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Draft Rumors: Williams, Bears, Fashanu, Latham, Bolts, Bowers, Seahawks, Murphy

April 25th, 2024 at 3:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Pass rusher and wide receiver have been mentioned most often as the Bears‘ targets at No. 9 overall. Though, the player who will almost definitely be chosen at No. 1 (Caleb Williams) in a few hours seems to have Chicago’s D-line ranked outside the top two among his positional priorities here.

“I’d probably go Olu Fashanu because I know he’d put his life on the line for me, protecting me,” Williams said, via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith. “Then I’d go one of the top three wide receivers.”

A Penn State-developed tackle, Fashanu played high school football (at Gonzaga College HS in Washington D.C.) with Williams. That makes it unsurprising the 2022 Heisman winner would stump for his old teammate. The Bears are believed to have a tackle addition on their radar for No. 9, with GM Ryan Poles splitting his staff into pods debating the merits of taking a tackle, edge rusher or wide receiver with that pick. Chicago looks to have done more work on wideouts and pass rushers, being linked to adding a weapon — potentially Rome Odunze or tight end Brock Bowers — for Williams. The team has Braxton Jones and 2023 No. 10 overall pick Darnell Wright at tackle. Fashanu grades 15th on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board.

Hours away from Williams starting this draft, here is the latest:

Rams Aiming To Trade Into Top 10

April 25th, 2024 at 3:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

3:13pm: The Rams have a target in mind, but Russini adds they are not pursuing a quarterback in Round 1. A Rams QB move could come later, though the team has seen 2023 fifth-rounder Stetson Bennett re-emerge after spending his rookie year on the NFI list. Bennett is stationed behind Stafford and UFA pickup Jimmy Garoppolo.

1:00pm: Known for a near-decade-long stretch of moving off first-round picks, the Rams hold their own selection heading into the draft. They are trying to make a deal to move up.

Mentioned Wednesday as a team that is likely interested in coming up the board, the Rams appear to indeed be intrigued by the prospect of such a move. Sean McVay‘s team is contacting teams with an aim to climb into the top 10, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets.

It would be surprising if the Rams were a team interested in trading up for a quarterback, and it is interesting to see a non-QB-seeking (presumably) team linked to a trade into the top 10. The Cardinals and Chargers have made it known they are interested in moving down, but a climb into the top five may be unrealistic for the Rams, who sit at No. 19. The Titans, at No. 7, have been mentioned as a team open to sliding down the board. But Tennessee, closely linked to tackles, will probably want to see how the board looks before serious considering dealing its top choice.

The Rams have major holes on defense. They saw arguably the best defensive tackle in NFL history retire after an All-Pro season. Aaron Donald elevated the Rams’ defense for a decade, and the team’s edge rushers — from Leonard Floyd to Von Miller to Dante Fowler — benefited from the all-time great’s presence inside. The Rams also need help on the edge, being rumored to be targeting OLB help earlier this offseason.

Los Angeles holds the Nos. 52, 83 and 99 selections on Day 2, the latter coming after the Falcons hired Raheem Morris as their head coach. Given Morris’ ties to the Rams, it would not surprise if Falcons-Rams talks took place today. Also linked to defensive players — in a top 10 expected to be heavy on offense — Atlanta holds the No. 8 overall pick.

The Bears have No. 9, and with only four picks in the draft, Chicago makes sense as a trade-down team. Though, the team also has been tied to wanting a skill-position or edge-rushing upgrade at 9. An early-April report suggested the Jets were hoping a team makes them a good offer for No. 10, but with Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh on hot seats, staying at 10 and adding another weapon for Aaron Rodgers is also firmly in play.

