2023 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Growing Certainty Jaxon Smith-Njigba Will Be First WR Drafted

April 23rd, 2023 at 6:37pm CST by Ely Allen

There are a number of wide receivers with first round grades, including TCU’s Quentin Johnston, USC’s Jordan Addison, Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt, and Boston College’s Zay Flowers. All have their pluses and minuses and can bring different things to an NFL offense. But, for a number of reasons, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba is starting to run away with the title of WR1 in the 2023 NFL Draft class.

Smith-Njigba is a true slot receiver, spending almost 90% of his time at Ohio State on the inside. He makes up for a lack of size and top end speed with agility, body control, and strong hands. Despite being a Buckeye for the past three years, he only has one full season of production at the college level, after missing 10 games with a hamstring injury last year.

He benefitted in that full season from having first-round picks Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave surrounding him. Still, Smith-Njigba outperformed both players in 2021, with 95 receptions, to Wilson’s 70 and Olave’s 65, and 1,606 receiving yards, to Wilson’s 1,058 and Olave’s 936. He didn’t have as many receiving touchdowns as Wilson (12) or Olave (13), but he still managed to find the end zone nine times.

The Eagles, holding the 10th overall pick, have reportedly been doing some last-second research on wideouts, according to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, specifically doing homework on Smith-Njigba. The Jets are another team to watch here. New York would prefer to take a top offensive tackle prospect, but if none are available, it’s hard to see Smith-Njigba slipping past them at No. 13. The Cowboys have also shown some recent interest in the wide receivers of the draft, but at No. 26 overall, Smith-Njigba isn’t likely to be around.

Regardless of where he hears his name called, it’s becoming more and more apparent that Smith-Njigba is establishing himself as one of the best, if not the best, pass catching prospect in the draft. If Pauline is correct, Smith-Njigba could find himself catching passes from Jalen Hurts or Aaron Rodgers next September.

Draft Rumors: Stroud, Wilson, Carter, Kancey, Bears, Van Ness

April 23rd, 2023 at 5:23pm CST by Ely Allen

When the Panthers traded up for the No.1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the betting odds for who would be selected swung from Alabama’s Bryce Young to Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. As we have crept towards the pivotal day, Young has forced his way back into the favorite position. Questions about how the teams following Carolina will approach their picks have some believing in a potential slide for Stroud on Thursday. According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, the current belief is that Stroud won’t make it past the Raiders at No. 7 overall.

While some believe that quarterbacks could be the focus of the first four picks, there are possibilities for each pick. The Panthers could choose Young, and there’s a chance the Texans will go pass rusher. Arizona likely won’t take a passer after paying Kyler Murray, and the Colts have Kentucky quarterback Will Levis as an option opposite Stroud. The Seahawks and Lions follow them, but both have veteran quarterbacks coming off of strong seasons.

That brings us to the Raiders. Even after Las Vegas brought in Jimmy Garoppolo, rumors have claimed that the team will still look into drafting a passer with their top pick. If Stroud somehow pinballs his way past the first six picks, it would be extremely difficult for the Raiders to pass him up.

Here are a few other rumors as we close in on Draft Day:

As we mentioned above, if the Texans pass on quarterback, they could choose a pass rusher with the second-overall pick. Many believe Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson could be that selection, but according to Pauline, Houston has some problems with his medicals. If Wilson is not their selection as a pass rusher, Alabama’s Will Anderson would likely be the other option.
There has been some reported certainty that Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter will be the Seahawks choice at No. 5 overall. According to Pauline, that certainty is coming from more external sources than internal. Reportedly, Seattle has some hesitancy about handing over the $30MM of guarantees that Carter would get in that draft slot. We’ll have to wait and see if that hesitancy wins out.
One name that continues to rise up draft boards is that of Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey. Despite the lack of ideal size, at 6-foot-1, 281 pounds, Kancey has convinced many that he is a lock to be selected on Day 1, according to Pauline. The Saints, in particular, are a team that have really done their due diligence on Kancey. They could feel really good about nabbing a certain first-round talent with the 29th pick of the draft.
According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears could be looking to add a tight end in a year that is incredibly deep at the position. Chicago won’t likely use a top ten pick on Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer or Utah’s Dalton Kincaid, but thanks to the Roquan Smith-trade, the team has two second-round picks and may use them on such prospects as Georgia’s Darnell Washington, South Dakota State’s Tucker Kraft, or Iowa’s Sam LaPorta.
Speaking of Iowa, a recent mock draft by Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan slotted Iowa pass rusher Lukas Van Ness as a top ten pick. Caplan explains that he’s spoken with several executives that believe Van Ness won’t make it past the Eagles at No. 10 overall. Philadelphia had been looking into pass rushers in free agency with an aging Brandon Graham, and Van Ness may be the answer.

