2024 NFL Draft

NFL Draft Rumors: Williams, DeJean, Newton

February 24th, 2024 at 5:35pm CST by Ely Allen

This week we got news that USC quarterback Caleb Williams, widely expected to be the No. 1 overall draft selection this April, will reportedly enter the NFL without representation, per Mike Florio of NBC Sports. This isn’t totally unheard of as we’ve seen quite a few NFL players of late accomplish new deals without an agent, but the situation is a little different for a potential top pick.

We’ve seen defenders like Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner, and, more recently, Roquan Smith sign new contracts while representing themselves. More in the realm of Williams, we recently saw Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson go through both the draft process and his first major extension without an agent.

Jackson was selected 32nd overall, while Williams is expected to be picked much earlier in the night. That means the deal that Williams will negotiate for himself will be worth quite a bit more money than Jackson’s rookie deal was worth. Still, rookie contracts are fairly restricted in how they can be built, so there shouldn’t be a ton of wiggle room in which Williams may mess something up.

Where Florio thinks the lack of representation could hinder Williams is in the leadup to the draft. He suggests that the agents of other quarterbacks or draft prospects hoping to supplant Williams’ top draft positioning will “spend the next two months trying to get teams to take their clients instead of Williams,” a process that can get dirty with negative framing being used to lessen the appeal of Williams. With a lack of representation, Williams would lack an advocate to appeal against the negative things being used against him.

Here are a few other recent rumors concerning the 2024 NFL Draft:

Scouts and draft pundits will be disappointed to learn that Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean will not be participating in the testing at next week’s NFL Scouting Combine, according to Dane Brugler of The Athletic. DeJean is reportedly still working his way back from a leg injury he sustained late in the season. Widely expected to be selected on Day 1 of the draft, he is considered one of the more athletic prospects in the class and likely would have drawn lots of eyes in Indianapolis. Instead, DeJean plans to work out for teams much closer to the draft at the end of April.
Brugler reported that another likely first-round pick will not be working out at the Combine. Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton will sit out next week as he continues to recover from a January surgery that he underwent in order to repair a partial Jones fracture in his foot. He had been able to play through the injury through the second half of the 2023 season but, obviously, wished to repair the injury before heading to the league. Newton is expected to be cleared in time for an April pro day.

Raiders Interested In Acquiring No. 1 Overall Pick; Antonio Pierce Addresses QB Search

February 21st, 2024 at 10:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Believed to be close to finalizing their plan at quarterback, the Bears are viewed as more likely to trade Justin Fields than part with the No. 1 overall pick. The team has a rare opportunity atop the draft, and Fields may not have shown enough for Chicago to pass on taking a passer at No. 1 once again.

Some Fields support has emerged in the building, and both Ryan Poles and Bears president Kevin Warren have praised the three-year starter. It is not exactly uncommon for a team to talk up a trade chip, but if the Bears are serious about keeping Fields and collecting a monster haul for No. 1 overall, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes the Raiders are expected to be interested.

The Bears are believed to be seeking a historic trade package in order to consider parting with the top pick, and the Caleb Williams-to-Chicago buzz may make any interest in No. 1 moot. But Chicago showed last year it is willing to deal; the Carolina package armed the Bears with draft assets through 2025 and No. 1 wide receiver D.J. Moore. The Raiders sitting at No. 13, four spots behind where the Panthers were in 2023, would undoubtedly make two future first-rounders and change mandatory in a move to No. 1.

Again, the Bears trading the top pick in consecutive years would be a daring move by Poles. The third-year GM passed on Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud; the Ohio State alum looks to be a potential franchise savior in Houston. Were he to pass on Williams in order to keep a quarterback Ryan Pace drafted, his job security would naturally be on shakier ground should the USC product become a franchise QB somewhere else.

If the Bears are still entertaining the prospect of a Fields-centric future, the Raiders make sense as a team ready to secure a long-term QB. They do not have a history of trade-ups for passers under Mark or Al Davis, though the latter made a well-documented run at John Elway in 1983. Holding the No. 1 pick after a 2-14 season, the Raiders chose JaMarcus Russell in 2007. They had been a veteran-dependent operation for a long time prior to that point, signing the likes of Rich Gannon, Jeff George and Jeff Hostetler in free agency (after the Todd Marinovich first-round selection bombed). Derek Carr represented a deviation for this franchise, arriving as a high draft choice (No. 36 overall) and lasting nine years. The Raiders did not trade up for Carr in 2014.

