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LINDENHURST, N.Y. — New York Jets rookie Jeremy Ruckert stood inside the ice cream shop he frequented as a kid, making small talk with the locals. This time, he wasn’t there for a milkshake or a banana split. On this day, a postcard-worthy Sunday in May, he was top billing on the menu.

For the 6-foot-5 tight end, drafted three weeks earlier by the team he grew up rooting for, this was a cherry-on-top moment. Ruckert, 21, signed autographs and posed for pictures for two hours. Music blared from a makeshift DJ booth on the sidewalk outside Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices, a popular chain in the New York area and a staple in this community for 25 years. More than 100 people waited in a line that never seemed to get shorter.

There were Jets jerseys in the crowd — Joe Namath’s, Curtis Martin’s, even Ryan Fitzpatrick’s. One guy, decked out in Ruckert’s Ohio State “88” jersey, said he drove five hours to be there. A handful of police officers, ostensibly on hand for crowd control along bustling Montauk Highway, poked their heads inside to sneak a peek at Lindenhurst’s biggest rock star since Pat Benatar.

“You always want to see a kid from the hometown go to the big show,” said store owner Michael Felicetti, who celebrated Ruckert-to-the-Jets by giving away free vanilla and pistachio soft-serve cones — part of the town’s post-draft Green & White Day. “This is simply amazing to see it happen in our hometown.”

The next day, Ruckert drove to the Jets’ facility in Florham Park, New Jersey, for another autograph. Surrounded by his parents and two brothers, he finalized his rookie contract — four years, $5 million. As he signed, his father, wearing a Jets T-shirt, broke out into the team’s famous chant:

“J-E-T-S. Jets! Jets! Jets!”

Growing up with the Jets

Despite being the fourth-most populated state, New York isn’t a hotbed for NFL talent. In 2022, Ruckert was the only player from a New York high school drafted by the NFL, according to the league. Consider the odds: In 2017, his final season at Lindenhurst High School, 46,000 played high school football according to the state’s athletic association.

That he was selected by his hometown team — the team his father worships — makes the story equal parts heartwarming and just plain nuts.

“Everybody back home is excited to be able to relate to someone they grew up around, living out the dream of playing in the NFL and playing for the Jets,” said Ruckert, the first draftee from Lindenhurst in 36 years. “It’s something I dreamed about as a kid. Now that it’s finally here, it’s pretty surreal.”

That goes for everyone in his circle, especially his dad.

Bill Ruckert has a Jets logo on the hood of his white pickup truck and another painted on a 3-foot landscaping rock that sits on his property in Lindenhurst. It’s important to note it’s in the front yard, not the back. That’s by design; he wants everybody to know the Jets are his team.

Bill is all Jets, right down to the Jets beer tap on the kegerator in the backyard. His love affair with the team started in the late 1980s, when one of his high school teachers gave him tickets to a home game. He got hooked and, by the mid-1990s, he was a season-ticket holder, making the 50-mile drive (over two bridges) to the old Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

His three sons, Jeremy, Will and Erich, were born into it. If they weren’t at the game with their father, they watched from their living room, each one in a Jets jersey. Pictures of those halcyon days are all over social media, including a picture of a young, uniform-clad Jeremy in front of the family Christmas tree. Santa must have been a Curtis Martin fan because there’s Jeremy, eyes glistening with happiness, posing in a No. 28 uniform.

“I became obsessed,” Bill said of his fandom, which began with many lean years.

On April 29, near the end of Day 2 of the NFL draft, his two greatest joys — family and the Jets — were joined when Jeremy was chosen five picks from the bottom of the third round (101 overall). In a New York minute, they went from the gloomy prospect of having to wait until Day 3 to utter bedlam at their small gathering.

“Oh, my God, he’s a Jet!” Bill remembers thinking to himself amid the euphoria — a moment, captured on video, that went viral. A nearby bar, packed with hundreds of patrons, watched the draft on a big screen and exploded with applause when Jeremy got the call from the Jets.

The Ruckerts celebrated the following day with 75 family members and friends at a relative’s home, which flew a Jets flag out front and displayed a framed photo of Jeremy, about age 5, holding a Jets helmet with a logo painted on his right cheek. Since then, his father has spent more time in the clouds than a pilot.

“I know how tough the NFL is and I know what’s going to happen eventually — it’s a business — but that moment of him getting picked as a Jet can never be taken away from us,” Bill said. “That’s something we’ll always have. I know there probably will be a bitter time because that’s just the sport, but no matter what, no matter how long he plays, I’ll always have that moment.”

In his day, the elder Ruckert was a 6-foot-4, 250-pound offensive lineman for Lindenhurst High, good enough to get called up to the varsity as a ninth grader. That was a “bad experience,” he said. “I was playing kids four years older than me and all they did was kick the crap out of me.” He played football at St. John’s, lasting a year. He left school and became a bricklayer. These days, he drives a tractor-trailer for a rental company, transporting heavy machinery across the tri-state area.

His bitterness from those early days formed his parenting philosophy with regard to Jeremy’s athletic career. He encouraged his son to play multiple sports, not just football. Jeremy became an excellent soccer goalie, using his size and agility to frustrate shooters. He was so much taller than his peers that skeptical opponents often requested his birth certificate to verify his age. Bill said he got so tired of the routine that he considered creating a T-shirt that featured a picture of the birth certificate. That way, Jeremy could just lift his jersey whenever questioned about his age.

Just like his father, Jeremy was asked to join varsity football as a ninth-grader. It wasn’t an easy decision.

