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The Athletic (paywall)
NFL at Real Madrid: Key questions around Miami Dolphins ‘home’ game in Spain
Have there been any complications?
The NFL’s field director Nick Pappas told AP last month that changes would have to be made to the Bernabeu pitch, as “the needs of the surface drastically increase when compared to soccer (in terms of) traction and stabilisation”.
The pitch’s dimensions, 105 x 68 metres, also needed to be extended to meet the NFL specifications of 109.7 x 48.8 metres. This was not a problem because the front rows of seats all around the pitch can be removed following the recent stadium renovations.
Another challenge is that NFL squads — with a 53-man active roster and dozens of coaches, medical and support staff — add up to well over double the numbers in soccer. The Bernabeu bench areas have been expanded, but a bigger issue was the size of the locker rooms. That was eventually resolved by extending the existing changing areas into adjacent VIP zones.
“The folks at Real Madrid have been great partners throughout,” NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly told reporters in a virtual call last week.
What’s the reaction been like locally?
Sonia Cea Quintana, director of sports for Madrid city hall, told The Athletic that tickets “all sold out on the first day, which shows the excitement that is felt”.
Although it may be hard to believe that some young people in Madrid followed Tom Brady more closely than Cristiano Ronaldo, local American football fans see the game as a great opportunity to grow the sport further in Spain — especially European League of Football players who, when they were children, preferred a ball that wasn’t round.
Yago Rivero, defensive end for the Madrid Bravos, explains to The Athletic that American football in Spain has semi-professional and professional paths, and that many young people like him are motivated from a very early age to perhaps one day reach the NFL through scholarships and academies such as the one established in the United Kingdom, at Loughborough University.
Rivero’s Madrid Bravos team-mate Pablo Araya adds: “It is very interesting that they have done it in the Bernabeu, because it is known across the whole world. A stadium so symbolic, hosting an American football game, it gives it that extra importance. It can inspire many boys and girls to try the sport.”
Washington Post (paywall)
One key to the NFL’s global growth? Translating its lingo.
The question posed to offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury on Thursday was about the Washington Commanders’ use of pistol and shotgun formations. In a booth adjacent to the news conference room, Luis Daniel Guerrero heard the question and had a split second of panic.
Guerrero has been an interpreter in Spain for more than 20 years, but he had never interpreted comments about football — or, as he knows it, American football. Hours of preparation had given him a general sense of what those terms could mean, but he wasn’t sure how to best interpret them for the Spanish reporters in the room. The Spanish words “pistola” and “escopeta” would convey meaning without context, but context would take time — which, in this case, he did not have.
“You have to add something to it, so people know what you’re talking about,” he said. “‘Pistol’ and ‘shotgun’ means nothing to a normal Spaniard.”
Guerrero knows this because, well, he is a normal Spaniard. Before being hired to interpret the Commanders’ news conferences this week, he said he knew essentially nothing about football — including the broad base of jargon that is second nature in the United States, even for non-football fans.
“’Scrimmage’ means nothing here,” he explained. “It’s part of your daily life.”
Guerrero’s dilemma illustrates one of the most fundamental challenges for the NFL as it tries to grow football into a global game. For the sport to gain significant popularity in new markets such as Madrid, where the Commanders will face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, the league must first help translate its lexicon — including in non English-speaking markets accustomed to the nomenclature and flow of sports such as soccer or rugby.
The added language barrier outside of the U.K. only makes the introduction of football-specific terms, such as “no-huddle offense,” more complicated. Even among non-football fans in English-speaking countries, there might be a baseline understanding of what a huddle entails. In Spanish, Cervera said, there is no direct translation, and words such as “reunión” only come close. So the most efficient way to portray a no-huddle offense might not be by explaining the huddle at all but rather by focusing on the speed of the offensive attack — ataque rápido.
“It’s not just translating words,” Cervera said. “It’s translating the context.”
“Touchdown is something that everybody knows, everybody understands,” Davila said. “We don’t need to explain that.”
