HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

AFC South Notes: Colts, Nabers, Texans, Jags

May 15th, 2024 at 9:57am CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts‘ wide receiver room includes two starters acquired before Shane Steichen‘s arrival — Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce — and the team made a three-year, $70MM commitment to its No. 1 target in March. Steichen is starting to put his stamp on the WR room, however, with the Colts having drafted Josh Downs in last year’s third round and Adonai Mitchell in this year’s second. As Chris Ballard continues to run Indianapolis’ draft, ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder notes Steichen “strongly advocated” for Mitchell in the second round.

Mitchell is unlikely to stroll into a starting spot early, as Holder adds the Texas product will be expected to begin training camp as the top backup behind Pittman, Pierce and Downs. But the ex-Longhorns standout’s draft slot (No. 52) suggests he will be heard from early in his career. The Colts have seen mixed results from their second-round WRs under Ballard, with Pittman shining and Parris Campbell struggling to stay on the field. Pierce (No. 53 overall in 2022) has eclipsed 500 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons. A Georgia transfer, Mitchell blazed to a 4.34-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. Although he only topped 450 receiving yards in one college season (2023, with 845 and 11 touchdowns), plenty will be expected from a Colts team that has struggled with receiver depth for most of Ballard’s GM tenure.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

  • Staying on the WR topic, the Titans had a contingency plan in the event one of the teams above them at No. 7 zagged. The Giants were seemingly down to QB or WR at No. 6 throughout the pre-draft process, but a post-draft report suggested they were also eyeing Joe Alt. The Chargers were both connected to Alt and JC Latham at No. 5. In a scenario in which targets Latham and Alt were off the board, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes Malik Nabers would have been the Tennessee pick at 7. A Nabers choice would have left the OL-needy Titans less equipped up front, and Latham filled a bigger need. The team has since signed Tyler Boyd to team with outside targets DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley.
  • The Colts are changing some of their rookies’ positions ahead of their first NFL offseason programs. Ballard said fifth-round pick Jaylon Carlies will move from safety to linebacker, with the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson indicating fifth-round safety Jaylin Simpson is sliding from safety to cornerback. Simpson has CB experience but moved to safety while at Auburn. Before Day 3 investments, the Colts did not address the cornerback position beyond Kenny Moore‘s re-signing. This leaves some uncertainty here — particularly on the outside.
  • Third-round Colts draftee Matt Goncalves spent his college career at left and right tackle, but ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan notes the rookie will be given time at guard this offseason. The Day 2 pick will compete for a backup job as a rookie, per Holder, as it appears Indy is planning to keep its low-cost starters (Bernhard Raimann, Will Fries) in place alongside veterans Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith.
  • The Texans will make an adjustment at a key front office post. The team did not renew director of pro personnel Ronnie McGill‘s contract, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. McGill followed GM Nick Caserio from New England in 2021; the Texans had promoted him to the director post in 2022. Teams regularly make scouting adjustments post-draft, and a notable Texans hire will be on tap.
  • A scouting veteran of more than 30 years, Tom McConnaughey is retiring from his Jaguars post. The veteran staffer, who has been with the Jags since 2021, will leave after three years as a national scout with the team, InsidetheLeague.com’s Neil Stratton tweets. McConnaughey spent 26 years with the Chargers prior to moving to Jacksonville.
  • In addition to hiring A.J. Highsmith and Keenan Agnew, the Titans are adding Sam Summerville to their scouting staff. Summerville is expected to join the team as a national scout, per Stratton. The Bears recently parted ways with Summerville, a former Fritz Pollard Alliance scout of the year honoree, after 12 years.

Kirk Cousins Addresses Michael Penix Jr. Pick; Latest On Falcons’ Draft Plan

May 14th, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

A post-draft report pegged Kirk Cousins as stunned by the Falcons’ decision to choose Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall. The move came after the team signed Cousins to a contract that includes $100MM in practical guarantees.