Post-Carr, the Raiders are still looking around. While Antonio Pierce said Aidan O’Connell will have a chance to compete to keep his job, the newly installed HC is not making a secret of his interest in acquiring a higher-upside quarterback.

“The wild card is the quarterback. What are we going to do?” Pierce said during an appearance on The Pivot Podcast with Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder (via Bonsignore). “Well, we’ve got to put a plan together. There are always quarterbacks there are ways to get. Everybody has a price. There’s always a price. There’s always something that people are willing to do, like woo, ‘You’re giving me that, for this?’ You can create a little doubt there, a little like, interest, as far as if they want to make that move.”

Pierce connections to Jayden Daniels, who was at Arizona State during the new Raiders HC’s time with the Sun Devils, have emerged. If the Bears are zeroing in on Williams, Daniels would be a more realistic goal. The Commanders and Patriots, respectively holding the Nos. 2 and 3 picks, also could benefit from quarterback upgrades via those draft slots. But neither team is viewed as a lock to take a QB there, opening the door for the Raiders — or the Giants, Falcons or Broncos perhaps — to move up if the right offer emerges.

GM Tom Telesco has enjoyed the good fortune of working in organizations that had this rather important box checked. The former Bill Polian lieutenant was with the Colts when they drafted Peyton Manning first overall 1998 and pulled the trigger on Justin Herbert as Chargers GM four years ago. Neither move required a trade-up. Telesco also ran the Chargers during Philip Rivers‘ final seven seasons at the helm. Leading a franchise with this less stable QB situation represents new territory for the Las Vegas GM, adding more intrigue to this Raiders upgrade effort.

If the Bears are committed to a quarterback at No. 1, the Raiders as a Fields destination will seemingly be one to monitor. Fields is going into his age-25 season and spent the past two years working with new Raiders OC Luke Getsy, who has praised the fourth-year QB’s makeup. This looks to be the more likely Raiders-Bears scenario, though other teams — most notably the Falcons — will be on the Fields radar.

Daniel Jones Progressing Post-Surgery; First-Round QB Pick On Radar

February 17th, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Of the teams lurking outside the top three who have been connected to a quarterback upgrade attempt, the Giants sit in the best spot. They hold the No. 6 overall pick, the same slot they were in when Daniel Jones became the Eli Manning heir apparent in 2019. Five years later, Jones’ status creates a complicated situation for the team.

Coming off a November ACL tear, Jones is progressing well during his rehab process. The five-year veteran expects to be ready to go by training camp, and GM Joe Schoen indicated (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) he will be expected to return as the team’s starter should that happen by camp. Confirming a quarterback will be under consideration at No. 6 overall, Schoen remains connected to making his own investment at the position.

Although Schoen and Brian Daboll were in place when the Giants re-signed Jones on a four-year, $160MM deal, this regime did not draft him. Seeing Jones’ injury help drag the Giants down to the No. 6 draft slot, an opportunity may present itself to upgrade on the oft-criticized passer, who was not off to a good start before suffering the ACL tear. While Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline has the Giants taking LSU wideout Malik Nabers in his latest mock draft, he indicates the team would love a scenario in which one of the top quarterbacks fell to 6. The Giants should also be considered in play to trade up, Pauline adds, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo listing Big Blue as a team to monitor regarding a move up the board for a passer.

The Giants cannot realistically move off the Jones contract in 2024. They guaranteed their starter $81MM; that includes a $36MM guarantee for 2024. Jones is not going anywhere this year, but if the Giants are to come out of the first round with a passer, the Dave Gettleman-era draftee probably will not be part of the 2025 team. The Giants can escape this contract in 2025 by taking on only $11MM in dead money — in the event of a post-June 1 cut.

Schoen has said since shortly after Jones’ injury the team needs to address its QB spot. That could mean another veteran backup type, with UFA-to-be Tyrod Taylor expected to move on. Tommy DeVito remains under contract, but after being benched, the popular rookie is not a realistic candidate to become a long-term starter in New York. A number of veterans will be available as Jones insurance, if the Giants show enough faith in their starter — or the board does not align with a QB swing — to avoid acquiring a true replacement option this offseason. Whether Big Blue goes with a rookie that will be expected to supplant Jones or merely a backup option represents one of this offseason’s top storylines.