Latest On Potential Cardinals Trade-Down From No. 3

April 23rd, 2023 at 1:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

APRIL 23: Following up on Saturday’s tweet, Pauline has identified the O-lineman being targeted at No. 3 as Johnson. The true junior only spent one season on the blindside with the Buckeyes, holding the LT spot in 2022 (after playing at right guard the previous season). He did so to great effect, however, earning an overall PFF grade of 83 and excelling in both pass protection and run blocking. Especially if Skoronski is viewed as a guard at the NFL level, Johnson could find himself as the top tackle on many teams’ boards. Whether a trade for the third pick materializes or not, he won’t have to wait long to hear his name called on Day 1.

APRIL 22: Arizona has long been named as a team to watch for a potential move down the board in next week’s draft. The Cardinals are currently set to pick third overall, but they could benefit from a trade allowing them to gain extra draft capital.

A report emerged earlier this month that no fewer than six teams have called Arizona about the No. 3 selection. Teams moving up to such a premium spot would presumably do so to land a quarterback (especially if the Texans decline to draft a signal-caller with the second overall pick). In the event the Cardinals agreed to a swap, however, that may not be the case.

Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network reports that teams looking to trade up to the third slot are looking to do so to select an offensive lineman (Twitter link). That comes as a surprise, considering the way the top of the board is ranked across most of the scouting community. A number of offensive tackles are considered locks to go in the first round, but few (if any) are expected to hear their names called in the top 5 or 10 on draft night.

The identity of the blocker who would be the target at No. 3 would likely depend on which team was moving up. Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski is seen by many as the top o-lineman in the 2023 class, though signs are pointing to him playing at guard at the NFL level. Prospects expected to primarily play at tackle include Paris Johnson Jr., (Ohio State) Broderick Jones (Georgia) and Darnell Wright (Tennessee).

Each of those players have received strong evaluations in the lead-in to the draft, but defenders Will Anderson and Jalen Carter are generally seen as the best non-QBs in the class. Arizona moving down the board for a team to avoid either of those two would certainly be noteworthy, though it could keep open the possibility of the Cardinals still being able to select one of them, depending on where they landed in the order.

Given Arizona’s status as likely entering a rebuild, trading down would yield obvious benefits. With the 2023 class believed to be short on bluechip prospects, though, the list of candidates willing to move up has remained rather short. The Raiders and Titans have been reported as open to trading up from seventh and 11th, respectively, though quarterback is thought to be the position such a move would be built upon. The question of whether any of the class’ top tackles begin to gain steam in the coming days will be one worth answering as the draft approaches.

Draft Notes: Hooker, Texans, Avila

April 22nd, 2023 at 9:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

For much of the pre-draft process, it has been widely assumed that four quarterbacks will be taken in the first round. The next highest-rated passer, Hendon Hooker, could increase that number to five.

The Tennessee product had a promising 2022 season cut short by an ACL tear, which will keep him sidelined for at least part of his rookie campaign. That, along with his age (25), has hurt his stock to the point that many see him as a second-round prospect. Hooker has met with a number of teams across the Day 1 order, however, and the Raiders are one squad which came away impressed with him.

ESPN’s Matt Miller confirms that Hooker is gathering steam to be picked in the first round. He cites multiple scouts who believe he can safely be penciled into the Day 1 order, with one prediction even connecting him to the Commanders at No. 16. Washington is committed to Sam Howell as their starter, and they have signed Jacoby Brissett as an experienced backup. While teams set to pick later in the round could therefore be better fits, it may not come as much a surprise if one of them elects to add Hooker compared to earlier in the offseason.