“His dad was a little nervous for him,” said Mark Frole, a varsity assistant. “Thank god we talked him into playing, because he had a phenomenal year as a freshman. If you ask anyone on our staff, we knew when he was younger he was destined for something good.”

Despite modest statistics during a four-year career at Ohio State (54 receptions, 615 yards, 12 touchdowns), Ruckert established himself as an NFL prospect because of his all-around game. He didn’t get many opportunities in the passing game because he was surrounded by top wide receivers, five of whom were drafted, including 2022 Jets first-rounder Garrett Wilson.

“I believe in myself,” said Ruckert, more reserved than his father. “I believe in what I can do. Obviously, so do the Jets. I want to gain their trust. There’s not going to be a day that I take off.”

Jeremy was 10 years old when the Jets reached their second straight AFC Championship Game in Januaryn2011 — he remembers watching those games on TV — but his favorite team hasn’t been to the playoffs since. This isn’t Ohio State, where he lost five times in his career.

This adds another layer to the story. When an athlete plays for his hometown team, it can increase the strain if the team is losing. Your friends and family are fans of the team, which means there’s little or no insulation from the noise. It goes the other way, too. There can be demands and distractions if the team is winning.

Ruckert said he’s not worried, claiming, “I’m pretty good at saying no to people.”

For now, there are only good thoughts. Bill Ruckert has them whenever he drives past MetLife Stadium on his work route, knowing that soon his son will be playing there as a member of the Jets. He gets goose bumps every time. He looks forward to that day when Jeremy runs out of the tunnel, donning the colors he has been wearing since he was barely out of diapers.

“I’m a little bit of a softy sometimes when it comes to the kids, so I’ll probably get really choked up,” said the elder Ruckert, anticipating the first home game. “I’ll try to keep a brave face, but when I see him out there. … This is like a dream, like hitting the lottery. I still haven’t come down yet, and I don’t think I ever will.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. RG III’s take: One of the NFL’s more compelling 2022 storylines will be how quarterback Mac Jones is affected by the Patriots’ new-look coaching staff.

Bill Belichick hasn’t named a coordinator or playcaller to fill Josh McDaniels’ void. Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, whose backgrounds have primarily been on defense and special teams during their NFL careers, assumed leadership roles on offense in spring practices. Belichick was also usually nearby.

Some analysts have expressed concern it could stunt Jones’ growth in his second season, when players often make their biggest leap. But don’t put former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III in that category.

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“The coaching setup will have a massive impact on Mac Jones in a good way,” said Griffin, an ESPN analyst. “Mac has already spoken about how it has been a collaborative process with the coaches and players talking in meetings, installing the offense. And I believe that will lead to more ownership from him about what is being called and how he sees the game.”

Few dispute McDaniels’ excellence. Belichick compared him to Alabama coach Nick Saban last season, which is as high of a compliment as he could give. McDaniels, by all accounts, played a significant role in Jones’ development as a rookie.

At the same time, once the football is kicked off, the game is mostly in the players’ hands.

In that sense, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow — in a stellar second season in 2021 — helped elevate coach Zac Taylor and offensive coordinator Brian Callahan.

Likewise, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert — with a new coach (Brandon Staley) and offensive coordinator (Joe Lombardi) in his second season — had Los Angeles on the cusp of the playoffs in 2021.

For his part, Griffin sees championship potential from Jones, picking him over Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars), Zach Wilson (Jets), Justin Fields (Bears) and Davis Mills (Texans) as the Class of 2021 quarterback, who played significant snaps as a rookie, most likely to win a ring first. Griffin put Trey Lance (49ers) into the wild-card category because he mostly sat on the bench as a rookie.

Griffin also highlighted another aspect of the Patriots’ coaching change that could help Jones.

“If you don’t know who the coordinator is, the scheme, or tendencies, it makes it harder to game plan against early in the year,” he said. “That will allow this unconventional staff to get its footing early in the year. Advantage Patriots.”

2. JMac’s take: Former Patriots defensive back Jason McCourty views it differently than Griffin.

“You’ll never hear anybody [on the team] say anything in the media … but it’s definitely going to be a big thing. It has to be,” McCourty said during his recent guest-hosting appearance on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” show. “If you’re Mac Jones … who’s the guy you go to and say, ‘I want to run these plays this week’?”

3. Wise’s gift: Sixth-year Patriots defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr. already knows what he’s getting for his 28th birthday this month: A grueling conditioning test. Wise’s birthday is July 26, which is the day veterans report for training camp.

“I’m used to it by now. I feel like every year since college, it’s been somewhere close to my birthday,” he said.

The Arkansas alum has been a regular throughout the month at Gillette Stadium, where he said he puts in six-hour work days to prepare.

4. Slater’s presence: Matthew Slater, the Patriots’ longest-tenured player (entering his 15th season), has been among the few joining Wise at the stadium. Slater turns 37 on Sept. 9, and his commitment to his craft remains as strong as ever.

5. BB and the red bandanna: In accepting the Spirit of Tewaaraton award last month for his contributions to lacrosse, Belichick spoke of how humbled and overwhelmed he was, in part because the late Welles Crowther was a prior winner. Belichick pulled a red bandanna from his back pocket and held it up as he spoke.

“It hit me hard. It hit me really hard. I was stunned, really,” Alison Crowther, Welles’ mother, said from her home in Nyack, N.Y. “He’s a coach of such success and prominence, and such focus on his team. So I was completely blown away. I sat there in tears. I couldn’t believe my ears that he would even know Welles’ story.”

