HEADLINES

2023 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Buccaneers Sign Round 1 DT Calijah Kancey

June 14th, 2023 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

This afternoon has brought movement in first-round signings. Both the Buccaneers and Ravens have agreed to terms with their top draft choices. In addition to Zay Flowers signing his rookie deal, Calijah Kancey is now locked down.

The Bucs announced Kancey signed his contract, which runs through 2026 and would allow the Bucs — if they choose — to keep him through 2027 via the fifth-year option. The interior pass rusher will be expected to play a key role for Todd Bowles‘ defense as a rookie.

Chosen 19th overall out of Pittsburgh, Kancey checked out as a clean prospect. No team brought the ACC standout in for a pre-draft visit. The Bucs will bet on the player from Aaron Donald‘s alma mater and a prospect who drew some probably unfair comparisons to the all-time defensive tackle great.

Kancey will fill in up front alongside 2022 second-round pick Logan Hall and Vita Vea, the latter of whom annually making things a bit easier for three-techniques. The Bucs also signed ex-Rams D-tackle Greg Gaines this offseason. The Bucs have not re-signed Akiem Hicks or William Gholston up front, but the team needed to work its way down from a $50MM-plus cap deficit, as Tom Brady’s void-years bill came due.

Kancey totaled 14.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons. Standing 6-foot-1 and 281 pounds, Kancey blazed to a 4.67-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. He earned first-team All-American acclaim last season, becoming the Panthers’ first unanimous All-American since Donald did so in 2013. Kancey received a first-team All-ACC nod in 2021.

Tampa Bay also agreed to terms with third-round edge rusher Yaya Diaby, who starred at Louisville. After the Bucs agreed to terms with five draftees last week, only second-round O-lineman Cody Mauch is unsigned.

Ravens Sign Round 1 WR Zay Flowers

June 14th, 2023 at 3:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Part of a record-setting receiver run in the first round, Zay Flowers joined the other three wideouts chosen consecutively in signing his rookie contract. The Ravens rookie agreed to terms on his deal Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Flowers’ No. 22 slot deal will be worth $14MM, with Schefter adding the Boston College product will receive his entire $7.2MM signing bonus this year. This draft’s Nos. 20, 21 and 23 picks — Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Quentin Johnston and Jordan Addison — had previously agreed to terms on their four-year rookie deals (feat. fifth-year options).

A four-year contributor at the ACC school, Flowers will be part of a revamped Ravens receiving corps this year. Flowers joins Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor as outside additions expected to boost Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson-piloted attack. With Flowers under contract, the Ravens have now agreed to terms with all six of their 2023 draftees.

Flowers attracted interest from other teams, with the Giants making an effort to trade up for the shifty pass catcher. Leery of both the Giants and Chiefs, the Ravens did not overthink their strategy and made Flowers the draft’s third straight receiver selected — behind Smith-Njigba and Johnston. This draft featured a record four consecutive wideouts going off the board in the first round.

While Flowers is now the fifth first-round wideout on the Ravens’ roster, joining Beckham (2014), Agholor (2015), Laquon Treadwell (2016) and Rashod Bateman (2021), he is also the franchise’s fourth first-round receiver pick since 2015. The Ravens have repeatedly tried to staff their receiving corps with first-rounders, taking Breshad Perriman in 2015, Marquise Brown in 2019 and adding Bateman two years ago. Perriman did not finish out his rookie contract in Baltimore, while the team dealt Brown to Arizona for a package headlined by a first-round pick. Bateman is coming off a foot injury that ended his season in October.

At Boston College, Flowers led the team in receiving for three straight seasons. In 2022, the 5-foot-9 target caught 78 passes for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns. Not much in the way of precedent exists for 5-9 receivers going in Round 1. Only two other wideouts shorter than 5-10 went in the first round in the 21st century. Brown was one of those, with Tavon Austin (Rams, 2013) being the other. The Ravens are betting big on Flowers, who they attempt to give Mark Andrews better support now that Jackson is signed to a record-setting extension.

As rookies prepare for their first training camps, here is how Baltimore’s 2023 draft class looks:

Round 1, No. 22: Zay Flowers, WR (Boston College) (signed)
Round 3, No. 86: Trenton Simpson, LB (Clemson) (signed)
Round 4, No. 124: Tavius Robinson, LB (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 5, No. 157: Kyu Blu Kelly, CB (Stanford) (signed)
Round 6, No. 199: Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, OT (Oregon) (signed)
Round 7, No. 229 (from Browns): Andrew Vorhees, G (USC) (signed)

Panthers Sign Round 2 WR Jonathan Mingo

June 14th, 2023 at 9:30am CST by Sam Robinson

JUNE 14: The Panthers will guarantee the first three years of Mingo’s deal, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. This marks more growth for second-rounders, with last year’s No. 39 overall pick — Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon — receiving a partial guarantee in Year 3.

