Steelers View Troy Fautanu As Tackle; Team Eyeing James Daniels Extension?
Bringing in 11 offensive linemen on “30” visits, the Steelers did not mask their intentions in the first round. They ended up capitalizing on this tackle-rich draft class, selecting Washington’s Troy Fautanu at No. 20 overall.
Fautanu is the second straight tackle the Steelers have chosen in Round 1, as the team traded up for Broderick Jones (No. 14 overall) last year. Some teams viewed Fautanu as a player who will be a better guard, but Mike Tomlin said (via ESPN.com’s Brooke Pryor) the Steelers view their most recent addition as a player who can stick at tackle.
Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board slotted Fautanu 11th, and while some clubs envisioned the Washington alum as a player who will need to move inside, the longtime draft analyst does not. Some NFL personnel agree with this viewpoint; it would appear the Steelers are in this camp. This positions Fautanu as a player who will join Jones and Dan Moore at tackle. Moore is in a contract year, and the three-year starter appears set to be out of Pittsburgh by 2025 (at the latest) as a result of this pick.
The Steelers are believed to be ready to slide Jones from right to left tackle, his primary college position. This would open up the right side for Fautanu, who spent most of his college career at left tackle (with a few guard starts mixed in). If Jones moves over, the Steelers will be asking a left tackle — either Jones or Fautanu — to shift positions. The Steelers view Fautanu, despite his arrival six spots after where Jones was chosen last year, as a better prospect compared to the Georgia alum, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly notes (subscription required). Trade options presented themselves for the Steelers, but they stood down due to the value they believed Fautanu can provide.
Fautanu figures to complement Pittsburgh’s guard tandem (James Daniels, Isaac Seumalo) rather than threaten one of the starters’ jobs, and Kaboly goes a step further by noting the team is likely to come to an extension agreement with Daniels before Week 1. Daniels is going into the final season of a three-year, $26.5MM deal.
Despite going into his seventh NFL season, Daniels will not turn 27 until September. The former Bears second-rounder would profile as a player who has several prime years remaining, making him a good candidate for a lucrative third contract. Pro Football Focus rated the Iowa alum 33rd among guards last season and 24th in his Steelers debut. Daniels has played both guard and center as a pro, though a Bears effort to install him at center did not last beyond the 2019 season. He has operated as the Steelers’ right guard for the past two seasons.
The Steelers have both Daniels and Semualo signed to deals south of $10MM per year; a Daniels extension would probably change that. With the Steelers having both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields on low-cost deals, more flexibility to spend exists. With two rookie-contract tackles in place (and no starter-caliber center on the roster as of yet), Daniels may be set to benefit soon. The Steelers do not negotiate extensions in-season, so Week 1 would double as a deadline for the team and the contract-year RG.
Patriots, 49ers Discussed Deebo Samuel
The 49ers may have gone deeper in trade talks involving Brandon Aiyuk, but Deebo Samuel‘s name emerged as available Thursday night as well. Potentially aiming to split up their long-running wide receiver tandem as costs on their offense escalate, the 49ers took calls on their starters.
While the Jaguars are a team known to have asked about Aiyuk, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports the Patriots engaged in discussions with the 49ers about Samuel. New England carries a WR need going into Day 2 of the draft, having missed out on Calvin Ridley in free agency.
Pats-49ers Samuel talks can be classified as preliminary, Anderson notes, and it is unclear what the team sought for the All-Pro weapon. The 49ers wanted a mid-first-round pick for Aiyuk, who is two years younger than his teammate. Aiyuk also profiles as a player an acquiring team would extend; Samuel is tied to a $23.85MM-per-year deal that suddenly looks team-friendlier based on the contracts given to Amon-Ra St. Brown and A.J. Brown this week. Samuel’s 2022 extension runs through 2025.
A mid-April report indicated the 49ers were rebuffing Aiyuk trade inquiries, and an anonymous GM said if Samuel would be the player to instead depart, the defending NFC champs probably would have done so by now. Samuel, 28, is tied to base salaries of $20.9MM and $16.7MM through the ’25 season.
