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Over the past three years, we’ve seen an average of 6.7 ~new teams~ make the playoffs each year. That’s fairly wild when you consider 14 teams make the playoffs each season. Last year I went out on a limb and predicted seven new teams who would make the postseason. Three of my picks made it, four of them missed. I did not see the Browns starting five quarterbacks and stealing a playoff bid or the Steelers sneaking in. Jordan Love going nuclear also evaded my radar. 

Let’s just ignore any suggestion about various NFC South teams who could take a leap forward, shall we? 

If we’re getting six new playoff teams it means we’re losing six previous teams as well. Last year I listed seven teams who could miss the playoffs in 2023 and went 5-2 with those picks. The Buccaneers and Dolphins were my misses. 

The Brinson Model™️ will be dropping soon with full season projections so you can get BIG MAD about your team’s actual record, but for now we’ll have to settle for some angry debate on teams I believe will take a step back in 2024. 

For what it’s worth, six teams have made the playoffs each of the last three years: Kansas City, Buffalo, Dallas, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. Tampa is the only one to have any truly significant chance over that period of time — Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield — although you could argue the Chiefs moving on from Tyreek Hill counts as well. I’m ruling out *most* of those teams to miss the playoffs this year as a result, although it’s very possible one NFC East team takes a dip if the Giants or Commanders can surprise.  

This exercise is never “easy” because you’re being pessimistic in late July/early August. But this feels particularly difficult this year, with a lot of last year’s playoff teams returning some very strong rosters. 

Anywho, let’s get to it. Send your suggestions for candidates or complaints about the ones below to me on Twitter…

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The only real highlight we have of Aaron Rodgers in a New York Jets uniform came in the preseason, on a nice touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson.

It definitely didn’t come in the regular season, when Rodgers lasted only four plays before he tore his Achilles tendon. He missed the rest of the season.

Rodgers might miss this preseason too. Jets coach Robert Saleh said Rodgers won’t play in the first two preseason games and they will discuss if he’ll play at all in the third and final preseason game. The Jets could decide to get him some snaps in that game, but it sounds like Saleh’s preference is for him to not play at all this preseason.

“My instinct is no, but I want to leave it open,” Saleh told the New York media. “That third game is what we’re deciding.”

That would mean we’ll have to wait a bit longer for Rodgers’ next highlight, after a brief tease last preseason. Rodgers played in one preseason game, completed 5-of-8 passes for 48 yards including the touchdown to Wilson.

Rodgers still hasn’t completed a regular season pass for the Jets, which is why the decision on whether he’ll play this preseason is an interesting one. The Jets don’t want to expose Rodgers in a game that doesn’t count, after what happened last season. But it’s also a bit risky to have Rodgers take his first snaps since last September against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1. Rodgers hasn’t completed a pass in a game that counted since Jan. 8, 2023. Then again, maybe a few snaps in the preseason don’t matter all that much for a four-time MVP.

We’ll see if Rodgers can or even wants to talk his way into the lineup for the final preseason game. If not, his 2024 regular-season opener becomes even more of a curiosity.

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PHILADELPHIA — The intrigue of Mekhi Becton playing right guard was more perception than reality when the Philadelphia Eagles signed him in May. Becton was brought in to be the swing tackle to Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, an opportunity to salvage his career after four injury-riddled seasons in New York. 

Of course, the Eagles weren’t going to rest on their laurels. If they could cross-train Becton to play guard, they were going to try it. 

Three months later, Becton has a golden opportunity to take the starting right guard spot on the Eagles. That spot belongs to Tyler Steen, but he’s out with an ankle injury. The Eagles won’t disclose how long Steen is out, meaning this is more than just a “day-to-day” injury. 

The opportunity to snatch the starting right guard spot in there for Becton, which would have been a fantasy back in May. 

“I’m looking forward to that,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said when describing Steen’s injury. “Mekhi has had a good camp so far and looking forward to getting him some work next to Lane [Johnson] and continuing to work forward with that.”

Becton showcased the potential of having a 6-foot-7, 363-pound right guard in his first practice with the first team at right guard. The Eagles had Jalen Carter — who has been dominating throughout camp — against Becton in 11-on-11s in a true test of Becton’s strength. Becton neutralized Carter and held him off from getting to Jalen Hurts.

That’s Becton at his best. There’s still considerable room for improvement in Becton’s footwork and getting comfortable with the speed of playing inside, yet the talent is there if it all comes together. 

“I think Mekhi is doing great,” said Eagles left guard Landon Dickerson, who Becton filled in for the first few practices. “He’s had to bounce around a few positions. We had some guys get banged up. Nothing different than what happens during the season…

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NFL training camps are officially open for every franchise across the league.

Here are the answers to some key questions, and the latest updates from around summer practices.

When does the NFL preseason kick off?

The Chicago Bears and Houston Texans will meet in the 2024 Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. ET in Canton, Ohio. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and ABC.

The preseason ends on Sunday, Aug. 25, and NFL roster cutdown day is Tuesday, Aug. 27.

How does your team stack up amid NFL training camps?

Find out with Frank Schwab’s season preview power rankings countdown right here.

Right here:

What are each team’s preseason and regular season schedules?

The entire preseason and regular season schedule can be found right here on Yahoo Sports.

What are the top storylines of 2024 NFL training camps?

The performances of the first-round rookie quarterbacks, including Chicago’s Caleb Williams, Washington’s Jayden Daniels, New England’s Drake Maye, Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy, Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr., and Denver’s Bo Nix will be watched closely.

In terms of contract situations to monitor, Packers QB Jordan Love struck a record deal with the Packers and Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa got a hefty new contract a few days into camp, but Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk could be in line for new deals these next few weeks — or lingering drama if they don’t get them.

As always, there are buzzy QB competitions in store as well, highlighted by Russell Wilson vs. Justin Fields in Pittsburgh. Another to keep an eye on is Gardner Minshew vs. Aidan O’Connell in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Maye, Nix, McCarthy and Penix will all try to push presumed starters as much as possible in their camps, and here’s a wild card: Daniel Jones vs. Drew Lock with the Giants.

Live206 updates

Report: Texans DE Denico Autry suspended 6 games

Autry reportedly violated the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

Big loss for the Texans in what’s shaping up to be a…

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USATSI

After nearly five years out of the NFL, Gareon Conley was looking to revive his career in Dallas, but that won’t be happening. 

The Cowboys released the former first-round pick on Sunday in a move that came after just three practices of training camp. The Cowboys actually weren’t planning to cut Conley, but they were forced to make the move after the cornerback abruptly decided to retire. 

Conley’s NFL career started all the way back in 2017 when the Raiders made him the 24th overall pick in the 2017 draft. During his third season with the team, Conley was traded to the Houston Texans and that’s where he spent the final eight games the 2019 season. Conley was also with the Texans in 2020, but he spent the entire year on injured reserve. 

The former Ohio State star hit free agency in March 2021, but he wasn’t able to find any takers, and after that, he was completely out of football before signing with the DC Defenders of the UFL for the 2024 season. After watching Conley play a solid season with the Defenders, the Cowboys decided to kick the tires on the cornerback by signing him to a contract in mid-June. 

Conley’s goal of getting back to the NFL came to a crashing end on Sunday at the age of 29. He’ll finish his career with a total of four interceptions over 31 games played, including 26 starts. 

The Cowboys claimed cornerback Kemon Hall off waivers to fill the roster spot that was opened up by releasing Conley. 

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