2024 April - Pro Football Rumors

Month: April 2024

Saints Sign QB Kellen Mond

April 12th, 2024 at 9:24am CST by Sam Robinson

Although Kellen Mond worked out for the 49ers this week, the former third-round pick will end up in a similar system. The Saints are signing the young quarterback, ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell tweets. The team has since announced the signing.

The Saints will be Mond’s fourth team in four seasons. The Vikings and Browns waived the young quarterback after one year apiece, and Mond spent last season on the Colts’ practice squad. Not back with Indianapolis on a futures deal, Mond hit free agency and will have a chance with a Saints team that hired Klint Kubiak as OC.

This will reunite Mond and Kubiak, who was in place as the Vikings’ play-caller when the team drafted the Texas A&M product three years ago. Mond, who also worked with Saints QBs coach Andrew Janocko in Minnesota, said (via Terrell) he has been in discussions with the Saints for weeks. While Mond figures to be running short on chances, having extensive familiarity with Kubiak’s system stands to help his quest to become one of the Saints’ backups behind Derek Carr.

Mond will join Nathan Peterman and 2023 draftee Jake Haener as Carr backup options. While Mond and Peterman’s NFL resumes do not inspire much confidence in New Orleans’ backup situation, the Saints now have four QBs. That often represents the number of passers clubs take into offseason programs. Carr did not miss much time last season, but he suffered two concussions and a shoulder injury in his first Saints season. The team let Jameis Winston join the Browns in free agency and did not replace him with a veteran option.

After attempting to trade up for Justin Fields in 2021, the Vikings regrouped with Mond at No. 66 overall. Not viewed as ready in Minnesota, Mond did not receive the call to replace Kirk Cousins when the starter contracted COVID-19 that year. Off-and-on Vikings backup Sean Mannion did. When Kevin O’Connell arrived in 2022, Mond was not part of the new HC’s plan. Ex-Vikings OC Kevin Stefanski mentored Mond from 2022-23, but the Browns did not include him on their 53-man roster. The Colts added Mond to their P-squad following Anthony Richardson‘s injury but never promoted him to the active roster.

Mond, 24, started for most of his Aggies career. He posted a 19-3 TD-INT ratio as a senior, completing a career-high 63.3% of his passes. While teams have not exactly been thrilled by Mond’s development as a pro, Kubiak will take another crack at coaching the 6-foot-3 passer.

Seahawks Interested In DT Byron Murphy

April 12th, 2024 at 9:14am CST by Sam Robinson

Not making a habit of devoting much money to its defensive tackle spot under Pete Carroll, the Seahawks deviated last year by giving Dre’Mont Jones a three-year, $51MM contract. In Mike Macdonald‘s first weeks as head coach, the team doubled down by re-signing Leonard Williams (three years, $64.5MM).

It would seem Seattle is covered here, as Jarran Reed and free agent signing Johnathan Hankins are on the roster as well. But the team is believed to be interested in Texas DT prospect Byron Murphy II. The Seahawks hosted the recent Longhorns D-line standout on a recent visit, which had been scheduled for several weeks. The team appears interested in further bolstering its DT spot, perhaps even in Round 1.

The Seahawks should be viewed as Murphy’s floor in this draft, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller writes. Murphy is not leaving Austin with eye-catching traditional numbers (five sacks last season), but the 297-pound inside rusher pressured QBs consistently. Murphy’s 33 pressures were 19 more than he posted in 2022. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board places Murphy 19th, while Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest ESPN.com offering slots him 24th. The Seahawks hold the No. 16 overall pick in this year’s draft.

More was expected from Carroll’s final Seattle team, which underachieved at 9-8. But the squad Macdonald inherits does not feature too many need areas. Guard represents the most glaring weakness, but ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson notes the Seahawks plan to address that spot in free agency and the draft. A guard does not appear realistic in Round 1, pointing to a best-player-available-type investment at 16. Murphy would qualify as an interesting choice.

