The NFL Notebook is back, and it’s back big (sorta). I toyed with the idea of opining on the Red Sox and this ridiculous streak, but I’ll leave that to Chris. He’s doing a helluva job. Besides, right now I’d rather drink a cold beverage and enjoy what’s happening on the diamond than worry about whether they overpaid for Adley Rutschman (they did, but whatever)…
Plus, it’s not as if the Patriots are in a dead period. We’re 12 training camp practices in, and I think we’re getting valuable information. It’s not complete, not by a long shot, but the coaching staff is in full evaluation mode and so am I. On that note…some awards for the Pats.
LEVELING UP: Will Campbell. Look, he’s not exactly facing a murderer’s row during one-on-ones or team, but I like what I’ve seen of the 2025 first-rounder (4th overall). For starters, Campbell looks stronger. He needed that. Secondly, he’s not sitting back and trying to anchor late on pass sets. There’s been more variety, and more aggressiveness. Again, that may not play well in Seattle or against some of the elite rushers in the league, but Campbell’s willingness to adapt is important, and his mentality remains exactly what this team wants (QB included). I reserve the right to change my mind, but he’s doing what he should be so far. (Am I a little worried about the brace on his left elbow, and his lack of participation Thursday and Friday? A little because we saw what an injured Campbell was like in the postseason).
WHO IS THAT GUY? A tie between Tanner Arkin and Khalil Jacobs. That said, unlike previous seasons, especially the post-Brady era, there isn’t nearly the need for someone to come out of nowhere and play more than a handful of snaps here or there. This roster is not perfect, not by a long shot, but it is in such a better place than it’s been. Both of those guys (Arkin at TE and Jacobs at LB) would be depth pieces, with Arkin probably getting anywhere from a handful of snaps to maybe a dozen depending on the game plan (i.e., run game), assuming the depth chart remains the same. The joint practices will be big tests for him. Jacobs has shown more in the pads than pre-pads, which is good because the game is, in fact, played in pads (who knew?). Vrabel gave him some love on Friday: “He loves just kind of when you put the ball down to play. When you get to the team periods, you kind of notice his play speed, and I think that's a great thing to say. … sometimes he knows where he's going, and sometimes he doesn't, but he still kind of goes pretty quick wherever he decides to go.”
SAME AS IT EVER WAS? TreVeyon Henderson. I have seen no clear signs of improved vision or patience, and those were two of his biggest bugaboos a season ago. Now admittedly, our perch on the hill overlooking practice is not elite, so perhaps the second-year pro is displaying these things more consistently on film, and we’ll see those improvements in the preseason (if he plays) and when the regular season rolls around. But what I’ve witnessed thus far is what we saw a lot of last year: if there’s a crease in front of him, Henderson hits it like the 4.3 40 guy he is. But if he’s forced to seek out an opening, or wait for that opening to develop, he runs into a mass of humanity. Between yards left on the field and becoming a bit player in the pass game because of his protection issues, Henderson became a forgotten element of the offense in the postseason. By no means do I think the Pats are going to make him a bit player going forward; Henderson remains on track to share carries with Rhamondre Stevenson, but for him to take the next step, - and let’s face it, when you draft a running back that high, it’s what you expect - some of those negatives need to at least get to a middle of the road level.
NOT SEEING IT: Lan Larisson. I know he was a favorite of some in this group based on his college highlight reel, and he had some moments before suffering that season-ending injury last summer. But despite getting the first crack at being the #3 back behind Stevenson and Henderson, Larisson looked very plodding, and the moment Terrell Jennings came off NFI, he stepped back into the same role he had last season. Larisson’s best shot will be to show out on special teams, but based on what I’ve seen of draft pick Jam Miller and UDFA Myles Montgomery, he seems destined for the practice squad (at best).
ONCE A BADASS, ALWAYS A BADASS: Milton Williams. That dude is the engine that makes it all go on defense. Versus the run. Versus the pass. He’s everything they could have wanted and maybe even more.
I NEED MORE: Kevin Byard. The 11-year vet brings so much to the table. He’s intelligent; his football IQ is off the charts, and it would not surprise me in the least if he ends up as one of the captains. Byard has teammates who are soaking up his preparation and his approach. It’s all so damn impressive. One issue - the football-playing part hasn’t looked great. Byard has been a liability in man coverage, and while I can’t tell you every coverage they have played, I’ve seen him late to the party in the deeper quadrants of the field. That’s what Byard did exceptionally well last season en route to his All-Pro nod. It’s early still. I’m not making any declarations, but I will be watching this closely. He’s an important piece.