Aiyuk led the 49ers in receiving by a wide margin last season, but the team’s fortunes changed based on Samuel’s availability. The team went 0-3 in games of consequence (not counting Week 18) Samuel did not finish during the regular season and clawed its way to a comeback win over the Packers after Samuel left the divisional-round matchup with a shoulder malady. Aiyuk also has two 1,000-yard receiving seasons to Samuel’s one, though the latter has proven valuable in the run game as well.
The 2019 second-round pick has shown himself to be one of this era’s best run-after-catch players, though it would be interesting to see if the 49ers dangled him in deals — rather than the 26-year-old Aiyuk, who has been a more durable player as a pro — moving forward. San Francisco’s equation stands to change next year, with a Brock Purdy extension on the radar. This season may mark the end of the line for the Samuel-Aiyuk tandem, which has been in place since the latter came to the Bay Area as a 2020 first-rounder. The 49ers have since used another first-round pick on a wideout — ex-Aiyuk college teammate Ricky Pearsall.
The Patriots re-signed ex-49er Kendrick Bourne, despite his 2023 ACL tear, this offseason and added ex-Vikings slot K.J. Osborn. The team still appears to have a glaring need for a high-end wideout to pair with Drake Maye. The team’s JuJu Smith-Schuster deal did not pan out, and it submitted an offer Robert Kraft viewed as competitive with the Titans’ for Ridley, who signed a four-year, $96MM deal. De facto GM Eliot Wolf, however, said Tennessee’s proposal indeed outflanked New England’s. The Pats will go into tonight’s second round with clear needs at receiver and left tackle around their new prized QB investment.
49ers Sought Mid-First-Round Pick For WR Brandon Aiyuk
The first round’s penultimate pick added more intrigue to the trade drama between the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk. The defending NFC champions selected Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall at No. 31, bringing in a rookie-contract receiver — albeit one that did not receive much buzz as a Round 1 option — hours after a report surfaced indicating the team held talks involving Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.
No trade materialized, and the 49ers’ ask calls into question how viable a move will be after Round 1’s conclusion. The 49ers targeted a mid-first-round pick for Aiyuk, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows tweets. Aiyuk has not requested a trade, but extension talks between he and the 49ers have not progressed, which remind of the team’s drama with Samuel two years ago.
Aiyuk is seeking a deal worth at least $25MM per year, according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch; following the $30MM-plus agreements for A.J. Brown and Amon-Ra St. Brown, it would not surprise if his price has climbed this week.
The best tradeoffer to emerge included a second-round pick, Barrows adds. A 2022 Jets offer for Samuel included the No. 10 overall pick, though that was not a straight-up offer — as it included pick swaps — but Aiyuk remains a 49er after Thursday night brought another chapter to this saga. Aiyuk even congratulated GM John Lynch (via text) on choosing Pearsall, whom he played with at Arizona State back in 2019.
“You never close the door on a trade,” Lynch said, via Branch. “You always listen. And we have. But we like our group as it stands.”
The Jaguars were among the teams to inquire about Aiyuk, Barrows adds. Jacksonville ended up with LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. after trading down (via Minnesota), taking one suitor off the board. The Steelers, who chose an O-lineman in Round 1, also inquired about Aiyuk before the draft. Another team that held a mid-first-round pick discussed swapping choices in an Aiyuk deal, per Barrows, but no offer emerged. It should be difficult for the 49ers to pull off a deal involving Day 2 picks, ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner offers, though it perhaps should not be deemed impossible.
It is possible Pearsall profiles as a player who will eventually — perhaps as soon as 2025 — replace either Aiyuk or Samuel. The 49ers have Aiyuk tied to a fifth-year option worth $14.12MM. Lynch said before the draft he would not anticipate an Aiyuk trade, and while the eighth-year GM has spoken of the financial difficulties in play here, the team could opt to keep Aiyuk on the option and reassess this situation in 2025 — perhaps via a tag-and-trade scenario.
