2024 NFL Draft

Chargers Interested In T Joe Alt

April 19th, 2024 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Alt‘s father spent his entire career in the AFC West. The Chiefs drafted John Alt in the 1984 first round and used him as a 149-game starter, with his 13-year career lasting long enough to cover most of Marty Schottenheimer‘s tenure. Forty years after Kansas City’s investment, it is looking quite possible the younger Alt will be facing the Chiefs twice a year.

Previously mentioned as a team interested in Joe Alt, the Chargers continue to be tied to such a move. The Bolts hold the No. 5 overall pick, and they continue to be connected to moving down in Jim Harbaugh‘s first offseason in charge. The ex-Chargers quarterback has not been one to overinvest at wide receiver, and despite the team moving on from Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, mocking one of this draft class’ top three wideouts to Los Angeles may not reflect reality.

Alt is “Harbaugh’s guy,” one anonymous NFL exec told the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, who adds the Bolts should be expected to draft the All-American tackle if they stay at 5. This move would amplify the Chargers’ wide receiver need exiting Round 1 while giving the team perhaps the top tackle in a stacked class at a position that is not the easiest to find in the modern game.

The run game will clearly be a higher priority for the Bolts this season, with the team hiring Greg Roman and reuniting the well-traveled OC with Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. With the Chargers rostering Justin Herbert, they stand to benefit from the QB run expected to take place atop the draft board. Depending on the Cardinals, the top non-QB could be waiting at 5. It would be a risk for the Chargers, in that case, to draft Alt over Marvin Harrison Jr. But signs continue to point to it.

The Chargers brought Alt to L.A. for a visit, joining the Titans and Jets in that regard. While Alt lasting to No. 10 may not be in the cards for the Jets, the Titans have been regularly tied to making a plug-and-play pick at 7. Alt being off the board by No. 5 would lead Tennessee in another direction, though a number of other tackle options would be available to Ran Carthon‘s team if the Chargers brought Alt to California.

A two-time first-team All-American, the 6-foot-8 Alt played left tackle for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame LTs have been coveted prospects and moved to other spots in the pros. Zack Martin operated as a left tackle for the Division I-FBS independent; so did Mike McGlinchey. Though, the latter had regular RT experience in college. Alt would presumably be kicked to right tackle with the Chargers, as Rashawn Slater has been the Bolts’ LT since being a 2021 first-round pick. Slater earned second-team All-Pro honors as a rookie, and the Chargers will almost definitely pick up his fifth-year option before the May 2 deadline.

An Alt investment would stand to displace Trey Pipkins, the Bolts’ RT regular for the past two seasons. Pro Football Focus ranked Pipkins 64th among tackles in 2022 and 50th last year. During Tom Telesco‘s final offseason as GM, the Bolts re-signed Pipkins to a three-year, $21.75MM deal ($13.25MM guaranteed at signing). An Alt selection would also be the Bolts’ third O-line first-round pick in four years. The team has 2022 first-round guard Zion Johnson going into Year 3.

Jayden Daniels Latest: Commanders, Kingsbury, Harris, Raiders, Visit, Weight

April 19th, 2024 at 2:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jayden Daniels remains the favorite to be chosen second overall. The Commanders hold that pick, and they hosted the 2023 Heisman winner — at the same time as a few other quarterbacks — just before the deadline for “30” visits to be conducted. While the LSU and Arizona State product does not have much of a say in where he goes, rumors still point to him preferring another team.

Daniels would “love” to see the Raiders draft him, two GMs told the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. During an interview with ESPN colleague Pat McAfee, Adam Schefter noted Daniels has had interest in playing elsewhere from the outset of the pre-draft process. Considering his past with Raiders HC Antonio Pierce and the AFC West team not doing a good job of making it a secret it would want to reunite the two, it is unsurprising Daniels would be more interested in playing in Las Vegas than Washington.

In place since the 1930s, the draft system obviously does not cater to players’ wishes. The Raiders are believed to have asked OC candidates about working with Daniels, but that came months ago. As of this week, a Raiders move up from No. 13 into Daniels territory — quite possibly as high as No. 2 — was viewed as impossible. It is also not known if GM Tom Telesco feels as strongly as Pierce does about trading up for a QB, adding more intrigue to a pre-draft process that has featured little known beyond the Bears’ likely Caleb Williams pick.