Commanders.com
Commanders’ Spanish broadcasters Juan Romero, Moises Linares see ‘great opportunity’ with Madrid game
Romero and Linares will be able to lean on a shared bond and mission to help them rise above while they are in Madrid, Spain this week for the Commanders’ Week 11 clash against the Dolphins. On site at the NFL’s first-ever game in Spain and the duo’s first time working a Commanders’ game abroad, the team’s official Spanish-language broadcasters are excited to spread the gospel of Washington football and serve the Spanish-speaking fan base on a historic trip.
While the NFL game in Spain is a first, it isn’t exactly a surprise. Over the last several years, international destinations have become a fixture of the regular season NFL schedule with cities ranging from Mexico City to Dublin to São Paulo being awarded games. The 2025 regular season features seven games played outside of the U.S., the most ever to date. Signs point to this setup perhaps being more of a norm than a rarity. Like other destinations the NFL has traveled to as of late, Spain has qualities that make it ripe for welcoming the sport at this time.
“That fan base is in its infant state right now,” Linares said. “They’re starting to see the game more often. They have access to the NFL like never before. They’re hungry to see an event in person like we’ve seen in other countries — Ireland, England, Germany. So, I think this is a great opportunity to bring the game to them so they can see it, live it in person and get to enjoy it like they never have before.”
Washington Post (paywall)
As the NFL lands in Madrid, the league hopes Spain will fall for football
The NFL sees a land fertile with potential fans, even if many Spaniards aren’t yet familiar with the nuances of American football.
When the first batch of tickets were released in July, there were around 700,000 digital devices waiting in the queue to purchase a ticket. Bernabéu Stadium’s capacity is 84,000.
“Every time we release a new batch, it sells out within hours,” said Gerrit Meier, managing director and head of NFL International. “We have seen incredible demand.”
The league estimates 90 percent of attendees at international games are from that market, and it seems Madrid will follow that trend. Once the initial novelty wears off, though, the league knows it will have to generate genuine fandom to maintain interest.
The NFL is hopeful Madrid could follow a similar path to London, which has hosted NFL games annually since 2007 (aside from 2020 because of the pandemic). The demand from fans in the United Kingdom was instant, too, but it has evolved over the years.
“A decade ago, it was awesome because it was a rainbow of jerseys, but it also wasn’t really a home team crowd at all,” Schroeder said. “You look now at a game in London, and you see 80 percent of fans wearing the jersey of the home team.”
Commanders.com
‘It just feels connected’: Fans feel camaraderie, pride in gathering in Madrid to support Commanders
“It’s awesome; I’ve met a lot of cool people,” said Erik Paige, who came to Madrid from Germany. “We’ve had a lot of fun, we’re looking forward to having more.”
For fans like Paige, the Week 11 matchup is their first opportunity to see the Commanders in person. Paige felt a “straight connection” with Washington when he saw the team play for the first time during the 2017 season. Like many other European fans, however, it isn’t easy for Paige to find the time or money to fly to Maryland and visit Northwest Stadium for a game.
So, when the NFL announced that the Commanders would be one of the teams playing overseas, Paige called his girlfriend and said, “We have to go.” Paige said there aren’t as many Washington fans in Germany, so to have so many of them in one place has been a new experience for him.
“To see the Washington community come together in Madrid, it’s a blessing,” Paige said.
For others, it’s a chance to celebrate life-changing news. Three weeks ago, Jaime Bangson was reparing to go through topical chemotherapy and needed something to distract her.
Bangson said she was “really in her head” about the treatment when she saw that the Commanders were hosting a tailgate event in Spain in the days leading up to the game. So, without any real intentions of going to the game, she started to think about what a trip to Spain would look like.
“I planned this dream trip just so I didn’t have to think all weekend,” Bangson said. “But then I realized maybe if I dipped into my savings, I could maybe actually make this a reality.”
Bangson then sent a text to her dad asking if he wanted to go to a tailgate party with her. After he asked her which one, she replied with information about the one in Madrid.