JUNE 13: Jonathan Mingo will be expected to become one of Bryce Young‘s top targets this season. As the Panthers begin their minicamp, they will have their second-round pick under contract.

The Ole Miss product signed his four-year rookie deal Tuesday, per the team, locking him down through the 2026 season. Going off the board 39th overall, Mingo will see all or most of his third year fully guaranteed. No. 37 overall pick Derick Hall received three years fully guaranteed from the Seahawks and a partial fourth-year guarantee.

Carolina overhauled its receiving corps recently, disbanding the two-plus-year D.J. Moore–Chosen Anderson tandem by trading the latter. The Panthers then included Moore in their blockbuster swap with the Bears, giving them Young draft real estate. The No. 1 overall pick is the final unsigned Panther from the 2023 draft class.

Ole Miss has delivered multiple impact wide receivers to the NFL over the past few years, with each of the Rebels’ top pass catchers going off the board in Round 2. Both A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf emerged as No. 1-caliber targets early in their careers. Elijah Moore has not done so yet, but the new Browns weapon remains a promising wideout. The Jets chose Moore in the 2021 second round. Mingo will attempt to follow the ex-Rebels’ paths.

Scouts Inc. rated Mingo as its No. 37 overall prospect. The 220-pound Mississippi native clocked a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, coming off a productive 2022 season. Mingo is not heading to Charlotte after a prolific career, however, having only topped 300 receiving yards in one of his four Rebels seasons. He totaled 51 receptions — his only season with more than 27 grabs — for 861 yards and five touchdowns last season but still managed to become one of the first wideouts chosen this year.

The Panthers signed Adam Thielen and DJ Chark this offseason and still roster former second-round pick Terrace Marshall. While they dealt their longtime No. 1 target (Moore), Mingo profiles as the most likely long-term Young teammate among the team’s current receivers. During negotiations with the Bears, the Panthers successfully kept the No. 39 pick out of the deal. They instead included No. 61 and a 2025 second-rounder. Effectively prioritizing No. 39 over two second-round picks, the Panthers are making a notable bet on Mingo being a long-term contributor.

Rams Sign Round 2 OL Steve Avila

June 13th, 2023 at 8:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Selecting a guard with their first pick for the second straight year, the Rams are expected to plug Steve Avila into their starting lineup. That process can now begin in earnest, with Avila now under contract.

Chosen 36th overall out of TCU, Avila will be ticketed for the terms the Seahawks gave No. 37 pick Derick Hall. Avila will receive three years fully guaranteed, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, adding that 10% of his 2026 salary is locked in at signing as well.

The 10% component marks a first for a player in the No. 36 slot, per Yates, representing more gains for second-round picks. With the slot system in its second decade, fewer bargaining territory exists during rookie-deal negotiations. But second-rounders’ pacts have become a notable area featuring wiggle room. Avila and Hall’s deals will apply more pressure on the teams who chose players in that pick neighborhood.

The Rams, who led off their 2022 draft with Wisconsin O-lineman Logan Bruss, have Avila penciled in at one of their guard spots. Bruss is coming off August 2022 ACL and MCL tears, and while he is practicing, last year’s 104th overall pick does not have a clear path to a first-string gig like Avila appears to. Following an injury-wrecked season up front, the Rams are in search of answers just about everywhere except for right tackle, where Rob Havenstein has the job locked down.

While Peter Skoronski may wind up at guard for the Titans, Avila represents the first pure guard chosen this year. He is also the Rams’ highest-drafted player since they took Jared Goff first overall in 2016.

Avila, 23, could be an option at center at some point, having started there during most of his 2021 junior season and parts of his sophomore campaign. But he spent the ’22 slate at guard, starting 15 games and earning consensus All-American honors. TCU’s first consensus All-American since wideout Josh Doctson in 2015, Avila played a significant role in the Horned Frogs becoming one of the most unlikely entrants in a Division I-FBS national championship game. The 330-pound blocker played 1,044 snaps at left guard and did not allow a sack last season.

In addition to Avila, the Rams moved ahead with two other agreements with their 14-man draft class. Wingate punter Ethan Evans (No. 223) and Oklahoma State safety Jason Taylor II (No. 234) signed their four-year rookie deals Tuesday as well, Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams notes. The Rams chose Taylor with the pick obtained for Allen Robinson.

