HEADLINES

Month: March 2025

Drew Dalman Wants To Re-Sign With Falcons

February 16th, 2025 at 4:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

For the past three seasons, Drew Dalman has operated as the Falcons’ starting center. His rookie contract is set to expire in March, however, leaving a free agent departure as a possibility.

If Dalman has his way, he will remain with the team for 2025 and beyond. The 26-year-old hopes to re-sign, as noted by D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. Working out a new deal will be expensive for the Falcons given Dalman’s level of play once he ascended to the top of the depth chart.

After logging only 68 offensive snaps during his rookie season, the former fourth-rounder took over as Atlanta’s center starter. Dalman played a full season in 2022, drawing a 65.9 PFF grade. That figure was good for 14th amongst qualifying players at the position, but the past two seasons have seen stronger performances. The Stanford product ranked third in PFF grade at the center spot in 2023, and he followed that up with the fourth-best mark this past campaign.

Dalman did so while missing three games in 2023, and an ankle injury limited him to just nine contests this year. That could hinder his value on the open market, but on the other hand his age and contributions to a strong Falcons O-line could make him one of the more attractive options on the market this spring. Atlanta is among the teams currently projected to be over the cap for 2025, and a decision on quarterback Kirk Cousins will need to be made shortly. How the Falcons proceed on that front will of course be central in determining their overall financial outlook and their ability to approach the top of a center market which includes four players earning at least $12MM per year.

Atlanta’s other offensive line starters (left tackle Jake Matthews, left guard Matthew Bergeron, right guard Chris Lindstrom and right tackle Kaleb McGary) are all under contract through at least 2025. While Matthews and McGary do not have any guaranteed salary remaining on their pacts, the Falcons could thus opt for another year of continuity up front at four positions even in the event Dalman were to depart. Ryan Neuzil stepped in for Dalman in 2024, but he is a pending restricted free agent.

A number of veteran centers are on track to reach the open market this year, but Dalman’s age (like that of the Packers’ Josh Myers) could make suitors willing to prepare a long-term investment in March. It will be interesting to see if the Falcons prevent that from happening with a contract agreement being reached before then, or if they will turn their attention to other positions.

Saints Interviewing Two DC Candidates, Doug Nussmeier Today

February 16th, 2025 at 4:18pm CST by Ely Allen

4:18pm: Nussmeier’s interview will also take place today, Rapoport notes. As the Saints continue to move through their coordinator search process, a hire on both fronts could be made sometime in the coming days depending on how wide of a net the team casts.

12:20pm: The Saints and new head coach Kellen Moore continue to search for his first coordinators in New Orleans. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated tells us that the team will interview 49ers assistant head coach Brandon Staley and Eagles passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Christian Parker for the defensive coordinator position today. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds that Eagles quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier will interview for the offensive coordinator role this week.

Staley and Nussmeier have both already been mentioned as potential candidates for the two respective jobs. Staley was Moore’s boss in 2023 when the former served as the Chargers’ head coach. Staley was fired by the Chargers following two-plus seasons with the organization. He finished his head coaching stint with a 24-24 record, including a single one-and-done playoff appearance. Prior to his stint with the Chargers, Staley served as the defensive coordinator with the Rams in 2020. He also previously served as linebackers coach for the Broncos and Bears. Though Staley didn’t interview for any other defensive coordinator jobs this offseason, he was mentioned as a candidate for the role with his current team.

Nussmeier and Moore coached together in Dallas from 2018-22, with the former moving from tight ends coach to quarterbacks coach during that span. Moore brought Nussmeier with him to Los Angeles when he took over as Chargers offensive coordinator under Staley in 2023. That stint did not go especially well, but the Eagles allowed Moore to bring Nussmeier alongside him to Philadelphia, where Jalen Hurts led the team to a Super Bowl title. Before their time together in Dallas, Nussmeier served as an offensive coordinator for five college programs — including Alabama, Michigan, and Florida — from 2008-17.

Aside from his connections to Moore, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler points out that Nussmeier also has a familial connection to Louisiana. Nussmeier’s son, Garrett Nussmeier, is set to enter his second year as the starting quarterback at LSU in relatively nearby Baton Rouge. After finishing fifth in the nation in passing yards per game for the Tigers in 2024, Garrett is considered a top prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft. There is one more connection, as well, as the elder Nussmeier’s only two years as an NFL quarterback saw him play in New Orleans.