“First, we said, ‘This is nuts,'” Bangson recalled. “Next weekend he goes, ‘You know what? Let’s just do it.'”
The Athletic (paywall)
Commanders’ Joe Whitt Jr. on demotion: ‘I understood and expected it. … It’s about winning’
“I understood it. And I expected it,” Whitt said Friday in his first public comments since the change. “So, it was what it was. When he came and sat down and talked to me, I knew what the conversation was gonna be.
“Our relationship is a special one. There’s very few people in coaching that I’m closer to, but I understood it. … I have no ill will to anybody. It’s about winning. That’s what it’s all about. It’s about winning and playing well, and we haven’t done that. That’s the bottom line.”
Quinn announced the coaching change on Monday, saying it was made because the Commanders’ defense “felt off,” a feeling no one could dispute at this point.
The Commanders have lost each of their last four games by 20-plus points. They’ve given up 36 completions of 20-plus yards (tied for the most in the NFL) and have allowed more passing yards per attempt (8.4) than any defense in the league.
Over the last five games, which have all been losses, the Commanders gave up an average of 151.8 rushing yards per game, the fifth most in the NFL in that span.
Quinn and Whitt made multiple changes to try to eliminate the mistakes on game days, such as simplifying the play calls, changing some personnel and moving Whitt from the coaches’ booth to the sideline with the hope of streamlining communication.
However, nothing worked. Instead, the defense got worse, giving up 546 net yards and 9.1 yards per pass attempt to the Lions.
ESPN
Aloha, amigo: Hawaiian QBs Tua, Mariota meet in Madrid
Mariota is not the only quarterback from Saint Louis High School in Honolulu to start in this game. That, of course, is also where Tua Tagovailoa began his playing career, following in Mariota’s footsteps.
Sunday’s game between two 3-7 teams (9:30 a.m. ET on NFL Network, NFL+) was supposed to be a matchup between Jayden Daniels and Tagovailoa, but Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow two weeks ago. That paved the way for Mariota to start, doing so against a player he has mentored since Tagovailoa was in high school.
Tagovailoa was a junior in high school when Mariota began working with him at camps. Tagovailoa once said that when others pushed him away, Mariota would pull him aside at a time when Mariota was one of the top quarterbacks in the country.
Though many assumed that Tagovailoa would follow Mariota and play at Oregon, he pivoted and headed for Alabama — all with Mariota’s support.
“For Tua and myself, we grew up in the middle of the Pacific,” he said, “far away from here. The fact that we get a chance to be part of this game is special, and I don’t take that for granted at all.”
The Athletic (paywall)
The Commanders’ injury numbers tell a grim story
Wide receiver Treylon Burks played 52 offensive snaps in two games for the Commanders. He caught all four of his targets (including one that went for 37 yards) and was one of only two Washington receivers to run at least 10 routes in the team’s last outing.
Not bad for a guy who signed less than a month ago.
But just as Burks was finding a rhythm and just as the Commanders felt as though they landed another contributor, he was ruled out of the team’s Week 11 game in Spain because of a finger injury that required surgery.
His injury, while minor and not expected to keep him out long term, was a microcosm of the Commanders’ season: Their spate of injuries, while hardly the only reason or even the biggest reason for their 3-7 record, has depleted their roster, affecting multiple starters, reserves and now the players signed to help fill the void.
Including those ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins, a total of 20 Commanders will have missed a combined 81 games this season because of injuries. More than half of those players were starters.
The impact? Washington has used 312 unique lineups on offense so far this season, by far the most of any team. Only three of those lineups have played together for 10 or more plays this season. By comparison, the Commanders had 19 offensive lineups that played at least 10 plays together last season.
Heavy.com
Jonathan Jones : Recovered from groin injury
Jones (groin) isn’t listed on Washington’s injury report for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins. Jones sustained a groin injury during Washington’s Week 10 loss to the Lions, but he has recovered in time to suit up Sunday against the Dolphins in Madrid. He has started only one game in 2025 but is likely to make a second start Sunday since Marshon Lattimore (knee) and Trey Amos (lower leg) are both on IR.
