2023 April - Pro Football Rumors

Month: April 2023

Eagles To Add WR Olamide Zaccheaus

April 19th, 2023 at 3:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles lost one of their auxiliary wideouts in free agency, seeing Zach Pascal join the Cardinals. They will pick up another. Former Falcon Olamide Zaccheaus agreed to terms with the Eagles on Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Zaccheaus, 25, spent the past four seasons in Atlanta, playing a regular receiving role despite joining the team as a UDFA. The fifth-year wideout is coming off a season in which he established career-high numbers in both receptions (40) and yards (533). This also represents a homecoming for Zaccheaus, who attended high school in Philadelphia.

As the Falcons changed regimes, they gutted their receiving corps. In 2020, Zaccheaus resided behind Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage. By 2022, all three were out of the picture. Zaccheaus worked as Drake London‘s top complementary receiver last season, finishing as Atlanta’s second-leading pass catcher. The Virginia alum also topped 400 receiving yards in 2021, stepping up in responsibility after Ridley’s midseason departure.

Barring multiple injuries, no such role will be in the cards for Zaccheaus in Philly. The Eagles return their A.J. Brown–DeVonta Smith–Dallas Goedert trio, and Quez Watkins is going into a contract year. Zaccheaus marks an interesting addition due to limited special teams experience. He has five career returns and has not cleared a 30% special teams usage rate since his rookie season. Of course, Zaccheaus goes 5-foot-8, 193 pounds.

This should establish a fairly clear divide between the Eagles’ top four at receiver and the other players rostered. The team still employs Greg Ward, but he did not play in 2022. Returner Britain Covey and ex-Bronco Tyrie Cleveland are also under contract. The team retained Olympian hurdler Devon Allen via a reserve/futures deal, though it remains to be seen if the former Oregon slot receiver will make a serious push at a roster spot after spending 2022 on Philly’s practice squad.

Rams To Trade Allen Robinson To Steelers

April 19th, 2023 at 3:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 19: This trade will go through. Robinson passed his Steelers physical Wednesday, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Pittsburgh will take on the final two years of Robinson’s contract, though the AFC North team is only responsible for a third of the veteran pass catcher’s 2023 money.

APRIL 18, 1:58pm: Should Robinson’s physical greenlight this trade, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes the Steelers are expected to pay $5MM of Robinson’s 2023 salary (Twitter link). Overall, the Rams still will end up paying Robinson $10.25MM in 2023.

As far as the trade compensation goes, Schefter adds the Steelers are sending the Rams a 2023 seventh-round pick (No. 234 overall) in exchange for Robinson and another 2023 seventh (No. 251). In exchange for the Steelers taking Robinson and eating $5MM of his deal, the Rams will move up 17 spots in this draft (Twitter link). Robinson’s physical is set for Wednesday.

12:16pm: The Rams have found a potential taker for Allen Robinson. The Steelers are near an agreement to acquire the veteran wide receiver, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

Robinson is headed to Pittsburgh to take a physical with the Steelers; should the 10th-year pass catcher pass, the AFC North team is expected to pull the trigger on a trade. Two years remain on Robinson’s contract. The Rams have already paid Robinson $5.25MM of the $15MM guaranteed he is owed in 2023, via a March 19 roster bonus. While the Steelers are expected to pay some of the remaining $10MM owed, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter), it sounds like the Rams will pick up part of the tab as well.

After a rough Rams debut, Robinson received permission to speak with teams about a trade. The Steelers, who have enjoyed extensive modern-era success in developing wide receivers, are in position to add the former Jaguars and Bears No. 1 wideout. Robinson is going into his age-30 season. Considering Robinson’s contract (three years, $46.5MM) and 2022 performance, it is unlikely the Steelers will give up much in trade compensation.

Not only did Robinson struggle last season, the 220-pound wideout finished the year as one of the many Rams starters on the shelf. He underwent surgery to repair a foot fracture late last year. In 10 games, Robinson caught 33 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns. That performance actually topped his 2021 work on a Bears franchise tag; Robinson managed just 38 grabs for 410 yards and one score in 12 games that year. The Rams made a bet on Robinson bouncing back, guaranteeing him $30MM via last year’s free agency accord. The move did not pay off.

