HEADLINES

Month: April 2023

Many Panthers Staffers Back Bryce Young

April 6th, 2023 at 2:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

The last time the Panthers held the No. 1 overall pick, little doubt existed about the franchise’s direction. The consensus top quarterback in the 2011 draft, Cam Newton served as Carolina’s quarterback for nearly a decade. Three weeks ahead of this year’s draft, the team — despite trading up eight spots for the top pick — may not have a decision yet.

Although the Panthers’ pendulum is swinging toward C.J. Stroud, Peter King of NBC Sports reports Bryce Young has several key supporters in the building. New QBs coach Josh McCown looks to be one of them. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay each mock the Ohio State passer to Carolina at 1, but ESPN and NFL.com rank the former Alabama superstar as the draft’s best prospect. Stroud sits second on ESPN.com’s big board and seventh on Daniel Jeremiah’s.

Frank Reich and GM Scott Fitterer have included many staffers in this process, bringing more than 10 to prospects’ pro days. Reich has wanted the staff to draw their own conclusions before the franchise decides how to proceed. While Reich said Young’s height will not be a key factor, King adds it likely is an issue for Carolina’s first-year HC. A longtime friend of Reich’s informed King he would be surprised if the Panthers took the 5-foot-10 Young. Stroud brings a prototypical QB frame to the equation, standing 6-3 and weighing 214 pounds. Young’s weight has generated scrutiny as well. After bulking up to 204 pounds at the Combine, Young did not weigh in at his pro day.

Reich will be unlikely to throw his weight around and overrule a consensus, per King, should he not agree with the prevailing staff opinion. This could lead to a scenario in which the new coach is outvoted. But the veteran leader does hold Young in high regard, opening the door to the coach being OK with either QB. When revisiting Reich’s Colts tenure, it would be strange to see him stand down if enough Panthers staffers back the QB he ranks second. Reich’s Indianapolis setup looked like a premier foundation in 2019, but Andrew Luck‘s retirement led to it unraveling. The Colts’ inability to find a Luck replacement led to Reich’s midseason firing last year. And the Panthers obviously sent the Bears plenty to pry away the No. 1 pick.

It might end up that the HC views Stroud as a safer bet compared to a 5-10 QB that did not rush for 200 yards in a college season. But Young’s production-athleticism combination still intrigues. He will attempt to follow the likes of Drew Brees, Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray to the Pro Bowl level despite pre-draft height concerns.

The Panthers going with Stroud would put the Texans to a decision. Long mocked to take Young at 2, Houston will need to decide if he is worth the investment. The Texans going with a safer pick, in ex-Young Crimson Tide teammate Will Anderson Jr., and tabling their QB choice should not be ruled out. Young making it to No. 3 on the board would create a fascinating draft sequence, with teams previously linked to higher-variance options like Anthony Richardson or Will Levis potentially prepared to send the Cardinals big offers to move up for Young. The Colts (No. 4) are working out Young this week; the Raiders (No. 7) are hosting the 2021 Heisman winner today. The Titans have also been linked to moving up to No. 3 for a passer.

Bears, DL Rasheem Green Agree To Deal

April 6th, 2023 at 1:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bears passed on big-ticket defensive line additions in free agency, but the organization will add another rotational option to Matt Eberflus‘ unit. Rasheem Green agreed to terms with Chicago on Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

A former Seahawks and Texans pass rusher, Green will sign a one-year deal. The sixth-year edge rusher will follow DeMarcus Walker to the Windy City. While the Bears should be expected to use one of their early-round picks on a sack artist, they have added two experienced options since free agency’s outset.

[RELATED: Bears Host Jalen Carter On Visit]

Green will come over from Houston, where he recorded 3.5 sacks in 2022. His most productive year came in 2021 with the Seahawks, who used the former third-round pick as a starter. That season, Green totaled 6.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hits. That campaign marks the only time Green started more than five games in a season; mostly, Seattle used the 6-foot-4 defender as a backup. Green, however, has topped a 50% defensive snap rate in each of his past four seasons. The Bears will see if the USC alum, who played in a 4-3 scheme as a Seahawk, can replicate that form in Eberflus’ 4-3 setup.

