QB Jayden Daniels To Meet With Six Teams

April 9th, 2024 at 7:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

TODAY, 7:20pm: Daniels’ visit with the Commanders has officially been scheduled. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the quarterback will visit with the team next Monday and Tuesday.

MARCH 27, 11:00am: Jayden Daniels is going through an abbreviated pro day Wednesday. The 2023 Heisman winner is expected to throw, but NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe notes the LSU product is not planning to perform other drills. He will then prepare for a cross-country tour of “30” visits.

The fast-rising prospect already has six meetings scheduled, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Commanders, Patriots, Giants, Vikings, Broncos and Raiders are planning to meet with Daniels. This sextet of teams makes sense due to QB needs or draft proximity.

The Bears not being included is notable, and the team not meeting with the dual-threat talent would only further solidify its intentions of starting the draft with a Caleb Williams pick. Considering the 2022 Heisman winner has hovered over this draft class for months, the Bears not taking a meeting with another QB prospect would not be too surprising. Then again, a Chicago meeting could emerge down the road during the pre-draft process. Ryan Poles, however, is among several prominent execs or HCs at the pro day.

As should be expected, Antonio Pierce is at LSU’s pro day. The Raiders HC has offered persistent Daniels praise, after being on Arizona State’s staff during the QB prospect’s time with the Sun Devils. Jerod Mayo, Dan Quinn, Dennis Allen, Adam Peters and Joe Hortiz are among the other HCs and execs in attendance today in Baton Rouge, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham joins his boss at the pro day, per Breer.

High-end wide receiver prospect Malik Nabers is also generating considerable attention, as should be expected. After declining to weigh in at the Combine, Daniels checked in at 210 pounds today, per Breer.

Each of the teams preparing to bring in Daniels holds a pick between Nos. 2 and 13. The Raiders are on the low end here, landing at No. 13 after they completed a sweep of the Broncos in Week 18. Although mock drafts have regularly sent Daniels to Washington or New England at No. 2 or No. 3, Las Vegas has been consistently connected to him. Daniels attended the Raiders’ regular-season finale to support Pierce, celebrating with the team in the locker room after the game. Connected to a potential trade-up, the Raiders are also believed to have brought up Daniels during their OC search.

The Vikings (No. 11) and Broncos (No. 12) reside well outside of Daniels range as well, but both are logically being tied to a trade-up maneuver. Minnesota acquired Houston’s first-round pick (No. 27), providing more ammo to climb up for a passer. Denver does not have its second-rounder, sending it to New Orleans for Sean Payton, and traded three first-round picks — for Payton and Russell Wilson — from 2022-23. Although the Broncos are planning to acquire another veteran to compete with Jarrett Stidham, they will surely be in on first-round QBs.

Washington (No. 2) and New England (No. 3) have clear needs. How the Commanders proceed will be a pivot point in this draft, with the team now tied to three passers — Daniels, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy — at No. 2. Patriots trade-down rumblings have emerged, though a previous rumor suggested some of the team’s scouts are higher on Daniels than Maye. The Pats are doing considerable recon ahead of their Daniels meeting, with Breer adding nine New England representatives are on-hand today.

If the Commanders want Daniels, trade-ups will not factor into the equation. The Giants could also be left out if they are eyeing last year’s Heisman recipient, seeing as the Commanders will be unlikely to trade them the No. 2 pick. Steadily linked to QBs despite Daniel Jones‘ employment, New York has a big-picture decision to make. The team, which holds the No. 6 pick, can easily move on from Jones by 2025. The Giants have already met with Maye and McCarthy.

Transferring to LSU in 2022, Daniels broke through with a dominant final season and became the second Tigers QB to win the Heisman in four years. Following Joe Burrow, Daniels obviously displayed a more versatile skillset than the pocket passer. Accounting for 50 TDs (40 passing) last season, Daniels paired 3,812 passing yards with 1,134 on the ground. The ex-Arizona State recruit completed 72.2% of his passes, setting himself up to go early in this year’s draft.

Giants Sign WR Miles Boykin

April 9th, 2024 at 5:47pm CST by Ben Levine

After spending his first five seasons in the AFC North, Miles Boykin will be looking to continue his career in the NFC. The Giants announced today that they’ve signed the veteran wide receiver.

The former third-round pick showed some promise through his first two years in the NFL. In 32 games with the Ravens between 2019 and 2020, Boykin hauled in 32 receptions for 464 yards and seven touchdowns.

