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Draft Rumors: Tackles, Buffs, Sanders

November 30th, 2024 at 2:51pm CST by Ely Allen

Often in the NFL Draft, offensive tackles are slotted into some of the top picks of the draft, usually as contenders for a No. 1 overall draft pick. Recent years saw Joe Alt and JC Latham taken in the top 10 in 2024, Paris Johnson and Darnell Wright in 2023, and Ikem Ekwonu, Evan Neal, and Charles Cross in 2022 alone. This year, while there are surely some candidates to be first-round picks in this year’s class, an elite, top-10 tackle seems to be absent among them.

LSU’s Will Campbell is seemingly the only offensive lineman who has been granted a consensus opinion as a first-rounder, but many doubt that he will continue to play tackle in the NFL. Per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, a perceived lack of strength has scouts shifting him inside to guard at the next level. Kelvin Banks Jr. at Texas held first-round potential for much of the year, but up-and-down performances throughout the year, accompanied by a rough performance against Georgia at home, have put that promise in doubt. Lastly, Ohio State tackle Josh Simmons likely held the highest chance at being a top-drafted tackle, but a torn patellar tendon will limit his availability until summer and diminish his draft stock.

ESPN’s Jordan Reid agrees with Breer’s sentiment, claiming that the entire offensive line group lacks the depth and top-end talent of last year’s group by a wide margin. He notes that Campbell, Banks, and Arizona’s Jonah Savaiinaea could all slide inside to guard and adds that most players in the class are getting Day 2 or 3 grades.

Here are some other rumors coming from the 2025 NFL Draft class:

  • While the merit of early Heisman attestations is still to be determined, Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders likely couldn’t care less. With several NFL teams in attendance to watch a drubbing of the lowly Cowpokes at Oklahoma State, Hunter and Sanders likely had eyes on late-April. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, one NFL executive claimed that not only are Hunter and Sanders going to be drafted in the top five picks, but he also believes they will go back-to-back at Nos. 1 & 2 overall.
  • In support of that prediction, Breer noted that the Giants sent a bevy of executives — general manager Joe Schoen, assistant general manager Brandon Brown, director of player personnel Tim McDonnell, and special assistant Jessie Armstead — to Boulder for practices and the game this week to get looks at Sanders with quarterback Daniel Jones already gone. In our latest look at the most-updated draft order (if the season were to end today), the Giants slotted in at No. 2 overall, tied with the Jaguars and Raiders with a 2-9 record. Since then, the Giants and Raiders have both lost additional contests, moving them up to Nos. 1 & 2, respectively, but if the Jaguars also fall tomorrow, they would be reinstated at No. 1.

Giants TE Theo Johnson Could Miss Remainder Of Season

November 29th, 2024 at 3:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants exited their Thanksgiving loss with several injuries along the defensive line, including an elbow dislocation which might keep Dexter Lawrence on the sidelines for the rest of the year. The team’s offense could also be shorthanded the rest of the way.

Rookie tight end Theo Johnson is dealing with a foot injury. Head coach Brian Daboll said on Friday (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post) the ailment could end his campaign. If that turns out to be the case, his season will draw to a close after spending notable time as the team’s top pass-catching tight end.

Of course, that role was set to remain with Darren Waller heading into the 2024 season. Waller retired in June, however, creating a opening for Johnson to see a notable workload on offense right away. The 23-year-old Canadian competed for the top pass-catching role during training camp, and with a snap share of 84% he certainly carved out a notable spot on the Giants’ offense. Johnson received at least five targets in a game five times prior to getting injured, including each of the past four contests.

In all, the Penn State product has racked up 331 yards and one touchdown on 29 catches this year. The Giants have struggled on offense with and without Daniel Jones at quarterback, and losing Johnson would leave the team without an important skill position contributor over the final weeks of the campaign. Lawrence Cager was released from the practice squad with an injury settlement last month, leaving Daniel Bellinger in line to step into an increased workload on offense moving forward.

Five games remain in the Giants’ season, and the team has been eliminated from postseason contention. As a result, it would come as no surprise if Johnson were to be shut down for the rest of the season once further testing is done on his foot. In that event, his attention would turn to 2025 and the possibility of regaining a key role on offense through the remainder of his rookie contract.

Giants’ Dexter Lawrence Suffers Dislocated Elbow

November 29th, 2024 at 11:20am CST by Adam La Rose

11:20am: Head coach Brian Daboll expects Lawrence’s injury to be a long-term one. (h/t NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo). While a final call on his 2024 future has not yet been made, it would come as a surprise at this point of Lawrence were to suit up again this season.