Last season brought a step back for Green, who played nearly 300 fewer defensive snaps compared to his 2021 Seattle contract year, when he logged 846. Green totaled 24 pressures in 2021; he finished last season with 12. The Texans have now let Green and Obo Okoronkwo depart in free agency, lining DeMeco Ryans‘ team up for significant edge additions in the draft. Okoronkwo signed with the Browns.

Going into his age-26 season, Green will join Walker as modest investments for a Bears team that broke up its high-priced Khalil Mack–Robert Quinn edge duo last year. The team finished last in the league in sacks in 2022. As should be expected, edge-rushing additions will be targeted. Green appears more of a flier than a solidified front-four presence, but he presents an interesting depth option for the rebuilding squad.

Tyreek Hill Plans To Retire After Dolphins Contract Expires

April 6th, 2023 at 12:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tyreek Hill does not plan to play beyond his current Dolphins contract. The All-Pro wide receiver, who inked a receiver-record extension with Miami upon being traded last year, said he plans to retire after his current deal expires.

The elite speed merchant’s $30MM-per-year deal runs through the 2026 season, though his guarantees only go through 2024. Hill is heading into his age-29 season.

“I’m going for 10, man,” Hill said during an appearance on Kansas City’s Sports Radio 810 (video link). “I’m going to finish out this contract with the Dolphins, man, and then I’m going to call it quits. I want to go into the business side. I want to do so many things in my life, bro.”

Hill playing out his Dolphins contract would complete an 11-year career and take him through his age-32 season. Planning a retirement four years down the road is obviously not the same as a true announcement, and it will be interesting to see if Hill pursues another contract as younger receivers pass him in value. Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase will likely seek to top Hill’s four-year, $120MM Dolphins extension, and Jaylen Waddle‘s contract ask might not be too far off Hill’s $30MM AAV. It should not be expected Hill plays the 2026 season on his current contract. The already-backloaded deal now includes a restructure, which inflated Hill’s 2026 cap number to $56.3MM.

Coming into the league as a fifth-round pick due to a domestic violence arrest that led to his dismissal from Oklahoma State, Hill has crafted a Hall of Fame-caliber career from that late-round draft slot. The former Chiefs draftee now has three first-team All-Pro nods as a receiver (and one as a return man), notching No. 3 with Miami last season. Hill made a major difference for the Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa development, totaling a career-high 1,710 receiving yards and adding seven touchdown receptions in 2022. The Dolphins improved from 24th to seventh in offensive DVOA from 2021-22.

The Dolphins traded five draft choices, including a 2022 first-round pick, to acquire Hill last year. Hill had begun negotiations on a second Chiefs extension last year, but Davante Adams‘ $28MM-per-year Raiders pact led to Hill’s price rising and Kansas City changing course. The Chiefs gave Hill permission to speak with teams, and a Jets-Dolphins faceoff occurred. Hill preferred Miami. The Chiefs did not replace Hill with a comparable wide receiver (few of those exist) but went on to win Super Bowl LVII after bringing in JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency.

Miami has Waddle signed through 2024, but that deal will likely run through 2025 once the team picks up the ascending talent’s fifth-year option. For the foreseeable future, the Dolphins figure to deploy one of the NFL’s premier receiving tandems. But Hill’s comments do not point to him being around too far into Tagovailoa’s prime, should the Dolphins eventually extend their southpaw passer.

Jets To Sign QB Tim Boyle

April 6th, 2023 at 11:51am CST by Sam Robinson

Another former Packer is joining the Jets. Ex-Aaron Rodgers backup Tim Boyle agreed to terms with the team Thursday, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. It is a one-year deal.