When connected to either taking a QB at 6 or moving up for one, the Giants would seemingly be tied to interest in Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels. Maye’s stock has held fairly steady despite a less statistically impressive 2023 compared to his first starter season, while Daniels’ spiked during his Heisman year. It would be unlikely to see the Commanders consider giving the Giants the No. 2 pick. The Patriots (No. 3), Cardinals (4) and Chargers (5) represent avenues for the Giants to climb up the board.

Of course, other teams — including the Falcons, Vikings, Broncos and Raiders — will undoubtedly be eyeing that stretch as a trade-up window as well. The Raiders have been connected to Daniels already. With the 2025 QB class not generating much buzz — though, it is obviously early on that front — teams have been connected to trade-up efforts this year.

Jones has now suffered major injuries in two of the past three seasons. Neck trouble ended his 2021 season, leading to surgery, and sidelined him for a brief span last year before the ACL tear. Regarding the knee malady, Jones told Leonard he has progressed to running on a treadmill. But the injury risk the 26-year-old QB now presents will also factor into how aggressive the Giants are to acquire a replacement this year.

Jones’ goal of a camp return could be themed around the Manning successor retaking the Giants’ reins. After DeVito and Taylor combined to produce four wins following Jones’ injury, the Giants’ draft slot slid out of the top three. That naturally will make a Jones replacement effort harder to complete. But if the team selects a QB in Round 1, Jones’ rehab process suddenly looks like it would turn into an awkward audition for a starting job elsewhere come 2025. These disparate paths make the Giants one of this offseason’s most interesting teams.

NFC East Notes: Commanders, QBs, Bieniemy, Cowboys, Smith, Saban, Giants

February 17th, 2024 at 12:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Commanders centered their 2023 offseason on Sam Howell, who had played all of one game as a rookie. While the second-year passer showed some encouraging signs, the team was prepared to bench him for Jacoby Brissett late in the season. Howell did become the first Washington quarterback to go wire to wire as the starter since Kirk Cousins in 2017, but the team lost eight straight games to end the season. It remains likely the Commanders draft a QB at No. 2 overall rather than turn to Howell and perhaps another Brissett-level vet as competition, ESPN.com’s John Keim writes.

Washington held the No. 2 overall pick in 2020 but had just taken Dwayne Haskins in the 2019 first round. This effectively took them out of the Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert sweepstakes, joining the Giants (who had chosen Daniel Jones in 2019) in that regard. Washington then took Chase Young. Timing was an issue for the team then, but Howell’s presence — especially with a new owner, HC and football ops boss in town — is unlikely to represent a sufficient deterrent to impede a QB investment this year. Two years remain on Howell’s rookie contract.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

With the Commanders being the seventh team to hire a head coach, and not doing so until Feb. 1, Eric Bieniemy received confirmation he was out late during this year’s hiring period. The one-and-done Commanders OC signed a multiyear deal in 2023, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the former HC interview mainstay could well take a year off — as money will continue to come in from Washington — and regroup for a 2025 return to the sideline. Bieniemy, 54, may be off the HC radar; but the longtime Chiefs assistant could well resurface as an OC candidate — particularly given this position’s turnover rate in recent years — in 2025. The possibility the Chiefs bring him back, as they did Matt Nagy, also should not be discounted.
Over the past decade and change, the Cowboys have generally done well in the first round. They have landed a number of All-Pros — from Tyron Smith to Travis Frederick to Zack Martin to CeeDee Lamb to Micah Parsons — and a few other regular starters. Mazi Smith‘s trajectory is less certain to produce an impact player. Last year’s No. 26 overall pick played 304 defensive snaps as a rookie and logged only four in Dallas’ wild-card loss. Pro Football Focus rated the Michigan alum as one of the worst D-tackle regulars last season. The Cowboys were displeased Smith dropped around 20 pounds from his Combine weight (323) at points last season, per the Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken. Drafted as a player who could potentially anchor the Cowboys’ interior D-line, Smith has work to do. The Cowboys also have starter Johnathan Hankins due for free agency in a few weeks.
This can be field in the “what if?” department, but as the Giants interviewed Louis Riddick for their GM job — during the cycle that produced the Dave Gettleman hire — the ESPN talent/ex-NFL exec said (h/t Empire Sports Media’s Anthony Rivardo) he reached out to Nick Saban to gauge his interest in becoming the team’s head coach. The Giants interviewed Riddick in December 2017; the ex-Monday Night Football analyst had been up for a few GM jobs around that point. Riddick was also a defensive back during Saban’s tenure under Bill Belichick in Cleveland in the early 1990s. (Saban was the Browns’ DC from 1991-94.) The Alabama icon, who retired last month, was loosely connected to the Giants’ coaching job during the cycle that produced the Ben McAdoo promotion. Saban, who coached the Dolphins for two years (2005-06) before leaving for Tuscaloosa, was not interested in the Giants’ job during the cycle that ended with the Pat Shurmur hire in 2018.