New Washington OC Kliff Kingsbury is believed to favor Daniels, La Canfora adds, who impressed more as a runner than Kyler Murray did in college. Daniels is coming off an 1,143-yard rushing season, and his improvement as a passer (40 TDs, four INTs last season) at LSU — while targeting the likes of Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas — has rocketed the slender prospect up the board. On the slender subject, however, Daniels’ weight has come up frequently during the draft run-up.

Daniels played at 185 during the 2021 season at Arizona State, a scout told NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. He weighed in at 210 pounds this offseason, after having bulked up some following his transfer. Another scout told The Athletic’s Dan Pompei (subscription required) that Daniels was at 181 with the Sun Devils and played in the 190s at LSU — before ballooning to 210 this offseason.

This issue did not limit the talented QB at LSU, and some NFL coaches view Daniels as a better prospect than even Williams. But Daniels playing south of 200 before adding offseason weight calls into question how big he will be during his rookie season. Considering his playing style — one NFC coordinator told Pelissero that Daniels takes hits like Anthony Richardson, who is 244 pounds — this not an insignificant concern for teams ahead of the draft.

Pivoting back to the Washington side here, Daniels’ camp did not expect (via Schefter) the QB’s visit to come at the same time Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix Jr. met with the team. Teams generally do not gather QB prospects as a group for “30” visits, staggering them to gain better looks at passers. Considering Washington holds the No. 2 overall pick and is on the cusp of drafting a passer in the top 10 for the first time since trading up for Robert Griffin III in 2012, the team’s group gathering was a bit surprising.

The Commanders’ new regime took shape this offseason, with Josh Harris hiring Adam Peters to run football operations and Dan Quinn to coach the team. In the new owner’s first offseason, however, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicates the Dan Snyder successor has been more involved in the pre-draft process than expected.

Owner involvement — as Washington fans know well — is not too uncommon in the NFL, though it is usually a concern when ownership overreaches as football personnel prepare for major decisions. Harris is believed to have made his stance known about trading both Montez Sweat and Chase Young at last year’s deadline, when the coaching staff did not want to move Sweat. It will obviously be interesting to see how much Harris — who has extensive experience in an ownership role due to his work with the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils — impacts how the Commanders proceed next week.

Brock Bowers Books Bears, Chargers Visits; TE Not Expected To Fall Out Of Top 10?

April 19th, 2024 at 12:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 19: During a Friday press conference, Jets general manager Joe Douglas spoke highly of Bowers and added he views the “right” tight end prospect of being worth a Day 1 selection (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini). If New York’s final draft board reflects that sentiment, the team could very well represent Bowers’ floor come draft night.

APRIL 17: Brock Bowers hovers as this draft’s clear-cut top tight end, as a gulf exists between the Georgia-developed prospect and the field this year. Although this draft has a few wide receivers that could go in front of Bowers, he might not last too much longer.

The teams interested in Bowers point to him not being available beyond No. 10, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes. After the Jets hosted the standout pass catcher, Pauline adds he scheduled visits with the Bears and Chargers. Prospects have until today to go through official “30” visits with teams; Bowers met with the Bears on Tuesday and is Los Angeles-bound today.

The Bolts (No. 5) and Bears (No. 9) join the Titans (No. 7) and Jets (No. 10) as teams to have shown interest in Bowers during the pre-draft process. The Jets sent their tight ends coach (Ron Middleton) to Bowers’ delayed pro day last week. Bowers underwent surgery to address a high ankle sprain. He would deliver an instant upgrade to the Jets, who have certainly pushed their chips in for the 2024 season. With Gang Green signing Mike Williams, a tight end upgrade would complement the Williams-Garrett Wilson tandem. Of course, the team could also be interested in one of this class’ top three wideouts — should one be available at 10.

A Bears decision could determine the Jets’ move. They have met with Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers. An Odunze-or-Bowers call could be on the table for Chicago at 9, Pauline adds. The Bears added ex-Shane Waldron pupil Gerald Everett to go with Cole Kmet this offseason. A Bowers pickup would crowd this depth chart, profiling as a best-player-available-type move for a team widely expected to draft Caleb Williams first overall. A WR move would stand to make more sense for Chicago, which lost Darnell Mooney and has trade pickup Keenan Allen going into his age-32 season. Allen is not signed beyond 2024.

The Titans also spent heavily to give their QB (Will Levis) a higher-end target, authorizing a monster guarantee to win the Calvin Ridley sweepstakes. Tennessee has not made a move at tight end this offseason. Chig Okonkwo totaled 528 receiving yards last year, though his per-catch average dropped from 14.1 as a rookie to 9.8. The Titans, however, have been closely linked to using their No. 7 slot to upgrade at left tackle — a dire need for the team.

