Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. Today's installment covers:
But first, a look at one of the most intriguing prospects to hit the NFL in memory ...
The Travis Hunter experiment is underway in Jacksonville, with the football world anxiously awaiting the professional debut of the two-way star. Though Hunter has flashed big-play ability throughout the offseason as a wide receiver/defensive back, the start of training camp has led to more attention on the No. 2 overall pick's every move between the lines.
Skeptical observers wonder if the 6-foot, 188-pounder can handle the rigors of playing 100-plus snaps at the NFL level while being counted on as a key contributor for a team that is looking to re-emerge as a playoff contender in 2025. There is league-wide curiosity surrounding a dynamic player with unique abilities that could make him a prolific pass catcher and "see ball, get ball" defender.
In a perfect world, the Jaguars' top pick develops into a hybrid playmaker with a combination of skills that meshes the talents of Justin Jefferson and Derek Stingley Jr. into one package. While those lofty comparisons raise the bar to an absurdly high level, few prospects have entered the league with Hunter's traits and résumé. He is one of the best pure ball catchers I have ever evaluated at the collegiate level, exhibiting the exceptional hand-eye coordination and dexterity of an MLB All-Star center fielder. From his tracking ability to his soft hands, few wideouts or defensive backs can rival his capacity to corral any ball thrown in his direction. Watching Hunter catch passes in individual drills at wide receiver, he consistently snags the ball with his hands, away from his body. Most impressively, he snatches the ball in traffic without flinching when defenders are nearby. His courage and concentration suggest he can handle the dirty work as the WR2 expected to work between the hashes, with second-year pro Brian Thomas Jr. in place as Jacksonville's top outside receiver.
As a defender, Hunter's extraordinary instincts should allow him to thrive as a ballhawk in a vision-based defense. The 22-year-old displays outstanding diagnostic skills and awareness, sorting through routes while maintaining vision on the quarterback. His quick reactions, rare athleticism and elite ball skills could prompt quarterbacks to think twice before testing No. 12.
While some folks like Travis Kelce have suggested opponents will attempt to tire out the rookie with a host of deep routes on the perimeter, the Jaguars plan to feature Hunter in "get off the field" situations (third down, red zone, two-minute drill, end of game), which could negate those tactics. Moreover, any decision to extensively target the youngster could play right into Jacksonville's hands, with the ball heading in the direction of a marquee playmaker.
Given Hunter's instant-impact potential on both sides of the ball, the Jaguars are approaching training camp with a detailed plan to get him sufficient reps on offense and defense, thus enabling him to comfortably handle dual roles during the regular season.
"You want to give him a couple days offense, a couple days defense, and then give him an opportunity to go flip-flop within the same practice, and then that will kind of become the norm," first-year Jags coach Liam Coen said on Wednesday. "... Every moment, every minute that he is in the building, it is accounted for and trying to make sure that we maximize his time, our time, so that we can ultimately get the best outcome."
Examining the Jaguars' plans to get the most out of such an alluring talent, it is best to consider Hunter as a full-time offensive starter and part-time defensive contributor. He will spend the majority of his time playing as a WR2 alongside Thomas and deep threat Dyami Brown, giving Trevor Lawrence a collection of explosive playmakers to help the former No. 1 overall pick maximize his potential as a pocket passer. Though Hunter will likely log 100-plus snaps in some games, the rookie's role as a starting wide receiver and defensive specialist should make for an easier transition to pro football for the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
Chiefs about to rekindle aerial acrobatics?
If you are a longtime listener to the "Move The Sticks" podcast, you already know how much Daniel Jeremiah and I enjoyed the Kansas City Chiefs' high-flying offense of the recent vintage. Led by a preternaturally gifted gunslinger (Patrick Mahomes) and a pair of unstoppable pass catchers (Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill), the Chiefs operated like a super team dominating NFL FLAG tournaments around the country.
Though the fireworks have subsided since Kansas City traded Hill to the Miami Dolphins three offseasons ago, Andy Reid has guided the team to three straight Super Bowl appearances (and a pair of Lombardi Trophies) following the electric receiver's departure. Despite the Chiefs' continued success, their offense no longer resembles the aerial circus that thrilled the masses. From the lack of explosive plays to the implementation of a more conservative offensive approach designed to complement a suddenly stingy defense, Kansas City is no longer the fun team that prompts football nerds to geek out at the perfectly executed, exotic plays on a grass-covered chessboard.
That could change in 2025, though, with the Chiefs talking about reviving the BOMBS AWAY approach that took the league by storm.
"I gotta be better at throwing the ball down the field," Mahomes said on Tuesday. "I mean, obviously, we weren't good enough there. We've had success in prior years, but these last few years, we haven't done that. And in order for our offense to be great, you have to be able to complete those passes. It opens up everything else. And so, if teams are going to challenge us at the line of scrimmage, if teams are going to challenge us to throw the ball deep, we have to show that we can do that. And if we can do that -- first it starts with me and giving guys chances -- but if we can do that, I think it's gonna really open up the offense and make us a better team in general."
To meet Mahomes' lofty expectations, the Chiefs must get better production from their protectors and playmakers. General manager Brett Veach hopes that healthy competition at every position will lead to improved play from the unit. That must start with the O-line. After a troubling season with the left tackle position, the Chiefs signed Jaylon Moore in free agency and spent their first-round pick on Josh Simmons. The decision was made to move Kingsley Suamataia, who opened last season as the starting LT, to left guard, where he's competing with Mike Caliendo to fill the void created by the Joe Thuney trade. Though Pro Bowlers Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith provide exceptional protection on the inside, the Chiefs need well-paid RT Jawaan Taylor to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 campaign (seven sacks allowed and 17 penalties committed, per Pro Football Focus) that contributed to the offense utilizing a more conservative game plan to keep Mahomes upright within the pocket.
