HEADLINES

Month: June 2023

Seahawks Planning To Carry Four RBs?

June 3rd, 2023 at 5:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The Seahawks were able to clear out some space in their running backs room this offseason as they allowed Rashaad Penny and Travis Homer to depart for Philadelphia and Chicago, respectively, in free agency. Tony Jones signed with the Broncos and fellow practice squad running backs Godwin Igwebuike and Wayne Gallman both still sit on the free agent market after their contracts with the team expired, leaving only Kenneth Walker and DeeJay Dallas on the roster leading up to the draft.

Seattle drafted two rookies to join Walker and Dallas and now face yet another season in which they may be rostering four or more running backs. In fact, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times is fairly sure that four backs will be retained on the 53-man roster with the likely question being who takes that fourth spot.

Walker, who finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting with an impressive debut outing, is certain to return as the team’s lead back. After amassing 1,050 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in 11 starts, Walker will be looking to take the next step in his sophomore season.

Dallas returns for the final year of his rookie contract. He’s never gotten to display much as a backup running back, usually splitting touches with Homer and Penny, not to mention Chris Carson, Alex Collins, and Carlos Hyde in previous years, but this may be the year that Dallas gets to breakout out as a true primary backup behind Walker. Even if the two rookies prevent him from establishing a role as RB2, Dallas’s roster spot should be safe. Over his three years in Seattle, Dallas has been a dedicated special teams contributor and a reliable returner of both punts and kickoffs.

The Seahawks used a second-round selection, their fourth pick in the first two rounds, to select Zach Charbonnet out of UCLA. Charbonnet projects as the most likely option to unseat Dallas as the second back behind Walker. After a strong freshman season at Michigan that saw him rush for 726 yards and 11 touchdowns, Charbonnet lost carries as a sophomore to Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum, leading to a transfer to the west coast. Charbonnet responded to losing his job in Ann Arbor by dominating the Pac-12, rushing for 2,496 yards and 27 touchdowns over two seasons with the Bruins. He brings a bit more size to the position than Walker or Dallas yet still provides a surprising agility to go along with great vision and reliable pass-catching.

Kenny McIntosh was the team’s final draft pick of 2023 in the seventh round. As a senior at Georgia last year, McIntosh finally got an opportunity to perform as the lead back after the NFL departures of James Cook and Zamir White. McIntosh delivered with 829 rushing yards for 10 touchdowns, but he truly thrived as a receiving back, catching 43 passes for 505 yards and two more touchdowns in 2022. Walker, Dallas, and Charbonnet all have some pass-catching ability, but McIntosh’s specialty in the area may be enough to secure him a roster spot as a rookie. McIntosh has similar size to Charbonnet and has more experience as a committee back with a receiving role from his time with the Bulldogs.

The only other back on the roster, after the team waived undrafted rookie Chris Smith this week, is Bryant Koback, a previously undrafted running back who spent last season on the Vikings’ practice squad. Koback put up ridiculous numbers at Toledo, rushing for 4,026 yards and 45 touchdowns over his career as a Rocket. That total could’ve been even higher if Koback hadn’t been limited to six games in a COVID-shortened 2020 season. While Koback has a strong college resume, Condotta is under the impression that it will take a lot in order for him to unseat McIntosh as the fourth running back on the roster.

Therein lies the plan for Seattle in 2023. Walker should continue as the team’s lead back with either Dallas or Charbonnet taking over key backup duties. Dallas can also compete for pass-catching duties with the other rookie, McIntosh. And, unless Charbonnet and McIntosh make Dallas completely superfluous with strong special teams contributions of their own, Dallas should continue to be a core special teamer for the Seahawks. All this while Koback gives his best audition to prove he deserves a chance in the regular season.

Latest On San Francisco’s OL Plans

June 3rd, 2023 at 2:30pm CST by Ely Allen

There weren’t many doubts heading into 2023, but 49ers offensive line coach and run game coordinator Chris Foerster has provided some clarity about some roles on the team’s offensive line for the year. While the left side of the line from center over was solid last year, with left tackle Trent Williams grading out as the league’s top tackle, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the right side of the line was viewed as a bit more up in the air.

