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Jermaine Eluemunor

Giants Notes: Daboll, Schoen, Tisch, Barkley, Banks, Eluemunor, Nunez-Roches

February 5th, 2025 at 5:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

When the Giants decided to retain Brian Daboll after a 3-14 season, multiple players expressed surprise, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes. This was not the only instance of a team retaining a coach after a 3-14 campaign this offseason, as the Browns and Titans joined Big Blue here, but New York’s operation had trended downward from 2022 — even though that initial Daboll-Joe Schoen season came as a surprise.

Schoen’s decision to let Saquon Barkley walk turned out to backfire, and the NFL may have a difficult time presenting a viable HBO offseason project after how much the Giants’ offering made the Schoen regime look. While a disastrous 2024 did not cost Schoen his job, players viewed his decision not to submit Barkley an offer doubled as an underestimation of the running back’s value on the field and in the locker room, per Raanan.

[RELATED: Internal Push For Daboll To Cede Play-Calling Role Builds]

Barkley, who had said numerous times he wanted to finish his career a Giant, rampaged for the ninth 2,000-yard rushing season in NFL history and would likely have broken Eric Dickerson‘s single-season record had the Eagles allowed him to play in Week 18. Barkley already delivered a strong revenge performance earlier in the season, and he joined fellow Giants defector Xavier McKinney on the All-Pro first team.

John Mara did not ultimately hold Schoen prioritizing Daniel Jones over Barkley as a fireable offense, as the owner played a key role in that 2023 pecking order forming. Still, as a result of the 2024 offseason decisions and the terrible season that followed, Schoen and Daboll will be candidates for in-season firings if the 2025 slate does not start off better. Distrust emerged in Daboll’s program as well, multiple players told Raanan, though it does not sound as though the fourth-year HC lost the team. He will face a difficult task in completing a rebound, as the Giants do not have a starter-level quarterback rostered just yet.

The team did attempt to fix a cornerback issue in 2023, drafting Deonte Banks in Round 1. That has not worked out just yet, with the Maryland product being benched for his effort level during a midseason game. Several players indicated Banks’ benching against the Steelers was “a long time coming,” which points to the former top pick being a lingering issue — at least leading up to that point. Pro Football Focus ranked Banks outside the top 100 among CB regulars this past season, and neither second-round center John Michael Schmitz nor third-rounder Jalin Hyatt has impressed from Schoen’s 2023 class.

Still, Schoen will hold the keys going into a 2025 draft that may well send a first-round quarterback to New York. When Schoen and Daboll met with ownership regarding their futures last month, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan notes the pair only met with Mara, who then spoke with co-owner Steve Tisch separately. Tisch is not in the team’s facility daily, with Duggan classifying the descriptor “silent partner” as applicable for the 20th-year owner, who has outside business interests. Tisch has not spoken in public about the Giants since 2020.

One of the lead drivers for this Giants season unraveling came when Andrew Thomas suffered his latest injury, a Lisfranc issue that required surgery. The Giants went through multiple plans to replace Thomas, ultimately moving right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor to the left side and bringing Evan Neal off the bench to reprise his RT role. Eluemunor, who had begun offseason work at guard before sliding to RT during training camp, was not a fan of the LT shift, per Duggan, as he has wanted to showcase himself as a reliable right tackle.

A three-year RT starter in Las Vegas, Eluemunor preferred a two-year deal — as opposed to a three-year pact — in an effort to cash in once again in free agency. The nomadic blocker not becoming a steady starter until 2021 did not produce even a midlevel free agency deal until the Giants offered a two-year, $14MM accord. Eluemunor appears to be aiming at another RT season making him a viable option on the 2026 market.

The Giants have several issues to address during this year’s free agency, and they will likely turn to some in-house players to create cap space. One appears to be Rakeem Nunez-Roches, whom Duggan labels a cap casualty candidate. Nunez-Roches operated as a spot starter in 2023, playing behind since-departed D-linemen Leonard Williams and A’Shawn Robinson. A 10-year veteran, Nunez-Roches started all 15 games he played in 2024. The Giants could save $3.6MM by moving on.