While the Seahawks rostered Jones and Williams during the season’s second half, they still ranked 31st in run defense last season. Hankins stands to help in that department, but Murphy appeals largely as an inside disruptor. Ranking as the top DT in this class, Murphy would also represent an investment at the position a year after the team strongly considered Jalen Carter. The latter’s off-field issues dissuaded a few teams from choosing the high-end talent in last year’s top 10, and the Seahawks ultimately went with Devon Witherspoon over the Georgia DT talent.

CB Tre’Davious White Signs With Rams

April 12th, 2024 at 8:09am CST by Ely Allen

APRIL 12: White’s Rams pact will check in considerably south of that $8.5MM mark if the former All-Pro cannot become a defensive regular. This contract features a base value of $4.25MM, per OverTheCap, and carries a $3.25MM guarantee. White must play 60% of the Rams’ defensive snaps to bump the value to that $8.5MM place.

MARCH 26: The Rams continue to build a new look secondary, stacking serious talent at cornerback. After reuniting with Darious Williams two weeks ago, Los Angeles will set him up with an All-Pro on the other side of the field. Former Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White has announced his intentions to sign with the Rams. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, White will join the team on a one-year, $8.5MM deal with a maximum value of $10MM.

White was designated as a post-June 1 release, becoming a cap casualty shortly before the start of free agency. Buffalo will recover $10.2MM of cap space come June 2. Once it’s official, White will become a Ram, playing for a team other than the Bills for the first time in his NFL career.

A 2017 first-round pick out of LSU, White has enjoyed a seven-year career in Buffalo since getting drafted. In his first four years, White was the picture of elite cornerback play. Through four seasons, White tallied 54 passes defensed and 15 interceptions, as well as four forced fumbles and fumble recoveries apiece. For his efforts, White finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, made two Pro Bowls, and was voted to both first- and second-team All-Pro honors.

In 2021, he suffered a torn ACL after 11 games, cutting his season short. A three-sport athlete since middle school, White’s mental health suffered as a result of his forced inactivity during recovery. Slow-playing his recovery meant spending the first seven weeks of 2022 on injured reserve and missing three more games before finally making his return. Things went from bad to worse four games into 2023, when White suffered a torn Achilles tendon, another season-ending ailment.

Before signing, White made the rounds in his first bout with free agency. White spent time visiting the Rams, Raiders, Giants, and Titans. As much as these visits were for White to determine where he wanted to go, they also served as an opportunity for team doctors to feel out how White’s recovery was progressing. A big plus for both White and Los Angeles is that the Rams currently employ Dr. Neal ElAttrache as their team doctor. ElAttrache is the surgeon who repaired White’s Achilles tendon, and he and White have spent time together since with rehab, according to Schefter.

In Los Angeles, White should be allowed to return at his own pace. Derion Kendrick returns after starting 12 games last season, as does Cobie Durant who started nine games while manning the nickelback role in 2023. Although top cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon‘s contract expired, the addition of Williams more than makes up for his absence.

As White works to return to the field with the doctor that fixed his injury, the Rams should be able to field Williams, Kendrick, and Durant in the secondary. The value of White’s new contract, though, seems to imply that Los Angeles doesn’t anticipate being without White for long.

Hall Of Fame RB O.J. Simpson Dies At 76

April 11th, 2024 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

O.J. Simpson died Thursday after a battle with prostate cancer, his family announced. He was 76. Simpson rose to prominence as a running back, broadcaster and actor before seeing his legacy irreparably altered upon being tried for murder. Simpson was acquitted on charges he killed his ex-wife and her friend but was later found liable in a civil trial.

One of the NFL’s greatest running backs, Simpson was a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee in 1985. He played 11 NFL seasons — nine with the Bills, two with the 49ers — and was the first player to reach 2,000 rushing yards in a season. The former Heisman winner eclipsed the 2,000-yard barrier in 1973, when the NFL schedule remained at 14 games. He is the only player to have surpassed 2,000 in the 14-game era.

The No. 1 overall pick in 1969, Simpson became the centerpiece of the Bills’ offense for many years. Buffalo made the playoffs just once during Simpson’s nine-season tenure, losing a divisional-round game to eventual champion Pittsburgh in 1974, but its elusive back led the league in rushing four times from 1972-76.