The Steelers moved on from Chase Claypool at the deadline last year, acquiring what became the No. 32 overall pick from the Bears. Robinson is in position to join Diontae Johnson and George Pickens as Pittsburgh’s top wideouts. This move is a bit out of character for the Steelers, who have continually developed wideouts after Day 2 draft investments. Robinson is a former second-round pick, but the Jaguars made that selection in 2014.

Robinson’s last strong season came in 2020, when he helped the Bears to the playoffs as the top target on a team without much pass-catching depth. The 6-foot-2 receiver snagged a career-high 100 passes — from QBs Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles — and totaled 1,250 yards. Robinson, who is close to reuniting with Trubisky (under contract as Kenny Pickett‘s backup), topped that yardage total just once — a 1,400-yard year with the 2015 Jags. That season led the Bears to tag Robinson, after contentious extension talks, but he has not closely resembled his 2020 version since.

Both Von Miller‘s Bills defection and Odell Beckham Jr.‘s ACL tear led the Rams to Robinson last year — after the Eagles were in pursuit — but he is close to joining OBJ in the AFC North. The Rams still roster Van Jefferson as a Cooper Kupp sidekick, but former second-round pick Tutu Atwell has not done much to distinguish himself as a pro. Ben Skowronek also remains on Los Angeles’ roster. The Rams, who have prioritized cost-cutting moves this offseason, have not made a notable addition at the position this year.

No guarantees are present in Robinson’s deal for the 2024 season, making 2023 — should the Michigan alum pass the upcoming physical — a Pittsburgh audition of sorts. The Steelers have been rumored, per usual, as interested in a mid-round receiver investment. They have made eight second- or third-round picks at the receiver position over the past 10 years. Robinson may impact those plans, as the team also used a fourth-round selection on slot player Calvin Austin III last year. Austin spent all of last season on IR.

Titans Sign WR Chris Moore

April 19th, 2023 at 3:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following a recent visit, Chris Moore is officially part of the Titans’ offseason roster. The veteran wide receiver agreed to terms with Tennessee on Wednesday.

Moore will change AFC South teams after enjoying his most productive season. With the Texans last year, Moore totaled 48 receptions for 548 yards and two touchdowns. The Titans will give Moore a chance to play an eighth NFL season.

Although Moore has spent most of his career as a backup who contributes primarily on special teams, his 2022 yardage total topped all Titans pass catchers. Tennessee can be expected to further upgrade its receiving corps in the draft, particularly with a new GM in charge. But Moore will head east and attempt to carve out a role in Nashville.

This signing will reunite Moore with former Texans OC Tim Kelly, whom the Titans promoted back to the coordinator level this offseason. Kelly coached Moore in 2021. The Texans gave Moore one-year contracts in 2021 and ’22. Under Kelly in 2021, the former Ravens backup caught 21 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns.

The Ravens employed Moore, 29, for five seasons; he surpassed 200 receiving yards just once (2017) in that span. Moore logged at least a 50% snap rate on special teams from 2016-19 and did so again in 2021. He topped 200 ST plays during the 2018 and ’19 seasons. That stands to give the Titans some options as they assemble their receiver depth chart.

Tennessee’s decision to trade A.J. Brown backfired quickly, and the team’s passing attack cratered. Robert Woods led the Titans in receiving; he is now with the Texans after a release. First-round pick Treylon Burks missed six games and totaled 444 yards, matching Austin Hooper‘s total. Hooper is also off the roster, having signed with the Raiders. The team lost intriguing Day 3 draftee Kyle Philips to an early-season injury. While Nick Westbrook-Ikhine remains on the roster, it is hard to envision the Titans not adding at least one more piece at this position.

Joe Mixon Facing Misdemeanor Charge

April 19th, 2023 at 2:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 19: The Bengals running back pleaded not guilty to the charge Wednesday in Hamilton County Municipal Court, according to the Associated Press. A judge ordered Mixon have no contact with the woman.

APRIL 7: Joe Mixon will end up facing a misdemeanor charge of aggravated menacing. After the charge was dropped in February, Sharon Coolidge and Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer report Mixon will be recharged in connection with a January road-rage incident.

The Bengals running back allegedly pointed a gun at a woman during a traffic encounter, which occurred before the team was to gather at Paycor Stadium before departing for its divisional-round game in Buffalo. Mixon must appear in court April 19.

“This decision was reached following the discovery of new evidence during the investigative process,” a statement from Cincinnati police said, via the Enquirer. The Bengals released a statement indicating they are aware of the charge, Conway tweets.

