Minor NFL Transactions: 4/19/24

April 19th, 2024 at 8:08pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions from around the league:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Re-signed: OL Tyler Shatley

Seattle Seahawks

Invited to rookie minicamp: QB Kory Curtis

Shatley will continue his run as the Jaguars’ longest-tenured player with a new contract. The long-time Jacksonville sixth man on the offensive line has continued to play a big role into his 30’s. In the first seven seasons of his career, Shatley started 25 games as an injury fill-in or replacement starter. In the three seasons since he’s turned 30 years old, Shatley has 26 starts. He isn’t projected to be a starter in 2024, but he should continue to be the first man off the bench in situations of injury or ineffectiveness.

Curtis is a name that’s been around college football for a while. After spending two years backing up J.T. Barrett and Dwayne Haskins at Ohio State, Curtis transferred to Bryant University, where he started for two more seasons. Utilizing his redshirt season and his extra year of eligibility as a student during the COVID-19 pandemic, Curtis played two more seasons at Gannon University. Playing his final season with the Golden Knights in 2022, Curtis returns to the football world via a rookie minicamp invitation to Seattle.

QB Draft Rumors: Penix, Maye, Rattler

April 19th, 2024 at 7:25pm CST by Ely Allen

The most common predictions we’ve been seeing for the 2024 NFL Draft are that the day will start with a run of four quarterback selections and that those four quarterbacks will be USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. The passer projected to be selected after those four, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., has continuously been linked to the Raiders, and as we approach the big day, that heat continues to produce smoke.

According to Matt Miller of ESPN, Penix to Las Vegas is a rumor he has been constantly hearing from sources he trusts. The Raiders were linked early in the process with Daniels, as the LSU-transfer is familiar with new head coach Antonio Pierce from the two’s time together at Arizona State. In order to draft him, though, the Raiders would need to trade up from No. 13 overall to select Daniels before one or more of the teams with picks two through four has a chance to. Despite doing their due diligence on the situation, it doesn’t appear that the Raiders have the assets to make such a move.

Instead, they have seemingly zeroed in on Penix. Some have classified this as a surprise, since many don’t have a first-round draft grade on the left-handed passer. To be frank, though, many teams don’t seem to have a first-round draft grade on the controversial McCarthy, either. With the projected run of quarterbacks to open the night, though, it’s widely expected that passers initially projected as second- and third-round quarterbacks like McCarthy, Penix, and Oregon’s Bo Nix could easily hear their names on the first day of the draft. As we get closer and closer to that day, it continues to seem likely that, some way or another, Penix will be a Raider in 2024.

Here are a couple other rumors concerning the draft’s quarterbacks:

Speaking of passers who some don’t consider a first-rounder, Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post shared the thoughts of a league general manager who called Maye “the biggest wild card in” the draft. According to that executive, “Some guys love him and think he could end up the best QB in this class, and some legitimately think he’s a mid-round pick.”
Part of the reason for the apparent dichotomy around Maye’s draft stock is due to the drop in production from the former Tar Heel’s sophomore year to his most recent junior season. Maye had a lower completion percentage while passing for 713 fewer yards, 14 fewer touchdowns, and two more interceptions in two fewer games this year. Some attribute that to the loss of weapons to the NFL and injury, but Tom Pelissero of NFL Network points to a different reason. Reportedly, Maye was dealing with a couple injuries throughout the year including an ankle injury and an AC sprain in his left shoulder. He didn’t use it as an excuse, but the limitations showed up on film in the form of inaccuracy and poor pocket awareness.
One name who doesn’t get mentioned as a top-six quarterback with first-round possibilities but also doesn’t get classified as a late-round flyer is South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler. According to Pelissero, there are some coaches who ranked Rattler ahead of Penix. This doesn’t change the fact that Penix is an expected first-round pick with Rattler is likely to hear his name on the second or third day of the draft, but chalk it up to the growing controversy surrounding this year’s QB class. McCarthy and Penix only became first-round considerations well after facing each other in the college season’s finale. Maye and Daniels have been back and forth as the top selection following Williams, and apparently Maye isn’t even considered a guarantee there by some executives. And now, we hear of Rattler, being ranked on some boards higher than the passer projected to go 13th overall. Truly anything seems possible with the coming draft’s QB class.