Pearsall joins Aiyuk, Samuel and Jauan Jennings as San Francisco’s top WR. The Arizona State and Florida product’s rookie deal will run through 2028, via the fifth-year option. With Brock Purdy extension-eligible in 2025, the 49ers may need to make an Aiyuk-or-Samuel choice, as the contracts of George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey expire in 2026.
Aiyuk, 26, still profiles as a player the 49ers will need if they want to navigate that elusive Super Bowl hurdle; it will be interesting to see if more trade talks emerge on Day 2 or following the draft, as a post-draft extension — along the lines of how the Samuel saga ended in 2022 — may not be in the cards based on the Pearsall pick.
Patriots, Vikings Inquired About Trade For Chargers’ Justin Herbert
Two of the six teams to end up with quarterbacks in the first round, the Patriots and Vikings began new chapters Thursday night. Extensive Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy ties to both organizations emerged during the pre-draft process, and each is tied to a rookie deal that could run through 2028 via the fifth-year option.
That did not stop both teams from a Hail Mary trade pitch for the NFL’s second-highest-paid player. The Pats and Vikings each contacted the Chargers about the prospect of trading for Justin Herbert, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. New GM Joe Hortiz confirmed inquiries emerged for the star quarterback earlier this offseason, indicating he “quickly” shot down such interest.
Increased QB movement this decade has resulted in trades for the likes of Matthew Stafford, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson and Aaron Rodgers over the previous three offseasons. But extenuating circumstances brought about those moves. A move for Herbert would have been among the most shocking deals at this position in NFL history, though the Bolts have made major changes this offseason. Watson is the only QB traded for three first-round picks since the mid-1970s; without any off-field baggage, Herbert would have commanded more in a haul.
The Chargers traded Herbert’s top wide receiver and released their longtime WR2 to move under the cap just before the 2024 league year. The team also passed on adding a top-flight WR prospect in the wake of the Keenan Allen and Mike Williams moves, drafting Joe Alt — confirming a run of rumors involving the Notre Dame tackle this offseason — over the likes of Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze. The Chargers have some work to do to build around their franchise centerpiece.
Still, Herbert’s presence represented a draw for HC candidates this offseason. Franchise-caliber QBs in their mid-20s (Herbert is going into his age-26 season) are not regularly tied to teams with HC vacancies, and the former No. 6 overall pick helped attract Jim Harbaugh — after nine years back in the college game — to make the move to the NFL. Herbert will be a different caliber of quarterback for Harbaugh — at least in the pros, as the ex-Stanford HC did mentor Andrew Luck — though a trade could have reunited the longtime Michigan coach with recent pupil McCarthy, whom he has raved about this offseason. But Herbert represents one of the NFL’s safest bets, whereas McCarthy will be among the rookies tasked with developing into a Hebert-level player. Not many QBs able to reach that level.
These inquiries coming at the Combine add intrigue to the deal, as the Chargers had not yet disbanded their wideout corps around a coaching staff expected to place a much higher priority on the run game in 2024. A Herbert trade also would have proved quite costly for the Chargers. Dealing the 2021 Pro Bowl starter would have brought a $63MM dead money charge, as the Chargers’ then-Tom Telesco-run front office handed the four-year veteran a five-year, $262.5MM extension in July 2023. Due to Herbert’s fifth-year option being picked up, that deal runs through the 2029 season. Among QBs, only Patrick Mahomes is signed to a longer-term accord.
The Bolts did well to find Herbert shortly after Philip Rivers‘ free agency defection. Since the Tyrod Taylor pregame injection drama brought the Oregon alum into the lineup in Week 2 of the 2020 season, Herbert has shown himself to be among the NFL’s most talented passers. The Bolts’ issues around their QB talent led to late-season GM and HC firings, but given his accomplishments thus far, it is unsurprising Harbaugh and Hortiz quickly dismissed this prospect.
The Pats carried more than $100MM in cap space at one point this offseason; they would have been able to accommodate Herbert’s deal, though New England’s roster would not have necessarily aligned with a high-priced QB. Minnesota’s would, given the presences of Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison. The Vikes also are carrying a $28.5MM dead money hit stemming from Kirk Cousins‘ free agency exit, making a rookie-deal passer valuable for a team unable to hammer out a fourth Cousins extension in 2023.