While Simpson peaked with 2,003 rushing yards in 1973, he bettered his yards-from-scrimmage total from that season (2,073) with 2,243 in 1975. Simpson’s ’75 season included a career-high 23 touchdowns; despite his prolific stretch, Simpson only topped 10 TDs in a season twice. Simpson’s 141.3 rushing yards per game in 1973 remains the NFL single-season record; his 1975 scrimmage yards total stood as the NFL mark until Eric Dickerson broke it by a yard in 1984. Simpson joined Walter Payton as the first-team All-Decade running backs for the 1970s.

“O.J. Simpson was the first player to reach a rushing mark many thought could not be attained in a 14-game season when he topped 2,000 yards,” Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said in a statement. “His on-field contributions will be preserved in the Hall’s archives in Canton, Ohio.”

The Bills moved on from their workhorse back in 1978, sending Simpson — a San Francisco native — to the 49ers for a considerable haul. The 49ers sent the Bills a first-round pick, two second-rounders, a third and a fourth for the aging back. The first-rounder (a 1979 pick) became No. 1 overall. Moved to the 49ers at 31, Simpson battled multiple injuries with his second team and did not surpass 600 rushing yards in either of his San Francisco seasons. San Francisco had already sent three first-round picks for quarterback Jim Plunkett under GM Joe Thomas in 1976; Thomas was out by 1979, leading to the Bill Walsh era.

Simpson’s NFL career became an afterthought following the events of 1994. A widely viewed June 1994 police chase ended with Simpson in custody; more than a year later, a jury found him not guilty in connection with the knife slayings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. The 1997 civil case found Simpson liable and ordered a $33.5MM payment to Brown Simpson and Goldman’s families.

More than a decade later, a confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room involved two Simpson associates carrying guns. Simpson served nine years in prison for armed robbery, kidnapping and other felony charges.

Raiders Split On Moving Up For QB?

April 11th, 2024 at 10:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Antonio Pierce has spoken openly about his interest in acquiring a long-term QB option this offseason. New GM Tom Telesco had franchise QBs at the helm in each of his 11 years running the Chargers. This would point the Raiders to doing what they need to in order to acquire one of this draft’s starter-caliber arms.

But the team holds the No. 13 overall pick. With the Vikings acquiring another first-rounder from the Texans, they hold Nos. 11 and 23. The Broncos lack a second-round pick, but they do possess No. 12 overall, their first Round 1 draft slot in three years. It could be difficult for the Raiders to climb high enough to outflank the Vikings, as the Bears, Commanders and Patriots more likely than not to select a passer in the top three.

It also may not be a given all the key parties in the Las Vegas building want to put together a big trade package to draft a QB. Pierce is on board with doing so, per Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline, but Telesco is “leaning heavily” toward sticking with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. Controlling the Raiders’ roster, Telesco has the final call. Though Pierce should be expected to wield notable power ahead of his first draft as HC, Telesco has obviously run 11 drafts to his zero.

The Raiders have been closely tied to Jayden Daniels, who arrived at Arizona State when Pierce was on the Sun Devils’ staff. Daniels has remained close with Pierce, going so far as to be in the Raiders’ locker room after their Week 18 win over the Broncos. While a recent report indicated Las Vegas wants to trade up for Daniels — a player they mentioned during their OC search — the Commanders and Patriots stand as clear obstacles in that path. The Raiders believed to have been making an effort to move up, and a report coming out of the Combine confirmed Vegas had made inquiries about climbing from 13. Understandably, a Daniels visit is on the Raiders’ docket.

Mark Davis has OK’d a move up the board, though it could cost two future first-rounders to make that jump. The Commanders choosing Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy at 2 could make matters quite interesting in Nevada, given the stream of connections to Daniels. That would put the Patriots to a decision, should the Raiders make a monster offer to vault to No. 3. The Pats are likely open to moving down, but the buzz as of now points to New England drafting a QB at 3. Moving back to 13 would effectively lock the Pats out of the Daniels-Maye-McCarthy tier.