OL Notes: Ravens, Mekari, Dolphins, Brewer, Bengals, Brown, Giants, Neal, Patriots

September 4th, 2024 at 4:07pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

After an overhaul of their offensive line this offseason, the Ravens appear to have landed on veteran Patrick Mekari as their starting right tackle to open the 2024 season. Though Baltimore has resisted making any formal announcements about their starting OL, offensive coordinator Todd Monken pointed toward Mekari starting to open the year, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Mekari is also listed as the team’s starting RT on their official depth chart after competing with rookie Roger Rosengarten for the job throughout training camp.

The Ravens used a second-round pick on Rosengarten this year and gave him plenty of chances to win a starting gig over the summer. He frequently took reps with the first-team offense in practice and played 86 snaps at right tackle in the preseason, but that may not have been enough to overcome Mekari’s consistency over the past few seasons. A sixth-year blocker, Mekari has stepped up at both tackle positions. He started at LT when Ronnie Stanley was injured in 2022 and rotated snaps at RT as Morgan Moses played through a torn pectoral in 2023.

Mekari’s experience (36 starts) likely played a factor in the Ravens’ decision. Baltimore traded Moses to the Jets in March and also allowed veteran starting guards John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler to leave in free agency, opening up three new spots along the offensive line. With Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele stepping into starting guard roles for the first time, the Ravens appear to be opting for a known quantity in Mekari over the unproven Rosengarten.

Here’s the rest of the news from offensive lines around the NFL:

  • Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said that starting center Aaron Brewer will practice this week after recovering from a hand injury, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Miami added Brewer on a three-year, $21MM this offseason after starting at center for the Titans in 2023. His hand injury, producing a multi-week absence, has raised concerns about his snapping ability. But McDaniel seemed confident about Brewer’s readiness to start in Week 1.
  • The Bengals have landed on veteran Trent Brown to start at right tackle over first-round pick Amarius Mims, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. Mims has struggled with a pectoral injury throughout training camp, limiting his reps with Cincinnati’s first-team offense. The 18th overall pick did not practice on Monday, but did return in a limited capacity Wednesday. As Mims gets up to full speed physically and mentally, the Bengals will look to Brown, a nine-year veteran who signed a one-year, $4.75MM deal in March. Mims was seen as a developmental prospect during the pre-draft process, so it’s not surprising that the Bengals have opted for a conservative approach with a player they see as a long-term pillar of their offensive line.
  • Brian Daboll announced that Evan Neal will remain exclusively at tackle after the Giants toyed with the idea of trying him out at guard, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. “We have enough guards,” said Daboll, “He needs to continue to work at right tackle.” The No. 7 overall pick in 2022 opened the past two seasons as the team’s starting RT, but injuries limited him to just 20 games. He also struggled to transition to right tackle after spending his senior year as a left tackle at Alabama. New York signed Jermaine Eluemunor on a two-year, $14MM deal this offseason. With Neal struggling to overcome his ankle injury early in camp, the ex-Raider took over the RT job.
  • The Patriots are working through multiple injuries along their offensive line as they put together their starting five before Week 1. Left guard starter Sidy Sow and Vederian Lowe, the latter having vied for a starting tackle job after playing LT and RT in 2023, are both nursing injuries. This potentially leaves rookie Layden Robinson as the team’s top option at RG come Sunday, according to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. The fourth-round pick impressed in training camp and even earned a few first-team reps in the preseason. Third-round rookie Caedan Wallace is expected to start the year as the Patriots’ swing tackle after training at both left and right tackle this summer.

