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Lions Not Planning WR Addition; Team Eyeing Increased Role For RB Jahmyr Gibbs

June 2nd, 2024 at 3:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions’ offense will have three pillars (quarterback Jared Goff, right tackle Penei Sewell and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown) in place for years to come given the respective extensions. The latter is the team’s clear-cut leading wideout, but the depth behind him has changed this offseason.

Detroit saw Josh Reynolds depart in free agency when he joined the Broncos. That decision came in spite of the Lions’ efforts to retain him, and it leaves the team without a key role player from last season. St. Brown and 2022 first-rounder Jameson Williams will be counted on in the passing game, as will tight end Sam LaPorta (who enjoyed a stellar rookie campaign last year). Outside additions to augment that trio should not be expected.

Rather, the Lions are positioned to rely on internal options with respect to replaying Reynolds’ production. The veteran posted 608 yards and five touchdowns in 2023, drawing 64 targets (the second-highest figure of his career) along the way. The team could turn to the likes of Kalif Raymond, Donovan Peoples-Jones or Tre’Quan Smith to take on a complementary role in lieu of a free agent signing or trade acquisition.

“It might be someone that didn’t have as much production last year, say an Antoine Green or a Peoples-Jones or some of the guys that we had on the scout team,” offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said on the subject (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “Or it could be some of the other guys… So, that’s what we’re trying to find out here this springtime and in training camp is not just who the guys are that we’ll hang our hats on, but also how we distribute those carries and those targets as the season goes.”

Johnson helped the Lions rank third in total offense and fifth in scoring last season. Expectations will be high for the unit to repeat that success, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs figures to have a prominent role in that regard. The first of Detroit’s two Day 1 selections in 2023 had a strong rookie campaign both on the ground and in the air, racking up 1,261 scrimmage yards and 11 total touchdowns.

As Birkett notes in a separate piece, the Lions are aiming for Gibbs to take on an expanded role in the pass-catching department in 2024. The Alabama product made 52 catches last season, but his 316 yards ranked only sixth on the team. Developing further as a route-runner could allow him to be used in spots other than the backfield, something which would in turn provide Detroit with a improved secondary option in the passing game.

NFL Nearing Conclusion In Falcons, Eagles Tampering Investigations

June 2nd, 2024 at 1:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

NFL investigations are ongoing into potential tampering by the Falcons and Eagles this offseason related to their Kirk Cousins and Saquon Barkley additions. A final outcome could be coming shortly.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports a conclusion in both cases is “likely to come this week.” A similar report emerged close to the start of this year’s draft, but that was quickly met by a formal league announcement stating the investigations would continue. Any draft penalties levied against Atlanta or Philadelphia will therefore affect the 2025 draft.

Schefter’s latest update confirms that of the two teams, the Falcons are believed to have committed a “more significant” tampering violation. As a result, they are positioned to receive a harsher penalty than the Eagles if any league discipline is deemed necessary. The NFL has docked teams draft capital in the past following investigations into inappropriate free agent communications.

The Falcons worked out an agreement with Cousins (four years, $180MM) on March 12, and he has said publicly he spoke with the team’s trainer during the legal tampering period which immediately precedes free agency. Cousins also admitted to offering his recruiting services for Atlanta to sign wideout Darnell Mooney. He did end up inking a Falcons deal, but communication originating from Cousins before his own pact was official would constitute another violation.

In the Eagles’ case, league attention stems from remarks made by Penn State coach James Franklin about direct communication between Barkley and general manager Howie Roseman. Such talks are prohibited during the legal tampering window for players (such as Barkley) who do not represent themselves. The Eagles have denied any wrongdoing, but they could be subject to fines or the loss of draft capital.

The same is true for the Falcons, although owner Arthur Blank has likewise stated he does not believe any violations occurred. Both players will still play for their respective new teams in 2024 and beyond regardless of what happens regarding potential discipline. It will nevertheless be interesting to see if a final decision is made in the coming days.

