HEADLINES

2024 NFL Draft

Raiders Sign OL Jackson Powers-Johnson, Finalize Draft Class

May 13th, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Raiders announced on Monday that second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson has inked his rookie contract. As a result, all eight members of the team’s draft class are now attached to their initial NFL deals.

The offensive tackle class was a headliner in 2024, but Powers-Johnson was one of the top interior blockers available. The Oregon product served as a full-time starter over the past two seasons, establishing himself as one of the most well-regarded interior linemen in college football during that span.

Powers-Johnson spent much of his time at right guard in 2022, but last season he was used exclusively a center. That produced a stellar campaign for the 6-3, 328-pounder; Powers-Johnson won the Rimington Trophy as the country’s top center (becoming the first Pac-12 player to do so). He was also named a unanimous first-team All-American, helping cement his draft stock.

Graham Barton was the only center to hear his name called on Day 1 of the draft, but Powers-Johnson (just like Zach Frazier) was selected in the second round. Starting roles likely await all three players in their rookie seasons, but Powers-Johnson is positioned to start his NFL tenure at right guard. The Raiders used Greg Van Roten at that spot last season, but he is unsigned.

Vegas has added Cody Whitehair to the fold as an interior blocker with starting experience. The same is also true of Andrus Peat, who has seen time at both tackle and guard and signed a deal last week. Those veterans will give head coach Antonio Pierce a number of potential combinations (alongside Powers-Johnson) to consider as training camp takes place.

Here is the full breakdown of the Raiders’ 2024 draft class:

Jets Sign First-Round T Olu Fashanu

May 13th, 2024 at 12:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets entered Monday without any of their 2024 draft picks having been signed. That has now changed, however, with first-round offensive tackle Olu Fashanu inking his rookie deal.

As ESPN’s Field Yates notes, this four-year pact will carry a value of $20.51MM. Like with all other Day 1 draftees, New York will have the ability to extend the contract by one more season via the fifth-year option. If the team does so, Fashanu will remain in place through the 2028 campaign.

Offensive line was a concern for the Jets entering the 2023 season, one in which Aaron Rodgers‘ debut New York campaign was cut short four plays into the season opener. After struggling with poor performance and injuries up front, adding at the tackle and guard spots was a priority this offseason. As a result, Morgan Moses was re-acquired via trade to regain his old right tackle spot.

That move was followed in short order by the signing of Tyron Smith. The former Cowboys All-Pro joined on a one-year deal, and he is in place as New York’s starter on the blindside. Both Moses and Smith are 33, however, and the former is also a pending free agent. A long-term investment at the tackle spot was thus a main concern entering the draft. While New York was high on wideout Rome Odunze, it came as little surprise when the team used the No. 11 pick (acquired in a swap with the Vikings) on Fashanu.

The Penn State product was seen as one of the top tackle prospects in the 2023 class, and it came as a surprise to many when he elected to remain in school for one more year. Nevertheless, Fashanu was squarely on the first-round radar this year despite being part of an extremely deep O-line class. The Jets also had interest in fellow tackle Troy Fautanu, but like other teams they had injury concerns which steered them elsewhere.

Fashanu does not have an immediate path to playing time as a rookie, but injuries have been a constant in Smith’s career and the usually-durable Moses missed three games last season. The 6-6, 313-pounder could therefore find himself on the field in relatively short order this year. Even if not, though, Fashanu should be a fixture up front for the team in 2025 and beyond.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/24

May 12th, 2024 at 6:36pm CST by Ely Allen

One draft pick from yesterday got missed, so we’ll mention them today:

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers felt lucky to have Wilson fall to them in the draft, and they were right to. Initial draft rankings listed Wilson as the class’s fourth-best off-ball linebacker. The three ahead of him were the first three linebackers taken in the draft, but lower projected linebackers Ty’Ron Hoppper and Marist Liufau heard their names called before Wilson, as well. Not ones to look a gift horse in the mouth, Pittsburgh selected Wilson near the end of the third round.