OL Notes: Raiders, Giants, Brewer, Nijman

August 14th, 2024 at 10:36am CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders had been planning to have Thayer Munford replace Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle, but a hand injury early in camp created a competition. Third-round rookie DJ Glaze has earned more first-team reps upon Munford returning. While The Athletic’s Tashan Reed notes Munford — a 2022 seventh-rounder who competed with Eluemunor for the RT job last summer and saw action at both tackle spots during the season — still has the edge, Glaze has created a position battle (subscription required). Glaze’s chances at earning this job may also have increased Tuesday, with Reed adding Munford sustained an injury to his other hand.

Elsewhere on the Raiders’ front, second-round rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson remains on the active/PUP list. The Oregon product has been out of Raiders practice since early in OTAs, with a concussion sidelining him. Considering the timeline here, it is concerning how long the rookie has been out. Antonio Pierce did say (via Reed) he expects Powers-Johnson and LT Kolton Miller to begin practicing next week, but the former’s chances of winning the LG job — which the Raiders appeared to have earmarked for the Day 2 draftee — have taken a hit. The team does have veteran options in Cody Whitehair and Andrus Peat; the latter has been working at tackle while Miller has rehabbed.

Here is the latest from the O-line ranks around the league.

Giants Not Committing To Evan Neal Being Ready By Week 1

July 30th, 2024 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Not viewed as a “break glass in case of emergency”-level option at tackle, Jermaine Eluemunor nevertheless changed positions to start Giants training camp. The two-year Raiders right tackle starter, who worked at left guard throughout the Giants’ offseason program, has lined up at RT with the first-stringers during training camp.

The Giants have now also signed Greg Van Roten, who lined up alongside Eluemunor in Las Vegas at right guard last season. A starting job could well open up for Van Roten, as the Giants still do not have Evan Neal at practice. Expected to return by training camp and be given another opportunity to stick at right tackle, Neal appears without a timetable.

Aiming to return from a fractured ankle initially diagnosed as a sprain last November, Neal landed on the Giants’ active/PUP list to start camp. Although that is a summer-only designation, Brian Daboll did not commit to Neal being ready by Week 1.

Unless the Giants were to take it week by week and carry the former top-10 pick on their 53-man roster on cutdown day next month, a transition to the reserve/PUP list — which mandates a four-game absence — would seem to be in play. Daboll called Neal “day to day,” via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy, though SNY’s Connor Hughes classifies this situation as Neal “falling out of favor” with the team. This is obviously quite concerning for Neal, whose injury came after steady struggles on the field.

Jon Runyan Jr., who had lined up at right guard during the Giants’ offseason program, has shifted to the left side following the Van Roten signing, Hughes adds. The team had partially placed the ex-Packer at RG to help protect Neal, who has struggled since being drafted seventh overall in 2022. The Runyan component could certainly point to Week 1 plans that do not involve Neal with the first-stringers, though the $10MM-per-year player did play left guard in 2021 and part of the 2022 season.

Neal, whom Pro Football Focus has ranked as the NFL’s second-worst tackle regular in each of his two seasons, has made 20 starts at right tackle. The Alabama alum been connected to a potential guard move. He played inside partially in college, but GM Joe Schoen said last year a move inside was unlikely. At this point, returning to practice and attempting to win any job would represent a win for the third-year blocker. While Kayvon Thibodeaux has panned out for the Giants, GM Joe Schoen‘s other top-10 pick in his first draft disappointing on this level has represented a significant letdown.

The Giants needed to rearrange their O-line at several points last season, which memorably included Justin Pugh‘s “straight off the couch” Sunday Night Football intro, and allowed a staggering 85 sacks — the second-most in NFL history. Multiple players changing positions, along with potentially a new starter preparing to step in, would represent familiar territory for the team. Unless Neal makes significant strides soon, he is running out of time to win back his starting job.

Giants Outbid Jets For G Jon Runyan Jr.; Cards, Jets Pursued OL Jermaine Eluemunor

July 17th, 2024 at 10:26am CST by Sam Robinson

Both the Giants and Jets added multiple starters along their offensive lines in free agency. The NFC’s New York franchise was willing to spend more for one of its top targets.