Ravens Hope OLB David Ojabo Will Be Cleared By Training Camp

June 2nd, 2024 at 11:55am CST by Rory Parks

The Ravens allowed Jadeveon Clowney, who recorded 9.5 sacks in 2023, to depart in free agency, and they have not added a veteran replacement. Additionally, Baltimore did not select a pass rusher until the third round of this year’s draft (Adisa Isaac), so the club will be counting on several young, internal options to step up as it seeks to replicate its league-leading sack production (60 total sacks) from last season.

One such youngster is David Ojabo. The Ravens selected Ojabo in the second round of the 2022 draft, taking a chance on a player with first-round talent whose stock fell because of an Achilles tear he suffered during Michigan’s pro day that year. Since the Ravens knew beforehand that Ojabo would essentially have to redshirt his rookie year, the fact that he appeared in only two games that season did not set off any alarm bells.

Unfortunately, he sustained what was originally described as a knee/ankle injury in the club’s Week 3 loss to the Colts in 2023, and he was later diagnosed with a partially-torn ACL.The four snaps he tooks in that Week 3 contest would be his last action of the 2023 campaign.

In March of this year, head coach John Harbaugh said that Ojabo is healthy and predicted a breakout season for the 24-year-old defender. That may well be the case, but as Matt Ryan of the team’s official website writes, Ojabo has been limited in Baltimore’s offseason work and will not be a full participant in the upcoming mandatory minicamp.

“His timeline, I believe, is somewhere in training camp,” Harbaugh said. “It won’t be minicamp, but it’s at some point in time once we get back for training camp.”

Like Clowney, Kyle Van Noy was a late signing who enjoyed unexpected success in Baltimore’s Mike Macdonald-coordinated defense in 2023, and he was rewarded with a new two-year accord in April. He is now the unquestioned veteran leader of an edge rush group that has plenty of promise in the form of Ojabo, Isaac, and 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh, but little by way of proven production. Of course, the pressure that Justin Madubuike can generate from the interior of the D-line helps to ease the burden of the edge defenders to some degree, though a quality third professional season from Ojabo would obviously be a major boost to the team’s 2024 fortunes and the player’s future earning power.

Baltimore did get a little creative with Ojabo’s roster spot this year, designating the Nigerian-born ‘backer as an international player who qualifies for a roster exemption. That move gives the Ravens the right to carry one more player than they would otherwise be allowed to have.

Patriots Reportedly Made Strong Push for WR Xavier Worthy

June 2nd, 2024 at 8:15am CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots, in an effort to weaponize their offense and give future starting quarterback Drake Maye some receiving talent whenever he takes the reins, selected two receivers in April’s WR-rich draft: Ja’Lynn Polk (No. 37 overall) and Javon Baker (No. 110 overall). The Polk selection in particular has been the subject of significant discussion among prominent NFL reporters and talking heads.

That has nothing to do with Polk himself. Rather, we heard early last month that New England, which originally held the No. 34 overall pick, had attempted to move up to No. 32 to acquire South Carolina wideout Xavier Legette. And on a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, former NFL exec Michael Lombardi said the Patriots were also targeting a different Xavier: Texas receiver and 40-yard dash record holder Xavier Worthy (video link).

The Bills, the original owners of the No. 28 pick, traded that choice to the Chiefs, allowing Buffalo’s playoff tormentors to add Worthy to Patrick Mahomes‘ arsenal. However, Lombardi says that New England was “in high-speed pursuit of Worthy” and “wanted Worthy badly.” Lombardi appears to suggest that while the Patriots made the Bills an offer for the No. 28 choice, Kansas City’s offer — the Nos. 32, 95, and 221 selections in exchange for Nos. 28, 133, and 248 — was more valuable than New England’s.

If that’s the case, one can understand why Bills GM Brandon Beane would have accepted the Chiefs’ proposal, especially since the Patriots and Bills are division rivals. That said, New England is firmly in rebuild mode while Buffalo has immediate championship aspirations and has been repeatedly thwarted by KC in its title pursuits, so handing the Chiefs a player that many believe could become Tyreek Hill 2.0 in Andy Reid‘s offense is a move that will come under plenty of scrutiny should Worthy live up to his potential.