A quarterback move perhaps should be entirely ruled out; Matthew Stafford is going into his age-36 season and battled injuries throughout 2022. The veteran has played through significant injury trouble in Detroit and Los Angeles. A Rams-Bo Nix connection surfaced recently, via Rams GM Les Snead being at Auburn with Bo’s father (Patrick Nix) was playing QB for the Tigers, though the Oregon alum is not viewed as worthy of a top-10 pick. That said, Nix has been linked to the Vikings (No. 11) and Broncos (No. 12). It would be fascinating to learn the Rams were targeting one of this draft’s higher-profile arms.

The team certainly is not shy about dealing future first-round picks for assets, but given the team needs on defense, it would be risky for the team — even with its penchant for finding quality defenders on Days 2 and 3 — to eschew major needs for down-the-road help. Stafford’s $40MM-per-year extension runs through 2026. The Rams crashing the party as a Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy or Michael Penix Jr. suitor would inject more intrigue into a draft teeming with trade-up buzz.

Colts Interested In Trading Up For Top WR, TE Brock Bowers?

April 25th, 2024 at 2:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

APRIL 25: The Colts may try to take a big swing in Round 1, with SI.com’s Albert Breer mentioning Indianapolis will probably attempt to make a move for one of the top three wideouts or Brock Bowers. Sitting at No. 15, the Colts may only need to move up a few spots to secure draft real estate good enough to nab Bowers or Rome Odunze. It will probably take a more substantial trade package for Indy to land Harrison or Malik Nabers.

The Bowers element here is interesting, as the Colts have seven tight ends on their offseason roster. Top option Jelani Woods arrived during Frank Reich‘s tenure, as did Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson. Bowers is viewed as this draft’s top tight end by a wide margin; the Georgia product may not make it out of the top 10, setting a potential target for the Colts if they are serious about moving up.

APRIL 24: Most of the trade-up reporting and speculation related to the upcoming draft has centered on quarterbacks, to no surprise. Teams not in need of a rookie passer could still be active in seeking a move up the board, though, and the Colts could be one of them.

Indianapolis is currently set to select 15th overall, but a trade could be in consideration. The Colts are viewed as being interested in a trade-up aimed at securing a receiver, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Likewise, ESPN’s Matt Miller reports the team has frequently been mentioned as a potential suitor for Texas wideout Xavier Worthy. Miller’s final mock draft sends the speedster to Indianapolis, albeit with no trade being involved. Owner Jim Irsay noted the team’s “great interest” in Marvin Harrison Jr. (via FOX59’s Mike Chappel), but he will no doubt be out of range.

Worthy earned plenty of acclaim by breaking the all-time 40-yard dash record at the NFL Combine, showcasing his ability as a vertical threat at the NFL level. The Colts have Michael Pittman Jr. in place for years to come atop the WR depth chart, having worked out a three-year deal this offseason which takes the place of his franchise tag. Worthy is also on the radar of the Dolphins, owners of the No. 21 selection.

Indianapolis will have plenty of non-QB options to consider on Day 1, of course, regardless of if the team moves up or down the board. General manager Chris Ballard spoke about the team’s situation during a pre-draft press conference, during which he noted all options are being considered. All teams provide smokescreens this time of year, but Ballard noted the Colts have a track record of moving both up and down the board.

“History, I just go off history,” Ballard said (via NFL.com). “And you know, the more picks you have, the better chance you have to hit. Now, of course, you’re not going to hit on all of them, but it gives you more of a chance to hit. Look, we’ve moved up, we moved up for Jonathan Taylor. When we see one that’s in striking distance that we think we can go get, we’ll do it. But it’s got to work out. And then you’ve got to have… somebody that wants to make the trade.”

The Colts own seven total picks in the 2024 draft, one in each round. The team will thus have the capital required to move up the board slightly in round one, but the possibility of adding later selections could entice Ballard. This year’s class is known to be deep at the receiver spot, and plenty of notable options will be available on Friday and Saturday. Still, Indianapolis will be a team to watch with respect to wideout interest.

Lions, Jared Goff Not Close On Extension Talks

April 25th, 2024 at 2:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions retained two foundational members of their offense on the eve of the draft. Both receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and right tackle Penei Sewell agreed to monster extensions, but another large priority exists on the offseason to-do list.