Though the suddenly run-focused Chargers have also been tied to a tackle move, they can render this moot by choosing Bowers at 5. Los Angeles used Everett as its TE1 over the past two seasons, and the team added two free agents (Hayden Hurst, Will Dissly) this offseason. Bowers obviously brings a much higher pass-catching ceiling, racking up 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns during his three-year tenure with the Bulldogs. The 6-foot-3 target played a key role in the team winning the national title in 2021 and ’22, and in the latter campaign he earned first-team All-American honors.

Georgia’s top aerial weapon throughout his college career, Bowers took home the John Mackey award as the nation’s top tight end in each of the past two seasons, making him the only multi-time winner. He profiles as an immediate upgrade at a position that is harder to find compared to wide receiver, and it will be interesting to see which team signs off on this investment.

Pats Engaged In Trade Talks For No. 3 Pick

April 19th, 2024 at 11:10am CST by Adam La Rose

APRIL 19: Outkick’s Armando Salguero notes, to little surprise, New England has yet to receive an offer strong enough to make the team consider a trade-down maneuver. Likewise, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post adds the expectation around the league remains that the Patriots will stay in place at No. 3 (with McCarthy being “held in very high regard”). It will be interesting to see if teams up their offers to Wolf in the coming days to the point where a high-profile swap gains traction, or if not, which passer New England ultimately prefers.

APRIL 18: Both the Bears (set to select first overall) and Commanders (second) are universally expected to add quarterbacks at the top of the 2024 draft. If the Patriots retain the next selection, they will be well-positioned to do the same, but a move down the order could still be in play.

During a Thursday press conference, Eliot Wolf – who is in charge of the Patriots’ draft but may not serve as de facto general manager afterwards – confirmed New England has engaged in trade talks centered on the No. 3 pick. The team has been connected to a trade-down maneuver this offseason, but the opportunity to add a potential franchise passer has left many expecting Wolf and Co. to stay put. Of course, much of New England’s final decision will depend on the value of offers made by other QB-needy teams.

A recent report indicated the Patriots’ asking price for the third overall pick will likely be too high for a deal to be worked out, and Wolf confirmed no offer made to date has been sufficient to move down the board. That could change in the coming days, with plenty of teams – such as the Giants, Vikings, Broncos and Raiders – known to be in the market for a Day 1 QB. New England has spent time on a number of prospect passers, and the one chosen at No. 3 could compete for the starting role right away.

Opinions appear to be split in the organization between Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy, both of whom have visited the Patriots. However, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager notes he feels the Patriots will be “comfortable” adding whichever of Maye or Jayden Daniels is on the board after the Commanders’ selection. The latter is in pole position to be Washington’s choice, something which would leave Maye in place as a strong Patriots candidate.

Wolf added the Patriots are “open for business” in terms of trading up or down during all seven rounds of the draft. While that holds true for all teams to varying degrees, considerable intrigue still surrounds the third overall selection with plenty still to be determined as the countdown to the draft continues.

Giants Receiving Calls On No. 6 Pick; Team Denies Buyer’s Remorse On Daniel Jones

April 18th, 2024 at 10:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

This could be a defining draft for the Giants; if nothing else, it could determine the course of the Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll partnership. The team has done extensive work on quarterbacks. This included “30” visits with Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy and Jayden Daniels.

Rumors have emerged connecting the Giants to both Maye and McCarthy. These come as the Giants’ party line continues to center around Daniel Jones being on track to be back by training camp and reclaim his starting job. A move up the board for a quarterback would be complicated, as the Vikings — and perhaps to a lesser extent the Broncos and Raiders — have been tied to trying to do the same. A climb up from No. 6 overall also would spell the end of Jones’ run as the team’s starter, as the Giants could get off Jones’ four-year, $160MM deal fairly easily (via a post-June 1 cut) in 2025.

Internal concerns about Jones exist, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan, with the QB’s health history being the team’s main issue. But Schoen said reports of the team having buyer’s remorse on the 2023 contract are “not true.” Then again, it is not like a GM would reveal otherwise a week before a pivotal draft. But Jones’ status as New York’s unquestioned starter is up in the air as the draft approaches.

An expectation around the NFL points to four quarterbacks going in the top four, Raanan adds; that would mark an NFL first. With the Bears tied to Caleb Williams and the Commanders increasingly linked to Daniels at 2, the Giants may need to move up for Maye or McCarthy.

