HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Eagles Sign Second-Round CB Cooper DeJean

May 20th, 2024 at 1:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Entering Monday, the Eagles had only two unsigned members of their draft class. One of them – second-rounder Cooper DeJean – has now inked his rookie deal, per a team announcement.

DeJean was one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2024 class, one dominated at the top by offensive players. That was demonstrated by the historic run of quarterbacks, tackles and receivers to begin the opening round, but it still came as a surprise when DeJean did not hear his name called on Day 1. The Eagles traded up to select him at No. 40.

In doing so, they made another draft investment in the secondary. That unit struggled in 2023, and Philadelphia responded prior to the DeJean selection by adding Quinyon Mitchell as the first defensive back to hear his name called. The latter is positioned to see time alongside Darius Slay and James Bradberry as a perimeter corner, but the former’s NFL role is less clear.

DeJean played at corner during his time at Iowa, but he also had success when lining up as a safety. He was named the Big Ten’s top defensive back and returner last season, a sign of his skillset both on defense and special teams. A fractured leg ended the 6-1, 203-pounder’s college career prematurely, and it may have hindered his draft stock.

Nevertheless, DeJean will join the Eagles with expectations of being able to contribute in the third phase even if he does not land a starting job on defense right away. After ranking 31st in the league in passing yards allowed last year, the team has plenty of room for improvement in the secondary. New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will spend the summer attempting to find DeJean’s ideal position during his rookie campaign.

Here is an updated look at the Eagles’ draft class:

Rashee Rice To Participate In Chiefs’ OTAs

May 20th, 2024 at 1:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

Rashee Rice faces a number of legal troubles and the league discipline which could come about as a result. The second-year Chiefs wideout is nevertheless set to take part in the team’s organized team activities without restriction.

Rice will fully participate in Kansas City’s OTAs, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The 24-year-old is facing eight felony charges stemming from a March hit-and-run incident. Earlier this month, he was accused of punching a photographer in the face. That, in turn, comes after it was learned that an incident dating back to his time in college was known by all teams prior to last year’s draft.

The Chiefs are expecting a suspension to be handed down for Rice as a result of the hit-and-run charges. The NFL will likely wait for the legal process to play out before making a decision, though, leaving the team free to proceed with him how they see fit. Rice participated virtually in the opening phase of Kansas City’s offseason program. OTAs represent the most important stage of that process in terms of on-field work, and he will be available to take part.

The SMU product proved to be a key component of the Chiefs’ passing attack during his rookie season, amassing 938 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season. Rice added a 26-262-1 statline during the team’s run to a second straight Super Bowl title, and he projects to remain a focal point on offense absent his legal situation(s). To little surprise, the team has invested at the wide receiver spot this offseason.

Kansas City signed Marquise Brown in free agency before trading up to select fellow speedster Xavier Worthy in the first round of the draft. Both wideouts will have a notable role for the Chiefs in 2024, and the same should remain true for Rice whenever he is allowed to re-join the team following a potential suspension. The latter is positioned to resume activities with the team for the time being.

Latest On Saints, CB Marshon Lattimore

May 20th, 2024 at 12:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

Marshon Lattimore‘s name has frequently been mentioned in trade talk this offseason, but no deal has been worked out. As OTAs begin around the league, including in New Orleans, the Pro Bowl cornerback appears set to remain in place for the coming season.

When speaking at the Saints Hall of Fame charity golf tournament, head coach Dennis Allen said he spoke with Lattimore recently and that the sides are “moving forward” (video link via New Orleans Football Network). Allen described his discussion with the former Defensive Rookie of the Year as a “positive conversation,” an encouraging sign for his future with the team.

Lattimore’s contract was restructured this offseason, and he now has an option bonus due one week before the start of the campaign. That timing led to speculation a trade could be in the cards, and ahead of free agency teams began showing interest. At the draft, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis confirmed the team contemplated a trade. Lattimore is still seen as a core member of New Orleans’ defense, though, which he has been since arriving in the NFL.