The Raiders could stick at 13 and have a chance at Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr., though Broncos-Nix connections have come out during the draft run-up. If the Raiders pivot to a non-quarterback call at 13, ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid indicates a cornerback-or-tackle decision may be on tap. While cornerback remains a need, especially after Amik Robertson‘s defection to Detroit, a Las Vegas tackle move should be considered on the radar, Reid writes.

The Raiders have Kolton Miller entrenched on the left side, but two-year RT starter Jermaine Eluemunor left for the Giants. Daniel Jeremiah’s latest NFL.com mock draft sends Penix to Vegas, while Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest ESPN.com offering gives them Oregon State tackle Taliese Fuaga.

Of course, a tackle-or-CB move would only raise the stakes for the Raiders in 2025, as a Minshew-centered roster would not present a high ceiling for the 2024 team. In a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, that would not qualify as an exciting plan. But Minshew signed a two-year, $25MM deal. He does give the Raiders a fallback option if they opt against leaving Round 1 with a passer. Of course, if Pierce wants a QB and Telesco does not view it as realistic, this draft would not exactly start this partnership off on the right foot.

Tom Brady Not Ruling Out Comeback

April 11th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Flacco managed to win Comeback Player of the Year acclaim despite not debuting for the Browns until December. This came as Tom Brady, who memorably backtracked on his first retirement in 2022, remained out of the game. The all-time great, once again, may be waffling on being fully retired.

Appearing on an episode of DeepCut with VicBlends, Brady said he “wouldn’t be opposed to” coming back in the right situation. Given the number of quarterbacks that went down last season, opportunities opened last year. Brady’s hometown 49ers also extended an invitation for him to sign last year — a situation that would have seen the 46-year-old icon mentor Brock Purdy — but he declined.

“I’m not opposed to it,” Brady said of another comeback, via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. “I don’t know if they’re going to let me, if I become an owner of an NFL team, I don’t know. I’m always going to be in good shape, always going to be able to throw the ball. So, to come in for a little bit, like MJ coming back, I don’t know if they’d let me, but I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”

This response came after Brady was asked a question about a Flacco-type return to join a contender who lost its starting QB late in a season. Set to start his high-priced contract as FOX’s lead game analyst, Brady has also seen the NFL stall his path to becoming a Raiders minority owner. This situation has been delayed for nearly a year. Brady agreed to buy a stake in the Raiders in May 2023, but owners have yet to approve him as a part-owner of the AFC West club. Brady’s FOX affiliation, and the price Mark Davis set for him to buy in, have represented hurdles here. Progress emerged on this front in February, but the matter remained unresolved at last month’s owners’ meetings.

Brady passed on the 49ers, who certainly offered just about as good of a situation as there was last season, so it would be interesting to see just what would pique his interest about a second unretirement. The 23-year veteran mentioned the Patriots and Raiders as teams he could potentially play for. Neither brings anything close to the roster strength last year’s 49ers edition supplied. When asked about playing in 2023 last June, Brady said he was “certain” he was done playing. Nearly a year later, it does not appear that is the case.

Brady’s 2022 season did not match the quality he submitted in 2021 — a second-team All-Pro campaign — or late in 2020, when his improved play rallied the Buccaneers to the Super Bowl LV title. But he was certainly a starter-caliber passer at age 45. The seven-time Super Bowl champion being out of the league for a year and being set to turn 47 before next season would stand to make teams skittish, as there is no track record of a non-specialist playing at that age. As Brady’s ownership path may be stalled, he has not so subtly reopened the door about playing yet another season.

Citing Michael Jordan’s early-2000s Washington Wizards comeback as a player/owner, Brady attempted to pull off this double with the Dolphins in 2022. That brought consequences for the AFC East franchise, which was docked first- and third-round picks for tampering with Brady and Sean Payton that year. It would seem easier for Brady if he put the ownership matter on hold and agreed to return — a decision that would again shake up FOX’s plans — but it does not appear he is ready to do that. Brady is already a part-owner of Davis’ WNBA franchise (the Las Vegas Aces).