While it will be interesting to see how the Bolts finish off assembling a skill-position corps around Herbert, they do have what could become a top-tier tackle tandem in Alt and Pro Bowl LT Rashawn Slater. This Herbert mini-storyline stands to become a notable NFL “what if?”
Jags Select WR Brian Thomas Jr. At No. 23
The Jaguars were recently connected to a move up the board aimed to acquiring a receiver. Despite moving in the opposite direction, the team has still managed to land a high-profile prospect at the position. Jacksonville has selected LSU wideout Brian Thomas Jr. 23rd overall.
This draft featured three top-tier wide receiver prospects; all were off the board by No. 9 overall. Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze are respectively bound for Arizona, New York and Chicago. The Jags could not move into that territory, but they will still nab this class’ fourth wideout.
Thomas joins a Jaguars team that has already used plenty of resources to staff its pass-catching posts. The team has Christian Kirk on an $18MM-per-year deal, Gabe Davis at $13MM AAV and Zay Jones in the final year of an $8MM-per-year pact. Evan Engram is also signed to a top-10 tight end contract. The Jags also made a strong run at retaining Calvin Ridley, but the 1,000-yard wideout joined the Titans on a monster accord minutes after the 2024 league year began.
It is certainly arguable the Jags did not need to use such a high draft choice on another receiver, but the team is in negotiations with Trevor Lawrence on what will surely be a $50MM-plus-AAV contract. With Lawrence and Josh Allen soaring into new NFL tax brackets, the Jags will need to begin a new roster phase. Thomas is on track to step into a starting role — in place of one of the veterans — by 2025 (at the latest), and his rookie contract will be valuable for the team.
Working as Nabers’ wingman at LSU last season, Thomas still led Division I-FBS with 17 touchdown receptions. After two sub-400-yard years in Baton Rouge, the 6-foot-3 pass catcher erupted for 1,177 yards to help Jayden Daniels win the Heisman last season. Thomas will have a chance to continue as a complementary option, at least early in his career, alongside a deep WR corps in Jacksonville. The Jags will likely need to throw heavy resources into defense soon, given the unit’s struggles to close out last season.
The Jags did well to land a first-round-level receiver where they did, as they picked up a nice haul from the Vikings t0 move down from No. 17. The Jags acquired No. 167 this and 2025 third- and fourth-round selections from Minnesota. Those will certainly help as Trent Baalke and Co. prepare to retool the roster around a Lawrence extension, which could be finalized before Week 1.
Drake Maye Latest: Patriots, Ownership, Daniels, McCarthy, Giants, Vikings
5:58pm: To little surprise, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports teams around the league believe New England will retain the third overall pick and use it on Maye. That would meet the team’s goal of adding a prospect capable of becoming a franchise passer and fall in line with the way draft winds have been blowing for quite some time. It would also, of course, increase attention on the Cardinals as the first team in position to select a non-QB.
10:34am: With Caleb Williams ticketed for Chicago and Jayden Daniels moving into clear pole position with Washington, where Drake Maye will end up has become perhaps this draft’s top talking point. A number of teams are on the radar for the two-year North Carolina starter, though the Patriots look set to have the right of first refusal.
Expected to come out of the first round with a passer, the Pats hosted Maye on a visit and have done plenty of work on this QB class. While trade-down rumblings have emerged, it does not appear strong offers have come the Pats’ way. They are expected to keep the No. 3 overall pick, and NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran believes Maye will be the Pats’ choice — barring a monster trade offer changing their mind. Curran mentions the Giants and Vikings as the teams that could change the Patriots’ mind with a big proposal.
This move would stand to appease ownership, which is taking a more hands-on role during this pre-draft process compared to how things ran under Bill Belichick. Pats ownership seems to carry a “strong preference” Eliot Wolf and Co. leave Round 1 with a quarterback, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes. While rumors of the Pats having Michael Penix Jr. in their back pocket — in the event they trade out of No. 3 — the Washington prospect has since generated buzz about rising into the top 10. That may still be the less likely scenario for the left-hander, but the Pats would be taking a risk if they traded out of No. 3.
