Saints Acquire No. 127, Select QB Jake Haener
The Saints are giving up a future draft pick to get into the fourth round. New Orleans has acquired pick No. 127 from Jacksonville. In exchange, the Jaguars have acquired pick No. 227 and a 2024 fourth-round pick.
The Saints will be using their selection on quarterback Jake Haener. The Fresno State product was widely considered to be atop the remaining tier of QBs, generally ranking sixth in his draft class.
While he won’t have the draft stock of the QBs selected before him, Haener can keep up with his upside. He didn’t play in a Power 5 conference and has generally been viewed unfavorably from a physical perspective, but he’s been lauded for his ability to control the game from under center.
Haener truly had a breakout campaign in 2021, when he finished with 33 touchdowns vs. only nine interceptions. He followed that up with a 2022 campaign where he connected on 72 percent of his passes for 2,896 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only three picks. He also earned the 2023 Senior Bowl MVP after the season.
The Saints made a move for Derek Carr this offseason and seem fully committed to their acquisition. The team also kept mainstay Jameis Winston, meaning Haener will likely spend his rookie campaign as the third quarterback on the depth chart.
Chiefs Trade Up For S Chamarri Conner
The Chiefs are moving up. Kansas City has acquired pick No. 119 from the Vikings. In exchange, Minnesota is acquiring pick No. 134 and a 2024 fifth-round pick.
The Chiefs have used the fourth-round selection on Chamarri Conner. The Virginia Tech defensive back had a productive collegiate career, collecting 207 tackles and four interceptions. He earned a Reese’s Senior Bowl selection this past year after compiling 67 tackles and two passes defended.
Conner’s ability to hold his own against tight ends could lead to him seeing time at safety in the NFL. Thanks to his speed, he also has the ability play outside or slot cornerback, making him an interesting piece for the Chiefs secondary.
Patriots Acquire No. 112 From Jets, Select K Chad Ryland
Two AFC East rivals have pulled off a trade. The Patriots have acquired pick No. 112 from the Jets. In exchange, New England is sending New York picks No. 120 and No. 184.
The Patriots are using their newfound pick on kicker Chad Ryland. The special teamer spent four years at Eastern Michigan, setting the school’s all-time record for scoring (309 points). He transferred to Maryland for the 2022 campaign and proceeded to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors after connecting on 19 of his 23 field goal attempts and 39 of his 40 extra point tries.
Ryland is now the second kicker to be selected in the top-112, joining Michigan’s Jake Moody, who was selected by the 49ers at No. 99.
Veteran Nick Folk has served as the Patriots kicker for the past three-plus seasons. He hit on 86.5 percent of his field goal tries last year, his lowest total since 2019. He inked a two-year, $5MM deal with the organization last March, and he’ll likely be part of a kicking competition in the preseason.
It’s not every day that you see the Patriots and Jets pull off a trade. Earlier this draft, some pundits suspected if Bill Belichick spited his former employer by pulling off a trade with the Steelers. Pittsburgh jumped ahead of the Jets in the first round and took the last top-rated offensive tackle in Broderick Jones, forcing the Jets to pivot to edge Will McDonald at No. 15.
Saints Trade Up For No. 103
The Saints will now be picking first on the third day of the NFL Draft. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that New Orleans has acquired the No. 103 pick from the Bears.
Chicago will be receiving picks No. 115 and No. 165, per Pelissero (on Twitter). As our Team-by-Team 2023 NFL Draft Results show, the Bears will now have five picks today while the Saints will have four selections.
With the pick, the Saints are taking Old Dominion offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri. The Saints still have their five 2022 O-line starters under contract, with starter-turned-swingman James Hurst also still rostered. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rated Saldiveri as its No. 116 overall prospect; this selection gibes with that assessment.
While Hurst is a former free agent signing, Saldiveri gives the Saints six homegrown O-linemen drafted in the first four rounds. The Bears will pick up an additional fifth-round pick for moving down.
Chargers Won’t Pick Up LB Kenneth Murray’s Fifth-Year Option
The Chargers are set to pick up Justin Herbert‘s fifth-year option, but another one of their 2020 first-round picks will now be entering a contract year. Chargers general manager Tom Telesco told reporters that the organization won’t be picking up linebacker Kenneth Murray‘s fifth-year option.
[RELATED: Chargers To Pick Up Justin Herbert’s Fifth-Year Option]
The announcement came on the heels of the team’s selection of Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley in the third round of last night’s draft. However, Telesco made it clear that the draft pick and Murray’s fifth-year option were unrelated, and he indicated that the front office could explore a new deal with Murray after the 2023 season.
