Jayden Daniels Vikings’, Raiders’ Preferred Trade-Up Target?
Competition for a top-three selection will intensify if one of the Bears’, Commanders’ or Patriots’ selections becomes available. Of those, New England’s appears to be the likeliest to be moved (although it very much remains to be seen if the team is willing to move out of the opportunity to add a potential franchise quarterback at that spot). 
Nevertheless, the fourth (Cardinals) and fifth (Chargers) picks are known to be on the market. As a result, QB-needy teams will have options to maneuver closer to the top of the board. Both the Vikings and Raiders have been named as trade-up candidates, and ESPN’s Dan Graziano reports Minnesota and Las Vegas could find themselves in competition with each other to pursue a passer.
Specifically, Graziano adds Jayden Daniels is a likely target for the Vikings and Raiders. The reigning Heisman winner has a visit scheduled with both teams, the latter of which has a well-documented connection with him. Vegas head coach Antonio Pierce worked with Daniels during their time together at Arizona State, and links have subsequently been made to a trade-up effort on the Raiders’ part with the LSU alum as the target. Aidan O’Connell is still positioned to compete for the staring spot in 2024, but Pierce has essentially confirmed a signal-caller will be drafted next month.
[RELATED: Raiders To Host Michael Penix Jr.]
The Vikings, meanwhile, have the draft capital to aggressively move up the board. Currently set to select 11th overall, Minnesota also has No. 23 after pulling off a pick swap with the Texans. The fourth overall pick is a reported potential landing spot, and it would come as little surprise if the Vikings jumped further ahead of teams like the Raiders (who own pick No. 13) but also the Giants (No. 6) to land their preferred developmental passer.
Notably, the most recent reporting on the matter indicated J.J. McCarthy could be the target of a trade-up on Minnesota’s part. In any case, the addition of a Day 1 option to develop behind Sam Darnold – who signed a one-year deal to serve as a short-term Kirk Cousins replacement – would represented the expected outcome in this situation.
McCarthy has seen his stock rise in draft circles recently, but Daniels has long been considered part of the top tier of QB prospects (alongside presumed No. 1 pick Caleb Williams and UNC’s Drake Maye, whose landing spot will be a crucial determining factor in Daniels’ fate). With each passer’s Pro Day now in the books, attention will shift to personal visits and private workouts as the draft draws nearer and teams such as the Vikings and Raiders continue their evaluations.
Colts QB Anthony Richardson On Track To Participate In Spring Practices
Last month, Anthony Richardson resumed throwing in a notable step forward in his rehab process. The Colts quarterback continues to make progress while recovering from a sprained AC joint. 
That shoulder injury led to season-ending surgery early in Richardson’s rookie campaign. He remains the team’s clear-cut starter ahead of the 2024 season, though, with backup Gardner Minshew having been replaced by Joe Flacco. Richardson could be back to full speed as early as OTAs.
I think he’ll be good to go for spring practice,” head coach Shane Steichen said, via the Indy Star’s Nate Atkins. “Obviously, we’ve got to limit it and monitor it and don’t go overboard, but I couldn’t be more excited to get him back going again.”
Indeed, a cautious approach would be wise on the team’s part with respect to Richardson. The 21-year-old suffered multiple injuries before the AC joint sprain which ultimately sidelined him during a season in which he showed flashes of the two-way abilities which led to his high draft selection. Added with the fourth overall pick last April, Richardson faces the expectation of giving Indianapolis a long-term contributor under center for the first time since Andrew Luck.
The latter’s sudden retirement decision in 2019 came about after multiple major injuries, and his absence has proven to be challenging to overcome for Indianapolis. For that reason, it comes as no surprise general manager Chris Ballard has echoed Steichen’s desire for a slow rehab process as it pertains to Richardson.
“I lived through the last one and I learned a lot of lessons living through the last one. Forgive me for being a little cautious,” Ballard said at the NFL scouting Combine when asked about the Florida product. “I know Anthony has made some statements that it’s important to be ahead of schedule. We’re here to pull the reins to make sure we don’t get too far ahead of schedule and we’re staying with whatever the doctors are telling us.”
The Colts’ OTAs are set to take place May 21-23, as well as May 29-31. That will be followed by mandatory minicamp from June 4-6. As things currently stand, Richardson will be able to take part in those practices in advance of training camp during the summer.