Here are some other notes from the same ESPN piece:

Both Miller and colleague Jordan Reid are in line with the prevailing thought in league circles that the Texans will not use the second overall pick on a quarterback. Recent reports have increasingly pointed to Houston preferring a defensive prospect to any quarterback other than Bryce Young, who is widely expected to go first overall. Miller adds that Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. is the name “most often connected” to the second pick – something which goes against previous reports listing fellow edge rusher Tyree Wilson as the favorite for GM Nick Caserio and Co. In any case, the Texans (who also hold the 12th pick) will certainly be a team to watch in the early going on Thursday, as their QB situation may not be addressed on Day 1.
Reid names Kansas State cornerback Julius Brents and TCU guard Steve Avila as players who could find their way into the back of the first round. The latter delivered strong performances both in the run game and in pass protection during the Horned Frogs’ run to the national title game and is among the top interior linemen in the 2023 class. Per Reid, both the Cowboys and Saints have their eye on Avila. Both Dallas and New Orleans used first-round picks (Tyler Smith and Trevor Penning, respectively) to bolster their offensive fronts last year, but Avila could be an immediate starter for whichever team adds him late on Day 1 or early on Day 2.

Latest On DT Jalen Carter’s Draft Stock

April 22nd, 2023 at 10:06am CST by Ben Levine

Jalen Carter‘s troubling pre-draft process reportedly led some teams to completely remove the Georgia defensive lineman from their draft boards.. Carter is unlikely to climb back into the top-four, but his draft stock may not have taken as big of a hit as initially anticipated. Adam Caplan of ProFootballNetwork.com writes that teams still have the defensive tackle as the top-graded player on their draft boards.

Carter will not face jail time in connection with the misdemeanor charges he faced after two members of Georgia’s football program, offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy, died in car accident. Further, the defensive lineman had a weak pro day, but it sounds like the prospect did some work to repair his image during his private workouts with NFL teams.

Sources told Tashan Reed of The Athletic that Carter remains atop the Raiders draft board. While the organization is aware of “how drafting Carter could garner a negative reaction” following Henry Ruggs‘ fatal DUI felony charge, the front office has also done their due diligence on the prospect.

“We looked at Jalen like every other player that’s in the draft,” Raiders GM Dave Ziegler said. “I don’t think we want to cheat the process with any prospect in that regard. We want to hit those bases for each individual prospect. And, of course, on some prospects it’s deeper; there’s just more things to look at and more things to consider based on their situation. Jalen, in that regard, was similar to a lot of players in the draft and we feel very comfortable with the work that we’ve done on him.”

Lions general manager Brad Holmes shared a similar sentiment about Carter. While the executive didn’t elaborate as much as Ziegler, he did acknowledge that the front office “felt better” about the lineman following his in-person visit (per NFL Network’s James Palmer on Twitter).

Carter’s agent declared no visits to teams without a top-10 pick would take place, putting the Lions (No. 6) and Raiders (No. 7) in prime position to select the Georgia product without making a trade. In addition to those two organizations, Carter has also visited with the Seahawks (No. 5), Falcons (No. 8), Bears (No. 9) and Eagles (No. 10).

Ravens High On QB Anthony Richardson?

April 21st, 2023 at 6:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens have already been at the heart of plenty of QB-driven speculation this offseason with Lamar Jackson‘s future remaining in the air. A draft-day development which would alter the team dramatically could be in the cards.

Baltimore’s interest in Anthony Richardson is seen by a number of other teams as being “very real,” as noted by Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post. The Ravens’ affinity for the Florida product may reach the point that they could trade into the middle part of the first round to secure him, La Canfora adds. Such a move would obviously require a specific set of circumstances and represent a franchise-defining commitment.

Richardson is arguably the most polarizing prospect in the 2023 class, especially at the quarterback position. He served as the Gators’ starter for only one season, and delivered an inconsistent performance which included accuracy issues (53.8% completion percentage) but also a demonstration of his dynamic rushing ability (654 yards, nine touchdowns). His draft stock was boosted considerably at the Combine when he was among the top performers in athletic testing at any position, let along signal-callers.

The Ravens were one of several teams which hosted Richardson on a pre-draft visit, suggesting they wanted to at least do their due diligence on the 6-4, 236-pounder. If they remain high on him – and are willing to get aggressive by moving up several picks to select him – they would obviously be convinced that the risk of investing in his athletic traits would be worth the reward. A number of factors point to a trade-up being unlikely, however.