Jets Still Aiming To Trade Zach Wilson; Team Targeting Day 2 Or Day 3 QB Pick

April 19th, 2024 at 5:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

More than six weeks after Zach Wilson was known to be given permission to speak with teams about a trade, the contract-year QB remains on the Jets. Though, the team looks set to go further in the direction of the former No. 2 overall pick being elsewhere in 2024.

The Jets are highly unlikely to obtain much for Wilson, who has been one of the most disappointing QB draftees in modern NFL history. A rumor about the team needing to attach a draft pick to entice a team to take on Wilson’s 2024 guarantee emerged. But GM Joe Douglas confirmed the team is still trying to unload the fourth-year passer. Offers have come in, but Wilson remains a Jet.

Wilson is staying away from Jets offseason workouts, per ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. These are voluntary, and given the team’s actions at QB and owner Woody Johnson‘s comments about Wilson, it makes sense for the BYU alum to avoid offseason work with his current team. The Jets have made it known for a while they are done with Wilson, having given Tyrod Taylor a two-year, $12MM deal to back up Aaron Rodgers.

The team is also eyeing a quarterback investment on Day 2 or Day 3, Cimini adds, calling the team “very interested” in adding to the position. Douglas said he wants the Jets to become a “QB factory” along the lines of the Ron Wolf– and Ted Thompson-era Packers. Green Bay made a habit of drafting QBs annually, even as Brett Favre‘s ironman streak persisted. The team drafted the likes of Mark Brunell, Matt Hasselback and Aaron Brooks (with Kurt Warner stopping through for a cup of coffee), each of whom becoming long-term starters elsewhere, before landing Rodgers in 2005.

Rodgers’ age (40) naturally makes this a need area for the Jets, though they are not expected to consider a passer in the first round. A Day 2 investment would be interesting as well, given how much is riding on this season for Douglas and HC Robert Saleh. Both are on hot seats, and drafting a player who would not factor into the team’s 2024 plans would bring some risk regarding the 2024 roster. Rodgers, who famously said he was “90% retired” early in the 2023 offseason, has since said he expects to play at least two more Jets seasons. The increasingly outspoken QB has also said playing into his mid-40s is on the table. That marks a change from comments he made toward the end of his Packers run.

While many teams have filled their QB2 spot, some have not. The next several days loom as a key window for the Jets and Wilson, who is due $5.5MM guaranteed this year. If the Jets end up cutting Wilson, they would be tagged with $11.2MM in dead money. As of now, the team is not expected to release its three-year starter. Not trading Wilson by the draft would seemingly make a release more likely, as a second- or third-day QB draftee would be on track to be the Jets’ third-stringer this season. That would further leave Wilson without a conceivable place on the 2024 roster.

Broncos Open To Moving Future First-Round Picks For QB

April 19th, 2024 at 5:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Obviously set to pay the price for their Russell Wilson mistake, the Broncos have gone through a quiet offseason. They are taking on more of the $85MM dead money sum this year, leading to a much lower-profile free agency compared to Sean Payton‘s first in Denver. After the early waves of free agency, the lingering QB question follows Denver into the draft.

While the other teams linked to trading up for a passer in this draft have clear-cut bridge options — in Sam Darnold (Vikings), Gardner Minshew (Raiders) or five-year starter Daniel Jones (Giants) — the Broncos do not. They are prepared to acquire another veteran at some point, but as of now, Jarrett Stidham would be Denver’s Week 1 starter. This has created a “heavy expectation” the Broncos will draft a QB in Round 1.

“You’d say it sure looks like we have to draft a quarterback and yet it’s got to be the right fit,” Payton said (via 9News’ Mike Klis). “If we had tip sheets as to what everybody else is picking it would be easier to answer that question. And so that’s the puzzle here.”

More interesting are GM George Paton‘s comments on the situation. Paton could be considered on thin ice, seeing as he hired Nathaniel Hackett and traded the eight-asset package — headlined by two first-round picks — for Wilson. With a heavy assist from an ownership group that arrived during Wilson’s extension talks, Paton signed off on the five-year, $245MM extension — one that created the record-setting dead cap figure less than two years later. Denver’s higher-profile HC, however, endorsed a second year of a Payton-Paton partnership earlier this offseason.

