2022 April - Pro Football Rumors

Patriots Trade Up To No. 50, Select WR Tyquan Thornton

April 29th, 2022 at 7:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

After one of the most curious picks in the first round last night, the Patriots have moved up to No. 50. With it, they are picking WR Tyquan Thornton. Kansas City, meanwhile, receives picks 54 and 158.

Thornton played four seasons at Baylor, with two productive seasons in 2019 and 2021. Overall, he posted a career total of 143 receptions, 2,242 yards and 19 touchdowns – including 10 last year.

At six-foot-three, he provides good size at the position. Despite that, it is his speed for which he is most well-known. Thornton ran 4.28 40-yard dash at the Combine, showcasing the vertical threat he figures to be at the NFL level. While their styles differ, the addition of Thornton could further point to former first-rounder N’Keal Harry being on his way out of New England.

For Kansas City, this selection marks yet another wideout off the board in the top 50 selections. The team opted not to add a receiver with their pair of first-rounders last night, leaving many to expect them to target one on Day 2. While they still could do so, their trade down has shortened the list of available options.

Texans Acquire No. 44, Select WR John Metchie

April 29th, 2022 at 7:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Texans have moved up to add to the receiving corps. Houston has traded picks 68, 108, 124 to the Browns for No. 44, using it to select WR John Metchie.

The other member of the dynamic Alabama receiving tandem involving Jameson Williams, Metchie had two highly productive years with the Crimson Tide. In 2020, he posted 916 yards and six touchdowns, but took an even bigger step this past campaign. In 13 games, he totalled 96 receptions for 1,142 yards and eight scores.

Unfortunately, the Canadian – just like Williams – ended his college career with a torn ACL. He is expected to be recovered in time for the start of the season, though. If that is the case, he should have at least a secondary role on Houston’s offense as a compliment to the recently re-signed Brandin Cooks. Cleveland, meanwhile, will continue a lengthy wait to make their first selection in this year’s draft.

Vikings Trade Up To No. 42 For Andrew Booth

April 29th, 2022 at 7:08pm CST by Ely Allen

The Vikings traded for the Colts No. 42 overall pick to select Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth in the 2022 NFL Draft. Booth is the seventh cornerback off the board.

For awhile, Booth was considered the consensus second-best cornerback in a first round that was expected to see many get selected. Booth didn’t hear his named called with the four other cornerbacks taken yesterday, but he didn’t last long into Day 2.

Booth led the Tigers with three interceptions and added 5 passes broken up in his first season as a full time starter. Booth recently underwent hernia surgery that may hold him out of the Vikings’ early offseason workouts, but Minnesota sees enough upside to the 21-year-old to move up for him anyway. When healthy, Booth boasts an intriguing combination of length, athleticism, and ball skills that should translate well at the next level.

Minnesota gave the Colts their 53rd (2nd round) pick, 77th (3rd round) pick, and 192nd (6th round) pick in exchange for the pick used to select Booth and Indianapolis’ 122nd (4th round) pick.

Falcons Trade Up To No. 38, Select DE Arnold Ebiketie

April 29th, 2022 at 6:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Falcons have made a move up the board, but not to take one of the remaining quarterbacks. Atlanta is sending picks 43 and 114 to the Giants for No. 38, and are selecting defensive end Arnold Ebiketie.

One of the top remaining edge rushers, Ebiketie’s production took off over the past two seasons, a stretch which included his final year at Temple and his first – and only – at Penn State. After putting up 15.5 sacks with the Owls, he moved up in competition level but remained an effective speed rushing force. He posted 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for a loss in 2021.

Ebiketie will add a much-needed boost to Atlanta’s pass rush. The team ranked dead last in the league in sacks last season, so he should have plenty of playing time right away. If his production translates to the NFL level, he could help the team’s defensive turnaround as they look to rebuild in the post-Matt Ryan era. Meanwhile, a QB still isn’t out of the question for them.

Jets Acquire 36th Pick From Giants, Select Breece Hall

April 29th, 2022 at 6:38pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Jets have acquired the 36th pick in the draft from the Giants in exchange for the 38th and 146th selections, Field Yates of ESPN was among those to report. The Jets chose Iowa State running back Breece Hall with their pick.

In Hall, the Jets are getting one of the most explosive backs in this year’s draft. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder averaged 5.5 yards per carry during his college career, piled up nearly 4,000 yards on 718 attempts, and is coming off back-to-back seasons with 20 or more rushing touchdowns. He’ll complement Michael Carter as a Jet.

The Giants, meanwhile, acquired an extra pick from a local rival just to move down two spots. They’ve already added Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal in this draft.

Packers Trade Up To No. 34, Select WR Christian Watson

April 29th, 2022 at 6:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

After another night in which the Packers added to their defense, but not the receiving corps, they have added a wideout right away on Day 2. Green Bay has traded picks 53 and 59 to the Vikings for 34, and with it, they have selected WR Christian Watson.

Watson was generally viewed as the top remaining receiver, after their was a surprising run at the position through the middle of the first round last night. Now, after much anticipation, Green Bay adds a high degree of upside to their WR room. Watson’s speed will likely help him fill the void left by Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Watson played four seasons at North Dakota State, saving his best year for last. He made 43 catches for 800 yards and seven touchdowns, which should give him an immediate role as a vertical threat in the Packers’ passing offense. With Sammy Watkins being the only other significant addition to the WR room so far, this deal of course doesn’t preclude the team from making further moves. At a minimum, they will exit the weekend with a new, noteworthy piece on offense.

Draft Notes: Remaining QBs, Jets, Vikings, Burks, Johnson

April 29th, 2022 at 5:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the main storylines from last night’s first round was the fact that only one quarterback came off the board. The Steelers have their preferred choice in Kenny Pickett, but the other top options likely won’t have to wait long to hear their names called.

