Ravens Host LB Kyle Van Noy
The Ravens have already made one addition today, and another could be coming soon. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy visited the team on a free agent visit, as noted (on Twitter) by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. 
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Van Noy has played with four teams during his career, but the versatile defender is best known for his time with the Patriots. His second stint in New England came after a one-year tenure in Miami, and set up another single campaign, this time with the Chargers. He had to wait until May to ink his Los Angeles deal last year, but his free agent wait has been much longer in 2023.
The 32-year-old logged a snap share of 70% with the Chargers, his lowest figure since 2016. Despite that drop in playing time, Van Noy remained productive, posting eight tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits and five sacks. That made 2023 the fifth season out of the past six in which he recorded at least five sacks, a string of consistency which shows his value as a rotational rusher when used in conjunction with his skills as an inside linebacker.
The BYU product showed a desire to re-up with the Chargers, but he finds himself as one of several veteran edge defenders seeking a deal in advance of training camps. Baltimore is a team which has been active recently in seeking additions in the pass rush department, scheduling a visit with Dawuane Smoot before he ultimately re-signed with the Jaguars.
The Ravens have Tyus Bowser in place as an experienced member of their edge unit, but James Houston remains unsigned after leading the team in sacks last season. That leaves young options in place, including 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh, 2022 second-round selection David Ojabo and rookies Tavius Robinson and Trenton Simpson. The latter, like Van Noy, is expected to serve in a hybrid inside/outside role at the NFL level. While he acclimates to that task and Baltimore searches for development from others, Van Noy could serve as an effective depth option.
Commanders Sign Emmanuel Forbes, Jartavius Martin To Wrap Draft Class
Thursday was an historic day for the Commanders off the field, but the team has also made transactions ensuring all members of their rookie class will be on the field in time for training camp. Cornerbacks Emmanuel Forbes and Jartavius Martin signed their initial NFL deals (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2). 
Forbes will earn $15.41MM fully guaranteed on his four-year contract, including a signing bonus of $8.21MM. Martin was able to secure $5.11MM in guaranteed money out of the total value of $7.64MM on his contract. As a first-rounder, Forbes is eligible for the fifth-year option.
The secondary was an area of concern for Washington entering the draft, and it comes as no surprise that the team invested considerably at the CB position. Forbes was among the more polarizing members of a deep corner class, given his small frame (6-0, 180 pounds) and his ability to overcome it during his highly productive college career. He registered 14 interceptions and 20 pass breakups across three campaigns at Mississippi State, confirming his status as a Day 1 lock.
The Commanders selected Forbes with the No. 16 pick, notably electing not to take fellow corner Christian Gonzalez. The latter had generally been rated higher, but Washington’s willingness to add either informed their decision to call off efforts to trade up with the Patriots for the No. 14 spot. Forbes will be expected to translate his ball production to the pro game early and often given his draft status and the team’s decision to go against what many analysts felt was a more desirable prospect.
The 195-pound Martin will provide more bulk than Forbes, and he too will be counted on to play a key role in the Commanders’ secondary in at least the intermediate future. The former spent five seasons at Illinois, pairing with Devon Witherspoon, the top corner selected in this year’s draft, in the process. Martin posted four interceptions and 17 PBUs in his final two campaigns, adding 6.5 tackles for loss in that span.
Forbes and Martin will look to earn immediate playing time in a CB room topped by Kendall Fuller and Benjamin St-Juste. Here is the final breakdown of the Commanders’ 2023 class:
Round 1, No. 16: Emmanuel Forbes, CB (Mississippi State)
Round 2, No. 47: Jartavius Martin, CB (Illinois)
Round 3, No. 97: Ricky Stromberg, C (Arkansas) (signed)
Round 4, No. 118: Braeden Daniels, T (Utah) (signed)
Round 5, No. 137 (from Cardinals through Bills): K.J. Henry, DE (Clemson) (signed)
Round 6, No. 193: Christopher Rodriguez, RB (Kentucky) (signed)
Round 7, No. 233: Andre Jones Jr., DE (Louisiana) (signed)
Panthers To Sign No. 1 Pick Bryce Young, Complete Draft Class Deals
With training camps just around the corner, several teams continue to wrap up deals with their rookies before the weekend. That includes the first NFL deal being finalized for this year’s top pick. 