Parker, 33, interviewed for the Patriots and Packers’ DC jobs last offseason, but likely due to the Eagles’ deep playoff run, he didn’t attend any interviews in this cycle. Before heading to Philadelphia last year, he was a valued staffer in Denver, working in the same defensive backs coaching role under Vic Fangio, Nathaniel Hackett, and Sean Payton. In Denver, Parker oversaw the likes of Justin Simmons and Patrick Surtain. In Philadelphia, Parker mentored a defense that allowed the fewest passing yards in the NFL last year due in part to rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, who finished second and fourth, respectively, in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Here is how the offensive coordinator search is shaping up so far:

And here’s a look at the defensive coordinator search:

  • George Edwards, outside linebackers coach (Buccaneers): Mentioned as candidate
  • Daronte Jones, defensive pass-game coordinator (Vikings): To interview 1/15
  • Christian Parker, passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach (Eagles): Interviewed 2/16
  • Brandon Staley, assistant head coach (49ers): Lead candidate?; Interviewed 2/16

Cowboys Finalize 2025 Coaching Staff

February 16th, 2025 at 10:51am CST by Ely Allen

The Cowboys replaced former head coach Mike McCarthy with in-house candidate Brian Schottenheimer. Despite the consistency of Schottenheimer remaining from last year, the handling of the coaching contracts by owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones caused many staffers to explore opportunities elsewhere in the NFL, forcing Schottenheimer to build a mostly new coaching staff. The Cowboys announced their finalized staff on Friday, and though many of the hires Schottenheimer has made we’ve already reported on, we’ll list every hire in this post.

On offense, we were already made aware of the hires of offensive coordinator Klayton Adams, pass game specialist Ken Dorsey, running backs coach Derrick Foster, offensive line coach Conor Riley, and assistant wide receivers coach Tiquan Underwood. We were also aware that former offensive assistant Steve Shimko had been promoted to quarterbacks coach. and that tight ends coach Lunda Wells had been retained to the same role.

We had heard rumors that the team had been working to retain assistant quarterbacks/game management coach Ryan Feder and assistant offensive line/quality control coach Ramon Chinyoung, but Friday’s announcement confirmed that both will remain in slightly different roles. Feder will serve in 2025 as solely game management coordinator and Chingyoung as solely assistant offensive line coach.

The new offensive hire news from the announcement is the additions of Junior Adams as wide receivers coach and Dele Harding in a quarterbacks fellowship. Adams is making his NFL coaching debut after spending the last 17 years coaching at the collegiate level, most recently as (co-)offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Western Kentucky, Washington, and Oregon. Harding, a former linebacker at Illinois, began his coaching career after he finished playing at his alma mater. He spent a year as a defensive assistant for the Texans in 2022. He’s also been a fellow in the past for the Colts and Browns.

On defense, we were already made aware of the hirings of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi, defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, and assistant defensive line coach Bryan Bing. We’ve also posted on the hirings of Andre Curtis, David Overstreet, and JJ Clark, but clarifications have been made about their roles. We initially reported that Curtis would serve as defensive pass game coordinator, which is true, but he will add safeties coach to his title, as well. Similarly, we reported Clark in a quality control role, but he will also have the title of defensive assistant. Overstreet was initially reported as assistant defensive backs coach, while the Cowboys’ announcement lists him as secondary/cornerbacks coach.

Overstreet will work alongside Darian Thompson, a quality control/assistant linebackers coach for the team last year who was retained as the new secondary/nickels coach. Lastly, former Rams and Jets defensive tackle Tanzel Smart has been hired as a defensive assistant/quality control coach, like Clark. Smart last appeared in a game in 2023 and was cut from the Jets at the roster cut deadline in August.

Both special teams roles, coordinator Nick Sorensen and assistant coach Carlos Polk were already reported.

There we have it: the Cowboys 2025 coaching staff. Schottenheimer doesn’t get the benefit of familiar faces on staff after Jones’ handling of the contracts, so a mostly new staff has been built. We’ll see what the new staff can do in 2025 after a down, injured year last season.

