HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Broncos Made Call About Moving Up In Round 1; Team Eyed TE Help In Offseason

May 7th, 2024 at 5:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sean Payton admitted he was a central part of a smokescreen effort that centered on Broncos interest in moving up for a quarterback. This buzz certainly may have influenced the Vikings to trade up one spot (via the Jets), and the effort also involved Denver brass making calls about moving up the board.

The Bears heard from the Broncos about No. 9 overall, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. This would add a layer to one of the more interesting smokescreens of recent years. One pick later, the Vikings moved from No. 11 to No. 10, sending the Jets fourth- and fifth-round picks to climb up and lock in J.J. McCarthy draft real estate.

This did clear the runway for the Broncos to land Bo Nix, their long-rumored target, though it helped an AFC team in the form of Day 3 draft capital. Neither the Bears nor Jets were candidates to draft a quarterback, and Payton said he viewed the Vikings as more interested in McCarthy than Nix. The Broncos are believed to have ranked the Oregon prospect as this draft’s third-best QB.

The Broncos indeed became enamored with Nix, with Fowler adding the five-year college starter was the team’s “guy the whole way.” Nix, 24, will be expected to either begin the season as the Broncos’ starter or take over from either Jarrett Stidham or Zach Wilson early. Seeing as he spent a season in Payton’s system, Stidham is on track — per 9News’ Mike Klis — to see starter work to open OTAs. Though, the primary Broncos QB storyline will be Nix’s progress in Payton’s system as the offseason turns into training camp. Stidham’s two-year, $10MM deal includes only $1MM in guaranteed 2024 salary.

Also entering the draft with a quarterback need, the Raiders lurking at No. 13 influenced the Broncos to not attempt to trade down for Nix but rather to stay at 12 and pull the trigger. This prompted many to label the pick a reach. The Broncos had interesting options had they not opted to fill their most glaring need. Brock Bowers and Laiatu Latu remained on the board. Denver was among the teams to clear Latu on his pre-draft physical, Fowler adds, noting the team would have given strong consideration to the UCLA edge rusher had it not determined Nix needed to be the pick at 12.

Latu met with the Broncos during the pre-draft process; Bowers did not. But the Georgia tight end would have filled an apparent need for the Broncos, who have seen their top receiving tight end — Greg Dulcich — run into repeated hamstring trouble. Hamstring issues have caused the 2022 third-round pick to miss extensive time in both his pro seasons, leading to four IR trips already, and Klis adds the Broncos wanted to come out of this offseason with a tight end addition. Nothing has transpired on this front, though.

Specifically, the Broncos were hoping to acquire another receiving tight end. The Raiders ended up with Bowers at No. 13, despite having traded up for Michael Mayer (albeit under a previous regime) early in last year’s second round. The Broncos did not view the free agent market as lining up with their budget, Klis adds. The market also saw two of its top names — Hunter Henry, Dalton Schultz — re-sign before free agency began.

Ex-Broncos first-rounder Noah Fant stayed with the Seahawks (two years, $21MM) but was available during the legal tampering period. Falcons cut Jonnu Smith landed with the Dolphins for just two years and $8.4MM, while the Bengals scooped up Mike Gesicki for just $2.5MM. Gerald Everett joined the Bears on a two-year, $12MM deal, while Hayden Hurst followed ex-Broncos FA target (during Nathaniel Hackett‘s offseason as HC) Will Dissly to the Chargers.

While the Broncos circled back to edge rusher in the third round (Utah’s Jonah Elliss), they did not select a tight end. The team re-signed ex-Saints cog Adam Trautman on a two-year, $7.5MM deal. Trautman led Broncos tight ends with just 204 receiving yards last season, highlighting Dulcich’s absence.

Beyond Logan Thomas, the market is fairly dry for receiving TEs. This points to Dulcich, who totaled 411 receiving yards as a rookie but played in two games last season, having another genuine opportunity to hold this job — if he can stay healthy.

2024 NFL General Manager Search Tracker

May 7th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the Patriots hiring Eliot Wolf as their de facto GM after having moved on from Bill Belichick, all five teams in need of a GM have filled their post this offseason. If other teams decide to make GM changes, they’ll be added to this list.