Also being the point man on negotiating the compensation for Payton’s rights with the Saints, Paton could seemingly be skittish about forking over more prime assets to fix the Wilson mistake. Yet, the fourth-year Broncos GM said the team is open to moving future first-rounders — to trade up from No. 12 overall — if it feels right about a quarterback prospect.

“If it’s the player you think can change the landscape, like a quarterback, then you do what you have to,” Paton said (via DNVR’s Zac Stevens) of trading a future first-rounder to address the game’s premier position.

Payton certainly coaxed better play from this lesser version of Wilson compared to what transpired with Hackett in 2022, making it worth wondering if the Broncos will set trading up for one of this draft’s top passers as a priority. While Payton is believed to be interested in trading up for a QB, rumors have also come out about the Broncos trading down from No. 12 to accumulate more assets. Thanks to the Payton trade, the team does not have a second-round pick.

Rumblings around the league do indeed point to the Broncos exploring trade-down in Round 1, per the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. Trading down could still keep Denver in position to draft Oregon’s Bo Nix, who is regarded as this draft’s fifth- or sixth-best passer. Broncos-Nix connections have emerged for several weeks now.

Trading down and hoping for a second-tier prospect to fix this longstanding problem would be a risky bet for a team that has been unable — despite trades, free agency and multiple early-round picks — to sufficiently replace Peyton Manning over the past eight years. But the Broncos do employ one of the game’s top offensive coaches; and they have traded three first-round picks and three second-rounders over the past two years.

However the Broncos opt to navigate this rather complex situation at quarterback, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler notes they have done extensive homework on this draft’s deep tackle class (subscription required). Garett Bolles is going into the final season of a four-year, $68MM contract. Bolles bounced back from his 2022 broken leg by starting 17 games last season and has made it known he wants an extension, but the seven-year starter was not a Payton pickup and is going into his age-32 season. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey is signed through 2027, and his 2025 base salary became fully guaranteed earlier this offseason.

If the Broncos take a tackle early, they would likely be doing so to eventually replace Bolles and not McGlinchey. The latter has stopped a revolving door at Denver’s RT post, one that featured 11 Week 1 starters in 11 seasons from 2013-23.

Teams Viewing Steelers As Most Likely To Trade For WR?

April 19th, 2024 at 4:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Known more for drafting and developing wide receivers — often from Day 2 — than trading for them, the Steelers have produced an impressive track record on this front. Over the past 15 years, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson and George Pickens have enjoyed varying levels of success with the team despite coming off the board after Round 1.

It is arguable no team has strung together a run of homegrown WR talent like this in the modern game, but rumblings continue to emerge about the Steelers being ready to pull the trigger on a trade. A report earlier this week indicated the team had inquired about Brandon Aiyuk and was interested in trading for a wideout, and the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora submits another offering in this direction.

Rival execs view the Steelers as the team potentially the most motivated to acquire a receiver via trade. While a Tee Higgins move will not happen — unlikely to be moved, Higgins definitely would not be dealt within the division — teams certainly are monitoring the 49ers regarding an Aiyuk swap.

Although Sean Payton and Broncos GM George Paton said (via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson) he has spoken with Courtland Sutton recently, the 6-foot-4 wideout showed by far the most chemistry with Russell Wilson last season. The team currently employing Wilson may be interested in reuniting the two, as Sutton is staying away from Broncos workouts in hopes of a new contract.

The Broncos nearly traded Sutton to the Ravens last year, and after their Jerry Jeudy asking price dropped drastically (from a first-rounder to accepting fifth- and sixth-rounders from the Browns), Sutton probably will not cost a second-round pick — Denver’s hope in 2023 — entering his age-29 season. Aiyuk will be more difficult to acquire, and it is worth wondering if the Steelers would pull the trigger, given the fifth-year wideout’s extension price and the AFC North franchise’s success finding receivers in the draft.