Quarterback Bryce Young agreed to terms on his four-year rookie contract, per a team announcement. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the deal will be signed soon, setting him up for $41.22MM fully guaranteed. Young will receive nearly $27MM up front via a signing bonus.
The timing of bonus payments is often the cause for delay on first-round rookie contracts, and entering today four of the players selected in the top five – including all three quarterbacks – had yet to sign their deals. Young will become the first to so, officially kicking off a rookie campaign in which he will be expected to establish himself as the franchise’s signal-caller of the present and the long-term future.
The Alabama product was in the running to hear his name called first overall throughout the 2022 college season. After winning the Heisman the previous year, he delivered another strong campaign with the Crimson Tide, posting 3,328 passing yards and a 32:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Those totals helped him finish sixth in voting for college football’s top prize.
When the Panthers pulled off their historic trade with the Bears for the No. 1 selection, Young was not in a class of his own in terms of favorites to be selected. Carolina gave thought to both Young and eventual second overall pick C.J. Stroud in the build-up to the draft, while new head coach Frank Reich was thought to be high on Anthony Richardson. The latter – who boasted the most athletic upside, but faced serious questions about his passing potential at the pro level – went fourth to the Colts.
Young began the offseason behind Andy Dalton on Carolina’s QB depth chart, after the veteran signed a two-year deal knowing the Panthers would select a passer with their top pick. The pecking order was formally reversed last month, though, leaving Young in place to lead the team ahead of a 2023 season in which improvement from the Matt Rhule era is expected. The 6-0, 194-pounder will face questions about his size as he transitions to the NFL game and takes charge of an offense which has plenty of new faces on offense in particular.
Here is the full breakdown of the Panthers’ draft class:
Round 1, No. 1 (from Bears): Bryce Young, QB (Alabama) (signed)
Round 2, No. 39: Jonathan Mingo, WR (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 3, No. 80 (from Steelers): D.J. Johnson, DE (Oregon) (signed)
Round 4, No. 114: Chandler Zavala, G (North Carolina State) (signed)
Round 5, No. 145: Jammie Robinson, S (Florida State) (signed)
Aaron Rodgers Plans To Remain With Jets Beyond 2023
Aaron Rodgers has dominated offseason storylines concerning the Jets given his trade acquisition and the expectations surrounding himself and the team in 2023. How willing he is to play beyond this season has been an open question, however.
The 39-year-old spoke on the subject today, and indicated that he does not foresee a retirement coming at the end of this campaign. Circumstances could of course change between now and then, but as his first season outside of Green Bay approaches, the four-time MVP remains confident he will continue his career for multiple years. 
“The Jets gave up a lot for me, so to play just one year. I think, would be a disservice,” Rodgers said during an appearance on ESPN’s DiPietro & Rothenberg Show. “Now, if that one year turns out to be a magical year, who knows? But it’s more than that: it’s how my body feels” (h/t Newsday’s Al Iannazzone).
Those remarks came not long after others from head coach Robert Saleh also pointed to Rodgers remaining in the fold for more than one season. Doing so would be beneficial for a New York team which is firmly in win-now mode, and which paid signficant draft capital to acquire the longtime Packer in April’s blockbuster trade. Looking too far down the road is not something Saleh is interested in with respect to his quarterback’s future, however.
“I don’t think he needs to,” Saleh said, via Brian Costello of the New York Post, when asked about Rodgers’ willingness to commit to 2024. “I don’t want to even back him into a corner and make him commit to something like that… Odds are if you enjoy playing football, you’re going to want to keep doing that.”
The Jets fielded one of the league’s best defenses in 2022, and their offense features an intriguing array of skill-position players. The team remained active on the QB market during the offseason, and trading for Rodgers quickly emerged as their preference. Age is a major concern in Rodgers’ case, but the fact New York has a number of young high-end contributors is influencing his intentions.
“When you have so many great players on rookie deals, it’s pretty exciting, knowing you can do something,” the future Hall of Famer said after the Jets’ Friday training camp practice. “You’ve got a good window. It’s not just a one-year thing where you can be competitive, which is fun.”
Of course, finances are also at the heart of Rodgers’ future. He has a cap hit of only $1.22MM this season, but a restructure to his Packers contract which delayed a roster bonus payment leaves him due a whopping $107.6MM next year. The Jets have engaged in talks about sorting out that massive dichotomy, but Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes that a resolution has still not been reached.