Things haven’t gone nearly as well over the past three seasons. Between 2021 and 2023, the receiver has only caught six passes in 41 games with the Ravens and Steelers. His offensive role has basically dried up; after averaging 485 offensive snaps per season through his first two years in the NFL, he’s only averaged 96 offensive snaps per season over the past three campaigns. Still, he’s managed to contribute on special teams, culminating in a 2023 season where he got in a career-high 316 ST snaps.

The Giants haven’t done a whole lot to address their WR situation this offseason. Prior to today’s move, the team added Isaiah McKenzie to a group of holdovers that includes Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, and Isaiah Hodgins.

WR Chase Claypool Visits Seahawks

April 9th, 2024 at 4:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks have a clear-cut top three at wide receiver, adding Jaxon Smith-Njigba to join the long-running Tyler Lockett–D.K. Metcalf pair last year. They also recently picked up Laviska Shenault. Another big-bodied wideout is on the team’s radar.

Chase Claypool trekked to Seattle for a free agency visit, according to Cardinals Wire’s Howard Balzer. This marks the first Claypool connection to a team in 2024. The former Steelers second-rounder is coming off an unremarkable Dolphins stay.

Traded in consecutive seasons, Claypool managed just eight receptions last year. Despite suiting up for nine Dolphins games following the early-season trade, Claypool caught only four passes as a Dolphin. The 238-pound receiver has seen his stock crater after the Steelers dealt him to the Bears at the 2022 deadline.

Not too long ago, Claypool had made his way into Pittsburgh’s starting lineup and looked like another promising Steelers WR draftee. As a rookie, the Notre Dame product totaled 62 catches for 873 yards and nine touchdowns. He was not far off those marks in 2021, accumulating 860 yards and two scores on nine receptions. The Steelers received two second-round offers at the ’22 deadline, opting to go with the Bears’ proposal over the Packers’ due to predicted pick value. That in-season NFC North assessment proved correct, with the 2023 No. 32 pick (Joey Porter Jr.) coming the AFC North team’s way for Claypool, who has trudged through two poor seasons since a strong start.

Claypool became quite unpopular with the Bears, disappointing in his first season and becoming a distraction in Year 2. This prompted Chicago to cut its losses and ship the 6-foot-4 target to Miami in a pick-swap deal involving Day 3 2025 choices. Claypool did not move the needle as an auxiliary Dolphins option, and Miami is looking for an upgrade behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Seattle has Lockett and Metcalf signed beyond 2024, though each was obviously acquired before OC Ryan Grubb arrived. The team, which has Smith-Njigba signed through 2026, also still rosters 2021 second-rounder Dee Eskridge. UDFA Jake Bobo, however, overtook the MAC product as Seattle’s WR4 last season. Shenault may have something to say about that in 2024, though the ex-Panthers and Jaguars target was acquired primarily to return kicks.

Texans Waive DE Myjai Sanders

April 9th, 2024 at 3:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Active on the waiver wire last year, the Texans have seen two of their defensive lineman claimed in 2023 — Derek Barnett and Teair Tart — sign contracts. Barnett is back, while Tart joined the Dolphins. Another front-seven Texans claim will follow Tart off the roster.

The team is waiving Myjai Sanders, a 2022 Cardinals third-round pick. Sanders initially came to Houston via waivers, after the new Cardinals regime bailed on the Steve Keim-era draftee early. Two seasons remain on Sanders’ rookie contract.

Houston claimed Sanders before adding Barnett and Tart via waivers, picking up the former Cincinnati standout in mid-October. The young edge rusher played in seven games (138 defensive snaps) for the Texans, operating as a backup behind Will Anderson and Jonathan Greenard. Sanders, 25, did not record a sack with Houston. He did, however, play 43 defensive snaps in the Texans’ wild-card win over the Browns.

This marks the second Sanders waiver exit in six months. The Cardinals cut Sanders from their IR, doing so after designating him for return. Sanders played only four games with the Cards last season; he suited up for 13 as a rookie, registering three sacks. The Texans have Barnett and 2023 fourth-round pick Dylan Horton, who recently announced he was in remission after a Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis, as D-end backup options behind Anderson and Greenard replacement Danielle Hunter.