AFC South Notes: Jaguars, Texans, Colts

February 16th, 2025 at 9:20am CST by Ely Allen

As the Jaguars continue to search for a new general manager to pair with first-year head coach Liam Coen, Coen continues to build his first coaching staff around himself in Jacksonville. Most recently, two offensive names have been brought up for minor roles on the offensive staff. While Coen, in his extensive experience coaching quarterbacks, will likely take on a lot of responsibility with molding Trevor Lawrence, as head coach, Coen has other responsibilities, as well, so, he’ll need assistance.

Firstly, the team is hiring Fred Walker as an offensive assistant, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Walker spent the last three years on staff in Las Vegas — two of those years as an offensive assistant before working 2024 as assistant quarterbacks coach. That may not inspire much confidence, considering the state of the position for the Raiders last year, but he did work with Derek Carr in the passer’s last Pro Bowl season in 2022.

Another name the team is looking at to work with Lawrence is James Madison offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Dean Kennedy. Kennedy is a young, fast-rising name in the coaching world. He has experience as a graduate assistant with two SEC schools (Mississippi State and Florida) as well as two years as the Gators assistant quarterbacks coach back in 2020-21, when Kyle Trask and Anthony Richardson were in the room.

Following that, Kennedy accepted a role as quarterbacks coach at Holy Cross that turned into his first offensive coordinator role a year later. Last season was his only year with the Dukes, but he led an offense that was 26th in the nation in scoring and beat the North Carolina Tar Heels, 70-50. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Jaguars are interviewing him for an as of yet unreported role.

Here are a couple other coaching updates coming out of the AFC South:

  • The Texans are expected to add a new defensive staffer in Toledo defensive line coach Frank Okam, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Okam will serve as the team’s new assistant defensive line coach behind current defensive line coach Rod Wright, whom he played with in college at the University of Texas. Okam also played with head coach DeMeco Ryans when the two were players for the Texans from 2008-10. After defensive line coaching jobs at Rice and Baylor following his playing career, Okam held defensive line coaching jobs for the Panthers and Raiders before returning to the college ranks for the past two years.
  • Finally, the Colts are reportedly targeting veteran defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson for a role on their staff, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Indianapolis just recently hired Chris Hewitt away from Baltimore as their new pass game coordinator & secondary coach, so it will be interesting to see what role they’d like to carve out for Henderson. Henderson has served as defensive backs coach for the Jets (2008), Browns (2009-11), Cowboys (2012-15), and Giants (2020-24) with additional years as a defensive passing game coordinator for the Falcons (2016-19) and the Giants last year.

Chiefs Want Travis Kelce Retirement Decision By March 14

February 15th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chiefs are giving Travis Kelce a month to make a decision on his future. According to Nate Taylor and Cale Clinton of The Athletic, the Chiefs have set a March 14 deadline for Kelce to commit to the 2025 season.

While Kelce could try to squeeze more time from his team, the Chiefs do have some leverage via the tight end’s impending roster bonus. Kelce is due an $11.5MM bonus on March 15, and it’s no coincidence that the organization wants clarity before that date. Plus, free agency opens on March 10, so the Chiefs are already sacrificing some crucial roster certainty with this ultimatum.

The 2025 campaign will represent the final year of Kelce’s four-year, $57MM extension from 2020. The future Hall of Famer will be attached to a $19.8MM cap hit, more than half of which comes from that aforementioned roster bonus. While the Chiefs would surely welcome back Kelce regardless of the financials, that’s still a hefty cap charge, and our own Nikhil Mehta recently suggested that the front office could look to lower that hit via a cap-manipulating extension.

In his age-35 season, Kelce compiled some of the worst receiving numbers of his career. He finished the year with a career-low 51.4 yards per game, and his three touchdowns also marked a new career-low. Those numbers did see a jump when it mattered, as Kelce hauled in 13 receptions for 175 yards during the Chiefs’ three-game postseason run.

If Kelce does hang up his cleats, the Chiefs could look towards in-house options to fill the void. Former fifth-round pick Noah Gray finished the year with career-highs in receptions (40), receiving yards (437), touchdowns (five), and offensive snaps (664). This year’s TE free agency class mostly consists of complementary players, including Mike Gesicki and Juwan Johnson.

2025 NFL Cap Space, By Team

February 15th, 2025 at 9:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

Free agency is roughly one month away, and teams are preparing for the first major roster-building checkpoint on the offseason calendar. In several cases, of course, the lead-in to the start of the new league year will require cost-cutting measures.