A Jets offer for Jon Runyan Jr. influenced the Giants, as HBO’s Hard Knocks: Offseason documents, with familiarity nearly pushing the ex-Packers guard to reunite with Aaron Rodgers and OC Nathaniel Hackett. Because of the familiarity the three-year Packers starter carried with the Green Bay power brokers now in New York, Giants senior VP of football operations Kevin Abrams informed Joe Schoen the NFC East team would need to top where the Jets had gone for Runyan.

[RELATED: Offseason In Review: New York Giants]

The Jets ended up adding three O-line starters on the market, but before coming to terms with guard John Simpson, the team offered Runyan $9MM per year and $17MM guaranteed at signing in the early hours of the legal tampering period. The Giants, who saw injuries affect their guard setup last season, outbid the Jets by giving the second-generation NFL blocker a three-year, $30MM deal. Big Blue matched the $17MM guarantee, and the Jets soon pivoted to Simpson at two years and $12MM.

The Runyan pact took the Giants out of the market for Robert Hunt, who received an offer from the team. While the team had pegged the four-year Dolphins starter as a player worth between $13MM and $15MM per year, Hunt’s market eventually reached $20MM on average (via the Panthers). That contract did not come to pass until hours after the Giants had added their two new O-line pieces. The team gave Jermaine Eluemunor a two-year, $14MM deal shortly after adding Runyan.

Eluemunor also drew interest from the Jets, but director of football ops Ed Triggs informed Schoen the Cardinals were in on the recent Raiders right tackle. Eluemunor sought nothing more than a two-year commitment, signaling the 29-year-old blocker is eyeing another potential free agency go-round in the mid-2020s. Considering Eluemunor’s run of low-cost Raiders one-year deals, attempting to use his 2024 agreement as a springboard to another payday makes sense. Eluemunor, whose two-year Patriots tenure overlapped with Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort‘s New England stay, ended up with the Giants after they upped their offer from $6MM to $7MM per year.

No 2025 guarantees are present in Eluemunor’s contract, a component the Giants’ offer indicated after Schoen was told the veteran did not want a three-year deal. Giants pro scouting director Chris Rossetti said Eluemunor could be a Giants starter at right tackle or left guard. Going into camp, the team is taking the latter route — in hopes former No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal finally showcases quality form at RT. As a result of the Giants’ FA process, they plan to roll out an Andrew Thomas-Eluemunor-John Michael Schmitz-Runyan-Neal starting five.

The Jets have Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker in place at guard, though it will be interesting to see if the team attempts to move first-round tackle Olu Fashanu into a guard role in a “best five” scenario. FA pickup Tyron Smith and trade reacquisition Morgan Moses are in place at tackle.

Following Eluemunor’s decision, the Cardinals did not end up spending much at guard in free agency, adding Evan Brown on a one-year deal worth $2.35MM. Brown is the favorite to start at left guard opposite ex-Giant Will Hernandez. Arizona did, however, allocate considerable funds to bolster its right tackle spot by agreeing to terms with Jonah Williams two days after Eluemunor chose the Giants.

Giants’ Evan Neal To Return At Training Camp; Joshua Ezeudu In Place As Swing Tackle

June 18th, 2024 at 1:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Evan Neal‘s performance to date has not come especially close to justifying his No. 7 overall draft slot, and the young tackle ran into a significant injury issue midway through his second season. Although Neal went down in early November, the Giants kept him off the practice field throughout their offseason program.

The 2022 draftee suffered what was believed to be a sprained ankle in Week 9 — the same day Daniel Jones‘ ACL tear occurred — but follow-up testing became necessary after the Alabama alum was not healing as expected. The additional testing revealed a broken foot that required surgery. The Giants have slow-played Neal’s comeback, but Brian Daboll confirmed (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) he will be back at practice during training camp.