NFL Draft Rumors: Tackles, Senior Bowl, Rakestraw

February 16th, 2024 at 8:24pm CST by Ely Allen

The 2024 NFL Draft class may feel relatively light at certain positions like quarterback and running back, but there’s one position that has scouts and coaches excited. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, this year’s offensive tackles group has the potential to match 2020’s class, which saw six tackles selected in the first round.

Four names have been regarded as likely first-rounders for about a year now, so the projections of Notre Dame’s Joe Alt (ranks 6th overall in Dane Brugler of The Athletic’s top 100 prospects), Penn State’s Olu Fashanu (9th), Alabama’s JC Latham (13th), and Georgia’s Amarius Mims (17th) come as no surprise. After some impressive performances in Mobile, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga (16th) and Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton (18th) have joined those four in the range of the first round.

The top-end depth doesn’t end there, either. There are several other prospects that sit just outside that first-round range in Brugler’s rankings that still find themselves in consideration to be Day 1 picks because of strong Senior Bowl performances and a general interest in the position. Arizona’s Jordan Morgan (32nd), Houston’s Patrick Paul (55th), and Texas’ Christian Jones (NR) all sit on that fringe, according to Fowler.

With these nine guys and still more others pushing for Day 1 money, we’re bound to see a change in recent trends of five or fewer tackles taken in the first round. Even if this year’s class fails to match 2020’s six first-round picks, which seems unlikely as of now, the depth in the first two rounds of this class have a lot of teams excited about what’s available.

Here are a couple of other draft rumors from around the country, starting with more updates out of Mobile:

In a mailbag Q&A this week, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer gave his take on some prospects who improved their standing after this year’s Senior Bowl. Breer sees Fuaga and Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (11th in Brugler’s rankings) as big risers coming out of Mobile. While both players were already expected to be Day 1 picks, Breer believes that they’ve played their way into the top half of the first round. He also touts Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson (45th) as a recent riser. While Wilson may not hear his name called in the first round, Breer thinks he may have pushed his way up to the second.
One player who wasn’t able to improve his stock at the Senior Bowl was Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw (48th). Rakestraw had been dealing with a core muscle injury for much of his redshirt junior year before opting to undergo surgery at the close of the season in December, according to Matt Miller of ESPN. After missing out on the college all-star game due to the surgery, Rakestraw, who has been considered a fringe first-rounder, was unable to secure his potential Day 1 status. The young corner has shown a resiliency in coming back from an ACL tear his sophomore year, but his injury history may be enough to push him into the second round.

Kevin Warren Addresses Justin Fields’ Status

February 15th, 2024 at 9:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bears’ journey to determining their 2024 starting quarterback continues. After the team reached an agreement to trade the No. 1 overall pick to the Panthers before free agency started last year, fans should be on the lookout for a Justin Fields move soon. The Bears trading their three-year starter and keeping the pick remains the likely path, but they have not yet committed one way or another here.

It would surprise to see Chicago trade the top pick for a second straight year, given the buzz Caleb Williams has generated as a prospect. The team could, however, fetch more in a trade for that draft pick than it could obtain in a Fields swap. That adds intrigue to the team’s decision, with contractual matters a key factor as well.

“I’m a supporter of Justin because I got a chance to work with him when I was commissioner of the Big Ten conference,” Bears president Kevin Warren said during a WGN interview (via NBC Sports Chicago). “He is incredibly talented. He is smart. He works hard. And he wants to be a great NFL football player. And now he just needs to make sure he has the support around him.

“… Justin has a rare combination of intelligence, of size, of strength and speed. You forget how big of a man he is until you’re up on him. He’s not a small man. I just think every year he’s going to continually get better.”

Warren, who initially observed Fields during his two-year run as Ohio State’s starter, represents an important part of this process. Although GM Ryan Poles runs the Bears’ front office, Warren serves as the bridge between ownership and the team’s football ops. Poles said last month the Bears were in a unique situation with regards to their quarterback decision. It is not known how much input Warren will provide the third-year GM on this front. Given Poles’ job description, any pushback from the second-year president would be notable.