Updated 5-11-24 (4:35pm CT)

Carolina Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

Washington Commanders

Bills’ Terrance Gray Turns Down Patriots Interview Request; Eliot Wolf Favorite For Job

May 7th, 2024 at 3:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Seeking to install someone not named Bill Belichick atop their personnel pyramid for the first time since the 20th century, the Patriots are having some issues launching a true search. A third candidate for their top front office position has turned down an interview.

The Patriots requested a meeting with Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer, who adds Gray “politely” declined the interview. Gray’s refusal to meet with the Pats follows Bengals exec Trey Brown and veteran personnel exec Quentin Harris doing the same.

Gray, who interviewed for both the Chargers and Raiders’ GM jobs in January, has been with the Bills since 2017. Bills GM Brandon Beane hired Gray upon arrival seven years ago. Gray has held the title of Bills director of player personnel since 2022. The Bills reshuffled their front office — a process that led to the team elevating short-lived Texans GM Brian Gaine to assistant GM — following assistant GM Joe Schoen landing the Giants’ GM position two years ago.

Twenty years in as an NFL staffer, Gray logged 11 years in Minnesota under Rick Spielman and previously spent time in Kansas City as well. Gray’s presence during the Bills’ rise into an AFC power — after 17 missed playoff brackets between the Music City Miracle and the first Beane-Sean McDermott year — has naturally made him an attractive GM candidate.

The Pats appear to be having a difficult time convincing candidates this position will not ultimately go to Eliot Wolf, who has been operating as the team’s de facto GM for months. The veteran exec is viewed as the expected hire, Breer adds. This will be rather interesting, seeing as Wolf already shepherded the Patriots through a draft that produced the team’s hopeful franchise quarterback in Drake Maye. Robert Kraft letting Wolf, a Patriots staffer since March 2020, make that decision and then hiring someone else to run the team post-draft would be a strange shift for a team settling in post-Belichick.

A recent report suggested the Patriots had complied with the Rooney Rule, but the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed offers that is not currently the case. Rumored to be planning a true search for a front office boss for a while, the Patriots complied with the Rooney Rule before the draft, per Kyed, due to no singular presence being atop the FO hierarchy. Now that the Pats are planning to name a front office leader, they need to interview at least two external minority candidates for GM and HC posts. Brown, Gray and Harris are each Black, but thus far, no known interviews with any external candidates have taken place.

Lions Bring Back S C.J. Moore

May 7th, 2024 at 1:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions encountered more gambling suspensions than any other team last year. This led to several cuts, Jameson Williams not debuting until October and some staff dismissals.

C.J. Moore was among the players jettisoned following a gambling suspension; the Lions cut the veteran special-teamer last April despite having re-signed him a month earlier. The team will give Moore a second chance, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport noting the sides reached an agreement on a deal Tuesday.

This comes shortly after the NFL reinstated Moore, along with four others who received bans in 2023. Moore, 28, was found to have bet on NFL games while on team grounds. While the Lions have moved on from fellow the rest of their non-Williams sect of gambling policy violators — wide receivers Quintez Cephus and Stanley Berryhill, and defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor — Moore had served as a key special-teamer under Matt Patricia and then Dan Campbell. The team will sign off on a second chance.

The Lions agreed to terms to re-sign Moore on a two-year, $4.5MM deal in March 2023. The former UDFA out of Ole Miss saw action on between 68-78% of Detroit’s special teams plays from 2019-22. This topped out with 321 snaps in 2019, though Moore also cleared 300 ST snaps in 2021. He played more than 100 defensive snaps in both the 2021 and ’22 seasons, intercepting a pass in 2021.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson left to rejoin the Eagles in free agency, and the Lions did not draft a safety. The team used its top draft resources on corners, bringing in two (Terrion Arnold, Ennis Rakestraw Jr.) in the first two rounds. The Lions still roster safety starters Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu; after a memorable career hiccup, Moore stands to reprise his role as a backup in 2024.