Buccaneers Add 16 UDFAs

May 11th, 2024 at 9:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tampa Bay’s rookie minicamp will feature seven draftees, but also 16 UDFAs. Here is the full list regarding the latter additions:

  • Zack Annexstad, QB (Illinois State)
  • Marcus Banks, S (Mississippi State)
  • Judge Culpepper, DL (Toledo)
  • Xavier Delgado, G (Missouri)
  • Kalen DeLoach, LB (Florida State)
  • Tyrek Funderburk, CB (Appalachian State)
  • Antonio Grier, LB (Arkansas)
  • Daniel Grzesiak, OLB (Cincinnati)
  • Kameron Johnson, WR (Barton College)
  • Avery Jones, G (Auburn)
  • Latreal Jones, WR (Southern Mississippi)
  • Tanner Knue, WR (Eastern Michigan)
  • Chris McDonald, CB (Toledo)
  • Shaun Peterson, OLB (UCF)
  • DJ Williams, RB (Arizona)
  • Rashad Wisdom, S (UTSA)

Culpepper is the son of Brad Culpepper, who played six seasons in Tampa Bay. The younger Culpepper transferred from Penn State to Toledo in 2021. He earned first-team All-MAC honors in 2023, leading the team in sacks (nine) and tackles for loss (10.5). He received $100K in guarantees, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.

Rocket teammate McDonald has also landed a notable commitment from Tampa Bay. He received $95K in guaranteed money, Wilson reports. McDonald spent his entire college career at Toledo and he racked up 32 pass breakups (including eight in 2023). He earned a third-team All-Conference nod last season, and will look to earn a depth spot in the Bucs’ secondary this summer.

The top of Tampa Bay’s QB depth chart is set given the investment made in Baker Mayfield this offseason. The team also has Kyle Trask and John Wolford in place as backup options, but Annexstad will aim to compete for the QB3 role or a practice squad place as a developmental option. He earned the starting spot during his freshman season at Minnesota, but the campaign was cut short through injury. The 6-3, 220-pounder transferred to Illinois State in 2022 and during his time there he racked up 3,547 passing yards along with a 27:12 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Titans Sign 16 Undrafted Free Agents

May 11th, 2024 at 7:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans have a seven-man draft class, some of whom have already inked their rookie deals. Their draftees will be joined in minicamp by the following UDFAs:

  • Brian Dooley, OL (Eastern Michigan)
  • Khalid Duke, DE (Kansas State)
  • Keaton Ellis, S (Penn State)
  • X’Zauvea Gadlin, OL (Liberty)
  • Rod Gattison, CB (Western Carolina)
  • Isaiah Iton, DT (Rutgers)
  • Robert Javier, DB (Towson)
  • Dillon Johnson, RB (Washington)
  • Gabe Jeudy-Lally, TE (Tennessee)
  • Brayden Narveson, K (NC State)
  • Bryce Oliver, WR (Youngstown State)
  • David Martin-Robinson, TE (Temple)
  • Sam Schnee, WR (Northern Iowa)
  • Jamari Small, RB (Tennessee)
  • Cole Spencer, OL (Texas Tech)
  • Steven Stilianos, TE (Iowa)

Spencer is one of three O-linemen the Titans have brought in, and he has received a notable financial investment. Tennessee has given him $75K in guaranteed money, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. Spencer spent considerable time at left tackle when he was at Western Kentucky, but he moved to guard with the Red Raiders. A leg injury limited him to just six games in 2023, but he will look to parlay a return to health into at least a practice squad spot.

The Titans were among the teams to move quickly on the running back front in free agency, signing Tony Pollard as part of a depth chart already featuring Tyjae Spears. Both Johnson and Small will look to join them in a rotational capacity. The former led the Pac-12 in rushing touchdowns last season (16), helping him earn second-team All-Conference honors. The latter, meanwhile, led the Volunteers in rushing during the 2021 season and ranks 12th in school history with 24 career rushing touchdowns.

