The NFL offseason means … controversial headlines, like Puka Nacua checking into a private facility and a Patriots running back commenting on the Chicago Bulls waiving Jaden Ivey.
It also means Mike Vrabel in live drills against prospects, plenty of other questionable quotes, and, most enjoyably, the league’s annual head coaches photo.
Two coaches are missing. Can you spot them? (If you’re on your phone, you can use two fingers to zoom in on John Harbaugh’s footwear.) Here it is again:
In a story that could only happen to the Browns, first-year coach Todd Monken missed the photo because he was getting a haircut for … the photo. Sean McVay was the other absentee. It was the second time he’s missed the class picture, relaxing by the pool in 2019 when he’d thought it’d been canceled.
The photo made waves online, as it does.
- Rich Eisen spent 16 minutes covering the seating arrangements. (Ben Johnson is surprisingly close to Matt LaFleur. Remember this?)
- Kyle Brandt did something similar. (Yes, Liam Coen is about as far from Robert Saleh as possible. Beef?)
- Big Cat pointed out that one of Mike McCarthy’s buttons was undone, and made me laugh with his award for Dan Campbell: “The Badass Biker Dad Who Had To Dress Nice For His Daughter’s Graduation.” Spot on.
Coaching is a tough job, as each success means a colleague’s failure. So I’m glad these guys get a chance to meet in a more relaxed setting, swap stories and listen to Sean Payton. If history is any indication, most of them won’t be here many more times. Here’s the photo from 2016:
Of the four who are current head coaches, nobody’s with the same team.
Other things also happened in Phoenix. Most of the proposed rule changes were accepted, we got four tweaks to roster management and … our reporters heard some things that I find hard to believe. Here are those quotes, ranked in descending order of believability (a proprietary metric that is of course not just me deciding).
1. I buy it: “There’s no bigger fan of Jalen (Hurts) than me,” said Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, when asked about an extension for the team’s quarterback. Imagine if Philly hadn’t drafted Hurts with that 53rd pick in 2020?!
2. I also buy it: Worries about Santa Clara’s electrical substation were a “big nothing burger,” per 49ers general manager John Lynch, after players asked the team to look into whether it’d worsened their injury list. “The levels I think I read in (the report) are 400 times less than unsafe zones. So it’s a normal place of work.”
3. Not sure I believe it: “The Bears feel (Roger) Goodell was receptive to their arguments,” explained my colleague Dan Wiederer, who added that Chicago hasn’t given up hope of receiving those third-round compensatory picks. I hope I’m wrong, and Goodell actually does the right thing.
4. Nope: Deshaun Watson has a “great chance” to revive his career, said Browns owner Jimmy Haslam. Give it up, guys.
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Also inside: Evaluating the non-Mendoza quarterbacks in this draft and Dianna’s notes after a spotlight pro day. Over to Dianna.
What Dianna’s Hearing: Mendoza impresses, gains mentor
The NFL world barely had time to unpack from league meetings in Phoenix before attention shifted to Bloomington, Ind., where representatives from all 32 teams flooded the national-champion Hoosiers’ pro day yesterday.
Las Vegas sent a strong contingent, with GM John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak front and center for quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s workout.
The expected No. 1 pick didn’t disappoint, putting together a polished performance and hitting throws at every level. A team scout in attendance explained to me over text this morning, “He threw short, intermediate, deep. Left, right, over the middle. On the move. He was clean and very efficient.” Here’s an example of a nearly 60-yard throw:
Michael Niziolek / The Herald-Times
Afterward, the Heisman Trophy winner spent more time with Raiders brass, his third touchpoint so far with the organization. Nothing about this process suggests a change at the top of the draft.
Also, the Raiders agreed to a deal with free agent Kirk Cousins this morning, adding a 37-year-old veteran to help ease Mendoza’s transition. We have more details on that signing here.
Back to you, Jacob.
Don’t sleep on the rest of this QB class
Outside of Mendoza, this year’s crop of rookie quarterbacks seems uninspiring. Again.
We’re probably wrong about that. Just rewind to this time last year. Widely considered an underwhelming set of passers, the 2025 quarterback class was led by Cam Ward before what was considered a steep drop-off. Next up in mocks was a mix of Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough and Shedeur Sanders.
Yet these guys mattered. By the end of 2025, we saw 61 starts among nine rookie quarterbacks. At least three of the aforementioned four will be Week 1 starters and still have franchise potential. (The Browns’ quarterback situation is a little more messy, as usual.)
This year’s class looks … remarkably similar. There’s an obvious No. 1, then a wide gap between him and the likely next tier: Alabama’s Ty Simpson and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier. 
And though there’s no Sanders, this class is still overshadowed by a prospect with a famous last name (the Manning who headlines the 2027 class). Let’s give this class its due, though.
Since April is draft season around these parts, I wanted to quickly introduce the top five non-Mendoza quarterbacks by sharing each one’s defining traits:
1. Simpson: Just one year and 15 games of starting experience in college, with up-and-down results. He lacks size (6-foot-1, 211 pounds), but teams love his intangibles.
2. Nussmeier: Doug Nussmeier’s son looked like a future NFL starter in 2024 before an offseason core injury preceded a rough 2025. Which is real? Ted Nguyen’s film review is intriguing.
3. Beck: Game manager who’s had meltdown moments. Long-ish arms and big, 10-inch hands, exactly what Mike McCarthy has said the Steelers are looking for. They’ve met multiple times.
4. Allar: Low-floor, high-ceiling quarterback who needs work. He offers impressive size at 6-5, 228, but didn’t get needed reps after an ankle fracture ended his 2025 season six games in.
5. Payton: A dual-threat lefty with ridiculous athleticism but passing flaws, drawing comps to Taysom Hill. Payton wants to be more than that, helping his stock with a Senior Bowl MVP.
As for one of the biggest-name quarterbacks in this draft, Vanderbilt’s Heisman finalist, Diego Pavia? The 5-10 passer might be what the Jets need. If not, that 2027 class sure looks promising.
Extra Points
📊 Rookie rankings. Jake Ciely assigns fantasy football values (and nicknames) to the top 75 draft prospects.
💸 The Lions’ controversial tradition of forcing retired players to repay some of their signing bonus continued with Frank Ragnow. They did the same to Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson. Jason Kelce had some thoughts.
🃏 Fanatics tackles cards. Topps — thanks to a deal between its parent company, Fanatics, and the NFL — is releasing licensed NFL cards on April 15 for the first time in over a decade. Expect many epic one-of-one cards.
▶️ Yesterday’s most-clicked: For the second-straight newsletter, it was Bruce Feldman’s story on the legendary pro day of Randy Moss.
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