Quarterback Jared Goff is in line for an extension of his own, and talks on that front are underway. Progress has not come about the way it did in the case of St. Brown and Sewell, however. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Goff and the Lions are not close to striking a deal at this time.

The former Rams first overall selection has thrived in the Motor City, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2022 and following that up with another strong outing this past season. Goff helped lead Detroit to a division title and the NFC championship game, posting a career-high completion percentage (67.2%) and a combined 34:12 touchdown-to-interception ratio along the way.

Even though the Lions drafted Hendon Hooker last year, therefore, Goff remains a central figure in the team’s short- and intermediate-term future. The latter is due just over $27.3MM in 2024, the final year of his contract. Considering where the top of the QB market currently stands, the 29-year-old could be in line for a considerable raise. A new Lions agreement could come in at an annual average value of $40MM or more, though the price point of an extension is no doubt a potential sticking point in negotiations.

With the St. Brown and Sewell pacts on the books, the Lions enter this weekend’s draft with $26MM in cap space. A Goff extension could increase that figure, but for the time being Detroit’s cap sheet is in line to carry a $32.3MM charge in 2024 for Goff. His value could increase further with another strong showing in 2024, provided no agreement on a new deal is reached. Whether or not the current gap can be bridged will be a major Lions storyline through the remainder of the offseason.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, CBs, Smith, Giants, Draft, Cowboys, McCarthy

April 25th, 2024 at 2:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Buzz earlier this week pointed to the Eagles making a trade-up effort ahead of Round 1. More is coming out on another potential Philly climb up the first-round board. The Eagles, who have traded up in four of the past five first rounds, are making an aggressive effort to try and move up the board, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets. Going further here, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano notes the Eagles are “frantically” trying to trade up, listing cornerback as the most likely target. The Eagles hold the No. 22 overall pick.

The Eagles have not chosen a corner in Round 1 since 2002 (Lito Sheppard), but the team has two 30-somethings (Darius Slay, James Bradberry) in place as starters and certainly struggled down the stretch last season. Tackle has come up as a potential Philly target as well, and while this is a good draft to add help here, the team’s trend of ahead-of-the-curve O-line moves will need to be weighed against a more pressing need in coverage.

Here is the latest from the NFC East, moving first to the Giants’ draft approach:

  • If the Giants want to trade up for a quarterback, they might need to target the Cardinals at No. 4. Barring a big offer, the Patriots are expected to stay at 3 and draft Drake Maye. The North Carolina passer has been mentioned frequently as a Giants trade-up target, potentially putting New York to the test (re: J.J. McCarthy) or leading to the team standing down and selecting a wideout at 6. The Giants should be expected to send the Patriots an offer, according to Vacchiano, but they appear less likely to trade up from No. 6 compared to where they stood a few weeks ago. If the Giants stay at 6, they are viewed as interested in adding a top-flight wideout — likely Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers — though things could get quite interesting if McCarthy remains on the board.
  • The Cowboys may want someone to target their No. 24 pick in a trade-up maneuver, per the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore, who writes, adding the team does not have 24 first-round grades on players in this class. Dallas has a clear need on its offensive line, not doing much (besides re-signing swing tackle Chuma Edoga) as Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz exited in free agency. Center and either LT or LG are needs, depending on where the Cowboys see Tyler Smith lining up. Impressing at both tackle and guard, Tyler Smith gives the Cowboys options. This is a loaded tackle draft, however, and value may well line up with the Cowboys’ needs.
  • Staying on the subject of the Cowboys, Mike McCarthy made an interesting move this week. The rare coach set to go into a lame-duck year, McCarthy hired agent Don Yee, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Yee represents the likes of Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh, two of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches, and will bring an interesting wrinkle to a Dallas equation involving a coach on a hot seat despite three straight 12-5 seasons.
  • DeVonta Smith‘s three-year, $75MM Eagles deal includes four void years, which will keep the extension’s cap hits manageable in the near future. Smith is tied to cap numbers of $8.1MM, $7.5MM and $10.7MM over the next three years. Void-year proponents, the Eagles would face a big dead money hit ($35.8MM) if Smith is unsigned by March 2029. For the foreseeable future, however, Philly has the 2021 first-round pick tied to a deal that will not affect its cap sheets too much.

