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Chuma Edoga

Latest On Cowboys’ Left Guard Situation

May 19th, 2023 at 10:50am CST by Sam Robinson

After another free agency period featured the Cowboys’ starting left guard leaving in free agency, the team will be faced with a decision. How Dallas goes about that will determine if the team rolls out an O-line featuring its best five blockers or a group that features more positional familiarity.

Connor McGovern followed Connor Williams to the AFC East, signing with the Bills on a three-year deal worth $22.35MM. The Cowboys have Dak Prescott tied to a big-ticket deal, and Zack Martin‘s 2018 extension remains in the upper tier at guard. They are also preparing for CeeDee Lamb and Trevon Diggs payments, making the departures of McGovern and Williams the cost of doing business.

As for how the team replaces McGovern, multiple avenues look to exist. Both involve in-house solutions, per executive VP Stephen Jones. Door A would involve a backup rising into the starting role. The Cowboys are planning to move backup tackle Josh Ball to the interior this year, and the team drafted Asim Richards in the fifth round. Former Jets third-round pick Chuma Edoga also signed with the team, after having played for the Falcons last year.

“I think we’ve got a talented group of linemen,’’ Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore. “I mean Josh Ball is here today. He’s certainly going to get an opportunity to compete for that spot. As we’ve said, we’re big fans of Chuma. [VP of player personnel] Will [McClay] and his pro staff did a lot of work on him. Probably the only thing holding him back in his career has been some medical challenges that he’s had. We really feel like he can come in there and help.”

A 2021 fourth-round pick, Ball has 41 career offensive snaps on his resume. Edoga 13 career starts but ahs primarily worked as a tackle. Jones also brought up Richards, North Carolina’s left tackle last season, as a potential entrant in this competition. However, he also mentioned the “best five” scenario that would bring a more intriguing configuration.

“Our top five linemen are our top five linemen. Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Terence Steele, Zack Martin,” Jones said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “Really felt like if you’re gonna get your best five who have played in this league, those are our best five. We’ll see what happens from there.”

The issue with that quintet would be Steele’s lack of guard experience. The former UDFA has been a tackle with the Cowboys and at Texas Tech. But with Tyron Smith back (and expected to slide to the right tackle spot he played last season), the Cowboys do not look to have a tackle job available. The team placed a second-round RFA tender on Steele, who has made 40 starts during a three-year career, earlier this offseason. Last year’s Week 1 right tackle is also rehabbing ACL and MCL tears. That stands to delay a Cowboys decision on where to use the contract-year blocker.

A third option would be moving Tyler Smith back to left guard, where he began his career before Tyron Smith’s avulsion fracture changed the team’s plans last summer. The younger Smith played left tackle for most of last season but started two games (Week 18 and Dallas’ wild-card win) at left guard. The second-year lineman said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer) he would be fine playing anywhere on the offensive front. With Jerry Jones labeling Smith a tackle, however, the prospect of the former first-rounder playing guard at Steele staying at right tackle might be a last resort.

McGovern’s experience gave the Cowboys an easier answer to replace Williams. The team may not know its McGovern replacement for a while.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/21/23

March 21st, 2023 at 8:41pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Minnesota Vikings

Adams, a former seventh-round pick, collected 55 tackles across 58 games (nine starts) with the Colts to begin his career. He spent the 2022 campaign in Chicago, compiling 26 tackles in 10 games (three starts).

The Cowboys previously tried to trade for Edoga, so it’s not a surprise that he’s finally landed in Dallas. Per Nick Eatman of the team’s website, the lineman could be a candidate to start at left guard to replace Connor McGovern. The former third-round pick has only appeared in seven games over the past two seasons in stints with the Jets and Falcons.

Anderson hasn’t started a game since the 2020 season, but he can still be a reliable special teamer and situational defender for a rebooted Panthers squad. The veteran got into 11 games for the Colts last season, collecting 18 tackles.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/31/22

December 31st, 2022 at 5:15pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s roster moves heading into gameday:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Promoted from practice squad: G Kyle Hinton, DL T.J. Smith

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/28/22

December 28th, 2022 at 8:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders 

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC South

August 31st, 2022 at 4:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints moves are noted below.