Veteran Nick Folk was the Titans’ lone kicker on the roster prior to the addition of Narveson. Folk, 39, led the NFL in field goal percentage (96.7%) in his debut Tennessee campaign and he is under contract for one more year. Narveson will look to provide competition during training camp or at least insurance by taking up a taxi squad slot. After spending time at Iowa State and Western Kentucky, he went 18-for-23 on field goal attempts in 2023.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/10/24

May 10th, 2024 at 9:13pm CST by Ely Allen

Yesterday’s rush of rookie signings continued today. Here are Friday’s draft pick signings:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

  • K Will Reichard (sixth round, Alabama)
  • C Michael Jurgens (seventh round, Wake Forest)
  • DT Levi Drake Rodriguez (seventh round, Texas A&M-Commerce)

New England Patriots

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • G Mason McCormick (fourth round, South Dakota State)
  • DT Logan Lee (sixth round, Iowa)

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Rams Sign Second-Round DT Braden Fiske

May 10th, 2024 at 7:45pm CST by Ely Allen

The Rams have begun the process of signing their 2024 NFL Draft picks. They open their draft signings by inking second-round defensive tackle out of Florida State Braden Fiske. According to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, Fiske enters the NFL on a four-year, $9.41MM deal that sees a $3.66MM signing bonus and 15 percent of his Year 4 salary included in the total fully guaranteed amount of $7.64MM.

Fiske was part of an undefeated (in the regular season) Florida State squad built off the transfer portal. Fiske was one of those contributors out of the portal for the Seminoles after five years at Western Michigan.

The Michigan-native became a full-time starter in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season and set career highs with the Broncos two years later in total tackles (58), tackles for loss (12.0), sacks (six), forced fumbles (two), and pass deflections (three). In one season as a full-time starter in Tallahassee, Fiske did more of the same, tallying nine tackles for loss and six sacks en route to a second-team All-ACC selection.

Fiske’s game should translate well at the NFL level. He brings ideal size to the position and wins often with his initial quickness. Mainly relying on club moves and bull rushes, he’ll need to add a few more moves to his pass-rush arsenal, but his consistency and drive will likely help him earn a big role as a rookie.

In Los Angeles, Fiske joins a defensive front that looks to replace future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald and Jonah Williams. The team returns second-year nose tackle Kobie Turner, who started four games as a rookie, and Bobby Brown III, who started 13 games but played less than half as many defensive snaps as Turner. Fiske stands to likely slot in as a starter, if not simply a large contributor, as a rookie, similar to Turner last year. His ability to play all over the line should allow Fiske several opportunities to earn his way onto the field.

Including Fiske’s fellow Florida State transfer contributor Jared Verse, the team’s first-round selection, the Rams have nine other draft picks to sign:

Broncos, QB Bo Nix Agree To Terms

May 10th, 2024 at 5:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

The last of this year’s six quarterbacks chosen in Round 1 will be the first to sign his rookie deal, with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicating Bo Nix put pen to paper with the Broncos on Friday.

As the Broncos have tried and failed repeatedly to replace Peyton Manning, Nix is the second Round 1 QB the team has turned to since the legendary passer’s retirement. The team whiffed badly on 2016 first-rounder Paxton Lynch. Chosen 14 spots earlier (12th overall), Nix will be counted on to help the franchise move on from the Russell Wilson mistake admission.

Setting a Division I-FBS QB record with 61 starts (at Auburn and Oregon), Nix dazzled at the Pac-12 program. The Broncos made an effort to separate the bevy of screen and short-yardage throws Nix made in the Ducks’ system — one that produced a 45-3 TD-INT ratio last season — and the team came away with an assessment Nix remained one of the draft’s most accurate passers. On the whole, Nix completed an astonishing 77.4% of his passes last season.

