HEADLINES

Parris Campbell In Lead For Eagles’ No. 3 WR Role?

June 8th, 2024 at 12:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Parris Campbell‘s Giants tenure ended with a run of healthy scratches. Despite the struggling team not exactly sporting a deep receiving corps, Brian Daboll and Co. deemed the former second-round pick unworthy of a gameday gig in the final five games of the 2023 campaign.

That did not lead to extensive interest during Campbell’s second free agency foray. The former Colts draftee, however, has stayed healthy over the past two seasons — after a litany of injuries hounded him for most of his Indianapolis tenure — and has a history with his new coach. The Colts drafted Campbell during Nick Sirianni‘s time as OC, and the two overlapped for two years in Indy. Campbell, 26, now appears to have a real shot at going from Giants scratch to Eagles regular.

Unable to rely on their slot position for a bit now, the Eagles took a flier on Campbell (one year, $1.29MM). Philly’s offseason program has wrapped, but after this week’s minicamp, Campbell appears to be in the lead to play alongside A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. The veteran slot receiver received the bulk of the first-team reps in the WR3 role this week, per 94WIP.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks, who called this competition — ahead of training camp, at least — Campbell’s to lose.

The Eagles helped set the receiver market this offseason, authorizing extensions for Smith and Brown in April. With wideouts tied to $32MM- and $25MM-per-year deals and several big payments in place on offense, money is obviously limited elsewhere at wide receiver. The Eagles did use fifth- and sixth-round draft choices on wideouts (Johnny Wilson, Ainias Smith) this year, and they offered an offseason roster spot to former top-10 pick John Ross, who has unretired to join the team. Campbell’s profile features inconsistency, but he brings more experience as a regular than anyone else vying for the Brown-Smith sidekick role.

The former Ohio State standout flashed for the Colts during Sirianni’s time in Indianapolis, but he also missed 25 games due to various injuries from 2019-21. During a chaotic 2022 Colts season, Campbell quietly stayed healthy and totaled 63 receptions for 623 yards and three touchdowns. This came for a 4-13 team that started three quarterbacks and used two play-callers. The Giants did not see much from Campbell, though they also slogged through a three-QB season. Campbell caught just 20 passes for 104 yards, underwhelming on a one-year, $4.7MM deal.

Before the 6-foot-1 target’s Giants season ended, he understandably expressed a desire for a fresh start. The Eagles, who bring more QB stability than Campbell has seen over the course of his career, are providing it.

Working with Andrew Luck only during the offseason before the standout passer’s abrupt retirement, Campbell has never played with the same starting QB in consecutive seasons. It will be interesting to see if the Eagles see enough from him this season to consider a longer-term role for him in their Jalen Hurts-led offense. Quez Watkins‘ production trended downward after a 647-yard 2021, and the team’s Julio Jones and Olamide Zaccheaus contracts last year did not lead to much of consequence from the WR3 spot.

Ross also saw extensive time during Philly’s minicamp, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff Neiburg, while return man Britain Covey remains in the picture. Ross, 27, has not seen any game action since 2021. The former Combine 40-yard dash record holder (4.22 seconds) seizing a roster spot would surprise, given his NFL offerings, but his preseason work will be worth monitoring as the Eagles attempt to improve in a passing attack that will still run through Brown, Smith and Dallas Goedert.

Evan Brown Favorite For Cardinals’ LG Job; Latest On Paris Johnson Jr.’s Position Change

June 8th, 2024 at 10:44am CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Cardinals swapped out D.J. Humphries‘ veteran contract for new right tackle Jonah Williams‘, the team is keeping costs low along its offensive front. Only one player — Williams — is tied to a deal worth more than $7.5MM per year.

Paris Johnson Jr.‘s first-round salary checks in behind Williams’ $15MM-per-year pact at this Cardinals position group. Among Arizona’s interior O-line, backup-level salaries are present. One of those is allocated to Evan Brown, who signed a one-year, $2.35MM contract with the team in March. Brown spent last season as the Seahawks’ starting center, but he will shift positions once again.