The Patriots are believed to, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, have Daniels rated ahead of Maye — a ranking we first heard about during the Combine — but that may well be a moot point due to the Commanders holding the No. 2 choice. Washington GM Adam Peters and OC Kliff Kingsbury are believed to be high on Daniels, setting up a Patriots Maye-or-J.J. McCarthy call. Washington is not expected to trade down, much to Las Vegas’ chagrin. Any (likely irrelevant) Daniels preference aside, Fowler adds the Pats still like the upside Maye — who, at 21, is two years younger than the reigning Heisman winner — brings to the table.
Maye met with the Patriots, Commanders and Giants and worked out for the Vikings in Minnesota. In the view of the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, the 6-foot-4 prospect spoke more glowingly of his Giants meeting compared to how things went in Foxborough. Maye also declined to say if he met with Robert Kraft during his visit. The Giants, who hold the No. 6 pick, employ the play-caller in place when Josh Allen‘s ascent began (Brian Daboll). The Patriots are in transition, with Alex Van Pelt set to work as a regular play-caller for the first time — save for a 2020 Browns-Steelers wild-card game Kevin Stefanski missed due to COVID-19 — in 15 years.
The Giants and Vikings have a vested interest in how the Patriots proceed. The tide has either turned for the Giants in their Maye-or-McCarthy preference, or an elaborate smokescreen operation is afoot. Maye-Giants connections have continued to come out of New York, and ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan furthers them by offering that the recent Tar Heels standout is indeed the QB — among the options expected to be within their reach — the team covets.
That said, McCarthy chimed in (during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show) by saying he spent more time with the Giants than any other team during the run-up to the draft. The Michigan prospect joins Maye in receiving intense scrutiny, and while he was more closely tied to the Giants weeks ago, the Broncos have been linked to him more recently. It would be costly for Denver to move up from No. 12 for McCarthy or Maye, though it is interesting Sean Payton‘s team has been more closely tied to the former given the recent rumors tying the latter to New York and Minnesota.
Sitting at Nos. 4 and 5, the Cardinals and Chargers have discussed terms with QB-needy teams residing outside the top three. How the Pats proceed will crystallize the value of those choices. Maye being off the board at 3 could weaken the positions of Arizona and Los Angeles, and hours away from the draft, it looks like that will be the case.
Jaguars Exploring WRs In Draft, Attempting To Move Up
APRIL 25: Jacksonville is indeed looking to move up the Day 1 order, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. She adds teams view the Jaguars as being interested in “a specific pass-catcher.” The No. 17 spot is far beyond the range of the top three receivers available, but an aggressive push could change that with the right trade partner in place.
APRIL 23: The Jaguars were ready to make a substantial commitment at wide receiver this offseason. Following their agreement with Gabe Davis, the Jags made an aggressive effort to re-sign Calvin Ridley. A monster Titans offer intervened, but Ridley’s defection still leaves the Jags with three veteran receiver contracts on their payroll.
In addition to the Jaguars’ contracts allocated to Davis, Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, the team has Evan Engram going into the second season of a three-year, $41.25MM deal. Despite a heavy commitment to staffing Trevor Lawrence‘s aerial corps, the Jaguars are still looking at receivers in this draft.
Jacksonville has done “a lot of homework” on this draft class’ top wide receivers, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. The team has also explored moving up the board. The Jags hold the No. 17 overall selection this year. It would take a substantial trade package to move into range for one of this draft’s top three wideouts. That Marvin Harrison Jr.–Malik Nabers–Rome Odunze trio could well be off the board in the top 10. The Bears and Jets have been linked to pass-catching additions at Nos. 9 and 10, though Brock Bowers going to one of those teams could potentially help Nabers or Odunze fall out of the top 10.
With most of the trade-up talk involving quarterbacks, the Jags’ interest in adding yet another receiver is interesting. The team has not drafted a wideout in Round 1 since the Justin Blackmon miss in 2012. While the Jags have an expensive receiving corps, the $18MM-AAV Kirk contract has turned into a pay-as-you-go deal. Ditto the Jones accord, which has one season remaining. Kirk’s contract calls for a $14.5MM base salary this year; his $15.5MM 2025 number is nonguaranteed.