Teams expect the 2025 cap ceiling to check in somewhere between $265MM and $275MM, providing a general target to aim for before the final figure is unveiled by the NFL. Using a projected cap of $272.5MM, here is a look at where all 32 teams currently stand (courtesy of Over the Cap):

  1. New England Patriots: $119.8MM
  2. Las Vegas Raiders: $92.53MM
  3. Washington Commanders: $75.21MM
  4. Arizona Cardinals: $71.33MM
  5. Los Angeles Chargers: $63.41MM
  6. Chicago Bears: $62.97MM
  7. Minnesota Vikings: $58.01MM
  8. Pittsburgh Steelers: $53.26MM
  9. Cincinnati Bengals: $46.26MM
  10. Detroit Lions: $45.69MM
  11. San Francisco 49ers: $44.26MM
  12. Tennessee Titans: $44.08MM
  13. New York Giants: $43.38MM
  14. Green Bay Packers: $42.14MM
  15. Los Angeles Rams: $38.33MM
  16. Denver Broncos: $34.78MM
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars: $32.27MM
  18. Indianapolis Colts: $28.25MM
  19. Carolina Panthers: $20.33MM
  20. Philadelphia Eagles: $18.08MM
  21. New York Jets: $16.86MM
  22. Baltimore Ravens: $5.96MM
  23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $2.24MM
  24. Houston Texans: $99K over the cap
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: $916K over
  26. Dallas Cowboys: $2.85MM over
  27. Miami Dolphins: $5.44MM over
  28. Atlanta Falcons: $11.15MM over
  29. Seattle Seahawks: $13.46MM over
  30. Buffalo Bills: $14.18MM over
  31. Cleveland Browns: $30.17MM over
  32. New Orleans Saints: $54.11MM over

These figures will of course change based on where the final cap ceiling winds up for the year, but they take into account each team’s carryover amount for 2025. Even with those savings in play, more than one quarter of the league finds itself in need of cost-shedding moves to simply achieve cap compliance by mid-March.

With the Patriots leading the way in terms of spending power, they will be a team to watch closely once free agency begins. The team’s willingness (or lack thereof) to make major free agent additions last year was a talking point, and it will be interesting to see if the regime featuring de facto general manager Eliot Wolf and new head coach Mike Vrabel takes a different approach in 2025. A serious push for Tee Higgins – by far the most sought-after wideout set to hit the market – can be expected.

Aside from Higgins, the Bengals have a number of financial priorities. Working out a monster extension for fellow receiver Ja’Marr Chase and a new deal (and accompanying raise) for edge rusher Trey Hendrickson are key goals for the franchise. Quarterback Joe Burrow is prepared to restructure his own pact to create cap space for this offseason, but the team will no doubt need to break with tradition in terms of contract structure and guarantees to keep its core intact.

The Colts’ offseason has been defined in large part by a focus on retaining in-house players during recent years. That approach has not paid off as hoped, and general manager Chris Ballard said last month he plans to oversee a shift in roster-building philosophy this year. With the finances to make at least a modest addition or two on the open market, Indianapolis could be a suitor for some of the middle-class free agent options.

Over the coming weeks, many teams will proceed with extensions and restructures to free up cap space; the Seahawks recently took the latter route with defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Teams like the Steelers (in the case of edge rusher Preston Smith) and Dolphins (with running back Raheem Mostert as well as corner Kendall Fuller and tight end Durham Smythe) have already begin cutting veterans to free up cap space. That will increasingly continue in the near future with respect to the teams currently slated to be over the cap in particular.

Jaguars To Conduct Second GM Interviews

February 15th, 2025 at 9:40pm CST by Ely Allen

The Jaguars reportedly wrapped up their first round of general manager interviews yesterday, and according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the team will start their second round of interviews in the coming days. Per Pelissero, that will begin with Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan and Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham. Pelissero adds that Jaguars assistant (and interim) general manager Ethan Waugh will also interview this week after not being included initially in the first round of interviews.

Jacksonville conducted their first round of interviews in the last four days, concluding with meetings with Sullivan and Cunningham yesterday. Planning second interviews with each personnel executive the next day bodes well for their standing in the race for the job.

