Justin Jefferson - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Packers’ QB Situation, Draft Plan

May 1st, 2020 at 7:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

The person most familiar with the situation in which Aaron Rodgers now finds himself, Brett Favre said his former successor was surprised the Packers traded up for Jordan Love in Round 1. Favre also expects Rodgers to finish his career with another team.

Rodgers has four years remaining on his Packers contract, one agreed to in 2018, and has said on multiple occasions he would like to play into his 40s. The two-time MVP will turn 37 in December.

“I’m not going to talk about all that we talked about, but he was … let’s just say surprised that they went in that direction,” Favre said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Podcast (via ESPN.com). “… I think he’ll play somewhere else.

“My gut tells me no,” Favre said of Rodgers finishing his career in Green Bay. “I don’t know this for certain, but I guarantee you, it’s got the wheels turning in Aaron’s mind. If that’s the case, then that means there’s a chip on his shoulder toward the organization that otherwise was not there. All he needs is a reason other than this reason to expedite that.”

GM Brian Gutekunst, who was with the Packers as a scout when predecessor Ted Thompson drafted a falling Rodgers at No. 24 overall in 2005, determined Love’s long-term potential was more valuable than picking a player who could help the 2020 Packers, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com notes.

Gutekunst did not expect Love to fall into the mid-20s and told NBC Sports’ Peter King the Packers had him rated too highly on their board to pass. The Packers had “significant intel” a team with an early-second-round pick was targeting Love, per King. While that may have been the case, no team appeared interested in taking Love late in Round 1.

As a result of this and some surprising choices as the draft progressed, the Packers have the same wide receiver depth chart — excluding UDFAs — they did coming into the virtual event. Rodgers and some other members of the Packers organization were “enamored” with LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson, per Demovsky. Jefferson ended up going to the Vikings at No. 22. And the Packers stunned most by exiting a stacked receiver draft without selecting one.

Gutekunst told King the Packers targeted two receivers in Round 2 and made attempts to trade up with several teams. After both were picked, they ended up selecting running back A.J. Dillon at No. 62. Tee Higgins (Bengals), Michael Pittman Jr. (Colts), Laviska Shenault (Jaguars), K.J. Hamler (Broncos), Chase Claypool (Steelers), Van Jefferson (Rams) and Denzel Mims (Jets) went off the board between Nos. 33 and 59.

The Packers received historically poor production from their pass-catcher group last season. For the first time since 1977, Green Bay had just one player (Davante Adams) record more than 500 receiving yards (excluding the 1982 strike-shortened season).

“They don’t draft any weapons — not just in the first round but any weapons that can help immediately, to my knowledge. And that just sends a disrespectful message to Aaron Rodgers,” Favre said. “He has every right to be disappointed if he is.”

Eagles Interested In Brandon Aiyuk, Jalen Reagor?

April 18th, 2020 at 6:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

It’s no secret that the Eagles could use some help at wide receiver. But, with expensive WRs already under contract, they had to stay out of the fray in free agency. Now that the draft is less than a week away, they’re expected to make at least one significant investment at the position.

In addition to being in the mix for LSU playmaker Justin Jefferson, the Eagles are interested in Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk, Adam Caplan of InsidetheBirds.com notes. They join a list of teams who are not concerned about the core muscle surgery Aiyuk underwent earlier this month. Aiyuk is expected to be ready to go by June, per Caplan.

Philly has also done “a lot of work” on TCU’s Jalen Reagor, Caplan adds. Despite recently posting multiple sub-4.3-second 40-yard dash clockings, Reagor figures to be available by the time the Eagles’ No. 21 pick arrives. Jefferson, however, may not be.

Scouts Inc. rates Aiyuk 20th and Reagor 45th overall. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Aiyuk going off the board 20th and Reagor 55th. Following their 21st overall pick, the Eagles’ next draft window opens at No. 55. They used the No. 57 overall pick last year on JJ Arcega-Whiteside, who underwhelmed as a rookie. Though unlikely, the Eagles going wideout in both the first and second rounds should not be dismissed, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

If the Eagles want to aim for Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb, they would almost certainly have to trade up. That would probably need to happen to acquire Alabama speedster Henry Ruggs as well.

The Eagles have Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson under contract beyond 2021, but each 30-something’s salary becomes much easier to shed next year. Whoever the Eagles draft next week figures to be a key component in their post-Jeffery/Jackson future.

Latest On NFL Draft’s Top WRs

April 16th, 2020 at 3:00pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals have themselves a star wide receiver after trading for DeAndre Hopkins, but this year’s WR class is talented enough to tempt every team. Even though the Cardinals may like Kyler Murray‘s one-time teammate CeeDee Lamb and other WR talents, they’re not expected to use their No. 8 pick on a receiver, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears.

With Hopkins installed as the Cardinals’ new WR1, Arizona will likely address larger needs with that pick – perhaps a stud defensive player or an offensive lineman. Then, somewhere around Nos. 11 or 12, where the Jets and Raiders pick, Rapoport expects the WR run to take flight. In that scenario, CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy stand out as likely candidates – they’re the consensus top receivers in this wildly talented crop, Rapoport hears.

Further down the board, the Eagles have been heavily connected to LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson. But, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter) cautions that several teams could jump ahead of the Birds at No. 21 to land him. The Vikings (Nos. 22 and 25), Patriots (No. 23), and the Saints (No. 24) are all lurking, and they could make a play for a big-time WR like Jefferson.

LSU WR Justin Jefferson Enters 2020 Draft

January 15th, 2020 at 10:02pm CST by Dallas Robinson

LSU wideout Justin Jefferson has declared for the 2020 NFL draft, as he tells Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports.

“We just had a perfect year,” Jefferson said. “We won the national championship and set records. We had a lot of awards and did it with our team. I feel like it was the best way to go.”

Jefferson, who stands 6’3″ and 192 pounds, posting an outstanding campaign during his final year at LSU, catching 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns while hauling in passes from Heisman winner Joe Burrow. In the National Championship Game, Jefferson posted nine receptions for 106 yards.

In an exceptionally deep wide receiver class, Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network ranks Jefferson as the draft’s seventh-best wideout and the 36th overall player, meaning he could potentially come off the board at the end of the first round or the beginning of Day 2.