LT David Bakhtiari Aiming To Play In 2024
By the time David Bakhtiari was released by the Packers earlier this month, the move did not come as a surprise. The injury-plagued left tackle is on the market, but he hopes to have found a new home by the time the 2024 season kicks off. 
Green Bay cut Bakhtiari at the beginning of the legal tampering period, following through on the expectation the team would make a decision concerning his future before the start of free agency later that week. No serious interest is known to have picked up amongst potential suitors as teams turn their attention to healthier options. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the 31-year-old is rehabbing with the intention of playing this season.
From 2016-20, Bakhtiari was one of the league’s premiere blindside protectors. He earned three Pro Bowl invitations along with five total All-Pro nods (two first-team, three second-team) during that span. However, things took a turn for the worse with a knee injury which ended his 2020 campaign and limited him to a single contest the following year.
The Colorado alum managed to suit up 11 times in 2022, but this past season he was once again sidelined for all but one game. With the Packers having made draft investments up front to find a replacement for him, Bakhtiari is now faced with the task of finding a new team for the first time in his career. As one of several players known to be close with Aaron Rodgers, he was floated as a potential Jets addition.
New York’s offensive line has seen a number of new arrivals, however. That includes the signing of Tyron Smith on a one-year deal to serve as the team’s left tackle (if he can remain healthy, something which has proven to be an issue for him much like Bakhtiari). The latter was reported to be a candidate to sign with the Jets only on the condition he compete for a first-team role; that would of course especially be the case now that Smith is in the fold.
At this point in the offseason, teams often hold off on deals with low-cost veterans until after the draft has taken place. In Bakhtiari’s case, a market will of course only be generated when he demonstrates a return to health. If that takes place over the coming weeks or months, though, it will be interesting to see if he manages to land a deal ahead of the coming season.
Mutual Interest Between Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott In Reunion?
Earlier this week, a report named both Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook as running backs interested in a deal with the Cowboys. In the case of the former, that feeling appears to be mutual. 
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Elliott and the Cowboys “have mutual interest in a reunion.” The former No. 4 pick began his career in Dallas, spending seven years with the team. Over the early portion of that span, he was one of the league’s dominant running backs; Elliott led the NFL in rushing in 2016 and ’19, and he earned three Pro Bowl invites in the first four years of his career.
Over time, though, the Ohio State product saw his efficiency begin to wane. The emergence of Tony Pollard led to a backfield committee, with Elliott serving as a short-yardage option toward the end of his Dallas tenure. Last offseason, he was released in a move which came as little surprise (although talk of a reduced deal was prevalent during the offseason, an agreement in that regard never came close to fruition).
Elliott ultimately joined the Patriots on an incentive-laden one-year deal. The 28-year-old posted a career-worst 3.5 yards per carry average in New England, a figure which resulted in a new personal low in rushing production (642 yards). He did post a team-leading 51 receptions, though, showcasing his continued ability as a pass-catching option out of the backfield.
Dallas kept Pollard on the franchise tag for 2023, and he was among the many running backs who found a new home very early in free agency this offseason. While the Cowboys have since re-signed Rico Dowdle, the team is in need of a backfield addition either in the secondary wave of free agency or next month’s draft. Elliott would fit the bill as a familiar and experienced back alongside Dowdle and 2023 sixth-rounder Deuce Vaughn, though other options will be available (particularly with respect to rookies next month).
No other teams have been connected to Elliott so far, a sign of his market value coming off a down season in New England. His age and declining production will certainly hurt the value of his next contract, but it would certainly be noteworthy if it came from the Cowboys.
Falcons To Make Depth QB Addition; Desmond Ridder Did Not Request Trade
The top of Atlanta’s quarterback depth chart is set with Kirk Cousins in the fold. His addition has relegated Taylor Heinicke to backup duties as things stand, but the latter may not have the QB2 role by the time the 2024 campaign begins. 
Heinicke will see competition for the backup gig brought in, head coach Raheem Morris said (via The Athletic’s Josh Kendall). The Atlanta native joined the team last offseason as a veteran insurance policy for Desmond Ridder. Neither passer performed well enough when on the field to justify being named the 2024 starter, however, fueling the aggressive pursuit of Cousins.
