With the NFL draft set to begin on April 28, teams around the NFL are hard at work scouting players at the combine and readying their team boards. With the new league year set to begin in just a couple of weeks, general managers are also scouring both the free agent and trade markets as they try to fill holes on their current clubs.
With so much anticipation for offseason moves around the corner, let’s take a look at some of the biggest stories of the week.
NFL Eliminating COVID-19 Testing
As teams prepare for the upcoming season, one thing will be noticeably different when the season starts. The NFL announced this week that they are officially ending COVID testing as a protocol for the league.
With that in mind, teams do still have to abide by local ordinances, but this is one more step in return to normalcy not only for the league but society as a whole.
Especially after the threat by many prospects of foregoing the combines as a result of NFL COVID protocols, this comes as a welcome relief for many players, both current and future.
Make Or Break Year For Baker Mayfield
While the Cleveland Browns sound like the plan is for Baker Mayfield to be their starting quarterback for Week 1, it appears there is much less commitment when it comes to beyond this upcoming season.
Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports that the Browns and Mayfield’s agents agreed that there would be no contract extension for this season, effectively making this year a make or break year for his future in Cleveland.
Last season, Mayfield threw for 3,010 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions in 14 games. The team finished 6-8 this season in starts made by Mayfield.
Unfortunately, Mayfield has struggled with some injuries, but he also hasn’t lived up to the potential that the Browns anticipated when he took over as quarterback in 2018. Still, at just 26-years-old, he has the chance to prove himself this year.
Cleveland is currently +2800 to win next season’s Super Bowl, good enough for 13th-best odds in the NFL.
Despite Injury, Mutual Interest Between Beckham and Rams
It was a tough end to an otherwise solid debut with the Rams this season for Odell Beckham Jr. when he tore his ACL during the Super Bowl. The injury was even more devastating, given this is the second time he has torn the ACL in the same knee.
Despite the injury, there appears to be mutual interest in a reunion between Beckham and the Las Angeles Rams. Beckham has already indicated that he would sacrifice contractual dollars to stay with L.A. (something that is only exacerbated by the injury), but the Rams have other financial decisions to make as well.
Not only do they have to make a decision on free agent Von Miller, but they will also look to tie up quarterback Matthew Stafford long-term.
After catching 27 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns in eight games for Los Angeles, though, the Rams would surely love to retain Beckham’s services.
Still, for a team that is also dealing with the injury of Robert Woods, the Rams will have some significant decisions to make over the next several weeks.
Despite winning the Super Bowl this season, the Rams have just the fourth-best odds of repeating next season at +1200.
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