Ranking the 5 eligible candidates for 'Hard Knocks'
Only five teams are eligible to be featured on this season of "Hard Knocks," HBO's inside look at an NFL training camp.
Teams are exempt from being chosen for the television show if they are entering their first year with a new head coach, have made the playoffs in the past two seasons, or have been featured in the series in the past 10 years.
That criteria pared the field down from 32 to five. Here's our ranking of the remaining candidates.
5. Detroit Lions
It's been more than 10,000 days since the Lions won a playoff game, so they certainly meet the third criterion for "Hard Knocks."
Matt Patricia's had a rough go in his first calendar year at the helm in Detroit and not much more is expected from his club in 2019. The Lions currently have 100-1 odds to make the Super Bowl.
The only player who seems to be a natural fit for cable television is Damon "Snacks" Harrison. The always-entertaining defensive tackle could carry the show on his own, as he may have to do with the team's defense in 2019.
4. San Francisco 49ers
Who wouldn't want to stare into Jimmy Garoppolo's eyes for an hour?
The 49ers quarterback - who's been known to date an adult-film actress from time to time - and his movie-star looks would be a perfect fit for "Hard Knocks." He's recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last September, so who knows how much on-field work we'll see, but that should mean more helmetless Jimmy GQ.
Though the 49ers are short on mainstream talents, Richard Sherman and No. 2 overall draft pick Nick Bosa could be capable supporting actors in the Garoppolo show.
It's also Year 3 of the John Lynch-Kyle Shanahan marriage and the Niners are feeling the pressure to produce results. Pressure makes diamonds and television ratings, as they say.
3. Washington Redskins
The Redskins' inclusion on "Hard Knocks" would give football fans a true glimpse of a quarterback battle in camp.
Case Keenum, Colt McCoy, and first-round pick Dwayne Haskins will all vie to be Washington's starter. The winner will be determined through training camp and the preseason.
The show would likely also provide a look at Alex Smith's progress in recovering from a serious leg fracture that's jeopardizing his career.
Finally, the competition at running back includes future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson, Derrius Guice returning from a season-ending knee injury, and 2019 draft pick Bryce Love. It all seems like the makings of compelling TV.
2. New York Giants
How is Eli Manning adjusting to life with his eventual successor looking over his shoulder? Put the Giants on "Hard Knocks" and let the world see.
Will Manning play nice with Daniel Jones? The veteran quarterback expected the Giants to select a quarterback in this year's draft, and having a rookie backup is nothing new to him (Davis Webb in 2017, Kyle Lauletta in 2018). But when the Giants shockingly used the sixth pick in April's draft on Jones, they anointed him their quarterback of the future.
Then there's Dave Gettleman.
After trading away Odell Beckham Jr. and allowing Landon Collins to leave via free agency, the general manager insisted it's all part of his master plan. Surely, Giants fans would appreciate a glimpse of that plan in action.
1. Oakland Raiders
Jon Gruden, Mike Mayock, and Antonio Brown? This team was made for a miniseries. The Raiders are the obvious choice for this season's "Hard Knocks."
This selection would provide fans with five hours of footage we otherwise wouldn't have of the ever-quotable Gruden, the team's TV personality-turned-GM in Mayock, and the Raiders' attempts at integrating Brown.
The team's also preparing for a move to Las Vegas in 2020.
Aside from Brown, the Raiders will feature plenty of new faces, including three first-round draft picks (Josh Jacobs, Clelin Ferrell, and Johnathan Abram), volatile offensive lineman Richie Incognito, and a man considered the dirtiest player in the game, Vontaze Burfict.
Burfict and Brown had plenty of head-to-head meetings as members of the AFC North, and Burfict delivered hits to Brown's helmet not once, but twice.
The pair have said they've smoothed things over, but "Hard Knocks" would give fans a chance to judge for themselves.