Chiefs Expected To Tag CB L’Jarius Sneed
We’ve been hearing all week about the potential future of two of the Chiefs’ top defensive free agents. Defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed have received most of the offseason attention for the reigning Super Bowl champs. If Dianna Russini of The Athletic is right, the solution for Sneed could be here soon as Kansas City reportedly plans to tag him tomorrow. 
This is not the first we’re hearing on this, but it is the first deadline we’ve gotten. First, after winning their second consecutive rings, both Jones and Sneed made it known that they wished to remain in Kansas City. This week, general manager Brett Veach informed the media that he anticipates utilizing the franchise tag this year. Later that day, reports rolled in that Sneed was the likely target of the tag but that both sides were open to a potential tag-and-trade situation if an extension was unable to be reached. Last we heard, Sneed was generating trade interest while optimism was growing around a new deal for Jones.
In today’s update, Russini informs that, while the team continues to work towards a new extension for Jones, Kansas City will officially place the franchise tag on Sneed tomorrow. If that’s the case, the Chiefs will then have until July 15 to work out an extension to keep Sneed in Missouri. Tag-and-trade maneuvers can still take place past that date, though, and the Chiefs are extremely familiar with that process, previously sending away Dee Ford and bringing in Frank Clark with that exact method.
As for the Jones part of the update, no new information here. Optimism has been growing throughout the week, and with the tag being applied to Sneed, the Chiefs will have no choice but to sign Jones to a new deal in order to keep him in red and yellow.
Vikings Trying To Re-Sign OLB Danielle Hunter
The Vikings have a lot of different priorities to focus on this offseason with both quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide receiver Justin Jefferson hoping for new contracts, but that hasn’t stopped them from discussing another possible deal that they’d like to see done. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, Minnesota is making an effort to re-sign veteran pass rusher Danielle Hunter, as well.
Hunter has been a Viking since the team selected him in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Heading into the final year of his rookie contract, the Vikings signed him to a five-year, $72 million extension. When that extension expired, Minnesota opted to keep him around for at least one more season on a one-year, $17MM deal. Having once more played through his contract, Hunter’s future with the Vikings will again be in question.
Hunter is expected to be a top target for many teams if he’s allowed to reach free agency, and for good reason. In his nine-year career, Hunter has reached double-digit sack numbers in five different seasons. He was twice racked up 14.5 sacks and reached a career-high this year with an impressive 16.5. His disruptive nature doesn’t stop there, though, as he led the NFL this season with a career-high 23 tackles for loss, as well.
The only potential detriment to Hunter’s negotiating stance is his past health issues. Hunter missed the entire 2020 NFL season with a neck injury and followed that up with only seven games in 2021. Now, the 2021 injury was completely unrelated to his prior season-long absence. In fact, when Hunter returned to the field after missing the 2020 season, he was off to a blazing start, racking up six sacks in only seven games. A torn pectoral muscle would put an end to that comeback campaign and force him back to injured reserve.
Since coming back from his second stay on IR, Hunter has shown no ill effects from his prior injuries. In the two seasons since, Hunter has started every game possible, accumulating 27.0 total sacks, 35 tackles for loss, and 44 quarterback hits. Not only have his injuries not slowed him down, he seems to have gotten better.
With Hunter showing no signs of stopping as he gets closer to 30 years old, he’s expected to fetch quite a price tag in free agency. As perhaps the top pass rusher on the market, multiple teams are expected to vie for his signature. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler volunteers that a price tag north of $20MM per year should be expected. The Vikings will need to focus a lot of efforts towards Cousins and Jefferson, but make no mistake, lots of attention and capital will need to be directed in Hunter’s direction, as well, if they have any hopes of retaining his talents.
Falcons Extend C Ryan Neuzil
The Falcons were able to avoid tendering exclusive rights free agent Ryan Neuzil today, signing the backup center to a one-year extension, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. The third-year lineman will remain in Atlanta for the 2024 season.
Neuzil signed with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State in 2021. After spending his rookie year on the practice squad, Neuzil made his NFL debut in Week 9 of his sophomore season, getting called up as a practice squad elevation. He would appear in every game for the rest of the 2022 season, appearing only on special teams, except for five offensive snaps in the team’s regular season finale.
