HEADLINES

Month: April 2024

Eagles To Extend LT Jordan Mailata

April 4th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Howie Roseman-era Eagles have been known to act early on offensive line contracts. This offseason has brought more work in that direction. After a record-setting Landon Dickerson extension, the team has an agreement in place with Jordan Mailata.

Already signed to an extension, Mailata now has a more lucrative deal coming his way. The Eagles are giving their veteran left tackle a three-year, $66MM deal, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. Mailata’s new contract will include $48MM guaranteed. This continues one of the NFL’s more remarkable success stories, as Mailata is a former seventh-round pick who transitioned from rugby.

This provides a nice raise for Mailata, who was tied to a four-year, $64MM extension signed back in 2021. This new pact places Mailata in the top five among earners at his position. In terms of AAV, only Laremy Tunsil, Andrew Thomas and Trent Williams surpass this contract. Considering the Eagles have Dickerson at a now-guard-record $21MM per year, this marks a tremendous commitment on a line that still houses stalwart right tackle Lane Johnson.

The Eagles extended Dickerson early in his first year of eligibility, but Mailata had two seasons left on his previous contract. That deal no longer included any guarantees, and the Eagles have seen Mailata become a high-level left tackle since giving him the blindside job. Pro Football Focus graded Mailata as the No. 3 overall tackle last season, viewing his pass- and run-blocking numbers as among the best. Over the past three years, Mailata has landed in the advanced metrics site’s top 10 at the position.

In each of the past two seasons, ESPN’s run block win rate metric has ranked Mailata second. Last year, the Eagles’ tackles ranked first and second in this area. Although Jason Kelce‘s retirement brings a new challenge for the Eagles, their offensive line will present Saquon Barkley with a wildly improved setup compared to the lines he ran behind as a Giant. The Eagles are paying up for it as well and doing so despite having Jalen Hurts in the $50MM-AAV club.

Mailata’s ascent doubles as one of the most unlikely in NFL history. The Eagles took a flier on the 6-foot-8 Australian in the 2018 seventh round, and the rugby convert sat for two full seasons developing behind Jason Peters. While the team traded up to make Andre Dillard their Jason Peters heir apparent in the 2019 first round, Mailata instead proved readier for the gig. The 365-pound tackle did not play in 2018 or ’19, spending the latter season on IR. When Peters went down early during the 2020 season, Mailata stepped in and began his climb to this point. The Eagles turned Dillard into a swing tackle and let him walk in 2023.

Despite being in the NFL for six seasons, Mailata only turned 27 last month. The ascending tackle should have a chunk of his prime remaining on this third contract. The Eagles now have three blockers tied to $20MM-AAV deals, representing new territory for O-line investments. Johnson remains attached to a $20MM-per-year extension he agreed to in 2023. The Eagles are proponents of void years, using four on Mailata’s previous deal. It would seem likely, given the team’s expenses on an offense that also includes upper-crust deals for A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert — that more voids are present in this contract.

Having seen the likes of Peters, Kelce, Isaac Seumalo and Brandon Brooks depart, the Eagles have successfully reloaded. While Johnson remains the senior presence up front, the Eagles finding Mailata and Dickerson has been integral to their Hurts-era success. Beyond Johnson, Mailata is the Eagles’ oldest O-line starter.

Ravens Did Not Attempt To Retain LB Patrick Queen

April 4th, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, a number of free agents have departed the Ravens this offseason. Last year’s top seed in the AFC faced the prospect of losing a number of starters, and linebacker Patrick Queen was among those who quickly found a new home on the open market.

The 2023 Pro Bowler signed with the division-rival Steelers on a three-year deal which was agreed to on the second day of the negotiating period. Queen’s pact carries an annual average value of $13.67MM, the fifth-highest figure in the league amongst inside linebackers. After 2024, though, the deal is essentially set up as a year-to-year agreement, marking a surprising lack of long-term security for the second-team All-Pro.

