Hello, everyone, and happy Wednesday. Another quarterback not named Joe Burrow has cashed in (more on that below), so John Breech may or may not be taking the day to sit outside Bengals facilities until a deal is struck. In the meantime, you've got me, Cody Benjamin, to deliver all the latest from around the NFL.
This is the Pick Six Newsletter. Now let's get to it. (And please, do yourself a favor and make sure you're signed up to receive this newsletter every day! You don't want to miss our daily offerings of everything you need to know around the NFL.)
We've got a Texans report, lots of Cowboys and 49ers camp news, big-money extensions and more:
1. Today's show: Inside the Texans, previewing Houston's 2023 season
KPRC 2's Ari Alexander joined Katie Mox and Will Brinson on Wednesday's "Pick Six NFL Podcast" for an inside look at one of the AFC South's rebuilding teams, the new-look Texans. Some highlights:
- For the first time in years, the Texans "finally have a (coach) who (commands) respect" in DeMeco Ryans, Alexander argued, suggesting predecessors Lovie Smith and David Culley "were sort of treated as unserious" even internally.
- An underrated name to watch, both in reality and fantasy football: Dalton Schultz. The former Cowboys tight end is a safe bet to command a high volume of targets in the season's first four or five weeks, Alexander said.
- Is rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud a "stone-cold lock" to start Week 1? Alexander thinks so, but only after Houston likely splits reps to start camp and gets a live look at Stroud operating the offense in the preseason.
Catch the full episode (and subscribe for all kinds of daily NFL talk) right here.
2. Cowboys news: Diggs extended, Martin holding out, Super Bowl hopes
Lots of nuggets to report from the start of camp for America's Team. Here's the latest:
- Trevon Diggs signs five-year extension: The young cornerback gets a reported $97 million in new money
- Zack Martin holding out: The All-Pro guard is seeking a pay raise after an inflation of the offensive line market
- Jerry Jones eyes Super Bowl contention: The owner believes Dallas has the talent "to compete for the top spot"
3. Chargers' Justin Herbert becomes NFL's highest-paid player
Another QB deal, another new benchmark for NFL contracts. Following in the footsteps of Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson, Herbert has cashed in with a mammoth five-year, $262.5M deal that ties him to Los Angeles through 2029. Not only does the extension make the Oregon product the highest-paid player in league history and put pressure on Herbert to finally guide a deep playoff run, but it sets the stage for the Bengals' Joe Burrow to secure his own lucrative deal in Cincinnati.
4. 49ers camp updates: Bosa unlikely to practice, Purdy fully cleared
San Francisco opened camp this week, and it did so with bittersweet news: on one hand, second-year QB Brock Purdy has been cleared to practice without restrictions after recovering from elbow surgery, though the 49ers could still split first-team reps under center; on the other, star pass-rusher Nick Bosa isn't expected to partake in any on-field activities while seeking a contract extension. All in all, it's good news for 49ers fans, with general manager John Lynch saying he and Bosa's representatives are having "really good communication" en route to a long-term deal.
5. Ranking divisions by WRs: Loaded AFC East takes the cake
We've already ranked all eight NFL divisions by QB talent. Now, Jared Dubin has assessed division-by-division receiving corps, weighing the aging NFC South against the top-heavy NFC North and so on. His top division for outside pass-catchers?
1. AFC East
Stefon Diggs and Tyreek Hill are easy top-five wideouts right now. Jaylen Waddle is one of the most electrifying threats in the league. Garrett Wilson was a star as a rookie whenever anyone other than Zach Wilson was at quarterback. Gabe Davis didn't take a significant step forward last season, but part of that was due to injury. Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman, Corey Davis, JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, etc. have all been average or better starters at various times throughout their careers. It feels at least somewhat odd for this division to have taken over the top spot when it was recently down near the bottom, but when you have an influx of talent like the AFC East has had over the past three years or so, that'll tend to happen.
6. Extra points: Kaepernick workout, Giants extension, Pro Bowl Games
Hungry for more headlines? We've got you covered:
- Kaepernick works out with NFL stars: And some of them claim the QB still has a "rocket arm"
- Giants extend Andrew Thomas: The young left tackle gets a reported $67M guaranteed
- Texans' Tytus Howard lands $56M deal: The right tackle is staying put in Houston
- Pro Bowl returning to Orlando: The Games format will also be back, along with the Manning brothers
- Mac Jones crosses the line with trash talk: A defensive lineman claims the Patriots QB is "disrespectful"
