S Kareem Jackson Visits Colts
After spending the majority of his career in Houston, Kareem Jackson is flirting with another AFC South squad. According to Howard Balzer, the veteran safety visited the Colts today.
[RELATED: Colts Resume Julian Blackmon Talks]
After spending four-plus seasons with the Broncos, Jackson was claimed off waivers by the Texans in December, kicking off his second stint with the organization. The former first-round pick spent the first nine seasons of his career in Houston, including 2010 and 2011 campaigns where he played alongside current head coach DeMeco Ryans.
Jackson was limited to only 39 defensive snaps in his two appearances last season with the Texans, but he did start each of his eight appearances for the Broncos, compiling 51 tackles and a pair of interceptions. Pro Football Focus ultimately graded him 52nd among 95 qualifying safeties in 2023, including a top-20 positional grade for his coverage skills.
While Jackson’s 2023 ranking proved that he was still serviceable during his age-35 season, he’s pretty far removed from his top-end play during his first stint in Houston and his first few years in Denver. Jackson graded out as a top-10 safety in both 2019 and 2020, but he’s struggled to crack the top half of his position over the past three years.
In Indianapolis, Jackson would provide the Colts with some experienced depth, especially as they face some uncertainty at the position. We heard earlier today that the Colts had reengaged in talks with Julian Blackmon, although the starter has attracted interest from other teams. Otherwise, the team would have Rodney Thomas II and Nick Cross penciled in as the starting safeties. Thomas got an extended look in the starting lineup last season, but Cross (and Ronnie Harrison) ended up passing him on the depth chart by the end of the year.
Texans To Re-Sign LB Neville Hewitt
Neville Hewitt is returning to Houston. The linebacker/special teams ace is re-signing with the Texans, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It’ll be a one-year deal for the veteran.
After bouncing around the AFC East to begin his career (including a three-year stint with the Jets where he started 32 games), Hewitt landed with the Texans in 2021. He started five of his 17 appearances during his first season in Houston, finishing with 60 tackles.
His defensive role was greatly reduced in 2022, but he turned into one of the team’s most reliable special teams player. It was the same story in 2023, as Hewitt’s 13 special teams tackles (of 14 total) paced the entire league. The 30-year-old finished this past season having appeared in a career-high 366 special teams tackles, although he was limited to a career-low three snaps on defense.
“Kind of a tone setter,” Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross said last season (via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston). “I think three special teamers ran the fastest in that game. Our two gunners ran 20.7 and 20.8 mph I believe and then Neville Hewitt ran 20.1. That dude was humming and you ever seen Neville Hewitt? … You don’t want to get in front of him if he’s running 20 miles per hour, so he is a juggernaut when he gets going.”
Now on his fourth contract with the organization, Hewitt will likely be eyeing a similar ST-centric role in 2024.
Latest On Patriots Front Office Hierarchy, Draft Plans
Since moving on from Bill Belichick, the Patriots have been operating without an official GM. Eliot Wolf reportedly has final say over personnel decisions, leading many to assume that the director of scouting was New England’s de facto general manager.
As Doug Kyed and Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald pass along, Wolf will retain his current title until after the draft, at which time owner Robert Kraft will consider a potential promotion. The owner has reportedly “received positive feedback” on Wolf, making the executive the favorite to land the top front office job.
“I’m excited with what I’ve seen so far, and we’ll evaluate after the draft and see how that’s gone and decide where we go from there,” Kraft said (via the Herald).
The son of Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf, Eliot Wolf spent more than a decade in Green Bay’s front office to begin his career. He joined the Patriots in 2020 and quickly earned a promotion to his current gig. Once the Patriots/Belichick divorce was official, Wolf participated in head coaching interviews before helping Jerod Mayo fill out his staff.
As Kyed and Callahan note, the Patriots have never had an official “general manager” since Kraft took over ownership of the organization. That was partly due to Belichick’s control over the roster, although the Patriots did employ high-ranking officials like “vice president of player personnel” and “director of player personnel.” Kraft may follow a similar route this time around, although there’s not a better time to pivot to the more traditional front office hierarchy in a post-Belichick era.
Before the organization figures out official roles for the front office, the Patriots will be focused on the draft…particularly their third-overall pick. There have been conflicting reports about the selection’s availability via trade, but it’s generally believed that New England will consider offers for the pick.
