2023 June - Pro Football Rumors

Month: January 2025

NFC North Rumors: Campbell, Bears, Addison, Cook

June 25th, 2023 at 9:24pm CST by Ely Allen

When the Lions made Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell the first off-ball linebacker taken in the 2023 NFL Draft at No. 18 overall, the assumption by many was that he would be starting as a rookie next to Alex Anzalone and Malcolm Rodriguez in Detroit. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, those assumptions may have been a bit premature.

Lions linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard asserted earlier this month that, in Detroit, they intend to start the best players. Aside from Anzalone and Rodriguez, Derrick Barnes is the team’s top returning linebacker. He was third in the position room in tackles and started four games for the Lions last year.

Sheppard would very much like Campbell to slot in as a starting linebacker, but he made it clear that Barnes is not going to go away quietly. While Rodriguez deals with a leg injury, Barnes has worked with the first team alongside Anzalone this spring. If Campbell is going to break the starting lineup in Week 1, he’s going to have to show that he can outperform Barnes. Until then, he is going to have to continue in his rookie development.

Here are a few other rumors from the NFC North, starting with a position battle out in the Windy City:

The Bears finished last in the league last year in team sacks with 20 total for the season. Their prospects in 2023 may not be much brighter. According to Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times, Dominique Robinson and Trevis Gipson will be competing for a starting spot at defensive end this summer. Robinson had 1.5 sacks in the season opener last year but failed to register another for the rest of the season. Gipson racked up two sacks in Week 2 of 2022 but only had one the rest of the year. As of right now, one of those two will be starting next season. Chicago would either like to see improvement in their production this year or would like to sign another end to provide more competition.
Vikings first-round pick Jordan Addison‘s rookie development has been put on hold a bit as he deals with a minor injury, according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said that he expects Addison to be fully recovered by training camp. In the meantime, Addison has reportedly been “asking great questions” and been “phenomenal in meetings” as he continues to learn.
While former Vikings running back Dalvin Cook‘s free agency has been the story as of late, he has experienced some recent legal victories, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports. Back in November of 2021, Gracelyn Trimble sued Cook for injuries from alleged assault, battery, and false imprisonment. Cook filed a counterclaim against Trimble accusing her and her lawyers of invasion of privacy and defamation. While both cases are still pending, Cook’s complaint will go to trial, which could lead to positive outcomes for both cases.

Contract Details: Johnson, Avery, Brewer

June 25th, 2023 at 7:24pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on recently signed contracts around the NFL:

Tyron Johnson, WR (Cowboys): Two years, $2.04MM. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Johnson will have a base salary of $1.01MM in 2023 and $1.03MM in 2024. His cap hits will match his base salaries in each year.
Genard Avery, OLB (Colts): One year, $1.08MM. According to Wilson, Avery will have a base salary of $1.08MM in 2023. He will hold a cap hit of $940K.
Aaron Brewer, LS (Cardinals): One year, $1.17MM. According to Howard Balzer of PHNX, Arizona’s long snapper will have a base salary of $1.17MM. His cap hit will be $940K in 2023.

NFC Front Office Updates: Vikings, Cowboys, Packers, Lions

June 25th, 2023 at 6:48pm CST by Ely Allen

The Vikings announced a number of front office adjustments last week, finalizing their staff moving into 2023. Five employees got promotions and another ten were added to the team’s staff. Some of these changes have been noted in previous posts.

Of the five, four promotions four were administrative, analytics, or personnel positions. Formerly the manager of football information systems, Luke Burson was promoted to director of football information systems in the analytics department. Emily Badis was elevated from football administration coordinator to manager of football administration. In personnel, Alex Dale, previously a scouting associate, was promoted to pro scout, and Mitch Johnson-Martin‘s title was updated to player personnel analyst-pro scouting.

As for the new hires, seven of the announcements were new information to the analytics and personnel staffs. In analytics, Anthony Caron was hired to the role of football information systems developer. In personnel, Minnesota brought in Salli Clavelle, who has spent the past five years in the 49ers’ personnel department. She will come on as a pro scout for the Vikings. The team has brought on a new area scout in Steve Sabo, as well. Sabo is a veteran who, last year, stepped down from his role as director of pro personnel of the Falcons. Jack Murphy joins the staff as a BLESTO/college scout. Lastly, the team added three scouting associates in Michelle Mankoff, Shantell Rodgers, and N’Tare Williamson. Rodgers is getting her first official NFL opportunity after spending a week as the team’s Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellow last August. This will be Williamson’s first NFL job, as well.

