Happy Tuesday, everyone! John Breech is soaking up the summer sun, so you've got me, Cody Benjamin, to deliver all the latest from around the NFL, right here in the Pick Six newsletter.
Be sure to subscribe right here, to ensure you never miss a daily dose of NFL updates. And keep on reading for everything from a preview of camp competitions to best fits for a big-name free agent:
1. Top position groups: Texans are loaded at WR
The Houston Texans have drawn plenty of hype this offseason as a potential 2024 Super Bowl contender. Now Tyler Sullivan is throwing fuel on the fire, identifying the Texans' wide receiver corps as the top offensive position group in the entire NFL, as part of his new rundown of the 10 best units league wide:
(What) put Houston over the top ... was the blockbuster trade back in April for All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs. His arrival now makes the Texans receiver room a matchup nightmare as they have four different players who can do serious damage. When firing on all cylinders, Diggs is capable of leading the league in every major receiving category, so his injection into this offense could be otherworldly.
2. Caleb Williams unsigned: Bears star has no agent
Chicago has high hopes for the 2024 season, thanks to Williams' arrival as the No. 1 overall pick. Training camp may well get underway without him, however, as the USC product had yet to sign his rookie contract as of Tuesday morning. The apparent holdup: Williams isn't listed as having an NFL Players Association-certified agent, while he's claimed negotiations are out of his hands, pointing to lawyers and the Bears' front office. At the end of the day, the quarterback isn't expected to be an extended absentee.
3. Top 10 veterans with most to prove in camp
Training camp isn't just about fine-tuning for the regular season, or resolving longstanding position battles. It's also a chance for many veterans to prove they belong in the first place. So we've identified 10 notable names with the most to prove this summer. Among them: a couple of former first-round draft picks.
- Cowboys QB Trey Lance: The former San Francisco 49ers prospect doesn't have much to prove to Dallas other than that he's worth their previous fourth-round trade investment/capable of unseating Cooper Rush as Dak Prescott's No. 2. Entering a contract year, though, can the former No. 2 overall pick prove to the rest of the NFL he's actually making measurable progress as a pro passer?
- Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney: The person who definitively figures out Kadarius Toney's true role and NFL future will be the first to do so. Hailed internally as maybe the most talented receiver on the Chiefs' depth chart, the former New York Giants castoff is also one of Kansas City's most mercurial characters. With speedsters Xavier Worthy and Marquise Brown added to the room, he's once again battling for looks from Patrick Mahomes.
- Titans WR Treylon Burks: Fellow Titans receivers like DeAndre Hopkins have talked up Treylon Burks' gifts, but there's a reason Tennessee juiced up Hopkins' supporting cast this offseason, adding both Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd as perimeter targets. Two years after he arrived as a first-round pick and (somewhat unfairly) A.J. Brown's successor, Burks is still a relative unknown, and could be a trade candidate depending on his summer performance.
4. Last-place projections: Giants still in trouble
Nobody likes to be a party pooper. But somebody has to finish last in the 2024 NFL season. So Garrett Podell has veered from the optimistic fluff of the offseason to pinpoint the most likely candidates to reside in the cellar of their respective divisions this season. Among his picks: The current stars of "Hard Knocks."
Selecting LSU All-American wide receiver Malik Nabers sixth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft gives Daniel Jones a new No. 1 target in what is perhaps his last chance to prove he can be the long-term answer for the Giants. The presence of Nabers is notable since New York hasn't had a 1,000-yard receiver since Odell Beckham Jr. back in 2018, the longest active drought in the NFL. ... To put it simply, the offense isn't reliable enough to believe in anything other than a last-place finish.
5. Best fits for Justin Simmons: Eagles, Ravens?
It's been months since Simmons, the former Denver Broncos star, was released as part of a cost-cutting move. So why, exactly, is the All-Pro safety still available? We explored the logical reasons right here, and also identified five sensical landing spots for the ball hawk, including the last two NFC champions:
- Baltimore Ravens: Why on Earth would one of the NFL's best defenses and safety duos require a third investment? Remember that Baltimore frequently deploys star youngster Kyle Hamilton in the slot, opening up opportunities for the No. 3 man, hence Geno Stone's breakout as a pick artist in 2023. With Stone now gone, Simmons would be a proven center-fielder to pair with Marcus Williams.
- Philadelphia Eagles: It's the one that makes too much sense. Simmons was "close" to joining the Eagles in free agency before Philly opted for a reunion with the younger Gardner-Johnson, per James Palmer, and Simmons has gone on record praising the Birds' hire of former Broncos head coach Vic Fangio, the club's new defensive coordinator. Plus general manager Howie Roseman hasn't been afraid to get splashy while reloading the Eagles for a hopeful title bid.
- San Francisco 49ers: First-teamer Ji'Ayir Brown picked off Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl, but he enters 2024 with just three career starts under his belt. His running mate, Talanoa Hufanga, is a bona fide ball hawk, but he's still recovering from an injury that wiped out close to half his 2023 season. After relying on an older fill-in in Tashaun Gipson a year ago, they may want to boost their title chances with an even better rental.
6. Extra points: Dolphins report stadium damage
Hungry for more headlines? We've got you covered:
- Dolphins have significant stadium damage: After an unruly Copa America final
- Lions to induct Calvin Johnson into Ring of Honor: The Hall of Famer finally gets his due
- Saquon Barkley fires back at running back critiques: 'Don't tell me how long I can play'
- Browns pay big bucks for kicker: Dustin Hopkins lands a three-year extension