This draft is set to produce yet another deep receiver crop, which stands to lower prices in trades. But the Steelers may need more than one starter. Dealing Johnson to Carolina in a deal that brought back cornerback Donte Jackson, Pittsburgh has little surrounding Pickens presently. A slot player and a second boundary option would stand to be in play for the Steelers. The 6-foot-4 Sutton (signed through 2025 on a $15MM-per-year deal) made some of last season’s best catches, working as a deep threat and red zone target (10 2023 TDs) for Wilson. The 6-foot Aiyuk, who is tied to a fifth-year option worth $14.1MM, has displayed a bit more versatility in Kyle Shanahan‘s system.

If the Steelers are to execute a trade, they could devote more draft resources to other positions. Pittsburgh is targeting help at center and tackle, with The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly indicating a right tackle addition is on the team’s radar (subscription required). They hosted 11 O-linemen on “30” visits, including Georgia’s Amarius Mims, Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga along with interior O-lineman Graham Barton (Duke), Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon) and Zach Frazier (West Virginia), Kaboly adds. They also met with Washington O-lineman Troy Fautanu. Daniel Jeremiah’s big board lists each of these players as top-30 talents; the Steelers pick at No. 20.

The Steelers, who cut two-year center starter Mason Cole, look to be considering moving 2023 first-rounder Broderick Jones — their primary right tackle to close the season — to the left side, where he primarily played in college. That would leave three-year LT starter Dan Moore Jr. in limbo. Pro Football Focus has not been a Moore fan, but the former fourth-round pick — who is going into a contract year — has started 49 career games. After the team drafted Jones to step in for Chukwuma Okorafor, the latter is now with the Patriots. A tackle move — one that may be definitively in the Steelers’ Round 1 plans, as this is a deep class — would stand to give Jones a long-term bookend.

Pittsburgh’s Jackson trade aside, a cornerback will also be targeted — just likely not in Round 1 — according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac. Jackson is in a contract year, while the team cut Patrick Peterson. Mike Tomlin said a Peterson reunion will be considered, but the likely Hall of Famer is going into his age-34 season.

Dulac adds the Steelers also like Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson, whom the Tigers used across the formation. Ranked 39th on Jeremiah’s big board, the 285-pound defender might not be available for Pittsburgh without a second-round trade-up. The Steelers hold the No. 51 overall pick. In fact, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan notes Robinson is expected to be off the board at some point late in the first round. The Steelers have Cameron Heyward under contract for one more season, his age-35 campaign.

J.J. McCarthy Latest: Giants, Jones, Vikings, Patriots

April 19th, 2024 at 3:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Insistent they have not given up on Daniel Jones, the Giants have still put in plenty of work on drafting his potential replacement. Holding the No. 6 overall pick, the Giants may need to move up to land the passer of their choice.

One such passer may be losing steam with regards to being the target of a trade-up maneuver. The Giants do not appear to be in lockstep on being ready to trade up for J.J. McCarthy, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano tweets. The Giants have met with McCarthy and put him through a separate workout.

They been linked to the Michigan passer for a while, but it is possible — barring, of course, a smokescreen effort is in the works — the extensive homework has led to the team determining the fast-rising QB is not who they would want. On the subject of smokescreens, multiple late-March reports point to the Giants indeed being interested in McCarthy. One suggested many around the NFL believe the ex-Wolverines standout would be Big Blue’s target.

This Giants pre-draft process, from Jones’ murky future to their QB-or-WR decision, has become quite confusing. Vacchiano expects the Giants to stay at No. 6 and draft a wide receiver; they brought in this class’ top three options for visits in March.

Recent ties to Drake Maye have come out of New York, and it is possible the team has the North Carolina prospect — who has resided on or near the top QB tier much longer than McCarthy — graded higher. Adding to this, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah said recently (h/t Big Blue View) if the Vikings are not the McCarthy team near the top of the draft, he does not necessarily know who would be.

The Vikings, of course, would need to trade up from No. 11 to move within striking distance of this draft’s top QBs. They appear ready to do so. Minnesota’s desired QB is not known, though GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said the team would be OK with multiple options in this draft, calling this a “very deep class.” The Vikings, however, only have a placeholder QB — in Sam Darnold — while the Giants have Jones signed through 2026.