The Jets remain expected to acquire Rodgers from the Packers, but terms have not yet been finalized. Boyle will rejoin Allen Lazard and ex-Green Bay OC Nathaniel Hackett in New York. Boyle, who backed up Rodgers for three seasons (2018-20), spent last year with the Lions and Bears.

How this addition will affect Zach Wilson may be its most important component. The Jets considered re-signing Mike White, but the popular veteran opted for a two-year Dolphins deal. White had overtaken Wilson last season, and the Jets have planned for a reset year for the former No. 2 overall pick. Boyle’s presence will help on that front, considering his experience under Hackett. Boyle joined the Packers during Mike McCarthy‘s final year but played two seasons under the Hackett-Matt LaFleur duo.

Boyle, 28, also presents an option for the Jets during their offseason program. These slow-moving trade talks have transpired for weeks. Boyle never made a start as a Packer, but the former UDFA would give the Jets an option to run Hackett’s offense during OTAs and potentially minicamp. Rodgers skipped the past two Packers OTA sessions, and it is not a lock he will be with the Jets for that portion of the offseason calendar anyway. As Wilson learns Hackett’s scheme, Boyle will be there to aid the Jets.

The Packers’ 2020 Jordan Love pick led them to non-tender Boyle as an RFA in 2021. As Love continued his extended apprenticeship, the Lions signed Boyle. Boyle’s only three starts came as a Lion — for a struggling 2021 Detroit edition. Boyle completed 65% of his passes, at just 5.6 yards a clip, for the Lions that year and threw six interceptions (compared to three touchdown passes) in three losing efforts. The Lions moved Boyle to their practice squad last year, and the Bears poached him in November. Boyle, whose lone season of full-on starter work came at Eastern Kentucky in 2017, enjoyed a brief Bears in-game cameo but played behind Justin Fields and Trevor Siemian.

Gang Green also rosters Chris Streveler, which does not lock in Boyle to a roster spot. But Boyle’s experience in Hackett’s system probably gives him a leg up ahead of what would be his sixth NFL season.

Raiders To Host C.J. Stroud, Hendon Hooker

April 6th, 2023 at 10:24am CST by Sam Robinson

It can be safely assumed the Raiders are giving strong consideration to drafting a quarterback in either the first or second round. The AFC West team will have met with each of the top five prospects at the position before the pre-draft process wraps.

The Raiders have scheduled visits with C.J. Stroud and Hendon Hooker, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer (on Twitter). Will Levis has already met with the Silver and Black, while Anthony Richardson‘s first visit will send him to Las Vegas. Bryce Young is heading to Nevada on Thursday. Hooker and Stroud will be Vegas-bound next week.

Stroud is widely considered to be out of the Raiders’ range. The latest Ohio State-developed QB standout has been frequently connected to the Panthers at No. 1 overall. Were Carolina to pass and go with Young, Houston would undoubtedly be interested at No. 2. Though, the Texans may not be fully committed to going quarterback at 2. While Josh McDaniels and Nick Caserio worked together for much of their careers, it would surprise if the Raiders were able to pull off a trade with the Texans to move up five spots. But a climb to No. 3 (the Cardinals’ slot) has been rumored.

The Raiders, who have not taken a first-round quarterback since their disastrous JaMarcus Russell choice in 2007, have built an onramp for a potential QB choice. They have Jimmy Garoppolo on a three-year deal that features barely $33MM guaranteed, and the team agreed to terms with Brian Hoyer earlier this week. The team has other needs to address with early-round draft picks, and its 2022 Davante Adams trade prevented McDaniels and Co. from making first- or second-round picks last year. But McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler were regulars at QB pro days; the team will now devote a sixth of its 30 allotted pre-draft visits to the game’s premier position.

