HEADLINES

Month: April 2023

Nick Caserio Denies He Will Leave Texans After Draft

April 17th, 2023 at 3:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Given the opportunity to hire three head coaches in his first three offseasons as Texans GM, Nick Caserio is overseeing what has become a unique rebuilding project. Even after Caserio brought in HC DeMeco Ryans — on a longer contract compared (six years) to those given to David Culley and Lovie Smith — rumblings of a potential mid-offseason departure emerged recently.

Caserio, whom the Texans gave a six-year contract in 2021, has been connected to leaving the Texans after the draft. Post-draft GM shakeups — like the one that led Brian Gaine out of Houston in 2019 — are not entirely uncommon. The Bills, Chiefs and Jets made GM changes after the draft during the late 2010s. Caserio, 47, did his best to shoot down rumors he could return to the Patriots after the draft, doing so after veteran Houston reporter John McClain indicated he did not buy into a potential Caserio midyear exit.

“Quite frankly, I’m almost embarrassed I have to. I feel sort of like Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘Wolf of Wall Street.’ I’m not leaving,” Caserio said Monday, via ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime. “There’s never really been any substantive discussions of the sort.”

Gaine was on the job for barely a year when the Texans fired him. That decision preceded Bill O’Brien becoming the rare modern head coach/general manager; O’Brien’s brief GM tenure led the Texans to a place in which a lengthy rebuild became necessary. The Texans poached Caserio from New England, after failing to pry away the longtime Bill Belichick right-hand man previously, and gave him the keys to this overhaul.

Progress has proven elusive, and Caserio firing rumors did surface late last year. While Caserio still leads the Texans’ front office, ownership is believed to be more involved with this year’s draft than in previous springs. The Texans hold the No. 2 overall pick and are not certain to go with a quarterback, despite the Deshaun Watson mess leaving them without a viable signal-caller over the past two seasons. Houston has gone 7-26-1 and needed a final-minute fourth-and-20 conversion — one that gave the Bears (and then the Panthers) the No. 1 overall pick — to win in Week 18.

Caserio’s Watson trade gave the Texans three additional first-round picks, making the Browns quarterback the first to fetch three future firsts in a trade haul since Jim Plunkett in 1976. The Plunkett trade package included extra firsts across two drafts; the Texans obtained the Browns’ 2022, ’23 and ’24 Round 1 choices. Caserio worked without first- or second-round picks during his initial Texans offseason and has brought in a high number of middling veterans on one- or two-year deals; this blueprint, as expected, did not lead to many wins. Davis Mills‘ second go-round as a starter led to the Texans’ win total dropping in 2022.

Caserio’s first two HC searches produced strange endings, with neither Culley nor Smith connected to other teams before taking over, and Houston’s roster remains low on cornerstone players. But the team can add two more potential pillars in the first round this year. Caserio insists he will still be around to oversee this operation after making those picks.

49ers To Sign WR Chris Conley

April 17th, 2023 at 2:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Chris Conley will have an opportunity to earn a roster spot for a fifth team soon. After visiting San Francisco late last week, the veteran wide receiver agreed to terms with the 49ers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

This is a one-year agreement. It will mark Conley’s first trip out of the AFC. While still best known for his time with the Chiefs, the 2015 third-round pick has since nearly completed the AFC South cycle. Over the past four seasons, Conley played for the Jaguars, Texans and Titans. Both Conley and Laquon Treadwell worked out for the 49ers last week.

An auxiliary pass catcher in the Chiefs’ Alex Smith– and Patrick Mahomes-led offenses, Conley put together his best season with the Jags in 2019. Given a two-year, $4.6MM deal that offseason, the 6-foot-3 wideout showed viability without Andy Reid‘s assistance by catching 47 catches for 775 yards and five touchdowns for the Gardner Minshew-piloted Jacksonville offense. Conley, 30, has since bounced around the league, making it less than a lock he will be part of the 49ers’ 53-man roster come September.

The Georgia alum spent last year with three teams, moving from Houston to Kansas City and Tennessee. Conley’s Chiefs return did not produce any game action, and he caught four passes in seven games with the receiver-depleted Titans. Conley did eclipse 300 receiving yards for the 2021 Texans, however.