Some around the league are already wondering if the Falcons will be ready to trade Cousins in 2025, as only the Packers have tried a multiyear QB apprenticeship during the rookie pay-scale era (2011-present). Cousins did respond, “I don’t deal in hypotheticals” when asked if he would have signed with the Falcons knowing they would use a top-10 pick on a passer. But the veteran QB is onboard with Atlanta’s current (and unexpected) setup.

[RELATED: Raheem Morris Addresses Falcons’ QB Situation]

“I don’t really deal in hypotheticals. We could go down that path for a long time in a lot of ways,” Cousins said, via Falcons.com’s Terrin Waack. “It just doesn’t do us any good. I’m excited for this opportunity that I have. I think it’s a real privilege to be a quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, and I’m trying to make good on the opportunity that they’ve given me with the way I work each day and the way we play this fall.

Cousins, 35, then compared this situation (via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s D. Orlando Ledbetter) to Washington drafting both he and Robert Griffin III in 2012 and Michigan State signing Nick Foles as a recruit in 2007. Foles transferred to Arizona after one season. Washington also had no plans of using Cousins as a starter, with that path emerging after RG3’s career began to skid off course. As we detailed during a recent Trade Rumors Front Office post, no direct 21st-century comp exists of a team committing to a high-profile starter (for big money) and following it up with a first-round pick a month later.

“Mike’s been great. There’s always going to be competition in this league and you have to go out and earn it,” Cousins said, via The Athletic’s Josh Kendall. “I’m going to control what I can control and I understand there’s a lot you can’t control.”

Part of the reason Cousins departed Minnesota came due to the team informing him a quarterback pick was likely. Now, Cousins is in that situation in Atlanta. The Falcons may not have been fully committed to go in this direction until its new coaching staff arrived, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler noting the hires of Raheem Morris and his staff coming close to free agency may well have influenced the team to acquire a stable quarterback before doing work on the draft class. Penix’s throwing session during a workout in Seattle moved the needle for the Falcons, as Fowler adds the Morris-led staff zeroed in on the Washington product.

Falcons national scout Joel Collier provided the initial report that led to Penix going eighth overall, Ledbetter adds. Collier’s work on Penix began following the 2023 draft, and the left-handed QB obviously built on his profile with a dominant 2023.

“Shoot, that goes back to, all of our guys in this draft, that goes back to the year before,” Falcons assistant GM Kyle Smith said during a feature on the team’s YouTube channel. “So, our guys will start evaluating the players for next year’s draft at the end of May here. So, Joel was the guy who really liked Penix.”

Smith referred to Collier, the former Chiefs assistant GM, as the “primary scout” on the Penix project. Other members of the organization cross-checked his report on the former Indiana recruit, and the new coaching staff became involved later in the process. The Falcons attempted to trade back into the first round, which would have cost considerable future capital, with Laiatu Latu being the target in what would have been a way for the team to add Penix and grab a high-end prospect to help the 2024 team. That plan did not produce a trade, however, and the Falcons exited the first round with a player who might ride the bench for multiple seasons.

“We had an opportunity in unrestricted free agency to add a guy that we believe in, and it’s an expensive addition because he’s that guy,” Smith said of Cousins. “He’s our quarterback. He is our starter. He’s the guy we believe we can win with. He’s the leader.”

Coming off a torn Achilles suffered Oct. 29, 2023, Cousins is moving close to being cleared for full work. He is not there yet, but Morris said (via Pro Football Talk) the recently signed QB has been “pretty much full-go” for what the team is asking him to do in voluntary workouts. Full clearance is not expected during the offseason program, but Cousins expects to be at full speed when camp starts.

Until then, the previously durable passer will continue his rehab while Penix — who dealt with a number of major injuries while at Indiana from 2018-21 — assimilates, creating a historically unusual situation. Penix’s development will certainly be a key 2024 subplot to monitor, though Cousins will still be set to move last year’s Division I-FBS passing leader out of the spotlight once he completes his recovery. But Penix’s progress will be a lingering issue — most likely throughout Cousins’ Atlanta stay.

