Happy midweek, everyone! Today’s Pick Six newsletter is brought to you by Cody Benjamin, with tidbits on all the latest from around the NFL.
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1. Bills acquire Amari Cooper from Browns
Davante Adams reunited with Aaron Rodgers on the New York Jets to start Tuesday’s trade action, but then the rival Buffalo Bills followed suit, sending a third-round draft pick to the Cleveland Browns for their own Pro Bowl wide receiver in Amari Cooper, who’s on the final year of his contract. Here’s how we’d grade the Bills’ big-name addition, which comes weeks ahead of the actual trade deadline:
- Bills: A-. Cooper has plenty in the tank if we look only to 2023, when he had a career-high 1,250 receiving yards despite a carousel at quarterback. He instantly brings credibility to an otherwise so-so group of Bills wideouts, giving Josh Allen a trusty route runner for the back half of the season.
- Browns: B. The Browns are essentially getting the equivalent of a late third-rounder for a 30-year-old wideout bound for 2025 free agency, which is more than fair value, especially considering everyone expected they might be deadline sellers at 1-5. Yes, it robs an embattled Deshaun Watson of his most reliable pass target, but those two were hardly on the same page to begin with.
2. Jets trying to make another WR trade
Hours after landing Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders, New York began shopping one of its other wideouts, with NBC Sports reporting Mike Williams is now available. The latter was signed to a one-year deal in the offseason, coming over from the Los Angeles Chargers, but has mustered just 10 catches on the season, struggling to build chemistry with Aaron Rodgers. Some potential suitors:
- Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott might not scoff at an added downfield target, considering Brandin Cooks is banged up and he’s been forcing downfield shots without a steady ground game.
- Los Angeles Chargers: The Chargers just released Williams back in March, but that’s because he was on a bloated contract. Now on a modest one-year deal, he could make for affordable insurance.
- Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers have been sniffing around big-name wideouts, missing out on both Davante Adams and Brandon Aiyuk. What if they settle for a lower-tier consolation prize?
3. Prisco’s Week 7 picks: Vikings outduel Lions
Pete Prisco went a whopping 12-2 making straight-up picks in Week 6. Now he’s back with predictions for every single Week 7 contest. Here are some of his most notable projections:
- Packers 34, Texans 30: This game is featuring two of the better young passers in the league in C.J. Stroud and Jordan Love. The Texans are playing consecutive road games, which is tough. The Packers will get the best of it as Love wins a shootout with Stroud.
- Vikings 31, Lions 26: This is for first place in the division with the Vikings coming off the bye and the Lions coming off a blowout of the Cowboys on the road. The Lions lost Aidan Hutchinson with a broken leg, which will impact their pass rush. Look for Sam Darnold to light it up throwing to Justin Jefferson.
- Chiefs 27, 49ers 23: This is a big game for both teams, the Super Bowl rematch. The 49ers have been struggling on defense, which isn’t a good thing against Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs are playing well on defense. That carries over as they win a tough road game.
4. Tom Brady officially joins Raiders ownership
After much ado, the retired NFL great received approval from other league owners this week to purchase a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders. Also an NFL analyst at Fox Sports, the seven-time Super Bowl champion will technically own 5% of the franchise, while his business partner Tom Wagner is purchasing an additional 5%. Former New England Patriots star Richard Seymour is also buying a 0.5% stake.
5. QB Power Rankings: Goff, Love enter top 10
Every week, we rank all 32 starting quarterbacks from most promising to most concerning, and this week, while the No. 1 remains the same in MVP candidate Lamar Jackson, we’ve got two NFC North signal-callers vaulting into the top 10: Jared Goff and Jordan Love, both of whom are on a roll in arguably the most explosive division in football. Check out the full 1-32 rundown right here.
6. Extra points: Super Bowl site, Vikings add RB
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Author: John Breech
October 16, 2024 | 1:10 pm