“No, those are kind of two completely separate things,” the GM said (video via the team’s website). “Kenny is doing a great job for us … [The decision was] more salary-cap related, down the road. But we’ll talk when the season’s over.”
Telesco could be sincere when it comes to the financial restrictions of Murray’s fifth-year option. The cash-strapped Chargers would have had to commit $12.7MM to the linebacker, a move that would have made Murray the eighth highest-paid player at his position. Still, the decision has to come as a disappointment to the 24-year-old. Before Murray, Telesco has picked up seven of the last eight Chargers’ fifth-year options, but following a rebound 2022 campaign, the linebacker will now be playing for his next contract in 2023.
Murray had a strong rookie campaign, earning PFWA All-Rookie Team honors after compiling 107 tackles in 16 starts. He started the first three games of the 2021 season before suffering an ankle injury during practice, landing him on injured reserve. After sitting out five games, Murray returned and saw a reduced role on defense, starting only three of his team’s final nine games. The linebacker finished his sophomore season with only 31 tackles, with Pro Football Focus ranking him 83rd among 87 qualifying linebackers.
He managed to rebound a bit this past year, finishing with 76 tackles and a career-high seven tackles for loss in 17 games (16 starts). Murray only graded out as Pro Football Focus’ 73rd-ranked linebacker among 81 qualifiers, but the site did give him solid marks for his pass-rush ability and coverage.
With Kyzir White and Drue Tranquill out the door, the Chargers will continue to rely on Murray. The team added inside linebacker Eric Kendricks this offseason, and the veteran should start alongside Murray, with Henley likely having the edge as the top backup in that grouping. Telesco said the team’s second-round pick Tuli Tuipulotu profiles as more of an edge defender.
49ers Won’t Pick Up DT Javon Kinlaw’s Fifth-Year Option
The 49ers will not be picking up defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw‘s fifth-year option, general manager John Lynch announced on Friday night (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). Lynch also confirmed reports that the 49ers would be picking up receiver Brandon Aiyuk‘s fifth-year option.
[RELATED: 49ers To Pick Up Brandon Aiyuk’s Fifth-Year Option]
“I talked to both of them,” Lynch said. “Brandon, we’re going to exercise that fifth-year option. We won’t with Javon.
“I talked with Javon — still looking for great things from Javon. Javon is having an outstanding offseason. He’s in a great place and he’s excited about what’s to come, as are we for him.”
The 49ers were hoping that Kinlaw, the 14th-overall pick in the 2020 draft, would be able to replace Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner, who they dealt to the Colts. The rookie somewhat accomplished those goals, starting 12 of his 14 games while collecting 33 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and four QB hits en route to an All-Rookie Team selection. However, his 2021 campaign was cut short by a torn ACL, and he was limited to only six games in 2022 while dealing with persistent knee issues.
In those six contests, Kinlaw compiled only four tackles while playing about 40 percent of his defensive snaps. He didn’t play enough snaps to qualify for Pro Football Focus’ rankings among interior defenders, but his grade would have landed him very close to the bottom of the list.
The organization showed their hand earlier this offseason when they signed defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to a four-year, $84MM contract, putting Kinlaw’s future with the 49ers in doubt. While the 25-year-old is set to hit free agency next offseason, the 49ers are still expecting him to play a role in San Francisco, at least temporarily.
“Because of the injuries, maybe it hasn’t gone as well as we all might have anticipated or as well as it would’ve had he been healthy, that’s part of this thing,” Lynch said. “Now he is healthy. … He’s gonna be part of our rotation and we’re really excited about that.”
Chiefs Select DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah With No. 31 Pick
The defending Super Bowl champs are adding some talent on the defensive side of the ball. With the final pick of the first round, the Chiefs have selected Kansas State defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah.
Anudike-Uzomah was not one of the most popular edge prospects, but he was certainly one of the most productive pass rushers in college football. Over his final two seasons at Kansas State, the defensive end compiled 19.5 sacks and 25.5 tackles for loss, leading to Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year honors in both seasons. These performances also put up firmly on the NFL map.
The D-lineman has been lauded for his strength and size, although there were questions if he’d be a first-round pick due to his lack of fundamentals. The Chiefs are hoping they’ll be able to get the most out of their first-round investment, and the defending champs are fortunate that they won’t need to rush Anudike-Uzomah into a significant defensive role.