If the team does make a trade, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe says the team is still likely to select a quarterback in the draft. Moving back would surely take the Patriots out of range for a top-tier QB, but the team would still have plenty of opportunities to select someone at the position (including at their No. 34 pick).
Speaking of the top-tier quarterbacks, there were some rumblings that the Patriots weren’t enamored with UNC’s Drake Maye. However, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports that the Patriots will attend the prospect’s pro day tomorrow, and Mayo all but confirmed the team’s interest in Maye while speaking with reporters the other day.
“Drake Maye had a fantastic interview at the combine. He brings a lot of energy. You can tell he has that leadership ability,” Mayo said (via Reiss). “Also the exciting part about a guy like Drake Maye, there is really no ceiling with a guy like that. In saying that, when we’re trying to put together this roster, I know a lot of people look at the ceiling. But you also have to look at how low is the floor. I would say a guy like Drake Maye – he has a lot of room to grow. He’s a young guy. Honestly, he hasn’t played football nearly as much as these other guys. So that’s definitely something we’ve looked at, but he’s definitely going to develop.”
The Patriots have already brought in Jacoby Brissett to keep the QB seat warm, so New England is clearly intent on bringing a rookie QB along slowly. That much is known…it remains to be seen which rookie QB (and which rookie QB tier) the organization will ultimately land on.
Chargers Host RB J.K. Dobbins
After adding former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers were quick to sign Gus Edwards. Now, the Chargers are eyeing another former Ravens running back in J.K. Dobbins, with Howard Balzer reporting that the free agent visited the organization today.
[RELATED: Chargers To Sign RB Gus Edwards]
After letting Austin Ekeler walk as a free agent, the Chargers didn’t waste time adding Edwards to their RBs room. The veteran is the most accomplished player on the positional depth chart, a grouping that also includes Isaiah Spiller, Elijah Dotson, and Jaret Patterson. Considering the overall lack of experience, it’s not a surprise that the Ravens are targeting more reinforcement at the position, and they’re continuing their trend of eyeing contributors from Roman’s former offense.
Dobbins was a second-round pick by the Ravens back in 2020 and contributed immediately. Despite splitting carries with Edwards, Dobbins finished his rookie campaign with 925 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns. An ACL tear and a subsequent knee injury wiped out his entire 2021 season and half of his 2022 campaign. He averaged an efficient 5.7 yards per carry following his return, not a huge drop from his six yards per carry in 2020.
The 25-year-old was eyeing the most significant role of his career in 2023. However, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 1, ending his season after only 10 touches. It’s been relatively quiet on the Dobbins front since he hit free agency. The Ravens seemed to shut the door on a potential reunion by adding Derrick Henry to a room that already included Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill.
Dobbins’ injury history certainly makes him a question mark in free agency, and he’ll likely have to settle for a prove-it, one-year pact to show he’s back to full strength. For a Chargers RB corps that lacks top-end talent, that wouldn’t be a bad gamble for the organization.
Eagles Sign DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson
MARCH 25: The Eagles will guarantee Gardner-Johnson $10MM on this deal, 94WIP.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks tweets. The team used void years through 2029 to spread out the cap hits.
MARCH 12: C.J. Gardner-Johnson is heading back to Philly. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the veteran defensive back is signing with the Eagles.
The veteran is inking a three-year deal worth up to $33MM, according to Pelissero. Following a one-year stop in Detroit, Gardner-Johnson is now back with his former squad.
After getting traded by the Saints to the Eagles prior to the 2022 campaign, Gardner-Johnson proceeded to start 12 games for Philadelphia, missing a chunk of midseason games thanks to a lacerated kidney. Despite the absence, he finished the season with 67 tackles and a league-leading six interceptions. He also started each of the Eagles’ three playoff games, including a Super Bowl loss where he compiled four tackles.
That performance earned him a one-year, $8MM contract from the Lions last offseason. However, his lone season in Detroit was highlighted by injuries. He suffered a non-contact injury during training camp that was expected to wipe out his season, but the MRI provided a brighter outlook. Gardner-Johnson was able to return in time for the start of the regular season, but he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 2 that wiped out most of the campaign.
