The 2022 NFL season is about two months away and football fans can’t wait to finally watch actual games again.
The non-stop offseason updates and discussions have filled their days for now.
Still, nothing beats cheering for their beloved squads.
But aside from the league delivering a sports product, the NFL also knows how to build storylines.
However, they have built compelling narratives for Week 1 based on recent events beyond their control.
Browns-Panthers Week 1
Broncos-Seahawks Week 1THIS LEAGUE https://t.co/YDRS9noRPA
— Kevin Pulsifer (@imPULSEivity) July 6, 2022
The Cleveland Browns and the Carolina Panthers will play each other on the opening weekend.
Likewise, the Seattle Seahawks will face the Denver Broncos.
The Seahawks-Broncos game is highly anticipated because Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson will play his former team.
Seattle selected Wilson in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft and he lasted with the squad for ten seasons.
He delivered a victory in Super Bowl XLVIII, the franchise’s first title.
Wilson was traded to the Broncos in exchange for five draft picks and three players.
The picks include two first-rounders, two second-rounders, and a fifth-round selection.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks also received quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant, and defensive lineman Shelby Harris.
The Broncos also received a fourth-round pick aside from Wilson.
Baker Mayfield As The Centerpiece Of The Browns-Panthers Game
On the other hand, Baker Mayfield was recently traded by the Browns to the Panthers in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
That selection could become a fourth-rounder if Mayfield plays 70 percent of the snaps this season.
The 2017 Heisman Trophy winner would like to get payback from his former team.
What is also fascinating is that the Browns are still paying Mayfield $10 million as part of his $18.8 million fifth-year option salary.
Mayfield can definitely have the last laugh by getting the money and defeating the Browns.
Those backstories should compel any football fan to watch this pair of games.
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