While Flacco made a successful comeback in Cleveland, he was in the NFL (and in his 30s) in 2022. The 49ers, however, also had loose plans to sign Philip Rivers had they made a miraculous comeback in the 2022 NFC championship game. Rivers retired after the 2020 season; a re-emergence after Purdy’s UCL tear in Super Bowl LVII would have involved the ex-Chargers and Colts QB returning in the emergency circumstance at age 41. Brady changing his mind again at 47 would add another chapter to his historically unique legacy. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a legitimate storyline going forward.

No Talks Yet Between Bengals, Tee Higgins

April 11th, 2024 at 9:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jaguars’ Josh Allen extension thinned the NFL’s 2024 pool of tagged players to two (down from nine in early March), the situations involving the remaining two will be magnified. The Buccaneers are optimistic about an extension for Antoine Winfield Jr., while it is unclear if the Bengals intend to extend Tee Higgins.

Higgins sent out a trade request just before free agency, but the Bengals have not budged. Cincinnati decision-makers indicated at the owners meetings they intend for the team’s No. 2 wide receiver to be part of the 2024 roster. Higgins may well be staring at a rental season, with Joe Burrow‘s contract not yet into its deep waters in terms of cap numbers.

Making it clear Ja’Marr Chase is their top priority at receiver, Higgins may eventually need to land a second contract from another team. Unless the Bengals change their mind on a trade, the former second-round pick is stuck. As of Thursday, no talks between the Bengals and Higgins have taken place, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller notes. If the Bengals are not merely planning on a rental season, they still have plenty of time here. They and the Bucs have until July 15 to extend their tagged performers.

It would be surprising if the Bengals buckled here. They executed a rental season with Jessie Bates two years ago, tagging the standout safety and letting him walk in free agency in 2023. The 2022 season featured Bates play a key role for a Bengals team that was probably a historically ill-timed late hit away from overtime in the AFC championship game. The old-school organization planning to have Higgins in 2024 points to the Clemson alum potentially staring at this situation again in 2025.

With Burrow on his way back from the wrist surgery that ended his 2023 season and crushed the Bengals’ contention aspirations, the team running back the Chase-Higgins tandem back for a fourth season in hopes of dethroning the Chiefs would make sense. Even with Higgins’ $21.82MM tag on the books, the Bengals still hold more than $23MM in cap space.

The Bengals receiving a big trade package for Higgins could conceivably change its plans, but with an acquiring team needing to hammer out an extension, that would stand to reduce the compensation Cincy would receive in a trade. Higgins, 25, resides in a similar situation to Brandon Aiyuk. Because Aiyuk was a first-round pick, however, he is a year behind Higgins on what could be a multiyear cycle (fifth-year option, franchise tag) with the 49ers.

It would cost the Bengals more than $26MM to tag Higgins again in 2025. Burrow’s cap number, however, spikes from $29.7MM this year to $46.3MM in 2025. The Bengals already have three void years in Burrow’s deal to spread out his signing bonus. Chase will be due a $21.82MM fifth-year option in 2025, though an extension could reduce that number and potentially make a second Higgins tag affordable.

Higgins has two 1,000-yard seasons under his belt, but he slumped to just 656 — after being unimpressed with a Bengals extension offer — in an injury-altered 2023. The 6-foot-4 pass catcher would stand to be in position to move back on track thanks to Burrow’s return, and it is also possible the Bengals pass on a 2025 re-tag move and let the standout sidekick hit the market. Then again, we certainly could be back here again next year, when tag-and-trade rumors could pick up more steam as the Bengals’ other contracts on offense force a final decision on Higgins.

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice Taken Into Custody

April 11th, 2024 at 8:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

APRIL 11: Rice has turned himself in, Lopez reports. The Chiefs wide receiver was moved to the DeSoto (Texas) Jail, posting a combined bond of $40K. All eight of Rice’s charges are felony counts. Additionally, SMU suspended the driver of the other vehicle in this accident — Knox — earlier Thursday.

