I’ve been waiting all year for this matchup. This is one of my favorite games all season to watch. Both teams have become some of the top producing schools for draft prospects.
A few notable names that have come out of these schools. QB Brock Purdy (Iowa State), LB Jack Campbell (Iowa), CB Desmond King (Iowa), and RB David Montgomery (Iowa State).
This is a really fun time of the year. Football season gets underway with the meaningful games. It is always fun to take a look at where we feel each team will fall in their respective divisions.
In the AFC North there has not been a team that won 3 division titles since the 70s. I do not think it will happen again this year. I feel the Steelers have taken a step forward and the Bengals and Ravens have taken a small step backward. Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson are both great QBs. The Bengals Defense got a little worse after losing 2 very talented Safeties. We do not know how long it will take Lamar to fully understand the new offensive scheme.
Let’s take a look at my projections.
AFC East Bills 12-5 Jets 11-6 Dolphins 10-7 Patriots 6-11
AFC North Steelers 11-6 Bengals 10-7 Ravens 9-8 Browns 7-10
AFC South Jaguars 11-6 Titans 8-9 Colts 6-11 Texans 5-12
AFC West Chiefs 13-4 Chargers 11-6 Broncos 8-9 Raiders 7-10
NFC East Eagles 11-6 Cowboys 10-7 Giants 7-10 Commanders 6-11
NFC North Vikings 11-6 Lions 10-7 Packers 9-8 Bears 5-12
NFC South Saints 10-7 Buccaneers 8-9 Falcons 6-11 Panthers 4-13
NFC West 49ers 11-6 Seahawks 10-7 Rams 5-12 Cardinals 3-14
Here are the teams Reserve Future signings. Half the time these players don’t end up making the training camp roster. But there’s been some players that have gone on to be stars on the rosters they signed to.
49ers
Bears
TE Chase Allen S Adrian Colbert LB Kuony Deng OT Kellen Diesch WR Daurice Fountain DE Gerri Green DL Donovan Jeter WR Joe Reed TE Jake Tonges WR Nsimba Webster
Bengals
Bills
WR Isaiah Coulter DE Kendal Vickers
Broncos
WR Victor Bolden G Parker Ferguson CB Faion Hicks CB Delonte Hood DT Jordan Jackson DB Devon Key RB Tyreik McAllister OLB Wyatt Ray OL Hunter Thedford LB Ray Wilborn
Browns
WR Daylen Baldwin S Bubba Bolden WR Mike Harley LB Storey Jackson DE Sam Kamara RB John Kelly, Jr RB Nate McCrary TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden DT Roderick Perry WR Marquez Stevenson T Tyrone Wheatley
Buccaneers
DT Willington Previlon T Dylan Cook TE Dominique Dafney CB Don Gardner WR Kaylon Geiger DL Mike Greene T Grant Hermanns RB Patrick Laird CB Duron Lowe OT Michael Niese OLB Hamilcar Rashed LB JJ Russell T Justin Skule OLB Charles Snowden S Nolan Turner TE David Wells
Cardinals
OT Julien Davenport LS Joe Fortunato K Elliott Fry DB Juju Hughes DB Nate Hairston LB Blake Lynch TE Chris Pierce TE Bernhard Seikovits G Lachavious Simmons WR Auden Tate DB Josh Thomas OT Badera Traore WR Javon Wims
Chargers
G Zach Bailey WR Keelan Doss WR John Hightower DB Michael Jacquet TE Hunter Kampmoyer DE Carlo Kemp LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams DT David Moa OT Austen Pleasants RB Larry Roundtree DE Ty Shelby DB Mark Webb
Chiefs
WR John Ross WR Ty Fryfogle
Colts
DT McTelvin Agim S Henry Black S Marcel Dabo S Trevor Denbow G Arlington Hambright K Lucas Havrisik T Jordan Murray LB Sequn Olubi RB Aarpm Shampkin WR Vyncint Smith CB David Vereen TE Jalen Wydermyer
Commanders