Following ex-Buckeyes Dwayne Haskins and Justin Fields, Stroud will be taken early in the first round — most likely within the top two picks. Stroud quarterbacked Ohio State into the College Football Playoff last season and led the Big Ten power in a semifinal shootout against eventual champion Georgia, throwing four touchdown passes against a dominant Bulldogs defense. Stroud threw at least 40 touchdown passes in each of his two starter seasons, though he targeted nothing but first-round wideouts (Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave), first-round prospects (Jaxon Smith-Njigba) or potential future Round 1-level talents (Marvin Harrison, Emeka Egbuka).

Las Vegas also holds this draft’s No. 38 overall pick. That could be relevant regarding Hooker, who is coming off a November ACL tear. The Tennessee prospect visited the Saints this week and will meet with the Commanders as well. New Orleans holds the Nos. 29 and 40 overall picks; Washington has picks 16 and 47. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah grades Hooker as this year’s 44th-best prospect. He is the only QB in that range and represents an interesting option for teams unable to land one of the draft’s higher-regarded arms.

Hooker finished fifth in last year’s Heisman voting, despite missing two games due to the severe injury, but laid the groundwork for Ohio State’s CFP bid by leading an upset over Alabama. Hooker is 25, which has given some teams pause, but the former Virginia Tech recruit finished his SEC career with a 58-to-5 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio. He led the Volunteers to five wins over ranked teams as a senior. Putting Hooker behind an injury-prone Garoppolo would be an interesting strategy for the Raiders, but Garoppolo staying relatively healthy would also allow for an extended Hooker developmental period.

Chiefs, Cowboys, Ravens Meet With WR Quentin Johnston

April 6th, 2023 at 10:14am CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Cowboys traded for Brandin Cooks last month, they continue to do extensive homework on this draft’s top wide receiver prospects. After meeting with Zay Flowers and Jalin Hyatt, Dallas hosted TCU pass catcher Quentin Johnston on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Johnston, who met with the Chiefs on Monday, is Baltimore-bound today for a Ravens meeting. Those two teams present needier wide receiver situations, but the Cowboys’ intel-gathering operation at receiver is a bit more interesting. The Giants have been connected to Johnston as well.

Dallas did not appear to capitalize fully on Amari Cooper‘s value last year, trading the Pro Bowler to Cleveland for fifth- and sixth-round picks. The team dealt the $20MM-per-year receiver just before the market boomed, and Cooper’s presence ended up being missed during a year that featured trade offers — one for Broncos wideout Jerry Jeudy — and a nonstop Odell Beckham Jr. free agency courtship. But the Cowboys now have Cooks, Lamb and Michael Gallup — more than a year out from his ACL tear — in the fold now. It would represent an interesting best-player-available move for Mike McCarthy‘s team to pull the trigger on a receiver early in this draft.

Then again, the Cowboys did let Dalton Schultz walk in free agency and have Cooks going into an age-30 season. Cooks’ contract runs through 2024, but the oft-traded speedster is only on the team’s books at $6MM and $10MM over the next two seasons. The veteran makes for an affordable Lamb complement. Gallup’s five-year, $57.5MM deal runs through 2026. Lamb is signed through 2023, but the team will undoubtedly exercise their WR1’s fifth-year option. Lamb is also on Dallas’ extension radar.

The Chiefs and Ravens have each been connected to both Beckham and DeAndre Hopkins. Baltimore has made Beckham an offer, though the ex-Giants Pro Bowler may well be waiting on a Jets-Aaron Rodgers trade to be finalized. But that process has stalled, potentially opening the door for other suitors. The Ravens have used first-round picks on receivers twice in the Lamar Jackson era, selecting Marquise Brown in 2019 and Rashod Bateman in 2021. The team also chose Breshad Perriman in the 2015 first round. Kansas City, conversely, has not taken a wideout in Round 1 during Andy Reid‘s tenure. The team’s last such investment — Jonathan Baldwin — came 12 years ago and did not provide much help.

