A few early season behemoths within the NFL rolled the cube with home cash Friday because the San Francisco 49ers’ protection obtained scarier with the addition of edge rusher Randy Gregory, and the Miami Dolphins’ offense folded Chase Claypool right into a ridiculously proficient group of ability gamers. The 2 trades price subsequent to nothing, and each franchises obtained off like billionaires after the pandemic.

Whereas the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears every rid themselves of pointless complications after tumultuous begins, Kyle Shanahan and Mike McDaniel are stockpiling for a playoff run, and right here’s hoping each squads keep wholesome. The Dolphins’ second-year coach was plucked from Shanahan’s teaching tree, and it’s not a coincidence that among the prettiest soccer to come back out of the league this yr has originated with these two coaches.

Dolphins improve to late-stage Quick & Livid horsepower

Claypool comes over from the Bears with a 2025 seventh-round decide for the Dolphins’ 2025 sixth-round choice, and he gained’t have to fret about his position on this offense as a result of everybody will get a flip. Mixing Claypool with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle is akin to swirling nitroglycerine with plutonium, and C-4. McDaniel additionally looks as if the type of director who is aware of precisely tips on how to make the most of a moody character actor.

Regardless of getting pasted in Buffalo by 4 scores Sunday, Miami nonetheless leads all groups in scoring at 37.5 factors per contest, and has a +31 level differential. At 6-foot-4, 238 kilos, Chicago’s short-term rental provides Tua Tagovailoa a “possession” receiver who has the flexibility to stretch a protection as if that was a problem in any respect.

If the teaching workers can free Claypool from his seemingly self-created points, the Fins can have the very best receiving corps within the NFL, and it gained’t actually be an argument. San Francisco additionally has three All-Professional degree ability gamers, however not on the similar place, or with a few monitor stars leisurely, threatening standing within the backfield.

We’ll see how lengthy it takes for the novelty to put on off of McDaniel’s scheme (or if that occurs in any respect), however the optimist says this workforce has but to peak with nook Jalen Ramsey aiming for a December return. It doesn’t take a sports activities author to determine how Miami’s season goes awry, so I’m going to take the route of a superstitious baseball participant and never even point out hit — I imply it.

The true impetus for this gamble? Miami doesn’t need to play wherever with inclement climate through the playoffs. Hold that offense free and as far-off from Western New York or Kansas Metropolis in January, and welcome all comers.

If the 49ers protection had a weak point, it doesn’t anymore

Sure strikes have catastrophe written on them from the bounce, and normally, it has extra to do with the workforce than the participant. At this level in his profession, Gregory is sort of a situational participant. Seeing because the 49ers’ protection is commonly in an advantageous scenario for an edge rusher, the veteran who’s been tasked with bailing out Russell Wilson or Dak Prescott will now get to run free reverse Nick Bosa.

All it took to accumulate the veteran was a 2024 sixth-round decide, and mirroring the Miami-Chicago swap, John Lynch obtained a seventh-rounder in return, as nicely. With Denver reportedly liable for the majority of Gregory’s 2023 wage, it’s a no brainer for a Niner’s workforce that would use one other man to harass the quarterback, and never a foul deal for Denver who obtained a greater return than the choice of simply releasing him.

The undefeated Niners play with a lead as a lot as any workforce this season, but reside within the decrease third in sack totals. Clearly, that whole doesn’t inform the entire story, however San Francisco has already seen Daniel Jones, and the Giants are half the rationale Seattle is tied for the league lead in QB takedowns.

Gregory is as expendable as Sly Stallone’s newest IP dump, but the 30-year-old theoretically might contribute much more than 65-year-old Dolph Lundgren. It doesn’t sound just like the Niners’ acquisition will swimsuit up in opposition to Dallas on Sunday, however I’m certain there will probably be a return match within the playoffs, and Gregory will break Dak over his knee, Bane model.

A Miami-San Francisco Tremendous Bowl can be like that Rams-Chiefs Monday evening shootout, however with Michael Bay — or whoever’s the present model of Michael Bay that’s not canceled — orchestrating the pyrotechnics.

And now, two Huge Ten West groups attempt to hump a doorknob

For these of you who didn’t sit by way of the practically four-hour Nebraska-Illinois sport, I’m simply going to checklist off the second-half drive outcomes of each groups in chronological order.

Nebraska: Punt

Illinois: Fumble

Nebraska: Subject aim

Illinois: Punt

Nebraska: Missed discipline aim

Illinois: Downs

Nebraska: Fumble

Illinois: Punt

Nebraska: Interception

Illinois: Interception

Nebraska: Fumble

Illinois: Downs

Nebraska: Finish of sport

Matt Rhule’s workforce inexplicably gained this sport, 20-7, no matter its repeated makes an attempt to yack the brand new Huge Ten coach’s first convention W.