Crowther, aka “The Man in the Red Bandanna”, saved as many as 18 lives during the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City, where he worked as an equities trader and volunteer firefighter. Crowther graduated from Boston College, where he played lacrosse, in 1999.

In helping save others, Crowther lost his life.

Alison shares her son’s story when speaking with schools and corporations across the country, saying: “They embrace it and are inspired by it. That is the treasure I hold on to. Rather than the loss of Welles, just how alive he is in the spirit of so many people.”

So when Belichick mentioned him during his own acceptance speech, Alison was shocked. She had no prior connection to Belichick.

“I just see him as a really tough guy. Never smiles. And to see him speak the way he did about Welles, he had such heart in what he said. It was beautiful,” she said.

6. Rookie break: The Patriots’ offseason program ended in mid-June, but it wasn’t until early July that first-round offensive lineman Cole Strange and the team’s rookie class finished the NFL Rookie Transition Program. It helps orient rookies to local resources, club culture, history, leadership and expectations, with the NFL ensuring that all teams cover 15 mandatory topics. The rookie class now gets a short break before reporting for training camp July 19 (a week before most veterans), although some might choose to stick around.

7. Finish stronger: When McCourty assessed a top area for the Patriots to contend for the AFC East title against the heavily favored Bills, he said he’ll be watching how the team finishes the season. He noted Belichick’s annual saying that the season starts after Thanksgiving, and contrasted it to the team’s combined 8-9 record after the holiday over the past three seasons.

The Patriots’ schedule this season after Thanksgiving adds to the challenge of turning around that trend: vs. Bills, at Cardinals, at Raiders, vs. Bengals, vs. Dolphins, at Bills.

8. Renegade send-off: The three-time national champion Boston Renegades received a Patriots-based lift — in more ways than one — leading into Sunday’s Women’s Football Alliance title game against the Minnesota Vixen in Canton, Ohio (2 p.m. ET, ESPN2). Not only did owner Robert Kraft provide the Patriots’ plane for the trip, but quarterback Brian Hoyer addressed the Renegades before their departure.

9. Seymour’s presenter: When former Patriots and Raiders defensive lineman Richard Seymour is enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame the weekend of Aug. 4-7, his presenter will be Titus Duren, who was the principal at Lower Richland High School (S.C.) when Seymour was a student there.

“He was a proud supporter throughout my entire career, and he’s also a pillar in the community in South Carolina. It’s a great way to tie my roots and what’s really important to me throughout my journey,” Seymour said. “He’s much more than a principal at the school. All the kids that went there, he knows their families. He was someone who really cared what everyone was doing. It wasn’t just a job for him.”

10. Did You Know: Of the four quarterbacks selected in the top 10 of the 2018 NFL draft — Baker Mayfield (No. 1), Sam Darnold (No. 3), Josh Allen (No. 7) and Josh Rosen (No. 10) — only Allen is still with his original team.

RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks‘ breakout candidate for 2022 isn’t a player, so much as an entire position group. The team is expecting big things from its tight ends — a unit headlined by newcomer Noah Fant and Will Dissly — and one of the reasons might surprise you.

While it’s a virtual certainty that there will be a sizable drop-off from Russell Wilson to whichever quarterback ends up replacing him, the widely held belief inside the Virginia Mason Athletic Center is that tight ends will benefit from the switch, as counterintuitive as it may sound.

Specifically, the expectation is that Drew Lock and/or Geno Smith will be more inclined to dump the ball off and throw it to the short-middle portion of the field, which is tight end territory. Thus, Fant, Dissly & Co. will be more involved in the Seahawks’ offense than their tight ends have been for much of the past decade.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, 25% of Wilson’s career pass attempts have been thrown zero to 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage and between the field numbers. That’s the fourth-lowest rate in the NFL among 55 passers with at least 1,000 attempts since 2012.

It hasn’t stopped Wilson from becoming one of the game’s elite quarterbacks, but favoring deep shots to the perimeter over shorter throws helps explain why his tight ends were rarely a prominent feature of the Seahawks’ offense.

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Over Wilson’s 10-year run in Seattle, they ranked 14th in percentage of pass attempts thrown to tight ends, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The only times they finished inside the top 10 were 2015 and 2017, Jimmy Graham‘s first and final seasons in Seattle. In the three seasons before Graham arrived, they were 19th to 21st. In the four seasons since he left, they’ve been 14th to 24th.

With Fant coming over from the Denver Broncos in the Wilson trade, and Dissly re-signing after testing free agency, the Seahawks might have their best group of tight ends since those Graham days.

In three seasons since the Broncos drafted him 20th overall — Seattle was preparing to take him with the next pick — Fant ranks eighth among NFL tight ends in catches (170), eighth in yards (1,905) and tied for 21st in touchdowns (10).

“Goals for Year 4 is to take that leap, right?” Fant said in April. “I’m kind of stuck at that high-600 [yards] ceiling, and I’ve got to break through that. I think I have every opportunity to do that in Seattle, and I’m excited to get to work to do that.”

Dissly’s receiving production has been modest by comparison — fewer than 25 catches and 300 yards in all four seasons — but he’s flashed occasional brilliance in the passing game and has been every bit the blocking force the Seahawks hoped he’d be when they drafted him to be a key piece of their run-heavy offense. He’s missed only two games (one was because he landed on the COVID-19 list) over the past two seasons after his first two were cut short by serious injuries.

The Seahawks are hoping 6-foot-7 Colby Parkinson can catch on after an injury-shortened rookie season in 2020 and nondescript ’21. Tyler Mabry and undrafted rookie Cade Brewer are competing for the fourth spot, should Seattle keep that many.