Bills Sign WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

May 14th, 2024 at 9:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

Marquez Valdes-Scantling‘s Bills visit has proven to be a fruitful one. The veteran wideout has a Buffalo agreement in place, as first reported by Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The team has since announced the move.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds this one-year pact includes a $1.125MM signing bonus. The deal carries a maximum value of $4.5MM, and it eliminates another receiver from the post-draft free agent market. Valdes-Scantling will aim to provide Buffalo with a vertical threat in the team’s vastly different 2024 wideout setup.

The Bills lost Gabe Davis in free agency when he inked a three-year, $39MM deal with the Jaguars. Davis proved himself to be an effective field-stretcher during his four years in Buffalo, averaging 16.7 yards per reception. It came as little surprise when he departed, though, as the team turned its attention elsewhere in the pass-catching corps.

At the time of Davis’ departure, Stefon Diggs was still in place as the Bills’ top receiver. He was dealt to the Texans in April, however, creating a notable vacancy in terms of targets in the Buffalo passing attack. Curtis Samuel was added in free agency, and (after trading down twice) the team used its top draft pick on Keon Coleman. Quarterback Josh Allen was on board with selecting the Florida State product, and it will be interesting to see how their chemistry develops in 2024 and beyond.

Valdes-Scantling spent the past two seasons in Kansas City, helping the team win back-to-back Super Bowls. The 29-year-old only saw his catch percentage (51.2%) improve slightly compared to his tenure in Green Bay, and issues related to drops will no doubt be a talking point if they continue this season as he joins the Bills. Valdes-Scantling also met with the Chargers before his Buffalo summit, but he has elected to join Allen and Co. as they look to improve on last year’s run to the divisional round.

Buffalo’s switch to Joe Brady as offensive coordinator midway through the 2023 campaign saw the team lean more heavily on the running game. That will likely continue this season, with tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox each having a notable role. The receiver room will look much different, however, and Valdes-Scantling will look to carve out a starting spot ahead of free agency next offseason.

Raiders Were Not Prepared To Trade Up For Michael Penix Jr.

May 14th, 2024 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Six quarterbacks going in this draft’s first 12 picks left the Raiders in limbo, setting up a Gardner Minshew–Aidan O’Connell competition. For a second straight year, the team did extensive work on a QB class only to pass on making a move to select one in Round 1.

The Josh McDaniels–Dave Ziegler power duo arranged meetings with last year’s top five QB prospects, only to stay at No. 7 and draft Tyree Wilson. This year, as a report tabbed Antonio Pierce as more eager to trade up compared to GM Tom Telesco, the Raiders were closely linked to Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr. Daniels proved out of reach, despite the team being the club that most likely sent the Commanders the only offer for No. 2 overall, and Penix came off the board earlier than expected.

The Falcons’ move at No. 8 affected multiple franchises. It convinced the Broncos to stop entertaining trade-down scenarios involving Bo Nix, as the Raiders loomed at No. 13. With Nix going at No. 12, the move also will likely precede a number of Raiders connections to 2025 QB prospects. The Raiders placed a value gap between this year’s top three QBs (Daniels, Caleb Williams, Drake Maye) and the other three first-rounders, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler furthers that view by indicating the team would have considered Penix at No. 13 but was not prepared to trade up for him.

Las Vegas also viewed a trade-down option as viable for Penix, with Fowler indicating the team did not want to reach in Round 1. Trading down quickly became moot for the Raiders, as the Falcons installed Penix behind Kirk Cousins. Sean Payton correctly pegged the Vikings as being J.J. McCarthy fans, as the team moved in front of the Broncos (via the Jets) for the Michigan product, and the Raiders as being high on Penix. With the southpaw prospect in Atlanta, Las Vegas has what appears to be a transition year ahead.