The former first-rounder has started all 90 of his games, and he recorded double-digit pass deflections in each of his first five seasons with the Saints. Injuries have limited Lattimore to just 17 games across the past two campaigns, but he remains on the books for three more seasons. He is set to carry a cap hit of $14.62MM in 2024, a reasonable enough figure for an acquiring team to take on in a trade. After that, however, his cap numbers are scheduled to spike to $31.41MM and $28.56MM. Lattimore is due salaries of $16MM and $16.5MM in 2025 and ’26, but they are not guaranteed.

Allen did not specify whether or not he expects the Ohio State product to take part in the Saints’ upcoming OTAs. Especially if he does, though, it would be an indication he is prepared to continue his career in New Orleans, matching the team’s desire on that front.

Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence Extension Talks Progressing

May 20th, 2024 at 10:00am CST by Adam La Rose

2024 marks the first year in which Trevor Lawrence is eligible for an extension. Franchise quarterbacks often ink new deals after their first three years in the league, which puts the 2021 first overall pick on track to secure a monster second contract relatively soon.

Talks on a new deal have been taking place since at least April, and with the Josh Allen extension on the books the Lawrence situation represents Jacksonville’s top remaining financial priority. When he last spoke about the latter, general manager Trent Baalke preached patience based on the size and complexity of modern QB pacts. Things appear to be moving in a positive direction at this point, though.

During a recent SportsCenter appearance, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported negotiations between the Jaguars and Lawrence’s camp are “progressing fairly nicely” (h/t Tyler Conway of Bleacher Report). Plenty of time remains for a deal to be worked out, with the team having made the obvious decision to pick up Lawrence’s 2025 fifth-year option.

That has the 24-year-old in line to earn $22.66MM next season, although a multi-year pact will check in at a much higher rate. Fowler’s report notes a Lawrence extension will likely be valued at or above the $50MM-per-year mark. That comes as little surprise, considering the top of the QB market.

Four ascending passers (Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts) each spent time at the top of the pecking order last offseason. Their respective extensions range between $51MM and $55MM per season. Last week, Jared Goff joined that group by inking a Lions deal worth $53MM per season. Especially given the latter’s age (29), Lawrence should be set up to become the next passer clearing the $50MM AAV mark.

His rookie season did not go according to plan under Urban Meyer, but the hiring of Doug Pederson brought about a rebound the following season. The Jaguars went to the divisional round of the postseason in 2022, with Lawrence earning a Pro Bowl nod. Dealing with a number of injuries (and being forced to miss a game for the first time in his career) last season, however, things took a turn for the worse in the Clemson product’s case. He and the team struggled on offense, and a 9-8 finish was insufficient to qualify for the postseason.

With 39 interceptions and 21 lost fumbles in his career, turnovers are a reasonable concern the team will take into consideration regarding a long-term investment in Lawrence. Still, he has surpassed 4,000 passing yards in each of the past two campaigns while throwing 46 touchdown passes in that span. Jacksonville lost Calvin Ridley in free agency, but the team added Gabe Davis before selecting Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round of the draft. Lawrence will likely be counted on to guide the Jags’ new-look offense not only in 2024 and ’25, but for several years beyond that.

Commanders Add Brandon Sosna As SVP Of Football Operations

May 20th, 2024 at 9:08am CST by Ely Allen

MAY 20: Sosna’s title will be senior vice president of football operations, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. His duties will remain similar to the ones he held in Detroit, and as such he will be a lead figure in areas related to contract negotiations, salary cap management and the team’s analytics department.

MAY 19: The Commanders are adding a hot, young name to their front office to go along with a host of other new hires. To go along with relatively new ownership and a new coaching staff, new general manager Adam Peters is adding a strong piece to his front office staff in Brandon Sosna, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

Sosna, at 31 years old, is a fast-rising executive in the football world. A graduate of UPenn, Sosna began his front office work at the collegiate level with the Bearcats of Cincinnati. Starting at his hometown school in 2013, it took only three years for Sosna to be named chief of staff of the athletic department, a role in which he was responsible for organizing the search process that led to the hiring of head coach Luke Fickell.

