Extra Points: Riddick, Jeremiah, Bengals, Bills, Knox

There seems to be a growing trend of NFL media personalities making the jump to front offices. Mike Mayock recently left NFL Network to become the Raiders’ GM, and since then we’ve heard rumors about a handful of big names. Back in May we heard that the Jets were targeting Daniel Jeremiah, also of NFL Network, for a prominent role in their front office. New Jets GM Joe Douglas apparently wanted him, but Jeremiah wasn’t interested. Now, it turns out the Jets aren’t the only ones that have pursued the 41-year-old draft analyst. “Jeremiah is continually rebuffing NFL advances,” according to Lindsay Jones of The Athletic.

Jones also writes that she thinks “we’ll continue to hear Louis Riddick’s name a lot in personnel circles.” Riddick, an ESPN analyst, interviewed for the Giants’ GM job back in late 2017 before they ultimately hired Dave Gettleman. Both Riddick and Jeremiah are very highly regarded, so it’s not shocking news. Still, it’s an interesting development. How Mayock fares in Oakland might go a long way in determining how many teams take this approach in the future.

Here’s more from around the league on a quiet Saturday evening:

• The Bengals suffered a tough blow a couple of weeks ago when it was announced that Jonah Williams would likely miss his entire rookie season with a shoulder injury. Williams was the 11th overall pick in April’s draft, and Cincy was counting on him to start at left tackle. Cordy Glenn will slide over from guard to take his place, but the Bengals are now pretty thin at tackle. As such, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic expects the Bengals to make a move to add a tackle “whether a veteran cut, waiver pickup or trade.” The Bengals also have to find a replacement for Glenn at left guard, and last we heard 2016 fifth-round pick Christian Westerman is the early favorite. There aren’t too many appealing veteran options on the open market, so perhaps the Bengals will try to swing a trade. With Glenn on the left side and former Giants castoff Bobby Hart on the right side, the Bengals don’t have an enviable situation at tackle.
• It’s often said that tight end is the hardest position to transition to the pro game from college at other than quarterback. Rookie tight ends don’t usually make huge contributions, as it takes them a while to adjust. Don’t tell that to Dawson Knox and the Bills. Knox, a third-round pick from Ole Miss, has a shot to start from Week 1 for Buffalo, according to Vic Carruci of the Buffalo News. Knox never was used a ton as a receiver, racking up only 284 yards in his last year at Ole Miss, but he did average an impressive 18.9 yards per catch. The Bills finally let Charles Clay go this past offseason, but they also signed Tyler Kroft to a three-year deal, who profiles as Knox’s main competition. Kroft suffered a broken foot back in May and might not be ready for the start of the regular season, which could force Buffalo’s hand with Knox.