Commanders.com
3 keys to Commanders vs. Dolphins
Prevent explosive plays from De’Von Achane.
Achane has been a potent weapon for the Dolphins since he was taken in the third round of the 2023 draft, but the former Texas A&M running back has surged in production this season with 1,105 total yards and nine touchdowns. He gained even more popularity last week, when his 174 rushing yards and two touchdowns fueled the Dolphins to a 30-13 win over the Buffalo Bills.
The Commanders have already faced a similar type of weapon in Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who put up 172 total yards and three touchdowns against their defense. Gibbs’ versatility was a difficult challenge for the Commanders’ defense, which gave up an average of 9.5 yards on Gibbs’ 18 touches.
But Gibbs wasn’t the only versatile running back who gave Washington problems this season. Bijan Robinson had 181 total yards, including 106 as a receiver, and two scores in the Atlanta Falcons’ 34-27 win over the Commanders. It likely isn’t possible to completely eliminate Achane as an option, but one of head coach Dan Quinn’s biggest challenges as a play caller will be to at least have an answer for Achane.
Podcasts & videos
Chris Rodriguez on Staying Ready & the Dolphins + Shawn Springs in Madrid | Next Man Up | Commanders
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Pride of Detroit
Detroit Lions vs. Philadelphia Eagles preview, prediction: On Paper
A statistical preview and prediction for Detroit Lions vs. Philadelphia Eagles.
Lions pass offense (6th in DVOA) vs. Eagles pass defense (11th)
The Lions offense had a huge bounce-back game last week against the Commanders, and while it may not seem like a huge change based on the chart, a deeper dive into the statistics show just how much that game even improved their season-long rankings. Here’s where they stand now compared to last week:
- Passer ranking: 118.0 (1st) — last week: 116.5 (2nd)
- Yards per attempt: 8.1 (5th) — last week: 8.0 (6th)
- EPA/dropback: 0.257 (5th) — last week: 0.201 (8th)
- Dropback success rate: 53.2% (4th) — last week: 51.5% (9th)
Now, granted that came against a poor Commanders defense (27th in pass defense DVOA). Still, it was relieving to see the Lions passing attack operate in a way that looked familiar.
The biggest question is whether the Lions’ offensive line can repeat their sack-less performance. While Jared Goff has avoided a single sack in four of nine games this year, the pass protection has been inconsistent, at best. Detroit ranks 20th in PFF pass blocking grade, 27th in ESPN’s pass block win rate, 17th in pressure rate, and 13th in sack rate.
Goff could also be without one of his go-to options on third down, with tight end Sam LaPorta missing two practices with a back injury. Though it’s worth pointing out that the Eagles currently rank No. 1 in defensive DVOA against tight ends, so he has a tough matchup anyways. The better matchup for Detroit is utilizing Jahmyr Gibbs in the passing game, where the Eagles rank 29th in defensive DVOA against running backs. Last week, Gibbs found some success in that area, catching three passes for 30 yards and a touchdown.
This is a stunningly good chart for the Eagles’ pass defense. And when you look closer, you see how Philly has shut down the likes of Dak Prescott, Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford, and Baker Mayfield—just in the first four weeks of the season. They’ve only allowed over 250 passing yards twice, and only allowed a passer rating above 90 twice all year.
I’m fully-convinced this is not only a top-10 pass defense, but likely a top-five. Here’s where they rank in some other statistical categories:
- Passer rating allowed: 80.2 (4th)
- Y/A allowed: 6.5 (6th)
- Dropback EPA: 0.062 (15th)
- Dropback success rate: 45.3% (12th)
It’s a little surprising to see their last two advanced metrics so low, but I suspect part of the reason—especially with EPA—is the fact that they haven’t created many negative plays this year. They have just five interceptions (t-20th) despite ranking 11th in passes defended, and they only have 19 sacks on the season (24th). Still, they seem to be doing everything else right, including preventing big plays. They’ve allowed just 26 passing plays of 20+ yards, t-12th best in the NFL.