Especially against that backdrop, it is also noteworthy the Ravens remained consigned to the idea of Queen leaving on the open market. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes Baltimore “made no effort this offseason” to retain the 24-year-old (subscription required). The team had a number of other priorities to deal with, and as one of the top free agents on the defensive side of the ball Queen was positioned to command a large market. Even though he worked out a relatively small deal (at least in terms of upfront guarantees), the Ravens clearly turned their attention elsewhere.

Of course, three key decisions made by the team signaled an end to Queen’s time in Baltimore. The Ravens acquired Roquan Smith midway through the 2022 campaign, inking him to a $20MM-per-year deal shortly thereafter. That contract remains at the top of the LB market, and making a similar commitment to Queen would have proven to be a steep financial challenge. Baltimore also elected to decline Queen’s fifth-year option last spring, a move which fell in line with the other linebackers from the 2020 class but nevertheless set up 2023 as a walk year.

Lastly, Baltimore selected Trenton Simpson in the third round of last year’s draft. That provided the team with a potential Queen successor, and Simpson is indeed currently positioned to take over as a starter alongside Smith. The latter is on the books through 2027, but the Ravens could of course use the 2024 draft to add a depth option at the linebacker spot.

Queen will face substantial expectations as a key member of the Steelers’ defense moving forward, and annual contests against Baltimore will provide fodder for storylines centered on him. While it is little surprise he will be suiting up for a new team in 2024, the Ravens will see Queen at least twice next season after conceding his departure well before free agency.

OL Notes: Jets, Alt, Titans, Jones, Steelers, Shelton, Rams, Jones, Ravens, Giants, Hawks

April 4th, 2024 at 9:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Once the draft moves past its quarterback stage, wide receivers are expected to be the focus. This draft also features a few high-level tackle prospects that should go off the board soon after, potentially breaking up the QB-WR string that could lead off this year’s event. Arguably the top tackle available, Joe Alt, has begun his run of pre-draft visits. The Jets and Titans used “30” visits on the Notre Dame tackle this week, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. A first-team All-American in back-to-back years and the top tackle on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board (No. 8 overall), Alt should not need to wait long before his name comes off the board.

The Titans (No. 7) and Jets (No. 10) figure to be two prime suitors. The Jets are not as needy here compared to the start of free agency, having reacquired Morgan Moses via trade and signed Tyron Smith. The All-Decade blocker is among the NFL’s most injury-prone players, and with both Smith and Moses going into age-33 seasons, a tackle-in-waiting would benefit a Jets team that has encountered regular issues up front over the past several years. The Titans cut Andre Dillard and have not added a tackle, potentially making them the Alt floor. Though, the Chargers should not be entirely ruled out — now that Jim Harbaugh is running the show — of a first-round tackle investment to pair with Rashawn Slater.

Here is the latest from the O-line ranks around the league:

Falcons Sign CB Antonio Hamilton

April 4th, 2024 at 8:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Antonio Hamilton worked his way from career backup into a starting opportunity, and when a kitchen accident threatened that chance with the Cardinals, the veteran cornerback rebounded and reclaimed a first-string role. Despite being north of 30 at a position largely unkind to aging talent, Hamilton has secured another gig.

The Falcons signed Hamilton on Thursday, adding the recent Cardinals starter to their AJ Terrell-fronted corner group. With Jeff Okudah departing in free agency, the Falcons still appear to have some work left to do at this position. But Hamilton will attempt to carve out a role with Raheem Morris‘ team.

Hamilton’s career has not overlapped with Morris, DC Jimmy Lake or the Falcons’ secondary coaches. But Morris did have a chance to observe the former UDFA for three seasons as Rams DC. Hamilton, 31, spent the past three years with the Cardinals. He started 14 games over the past two, keeping a first-string gig despite Arizona changing coaching staffs last year.