Ravens Notes: Rosengarten, Leary, Wiggins

May 7th, 2024 at 12:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

Offensive line was seen as an area of need for the Ravens entering the draft. Baltimore lost starting guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson in free agency, and the team traded away right tackle Morgan Moses.

The team elected against adding an O-lineman in the first round, selecting cornerback Nate Wiggins instead. In the second round, however, the Ravens added Washington tackle Roger Rosengarten. He was one of several highly-regarded blockers in the 2024 class, though it did not come as a surprise he was still on the board following Day 1. Rosengarten could nevertheless see immediate playing time as a rookie.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said after the draft Rosengarten – who did not allow a sack over the past two seasons – will be “in the mix” for the starting right tackle spot this offseason. The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec writes he could be the favorite for the position (subscription required). Baltimore has incumbents Patrick Mekari and Daniel Faalele as well as free agent signing Josh Jones in place as competition. After protecting southpaw Michael Penix Jr.‘s blindside in college, Rosengarten could also be a candidate to succeed Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley down the road.

Here are some other notes out of Baltimore:

  • The Ravens were among the teams which drafted a depth quarterback on Day 3, selecting Devin Leary in the sixth round. The NC State transfer did not help his stock during his single season at Kentucky, and nine other passers were drafted ahead of him. Leary will compete for the third-string spot in Baltimore; after losing Tyler Huntley in free agency, Harbaugh said (via Zrebiec) that journeyman Josh Johnson is the team’s Lamar Jackson backup. Leary’s primary competitor will be Malik Cunningham, who faces the possibility of transitioning to receiver with the Ravens. Baltimore signed Emory Jones as a UDFA yesterday, giving the team five QBs at the moment.
  • Offensive lineman (and starting guard candidate) Andrew Vorhees missed his rookie season as he recovered from an ACL tear. The 2023 seventh-rounder returned to the practice field this weekend, though, with Harbaugh noting he is in a good spot regarding his recovery (h/t ESPN’s Jamison Hensley). Fifth-round rookie running back Rasheen Ali, meanwhile, will participate in the team’s rookie minicamp on a limited basis. Harbaugh said (via Zrebiec) Ali is expected to be healthy by training camp as he rehabs a torn bicep suffered at the Senior Bowl.
  • Wiggins is among the Ravens rookies who have already signed their initial NFL contracts. That $12.82MM deal includes a signing bonus of $6.14MM, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. Baltimore turned down eight trade offers for the No. 30 pick, electing to retain it and select Wiggins. The Clemson product will no doubt be counted on heavily in his rookie season and beyond.

WR Zay Jones To Visit Titans, Cardinals

May 7th, 2024 at 11:20am CST by Adam La Rose

MAY 7: Interest in Jones is not limited to Tennessee. The Cardinals will host him today, per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher report. Arizona lost Marquise Brown in free agency, replacing him in part with the trade acquisition of Rondale Moore along with the signings of Mack Wilson and Chris Moore. Of course, the Cardinals also made a major draft investment at the WR spot by selecting Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall.

Jones could aim to play at least a depth role with the Cardinals if his Titans summit does not produce a favorable offer. As Schultz adds, however, “a few other teams” could have Jones on their radar. His market will be interesting to monitor in the coming days.

MAY 6: Zay Jones was let go by the Jaguars last week, but he could remain in the AFC South for the 2024 campaign. The veteran wideout is set to visit the Titans later today, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

[RELATED: Titans To Host WR Tyler Boyd]

Jones spent the past two seasons in Jacksonville following his stints with the Bills and Raiders. The 29-year-old had the most productive campaign of his career in terms of receptions and yards in 2021, posting an 82-823-5 statline. His production saw a notable drop-off during the 2023 season, though, one in which injuries limited him to only nine games.

With new additions being made at the receiver spot both in free agency and the draft, it came as little surprise when the Jags moved on from Jones. He is now free to sign with any interested team, and plenty of movement has taken place at the receiver position in recent days. Michael Gallup, DJ Chark and Odell Beckham Jr. have each signed one-year deals, thinning out the remaining options amongst veteran pass-catchers.

