Latest On Vikings’ Draft Plans

Armed with two first-round picks, the Vikings are a team worth watching in the build-up to next month’s draft. Minnesota is a strong candidate for a move up the board to land a quarterback, although the presence of Sam Darnold means the position could be a priority after Day 1.

[RELATED: Vikings Among Teams Set To Host Jayden Daniels]

The Vikings made a deal with the Texans to add pick No. 23 earlier this month, giving the team that selection along with their own 11th pick. Minnesota thus has the capital to move into the top five, and in the wake of the trade a report quickly emerged pointing to a deal with Arizona (which owns the fourth selection) being in play. Both the Cardinals and Chargers (No. 5) are open to trading down.

With that in mind, ESPN’s Matt Miller notes the expectation around the league remains that Minnesota will trade into the top five. Specifically, many point to J.J. McCarthy being the target of that move, although the matter of whether he will be on the board after No. 3 is in the air. The Michigan product has seen his stock consistently rise over the past few weeks, and he may have worked his way into consideration for the second overall pick.

Neither head coach Kevin O’Connell nor general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah attended the Wolverines’ Pro Day (although QBs coach Josh McCown was part of the large contingent of NFL evaluators present). As Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes, however, Minnesota’s preference is to host quarterback prospects on private workouts, something which holds true of other teams as well. The team’s evaluation of McCarthy, Daniels and whichever other passers are brought in will determine much of their plans ahead of the draft.

Darnold is in place on a one-year, $10MM deal. The former No. 3 pick is thus in place to serve as the Vikings’ short-term Kirk Cousins replacement, but a long-term investment via the draft would be a reasonable approach. As could be expected this time of year, though, Adofo-Mensah has not confirmed the chances of a trade-up being executed or a signal-caller even being a Round 1 target.

“We just thought that [the Texans trade] gave us the best flexibility for whatever can happen,” Adofo-Mensah recently said, via Miller’s colleague Kevin Seifert“Ultimately team building isn’t this one-size-fits-all exercise. There are ways you can build a championship team with certain types of quarterbacks, certain types of players around them and we’re trying to set ourselves up to be one of those and ultimately be in that last game which we’re trying to be in.”

Aside from Caleb Williams remaining on track to join the Bears in April, plenty is uncertain at the top of the board for the time being. Minnesota represents an X-factor at the QB spot, especially if the team makes a substantial move up the order. The Vikings’ evaluations of the top prospects over the coming days and weeks will be a key storyline to follow.

Cowboys To Make RB Addition; Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook Interested In Deal?

With Tony Pollard no longer in the picture, the Cowboys are an obvious candidate to draft a running back next month. A veteran signing before then would come as little surprise, though, and a pair of high-profile names could be eyeing a Dallas agreement.

When speaking at the league meetings, head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo) Dallas will be making at least one addition at the RB spot. The Cowboys retained Rico Dowdle, who finished second on the team in rushing yards last season. Dallas also has 2023 sixth-rounder Deuce Vaughn in the backfield, but an experienced option would be a welcomed addition to take the place of Pollard.

Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports both Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook “have interest in potentially signing” with the Cowboys. In the former’s case, a deal would of course represent a reunion. Elliott spent his first seven seasons with Dallas, twice leading the league in rushing during that span. His efficiency began to wane over time, though, and by the end of his Cowboys stint he was used more as a short-yardage specialist than a true lead back.

The Cowboys, as expected, released the former No. 4 pick last offseason with no guaranteed money remaining on his deal. Elliott signed a one-year pact with the Patriots, and he split time with Rhamondre Stevenson for much of the year. Elliott saw a career-low 184 carries in 2023, and his 3.5 yards per attempt average was also the worst figure of his NFL tenure. Especially in a year which saw several high-end backs quickly land new deals, it comes as no surprise the 28-year-old (who, in fairness, drew trade interest at the deadline) is still on the market.

