HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Colts’ Alec Pierce, Adonai Mitchell To Compete For Starting WR Spot

June 28th, 2024 at 1:16pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Colts have Michael Pittman Jr. on the books for three more years, and he is set to reprise his role as the team’s top receiver. Indianapolis has consistently made draft investments aimed at providing strong complementary options in the passing game, though, and a competition for a starting spot is on hand this summer.

Pittman inked a three-year deal including $41MM fully guaranteed after receiving the franchise tag. That pact is one of several major commitments made at the position around the league, but the Colts have a number of other pass-catching options attached to rookie contracts. That includes 2023 third-rounder Josh Downs, who had a strong rookie season and figures to log a heavy workload in the slot moving forward.

The other perimeter starting spot is up for grabs. Over the past two years, it has belonged to Alec Pierce, but the 24-year-old has struggled to make an impact early in his career. Drafted in the second round in 2022, Pierce’s abilities as a deep threat have resulted in a yards-per-catch average of 15.2, but he has managed only 73 receptions so far. A more diverse workload could see him receive more targets, but the team’s latest rookie class includes new competition for a first-team role.

Adonai Mitchell is set to compete with Pierce for the WR3 role this summer, as detailed by ESPN’s Stephen Holder. The Texas alum enjoyed a strong season in 2023, making him one of two intriguing Longhorns wideouts in the 2024 class. Mitchell emerging as a key contributor during his rookie season could cut into Pierce’s impact in the offense, something which in turn would of course not bode well for his future in Indianapolis. Two years remain on the latter’s contract.

The Colts ranked 10th in the league in rushing last season, one in which quarterback Anthony Richardson was severely limited through injury. To no surprise, that resulted in a ranking of only 20th in terms of production through the air, something the team will look to rebound from with a healthy Richardson. Better output from the receiver spot will also help in that regard, and the competition between Mitchell and Pierce for first-team duties will be a key summer storyline.

Latest On 49ers’ RB Situation

June 28th, 2024 at 12:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

Christian McCaffrey is set to continue as the focal point of the 49ers’ attack (as well as the standard-bearer for running back contracts) for the foreseeable future. Dialing down his workload is a team goal for 2024, though, and a number of other options exist to meet it.

McCaffrey’s 81% offensive snap share the led the league amongst running backs in 2023, and on three occasions last season he took the field for every offensive snap. The 28-year-old’s success both on the ground and in the passing game helped him earn Offensive Player of the Year honors along with a lucrative extension, but reducing his wear and tear is a reasonable concern from the 49ers’ perspective. Head coach Kyle Shanahan recently spoke about San Francisco’s backfield approach moving forward.

“We have guys that can run the ball,” Shanahan said, via The Athletic’s David Lombardi (subscription required). “We have to protect Christian from himself. He doesn’t like to ever come out no matter what the situation is and I do think that’s something we could protect him with more… [I]f he’s just taking the wear and tear with 20 carries and stuff every game – and he’s definitely good enough to do that and he has proved he can stay healthy – but you’d like to take some of that off of him and give it to other guys also.”

The 49ers have both Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason in place as experienced backup options, although injuries have been an issue for the former. Mitchell has been limited to 16 games and only 120 carries across the past two seasons, and like Mason he is a pending free agent. The fact both backs could depart in 2025 played a role in San Francisco’s decision to add rookies to the mix this spring.

That process included the selection of Isaac Guerendo in the fourth round of the draft. The Louisville product showcased high-end speed during his college career, one in which saw sparse usage between 2018-22 at Wisconsin. That lack of mileage could prove to be a benefit if he manages to carve out an offensive role early on with the 49ers. For now, though, Lombardi’s colleague Matt Barrows notes Guerendo’s likeliest path to playing time during his rookie season is as a kick returner.

San Francisco has benefited from McCaffrey remaining healthy during his time with the team so far, and with a contract tying him to the Bay Area through 2027 team and player will aim to avoid a recurrence of his Panthers-era injuries. It will be interesting to see how much the 49ers’ other backs are used this season with the aim of lessening McCaffrey’s burden in mind.

CeeDee Lamb Expected To Hold Out; Cowboys Not Looking To Set Market On Extensions

June 27th, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Talks between the Cowboys and CeeDee Lamb are expected to pick up this summer. The All-Pro wide receiver is in a contract year, but so is Dak Prescott. Although Micah Parsons seems fine with his extension talks coming next year, a recent rumor pointed to the Cowboys placing Prescott above Lamb in their extension queue.

