RJ Hamster
SI MMQB: Combine Week Kicks Off
![]() With that in mind, Jeremiah said that if you grouped the past five draft classes, from 2022 to ’26, Mendoza’s grade coming out of school versus the other would put him fourth of 12 first-round guys, behind only ’24 prospects Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye. McShay, in that group, had him fifth, behind the three from ’24 and Cam Ward.READ MORE FROM BREER David Butler II/Imagn Images Making 32 Bold Predictions for the 2026 NFL OffseasonBy Conor OrrTheoretical dead periods in the NFL are often the most fun. Free from the anticlimactic realization of hundreds of games, we are left to play in our own imaginations for a little while. Up next is the NFL combine, which is the crockpot of league news—it simmers with all the ingredients together, though the finished product is still a while away (and is always, really, just some gussied-up version of chicken thighs and rice). Not long after, we’ll have the start of the new league year and, by my estimation, some fascinating quarterback movement along with a few desperate teams trying to emulate the Seahawks instead of understanding how the team really got there (hiring a whip-smart head coach and building off of preexisting roster strengths). That makes the offseason fun, though the actual occurrences rarely live up to what we’ve cooked up between two ears (way better than chicken thighs and rice). That’s ultimately the spirit behind these 32 post–Super Bowl predictions, one for each team, focused specifically on the offseason. We’ll try to go bold because if not now, when? If not here, where? Let’s dig in. READ MORE FROM ORR Jim Dedmon/Imagn ImagesOne Move Every NFC West Team Should Make This OffseasonBy Gilberto ManzanoThe Seahawks and Rams had plenty of star power on display during their eventful three meetings last year.But now many of those star players are in need of new contracts. After the Seahawks are done celebrating their Super Bowl title, they’ll need to address all of their champagne problems. The Rams have another contract dilemma on the horizon with Matthew Stafford, whom the team needs to dethrone its NFC West rivals. As for the Cardinals and 49ers, they’ll likely be looking to part ways with a few prominent players. Let’s take a closer look at the NFC West teams by listing one move every squad should make this offseason. READ MORE FROM MANZANO Ron Chenoy/Imagn ImagesOne Move Every AFC West Team Should Make This OffseasonBy Matt VerderameAfter years of consistency, the AFC West saw major change in 2025. The Chiefs, who had ruled for nine consecutive seasons as division champs, swiftly fell to third place with a 6–11 record. Taking their place were the Broncos, who not only went 14–3 but swept Kansas City on their way to the No. 1 seed and an appearance in the AFC championship game. In Los Angeles, the Chargers earned the conference’s final playoff spot with 11 victories as Justin Herbert threw 26 touchdowns on his way to his third postseason berth. Conversely, the Raiders remodeled themselves in the offseason with the acquisition of Geno Smith and the hiring of Pete Carroll, only for Carroll to be one-and-done following a disastrous 3–14 campaign in which Smith led the NFL with 17 interceptions. But we start our look at the AFC West in Denver, where to stay at the top, the Broncos have to make some offensive investments.READ MORE FROM VERDERAME Joe Camporeale/Imagn Images2026 NFL Quarterback Carousel Preview: 24 Players Worth MonitoringBy Conor OrrWelcome to the 2026 NFL offseason. With respect to the quarterback position specifically, we have learned three critical lessons from the 2025 season: It’s important to hoard, it’s important not to let one’s own status as a quarterback whisperer inspire hubris, and it is especially important to create an environment that veteran quarterbacks deem attractive, as keeping one in the holster in case of emergency can be an absolute job-saver.This is why we’re already seeing Kyle Shanahan say Mac Jones is unlikely to be traded, making Jones one of the most valuable assets in the NFL. Dependable, low-cost quarterback play is very hard to come by. Jones now knows the 49ers’ system and, in 2025, went 5–3 as a starter with a completion percentage near 70% and a touchdown to interception ratio of better than 2:1. In terms of the market itself, I’m conservatively looking at anywhere from nine to 12 teams that are going to be actively looking at the position this offseason, and that’s not counting teams like the Rams, who could re-sign Jimmy Garoppolo but are a destination for veteran quarterbacks either searching for career rehab or a one-year stint in a wonderful locale with a head coach who can use them effectively in spot duty. The Rams should be considered as serious contenders as, say, the Steelers, Cardinals or Jets, given that most quarterbacks would probably prefer to enhance their stock for 2027 with Sean McVay than get railroaded by the clearly rebuilding Jets and their puzzling assemblage of coaches. With that in mind, let’s break the market into a few categories and examine what might happen next.READ MORE FROM ORR Kohjiro Kinno/Sports IllustratedMyles Garrett Relied on Big Dreams—and a Little Self-Doubt—to Become the Sack KingBy Greg BishopMyles Garrett had a dream five months ago. He has a lot of those, hundreds of dreams that descend nightly, random and pointed and pointless and inspirational and pure fantasy. Garrett remembers his dreams, too, which makes him a High Dream Recaller. HDRs, research says, display higher brain activity, tend to daydream and enjoy fantasy worlds, are creative and more open to experiences. That’s him. Myles Garrett, The Dreamer.This dream: He’s outside a hotel where he has never stayed, in a beautiful, wintry landscape; his girlfriend, snowboarder Chloe Kim, two-time Olympic gold medalist, is talking to him, but standing in front of him, her back turned.Garrett describes this in Los Angeles on Jan. 20. He’s less than 48 hours removed from a flight from Switzerland to LAX. And he’s describing how the moment in that dream, which he hadn’t considered since the morning after, had happened IRL three or four days earlier, exactly as envisioned. “I [get] déjà vu a whole bunch,” he says. “Or, I guess, I [dreamed] it, and it’s hard for me to recall that moment. Until it happens.”READ MORE FROM BISHOP Around the league • Matt Verderame: One Move Every AFC South Team Should Make This Offseason• Gilberto Manzano: One Move Every NFC South Team Should Make This Offseason Get the print edition of Sports Illustrated delivered to your door![]() ![]() Click to subscribe! We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email. Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. 625 Broadway, 10th floor New York, NY. 10012 You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the MMQB newsletter.You can unsubscribe here .Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions © 2026 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. All betting and gambling content included in the MMQB newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). Betting and gambling content, including picks and predictions, are based on individual commentators’ opinions and we do not guarantee any success or profits. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER or texting 800GAM.Click this link to view the newsletter in your browser. |

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