Cook likewise endured a disappointing season in 2023 after seeing his long-term Vikings tenure come to an end. After being let go by Minnesota, a lengthy free agent process ensued. Cook ultimately joined the Jets, but he struggled to carve out a role alongside Breece Hall in the backfield. New York waived the 28-year-old in January, setting up a brief audition period with the Ravens.

Baltimore used Cook sparingly in the postseason, and with Derrick Henry now in place a re-up with another veteran can be considered unlikely. Plenty of snaps will presumably be available in Dallas for Elliott, Cook or another experienced back looking for a new deal. Dallas would of course still be expected to use a Day 2 or 3 pick on a back during the draft even with a veteran signing, but with $6.7MM in cap space the team can afford a low-cost addition at the position.

Panthers Sign OLB Jadeveon Clowney

After five seasons on one-year agreements, Jadeveon Clowney will land a deal that covers more than one season. The Panthers will provide it, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

Carolina is giving Clowney a two-year deal worth $20MM, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The contract can max out at $24MM. The Panthers have announced the signing, one that will send Clowney back to the region where he grew up. The Rock Hill, South Carolina, native — who became a No. 1 overall pick after a standout career with the Gamecocks — will be tasked with helping a Panthers team that is starting over at edge rusher.

The Jets and Ravens were in on Clowney as well, but the Panthers may well have edged the AFC squads out with a better offer. Clowney will collect a far better deal compared to his 2023 Ravens pact — a one-year, $2.5MM agreement that came to pass during training camp — and has scored his first multiyear agreement since his Texans rookie contract back in 2014.

Panthers GM Dan Morgan said this week the Panthers had not given up on Clowney, despite a report of aggressive Jets interest. The 31-year-old edge defender will join D.J. Wonnum and K’Lavon Chaisson as Carolina free agency pickups in the wake of the Brian Burns trade. While none of these players is a Burns-level pass rusher, Clowney is coming off a 9.5-sack season — more than Burns totaled in 2023 — and has been productive for multiple teams.

Although Clowney is not a lock to play for the Panthers beyond 2024, this agreement will end his string of one-year accords that stretches back to his 2019 franchise tag season. The Texans tagged Clowney but traded him to the Seahawks, with the trade terms preventing Seattle from tagging the former South Carolina phenom a second time. That did not turn out to be an issue, as Clowney has never checked in as a high-level pass rusher. He then signed a one-year deal with the Titans, two one-year pacts with the Browns and landed with the Ravens on a low-cost accord just before last season.

Not exactly a consistent pass rusher, Clowney has offered plus run defense at points and has been a player capable of providing pressure inside. In addition to coming off a career-high sack total, Clowney posted 19 QB hits and forced two fumbles to help the Ravens lead the NFL in scoring defense. The Ravens were interested in keeping the 6-foot-5 defender, with Clowney’s wife (via CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson) confirming he had spoken with the AFC North team about another deal. Baltimore was probably not as interested at that price. Baltimore is still interested in re-signing Kyle Van Noy, who nearly matched Clowney by reaching nine sacks despite joining the team in late September.

Clowney has battled injuries, with knee trouble a particular issue in Houston. He missed eight games for the Titans, completing a sackless season, and clashed with Browns coaches during his second Cleveland season — a two-sack campaign. Opposite Myles Garrett in 2021, however, Clowney reached nine sacks. Despite Clowney’s low sack total in 2022, Pro Football Focus graded him 27th among edge rushers — ahead of an 18th-place assessment last season. PFF ranked Clowney as a top-20 run defender in 2023 as well. While Clowney’s three Pro Bowl nods all came during his Texans tenure, he has remained a productive performer into his early 30s.

Two of the three edges that trekked to Charlotte on a visit early in free agency have signed. Chase Young did not, opting for a Saints deal amid neck concerns, but Clowney and Wonnum will be key parts of Ejiro Evero‘s defense in 2024. Burns anchored Carolina’s edge rush for five seasons, with Yetur Gross-Matos — who landed a 49ers deal early in free agency — providing inconsistent supplemental work. Hybrid pass rusher Frankie Luvu also left, joining the Commanders.