Prescott certainly took his time maximizing his leverage during his first round of negotiations, which spanned three offseasons, and the standout quarterback carries considerable leverage this time around. Dak’s situation holding up Lamb’s could be tricky for the Cowboys, who are facing the likelihood of three players pushing for position-record extensions. If no extension comes, Lamb should be expected to test the team in the way Zack Martin did last year.

[RELATED: Micah Parsons Expects To Become Highest-Paid Non-QB]

Lamb is not expected to show for training camp unless he has an extension in place, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins. This would not be a stunning move, as the fifth-year wideout skipped minicamp.

Of course, that drew barely a $100K fine. Players who skip training camp are subject to $50K fines for each day missed. Nick Bosa, however, provided a blueprint to such a road not costing a player in the hold-in era. Bosa held out, but the 49ers waived his fines. Teams are no longer allowed to waive fines for players, per the 2020 CBA, but an exception exists for players on rookie contracts. Lamb qualifies, as he is tied to a fifth-year option.

The Cowboys were unable to waive Martin’s fines during his 2023 holdout, but the team buckled and turned the final two years of his contract into a fully guaranteed agreement. Martin received $36.85MM guaranteed last summer. Lamb is likely angling for a contract at or very close to the Justin Jefferson level. Considering the Vikings gave Jefferson $26MM more in guaranteed money than any other wide receiver and $36MM more fully guaranteed than any wideout secured, the Cowboys have a complicated negotiation coming.

Cowboys officials have said they do not want to set markets with their extensions, Watkins adds. That may be an issue due to the leverage and/or caliber of players with whom they will negotiate. Progress remains elusive in talks with Prescott and Lamb.

Prescott cannot be franchise-tagged or traded, and after another restructure, the Cowboys would face a $40.1MM dead money bill if they do not extend him by the start of the 2025 league year. The Cowboys are preparing to make a strong offer, but Prescott played hardball during his first round of negotiations. It would surprise if the eighth-year vet did not bring forth a similar plan, especially as the QB market has hit $55MM per year ($15MM north of Dak’s AAV), this time around.

A contract that bridges the gap between the guarantees Jefferson and A.J. Brown secured would be sensible for the Cowboys, though they undoubtedly could have signed Lamb for cheaper had they done a deal in 2023. Dallas has received criticism for delays with Lamb and Prescott, and if Parsons negotiations do commence in 2025, he will be in a contract year as well. While the Cowboys have acted early on extensions (Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Ezekiel Elliott), they have not done so for a first-rounder in five years.

Jefferson secured $110MM guaranteed, topping Brown’s previous WR standard of $84MM. Tyreek Hill‘s $52.5MM guarantee at signing held the WR lead until Jefferson’s whopping $88.7MM number surfaced. The Cowboys have never guaranteed a receiver more than $40MM at signing, and they escaped the other $20MM guaranteed in Amari Cooper‘s deal by trading him to the Browns.

A Lamb payday factored into that trade, with Jerry Jones citing the elder WR’s contract as the reason for the trade. Lamb, 25, has taken off since Cooper’s exit, though the Cowboys have run into some trouble finding consistent receiving help over the past two seasons.

Lamb said in January he wanted to become the NFL’s highest-paid receiver. Three receivers — Jefferson, Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown — have since raised the bar, bringing good news for the Oklahoma alum. The Cowboys have one of the trickier contract gluts in recent memory. If they stick to extending Prescott first, Lamb’s resolve will be tested if/once a holdout commences.

Extension Candidate: D.J. Moore

June 27th, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

D.J. Moore was a key part of the package the Panthers sent the Bears to acquire the No. 1 pick in 2023. He is attached to a contract which came before the position’s market surged, though, which could put him in line to command a raise in the relatively near future.

Moore, 27, topped 1,100 yards three times during his five-year tenure in Carolina. The Panthers were not looking to move on from him shortly after he inked his current contract, but the fact he was no longer on his rookie deal factored into the Bears’ insistence he was part of the blockbuster swap. Arriving in Chicago as the team’s No. 1 wideout, Moore enjoyed a career year last season.