Jeff Howe of the Athletic reports (via Twitter) that “several teams” are trying to move up in the second round. As a result, there is “anticipation that a QB run could be on the way”. A number of teams could be interested in adding the likes of Malik Willis, Sam Howell, Desmond Ridder and Matt Corral as intriguing developmental options.

On that point, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer names the Titans, Falcons, Seahawks and Commanders as teams to watch for. He reports that “Ridder’s name has been consistently connected to Tennessee”, who now holds the 35th overall pick. The other teams have done significant work on signal-callers as well. Perhaps eyeing a passer, the Seahawks have made “exploratory calls” about moving up tonight, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson (Twitter link).

Here are some other notes looking back on last night:

The Jets, as it has been reported, were willing to part with the No. 10 pick for Deebo Samuel. They almost made a different deal with that selection, though, as detailed by ESPN’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter). New York wanted to swap with Seattle for No. 9 to avoid a team leapfrogging them to select Garrett Wilson. Both teams were able to successfully stand pat, ultimately getting Charles Cross and Wilson, respectively.
Not long after the top-10 was complete, the Vikings ceded the 12th overall pick to the Lions. With their second first-rounder, Detroit selected Jameson Williams, who may have been the pick at that spot had Minnesota kept it. Breer reports that the Alabama receiver “was very much in play ” for the Vikings, who added Lewis Cine and two Day 2 picks as a result of the deal.
Another of the top receivers to be taken last night was Treylon Burks, whom the Titans selected as a replacement for A.J. Brown. When speaking to Pat McAfee, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said the Arkansas alum “was the guy Aaron Rodgers wanted” (video link). With him off the board, the Packers extended their streak of not using a Round 1 pick on a wideout, but he reports that they are a candidate to trade up for one tonight (video link).
One of the most surprising fallers on Thursday night was pass rusher Jermaine Johnson II. Part of the reason he was still on the board for the Jets at No. 25, Breer notes, was poor interviews with teams in the pre-draft process. Thought by some as a top-10 pick, he ended up with the Jets anyway, and figures to serve as a notable boost to their pass rush.

Jaguars Sign Ross Matiscik To Extension

April 29th, 2022 at 5:39pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Jaguars have signed long snapper Ross Matiscik to a contract extension, per Josh Alper of PFT. Matiscik ended up getting a five-year extension worth $5.965MM, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The deal includes a $550K signing bonus. The extension will keep the key special teamer in Jacksonville through the 2026 season.

Jacksonville signed Matiscik, now 25, as an undrafted free agent out of Baylor heading into the 2020 season. He has since appeared in 33 straight games as the Jags’ long snapper.

Bengals Exercise Jonah Williams’ Fifth-Year Option

April 29th, 2022 at 4:56pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Bengals have exercised left tackle Jonah Williams‘ fifth-year option, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. As a result, Williams will remain under Bengals control through the 2023 season.

Although he was the 11th overall pick of the 2019 draft, Williams didn’t play as a rookie because of left shoulder problems. However, the former Alabama standout has since developed into a key member of the Bengals’ offensive line. Williams has started in all 26 of his appearances, including 16 last season for the AFC champions.

While Cincinnati could work out an extension with quarterback Joe Burrow‘s blindside protector sometime soon, the club currently doesn’t have to worry about losing Williams for at least another couple of years. Williams, 24, is due to earn $12.6MM in 2023 under his option.

Latest On Panthers’ QB Pursuit

April 29th, 2022 at 4:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

4:46pm: The Panthers and Browns have continued their conversations on Mayfield, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (video link). The expectation now is Cleveland needing to eat a chunk of Mayfield’s $18.9MM fifth-year option salary would stand to improve Mayfield’s price tag, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds the cost for the since-replaced QB is expected to be a Day 3 pick.

The Panthers are also a candidate to trade into Round 2 for a rookie, but that would be quite costly. Because of its trades for Sam Darnold and C.J. Henderson, Carolina does not pick again until No. 137. Carolina is, however, high on Willis and Corral. Both visited the Panthers earlier this month, joining fellow potential Carolina target Howell in doing so.

12:04pm: Day 1 of this year’s draft has come and gone, and Sam Darnold remains at the top of the Panthers’ quarterback depth chart. While that doesn’t come as a surprise, the team’s situation at the position could still change in the near future.

According to Jeff Howe of the Athletic, Carolina’s interest in veterans such as Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo could heat back up. Given the fact that they made the expected move to bolster their offensive line by drafting Ikem Ekwonu sixth overall, he writes, the Panthers “now should be players for Mayfield.”

The two parties were linked in the build-up to the draft, with Carolina finding themselves as one of the runners-up to acquire Deshaun Watson. After initial reports indicated the team had little, if any, interest in Mayfield, the Panthers emerged in the eyes of many as the favorite to acquire him. Doing so, however, was only thought to be feasible after at least the draft’s opening round.

As Howe notes, any potential trade involving Mayfield is complicated by a number of factors. One is his contract; the 2018 No. 1 pick is due $18.86MM on the fifth-year option, just as Darnold is. For that reason, Howe writes, “the Browns are prepared to pay a portion of Mayfield’s salary to facilitate a deal.” Another is the team’s complete lack of Day 2 picks, taking them out of the running to draft the likes of Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder, Sam Howell or Matt Corral without sacrificing 2023 capital.

“I think we’ll look at every opportunity out there” said general manager Scott Fitterer, via Howe’s colleague Joe Person, regarding the QB market. “There’s still some really good players in this draft. And we’ll also look at every opportunity outside the organization.” Whether the team acts on those opportunities will be worth monitoring as the weekend progresses.