Saints Considered Trading Marshon Lattimore; CB Remains In Team’s 2024 Plans

April 25th, 2024 at 1:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

As part of the Saints’ annual salary cap gymnastics, Marshon Lattimore‘s contract was restructured this offseason That move – and its particular financial implications – has fueled speculation the Pro Bowl corner could be dealt at some point before the 2024 season.

Lattimore is due an option bonus shortly before the coming campaign kicks off, and that compensation would become an acquiring team’s responsibility. Ahead of free agency last month, a report indicated teams around the league were aware the 27-year-old could be on the trade block. As a result, it comes as no surprise that general manager Mickey Loomis was asked about the matter at New Orleans’ pre-draft press conference.

“Everybody is tradable, it just depends on the offer that you get,” Loomis said (via Luke Johnson of NOLA.com). “And yet, that’s not very common… I don’t like trading players that have been contributors for us. There’s too many ‘what if’ things here. If there was something imminent, well, I still wouldn’t tell you.”

Loomis added that New Orleans expects Lattimore to remain with the team for the 2024 season. A trade executed at or around this weekend’s draft would create a dead cap charge of over $31MM, making such a move unlikely. After June 1, however, that figure would drop to $10.6MM in 2024 with the remainder being spread out in 2025. Teams which are unable to land a corner high in the draft could show interest in the former first-rounder, who has battled injuries recently.

Lattimore has been limited to 17 total games across the past two seasons, and he missed the final seven contests of the 2023 campaign. When healthy, though, the Ohio State product has been productive (13 interceptions, 74 pass deflections between the 2017-21 seasons). Those totals could help convince teams to pursue a trade, something ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports the Saints “explored” last month. The draft represents another key checkpoint in the offseason for New Orleans to gauge outside interest in any potential Lattimore deal.

The former Defensive Rookie of the Year is owed $51.5MM over the next three years, and his 2024 cap hit currently sits at $14.62MM. Any team willing to absorb that pact may seek further adjustments, but that would of course be a moot point if New Orleans remains intent on retaining him. Lattimore’s situation will remain one to watch closely during and especially after the draft.

Teams Calling Broncos On Courtland Sutton

April 25th, 2024 at 12:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jerry Jeudy exited the trade-rumor cycle that has engulfed the Broncos’ receiving corps for the past 18 months, finally being moved (to the Browns). Courtland Sutton, particularly after his recent contract issue surfaced, remains in this mix.

The Broncos are not believed to want to trade Sutton, but ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the team has received several calls from clubs about the six-year veteran. Two years remain on Sutton’s 2021 extension (four years, $60MM), calling into question how motivated the Broncos will be to adjust his deal.

Sutton, 28, emerged as Russell Wilson‘s top target in Sean Payton‘s offense. The 6-foot-4 target totaled a career-high 10 touchdowns, some of the acrobatic variety, during a season in which Denver’s offense depended on his playmaking. The Broncos keeping Sutton on their roster through the first week of the 2024 league year guaranteed $2MM of his 2024 base salary ($13MM). The rest of Sutton’s deal — which includes a $13.5MM 2025 base salary — is nonguaranteed.

The guarantees here are partially behind Sutton staying away from the early part of Denver’s offseason program, though team brass has communicated with the former second-round pick. The Steelers, with Wilson now on a veteran-minimum deal (providing a minor offset on the Broncos’ dead money sinkhole), have been linked as a team to monitor regarding a receiver trade. Sutton would make sense due to his deep-ball skills and rapport with Wilson.