Penix’s early NFL path would have certainly been much different had the Raiders deemed it a priority to come out of Round 1 with a quarterback. Rather than being on track to join Jordan Love as the only first-round QBs in the rookie-scale contract era (2011-present) to sit for more than one season, Penix almost definitely would have been set to debut in 2024 had the Raiders picked him. The six-year college QB joins Nix and Daniels as going into his age-24 season, but with $100MM in practical guarantees due to Cousins, Penix’s QB1 ETA may not be until at least his age-26 season.

A “best player available”-type pick transpired instead for the Raiders, who took Brock Bowers. Pierce denied Terrion Arnold‘s assertion the team flipped a coin to decide between the Alabama cornerback and Georgia tight end, who will follow 2023 second-round pick Michael Mayer to Vegas. Bowers will be expected to become an instant contributor, creating an interesting setup for Mayer — last year’s No. 35 overall pick.

The Raiders did not need to trade up for Will Levis last year, as the Kentucky prospect tumbled out of Round 1, but were not as interested in passers as their “30” visit log suggested. A year after that smokescreen effort, Las Vegas did meet with Penix, Daniels and Nix. But the team’s long-term QB need remains unfilled.

This represents good news for Minshew, who will be the favorite to start — based on the two-year, $25MM ($15MM guaranteed) deal he agreed to hours into the legal tampering period — in 2024. By 2025, however, the Raiders should be expected to go through another exhaustive run of QB research.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/14/24

May 14th, 2024 at 9:14pm CST by Ben Levine

Teams continue to sign their draft picks to rookie contracts. We’ve collected today’s miscellaneous signings below:

Chicago Bears

  • OT Kiran Amegadjie (third round, Yale)

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

  • OT Walter Rouse (sixth round, Oklahoma)

New York Giants

  • CB Dru Phillips (third round, Kentucky)

Seattle Seahawks

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/14/24

May 14th, 2024 at 9:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Cleveland Browns

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Commanders

Commanders To Host WR Martavis Bryant

May 14th, 2024 at 8:35pm CST by Ben Levine

After getting cut by the Cowboys last week, Martavis Bryant will work out for a division rival. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the Commanders will work out the veteran wide receiver tomorrow.

[RELATED: Cowboys To Release WR Martavis Bryant]

Bryant’s five-year ban from the NFL ended last November when the wide receiver was reinstated by the league. He subsequently caught on with the Cowboys practice squad but never made his way to the big-league roster. He signed a reserve/futures contract with the organization in January, but he was released shortly after the Cowboys added three rookies to the position.

The wideout burst onto the scene with the Steelers after being selected in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. He hauled in 14 touchdowns through his first two years in the NFL (plus another two playoff scores) before being sidelined for the entire 2016 campaign thanks to his second career suspension. He topped 600 yards following his return in 2017, and the Steelers quickly sent him to the Raiders for a third-round pick.

He got into eight games with Oakland before being hit with his most-recent suspension in 2018. Between that initial suspension and his 2023 comeback attempt with the Cowboys, Bryant spent time in a handful of other leagues, including stints in the CFL and XFL.

While Commanders head coach (and former Cowboys defensive coordinator) Dan Quinn didn’t deal with Bryant directly in Dallas, he did get an extended look at him at Cowboys practice. If the 32-year-old catches on with the Commanders, he’d have an uphill battle to make the active roster. Still, the team does lack experienced depth behind Terry McLaurin. Former first-round pick Jahan Dotson and third-round rookie Luke McCaffrey will likely take up two spots, but Bryant could compete with the likes of Dax Milne, Dyami Brown, Jamison Crowder, and Olamide Zaccheaus for a job.