CB Troy Apke FB Alex Armah DE William Bradley-King WR Alex Erickson CB DaMarcus Fields QB Jake Fromm G Nolan Laufenberg WR Kyric McGowen T Aaron Monteiro G Keaton Sutherland
Cowboys
Dolphins
T Josiah Bronson OL Lester Cotton CB Tino Ellis LB Cameron Goode WR Braylon Sanders T Kion Smith DT Jaylen Twyman
Eagles
RB Kennedy Brooks
Falcons
WR Josh Ali RB B.J. Baylor OLB Quinton Bell DL Amani Bledson ILB Dorian Etheridge CB Javelin Guidry TE Tucker Fisk OL Kyle Hamilton CB Matt Hankins OL Jonotthan Harrison WR Ra’Shaun Henry ILB Nate Landman DB Dylan Mabin DB Jamal Peters TE John Raine FB Clint Ratkovich CB John Reid OL Justin Shaffer OL Tyler Vrabel
Giants
G Solomon Kindley
Jets
OL Chris Glaser DB Craig James DB Jimmy Moreland DL Tanzel Smart DL Marquiss Spencer QB Chris Streveler LB Chazz Surratt WR Malik Taylor
Lions
WR Maurice Alexander WR Stanley Berryhill S Brady Breeze TE Derrick Deese CB Khalil Dorsey T Obinna Eze RB Jermer Jefferson WR Tom Kennedy T Darrin Paulo DT Demetrius Taylor CB Jarren Williams
Packers
TE Austin Allen WR Jeff Cotton OT Jean Delance QB Danny Etling DB Tyrell Ford DB Benjie Franklin RB Tyler Goodson TE Nick Guggemas LB Kadarius Hamilton DT Chris Slayton DB Kiondre Thomas K Parker White DB James Wiggins
Panthers
OL Deonte Brown RB Spencer Brown DB Myles Dorn DE Kobe Jones CB Herb Miller LN Arron Mosby WR C.J. Saunders DT Raequan Williams WR Derek Wright
Patriots
LB Terez Hall DB Brad Hawkins OL Hayden Howerton DB Quandre Mosely LB Calvin Munson WR Tre Nixon DL Jeremiah Pharms CB Rodney Randle DL LaBryan Ray TE Matt Sokol RB JJ Taylor LB Olakunle Fatukasi TE Scotty Washington
Raiders
CB Isiah Brown CB Bryce Cosby P Julian Diaz S Jalen Elliott TE Cole Fotheringham G Vitaliy Gurman OT Sebastian Gutierrez WR Chris Lacy LB Kana’i Mauga G Jordan Meredith WR DJ Turner RB Austin Walter WR Isaiah Zuber
Rams
TE Roger Carter DB TJ Carter DE TJ Carter DB Richard LeConte OT Max Pircher WR Jaquarii Roberson WR Jerreth Sterns DE Brayden Thomas DE Zach VanValkenberg
Ravens
WR Shemar Bridges WR Andy Isabella DB Bopete Keyes FB Ben Mason LB Jeremiah Moon DT Rayshad Nichols G John Simpson WR Mike Thomas
Saints
G Yasir Durant DT Prince Emili RB Derrick Gore DB Vincent Gray TE Lucas Krull QB Jake Luton DB Troy Pride LB Nephi Sewell DE Jabari Zuniga
Seahawks
G Greg Eiland LB Chris Garrett DT Jarrod Hewitt C Joey Hunt WR Cade Johnson OT Jalen McKenzie DB Chris Steele RB Darwin Thompson WR Connor Wedington WR Easop Winston
Steelers
WR Ja’Marcus Bradley DB Duke Dawson G William Dunkle LB Emeke Egbule WR Dez Fitzpatrick DB Madre Harper RB Jason Huntley C Ryan McCollum RB Anthony McFarland DB Scott Nelson OLB Chapelle Russell DB Kenny Robinson RB Master Teague WR Cody White DB Chris Wilcox TE Rodney Williams DL Renell Wren
Texans
WR Alex Bachman CB Jalen Camp RB Gerrid Doaks WR Drew Estrada DE Demone Harris WR Johnny Johnson DE Adedayo Odeleye DB D’Angelo Ross TE Mason Schreck
Titans
DT Curtis Brooks CB Shyheim Carter OL Zach Johnson WR Mason Kinsey OLB Zach McCloud TE Thomas Odukoya OLB Sam Okuoyinonu DL Jayden Peevy TE Justin Rigg WR Reggie Roberson OL Andrew Rupcich K Caleb Shudak
Vikings
WR Trishton Jackson WR Blake Proehl CB Tay Gowan TE Nick Muse OLB Benton Whitley C Josh Sokol DE Curtis Weaver
This is going to be a tough week with all the injuries the steelers have on defense, for them to stop Tom Brady and the Buccaneers offense.