This will also mark a homecoming for Anudike-Uzomah. Prior to playing his college ball in Manhattan, Kansas, he suited up at Kansas City, Missouri-area high school Lee’s Summit. The Chiefs will add the local product to their Chris Jones-fronted pass rush. Jones’ status as an elite D-lineman notwithstanding, the team entered the draft with an edge need after shedding Frank Clark‘s contract this offseason.
The Chiefs also addressed the defensive end spot in the 2022 first round, taking George Karlaftis, and they’re also rostering the likes of Charles Omenihu, Mike Danna, and Malik Herring. With Karlaftis and Omenihu as the team’s top options, Anudike-Uzomah could be ticketed for a regular off-the-bench role as a rookie.
Eagles Select LB Nolan Smith With Pick No. 30
The defending NFC champions improved their defense earlier tonight when they selected Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter with the No. 9 pick. Philly is adding another Georgia defensive player with their second first-round selection, taking linebacker Nolan Smith at No. 30.
Smith contributed during each of his four seasons with the Bulldogs, collecting 110 tackles, 12.5 sacks, and 20 tackles for loss in 38 games. Smith’s 2022 campaign ended early thanks to a torn pectoral muscle, but he still managed to finish the season with three sacks and seven tackles for loss. Despite the injury, Smith was still generally viewed as a first-round pick, although he may have been selected a bit later than expected at No. 30.
The player’s smaller stature would seem to make him a candidate to be a pass rusher in the NFL, but he was an effective traditional LB during his time in college. Temporarily, the rookie may serve as Philly’s WILL LB while playing opposite Haason Reddick. While the Eagles have the luxury of taking it slow with their second first-round pick, Smith’s outspoken nature should make him a defensive leader for years to come.
The historic 2021 Georgia defense is doing wonders for the Eagles’ defense. Besides Carter and Smith, the Eagles are also rostering Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean. Georgia has now seen seven members of its 2021 defense become first-round picks.
Saints Select DT Bryan Bresee At No. 29
The Saints are adding a three-time All-ACC defensive lineman. With the No. 29 pick, New Orleans selected Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee.
Bresee joined defensive end Myles Murphy as Clemson D-linemen taken near the end of Round 1 tonight. The Saints will bet on the upside of a former No. 1 overall national recruit. A 2021 ACL tear sidetracked Bresee’s college career, but he returned to action last year and did not see his draft stock fall too far.
After a four-game 2021, Bresee made it back to play in 10 Tigers contests as a junior last season. The former 35-sack high school phenom tallied nine in what ultimately proved to be a somewhat underwhelming — based on expectations — college career. The five-star player still started 10 games as a true freshman and rallied back to earn second-team All-ACC acclaim as a junior. He closed his Clemson run with nine sacks and 15 tackles for loss.
The 298-pound defender offers some untapped potential, seeing as he will be nearly two years removed from the knee injury when he debuts for the Saints. New Orleans lost longtime defensive tackle starter David Onyemata early in free agency; he followed co-DC Ryan Nielsen to Atlanta, where he is now the Falcons’ defensive play-caller. The Saints made some midlevel investments in the wake of Onyemata’s divisional defection, signing ex-Chief Khalen Saunders and ex-Jet Nathan Shepherd. But Bresee suddenly becomes the team’s highest-profile interior D-lineman.
Jaguars Select OT Anton Harrison At No. 27
After moving back twice, the Jaguars have finally made their first selection of the draft. With the No. 27 pick, Jacksonville has selected Oklahoma offensive tackle Anton Harrison.
The rookie started at left tackle for Oklahoma for each of the past two seasons. After earning a second-team All-Big Ten nod in 2021, he was first-team All-Big Ten in 2022. He was also a consensus All-American pick this past year.
Harrison’s pedigree helped make him a projected first- or second-round pick in the draft. While Harrison endured knocks for his lack of athleticism, he has elite size (6-foot-4, 315 pounds) and length. His ability to play to his owns strengths made him one of the safer offensive line prospects in the draft, although his ceiling might be somewhat limited.
Harrison was ultimately the fifth offensive lineman to hear his name called during the first round, with the Jaguars trading back a handful of times before landing on their preferred prospect. It comes after a rocky offseason for the Jags at tackle.
Starting left tackle Cam Robinson is facing a PED suspension, perhaps forcing the front office’s hand at the position. The team let four-year right tackle starter Jawaan Taylor walk in free agency; Taylor signed a whopping four-year, $80MM deal with the Chiefs. The organization used a 2021 second-round pick on tackle Walker Little, but the Jaguars will surely find a way to get their 2023 first-round selection in the lineup.