NFL Mailbag: Patriots, Crosby, Dolphins, Cardinals, Rooney Rule
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag contains a Super Bowl prediction and answers questions on Maxx Crosby, the Dolphins' and Cardinals' quarterback situations and the Rooney Rule.
Davis asks:
How improbable has this Patriots Super Bowl run been? Is this more a masterful coaching job by [Mike] Vrabel and strong GM effort by Eliot Wolf or an example of a good, not great team catching enough breaks to make it this far? Also, who wins Sunday?
Let’s start by setting the scene at the onset of the 2025 season. New England’s longtime Bill Belichick successor (Jerod Mayo) lasted only one year as a head coach and much of the staff present for his disastrous 4-13 season was replaced. Vrabel, Josh McDaniels (again) and Co. took over a team not carrying much in the way of postseason expectations.
NFL Mailbag: QBs, Steelers, Eagles, Hawks
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag looks at questions about the upcoming quarterback decision teams face, the Steelers' outlook with a new head coach in place, the Eagles' OC position and the potential implications of the Seahawks' moves from last offseason.
Jose asks:
With Dante Moore going back to Oregon and no other first-round caliber QB available besides [Fernando] Mendoza, should a QB-needy team go after a backup that had a good year like Malik Willis, Mac Jones or even Davis Mills? Possibly pair them with a Day 2 pick and let them battle for the starting job in training camp. If it doesn't work out, they will pick high in what is expected to be a significantly stronger class next year.
Quarterbacks like the ones you mentioned were already going to be a focal point of free agency with so few other options on the market. Daniel Jones is the one major exception, but like everyone else I expect him to stay with the Colts.
NFL Mailbag: McDermott, Saleh, Steelers
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag covers a number of coaching-related questions, including the Bills' change on the sidelines, the Steelers, Tennessee's late switch regarding its HC hire and more.
Jack asks:
Did the Bills make the right decision? McDermott's defenses consistently struggled in the playoffs. Do you think that was more on the coaching staff or were the shortcomings more on personnel?
I wasn’t entirely shocked to see McDermott let go. This year’s coaching cycle has been defined in large part by teams making a change because Super Bowl berths, rather than simply reaching the playoffs, is the expectation.
NFL Mailbag: Tomlin, Brown, Giants
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag looks into the Steelers' situation post-Mike Tomlin, the possibility of A.J. Brown's Eagles tenure ending shortly, the Giants' offseason outlook and more.
Nick asks:
Who do you think makes sense as a Mike Tomlin replacement? Also, what do you think would be a fair trade ask if he returns to coaching in 2027 or 2028?
The pattern repeated throughout Pittsburgh’s three most recent hires (Tomlin, along with Bill Cowher and Chuck Noll before him) is a good place to start when thinking about the team’s traditional HC blueprint.
NFL Mailbag: Harbaugh, Cowboys, Jets
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag dives into questions about the 2026 head coaching market, the long-term outlook of teams in need of a new HC, the Cowboys' pending offseason and the Jets' looming quarterback decision.
Dylan asks:
Were you surprised the Ravens fired John Harbaugh given what is out there in this coaching market? Do you think he ends up with one of the teams who have already fired a coach or with a playoff team lurking?
There’s always a bit of uncertainty during the leadup to any coaching cycle. For 2026, many have been warning for quite some time that the top-end candidates aren’t at the same level of past years.
I agree with that sentiment, so in that sense the timing does comes across as somewhat odd. On the other hand, the Ravens were widely seen as a Super Bowl contender entering the year. Going 1-5 to start and then winding up out of the postseason is a very damning result. Harbaugh’s meeting with owner Steve Bisciotti reportedly saw him advocate for maintaining his current staff in spite of its shortcomings in 2025.
NFL Mailbag: Jackson, Young, Broncos, Steelers, OL
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag looks at questions tied to both sides of Sunday's go-or-go-home Ravens-Steelers matchup, Bryce Young's Panthers future, the Broncos' playoff outlook and more.