“It’s a good group,” Carroll said at the end of last month’s minicamp. ” … Will is an all-around guy. We can count on him to do everything. Noah probably had one of, maybe the most spectacular camps of anybody. I just thought he made plays throughout the whole time: down the field, short-area stuff, understanding the scheme, all of it. He just adapted so beautifully. I didn’t know him other than through the draft process, but he handled himself just impeccably.

“Maybe the guy that’s most exciting is Colby. Colby Parkinson really became a go-to guy, and he’s got that tremendous frame and catching range and he runs really well. … We’ve got a lot of flexibility with these guys, and they’re going to be a big part of what we’re doing.”

If that wasn’t the plan, the Seahawks wouldn’t have made significant financial commitments in re-signing Dissly to a much larger deal than anyone expected, then picking up the fifth-year option on Fant’s rookie contract, making him the first 2019 draft pick to have his fifth-year option picked up.

Interestingly, Fant’s old team helped Dissly get paid. The Broncos wanted him to help replace Fant, arm Wilson with a familiar target and get one of the NFL’s better in-line tight ends. When Denver made its push for Dissly, the Seahawks upped their offer to three years and $24 million.

A month later, before Fant had stepped foot onto their practice field, the Seahawks picked up his $6.85 million option for 2023. It was the first fifth-year option they’ve exercised, having declined to do so with their five eligible first-round picks since the options were instituted in 2011.

“Obviously, that was a huge testament,” Fant said. “It kind of showed their faith in me.”

Fant described offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s Seahawks offense as “very favorable” for tight ends, noting how the passing game utilizes them down the field. They’ll have a lesser quarterback than Wilson throwing them the ball, but with it could come more opportunities.

“I think what’s cool for Noah in this offense is, I think you’re going to get to see a little bit more of just his feel for football in general,” said Lock, Fant’s teammate in Denver, last month. “His savviness, his whereabouts of bodies around him, how he feels defenses … I think we could have maybe pressed the field with him a little bit more in Denver, but he’s going to have the opportunity to do that here, and I know he’s pumped about it.”

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — At the Los Angeles Rams‘ Super Bowl parade in February, All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald stood at the podium to echo coach Sean McVay’s “run it back” chant.

“We built a superteam,” Donald said at the parade. “We’re gonna bring a superteam back! Why not run it back?”

And while the Rams made sure they kept their core group of players under contract for the foreseeable future by reworking Donald’s contract and signing quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp to contract extensions, the defense will look a bit different than in Super Bowl LVI.

Los Angeles hoped it could bring back outside linebacker Von Miller, but it couldn’t compete with the six-year, $120 million contract he got from the Buffalo Bills. Instead of looking for another pass-rusher, the Rams looked to add quality in a different linebacker position with future Hall of Fame inside linebacker Bobby Wagner.

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While Wagner and Miller are obviously not straight swaps in terms of position or skill set — Miller is a pass-rusher with 115.5 sacks, and Wagner is a tackling machine who has averaged 138.3 per season in his 10-year career, including a career-high 170 last season with the Seattle Seahawks — the Rams once again added a championship-winning veteran who will bring leadership to a roster that lost several key players to retirement or free agency since that Super Bowl victory.

Rookie Ernest Jones played a big part at middle linebacker for the Rams en route to the championship, so it did seem like an odd fit for Wagner in Los Angeles. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said Wagner, who should start alongside Jones, is still “one of those guys that can play every single down.” Morris said the Rams are working on what adding Wagner means for the defense, but that “all those things will play themselves out as you get into the season and you start game planning.”

“He’s certainly a guy that can go out there all three downs and play every single snap of the season, and it wouldn’t shock me one bit if he was able to do that,” Morris said.

McVay said he noticed that Wagner seemed “really comfortable” during the spring install of the Rams’ defense, saying, “It’s still football at the end of the day, and he’s got such a seamless way of being able to build those relationships and he’s such a likable guy.”

“He’s really a pleasure to talk to, to communicate the defense to,” Morris said. “Tell him the whys, the whats, the wheres, the hows. And then to get some input from him also. He does a great job. He’s been in this league for a long time and has been a great presence on command and leadership, so I learn stuff from him every day as well. So I’m really excited about working with him.”

During minicamp, Kupp talked about how “daunting” the defense is, something he said will make him better because he goes up against the unit every day in practice. The defense has an elite player on every level: Donald, Wagner and cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

“When you talk about who I believe are three guys that are either locked themselves as Hall of Famers or on track to do so,” Kupp said. “And that’s an incredible thing to have on each level of that defense and the leadership that they have. … It’s a daunting thing. I’m glad it’s just practice and then we get to go against it and practice against it, and it will make things a little bit easier for us.”

The Rams ranked fourth in Football Outsiders’ Defensive DVOA last season — third against the pass and 10th against the run. There is little room for improvement. With Wagner, though, the best might be yet to come for the Los Angeles defense.

“When you’ve got that kind of talent all across the board on all levels,” Kupp added, “and you’ve got to include Flo [outside linebacker Leonard Floyd] in that mix and some of the other guys that have played a lot of football for us. It’s just really fun to be around. It’s really fun to get the grasp and the understanding on how we want to do things and how we move forward every single day. So that’s extremely fun to be around.”

RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks are undergoing their most significant defensive shift under coach Pete Carroll.

They have a new coordinator in Clint Hurtt, who was promoted before Seattle hired a pair of high-ranking assistants to work with him. The new brain trust of Carroll — Hurtt, associate head coach Sean Desai and defensive passing game coordinator Karl Scott — is installing a refreshed scheme that it hopes will fix the issues that led to some historically futile stretches in each of the past two seasons.