NFL Draft Pick Singings: 6/9/23

June 9th, 2023 at 6:32pm CST by Ely Allen

The only rookie who signed their initial four-year contract today:

New England Patriots

  • LB Marte Mapu (third round, Sacramento State)

Mapu played a hybrid linebacker/safety role for the Hornets and, with the success he had in Sacramento, it’s hard to picture the Patriots deviating from that. Many had Mapu on their draft board as a safety, but New England’s roster currently lists him as a linebacker. He’s a long, explosive defender with outstanding cover skills and a strong ability to diagnose plays early. He was a strong tackler with a disruptive 13.0 tackles for loss but great when dropping back, as well, as evidenced by 20 passes defensed and six interceptions in his final two seasons of college play. Until the Patriots figure out just how they’d like to utilize him, Mapu should be a standout special teamer and a strong defensive depth piece.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 6/8/23

June 8th, 2023 at 7:40pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s draft pick signings:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers have taken their time signing their draft picks; these are the first reported signings out of Tampa Bay, and the team’s top-three picks (including first-round defensive tackle Calijah Kancey) remain unsigned.

Of the late-round grouping, SirVoceaDennis could have the best opportunity to carve out a role as an inside linebacker. The Pittsburgh product will compete with former fifth-round pick K.J. Britt for a key role playing behind starters Devin White and Lavonte David.

Payne Durham and Trey Palmer bring strong college resumes but will need some lucky breaks to see significant playing time in 2023. Durham finished his fourth season at Purdue with 56 catches for 560 yards and eight touchdowns, while Palmer had a breakout season at Nebraska after transferring from LSU, finishing the 2022 campaign with 1,043 receiving yards.

Falcons Sign OL Matthew Bergeron, Finish Rookie Signings

June 6th, 2023 at 9:15pm CST by Ben Levine

The Falcons announced that they’ve signed second-round offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron to his rookie contract. Bergeron was the team’s final draft pick to sign his rookie deal.

The lineman spent four years at Syracuse, culminating in a 2022 campaign where he earned second-team All-ACC honors and a Senior Bowl invite. Scouts lauded his run-blocking ability and versatility, and the Falcons ended up selecting him with the 38th-overall pick in the draft.

While Bergeron exclusively played offensive tackle in college, the Falcons are planning on switching him to offensive guard, where many scouts believed he’d excel. While the rookie has never played the position, the Falcons are confident that he’ll be capable of making the change.

“It’s the way he is built,” head coach Arthur Smith said (via Tori McElhaney of the team’s website). “Everybody has different philosophies in what they’re looking for in offensive linemen. And some people get so rigid on schemes or whatever it is, their cup of tea that they’re looking for with o-linemen. But when a guy is as smart as Matt and the way he has played, really for us (it’s) the vision of the way he is built.”

The Falcons will return much of the same offensive line next season, but it sounds like Bergeron is the front runner for the starting left guard gig.

The team got most of their draft picks signed before OTAs, a group that includes:

Vikings Sign RB DeWayne McBride, Complete Draft Pick Signings

June 6th, 2023 at 5:19pm CST by Ben Levine

The Vikings have officially signed their entire draft class. The team announced that they’ve inked seventh-round running back DeWayne McBride to his four-year rookie pact.

McBride spent three years at UAB, including a 2022 campaign where he earned C-USA Offensive Player of the Year honors after collecting 1,723 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns. This performance followed a breakout 2021 season where he rushed for more than 1,300 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.

His fumbling issues and lack of pass-catching ability led to him slipping to the seventh round of the draft. Fortunately for the rookie, he could have a chance to contribute with Dalvin Cook potentially out the door. Alexander Mattison would likely get the starting role if/when Cook is gone, but McBride could compete with 2022 fifth-round pick Ty Chandler for backup reps.

The Vikings finished the draft having selected six rookies, and each of those first-year players have now been signed to contracts. That grouping includes:

Seahawks Sign Round 2 LB Derick Hall

June 6th, 2023 at 4:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks now have two of their top three draft picks under contract. Edge rusher Derick Hall joined Jaxon Smith-Njigba in signing his four-year rookie deal. While the Smith-Njigba deal will not end up affecting others drafted in the same neighborhood, Hall’s will likely play a bigger role in rookies’ negotiations this year.

Hall’s through-2026 pact comes with three years fully guaranteed and $100K guaranteed in the fourth year, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The deal will also pay 85% of Hall’s signing bonus before training camp, which Pelissero notes is a first for a second-rounder. This agreement leaves only No. 5 overall pick Devon Witherspoon and second-round running back Zach Charbonnet as Seattle’s only unsigned draftees.