Recent reports indicated Maye is the player more likely of interest to Big Blue, but until the Commanders make it official with Daniels, no trade may be happening. The Patriots have begun discussions about moving down from No. 3, and the Cardinals are open to sliding down from 4. Although rumors about the Giants going QB in Round 1 have circulated for months, nothing is imminent yet.

“I don’t think anyone is ready to move right now,” Schoen said. “I know people are listening. We’ll all do that, from teams behind us or moving up. Those exploratory talks and conversations will happen here shortly. … Those conversations will happen, over the next 42 or 78 hours those will start happening. You’ll get a feel for who is open to moving and who is no.”

Somewhat surprisingly, the Giants’ No. 6 choice has generated a few calls. The Giants not trading up for a quarterback would put them in ideal position to address their longstanding wide receiver need, and the team has hosted the top three in this draft (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze). But Schoen said teams have called to discuss the Giants moving down from 6. With Schoen adding (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) he does not view the Giants as simply one or two players away, the team could consider moving down.

“Surprisingly at 6, we’ve gotten a lot of calls from people behind us,” the third-year GM said. “I didn’t think I would have as much as activity from 6 from people behind me as we’ve gotten. So those are options too as we look at: If we go back, how far back do we want to go?”

The Giants, who have not seen a 1,000-yard receiver since Odell Beckham Jr. in 2018, taking a receiver at 6 could put Jones in the clear. While the 2019 No. 6 overall pick being unchallenged for a job in his sixth year would be a bit odd when considering his resume, the Giants also hosted Bo Nix and Spencer Rattler on pre-draft visits.

That marks five QB meetings out of 30 allotted visits, and a Nix move could potentially come in Round 2. Though, it might take the Giants trading up from No. 47 to acquire the Oregon QB. Rattler is not viewed as a candidate to go in the first round; the Senior Bowl MVP should be expected to be available when the Giants go on the clock in Round 2.

Even one of these passers being chosen would mean a competition — at some point — involving Jones, who will see a $12MM injury guarantee shift to a full guarantee in March 2025. Jones said this week (via Raanan) he has not experienced any setbacks during his ACL recovery and called his 2023 neck injury “just a stinger.” Concerns about Jones’ neck would be valid, as the five-year Giants starter missed much of the 2021 season — ahead of a 2022 surgery — due to a neck injury.

Jones’ future in New York probably hinges on the Giants’ draft moves, but as of now, he is the clear-cut starter ahead of Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito. Jones is doing quarterback drills now, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy, and has resumed throwing. Whether he returns to full work as the team’s unquestioned starter once again or is suddenly a lame duck after the Giants select a QB will be one of this year’s defining draft storylines.

Latest On Bears’ Interest In Caleb Williams

April 18th, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Ben Levine

While recent reports indicated that Caleb Williams isn’t the unanimous QB1 prospect across the NFL, the Bears are leaving no doubt about their trust in the projected top-overall pick. As Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes, the Bears believe there is a “pretty wide gap” between the USC product and the rest of the quarterback class.

The 2022 Heisman winner has long been regarded as the top passer in the 2024 class. After the Bears secured the first-overall selection, the team quickly ripped off the band-aid and avoided a QB controversy by dealing Justin Fields. That trade all but confirmed that the organization was going to select a rookie QB.

However, the team has yet to reveal which QB they’ll select. There’s little incentive to reveal their choice early, but as Biggs notes, that’s led to some speculation that the team could pursue a move down the draft board.

Before the Bears settled their QB depth chart, the Commanders looked like they could be a landing spot for Williams. That move would have sent Williams back to the area in which he went to high school at Gonzaga College HS, and it would have reunited him with college coach Kliff Kingsbury.

If the Bears wanted to pick up even more assets and still snag a top quarterback prospect, a trade with the Commanders could have made sense. However, if the Bears believe there’s a significant drop in talent at the position after Williams, there isn’t any amount of trade assets that would make up that gap.

There seemed to be some cracks in Williams’ consensus number-one ranking earlier this week. There were some rumblings that teams have graded LSU’s Jayden Daniels over the USC QB, with some organizations believing the prospect had an underwhelming pre-draft process. While most teams seemed to understand that this was a “byproduct of being a player who knows he’s going No. 1,” Williams didn’t look as invincible atop the draft board as he once did.

Commanders Unlikely To Consider Trading Down From No. 2 Overall

April 18th, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

As Jayden Daniels-Washington buzz persists, the Commanders have not been a team — unlike some others in this year’s top five — closely linked to trading down. Their new front office boss effectively confirmed no such move is likely.