8:59am: The Giants were eliminated from the postseason last night, and they suffered a number of injuries on the defensive line along the way. Dexter Lawrence exited the contest, and if he is to return in 2024 he will do so while dealing with a pain management situation.

Lawrence suffered a dislocated elbow on Thanksgiving, as detailed by Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. The two-time Pro Bowler said an X-ray on the injury came back negative, but an MRI is pending. If a lengthy recovery timetable winds up being in place, it would come as no surprise if Lawrence were to be shut down.

Five games remain in New York’s season, and a stint on injured reserve would leave the 27-year-old unavailable for at least the next four contests. With the Giants’ attention increasingly turning to the draft now that the playoffs are officially out of reach, playing Lawrence could incur an unnecessary risk of further injury. The Clemson product has only missed two games to date during his career.

Lawrence posted a league-leading nine sacks during the first seven games of the campaign, setting a new career high and further cementing his status as an instrumental member of the Giants’ defense. The former first-rounder has been held without a sack over each of the past five contests, but he has remained an impactful contributor against the run amidst other injuries suffered along the D-line. D.J. Davidson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches also exited yesterday’s game, so being without Lawrence the rest of the way could leave the unit particularly shorthanded. Three more years remain on Lawrence’s $22.5MM-per-year extension, so taking a long-term approach with respect to his recovery would be feasible from the team’s perspective.

“I’m breathing, I’m smiling. As far as the game, I’ll be back,” Lawrence said. “Don’t really know a timeline right now, but I fight through a lot so no telling. My journey now is to be able to recover and come back.”

Giants To Start Drew Lock In Week 13

November 28th, 2024 at 11:38am CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 28: Raanan and colleague Adam Schefter report DeVito is expected to be out today, leaving Lock in position to start. Depending on how his pregame warm-up goes, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport notes DeVito could serve as New York’s backup or emergency third quarterback. With hours remaining until kickoff, though, today’s updates point further toward Lock getting the nod.

NOVEMBER 27: Although Brian Daboll declared Tommy DeVito would remain the Giants’ starter for their Week 13 Thanksgiving matchup in Dallas, the popular New York passer has run into injury trouble.

DeVito is not traveling with the Giants to Dallas today, the team announced. A forearm injury has required more testing, with NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo noting the team’s current QB1 is on track to depart for Dallas later today. But DeVito may ultimately end up taking a seat.

It looks like a long shot DeVito will be ready to play on a short week, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan tweets. That will move Drew Lock into the lineup. Lock had been Daniel Jones‘ backup all season, only to see Daboll look past him for DeVito in Week 12. Lock, who is tied to a one-year contract, is now on track to make his first start with the Giants. Tim Boyle, signed shortly after the Giants benched Jones, would be Lock’s backup if DeVito is inactive.

DeVito did not appear on the Giants’ injury report going into Tuesday but has since been listed as questionable for the team’s Cowboys rematch. The injury is to DeVito’s right arm, Daboll said (via SNY’s Connor Hughes), raising the hurdle for the 2023 UDFA to clear in time for Thursday. Multiple Giants reporters, Hughes among them, have speculated DeVito sustained the injury on a play with 11 seconds remaining in the Giants’ 30-7 loss to the Buccaneers.

Lock signed a one-year, $5MM deal with the Giants in March. While Seahawks GM John Schneider suggested the move was based largely on Lock receiving a chance to compete with Jones, that never ended up happening. The team did not hold a competition, and Lock settled into a backup role for the fourth straight season. A Broncos starter to close the 2019 season and throughout 2020, Lock ended up demoted — for Teddy Bridgewater — after an erratic 2020 slate in which he led the NFL in INTs. He did not beat out Geno Smith in 2022, upon being included in the Russell Wilson trade, through he did re-sign with the Seahawks last year.

DeVito leads Lock in starts over the past two seasons, making seven to Lock’s two, but the latter has 23 over the course of his career. The former second-round pick also led the Seahawks to a Monday-night win over the Eagles last season, with that victory coming as Philadelphia’s defense was mid-freefall. Lock can boost his 2025 free agency stock by playing well Thursday, in what is regularly the NFL’s most-watched regular-season game, and could certainly influence Daboll to give him more starts to close this season.

