One Team's Trash is Another Team's Holdout

Good morning. This is the Opening Drive, the weekly newsletter that brings you the best of the NFL so you’re always the smartest one at the water cooler.

Cowboys offered CeeDee $33M a year, the Haason Reddick situation in New York is a dumpster fire, the Falcons added two key pieces to their defense, J.J. McCarthy is out for the year, Nick Cage will play John Madden, and we unpack an NFL ‘scorigami’.

This week’s edition is LOADED. But first, savor the flavors of summer with plant-powered meal kits, delivered straight to you from Purple Carrot.

Let’s dive in.

QUICK HITS

• Cowboys reportedly offer WR CeeDee Lamb a deal worth slightly under $33 million per year (SI.com)

• Dak Prescott opens up about looming contract (Yahoo Sports)

• Niners GM John Lynch on Brandon Aiyuk contract situation: 'We feel the urgency to have him' (NFL.com)

• Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase continues hold out amid contract saga (ESPN)

• Jets’ pass rusher Haason Reddick requested a trade, five months after arriving in New York via trade with the Eagles (NY Post)

• Vikings, CB Stephon Gilmore agree to one-year, $10 million contract (ESPN)

• Browns, LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah agree to terms on a 3-year deal worth up to $39M with $25M guaranteed (SI.com)

• Falcons sign All-Pro Safety Justin Simmons to one-year, $8 million deal (ESPN)

• Colts RB Jonathan Taylor becomes first skill position player to wear a concussion resistant Guardian Cap in a pre-season game (FOS)

• Vikings rookie first-round QB J.J. McCarthy will miss the entire season after undergoing surgery to repair torn meniscus (ESPN)

• Bills Pro-Bowl linebacker Matt Milano out indefinitely with torn bicep (NFL.com)

• Lions CB Terrion Arnold not expected to miss any regular-season time after injuring pectoral (Detroit Free Press)

• Lions' Dan Campbell expects injured RB Jahmyr Gibbs to be 'fine' (ESPN)

• Chiefs WR Hollywood Brown expected to miss 4-6 weeks with sternoclavicular injury (CBS Sports)

• RB Tavon Austin officially announced his retirement from the NFL (Yahoo Sports)

• Before the 2023 NFL Draft, then Las Vegas Raiders GM Dave Ziegler had a deal in place to trade up for the 2nd overall pick to take CJ Stroud (Bleacher Report)

• Tyreek Hill says he would beat Noah Lyles in a race (CBS Sports)

• The Cowboys are the first sporting franchise to top $10 billion in worth (SI.com)

• Las Vegas police are threatening to boycott working Raiders’ games over new security protocols (FOS)

• The Bucs rejected a record $6 billion offer to sell the team (Sportico)

• Nicholas Cage will play John Madden in an upcoming biopic (PFT)

• ESPN fires NFL Countdown host Sam Ponder and former NFL QB and on-air analyst Robert Griffin III (The Athletic)

• A federal judge has temporarily blocked the launch of Venu, a collaboration among Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. (Yahoo Finance)

OPENING DRIVE REQUIRED READING

• Still confused by the new “dynamic” kickoff rules? So are we. Check out the NFL’s rule explainer here.

• Amid the stunning reversal of the Sunday Ticket verdict against the NFL, Andrew Brandt chronicled some of the league’s most notable headwinds in recent years.

Power Your Plate With Purple Carrot’s Plant-Based Meals

Want to finally reach your daily recommended amount of plants in your diet? Want to enjoy them without scouring the internet for recipes or scavenging the grocery store shelves for dozens of ingredients?

Purple Carrot has the answer.

With fully plant-based, chef-prepared meals and meal kits that provide the exact amount of ingredients you need, plus an ever-growing “plantry” filled with healthy staples, Purple Carrot makes it easier than ever for you and your family to eat more plants - without spending hours in the kitchen each week.

What can you expect when you order from Purple Carrot? Fully customizable plans - pick from any combination of meal kits, prepared meals, and grocery items - plus the option to skip a week or cancel whenever you want. No matter which options you choose, you’ll always get nutritious meals that never sacrifice flavor.

What’s on the menu? This month, they’re offering five new light, fresh, and vibrant meals packed with seasonal produce. From Sesame Orange Tofu with Roasted Green Beans & Sticky Rice to Gnocchi Al Pesto with Charred Asparagus & Lemon Zucchini, there’s a mouth-watering option for every taste.

Get Your Seasonal Meals Before They’re Gone. Pick Your Purple Carrot Plan Today.

WHO’S UP? WHO’S DOWN?