The former first-rounder set a new personal best in catches (96), yards (1,364) and touchdowns (eight) in 2023 despite the Bears’ QB situation being less than ideal. That has been the case for much of Moore’s career, although Caleb Williams could change that. This year’s top pick enters the league with major expectations, but the presence of a well-regarded skill group may limit what he needs to do as a rookie for the Bears to be successful.

Chicago traded for Keenan Allen before following up the Williams pick with the selection of Rome Odunze. The former has one year on his current deal while the latter will be cost-controlled through at least 2027. Moore, meanwhile, has two years remaining on his $61.88MM extension. While there is no need for urgency this summer, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic notes the Maryland product is a strong candidate for an extension based on his play along with his high standing in the organization (subscription required).

Moore is due just over $16MM in 2024 and ’25, but only $1.11MM of his base salaries in that span are guaranteed. In terms of annual average value, he now sits 17th in the league with respect to receiver compensation (a ranking which will drop further once the likes of CeeDee Lamb, Ja’Marr Chase and Brandon Aiyuk sign their own second contracts). A deal keeping him place through the remainder of his prime and tying him to Chicago while Williams is on his rookie pact would be sensible for team and player based on Moore’s first year in the Windy City.

On the other hand, the presence of Allen (who is interested in a market-level Bears deal) and Odunze could lessen Moore’s role on offense. General manager Ryan Poles may prefer to wait out the 2024 season and see how the team’s new offensive playmakers fit before committing to a Moore deal. In the event that were to take place, though, another productive year could up his asking price in the wake of continued increases in the receiver market.

Two agents Fishbain spoke with (but who do not represent Moore) used Calvin Ridley‘s Titans deal (four years, $92MM) as a comparable deal. Moore – who is two years younger and has a nearly identical yards per game average for his career – could certainly command a raise if a short-term deal were to be worked out by tacking on a few years to the remainder of his current pact. The agents suggested a two-year, $60MM top-up could be an appropriate figure in this case.

With considerable cap space now and in the near future, the Bears can certainly afford a big-ticket Moore investment. It will be interesting to see if Poles and the Bears pursue an agreement over the course of the summer or take a more patient approach with him.

Brian Daboll Expected To Take Over Giants’ Play-Calling Duties

June 27th, 2024 at 9:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two summers ago, rumors pointing to Brian Daboll — the Bills’ play-caller for four years — considering a CEO role in his first year as Giants HC. That came to fruition, and Daboll kept OC Mike Kafka holding the play sheet for most of the past two seasons.

Rumors of a change have persisted this offseason, however. As we move closer to training camp, it looks all but confirmed the Giants will feature a new play-caller this season. After calling plays at OTAs — for what that’s worth — Daboll continued to do so at minicamp. A Kafka shift to a non-play-calling OC is expected to continue into the regular season, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes.

Considering how last season went, Daboll preferring to have full control makes sense. It certainly would not be out of the question for the Giants to consider moving on; they have not employed a coach into a fourth season since Tom Coughlin. Daboll also came under fire for his temper last season, with a highly publicized feud with DC Don Martindale — one producing an explosive final act in the HC’s office — ending his New York stay after two seasons.

Daboll also has a proven track record calling plays, having been at the controls in Buffalo when Josh Allen morphed from raw prospect to superstar. That role landed him the Giants’ HC job in 2022. With last year’s 6-11 showing throwing the Giants off course after Daboll’s Coach of the Year campaign, the third-year leader mentioned he would consider making this change. Daboll also called plays for the Chiefs, Browns and Dolphins during three prior OC stints, though his Bills work stands out.

Daboll’s dustups with Martindale included rumors of the DC and assistant Drew Wilkins going rogue. Additionally, Raanan indicates Daboll confronted Martindale during the Giants’ Week 13 bye. Daboll allegedly yelled, “So, you think I’m a clown?” at Martindale from a doorway while the latter was running a defensive meeting. Daboll’s tirades grew tiresome for the staff, per Raanan, who notes some staffers viewed the fiery HC as having stopped listening to his assistants. Martindale did not contact Daboll or Schoen after cursing out Daboll in his office. Martindale is now the Michigan DC.