Big Blue added multiple starter-level pieces up front, along with a host of potential depth options this offseason. Jermaine Eluemunor, the Raiders’ primary right tackle over the past two seasons, is in place as the team’s first-string left guard. Eluemunor said (via Leonard) he can slide to right tackle if necessary but confirmed he is preparing for his first Giants season by working solely at guard.

The prospect of Eluemunor working at guard, opposite $10MM-per-year free agent Jon Runyan Jr., emerged several weeks ago. Despite most of the veteran’s starting experience coming at right tackle, Leonard adds the Giants kept Eluemunor at left guard throughout their offseason program. Third-year blocker Joshua Ezeudu, who was part of the Giants’ guard competition last year, appears in line for the team’s swing role behind starters Neal and Andrew Thomas.

Injuries to Thomas and Matt Peart early last season prompted the Giants to kick Ezeudu — a 2022 third-round pick — to left tackle. That effort did not go well. Pro Football Focus charged the North Carolina alum with five sacks allowed despite playing on just 266 snaps. Ezeudu was also lost for the season midway through, sustaining a toe injury in Week 6. The Giants expected Ezeudu would win one of their guard competitions during training camp last year. After he failed to do so before going down with the toe injury, two UFA additions are in place at guard. Peart has since signed with the Broncos.

Eluemunor would seem a more stable option as a swing tackle, though that route would require New York to plug someone else in at guard. Although the team did not re-sign starter Ben Bredeson or the injury-prone Shane Lemieux, it did add ex-Buccaneers spot starter Aaron Stinnie and swingman Austin Schlottmann in free agency. Ex-Lion Matt Nelson and former Falcons guard starter Jalen Mayfield, given a reserve/futures deal in January, are also set to vie for backup roles in training camp.

Of course, the Giants will hope none of these RT contingency plans will be necessary. They have seen a top-10 tackle pick (Ereck Flowers) fail to impress in the not-so-distant past; Neal following suit would be a blow for the Joe Schoen regime. PFF, though, slotted Neal 80th among tackle regulars in both of his two NFL seasons.

As Neal attempts to complete his recovery from the foot fracture, he will certainly need to show improved form to stay on track as a starter.

Giants Keeping Evan Neal At RT; Team Viewing Jermaine Eluemunor As G?

April 13th, 2024 at 12:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jermaine Eluemunor‘s Raiders run offers the Giants some flexibility up front. The veteran, who received a considerable raise from the Giants this offseason, played tackle and guard in Las Vegas. A potential threat to Evan Neal, Eluemunor looks to first be on track to return to an inside role.

Although Neal has not delivered anything close to what the Giants hoped for when they chose him seventh overall in 2022, no plans to kick the Alabama alum inside are on tap. Neal is staying at right tackle, SNY’s Connor Hughes notes.

Neal missed the second half of last season due to the fractured ankle — a diagnosis that surfaced after his rehab stalled — he suffered in early November, but he may be on notice after concerning early returns. Pro Football Focus has rated Neal as the NFL’s second-worst tackle regular (80th of 81) in each of his two seasons. The Giants, who saw top-10 investments fail to produce a tackle answer in Justin Pugh and Ereck Flowers during the 2010s, would be staring at a major draft whiff if this trajectory continues.

The Giants gave Eluemunor a two-year, $14MM deal on Day 1 of the legal tampering period. This marks a significant raise from Eluemunor’s most recent Raiders contract (one year, $3MM), with his Giants guarantee ($6.75MM) outpacing each of his three Raiders deals combined. Although Eluemunor’s work as Las Vegas’ right tackle garnered him this Giants deal, Big Blue added him to start somewhere else up front, according to The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, who lists the eighth-year veteran as the team’s right guard starter opposite fellow UFA addition Jon Runyan Jr. (subscription required). Runyan worked at both guard posts in Green Bay, but Duggan adds he prefers left guard.