In addition, the revamped offensive line should help a healthy Isiah Pacheco spark a running game that rarely commands attention from opponents. Although the fourth-year pro has been a solid starter at times, he's yet to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season. And defensive coordinators will not play heavy boxes against a rusher who averaged just 3.7 yards per carry in an injury-abbreviated 2024 campaign. Until Pacheco pops enough big runs to force opponents out of their two-deep shells, Kansas City will have a hard time generating explosive plays against the soft coverage and "bend, don't break" tactics designed to limit the splash gains in the passing game.
On the plus side, the Chiefs finally possess a receiving corps with enough speed and explosiveness to test opponents with vertical throws and catch-and-run concepts. Kansas City boasts a pair of burners -- Xavier Worthy, who ran the fastest 40-yard dash in NFL Scouting Combine history, and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown -- with the juice to take advantage of one-on-one coverage on the outside. With the speedsters capable of executing the deep crossers, post routes and double moves that were staples of previous Chiefs offenses, the downfield passing game could reappear in 2025.
If opponents remain committed to taking away the vertical element of Kansas City's attack, the return of Rashee Rice as WR1 looms large. Rice, veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster and fourth-round pick Jalen Royals give the offense multiple catch-and-run specialists who possess the strength and running skills to turn short passes into big gains. With 2022 second-rounder Skyy Moore also vying for a more prominent role after a disappointing start to his career, the Chiefs should be able to create explosives on horizontal routes thrown to a collection of rugged playmakers against soft coverage.
After losing some of the offensive pizzazz that made the Chiefs one of the most feared teams in football, the franchise's commitment to generating big plays could bring back the fun in Kansas City. With a new-and-improved lineup in place to help Mahomes rediscover his MVP form, K.C. could re-emerge with the kind of high-flying offense that previously turned the league upside down.
Put Tyrann Mathieu in the Hall of Fame!
The sudden retirement of New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu should officially start the clock on his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. Earning three first-team All-Pro nods over his 12 NFL seasons, the "Honey Badger" enjoyed a remarkable career that saw the former third-round pick become a Super Bowl champion and one of the most dynamic safeties in NFL history.
Mathieu, a member of the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2010s, snagged the most interceptions (36) of any NFL player from 2013 to 2024, while also finishing in the top five among safeties in tackles (833, fifth), tackles for loss (45, fifth) and passes defensed (100, first) during that span. Oh, and he added 11 sacks for good measure. Simply put, he's one of this generation's best multidimensional playmakers in the defensive backfield. From his instinctive plays on the ball to his knack for knocking it loose, Mathieu remained the dominant "see ball, get ball" defender who initially burst on the scene as a Heisman Trophy finalist at LSU.
As a collegian, the 5-foot-9, 186-pouder defied the odds, standing out as an undersized defender with unremarkable speed, thanks to his uncanny knack for making plays on the ball. While Mathieu's substance-abuse concerns overshadowed his playmaking skills, the ultra-aggressive ballhawk showed evaluators that instincts trump athleticism when it comes to scouting safeties. Whether it was his ability to pick off passes on tips/overthrows or execute perfectly timed blitzes off the edge, Mathieu displayed the kind of natural playmaking savvy that's hard to find in a third-level defender.
Moreover, the LSU standout played with the relentless energy and passion that defensive coordinators covet. From his unbridled enthusiasm after making a big play to his relentless pursuit of the ball, Mathieu brought next-level energy to the field. That zest for the game prompted the Arizona Cardinals and former GM Steve Keim to roll the dice on Mathieu despite red flags that would prompt some general managers to remove him from the draft board.
"Just like I said when we drafted him, it was a risk," Keim said on "Schein On Sports" ahead of Mathieu's rookie season. "Now, every player you draft is a risk, whether it's for skill, injury or off-field concerns. We had some off-the-field concerns about him. He's answered the bell. He's been a model citizen so far. Again, he has to stay focused and keep that trend going. The on-field stuff is as good as you can imagine. He is a ballhawk, playmaker; he's tough as nails. The other night, (former Cardinals coach) Bruce (Arians) told me that he got his first live game action late first quarter, second quarter, played in the third, and they tried to take him out of the game and he didn't even want to come out. He's just a competitor. The guy said he sat out of football for a year, he waited long enough, he wants to be out on the field. He just has a unique, real uncanny way about playing the nickel and that slot, blitzing off the hash, doing different things in coverage. I think the NFL is going to see that Tyrann is the real deal."
During the 2013 pre-draft process, I spent one afternoon studying film with Mathieu at the NFL Network to better understand how a scouting outlier could emerge as a dominant force in college. The meeting not only shed light on his exceptional football intelligence and superb instincts, but it also showed me how his impressive highlight reel was a compilation of educated guesses that resulted from comprehensive film study and keen situational awareness. In addition, Mathieu's maturity, focus and accountability made him easy to root for as he sought a chance for redemption in the NFL.
After watching Mathieu play at a Hall of Fame level throughout his 12-year NFL career with the Cardinals, Texans, Chiefs and Saints, while shining as a model citizen off the field, the veteran safety taught me an unforgettable scouting lesson: Betting on a player's football character can pay huge dividends. The man should receive a gold jacket, and his career should serve as a blueprint for other character risks hoping to redeem themselves as pros.