Happy Thursday, everyone! John Breech is still busy combing through Prisco's Top 100, 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 hot-seat rankings to quarterback contract predictions:
1. Hot-seat rankings: Eight coaches on shaky ground
Every year, the NFL coaching ranks turn over, and 2024 was no exception. And still there are more than a half-dozen head coaches who enter the new season with debatable job security. Here's a sampling of our hot-seat candidates, with a look at the top five coaches under pressure:
5. Mike McCarthy (Cowboys): The offense has always hummed fairly well here, but with Dan Quinn no longer overseeing the playmaking defense, all eyes will be on McCarthy, who's logged a single playoff win in his last six years as a head man.
4. Matt Eberflus (Bears): Ten wins in his first two seasons means there will be pressure to finally sniff the playoff race and/or properly shepherd new quarterback Caleb Williams' development, one year after Eberflus' staff endured in-season turnover.
3. Dennis Allen (Saints): In four and a half years as a head man dating back to his time with the Las Vegas Raiders, Allen's gone just 24-46, even though his current squad has prioritized win-now pieces over long-term rebuilding. It's probably playoffs or bust for both he and Derek Carr.
2. Brian Daboll (Giants): After exiling strong-willed defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, he'll be charged with reviving Daniel Jones once more, and securing commitment from a club that hasn't kept a coach for more than two years since Tom Coughlin.
1. Robert Saleh (Jets): If Aaron Rodgers and the big names stay healthy, perhaps the pendulum will finally swing. But both Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas have struggled to amend the narrative that Gang Green is more effective as a reality show than a formidable football program.
Find the full rundown of eight hot-seat coaches right here.
2. Owners discussing potential QB salary cap?
Are you of the opinion that quarterback contracts have gotten out of hand, with even inconsistent starters like Trevor Lawrence commanding top-of-the-market money? Apparently so are some NFL owners, who've privately discussed the possibility of a separate salary cap for signal-callers, per NFL Media. A potential model: The NBA's system, which caps even elite earnings with "max" and "supermax" deals tied to a percentage of the total salary cap. Don't count on any change occurring anytime soon, though, because plenty of teams keep on paying their quarterbacks. They could, you know, simply decide not to pay up.
3. Agent's Take: What's next for Tua, Love contracts
Speaking of quarterback contracts, there are still two-to-three big deals on the horizon, if we're to believe the Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers are serious about locking up Tua Tagovailoa and Jordan Love, respectively. Former NFL agent and cap expert Joel Corry has some thoughts on how the latest extensions, including that of Trevor Lawrence, will actually influence those passers' negotiations:
Tagovailoa's injury history, especially the concussions, may make the Dolphins reluctant to give him the type of security typically associated with high-end quarterback contracts. ... (But) it's hard to imagine any Tagovailoa deal that doesn't put him in the $50 million-per-year quarterback club.
Love probably has a better chance of surpassing Lawrence's deal. ... The Packers aren't strangers to having the NFL's highest-paid player. It was done with Aaron Rodgers' 2013, 2018 and 2022 deals. ... The average increase (among top quarterback deals between Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow) was 2.3%. Should the Packers be inclined to do something similar for Love, his extension could average $56.25 million per year.
To read Corry's full piece, click here.
4. Prisco's Top 100 fallout: Seven key takeaways
Have you heard: Pete Prisco dropped his annual Top 100 ranking, identifying the best of the best talent across the NFL going into 2024. What can we learn from his rundown? We've got seven key takeaways from the Top 100, including these big-picture observations about potential contenders:
Aaron Rodgers hype is building (again)
Somehow, the New York Jets quarterback ranked 29th in Prisco's 2023 rundown, only to move up (!) nine spots for 2024, now that he's a year older and coming off a torn Achilles, credited with a mere four snaps in his Gang Green debut. And yet Prisco isn't alone in professing faith in A-Rod, who is remarkably his fifth-ranked quarterback in the Top 100; the former MVP's current and ex-teammates continue to rave about the gas left in his tank. Perhaps more importantly, the Jets actually addressed Rodgers' offensive line this offseason, fortifying the front with additions young and old. It doesn't mean Rodgers himself will be back to peak form, but it sure helps the cause.
The Lions are no longer underdogs
This has been apparent for a while -- at least since Detroit advanced to the NFC title game on the back of a rejuvenated Jared Goff, an ultra-aggressive Dan Campbell, etc. Prisco confirmed the Lions' ascent by putting seven different Motor City players into the Top 100, tied for the second most with the Ravens and reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs. Goff, who was unranked in 2023, came in at No. 76, ahead of even Purdy and Green Bay Packers gunslinger Jordan Love; while young trench standouts Penei Sewell (No. 17) and Aidan Hutchinson (No. 47) made massive leaps from a year ago. No one would be surprised if the Lions remain one of the NFC's top contenders, even after their gut-wrenching 2023 exit.
5. Kittle says he lost nearly 30 pounds after surgery
George Kittle was one of the NFL's most productive tight ends in 2023 despite battling injuries. Now the San Francisco 49ers star is looking to maintain Pro Bowl-level production while overcoming another physical hurdle, revealing this week he lost nearly 30 pounds after undergoing core surgery this offseason. Typically listed at 250 pounds, Kittle is still looking to gain back about 10 pounds before the 2024 season.
6. Steelers pushing to play in Ireland
The Pittsburgh Steelers have deep ties overseas, as owner Art Rooney II's family emigrated from Ireland back in the 1840s. Fast-forward to 2024, and the franchise is working behind the scenes to ensure the club returns to the country ... for an international game. Don't rule out the Steelers making the trip in the coming years: "It's been a goal from the start, being able to pursue an opportunity to play a live game in front of the Irish fans," Dan Rooney, the Steelers' director of business development and strategy, recently admitted. "We are working with the NFL on that."
