NFL News & Notes: A Kaepernick Comeback? Plus, A Philly ‘Fire’ Meal

When it comes to handicapping any football game, “quarterbacks are the most important thing,” says veteran bettor Billy Walters.

Walters’ 2023 book “Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk” delves into his exploits as a major sports bettor, including detailed explanations of his betting strategies. He also has spoken publicly about the importance to bettors of focusing on quarterbacks.

Going into the new season, some NFL teams are set at quarterback, while others are scrambling. For instance, the Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions, barring unforeseen circumstances, are set with last season’s top leaders in passing yards at the helm. The Bengals’ Joe Burrow led the league in passing yards at 4,918, while the Lions’ Jared Goff was second with 4,629.

Other teams are less solid at the quarterback position. An example is the New Orleans Saints, whose former starter Derek Carr, has retired. That leaves rookie Tyler Shough at the top of this summer’s depth chart, according to ESPN.

The 2025 draft didn’t yield a lot of top quarterback selections. Only one quarterback, Miami’s Cam Ward, went in the Top 10. The Tennessee Titans scooped up the  former Hurricanes star with the No. 1 overall pick. The next highest quarterback taken in the draft was Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss, who went to the New York Giants with the No. 25 pick. The Saints got Shough from Louisville with the No. 40 pick.

With teams like the Saints seeking help, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has not played since 2016, is said to available for tryouts, according to Yahoo Sports.

The NFL preseason kicks off July 31.

NFL Player, Reputed Former Mobster Discuss Cheesesteaks, Business Partnership

During Walters' years as a big-time sports bettor in Las Vegas, mobsters like the Chicago Outfit's Tony "The Ant" Spilotro were active in the desert. That period is depicted in the 1995 Las Vegas Mob movie “Casino," starring Joe Pesci as a character based on Spilotro.

At least in some cities, the names of reputed former mobsters continue to crop up. That includes Philadelphia, where alleged former Mob boss and convicted felon “Skinny” Joey Merlino still makes the news. On his podcast, Merlino has analyzed NFL matchups, even asserting that at least one recent NFL playoff game was “fixed."

Recently, Merlino opened a restaurant, Skinny Joey’s Cheesesteaks, on South Broad Street in Philadelphia. On the restaurant's Instagram page, former Eagles star Jason Kelce is shown eating there.

Retired NFL players aren’t the only ones showing up at Skinny Joey’s Cheesesteaks. Current Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson is seen on the restaurant’s Instagram page enjoying a cheesesteak with Merlino at the table. Wilson declares the chicken cheesesteak is “fire.”

Wilson and Merlino even discuss possibly going into the cheesesteak business together. On camera, Merlino tells Wilson he’s going to open a restaurant in Arizona “for you.”

“Yeah, do that,” Wilson says, “so, I can, we can do one together.”

"We'll do one together," Merlino says.