But this week also gives the steelers a chance to what the depth players can do. This is epically a big game for 2nd year defensive linemen Isaiahh Loudermilk, who should be getting a helmet for the first time this season. Loudermilk really showed up big last season as a rookie.
Let’s get into the injury report.
Steelers Cam Sutton, CB Hamstring Out Ahkello Witherspoon, CB Hamstring Out Levi Wallace, CB Concussion Out Minkah Fitzpatrick, S Knee Out Pat Freiermith, TE Concussion Out DeMarvin Leal, DE Knee Out
Buccaneers Mike Edwards, S Elbow Questionable Julio Jones, WR Knee Doubtful Akiem Hicks, DT Foot Out Sean Murphy-Bunting, CB Quad Out Logan Ryan, S Foot Out
I love this time of the year when teams have big decisions to make. The transaction report daily depicts what is going on with each team. Will the decisions help or slow down the teams progress.
49ers
Designated S Jimmie Ward and CB Jason Verrett to return from the IR
Signed WR Willie Snead to the practice squad
Bears
Designated WR N’Keal Harris to return from IR
Placed G Cody Whitehair on IR
Bengals
designated DE Khalid Kareem and CB Cam Taylor-Britt to return from the IR
Bills
Released WR Tavon Austin
Signed WR Jaquarii Roberson to the practice squad
Browns
Signing TE Pharaoh Brown
Designated CB Greedy Williams to return from IR
Signed DB Richard LeCounte to the practice squad
Buccaneers
WR Cole Beasley announces his retirement
Cardinals
Signed G Koda Martin to the practice squad
Placed G Lachavious Simmons on the practice squad injured list
Chargers
Signed WR Keelan Doss to the practice squad
Colts
Re-sign WR Dezmon Patmon to the practice squad
Commanders
Released DB Troy Apke
Cowboys
Promote QB Will Grier from the practice squad
Placed LS Jake McQuaide on IR
Designated LB Damone Clark to return from the NFI list
Dolphins
Designated DB Clayton Fejedelom to return for IR
Eagles
Designated OT Andre Dillard to return from the IR
Signed K Cameron Dicker to the practice squad
Falcons
Sign DT Jaleel Johnson to the practice squad
Designated CB Isaiah Oliver to return from IR
Giants
Designated OL Nick Gates to return from the PUP list
Signed OL Solomon Kindley to the practice squad
Released RB Antonio Williams
Jets
Designated OT Duane Brown and DE Vinny Curry to return from IR
Lions
Designated CB Jerry Jacobs and DE Josh Paschal to return from the PUP list
Signed K Michael Badgley to the practice squad
Signed WR Tom Kennedy from the practice squad to the active roster
Panthers
Place S Jeremy Chinn on IR
Promote S Juston Burris to active roster
Re-signing S Kenny Robinson to the practice squad
Patriots
Officially designated WR Tyquan Thornton to return from the IR
Signed OT Marcus Cannon to the active roster
Signed OT Sebastian Gutierrez to the practice squad
Ravens
Activating RB Gus Edwards from the PUP list
Sign WR Bailey Gaither to the practice squad
Saints
Promoted TE JP Holtz to active roster
Signed WR Kevin White and DB Bryce Thompson to the practice squad
Designated DT Malcolm Roach to return from the IR
Seahawks
Designated DL LJ Collier to return from IR
Signed C Joey Hunt to the practice squad
Texans
Signed TE Nick Eubanks and WR Davion Davis to the practice squad
Designated LB Christian Harris to return from IR
Titans
Designate LB Monty Rice to return from the PUP list
Today’s workouts weren’t as busy as they were Thursday, but it was still a good number of workouts and visits. Among the players that had a visit is longtime Eagles OT Jason Peters who took a visit with the Cowboys.