Rams Sign Six Draft Picks

May 14th, 2024 at 7:47pm CST by Ben Levine

After previously completing their rookie agreement with second-round defensive tackle Braden Fiske, the Rams have signed six more of their draft picks. The team announced that they’ve signed the following players to rookie contracts:

  • Round 3, No. 83: Blake Corum (RB, Michigan)
  • Round 6, No. 196: Tyler Davis (DT, Clemson)
  • Round 6, No. 209: Joshua Karty (K, Stanford)
  • Round 6, No. 213: Jordan Whittington (WR, Texas)
  • Round 6, No. 217: Beaux Limmer (C, Arkansas)
  • Round 7, No. 254: KT Leveston (G, Kansas State)

Following a breakout 2021 campaign, Corum put together one of the best two-year stretches in Michigan football history. Between 2022 and 2023, the running back compiled 2,905 yards from scrimmage and 47 touchdowns, earning him a pair of All-American nods and Heisman Trophy consideration during his junior campaign. He finished his college career with a standout performance in the national championship, earning the game’s offensive MVP award after compiling 134 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

He’ll land in a dynamic offensive in Los Angeles. Kyren Williams is coming off a breakout campaign, but the starter still missed five games last season. That allowed the likes of Royce Freeman, Darrell Henderson, and Ronnie Rivers to each top 100 snaps; Corum could soak up all of those backup reps in 2024.

With today’s moves, the team now has three draft picks left to sign: first-round edge defender Jared Verse, third-round safety Kamren Kinchens, and fifth-round wide receiver Brennan Jackson.

Packers Sign Six Draft Picks

May 14th, 2024 at 6:48pm CST by Ben Levine

The Packers are one step closer to completing their draft pick signings. The team announced the signing of six rookies today, with the group including:

  • Round 3, No. 88: MarShawn Lloyd (RB, USC)
  • Round 3, No. 91 (from Bills): Ty’Ron Hopper (LB, Missouri)
  • Round 4, No. 111 (from Jets): Evan Williams (S, Oregon)
  • Round 5, No. 163 (from Bills): Jacob Monk (C, Duke)
  • Round 5, No. 169: Kitan Oladapo (S, Oregon State)
  • Round 6, No. 202: Travis Glover (T, Georgia State)

Lloyd is the biggest name on the list following his breakout lone season at USC. The running back finished the season with 1,052 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns, leading to him being the fourth RB off the board. In Green Bay, the rookie will likely compete with A.J. Dillon for any backup reps behind new addition Josh Jacobs.

Hopper is another notable addition to the squad following two standout seasons at Missouri. Between 2022 and 2023, the linebacker compiled 132 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 23 games, performances that put him firmly on the NFL radar. Considering his coverage skills in college, he’ll likely be called on as a weakside LB behind Quay Walker.

The Packerspreviously signed seventh-round picks Michael Pratt and Kalen King. Following today’s moves, the Packers have three unsigned draft picks: first-round offensive tackle Jordan Morgan, second-round linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, and second-round safety Javon Bullard.

S Rodney McLeod Plans To Retire After 2024 Season

May 14th, 2024 at 5:43pm CST by Ben Levine

Rodney McLeod is intending for the 2024 campaign to be his final NFL season. The veteran Browns safety told NFL Network that he’ll be hanging up his cleats following the upcoming season.

“This is the last lap for me. It’s been a long career,” McLeod said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “I’m looking forward to rocking out with my teammates this year, giving it all, and hopefully ending up where we want to be, which is the last dance at the end of the year.”

McLeod wants to go out on a high note following a 2023 campaign where he was limited to 10 games thanks to a biceps injury. The 12-year veteran acknowledged that he considered retirement following this past season, but the player pointed to “unfinished business” as a reason for a 13th year.

The veteran joined the Browns last offseason and served as a backup to Grant Delpit and Juan Thornhill. He finished the season with only 29 tackles, and while he didn’t earn enough snaps to qualify for Pro Football Focus’ positional rankings, his grade would have placed him towards the bottom of the safeties list.

However, McLeod is only a year removed from ranking seventh among 88 qualifying safeties on that same list, so there could still be something left in the tank. The Browns will return the same safeties grouping in 2024, although this time McLeod will have to compete with his 2023 fill-in, D’Anthony Bell.

This season, McLeod will be looking to complete a resume that already includes a Super Bowl championship and 718 career tackles. The former UDFA has also spent time with the Rams, Eagles, Colts throughout his career.

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