At the opening of this most recent season, injuries to starting guard and primary backup center Matt Hennessy opened the door for Neuzil to climb the depth chart as the new top option to back up starter Drew Dalman. Neuzil entered the year playing the same special teams role in which he ended 2022. He earned his first career start in Week 6, though only as a technicality as he was an extra lineman on the first play of the game and only played five offensive snaps.
Later in the season, though, Dalman would be forced to miss three games late in the season. Neuzil finally got the opportunity to start a full game at center and even earned snaps on the line during games in which he didn’t start. Ending the season with four starts under his belt left a strong impression for Neuzil heading into the offseason as an exclusive rights free agent.
After establishing himself as a dependable backup on the interior of the offensive line, Neuzil earned this new deal. He’ll likely come into the 2024 season as the primary backup for Dalman and a depth piece on the interior of the offensive line.
Texas WR Xavier Worthy Sets Combine 40-Yard Dash Record
Records are meant to be broken, and we just saw John Ross‘ seven-year record for the 40-yard dash fall. Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy set NFL history today. After watching Worthy deliver the day’s top 40 time of 4.25 seconds on his first run, the internet took notice. Worthy decided to challenge Ross’ record and ended up besting his first run with an unofficial time of 4.22 seconds, tying Ross’ long-standing record. Matt Miller of ESPN was the first to report Worthy’s official, record-breaking time of 4.21 seconds. 
Top 40 times have been a mixed bag over the years. Sprint times like that don’t typically take a relatively unknown prospect and turn them into a first-round pick, but rarely does speed like that not improve a player’s draft stock. Players already seen as Day 1 picks may climb a little further up the board. Fringe top prospects could push their way into the first round. Mid-round prospects could work their way up to Day 2, late-round up to mid-, and undraftable prospects either sneak their way into the late rounds or became priority free agents.
The previous record-holder fell into that first group. Already considered a top wide receiver prospect following a redshirt junior year at Washington that saw him catch 81 passes for 1,150 yards and 17 touchdowns, Ross found himself getting selected in the top 10 draft picks. Injuries and an inability to crack the starting lineup in Cincinnati hindered Ross’ first two years in the league, though he proved effective as a redzone target in his sophomore season, catching seven touchdowns. He had a career-high of 506 receiving yards the following season, but ultimately, his rookie fifth-year option was declined, and after a one-year stint with the Giants and a futures deal with the Chiefs, the speedy receiver announced his retirement this past November.
Worthy falls into the second category of the prospects listed above. ESPN’s Mel Kiper lists him as the ninth-best wide receiver prospect in the draft, while Dane Brugler of The Athletic slots him in as the 10th-best wideout and the 46th-best prospect overall. In theory, that would land him securely in the second round of this year’s draft. With today’s record-setting performance, there’s a chance that some teams may be sliding him up their draft boards. It may not be enough to move him into Day 1, but if he interviews well and satisfies in other workouts, he could earn himself a fifth-year option.
Worthy proved in his first two seasons with the Longhorns that he could score, catching 21 touchdowns over the two-year span. He lost some touchdown catches to teammate Adonai Mitchell in 2023, with Mitchell snagging 11 touchdown grabs, but Worthy led the team in receiving yards and receptions every year he played in Austin. Mitchell is widely expected to be a first-round selection this April, and after today’s strong showing, Worthy may just join him there.
NFL Restructures: Saints, Ward, McGovern
With the league’s recent release of the new salary cap numbers and the rapid approach of free agency and the draft, NFL teams are working to clear up cap space to help add significant talent to their rosters for the 2024 NFL season. The Saints made a number of moves recently to reflect this pattern.
New Orleans agreed to a restructured deal with defensive end Carl Granderson, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The team converted a $9MM roster bonus that Granderson was due into a signing bonus spread over a five-year period. The move reduced his cap hit in 2024 from $12.45MM to $5.25MM, freeing up $7.2MM of cap space.
The team applied the same tactic to interior offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz‘s contract, per Pelissero, converting his $8MM roster bonus into a signing bonus and adding a void year to the end of his deal. The result saw Ruiz’s cap number drop from $10.85MM to $4.45MM, freeing up $6.4MM more of cap space.