Although Broncos GM George Paton has seen his tenure skid off track thanks to the Nathaniel Hackett hire and Wilson trade/extension developments, the Sutton extension looks fairly team-friendly now. The 2022 offseason brought a WR market boom. After Calvin Ridley‘s $24MM-per-year deal headlined this year’s free agency run at the position, Sutton’s $15MM AAV sits 23rd at the position. Jeudy’s $17.5MM-per-year Browns pact also tops his former teammate’s number, and the inconsistent ex-first-rounder is tied to $41MM fully guaranteed. That figure figure, despite the new Cleveland resident’s upper-middle-class AAV, ranks fourth at the position.

The Jeudy trade makes Sutton more important in Denver, which has him in place as its clear WR1 right now. Marvin Mims showed promise last season, but the 2023 second-rounder could not carve out a steady role. Tim Patrick remains on the team, albeit after taking a substantial pay cut, but has not played since 2021 due to two season-nullifying injuries. Denver added complementary target Josh Reynolds. Not expected to draft a wideout in Round 1 — the Broncos are in on QBs, as you may have heard — the Payton-Paton duo will have a harder time augmenting the group due to the lack of a second-round pick.

Denver collected only fifth- and sixth-rounders for Jeudy. This came after the team held out for a first-round pick last year and received an offer of third- and fifth-rounders at the 2023 deadline. The Broncos set a second-round price on Sutton last year and nearly traded him to the Ravens — before the Odell Beckham Jr. signing — though it is not known if Baltimore was close to that Round 2 compensation.

With the draft serving as another loose deadline in the Sutton saga, this situation will be worth monitoring — perhaps up to Day 3, based on the Jeudy compensation — as will any Broncos receiver picks this weekend. If Brandon Aiyuk and Tee Higgins are not available, teams could turn to Sutton, who has become a long-term trade candidate.

Broncos Worked Out Bo Nix; Vikings In Play For Oregon QB?

April 25th, 2024 at 11:35am CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos have led the way when it comes to connections to Bo Nix, who is coming off a career that concluded with dominant numbers at Oregon and less impressive work at Auburn. Denver’s ties to Nix were not believed to have included a “30” visit, but a recent report provides more detail into the work Denver has done on the five-year college starter.

Sean Payton and Co. trekked to Eugene to work out the recent Ducks standout, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. This March 18 trip came just more than a week after a Zoom call between Nix and Broncos brass. These interactions could be important for Nix, whose draft stock may be the murkiest among the top quarterback options in this year’s class.

[RELATED: Assessing Bo Nix’s Draft Stock]

A report earlier this month suggested the Broncos not taking Nix at No. 12 could precede a Will Levis-like freefall that could end with the 24-year-old QB tumbling out of the first round. But Denver has been tied to Nix since early February. The recent Pac-12 star could become a safety play for the Broncos, who have been linked to bigger-game hunting.

A report last week suggested Payton is ready to make a big splash — in a deal that could involve the team trading future high picks and/or Patrick Surtain — and move up the board for a passer he covets. J.J. McCarthy is believed to be a Broncos target, and a Wednesday report indicated other teams do indeed believe the Broncos could stomach parting with Surtain — and potentially other veterans on expiring contracts — if the prize is a quarterback near the top of the draft. These rumors suddenly make this one of the most important drafts in modern Broncos history.

The Broncos might not need to use No. 12 on Nix, potentially being able to trade down — which would help a team that gave up its 2024 second-rounder to obtain Payton’s rights from the Saints last year — and still acquire him. This would mean standing down on McCarthy or Drake Maye but would ensure Surtain stays a Bronco. The All-Pro corner now has two years remaining on his rookie contract, thanks to the Broncos picking up his fifth-year option; extension talks are tentatively expected to begin post-draft. That is, of course, if Surtain remains on Denver’s roster after tonight.