The Panthers probably are not done staffing their edge positions, with a draft choice seemingly prudent considering the free agency-heavy makeup at the position. But Clowney gives the team a versatile piece to deploy as it attempts to recover from last season’s 2-15 debacle.

QB Jayden Daniels To Meet With Six Teams

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.

Cowboys Do Not Intend To Let Dak Prescott Reach Free Agency

More is coming out of the Cowboys-Dak Prescott situation. Although no offer has been made and no deal is imminent, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson supplies some information in line with the team’s recently expressed stance.

The Cowboys still want to complete an extension with Prescott this year, according to Anderson, who adds the team is not planning on letting the reigning MVP runner-up reach free agency. Some hurdles exist on the path toward a Prescott extension, but even though nothing is close presently, the Cowboys should still be considered more likely than not to aggressively pursue a third contract with their quarterback before the 2025 league year.

[RELATED: Cowboys, Dak Prescott Begin Extension Talks]

As he did during the first round of Prescott extension talks, Jerry Jones made a pitch for a team-friendly deal this week. Jones centered that short pitch on how a monster Dak re-up would affect the rest of the Cowboys’ roster, but while Patrick Mahomes has indeed sacrificed (in the form of a 10-year extension that goes through 2031), none of the QBs to agree on extensions since that July 2020 accord have followed his lead. While some upper-crust QBs did not hold out for player-friendly accords (Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford), the market is now beyond $50MM per year for high-end passers. Prescott’s age and production would have him in line for such a deal — perhaps close to $60MM per year — and he certainly has the ammo to land player-friendly terms again.

Entering the final season of a four-year, $160MM contract, Prescott cannot be franchise-tagged in 2025. A recent restructure only saved the Cowboys $4MM, still leaving Prescott with what would be a record-shattering cap number ($55.1MM). This is assuming the Browns restructure Deshaun Watson‘s deal, which calls for a $63.8MM hit this year. If Prescott leaves in free agency, the Cowboys would eat $40.1MM in dead money due to previous restructures that added void years through 2028.

Positional value also works in Prescott’s favor. Despite the Cowboys’ playoff stumbling blocks — which have been present since Super Bowl XXX — remaining during the Dak era, they employ a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback who bounced back in a big way last season. The 30-year-old QB led the NFL with 36 TD passes in 2023; he has piloted the league’s top-ranked scoring offense in two of the past three years. The Cowboys, who have Trey Lance on an expiring contract, would not have a good way to replace their oft-maligned signal-caller were he to follow Kirk Cousins‘ path as a twice-tagged player to leave in free agency.

Deadlines have been semi-effective for the Cowboys and Prescott. The team could not get its QB to agree to a deal at the July 2020 franchise tag extension deadline but was able to circle back on an extension — after three offseasons’ worth of negotiations — before a second tag could hit the team’s payroll in March 2021. March 2025 would become the next true deadline, but another big season and the threat of hitting the market would only increase Prescott’s leverage. A deal earlier — one that would allow the Cowboys more breathing room compared to this $55.1MM cap number — would be in the team’s best interests, effectively creating an earlier deadline here.

Nothing is imminent, but given the numbers in play here, the topic of a Prescott extension will remain a key offseason talking point — just as it was from 2019-21 — during this NFL offseason.

Chiefs Sign Rugby Star Louis Rees-Zammit

The Chiefs are getting creative as they seek some additional offensive firepower. The team is set to sign rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report.

The 23-year-old worked out for the Chiefs earlier this week and impressed the staff. According to Schultz, Rees-Zammit attracted interest from around the NFL, as the rugby wing also visited with the Jets, Browns, and Broncos. Rees-Zammit previously announced that he’d be leaving Gloucester Rugby with the hopes of catching on with the NFL International Player Pathway Program.