One more time, the Saints got another player to sign a restructured deal this week. This time, star pass rusher Cameron Jordan agreed to convert $11.79MM of his 2024 base salary into a signing bonus, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Jordan’s base salary was reduced to $1.21MM, and the team cleared $9.43MM of cap space as a result.
Granderson, Ruiz, and Jordan join quarterback Derek Carr, defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd, and center Erik McCoy as Saints who have signed restructured deals to help clear cap space recently.
Here are a couple of other restructured deals from around the league:
- The Browns got in on the party, agreeing to a restructured deal with cornerback Denzel Ward, per Pelissero. Cleveland converted $14.2MM of Ward’s base salary into a signing bonus and added a void year to the end of his contract. Ward’s 2024 salary is now $1.13MM as a result, and the move cleared $11.36MM of cap space for the upcoming league year.
- Finally, the Bills were the other team this week to work towards more cap space. Offensive guard Connor McGovern agreed to a reworked deal that would convert $4.68MM of his 2024 base salary into a signing bonus and add two void years to the end of his contract, according to Pelissero. The restructure clears up $3.74MM of cap space for Buffalo.
NFL Draft Notes: Harrison, LSU, Texas, DeJean, Bowers
We truly are starting to see a new era of pre-draft football in the NFL. On a day in which we saw every quarterback in the first group of passers except for Notre Dame’s Sam Hartman opt out of running the 40-yard dash, we continue to report on prospects who are seeing the NFL’s scouting combine as less and less of a priority.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, star Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will not be participating in any of the testing at the combine. It doesn’t stop there, though, as Harrison has made the decision to not even train for those types of drills in the runup to the draft. Harrison will continue to work on pure football drills, allowing his tape to do the talking.
Players like Harrison have the luxury of this approach. For the last two years, Harrison has widely been considered the top wide receiver prospect in this year’s crop. He only solidified that status with a second straight stellar season with the Buckeyes. He has a fairly good idea of where he’s going to fall in the draft, so he doesn’t feel the need to display his full set of abilities in an attempt to up his draft stock. Instead, he will focus on team interviews and preparing for the more practical aspects of NFL readiness. Breer also informs us that Harrison will head to the league without an agent, joining another recent trend.
The combine and pro days remain a crucial part of the pre-draft process for many of the mid- to late-round prospects, but for top players, workouts like these are beginning to become more and more superfluous.
Here are a few other draft rumors as the combine continues:
- On the topic of non-participants, LSU Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels and his wide receiver Malik Nabers have both opted out of their workouts in Indianapolis, choosing to work out at their pro day, instead. Today we found out that both players are also skipping the measurements portion of the combine, as well, per ESPN’s Field Yates. The two Tigers will submit to measurements at their pro day before workouts.
- One name that’s been climbing draft boards of late is Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy. Murphy’s versatility across the line has scouts excited and makes him a fit for pretty much every squad. Reflecting this, Murphy reportedly had 25 official interviews set up at the combine, according to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda. Pauline also reports that the Raiders, Colts, Seahawks, and Vikings have all scheduled to bring him in for an official-30 visit. The list of suitors for the Longhorn defender likely won’t stop there.
- Another top Texas prospect, running back Jonathon Brooks continues to make his way back from ACL surgery that ended his final season in Austin. The top rusher on both ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s and Dane Brugler of The Athletic’s boards, Brooks is reportedly “healing well and as expected,” per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. While he obviously won’t be participating in any pre-draft workouts, he’s expected to be cleared for training camp.
- Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean‘s leg injury continues to hold him out of football activities in the leadup to the draft. After already learning that he wouldn’t be available to workout at the combine, Greg Auman of FOX Sports informs us that DeJean will also not participate in physical activities at Iowa’s pro day. DeJean claims to be fully cleared from the fracture in his lower leg and that he will work out at some point before the draft, but it looks like scouts will have to make personal trips out to Iowa City in order to workout DeJean.
- Finally, one more top draft prospect made the decision not to workout at the combine this year. Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, the top prospect at his position per both Kiper and Brugler and a likely top-10 pick, will not work out in Indianapolis. Scouts interested in seeing this Bulldog in action will have to make their way out to Georgia’s pro day.