In addition to Worthy, the Bills denied the Patriots a shot at Legette and flipped the No. 32 pick to the Panthers, who moved up one spot to nab the former Gamecock (Buffalo, which had a major WR need of its own, ended up selecting Florida State receiver Keon Coleman with the No. 33 choice that originally belonged to Carolina). After the Chiefs chose Worthy, five wideouts were drafted between Nos. 31 and 37. The Patriots had hoped to move toward the front of that wave, but after Legette went off the board, they stepped back by moving from No. 34 to 37 and landing Polk.

The receivers selected during the late first through early second rounds of the 2024 draft would be compared to each other anyway as their careers unfold, though the fact that multiple clubs were jockeying for position to select specific pass catchers within that window adds another layer of intrigue to those future conversations. At present, it looks as if the Patriots missed out on several of their top targets, but Polk has plenty of upside and may eventually make New England happy that it was unable to swing a draft-day deal with its AFC East foe.

Latest On Raiders’ QB Situation

June 1st, 2024 at 10:56pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Raiders ended up leaving the draft without a quarterback, the team considered rookie signal-callers up until the buzzer. In fact, the team’s previous offseason moves helped set them up for whatever the draft threw their way.

As Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes, the Raiders’ signing of Gardner Minshew was effectively “insurance” in case they couldn’t land one of the draft’s top QB prospects. Considering free agency comes a few months before the draft, the organization added Minshew with the understanding that the veteran could be a seat warmer for a first-round QB or he could be their full-time starter in 2024.

It ended up being the latter. As Bonsignore notes, the Raiders were eager to move up in the draft, but they only had their eyes on the projected top-three picks (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye). The Bears, Commanders, and Patriots were unwilling to budge, and the Raiders front office believed they’d be reaching for the second-tier of QBs at No. 13.

Of course, the Raiders didn’t even have the opportunity to consider a reach, as Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix all flew off the board before it was the Raiders’ turn to pick. Penix may have been the wildcard in this grouping. While Bonsignore notes that no one knows how the front office would have proceeded if the Washington product was there at No. 13, the Raiders never considered moving up the board to acquire the QB.

So, with the organization opting against a rookie QB, the team will be temporarily handing the reigns to either Minshew or Aidan O’Connell. Minshew’s two-year contract includes $15MM guaranteed on a deal worth $25MM. That value may be a bit high for a backup, but it certainly wouldn’t be enough to stop the Raiders from considering other options. O’Connell had a chance to start at the end of the 2023 campaign, with the former fourth-rounder posting a passer rating of 83.9 while registering a 12:7 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals Extension Talks In “Holding Pattern”

June 1st, 2024 at 9:53pm CST by Ben Levine

As the Bengals navigate the Tee Higgins situation, they have another star wideout who’s awaiting some financial security. Ja’Marr Chase is now eligible for an extension, and when the Bengals opened their organized team activities on Tuesday, the receiver was not in attendance.

While Chase’s absence is surely connected to his contract situation, it sounds like Cincy’s hands are currently tied. As ESPN’s Ben Baby points out, Chase and the Bengals are “in a holding pattern” while both sides await Justin Jefferson‘s inevitable extension with the Vikings. As Baby notes, even before Chase was eligible for an extension, the wideout was pointing to Jefferson’s impending deal. The Bengals have continued to make it clear that signing Chase is a priority for the organization, so it’s more a matter of when than if Chase signs a deal.

There isn’t as much urgency in Cincinnati as there is in Minnesota. Jefferson is heading into the final season of his rookie deal, so the Vikings would have to play the franchise-tag game if the two sides can’t hammer out an extension. After predictably having his fifth-year option picked up, Chase still has two years remaining on his rookie contract, so he has the luxury of seeing how negotiations unfold with his former LSU teammate.

Chase, Jefferson, and Cowboys star receiver CeeDee Lamb will be looking to reset the wide receiver market. Amon-Ra St. Brown and A.J. Brown‘s recent extensions pushed that value past a $30MM average annual value. Brown currently paces the position in AAV ($32MM) and total guarantees ($84MM), two marks that will surely be pushed down the list once that aforementioned trio inks their next contracts.

Considering the front office’s commitment to Joe Burrow, Chase’s next deal will further limit the organization’s ability to spend. We’re already seeing this upcoming extension’s influence on the Bengals’ handling of Higgins, so some cost certainty could go a long way for the front office.