[RELATED: James Gladstone, Josh Williams Also Among Finalists]

Sullivan has spent the entirety of his 22-year career in the NFL in Green Bay, starting as a training camp intern in 2003. He rose up the ranks of the scouting department, eventually serving as director of college scouting from 2016-17. Sullivan had a penchant for hitting on Day 3 picks with the Packers, demonstrated by the drafting of impact players like Blake Martinez, Dean Lowry, Aaron Jones, and Jamaal Williams.

Sullivan’s next role was as co-director of player personnel from 2018-21 before being promoted to his current title in 2022. Sullivan’s success has drawn him plenty of general manager interest around the league. He has been considered for every general manager opening in this year’s hiring cycle, interviewing with the Titans, the Raiders, and the Jets.

Cunningham was one of the initial names to be connected to the Jaguars’ job, along with former Titans general manager Jon Robinson and Buccaneers assistant general manager Mike Greenberg. Cunningham started his front office career with the Ravens back in 2008 before joining the Eagles as their director of college scouting in 2017. He climbed the ranks to director of player personnel before taking an assistant general manager job with the Bears in 2022. He’s spent the past three seasons in Chicago, though he’s flirted with promotions over the past two years. He was a finalist for the Commanders job last year, and he was interviewed for jobs with the Chargers last offseason and the Titans this cycle.

Though Waugh wasn’t included in the first round of interviews, he was mentioned as a strong candidate for the position on Thursday. Waugh had a lengthy tenure in the 49ers’ front office alongside the man these candidates are all striving to replace, former Jacksonville general manager Trent Baalke. The pair worked together from 2005-16, and Waugh worked his way up to vice president of player personnel for the 2021 and 2022 campaigns. He joined Baalke in Jacksonville in May of 2022, taking on his current title. Despite the issues that led to Baalke’s dismissal, Waugh is nevertheless in contention for the job and will interview this week.

Saints Conduct OC Interview With Dolphins’ Robert Prince

February 15th, 2025 at 9:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

Robert Prince took a new position with the Dolphins as part of this year’s hiring cycle. He could be on the move once again, though.

Prince has received an interview request from the Saints for their vacant offensive coordinator position, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The parties will speak tonight, he adds. Prince took the role of wide receivers coach with Miami in January, but joining the Saints would allow him to work as a coordinator for the first time in his career.

Prince started his NFL coaching tenure with the 49ers and Chargers as part of the Bill Walsh Coaching Fellowship. His first full-time position came with the Falcons, and in three years there he held a number of roles. Prince spent a pair of seasons as the Jaguars’ assistant WRs coach before leading that position group with the Seahawks 2009.

The Lions brought in Prince to coach their receivers the following year, and he remained with the team through 2020. The 59-year-old occupied that same role for a single campaign with the Texans before making an intra-state move to the Cowboys. In 2024, Prince had pass-game coordinator added to his title.

With Dallas moving in a different direction (to an extent) on the sidelines this offseason, though, Prince was among the staffers who changed teams. His decision to join the Dolphins set him up to work with a group headlined by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but that would of course change if he took New Orleans’ OC position. New Saints head coach Kellen Moore confirmed in his introductory press conference that he will call plays on offense, which comes as little surprise given his OC background. Still, his search for Klint Kubiak‘s replacement is a key part of the process of building his first staff as a head coach.

Via PFR’s OC/DC Tracker, here is an updated look at the Saints’ offensive coordinator search:

James Gladstone, Josh Williams Among Finalists For Jaguars’ GM Position

February 15th, 2025 at 8:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday has seen the Jaguars narrow down their general manager search to a list of finalists. Second interviews are already known to be on tap for external candidates Ian Cunningham and Jon-Eric Sullivan along with interim GM Ethan Waugh. Two other staffers are still in the running, however.

The team announced Saturday that Rams director of scouting strategy James Gladstone and 49ers scouting and football operations director Josh Williams will also take part in a second meeting. After the Jags’ first set of interviews took place virtually, the five finalists will speak in person for their follow-ups. The final round will begin on February 19.

Jacksonville is known to want a GM hire in place before the start of the Combine, but the team’s timeline for this process will leave only a small window for the incoming executive to prepare for the event or work on building a staff. The Combine will kick off on the 24th, with drills beginning on the 27th. The Jags will need to move quickly in the second round of interviews to finalize a hire.