Tennessee hired Nick Holz as offensive coordinator this offseason, a move which followed his one-year stint with the Jaguars. Holz served as Jacksonville’s passing game coordinator in 2023, so he would be a familiar face for Jones. The latter inked a three-year, $24MM pact during his last trip to free agency, but a much less lucrative pact no doubt awaits him on his next team.

The Titans were the beneficiary of Calvin Ridley not re-signing with the Jaguars as many expected. The former first-rounder landed a four-year, $92MM deal including nearly $47MM guaranteed at signing to head to Nashville. Ridley will join DeAndre Hopkins and the likes of Treylon Burks and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine as key members of Tennessee’s passing game this season. Jones could look to carve out a roster spot during the summer if today’s visit produces an agreement.

Quentin Harris Declines Patriots’ Interview Request

May 7th, 2024 at 10:33am CST by Adam La Rose

With the Patriots’ search for a lead executive underway, updates continue to emerge with respect to names the team has shown interest in. New England has once again not been able to line up an interview with the latest candidate linked to the position, however.

Longtime Cardinals executive Quentin Harris turned down an interview request from the Patriots, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Harris has been on the general manager radar in the past, and he is free to join any team’s front office at this time. He and the Cardinals parted ways in February.

That ended Harris’ tenure in Arizona, one which began in 2008. Working his way through the organization, the 47-year-old most recently held the title of VP of player personnel. Harris served as co-GM at the end of the 2022 season and he interviewed for Arizona’s full-time gig before it ultimately went to Monti Ossenfort. Outside interest was shown as well, with the Giants speaking with Harris in 2022 and the Titans doing the same last offseason.

Harris would have represented an experienced front office staffer for New England, albeit one without previous time spent as a GM. The Patriots have relied on Eliot Wolf to handle roster-building moves so far this offseason, one which has seen a number of key decisions made. While Wolf is a candidate for the full-time general manager position (in responsibility if not in title), the organization remains committed to meeting with other options before making a final decision.

A report from Monday indicated New England has already satisfied the Rooney Rule with respect to interviewing minority candidates. The only other staffer who has been connected to the position so far, however, is Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown. Like Harris, Brown turned down an interview request from the Patriots, so it will be interesting to see how the team proceeds moving forward.

CB Greg Newsome Eyeing Long-Term Browns Agreement; No Extension Talks Ongoing

May 7th, 2024 at 9:46am CST by Adam La Rose

Greg Newsome‘s name came up in trade rumors this offseason, but Browns general manager Andrew Berry made it clear before the draft the team would not consider moving him. Shortly thereafter, Cleveland made a short-term commitment to the former first-round corner.

As expected, Newsome had his fifth-year option picked up. That decision locks him into a guaranteed salary of $13.38MM for 2025 – a steep raise compared to the value of his rookie pact. Still, a second contract would likely come in at a higher rate, something which would be a complicated investment on Cleveland’s part. The team already has Denzel Ward on the books at $20.1MM per year, and fellow corner Martin Emerson Jr. will be eligible for his own extension next offseason.

Nevertheless, Newsome is interested in remaining with the Browns for years to come. The 23-year-old enjoyed a career year in 2023, playing a key role on the team’s elite defense. Newsome recorded his first two interceptions, adding 14 pass breakups and 49 tackles. The Northwestern product also allowed a 74.8 passer rating in coverage, the best mark of his NFL tenure to date. He is hoping to parlay that success into a multi-year agreement, though no discussions on that front have taken place yet.

“Extension-wise, we haven’t really talked about that,” Newsome said, via Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. “Honestly, I’m just focused on trying to get us as high as we can this year and whatever happens after that happens. But like I said before, I would love to be a Cleveland Brown for life.”

Cleveland led the league in passing yards against last season (165), and the Ward-Emerson-Newsome trio will again be counted on to play a major part in the team’s success on defense in 2024. The latter’s long-term status will be worth watching, though, and it will be interesting to see if his desire to remain in place for years to come is reciprocated by the team.