Here are a few other front office updates from around the NFC:

The Cowboys have made two additions to their analytics staff this offseason. After adding John Park as the team’s new director of strategic football operations earlier this month, the analytics staff added Sarah Mallepalle as strategic football analyst, according to Seth Walder of ESPN.
The Packers handed out two promotions last week, according to Neil Stratton. Previously a pro scouting intern, Daric Whipple has been elevated to scout. Another pro scouting intern, Quandon Christian, also received a promotion, earning the role of pro scout.
Lastly, the Lions promoted former assistant director of college scouting Brian Hudspeth to director of college scouting. The veteran is entering his 23rd season in the NFL, including six in Detroit. He spent four seasons as a national scout before being promoted to his previous position last year. He takes the position in place of Dave Sears, who took the assistant general manager job in Arizona this January.

WR Malachi Wideman Granted Supplemental Draft Eligibility

June 25th, 2023 at 4:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

When it was learned the NFL would bring back the supplemental draft in 2023, only one player was known to be eligible for the summer event. That total has now doubled.

Wideout Malachi Wideman has been deemed eligible for the supplemental draft, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 (Twitter link). Wideman joins fellow receiver Milton Wright as players available to be selected on July 11 when the league holds its first edition of the summer draft since 2019. College alums are required to apply to the NFL for eligibility, as those who take the supplemental path do so after losing eligibility for the entry draft in April.

Wideman was a four-star recruit after a productive high school career in both football and basketball. He joined Tennessee in June of 2020, but after making just one appearance he transferred to Jackson State the following year. Doing so allowed him to play under head coach Deion Sanders and put together a strong season. Wideman posted 12 touchdowns that year, demonstrating his ability as a red zone threat in particular.

He was deemed ineligible to play last season, however, which left him on the sidelines in 2022 and required to him to go through the approval process for the upcoming supplemental draft. Wideman’s limited playing time at the college level could give NFL teams pause, though his pedigree coming out of high school along with his size (6-4, 200 pounds) and production in his one full campaign could present an intriguing option.

The most recent receiver selected in the supplemental draft was Josh Gordon. The Browns used a second-round pick on him in 2012, a move which appeared to pay signficant dividends early in his career. Things have not gone as planned since, then, of course, though there are other signficant examples of wideouts joining the NFL via the supplemental route (including Cris Carter and Rob Moore). Wright and Wideman will look to join their ranks next month.

Chargers’ Zion Johnson Set To Play LG In 2023

June 25th, 2023 at 2:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chargers have devoted considerable resources to their offensive line in recent years, including the addition of guard Zion Johnson in last year’s draft. The former first-rounder is slated to build off his rookie season in a more familiar spot.

Johnson is expected to play left guard in 2023, as noted by Daniel Popper of The Athletic (subscription required). That was his most effective position at Boston College, and moving back to it (after spending his rookie campaign at right guard) will pair him with Pro Bowler Rashawn Slater on the left side of Los Angeles’ offensive front.

In 2022, Johnson was an immediate RG starter and logged 1,184 snaps. The 23-year-old allowed five sacks and 40 pressures, however, leading to an underwhelming pass blocking PFF grade. His evaluation in the run game was better, though, and playing between Slater and former All-Pro center Corey Linsley could result in a signficant step forward in Year 2 for Johnson. Expectations will be high for the latter after the Chargers used the No. 17 selection on him in 2022.

Johnson was not a full participant in minicamp, Popper adds, meaning a minor injury occurred in the spring. The 6-3, 313-pounder is expected to be fully healthy in time for training camp next month, however, which will set him up for a season in which he will be a key member of the Chargers’ offense. That unit was among the league’s best in terms of passing production last season, but they struggled mightily on the ground with an average of just 89.6 rushing yards per contest.