Their secondary is playing outstanding. Quinyon Mitchell (24th among CBs in PFF coverage grade) and nickel Cooper DeJean (7th) lead the way, but the third corner—Adoree Jackson (98th)—is their biggest liability.
As for the lack of pass rush, the Eagles may have found a solution in Jaelan Phillips. In his first game with the Eagles last week, Phillips produced eight pressures, two quarterback hits and a tackle for loss. And while the edge defenders are still a bit questionable, Jalen Carter’s interior presence as a pass rusher (28 pressures, t-10th among DTs) will be a force to be reckoned with.
Player to watch: Lions’ interior OL. While the Eagles won’t produce exotic looks like the Vikings and their blitz percentage is just 26th in the league, that interior defensive line is full of dudes and Detroit’s patchworked offensive line still has a lot to prove despite last week’s strong performance.
Advantage: Draw. Philly is so stout on all three levels of the defense that this could be a tough week for the Lions’ passing attack. Then again, with Dan Campbell taking over play-calling last week, Detroit seems to have gotten a shot in the arm. Because of the small sample size there, the confidence level is low in predicting the result this week, so we’re calling it a draw.
Silver & Black Pride
What does Quinnen Williams bring to Dallas Cowboys’ defense?
Q: [W]hat do you expect recently acquired defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to bring to Dallas?
A: That’s the big question. Should the Cowboys have done this? We just don’t know yet. The expectation is that no matter what, he is going to be a run-stopper in the middle, something the Cowboys have lacked for a while.
He’s young enough that there shouldn’t be any kind of age-related drop-off in the near future, so you’d expect at least a plug for a leaky run defense. If he can force double-teams and draw attention away from the pass rushers, that would be an added benefit. If he can actually collapse the pocket, including some pass-rush ability, then the Cowboys will have made the right move.
Q: It seems like Dak Prescott started the year strong but has fizzled over the last two games. What’s been the difference in his play to start the season and more recently? Also, it comes with the territory of being the Cowboys’ starting quarterback, but it feels like Prescott takes a lot of heat/criticism in the media. What’s the fanbase’s perception of him?
A: I wouldn’t say that there is any one thing you can pick out in Prescott’s recent play that would make you say “he’s not doing this or that”. His completion percentage is down, so he may be having some accuracy problems, but the Broncos are a really good defense, so that had some impact. And our pass protection against the Cardinals was really bad, Prescott was on the move a lot and never got comfortable. We also have had issues in the red zone recently, but play-calling and penalties have also had an impact there.
At this point, I would say that Prescott just had some down days from a very bright start to the season. I feel like the offense should be fine going forward.
As for Prescott and the Cowboys fanbase, it’s really split. Count me among those who think that Prescott is not the problem in Dallas, but many fans feel the opposite. It’s an ongoing debate.
Acme Packing Company
The Packers will run well against the Giants. It’s a trap.
The Giants are dead last in run defense DVOA at 16.8% (positive numbers are bad for defensive DVOA). The Bengals are a close-ish second at 13.2%, but both are orders of magnitude worse than Buffalo at a third-worst 6.1%.
But you might be thinking, “Hey, Paul, 16.8 doesn’t seem so bad, I thought it was going to be like 48 or something?” And that’s fair because that’s usually how DVOA works, but we need to keep in mind how RUNNING works. Running is generally a negative efficiency play to start with, and so the median run defense this year (Houston) is -12%, or 28 percentage points away from the Giants. Cleveland has the best run defense at -32.2%, and there are six teams below 20%. Relative to the league, the Giants are horrible. They’re 48.8% points from the leaders. See, your instincts were good!
EPA tells the same story as DVOA, where the Giants are allowing a dead last .142 EPA per running play. How bad is that? It’s so bad that 24 teams allow fewer average EPA per passing drop back! 24! Tampa Quarterback Baker Mayfield averages 1.34 EPA per drop back, and so on average, a run against the Giants is more valuable than a Baker Mayfield pass attempt. It is also more valuable than a Justin Herbert pass attempt, and more than twice as valuable as an Aaron Rodgers pass attempt.