Mixon, 26, allegedly pointed a gun at a woman at 12:49pm on Jan. 21 in downtown Cincinnati. While police initially dropped the charge in February, the door remained open to it being refiled upon further review. The woman who submitted the complaint indicated she will cooperate with authorities, Coolidge and Conway add.

The Bengals took some heat back in 2017 when they selected Mixon, who had been suspended from Oklahoma’s team for punching a woman in the face. A woman shoved and slapped Mixon during a July 2014 dispute at a restaurant; Mixon’s punch broke four bones in the woman’s face. The Sooners suspended Mixon for the 2014 season, but he returned and emerged on the draft radar after two productive seasons. The Bengals took Mixon in the second round; he has been the team’s starting running back for most of his career.

Mixon agreed to a deferred sentence in connection with the assault, undergoing counseling and performing community service. As a result, no conviction appears on his record. Since the incident occurred before Mixon entered the NFL, he was not suspended. Mixon could be suspended for the January incident, however, regardless of the case’s outcome.

The Bengals, who gave Mixon a $12MM-per-year extension in 2020, have not committed to keeping him around for a seventh season. The team made an offer to retain Samaje Perine, but Mixon’s longtime backup opted to sign with the Broncos. But Cincinnati can save $10MM by designating Mixon as a post-June 1 cut. The Pro Bowler is due a $9.4MM base salary in 2023. Mixon’s contract runs through the 2024 season.

Seahawks To Host Will Anderson Jr.

April 19th, 2023 at 2:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Wednesday represents the finale for pre-draft visits, and the Seahawks will hold an 11th-hour meeting with perhaps this year’s top defensive prospect. Will Anderson Jr. is meeting with the team today, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Barely a week away from becoming a cinch top-10 pick, Anderson has met with the Texans, Lions and Bears as well. The Seahawks hold the No. 5 overall pick and could be in position, depending on how teams proceed with the quarterback prospects, to select the best or second-best defensive talent in this year’s draft pool.

While the Seahawks’ most recent first-round investment in an edge rusher (L.J. Collier) backfired, the John Schneider–Pete Carroll regime did hit on Bruce Irvin (Round 1, 2012) and Frank Clark (Round 2, 2015). The team has not devoted much in the way of resources to stocking its edge positions since the 2019 Clark trade, bringing in several free agents — Uchenna Nwosu the most recent. But Seattle holds draft real estate it has not possessed since Carroll and Schneider’s first draft (2010), when the team took Russell Okung sixth overall. A rare opportunity exists for the Seahawks, who obtained this draft choice via the Russell Wilson trade.

The Bronko Nagurski award winner in 2021 and ’22, Anderson has been viewed as a top prospect for years. The Alabama-developed edge defender totaled 27.5 sacks in that span. Some late skepticism on Anderson’s ceiling has caused Tyree Wilson to enter the picture as a threat to be the first outside rusher selected, but that is far from a unanimous pre-draft belief among execs. The Texans are believed to be high on Anderson, and if the Cardinals cannot find a trade partner at No. 3, the prospect of two edge rushers going off the board before the Seahawks pick is in play. Given QB value, this may not be the most likely scenario.

Nwosu remains in place, going into the second season of a two-year contract, and 2020 second-rounder Darrell Taylor is heading into a walk year. The Seahawks also used a second-round pick last year on a pass rusher — Boye Mafe — but did not use the Minnesota alum as a full-timer in 2022. The team prioritized its interior defensive line in free agency, signing Dre’Mont Jones and bringing back Jarran Reed. A best-defender-available move may well be Seattle’s play here, with a recent report indicating cornerback Devon Witherspoon is also in play. Though, Schneider — as evidenced by his Collier, Rashaad Penny and Jordyn Brooks picks — has cared little for mocks in the past.

Chiefs High On Quentin Johnston, Arrange Patrick Mahomes-Zay Flowers Workout

April 19th, 2023 at 1:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Zay Flowers logged some travel miles during this pre-draft visit period. The Boston College prospect has met with the Titans, Ravens, Patriots, Raiders, Cowboys, Giants and Bills. While Flowers did not have any other visits booked, the Chiefs will use the final day for pre-draft visits to have their franchise centerpiece gather additional intel.