Kafka certainly deserved praise for coaxing a quality season from Daniel Jones in 2022, doing so when the Giants featured Saquon Barkley and little else in terms of weaponry. That season ending in the divisional round launched Kafka onto the HC radar. Kafka received more HC interest this year, interviewing with the Seahawks and Titans. After the Seahawks hired Mike Macdonald, the Giants blocked Kafka from interviewing for their OC position. Big Blue then gave Kafka a snazzier title, moving him to assistant head coach.

Daboll’s feud with Martindale aside, an early-offseason report noted most of the HC’s anger was directed at Kafka last season. That set the table for this change, and it is also safe to say Kafka is on shaky ground in New York. With Martindale gone, the Daboll-Kafka relationship will surely be monitored closely as the year progresses.

Key Dates On 2024-25 NFL Calendar

June 27th, 2024 at 6:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL recently announced important dates for the remainder of 2024 on through the 2025 offseason. Here are some dates to file away during these periods:

Key dates remaining on the 2024 NFL calendar:

  • July 15: Franchise tag extension deadline
  • August 27: Teams can stash two players on a reserve list before finalizing their 53-man roster
  • August 27: By 3pm CT, clubs must reduce rosters from 90 to 53 players
  • August 28: Post-cutdown waiver claims due at 11am CT
  • August 28: Teams can begin setting practice squads
  • September 27-30: Teams can begin designating players placed on IR, NFI and PUP lists for return
  • November 5: Trade deadline set for 3pm CT
  • November 6: Vested veterans (if cut) become subject to waivers

Key dates for the 2025 offseason:

  • January 6: Players chosen in 2022 draft can begin negotiating extensions
  • January 8: Teams must designate salary cap carryover amounts
  • February 18-March 4: Franchise and transition tag application window
  • March 4-April 16: Window for clubs to conduct “30” visits
  • March 10-12: Legal tampering period
  • March 12: 2025 league year begins at 3pm CT
  • April 7: Teams that hired new head coaches can begin offseason programs
  • April 21: Clubs with returning HCs can begin offseason work
  • April 24-26: 2025 NFL Draft
  • April 29: Restricted free agency signing period ends
  • May 1: Deadline for teams to exercise or decline fifth-year options on 2022 first-round picks

Eight of the nine franchise- or transition-tagged players have signed extensions, and Tee Higgins signed his franchise tender. This renders this year’s tender deadlines moot, though the Bengals still have until July 15 to extend Higgins. Otherwise, they cannot negotiate with the fifth-year wide receiver until January.

As PFR’s Ely Allen detailed last week, an NFL rule change allows teams more late-August flexibility. Two players per team can now be placed on IR before a 53-man roster is set and remain eligible to return later in the season. Previously, anyone placed on IR before a team set its final 53 was not eligible to play for that team during the season. If a team uses any of its two such designations, however, it immediately counts against its injury activation number. Teams have eight regular-season injury activations available. The NFL also adjusted its IR-return rule for the playoffs.

After placing its trade deadline on the Tuesday following Week 8 for the past 12 years, a March vote moved this year’s deadline to the Tuesday after Week 9. A proposal emerged to slide the deadline, now that the league is playing an 18-week season, to the Tuesday following Week 10. Owners settled on a compromise, allowing trading to be conducted for one extra week in 2024.

Shad Khan Addresses Jaguars’ Play-Calling Situation, 2023 Shortcomings

June 27th, 2024 at 4:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Entering Week 13 competing for the AFC’s No. 1 seed, the Jaguars tumbled to a disappointing 9-8 finish. This led to Doug Pederson canning most of his defensive staff. As for Pederson and the offensive staff, this figures to be an important season — especially now that the Jags extended Trevor Lawrence at a record-tying rate.

Lawrence is now tied to a five-year, $275MM deal, but the contract comes after the former No. 1 overall pick did not build on his late-season 2022 success. Injuries played a central role in Lawrence’s underwhelming third season, but the heat is on Pederson and OC-turned-play-caller Press Taylor.

After Pederson served as the Jags’ primary play-caller in 2022, he handed the reins to Taylor before the ’23 season. A former Pederson assistant in Philadelphia, Taylor — the younger brother of Bengals HC Zac Taylor — had not been a primary play-caller previously. Pederson has not said if he will reclaim those duties this season, but Shad Khan made an interesting comment about the situation. Referencing a New York Times piece alluding to the third-year HC’s job security, the owner said, “If I were in that situation, I’d want my hands on the wheel.”