Consider safety Jamal Adams a fan.

“It’s really exciting,” Adams said during minicamp. “We brought in some coaches that really are eager to teach everybody. It’s a defense that I know [Quandre] Diggs and I are really excited to be a part of. It’s very aggressive to where we can be interchangeable, to where we can make a lot of plays on the back end.”

Perhaps no one on Seattle’s defense stands to benefit more from the scheme changes than Adams, the strong safety who made the Pro Bowl during a record-setting debut season in Seattle in 2020 but was underwhelming during a disappointing 2021 follow-up.

Actually, the strong- and free-safety designations might be less applicable to Adams and Diggs in Seattle’s new defense.

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In the front seven, the Seahawks will incorporate more 3-4 looks in a continuation of the shift that began last season. On the back end, they’ll run more split-safety looks — a hallmark of the Vic Fangio system that Hurtt and Desai learned as assistants under Fangio with the Chicago Bears. The idea is that if Adams and Diggs are both aligned as high safeties before the snap, opposing quarterbacks can’t determine as easily who is doing what on a given play.

On a larger scale, the goal is to keep offenses guessing by being able to run multiple coverages out of the same pre-snap alignment.

“I think it’s going to help both of us,” Diggs said. “I think guys can’t automatically tag [Adams] and say he’s in the box and he’s blitzing and slide his way. I’ve always learned from the different quarterbacks that I play with. They always watch the backside safety. And now with the backside safety just showing something different or kind of sitting there … you don’t know what we are in. You don’t know what checks we have. So I think that’s going to be dope.”

The belief inside the Virginia Mason Athletic Center is that Adams went from 9.5 sacks in 2020 — the most by a defensive back since sacks became an official stat in 1982 — to zero last season in large part because he became too easy for opponents to pinpoint. With offenses paying more attention to Adams, the Seahawks significantly dialed back his blitzing. He averaged four per game compared to 8.25 in 2020, even though he played 5.75 more snaps per game as Seattle’s defense struggled to get off the field.

But some in the organization think more creativity with how Adams was deployed as a blitzer would have made him less predictable.

“If every time this guy’s in this position, he’s doing this, well, it makes it easier for that opponent to say, ‘OK, he’s here, we’re doing this,'” said Scott, who coaches defensive backs in addition to his defensive passing game coordinator role. “Whereas if he’s in this position, now he’s going to the half, he’s blitzing, now he’s playing curl-flat … now the multiples occur and now it’s the guessing game on them. Kind of taking the chalk back and having the chalk last to dictate what they’re doing instead of them dictating to us.”

Adams and Diggs will have more freedom to move around pre-snap in order to disguise defensive looks and make that guessing game even harder on opposing quarterbacks.

“If you know the nuances of what offenses are looking for, that can help you as a player disguise and have a little bit of control in what you’re disguising,” Scott said. “Because at the end of the day, you’re trying to disguise to fool them, not yourself. It’s kind of like organized chaos.”

The four-year, $70 million extension Adams signed last summer likely ties him to the Seahawks for at least the next two seasons, as they’d incur more than $21 million in dead money by moving on from him before then. So he’s far from at a crossroads in Seattle. But Adams does need to produce more like he did in 2020 for the Seahawks to justify the investment they have made — two first-round picks and a record extension to keep him.

The changes to Seattle’s scheme will only make a difference for Adams if he can stay healthy. That includes a twice-torn left shoulder labrum that required surgery in each of the past two offseasons. He and Diggs — who’s also coming off surgery after dislocating his ankle and breaking his fibula in last season’s finale — took part in walk-throughs during minicamp. Adams left no doubt he’ll be full-speed by the time training camp begins on July 27, while Diggs said his plan is to be back by then.

Adams also had repeat surgeries this offseason on the ring and middle fingers of his left hand, which he started dislocating in 2020. They’re fused at such an angle that he can no longer fully bend them into a fist.

Between the injuries to his shoulder and fingers, Adams said he “played with one arm damn-near for two years.”

“It’s for the love of the game,” he said. “Been going through that for two years now. My first year when I got here, I dislocated by ring finger probably about 10 times, and the other one probably about … 12. Been dealing with that. Ain’t really said much. Let everybody talk about it, whatever. But it’s good now, and they’re in trouble.”

New fingers, new shoulder, new coaches, new scheme.

Can all that unlock the Adams of old?

ASHBURN, Va. — The first impression of quarterback Carson Wentz left the Washington Commanders excited for the next one. They saw what they had hoped to see this spring: a strong arm that should open up their offense. The work ethic, the brains.

These attributes made Wentz attractive to the Philadelphia Eagles, who selected him No. 2 overall in 2016, and the Indianapolis Colts, who traded for him in March 2021. Now they are the attributes the Commanders point to after trading for Wentz on March 9, hoping he can solidify a position that has been a revolving door for decades.

To recap: Since winning the Super Bowl after the 1991 season, Washington has started 31 different quarterbacks — nine over the past three seasons. Also to recap: Wentz was traded in each of the past two offseasons, something that would have been difficult to fathom just a couple years ago.

Both sides need this pairing to work.

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“I’d like nothing more than to play here for a long time and have a lot of success,” Wentz said.

He is signed for three more years, but has no guaranteed money after 2022. Whether he becomes the long-term answer remains to be seen, but Washington liked what it saw this spring.

“There’s a lot of different things he’s capable of doing,” offensive coordinator Scott Turner said. “Obviously a very skilled player. You see him out at practice, he’s a big, physical guy. He can really push the ball down the field.”