The Broncos have Jarrett Stidham under contract, and the team finalized a Zach Wilson trade days before the draft. The Sean Payton–George Paton combo had zeroed in on Nix by the time the Wilson trade was final, and it appears likely the five-year college starter will be under center early this season — if not by Week 1. The Broncos waived Ben DiNucci earlier this week. Stidham’s two-year, $10MM deal calls for a $4.49MM 2024 base salary; just $1MM of that is guaranteed.

Payton admitted he played a part in a smokescreen effort centered around the Broncos as a threat to move up the board. While connections to J.J. McCarthy were present — leading to the Vikings to trade up two spots for the Michigan passer — the Broncos were enamored with Nix. They are believed to have rated the Oregon-developed prospect as this draft’s third-best QB. Many disagree with that assessment, but Payton will get to work training the 6-foot-2 passer in his system.

Nix topped out at 16 TD passes in a season in three years at Auburn; like Michael Penix Jr., his numbers took a leap following a 2022 transfer. Nix threw 29 TD passes and seven picks at Oregon in 2022, adding a career-high 510 rushing yards and 14 TDs. It remains to be seen how much Nix’s scrambling ability will translate to the NFL, with his arm strength drawing some questions. The Broncos will bank on their handpicked QB’s accuracy and quick release, and the team has his former Ducks center — 2023 seventh-round pick Alex Forsyth — and top wide receiver (2024 fourth-rounder Troy Franklin) in place as the NFL development process begins.

Since Manning’s March 2016 retirement, the Broncos have used 13 starting QBs. The Lynch pick busting led the team to try free agency (Case Keenum), trades (Wilson, Joe Flacco, Teddy Bridgewater) and the second round (Drew Lock). Nix is the earliest Broncos QB draftee since Jay Cutler in 2006; the Payton regime will largely be shaped by how the latest QB1 candidate performs.

Titans Sign Round 1 T JC Latham

May 10th, 2024 at 5:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Closely linked to being Joe Alt‘s floor at No. 7, the Titans ended up being the second team to draft a tackle from this impressive class. After the Chargers chose Alt at No. 5, the Titans came away with JC Latham.

The Alabama product, who received some late buzz to the point he was in viewed as a possible candidate to go to the Chargers, is now under contract with Tennessee. The Titans completed the signing process with Latham, who is under contract through 2027 (feat. a fifth-year option). The deal is fully guaranteed.

Titans-Latham buzz developed just before the draft, and this marks the second straight year the Titans chose an offensive lineman in the first round. Latham will join Peter Skoronski on an O-line GM Ran Carthon has gone about remaking. Moving on from longtime starters Taylor Lewan, Ben Jones and Nate Davis in his first offseason as GM, Carthon has since added an anchor piece. Latham is expected to line up at left tackle.

Multiple teams viewed Latham as a player who could become an All-Pro right tackle, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan notes. One of a few premier college RTs who wound up first-round picks, Latham started the past two seasons for the Crimson Tide at that spot. The strong run blocker earned second-team All-America acclaim last season, becoming one of the top players in this year’s draft class.

The Titans cleared a path for Latham at LT, cutting disappointing 2023 free agent signing Andre Dillard. The team briefly tried RT starter Nicholas Petit-Frere on the blind side, but an injury — following his reinstatement from a gambling suspension — nixed that plan. Jaelyn Duncan spent much of the season’s second half at left tackle.

This year’s first round included nine tackles — if Duke tackle-turned-Buccaneers center Graham Barton is included; the Titans made Latham the second one chosen. Had Alt been available, Caplan adds the Notre Dame All-American likely would have been the choice. But it will be Latham on track to join Skoronski and Co. along the Titans’ offensive front. The young blockers will step into an intriguing situation, with highly regarded O-line coach Bill Callahan following son Brian to Nashville.

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