New Washington GM Adam Peters said (via the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala) he does not see many scenarios in which the team would move down from No. 2 overall. While Washington resided at No. 2 overall four years ago, the team’s 2019 Dwayne Haskins selection effectively prevented a Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert move. With the decks cleared at quarterback ahead of this draft, the new regime is widely expected to begin its tenure with a QB move at 2.

The Patriots, Cardinals and Chargers, who round out the top five, have been far more open to moving down from their first-round slots. But the Commanders, who held their QB “30” visits en masse this week, appear set to make their choice just after the Bears — in all likelihood — begin the draft with Caleb Williams.

Daniels, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix Jr. each visited Washington this week, making for an interesting scheduling effort by the Commanders’ new regime. As for which quarterback the team plans to take at 2, Peters said (via ESPN.com’s John Keim) the team is “real close” to determining its direction.

Since we asked readers to predict which QB the Commanders would select at 2, Daniels — the leader in that early-April poll — looks to have pulled ahead. A report soon after indicated the 2023 Heisman winner is the likely Commanders choice at 2. This would put the Patriots to a decision at 3, and a recent report pegged the AFC East team as having a “healthy debate” between Maye and McCarthy. The Pats have also let it be known they have discussed trading down, joining the Cardinals and Chargers in being open to picking up assets to move off a top-five selection.

If Washington is truly zeroing in on Daniels — a five-year college passer who rocketed up draft boards after a dominant 2023 season — New England’s choice between starting over at quarterback or tabling that decision in order to accumulate assets will become the draft’s pivot point. While it may still be early to lock in Daniels at 2, the ex-LSU and Arizona State passer has been the favorite here for a bit. Washington went QB in this slot 12 years ago, trading two future first-rounders for Robert Griffin III. Not needing to fork over any draft assets to select Daniels (or Maye or McCarthy) at 2, Peters and Co. appear prepared to stay put and address the team’s biggest need.

Draft Rumors: 49ers, Corley, Commanders, Bears, Alt, Giants, Eagles, Seahawks, Steelers, Vikings, Lions

April 18th, 2024 at 1:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

No Brandon Aiyuk trade request has emerged yet, separating this situation from the Deebo Samuel saga from 2022. Samuel receiving an extension later that year complicates matters for Aiyuk, who has needed to wait longer to enter extension territory due to being a former first-round pick. As this remains a storyline to monitor ahead of the draft, the 49ers scheduled a notable visit. Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley stopped through team headquarters, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, just before the deadline for “30” visits this week.

Playing a role in the Hilltoppers’ Bailey Zappe-led aerial fireworks in 2021, Corley enjoyed a more prominent position in the mid-major team’s passing attack over the past two years — each 11-touchdown campaigns. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein threw out Samuel as a comp for Corley, who is projected to be a second-round pick. Though, he will be unlikely to be available by the time San Francisco’s No. 63 slot arrives. With big-ticket expenses at three other skill-position spots (and Brock Purdy eligible for a re-up in 2025), the 49ers have a major decision to make with Aiyuk soon.

Here is the latest from the draft ranks:

The Giants‘ quarterback-or-wide receiver decision at No. 6 figures to be one of this draft’s most important, but the team did bring in some first-round prospects who do not play those positions. Tackle Joe Alt and edge rusher Dallas Turner visited the team recently, per the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz. Highly unlikely to draft Turner due to the Brian Burns trade and Kayvon Thibodeaux‘s status, the Giants could conceivably consider Alt. The All-American Notre Dame left tackle would need to be moved to the right side, however, and Schwartz reaffirms a recent report that indicates the team has not given up on keeping 2022 No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal at tackle.
Now that Cooper DeJean went through a workout following a broken fibula suffered in November, a few teams brought him in for visits. The Iowa cornerback met with the Bills previously, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes the Seahawks, Steelers and Eagles hosted the talented cover man on “30” visits before Wednesday’s deadline. Our Ely Allen recently examined the first-round-caliber CB’s prospect stock.
Staying at corner, both the Vikings and Lions brought in the well-traveled Terrion Arnold for pre-draft visits, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The Alabama corner, who slots as the top player at the position (No. 9 overall) on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, also met with the Cardinals, Titans, Falcons and Jaguars during the draft run-up. The Lions, whose CB situation changed after the Cameron Sutton arrest/release, also brought in Arnold teammate Kool-Aid McKinstry recently.
Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson, he of a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, made two more visits before visit season ended. The Bears and Commanders brought in the intriguing DE prospect, Rapoport adds. In need of D-end help after trading Montez Sweat to the Bears, the Commanders hold the No. 40 pick as a result of that trade. Washington carries Nos. 36 and 40, while Chicago does not have a second-round pick this year. Linked to a potential WR-or-Brock Bowers call at No. 9, the Bears may not be in the value range for Robinson, whom Jeremiah slots as this draft’s No. 21 overall talent.
The Seahawks met with Bo Nix and have a clear connection to Michael Penix Jr., with new OC Ryan Grubb having coached the latter at Washington. With Geno Smith on a flexible contract that runs through 2025, Seattle brought in South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler for a pre-deadline visit, per Schultz. Slotted as the No. 7 QB on Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board, Rattler met with the Giants this week as well. The former Oklahoma recruit earned Senior Bowl MVP honors in January.