Overall, the Chargers’ projected starting O-line, based on spring practices, consists of Slater, Johnson, Linsley, 2022 LT fill-in Jamaree Salyer at right guard and Trey Pipkins at right tackle. If healthy, that group could put together a strong campaign and prove the team’s commitments in them to be fruitful, and Johnson figures to have a central role in that regard. His attention will be on recovery in the coming weeks, and a transition to a new (NFL) position overall heading into the 2023 campaign.

5 Key Stories: 6/18/23 – 6/25/23

June 25th, 2023 at 1:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

A number of developments have taken place over the past week concerning on- and off-the-field matters in the NFL. In case you missed anything, here’s a quick recap:

Bills Extend McDermott, Beane: The Bills will have stability on the sidelines and in the front office for years to come with head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane signing joint extensions. The pair are now under contract through the 2027 season, as their shared success has yielded another set of new deals. The Bills have been among the NFL’s elite since McDermott and Beane were hired in 2017, qualifying for the postseason five times during that span and reaching one AFC title game. With one of the NFL’s deepest and most balanced rosters, expectations will once again be high for them in 2023, though the AFC East in particular and the conference as a whole will provide signficant challenges. McDermott and Beane will enter the campaign assured of their long-term futures.
Owners To Vote On Commnaders Sale: A date has been arranged for the final step in the Commanders sale process. NFL owners will convene on July 20 to vote on the ratification of Josh Harris’ purchase of the franchise. The league’s finance committee is expected to provide a unanimous recommendation of green-lighting the sale, which should in turn result in full approval being given to the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owner to take over from Dan Snyder. Issues related to finances have come up with the Harris bid since it was agreed to in May, but the decision to schedule the ratification vote for July points to optimism from all involved that they will be smoothed over soon. Provided the vote goes as expected, the sales process will reach its conclusion next month.
Giants, Raiders Contemplating Deals With Franchise-Tagged RBs: The deadline for signing franchise tag recipients to long-term deals is approaching, and the Giants and Raiders have decisions to make with running backs Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs, respectively. Both teams are still open to new contracts with their leading rushers, though Vegas has been much quieter to date in terms of negotiations relative to New York. Little is known with respect to the gap between Jacobs and the Raiders regarding extension talks, something which has been a source of frustration for the former. The Giants, meanwhile, have made (and pulled) offers to Barkley, limiting his leverage during negotiations which have dated back to the bye week of the 2022 campaign. All parties involved have until July 17 to reach agreement on new deals; otherwise, Barkley and Jacobs will earn $10.1MM on the one-year tender this year.
Cook Remains On Dolphins’ Radar: The Dolphins have previously been connected to Dalvin Cook on the trade front before his release from the Vikings, and they still are now that the veteran running back is a free agent. Miami has discussed a deal with the four-time Pro Bowler, something which would represent a homecoming and give the team a notable boost for their ground game. Cook was let go by Minnesota after no trade partner could be found, immediately leading to speculation that a Dolphins deal could soon follow. No other serious suitor has emerged to date, which could clear the way to a contract being worked out between the two sides. Miami sits mid-pack in terms of cap space at the moment, so they could absorb what should be a short-term pact for the 27-year-old.
Hopkins Free Agent Watch Continues: The free agent visits taken by DeAndre Hopkins have come and gone, but no deal has emerged as a result. The All-Pro wideout has met with the Titans and Patriots, and he is contemplating the standing offers made by each team. Hopkins, 31, is employing a patient approach which could allow him to draw further interest from other teams looking to bolster their passing attacks, though it remains to be seen how much value his next contract will have given how deep into the offseason his free agent process has lasted since his May release. Many contending AFC teams are in worse cap space than Tennessee and New England as things stand, which could hinder Hopkins’ market at least until training camp brings about injuries or surprise roster cuts.

Matt Hennessy Favorite To Start At LG For Falcons?

June 25th, 2023 at 10:58am CST by Rory Parks

Four-fifths of the Falcons’ starting offensive line is set, with Jake Matthews at left tackle, Drew Dalman at center, Chris Lindstrom at right guard, and Kaleb McGary at right tackle. That leaves an open spot at left guard, with Matt Hennessy and Matthew Bergeron vying for the role.