Sosna broke into the NFL back in 2017 as a football administration intern with the Browns. It wasn’t long before he worked his way up to salary cap & contract analyst the following season. After dipping his toe in the NFL, Sosna was lured back to the University of Cincinnati in 2019, where he was granted the title of senior associate athletic director/chief revenue officer.

The USC Trojans poached Sosna later that year, hiring him as executive senior associate athletic director/chief of staff. In Los Angeles, Sosna was considered the athletic director’s right-hand man. Once again, he played a crucial role in the search that landed Lincoln Riley as the Trojans’ new head coach and reportedly played a key role in the school’s big move to the Big Ten Conference.

Most recently, though, the call of the NFL was too grand, and Sosna accepted a job as senior director, football administration for the Lions. Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Sosna served as the point man in contract negotiations in Detroit. While his title in Washington has not yet been announced, his role will be “high-ranking” and will likely utilize his contract analyst talents.

Garafolo also reported that, whatever the job is, Sosna was not the only one to interview for the role. Eagles vice president of football administration Jake Rosenberg was also considered after the team allowed his contact to expire in Philadelphia so that he could pursue other opportunities. Rosenberg has been credited for his assistance in the Eagles’ unique strategy of utilizing void years on contracts to reduce current salary cap obligations, something the team has been regarded as ahead of the curve on for some time.

RB Dalvin Cook Receiving Interest

May 20th, 2024 at 8:53am CST by Adam La Rose

Dalvin Cook remains one of the top running backs on the open market. No agreement is imminent at this point, but he does appear to be on the radar of potential new teams.

When speaking about his ongoing free agency, Cook said he has been “taking calls” from teams eyeing an addition in the backfield. The four-time Pro Bowler’s value obviously took a hit in 2023, a season in which he hardly saw the field. Cook’s Jets tenure involved just 67 scoreless carries and it ended in less than one year. His Ravens stint also consisted of sparse usage.

“Just really focusing on myself,” Cook said (video link via Aaron Wilson of KPR2). “Getting ready for training camp, getting ready for what’s coming up next. For me, like you said, patience is the key. Right now the only thing I’m really focusing on is getting myself in tip-top shape to really tote the rock come the fall.”

Cook said last month he feels his light 2023 workload should allow him to return to his previous form this year. He topped 1,100 rushing yards and averaged at least 4.4 yards per carry each season from 2019-22 with the Vikings. No acquiring team will likely expect a repeat of those figures in 2024, but Cook could prove to be an effective addition this late in the offseason.

As the 28-year-old said, he is still not urgently pursuing an agreement. He waited until mid-August last offseason to secure a one-year Jets deal. Especially considering how that arrangement played out, it would come as no surprise if teams moved slowly in considering a Cook signing this time around. A role should nevertheless await him on a new team by the time the regular season begins.

Latest On Broncos’ QB Competition

May 19th, 2024 at 10:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Broncos added their preferred Russell Wilson successor in the first round of the 2024 draft. Bo Nix is positioned to see plenty of time at the helm of Denver’s offense over the course of his rookie contract, but that may not mean he sees the field right away this year.

The decision to move on from Wilson (along with more recent one to waive Ben DiNucci) has left Denver with three signal-callers. Nix is joined by offseason trade acquisition Zach Wilson and returnee Jarrett Stidham. The latter is the only one with experience working under head coach Sean Payton.

A report from earlier this month confirmed, to no surprise, that Stidham is expected to open OTAs with the Broncos’ first-team offense. The 27-year-old started two games last year after Wilson’s benching, and he will have the opportunity to earn the Week 1 starting gig depending on how Nix and Wilson are evaluated over the course of the summer. Payton recently confirmed those two passers will receive plenty of looks as well, though.

“We’ll figure it out,” the former Saints Super Bowl winner said during minicamp about a QB rotation once training camp begins in July (via ESPN’s Jeff Legwold). “With young guys, the reps are important. But we’ll have a rotation, and we’ll go from there.”