Beyond their Deebo Samuel–Brandon Aiyuk duo, the 49ers have Jauan Jennings on an ERFA tender and former third-round pick Danny Gray going into his second season. Gray caught just one pass as a rookie, but the team obviously still has the ex-SMU speedster in its plans.

Bears Re-Sign WR Dante Pettis

April 17th, 2023 at 1:26pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bears have made one major addition to their receiving corps already this offseason, but a familiar face will remain in the fold as well. The team announced on Monday that Dante Pettis has been re-signed on a one-year deal.

The 27-year-old signed in Chicago last offseason, making the Bears his third NFL employer. Pettis began his career with the 49ers, failing to live up to his second-round draft stock during his brief tenure there. His rookie campaign in San Francisco remains his most productive one on offense (27 catches, 467 yards, five touchdowns), though it wasn’t enough to prevent the team from waiving him in November 2020.

That move paved the way for the Washington product to join the Giants. New York presented an opportunity for Pettis to secure a larger workload, but his playing time remained that of a rotational player in the Big Apple both in 2020 and his only full campaign there in 2021. He thus arrived in Chicago last year with tempered expectations.

On offense, he was once again in a role other than that of a full-time starter, logging a 51% snap share. Pettis was able to translate that into his second most productive campaign, though, recording a 19/245/3 statline. His three touchdowns ranked second on the team, but his contributions weren’t limited to the offensive side of the ball last season.

Pettis operated as the Bears’ primary punt returner in 2022, the first time he had held that role for any significant span since his rookie campaign. He totaled 163 yards on 18 runbacks, good for an average of 9.1 yards per return. That effectiveness fell short of his special teams prowess showed in college, but it will be enough for the 6-1, 195-pounder to remain in the Windy City for at least one more year.

The Bears entered the offseason in need of pass catching upgrades, something which was achieved with D.J. Moore being part of the package they received from the Panthers in return for the first overall pick in this year’s draft. Pettis will be in line for a much smaller workload than Moore, of course, but he will look to at least replicate his 2022 performance as the Bears look to take a needed step forward in the passing game this year.

Vikings DE Danielle Hunter To Skip Offseason Program

April 17th, 2023 at 12:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

Players due for lucrative second contracts are often among those who choose to avoid voluntary portions of their team’s offseason programs amidst contract disputes. Danielle Hunter doesn’t fall into that category, but his financial situation will lead to his absence.

The veteran edge rusher is not expected to attend Minnesota’s offseason program, reports ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link). That news comes as Hunter is set to enter the final year of his deal, which calls for $5.5MM in total compensation and a cap hit of $13.1MM. Fowler tweets that the 28-year-old appears to still be in the team’s plans, which hasn’t always been the case.

Hunter found himself on the trade block last offseason, with finances at the heart of the Vikings’ desire to move on from him. They ultimately picked up his sizeable option bonus (made necessary through a 2021 restructure) and agreed to a new deal which lowered his cap hit. Not long after, it came out that a new extension could be on the table, despite Minnesota’s tight cap situation.

The Vikings’ hesitancy to commit to another lucrative Hunter pact came as little surprise given his injury history. The former third-rounder missed the entire 2020 campaign due to a neck injury, while a torn pectoral muscle limited him to seven contests in 2021. During the latter season, though, he showed his continued ability to produce with six sacks in limited action.

Hunter followed that up with a fully healthy 2022 season. He racked up 10.5 sacks – reaching double digits for the fourth time in his career – adding 34 pressures and 22 quarterback hits. That earned him a third career Pro Bowl nod, recognition he has received in each of his three most recent full campaigns. Those figures would help explain his desire for a raise on a new contract.

Minnesota is already dealing with a standing trade request from fellow veteran edge rusher Za’Darius Smith. The team still does not appear willing to move the Pro Bowler, who is on the books for two more years. He and Hunter would represent an expensive pass rushing tandem if the latter were to secure a raise on a new deal, though their collective production points to such an investment being a sound one. Progress on contract talks between the team and Hunter – or, perhaps, a renewal of their attempt to trade him if things go sideways – will be a story to watch as the next phase of the offseason unfolds.