But maybe you don’t care for all of these newfangled analytics. Maybe you don’t trust them. “Paul, if they’re as bad as you say, why even bother with all of this fancy math? After all, if you serve me a terrible cheeseburger, I don’t need to know the ingredients, I just need to take a bite.” Alright, fair point, so how about this?
In Week 1, Commanders’ running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran the ball 10 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. Deebo Samuel chipped in a 19-yard touchdown, and all in as a team, they rushed for 220 yards on 32 carries. In Week 2, Javonte Williams ran for 97 yards and a score on 18 carries, but because every Dallas game is a shootout, Dak also threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns. The Chiefs ran for 105 yards and a score as a team. The Chargers actually lost to the Giants despite Omarion Hampton running for 128 yards and a score on just 12 carries. The Eagles lost their first game to the Giants (Cam Skattebo had 98 yards and 3 scores for New York) but they maybe should have given Saquon a few more carries, as he ripped off 58 yards on just 12 carries. In their second game, which the Eagles won handily, they did exactly that. Saquon had 150 yards and a score on 14 carries, and backup Tank Bigsby had another 104 yards on 9 carries. The 49ers had 159 yards and two touchdowns on a robust 39 carries, if you’re wondering how the Packer game might go. Denver only handed off 15 times, but their backs gained 94 yards. And last week, D’Andre Swift had 80 yards on just 13 carries.
That’s a lot of big yardage gained on carries in the teens for a lot of Giant opponents. On the season, they have allowed a league-worst 5.5 yards per carry and a league-worst 1521 yards total, despite ranking only sixth in carries against. Shockingly, the Titans have actually allowed one more rushing touchdown (15) than the Giants.
And so, the Packers will likely run against the Giants, and run well.
ESPN
Can Mike Kafka make it work in New York?
Players throughout the week noticed Kafka bears a calming presence, a different manner than Daboll, who was known as more impassioned on the sideline.
The belief among some seems to be that Kafka’s approach could be beneficial, especially in late-game situations, when the Giants have struggled. They’re just the second team in the Super Bowl era to drop two games in the same season with at least a 10-point lead with under four minutes remaining.
Perhaps this could help when things start to snowball.
“He’s probably naturally a little bit more of a calmer personality, so to speak,” wide receiver Darius Slayton said of Kafka. “But that can be helpful, especially in a high-pressure game like we’re in, week in and week out, that calmer presence can definitely be beneficial.”
“He’s poised,” Winston said. “He’s very poised on the sideline. And don’t get me wrong, this is a very challenging situation because I would not be here if it weren’t for Brian Daboll. And I am so grateful for him and the opportunity that he forwarded me to come to New York and do what I love.”
Kafka has been waiting for this chance, not necessarily in New York and under these circumstances, but he has interviewed for eight head coaching openings and been a finalist in at least a couple. He has been on the verge of becoming an NFL head coach for the past three seasons.
One high-level executive who was involved in interviews with Kafka considered him prepared and organized. He saw confidence and conviction on top of having a strong football IQ. That team was impressed.
Upcoming opponent
Hogs Haven
Five Questions with The Phinsider
The Dolphins defense started the season allowing 30+ points in their first three games, but has held teams to 13 or fewer points in two of their most recent three games. Why did they start the season so rough and what accounts for their recent turnaround? Is it sustainable?
A large part of it is probably the growth of younger players. Due to injuries and roster moves, Miami is relying on young players to make an impact. Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant is 22, defensive tackle Jordan Phillips is 21, linebacker Chop Robinson is 22, defensive back Dante Trader, Jr. is 22, and defensive back Jason Marshall, Jr., is 23, and they are all starters or key members of the rotation. They were struggling early, especially Grant who was already being declared a first-round bust by some, but they are starting to piece it together and the defense is responding. Since Week 6, Miami has turned into an elite rush defense, a huge turnaround for a team that allowed at least 150 rushing yards in four of their first five games including 197 yards allowed to the New York Jets and 239 yards to the Carolina Panthers.