ESPN’s Scouts Inc. grades Johnston as this draft’s top wide receiver, slotting him as the pool’s 12th-best prospect. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah is slightly less bullish on the ex-Horned Frog, placing him 30th overall as the fourth-best receiver talent available — in a draft that has not generated receiver hype on the level with the previous 2020s crops. Todd McShay’s most recent mock sends Johnston to the Ravens at No. 22. Johnston, who goes 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds, was instrumental in the Big 12 program completing an unexpected journey to the national championship game; he hauled in 60 passes for 1,069 yards and six touchdowns as a junior.

Buccaneers Sign S Ryan Neal

April 6th, 2023 at 9:14am CST by Ben Levine

APRIL 6: Neal will not end up making what he would have on a Seahawks RFA tender. He signed for the veteran minimum, Greg Auman of Fox Sports tweets. The deal will come with just $108K guaranteed, but after the Bucs lost Edwards and Keanu Neal in free agency, Ryan Neal said he chose Tampa Bay for a chance to start. It appears the four-year Seahawk will have a chance to team with Antoine Winfield Jr. as the Buccaneers’ first-string safeties.

APRIL 4: Following a breakout season in Seattle, Ryan Neal is heading to Tampa Bay. The free agent safety is signing with the Buccaneers, reports Ari Meirov (via Twitter). Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times has confirmed the move (on Twitter), noting that the safety is inking a one-year deal with Tampa Bay.

Neal, a former undrafted free agent out of Southern Illinois, spent some time with the Eagles and Falcons before joining the Seahawks in 2019. He appeared in around 40 percent of Seattle’s defensive snaps in 29 games between 2020 and 2021, but he took on a significantly larger role in 2022.

This past year, Neal started 10 of his 14 appearances while collecting 66 tackles and eight passes defended. He graded out as one of the league’s top safeties, with Pro Football Focus ranking him as the fourth-best player at his position. Predictably, the impending free agent was hit with an RFA tender after the season, but he was squeezed out of the starting lineup when the Seahawks added Julian Love. As a result, the organization withdrew the $2.6MM offer, making Neal an unrestricted free agent.

He’ll now help a Buccaneers secondary that lost safeties Mike Edwards and Keanu Neal and hasn’t re-signed Logan Ryan. Neal will surely fill in one of those starting spots, but Greg Auman of Fox Sports expects the organization to still pursue a safety in the draft (Twitter link).

Arthur Blank Denies Falcons Were Serious On Deshaun Watson, Addresses Lack Of Lamar Jackson Interest

April 5th, 2023 at 10:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

Most of the reporting done regarding last year’s Deshaun Watson sweepstakes revealed the Falcons were set to land the then-embattled quarterback via trade, but the Browns’ $230MM fully guaranteed contract won out. Arthur Blank‘s stance now is the team was not especially close to acquiring Watson.

Asked about the differences between the Watson pursuit and the Falcons joining the rest of the QB-needy or borderline QB-needy teams in avoiding Lamar Jackson, Blank said staff conversations led the team to view Watson as a poor fit.

“I think we explored the one last year, which is what our responsibility was,” Blank said, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s D. Orlando Ledbetter. “We didn’t explore it deeply, deeply. We spent some time on it from a legal standpoint, personal standpoint, value standpoint on the player and a variety of things. Soon after we got into exploring, we decided it wasn’t a very good match.

“… I think Lamar’s situation, and I don’t really want to spend a whole lot of time talking about players on other clubs, but Lamar’s situation, I think is very different. A different player. Different time.”

The Falcons joined the Browns, Panthers and Saints as meeting the Texans’ trade price, and a report the day Houston agreed to send Watson to Cleveland indicated Atlanta was “very close” to acquiring the Georgia native. Watson had narrowed his list to the Falcons and Saints — before the Browns’ contract offer — and the quarterback was believed to be recruiting Jarvis Landry and Leonard Fournette to Atlanta. That report and others later in the year viewed Watson as being Atlanta-bound were it not for Cleveland’s historic guarantee structure — one that has altered Jackson’s path.