Giants’ Brandon Brown Addresses Financial WR Approach

June 1st, 2024 at 9:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

Recent offseasons have seen the top of the wide receiver market reach unprecedented heights. A number of teams around the league have made massive investments in both ascending and established pass-catchers, but the Giants have not been among them under general manager Joe Schoen.

New York inked Kenny Golladay to a four-year, $72MM during Dave Gettleman‘s final year at the helm. That pact proved to be ill-fated, as the ex-Lions Pro Bowler recorded one touchdown catch in 28 combined regular and postseason games. Golladay was released last March, and he remains unsigned.

Under Schoen, the Giants have relied on the draft to fill out the receiver room. Wan’Dale Robinson (second round, 2022), Jalin Hyatt (third round, 2023) and Malik Nabers (first round, 2024) represent the team’s most notable investments along that route. The latter in particular faces major expectations entering his rookie season (although New York attempted to move the No. 6 pick in a trade-up which would have yielded quarterback Drake Maye).

The Nabers-Hyatt-Robinson trio comprises a low-cost group to join veteran Darius Slayton. A contract dispute was recently ended in that case, and $2.15MM now exist in incentives on the final year of his pact. Slayton, fellow veteran Allen Robinson and the Giants’ young WR options are the product of an organizational effort aimed at keeping costs down at the position.

“You see where the wave is going,” assistant general manager Brandon Brown said of the Giants’ financial approach (via Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). “We’ve talked over the years about projecting the market… and you don’t want to be on the wrong end of deals. I think, when you look at how young our receiver corps is, it’s an advantageous position to be in. Just the production, opportunity and the skill set all allows for you to be cost-controlled.”

Fielding a receiving corps lacking in major cap commitments has allowed the Giants to make moves such as the Brian Burns acquisition. The trade for the ex-Panthers edge rusher was accompanied by a five-year, $141MM extension. Of course, the Giants’ offense features a notable investment in the form of quarterback Daniel Jones. He is in place for at least one more season on his $40MM-per-year deal, although the team’s interest in replacing him were understandably not well received.

Questions remain about Jones’ long-term future, but adding a rookie signal-caller would provide the cap flexibility to make a signficant addition at spots such as receiver. Given Brown’s comments, though, the Giants appear content to remain committed to their current approach at one of the league’s premium positions.

RB James Conner Aiming To Remain With Cardinals Beyond 2024

June 1st, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

James Conner is entering a contract year, and a repeat of his production from 2023 could help his free agent stock next offseason. If the veteran running back has his way, though, he will remain in Arizona for years to come.

The 29-year-old earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2021, his debut Cardinals campaign. That landed him a three-year, $21MM deal, an investment which has proven to be worthwhile on the team’s part. Conner has served as the team’s lead back when healthy, and in 2023 he eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career.

The former Steelers third-rounder averaged five yards per carry last season, a figure which also marked a personal high. That success will be countered by his age and the underwhelming valuation of running backs compared to other positions around the league. In any case, a new Cardinals pact is still on Conner’s radar.

“It would be awesome to finish my career here, but nothing changes,” he said when speaking about his 2024 approach (via Darren Urban of the team’s website). “If anything, it’s time to turn it up even more going into the last year of my deal. I’m thankful I got to see the last year of it… We’ll see what happens next year, hopefully [I] stay, but I understand it’s a business.”

Veteran backs have generally not fared well with respect to landing multi-year deals in recent years, and even a strong season for Conner could merely set him up for a move to a new team via free agency. Arizona added to the backfield this offseason by drafting Trey Benson in the third round. The Florida State product was one of the top RB options in this year’s class, and after logging 310 carries across two Seminoles campaigns he has experience serving as a clear-cut lead back.

Conner and Benson will likely share reps this season, but an impressive rookie showing by the latter could incentivize the team to move on from the former. Benson is under contract through 2027, and he will no doubt have a notable role throughout much of that time. Conner’s free agent stock could be buoyed by the speed with which teams signed running backs this March, but it will be interesting to see if his desire for another new contract is reciprocated.

Marvin Lewis Addresses Decision To Join Antonio Pierce’s Raiders Staff

June 1st, 2024 at 6:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

Marvin Lewis’ NFL head coaching tenure came to an end following the 2018 season. He will be back on the sidelines this coming season, though, as a member of Antonio Pierce’s Raiders staff.