Atlanta currently has just $6.3MM in cap space, most of which will be needed to sign the team’s incoming rookie class. As a result, even a one-year deal with a veteran backup option (such as Ryan Tannehill or Carson Wentz) could prove to be too expensive. Next month’s draft will offer the opportunity to add a developmental passer at a lower cost.
To that end, the Falcons are amongst the teams which have a visit lined up with Michael Penix Jr. The 2023 Heisman runner up may not be in Atlanta’s range, though, provided the team uses the No. 8 pick on a position other than quarterback. Still, it comes as little surprise Heinicke will need to beat out a new arrival for the backup job in training camp. The 31-year-old has one year left on his re-worked contract, and a release would create $1.21MM in cap savings along with a $3.32MM dead cap charge.
Not long after the Cousins deal was in place, Ridder was dealt to the Cardinals. That swap – which yielded receiver Rondale Moore in return – allowed the 2022 third-rounder to receive a fresh start after an underwhelming time as a starter with Atlanta. The trade did not come about based on Ridder’s desire to leave, though.
“Desmond is a great kid,” Morris said, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He did not come to us and demand a trade. He did not come to us and do anything like that… The opportunity presented itself for us to add speed to our [receivers group]. Desmond went out with class.”
Ridder will now turn his attention to backing up Kyler Murray in Arizona. While the Cardinals’ QB depth chart (which also includes Clayton Tune) is now set, that of the Falcons is set to see an addition relatively soon.
49ers, WR Brandon Aiyuk Not Close On Extension Talks
During this week’s league meetings, 49ers general John Lynch provided a pair of important updates in the case of Brandon Aiyuk. The extension-eligible wideout is not on the trade block at this time, while negotiations on a lucrative new deal are ongoing. 
Aiyuk is under contract for 2024 via the fifth-year option, valued at $14.12MM. A new deal will check in at far higher rate, after the 26-year-old delivered a career year in 2023 (75 catches, 1,342 yards, seven touchdowns). San Francisco already has big-money deals in place for Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel, and adding Aiyuk to that list will likely be a cumbersome process.
On that point, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports team and player are “not close” to a deal being finalized at this point. Plenty of time remains for an agreement to be worked out, and Lynch noted acrimony related to finances can dissipate once deals are struck. Samuel’s case is a prime example of that, and the Aiyuk situation has not reached the point of a trade request emerging.
However, the Arizona State product has shown signs of discontent on social media recently, and he has made it clear he is aiming for market value on his next deal. Aiyuk spoke about his contract situation during an appearance on the Nightcap podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson (video link).
“I’m trying to get what I deserve,” Aiyuk said, via Yahoo Sports’ Ian Caselberry. “I feel like this season, this season playing football, I figured out who I was as a person and a player, what I bring to the table, what I bring to the locker room, what I bring to the organization. And just the value I hold when I walk in that building.”
The top of the receiver market has surged in recent years, and an unexpectedly high cap increase for the 2024 offseason will likely help continue that trend. 16 wideouts currently average at least $20MM per season, and Aiyuk will no doubt aim to join that list on his next contract. McCaffrey, Kittle and Samuel are each on the books for two more years, though, and a monster extension for quarterback Brock Purdy is likely not far away.
San Francisco’s accounting on the offensive side of the ball will thus remain worth watching closely. In Aiyuk’s situation, a notable gap appears to exist which will need to be closed if he is to remain a member of the team’s vaunted skill position group beyond the coming campaign.
Latest On Aidan O’Connell, Raiders’ QB Situation
The Raiders are one of several teams doing homework on quarterbacks in advance of April’s draft. Adding a passer would comes as little surprise at this point, but incumbent Aidan O’Connell is still in play to serve as the team’s Week 1 starter. 
[RELATED: Justin Fields Eyed Potential Raiders Trade]
“Well, you know you can’t have two quarterbacks on the roster, right? So, we know we have to add some,” head coach Antonio Pierce said about the team’s depth chart (via NFL.com). “The next wave is the draft. So we’ll see.”