Probably best known for sustaining a severe burn on his foot in a cooking accident before the 2022 season, Hamilton also made some cameos on that year’s in-season Hard Knocks edition. Hamilton only needed around a month to recover, moving off the NFI list in October 2022. He started five games for the Cardinals and re-signed with the team — on a one-year, $1.5MM deal — in March 2023. Jonathan Gannon‘s defense deployed Hamilton as a nine-game starter last season.

Hamilton began last season as a seldom-used backup but returned to regular duty midway through the season, playing at least 70% of Arizona’s defensive snaps in every game he played from Week 5 onward. This included the veteran playing every defensive snap in the Cardinals’ final four games. Hamilton broke up a career-high 11 passes and improved in some coverage metrics; the 6-foot cover man allowing a 59.2% completion rate as the closest defender. Pro Football Focus assigned the South Carolina State alum a mid-pack grade, placing him 61st at the position in 2023.

Okudah, who started nine games for last year’s Falcons, signed with the Texans. The Falcons still roster 2023 fourth-rounder Clark Phillips as an outside option opposite Terrell, but Hamilton will factor into that mix. This is the sixth career stop for Hamilton, who has been with the Raiders, Giants, Chiefs, Buccaneers and Cardinals since 2016.

Steelers To Sign TE MyCole Pruitt

April 4th, 2024 at 7:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

MyCole Pruitt certainly has a backer in Arthur Smith. After playing for the veteran play-caller in Tennessee and Atlanta, the nine-year tight end is set to rejoin Smith once again.

The Steelers are signing Pruitt, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. Although Pittsburgh rosters Pat Freiermuth, Connor Heyward and 2023 third-rounder Darnell Washington, Pruitt has extensive experience in Smith’s system. The blocking tight end will join a crowded tight end room.

The Falcons found room for Pruitt despite rostering Kyle Pitts and Jonnu Smith last season. Pitts and Smith became one of the league’s top receiving tandems, with Pruitt contributing just nine catches for 110 yards as a third option. The Falcons have now moved on from Smith, via release, and Pruitt.

Now 32, Pruitt has played in a Smith-directed offense in four of the past five years. Pro Football Focus did view the 245-pound tight end as a rather efficient receiver, slotting him toward the top in terms of receiving grades during his two Falcons slates. In 2022, Pruitt tallied four touchdowns as an ancillary cog in Atlanta. The Steelers will give the Southern Illinois alum a chance to play a 10th NFL season.

PFF did not view Pruitt as a particularly effective run blocker last season, ranking him toward the bottom in that area. But the Falcons used him in the run game on 247 of his 401 snaps last season. Atlanta also turned to Pruitt as an extra pass protector, giving him 86 snaps in pass protection. This left only 68 snaps as a receiver, providing a preview of sorts of what could be expected in Pittsburgh.

Smith also served as Pruitt’s position coach in 2018, as the Titans employed the former as their TEs instructor in Mike Vrabel‘s first year (with Matt LaFleur as OC). A former Vikings draftee who later played with the Bears and Texans, Pruitt did not see much stability until he landed in Smith’s offense. Pruitt played four seasons with the Titans and two with the Falcons.

Arthur Smith is certainly no stranger to bringing in ex-Titan tight ends for assistance, having added Jonnu Smith and Anthony Firkser at points during his Atlanta stay. Like Pitts, Freiermuth should still be expected to operate as the lead TE in Arthur Smith’s attack. But some competition is coming in for a backup job.

Pruitt will take the roster spot of recently waived running back Alfonzo Graham. The Steelers cut Graham earlier Thursday.

NFL Teams Eyeing NC State’s D.J. Burns?

April 4th, 2024 at 6:59pm CST by Ben Levine

APRIL 4: It appears Burns will not be open to following up his NCAA Tournament surge with a pivot to the NFL. When asked (via the Associated Press) if he had any interest in a football career following his hoops season, the NC State big replied, “Zero.” Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts said no NFL team has contacted him about Burns.

APRIL 1: D.J. Burns Jr. has become a household name during March Madness, guiding 11-seed NC State to the Final Four. This has led to some speculation about his chances of turning pro…but probably not in the sport you’re thinking (hint, hint: you’re not on HoopsRumors.com).