Wilson struggled mightily during his time with the Jets. The 2021 second overall pick was slated for backup duties in 2023, but Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear thrust him back into starting action. Wilson did not progress compared to his previous campaigns, and New York dealt him to Denver as part of a Day 3 pick swap. One year remains on his rookie contract, with the Broncos footing half of the bill per the terms of the trade.

Of course, most of the attention at Broncos’ camp will be aimed at Nix. The Auburn and Oregon product made a record-breaking 61 starts during his time in college, and he is likely much closer to his NFL ceiling than many of the five other passers selected within the draft’s opening 12 picks. Payton and Co. were frequently connected to Nix in the pre-draft process, and the Broncos had him ranked as their third-best QB prospect.

Given the team’s struggles in finding a true Peyton Manning replacement, the Broncos will be satisfied with any of their in-house options taking charge in the upcoming quarterback competition over the short term. It will be interesting to see how Nix stacks up against Stidham and Wilson, and how quickly he is handed the reins depending on their respective performances.

RB David Johnson Retires

May 19th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

David Johnson was out of the NFL in 2023, and he will not attempt a return this coming season. The veteran running back announced his retirement on Sunday.

Johnson spent his first five seasons with the Cardinals, enjoying his most productive campaigns in the desert. His career was highlighted by the 2016 season in which he led the league in offensive touches (373), scrimmage yards (2,118) and total touchdowns (20). Those figures helped him earn Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors for the first and only time during his NFL tenure.

The Northern Iowa product suffered a wrist injury the following season, and it limited him to just one contest. Johnson bounced back in 2018, though, producing 1,386 total yards and again scoring double-digit total touchdowns. After seeing a dip in playing time during his final Cardinals campaign, the former third-rounder was included in the DeAndre Hopkins trade. That set up a two-year Texans stint.

Johnson served as a full-time starter in 2020, but he took on a rotational role the following year. Upon the expiration of his Houston pact, he had a lengthy stay on the open market which ultimately ended in a Saints practice squad agreement. Johnson played five games with New Orleans in 2022, but he has not found a deal since. Rather than pursuing a tryout with teams eyeing veteran backfield depth this summer, he will hang up his cleats.

The 32-year-old will end his career with 92 regular season games to his name. Having spent much of his career on rebuilding teams, his only two playoff contests came during his rookie season. Thanks in large part to his 2018 Cardinals extension, Johnson amassed roughly $38.6MM in career earnings.

“I’m looking forward to my next career path in life,” his announcement reads in part. “I don’t know exactly what that will be, but I hope it will bring me the same passion, excitement, and love as football did!” 

Latest On Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders’ 2025 Draft Stock

May 19th, 2024 at 10:09pm CST by Rory Parks

There was a historic run on quarterbacks in the 2024 draft, with six signal-callers picked in the first 12 selections. In addition to the fact that QB is the most important position in sports, the flurry of passers flying off the board was partially explained by the talent of this year’s crop and the current belief that the 2025 class of prospects is not a particularly deep one.

Of course, much can change between now and next April, and there will surely be a number of players who author standout performances in their final collegiates seasons and put themselves on the radar of teams eyeing franchise quarterbacks. One player that we already know will be a focus of such clubs is Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders.

Sanders, the son of NFL legend and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, was eligible to declare for the 2024 draft, though he elected to remain in school for one more season. Per Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post, there is a variance of opinion as to where Sanders would have been picked if he had entered the 2024 draft, but a number of top execs believe the Buffaloes’ star will be firmly in the No. 1 overall discussion in 2025.

The GM of one club who could be in the market for an elite QB prospect next year said of Shedeur, “absolutely, he was a first-round pick [in 2024]. Absolutely. There would have been seven [QBs taken in the first round]. We obviously didn’t do as much work on him as the other quarterbacks once he announced he wasn’t coming out, but he would have been in the top three [quarterbacks] for us this year, I think, had he gone through the entire process. He probably would have been up there with [Caleb] Williams and [Jayden] Daniels.”