Mitchell asks:
Do you think the Ravens should explore trading Lamar Jackson? If he really becomes available at 29, what do you think the team could get?
Some of the revelations from this summer’s NFL-NFLPA collusion case included details on the nature of negotiations between Jackson and the Ravens leading up to his extension. That process certainly wasn’t perfect, but the arbitrator’s findings confirmed a departure was never really imminent in that case.
NFL Mailbag: Lottery, Dak, Lions, Colts
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag looks into a potential NFL draft lottery while also answering questions on a hypothetical Dak Prescott trade, the futures of the Lions and Colts, and more.
Jake asks:
Do you think the NFL should consider implementing a lottery like the other major sports have? This Giants-Raiders matchup features a far greater reward for losing, and it's obviously not the first such game. Wouldn't it be better if the league had a key protection measure for instances like this?
I’m elated to get a question on this topic based on the endorsement it will allow me to make, but we’ll get to that in a moment. My short answer on the idea of a lottery being worth consideration is yes.
I don’t see overt tanking as a problem to the same extent as it is in, say, Major League Baseball. With no minimum budget for rosters in baseball, teams can (and do) decide to remain non-competitive for years on end by simply not spending anywhere near the level of contenders. In the NFL, this isn’t an issue thanks to the rule requiring teams to spend (more or less) to the cap on an annual basis.
NFL Mailbag: Tua, Pickens, Sanders, HCs
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag covers questions relating to Tua Tagovailoa's future in Miami, the chances of playoff-bound coaches being fired, George Pickens' contract outlook and the Browns' quarterback setup.
Rick asks:
Is this the end of Tua time in Miami? He padded his stats at the end of [Monday] night's game, but that was bizarre to watch. As Aikman said repeatedly, there was zero urgency even though the team was playing for the postseason. Could something else be going on to lead to such an odd performance on the big stage?
This question came amidst the report Tagovailoa would be benched for Week 16, which has since been confirmed. Head coach Mike McDaniel opened the door to such a move in his postgame remarks.
NFL Mailbag: Mayfield, Titans, Patriots, QBs
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag covers questions about the pending extension between the Buccaneers and their franchise quarterback, along with the Titans' and Patriots' respective outlooks and some of the top QB prospects for 2026.
Rick asks:
Baker Mayfield was in the MVP conversation in the first half of the season but has cooled off. The Buccaneers will probably still extend him; what do you think his deal will look like?
Mayfield first arrived in Tampa Bay on a one-year deal in 2023. That $4MM contract came at a time when his future as an NFL starter was in question, to say the least. He has surpassed expectations by a wide margin since then.
The Buccaneers made a three-year, $100MM investment in Mayfield last March. The returns on that deal have been strong as well, so the widespread expectation another pact will be finalized after the season makes plenty of sense. I would agree Mayfield’s value has (if anything) taken a slight dip in recent weeks – a stretch where the Bucs have been decimated by injuries, to be fair – but he should still be in store for a major payday.
NFL Mailbag: Jones, Lions, Carroll, QBs
This week's edition of the PFR mailbag looks at questions related to the Colts' pending QB investment, the Lions' upcoming extension decisions, Pete Carroll's future in Vegas and more.
Thomas asks:
Are the Colts going to have to franchise tag Daniel Jones? With the Vikings potentially circling and Indy having traded away two first-round picks, this gives him leverage despite an inconsistent career. Do you think a tag will be necessary, and won't the cost of that tag shape his asking price like it did with the Giants in 2023?
A long-term pact certainly can’t be ruled out at this point, especially if Jones can rebound from his recent dip in production (although doing so will be difficult, given his injury situation). But if negotiations on that front stall, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Colts willingly let him test the open market.
Right now, Jones is on track to be by far the top QB available in free agency. Other options will consist of veterans such as Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson (if they continue playing) or upside gambles like Malik Willis or Trey Lance. Someone like Tua Tagovailoa or Kyler Murray could be on the move, but even if so Jones would be a target for several suitors (one of which could be the Vikings, ironic as that would be).