On Friday night, former NFL scout Jim Nagy noted how the 6-foot-9, 275-pound basketball player has the size, athleticism, and footwork of an NFL offensive lineman. Well, after hearing from an NFL general manager, assistant manager, and college director, Nagy is now saying that league interest in Burns “is real.” FOX Sport’s Peter Schrager is hearing similar things, noting that Burns would get a “big turnout” (and, potentially, money as a UDFA) if he holds a pro day once March Madness has concluded.

Even if Burns’ height is a bit exaggerated (Schrager estimates that the NC State big man is actually 6-foot-7), he would still rank among the tallest players in the NFL. Dan Skipper currently tops the league at 6-foot-9, followed by a handful of players (notably Trent Brown) at 6-foot-8.

There have been a handful of college basketball players who have taken their talents from the court to the gridiron, and football experience hasn’t been considered a prerequisite for these developmental rooks. Generally, the basketball-player-turned-football-player mold has produced tight ends, a group that famously includes Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, and Jimmy Graham.

The transition to offensive line is especially rare. Wayne Moore had the most success with the switch, but that was more than 50 years ago. Around the same time, former Indiana basketball center Ken Johnson attempted to play offensive line in the NFL before switching to the defensive side of the ball, where he got into 79 games.

Burns hasn’t attracted much NBA hype. If he sticks with basketball, he’d likely have to settle for a G-League gig or overseas job. If he believes his chances of a basketball career are slim, there’s at least a chance he considers a future in football.

Cardinals Host Malik Nabers, Terrion Arnold, JC Latham

April 4th, 2024 at 6:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

As mock drafts have the Cardinals addressing their wide receiver need at No. 4 or trading down to stockpile more assets — as they did last year — the rebuilding team has a big decision to make. Being effectively assured of the draft’s top wide receiver by sticking at 4, the Cardinals made some pivotal trade-down maneuvers in Monti Ossenfort‘s first GM year.

Committed to Kyler Murray, the Cardinals are not in consideration to draft a quarterback early. After trading down from No. 3 to No. 12 (and then back to No. 6) last year, the team has two first-round picks. The Cards also hold the No. 27 overall selection, thanks to the trade that gave the Texans Will Anderson Jr.

[RELATED: Cardinals Host WR Xavier Worthy]

Arizona is doing its due diligence on players that will not be available at 27, hosting LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers and Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold, NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe and Ian Rapoport note. They also met with Alabama tackle JC Latham, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board slots the trio fourth, ninth and 18th in this year’s class.

While the Giants face a similar decision regarding a wide receiver, theirs involves trading up for a quarterback or staying put and having a top-flight WR available. The Cardinals, however, are in a better position thanks to the No. 4 slot. Ossenfort’s pledge of being open to trading down has produced rumblings that is what Arizona is planning to do, but the team can instantly upgrade its receiver spot by drafting Nabers, Marvin Harrison Jr. or Washington’s Rome Odunze. It is quite possible none would be available if the Cardinals trade down. Odunze is also on the Cards’ visit list.

QB-needy teams like the Vikings, Broncos and Raiders could be eyeing the Cardinals’ pick. If Arizona deals with any of that trio, it would slide out out of the top 10. After the Cards lost Christian Kirk and DeAndre Hopkins in 2022 and ’23, Marquise Brown joined the Chiefs this offseason. That leaves the team in dire need at the position. The 2024 class is set to deliver another deep receiver crop, however, and Ossenfort could view a future first-round pick (and other assets) as more valuable than the Harrison-Nabers-Odunze WR tier.

Still, Nabers is viewed by some teams as this draft’s top wideout. The Cardinals already met with the LSU alum previously, though “30” visits provide better opportunities to gauge prospects’ fits. Nabers posted a 1,000-yard season in 2022 but unlocked another level to his game last season, totaling 89 receptions for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns to help Jayden Daniels win the Heisman. Nabers’ 4.35-second 40-yard dash at LSU’s pro day certainly did not hurt his stock.

