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General manager Brett Veach, in other words, seems to have completely bought into the notion of surplus value in the draft, correctly realizing that the upside of hitting on an early-round player at a premium position pays much greater dividends based on draft picks’ lower salary structure.
Per Spotrac, this year’s No. 9 selection is expected to make $5.6 million next season, with that number increasing to $9.8 million by Year 4.
Getting an above-average safety at $9.8 million is … fine. OverTheCap lists 21 safeties as getting more than that amount on their current deals.
But what if that $9.8 million fourth-year contract was being used for an above-average receiver? Or defensive lineman?
That would be more valuable, given the market and the higher salaries those guys command in free agency.
Gardner MinshewKansas City Chiefs – Age 29
It seems unlikely Patrick Mahomes will be able to return from his December ACL injury in time to start Week 1 next September. Chris Oladokun failed to capitalize on his opportunity to claim a backup spot on the Chiefs’ depth chart entering 2026. Minshew suffered a season-ending knee injury of his own, but it wasn’t an ACL tear. He should be ready to play sooner than Mahomes, bringing veteran backup experience to a Kansas City team that suddenly needs it more than ever. If the Chiefs receive optimistic news on Mahomes’ timetable for return, they might only temporarily need a steady hand to keep the offense afloat to start the season. Minshew proved his worth as an injury replacement in 2023, when he filled in for Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis and kept the Colts in postseason contention.
The two friends apparently spoke frequently, even when Harbaugh’s Ravens were still alive for the AFC North Division title.
“Andy Reid was part of this, right?” Russini said on the podcast. “So John really leaned on Andy Reid during this process, even before (Ravens owner) Steve Bisciotti fired John Harbaugh, John had reached out to Andy to have some conversations about, ‘Should I step down’ if he wasn’t going to get fired? ‘What does next look like?’
“One, Andy Reid has always been a really good friend to John Harbaugh over the years, but of course, we all know what Andy did, which was, of course, leave Philadelphia despite a lot of success, and take his talents to Kansas City, where he had ultimate success and continues to.”
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Collins suffered the injury when he fell face-first after trying to catch a pass in the Texans’ 30-6 wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday. The impact of the fall caused Collins to immediately put both hands to his face.
Houston’s medical staff took Collins to the tent. It didn’t take long before the three-time 1,000-yard receiver was carted to the locker room.
Collins has been Houston’s unquestioned No. 1 playmaker, totaling 71 catches for 1,117 yards and 6 touchdowns on the season.
4. Jan. 24, 2024, Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Arrowhead Stadium
Temperature: minus-4 degrees with wind chill of minus-27
Another warm-weather team got caught with a brutal draw. Miami had to manage painful conditions while facing Patrick Mahomes and the defending champs. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa struggled in uncharted territory, completing 51 percent of his passes and finishing with a 63.9 passer rating. Meanwhile, Mahomes shrugged off a cracked helmet, throwing for 262 yards and rushing for 41 in a 26-7 win.
In addition, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson told On3’s Chris Low this week he turned down lucrative NIL offers to declare for the NFL Draft. He is among the group of prospects who completed the degree requirements and be eligible for the draft.
Miami and Indiana players will be eligible to officially declare following Monday’s national championship, with a Jan. 23 deadline. In the meantime, here are the 63 underclassmen who will wait to hear their names called in the 2026 NFL Draft. For comparison, 70 underclassmen declared ahead of the deadline for the 2025 draft.
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“Accountable”
“I want to get back to that winning culture of being accountable to each other and going out there and playing great football every single day, practice or game,” Mahomes pointed out.
One candidate for the offensive coordinator position comes to mind when seeking accountability: Kansas City’s former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who is currently in his first season as the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears.
Whether or not Bieniemy is the answer, Mahomes seeks that no-sugar-coating trait in a coach. Nagy seemed to have a more friendly approach, and the overly optimistic messaging may have gotten stale.
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