Breer’s mock draft does not send Nix to Denver, rather slotting tight end Brock Bowers at No. 12, though Peter Schrager’s final NFL.com offering this year does. Denver may not be the only potential landing spot. Nix visited the Giants (No. 6), Raiders (No. 13) and Seahawks (No. 16) and worked out for the Vikings (No. 11). While Minnesota has been perhaps the most consistently rumored team to trade into the top five for a passer, Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson points to a scenario in which the Vikings stand down and wait — with Nix as a target.

If the Patriots draft Maye at No. 3 — as they are likely to do, barring a monster trade offer — a source informed Robinson the Vikings would be comfortable staying at No. 11 and selecting Nix. That range is viewed as high for Nix, whom some teams have graded as a second-round talent, but QB needs annually drive up the values of passing prospects. The Vikings also have a strong receiving corps that would help a player like Nix.

The Vikings, whom Schrager has trading up (via the Titans at No. 7) for McCarthy, being in play for Nix could produce a scenario in which the Broncos miss out on both the Michigan and Oregon arms. This may well hinge on the Giants’ interest in McCarthy, which is either waning or being covered up in a smokescreen effort.

If the Giants do not take a quarterback and the Vikings are comfortable waiting, McCarthy or Nix would stand to be available for the Broncos — that is, unless the Raiders or a sleeper team leapfrogs them. Teams are doubting Las Vegas will pull the trigger on such a move if Jayden Daniels is not the target. A Daniels-Antonio Pierce reunion is viewed as highly unlikely, with the 2023 Heisman winner on track to go to Washington.

Denver has Jarrett Stidham and Monday trade pickup Zach Wilson on the roster, but this depth chart would not generate much optimism ahead of Payton’s second Denver season. It is also not expected to impede a Broncos quest to add a long-term option tonight. Which QB will the team end up with to replace Russell Wilson?

Drake Maye Latest: Patriots, Ownership, Daniels, McCarthy, Giants, Vikings

April 25th, 2024 at 10:34am CST by Sam Robinson

With Caleb Williams ticketed for Chicago and Jayden Daniels moving into clear pole position with Washington, where Drake Maye will end up has become perhaps this draft’s top talking point. A number of teams are on the radar for the two-year North Carolina starter, though the Patriots look set to have the right of first refusal.

Expected to come out of the first round with a passer, the Pats hosted Maye on a visit and have done plenty of work on this QB class. While trade-down rumblings have emerged, it does not appear strong offers have come the Pats’ way. They are expected to keep the No. 3 overall pick, and NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran believes Maye will be the Pats’ choice — barring a monster trade offer changing their mind. Curran mentions the Giants and Vikings as the teams that could change the Patriots’ mind with a big proposal.

This move would stand to appease ownership, which is taking a more hands-on role during this pre-draft process compared to how things ran under Bill Belichick. Pats ownership seems to carry a “strong preference” Eliot Wolf and Co. leave Round 1 with a quarterback, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes. While rumors of the Pats having Michael Penix Jr. in their back pocket — in the event they trade out of No. 3 — the Washington prospect has since generated buzz about rising into the top 10. That may still be the less likely scenario for the left-hander, but the Pats would be taking a risk if they traded out of No. 3.

The Patriots are believed to, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, have Daniels rated ahead of Maye — a ranking we first heard about during the Combine — but that may well be a moot point due to the Commanders holding the No. 2 choice. Washington GM Adam Peters and OC Kliff Kingsbury are believed to be high on Daniels, setting up a Patriots Maye-or-J.J. McCarthy call. Washington is not expected to trade down, much to Las Vegas’ chagrin. Any (likely irrelevant) Daniels preference aside, Fowler adds the Pats still like the upside Maye — who, at 21, is two years younger than the reigning Heisman winner — brings to the table.