There will still be the mistakes that come from relying on younger players, but the game seems to be slowing down for them, they are cutting down on the self-inflicted penalties, and understanding defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s system better. The veterans, like defensive tackle Zach Sieler, linebackers Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick are getting everyone in sync and the results are starting to show up on the field.
NFL league links
Articles
The Commanders will play the Broncos in Week 13 (after the Week 12 bye)
NFL.com
Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins believed to have significant foot injury, could be placed on injured reserve
The Denver Broncos running back is believed to be out for the foreseeable future with a significant foot injury, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Friday.
Dobbins is working through his options but being placed on injured reserve, which would force him out for at least the next four games, remains a possibility, per Rapoport and Pelissero.
The Broncos ruled Dobbins out for Sunday’s game versus the Chiefs.
Dobbins going on IR would mean he’ll have missed multiple games in each of his last five seasons and at least one game dating back to his 2020 rookie season with the Baltimore Ravens in which he played 15 out of a possible 16.
Prior to adding Dobbins, Denver selected RJ Harvey in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Harvey’s proved to be an excellent receiver out of the backfield (25 receptions for 175 yards and four TDs), but will now be asked to put on his running shoes.
So far, Harvey’s carried the ball 50 times for 214 yards and a pair of scores. He’ll be looked on to up his rushing numbers in a major way. Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin could also see some more reps at RB.
Discussion topics
The Athletic (paywall)
NFL executives worried about lackluster 2026 QB draft class: ‘I don’t love any of them’
As recently as a couple of months ago, teams anticipated a stacked crop of quarterbacks — not necessarily rivaling the 2024 draft class but surely better than the 2025 group. But with college quarterbacks underperforming across the board, there are serious concerns about the position, and that is going to reshape teams’ plans for the opening round.
“Nobody is playing the position well enough to be like, ‘That dude can take over my franchise,’” said an NFL team executive who was granted anonymity so he could speak openly.
This could be a massive blow to teams like the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns, which have glaring holes at QB and a pair of first-round selections at their disposal. It also hurts the Tennessee Titans, who have the inside track on the top pick, and their ability to auction off the selection to the highest bidder.
Of course, there’s plenty of time for evaluations to evolve between now and April, but the early analysis hasn’t been encouraging. There’s no clear-cut top prospect to truly set the pace for the rest of the class.
“I don’t love any of (the quarterbacks) right now,” a second executive said. “We’re trying to grasp onto somebody because there isn’t anybody, and it’s such a flavor of the week. Good luck right now.”
“Overall, we were hoping it was going to be better than last year,” a third executive said. “There was a hangover from such a good class two years ago. There were more projected (quarterbacks) coming into this year, but the expectations of the higher-end players never really materialized. Some of the younger guys are leaning toward going back because they haven’t played well and are making the NIL money.”
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
If the draft were today, the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder might have the edge as the top QB. But even the staunchest Mendoza supporters don’t believe it’s by a wide margin.
Ty Simpson, Alabama
The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder has had an eye-opening ascension in his first season as the starter.
“He’s had the best year out of all of (the QB prospects), but he’s not as high up as some of these other guys in terms of physical tools,” an executive said. “More power to him. The kid has played his tail off, and he’s throwing the s— out of the ball.”
Dante Moore, Oregon
NFL teams think the 20-year-old redshirt sophomore will return to school, and that’d be useful to clean up his issues with inconsistency.
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
The 6-foot-3, 240-pounder has traits on top of traits on top of traits. He’s big and explosive, boasts a powerful arm, can win with his legs on third down and is tough to tackle. Coming out of the summer, it was fair to believe a solid season would solidify Sellers as the top QB because of his overall athletic ability.
However, Sellers just hasn’t played well enough, and teams are hoping the 20-year-old will return to school.