Year 1 of Jones’ second contract went poorly, even before the ACL tear, leading to this exhaustive research effort on locating a potential replacement. The Giants can break free of Jones’ contract with less than $12MM in dead money — in the event of a post-June 1 cut — next year. While Giants GM Joe Schoen called a report of the team having Jones buyer’s remorse “not true,” Jeremiah added during a recent TV appearance he believes the Giants are doing entirely too much work on QBs for the team to be committed to Jones moving forward.

Jeremiah suggested a Patriots-Giants swap, indicating the Patriots — who are believed to be high on McCarthy — could get what they want by moving down. That said, the Pats sliding from 3 to 6 would leave them vulnerable to missing out on the draft’s top four arms. The Cardinals and Chargers have both indicated they are open to trading out of Nos. 4 and 5, respectively, and Los Angeles has already entered talks about moving down. This complicates matters for the QB-needy (or QB-curious, in the Giants’ case) teams outside the top four.

Coming off a national championship, McCarthy has seen his accuracy, leadership and run in Jim Harbaugh‘s pro-style system move him up the board during the pre-draft process. Though, he has also been docked for lower-octane numbers when compared to the other QBs at or near the top of the 2024 crop. It still seems like McCarthy will end up on the Patriots, Giants, Vikings or Broncos, as Jeremiah does not see him sliding past No. 12 (Denver’s slot). But the Giants may not be the favorite to come away from this draft with the 21-year-old prospect.

Chargers Interested In T Joe Alt

April 19th, 2024 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Alt‘s father spent his entire career in the AFC West. The Chiefs drafted John Alt in the 1984 first round and used him as a 149-game starter, with his 13-year career lasting long enough to cover most of Marty Schottenheimer‘s tenure. Forty years after Kansas City’s investment, it is looking quite possible the younger Alt will be facing the Chiefs twice a year.

Previously mentioned as a team interested in Joe Alt, the Chargers continue to be tied to such a move. The Bolts hold the No. 5 overall pick, and they continue to be connected to moving down in Jim Harbaugh‘s first offseason in charge. The ex-Chargers quarterback has not been one to overinvest at wide receiver, and despite the team moving on from Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, mocking one of this draft class’ top three wideouts to Los Angeles may not reflect reality.

Alt is “Harbaugh’s guy,” one anonymous NFL exec told the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora, who adds the Bolts should be expected to draft the All-American tackle if they stay at 5. This move would amplify the Chargers’ wide receiver need exiting Round 1 while giving the team perhaps the top tackle in a stacked class at a position that is not the easiest to find in the modern game.

The run game will clearly be a higher priority for the Bolts this season, with the team hiring Greg Roman and reuniting the well-traveled OC with Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. With the Chargers rostering Justin Herbert, they stand to benefit from the QB run expected to take place atop the draft board. Depending on the Cardinals, the top non-QB could be waiting at 5. It would be a risk for the Chargers, in that case, to draft Alt over Marvin Harrison Jr. But signs continue to point to it.

The Chargers brought Alt to L.A. for a visit, joining the Titans and Jets in that regard. While Alt lasting to No. 10 may not be in the cards for the Jets, the Titans have been regularly tied to making a plug-and-play pick at 7. Alt being off the board by No. 5 would lead Tennessee in another direction, though a number of other tackle options would be available to Ran Carthon‘s team if the Chargers brought Alt to California.

A two-time first-team All-American, the 6-foot-8 Alt played left tackle for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame LTs have been coveted prospects and moved to other spots in the pros. Zack Martin operated as a left tackle for the Division I-FBS independent; so did Mike McGlinchey. Though, the latter had regular RT experience in college. Alt would presumably be kicked to right tackle with the Chargers, as Rashawn Slater has been the Bolts’ LT since being a 2021 first-round pick. Slater earned second-team All-Pro honors as a rookie, and the Chargers will almost definitely pick up his fifth-year option before the May 2 deadline.

An Alt investment would stand to displace Trey Pipkins, the Bolts’ RT regular for the past two seasons. Pro Football Focus ranked Pipkins 64th among tackles in 2022 and 50th last year. During Tom Telesco‘s final offseason as GM, the Bolts re-signed Pipkins to a three-year, $21.75MM deal ($13.25MM guaranteed at signing). An Alt selection would also be the Bolts’ third O-line first-round pick in four years. The team has 2022 first-round guard Zion Johnson going into Year 3.