The Cardinals have installed Brown at guard, and the Arizona Republic’s Bob McManaman notes the veteran is in the lead to win the team’s left guard post. While a host of competitors are vying with Brown for the only undecided spot along Arizona’s offensive front, Brown came to the desert after three seasons as an O-line regular.

The Seahawks used Brown as a 16-game center starter last season. That came after Brown worked as a fill-in starter in back-to-back seasons in Detroit. The Lions plugged Brown in as a Frank Ragnow injury replacement in 2021; that season brought 12 starts for the former UDFA. He operated as Halapoulivaati Vaitai‘s RG fill-in during the 2022 season. All 40 of Brown’s career starts came over the past three seasons, as he bounced around between four teams from 2018-20.

Brown, 27, played for similar terms in Seattle (one year, $2.25MM) to plug a hole created by Austin Blythe‘s retirement. Pro Football Focus graded Brown as a bottom-tier center in 2023, slotting him 27th last season. The advanced metrics site viewed Brown’s pass protection as an issue in 2022 as well, though it graded the former UDFA as much better in that department as a center in 2021. As the Cardinals continue to rebuild, Brown will attempt to hold off some competitors — including last season’s Week 1 starter at the position — on an inexpensive front featuring another journeyman starter.

Hjalte Froholdt, a 2019 fourth-rounder who played for three teams from 2019-21, is entrenched as the team’s center. Will Hernandez is locked in as the team’s right guard, McManaman adds. Brown will battle LG incumbent Elijah Wilkinson (nine starts last season), Trystan Castillo-Colon, Carter O’Donnell and third-rounder Isaiah Adams in the primary competition for the job. Adams’ presence figures to be important here, though the Cardinals appear to be planning to ease the Day 2 draftee into the mix slowly. Brown is a stopgap guard option, and Jonathan Gannon said he is also seeing time at center — perhaps in preparation for a swing role if Adams becomes the LG starter.

Johnson and Williams, of course, are locked in as starters as well. Johnson is making the switch from full-time right tackle as a rookie to the left side. This aligns with D.J. Humphries‘ trajectory, as the former first-rounder moved from RT to LT after one season as a starter. Johnson is now replacing Humphries, and McManaman adds the 2023 No. 6 overall pick began preparing for the position switch before officially receiving word it was a go. Noting he and Humphries still communicate regularly, Johnson — an All-American left tackle at Ohio State in 2022 — said the Cardinals informed him a switch could happen depending on how free agency unfolded.

“I got a text one day and it said, ‘Hey, can you play left?’” Johnson said. “I’ve been training both. I asked after the season and they were like, ‘Honestly, we’ll talk to you at some point in the season,’ and I got a text, and it was like, ‘Depending on what happens in free agency.

“I had a whole season at right tackle, so if I get the word I’m staying at right tackle, I’ll just do what I did before. But I thought I might as well train at left tackle now as if I’m going to be left tackle. I’d rather do that than train all at right tackle and get the call, ‘Hey you’re at left tackle now.’ … I was just preparing in advance.”

Humphries, the Cardinals’ LT starter for seven seasons, remains a free agent. Johnson is under contract through the 2026 season. Kelvin Beachum remains in place as a swingman behind Johnson and Williams, who is staying at the position he played — following a trade request based on a left tackle role — in his Bengals contract year.

Lions Docked OTA Session

June 8th, 2024 at 9:42am CST by Sam Robinson

NFL offseasons occasionally feature teams running into CBA-driven trouble due to overly physical workouts. This year, the Lions have run afoul of the league’s policy on OTA contact.

The defending NFC North champions revealed the NFL and NFLPA informed them of a late-May OTA violation. The team conducted at least one workout deemed too physical for the offseason setting. Per usual in this sort of violation, the NFL docked the Lions a future OTA day. Detroit’s Monday session will be canceled, the team announced.

Far from the first team to encounter an issue stemming from its offseason program, the Lions still have multiple OTA sessions scheduled. The team conducted its minicamp, usually the final part of clubs’ offseason itineraries, this week but had three more OTAs set for June 10-12. That number will be trimmed to two before the Lions disperse before training camp in late July.