The biggest question facing the offensive line was who would replace departing starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who signed with the Broncos in free agency back in March. Foerster confirmed that the team intends to utilize fourth-year tackle Colton McKivitz in the starting lineup to begin the season, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. The former fifth-round pick out of West Virginia has been asked to step up a few times, starting five games over his young career. It’s been a long road to become a starter as McKivitz spent the majority of his sophomore season on the practice squad and dealt with a high ankle sprain that landed him on injured reserve for four games last year.

San Francisco doesn’t have a ton of options behind McKivitz. Jaylon Moore has competed with McKivitz in the last few years for a backup role, starting five games over the last two seasons, and the team brought in Matt Pryor for depth in free agency. Pryor was also considered a possible replacement for McGlinchey as he has the most starting experience of the three, but he will instead be providing some experienced depth off the bench with starts under his belt at both tackle and guard.

Another question lingered on the right side after Spencer Burford showed room for improvement as a rookie starter last year. The 49ers asked a lot of their fourth-round selection, cementing him in that starting role fairly early into his tenure with the team. Of 77 guards graded last year by PFF, Burford’s rookie season ranked him 67th in the group. Despite the team bringing in some possible competition, Foerster confirmed that Burford should be returning to his starting role from last year.

The options behind Burford are much better than behind McKivitz. As mentioned above, Pryor comes in with starting experience at guard as well as tackle. The team added another veteran with diverse experience in Jon Feliciano. Feliciano started games at both guard spots over his time with the Raiders and Bills before spending last season as the Giants’ starting center. He provides San Francisco with a strong option as a backup center, but a recent report claimed that the team intends to use Feliciano back in his natural guard role. It appears he may be the 49ers’ top backup option for any of the interior roles.

San Francisco also has second-year guard Nick Zakelj, but Foerster wants Zakelj to give Feliciano a run for the No.2 center job behind starter Jake Brendel, according to Wagoner. Foerster says that they’d like Zakelj, who appeared in five games as a rookie last year in minimal work, to be able to provide depth at all three interior positions.

Hence, Foerster has provided us a strong portrait of the depth chart for San Francisco’s offensive line. A starting lineup that includes (from left to right) Williams, Aaron Banks, Brendel, Burford, and McKivitz will have strong competition and replacement options in Pryor, Feliciano, and Zakelj. With some of the best players in the country at running back, wide receiver, and tight end, and several strong options at quarterback, Foerster is doing his best to make sure the offensive line is not a weak spot on the 49ers offense.

Tyron Smith Expected To Play Right Tackle

June 3rd, 2023 at 12:29pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cowboys current first-team offensive line may look a whole lot different come Week 1, but we’re starting to get clarity on some of the team’s plans. As Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets, “it would be a surprise” if Tyron Smith isn’t starting at right tackle. Meanwhile, Clarence Hill of the Dallas Star-Telegram writes that the Cowboys are “focused” on keeping Tyler Smith at left tackle.

The Cowboys have stated all offseason that they intend to start their best five offensive lineman, regardless of position. That five-man grouping should eventually include Terence Steele, who is still working his way back from a torn ACL. He could get a look at right tackle and left guard, potentially pushing one of Matt Farniok or Tyron Smith out of the lineup.

However, it sounds like the team intends to stick with the veteran Smith at RT, assuming the lineman is healthy enough to play. The 32-year-old has been limited to only 17 regular season games over the past three years, including a 2022 campaign where he appeared in only four games thanks to a torn hamstring. That injury kept Smith off the field until December, and by the time he returned, he had been pushed out of his normal LT role by Tyler Smith.

The younger Smith was thrust into the LT role after being selected in the first round of last year’s draft. He more than held his own during his rookie campaign, earning PFWA All-Rookie Team honors after starting all 17 games (plus two playoff contests). He ended up finishing the season as Pro Football Focus’ 25th offensive tackle (among 81 qualifying players), with the site preferring his run blocking over his pass blocking.