As Jones has since signed with the Vikings, DeVito and Lock may well need to offer competence in order for Daboll to keep his job. The Giants are rumored to be prepared to keep both GM Joe Schoen and Daboll, but an ugly Bucs loss coming out of a bye week did not present good optics. With the Jones re-signing backfiring, neither New York power broker should be too comfortable over this season’s homestretch.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/27/24

November 27th, 2024 at 6:50pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor transactions, including some standard gameday practice squad elevations for the Thanksgiving Day slate:

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

  • Designated to return from IR: CB Myles Harden

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Vikings’ release of Murphy is disappointing one for the organization for sure. The rookie pass rusher out of UCLA was not healthy enough to be on the active roster to start the season, but Minnesota liked him enough to dedicate one of their eight IR activations on him in August. He was activated yesterday but hit waivers today. If he clears the waivers, he’ll be available to sign to the team’s practice squad.

Adams has seen his biggest NFL roles during his time in Pittsburgh. Though he hasn’t gotten the same number of starts as he had in 2022 and 2023, he’s continued the same level of production. After missing the last four games, he’ll be looking to return to the field soon.

2024 NFL Dead Money, By Team

November 27th, 2024 at 12:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants making the decision to waive Daniel Jones, rather than keep him around ahead of a potential 2025 post-June 1 cut designation, changed their dead money outlook for this year and next. Here is how their new total fits in with the rest of the teams’ numbers for dead money — cap space allocated to players no longer on the roster — entering the final third of the regular season. Numbers courtesy of OverTheCap.

  1. Denver Broncos: $85.21MM
  2. New York Giants: $79.57MM
  3. Minnesota Vikings: $69.83MM
  4. Buffalo Bills: $68.47MM
  5. Carolina Panthers: $68.28MM
  6. Green Bay Packers: $65.53MM
  7. Tennessee Titans: $62.89MM
  8. Philadelphia Eagles: $61.95MM
  9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $60.64MM
  10. New Orleans Saints: $59.44MM
  11. New York Jets: $59.24MM
  12. Los Angeles Chargers: $58.62MM
  13. New England Patriots: $53.37MM
  14. Miami Dolphins: $52.28MM
  15. Seattle Seahawks: $52MM
  16. Jacksonville Jaguars: $51.2MM
  17. Las Vegas Raiders: $49.37MM
  18. Washington Commanders: $42.81MM
  19. Houston Texans: $39.28MM
  20. Cleveland Browns: $38.79MM
  21. Los Angeles Rams: $34.63MM
  22. Detroit Lions: $33.71MM
  23. Pittsburgh Steelers: $30.18MM
  24. Chicago Bears: $29.65MM
  25. Arizona Cardinals: $29.35MM
  26. San Francisco 49ers: $26.91MM
  27. Dallas Cowboys: $26.79MM
  28. Baltimore Ravens: $21.35MM
  29. Kansas City Chiefs: $12.65MM
  30. Indianapolis Colts: $11.8MM
  31. Atlanta Falcons: $11.55MM
  32. Cincinnati Bengals: $9.11MM

The Jones release moved more than $13MM of dead cap onto the Giants’ 2024 payroll. More significantly, the Giants granting Jones an early exit — after a contract-driven benching — will prevent the team from designating him a post-June 1 cut next year. The Giants will take on $22.2MM in dead money in 2025, rather than being able to split that bill over two offseasons. The team also took on more than $10MM in dead money this year due to the 2023 Leonard Williams trade.

This year’s most egregious dead money offender has been known for months. The Broncos’ contract-driven Russell Wilson benching last year preceded a historic release, which saddled the team with more than $83MM in total dead money. A small cap credit is set to come in 2025 (via Wilson’s veteran-minimum Pittsburgh pact), but for this year, $53MM in dead cap hit Denver’s payroll as a result of the the quarterback’s release.

The Broncos more than doubled the previous single-player dead money record, which the Falcons held ($40.5MM) for trading Matt Ryan), and they will be on the hook for the final $30MM-plus in 2025. Beyond Wilson, no other ex-Bronco counts more than $7.5MM in dead money. In terms of total dead cap, however, the Broncos barely check in north of the Buccaneers and Rams’ 2023 totals. Denver is trying to follow those teams’ lead in rallying back to make the playoffs despite nearly a third of its 2024 payroll tied up in dead cap.

Twenty-two players represent dead money for the Saints, who have seen their total updated since the Marshon Lattimore trade. Rather than restructure-crazed GM Mickey Loomis using the Lattimore contract once again to create cap space next year, the Saints will take on the highest non-QB dead money hit in NFL history. Lattimore counts $14MM in that category this year before the contract shifts to a whopping $31.66MM in dead cap on New Orleans’ 2025 payroll. Considering the Saints are again in their own sector for cap trouble next year ($62MM-plus over), the Lattimore trade will create some issues as the team attempts to rebound post-Dennis Allen.