For Washington, Wentz is the latest example of a quarterback offering hope.

In 2018, Alex Smith arrived via trade following one of his best seasons with Kansas City. His career changed, and was nearly ended, with a broken fibula and tibia. In 2019 Washington drafted Dwayne Haskins with the No. 15 pick overall. He was cut before the end of his second season. Last year, the organization hoped veteran free agent Ryan Fitzpatrick would be the answer — even if only temporary. He suffered a season-ending hip injury in the second quarter of the season opener.

But none of them had Wentz’s arm. Wentz is also 29, so if it clicks for him in Washington he could be here a while.

If not?

“This is probably his last opportunity, just being blunt about it, to prove that he can be a franchise quarterback in the NFL,” ESPN NFL analyst, and Hall of Fame quarterback, Troy Aikman said in May.

Said Wentz two weeks later: “I didn’t know that was said. I’m fine with it. Everyone’s got their own opinion. I don’t try to put too much pressure on myself. I always have high expectations for myself and for the offense, but I don’t try and play those types of games. I don’t have enough mental space to kind of process all that, and it can wear on you.”

What the Commanders have seen whets their appetite for training camp and the season. Coach Ron Rivera pointed to Wentz’s work ethic, and how hard he was on himself this spring. After some plays, Rivera would hear Wentz talking. The coach would turn around and realize Wentz was talking to himself about what he could have done better on a particular play.

What Rivera hears in the huddle also pleases him.

“I really like his command of our offense,” Rivera said. “When you listen to him in the huddle, you listen to him talk to his teammates about certain aspects of the play. I know it gives me confidence, but when he is in the huddle calling the plays the way he does, I know his teammates can feel the confidence.”

The coaches also like how Wentz has worked through his progressions and thrown in rhythm. During one play in minicamp, receiver Cam Sims turned as the ball arrived. But, because he took too long to get into his route, the pass surprised Sims and the ball slid through his hands. It was a lesson for the wideouts.

“Cam was worried about footing on grass instead of the technique of the route,” receivers coach Drew Terrell said. “That’s a prime example of a great throw in rhythm that we have to be there to make the play. It was right on the spot.”

Said running back J.D. McKissic of Wentz: “He learned the offense pretty fast. He’s smart, he’s intelligent, he’s getting the ball out, he can move pretty well in the pocket, too. He’s looking like that young Carson again.”

Wentz wasn’t perfect. The defense intercepted him on occasion and he misfired on some throws. And the questions about how far he can lead Washington will take time to answer.

“The beauty of coming to a new spot is you get to reinvent yourself,” quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese said. “You get to start from scratch, if there any things you didn’t like about yourself at other places. I know for myself, I’d say let’s make sure that doesn’t happen [again]. … No one is holding you to an old standard.”

In Philadelphia, Wentz had to re-emerge after backup Nick Foles stepped in for an injured Wentz in 2017 and led the Eagles to a Super Bowl title. In Indianapolis, Wentz was being compared to quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck and Philip Rivers.

There’s no such scrutiny in Washington, just optimism.

“He’s just so powerful,” Zampese said. “The ball gets up and down so fast to downfield targets. For most [QBs] on a 10-yard route it’s easy; it gets to 15-20 yards and it’s like, ‘ah.’ [Wentz] zips the ball in the same [on longer routes]. We can access the field at a quicker rate than maybe some other places can.”

Said cornerback Kendall Fuller: “He’s always asking questions: Why did you play it like this? How did you see it? Everybody knows his arm talent, but it’s the little things.”

Wentz’s optimism stems from the quality of the players around him — receivers Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson; running backs Antonio Gibson and McKissic; tight end Logan Thomas. And it stems from changes in his personal life that he said have helped him grow. He’s married (2018) and has two kids.

“Everything’s changed. You mature a little bit, you see the world a little bit differently,” Wentz said. “So, I’m always trying to learn and just build and grow as good of relationships as I can with everybody, both sides of the ball, coaches, equipment staff, training staff. I’m gonna make mistakes. I’ll be the first to admit it. And so [I’m] always trying to grow and be self-reflective and be a better person.”

Wentz’s arm doesn’t need to mature. The coaches also like how he operates their quick underneath game.

The Commanders have speed at receiver that can threaten horizontally or vertically, but at its core the Turner offense wants to go down the field. Since entering the league, Wentz ranks eighth in passing attempts of 20 air yards or more, 11th with 140 touchdown passes (eighth since 2017) and 19th in Total QBR (12th since 2017) according to ESPN Stats & Information research. During that same span, Washington’s Total QBR ranks 31st and its 98 touchdown passes rank 28th.

That’s why Zampese won’t try to change a guy who likes to throw deep.

“I want that guy,” Zampese said. “We’ve been looking for guys like this; there aren’t too many like that. It’s easier to get a guy to back off than to push a guy the other way. This is hog heaven for us. This is exactly what we wanted.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. McMillan in middle: When the Patriots lined up in their nickel defense on the first day reporters were present for spring practices, Raekwon McMillan was a top linebacker.

It was a reminder of significant personnel turnover. Dont’a Hightower, Jamie Collins Sr. and Kyle Van Noy are no longer with the team. And while some viewed linebacker as a top need, the Patriots surprisingly passed on the position entirely in the draft.

So that had them lining up McMillan next to thumper Ja’Whaun Bentley as an initial inside linebacker pairing. Josh Uche and trade acquisition Mack Wilson took reps as well. And 2021 fifth-round pick Cameron McGrone projects to be in the mix (he was limited in the spring by an undisclosed ailment), with Jahlani Tavai and Harvey Langi also on the depth chart.