The Texans also signed wide receiver Alex Bachman and waived safety Josh Thompson. Bachman has not seen any game action since the 2021 season.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Higbee, 49ers

April 9th, 2024 at 3:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks are conducting a thorough search for interior offensive line help. This has included three visits with veterans thus far. Following the news of Greg Van Roten and Lucas Patrick‘s visits, Ike Boettger has spoken with the team. Boettger, 29, made a trip to Seattle on Monday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The former Bills starter spent last season with the Colts. The Seahawks let Damien Lewis walk in free agency and have not re-signed 2023 starter Phil Haynes. As the team transitions to Ryan Grubb as its play-caller, it appears clear a veteran free agent will be part of the equation at guard.

Considering how Boettger’s career has gone since a December 2021 Achilles tear, he would qualify as a depth-level addition. Boettger, who started 17 Bills games at guard from 2020-21, was not activated off Buffalo’s PUP list until mid-December of 2022. He only played in one game that season and was active for just two Colts contests last year.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

Tyler Higbee is expected to begin training camp on the Rams‘ active/PUP list, Sean McVay said recently. Considering the timing of Higbee’s ACL tear (Los Angeles’ wild-card loss), it would not surprise to see the veteran tight end transferred to the reserve/PUP list to start the season. Higbee, 31, is going into his ninth season with the Rams. The longtime starter is on his third contract (two years, $17MM); that deal runs through 2025. If Higbee is shifted to the reserve/PUP list, he would miss the Rams’ first four games. The team added ex-Seahawk Colby Parkinson in free agency; Parkinson spent the past three seasons playing in ex-McVay staffer Shane Waldron‘s offense, making for a smooth transition.
The 49ers have received better injury news regarding their top tight end. George Kittle underwent core muscle surgery recently, but John Lynch said (via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco) the All-Pro is not in danger of missing training camp time. Ditto Charvarius Ward, who also underwent core surgery early this offseason. Ward is going into a contract year, while Kittle still has two years remaining on the $15MM-per-year extension he signed in 2020. Both were All-Pros last season.
The Rams dived into the guard market’s deep waters this year, re-signing Kevin Dotson and adding Jonah Jackson. They also added Parkinson and brought back Darious Williams. These deals, as The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue points out, largely overlap with the rookie contracts of Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams and Kobie Turner. Players are also more interested in shorter-term deals now, as the cap spikes at record-setting levels. “I think you’ve seen that trend in the league, players want shorter deals,” Rams VP of football ops Tony Pastoors said. “It allows them to get back to free agency. As the cap continues to grow, they’re not stuck in a deal they are unhappy with because the numbers are antiquated. … I think the other part of it is probably just the evolution of Sean and Les (Snead), and wanting to be able to make moves and make adjustments and not have huge ramifications.”
Not long after the Steelers added Cordarrelle Patterson with an eye on the NFL’s radical kickoff change, the Seahawks have the same plan in mind for recent pickup Laviska Shenault. GM John Schneider said (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta) the team signed the former second-round pick to be a return-game weapon. The 220-pound wideout, who will also serve as a Seattle backup receiver, only returned nine kickoffs while on his rookie contract. Each came with the Panthers over the past two seasons. But he showed some big-play ability in Carolina and Jacksonville. As the kickoff receives a revival (on a trial basis), the Seahawks had a target in mind to take advantage.

Giants Looking Into Veteran RBs

April 9th, 2024 at 12:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rumored to be interested in a mid-round running back last year, the Giants waited until Round 5 (Eric Gray) to make that move. As a result of their plan last year, a talent gulf existed between Saquon Barkley and the rest of the Giants’ backfield.

To be fair, Barkley is talented enough that would be the case for several teams. But the Giants did not roster a notable backup in 2023. With Barkley on the franchise tag, that strategy was somewhat curious — especially given the six-year starter’s injury history. Barkley is now an Eagle, and the Joe Schoen-Brian Daboll duo reunited with Devin Singletary on a midlevel deal. The team may not be eyeing only the draft to supplement Singletary.

The Giants are in the market for a veteran backup to team with Singletary, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan notes (subscription required). The Giants balked at re-tagging Barkley, though they were among the four teams that made an offer. The Schoen-led front office viewed Barkley as too expensive. Singletary is now in place as New York’s starter, having signed a three-year, $16.5MM deal with $9.5MM guaranteed at signing. It would surprise if Big Blue was willing to spend much to add a veteran complement, but given Singletary’s history, the team’s primary backup may not be on the roster yet.