“One of the things about Ryan and I’s working relationship is the fact that we’re in this together,” Warren said. “I know he’s spending every single day thinking about not only that decision but also who to draft at No. 9 and our current roster and what we’re gonna do in free agency, what we’re doing from a contract negotiation standpoint. I’m sure he’s already starting to play out the draft in his mind.

“I look forward to going to the Combine here later this month and then getting the chance to spend some time together because we’re in a very, very unique space in time in the Bears.”

The Bears hired Warren in January 2023, bringing him in a year after hiring Poles and HC Matt Eberflus. While Warren was initially described as a strictly business-side addition, rumblings about the former Lions and Vikings exec playing a part on the football side emerged. Warren did not shake up the Poles-Eberflus partnership this offseason, and the former Big Ten commissioner is believed to have a good relationship with the team’s GM. It would be fascinating if the two power brokers disagreed regarding this seminal decision, but nothing on that front has surfaced during the Bears’ latest will-they/won’t-they saga associated with trading a No. 1 overall pick.

This franchise has not made a No. 1 overall draft choice since 1947, and a weekend report indicated it would take a “historic haul” for a team to pry this year’s top choice from the Bears. Chicago punted on drafting Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud or Anthony Richardson last year. Poles made Fields his offseason centerpiece. Though Poles did not draft Fields, his 2023 offseason choice will matter. With the Bears having secured the top pick once again — thanks to the Panthers’ 2-15 season — Poles has another chance.

A few teams are in need at quarterback but lack a top-three pick. The Falcons (No. 8), Broncos (No. 12) and Raiders (No. 13) are the three that do not currently have exclusive negotiating rights with a starter-caliber option (Russell Wilson‘s status notwithstanding; he remains on track to be released); the Vikings (No. 11) and Buccaneers (No. 26) do. Leading up to last year’s free agency, Poles engaged in talks with a few teams — most notably discussing a three-team deal with Houston and Carolina — before dealing the pick to the Panthers.

The Bears are weighing Fields’ trajectory and upcoming fifth-year option price against what a future with Williams — the 2022 Heisman winner who has been the clubhouse leader to go No. 1 overall for over a year — would bring. The USC product being on a rookie contract for at least three years would naturally appeal to the Bears, who could fetch at least one Day 2 pick — perhaps more, given the needs of the above-referenced teams — for Fields.

A scenario in which the Bears draft a quarterback at 1 and keep Fields also surfaced as an option recently, but this has long looked like an either/or situation. Warren’s pro-Fields comments should be expected at this juncture, but this remains a central 2024 NFL storyline to follow.

Bears Discussed Pairing Justin Fields With Rookie QB; Falcons On Trade Radar?

February 13th, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Ben Levine

When discussing the Bears’ upcoming draft plans, much of the discourse has surrounded two scenarios: they trade the No. 1 pick and continue building around Justin Fields or they trade Fields and select a rookie quarterback with the first-overall selection. There could now be a third scenario: the team keeps Fields and they still select a QB with the first pick.

As Albert Breer of SI.com writes, the idea of keeping Fields and selecting a rookie QB is “an intriguing idea that the team has discussed.” While this could simply be a smokescreen by the Bears as they look to pry a “historic haul” for the first-overall pick, there is some merit to the strategy.

As Breer notes, Fields is only due $3.2MM in cash for 2024. Couple that with the hypothetical number-one pick’s rookie salary, and the Bears would still be eyeing one of the least expensive QB corps in the NFL. Further, plenty of teams have redshirted their rookie quarterbacks as they learned the system.

Of course, this tactic has come with varying success, and most teams look to pair a rookie QB with a veteran. Fields, who will be 25 in March, just completed his third NFL season, and you could make an argument that his NFL future is just as bright as any of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft.

In other words, it would be a bit surprising if the Bears actively sought a QB competition, especially with the context of Fields’ next contract. In this scenario, the front office would surely lose leverage on both assets, and while they would technically control the process, the team wouldn’t have an infinite amount of time to draw out the process.

While there were some rumblings of a pro-Fields direction, the most recent reports point to the Bears keeping the first-overall pick and trading Fields. The team probably won’t lack for suitors, especially if they only manage to garner offers that are headlined by a Day 2 pick. One team that could emerge in the sweepstakes is the Falcons. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo note that Fields is a “name many around the NFL connect to Atlanta.”