The latter took on the interim HC gig in Vegas once Josh McDaniels was fired. Pierce, 45, had only started his tenure with the organization one year ago under the title of linebackers coach. That lack of experience led to him seeking out assistance from a number of veteran staffers, including Lewis. To no surprise, the opportunity to continue that relationship was a central factor in Lewis’ decision to re-join the coaching ranks.

“I think just the opportunity to really assist AP,” the longtime Bengals coach said (via NFL.com). “From the time that I first met him and had the opportunity to coach him, and then the opportunity to kind of reunite again later on at Arizona State – so kind of was in a similar role at one point there with him there as well, being in support of him, I just have been really impressed all the time with him.”

Lewis was Washington’s defensive coordinator in 2022 when he first met Pierce as a player, and the pair worked together at Arizona State during the latter’s tenure with the Sun Devils (2018-21). Pierce oversaw a strong defensive effort to close out the 2023 campaign, earning him the endorsement of a number of players before he was hired on a full-time basis. Lewis – who will hold the title of assistant head coach – will no doubt be leaned on heavily upon his return to NFL coaching.

The 65-year-old last held a non-head coaching role in the pro ranks during his one-and-done DC gig in the nation’s capital. He drew interest on the head coaching front following the end of his Bengals tenure, but instead of holding out for another opportunity in that regard Lewis has elected to reunite with Pierce as they attempt to find success during the latest chapter of their working relationship. It will be interesting to see how they fare in 2024 during a full season at the helm.

Latest On 49ers’ RG Position Battle

June 1st, 2024 at 5:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Last year, the 49ers saw an unexpected battle emerge at right guard. After watching Spencer Burford start for much of the season, versatile veteran interior lineman Jon Feliciano emerged as a better starting option near the end of the season and ended up grading out as Pro Football Focus’ fifth-best guard in the NFL (subscription required). The team has prepped for another position battle between the two this offseason, throwing third-round rookie Dominick Puni into the mix, as well.

Feliciano should be the favorite for the job. Although run game coordinator and offensive line coach Chris Foerster doesn’t see Feliciano as the most-talented option, his experience and consistency have been proven to get the job done for San Francisco. After earning the starting job late in the year last season, Feliciano started all three postseason games for the 49ers, as well. Only an injury saw the reemergence of Burford in the starting lineup, and it eventually resulted in Burford allowing a critical pressure to end the team’s hopes of winning the Super Bowl.

Still, Burford is going to be given every opportunity to win the job back. According to Cam Inman of The Mercury News, Foerster sees Burford as the most talented of the group. “We’re just looking for that consistency,” Foerster told the media. “Maybe it comes from Spencer this year. Obviously, he’s the most talented of the players. I think he’s as talented or more than Puni. Puni will push that from that. And Jon’s just a guy that is a veteran, good player that knows how to get it done.”

The 2022 fourth-round pick out of UTSA had been a starter in each of his first two seasons until getting benched for Feliciano. Even after losing his job as the starter, Foerster continued to find ways to get Burford on the field. If Burford can find that consistency that Foerster craves, he could find himself back in the starting lineup in 2024.

As Foerster mentions, though, Puni will push both players in terms of talent and consistency. Bookending a single season at left guard with four years at tackle while at Kansas, Puni may not have the ability to start at tackle in the NFL, but many view him as a starter on the interior at the next level. Unfortunately, Puni played all but seven games on the left side of the line in college, so he’s currently being slotted as the backup to left guard Aaron Banks. If he continues to show starting ability and consistency and can make the transition to the right side of the line, he could push both Feliciano and Burford for the starting right guard position.

Foerster and the 49ers have plenty of options. Feliciano showed last year that he has the stuff to get the job done as a starter and has lots of motivation to keep the job in what could be his final NFL season. If he does lose the starting position, though, his versatile experience across the interior of the offensive line should help him stay active as the effective sixth-man on the offensive line, a role he held for much of last season. If he does lose the starting role, it will be because one of the two options that Foerster sees as more talented have demonstrated enough consistency to be confidently slotted in as a starter.

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