The Jags eyeing an early-round rookie receiver also adds up due to the team’s Lawrence situation. The fourth-year QB is on track to earn a contract in the $50MM-per-year range, and both team and player have acknowledged negotiations are ongoing. Lawrence at that rate will make veteran receiving help more difficult to afford, likely meaning changes to the former No. 1 overall pick’s weaponry contingent are coming in 2025.
Beyond the draft’s top three at receiver, this crop brings another deep group. Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board lists LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. and Texas’ Xavier Worthy at Nos. 16 and 17, with South Carolina’s Xavier Legette at No. 25. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah also listed Texas’ Adonai Mitchell as a first-round-caliber WR prospect. Our Ely Allen profiled the two ex-Longhorns weapons recently. Barring a trade-up, the Jags look to be a team to watch as the second wave of receiver picks starts.
Jacksonville is coming off a woeful defensive finish, and reporting has tied the AFC South club to an early-round investment — perhaps at cornerback — on that side of the ball. But the team does appear prepared to add a receiver to its stable. Due to the terms of the 2022 Ridley trade with the Falcons, the Jags do not have their own third-round pick. But they hold a compensatory third-rounder. The team also possesses its first- and second-rounders, opening the door to a wideout investment to potentially align with Lawrence’s high-priced second contract.
Draft Rumors: Williams, Bears, Fashanu, Latham, Bolts, Bowers, Seahawks, Murphy
Pass rusher and wide receiver have been mentioned most often as the Bears‘ targets at No. 9 overall. Though, the player who will almost definitely be chosen at No. 1 (Caleb Williams) in a few hours seems to have Chicago’s D-line ranked outside the top two among his positional priorities here.
“I’d probably go Olu Fashanu because I know he’d put his life on the line for me, protecting me,” Williams said, via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith. “Then I’d go one of the top three wide receivers.”
A Penn State-developed tackle, Fashanu played high school football (at Gonzaga College HS in Washington D.C.) with Williams. That makes it unsurprising the 2022 Heisman winner would stump for his old teammate. The Bears are believed to have a tackle addition on their radar for No. 9, with GM Ryan Poles splitting his staff into pods debating the merits of taking a tackle, edge rusher or wide receiver with that pick. Chicago looks to have done more work on wideouts and pass rushers, being linked to adding a weapon — potentially Rome Odunze or tight end Brock Bowers — for Williams. The team has Braxton Jones and 2023 No. 10 overall pick Darnell Wright at tackle. Fashanu grades 15th on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board.
Hours away from Williams starting this draft, here is the latest:
- Confirming a previous view around the league, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones indicates teams wanting Bowers will need to hold a top-10 pick. By far the top tight end in this class, the Georgia product appears unlikely to make it past the Jets at No. 10. The Chargers (No. 5), Bears (No. 9) and Jets met with the three-year Bulldogs receiving leader. The Giants not going quarterback in Round 1 would seemingly point them to a wideout, but Darren Waller‘s retirement call is not believed to have emerged. Sitting at 15, the Colts are also believed to be interested in Bowers.
- JC Latham sits 18th on Jeremiah’s big board, but the Alabama tackle may go off the board much earlier. He could be in play for the Chargers at No. 5, with ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan offering that the draft’s run on tackles may begin with the ex-Crimson Tide RT. This would be a surprise, given Joe Alt‘s pedigree (and the Chargers’ reported interest in the two-time All-American). But many teams see Alt as a left tackle. Clubs regularly make switches up front, but if the Bolts — also believed to be Latham fans, potentially in a trade-down scenario — view the two blockers’ values as close, the player with right-side experience could win out. Latham started the past two seasons for Alabama at right tackle. A Chargers first-round tackle investment would be to replace Trey Pipkins, not Rashawn Slater, potentially strengthening Latham’s case for a rookie contract in the No. 5 slot.