With several QB-needy teams set to pick in the top 10 on Thursday, a run on passers is expected. Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis could easily be off the board within the first four picks, meaning Richardson may not have to wait long to hear his name called. A few teams (including the Raiders and Titans, set to pick seventh and 11th, respectively) have been named as candidates to move up the board for a QB, something which would take the Ravens out of the picture.

Baltimore is also dealing with an uncharacteristically low amount of draft capital this year. They have only five total selections in 2023, and are without a second-rounder due to the Roquan Smith trade. Trading up (rather than down) in the first round would thus come as a surprise for any target, though the addition of a potential franchise signal-caller certainly alters traditional practices with draft picks.

Were the Ravens to draft Richardson, Jackson’s standing with the organization would be called even further into question. The former MVP had the non-exclusive franchise tag applied last month, opening up the possibility of an offer sheet. No market has developed for him, though, and he went public with his trade request in an attempt to move contract negotiations with the Ravens along or accelerate the process of another team acquiring him. Richardson is seen as a developmental project – much like Jackson was upon his arrival in the league – so the team’s plans at the QB spot would become even more of a storyline than they already are if the former was to find himself heading to Baltimore.

OL Rumors: Taylor, Jags, 49ers, Cardinals

April 21st, 2023 at 2:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chiefs‘ previous left tackle blueprint centered around giving up significant assets to move a right tackle to the left side. Andy Reid has confirmed the team’s plans to complete a similar project. After a March report indicated the Chiefs were planning to move Jawaan Taylor to left tackle to replace Orlando Brown Jr., the 11th-year Chiefs HC said the ex-Jaguars blocker will indeed begin his Kansas City run as Patrick Mahomes‘ blindside protector.

“Even though he was on the right side I think he can transfer over to the left side. He’s really a good athlete and I think he’s excited about that,” Reid said (h/t Chiefs Wire’s Charles Goldman) of Taylor. “Now, that doesn’t mean he can’t play the right side. If we got another left tackle, he could play the right side. He gives you flexibility. He could probably jump in at guard. He’s smart. He could probably play center.”

Taylor signed a monster contract — four years, $80MM, with $60MM guaranteed by March 2024 — to join the Super Bowl champions. If the four-year Jaguars right tackle starter stayed at that position, he would be the NFL’s second-highest-paid right-sider. Taylor primarily played right tackle at Florida as well. The Chiefs following through with their Taylor position switch gives them a need at Andrew Wylie‘s former spot; Kansas City’s 2022 right tackle is now in Washington.

Here is the latest O-line news from around the league:

Taylor’s former team has its top tackle coming off a season-ending injury. The Jaguars faced the Chiefs in January without left tackle Cam Robinson, who suffered a meniscus tear in December. As expected, the Jags have Robinson on track to be ready by training camp, James Palmer of NFL.com tweets. Robinson will be readying for his seventh season as the Jags’ primary right tackle.
Rather than move Taylor to left tackle last year, the Jags plugged in 2021 second-rounder Walker Little to replace Robinson. While Little would be poised to start opposite Robinson, seeing as he picked up some starts after losing a training camp battle to Taylor last year, Adam Caplan of ProFootballNetwork.com pegs the Jags as being most likely to pick an O-lineman or cornerback in Round 1. Caplan mocks Tennessee tackle Darnell Wright to Jacksonville.
Colton McKivitz is the not only the clubhouse leader to replace Mike McGlinchey as the 49ers‘ starting right tackle, Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes the team views the career backup as having a chance to provide a pass-blocking upgrade (subscription required). McGlinchey steadily received more praise for his run-blocking chops compared to his pass-pro work, though McKivitz has made five career starts. Then again, the 49ers got by with three interior O-linemen — Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Spencer Burford — that brought little experience to the mix. Second-year blocker Jaylon Moore should not be considered out of the mix, per Barrows, who ranks right tackle as the 49ers’ top position of need. But the recently re-signed McKivitz is the favorite. McGlinchey signed a five-year deal with the Broncos during the legal tampering period’s early hours.
While Jonathan Gannon did not seem to view center as a must-augment position, via ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss (on Twitter), the Cardinals seem likely to add an outside snapper after releasing Rodney Hudson. Arizona will add a center to the mix, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes. Billy Price started 11 games for the Cardinals last season; the ex-first-rounder-turned-journeyman is no longer on the roster. The Cardinals do feature some continuity up front; they re-signed Will Hernandez and have starters D.J. Humphries, Kelvin Beachum and Josh Jones back ahead of OC Drew Petzing‘s first season at the helm.