OTA workouts do not feature pads, as the past two CBAs have significantly restricted the number of padded practices teams can conduct either in-season or ahead of it. Players traded part of their revenue split for improved working conditions. Since 2011, that has meant a limited offseason program and a low cap on the number of padded workouts permissible during a season. As a result, shoulder pads do not come on until several days into training camp.

This news comes as the NFLPA plans to unveil a polarizing plan to restructure the offseason program. The union’s rumored offering will eliminate OTAs from the calendar, extending the break between the season and the following training camp. Although the proposed setup would include a lengthy ramp-up period ahead of training camp, the union’s plan cutting into the calendar’s summer break has generated pushback among NFL staffers — and some players — who use the June-July off period to spend time with family.

Cameron Heyward Seeking Two-Year Extension, Wants To Finish Career With Steelers

June 7th, 2024 at 10:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Cameron Heyward has made it known he wants another Steelers extension, and the team typically completes deals with its re-up candidates before Week 1. As of now, the standout defensive lineman remains tied to the four-year, $65.6MM contract he signed back in 2020.

The Steelers have Heyward tied to a $16MM base salary and $22.4MM cap number this year, with the deal expiring after the 2024 season. Coming off an injury-plagued season, Heyward has still been one of the best defensive linemen in Steelers history. He ripped off a run of six Pro Bowls and four All-Pro nods (three as a first-teamer) from 2017-22 and does not look to be planning a near-future retirement.

Heyward is believed to be targeting a two-year deal ahead of his age-35 season, according to The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (subscription required). This comes after a Heyward comment in January that did not guarantee he would even return for the 2024 season. The 2011 first-round pick signing a fourth Steelers contract would drop his 2024 cap number, but no agreement appears imminent.

Heyward did, however, return to OTAs this week after missing some time due to this contract situation. And he has no designs on testing free agency in 2025.

“There has been communication but nothing really to report on right now,” Heyward said of contract talks. “There are certain guys who are one-helmet guys. I want to be one of these one-helmet guys. There is a hunger and desire there, but that doesn’t mean hanging it up and calling it a career. I have more bullets to fire.”

Teaming with T.J. Watt to form one of the NFL’s best inside-outside pass-rushing duos in the modern era, Heyward said (via Kaboly) he is aiming to play through at least 2026. That would explain the two-year extension pursuit. It is not known what the Steelers have offered, if anything, at this point, but Heyward is coming off a down season.

The longtime interior D-lineman missed six games and underwent two surgeries — both groin procedures, the second of which coming just after the season — in a five-month span. Heyward finished last season with just two sacks and six tackles for loss, numbers out of step with the upper-echelon work he displayed in recent years. It would make sense if the Steelers were hesitant about authorizing another extension, seeing as Heyward’s production dipped during his injury-shortened season. Heyward is also the NFL’s oldest active D-lineman, though he is just two months older than the Saints’ Cameron Jordan.

The latter 2011 first-round draftee’s two-year, $26.5MM extension could be a roadmap for the Steelers, even if the two Cams do not function in the same role despite both technically labeled defensive ends. The Steelers’ 3-4 scheme features extensive inside-rushing work from Heyward, whereas Jordan has operated as an edge rusher throughout his career. Both Heyward and Jordan made the Pro Bowl each year from 2017-22.

The D-tackle market, after a 2023 boom that created a second tier and then this offseason’s Chris Jones and Christian Wilkins pacts, has changed dramatically since the Steelers extended Heyward in 2020. The impact defender — attached to a $16.4MM-per-year number — has dropped to 20th at his position in terms of AAV.

“I am looking to be here,” Heyward said. “The value is what we decide, but I think, for me, I want to be valued at my position. I understand I came off a rough season, but I don’t think it is a step down of where I can play. I think when I’m at the top of my game, I’m still a top-five player at my position. I play the run and the pass and I bring leadership, and it’s not anything I discount.”

Unless a new deal comes together quickly, Kaboly adds Heyward is not certain to participate in Pittsburgh’s minicamp. The veteran will attend, however. He staged a hold-in back in 2020, as a new CBA with language designed to curb holdouts was ratified, before signing his four-year extension.