Arnold and Latham could be targets for the Cards if they move down. The team has been in need at corner for years, losing the likes of Patrick Peterson and Byron Murphy in free agency earlier this decade. Arnold rates as the top corner on Jeremiah’s big board; the Cards have not gone corner in Round 1 since Peterson in 2011. Operating across from fellow top prospect Kool-Aid McKinstry, the 6-foot Arnold recorded six interceptions (five in 2023) and 20 passes defensed over the past two seasons.

The Cardinals climbed up for Paris Johnson last year, and while the team recently released longtime left tackle D.J. Humphries, Jonah Williams signed a two-year deal. This would not make tackle a front-burner need. Latham joined Arnold as a first-team All-SEC player last season. Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board lists Latham 12th overall and as the third-best tackle in this year’s draft.

Broncos Sign C Sam Mustipher

April 4th, 2024 at 5:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Losing Lloyd Cushenberry, the Broncos will have a new center starter in 2023. Cushenberry had held that role for nearly his entire rookie contract, only ceding the role due to a 2022 injury. Younger blockers will be in the mix for the job, but the Broncos now have a veteran set to enter the competition.

Denver added Sam Mustipher on Thursday, per a team announcement. The former Bears regular has made 42 career starts. He operated as Chicago’s full-time center from 2021-22, before spending last season in Baltimore.

A former UDFA out of Notre Dame, Mustipher will join holdovers Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth. Broncos GM George Paton praised the two younger snappers, Forsyth in particular, but Mustipher laps both in terms of experience. Wattenberg, a 2022 fifth-round pick, played in 16 games last season but has one career start through two years. Forsyth did not see any action as a rookie, effectively redshirting. The Broncos have enjoyed success with this center path in the not-so-distant path, plugging in Matt Paradis after he did not play as a rookie. But Mustipher provides some insurance.

Mustipher, 27, signed with the Ravens in May of last year and did not make the their 53-man roster last year but ended up playing in nine games (two starts). He played 199 snaps at center and three at guard in 2023. With the Bears, Mustipher surpassed the 1,000-snap mark at center in both his starter seasons, missing only one game from 2021-22. After grading Mustipher as one of the league’s worst centers in 2021, Pro Football Focus ranked him 18th — ahead of Cushenberry — in 2022.

The Titans gave Cushenberry a big-ticket deal — four years, $50MM, $26MM guaranteed at signing — but the former third-round pick was not viewed especially highly until his contract year. The Broncos already have three O-linemen — Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Mike McGlinchey — signed to veteran contracts. Right guard Quinn Meinerz also looms as a presumptive extension candidate. It certainly looks like they will use a low-cost center plan in 2024.

Patriots To Host QB Drake Maye

April 4th, 2024 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bringing a sizable contingent to Drake Maye‘s pro day, the Patriots certainly have interest in the North Carolina prospect. Holding the No. 3 overall pick, the Pats may well have Maye available to them later this month.

The Patriots will go through with an official “30” visit with the high-end quarterback prospect Friday, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. After meeting with Maye at the Combine, the Pats already spoke with the two-year Tar Heels starter at his pro day last month.

Although buzz about New England trading out of No. 3 overall has surfaced, this No. 3 choice — in a draft that looks to feature six first-round-caliber quarterbacks — represents a pivotal point for a team that saw its Mac Jones plan go awry quickly. A recent report indicated other NFL execs expect the Patriots to take a QB at 3. Another pointed to the team only being OK trading out of the No. 3 slot if it was assured it could land a passer later in the first round.

Maye came into the 2023 season much higher on draft boards compared to Jayden Daniels, but the LSU passer’s Heisman campaign rocketed him onto the same level. Maye also did not enjoy as strong of a season as he put together in 2022. J.J. McCarthy also represents a wild card here, having wowed NFL staffers at his pro day. The Michigan product had already seen his stock rise prior to that Ann Arbor showing.