The Texans only permitted the four finalists to meet with Watson had they offered satisfactory trade compensation, pointing to Atlanta being much farther down the Watson road compared to Blank’s assessment. The Browns’ Watson agreement has directly impacted the Ravens’ Jackson talks, with the former MVP long being connected to asking for Watson-level guarantees. No other quarterback is tied to a guarantee north of $124MM, and teams have attempted to make the Watson accord an outlier. Thus far, franchises’ efforts have been successful.

The Falcons drafted Desmond Ridder a few weeks after missing on Watson, and they are committing to the third-round pick as their 2023 starter. With Atlanta having not made the playoffs since 2017 and Ridder far from a sure thing, Blank’s club would seem to be one of the most logical Jackson suitors. No team has emerged as a suitor, and Blank alluded to Jackson’s run-oriented skillset as one of the reasons for the Falcons’ current stance. Jackson’s recent injury history (11 missed games since 2021) is believed to have affected teams’ interest levels, though his contractual demand has long been viewed as the main impediment.

“Looking at it objectively, there is some concern about whether or not he can play his style of game for … how long can that last,” Blank said. “I’m not sure. He’s only 26. Hopefully a long time for his benefit or anybody that he’s signed with. But he’s missed five to six games each of the last two years. This is not like baseball and basketball where you’re playing 82 or a 182 games, or whatever baseball is now.”

Blank confirmed Arthur Smith, GM Terry Fontenot and Falcons CEO Rich McKay looked into Jackson. Blank was not involved in the evaluation. While Blank called Jackson “one of the top quarterbacks in this league,” the Falcons will stand down on an expensive pursuit and go with Ridder. The four-year Cincinnati starter worked as the Falcons’ first-stringer in four games last season. Ridder completed 63.5% of his passes, threw two TD passes and no INTs, but averaged just 6.2 yards per attempt.

Ridder’s rookie contract runs through 2025, and it will help Atlanta build its roster. Although Ridder will need to prove worthy of being a player good enough to build around, the Falcons came into free agency with a top-three cap-space figure. This standing came after the team ate a dead-money record from the Matt Ryan trade ($40MM) and also took on dead-cap hits from the Julio Jones and Deion Jones swaps.

During Blank’s run as Falcons owner, the team has authorized three big-ticket quarterback contracts — Michael Vick‘s 2004 extension and Ryan’s second and third accords. It appears Blank, whose team certainly appears to have been close to acquiring Watson last year, would like to build around a rookie deal for a while.

“We just came out a period of time … last year we set a record for the most dead money in the history of the NFL,” Blank said. “In my 21 years as an owner, we had close to the least amount of cap room than we’ve ever had before. This year, we had a healthy amount of cap room. Not very much dead money, a little bit, not much.

“Having compensation at 25% or so tied up in one player, we’ve lived through that. It definitely can put a lot of restraint on your ability to round out a roster and to have the depth on the roster given 17 games and the nature of this game, it still a contact sport … we need to build a team.”

Latest On Patriots, Mac Jones

April 5th, 2023 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins picked up their quarterback’s fifth-year option two months in advance, after rumors emerged about the team’s potential to seek an upgrade on Tua Tagovailoa. Committing fully to Justin Fields, the Bears traded the No. 1 overall pick earlier than anyone has during an offseason since the draft moved to April. The Patriots have operated differently with their young quarterback.

Mac Jones is now coming up in trade rumors, and Bill Belichick has not endorsed the 2021 first-round pick — despite Jones receiving praise from Robert Kraft — as his surefire starter yet. That said, the Pats might not exactly be intent on moving Jones.

The teams mentioned in Tuesday’s report — the Buccaneers, Commanders, Raiders and Texans — have not seemed to indicate notable Jones discussions commenced. Staffers from multiple teams mentioned told SI.com’s Albert Breer they had not heard from the Patriots on Jones, though one had discussed the quarterback with the Pats. High-ranking execs from a QB-needy team in the AFC and NFC also mentioned they had also not heard from New England, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports (subscription required).