Josh Jacobs To Skip Raiders’ Offseason Program

April 17th, 2023 at 10:00am CST by Adam La Rose

Monday marks the first day in which all teams are able to begin phase one of their offseason programs, and attention is of course being paid to notable absences. One player choosing to skip his team’s voluntary workouts is Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, as noted (on Twitter) by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

The news comes as little surprise, considering Jacobs has yet to sign his franchise tag. Vegas’ decision to use the one-year tender kept Jacobs off the market, thus preventing him from trying to parlay his career-year into a long-term payday. The former first-rounder joined Saquon Barkley and Tony Pollard as backs receiving the franchise tag this offseason; only the latter has signed his so far.

Jacobs, 25, seemed to be on his way out of Vegas heading into the 2022 season given the team’s decision to decline his firth-year option. His performance this past year, though – including 12 touchdowns and a league-leading 2,053 scrimmage yards – earned him Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. That made his retention (at least in the short-term) a priority for the Raiders, who have to date joined most of the rest of the league in not making a lucrative investment at the position on a second contract.

In fact, serious extension talks have yet to take place between the Raiders and Jacobs. The latter is set to earn $10.1MM on the tag if no long-term agreement can be reached this offseason. With July 17 representing the deadline for talks on that front, though, plenty of time still remains for a breakthrough. Jacobs’ market could be influenced by Barkley’s, though the Giants appear very content to let their star play out the 2023 season without any long-term security. The Raiders taking a similar approach with Jacobs would cloud his financial prospects.

As expected, the free agent market led to a number of modest deals at the running back position this offseason. Only Miles Sanders and David Montgomery landed new contracts averaging $6MM or more per season, a further illustration of the devaluation of the position. How Jacobs fits into the changing RB landscape could be worth monitoring next offseason, if no new deal is agreed upon by that time. In the short-term, progress (or a lack thereof) made in contract talks as he aims to use his limited leverage in the spring will be a key storyline for the team.

Lions Re-Sign CB Saivion Smith

April 17th, 2023 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Saivion Smith‘s most recent NFL action saw him taken off the field by an ambulance, marking a frightening end to his 2022 campaign. The 25-year-old is set to continue his career in Detroit, however, as he has a new deal in place with the Lions, per a team announcement.

Smith suffered a neck injury in Week 5 which led to serious questions about his playing future, given the nature in which he left the field and the attention which was necessary afterwards. He underwent neck fusion surgery in November, and has been recovering since.

His progress on that front has obviously been sufficient for the Lions to bring him back into the fold for at least training camp. The 25-year-old was making his season debut when the injury occurred, but he had been promoted from the practice squad to the starting lineup that week as a reaction to the team’s woeful start to the campaign on the defensive side of the ball. Smith was unable to carve out a long-term role for himself due to the missed time from surgery, but he will get the opportunity to do so in 2023.

The Lions have made a number of moves in the secondary this offseason, including the signings of Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley in free agency. Those two will give the team a pair of starting-caliber options in the CBs room, and their arrivals made 2020 third overall pick Jeff Okudah easier to move on from. Detroit sent the latter to Atlanta as a way of giving both parties a fresh start and of furthering their changes to their backend.

Retaining Smith will give the Lions a degree of continuity at that spot, though. The former UDFA has been in Detroit since partway through the 2021 campaign, and has experience on special teams dating back to his time with the Cowboys and 49ers. He will look to establish himself as at least a third phase contributor upon returning to the field, with the chance for a rotational defensive role potentially in sight if he can recover in full.

Latest On DeAndre Hopkins

April 16th, 2023 at 10:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

With most veteran receivers now off the free agent market, the fate of DeAndre Hopkins is one of the top storylines at the position. The Cardinals star has frequently been mentioned in trade rumors this offseason, and he provided the latest updates on his situation earlier today.

During an appearance on the All Things Covered Podcast, Hopkins was asked about specific landing spots in a potential trade. Having been told to only answer with body language, the 30-year-old responded positively to the suggestion of joining the Chiefs and Bills, while the opposite was true of the Jets and Patriots (video link).