Jayden Daniels Latest: Commanders, Kingsbury, Harris, Raiders, Visit, Weight

April 19th, 2024 at 2:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jayden Daniels remains the favorite to be chosen second overall. The Commanders hold that pick, and they hosted the 2023 Heisman winner — at the same time as a few other quarterbacks — just before the deadline for “30” visits to be conducted. While the LSU and Arizona State product does not have much of a say in where he goes, rumors still point to him preferring another team.

Daniels would “love” to see the Raiders draft him, two GMs told the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. During an interview with ESPN colleague Pat McAfee, Adam Schefter noted Daniels has had interest in playing elsewhere from the outset of the pre-draft process. Considering his past with Raiders HC Antonio Pierce and the AFC West team not doing a good job of making it a secret it would want to reunite the two, it is unsurprising Daniels would be more interested in playing in Las Vegas than Washington.

In place since the 1930s, the draft system obviously does not cater to players’ wishes. The Raiders are believed to have asked OC candidates about working with Daniels, but that came months ago. As of this week, a Raiders move up from No. 13 into Daniels territory — quite possibly as high as No. 2 — was viewed as impossible. It is also not known if GM Tom Telesco feels as strongly as Pierce does about trading up for a QB, adding more intrigue to a pre-draft process that has featured little known beyond the Bears’ likely Caleb Williams pick.

New Washington OC Kliff Kingsbury is believed to favor Daniels, La Canfora adds, who impressed more as a runner than Kyler Murray did in college. Daniels is coming off an 1,143-yard rushing season, and his improvement as a passer (40 TDs, four INTs last season) at LSU — while targeting the likes of Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas — has rocketed the slender prospect up the board. On the slender subject, however, Daniels’ weight has come up frequently during the draft run-up.

Daniels played at 185 during the 2021 season at Arizona State, a scout told NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. He weighed in at 210 pounds this offseason, after having bulked up some following his transfer. Another scout told The Athletic’s Dan Pompei (subscription required) that Daniels was at 181 with the Sun Devils and played in the 190s at LSU — before ballooning to 210 this offseason.

This issue did not limit the talented QB at LSU, and some NFL coaches view Daniels as a better prospect than even Williams. But Daniels playing south of 200 before adding offseason weight calls into question how big he will be during his rookie season. Considering his playing style — one NFC coordinator told Pelissero that Daniels takes hits like Anthony Richardson, who is 244 pounds — this not an insignificant concern for teams ahead of the draft.

Pivoting back to the Washington side here, Daniels’ camp did not expect (via Schefter) the QB’s visit to come at the same time Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix Jr. met with the team. Teams generally do not gather QB prospects as a group for “30” visits, staggering them to gain better looks at passers. Considering Washington holds the No. 2 overall pick and is on the cusp of drafting a passer in the top 10 for the first time since trading up for Robert Griffin III in 2012, the team’s group gathering was a bit surprising.

The Commanders’ new regime took shape this offseason, with Josh Harris hiring Adam Peters to run football operations and Dan Quinn to coach the team. In the new owner’s first offseason, however, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicates the Dan Snyder successor has been more involved in the pre-draft process than expected.

Owner involvement — as Washington fans know well — is not too uncommon in the NFL, though it is usually a concern when ownership overreaches as football personnel prepare for major decisions. Harris is believed to have made his stance known about trading both Montez Sweat and Chase Young at last year’s deadline, when the coaching staff did not want to move Sweat. It will obviously be interesting to see how much Harris — who has extensive experience in an ownership role due to his work with the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils — impacts how the Commanders proceed next week.

Brock Bowers Books Bears, Chargers Visits; TE Not Expected To Fall Out Of Top 10?

April 19th, 2024 at 12:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 19: During a Friday press conference, Jets general manager Joe Douglas spoke highly of Bowers and added he views the “right” tight end prospect of being worth a Day 1 selection (h/t ESPN’s Rich Cimini). If New York’s final draft board reflects that sentiment, the team could very well represent Bowers’ floor come draft night.