The Buffaloes were the talk of college football at the beginning of the 2023 season, when they stormed out to a 3-0 start with the dynamic father/son duo leading the charge. The bloom fell off the rose pretty quickly, though, as Colorado lost eight of its nine conference games to finish at the bottom of the Pac-12 standings.

For his part, Shedeur completed just under 70% of his passes for 27 touchdowns against just three picks last year. That followed an even more impressive 2022 season in which he connected on over 70% of his pass attempts and piled up 40 TDs and only six picks, although that performance came as a member of Jackson State, the FCS program that his father coached before he moved to Boulder.

An agent who recruited many members of the 2024 class of QBs told La Canfora that the Commanders would have seriously considered Sanders if he had entered in the 2024 draft, while a different talent evaluator who is employed by a team that did select a QB this year said, “I would have been stacking him right there with Daniels or [Drake] Maye. Definitely would have had him before [Michael] Penix, [J.J.] McCarthy or [Bo] Nix. If this kid comes out, he’s going in the top five or six picks. He could be the first pick of [the 2025] draft.”

Several of La Canfora’s sources said that Deion’s involvement in the process could be a complicating factor, with one such source calling him a “loose cannon,” but that will surely not deter a team who places a first-round grade on Shedeur. If the younger Sanders can put together a 2024 showing similar to his 2023 output, it sounds as if he could be the first player off the board in April 2025.

NFC Rumors: Cowboys, Tepper, Greenlaw

May 19th, 2024 at 10:07pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cowboys hit on quite a few of their picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, with first-rounder Tyler Smith reaching second-team All-Pro status last year, fourth-rounder Jake Ferguson earning the starting tight job halfway through his rookie season, and fifth-rounder DaRon Bland leading the NFL in interceptions, interception return yards, and pick sixes last season. Their second- and third-round picks from that draft, though, are still struggling to make a similar impact two years in. That may be changing soon.

Former second-round edge rusher Sam Williams found his name getting called fourth on the depth chart last year, behind Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Dorance Armstrong. It’s hard to imagine being disappointed with a fourth-place finish in that situation, considering Parsons has become a perennial DPOY candidate, Lawrence is a four-time Pro Bowler, and Armstrong is a veteran with 21.0 sacks in the last three years. Still, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Williams wants to play more, and director of player personnel Stephen Jones claims that, thanks to Armstrong’s departure in free agency to Washington, those opportunities will come this year, though he will be competing now with this year’s second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland.

Likewise, third-round wide receiver Jalen Tolbert has seen limited production behind CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Noah Brown, and Michael Gallup. With Brown gone last year, Tolbert stepped his role up a little bit. After the team released Gallup, Tolbert is, once again, expected to step his game up in 2024. With Lamb and Cooks returning, Tolbert will now be given a larger opportunity to step in as WR3, per David Moore of the Dallas Morning News.

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC:

  • Many have looked at the Panthers‘ decision to draft Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud in the 2023 NFL Draft as a gigantic misstep, given the vast difference in success each team saw last year. According to Joseph Person of The Athletic, some in the Panthers organization point to the S2 cognitive test as the main reasoning for the decision. Per Person, team owner David Tepper, a hedge-fund billionaire and a proponent of analytics, took the S2 test results very heavily into consideration when helping the team to make their decision. The test of processing speed and reaction time has been looked at as a potential indicator of future success at the quarterback position. Young scored extremely well (in the 98th percentile), while Stroud did not (18th percentile).
  • 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw notoriously missed a good mount of the team’s Super Bowl loss after tearing his Achilles tendon in the big game. According to a report from Matt Barrows of The Athletic, Greenlaw told the media that he had been experiencing some soreness in his Achilles for about a month or so before the game. He recently was able to shed his walking boot as he continues in recovery.
  • It’s been over a year since Steve Keim stepped down as general manager of the Cardinals following an indefinite leave of absence due to “an undisclosed health-related matter.” According to a recent interview Keim did with Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, the Cardinals administration advised Keim to check into a rehab while he was still general manager of the team. Of course, the situation eventually resulted in the two sides parting ways, but Keim continues to work on himself following the conclusion of his NFL career.
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