The 5-foot-7 back has topped 190 carries in a season once — last year, when the Texans gave him 216 handoffs — but Duggan does add the recent free agency addition should be expected to operate in a workhorse capacity. This would be an interesting strategy. While Daboll did coach Singletary for three seasons in Buffalo, Zack Moss was in the picture for two of those campaigns. Singletary has logged 888 career carries. That number is considerably lower than Barkley’s (1,201), and while the former has proven durable (two missed games in the 2020s), he is not exactly built for bellcow-like workloads.

A few veterans of note remain available. Ezekiel Elliott has once again been connected to the Cowboys, but the two-time rushing champion is unattached. J.K. Dobbins has visited the Chargers and Chiefs; the latter ended up re-signing Clyde Edwards-Helaire on the day of the visit. Cam Akers is unsigned; he joins Dobbins in coming off a severe injury. Kareem Hunt, Rashaad Penny and Boston Scott — he of some success against the Giants — join multiyear Barkley backup Matt Breida as available backs. Breida, 29, averaged just 2.7 yards per carry in 2023; though, the ex-49er fared better under Daboll in 2021 and ’22.

A mid-round RB addition certainly makes sense, though this year’s class is not regarded as highly as 2023’s. Gray and 2021 sixth-rounder Gary Brightwell represent the Giants’ current top backup options. That probably will not be the case when training camp begins.

Darren Waller Addresses Timetable For Retirement Call

April 9th, 2024 at 11:14am CST by Sam Robinson

Seeing Evan Engram prosper with the Jaguars, the Giants made a move to bring in a comparable receiving tight end by trading for Darren Waller last year. But that addition brought more Waller injury trouble; now, the former Pro Bowler remains uncertain on playing in 2024.

Considering retirement after a few injury-marred seasons, Waller looks to still have a place with the Giants. The ex-Raiders standout brings an upper-echelon skillset as a receiving tight end, and the Giants would not have an easy time — particularly at this juncture — replacing him. Waller, 31, plans to inform the team of his decision before the June hiatus between minicamp and training camp. While informing the Giants by the draft would give them the opportunity to find a young replacement hopeful, Waller cannot guarantee he will decide by then.

“That would be ideal, but I also don’t want to put that on myself,” Waller said (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur) of informing the Giants by the draft. “It’s gotta be before summer break, for sure.”

The prospect of a Waller retirement surfaced in early March, but the Giants did not add a starter-caliber tight end in free agency. The position became thinner before the market opened, with Dalton Schultz re-signing with the Texans and Hunter Henry staying with the Patriots. Noah Fant re-signed with the Seahawks during the legal tampering period. Mike Gesicki was available, but he is now with the Bengals for just $2.5MM. Following his Falcons release, Jonnu Smith joined the Dolphins. Gerald Everett rejoined Shane Waldron in Chicago.

Blocking tight end Chris Manhertz and ex-Eagles backup Jack Stoll joined the Giants, but if Waller is truly done, they need another option. Daniel Bellinger remains under contract, but he amassed just 255 receiving yards in 17 games last season. Bellinger also missed a chunk of his rookie year due to injury.

Although Waller missed five games due to more hamstring trouble, he totaled 552 receiving yards. Considering the limited opportunities the Giants’ passing attack offered its aerial cogs last season, that is a fairly impressive number. Only Darius Slayton (770) topped that. The Giants have a major need at wide receiver, but if Waller returns, their passing game would present a higher floor.

Currently helping tight end prospects train for the draft, Waller would need to inform the Giants of his plans in early June if he is to make good on his timetable. The team’s minicamp runs from June 11-13. As part of the extension Waller signed with the Raiders in 2022, he is due $10.53MM in base salary in 2024; that figure is nonguaranteed.

Broncos Meet With Laiatu Latu; OLB To Visit Vikings, Cardinals

April 9th, 2024 at 10:43am CST by Sam Robinson

Among the first-round edge rushers in this year’s class, Laiatu Latu is coming off back-to-back 10-plus-sack seasons. This came after the UCLA alum had retired from football due to injury. Given the production and medical history, Latu is becoming popular on the visit circuit.

The Broncos have met with the former Washington recruit, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who adds Laiatu is in Minnesota today for a Vikings visit. The Cardinals will huddle up with Latu on Wednesday. The Bears met with Latu on Monday, with the Eagles having already brought him in for a previous visit.

It certainly should be expected a talent with this medical issue in his past will log a number of visits before the draft. A neck issue during the Huskies’ training camp in 2020 led to a medical retirement. Latu, however, resurfaced at UCLA in 2022. He ripped off 10.5- and 13-sack seasons. The latter effort produced a Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honor in the conference’s swansong season. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board slots Latu 16th — behind fellow edges Dallas Turner and Jared Verse — while Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board places him 12th.

