4th round
6th round
7th round

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Good draft fit
Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State

Why him? Verse’s game is all about power, and he could be a “high-end secondary pass rusher,” according to Yahoo Sports draft expert Nate Tice. That would fit a need for the Bucs, who are picking 26th overall, thanks to their success this past season. Washington’s Troy Fautanu makes sense for the Bucs too, though he’s more of a guard/tackle prospect than a center.

What can move the fantasy football needle this offseason?
The hope is that the Buccaneers can bring back most of what worked last year; Mayfield and Evans are both free agents. And the team is going to miss OC Dave Canales, though we should also mention Tampa Bay ranked a modest 20th in points scored and 23rd in yards last year. The offense needs to get Chris Godwin more invested around the goal line (he scored just twice last year), and a third wide receiver of note would make this team much more difficult to defend. It’s likely Tampa Bay takes a swing at a field-stretching receiver in the draft. — Scott Pianowski

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Jacksonville Jaguars 2024 NFL offseason primer: Pressure’s on after disappointing collapse
Jason Owens
Jason Owens
Staff writer
Fri, Feb 23, 2024, 2:33 AM GMT+1·4 min read

Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2023 season: 9-8, missed playoffs

Overview: Jacksonville’s season was among the most disappointing in football. The Jaguars collapsed from a 6-2 start to a 3-6 finish to fall from contention for the AFC’s No. 1 seed to out of the playoffs. The ascent of Trevor Lawrence was put on pause as the third-year quarterback took a step back after playing in and winning his first career playoff game a season prior.

The Jaguars aren’t blowing things up. But the pressure’s on this offseason to get the franchise back on track in Lawrence’s fourth NFL season. It’s playoffs or bust in 2024, a prospect that will depend in part on how the Jaguars handle their offseason.

(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
Key free agents
EDGE Josh Allen
WR Calvin Ridley
LG Ezra Cleveland
WR/return specialist Jamal Agnew
K Brandon McManus
CB Tre Herndon

Who’s in/out: The Jaguars declined to sign Allen to an extension to his rookie contract, and he responded with a franchise-record 17.5-sack campaign last season. Now they’re faced with the pressure of negotiating on the open market or using the franchise tag. The Jags want him back, and Allen says he wants to return, but keeping him won’t be as simple as it would have been last offseason.

Retaining Ridley should also be a priority after he led the team in receiving yards (1,016) and touchdowns (8). But his situation is complicated by the trade parameters that landed him in Jacksonville. The Jaguars would owe the Falcons a second-round pick instead of a third in this year’s draft if they extend his existing contract. Allowing him to hit free agency without an extension runs the risk of letting him walk.

Josh Allen set a franchise record for sacks in a contract year. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Josh Allen set a franchise record for sacks in a contract year. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Key free agent needs
Offensive line (interior)
Defensive line
Wide receiver
Cornerback

Why the holes? The Jaguars face the prospect of potentially releasing high-priced former Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff (see below). Doing so would create a void up front on a line that already needs help. Jacksonville’s ground game was tepid last season while generating 3.6 yards per carry, ranking 31st in the NFL. With or without Ridley, the Jaguars need an upgrade in the wide receiver room to give Lawrence better options. The league’s 26th-ranked pass defense needs help in the secondary.

Do they have the money?
They have some. Per Spotrac, the Jaguars have $17.2 million in salary cap space, the 18th-most in the NFL. Retaining Allen and Ridley would eat up that cap room and require some maneuvering elsewhere. The Jaguars will have to lean on the draft to make moves, an area where they have a shaky track record.

Potential notable cuts
RG Brandon Scherff
WR Zay Jones
DT Folorunso Fatukasi

Why they might be gone: Scherff signed a lucrative free-agent contract to join the Jaguars in 2022 after making five Pro Bowls in Washington. He’s made zero Pro Bowls in two seasons since and carries a $24 million cap hit in 2024. Jones tallied 321 yards and two touchdowns last season and carries an $11 million cap hit in 2024. Fatukasi tallied three tackles for loss in 2023 and counts for $12.8 million against the cap next season.

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Draft picks
1st round: No. 17
2nd round: No. 48
3rd round: No. 96 (compensatory)
4th round
4th round (from Saints)
5th round
6th round
6th round (compensatory)
7th round

Good draft fit
Oregon OL Jackson Powers-Johnson

Why him? At 6-3 and 320 pounds, Powers-Johnson is both a powerhouse and a tremendous athlete. He can play center or guard and would be an excellent fit for a team that desperately needs help up the middle.