Well before free agency opened, Pierce confirmed the Raiders would sign a veteran passer to replace Jimmy Garoppolo while noting O’Connell would have the chance to compete for the starter’s role. Gardner Minshew – who took over as the Colts’ starter after Anthony Richardson‘s season-ending injury – was added on a two-year, $25MM deal, terms which mean he will likely also be in the mix for the QB1 role.
Vegas currently owns pick No. 13, well short of the range of the top passers in the 2024 class. The team has been connected to an aggressive move up the board, though, and Jayden Daniels has a ‘30 visit‘ lined up. The same is also true of Michael Penix Jr., and other options could be available depending on when the Raiders’ first selection is ultimately made. A long-term investment at the position could bring about much-needed stability, but O’Connell would still have a shot at retaining the starting gig even with a high draft selection.
“At the end of the day, listen, Aidan O’Connell played his ass off,” Pierce added. “He did a helluva job for us. You’re talking about a kid that has the mental toughness to play in the National Football League. Whatever happens and whatever we do it has to go through Aidan O’Connell. Being honest with you because he’s earned that right.”
The 2023 fourth-rounder made 10 starts last season, including each of the last nine to close out the campaign. O’Connell threw seven total interceptions, although only one of those occurred over the final six games of the year. Building off that improved ball security would certainly help the Purdue product’s chances of holding down the role he had to finish off last season. 2024 will have a number of new faces on the field, along the sidelines and in the front office for the Raiders; it will be interesting to see how the team’s QB depth chart shakes out over the course of the summer.
Bears GM Ryan Poles Addresses Justin Fields Trade; Latest On QB’s Preferred Destinations
In moving on from Justin Fields earlier this month, Bears general manager Ryan Poles accomplished his stated goal of doing right by the former first-round quarterback. The latter recently spoke about the tepid trade market which was in place and the efforts made by the team to send Fields to a situation with a potential path to a starter’s role. 
The Steelers moved quickly in acquiring Fields for a conditional sixth-round pick not long after adding Russell Wilson. The decision to trade away Kenny Pickett after Wilson’s arrival set the stage for the Fields swap and with it the complete overhaul of Pittsburgh’s QB room. A recent report indicated the Steelers’ offer was not the best one made to Chicago, something Poles confirmed when speaking at the league meetings.
“There were other teams,” Poles said, via Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago. “The Steelers were just an opportunity where it was almost like more of a… they have a starter with Russ, but there was more of an open competition it felt like from my perspective where there were other opportunities where there were some quarterbacks that were either veteran guys or young guys that had already been paid, so it would have been a tougher situation for him to get on the field.”
Fields is already known to have preferred going to Pittsburgh, but further clarity on his other potential landing spots has emerged. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor reports the 25-year-old was also considering the Vikings, Raiders and Falcons prior to the start of free agency. Kirk Cousins‘ decision to depart Minnesota and join Atlanta left the Falcons as a backup-only destination; the same could have held true in the case of the Vikings given their addition of Sam Darnold as a short-term Cousins replacement.
The Raiders (previously connected to a Fields trade) already have Aidan O’Connell in place, and the team added veteran Gardner Minshew as a bridge starter or high-end backup. Vegas could be in the market to draft a passer next month, and as a result a Fields deal would have left the Ohio State product in a murky situation. That also would have been the case, of course, had Poles elected to keep Fields while still selecting a quarterback with the first overall pick in the draft.
“I know there was a lot of talk about having Justin there and drafting a quarterback as well,” Poles added. “We had a lot of deep conversations and I got some really good guys on my staff to really dig into how that would play out in terms of the locker room, how would that play out with a young guy that needs a lot of reps, how would that play out with just the command and leadership that you need in that position and we felt like it was best to probably move on and allow a young quarterback to come in and work into that role.”
With Fields no longer in the picture, Caleb Williams remains on track to hear his name called first on draft night. A QB room featuring both passers would have created an awkward situation, but the former is now in place to compete for a No. 1 in a new environment while Chicago is positioned to start fresh under center.
Dolphins, RB Raheem Mostert Agree To Extension
MARCH 30: The deal is official, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Mostert inked a new two-year deal worth $9.075MM.
MARCH 29: Coming off by far the most productive season of his career, Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert has been rewarded with a revised contract. Team and player have agreed to a new deal which includes one year being added onto the existing pact, as announced by agent Brett Tessler. 