The Chiefs arranged for a Flowers workout with Patrick Mahomes in Texas, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Flowers visited the Titans on Tuesday and was not planning any additional meetings, but the Chiefs are in need at wide receiver and figure to be on the radar for Flowers — depending on how far he falls in Round 1.

Evaluators are split on the 5-foot-9 Flowers and USC’s Jordan Addison, per ProFootballNetwork.com’s Tony Pauline, who notes some teams do not have first-round grades on either. Both undersized pass catchers have been popular on the March-April interview circuit, but this year’s receiver draft class has not produced the same type of rave reviews as the past three years did.

Ranking just outside the top 20 in the view of ESPN’s Scouts Inc. and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, Flowers played four seasons at Boston College and upped his draft stock with his first 1,000-yard year — a 1,077-yard, 12-TD showing — in 2022. The diminutive target’s explosiveness has caught certain teams’ eye, though the Chiefs might not be out of range for him at No. 31. The Chiefs, who hold 10 picks (two fourth-rounders), traded up in last year’s first round to select Trent McDuffie.

Flowers is not the only wideout the Chiefs are being tied to as the draft nears. They are “very high on” TCU’s Quentin Johnston, per Pauline. Standing 6-3, Johnston joins DeAndre Hopkins as big-bodied wideouts on the Chiefs’ radar. The Chiefs are among the many teams who brought in the former Horned Frogs standout. Johnston finished last season with 1,069 receiving yards, helping the Big 12 program make an unlikely appearance in the national championship game. While drops were an issue for Johnston, his frame differs from the other top wideouts available next week.

Kansas City lost both J.J. Smith -Schuster and Mecole Hardman in free agency, though the team made an attempt to keep Smith-Schuster. The Chiefs return Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore. The latter two are expected to play bigger roles in 2023, with Toney in particular — injuries notwithstanding — ticketed for a responsibility upgrade. But the Chiefs have been connected to both veterans and first-round-caliber wideouts. Kansas City has not chosen a receiver in the first round under Andy Reid, but the team is making an effort — after passing on a monster Tyreek Hill third contract — to keep costs low at the position.

Meanwhile, in Kansas City, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets team brass is meeting with Georgia tackle Broderick Jones on Wednesday. Also expected to go in Round 1, Jones has met with a few teams already. The Chiefs are planning to move $20MM-per-year tackle Jawaan Taylor to the blind side, after he spent his career as a Jaguars right tackle, but they lost starting right tackle Andrew Wylie to the Commanders. After backing up future Charger Jamaree Salyer in 2021, Jones became Georgia’s left tackle starter last season. Jeremiah ranks Jones as this draft’s 17th-best prospect.

Dolphins Taking Calls On Cedrick Wilson; Chosen Anderson Reached Out To Team

April 19th, 2023 at 12:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

Cedrick Wilson signed a three-year, $24MM Dolphins deal 13 months ago, but the former Cowboys wide receiver is believed to be available. GM Chris Grier addressed Wilson’s status Wednesday.

The Dolphins have indeed taken calls on their No. 3 wideout, who is due $7MM base salaries in 2023 and ’24. While Grier said the expectation is Wilson will be back for a second Miami season, the possibility of a trade appears to remain.

“Teams have called; we’re not shopping him,” Grier said, via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. “We’ve had a couple teams reach out. He’s a real good guy. We’re trying to do right by him.”

Grier’s comments come a few weeks after the Herald report indicated Wilson was available. Since that report, the Dolphins have signed Chosen Anderson. The team already added Braxton Berrios, whom Grier said will play some slot receiver — while pointing to the ex-Jets target being locked in as the Dolphins’ new return man — and has Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle entrenched atop the depth chart.

A 2018 sixth-round pick, Wilson, 27, disappointed during his first Dolphins season. In 15 games, Wilson caught just 12 passes for 136 yards and no touchdowns. Those numbers are obviously out of step with the contract Wilson signed and stand to drive down Wilson’s trade value. Grier’s comments on the team’s auxiliary receivers point to (via Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero) neither Wilson nor Anderson having a guaranteed place on the 53-man roster.

Anderson, 29, reached out to the Dolphins about a potential deal, Grier said, and spent multiple days in talks with wide receivers coach Wes Welker — in addition to talking with Mike McDaniel — before the Dolphins brought him aboard. Anderson is three years removed from his best season — a 1,096-yard year with the 2020 Panthers — but has not come close to replicating that performance since. Carolina interim HC Steve Wilks dismissed Anderson from the sideline during a loss to the Rams; the team traded him to Arizona a day later. A South Florida native, Anderson caught just seven passes in 10 Cardinals games.