What can move the fantasy football needle this offseason?
Trevor Lawrence has failed to live up to expectations, and his receiving corps could look significantly different in 2024. Calvin Ridley and Jamal Agnew are unrestricted free agents, while Zay Jones and Christian Kirk are possible cut candidates. Kirk is least likely to go and would benefit (along with Evan Engram) should Ridley leave, but many questions surround Jacksonville’s wide receivers entering free agency. Ultimately, the return of Press Taylor as offensive coordinator is significant bad news for fantasy managers, as we can expect more of the same regardless of who’s running routes in 2024. — Dalton Del Don

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New York Giants 2024 NFL offseason primer: How will Year 3 of Brian Daboll’s up-and-down tenure go?
Frank Schwab
Frank Schwab
NFL writer
Fri, Feb 23, 2024, 2:37 AM GMT+1·4 min read

NFL free agency – Top storylines to watchScroll back up to restore default view.
New York Giants’ 2023 season: 6-11, missed playoffs

Overview: The Giants lost by 40 at home to the Cowboys in their season opener, and things didn’t get a whole lot better from there. Failing to continue the momentum of Brian Daboll’s first season in charge, New York was out of serious playoff contention by mid-November.

Daniel Jones signed a four-year, $160 million extension last offseason but tore his ACL in Week 9. While he wasn’t great before the injury, it’s hard to really gauge anything he (or flash-in-the-pan replacement Tommy DeVito) did since the offensive line allowed 85 total sacks, second-most ever since sacks became a trackable stat.

Do the Giants go into 2024 with Jones as the unquestioned starter? Do they use the franchise tag on star running back Saquon Barkley (1,242 yards from scrimmage, 10 total touchdowns) for a second straight season? Do they use the sixth overall pick on a WR1? Or do they use premium resources to address the defense, which wasn’t particularly strong (especially against the run) in its own right?

New York thudded back to Earth last season after 2022’s surprise run to the divisional round. There’s lots of pressure on Daboll and Co. to get things right this fall.

(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
Key free agents
RB Saquon Barkley
CB Adoree’ Jackson
LB Isaiah Simmons
SS Xavier McKinney
OLB Jihad Ward
DL A’Shawn Robinson

Who’s in/out: With a defensive revamp likely in store under new coordinator Shane Bowen, the biggest name to watch here is Barkley. A second straight franchise tag would cost the Giants $12.1 million against the cap this season, though the tag could be applied not as a means to bring him back, but rather as a placeholder to negotiate a longer-term deal at a lower cap hit. Or they could choose to let the former No. 2 overall pick hit the open market since Barkley, while still one of the league’s most productive backs, does not play what teams generally consider a premium position.

Brian Daboll and the Giants have a lot of work to do this NFL offseason entering a crucial Year 3 of his tenure. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Brian Daboll and the Giants have a lot of work to do this NFL offseason entering a crucial Year 3 of his tenure. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Key free agent needs
Offensive line
Running back
Wide receiver

Why the holes? No quarterback would look good behind the Giants’ offensive line, which needs a ton of repairs after allowing a staggering 85 sacks last season. If Barkley is allowed to walk, the Giants will need to address their backfield too, and they’ve sorely lacked a true No. 1 receiving option ever since trading Odell Beckham Jr. five years ago.

2023 – 2024 SEASON
Player Yds Tgt Rec TD
Darius Slayton headshot
D. Slayton
Q
NYG – WR
770 79 50 4
Wan’Dale Robinson headshot
W. Robinson
NYG – WR
525 78 60 1
Jalin Hyatt headshot
J. Hyatt
Q
NYG – WR
373 40 23 0
Do they have the money? The Giants are in decent shape, at a projected $26.8 million under the cap, according to Spotrac.

Potential notable cuts
TE Darren Waller
G Mark Glowinski

Why they might be gone: The splashy trade last March for Waller, one of the league’s premier athletes, never fully came to fruition thanks to injuries and inconsistency. He’s due $14.1 million against the cap this season, and the Giants might decide it’s already time to move on. Glowinski, meanwhile, is scheduled to make $7.1 million this season, and as we’ve alluded to, the offensive line needs some serious work.

Draft picks
1st round: No. 6
2nd round: No. 39
2nd round: No. 47 (from Seahawks)
3rd round: No. 70
4th round
5th round
6th round

Good draft fit
Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

Is LSU star Malik Nabers’ the Giants’ long-awaited WR1? (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Is LSU star Malik Nabers’ the Giants’ long-awaited WR1? (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Why him? The Giants could go tackle in a rich offensive line draft, but Nabers might be their most gamebreaking bet right away. The LSU star has the burst, productivity and room for improvement to be worthy of a top-10 pick, according to Yahoo Sports draft expert Nate Tice.

What can move the fantasy football needle this offseason?
The Giants will likely run it back with Daniel Jones as the starting quarterback in 2024 but they will need a better group around him. They can’t realistically count on Darren Waller for the big role they ticketed him for last offseason. The receiver room doesn’t have a difference-maker, but rather a collection of solid role players. Oh, and they’re likely losing Saquon Barkley as the starting running back. Couple all of those moves with a desperate need on the offensive line after a nightmarish run last year, and the Giants still have a long way to go in building an offensive ecosystem I’m rushing to invest in this season.