Author: nfltalk

We know that the Carolina Panthers want Brian Burns and we know that Brian Burns wants the Carolina Panthers. What we don’t know, however, is when a deal between the two will be done.

ESPN’s David Newton recently gave his take on the tango. He believes this dance, albeit a somewhat intricate one, should be done before Week 1.

Newton writes:

Getting a deal done, however, might take some time. The two sides are talking, but Burns wants to be among the league’s highest paid at his position. The four highest-paid edge rushers average $23.75 million per year, led by T.J. Watt at more than $28 million.

Burns has made the case with 38 sacks over his first four seasons, and his production should only go up in Ejiro Evero’s new 3-4 defensive scheme. Getting something done by training camp, or at least the start of the season, seems likely.

There is a bit of added pressure on Carolina’s end given what they reportedly refused in exchange for their two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher. According to a report from CBS lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones back in early November, the Los Angeles Rams offered an outrageous package of draft picks—a 2024 first-rounder, a 2025 first-rounder and a 2023 second-rounder—for Burns.

So the stakes, as well as the money the 25-year-old is looking for, are pretty high.

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is back as the best player in my ranking of the NFL’s top 100, and if he keeps up at his current pace he will be in the conversation for No. 1 all time.

Mahomes led his Chiefs to his second Super Bowl title last February, beating the Philadelphia Eagles and winning both the regular-season and Super Bowl MVPs in the process. The man is on a roll. In the past four seasons, he has two Super Bowl victories and one loss in the Super Bowl. He also has two regular-season MVPs in the past five seasons.

Oh, and he’s only 27. That should scare the heck out of the rest of the NFL. He isn’t even in his prime yet. Tom Brady, he’s coming for you. 

But Mahomes isn’t alone when it comes to quarterbacks at the top of my player rankings. In fact, it’s 1-2-3 for the quarterbacks. It’s Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills in the No. 2 spot and Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 3. These guys are razor-thin close in my book. Those three quarterbacks are the current elites of the position as we head into the 2023 season.

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald was my No. 1 player last year, but he slipped down to the ninth spot this year in part because he was hurt last season and his production waned. But it wouldn’t be a shock to see him back closer to the top next season.

Putting together the list is a real challenge. There are so many talented players, and after the stars at the top it’s tough to separate the players who land from 20-45 or so. So before you get worked up about my list, which you will, try to put one of your own together. It isn’t easy.

The middle class is tough to divide. As for guys who just missed, some did so because of injury and some did so because they might be on the rise or on the decline. Some of the just-missed players were in the top 100 at one point, but eventually they fell out.

The top is easy. It’s…

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Dahkari Gilley has a strong skillset and has shown the ability to be a playmaker in the secondary. In early June, Gilley committed to Rutgers football on an official visit.

The three-star recruit from Florida is a member of the 2024 recruiting class. At 6-foot-2 and 190-pounds, he certainly is built for the position at the Big Ten level. A member of the class of 2024 out of University Christian (Jacksonville, FL), Gilley also held Power Five offer from Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech at the time of his commitment to Rutgers.

He also has been offered by Central Florida, USF, FAU, UMass, Liberty and Georgia Southern among others.

Former NFL cornerback Antonio Cromartie took a look at the highlight film of Gilley. Cautioning that they are only highlights, Cromartie sees some strong components to Gilley’s game.

“Plays at the line scrimmage, has good ball skills shows a willingness to tackle. Looks long and athletic,” Cromartie told Rutgers Wire of Gilley’s Hudl.

“I like him, but I would like to see actual film on him to have a better understanding of his skills. Highlights only show so much.”

Cromartie is a former first round pick out of Florida State who spent 11 seasons in the NFL. He was four times a Pro Bowl selection and once an All-Pro.

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In 2010, he helped lead the New York Jets to the AFC Championship Game.

Over the last two years, Cromartie was in the SEC as a cornerbacks coach with Texas A&M. He liked the skillset Gilley brought to the field although highlights are certainly not the best way to evaluate a player.

“He’s always around the football from his highlights,” Cromartie said.

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DeAndre Hopkins visited the New England Patriots last week and left without a deal. Given where we’re at in the offseason, it shouldn’t be surprising Hopkins doesn’t yet have a contract — just three weeks after he was released by the Arizona Cardinals.

Any team can sign Hopkins over the next several weeks, but one of his biggest recruiters to New England may have provided an indication of where his next destination will be. Patriots Pro Bowl edge rusher Matt Judon sent out a cryptic tweet this weekend that may have something to do with Hopkins and New England. 

Judon tweeted this out days after Hopkins visited the Patriots. He also just happened to pose a photo with the star wideout during his visit. Judon has made pitches to players in the past, notably Bobby Wagner, Odell Beckham Jr., and Chandler Jones. 

Of course, Judon also smiled when asked about Hopkins this week and said he doesn’t run his Twitter. 

“DeAndre Hopkins is a free agent. If I know him as a friend or as a confidant it doesn’t matter,” Judon said earlier this week. “He’s a great player. He did amazing things and wherever he lands, he lands. If it’s here, it’s here. Then we can talk about him.”

Judon added fuel to the fire earlier this week when a Twitter user pledged to donate $500 to a charity of Hopkins’ choosing if he signed with the Patriots. The Patriots pass rusher added even more incentive.

Even if Judon’s tweet is about the Patriots signing Hopkins, there’s one thing to keep in mind: Hopkins doesn’t have to sign with any team for the next several weeks, as all 32 franchises are on their “summer break” before training camp. Signing with a franchise at this point makes little sense, with players (and coaches) spending the next several weeks outside the facilities before training camps begin in late July. 

Hopkins has an opportunity to create a market for himself in the weeks leading up to camp, when he…

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Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bob Brown, known for his aggressive and intimidating style of play in the 1960s and early 70s, died on Friday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced.

“Bob Brown demonstrated different personalities on and off the field,” Hall president Jim Porter said in a statement Saturday. “On the field, he was as fierce an opponent as any defensive linemen or linebacker ever faced. He used every tactic and technique – and sometimes brute force – to crush the will of the person across the line from him. And took great pride in doing so.

“Yet off the field, he demonstrated a quiet, soft-spoken and caring nature that his son, Robert Jr., captured eloquently when he presented his dad for enshrinement in 2004. The Hall extends its thoughts and prayers to CeCe and Robert Jr. for their loss,” Porter said.

An All-American at the University of Nebraska, Brown led the Cornhuskers to a conference title in his final season in 1963. He would be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Once called “the most aggressive lineman that ever played” by the legendary John Madden, Brown was selected with the No. 2 pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1964 NFL Draft. The towering 6-foot-4 and 280 pound lineman made an immediate impact with the Eagles, where he made three All-Pro teams in his five years with the team.

After requesting a trade ahead of the 1969 season, Brown was dealt to the Los Angeles Rams, where he continued his success by earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl recognition in his two years with the team. During his first year with the Rams, the team allowed only 17 sacks in 416 pass attempts.

Following his stint with the Rams, Brown was traded to the then-Oakland Raiders in 1971, now known as the Las Vegas Raiders, where he played under Madden. Recurring knee injuries would force Brown to retire in 1973.

“Bob was the most intimidating player I’ve ever seen. I had opponents come up to me during games and say, ‘Gene, tell…

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