The Broncos jettisoned both their veteran edge players — Frank Clark, Randy Gregory — during the season and went with a trio of younger performers (Jonathon Cooper, Baron Browning, Nik Bonitto) and saw improvement. An argument can also be made the Broncos are missing an anchor pass rusher. While Latu only makes sense for the Broncos if they pass on a quarterback at 12 or avoid the urge to trade up for one. Considering the need Sean Payton‘s team has at the game’s premier position, mock drafts continually send QBs Denver’s way.

Although the Vikings lost Danielle Hunter after nine seasons, they replaced him with Jonathan Greenard. Ex-Dolphin hybrid linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel also joined the Vikings, but the team lost D.J. Wonnum and Marcus Davenport as well. Brian Flores‘ bunch is in need of a pure edge rusher to complement Greenard.

After totaling just 33 sacks last season, the Cardinals have a bigger need than most at this position. While Arizona moved Zaven Collins to the edge and returns 2023 sack leader Dennis Gardeck (six), the team certainly needs more help here. Arizona used a second-round pick on edge BJ Ojulari last year. The Cardinals hold the Nos. 4 and 27 picks in this year’s first round. Closely tied to being the team that trades out of the top four to give a QB-needy team — like the Vikings or Broncos — the opportunity to land one of this draft’s top four arms, the Cards could wind up in the Latu range if they move out of 4.

Draft Notes: Sweat, Seahawks, Titans, Bears, Patriots, Packers, Mims, Eagles, Broncos

April 9th, 2024 at 10:06am CST by Sam Robinson

Ranked as the No. 3 defensive tackle on Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board, T’Vondre Sweat has an off-field issue to navigate ahead of the draft. The Texas alum was arrested on a DWI charge over the weekend. Sweat was involved a two-car accident, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg, who indicates the DT’s SUV collided with a sedan shortly before 5am on Sunday. The Seahawks and Titans are among the teams performing some due diligence on Sweat, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero indicating the ex-Longhorns D-lineman met with the Titans on Monday and will fly to Seattle for a “30” visit later this week. Sweat posted a $3K bond following his arrest.

Here is the latest from the draft ranks:

Widely expected to begin the draft by taking Caleb Williams first overall, the Bears still hold another top-10 pick. Pertaining to the latter draft slot, the team is hosting Alabama tackle JC Latham on a two-day visit that runs through Tuesday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Latham has already met with the Cardinals and Titans. One of this draft’s supply of intriguing tackle prospects, Latham is on track to be a first-round pick. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board ranks the first-team All-SEC blocker 18th overall, while ESPN slots him 12th. The Bears have Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright, their 2023 first-round pick, as their starting tackles. A recent report indicated Chicago is unlikely to trade its No. 9 pick.
Another of the Round 1-level tackle prospects in this draft pool, Tyler Guyton visited the Patriots recently, ESPN’s Mike Reiss notes. Ranked 23rd on Jeremiah’s big board, Guyton stands 6-foot-8 and is more projection than proven talent. Only garnering honorable mention All-Big 12 acclaim last season, Guyton made just 15 college starts. Five of those came at TCU in 2022 before transferring. The Patriots re-signed Michael Onwenu with the intention of keeping him at right tackle, but with Trent Brown leaving for Cincinnati, New England still has a need at left tackle. Barring a trade out of No. 3 — certainly a possibility — the Pats would need to address this issue after the first round.
This draft class features another raw tackle talent drawing first-round consideration. Amarius Mims has Guyton beat, starting eight games in three Georgia seasons. Six of Mims’ starts came at right tackle last season. The 6-foot-8, 340-pound tackle missed time at Georgia, requiring ankle surgery early last season, and suffered a hamstring injury while running at the Combine. Viewed as high-ceiling talent, Mims has drawn understandable concerns about his durability, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid.
The Eagles and Broncos are two teams to monitor with regards to an early-round tackle investment, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller writes. Although Philadelphia just extended left tackle Jordan Mailata, stalwart RT Lane Johnson is heading into his age-34 season. The Eagles are typically proactive on their O-line. The Broncos have two high-priced tackles (and a rather glaring QB need) in Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey, but Bolles is going into a contract year. The second pick going to the Saints in the Sean Payton trade is the Broncos’ 2024 second-rounder, leaving Denver with only a third after its No. 12 overall slot.
Add the Packers to the list of teams to meet with cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry. The Alabama product visited Green Bay on Monday, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein. This will follow McKinstry meetings with the Jaguars, Buccaneers and Lions. Regarded as a more highly touted prospect going into last season, McKinstry has seen teammate Terrion Arnold leapfrog him. The latter ranks higher now, though McKinstry should still hear his name called early. Save for the Jordan Love pick, the Packers have used a defense-focused approach in Round 1 for more than a decade. Beyond Love, Green Bay’s last offensive player chosen in Round 1 was tackle Derrick Sherrod in 2011.