Here are Wednesday’s NFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Atlanta Falcons

Claimed:

Released:

Signed to practice squad:

Carolina Panthers

Signed to practice squad:

New Orleans Saints

Claimed:

  • T Tanner Owen (from Bills)

Released:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Signed to practice squad:

Falcons Claim T Chuma Edoga

August 31st, 2022 at 11:19am CST by Sam Robinson

Chuma Edoga did not clear waivers, nor did he make it too far down the priority list. The Falcons submitted a successful claim for the former third-round pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The Jets cut bait on the fourth-year tackle on Tuesday, in trimming their roster to 53. Edoga was drafted just prior to GM Joe Douglas taking over in New York and was unable to carve out a steady role there.

The Jets moved on from a plan of Edoga competing for a starting job early, signing George Fant in 2020 and then drafting Mekhi Becton in that year’s first round. Despite Becton going down with a severe injury this summer, the Jets signed Duane Brown. He and Fant are now in place as Gang Green’s tackles. Edoga, who started 12 games from 2019-20, will have a chance to vie for a steady Falcons gig.

This news also comes after a report indicated the Cowboys were interested in trading for Edoga. While the East-division teams were unable to work out a deal, the Falcons’ claim prevents the Cowboys from bringing in the USC alum. Atlanta resides ahead of Dallas on this year’s priority list. The Cowboys are facing the prospect of Tyron Smith missing a few months due to suffering the same injury Becton did — an avulsion fracture — late during training camp.

Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary remain the Falcons’ starting tackles, and the team brought in former Seahawks first-round pick Germain Ifedi this offseason. He sits as a backup. Atlanta also added Elijah Wilkinson, who started in place of Ja’Wuan James on many occasions for the Broncos from 2019-20 at right tackle, but are preparing to use him as their right guard starter.

Jets Cut Roster Down To 53

August 30th, 2022 at 9:49pm CST by Ely Allen

The Jets got a head start on reducing the roster yesterday, finishing the job with a number of moves today. Here are those moves that brought them down to 53 players:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on reserve/injured:

New York has done a good job with their rookie class with every drafted rookie making the final 53. The Jets even were able to find spots on the roster for two of the six undrafted free agents they signed. Running back Zonovan Knight and safety Tony Adams will start the season on the roster after going undrafted out of NC State and Illinois, respectively.

The Jets will enter the season with three quarterbacks on the roster as second-year quarterback Zach Wilson will be backed up by veterans Joe Flacco and Mike White.

Lawrence Cager returned this offseason to the team that signed him after going undrafted out of Georgia in 2020. After spending two seasons attempting to make rosters as a wide receiver, the 6-foot-5 Cager bulked up in an attempt to transition to tight end. It appears that the position change is working so far as Cager will start the season on an active roster for the first time in his career.

New York will have a chance to make moves necessary to form their 16-man practice squad tomorrow. Any players cut today who have not vested will have to clear waivers before returning to the Jets.

Jets To Release OT Chuma Edoga

August 30th, 2022 at 2:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

Chuma Edoga‘s time in New York has indeed come to an end. The Jets are set to release the young offensive tackle, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). 

As Rapoport notes, the Jets explored trading the former third-rounder before being left with no choice but to move on from him via waivers. The Cowboys explored a swap which would have sent him to Dallas, but the deal fell through.

Edoga, 25, started every game he appeared in as a rookie. His playing time dropped considerably in 2020, however. His PFF rating took a step forward nonetheless, but the arrival of Morgan Moses left him relegated to a backup role. After playing just 99 snaps last season, it was widely assumed that Edoga would not be back with the Jets in 2022.

While the Cowboys were unable to secure Edoga before the rest of the league had the opportunity to sign him, they now have the chance to add him via that avenue. Dallas, of course, is in need of a Tyron Smith replacement, and have been reported as actively looking for an addition to at least supplement their inexperienced internal options.

With one year remaining on his rookie contract, Edoga would have headed to free agency with underwhelming prospects had he remained buried on the depth chart in New York. That may remain the same in his next location, but he could find himself with a better opportunity to re-acquire a starting gig elsewhere.

Cowboys Eyeing Trade For Jets OT Chuma Edoga

August 29th, 2022 at 3:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

3:51pm: Wilson tweets that the deal is now not expected to be finalized, leaving Edoga in the Big Apple for at least the time being.