Elsewhere on the line, Chuma Edoga is expected to get a look at left guard, per Hill. Zack Martin has his position secure at right guard, while Tyler Biadasz will return for his third season as the Cowboys’ starting center.

Latest On Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley

June 3rd, 2023 at 11:34am CST by Ben Levine

Calvin Ridley hasn’t seen the field since the beginning of the 2021 campaign. Now playing in Jacksonville, the Jaguars intend to bring Ridley along slowly as he prepares for his return. Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told reporters that the team is being careful with Ridley and is limiting him during OTAs, per ESPN’s Michael DiRocco (on Twitter).

Pederson noted that there’s been no signs of rust on the wideout. Ridley is expected to be back to a full workload by the time training camp comes around.

“He’s done an outstanding job for us,” Pederson said (via the team’s website). “He’s picking up the offense. The times that he’s working with Trevor [Lawrence], they’re on the same page, they’re connecting.

“He wants to go so much and so fast and so hard out there at practice that we just have to pump the brakes and just tell him, ‘Hey, now’s not the time.’ He hasn’t played in a while, plus the injury, so we’re just trying to be careful with him.”

Ridley earned a second-team All-Pro nod with the Falcons in 2020 after finishing with 90 catches for 1,374 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. The wideout later revealed he played most of that season with a broken foot, and after starting each of the first five games of the 2021 campaign, Ridley announced that he was stepping away from football for mental health reasons. It was later announced that Ridley would be suspended for the entire 2022 campaign for gambling on games.

The receiver was traded to the Jaguars in November, and he was reinstated from his suspension in March. He’ll be joining a receivers room that also includes Christian Kirk and Zay Jones. The Jaguars can lean on those top two wideouts while Ridley prepares for his first full season since 2020.

“I have to gradually get my body back to football and be peaking going into the season – not out here [in OTAs],” Ridley said (via the team’s website). “I’m kind of picking it up a little bit, just trying to get myself the reps I could get. But they just want me to slowly build towards the season.

“Of course, I expect I would be a little rusty because you can’t really get ready for this. Just running every day is what really causes you get sore. I just have to make sure I build and not be sore in the season.”

Giants, Cowboys Not Expected To Sign DeAndre Hopkins

June 3rd, 2023 at 10:15am CST by Ben Levine

The Giants inserted themselves into the DeAndre Hopkins sweepstakes earlier this week. Head coach Brian Daboll told reporters that the organization would look into a potential Hopkins signing, noting that GM Joe Schoen would do his research “anytime there’s someone that’s available as a free agent.”

[RELATED: Giants Looking Into Potential DeAndre Hopkins Acquisition]

However, it doesn’t sound like the organization’s pursuit will extend much beyond simple due diligence. A team source told Ralph Vacchiano of FoxSports.com that the team’s interest in Hopkins isn’t expected to continue beyond the exploratory stage.

Hopkins certainly made sense for a questionable Giants WR corps. While the team did add tight end Darren Waller, their only other notable move was signing Parris Campbell to a receivers room that also features Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins and Sterling Shepard.

Hopkins’ financial demands may have ended the Giants’ pursuit before it even began; the receiver is seeking around $15MM per season while the Giants are currently armed with less than $4MM in space. The Giants still have to make progress on a potential extension for Saquon Barkley, a contract that won’t do anything to alleviate their finances.

Another NFC East team that’s unlikely to add Hopkins is the Dallas Cowboys. Jon Machota of The Athletic writes that the team isn’t expected to sign the free agent, although coach Mike McCarthy did discuss the wideout to reporters.

“As far as players that are not here, I mean, there’s nothing good that comes out of those answers,” McCarthy said (via Machota). “Hop is a hell of a talent. I had a chance to be around (him) his first Pro Bowl. So, I’ve always had respect for him since his rookie year.”

One definitive suitor is the Chiefs, and Albert Breer of TheMMQB passes along some details of Kansas City’s offer to Hopkins (Twitter link). Kansas City offered the wideout an incentive-laden deal with a low base salary, and the front office noted that Hopkins could parlay a one-year stint in Kansas City into a more lucrative deal in 2024 (similar to JuJu Smith-Schuster).