Bears Finalize 2024 Coaching Staff
This offseason, the Bears had to replace both coordinator positions, a situation that usually results in quite a bit of turnover on either side of the staff. Head coach Matt Eberflus allowed each coordinator to make final decisions on their staff, but many assistants (particularly on the defense) were retained in Chicago for the 2024 NFL season. 
We’ll start on defense, where Eberflus likely influenced some of the decisions made by new defensive coordinator Eric Washington. The staff looks fairly similar to last year’s with defensive line coach Travis Smith, linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi, cornerbacks coach and defensive passing game coordinator Jon Hoke, safeties coach Andre Curtis, and defensive quality control coach Kevin Koch all being retained in their prior roles. David Overstreet also remains on staff, but his title changes from assistant defensive backs coach to nickelbacks coach. Kenny Norton III also earned a promotion, going from coaching assistant to defensive quality control coach.
The only two new additions on defense appear to be Bryan Bing, who replaces Justin Hinds as assistant defensive line coach, and new defensive analyst (advance/special projects) Matt Pees. After Hinds departed to take the defensive line coaching job in Seattle, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Bears landed on Bing, who served as a defensive assistant with the Colts last year as a Tony Dungy Diversity Coaching Fellow. Pees is the son of long-time defensive coordinator Dean Pees and previously spent the last three years as a defensive assistant with the Falcons, working two of those years under his father.
On the offensive side of the ball, we already knew that new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron had hired Kerry Joseph as quarterbacks coach, Chad Morton as running backs coach, Chris Beatty as wide receivers coach, Thomas Brown as passing game coordinator, and Jason Houghtaling as assistant offensive line coach. Houghtaling will assist Chris Morgan, who was retained as offensive line coach and granted the additional title of offensive run game coordinator. Also retained were tight ends coach Jim Dray and offensive quality control coach Zach Cable.
There were three notable additions to the staff on offense. Both Ryan Griffin and Robbie Picazo will serve under the title offensive assistant (quarterbacks and wide receivers). Griffin, a former NFL quarterback, is taking his first coaching gig after a short stint in the Italian Football League last year. Picazo spent the past two years as an offensive assistant with the Seahawks and Texans, coaching at Rice and Stanford at the collegiate level for several years before that. The final offensive addition is Jennifer King, who will be the team’s offensive assistant (running backs). After becoming the first black woman to be named a full-time NFL coach as an assistant running backs coach for the past three year with the Commanders, King continues her NFL journey, this time in Chicago.
Lastly, the Bears enlisted the services of Chavis Cook to manage coaching administration.
There you have it. Eberflus has crafted a new staff with a mix of new and familiar faces. With the new staff locked in, the team can now turn its attention to free agency, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, and the future of quarterback Justin Fields.
Cowboys, LT Tyron Smith Discuss Possible Return
Left tackle Tyron Smith has enjoyed what is likely to end up being a Hall of Fame, 13-year career with the Cowboys. The biggest issue in Smith’s game over this time, though, has been his availability, as he’s failed to play in every game in a season since 2015.
As Smith, 33, gets older, his health continues to be a main concern in his decision-making moving forward. As a pending free agent, Smith met with Dallas today in order to lay out a plan for a potential return in 2024. 
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Smith is definitely interested in playing for a 14th year. The team is currently allowing his eight-year, $97.6MM contract to expire, leading him towards free agency, but both sides will continue to discuss how a return could happen. Team owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones spoke with the media following today’s meetings, per Jon Machota of The Athletic.
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“We’ll get in there in the right way and discuss his business and work out something that’s good for both of us. He’s had a great career. He’s a Hall of Fame player,” Jones said. “I can’t tell you how good of shape I thought we were in with him as we got into the playoffs, his health and where he was. Thought we were just where you want to be. And I give a lot of credit to coach Mike McCarthy, him getting it pushed up there to where we had (Tyron) just right as we went into the playoffs.”