In Kansas City, Rees-Zammit will be utilized in a running back/wide receiver hybrid role. The six-foot-three athlete will also be utilized in the return game, with Schultz noting that the NFL’s recent kickoff rule changes could make Rees-Zammit a “significant” addition. Per the new rule, only the kicker and returner can move before the ball hits the ground, a change that the NFL is hoping will reduce high-speed collisions.

Rees-Zammit posted a 4.43-second 40-yard dash time during his pro day last week. He also recorded a 9’7″ broad jump and 29″ vertical jump, per Timothy Rapp of Bleacher Report. The rookie certainly possesses the physical attributes to contribute in both the receiving and running game, and he could earn a roster spot on an uncertain Kansas City depth chart.

The Chiefs brought in Marquise Brown to partly solve their WR woes, adding him to a grouping that already includes holdovers like Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, and Kadarius Toney. Rees-Zammit might have an easier path to playing time at the RB position, where the team still hasn’t re-signed Jerick McKinnon. That opens up a third-down role behind Isiah Pacheco, where Rees-Zammit could compete with the likes of La’Mical Perine, Deneric Prince, and Keaontay Ingram.

Panthers To Re-Sign S Sam Franklin

While another Panthers move will steal the headlines, the team also managed to retain one of their special teams aces today. According to Joe Person of The Athletic, the Panthers are re-signing safety/core special teamer Sam Franklin. It’s a one-year deal for the veteran.

[RELATED: Panthers Sign OLB Jadeveon Clowney]

Franklin has spent his entire career in Carolina, joining the organization as an undrafted free agent out of Temple in 2020. He’s had an inconsistent defensive role through his first four seasons in the league, starting only nine of his 64 appearances. However, he’s managed to make an impact on special teams, averaging more than 270 ST snaps during that four-year span.

The 28-year-old actually got into a career-high 289 defensive snaps in 2023, finishing the season with a career-high 30 tackles. He also snagged his first career interception, returning it 99 yards for a touchdown.

While Franklin will continue to see a significant special teams role in 2024, he may not have the same opportunity on defense. The safety’s snaps last season mostly came when Xavier Woods and Vonn Bell were out of the lineup. While Bell is gone, the team has brought in Jordan Fuller and Nick Scott via free agency, pushing Franklin back towards the bottom of the depth chart.

S Kareem Jackson Visits Colts

After spending the majority of his career in Houston, Kareem Jackson is flirting with another AFC South squad. According to Howard Balzer, the veteran safety visited the Colts today.

[RELATED: Colts Resume Julian Blackmon Talks]

After spending four-plus seasons with the Broncos, Jackson was claimed off waivers by the Texans in December, kicking off his second stint with the organization. The former first-round pick spent the first nine seasons of his career in Houston, including 2010 and 2011 campaigns where he played alongside current head coach DeMeco Ryans.

Jackson was limited to only 39 defensive snaps in his two appearances last season with the Texans, but he did start each of his eight appearances for the Broncos, compiling 51 tackles and a pair of interceptions. Pro Football Focus ultimately graded him 52nd among 95 qualifying safeties in 2023, including a top-20 positional grade for his coverage skills.

While Jackson’s 2023 ranking proved that he was still serviceable during his age-35 season, he’s pretty far removed from his top-end play during his first stint in Houston and his first few years in Denver. Jackson graded out as a top-10 safety in both 2019 and 2020, but he’s struggled to crack the top half of his position over the past three years.

In Indianapolis, Jackson would provide the Colts with some experienced depth, especially as they face some uncertainty at the position. We heard earlier today that the Colts had reengaged in talks with Julian Blackmon, although the starter has attracted interest from other teams. Otherwise, the team would have Rodney Thomas II and Nick Cross penciled in as the starting safeties. Thomas got an extended look in the starting lineup last season, but Cross (and Ronnie Harrison) ended up passing him on the depth chart by the end of the year.

Texans To Re-Sign LB Neville Hewitt

Neville Hewitt is returning to Houston. The linebacker/special teams ace is re-signing with the Texans, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It’ll be a one-year deal for the veteran.