Broncos Still Eyeing Kickers

June 3rd, 2023 at 9:38am CST by Ben Levine

The Broncos may have added kicker Elliott Fry earlier this week, but that won’t stop the team from making more moves at the position. Sean Payton told reporters that the Broncos will still be on the lookout for available kickers (per Chris Tomasson of Denver Gazette on Twitter).

[RELATED: Broncos To Sign K Elliott Fry]

It’s not a huge surprise that the Broncos would continue to be in the market for kickers. The team moved on from veteran Brandon McManus this offseason, and they didn’t have a kicker on their roster until they added Fry this week.

Fry doesn’t have the resume of a kicker who should just be handed the job. The 28-year-old has only seen time in three career games with the Falcons, Bengals, and Chiefs, connecting on five of his field goal attempts and five of his seven extra point tries. He didn’t get into a regular season game in 2022. When Fry auditioned for the Broncos last week, he was joined by fellow free agents Brett Maher and Parker White. That duo remains unsigned.

Assuming the Broncos do bring in someone to compete with Fry, Payton cautioned that a supposed kicking competition still might not have any reflection on the regular-season roster. The head coach pointed to “a kicking battle one year in New Orleans,” when the Saints ended up signing a free agent following final cuts instead of opting for either of the two kickers on their roster.

“Don’t pay attention to the line in front of you or the room you’re in,” Payton said (via Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post). “You’re competing with yourself to put your best product on the field because there’s 31 other teams that might be deeper in a position.”

Dolphins Remain On Dalvin Cook Radar

June 2nd, 2023 at 10:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

The one team known to have discussed a trade with the Vikings for Dalvin Cook is not believed to be out of the running for the Pro Bowl back. The Dolphins remain interested in bringing the veteran back to South Florida.

No trade is in place between the teams, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, but it is expected the Dolphins will have interest if the Vikings move on via release. A South Florida native who played at Florida State, Cook, 27, is also expected to view Miami as an appealing destination were he to be cut, Jackson adds.

Cook is tied to a five-year, $63MM extension — agreed to just before the 2020 season, during Rick Spielman‘s lengthy tenure as the Vikings’ front office boss — that calls for a $10.4MM 2023 base salary and a $14.1MM cap hit. Both figures are in the top four at running back this year. The Dolphins, understandably, would not be expected to give Cook a salary close to that number, Jackson adds.

Trade talks between the Vikings and Dolphins commenced in March, but with no deal coming to pass, Miami made a steady effort to establish backfield continuity. Ex-Mike McDaniel 49ers charges Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson re-signed, as did Myles Gaskin. Even after those signings, Cook stayed on Miami’s radar. But, after spending extensive time with Texas A&M prospect Devon Achane, the Dolphins drafted him in the third round. Miami did not spend much to retain Mostert and Wilson, signing them both to two-year deals that contain less than $3MM guaranteed apiece. Gaskin did not receive any guaranteed money.

Despite adding Wilson at the trade deadline, the Dolphins ranked 25th in rushing last season. Cook would undoubtedly upgrade Miami’s backfield — for 2023, at least — while giving the Dolphins a much deeper position group compared to the Vikings. Minnesota appears prepared to go with longtime Cook backup Alexander Mattison as its starter. That might represent a downgrade in terms of peak production, but it would come at a steep discount as well. Mattison signed a two-year, $7MM deal that is nearly fully guaranteed.

Just $2MM of Cook’s salary is locked in for this year, but since the former second-round pick is a vested veteran, the entire $10.4MM would become the Vikings’ responsibility if he is on their roster come Week 1. With that unlikely to happen, the question will be whether the Vikings move on via trade or release. (Cook agreeing to a pay cut and likely a role reduction to stay in Minnesota is not entirely off the table, either.) With the Dolphins seemingly the lead suitor, it would make sense for the team to wait for a release and pursue the seventh-year veteran in free agency.

With Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle still tied to rookie-deal salaries, Cook could fit in as a 2023 Dolphins hired gun. Tagovailoa’s pay spikes in 2024, thanks to the fifth-year option the Dolphins quickly exercised this offseason, and the team has Tyreek Hill tied to a receiver-record contract. For now, Hill’s $30MM-per-year deal is the only notable expense at the QB or skill spots in Miami. Though, Cedrick Wilson‘s $8MM-per-year contract remains on the books. The Dolphins are believed to be open to trading the ex-Cowboy, however. The team separated from 2022 franchise tag recipient Mike Gesicki in March.

Cook, who has four 1,100-yard rushing seasons on his resume, would be an interesting addition for one of the many contenders in a loaded AFC. For now, the Dolphins look to be interested observers in the Vikings’ decision-making at running back.

Latest On Josh Harris, Commanders Deal

June 2nd, 2023 at 9:54pm CST by Ely Allen

As many times as it’s been said in this situation, the end seems to be drawing nigh in the sale of the Commanders from Dan Snyder to Josh Harris. The newest breakdown, provided by Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post, details the plans of the NFL finance committee and provides an update on the progress of an indemnification agreement for Snyder.

Harris and Snyder agreed to an exclusive deal that would transfer ownership to a Harris-led group for $6.05 billion. The deal faced some hurdles, though, as the increasingly expensive price tag for NFL franchises has made it difficult for buying groups to complete purchases under the finance committee’s existing debt rules. Issues ranged from the amount of debt being taken on by Harris personally to the international source of some of his contributing investments to a reported “earnout” incentive designed to pay Snyder “an amount contingent on the franchise reaching specified financial benchmarks.”

According to Maske and Jhabvala, Harris “has given assurances that he will make the necessary adjustments…to secure the approval of the league’s franchise owners.” Harris is scheduled to have an in-person meeting with the eight-owner finance committee in New York this coming Wednesday, in which he will propose his solutions to the committee’s previous concerns and allow for further questions.

Additionally, in an effort to accelerate the progress of the deal, the finance committee has plans “to meet remotely several times in the coming weeks.” Assuming the two sides leave New York with a mutual understanding, there is hope that a vote to ratify the sale could potentially happen as soon as late-June or early-July. How soon that vote can occur also depends on whether the NFL would allow a vote to be taken remotely or if they would insist on an in-person meeting. Regardless, a possible owners’ meeting, special to this purpose, has been mentioned with a proposed date in August, as the next scheduled meeting isn’t until October.

Another hurdle the league has to overcome before the sale can be ratified is the remaining issues with Snyder as he reportedly seeks indemnification against legal and financial liability as a part of the sale. He has also supposedly beseeched the NFL to withhold the findings of their second investigation into Snyder and the Commanders being carried out by attorney Mary Jo White, although Washington denies both claims.

Regardless, Maske and Jhabvala report that a resolution of this situation was “95 percent done” as of last week. It’s unknown whether or not Harris’s group will indemnify Snyder or to what degree, but it’s common knowledge that the league’s owners have no desire to indemnify him. In fact, they want Snyder to indemnify them, a practice commonly found in previous sales.

Either way, the finish-line looms on the horizon. If the resolutions of both major impediments truly are close at hand, we may see the end of this ordeal in the weeks leading up to the 2023 NFL season. Many of the contributing sources were quick to cover themselves by adding a colloquial “it’s not over until the fat lady sings,” but it is seeming more and more that the end is in sight.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/2/23

June 2nd, 2023 at 8:05pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves in the NFL:

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: WR Garett Maag

New England Patriots

Seattle Seahawks

 

Maag fills the open roster spot vacated by retired tight end Ben Ellefson yesterday. After four years at North Dakota, the local native returns home to the Minneapolis area after going undrafted in April. In 49 games for the Fighting Hawks, Maag caught 162 passes for 2,152 yards and 18 touchdowns. He’ll add some depth to a position group in Minnesota headlined by Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn, and first-round pick out of USC Jordan Addison.

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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