The Steelers have both Watt and Alex Highsmith signed to big-ticket deals, and Minkah Fitzpatrick remains tied to a top-three safety accord. The team gave Patrick Queen a three-year, $41MM contract in March. The team is saving considerable money at quarterback due to its Russell Wilson–Justin Fields setup. With Diontae Johnson off the roster, no eight-figure-per-year contract is present on the offensive side of the ball for the Steelers.

This setup opens the door for defensive spending, but the Steelers’ front office will need to gauge how much more Heyward contributions it can expect as he aims to play into his late 30s.

Mekhi Becton Aiming To Remain With Eagles Long Term, Seeing Reps At Guard

June 7th, 2024 at 10:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Mekhi Becton‘s run with the Jets did not go according to plan, and to no surprise his free agent value was not high. The former first-round pick inked a one-year, $2.75MM deal with the Eagles this offseason.

Becton dealt with injuries which limited him to a single game between the 2021 and ’22 campaigns. He managed to return to the fold last year, serving primarily as the team’s blindside blocker. In spite of that, it came as no surprise that the Jets elected to move in a different direction at both tackle spots (trading for Morgan Moses and signing Tyron Smith before drafting Olu Fashanu).

As a result, Becton is set to take part in a ‘prove it’ season with Philadelphia in 2024. His future will depend in large part on his level of play when on the field, but regardless of what happens in that respect the 25-year-old is hoping to remain with the Eagles for the foreseeable future. When speaking about his situation, Becton made it clear he hopes to avoid another free agent move next offseason.

“I want it to be long term” the Louisville alum said of his Eagles tenure, via PHLY’s Zach Berman. “I love this city of Philly. I love the people here, I love the fans. I hope it’s long term.” 

Becton’s NFL career has not yet consisted of work at guard, but that could change with his new team. The Eagles (set at both tackle spots with Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson) have been using him at guard in addition to taking tackle reps, Johnson recently noted (via NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro). Becton has even seen some first-team reps along the interior, as detailed by The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane.

The Eagles have Landon Dickerson attached to the league’s most lucrative guard deal (four years, $84MM) after he signed an extension this offseason. The right guard spot is currently open with Cam Jurgens sliding over to center, but Tyler Steen is currently the favorite to win that position. Philadelphia added experienced guard depth recently with the signing of Max Scharping.

Becton will be a member of that group as the RG competition continues through the summer. Especially if he were to carve out a notable role, he could see significant playing time in Philadelphia. That would increase the chances of the team being willing to meet his desire for a long-term relationship.

Latest On Ravens’ Offensive Line

June 7th, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens’ offensive line is set to look very different from the group that started throughout their 14-3 campaign last year. Baltimore was home to the league’s MVP winner and top rushing offense thanks in part due to the contributions of right tackle Morgan Moses (now with the Jets), right guard Kevin Zeitler (now with the Lions), and left guard John Simpson (also with the Jets). With the departures of Moses, Zeitler, and Simpson, the team needed to address three starting positions along the offensive front this offseason.

The Ravens will see a few familiar faces return to start in 2024. Tyler Linderbaum, who has excelled since being drafted in the first round in 2022, will return with two years and a fifth-year option remaining on his contract. He has been the top-billed center as advertised, grading in the top seven players at the position each year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Ronnie Stanley also returns at left tackle. The blindside blocker’s inability to stay on the field continued in 2023, though with marked improvement. Though he made 13 starts last year, he only played 100 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in four of those games, often subbing out to be replaced by swing tackle Patrick Mekari.

Mekari returns, as well, set to reprise his usual role as the sixth man on the offensive line. At this point in his career, the veteran Cal product has started games at every position along the offensive line, often grading out better than the players he replaces. Mekari’s value as an emergency starter at any position makes it hard to dedicate him to a single starting spot, but at the end of the day, Baltimore is going to want to start its five best linemen.