“I told him don’t rush through this decision just because it’s home,” Grier said. “Talk to other teams. We have two dynamic players that are starters. We told him what the role would be and he’s excited and all in. We’re excited to add him. We didn’t promise him anything. We have good young players. He understood that.”

Beyond Waddle, the Dolphins do not have other notable rookie-contract wideouts on their roster. Trent Sherfield, who totaled 417 yards last season, signed with the Bills. That leaves the door open for Wilson, Anderson or Berrios to pick up the slack as a tertiary Tua Tagovailoa target.

Teams Calling 49ers On Trey Lance; Vikings Expressed Interest

April 19th, 2023 at 11:33am CST by Sam Robinson

11:33am: The 49ers are believed to have discussed Lance with the Vikings at the Combine, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds. With most of the league’s power brokers in one place, trade talks are common in Indianapolis. The Vikings have since restructured Kirk Cousins‘ contract, rather than extending him as they did last year. This naturally opens the door to discussions about Cousins’ post-2023 future. Hendon Hooker has also been mentioned as a possible longer-term option for Minnesota. For now, former 49ers backup Nick Mullens remains the Vikings’ QB2.

8:20am: With Brock Purdy avoiding Tommy John surgery and Sam Darnold having signed last month, Trey Lance sits in a much different position with the 49ers compared to his 2022 standing. As a result, trade rumors continue.

Teams are looking into the former No. 3 overall pick. Several have contacted the 49ers about Lance’s availability, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). While the 49ers are not believed to be the ones making the calls regarding a potential Lance trade, the topic is coming up days ahead of the draft.

Lance’s value has obviously cratered compared to where it was two Aprils ago, when the 49ers traded two future first-rounders to move up for the North Dakota State standout. He has made four starts in two seasons, not posing a serious threat to Jimmy Garoppolo as a rookie and suffering a fractured ankle last season. Lance underwent two surgeries but is expected to be ready by the time the 49ers begin on-field work next month. With teams viewing Purdy as San Francisco’s likely future starter, the subject of Lance’s availability is coming up.

Two seasons remain on Lance’s rookie contract, which can run through 2025 if the fifth-year option is exercised by May 2024. Lance’s trajectory does not make that a likely scenario in San Francisco, but if the 49ers receive a viable offer, Lance’s option decision could become another team’s responsibility soon. It certainly depends on what the 49ers consider a worthwhile proposal, and Rapoport adds (via Twitter) no trade is imminent.

John Lynch said last month the team still has Lance in its plans, but Kyle Shanahan said securing the 49ers’ 2023 starting job will be more difficult for the former Division I-FCS star than it was in 2022. The 49ers essentially handed Lance their starting job last year, putting Garoppolo on the trade block. The team’s decision to circle back to Garoppolo on a revised deal ended up saving its season, with Lance going down in Week 2. Purdy’s performance in relief of Garoppolo months later placed Lance on shakier ground, and the 49ers signed Darnold to a one-year, $4.5MM deal ($3.5MM guaranteed) early in free agency. Darnold’s 55 career starts place him as a threat to Lance’s status as Purdy’s primary backup, and a scenario in which the ex-Jets and Panthers starter begins the season under center for the 49ers — as Purdy completes his rehab odyssey — is not difficult to envision.

Of course, Purdy is still going through UCL rehab. He might not receive full clearance until the regular season begins. Considering the injury trouble the 49ers have experienced at quarterback during the Shanahan-Lynch run, trading Lance months before Purdy is cleared would represent quite the risk. Darnold has not exactly proven durable to this point, either.

The 49ers selling low on Lance would make their 2021 trade-up decision — one widely believed to have been made with Mac Jones as the target — look worse. This will be a topic to monitor ahead of the draft, however.

Dolphins Expect Austin Jackson To Remain Right Tackle Starter

April 19th, 2023 at 11:25am CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins have given Austin Jackson chances at a few spots on their offensive line. Most recently, they plugged the 2020 first-round pick into their lineup at right tackle. But an injury nixed that opportunity and moved Jackson to a career crossroads of sorts.