Latest On Texans’ No. 2 Overall Pick

April 21st, 2023 at 1:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

A stream of skepticism about the Texans taking C.J. Stroud second overall has come out over the past few weeks. With Bryce Young all but certain to go No. 1 overall to the Panthers, Stroud’s chances to be the next name announced may depend on trade offers the Texans receive.

Nick Caserio said teams have called regarding Houston’s No. 2 pick, and if genuine interest exists in Stroud, rumblings about a Texans trade-down will intensify as we move closer to the draft. The Texans passing on a QB at 2 and rolling the dice ahead of Caserio’s third season in charge — which the GM insists will take place, rather than an abrupt exit — would be one of the more interesting draft decisions in recent memory, but that appears to be where this is headed.

Some on Houston’s staff do not appear as high on Stroud compared to Young, whom the Texans presumably targeted when they entered trade talks with the Bears for No. 1, and Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post notes the team’s interest in taking Will Levis or Anthony Richardson that high does not appear strong. A previous report indicated a value gap between Young and the other QBs existed in Houston as well. This would open the door to a pass rusher pick, and La Canfora adds more fuel to the Tyree Wilson-over-Will Anderson Jr. fire by indicating execs expect the Texans — should they be unable to trade the pick — to take the Texas Tech edge rusher over Alabama’s two-time Bronko Nagurski award winner.

Stroud’s choice of agent may at least be a fringe issue for the Texans. Deshaun Watson‘s agent, David Mulugheta, is representing Stroud. The bad blood between Mulugheta and Texans ownership dates to Watson — before the run of sexual misconduct allegations surfaced — asking for a trade months after signing a four-year extension. One anonymous GM offers that Mulugheta’s top 2023 rookie client becoming the face of the Texans would be a “nonstarter” for owner Cal McNair, La Canfora adds. As could be expected, the Texans are not exactly over the Watson ugliness that included a paid full-season absence and a settlement with 30 Watson accusers who had sued the team or were preparing to do so.

While the agent component would serve as an interesting reason to pass on a well-regarded quarterback, Texans coaches also being iffy on Stroud may bring enough concerns to follow through with a non-QB pick or trade-down scenario. In the event the Texans can move down, La Canfora adds the Texans would want to stay in the top 10. That would wall off the Titans at No. 11; Houston trading up so Tennessee can take a quarterback would be an unusual development as well. The Titans, who joined the Raiders in venturing to QB pro days but not in hosting passers on visits, loom as a wild card. They have both been connected to moving up and being too iffy on the QB crop to do so.

The Raiders and Falcons continue to generate buzz as a trade-up candidates, per La Canfora, who adds a Titans move up — be it to No. 2 or the Cardinals’ No. 3 slot — would most likely be for Stroud. The Raiders have done extensive homework on QBs, meeting with the five top prospects, while the Falcons hosted Stroud on a visit this week.

Were the Texans to pass on a QB, they would essentially be further delaying their rebuild. The team trading down only to use its No. 12 overall pick to move back up for a passer would bring some odd complications to a process that could wrap by simply drafting a passer at 2. While other roster areas appear somewhat improved from 2022, Houston waiting until 2024 to acquire its franchise-QB hopeful would extend this already-lengthy rebuild. Then again, team connections to using a top-10 selection on a quarterback often include talk of that franchise not expecting to be picking high again. That has not been an issue for the Texans, who have either landed a top-three pick or seen their draft choice fall in that territory in each of the past three years.

And, if the Texans actually exit the first round with Case Keenum and Davis Mills as their top QBs, Caleb Williams (USC) and Drake Maye (North Carolina) continue to generate considerable attention around the NFL a year away from their draft eligibility.

Draft Rumors: Skoronski, Young, Robinson

April 20th, 2023 at 10:06pm CST by Ely Allen

We spoke a bit about Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski‘s size when he declared for the draft back in April, thinking that while some may question his lack of size as a tackle, he would still follow his former college teammate Rashawn Slater in remaining at the tackle position. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, that’s no longer the case.

Breer says that, while he too initially thought a few teams would write Skoronski off as a guard, he’s finding that, now, few teams see him at tackle. At the NFL scouting combine, Skoronski measured at 6-foot-4, 313 pounds with an arm length of 32.25 inches. Comparatively, Slater measured at 6-foot-4, 304 pounds with an arm length of 33 inches in 2021.