• Where things stand with Seahawks, DK Metcalf
• Evaluating Russell Wilson, Broncos
• Aidan Hutchinson already impressing Lions
• Dennis Allen ‘keeping the DNA the same’
• Dick Vermeil’s unconventional HOF career

McMillan’s standing highlights the uncertainty — and intrigue — with coach Bill Belichick’s linebacker plans. The 6-foot-2, 242-pound Ohio State alum could land anywhere from a starter to competing for a roster spot.

In the perfect Patriots world, he will turn back the clock to 2017, when the Miami Dolphins selected him in the second round.

ESPN NFL analyst Mike Tannenbaum was Miami’s vice president of football operations at the time, and he remembers the scouting report well.

“A tough, physical player. A little bit of a throwback. Very instinctive. Good tackler. Very smart and conscientious. Football is very important to him,” he said.

But McMillan tore his right ACL covering a punt in the team’s first preseason game that year and missed his rookie season. He returned to start every game in 2018, then played in 13 contests (12 starts) under new head coach Brian Flores in 2019 before landing on IR with a hamstring injury.

The Dolphins traded him to the Raiders in the offseason for fourth- and fifth-round picks, but McMillan was more of a role player in 2020 — playing in every game but with just four starts. While those around the Raiders viewed him as smart, tough and a high-end leader, his limitations in space were a factor in his minimal role.

After signing a modest one-year deal as a free agent with the Patriots in 2021, and being praised by Belichick early in training camp, McMillan tore his left ACL covering a kickoff in practice. That wiped out his season entirely, setting up this year’s comeback attempt.

“It’s been a long year for me, but we’re moving forward,” McMillan said in May. “After sitting back and watching, I’m ready to go.”

Added Tannenbaum: “I would bet on his character and work ethic and love of game. He’s really smart. You just hope he can stay healthy.”

2. Uche’s fit: Where Uche fits in the linebacker group looks like a moving target based on spring practices. He worked off the line and on the line, and assistant coach Steve Belichick previously referred to him as “an important piece to the puzzle.” The 2020 second-round pick from Michigan played just three snaps in the playoff loss to Buffalo (not including kneel-downs) as a niche pass-rusher (his primary role in 2021), and his ability to take on a larger role with responsibilities in pass coverage could be critical.

3. Andrews’ accounting: The Patriots needed to create some cap space to sign the remainder of their draft class, and restructuring center David Andrews‘ contract provided the relief. It was a win-win scenario, with Andrews getting money now that would have been paid to him later and the team creating $2.1 million in space. There was no new money as part of the restructure.

4. Parker’s impact: Tannenbaum knows new Patriots receiver DeVante Parker well from having selected him in the first round of the 2015 draft in Miami. What might Parker bring to New England?

“You’re getting someone who can win on the outside. Big catch radius and good at high-pointing the ball. Really effective with in-breaking routes and in the red zone,” he said. “He’s a very likeable, fun-loving person who is a great teammate — always smiling, never had a bad day.

“Injuries have been a problem, and you just hope he can put it together for 17 games. I wouldn’t say his play speed is elite, but [if healthy] he’s a very good starting NFL receiver who can be scoring eight to 12 touchdowns and making contested catches.”

5. Cargile at forum: Director of pro scouting Steve Cargile represented the Patriots at the second annual Ozzie Newsome General Manager Forum on Tuesday in Los Angeles. The goal of the forum is to connect current and aspiring executives while providing a platform to help prepare, educate and identify quality minority candidates. Commissioner Roger Goodell opened by talking about growing the “pipeline of executives” with a goal of hopefully not having to host such forums in 20 years. Cargile, 40, enters his 12th season in New England, having worked his way up from an initial role as a scouting assistant.

6. Lynch’s lesson: 49ers general manager John Lynch played for the Buccaneers (1993-2003) and Broncos (2004-07), then had a brief offseason stint with the Patriots (2008), and it was that last stop that he cited when speaking at the “Preparing for a GM interview” panel on Tuesday.

Lynch was discussing player development and the importance of having everyone on the same page when he said: “There has to be buy-in across the organization. It doesn’t just stop at personnel and coaching. It’s your trainers. Your strength coaches. Your engagement people. Your community people. It’s a real holistic approach if you really want it to be successful, because you can learn from each person.

“[Players] get pulled in a lot of different directions; everyone wants to give them advice on their careers. But if you’re not tethered, sometimes that can be a detriment … and the approach can become scattered.

“That’s the Patriots. Yeah, they had Tom Brady, and that made a difference. But there are little subtle things, and I got exposed to that. I never ended up playing for them that year because I retired, but I did see things like player development [being] at the core of their success. Everyone was speaking the same language and giving that player the same message.”

7. Throwback jerseys: The Patriots are 9-3 in their throwback uniforms, which are making a comeback in 2022 after a decade-long absence. The last loss when wearing red throwbacks was to the Dolphins — 22-21 on Dec. 6, 2009 — when Brady had long TD passes to Randy Moss (58 yards) and Sam Aiken (81) but the team blew a 21-10 second-half lead against QB Chad Henne and Miami.