Although Jackson played in just two games last season, GM Chris Grier said Wednesday the Dolphins still view the USC product as their starting right tackle. The draft can change teams’ situations, but this follows a report from the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson that indicated the fourth-year blocker indeed remains in play to be the Dolphins’ right-edge starter.

Austin Jackson’s Week 1 ankle injury last season essentially wiped out his third NFL campaign; he wound up playing in just two contests and 84 total snaps. The Dolphins ended up needing to use an in-season free agent pickup — ex-Jets and Seahawks starter Brandon Shell — as their primary right tackle. Shell, who started 11 games last season, also missed time due to injury. Subsequent signing Eric Fisher did not stay healthy long enough to play in a game for the team.

Tua Tagovailoa being both the only current left-handed starting QB and coming off a multi-concussion season amplifies the importance of Miami’s right tackle gig. The Dolphins need to bring in competition for Austin Jackson, Barry Jackson adds, but the veteran writer points to a post-draft free agent signing rather than the team using its top pick (No. 51 overall) on this position.

As far as free agents go, multiyear Jets starter George Fant remains available. So does Cameron Fleming, who spent a chunk of last season as the Broncos’ right tackle starter. Shell is also currently unsigned. Seeing how the Bengals’ situation shakes out could be prudent for the Dolphins as well. Jonah Williams has not generated too much trade interest and does not want to play right tackle, but incumbent starter La’el Collins could lose his job if Williams returns and wins a competition to start opposite Orlando Brown Jr. While Collins, 29, is coming off a December ACL tear, the longtime Cowboys starter figures to have some run left once he recovers.

Jackson, 23, keeping the gig would mark his first chance to stay in the same role for two straight years. The Dolphins have used Jackson at guard and left tackle. He worked primarily at guard in 2021, starting 16 games. The team also has flexibility in guards Robert Hunt and Liam Eichenberg. Both have tackle experience, with Hunt starting his career at right tackle. As the Dolphins continue to search for post-Ja’Wuan James right tackle stability, Grier said the team plans to keep Hunt at guard. The former second-round pick is going into a contract year.

Falcons To Meet With QB C.J. Stroud

April 19th, 2023 at 10:11am CST by Sam Robinson

Bryce Young may have closed up shop on his visits a bit early, but the other player technically in contention to go No. 1 overall has not. The Falcons will close out C.J. Stroud‘s visit run Wednesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

Stroud will follow Anthony Richardson and Will Levis as quarterbacks to meet with the Falcons during this year’s visit season, which concludes today. The Ohio State prospect continues to reside as a safer pick compared to the Florida and Kentucky products, and the Falcons are once again doing due diligence after passing on QBs with top-10 picks in 2021 and ’22.

The Falcons chose Kyle Pitts over Justin Fields and Mac Jones in 2021 and joined the other non-Steelers teams in being skeptical about last year’s lot of arms — in Round 1, at least — by selecting Drake London. Atlanta circled back to the QB spot in the third round, and Desmond Ridder is now on track to open the season as the team’s starter. Arthur Blank confirmed his staff looked into Lamar Jackson — a year after being close to acquiring Deshaun Watson — but came out against making a high-guarantee offer for the franchise-tagged Ravens passer, leaving his team with one of the league’s least stable QB situations.

While Ridder is tentatively positioned to start over free agency addition Taylor Heinicke, the Falcons may have the option of drafting a quarterback. Varying stances have emerged this week regarding when the non-Young QBs will go off the board, but if teams are hesitant enough on Richardson and/or Levis — each a high-variance option compared to Stroud — the Falcons could have the option of drafting a QB without trading up. The Falcons are believed to be against moving up for a quarterback that is not Young or Stroud, and with Young almost definitely ticketed for the Panthers at No. 1, the two-year Buckeyes starter becomes a more interesting component of this year’s draft.

Stroud joined Levis in visiting the Panthers on Tuesday. He has also worked out for the Colts and met with the Texans, Lions and Raiders. The Titans are also believed to be high on the Big Ten prospect, looming as a team that could trade up to the Cardinals’ No. 3 overall spot. The Texans will have the inside track on Stroud at 2, but many reports have now emerged indicating Houston is iffy on Fields’ Ohio State successor. The Falcons could have an avenue to trade up for Stroud at 2, in that scenario, or take their chances on outbidding others for the Cardinals’ No. 3 pick. Unlike Levis and Richardson, Stroud does not have much of a chance to be on the board at No. 8.

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