Maye met with the Patriots, Commanders and Giants and worked out for the Vikings in Minnesota. In the view of the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, the 6-foot-4 prospect spoke more glowingly of his Giants meeting compared to how things went in Foxborough. Maye also declined to say if he met with Robert Kraft during his visit. The Giants, who hold the No. 6 pick, employ the play-caller in place when Josh Allen‘s ascent began (Brian Daboll). The Patriots are in transition, with Alex Van Pelt set to work as a regular play-caller for the first time — save for a 2020 Browns-Steelers wild-card game Kevin Stefanski missed due to COVID-19 — in 15 years.

The Giants and Vikings have a vested interest in how the Patriots proceed. The tide has either turned for the Giants in their Maye-or-McCarthy preference, or an elaborate smokescreen operation is afoot. Maye-Giants connections have continued to come out of New York, and ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan furthers them by offering that the recent Tar Heels standout is indeed the QB — among the options expected to be within their reach — the team covets.

That said, McCarthy chimed in (during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show) by saying he spent more time with the Giants than any other team during the run-up to the draft. The Michigan prospect joins Maye in receiving intense scrutiny, and while he was more closely tied to the Giants weeks ago, the Broncos have been linked to him more recently. It would be costly for Denver to move up from No. 12 for McCarthy or Maye, though it is interesting Sean Payton‘s team has been more closely tied to the former given the recent rumors tying the latter to New York and Minnesota.

Sitting at Nos. 4 and 5, the Cardinals and Chargers have discussed terms with QB-needy teams residing outside the top three. How the Pats proceed will crystallize the value of those choices. Maye being off the board at 3 could weaken the positions of Arizona and Los Angeles, and hours away from the draft, it looks like that will be the case.

Steelers High On OL Graham Barton, Eyeing Broderick Jones Shift To LT

April 25th, 2024 at 9:44am CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers have two starter-caliber tackles, having drafted one of them (Broderick Jones) in last year’s first round. But the team did not replace February cap casualty Mason Cole. Center sits as an obvious need for Pittsburgh.

Linked to wanting to come away from the draft with center and tackle additions, the Steelers brought 11 offensive linemen in on “30” visits. One of them is generating significant interest as the draft nears. Some in the building view Duke prospect Graham Barton as a “generational”-type player, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac.

Although Barton spent the past three seasons as the Blue Devils’ starting left tackle, he played center as a freshman. The 6-foot-5, 313-pound blocker is expected to return to center to start his pro career, and the Steelers appear a live candidate to select the former Duke mainstay at No. 20. This would be an interesting choice, with Barton having just five starts at center while in college. But he sits 22nd on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board; teams also have regularly converted tackles to inside players at the sport’s top level.

Cole started every Steelers game at center over the past two seasons, coming in after the team did not like former third-rounder Kendrick Green‘s progress. The Steelers could shift James Daniels back to center, where he spent some time in Chicago, but it does not appear that is the preferred option.

This draft is flooded with tackle prospects, with Jeremiah’s big board including seven in the top 25. With tackle a more valuable position, the Steelers passing on options at that spot to fill a need stands to generate a healthy debate in their war room — depending on which tackles the team likes and how the board looks at 20, barring a trade-up maneuver. The Cowboys, who sit at No. 24, are also interested in Barton.

Additionally, the Steelers do appear to be planning to switch Jones from right to left tackle. Earlier this offseason, Dulac predicted Jones — Georgia’s left tackle in 2022 — would move to the blindside post after spending most of his rookie year at RT. The veteran reporter adds the Steelers could prioritize a right tackle due to a desire to shift Jones to the left side. Dan Moore has operated as the Steelers’ LT starter for three seasons, but he is going into a contract year. Pro Football Focus has also continually given the former fourth-round pick low marks, though teams obviously do not use that as a surefire measuring tool.

Pittsburgh has Daniels, Jones and Isaac Seumalo entrenched as starters, and Moore has proven durable during his career. But two new blockers may be en route early in this draft. As Russell Wilson (or perhaps Justin Fields) prepares to take over, the Steelers’ line could certainly be upgraded from 2023.

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