The team’s Desmond Ridder experiment in 2023 likely cost Arthur Smith his job, and there’s a good chance Raheem Morris will look for a new face to lead his QB room. The Falcons could also be an option for a rookie QB, although they’d likely have to trade up from No. 8 if they hope to get any of the top prospects at the position.

Broncos Moving Toward Russell Wilson Decision; Team Eyeing J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix?

February 13th, 2024 at 9:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers became the first team to go through with post-Super Bowl cuts, moving on from former starters Mitchell Trubisky and Chukwuma Okorafor. A much bigger domino is likely to fall in Denver.

Although the Broncos’ path to upgrade on Russell Wilson is complicated, they still are likely to separate from the pricey passer they benched before Week 17. The team and Wilson had gone through a messy behind-the-scenes chapter pertaining to the decorated QB’s guarantee vesting date, but pushback on that decision being strictly contract-related ensued. The Broncos benched Wilson for Jarrett Stidham, and while the latter is almost definitely not the team’s long-term answer, the Payton-Wilson partnership appears in its final days.

Payton confirmed during an appearance on Up & Adams a decision on Wilson should emerge sooner rather than later (video link). The second-year Broncos HC said the team began its draft meetings Monday. When asked if he was looking to “fall in love” with a QB this offseason, Payton responded, “Yeah,” continuing to point to the Broncos absorbing the record-shattering dead money that would come with a Wilson release. Wilson holds a no-trade clause, though his five-year, $245MM deal is not viewed as tradeable on the surface.

It would cost the Broncos $85MM in dead money to release Wilson; that will be spread over two years due to the expected release set to be classified as a post-June 1 cut. That will slot the 2024 dead money at $35.4MM. That number checks in just $300K north of what the Buccaneers absorbed when Tom Brady retired. Of course, Tampa Bay is no longer restricted by any Brady money this year. The Broncos will be set to deal with $49.6MM in dead cap in 2025. That alone will smash the NFL record, one the Falcons still hold (at $40.5MM) after trading Matt Ryan to the Colts in 2022. A Wilson release will need to occur before March 17; his 2025 base salary ($37MM) becomes fully guaranteed on that day.

The Broncos hold the No. 12 overall pick and cannot enter true negotiations with an outside free agent until March 11. The Bucs and Vikings can respectively talk with Baker Mayfield and Kirk Cousins now. If one of those players becomes an option in Denver, such a signing would be costly. Considering the dead money coming via the likely Wilson release, the Broncos would be tying up plenty of cash at QB were they to go with a pricey free agent option. Of course, none of this year’s UFA passers beyond Cousins or Mayfield are expected to be especially expensive.

During an appearance on the Jim Rome Show (via 9News’ Mike Klis), Payton mentioned Patrick Mahomes and Drew Brees as quick-processing QBs while notably leaving out Wilson when discussing that important skill in his offense. Known more for off-schedule brilliance than pocket mastery, Wilson had moments in Payton’s offense. He still finished in the top 10 in passer rating, while QBR slotted the ex-Seahawks star 21st. A market is likely to form for the 12-year veteran, though he will not be tied to anything close to the $49MM-per-year deal he signed in Denver. Wilson, 35, is unlikely to command anything near his $35MM-AAV Seahawks extension from 2019. The less Wilson makes, however, the more money the Broncos owe due to offset language.

New NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell said (via the Washington Post’s Mark Maske) the Broncos mistreated Wilson when they attempted to move his vesting guarantee date from 2024 to 2025. Wilson’s camp said the team threatened a benching had the QB not gone along; Broncos brass denied the benching threat occurred. The NFLPA had urged Wilson to call the team’s bye-week bluff. Wilson did, and the Broncos stayed with him as their starter until they were realistically eliminated from playoff contention. Despite Denver’s limitations when it comes to securing an upgrade this offseason, a reconciliation here — despite Wilson indicating in January he wanted to stay with the team — should be considered highly unlikely.

At No. 12, the Broncos are not realistic candidates to end up with Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. Jayden Daniels‘ rising stock may well ensure the Heisman winner goes off the board well before No. 12. The Broncos have been loosely connected to trading up for one of these passers, but the team — which has not made a first-round pick since 2021, thanks to the Wilson and Payton trades — views the cost as high enough a move into the top three is unlikely.