Chosen 37th overall, Hall is the highest second-round pick to sign this year. This marks the second straight year in which the No. 37 overall pick stands to influence other teams’ structures for second-round contracts. The Texans gave last year’s No. 37 pick, safety Jalen Pitre, three years fully guaranteed, marking an improvement after the 2021 draft saw the No. 34 overall pick represent the cutoff line for such terms. While rookie contracts are less complicated compared to the days before the landscape-reshaping 2011 CBA, second-rounders’ negotiations present some wiggle room.

Hall’s deal figures to influence the structures of the players taken before him in Round 2 — Joey Porter Jr., Will Levis, Sam LaPorta, Michael Mayer, Steve Avila — and agents representing the players chosen shortly after the Seahawks edge rusher will undoubtedly take notice as well. The cutoff line for three fully guaranteed years should be expected to move closer toward the middle of this year’s second round.

Hall wrapped the five-pick haul the Seahawks obtained from the Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade. The four first- or second-round picks from that deal wound up consisting of Charles Cross, Boye Mafe, Witherspoon and Hall. The Seahawks have made a concerted effort to bolster their pass rush over the past two years, selecting Maye and Hall after signing Uchenna Nwosu. They also signed ex-Broncos interior D-lineman Dre’Mont Jones to add punch to their interior rush.

An Auburn alum, Hall totaled nine sacks as a junior and 6.5 as a senior. In that time, he compiled 24 tackles for loss. Scouts Inc. viewed Hall as a considerable reach for Seattle, ranking the 254-pound edge-rushing prospect 66th overall. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah also did not have Hall as a top-50 prospect. The Seahawks have consistently made early-round picks not in line with pre-draft boards, as the Rashaad Penny, L.J. Collier and Jordyn Brooks picks illustrate. They did so again with Hall, who should at least provide rotational rush support as a rookie.

Dolphins Sign Three Of Four Draft Picks

June 2nd, 2023 at 7:23pm CST by Ely Allen

Thanks to a forfeited first-round pick and multiple trades, the Dolphins had a relatively small draft class in 2023. After seven rounds, Miami walked away with only four drafted rookies. The team tweeted out today that they had succeeded in signing three of the four rookies to their initial four-year contracts.

Texas A&M running back Devon Achane was the Dolphins’ third-round selection. Not only did Achane excel on the gridiron for the Aggies, he was also a participant in several track and field events including the 100m, 200m, 4x100m, and the indoor 60m. The elite sprinter displayed his abilities when he put up the third-fastest 40-yard dash time (4.32) at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine. According to the coaches in the conference, Achane was a first-team All-SEC selection at both the running back and all purpose slots. In his final two seasons, Achane totaled 2,012 rushing yards for 17 touchdowns and caught 60 passes for 457 receiving yards for four more scores.

Achane joins a running backs room that returns four players from last year’s team. He likely should slot ahead of Salvon Ahmed and Myles Gaskin on the depth chart, but he may need to earn his stripes before taking any snaps away from Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert. His speed may make him a perfect fit for a strong special teams role as a rookie, as well.

In the sixth round, the Dolphins decided to add a developmental receiver in Elijah Higgins. While he never had his hand in the dirt at Stanford, Higgins reported that 28 of 32 NFL teams saw him as a tight end at the next level. Higgins improved every year as a Cardinal wideout, racking up 1,380 receiving yards and six touchdowns in his college career. As a rookie, Higgins’s focus will likely be on adding the right kind of weight and transforming his body for the position change. In the meantime, he should still be able to add some receiving ability to a tight end group that hasn’t recently put up big numbers between Durham Smythe‘s 129 yards, Tyler Kroft‘s 57 yards, and Eric Saubert‘s 148 yards in 2023.

Lastly, the team signed seventh-round offensive tackle Ryan Hayes out of Michigan. In five years as a Wolverine, Hayes was a two-time All-Big Ten selection who started 29 of 40 college appearances. He had a cemented role at left tackle in Ann Arbor and, at 6-foot-7, 305 pounds, Hayes has a favorable frame to remain at the position in the NFL. Miami acquired some tackles with starting experience this offseason in Isaiah Wynn and Cedric Ogbuehi to go along with returning starters Austin Jackson and Terron Armstead, as well as Kendall Lamm. The Dolphins won’t have any need to ask much of Hayes anytime soon, which should allow the seventh-rounder some time to develop and adjust to the NFL game.

With Achane, Higgins, and Hayes all signed, that leaves only South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith as the team’s lone unsigned draft pick. The team selected Smith in the second round, making him the Dolphins’ highest draft pick and only pick on defense this year.

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