Mostert will now be on the books through the 2025 season. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the pact has a maximum value of just over $9MM. That represents a significant raise compared to his previously scheduled compensation for 2024, while ensuring the Pro Bowler remains in Miami for at least two more years.
The 31-year-old was due to earn $2.75MM this season, which would have represented a bargain for the Dolphins considering his play last year. His $3.36MM cap charge will be lowered, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Mostert topped 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career in 2023, and he led the NFL with 18 touchdowns on the ground. He added another three scores in the passing game, proving to be a key weapon in Miami’s No. 1 ranked offense.
Mostert was among the league’s journeymen at the running back spot prior to his lengthy 49ers tenure. In San Francisco, he operated in a rotational role while showing efficiency in Kyle Shanahan‘s scheme. During his time in the Bay Area, the former UDFA also worked with Mike McDaniel, and the pair continued their relationship with Miami in 2022. That year, Mostert ran for 891 yards, earning him a new deal as a result.
The Dolphins continued a committee approach heading into 2023, though rookie De’Von Achane proved to be worthy of a large role when healthy. He averaged 7.8 yards per carry, showing his high-end speed in the process; Mostert, by contrast, checked in with an average of 4.8 yards per attempt. That essentially matches his mark from the previous season, so despite his age a renewed commitment should not be considered a particularly risky move on the team’s part.
In addition to Mostert and Achane, Miami has Jeff Wilson and Salvon Ahmed under contract in the backfield. Each of the latter two backs are only on the books for 2024, though, and neither would incur a notable dead cap charge if traded or released this offseason. While they face an uncertain future, the top of the Dolphins’ RB depth chart will be secure for two more seasons.
Eagles Trade Haason Reddick To Jets
The uncertainty surrounding Haason Reddick‘s future has come to an end. The Pro Bowl edge rusher is being traded from the Eagles to the Jets, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal is now official.
With respect to compensation, Schefter notes New York will send Philadelphia a conditional 2026 third-round pick. The selection will become a second-rounder if Reddick plays at least 67.5% of defensive snaps this season and records at least 10 sacks. 
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes New York will take on $14.5MM of Reddick’s compensation. The Eagles, meanwhile, could also be off the hook for a $1MM roster bonus which was due to be paid out earlier this month but was delayed to April 1. 2024 marks the final year of the 29-year-old’s deal, but Garafolo’s colleague Ian Rapoport reports he is expected to land a new contract in the wake of this trade.
Reddick has drawn attention this offseason with it being known the Eagles were willing to move on from him. While he made it clear he did not request a trade, signs pointed to another lucrative Philadelphia agreement not being in the cards. That seemed to be confirmed when the Eagles landed ex-Jet Bryce Huff early in free agency, a move which added a noted sack artist to the mix. The team has also has Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham on the books for 2024, while New York was left in need of an edge addition prior to today.
Huff seemed destined to depart the latter team after a strong contract season. The Jets were one of the interested suitors in Jadeveon Clowney, but no deal materialized. Not long after seeing Clowney sign a deal with the Panthers, New York has pivoted to Reddick. Expectations will be high for the team’s edge contingent heading into the 2024 campaign as a result.
Reddick has posted at least 11 sacks in each of the past four seasons, a stretch split between his time in Carolina and Philadelphia. The former Cardinals first-rounder was a Pro Bowler in each of his two Eagles seasons, proving to be a valuable free agent addition. He is attached to a deal worth $15MM per year, but a new agreement will no doubt check in at a figure closer to the top of the market. Reddick’s 27 sacks and 76 pressures during the past two years will help his bargaining position with his new team.
New York’s two most frequently used edge rushers from last year – Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers – are each on the books for another two years on their respective contracts. The latter enjoyed a breakout season last year with 7.5 sacks, while the latter remained a consistent secondary producer in that regard. Adding Reddick to the fold will help offset the loss of Huff and give the team another sack artist to work with.
It will be interesting to see how urgently the Jets pursue a Reddick extension to keep him in the fold for the intermediate term and avoid a potential free agent departure next offseason. 12 edge rushers currently average over $20MM per year, and Reddick could aim to join that group in New York. At a minimum, the Jets’ front seven will still have a strong rotation next season even with Huff no longer in the picture.