Seven expected contenders who could miss the NFL postseason, plus Aaron Rodgers sounds off at Packers GM

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Happy Wednesday, people! John Breech is taking the day off to celebrate the arrival of midweek, so you’ve got me, Cody Benjamin, to deliver the latest NFL news.

This is the Pick Six newsletter. Let’s get to it now. (And please do yourself a favor and make sure you’re signed up to receive this newsletter every day! You won’t want to miss our daily roundup of everything you need to know about the NFL.)

We’ve got Raiders QB news, more Aaron Rodgers drama, Offensive Rookie of the Year rankings and much more:

Today’s show: Reviewing the Raiders’ QB questions for 2023

Jimmy Garoppolo

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Brady Quinn and Katie Mox joined Will Brinson on the latest edition of the “Pick Six NFL Podcast.” Their favorite topic: the Raiders’ quarterback situation for 2023. Who wants Actually being under the center of attention in Las Vegas? Some highlights from their talk:

Brinson strongly believes in “the ghost of Tom Brady” in Las Vegas, where Troy Aikman can already imagine the retired QB make another comeback fit in silver and black. It remains to be seen if Brady, 45, will be allowed to play if/when he is approved as an expected minority owner of the Raiders.
Mox questions the entire direction of the Raiders’ front office, moving on from “a skilled” QB in Derek Carr to betting on the injury-prone Jimmy Garoppolo. Her concerns are justified, especially since…
Quinn believes there is real reason to believe that Garoppolo’s latest medical issue, off-season foot surgery, “will have an even greater impact” on his ability to operate from the pocket of his pants. “It’s going to take a while,” he said, “before he’s 100 percent.”

Catch the full episode (and subscribe to all sorts of daily NFL talk) here.

2. Rodgers Speaks Out on Gutekunst; QB’s agent tried to get GM fired

Aaron Rodgers retired from the Packers more than a month ago. But the new Jets quarterback isn’t done yet blaming Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst for his split from the organization. The former MVP told The Athletic this week that Gutekunst’s communications were “no where near what I’ve already enjoyed here with the Jets,” and did not deny that his agent, David Dunn, had asked the Packers to fire their GM after he had traded until drafting Rodgers’ successor Jordan Love in 2021. Rodgers explained that he had not met Gutekunst before his trade this offseason, but denied ignoring the GM, but added: “I’m talking to the people I like.”

3. Playoff Predictions: Seven teams that could drop out of the postseason

Tua Tagovailoa

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At this time of year, most fans can talk themselves into their teams to run. But we can’t forget that the playoff picture looks a little different every season than expected. With that in mind, Will Brinson decided to predict seven expected contenders who could completely miss the postseason. Here’s a sneak peek at three of his picks:

dolphins: Not even the most optimistic Dolphins beat writer can control Miami’s biggest X factor for the season: Tua Tagovailoa’s health. The Dolphins offensive line is worrying in a vacuum; it’s a big red flag because of the trickle-down effect it could have on quarterback availability.
Chargers: There’s reason to expect Justin Herbert to take a step forward, but yet another change in offensive coordinator isn’t exactly healthy for a young quarterback. There is a huge pool of talented teams in the AFC and the AFC West could be a real problem with Kansas City and a potentially resurgent Denver team, and the Chargers have the 12th hardest schedule in football as a whole. There isn’t much room for error.
Sea hawks: They need Geno Smith to be the man again after an out-of-nowhere Pro Bowl season that saw him turn into a top-10 quarterback in the NFL. Seattle (also) draws the 12th hardest schedule in the NFL in 2023 with both the AFC North and NFC East, two potentially deep divisions.

4. Greatest needs for contenders ahead of the post-June 1 deadline

Most teams are done making major changes to their rosters. But this week, some big names could be dropped or shoplifted, as moves after June 1 can often result in team savings. In addition to identify top candidates to get moving, we surveyed some of the top teams to explore key remaining needs. Here are a few:

Bengal (TE): Irv Smith Jr. is a fine, low-risk, high-reward option in place of Hayden Hurst, but the former Vikings starter has missed 13 games over the past two seasons, with a career total of 365 yards. Cincinnati already has an elite corps for Joe Burrow, but the more guns, the merrier.
Leaders (WR): In reality, the presence of Patrick Mahomes makes the need for star wideouts almost moot. It helps, of course, that Travis Kelce is still on the tight end in MVP form. But ideally, you’d also rather not bet on Kadarius Toney staying sane and/or consistent as your new No. 1 as you try to repeat as a Super Bowl champion.
Rays (OT): Going all in for Aaron Rodgers should have New York in the mix for an AFC East title, if not more. But they need to keep the former MVP afloat, and while Duane Brown is a proven name in left tackle, he also goes on 38 and is coming off an injury-shortened season. Fellow OT Mekhi Becton has only played one game in the past two years.

5. Ranking of the Top Offensive Rookie of the Year Candidates

Sesame Robinson

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Draft expert Chris Trapasso isn’t done assessing the best prospects for 2023 just yet. Now that this year’s top names from this year’s rookie class have found NFL homes, he predicts the top contenders to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Here’s his overview:

8. Vikings WR Jordan Addison
7. Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs
6. Chargers WR Quentin Johnston
5. Ravens WR Zay Flowers
4. Foals QB Anthony Richardson
3. Texans QB CJ Stroud
2. Panthers QB Bryce Young
1. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson

Last year, Atlanta led football with 559 rushing attempts and was damn good on the ground. It ended up being one of five teams to achieve an EPA over 0.0 — which says a lot about how inefficient running is, but that’s another story. Enter Robinson, a thick, bouncy back with superior contact balance and a scat-back-like cutting ability. He’s also a fine pass catcher and runs through the second level with some grit. … Robinson probably immediately becomes the focal point of the offense. And he has the qualities to become an instant star in the NFL.