He got back to the field for the regular season finale, and he subsequently played in at least 50 percent of Detroit’s defensive snaps in each of their three playoff games. The 26-year-old still showed he had something left in the tank during the postseason, collecting 12 tackles and an interception.
The Eagles still have Darius Slay and James Bradberry atop their depth chart, but the team did lose some depth when they cut Avonte Maddox last week. Gardner-Johnson’s experience will likely provide him with a path to plenty of playing time as a backup or nickelback.
Jets “Highly Motivated” To Add Jadeveon Clowney
Following Jadeveon Clowney‘s visit with the Jets earlier this month, the team is focused on getting a deal finalized. According to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, the Jets are “highly motivated” to sign the veteran edge rusher to a contract. Schultz notes that the two sides have been in “constant contact” since their in-person meeting.
[RELATED: Panthers To Meet With Jadeveon Clowney]
Since losing Bryce Huff to the Eagles, the Jets have been hunting for some reinforcement on the edge. As Schultz notes, the Jets were in the running for Shaquil Barrett “until the very end,” but they lost out on that sweepstakes when the pass rusher signed with the Dolphins.
Now, they’re shifting their focus to Clowney, who is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career. The former first-overall pick got into 17 games (15 starts) for the Ravens in 2023, finishing with 9.5 sacks, 19 QB hits, and a pair of forced fumbles. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus graded Clowney 18th among 112 qualifying edge defenders.
In New York, Clowney would slide right into the rotational pass-rush role previously held by Huff, who finished last season with 10 sacks. While Huff didn’t start a game last year, he still got close to 500 defensive snaps playing alongside Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers. For comparison’s sake, Clowney garnered 654 snaps with the Ravens in 2023.
We heard previously that the Ravens were looking to retain the veteran, and Clowney also met with the Panthers during his free agency tour. According to Schultz, both of those teams remain in the hunt for the free agent, but it sounds like the Jets have been especially active in finalizing a deal.
Eagles To Sign QB Will Grier
Will Grier is back in the NFC. After spending the 2023 campaign touring the AFC, the former Panthers draft pick is signing with the Eagles, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The quarterback is signing a one-year deal.
[RELATED: Steelers To Trade Kenny Pickett To Eagles]
Grier was a third-round pick by the Panthers back in 2019, and he garnered his only two career appearances as a rookie. Grier got two starts that season, going 0-2 while completing 53.8 percent of his passes for 228 yards, no touchdowns, and four interceptions.
He spent the 2020 campaign as the QB3 behind Teddy Bridgewater and P.J. Walker, and following Carolina’s 2021 acquisition of Sam Darnold, Grier was let go. He caught on with the Cowboys, where he’d spend a pair of seasons as the third quarterback.
Grier was waived by Dallas after the 2023 preseason, and following a brief stint on the Bengals practice squad, Grier joined New England as part of the team’s QB3 carousel. The 28-year-old spent most of the 2023 campaign with the Patriots, alternating between the practice squad and active roster. After not getting into a game with New England, he ended this past season on the Chargers active roster.
Grier will once again be competing for a QB3 spot in 2024, this time in Philly. The Eagles already brought in Kenny Pickett as the backup to Jalen Hurts, meaning Grier will likely be competing with 2023 sixth-round pick Tanner McKee for the third spot on the depth chart. Fortunately for Grier, it shouldn’t take him long to learn Philadelphia’s offense. Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore previously coached Grier when the two were in Dallas.
Latest On Giants’ QB Situation
After the Giants poked around at the likes of Russell Wilson and landed on Drew Lock, there was some speculation that the organization could be looking to manufacture a QB competition. Seahawks GM John Schneider only fueled that fire earlier this week, telling Seattle Sports 710AM that the Giants lured Lock away from Seattle by selling the QB on the “opportunity to compete to be the starter.”
[RELATED: Giants To Sign QB Drew Lock]
Lock was quick to dismiss that notion. After inking his one-year deal with the Giants yesterday, the QB told reporters that it’s clearly been conveyed to him that Daniel Jones is the starter.
“Now, I need to come in and push Daniel to be the best that he can be,’’ Lock said (via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post). “I’ve had both sides of this. I’ve been the guy to push a starter, I’ve been the starter that’s being pushed by the backups. It’s about making that room the best it can be. If we can do that, the sky’s the limit for this team.’’
As Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes, it was likely Jones’ career-long injury issues and Brian Daboll‘s quarterback-friendly system that helped lure Lock to New York. Both Tyrod Taylor and Mitch Trubisky parlayed stints as Daboll’s QB2 into larger pay days, and Lock is surely hoping for the same outcome.
Lock could have an opportunity to start in 2024 as Jones continues to rehab a torn ACL that ended his 2023 season, but the new addition will simply be keeping the seat warm. That’s a big reason why the Giants didn’t end up adding Wilson to the mix; as Lowe reports, the Giants didn’t make the veteran QB “any promises about playing time.” The Giants also tried to retain Taylor, as Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com writes. Ultimately, Taylor was able to garner a higher offer from the Jets than what Lock settled for with the Giants.
While the Giants continue to give Jones a vote of confidence, that doesn’t mean the team is entirely comfortable with his future outlook. As Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports writes, Jones’ injury history has “shaken” the Giants’ faith in the franchise QB. The former first-round pick has only made it through one season unscathed, and that’s led the team to consider taking a quarterback in next month’s draft. Even after handing Jones a four-year, $160MM extension last offseason, the Giants have scouted many of the draft’s top quarterback prospects. If the organization does pull the trigger on a rookie signal-caller, that will only further cloud the team’s QB picture moving forward.
Jets, Cowboys Were “Main Options” For Tyron Smith
Before Tyron Smith caught on with the Jets via free agency, the left tackle considered returning to the Cowboys for a 14th season. During his introductory videoconference with the Jets on Thursday, Smith admitted that the Cowboys and Jets were his “main options.” The lineman also seemed to hint that there weren’t many suitors lining up for his services.
[RELATED: LT Tyron Smith Signs With Jets]
“I’m not going to lie, it was slightly stressful a little bit,” Smith said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “I’ve never been in that spot before. I didn’t know how to handle it, and it went by for a week, but I just felt like it was forever.
“The way things were looking in Dallas, I knew it was most likely going to be the Jets. Honestly, I got excited for a new chapter in my life.”
We heard in early March that Smith and the Cowboys were discussing a new deal, but the veteran started to consider other options when negotiations failed to progress. There were reports that the two sides were “drastically apart in the financial framework” of a new contract. Smith ended up accepting an incentive-laden contract to protect Aaron Rodgers in New York. The lineman will anchor a new-look offensive line that also features newcomers John Simpson and Morgan Moses.
“I just feel like they have all the pieces together right now, and they’re getting the final pieces this offseason to produce a team that can go all the way,” Smith said of his decision to ultimately sign in New York.
Injuries were the story during Smith’s long stint in Dallas, with the lineman missing at least three games each season since 2015. Despite the absences, Smith was still among the best OTs in the NFL when healthy. This past season, Pro Football Focus graded him as the fourth-best offensive tackle, including a position-leading pass-block score. His 13-game campaign in 2023 earned him his fifth career All-Pro nod.
The Jets will likely prioritize Smith’s late-season health as they eye a long playoff run. The lineman told reporters that he’s feeling “great” and didn’t end the 2023 campaign with any notable injuries. This uptick in health followed a revised practice regimen in Dallas, and it’ll be interesting to see if the Jets follow a similar template in 2024.
Ravens To Sign LB Chris Board
Chris Board is heading back to where he started his NFL career. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reports that the free agent linebacker is signing with the Ravens.
The 2018 UDFA out of North Dakota State got his NFL start with the Ravens in 2018. He only missed a pair of regular season games during his four years in Baltimore, transforming into one of the team’s top special teams aces. Board also got a look on defense during his final two seasons with the Ravens, compiling 72 tackles and 2.5 sacks between those two campaigns.
Board spent the 2022 season with the Lions, serving in a similar role to his final years in Baltimore. He reverted back to just a special teams role with the Patriots in 2023. In 17 games in New England, Board got into only a single defensive snap, although he did log a career-high 407 ST snaps.
As Ryan Mink of the Ravens website points out, Baltimore has been in the hunt for a player like Board since they lost Del’Shawn Phillips in free agency. Phillips got into 81 defensive snaps this past season but played on a career-high 375 special teams snaps. Board will likely see a similar role in 2024 as an inside linebackers option behind Roquan Smith, Trenton Simpson, and recent re-signee Malik Harrison.