Gladstone was not connected to any of the other three general manager openings in the 2025 hiring cycle, but his performance during his initial meeting obviously went well. Gladstone has been with the Rams for eight seasons, making him a familiar face to new head coach Liam Coen due to his time spent in Los Angeles. Despite the fact he is a first-time head coach, the latter is playing a central role in the GM search process.

Williams was the first candidate to interview with the Jaguars, the only team which spoke with him about a 2025 vacancy. He is worked in San Francisco for the past 14 seasons, working his way up the ranks in the organization’s scouting department. Williams overlapped with former GM Trent Baalke, whose 49ers tenure was followed by a four-year run in the same position with Jacksonville. Baalke appeared to be safe after the 2024 campaign, but in the process of hiring Coen away from the Buccaneers owner Shad Khan reversed course and dismissed Baalke.

Khan and Co. could elect to once again bring in a 49ers staffer to lead the front office, but four other options (including promoting from within) remain on the table at this point. Giants assistant GM Brandon Brown was reported earlier this week to have a strong connection with Coen regarding his roster-building philosophy, but he is not among the finalists. It will be interesting to see how the second round of interviews shakes out once it begins.

NFL Draft Rumors: Dart, QBs, Hunter

February 15th, 2025 at 5:56pm CST by Ely Allen

As far back as November, we have been consistently reporting that only two quarterbacks are being viewed as first-round prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft: Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. At the same time, we’ve been allowing for the potential that the usual, annual desperation from NFL teams at the quarterback position could lead to Day 2 or 3 passers being pushed into the first round with Ward and Sanders.

We saw this happen last year. Early on in the pre-draft process in 2024, Caleb Williams and Drake Maye were viewed as the only first-round options, though Heisman-winner Jayden Daniels quickly forced his way into that conversation. Even after the conclusion of the College Football Playoff championship game, the two quarterbacks in that game, J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix, were not generally being viewed as first-round prospects. Eventually, we ended up with six quarterbacks being selected in the first round — all in the first 12 picks — with Bo Nix joining the party, as well.

It’s not an uncommon occurrence, and this year, Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post has pegged Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart as the man to break into the first round with Ward and Sanders. “Book at least three quarterbacks to be taken in the first round of the draft,” La Canfora writes, citing that “too much demand” will overcome “not enough supply.” After watching the 21-year-old’s performance in the Senior Bowl, La Canfora quoted one general manager guaranteeing that Dart will hear his name on the first night of the draft. Another executive La Canfora talked to claimed that, while he himself wouldn’t select Dart that high, he believes Dart’s going Day 1.

Aside from his Senior Bowl performance, Dart had an impressive senior season for the Rebels, racking up the third-highest passing yards per game behind Ward (second) but ahead of Sanders (fourth). While Dart’s 29 passing touchdowns didn’t approach Ward (39) or Sanders (34), his six interceptions were fewer than both of his competitors.

Here are a couple other rumors surrounding common early conversations we’ve seen in the runup to the draft:

  • Yesterday, ESPN’s NFL Nation released the results of some polling their reporters — Turron Davenport, Jeff Legwold, Daniel Oyefusi, and Katherine Terrell — conducted with NFL executives, coaches, and scouts at the Senior and Shrine Bowls. One interesting vote showed that of nine people asked if the top draft pick will be a quarterback, three said yes, four said no, and two were undecided. A big deciding factor for this will be what the Titans decide to do with their No. 1 overall pick; another factor will be if the team decides to address the quarterback position through the free agent or trade market before the draft.
  • Another question NFL Nation posed was who the top quarterback in the draft is: Ward or Sanders? Of seven people asked, four sided with Ward while the remaining three went with Sanders. Oyefusi notes that the general consensus has Sanders as “a more refined pocket passer,” while “Ward’s arm talent and mobility give him the upper hand as a long-term prospect.” This goes along with most analyses we’ve seen that place Sanders just behind Ward with Dart as a distant third, if that.
  • We’ve addressed plenty of speculation already on where Colorado athlete and Heisman-winner Travis Hunter may find himself playing at the NFL-level. Agreeing with early reports that Hunter is being viewed more as an elite cornerback prospect with the potential to contribute in certain packages as a wide receiver, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Hunter is being listed as a defensive back at the NFL Scouting Combine. Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal adds that, while Hunter is planning on working out with the defensive backs at the combine, the two-way athlete will run some drills with the wide receivers, as well.
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