3:09pm: The left tackle position has been the source of plenty of speculation in recent days for the Cowboys. In a move aimed at adding some insurance, the Cowboys are “attempting to trade for” Chuma Edoga of the Jets (Twitter link via Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson). 

Edoga was a third-round pick of the Jets in 2019. He started all eight of his appearances as a rookie, occupying the right tackle spot. He struggled in both the pass and run game, however, leading to a PFF grade of just 49.5. The following season, the USC alum was rated much better with respect to run blocking, but still failed to live up to his draft stock and expectations.

With veteran Morgan Moses being signed during free agency last offseason, Edoga’s hold on a roster spot was brought into question. With Moses and George Fant starting full-time at tackle, the 25-year-old was limited to just 99 snaps in 2021. That led to other moves being made by the team which further threatened his New York future.

The Jets selected Max Mitchell in the fourth round of this year’s draft, in addition to retaining Conor McDermott. Their presence left Edoga once again being named a candidate to finish his rookie contract elsewhere. Indeed, as ESPN’s Rich Cimini tweets, the six-foot-three, 308-pounder was “on borrowed time.” A move of this kind being completed would point to Mitchell being promoted to the swing tackle role.

For Dallas, that particular designation currently belongs to 2021 fourth-rounder Josh Ball. His name was included among the Cowboys’ internal options to replace Tyron Smith on the blindside, as he will be sidelined until December at the earliest. Edoga could at least compete with Ball as well as rookies Tyler Smith and Matt Waletzko for playing time as a stop-gap option.

In the wake of the Smith injury, Dallas was, to no surprise, named a candidate to be active on the free agent market in search of replacements. A trade was, on the other hand, reported last week to be an avenue the team was not exploring. Given Edoga’s cap hit of just $1.2MM, the Cowboys would still have plenty of space to accommodate another, more substantial addition if they were to deem it necessary. If a deal for Edoga goes through, though, he could have the opportunity to generate a better free agent market for himself given the change of scenery.

AFC East Notes: Patriots, RBs, Bills, Edoga

June 22nd, 2022 at 9:22am CST by Sam Robinson

James White did not make it into last season’s October docket, suffering a hip injury in Week 3. That issue did not deter the Patriots from giving the veteran passing-down back a fourth contract — two years, $5MM — this offseason, but it very well might keep White off the field until October of this year. The ninth-year veteran has not been fully cleared, and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com envisions the Patriots being cautious to start the season by using the reserve/PUP list in this case. New England has Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson back as its primary backfield cogs, and the team doubled up on runners in the draft (Pierre Strong in Round 4 and Kevin Harris in Round 6). White, 30, going over a year without playing would be somewhat concerning, but he is the team’s longest-tenured offensive player and still should be on track to play a significant role in its second Mac Jones-conducted attack.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • Upon nontendering fullback Jakob Johnson as an RFA this offseason, the Patriots informed him of a potential stylistic shift. Johnson said recently (via Reiss) the Pats told him they were changing course at the fullback position, indicating it was not in the 2022 plan. Johnson spent three seasons with the Patriots, who had rostered James Develin from 2012-19. Although many teams do not have a fullback on their rosters, the Pats — who have not yet sorted out their play-calling situation post-Josh McDaniels — going without one would be notable.
  • The Bills have been active in bolstering their offensive line group with veterans, signing Rodger Saffold, fellow 2021 Titans starter David Quessenberry and ex-Jet cog Greg Van Roten. Of those three, only Saffold is expected to start. Buffalo’s starting O-line is set ahead of training camp, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com notes. Saffold, 34, is in line to be the team’s left guard, with Ryan Bates at right guard and 2021 third-rounder Spencer Brown back at right tackle. This trio represents three new starters, compared to the Bills’ Week 1 configuration last year. Ike Boettger, who suffered a ruptured Achilles’ tendon in December, could begin the year on the PUP list. Boettger started a career-high 10 games last season. Van Roten not being considered for a spot would be interesting, considering he has 50 starts over the past four seasons. He and Quessenberry, however, would represent improved depth for the AFC East champions’ O-line.
  • Chosen by the Jets‘ previous regime, third-round pick Chuma Edoga has started 12 games as a pro. But the fourth-year tackle appears on his way out this year, per ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. The Jets drafted tackle Max Mitchell in the fourth round and have veteran backup Conor McDermott returning as well.
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