Regardless of his position, Skoronski is regarded as one of maybe 12-13 players who “carry a true first-round grade” in the draft, according to Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network. While anything could happen, this means that no one sees a possibility where Skoronski falls to Day 2 of the draft next week.

Here are a few other rumors leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft:

We’ve heard comments about Alabama quarterback Bryce Young‘s size being a concern as he makes the transition to the NFL. A recent report by Joe Person of The Athletic seems to confirm that his height is not considered the issue, his weight is. Young weighed in at the combine at a surprising 204 pounds, just three pounds shy of Kyler Murray‘s combine weight. If he ends up going No. 1 overall, like many expect, it sounds like the Panthers have a plan in place to put some meat on his bones.
Many are under the impression that, after just severing their connections to their last first-round running back, Ezekiel Elliott, there is no way that the Cowboys would go right back and take Texas running back Bijan Robinson in the first round this year. Well, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com, the team remains open to the possibility. Dallas’s executive vice president, Stephen Jones, emphasized that Robinson is almost certainly going on Day 1 of the draft and “you never know” if it’ll be the Cowboys who select him. With Tony Pollard coming off injury, the team may need a strong RB2 to help carry the load.
The Buccaneers are another team to keep an eye on for Robinson after he visited Tampa Bay recently, something he mentioned during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show. With the departure of Leonard Fournette to free agency, the Buccaneers return last year’s third-round pick Rachaad White, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, and Patrick Laird from last year’s rushing offense that ranked last in the NFL. They added Chase Edmonds in the offseason, but a top prospect like Robinson could be really valuable to Tampa Bay’s offense.

Jets Targeting Training Camp For Mekhi Becton Return

April 20th, 2023 at 5:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Continuing to hold out hope for Mekhi Becton to return to action, the Jets are not expected to have the young tackle participating in offseason workouts. After the avulsion fracture Becton suffered during the Jets’ 2022 training camp, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes the fourth-year blocker should not be expected to participate in either OTAs or minicamp.

Becton went down during an August 8 practice, but after a second knee surgery since his previous injury — in September 2021 — the Jets are not rushing the former first-round pick back. And the Louisville product is on track to be ready for training camp.

In addition to moving toward a recovery, Cimini adds Becton has lost more than 40 pounds during this rehab effort. Becton’s weight has been a concern since the start of his career. He has been linked to weighing more than 400 pounds at points during his Jets tenure, but Cimini indicates that scrutinized number now sits around 350. The Jets moved Becton to right tackle before that injury, but their tackle situation will probably change early in the draft.

Last season brought an avalanche of Jets tackle injuries. After Becton went down, the player paid handsomely to fill in — Duane Brown — suffered a shoulder injury that required a season-opening IR stay. Brown later underwent surgery but is planning to a play a 16th season. The Jets later lost George Fant for much of the season; Fant remains a free agent. The team lost Max Mitchell to a hereditary blood-clot issue in early December. The 2022 fourth-round pick started five games last year, joining Conor McDermott and Mike Remmers as emergency options. Remmers and McDermott are no longer on the team, but Cimini adds Mitchell has recovered.

Connor McGovern joins Fant in being unsigned. Vera-Tucker will return to guard, after spending time at right tackle due to the team’s injury troubles there, with Laken Tomlinson entrenched at the other guard spot. Due to the questions the Jets face at tackle, ESPN.com’s Todd McShay notes it is “close to a lock” the Jets bolster this position with their No. 13 overall pick. While the Packers are still believed to want a first-rounder from the Jets for Aaron Rodgers, the team’s No. 13 pick this year is not expected to change hands.

As Becton has played one game over the past two seasons, virtually no chance exists the Jets will pick up his fifth-year option. The Jets have a long-term need at left tackle, with Brown set to turn 38 this year, and cannot exactly count on Becton staying healthy. Mel Kiper Jr. sends Georgia tackle Broderick Jones to the Jets at No. 13, a move that would mark the team’s third first-round O-line pick in four Joe Douglas drafts.

Becton showed considerable promise as a rookie, but injury and fitness issues have hounded him since. He represents an interesting wild card for the Jets, who are searching for O-line stability with a Rodgers trade imminent.

Load More Posts