Even if the Patriots are not operating like they want to cut bait on the former national championship-winning passer, his standing in the organization does appear to have taken a hit. Belichick has been upset with how the quarterback conducted himself last season, and the efforts the Alabama alum made to contact coaches at his alma mater did not go over well with the legendary head coach. This certainly raises the stakes for Jones’ 2023, as he took a step back — albeit as he was thrust into one of the stranger offensive experiments in memory — last season. Rival evaluators pointed to the Pats’ dysfunctional offense as giving Jones no chance to succeed in 2022, Howe adds, pointing to potentially reasonable trade value — in the event the third-year QB was legitimately being shopped.

By the end of last season, Breer adds some Patriots coaches did not believe a large gulf existed between Jones and backup Bailey Zappe. The Pats have since released Brian Hoyer, who has rejoined Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas, and are prepared to give Zappe an opportunity to push Jones. Belichick should be expected to make the former No. 15 overall pick earn his job during the summer, Breer notes, adding Zappe — a fourth-round pick out of Western Kentucky — fell in line with what the Patriots were trying to do last year. That perhaps should be expected of a rookie, but Belichick certainly looks to be sending a message to Jones this offseason.

Both Jones and Zappe, per Breer, have stayed in town and are discussing the offense with the new coaching staff, which includes OC Bill O’Brien, whom Jones helped acclimate to Alabama when the ex-Texans HC took over as Nick Saban’s play-caller. The Pats still expect Jones to win the job, Howe notes. As this quarterback matchup comes at a time in which Kraft has not exactly spoken glowingly of Belichick’s recent efforts, this will be a fascinating offseason in Foxborough.

AFC South Notes: Titans, Simmons, Key

April 5th, 2023 at 9:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Titans struggled to develop a consistent passing game in 2022, as they tried to fill the void left by the A.J. Brown trade. Their shortcomings in that department have led to the expectation that moves at the receiver position will be made this offseason, though little has taken place so far.

Tennessee lost Robert Woods on an intra-divisional deal with the Texans after releasing the veteran amidst a slew of cost-cutting moves. They have re-signed Nick Westbrook-Ikhine on a one-year contract, but have yet to make a decision on depth contributors Chris Conley, C.J. Board and Cody Hollister. No outside additions have been made after the first few waves of the free agent period.

“We are going to look to address it,” new GM Ran Carthon recently said of the need for new pass-catchers. “We are not trying to fill everything via free agency, but if that’s where the best option comes from, we’ll address it that way. We just have to be patient, and exercise patience and allow that to come to fruition.”

Those remarks – along with the Titans’ lack of action so far – point to the draft being the source of additions to their receiving corps. The team used a Day 1 pick on Treylon Burks last year after dealing Brown to the Eagles, but they will have plenty of options this year (headlined in most evaluations by Jaxon Smith-Njigba) with the No. 11 pick. Tennessee also has a second- and third-rounder as part of their draft capital.

Here are some other AFC South notes, starting with one more out of Nashville:

  • Tennessee has been in talks on a new deal for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano. That comes as little surprise, since he is set to play on the fifth-year option in 2023 ($10.75MM), but represents an obvious priority from a finanal standpoint. The 25-year-old put together another highly productive season in 2022, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors for the second straight year. Simmons has made clear his intention to remain with the team long-term, something which will no doubt require a hugely lucrative multi-year deal.
  • Defensive end Arden Key spent the 2022 season in Jacksonville, and put up the second most productive season of his career (27 tackles, 4.5 sacks). The Jaguars felt they would be able to re-up the veteran, as noted by ESPN’s Michael DiRocco, something which would have allowed the team to retain useful edge rushing depth. Instead, Key signed a three-year, $21MM deal in Tennessee last month, leaving the Jaguars in need of either a less costly free agent addition or a draft pick to replace him.
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