The Jets will be the subject of plenty of scrutiny based in large part on Rodgers’ play in his new home. Analysis of his and the team’s performance will, though, be made moving forward with an even stronger belief that he will not hang up his cleats following a one-and-done campaign.
Giants Sign RB James Robinson
Friday has seen another addition to the Giants’ offense. New York announced the signing of veteran running back James Robinson. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport adds that it is a one-year contract (Twitter link). 
Robinson’s career has taken a much different turn than his rookie year would have suggested. He ran for 1,070 yards with the Jaguars in 2020, but the former UDFA has seen his usage and production decline since that point. He totaled 989 scrimmage yards in 2021, but the presence of a healthy Travis Etienne led him elsewhere last season.
Jacksonville traded Robinson to the Jets in October, a move which allowed him a chance to carve out a new role after Breece Hall suffered an ACL tear. The former played as a backup across four games in New York, recording just 85 scoreless yards on 29 carries (good for an average of 2.9 per rush). With Hall expected to be healthy in time for Week 1, Robinson again found himself on the move at the start of the new league year.
The Patriots inked him to a two-year deal in March, but injury problems led to his release just a few months later. Now, Robinson will aim to remain healthy during training camp and in doing so earn a role on the team’s RB depth chart. That is something which very much remains up in the air at this point, of course, with Saquon Barkley not currently being under contract.
As one of three backs who were unable to come to terms on a deal before the franchise tag deadline, Barkley has yet to sign his one-year tender. He has recently gone public about the possibility of not only holding out during training camp, but also skipping regular season games. His absence would deal a major blow to New York’s ground game, one which depended in very large part on the former No. 2 pick remaining healthy and putting together a career-year last season.
Robinson could help contribute with or without Barkley in the fold, as the list of other Giants backs include veteran Matt Breida, 2021 sixth-rounder Gary Brightwell and fifth-round rookie Eric Gray. All attention will remain on Barkley, but Robinson could establish himself as an effective rotational rushing option if he is able to remain healthy in his latest New York endeavor.
Texans To Host CB Ronald Darby
As veterans around the league continue to draw interest in advance of training camp, Ronald Darby is generating a look from the Texans. Houston is hosting the veteran corner on a workout today, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). 
Darby spent the past two seasons in Denver, but like in his previous stops, he was unable to remain healthy for a full campaign in either instance. He was limited to 11 games in 2021, and his season was cut short after five contests last year due to a torn ACL. As a result, it came as little surprise when the Broncos released him in March and saved considerable cap space in the process.
When on the field, Darby performed well as part of a strong Broncos secondary. The 29-year-old recorded 67 tackles, nine pass deflections and one forced fumble across his 16 games in the Mile High City. He also performed well in coverage, allowing completion percentages of 54.3% and 38.9%. Especially if healthy – Rapoport adds that Darby’s recovery is going well – he could be an effective low-cost addition for the Texans and several other potential suitors.
Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets that Darby is “drawing interest from multiple teams.” With training camps around the corner for most squads, a deal is likely not far away for the Florida State alum, and Houston would represent an intriguing destination. The AFC South outfit has 2022 third overall pick Derek Stingley Jr. in place at the corner spot, along with holdovers Steven Nelson and Desmond King.
The Texans also added Shaquill Griffin and Darius Phillips in free agency, giving them a number of options under new head coach DeMeco Ryans. Darby would add a starting-caliber cover man to the fold, but if no deal were to materialize in Houston, he would likely be able to land one elsewhere in the near future.
Giants Sign WR Cole Beasley
Extending his career further past his brief retirement, Cole Beasley has once again found a new home. The veteran wideout is signing with the Giants, as first reported by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link) and confirmed by a team announcement. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets that it is a one-year deal. 
The move will allow Beasley to reunite with Brian Daboll, the Giants head coach who served as offensive coordinator with the Bills during the former’s first stint in Buffalo. During that time, Beasley enjoyed a productive spell and recorded a career-best 967 yards in 2020. He will now have the opportunity to replicate the success he and Daboll enjoyed together after nearing heading to the Big Apple last year.
Beasley began the 2022 season with the Buccaneers, but he was used sparingly in two games, leading to his retirement decision. The 34-year-old quickly changed his mind, though, and came back to Buffalo to close out the season. He only made a pair of catches with the Bills, putting his playing future in serious doubt.
The former UDFA expressed a willingness to continue with the Bills this offseason, knowing that would entail a reduction in role compared to his 2019-2021 stretch with the team. Over that span, he received over 100 targets each year as a dependable member of Buffalo’s high-volume passing attack. Beasley made it clear, however, that he would retire for a second time in the absence of a deal before training camp.