To fill the three starting positions vacated, the Ravens are looking internally at draft picks from the past four years. At right tackle, rookie second-round pick Roger Rosengarten is expected to start at some point this year, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN, a bit more certain of a prediction than we had previously received on the subject. The Washington product will compete for the job with 2022 fourth-round selection Daniel Faalele. Faalele has only seen one start in his two years of play, but thanks to the continuous injuries to veterans like Stanley and Moses, Faalele has gotten a good number of injury-relief snaps with the first-team offense.

The drafted players competing for the two guard spots are 2021 third-round pick Ben Cleveland and last year’s sixth- and seventh-round picks, respectively, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Andrew Vorhees. Cleveland has made starts in each year since getting drafted (seven starts total) but has failed to give Baltimore enough confidence to hand him the reins to the starting role. His starts have always come at the end of the season, usually when the team’s postseason fate has already been decided. In the team’s past two postseason appearances, Cleveland has failed to make a start despite staring the final games in each season.

Aumavae-Laulu and Vorhees are both interesting cases. Aumavae-Laulu was a finalist for the starting left guard job last offseason as a rookie, eventually losing out to Simpson. After not landing the gig, Aumavae-Laulu essentially served a redshirt season, failing to make an appearance in 2023. Vorhees joined Aumavae-Laulu in his redshirt season, recovering from an ACL tear suffered at the scouting combine last year. The USC product was widely viewed as a first- or second-round pick before the injury, allowing the Ravens to bookmark the seventh-rounder as an eventual candidate to start once healthy. Vorhees was also viewed as a candidate to start at right tackle before the draft, but with Rosengarten joining the locker room, Vorhees can likely focus on the interior.

There is at least one outside candidate vying for a starting role. Baltimore signed Josh Jones in free agency back in March as a potential competitor for a starting guard role. Jones has plenty of starting experience over his time with the Cardinals and Texans, starting 24 of 60 game appearances at both guard and tackle. Even if he can’t beat out Cleveland, Aumavae-Laulu, or Vorhees for a starting gig, he could join Mekari as one of two extremely versatile backups.

In the end, there is a lot to look forward to in offseason position battles. Linderbaum and Stanley seem fixed at their center and left tackle starting spots, respectively. Rosengarten should start at right tackle eventually, and if he’s not ready to start Week 1, Mekari, Faalele, Jones, or even Vorhees could man the spot in the meantime. The guard spots are mostly blind right now as the Ravens wait to see who develops into the roles best out of Cleveland, Aumavae-Laulu, Vorhees, and Jones. Expect it to be some combination of two of those four. And even if they fail to earn starting jobs, Mekari and Jones stand to represent two of the stronger backup options in the league and could fill in if any of the new starters falter early.

Regardless of who ends up where, the line is guaranteed to look extremely different in 2024. It will be up to offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris, new assistant offensive line coach Travelle Wharton, and new run game coordinator Travis Switzer to make sure the line is as productive as last year’s unit. Having Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in the backfield should do wonders in helping towards achieving that goal, as well.

AFC South Rumors: Titans, Burks, Scruggs

June 7th, 2024 at 8:35pm CST by Ely Allen

The Titans seem confident in moving forward with second-year passer Will Levis as their starter under center. With Levis’ relative inexperience in the NFL, though, the backup quarterback job has become an important one.

In nine starts as a rookie, Levis struggled with a 3-6 record and only completed 58.4 percent of his passes. Not counting a Week 16 game in which he only saw the first two drives of the contest, Levis averaged 224 passing yards per game in an offense spearheaded by Derrick Henry. He showed considerable poise for a rookie, though, throwing eight touchdowns to only four interceptions and adding a rushing score to his total, as well.

So, despite Levis’ seemingly cemented status as QB1, the backup quarterback job will be a crucial one for the Titans in 2024, and new head coach Brian Callahan told the media that veteran Mason Rudolph and recent third-round pick Malik Willis will compete for the honor, per Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. In two years with the team, Willis has seen limited usage with uninspiring results. Discounting garbage time or gadget play appearances here and there, Willis has made three starts, all coming in his rookie season. In those starts, Willis completed a combined 25 of his 49 pass attempts and didn’t once eclipse 100 passing yards as the offense was focused around Henry.