APRIL 10: Rashee Rice‘s legal situation stemming from a hit-and-run incident in Dallas has seen a notable but expected development. The second-year Chiefs receiver is the subject of an arrest warrant, WFAA’s Rebecca Lopez and Paul Livengood report.

Rice is facing a total of eight charges, per the warrant: six counts of collision involving bodily injury, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and one count of aggravated assault. The report indicates Rice now has one day to turn himself in to police.

The 23-year-old was one of two people behind the wheel when a Lamborghini SUV and a Corvette lost control the night of March 30. The drivers were believed to be racing, and they fled the scene immediately after the crash. 10.8 grams of marijuana was found in Rice’s vehicle after the crash, per a separate WFAA report. That amount would lead to a Class B misdemeanor charge in Texas. The latter report adds that all occupants (six in total, between the two vehicles) fled the scene of the crash.

Rice has since retained legal counsel, and he has accepted responsibility for his role in the crash (which caused two of its victims to be hospitalized). Rice is also leasing the Corvette, which was being driven at the time by Theodore Knox. The latter now faces the same charges as Rice, per the Dallas Police Department. Knox is listed on SMU’s football roster; Rice spent his four-year college career with the Mustangs.

Rice’s attorney acknowledged last week that he and his client expected charges to be laid in this situation. He added the latter intends to cover the expenses facing the victims of the crash. Rice has publicly stated he will cooperate with authorities in their investigation, and doing so will now include surrendering himself to police in the immediate future.

Kansas City endured plenty of struggles in the receiving corps last season, but Rice had a productive rookie season with 938 yards and seven touchdowns on 79 receptions. He added another 26 catches and one score during the team’s run to a second straight Super Bowl, positioning himself as a key figure in the team’s offense for 2024 and beyond. The Chiefs signed Marquise Brown in free agency, but the team could make further additions during the upcoming draft.

The NFL indicated (via Mark Maske of the Washington Post) the league continues to monitor the Rice situation. Legal action is not required for fines or suspensions to be handed down, but it would not come as a surprise if the league elected to await further developments now that formal charges are in place.

Draft Notes: Titans, Alt, Chargers, Jags, Hawks, Cardinals, Bucs, Pats, Latu, Rams

April 11th, 2024 at 8:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Cutting Andre Dillard and not replacing him to this point, the Titans have a clear left tackle need going into a draft loaded with high-end prospects at the position. The Titans are “definitely” interested in Joe Alt, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller writes, noting the team’s recent visit and Combine meeting with the two-time All-American. But the Chargers should be considered a team to watch for the Notre Dame alum. The Bolts, whose first-round slot (No. 5) is two in front of the Titans’, have a clear wide receiver need but have hired a coach (Jim Harbaugh) who has not emphasized that position.

Alt continues to come up in connection to the Chargers at 5, ESPN’s Jordan Reid adds, and SI.com’s Albert Breer is not sure the Titans will have a chance at the decorated blocker due to the Bolts staying drafting Alt at 5. Alt would replace Trey Pipkins at right tackle in this scenario. Alt was a left tackle for the Fighting Irish and would step in there immediately if he lasted until the Titans at 7. One avenue for Tennessee to have a shot here would be if the Bolts trade down — a move they have made it known they are willing to make. Other quality tackles like Alabama’s JC Latham and Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga could be options for the Bolts if they move down, Reid adds.

Here is the latest from the draft:

Personnel around the NFL are tying the Jaguars to a cornerback investment at No. 17, Reid adds in the above-referenced ESPN piece. Jacksonville has hosted both Alabama CBs — Terrion Arnold, Kool-Aid McKinstry — and has a need at the position due to the Darious Williams cut. The Jags signed Ronald Darby, but the 30-year-old CB is signed to a two-year deal that can be shed easily in 2025. A young corner to pair with Tyson Campbell would make sense. With Josh Allen signed long term and Trevor Lawrence perhaps on deck this year, the Jags finding quality starters on rookie contracts will be paramount.
The Cardinals and Seahawks have hosted Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson on visits this week, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes. The ex-Nittany Lions sack artist has been busy during the draft run-up, having already met with the Eagles, Ravens, Saints, Giants and Jets. Robinson would come into play for the Cardinals if they moved down from No. 4, but Arizona — which certainly needs help on the edge — also holds the No. 27 choice courtesy of its Texans trade early in last year’s draft. The Seahawks hold the No. 16 selection. Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com mock draft sends Robinson to the Buccaneers at 26.
Speaking of the Bucs, they recently brought in Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley for a pre-draft meeting, Pelissero tweets. The Bucs have plenty of money allocated to the receiver position, with both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on deals north of the $20MM-AAV mark. Corley profiles as a second-round option in a deep receiver draft, with teams who pass on filling a WR need in Round 1 likely paying attention to the ex-Hilltoppers standout’s status entering Day 2. The Browns, Ravens, Seahawks and 49ers have also scheduled Corley visits.
Moving to another Day 2-level wideout, Troy Franklin is believed to have scheduled a Patriots meeting, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. The Patriots not landing Calvin Ridley places them on the radar for a wideout in Round 2, assuming they fill their QB need at No. 3 overall. The Pats did sign K.J. Osborn and kept Kendrick Bourne off the market, but the team’s rookie QB will need more help.
Most teams to meet with UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu have cleared him medically, per Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline, who indicates the Rams are one of them. A neck issue forced a Latu medical retirement in 2020, and the ex-Washington recruit missed the 2021 season. He re-emerged to post back-to-back double-digit sack seasons in L.A., and ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop notes edge rusher is a priority for the Rams. With Aaron Donald gone and the team not making any additions here in free agency, that adds up. The reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year has already met with the Eagles, Bears, Broncos, Vikings and Cardinals.

Rams Re-Sign LB Troy Reeder

April 11th, 2024 at 6:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Troy Reeder‘s run in Los Angeles will continue. After leaving the Rams for the Chargers in 2022, the veteran linebacker returned to the NFC’s L.A. franchise last year. The Rams still have Reeder in their plans.

The Rams re-signed Reeder on Thursday, per a team announcement. The former UDFA started six games for the 2023 Rams edition and has made 31 starts for the team since arriving in the NFL in 2019. Also lining up as a Super Bowl LVI contributor, Reeder is readying for a fifth season with the team.

Reeder’s only NFL stretch outside L.A. came when he signed a one-year deal with the Vikings last year. Minnesota did not carry Reeder onto its initial 53-man roster, leading to a return to the Rams via the practice squad. The Rams quickly called up the veteran defender and used him in all 17 regular-season games. Reeder, 29, logged 192 snaps on defense and was on the field for 59% of the Rams’ special teams plays. The Delaware native will be back as a key depth piece.

Sean McVay‘s team has turned to Reeder regularly, and he has offered a low-cost solution for a Rams team that has continually kept LB costs low — save for its 2022 Bobby Wagner contract — since releasing Mark Barron. Reeder was not teammates with Wagner, playing with the Chargers in 2022. The Bolts used Reeder strictly as a backup, doing so despite the ex-Blue Hen notching 91 tackles and two sacks for the Rams’ Super Bowl-winning iteration in 2021.

Pro Football Focus offered Reeder a much better assessment in 2020 compared to 2021, when he dropped from 27th to 72nd in LB rankings on the advanced metrics site. Reeder recorded three sacks and 81 tackles in 2020, making seven starts. He made 10 in 2021 and was in the starting lineup for three Los Angeles playoff games. Reeder played 21 snaps in Super Bowl LVI, which came after he was out there on 96% of the Rams’ defensive plays in the NFC championship game — an eight-tackle performance.

The Rams still have Ernest Jones as their LB centerpiece, though extension talks are not on tap ahead of the season. PFF ranked L.A.’s other off-ball LB regular — Christian Rozeboom — as a bottom-five player at the position in 2023. The Rams have not made any outside additions at this spot this offseason, but with Jones going into a contract year and the team regularly opting to save money at this position, it would be surprising if help was not coming via the draft.

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