DB Logan Ryan Announces Retirement

April 9th, 2024 at 8:17am CST by Sam Robinson

Nearly two months after returning to the Super Bowl stage, Logan Ryan is stepping away from football. The versatile defensive back announced his retirement after 11 seasons Tuesday morning (video link).

The former Patriots draftee later made his way to the Titans, Giants, Buccaneers and 49ers. The San Francisco agreement did not come to pass until early December, shortly after Talanoa Hufanga‘s season-ending injury. Ryan, 33, went from spending most of 2023 out of football to playing 62 defensive snaps in Super Bowl LVIII. He closes his career with 19 interceptions.

That marked Ryan’s third Super Bowl appearance. The 2013 third-rounder was a backup cornerback in Super Bowl XLIX but a starter by the time the Patriots returned to a Super Bowl two years later. Ryan played every Patriots defensive snap in their historic comeback past the Falcons, parlaying that season into a three-year, $30MM Titans contract.

A Rutgers alum, Ryan started 124 games and suited up for 19 playoff contests. Primarily playing cornerback in New England and Tennessee, Ryan was one of the top tacklers at the position during this NFL period. That helped a transition to safety commence during his Giants tenure. The Giants picked up Ryan late in the 2020 offseason and handed the New Jersey native an extension (three years, $31MM) months after that signing.

During Ryan’s final Titans season (2019), the team voyaged to its first AFC championship game since 2002. The 5-foot-11 defender had returned from a broken leg that ended his 2018 season. Ryan helped the 2019 Titans’ cause by making 113 tackles — 31 more than any other corner registered that season — as primarily a slot defender. Ryan’s 2019 playoffs included a pick-six on Tom Brady, ending the Patriots’ Super Bowl LIII title defense in the wild-card round. Ryan also intercepted a pass and sacked Brock Osweiler during the Patriots’ divisional-round win over the Texans in 2016.

The COVID-19-marred 2020 offseason led to several veterans lingering in free agency for months, as visits were shut down for an extended period. Ryan belatedly landed with the Giants on August 31, 2020, soon completing the transition to a safety role. This came after he displayed high-level blitzing chops, tallying 8.5 sacks over his final two Titans seasons.

Teaming with Xavier McKinney in 2021, Ryan notched a career-high 117 tackles in his second Giants season. Ryan’s two Giants years overlapped with ex-Patriots special teams coordinator Joe Judge’s New York tenure. The team moved on shortly after hiring Joe Schoen as GM, cutting Ryan and letting Jabrill Peppers join the Patriots in free agency. The Giants have since passed on re-signing ex-Ryan safety teammates McKinney and Julian Love, effectively starting over at the position.

The Buccaneers gave Ryan an opportunity in 2022, but a foot fracture limited his on-field work in Tampa. Ryan played in nine games with the Bucs, starting six, but the team did not bring him back in 2023. The 49ers reached out to Ryan following Hufanga’s injury, encouraging him to go on a booked cruise with his family before joining the team for the stretch run. After playing 12 defensive snaps over his first three 49ers games, Ryan was on the field for every San Francisco defensive play in Week 17, as the team wrapped up home-field advantage. He then played 100% of the 49ers’ defensive snaps against the Packers in the divisional round.

Ryan moved into the San Francisco slot role by Super Bowl LVIII and was the closest defender in coverage on Mecole Hardman‘s game-winning touchdown — one that wrapped the NFL’s longest Super Bowl — but the veteran safety/corner provided the 49ers with some pivotal reps leading up to that point. Discounting a short-field, one-play TD possession in the third quarter, it took the Chiefs until overtime to mount a touchdown drive against the 49ers. Ryan played in both the NFL’s overtime Super Bowls.

Over his career, Ryan earned just more than $69MM. The Titans authorized Ryan’s biggest contract, one he played out in the late 2010s, but he earned more than $15MM with the Giants as well.

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