I NEED MORE, PART 2: Romeo Doubs. It feels to me like he’s adapting at a slower pace than Brown, who got here later than he did. A smooth route runner, he seems to be thinking his way through so many of the options that receivers have to digest in the McDaniels offense.
HUNGRY MAN: Gabe Jacas. We’re not even a week into him being on the field, and he’s already getting reps with the first team. Not a ton, but some. You know why? Because the team needs him to be part of that rotation, and, depending on Harold Landry’s health, perhaps be even more than that. Jacas comes as advertised. He is one powerful dude, and had several pressures during Friday’s scrimmage.
NEW ZIP CODE FOR DIGGS
For the fourth time in four years, Stefon Diggs has to fill out a change-of-address form at the post office. Or better yet, send his personal assistant. Or do it online, Mike. It’s not 1992 anymore…
Diggs has agreed to a one-year deal with the Commanders for $12 million. Before accepting that offer, the 32-year-old had conversations with the Chiefs, Dolphins and Raiders, among others. But signing with Washington made sense as Diggs is a Maryland native and also went to the University of Maryland.
Despite being less than a year removed from a torn ACL, Diggs had a 1,000-yard season for the Patriots, catching 85 passes last season for the Pats. He thought he’d return, but the Pats decided to go in a different direction, signing Doubs and trading for A.J. Brown.
"This just made a lot of sense for us," head coach Dan Quinn said. "We're just pumped."
Diggs should make an impact. The Commanders are lean at the position behind Terry McLaurin, relying on a collection of young or unproven players to be viable options for Jayden Daniels. They had explored the option of acquiring Brandon Aiyuk from San Francisco, but he has spun off the planet and his days in the NFL may be numbered.
"I've always been productive," Diggs said. "Hopefully, I can be a piece in that process and lead this team in the right direction. I'm here to bring positive energy and the dog mindset."
SIMMER
It’s been an uneven summer for the Buccaneers. Star defensive tackle Vita Vea has requested a trade after becoming frustrated with contract talks, and quarterback Baker Mayfield is in the same boat, actually saying he felt “disrespected” by the team’s offer. That last one went over like a lead balloon, and Tampa made it clear it thought Mayfield crossed a line. However, there are no plans to move on from either player.
“I have no plans of trading Vita,” GM Jason Licht said earlier this week. “We love Vita. We’ve been engaged with his agent. I don’t know how it’s going to end, but we’ve been engaged with his agent.”
Vea has yet to practice this summer, although the team says he’s dealing with a minor back issue.
As for Mayfield, Licht was asked if they view him as a franchise quarterback, which is what the player believes he is - and wants to be paid accordingly.
“We think he is, he said. “We love Baker. Our feelings for Baker haven’t changed.”
But without a new deal - and Mayfield put the start of training camp as the deadline - the 31-year-old will play out the final year of a three-year contract worth $100 million. The team has the option of using the franchise tag on him, but Licht remains committed to finding a longer-term solution.
QUICK HITTERS
- Andy Reid said it’s unlikely that Patrick Mahomes will play in the preseason, but barring a setback, the quarterback appears ready to start week one. Mahomes is a little over 8 months removed from ACL/LCL surgery on his left knee.
- The Bills signed guard O’Cyrus Torrence to a four-year extension worth $76 million. The 59th pick in the 2023 draft has missed just one game, and that was because then-head coach Sean McDermott elected to rest most of his starting offensive line.
- Shortly after the Falcons made Bijan Robinson the highest-paid running back in the NFL, Jahmyr Gibbs trumped him. The Lions extended their dynamic playmaker with a three-year, $67.5 million extension, edging the $66.75 million Robinson got. Both players had been hold-ins.
- Aaron Donald was on the transaction wire earlier this week, completing a workout for the Rams. One of the best players along the DL of this, or any other generation, Donald has been retired for two seasons but is intrigued by playing alongside Myles Garrett in LA. How did he look? “Best tryout that we’ve ever had,” Sean McVay said. “I think he can make the team.”
- The Falcons' first of two first-round picks in 2025 is lost for the upcoming season. Edge/LB Jalon Walker tore his ACL earlier this week. Walker had 5.5 sacks, nine quarterback hurries and five tackles for loss as a rookie and was expected to take that next step. Atlanta also is expecting its other first-rounder that year, fellow edge rusher James Pearce, to be suspended for at least some of the upcoming season after being arrested on three felony charges this offseason.