Here are some items to round out the work week across the NFL.
- With the Justin Houston standoff still in motion, the Chiefs have other looming financial decisions, which Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star examines as the team enters the pre-minicamp evaluation period. Paylor points out how Jeremy Maclin‘s backloaded contract, which will features a $3.4MM cap number this year before escalating to $12.4MM in 2016, makes this season’s wide receiver payments particularly minuscule, as no other Kansas City outside target is set to make more than $700K. Both Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson are playing for future deals this season, but as Scott Pioli-selected players coming off injuries, they may be playing for future jobs elsewhere. The John Dorsey–Andy Reid power structure has yet to re-up a previous regime’s offensive lineman, as Paylor notes.
- Jameis Winston wants to drop down to the playing weight of his redshirt freshman, Heisman Trophy-winning year of 2013 (230 pounds) after ballooning to nearly 250 in the offseason, reports Kevin Patra of NFL.com. The Buccaneers‘ presumptive starter’s at around 238 presently. The No. 1 overall pick also doesn’t believe he’s on a redemption tour of sorts after the legal and other negative off-field issues that mounted during his three years at Florida State, notes Tom Withers of the Associated Press. “I have nothing to prove,” Winston said. “I believe that people make mistakes but I also believe that you bounce back from those and I’m just moving forward.”
- With the Giants lacking much depth at safety, Landon Collins will certainly receive enough reps in an attempt to make good on his aspirations at becoming the defensive rookie of the year. But so far in the less-consequential, padless practice portion, the Alabama product is pretty raw in terms of playmaking instincts, writes Nick Powell of NJ.com.
- Tom Compton is still a good bet to make Washington‘s 53-man roster despite the team using the No. 5 pick on Brandon Scherff and relocating the ex-Iowa left tackle to the right side, writes Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. A 2012 sixth-round pick, Compton (six sacks ceded) rated as Washington’s worst offensive lineman in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).