Who’s up?
The Falcons’ defense. The Atlanta Falcons have made a statement this offseason, bolstering their defense with a flurry of high-profile additions. Leading the charge is the signing of former Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons, who inked a one-year, $8 million deal after parting ways with the Denver Broncos. Simmons, a two-time second-team All-Pro, brings a wealth of experience and playmaking ability to the Falcons' secondary.

But Simmons isn't the only marquee name joining the Falcons' revamped defense. Just a day earlier, Atlanta landed one of the top pass rushers on the market, inking Matthew Judon to a three-year, $51.5 million contract. The former Raven and Patriot has recorded double-digit sacks in two of the past three seasons and will provide a much-needed boost to the Falcons' pass rush.

These moves come on the heels of the Falcons re-signing defensive tackle Grady Jarrett to a three-year, $51 million extension in 2022, ensuring their defensive anchor remains in place. Jarrett, a two-time Pro Bowler, has been a disruptive force in the trenches and will benefit from the added talent around him.

With these key additions, the Falcons' defense has undergone a significant transformation, addressing glaring needs in the secondary and pass rush. Head coach Raheem Morris and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake now have the pieces in place to implement an aggressive, attacking scheme that could propel Atlanta back into playoff contention.

Who’s down?
The same old Jets. The organization finds itself embroiled in a self-inflicted contractual dispute involving star pass rusher Haason Reddick. After a stellar 2023 campaign in which he recorded 11 sacks, Reddick, who signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Eagles in 2022, has requested a trade from the Jets due to his desire for a revised contract. Despite General Manager Joe Douglas's assumption that Reddick would play under his existing contract, the player's decision to skip the entire offseason, including mandatory minicamp, made it evident that he was seeking a new deal.

While contract holdouts are not uncommon in the NFL, the Jets' historical front-office mismanagement has once again come to the forefront. The franchise's well-documented dysfunction, characterized by a revolving door of coaches, executives, and players has fostered an environment conducive to player discontent and mistrust.

Reddick's holdout bears resemblance to the infamous Darrelle Revis saga of 2010, when the Jets' mishandling of contract negotiations led to the star cornerback holding out for the entire offseason, a situation that played out publicly on HBO's "Hard Knocks." The team's failure to learn from past mistakes has become a recurring theme, leaving players like Reddick questioning the organization's commitment to retaining top talent.

Head coach Robert Saleh and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have attempted to downplay the situation, but the distraction looms large as the Jets prepare for a season with high expectations. In this potential make-or-break year, the Jets' handling of the Reddick situation could cost both Douglas and Saleh their jobs, perpetuating a cycle of underachievement for this franchise.

NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW
What is a scorigami?

The NFL "scorigami", a concept thought up by Jon Bois, is a unique phenomenon that has captivated fans and analysts alike. It refers to the occurrence of a final score in an NFL game that has never been seen before in the league's history. With a vast array of possible score combinations, the concept of scorigami highlights the rarity and unpredictability of certain final scores.

Since the inception of the NFL in 1920, there have been 1,084 unique final scores recorded as of the end of the 2024 season. The most common final score is 20-17, occurring 290 times, while the rarest is 66-0, which has happened just once, in a 1920 game between the Rochester Jeffersons and Fort Porter. In the modern era (post-merger in 1970) the rarest score 42-40 happened once in 1971 in a game between the New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers.

The pursuit of scorigami has become a fascinating aspect of NFL fandom, with dedicated websites and social media accounts tracking the occurrence of new final scores each season. The last scorigami, occurred on December 31, 2023 in game between the Miami Dolphins and the Baltimore Ravens which ended 56-19 (Ravens).

The concept of scorigami not only adds an extra layer of excitement to NFL games but also highlights the intricate nature of the sport, where even the slightest variation in scoring can lead to a historic outcome. As the league continues to evolve, fans and analysts alike eagerly anticipate the next scorigami moment, a testament to the enduring allure of this unique phenomenon.

Did you know (in the modern era)?

🏈 The highest point total was a 58-48 shootout between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns on November 28, 2004.
🏈 The lowest point total was a 3-0 game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Las Vegas Raiders on December 10, 2023.
🏈 The largest point differential occurred on October 18, 2009 in a 59-0 thrashing by the New England Patriots over the Tennessee Titans.
🏈 188 players have achieved the ‘octopus’, scoring both a touchdown and a 2-point conversation for a total of 8 points.

BEST LOOK 🔥 

The math doesn’t lie. 🐯 

MEME OF THE WEEK

😆 

A bonus meme for the fall wedding crowd 🍂 …

You can get free stuff for referring friends and family to Opening Drive 👇️ 

5 referrals - Opening Drive sticker pack ✅