Bills GM Brandon Beane Addresses WR Draft Approach

April 18th, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Before the Stefon Diggs trade, wide receiver was seen by many as a secondary need for the Bills with Curtis Samuel having been added as a complementary option. Without Diggs in the fold any longer, though, the receiver spot has been labeled a higher priority for the upcoming draft.

Set to select 28th overall, Buffalo will be out of range for the consensus top three WR prospects (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze) and perhaps even Brian Thomas Jr. In spite of that, a number of high-profile options will be available in a deep 2024 class. However, general manager Brandon Beane said in a Thursday press conference he does not feel an added sense of urgency to address the position on Day 1.

“We have not filled a No. 1 role,” Beane said (via The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia). “We have a group of guys who bring different skill sets. Would we like to add to it at some point? Yes. But I’m not sitting here thinking we have a glaring hole.”

Diggs produced at least 1,183 yards in each of his four seasons in Buffalo and he drew an average of 161 targets per season over that span. Samuel’s addition (to help replace Gabe Davis, who departed in free agency) and a Year 2 jump from 2023 first-round tight end Dalton Kincaid could certainly ease the blow of Diggs’ absence, and down the stretch last season offensive coordinator Joe Brady oversaw a commitment to the run game. Still, Buffalo could stand to add an impact pass-catcher sometime during the draft.

Beane confirmed he is prepared to trade the Bills’ 2025 first-rounder if a trade-up opportunity (or a deal involving an established veteran player) presents itself. Buffalo spent a Day 1 selection to acquire Diggs in the 2020 offseason, though a similar blockbuster would no doubt only be considered under a small set of circumstances.

The Bills (a team which has moved on from a number of veterans on both sides of the ball this offseason) own 10 total selections as things currently stand, so the team will have a number of opportunities after Day 1 to find a rookie receiver. There could be a notable role available to a draftee in 2024, but Beane’s comments open the door to a different position being prioritized at No. 28.

Seahawks Eyeing Additional Draft Picks?

April 18th, 2024 at 8:50am CST by Adam La Rose

The Seahawks added Leonard Williams at the 2023 trade deadline, and he has since been retained on a three-year deal. While that move has given Seattle an experienced producer along the defensive interior, it has left the team without a second-round selection in next week’s draft.

As things currently stand, the Seahawks are set to select 16th overall and then not again until the No. 81 slot. In total, Seattle owns seven picks but five of them fall outside the top 100. For that reason, they could represent a trade-down candidate on Day 1 with an eye on adding more draft capital for the second and/or third rounds.

An NFL executive informed the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora that Seattle is indeed interested in generating extra capital for the 2024 draft. While that objective could be met with a trade involving an established player – an NFL general manager surmised wideout D.K. Metcalf could be dealt – a trade down the order would allow the Seahawks to recoup at least some of the value lost in the Williams trade. GM John Schneider has a well-established reputation for trading down in the first round, having done so on five occasions.

Seattle, like all teams, has been busy over recent days by hosting prospects on local and ‘top 30’ visits. That process has included evaluations of edge rushers Jared Verse and Chop Robinson. Perhaps the most frequently linked prospect in the Seahawks’ case, though, is defensive tackle Byron Murphy II. The Texas product’s floor is seen as Seattle’s current selection in the middle of the first round.

The Seahawks have not only Williams but also Dre’Mont Jones in the fold on lucrative pacts along the defensive interior. That could steer the team in another direction if still on the clock at No. 16, although Murphy and a number of other prospects could help a defense which ranked 31st against the run and 30th in yards allowed per game in 2023. Especially without a second-round pick in hand, though, Schneider could be in position to once again authorize a move down the order; such a move may not come as a surprise around the league if it were to be made.

Load More Posts