“Yeah, I have an opinion,” Khan said, via the Associated Press’ Mark Long, on the Jags’ play-calling situation. “But I don’t want to tell people ‘We need to do it’ because then things don’t work out, they look at me and say, ‘We did it because you wanted it.‘ … Doug, he’s empowered. I’m going to let him decide.”

Khan did not indicate this is a do-or-die season for Pederson, though his hypothetical comment regarding the situation could certainly be perceived as the owner having a preference for the head coach taking back the reins. GM Trent Baalke also was believed to be taking a close look at the state of the offense during the season’s final weeks.

The Jags only dropped from 10th to 13th in scoring (DVOA placed Jacksonville’s offense 18th) between 2022 and 2023, but after a strong finish covered for a sluggish start in Pederson’s Jacksonville debut, his 2023 follow-up’s fortunes nosedived in the second half. Lawrence finished in the same QBR position (17th) as 2022, but after the team gave the fourth-year passer a $55MM-per-year deal, it stands to reason it expects a jump from the former elite prospect.

If Taylor lands another shot as the team’s play-caller, it will certainly come with high stakes for the 36-year-old assistant. Pederson showed enough confidence in Taylor he wanted to promote him to OC in Philly following the 2020 season. Eagles ownership disagreed, leading to Pederson’s dismissal two years after Super Bowl LII.

When addressing the events of last season as a whole, Khan called it an “organizational failure.” The Jags, who also made franchise-tagged defender Josh Allen the NFL’s second-highest-paid edge rusher, have one 10-win season during Khan’s 12-year ownership tenure.

“Injuries are a part of the game. We had some of those injuries, but I think it’s organizational failure that it happened,” Khan said. “All of these players I talked to, it’s like how could this happen? What happened?

“For me, it’s really a cause for self-reflection and then something good to come out of it because we just can’t have that this year.”

Pederson’s first season gave Khan some cover for his disastrous Urban Meyer decision, one he backtracked on in less than a year. Although Khan fired Meyer and 2012 hire Mike Mularkey after one season, the Jags owner gave Doug Marrone four-plus seasons and Gus Bradley nearly four years despite the latter’s tenure producing a historically bad .226 win percentage. But the Jags have been one of the NFL’s worst franchises under Khan’s ownership.

The Pederson-Lawrence partnership represents a gateway to potential contender status, and were Khan to fire the former Super Bowl-winning HC, it would tie the franchise quarterback — the only one left standing with his original team from 2021’s five-QB first round — to a third offensive scheme in five seasons. This is a rather deep AFC, however, and it will be challenging for the Jaguars to infiltrate the conference’s top tier. The team will hope a Lawrence leap can elevate the roster, one that added two new wide receivers (Gabe Davis, first-rounder Brian Thomas Jr.) and veteran linemen in Arik Armstead and Mitch Morse, this offseason.

Ravens S Ar’Darius Washington In Line For Increased Role

June 27th, 2024 at 1:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton remain in place atop the safety depth chart for the Ravens, but Geno Stone‘s departure has created a vacancy at the position. While outside additions have been a consideration, the team’s in-house candidates could provide them with a suitable replacement.

The top name in that regard is Ar’Darius Washington. The former UDFA has seen his career slowed down by injuries, but he began the 2023 campaign in line for a notable defensive workload. Washington suffered a chest injury which ended his season in Week 2, paving the way for Stone to cement a notable role even when both Williams and Hamilton were healthy. The latter logged snaps at a variety of positions last year, and maintaining his versatility moving forward will require a consistent third safety.

“Ar’Darius has looked really good. I feel great about him,” head coach John Harbaugh said of the 24-year-old’s prospects for an increase role (via the team’s website). “He’s already established himself. He’s played in the games – every game he’s played in – he’s played well. He’s looked great in practice, and let’s get him out there and get him in some more games. That’s the goal.”

Washington has made only eight regular season appearances to date, battling a foot injury which ended his rookie campaign and a number of more established players being ahead of him on the depth chart. The TCU alum has also seen time as a slot corner, a role which has a number of candidates but lacks a full-time starter at this point. Baltimore has veteran Arthur Maulet along with recent draftees Damarion Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis as options to see a heavy usage rate in the slot.