Two 2023 restructures ballooned the Vikings’ figure toward $70MM. Void years on Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter‘s deals combined for more than $43MM in dead money. Minnesota also ate nearly $7MM from the void years on Marcus Davenport‘s one-year contract, while the release of 2022 first-rounder Lewis Cine (currently on the Bills’ practice squad) accounted for more than $5MM.

Free from the Tom Brady dead money that comprised a chunk of their 2023 cap, the Bucs still have eight-figure hits from the Carlton Davis trade and Mike Evans‘ previous contract voiding not long before the sides agreed on a new deal. Elsewhere in the NFC South, three of the players given multiyear deals in 2023 — Vonn Bell, Hayden Hurst, Bradley Bozeman — being moved off the roster in GM Dan Morgan‘s first offseason represent nearly half of Carolina’s dead cap.

 

Giants Claim TE Greg Dulcich, Place Azeez Ojulari On IR

November 26th, 2024 at 3:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Greg Dulcich has not delivered much in the way of production since his rookie year, but the early promise — and a third-round contract — generated expected interest on the waiver wire. The Giants, who hold the top waiver priority, are stepping in.

Months after Darren Waller retired, the Giants did not let the former Broncos tight end fall too far on the wire. They have claimed his through-2025 contract, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Dulcich had been a healthy scratch for an extended period this season; he should have some more opportunities in New York.

The Giants will accommodate Dulcich’s contract by moving one of their top defenders to IR. Azeez Ojulari, amid a bounce-back season, is heading to the injured list, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds. A toe injury will send the contract-year rusher off the roster. Ojulari does not need surgery, but with the Giants down to six games remaining, a chance he is shut down for the season’s remainder also presumably exists. This marks the third straight season Ojulari will land on IR.

Ojulari generated extensive trade interest, but the Giants — as they did with contract-year wide receiver Darius Slayton — stood pat. The former second-round pick arrived under GM Dave Gettleman and saw the Giants make a blockbuster trade (to acquire Brian Burns) to replace him. A Kayvon Thibodeaux wrist injury, however, moved Ojulari back into the starting lineup. He accumulated six sacks this season, helping the Giants reach the NFL lead in sacks for a stretch despite their struggles overall. New York currently sits fifth in sacks, with 36.

Big Blue had sought a fourth- or fifth-round pick for Ojulari at the deadline but held onto him. Ojulari started five games in Thibodeaux’s absence, but the former No. 5 overall pick returned to action in Week 12. The Burns trade and the Giants’ ability to keep Thibodeaux on his rookie deal through 2026 (via the fifth-year option) looks likely to move Ojulari elsewhere in 2025. His production spurt this season should produce a nice market, but injury troubles have become an issue over the course of his career.

Chosen 50th overall out of Georgia, Ojulari posted eight sacks during a promising rookie season. He landed on IR in 2022 and 2023, due to calf and ankle injuries. Ojulari’s 2023 season featured just 2.5 sacks. Ojulari having tallied 22 over the course of his New York run should still make him an attractive piece in free agency, and the Giants — depending on their free agency activity — would stand to pick up a 2026 compensatory selection if/when he departs.

As for Dulcich, his most notable work came two years ago. Despite entering the NFL for a Broncos team trying to make a doomed Nathaniel Hackett–Russell Wilson partnership work. Dulcich totaled 33 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns. However, chronic hamstring trouble intervened. Dulcich needed four IR stays combined between 2022 and ’23; three of those came about because of hamstring trouble. Dulcich played only 32 offensive snaps last season, and while he overcame the hamstring issue this year, the Broncos have given their tight end snaps to Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull.

The Giants saw Waller become a New York one-and-done, retiring after another injury-plagued season. The retirement did not come until after the draft, leading the Giants to go into the season shorthanded. The team did draft Theo Johnson in the fourth round and has used him as a 10-game starter. Johnson has 24 receptions for 277 yards this season. Dulcich, 24, has less than $400K left in 2024 salary; he is due a nonguaranteed $1.42MM in 2025.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

November 25th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Week 12 slate of games is in the books. For many teams, attention is increasingly turning toward the offseason with a playoff berth no longer in reach.

Plenty of time remains for the draft order to change over the coming months, and it will be interesting to see which teams wind up in position to add at the quarterback spot in particular. The crop of prospects for 2025 is not held in high regard after Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, meaning the demand for potential franchise passers is set to outweigh demand at the top of the board. Of course, players like Sanders’ Colorado teammate Travis Hunter will be among the ones worth watching closely as well.

The Jets have moved on from head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, inviting questions about a reset under center as well. Aaron Rodgers wants to play in 2025, but it remains to be seen how his relationship with the organization will take shape down the stretch and if a new regime will prefer to move on at the position. The Giants, meanwhile, confirmed they will be in the market for a new signal-caller with Daniel Jones no longer in the fold.