While there is certainly a limit to how much one should read into his answers, Hopkins’ responses come as little surprise. Both Kansas City and Buffalo have reportedly shown interest in acquiring the five-time Pro Bowler. The Super Bowl champions fielded a WR unit without Tyreek Hill in 2022 and achieved success in doing so, but they have lost JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman in free agency. The Bills, meanwhile, have a need for a compliment to Stefon Diggs, something which could come in the draft but would also be accomplished by a Hopkins acquisition.

New England, meanwhile, was named as a team unlikely to have much success in trading for the three-time All-Pro. The presence of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien – the head coach and de facto general manager of the Texans when Hopkins was traded to Arizona in 2020 – would no doubt create an uneasy situation for the Patriots. New England signed Smith-Schuster, but could still stand to add an impact pass catcher, be it a veteran or a rookie.

The Jets have been busy remaking their WR corps in anticipation of acquiring Aaron Rodgers. That process has included the signings of Hardman and Allen Lazard, as well as a pursuit of Odell Beckham Jr. With the latter having joined the Ravens (on a deal worth far more than what the Jets, or any other team, appeared willing to offer), speculation connecting them to Hopkins could intensify. As ESPN’s Rich Cimini notes, however, a deal for Hopkins remains unlikely at this point.

Financials are at the heart of trade talks between the Cardinals and interested teams. Hopkins has massive cap hits on each of the final two years of his current contract, with Arizona’s willingness to eat some of his compensation likely to affect the trade return they receive. According to Hopkins himself, an adjusted contract upon arrival with a new team will not require a raise from his currently scheduled compensation (Twitter link).

That falls in line with previous reporting on the matter, and comes as little surprise given Hopkins’ recent decision to hire an agent amidst his willingness to rework his contract. After the draft in particular, it will be interesting to see if his apparent interest in joining an AFC heavyweight will be reciprocated.

NFL Draft Prospect Profile: TCU WR Quentin Johnston

April 16th, 2023 at 10:09pm CST by Ely Allen

We all know the recent history of drafting TCU wide receivers, especially in the first round. Since 2000, only Jeremy Kerley has surpassed 600 yards receiving in a season, while former first round picks Josh Doctson and Jalen Reagor both failed to finish out their rookie contracts with the teams that drafted them. Doctson was released just before his fourth year in the league, while Reagor was traded around the same time last year. The latest Horned Frog to attempt to erase the dreadful history of receivers out of Fort Worth is junior wideout Quentin Johnston.

Johnston was a consensus four-star wide receiver out of Temple High School (Texas) in the Class of 2020. After initially committing to Texas before his senior year, Johnston would eventually flip to TCU after the dismissal of Longhorns wide receivers coach Drew Mehringer. With Reagor leaving for the NFL, a spot at the top of the depth chart was wide open for the taking.

Johnston earned a starting role in Fort Worth immediately as a freshman, leading the team with 487 receiving yards and earning honorable mention All-Big 12 honors. As a sophomore, he would earn first-team All-Big 12 honors after leading the team in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Then, this past year, Johnston lead the Horned Frogs in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns en route to his second straight year on the All-Big 12 first team. Over his three-year career at TCU, Johnston totaled 115 catches for 2,190 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Among the other top receiver prospects, Johnston reigns as the biggest of the bunch, establishing himself physically as a potential WR1. His size obviously assists him, with length and strength inherent in his frame, but it doesn’t keep him from being as agile as the smaller receivers in the draft. Johnston used his burst and acceleration to rank second in the nation in yards after catch per reception. His combination of size and elusiveness make him one of the tougher receivers to bring down after the catch. Before the catch, he has great awareness to track the ball and use his leaping ability and body control to make grabs.

The biggest problem showing up on Johnston’s film is drops. Whether it’s a lack of confidence in his hands that results in inconsistent body-catching or a lack of focus as he fails to secure the ball before turning his eyes upfield to run, drops plagued Johnston in 2022. Luckily, drops have been a bit of an issue for the rest of the receivers expected to be first-rounders, as well, making his eight drops hurt a little less. Boston College’s Zay Flowers surpassed Johnston with nine drops of his own this year. Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba dropped six passes in his only full season of play. USC’s Jordan Addison only had two this year but had 21 during his two years at Pittsburgh. Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt may be the exception of the group, with only eight drops in his collegiate career, but five of those came in 2022.