APRIL 17: Brock Bowers hovers as this draft’s clear-cut top tight end, as a gulf exists between the Georgia-developed prospect and the field this year. Although this draft has a few wide receivers that could go in front of Bowers, he might not last too much longer.

The teams interested in Bowers point to him not being available beyond No. 10, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes. After the Jets hosted the standout pass catcher, Pauline adds he scheduled visits with the Bears and Chargers. Prospects have until today to go through official “30” visits with teams; Bowers met with the Bears on Tuesday and is Los Angeles-bound today.

The Bolts (No. 5) and Bears (No. 9) join the Titans (No. 7) and Jets (No. 10) as teams to have shown interest in Bowers during the pre-draft process. The Jets sent their tight ends coach (Ron Middleton) to Bowers’ delayed pro day last week. Bowers underwent surgery to address a high ankle sprain. He would deliver an instant upgrade to the Jets, who have certainly pushed their chips in for the 2024 season. With Gang Green signing Mike Williams, a tight end upgrade would complement the Williams-Garrett Wilson tandem. Of course, the team could also be interested in one of this class’ top three wideouts — should one be available at 10.

A Bears decision could determine the Jets’ move. They have met with Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers. An Odunze-or-Bowers call could be on the table for Chicago at 9, Pauline adds. The Bears added ex-Shane Waldron pupil Gerald Everett to go with Cole Kmet this offseason. A Bowers pickup would crowd this depth chart, profiling as a best-player-available-type move for a team widely expected to draft Caleb Williams first overall. A WR move would stand to make more sense for Chicago, which lost Darnell Mooney and has trade pickup Keenan Allen going into his age-32 season. Allen is not signed beyond 2024.

The Titans also spent heavily to give their QB (Will Levis) a higher-end target, authorizing a monster guarantee to win the Calvin Ridley sweepstakes. Tennessee has not made a move at tight end this offseason. Chig Okonkwo totaled 528 receiving yards last year, though his per-catch average dropped from 14.1 as a rookie to 9.8. The Titans, however, have been closely linked to using their No. 7 slot to upgrade at left tackle — a dire need for the team.

Though the suddenly run-focused Chargers have also been tied to a tackle move, they can render this moot by choosing Bowers at 5. Los Angeles used Everett as its TE1 over the past two seasons, and the team added two free agents (Hayden Hurst, Will Dissly) this offseason. Bowers obviously brings a much higher pass-catching ceiling, racking up 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns during his three-year tenure with the Bulldogs. The 6-foot-3 target played a key role in the team winning the national title in 2021 and ’22, and in the latter campaign he earned first-team All-American honors.

Georgia’s top aerial weapon throughout his college career, Bowers took home the John Mackey award as the nation’s top tight end in each of the past two seasons, making him the only multi-time winner. He profiles as an immediate upgrade at a position that is harder to find compared to wide receiver, and it will be interesting to see which team signs off on this investment.

Colts TE Andrew Ogletree Removed From Commissioner’s Exempt List

April 19th, 2024 at 12:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

Last month, domestic violence charges against Andrew Ogletree were dropped. At that time, the Colts tight end remained under investigation by the NFL, but he has been cleared to return.

During a Friday press conference, general manager Chris Ballard said Ogletree has been removed from the commissioner’s exempt list. As a result, he is back on Indianapolis’ active roster ahead of his third season in the NFL. Ogletree was arrested in December on a pair of charges: domestic violence committed in the presence of a child less than 16 years old and domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury.

Both of those charges were dismissed with prejudice, though, which brought an end to the 25-year-old’s legal situation. The league’s investigation continued, but in that case as well no discipline has been found necessary. Ballard added that Ogletree is taking part in the Colts’ offseason program.

Indianapolis drafted the Youngstown State product in the sixth round of the 2022 draft. Ogletree’s rookie campaign ended before it began due to an ACL tear, however. His first regular NFL action came this past season, and he made a total of 12 appearances (nine starts). In that span, he recorded 147 yards and a pair of touchdowns on nine receptions.

Ogletree is joined on the Colts’ depth chart by the likes of veteran Mo Alie-Cox and 2022 third-rounder Jelani Woods. He will spend this offseason aiming to cement a roster spot with two years remaining on his rookie pact knowing the matter which halted his 2023 season has been resolved.

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