This would naturally tie the Broncos to this QB class’ second-tier options, and Denver7’s Troy Renck notes that is already happening. Denver is being connected to Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix within scouting circles, per Renck. An ex-Jim Harbaugh pupil who is not yet 21, McCarthy joins Nix in not yet being a first-round lock. Given the supply-and-demand issues at quarterback, however, it would certainly not surprise to see both prospects be chosen on Day 1.

The Broncos selecting a QB at 12, as opposed to trading up, would be optimal given the draft capital the team surrendered for Wilson and then to obtain Payton’s rights. Excepting Jay Cutler‘s intermittent promise, the Broncos have not had much luck drafting QBs. The franchise’s top passers (John Elway, Peyton Manning, Jake Plummer, Craig Morton) all game via trade or free agency. But Denver will likely be connected to this year’s crop. The 2025 group, although it is still quite early on that front, is viewed as a lesser group. That could force some teams’ hands ahead of this draft.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

February 12th, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

With Super Bowl LVIII in the books, the 2023 campaign has come to a close. Teams outside Kansas City and San Francisco had already turned their attention to the offseason well before Sunday’s game, of course.

Regular season standings determine the order for the top 18 picks, so they have been known since the conclusion of Week 18. For the second straight year, the Bears face the question of dealing away the top selection and starting over at quarterback or re-committing to Justin Fields. Expectations still point toward Caleb Williams heading to Chicago, although the Bears will not move the No. 1 pick at a discounted price.

With the Commanders also in position to add a signal-caller second overall, the Patriots and Cardinals will be worth watching closely. New England will be in the market for a QB, but it may not come via the team’s top selection. Arizona’s position could also be a trade-up target for teams seeking a quarterback addition. This year’s class is expected to be dominated by blue-chip prospects under center, as well as at wide receiver and offensive tackle.

The final 14 spots in the draft order are filled by postseason results. The Chiefs find themselves in familiar territory picking at or near the end of the first-round order for the fourth time in the past five years following another Super Bowl appearance. The team has a mixed track record with its selections in that regard, but another impact rookie would of course help its bid to sustain its impressive run.

While a number of selections will no doubt be swapped between now and draft day, here is the full 2024 first-round order:

Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
Washington Commanders: 4-13
New England Patriots: 4-13
Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
Los Angeles Chargers: 5-12
New York Giants: 6-11
Tennessee Titans: 6-11
Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
Chicago Bears: 7-10
New York Jets: 7-10
Minnesota Vikings: 7-10
Denver Broncos: 8-9
Las Vegas Raiders: 8-9
New Orleans Saints: 9-8
Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8
Los Angeles Rams: 10-7
Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
Miami Dolphins: 11-6
Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6
Houston Texans (via Browns)
Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
Green Bay Packers: 9-8
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-8
Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
Buffalo Bills: 11-6
Detroit Lions: 12-5
Baltimore Ravens: 13-4
San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6

Teams Likely To Move Up For QBs In 2024 Draft

February 10th, 2024 at 4:41pm CST by Ely Allen

For much of the 2023 football season, there was a clear 1-2 punch at the top of the list of 2024 draft eligible quarterbacks. It was also widely believed that this year’s crop would provide a good bit of depth throughout all stages of the draft. Both of those opinions appear to be up for debate now as depth issues and the projected 2025 class have teams thinking twice about how long they can wait for a young project passer this April.

The clarity at the top of the draft has been muddied a bit by the meteoric rise of LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has pushed North Carolina’s Drake Maye for the honor of QB2 behind Caleb Williams from USC. For some time, it was thought that the first-round considerations ended there, but all of the sudden, three other college passers have entered the conversation of Day 1 draft candidates.

Initially, quarterbacks like Michigan national champ J.J. McCarthy, national championship runner-up Michael Penix Jr. out of Washington, and Oregon’s Bo Nix were considered strong contributors to the depth of the draft’s quarterback class, slotting in as likely Day 2 picks. The depth behind them, though, began to slim down as fringe Day 2-3 passers saw the allure of returning to the NIL-potential of college ball and a chance to better their stock for the subsequent year’s draft.

This migration of 2024 depth pieces to the 2025 class has also done little to improve the projection of next year’s quarterback crop. It improves the depth of the 2025 quarterback class, but the group of passers in college next year remains bottom-heavy. Early class headliners like Texas passer Quinn Ewers, Georgia’s Carson Beck, and the prodigal son at Colorado, Shedeur Sanders, all give reasons to excite, but none have cemented themselves as first-rounders and, beyond them, the cupboard is quite bare for top talent.