Looking past the drops, Johnston has only a few other things to work on. Tight hips and a lack of variety at TCU mean that he has some work to do on route-running. Also, despite his size, Johnston didn’t have the best track record with contested catches.

Plenty of teams have done their homework on Johnston. So far, in the pre-draft process, Johnston has met with or planned to meet with the Giants, Ravens, Chiefs, Cowboys, Cardinals, Falcons, Vikings, Jaguars, and Titans. Basically, any team looking to add some size to their receiving corps has done some research on Johnston.

The 21-year-old makes a lot of sense for that purpose. The disastrous history of TCU wideouts going pro and Johnston’s drops will be overlooked fairly easily. Not only will teams overlook them because of his size but because he uses his athleticism to blend that size congruously with speed and strength. He’s almost certain to hear his name on Day 1 of the 2023 NFL Draft later this month, but at what point in the night he is selected has yet to be determined.

Several Teams Interested In C John Michael Schmitz

April 16th, 2023 at 8:12pm CST by Ely Allen

Center is an intriguing position when determining draft value, as the top centers can be extremely valuable but aren’t always considered first rounders. The most recent example saw the Ravens draft Tyler Linderbaum last year to be rewarded with a top-six center, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

While this year’s top centers, Joe Tippmann of Wisconsin and John Michael Schmitz of Minnesota, aren’t entirely expected to go in the first round, Schmitz has been receiving plenty of interest and shouldn’t last long into the second round, if he’s still available by then.

We had noted a private workout with the Steelers weeks ago. Since then, Schmitz has participated in a private workout and dinner with the Jets, a top 30 visit and dinner with the Seahawks, a top 30 visit with the Vikings, and a coach workout and dinner with the Giants, according to Pat Leonard of New York Daily News. Additionally, the 24-year-old has had Zoom contact with the Texans, Titans, Colts, Bills, and Packers.

Seattle has reportedly been “all over” Schmitz, according to Leonard. After the retirement announcement of center Austin Blythe, the Seahawks certainly could use a strong new potential starter to anchor their line. The only center currently on the roster is career backup Joey Hunt, who returned to Seattle last year after two seasons with the Colts. The other team that has shown a lot of love towards Schmitz is the Jets, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. With Connor McGovern‘s contract expiring this offseason, New York could also use a young, new center for presumed quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

While center can be a tough position to pinpoint and Tippmann remains as competition for the best center prospect, the sheer amount of interest in Schmitz leads to the belief that he won’t last long into Day 2 of the draft later this month. That’s if he even makes it past Day 1.

Utah TE Dalton Kincaid Cleared Before Draft

April 16th, 2023 at 6:38pm CST by Ely Allen

This year’s draft class is extremely deep at the tight end position, and one of the top prospects faced the additional challenge of a recent injury. Despite a back injury suffered late in the season, Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid has officially been cleared for football activity prior to the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Dr. Robert Watkins sent an email to NFL teams fully clearing the 23-year-old. “Dalton Kincaid sustained a back injury while playing football on 11/26/2022,” the email said. “Subsequent MRIs have shown appropriate healing, and he has been asymptomatic with no pain and no limitation of function for at least 3 months. He is cleared to play football with no restrictions.”

The injury caused him to miss the Senior Bowl and NFL scouting combine, and a shoulder injury forced him to miss time earlier in the year, as well. The injury issues don’t help concerns about his smaller frame for an NFL tight end. Yet, Kincaid is still a stellar pass-catching option who caught at least eight touchdowns in four of five college seasons (the fifth being the COVID-shortened season).

The full clearance is big for Kincaid, who is expected to be selected in the first round later this month. He and Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer are widely anticipated to go on Day 1, while Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave and Georgia’s Darnell Washington have a chance, as well. With such a deep class, a nagging back injury could’ve really hurt Kincaid’s draft stock; a full clearance should keep Kincaid with his status as a consensus top two tight end in the draft.

With injury concerns out of the way, Kincaid has had several visits planned with NFL teams. The Ute met with the Bengals and Patriots this past week and has plans to visit the Packers in the week to come. Prior to those visits, Kincaid had spent time with the Texans, Raiders, Chargers, Jaguars, Titans, Lions, Chiefs, and Cowboys.

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