After bouncing around the AFC East to begin his career (including a three-year stint with the Jets where he started 32 games), Hewitt landed with the Texans in 2021. He started five of his 17 appearances during his first season in Houston, finishing with 60 tackles.

His defensive role was greatly reduced in 2022, but he turned into one of the team’s most reliable special teams player. It was the same story in 2023, as Hewitt’s 13 special teams tackles (of 14 total) paced the entire league. The 30-year-old finished this past season having appeared in a career-high 366 special teams tackles, although he was limited to a career-low three snaps on defense.

“Kind of a tone setter,” Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross said last season (via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston). “I think three special teamers ran the fastest in that game. Our two gunners ran 20.7 and 20.8 mph I believe and then Neville Hewitt ran 20.1. That dude was humming and you ever seen Neville Hewitt? … You don’t want to get in front of him if he’s running 20 miles per hour, so he is a juggernaut when he gets going.”

Now on his fourth contract with the organization, Hewitt will likely be eyeing a similar ST-centric role in 2024.

Latest On Patriots Front Office Hierarchy, Draft Plans

Since moving on from Bill Belichick, the Patriots have been operating without an official GM. Eliot Wolf reportedly has final say over personnel decisions, leading many to assume that the director of scouting was New England’s de facto general manager.

As Doug Kyed and Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald pass along, Wolf will retain his current title until after the draft, at which time owner Robert Kraft will consider a potential promotion. The owner has reportedly “received positive feedback” on Wolf, making the executive the favorite to land the top front office job.

“I’m excited with what I’ve seen so far, and we’ll evaluate after the draft and see how that’s gone and decide where we go from there,” Kraft said (via the Herald).

The son of Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf, Eliot Wolf spent more than a decade in Green Bay’s front office to begin his career. He joined the Patriots in 2020 and quickly earned a promotion to his current gig. Once the Patriots/Belichick divorce was official, Wolf participated in head coaching interviews before helping Jerod Mayo fill out his staff.

As Kyed and Callahan note, the Patriots have never had an official “general manager” since Kraft took over ownership of the organization. That was partly due to Belichick’s control over the roster, although the Patriots did employ high-ranking officials like “vice president of player personnel” and “director of player personnel.” Kraft may follow a similar route this time around, although there’s not a better time to pivot to the more traditional front office hierarchy in a post-Belichick era.

Before the organization figures out official roles for the front office, the Patriots will be focused on the draft…particularly their third-overall pick. There have been conflicting reports about the selection’s availability via trade, but it’s generally believed that New England will consider offers for the pick.

If the team does make a trade, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe says the team is still likely to select a quarterback in the draft. Moving back would surely take the Patriots out of range for a top-tier QB, but the team would still have plenty of opportunities to select someone at the position (including at their No. 34 pick).

Speaking of the top-tier quarterbacks, there were some rumblings that the Patriots weren’t enamored with UNC’s Drake Maye. However, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports that the Patriots will attend the prospect’s pro day tomorrow, and Mayo all but confirmed the team’s interest in Maye while speaking with reporters the other day.

“Drake Maye had a fantastic interview at the combine. He brings a lot of energy. You can tell he has that leadership ability,” Mayo said (via Reiss). “Also the exciting part about a guy like Drake Maye, there is really no ceiling with a guy like that. In saying that, when we’re trying to put together this roster, I know a lot of people look at the ceiling. But you also have to look at how low is the floor. I would say a guy like Drake Maye – he has a lot of room to grow. He’s a young guy. Honestly, he hasn’t played football nearly as much as these other guys. So that’s definitely something we’ve looked at, but he’s definitely going to develop.”

The Patriots have already brought in Jacoby Brissett to keep the QB seat warm, so New England is clearly intent on bringing a rookie QB along slowly. That much is known…it remains to be seen which rookie QB (and which rookie QB tier) the organization will ultimately land on.

NFL News & NFL Rumors