A few veterans who once sought Day 1 acclaim have disappointed in recent years to the point where they have left for greener college pastures in an attempt to rejuvenate their potential draft status. Journeyman Dillon Gabriel, who has spent three years at UCF and two years at Oklahoma, will spend his final year of eligibility replacing Nix in Eugene. Once promising Duke passer Riley Leonard will try to replace Sam Hartman as the next leader at Notre Dame. A former freshman phenom at Miami (FL), Tyler Van Dyke will try to reestablish his passing prowess at Wisconsin. The Hurricanes will replace Van Dyke with former Washington State passer Cameron Ward, who backed off an earlier declaration for this year’s draft in order to announce his transfer to Coral Gables. After an injury-ruined 2023, Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels, one of a few talented passers who returned to their college home instead of transferring, is on the shortlist of Heisman Trophy contenders after impressing in 2022.

A number of sophomore passers will hope to have breakout years that help them rise like Daniels has this offseason. Penn State’s Drew Allar has impressed early with his efficiency, throwing for 29 touchdowns to just two interceptions in his first two years, but has a tendency to disappear from a gameplan far too easily. Conner Weigman has done little to inspire much confidence in College Station, but the former five-star recruit will hope to rebound for new head coach Mike Elko. Lastly, SMU redshirt sophomore Preston Stone will look to take the next step this year under Rhett Lashlee, who coached the earlier-mentioned Van Dyke to his best season in south Florida.

There are several other names that could be added to the previous few paragraphs, but the inability of any of these players, like Florida State’s transfer addition D.J. Uiagalelei, new Ohio State passer Will Howard, new Huskies quarterback Will Rogers, or any of the players above, to separate themselves above the rest of the batch is a testament to the lack of true top talent in next year’s class. The potential depth is real, but if none of these names can establish themselves as potential Day 1 or 2 picks, the 2025 class faces the same dangers as this year’s group as any passers with remaining eligibility will turn back to NIL money if the NFL has yet to warm up to them.

Because of this lack of excitement in the 2025 crop, there’s belief that teams this year may be a bit more eager to take a quarterback, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. This sentiment was echoed today by Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network, who stated his belief that four to five teams could be looking to move up for a passer leading up to the draft due to the lack of top talent in next year’s group. This hasn’t changed the status much of the established Day 1 picks for this year, though it could push likely mid-first-rounders like Daniels and Maye up closer to the draft position of Williams. The real effect has been attributed to the likely Day 2 picks, Penix, McCarthy, and Nix.

The increased interest in this year’s fringe group can already be seen on the big board of Trevor Sikkema at Pro Football Focus. Sikkema has ranked Penix and Nix at 20th and 22nd overall, respectively, on his 2024 NFL Draft big board, placing them securely in the first round, if his rankings at all reflect NFL interest. McCarthy trails a bit, ranked at 57th, while Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt provides the only decent depth at 75th overall.

Since it’s becoming more and more likely that the Bears will keep their No. 1 overall draft slot, it falls to the Commanders (No. 2) and Patriots (No. 3) to decide how valuable Maye and Daniels will be. Both teams are likely to be interested in adding a quarterback this offseason themselves, but if they decide to stick with young passers Sam Howell or Bailey Zappe or address their needs through free agency, they could potentially cash in on a team more desperate to add a top passing prospect.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes the Raiders (No. 13) and the Vikings (No. 11) as potential teams to move up for a quarterback. Las Vegas is set to head into 2024 with their two veterans, Jimmy Garoppolo and Brian Hoyer, and second-year passer Aidan O’Connell, who took over as the starter for much of last year. Minnesota, on the other hand, is set to watch Kirk Cousins and Joshua Dobbs head to free agency, leaving only Nick Mullens and second-year quarterback Jaren Hall on the roster.

While those two teams could prove to be contenders for Maye or Daniels, the possibilities are far more numerous for new potential Day 1 picks like Penix and Nix. They could end up falling anywhere in the first round, getting selected in the late-teens or seeing teams trade up at the end of the first night to guarantee that fifth-year option granted to first-round picks. Regardless, teams are being forced to do their homework on future draft classes in order to determine their quarterback needs for this year. The result could see up to five or six passers hearing their names called on the night of April 25th.

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