McCarthy being in consideration for the Commanders at No. 2 would only increase the chances Maye is still there for the Pats at 3. Of course, if McCarthy goes at 2, the Pats would have the Maye-or-Daniels decision. That would be a rather good problem to have for a team that has, save for Jones’ 2021 season, endured mostly bad quarterback play since Tom Brady‘s 2020 free agency exit.

Already visiting the Giants, Maye will certainly log some more visits before the mid-April deadline. The Patriots have thus far been Maye’s most popular mock-draft landing spot. ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s mocks have sent the Tar Heels’ Sam Howell successor to New England, though Daniel Jeremiah’s latest NFL.com offering mocks Maye to Washington and Daniels to Foxborough. It would certainly be a risk for the Pats to trade out of this draft slot and take their chances with one of the second-tier arms in this class. An early-March report did indicate some Patriots scouts are not sold on Maye, but trading out of No. 3 would effectively remove the top four QBs from the AFC East club’s equation.

The Pats sent many staffers to Daniels’ pro day and Maye’s Chapel Hill showcase last month; given the magnitude of this decision, those trips add up. Offering better size compared to Daniels, the 6-foot-4, 223-pound QB is also nearly two years younger. Maye, 21, threw 38 TD passes compared to seven INTs in 2022. His ratio narrowed to 24-9 last season. But scouts are high on Maye’s arm strength and aggressiveness; he also combined for nearly 1,200 rushing yards between 2022 and ’23, offering teams some intrigue in the run game as well.

Bills To Sign T La’el Collins

April 4th, 2024 at 3:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bills hosted La’el Collins on a visit during last season, but the veteran tackle — whom the Bengals released from their reserve/PUP list in September — did not end up signing. After briefly catching on with the Cowboys last year, Collins is coming back to New York.

Collins has a one-year deal in place with Buffalo, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. After working out for the Bills in late December, Collins will have a chance to resume his career. The veteran right tackle has not played in a game since December 2022.

[RELATED: Bills Trade Stefon Diggs To Texans]

Sent to free agency as a Dallas cap casualty in 2022, Collins wound up in Cincinnati on a three-year, $21MM deal. But ACL and MCL tears in late December of that year changed his Bengals path. Cincy changed up its tackle plan in 2023, signing Orlando Brown Jr. and kicking three-year left tackle Jonah Williams to the right side. This did not end up bringing a Williams-Collins competition, with the latter starting the season the PUP list. The Bengals soon cut Collins from the PUP list, and he did not catch on anywhere for months.

The Bengals were not exactly pleased with Collins’ form in 2022, but the veteran earned two extensions with the Cowboys for his work as a right tackle. After beginning his career at guard, the Cowboys kicked him outside opposite Tyron Smith. Collins worked as Smith’s primary bookend from 2017-21. That said, Collins missed all of the 2020 season due to injury and incurred a PED ban in 2021. This did not deter the Bengals, who needed O-line help after seeing teams tee off on Joe Burrow the previous year. But Collins did not prove a multiyear solution.

Collins, 30, has made 86 career starts. He missed only one game from 2017-19 and started in 15 Bengals contests in 2022. More than a year removed from his knee injury, Collins should have a better chance of bouncing back compared to where he was in 2023. The Cowboys added Collins in early January but never ended up using him in a game.

The Bills are set to return four of their five starters from one of the NFL’s healthiest O-lines. The team has Spencer Brown in place at right tackle. A 2021 third-round pick, Brown has started 41 games as a pro. This includes a 17-game 2023 season. After grading Brown outside the top 70 at tackle in 2022, Pro Football Focus slotted him 32nd last season. Collins could conceivably compete with the incumbent here, but he also may be a swingman. That said, Collins does not have NFL experience at left tackle.

Buffalo’s good health up front did not make a swingman relevant last season, but the team will give Collins a shot. It will be interesting to see if the four-time reigning AFC East champs open a right tackle competition or if the longtime starter will be relegated to a backup role early.

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