Atlanta clearly thinks highly of Bergeron, having traded up six spots in the second round of this year’s draft to select the Syracuse blocker. However, according to Tori McElhaney of the Falcons’ official website, Hennessy took all of the first-team reps at left guard throughout OTAs. McElhaney cautions that there is no reason to think that Bergeron is anything less than advertised, and that the team merely wants to ease him into action at the professional level.

After all, 2021 third-rounder Jalen Mayfield — who had never played on the interior of the line during his collegiate career — struggled mightily during his 16-game audition at left guard in his rookie season. He lost the starting job to journeyman Elijah Wilkinson during last year’s training camp and ultimately spent the entirety of the 2022 campaign on IR.

Bergeron, like Mayfield, lined up exclusively at tackle in college, so a measured approach to his development makes sense, especially in light of the cautionary tale that Mayfield presented. And it’s not as if Hennessy is an incapable player. A third-round pick in 2020, Hennessy became the Falcons’ full-time center in his second pro season and graded out as one of the league’s best pivots that year in the eyes of Pro Football Focus’ metrics (though his stellar run-blocking grade of 88.1 compensated for a rather poor pass-blocking mark of 50.5).

However, just as Mayfield lost his job to Wilkinson, Hennessy ceded his starting role to Dalman last summer, and between that development and a knee injury, the Temple product appeared in just 157 snaps in 2022. All of that work came at left guard, and while that is obviously a small sample size, his 75.4 PFF grade — including an improved 69.2 pass-block assessment — would have made him a top-10 guard if he had enough snaps to qualify.

As he enters his contract year, Hennessy will certainly be motivated to fend off his younger competition. McElhaney, who did not notice any glaring issues with Hennessy’s performance in spring work, indicates that he stands a good chance of entering Week 1 as the starting LG. Training camp, of course, will bring more clarity in that regard.

Raiders Notes: Hobbs, Pass Rush, Jacobs

June 25th, 2023 at 9:47am CST by Rory Parks

Let’s round up a few notes on the NFL’s Sin City franchise:

Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs, a fifth-round pick in 2021, earned nine starts in his first professional season and started all 11 contests he appeared in last year (he missed six games with a broken hand). Working primarily as a boundary corner, the Illinois product regressed a bit from his strong rookie campaign, when he spent most of his time in the slot. Per Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic (subscription required), Hobbs would like to return to nickelback, where he apparently feels more comfortable. However, Tyler Hall, who played in seven games (three starts) for Las Vegas in 2022 after joining the club’s taxi squad in October, is expected to push Hobbs for that role.
During this year’s predraft process, we learned that the Raiders were eyeing Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson and believed that Wilson (or a similar player) could ease some of the burden on Chandler Jones, thereby making Jones more productive after the veteran underwhelmed during his first season in Vegas. Of course, the club ended up selecting Wilson with the No. 7 overall pick, and as Albert Breer of SI.com writes, the Raiders hope that Wilson’s presence will allow both the 33-year-old Jones and soon-to-be 26-year-old Maxx Crosby to see less time on the field. The coaching staff envisions a rotation among the three players to keep everyone fresh, healthy, and productive. Indeed, Wilson himself saw his final college season cut short due to a Lisfranc injury, though he is expected to be cleared in time for training camp.
The Raiders also want to create more of a rotation for their running backs. Assuming franchise-tagged RB Josh Jacobs does not hold out — both he and the club are reportedly motivated to strike an accord on a multiyear deal prior to the July 17 deadline — he will obviously be the feature back. But as Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes, the team wants to expand the roles of 2022 draftees Zamir White and Brittain Brown in an effort to ease Jacobs’ workload and, perhaps, to begin preparing for a Jacobs departure in 2024.

Lions CBs Emmanuel Moseley, Jerry Jacobs To Compete For Starting Role

June 25th, 2023 at 8:24am CST by Rory Parks

Despite narrowly missing the playoff field in 2022, the Lions finished last in the league in total defense and in the bottom-five in scoring defense. Part of GM Brad Holmes‘ efforts to improve upon that performance included a secondary overhaul this offseason.

Holmes traded Jeff Okudah, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2020 draft who failed to live up to the expectations that Detroit’s Bob Quinn/Matt Patricia regime had for him, to the Falcons. He also allowed Mike Hughes to depart in free agency while adding Cameron Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the defensive backfield.