Now that one is in place, he can compete for a roster spot on a Giants receiver room which faces plenty of questions entering the season. New York set about improving their pass-catching corps this offseason, one in which the franchise committed to Daniel Jones as its quarterback of the future. That effort included the trade acquisition of tight end Darren Waller, the free agent signings of Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder, along with the selection of Jalin Hyatt in the third round of the draft.
A number of those new faces, along with returnees like Wan’Dale Robinson, are candidates to see considerable usage in the slot, the area Beasley has occupied throughout his 11-year career. Robinson may not be healthy in time for the start of the season, which could give the latter an added opportunity to carve out a role during training camp as he looks to continue his career.
NFL Approves Josh Harris As Commanders Owner
JULY 21: The sale has gone through, as first reported by Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal (on Twitter). Harris is now in place to move forward with his latest venture as a new era dawns for the Commanders.
JULY 20: The Commanders’ sale process has officially reached its conclusion. NFL owners approved the purchase of the franchise by Josh Harris during their special league meeting on Thursday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).
To no surprise, the vote amongst the owners was unanimous, something which has been expected throughout this process and which was recommended by the finance committee earlier this week. Today’s news marks a turning point for a franchise which has been plagued by scandals and poor on-field performances, while adding a highly-experienced member to the ownership ranks. Harris will acquire his hometown team for a record-shattering price of $6.05 billion. 
Outgoing owner Dan Snyder had insisted on multiple occasions before the 2022 season that he would never sell the Commanders. That mindset began to shift in the fall, however, when reports indicated he had gathered dirt on other owners and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell with the aim of protecting himself against potential removal from his position. Colts owner Jim Irsay was particularly vocal about the desire on the part of at least some of his peers to explore what would have been an unprecedented step in voting to ouster Snyder.
Instead, Snyder began the process of exploring a sale and, soon after, bids began to come in. Harris – the runner-up to Rob Walton when the Broncos were sold last summer – quickly emerged as a serious contender to purchase the Commanders. Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta also submitted bids, though many expected Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to be the favorite in this process. Instead, the latter was officially out of the running as of April.
Snyder and Harris (who also owns the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and NHL’s New Jersey Devils, and had been a minority owner in the Steelers) entered into a signed, exclusive sales agreement in May. That began the vetting process for Harris and his large group of investors – one which includes NBA legend Magic Johnson, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Danaher Corporation co-founder Mitchell Rales. The size of Harris’ investment group, along with issues related to financing the bid, emerged as matters which needed to be smoothed out.
As that process took place, attention turned to Snyder’s status as the subject of an ongoing investigation into the Commanders’ workplace culture and allegations of financial wrongdoing. Revelations on that front further soured other owners’ opinions of Snyder, and the matter of indemnification soon emerged as a key talking point. The 58-year-old sought legal protection from the fallout of league investigator Mary Jo White’s final report. Negotiations took place through to last week, with a potential roadblock emerging to the sale going through.
Harris has indeed been rubber-stamped as owner, though, leaving Snyder with a hefty financial penalty on his way out of the league. The latter has been fined $60MM in the wake of White’s full report being made public, as Goodell repeatedly insisted would be the case (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero). Snyder was found to have withheld $11MM in revenue from the league’s other teams, and to have sexually harassed a team employee, Schefter tweets.
“The conduct substantiated in Ms. White’s findings has no place in the NFL,” Goodell said in a statement (via Pelissero’s colleague Mike Garafolo, on Twitter). “We strive for workplaces that are safe, respectful and professional. What [former Commanders staffer] Ms. Johnston experienced is inappropriate and contrary to the NFL’s values.”
Snyder’s fine will resolve all outstanding issues with the NFL, putting an end to his 24-year ownership tenure. Harris will be tasked with turning the page for one of the league’s most historic teams, one which has seen little in the way of regular or postseason success in the past quarter-century. He should be in place as owner in time for the opening of training camp next week, though he is not expected to make signficant front office or coaching changes immediately upon arrival in his new position.
Thursday’s news marks a new high-mark in terms of franchise valuation, and has seen the league go to unprecedented lengths in terms of discipline of an owner. This lengthy saga has now crossed the finish line, however, with cause for optimism in place in the nation’s capital moving forward.