Rudolph saw his highest usage in 2019 with the Steelers, making eight starts in 10 games as an injury replacement for Ben Roethlisberger alongside Devlin Hodges. Despite going 5-4-1 as a starter while throwing 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions coming into 2022, Rudolph found himself seemingly out of consideration for the starting job as Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett combined for just 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. As those two continued to struggle to produce in 2023, Rudolph helped revive one of the league’s least efficient offenses as it circled the drain, rattling off three straight wins to help keep Mike Tomlin‘s streak of winning seasons alive before ultimately losing the team’s first-round playoff game.

Now, Rudolph and Willis will duke it out for backup duties behind Levis. If Levis struggles, Rudolph provides an ability to fill in as a proven starter. Willis will have a chance to show what he can provide, as well, as he continues to develop at the NFL level.

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

  • Staying in Nashville, Callahan stressed in an interview this week that wide receiver Treylon Burks will have to contribute on special teams in order to justify a roster spot this year, according to Easton Freeze of Broadway Sports Media. We profiled Burks recently as a trade candidate as the acquisitions of Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd pushed him further down the depth chart after a disappointing start for the former first-round selection out of Arkansas. While the Titans may not be willing to give up completely on Burks, they do recognize that his continued presence on the roster means he will need to find other ways to contribute if not on the starting offense.
  • Lastly, former second-round pick Juice Scruggs debuted late into his rookie season last year, starting at left guard for the Texans‘ final six games of the season after coming off injured reserve and replacing an injured Tytus Howard. Originally projected as an NFL center coming out of Penn State, Scruggs is expected to return to his natural position and start for Houston in 2024, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/7/24

June 7th, 2024 at 6:53pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor moves as we head into the weekend:

Cleveland Browns

Jacksonville Jaguars

Philadelphia Eagles

After getting drafted in the third round out of Ohio State, Davis has yet to make a start in his first three seasons. Despite competing for a starting job in the offseason before his sophomore campaign in Minnesota, Davis was waived as part of the team’s final roster cuts. Since then, he’s bounced around from the Giants to the Saints, Cardinals, and back to New York. He’ll now add some depth in Cleveland.

Anderson finds his away to Jacksonville shortly after getting waived by the division-rival Colts yesterday. The Texas Tech-product saw his biggest contribution in 12 games with two starts in 2022 for the Giants.

Like Davis and Anderson, Nickerson has bounced between several teams since entering the NFL. After being drafted by the Jets in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Nickerson has spent a year apiece with New York, the Jaguars, the Packers, the Vikings, and most recently, the Dolphins, also spending part of 2019 with the Seahawks. He joins his seventh team in six years with Philadelphia.

Talanoa Hufanga Targeting Week 1 Return; Ji’Ayir Brown Likely To Remain 49ers Starter

June 7th, 2024 at 4:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dre Greenlaw was not the only 49ers defensive standout unavailable for the conclusion of Super Bowl LVIII; the team played the stretch run without All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga. The two-year starter’s late-season ACL tear leaves his status for 2024 in question.

Hufanga suffered the injury during the 49ers’ Thanksgiving win over the Seahawks. It is not certain Hufanga joins Greenlaw as starters sidelined to open the season, but the contract-year DB is still a ways away from being ready to return.

“The goal is to ready by Week 1,” Hufanga said, via 49ersWebZone.com’s David Bonilla. “The goal is to be in training camp, not at the very beginning, but to ramp me up correctly, just so it’s not, ‘Throw you out there to the wolves and good luck.'”

A former fifth-round pick, Hufanga showed himself to be a difference-maker at safety during the 2022 season. He became the second 49ers safety this century, joining Dashon Goldson (2012), to earn first-team All-Pro acclaim. Hufanga, 25, profiles as an extension candidate for a 49ers team flush with those. In the secondary alone, Hufanga joins Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir as contract-year cogs. Ward is targeting a 49ers extension; Hufanga stands to be in this conversation upon return from his knee injury.