Since 2015, Smith has missed 49 out of a possible 131 regular season games. In two of the last four years, Smith missed 14 (2020) and 13 (2022) games in the regular season. Most of the time, the team is happy for whatever he can provide. Despite not having appeared in more than 13 games over that span, Smith has still earned five Pro Bowl berths and has earned All-Pro honors twice, including this past season.
That being said, the Cowboys are willing to have Smith take regular season rest here and there as he gets older if it means that he will be available for the team’s most important games late in the year. Both sides reportedly felt that they had found a practice plan that has helped keep him healthier, so as long as the numbers are agreeable, it seems like there’s a good chance we’ll see Smith hit 34 years old in the NFL next season.
49ers Looking At Bringing Back Laken Tomlinson, Jon Feliciano
The 49ers are coming off another loss in the sport’s season finale and are looking at where they can improve and where they want to try and keep their talent. Two 32-year-old interior offensive linemen are going to be available to them, and it sounds like they have plans to look into re-signing Jon Feliciano and/or reuniting with former Jets guard Laken Tomlinson, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. 
Tomlinson was released by New York earlier this week after only two seasons with the team. Originally, a first-round pick for the Lions, Tomlinson was traded to San Francisco, where he played some of the best football of his career. While he was able to bolster his reputation for reliability in New York, extending his streak of 114 straight starts, he failed to bring the production that landed him a three-year, $40MM deal with the Jets in the first place.
General manager John Lynch spoke on the possibility of a reunion after the news dropped. “Laken was a big part of who we were,” Lynch explained. “We’ll talk to his folks and see what his temperature is, where he’s at.”
The other option to start at guard for the team next season is the man who did so this year and graded out as the league’s fifth-best offensive guard as a result, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Feliciano. Feliciano was brought in as a kind of sixth-man for the offensive line. His experience starting at guard for the Raiders and Bills and starting at center for the Giants made him a valued backup up when he first signed with the 49ers.
After a couple injuries led to opportunities to deploy their gadget lineman, Feliciano proved he was a strong fit, eventually wresting the starting job from Spencer Burford. In replacement duty as a starter, the nine-year veteran out of Miami (FL) delivered a career-year. His one-year deal now done, Lynch spoke on his impact.
“We teetered on (whether Feliciano was a) scheme fit because our scheme is a little different,” Lynch said. “You’ve got to be able to get out. Turned out, he was a really good scheme fit, but what we knew every day is, this guy is a glue guy. This is a guy who brings groups together, brings people together. Tough, crusty O-lineman.”
The 49ers could absolutely start 2024 the way they began 2023 and trot out Burford across from Aaron Banks again. But Feliciano and Tomlinson both seemingly represent possible upgrades at the position, and at age 32, both should be acquirable at a fairly reasonable price. Lynch and the 49ers have some work to do moving forward to address the situation.
Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry Sitting Out Combine With Injury
Projected first-round cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, born Ga’Quincy, appeared in Indianapolis today prepared to measure and work out at the NFL scouting combine. Unfortunately, though, McKinstry discovered in a combine medical evaluation that he had a Jones fracture in his right foot, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Due to the injury, McKinstry made the decision not to work out with the other defensive back prospects today. 
A Jones fracture is a fairly common foot injury, and it’s not uncommon for athletes to be unaware that they have one. The only symptom of the issue tends to be soreness on the outside of the foot, a sensation athletes frequently experience and often shrug off as normal. That also makes it an easy injury to play through, which explains why McKinstry is only now discovering the fracture.
Due to poor blood supply to the area, Jones fractures do not tend to heal well on their own, making surgery a necessary requirement in order to heal. Surgery now would prevent McKinstry from working out for scouts at all in the leadup to the 2024 NFL Draft, so it appears he will hold off on surgery for now. McKinstry will regroup with his coaches and trainers back in Tuscaloosa and plans to work out for scouts there at his pro day.
Following that workout, McKinstry will get the procedure to repair the fracture. The expectation for recovery sees him ready to return with plenty of time for NFL training camps, so today’s discovery is unlikely to hurt his draft stock much, if at all. McKinstry measures out as a prototypical NFL cornerback and showed strong attributes on film this year. A strong workout at Alabama could help make up for a lack of statistical production at the college level and solidify his first-round status.