“From day one, it is our top priority to deliver you a championship caliber team, and we will strive every day to ensure that we are a franchise you can be proud of,” a statement from Harris reads in part. “To Commanders fans everywhere, our promise is simple: we will do the work, create the culture and make the investment needed to deliver for this team and for Washington.”
Titans, S Kevin Byard Agree To Restructure
After much speculation about his financial future, Kevin Byard has agreed to a reworked contract. The All-Pro safety restructured his Titans deal, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). 
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Byard will see his base salary dropped from $14MM to $11MM, Rapoport notes, but incentives will allow him to earn back the difference. This move puts to rest questions related to the 29-year-old’s short-term standing with the organization after new general manager Ran Carthon unsuccessfully attempted to work out a pay cut with Byard in March. Tennessee parted ways with several costly veterans this offseason but the two-time Pro Bowler remains under contract through 2024.
Despite the pay cut request, Byard made it clear last month that he was not looking for a trade out of Tennessee, his only home during his seven-year career. The former third-rounder remains one of the league’s most productive safeties and delivered another strong performance in 2022 with 108 tackles and four interceptions. He will be counted on as an anchor of the Titans’ secondary once again this season.
Byard has no guaranteed money on his deal next year, so his performance will not only affect his earnings in 2023 but also the team’s willingness to remain committed to him for the future. A major injury or signficant decline in play would seemingly be necessary for his tenure to be put in doubt, but the new front office has already shown a willingness to try and lower the Middle Tennessee State product’s cap burden.
The Titans entered today with $8.3MM in cap space, a figure which will change significantly when their DeAndre Hopkins signing becomes official. Byard, like the All-Pro wideout, will be a major part of the team’s plans this season, and he can now approach training camp and the build-up to the fall with clarity regarding his financial situation.
Latest On Bill Belichick’s Job Security
The post-Tom Brady era in New England has seen more lows than highs. After missing the postseason only once between 2003 and 2019, the Patriots have now missed the playoffs in two of the past three seasons. As a result, owner Robert Kraft is reportedly getting antsy, and he may be pointing the finger at his iconic head coach.
During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran acknowledged that coach Bill Belichick is currently on the hot seat and has “been there at different levels of warmth since 2019” (Twitter link). While Curran notes that Kraft has recently walked back his demand for a playoff win (something that’s eluded the organization since their last Super Bowl in 2018), the reporter also believes that the organization could consider drastic changes if the team disappoints in 2023.
As Curran hints, Belichick’s approval rating in New England started to see some cracks in 2019. That year, Belichick and the front office refused to commit to Brady beyond that season, and the QB ended up leaving the organization for Tampa Bay in 2020. While Brady going on to win a championship with the Buccaneers surely ruffled some feathers in Foxborough, Curran believes Kraft was most upset that the Patriots didn’t have a plan at the position for the 2020 campaign. The team ended up rolling with free agent Cam Newton as their starter and won only seven games, the organization’s fewest amount since the 2000 season.
The team managed to bounce back in 2021 with a rookie Mac Jones under center, but the wheels fell off in 2022. Belichick did little to replace offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who left for the head coaching job in Las Vegas. Belichick turned to former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and former special teams coordinator Joe Judge to lead the offense, and the results were predictably disastrous. There’s been various reports about how much Kraft influenced Belichick’s decision to hire Bill O’Brien for the OC job this offseason, but either way, the owner clearly wasn’t happy with the on-field product in 2022.
Complicating the matter is Belichick’s ongoing pursuit of the all-time wins record. The 71-year-old is 19 wins behind Don Shula for the all-time record (regular season and playoffs), and there’s little chance Belichick or Kraft make a move until the record is set. That would mean the Patriots head coach is locked in through at least the 2024 campaign, but depending on the results of the 2023 season, the team’s owner may not want to wait that long to make a move.
If Kraft does decide to make a head coaching change following the 2023 season, it sounds like the replacement is already in-house. Defensive coordinator Jerod Mayo ended up turning down head coaching interviews this offseason to stick in New England, and it’s believed he’s the heir apparent for the Patriots head coaching gig. Mayo played under Belichick before recently serving as the team’s de facto co-DC alongside Belichick’s son, Steve Belichick. In this scenario, the elder Belichick would likely transition to an advisory role, and Curran believes that the future Hall of Famer would be in support of a Mayo promotion. Of course, that support would be contingent on Belichick ending his coaching career on his own terms.