Washington has also seen time there this spring, but the No. 3 safety role could allow him to showcase his defensive abilities if the Ravens’ scheme remains dependent on using Hamilton in a variety of ways. Training camp will be critical in sorting out Baltimore’s secondary (which also includes rookie safeties Sanoussi Kane and Beau Brade), but for now signs point to Washington having the lead on the largest defensive workload of his career, something which could take the Ravens out of the running for a veteran addition later this summer.

TE Mo Alie-Cox On Colts’ Roster Bubble?

June 27th, 2024 at 12:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

Mo Alie-Cox has spent his entire career with the Colts, providing the team with a consistent contributor at the tight end position. The veteran’s contract could put his roster spot at risk this summer, though.

Alie-Cox is attached to by far the most lucrative tight end pact on Indianapolis’ roster. The 30-year-old is entering the final season of his three-year, $17.55MM extension, and he is set to carry a cap hit of $5.92MM in 2024. With no guaranteed salary included, however, the Colts would save that full amount in cap space by releasing or trading him.

The team has a number of in-house options at the tight end spot as things stand. 2022 third-rounder Jelani Woods flashed potential as a rookie with three touchdowns and a 12.5 yards per catch average, but he missed all of last season due to hamstring issues. Woods has the potential to serve as Indianapolis’ lead tight end, and doing so could make Alie-Cox an expensive luxury on the depth chart.

For that reason, The Athletic’s James Boyd writes the Colts could elect to turn to younger options behind Woods and move on from Alie-Cox this offseason (subscription required). Indianapolis has recent draftees Kylen Granson, Andrew Ogletree and Will Mallory in the fold and all are on low-cost deals. Boyd adds a commitment to an inexperienced group could allow the Colts to remove the log jam by moving on from Alie-Cox.

The latter joined Indianapolis as an undrafted free agent in 2017, and he made his debut one year later. Alie-Cox has since served as a strong run blocker while chipping in as a pass-catcher. His best statistical stretch came in the 2020 and ’21 seasons when he combined for 710 yards and six touchdowns. The campaigns since then have included a downturn in production, but Alie-Cox’s absence would nevertheless be felt if the team were to cut ties.

Indianapolis currently has just under $26MM in cap space, so retaining Alie-Cox would be feasible from a financial perspective. Still, the presence of several other, younger contenders for roster spots will make his training camp performances something to monitor.

Bengals A Candidate For RB Addition?

June 27th, 2024 at 11:18am CST by Adam La Rose

For the first time since 2017, the Bengals’ backfield will not include Joe Mixon. The former Pro Bowler was dealt to the Texans in a move which paved the way for a new running back approach.

Cincinnati was set to release Mixon before trading him to Houston. The 27-year-old logged over 200 carries in each of his healthy seasons from 2018-23, creating a notable vacancy on offense. The Bengals signed Zack Moss to help replace Mixon, and 2023 fifth-rounder Chase Brown could also see an uptick in usage moving forward. The skillset of pass-catching back may not have been sufficiently addressed yet, though.

Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic writes the Bengals “feel one man short” with respect to their backfield as things stand (subscription required). Specifically, a third-down specialist could be added to complement Moss and Brown. Samaje Perine operated as a strong producer in that role during his tenure in Cincinnati, which came to an end last offseason. Perine is now with the Broncos, although Denver has a crowded running backs room entering training camp. Dehner notes Perine could be a prime candidate to return to Cincinnati if the Broncos were to cut him this summer.

While such a scenario is possible, Brown’s Year 2 in the NFL could involve more opportunities in the passing game. The 24-year-old was told by head coach Zac Taylor to improve as a pass-catcher following the end of the 2023 campaign, as Dehner notes in a separate piece. Brown made 14 receptions as a rookie, averaging an impressive 10.4 yards per target. With Moss’ strength being his ability between the tackles as a rusher, Brown could translate his offseason efforts into a third-down role in 2024.

Failing that, a number of veterans are still on the market who could serve in a Perine-like capacity. The Bengals have over $21MM in cap space, so a deal for the likes of Jerick McKinnon or Joshua Kelley would certainly be feasible. Incumbent options include Chris Evans and Trayveon Williams, and their performances in training camp will no doubt dictate much of Cincinnati’s plans in the backfield. If an outside addition is deemed necessary, though, the team will have the means of making one.

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