Playing a key role in Josh Jacobs‘ 2022 rushing title, Eluemunor graded 21st and 36th at tackle (per PFF) over the past two years. He has experience as an emergency RT solution, having provided the Raiders a safety net after their surprise Alex Leatherwood first-round investment bombed. Eluemunor also played exclusively at right guard in 2021 (though, he only logged 266 snaps that year). Exclusively a tackle in his only other extended starter run (with the Patriots in 2020), Eluemunor at guard seems a somewhat risky proposition for the Giants due to his limited NFL history here.

The team held a guard competition last year, one that featured Ben Bredeson, Mark Glowinski and Joshua Ezeudu. The team had expected Ezeudu, a 2022 third-round pick, would win the starting left guard job. But he did not do so out of training camp; the North Carolina alum suffered a season-ending toe injury in October. While Ezeudu remains on New York’s roster, Bredeson, Glowinski and Shane Lemieux are out of the picture. The team did add ex-Buccaneers spot starter Aaron Stinnie and swingman Austin Schlottmann in free agency, potentially offering help if Eluemunor needs to be moved back to tackle to replace Neal.

Neal was viewed by some as a future guard when he entered the draft, having started 13 games at left guard in 2019. GM Joe Schoen, however, said midway through last season the team still viewed Neal as a tackle. As the Giants begin their offseason, that remains the plan. Though, Neal’s January surgery may leave him sidelined during part of the offseason program. Once the 23-year-old blocker returns to work, this will be a pivotal offseason.

OL Notes: Jets, Alt, Titans, Jones, Steelers, Shelton, Rams, Jones, Ravens, Giants, Hawks

April 4th, 2024 at 9:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Once the draft moves past its quarterback stage, wide receivers are expected to be the focus. This draft also features a few high-level tackle prospects that should go off the board soon after, potentially breaking up the QB-WR string that could lead off this year’s event. Arguably the top tackle available, Joe Alt, has begun his run of pre-draft visits. The Jets and Titans used “30” visits on the Notre Dame tackle this week, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. A first-team All-American in back-to-back years and the top tackle on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board (No. 8 overall), Alt should not need to wait long before his name comes off the board.

The Titans (No. 7) and Jets (No. 10) figure to be two prime suitors. The Jets are not as needy here compared to the start of free agency, having reacquired Morgan Moses via trade and signed Tyron Smith. The All-Decade blocker is among the NFL’s most injury-prone players, and with both Smith and Moses going into age-33 seasons, a tackle-in-waiting would benefit a Jets team that has encountered regular issues up front over the past several years. The Titans cut Andre Dillard and have not added a tackle, potentially making them the Alt floor. Though, the Chargers should not be entirely ruled out — now that Jim Harbaugh is running the show — of a first-round tackle investment to pair with Rashawn Slater.

Here is the latest from the O-line ranks around the league:

Giants To Sign OL Jermaine Eluemunor

March 11th, 2024 at 5:31pm CST by Ben Levine

The Giants’ investment in Evan Neal has yet to pay off. While the team is not bailing on the former top-10 pick just yet, the third-year blocker may be set for an offseason position battle.

Jermaine Eluemunor is set to sign with the Giants, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Working as a starting tackle and guard in Las Vegas at points over the past three years, Eluemunor will receive a considerable raise on his most recent Raiders contract. Eluemunor could give the Giants an option at guard, but the veteran spent last season at right tackle.

The former fifth-round pick spent time in Baltimore and New England prior to his stint with the Raiders. He’s started 45 of his 87 career appearances, with 31 of those starts coming over the past two seasons.

Eluemunor finished this past season ranked 36th among 81 qualifying offensive tackles, per Pro Football Focus, with the site slightly favoring his run-blocking prowess to his pass-blocking ability. Pro Football Focus liked him even more in 2022, with the lineman barely missing a top-20 ranking at his position.