Of that trio of free agent newcomers, only Sutton landed a multiyear deal, and he is expected to occupy one of the starting boundary corner spots while Gardner-Johnson operates as the Lions’ primary nickel. As Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes, Moseley will likely start opposite Sutton as an outside-the-numbers CB, though he will be competing with Jerry Jacobs for the gig. He will also need to get healthy.

Per Birkett, Moseley — who sustained an ACL tear in October as a member of the 49ers — sat out OTAs and mandatory minicamp as he continues to rehab his injury. He did take some first-string walk-through reps, and he impressed the coaching staff by staying with the team for the final week of OTAs after head coach Dan Campbell had excused most of his players.

Moseley, a 2018 UDFA, broke through as a key player for the 49ers during the 2019 season and landed a two-year, $10.1MM contract in March 2021. Unfortunately, a knee injury and an ankle malady forced him to miss six games during the 2021 regular season — though he did return to play every snap of the team’s three-game playoff run — and his October ACL tear dampened his market during his first foray into unrestricted free agency, which forced him to accept a one-year deal from the Lions worth up to $6MM (according to OverTheCap.com, Moseley’s $2MM signing bonus accounts for his only guaranteed money, and his contract also includes a $3MM base salary and up to $1MM in per-game roster bonuses).

When he has been on the field, the Tennessee product has generally played well. He earned a solid 68.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2021 and a 70.9 mark for his limited work in 2022, and PFF thought highly of his coverage abilities in both years. Underscoring those metrics are the miniscule 65.6 and 66.9 quarterback ratings that he has yielded over the past two seasons, and he also has the ability to line up in the slot should DC Aaron Glenn want to move Gardner-Johnson around the formation.

Jacobs, though, will represent worthy competition, and he will be highly-motivated to retain a significant role on the Lions’ defense as he enters a platform year. The 2021 UDFA has played in 25 games (17 starts) for Detroit over the past two seasons, and while PFF assigned him a poor 55.8 overall grade in 2022, he earned a 65.8 score in his rookie campaign. Quarterbacks throwing in his direction last year had a meager passer rating of 70.0.

Birkett did not offer any insight as to Moseley’s Week 1 availability, but it does not sound as if he will miss too much regular season time, if any.

“He’s anxious man,” new cornerbacks coach Dre Bly said of Moseley. “He was a pretty daggoone good player out there in San Fran. He’s from North Carolina, went to Tennessee, played with [Sutton], so those guys are kind of wired the same and so just to see his fire to get back on the field, his commitment to working and rehabbing, it tells you about the man. When most guys are traveling and vacationing, he’s here working to make sure he’s ready when we come back to camp. So I’m excited to have a chance to work with him. I think he brings a tremendous amount of leadership and experience to our room and can’t wait to see what comes from that.”

Assault Charge Against Davante Adams Dropped

June 24th, 2023 at 10:34pm CST by Ben Levine

Earlier this month, a prosecutor dismissed the misdemeanor assault charges against wideout Davante Adams, a spokeswoman for the Kansas City municipal court told Robert A. Cronkleton of the Kansas City Star. The charges stemmed from a post-game incident at Arrowhead Stadium back in October.

Following the Raiders’ Week 5 loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City, Adams allegedly shoved a cameraman to the ground, injuring the individual. Video of the incident was captured on the live broadcast. The receiver later apologized for the confrontation.

Adams was charged with the crime shortly thereafter. The charges were dismissed on June 5, and per Cronkleton, the charge “is now considered a closed confidential case under Missouri law.” Adams still faces a civil lawsuit filed by the cameraman, who claims he was diagnosed with a concussion and “feared for his life” during the incident. The individual claims he’s also been harassed online.

As we noted back in May, it was believed the NFL would await the outcome of the misdemeanor charges before deciding on any fine or suspension. The NFL could still realistically discipline Adams under their personal conduct policy, but yesterday’s development likely helps the receiver’s case in that regard.

During his first season in Las Vegas, Adams earned another first-team All-Pro nod after finishing with 100 catches for 1,516 yards and 14 touchdowns. Next season, Adams will be playing with his third QB in three years, as the Raiders replaced Derek Carr with Jimmy Garoppolo.

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