Latest On Colts’ Secondary

May 7th, 2024 at 8:56am CST by Adam La Rose

The Colts have been busy with respect to retaining their own this offseason. Efforts on that front included re-signing safety Julian Blackmon well into free agency on a one-year deal.

Blackmon was connected to a few outside suitors, but despite that interest the 25-year-old’s contract checked in at a base value of $3.2MM. The deal can reach up to $7.7MM, but its short-term nature illustrates the nature of the safety market around the league. The build-up to free agency saw several veteran producers at the position released in cost-shedding moves, something which no doubt limited the former second-rounder’s earning power with the Colts.

“I think it was something similar to how it was for the running backs a year ago,” Blackmon said of the financial landscape at the safety position when reflecting on his Indianapolis agreement (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder). “It just kind of shows you that you got to always be prepared for anything.”

Blackmon had a career year in 2023 (four interceptions, two fumble recoveries, 88 tackles) and a repeat of his performance will help his value on a new deal. He is assured of a starting spot on the backend of the Colts’ defense in 2024; likewise, fellow re-signee Kenny Moore is a lock at the slot corner position moving forward. Aside from those two, however, Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star notes competition is open for first-team spots.

Julius Brents, Jaylon Jones and Dallis Flowers will spend the offseason competing for playing time at the perimeter corner positions. At free safety, Rodney Thomas, Nick Cross and Daniel Scott are the top in-house options. The lack of established starters in the secondary led many to believe cornerback and/or safety would a position of emphasis during the draft. However, Indianapolis waited until well into Day 3 to add rookies to the mix (safeties Jaylon Carlies and Jaylin Simpson in the fifth round, along with corner Micah Abraham in the sixth).

With plenty of uncertainty on the depth chart for now, Holder writes the Colts could be in the market for a veteran free agent capable of supplying reinforcements in the secondary. Indianapolis fared better against the pass than the run last season, but the team’s defense ranked 28th in points allowed. Adding on the backend could help the unit take a step forward and in turn improve the team’s chances of making the postseason in 2024.

Bengals’ Trey Brown Declines Patriots Interview

May 6th, 2024 at 9:27pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots have kicked off their search for a “top football executive,” but one of the team’s targets has already rejected an interview. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown has declined an interview for the Patriots’ de facto GM job.

[RELATED: Patriots Begin Top Executive Search]

A move to New England would be a bit of a reunion for Brown, as the 39-year-old started his front office career as a Patriots scout. He followed that up with a long stint in Philadelphia, where he eventually climbed to the role of Eagles director of college scouting. Brown had brief stints in the AAF and XFL before joining the Bengals as a scout in 2021. Following one year with the organization, he was promoted to his current role of senior personnel executive.

Brown’s rise through the Bengals organization coincided with the team’s on-field turnaround, and the executive garnered plenty of praise for his role in the operation. He first popped up on the GM carousel in 2022 when he earned an interview for the Raiders GM job. He got another look for the Raiders job this offseason but walked away empty handed. Considering his track record, Pelissero notes that Brown will remain a top GM candidate during next year’s hiring cycle.

While the Patriots have continually signaled that they’ll eventually be conducting a search for a front office leader, today’s development still comes as a bit of a surprise. After moving on from head coach/de facto GM Bill Belichick, the team basically handed the reins to Eliot Wolf, who retained his title of director of scouting. While the new-look Patriots relied on a group effort to fill the Belichick-sized void, Wolf played a major role in the team’s free agency and draft approach. With the roster pretty much set (and the organization having made a significant decision with Drake Maye at No. 3), the team will now curiously consider another executive to lead the way.

With that said, Wolf’s presence may cause some issues for Robert Kraft and the Patriots’ top decision makers. As Ben Volin of the Boston Globe notes, the Patriots may have a tough time convincing candidates that Wolf isn’t “a lock to get the job.” For what it’s worth, Volin notes that the Patriots have already complied with the Rooney Rule in regards to their GM vacancy.

The Patriots haven’t employed a traditional GM since Kraft took over ownership of the organization. It sounds like the long-time owner is once again considering a creative approach to his front office.

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