The Giants have been busy adding to their offensive line after allowing 85 sacks last season, the second-highest total in league history. The team agreed to a deal with former Packers starter Jon Runyan Jr. earlier today, and they could be in the market for even more depth with both Ben Bredeson and Justin Pugh hitting free agency.

AFC West Notes: Broncos, Chiefs, Eluemunor

March 7th, 2024 at 10:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

Coming off their Russell Wilson misstep, the Broncos will be taking on a chunk of their record-setting dead money ($35.4MM) this year. The more punishing hit will come in 2025 ($49.6MM), and although both numbers will be offset to a degree by the cap’s rise, Denver may need to be thriftier at quarterback. Mock drafts continue to include a Broncos QB pick or a trade-up move for a passer, but 9News’ Mike Klis writes a veteran will likely be added in free agency.

Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield are probably out of play for the Broncos, who are still $2.5MM over the cap following their Justin Simmons release. But after other cost-saving moves, the team will have a host of bridge options available. Jacoby Brissett, Ryan Tannehill, Gardner Minshew and Sam Darnold headline that list, and the volume of passers in free agency should lead to affordable options for teams looking to pair a rookie with a stopgap vet. The Broncos do have Jarrett Stidham tied to a $7MM base salary, and they plan to give him a chance. But it is possible two outside options will be joining the season-ending starter this offseason.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • Chris Jones remains the Chiefs‘ top priority, but after rumblings the defending champions could retain the likely Hall of Famer before free agency, they are running short on time. Other clubs can begin talking to Jones at 11am CT March 11. Seeking at least $30MM per year, Jones remains Kansas City’s top priority. Some uncertainty exists if the Chiefs’ the near-year-long retention effort will succeed, but the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora indicates the team is expected to devote more funds to its offense. After a wildly inconsistent receiver year, the Chiefs were believed to be interested in Mike Evans. Calvin Ridley, Marquise Brown and Gabe Davis are among the top options available, though it should also be expected the team — particularly if Jones is back on a monster contract — devotes a high draft choice to this group.
  • The Raiders appear to want to re-sign right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, per ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez, who notes the team’s stopgap right tackle starter might be the highest priority among the team’s free agent O-linemen. That would be interesting given Andre James‘ presence as a younger UFA-to-be. Eluemunor joins James and guard Greg Van Roten as Raiders starting O-linemen set for free agency. Eluemunor has signed three Raiders contracts, receiving a notable raise (to $3MM) in 2023. Showing himself to be a capable starter instead of a swingman, the 29-year-old blocker has started 34 games for the Raiders — at both guard and right tackle — over the past three seasons.
  • Releasing their longest-tenured player earlier today, the Broncos will need to make a plan at safety. As Simmons searches for a new team, the Broncos also have P.J. Locke as an unsigned starter. The team is interested in keeping Locke, according to the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. Locke replaced the twice-suspended Kareem Jackson as a starter and played well during the team’s five-game midseason win streak, holding off Jackson for the gig alongside Simmons. Caden Sterns, who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1, remains under contract.
  • While Locke should be expected to return, Klis does not anticipate Lloyd Cushenberry or Josey Jewell coming back. Cushenberry’s likely high price should be viewed as a borderline non-starter for a Broncos team that has three other veterans (Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Mike McGlinchey) on veteran contracts and Quinn Meinerz as a potential extension candidate. Jewell, who joined Simmons as a holdover from Vance Joseph‘s HC years, discussed terms with the Broncos recently. But the six-year vet may be ticketed to leave Colorado as the team regroups after its failed Wilson extension.
  • The sports betting criminal case in Iowa against the former Denver fourth-round defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike will be dropped, Tomasson adds. A rotational player in 2021, Uwazurike drew a full-season ban for gambling on NFL games. Uwazurike’s NFL future is in doubt, but he can apply for reinstatement in July.
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