8. They said it: “High performance, I think we mistake what that actually looks like in the NFL. New England is a massive outlier — [playing in] nine Super Bowls in 18 years; that will never be done again. … You think about the great pairs. I think New Orleans did an amazing job — Sean Payton and Drew Brees. They went to one Super Bowl. You look at Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay, a well-run organization. One Super Bowl. Baltimore, with Ozzie and one of the best-run organizations — two Super Bowls in the past 20. Making a Super Bowl is hard. Part of the struggle is we hold that as the ultimate goal. But building a winning culture can be year after year — are you competitive?” — Kevin Demoff, chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Rams, at the Ozzie Newsome GM Forum

9. Stueber’s absence: Bill Belichick said during June’s mandatory minicamp that rookie offensive linemen Chasen Hines (sixth round) and Andrew Stueber (seventh round) weren’t ready to practice but didn’t disclose why. Fast-forward to this past Wednesday at the New England Patriots Alumni Club “Football for You” clinic, and the entire rookie class was there — except for Stueber. It remains unclear what might be holding him back.

10. Did You Know: Rob Gronkowski‘s teams had a record of 128-37 in the 165 games he played (including playoffs), which is the second-best team winning percentage (.776) for a player in NFL history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau (minimum 150 games).

The only player with a better winning percentage was former Patriots and Broncos center Dan Koppen (.781). Patriots left tackle Matt Light (.771), receiver Julian Edelman (.769), Packers/Dolphins tight end Marv Fleming (.763) and Brady (.763) with the Patriots and Bucs complete the top six.

FRISCO, Texas — In 2007, Mike McCarthy was 44 years old and in his second year as Green Bay Packers head coach. He was still learning the trade and emotions would sometimes flare, especially with a rookie kicker.

McCarthy is now 58 and facing a pressure-packed 2022 as he enters his third season as the Dallas Cowboys coach and is likely to face a similarly uncertain kicking situation that could make his emotions flare again.

With the Packers in 2007, Mason Crosby was a sixth-round pick. As 2022 begins, McCarthy isn’t quite sure who will be the Dallas kicker.

• Where things stand with Seahawks, DK Metcalf
• Evaluating Russell Wilson, Broncos
• Aidan Hutchinson already impressing Lions
• Dennis Allen ‘keeping the DNA the same’
• Dick Vermeil’s unconventional HOF career

The Cowboys have just one on their 90-man roster — Jonathan Garibay, undrafted out of Texas Tech.

In all likelihood, the Cowboys will add another kicker before flying to Oxnard, California, for training camp in July, but the assorted veterans available have résumés that don’t guarantee more success than Garibay.

It’s possible the Cowboys re-sign Chris Naggar, who was released before the rookie minicamp this spring. He has kicked in one NFL game. They will likely keep their eye on kicker battles across the NFL this the summer, and might even look to the USFL for help.

“Patience,” a smiling McCarthy said when asked what it is like to have such a quandary at kicker.

How’s his patience these days?

“Better today than I was in 2007, I’ll say that,” McCarthy said. “It was a good experience.”

In 2007, Crosby made 31 of 39 field goal attempts as the Packers made it to the NFC Championship Game. He hit a 42-yarder in his first game to beat the Philadelphia Eagles and none of his misses came in a game Green Bay lost.

In the one session he kicked during an offseason practice that was open to the media, Garibay displayed a strong leg. He made multiple kicks from 50 yards, but also had a miss from 55 and a 53-yarder ticked off the right upright. McCarthy believes the experience of snapper Jake McQuaide and holder Bryan Anger will help.

“You can definitely get a feel for his ability,” McCarthy said. “… He’s off to a good start. He’s just young.”

Crosby had a better collegiate résumé than Garibay, although Garibay did make a 62-yarder to beat Iowa State and help Texas Tech become bowl eligible. It was the longest make in FBS last season. Garibay missed just one attempt all year (15 of 16) and was a first-team All-Big 12 pick. In 2020, he made 8-of-11 tries.

“Man, as a kicker, you always dream of moments like that, just having the opportunity,” Garibay said. “I live by the saying that I’d rather be ready for an opportunity and not have it then have one and not be ready for it. I think when it came down to it, I was excited for that opportunity to kick that field goal.”

The Cowboys’ kicking situation last season was too shaky, even for a team that finished 12-5 and won the NFC East.

Greg Zuerlein missed six field goal attempts last season, when three of the Cowboys’ five losses were decided by fewer than three points. He missed at least one kick in each of those games, although he made a 56-yarder to beat the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2.

The Cowboys remained in Zuerlein’s corner, believing (hoping?) the veteran would find his form after not kicking in the offseason and through almost all of training camp because of back surgery. In March, they decided to move on from his $2.2 million salary, although they nearly re-signed him before he joined the New York Jets.

How the Cowboys are handling the position harkens back to the 1990s when they relied on former special teams coach Steve Hoffman to find a cost-effective kicker, and he mostly found them with the likes of Chris Boniol, Richie Cunningham and Lin Elliott.

In more recent years, their approach has been similar to 2011 when they had five kickers on the training camp roster — Dan Bailey, David Buehler, Dave Rayner, Shayne Graham and Kai Forbath.

Bailey, undrafted out of Oklahoma State, won the job and at one point became the most accurate kicker in NFL history. He made 32 of 37 field-goal attempts as a rookie.

Under the Bailey model, Garibay would have an inside edge.

At least for now, months before the games start when McCarthy’s patience is high.

“It means that they expect a lot from me,” Garibay said. “At the end of the day, I expect a lot from myself. … It’s a lot of mental. It’s mainly mental. There’s a lot of great guys out there that have the strength, that are really good kickers, that have power and accuracy. Just sometimes it’s a mental thing. It’s 99 percent mental and the other 1 percent is probably mental, too.

“I think there is a high expectation and I’m just trying to do like I’ve always done — focus on myself, not focus on the competition, and take it one kick at a time. That’s the mentality you’ve got to have — one for one all the time.”