Teams such as the Raiders have long been mentioned as a team to watch regarding a rookie QB pursuit. Jayden Daniels was a target for head coach Antonio Pierce last spring, and it would come as no surprise if Vegas were to make a push for a long-term starting option this time around. Other franchises not on track to qualify for the playoffs figure to give the Raiders plenty of competition in that department, though.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars: 2-9
  2. New York Giants: 2-9
  3. Las Vegas Raiders: 2-9
  4. New England Patriots: 3-9
  5. Carolina Panthers: 3-8
  6. Tennessee Titans: 3-8
  7. New York Jets: 3-8
  8. Cleveland Browns: 3-8
  9. New Orleans Saints: 4-7
  10. Cincinnati Bengals: 4-7
  11. Dallas Cowboys: 4-7
  12. Chicago Bears: 4-7
  13. Indianapolis Colts: 5-7
  14. Miami Dolphins: 5-6
  15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5-6
  16. Los Angeles Rams: 5-6
  17. San Francisco 49ers: 5-6
  18. Arizona Cardinals: 6-5
  19. Atlanta Falcons: 6-5
  20. Seattle Seahawks: 6-5
  21. Washington Commanders: 7-5
  22. Houston Texans: 7-5
  23. Denver Broncos: 7-5
  24. Los Angeles Chargers: 7-4
  25. Baltimore Ravens: 8-4
  26. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-3
  27. Green Bay Packers: 8-3
  28. Minnesota Vikings: 9-2
  29. Philadelphia Eagles: 9-2
  30. Buffalo Bills: 9-2
  31. Kansas City Chiefs: 10-1
  32. Detroit Lions: 10-1

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/25/24

November 25th, 2024 at 7:16pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

With Blake Ferguson still injured and the Dolphins having used Tucker Addington‘s three promotions, the Dolphins are turning to a new long snapper. In comes Zach Triner, who is coming off a long stint in Tampa Bay. Triner ultimately spent five-plus seasons with the Buccaneers, getting into 81 games. He was cut by the team earlier this month after his replacement, Evan Deckers, returned from injury.

The Eagles are set to add K.J. Henry to their practice squad, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The 2023 fifth-round pick has already bounced around the league in his short career, spending time with the Commanders, Bengals, and Cowboys. He cleared waivers today after getting cut by the Cowboys this past weekend. The defensive end got into a pair of games for Dallas this season, and he’s collected three sacks in 17 career games.

Giants Intend To Start Tommy DeVito In Week 13

November 25th, 2024 at 11:54am CST by Adam La Rose

The start of the post-Daniel Jones era did not go well for the Giants. The team’s lopsided Week 12 loss will not lead to another change on the quarterback depth chart, however.

Head coach Brian Daboll said after Sunday’s 30-7 loss that Tommy DeVito will get the start on Thanksgiving if healthy. DeVito was forced to briefly exit the game during New York’s final drive before returning. His status will be worth watching closely over the coming days, but Daboll said on Monday (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo) he is “hopeful” DeVito will be available on a quick turnaround.

Jones was benched in the wake of New York’s loss against Carolina in Munich. That move did not come as a total surprise given the Giants’ record and the looming 2025 injury guarantee in Jones’ pact. Eyebrows were raised, though, when it was DeVito – not Drew Lock – who got the nod for Week 12. Lock had dressed as the backup all season, with DeVito serving as New York’s emergency third quarterback.

Lock inked a one-year, $5MM deal in free agency to operate as the Giants’ QB2. Despite that, Jones’ benching paved the way for DeVito to return to the lineup after he stepped in late in 2023. The former UDFA posted underwhelming numbers during his audition period last year, and on Sunday he threw for 189 scoreless yards at an average of 6.1 yards per attempt. He has the backing of the coaching staff, however, and Garafolo reports DeVito himself believes he will be at full strength for Thanksgiving’s contest against the Cowboys.

With the Giants sitting at 2-9 on the year, they are on track to have the chance to draft a new franchise passer this spring. Their spot in the order will depend in part on their showings over the coming weeks, including DeVito’s ability to lead the offense to improved performances compared to Sunday. A matchup with Dallas could provide a strong opportunity to do so, but struggles could give Daboll increased incentive to turn to Lock.

Plenty of speculation has been tied to the future of Daboll and Giants general manager Joe Schoen, although both could remain in place through the offseason. The decision to start DeVito had previously been tied to the potential of Daboll being on the hot seat, but for at least the time being that move is on track to be repeated.

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