After a four-interception 2022, Hufanga picked off three passes before his injury last season. The 49ers moved third-round rookie Ji’Ayir Brown into the lineup alongside Tashaun Gipson. Although Gipson has come up as a player the 49ers would consider re-signing, the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman notes Brown looks to be locked into a starting role. This would shift the conversation of a San Francisco safety addition to that player merely being a placeholder until Hufanga returns.

The 49ers signed De’Vondre Campbell for a gig like this, as the three-year Packers starter is expected to begin the season as a three-down linebacker alongside Fred Warner until Greenlaw returns. Brown moving to a level in which the 49ers feel comfortable using him as a full-timer would change the conversation at safety, and it would give the defending NFC champions a low-cost piece on a team featuring several contract situations. Brown’s rookie contract runs through 2026.

The Penn State product started five games in place of Hufanga during the regular season and was in San Francisco’s lineup for its three playoff outings. He intercepted a Patrick Mahomes pass in the Super Bowl. While Gipson started the past two seasons with the 49ers, the well-traveled veteran has played 12 seasons and is not a lock to pursue a 13th.

San Francisco drafted Malik Mustapha in the fourth round and used All-Pro special-teamer George Odum as the first-stringer alongside Brown during the offseason program. If Gipson does not want to play an age-34 season, the 49ers would have some options as veteran insurance while Hufanga rehabs. A few free agent safeties, however, probably view themselves as overqualified for a placeholder/insurance gig. While the market includes Justin Simmons, Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams, they will likely hold out for a better opportunity. Marcus Maye and Eddie Jackson join this trio as unattached, and opportunities might be scarce come training camp. This should put the 49ers in good position to add if they choose to.

Jaguars Sign Round 1 WR Brian Thomas Jr.

June 7th, 2024 at 3:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

A day after the Jaguars inked second-round pick Maason Smith, they have their top pick locked in. The team announced Brian Thomas Jr. has agreed to terms on his rookie deal Friday.

Chosen 23rd overall, Thomas will be tied to a four-year deal that comes fully guaranteed. The Jaguars will have the option of extending the wide receiver’s contract through 2028 via the fifth-year option. The first of the Jags’ three LSU draftees this year will move forward as the team’s centerpiece of an offseason receiver overhaul.

The Jags have swapped out Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones for Thomas and free agent pickup Gabe Davis. Christian Kirk remains attached to the four-year, $72MM deal he signed in 2022, but his complementary crew has changed. The Jags also added former Ravens All-Pro return man/part-time wideout Devin Duvernay. Ridley joined the Titans, despite a Jags offer, in free agency. Jacksonville released Jones shortly after the draft; he has since committed to Arizona.

Linked to eyeing receivers and cornerbacks in the draft, the Jags went with a 6-foot-3, 209-pound pass catcher. They did so after trading the No. 17 overall pick to the Vikings, sliding down six spots and picking up additional draft assets in doing so. The Vikings sent the Jags No. 167, along with third- and fourth-round picks in the 2025 draft, to move up for Dallas Turner. Trent Baalke‘s team will reap the benefits of that deal next year while hoping Thomas can provide immediate production alongside their veteran WR cadre.

Thomas and fellow first-round wideout Malik Nabers teamed to help Jayden Daniels soar to Heisman honors last season. A bigger target than the No. 6 overall pick, Thomas also used last season to build a Round 1 profile. Not topping 400 receiving yards in either of his first two LSU campaigns, Thomas broke through for 1,177 yards and a Division I-FBS-most 17 touchdown receptions. No other player notched more than 15 receiving TDs last season. Thomas subsequently improved his draft stock by running a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.

Averaging 17.1 yards per catch in 2023, Thomas joins Davis as a deep threat for Trevor Lawrence. This will also qualify as a cheaper WR trio for the Jags, as Ridley was tied to a fifth-year option last season and Jones an $8MM-per-year deal. Davis did sign a three-year, $39MM deal — one packed with three void years to keep the cap hits down — but Thomas will be tied to a rookie deal for four years. Considering only two teams in the fifth-year option era have extended a first-round wideout with two years of rookie-contract control remaining, it represents a safe bet the Jags will ride out Thomas’ rookie deal through 2027.

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