- Mentioned as a team that scheduled a visit with Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy, the Seahawks did not end up hosting the high-end prospect, per ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson. Murphy falling to 16 may now be unlikely, with rumors he could — as this DT class is not viewed as deep — land inside the top 10 circulating. The Seahawks did visit with Murphy Longhorns DT mate T’Vondre Sweat, per Henderson, who adds the team would have considered Jalen Carter at No. 20 last year but not with their top choice (No. 5). The then-Pete Carroll-led team, which was split on Carter before the 2023 draft, chose Devon Witherspoon. Carter went 10th to the Eagles.
- In play to become the fourth receiver drafted this year, LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. may instead see some injury concerns lead to a slight drop. NFL medical staffs have flagged Thomas’ shoulders, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, who notes the Tigers’ No. 2 wideout last year may need surgery on his left shoulder after his rookie year. Jeremiah rates Thomas as this class’ No. 4 wideout (17th overall) after an 1,177-yard, 17-touchdown 2023 showing. LSU is still expected to see he and Malik Nabers become first-rounders tonight.
Rams Aiming To Trade Into Top 10
3:13pm: The Rams have a target in mind, but Russini adds they are not pursuing a quarterback in Round 1. A Rams QB move could come later, though the team has seen 2023 fifth-rounder Stetson Bennett re-emerge after spending his rookie year on the NFI list. Bennett is stationed behind Stafford and UFA pickup Jimmy Garoppolo.
1:00pm: Known for a near-decade-long stretch of moving off first-round picks, the Rams hold their own selection heading into the draft. They are trying to make a deal to move up.
Mentioned Wednesday as a team that is likely interested in coming up the board, the Rams appear to indeed be intrigued by the prospect of such a move. Sean McVay‘s team is contacting teams with an aim to climb into the top 10, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets.
It would be surprising if the Rams were a team interested in trading up for a quarterback, and it is interesting to see a non-QB-seeking (presumably) team linked to a trade into the top 10. The Cardinals and Chargers have made it known they are interested in moving down, but a climb into the top five may be unrealistic for the Rams, who sit at No. 19. The Titans, at No. 7, have been mentioned as a team open to sliding down the board. But Tennessee, closely linked to tackles, will probably want to see how the board looks before serious considering dealing its top choice.
The Rams have major holes on defense. They saw arguably the best defensive tackle in NFL history retire after an All-Pro season. Aaron Donald elevated the Rams’ defense for a decade, and the team’s edge rushers — from Leonard Floyd to Von Miller to Dante Fowler — benefited from the all-time great’s presence inside. The Rams also need help on the edge, being rumored to be targeting OLB help earlier this offseason.
Los Angeles holds the Nos. 52, 83 and 99 selections on Day 2, the latter coming after the Falcons hired Raheem Morris as their head coach. Given Morris’ ties to the Rams, it would not surprise if Falcons-Rams talks took place today. Also linked to defensive players — in a top 10 expected to be heavy on offense — Atlanta holds the No. 8 overall pick.
The Bears have No. 9, and with only four picks in the draft, Chicago makes sense as a trade-down team. Though, the team also has been tied to wanting a skill-position or edge-rushing upgrade at 9. An early-April report suggested the Jets were hoping a team makes them a good offer for No. 10, but with Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh on hot seats, staying at 10 and adding another weapon for Aaron Rodgers is also firmly in play.
A quarterback move perhaps should be entirely ruled out; Matthew Stafford is going into his age-36 season and battled injuries throughout 2022. The veteran has played through significant injury trouble in Detroit and Los Angeles. A Rams-Bo Nix connection surfaced recently, via Rams GM Les Snead being at Auburn with Bo’s father (Patrick Nix) was playing QB for the Tigers, though the Oregon alum is not viewed as worthy of a top-10 pick. That said, Nix has been linked to the Vikings (No. 11) and Broncos (No. 12). It would be fascinating to learn the Rams were targeting one of this draft’s higher-profile arms.
The team certainly is not shy about dealing future first-round picks for assets, but given the team needs on defense, it would be risky for the team — even with its penchant for finding quality defenders on Days 2 and 3 — to eschew major needs for down-the-road help. Stafford’s $40MM-per-year extension runs through 2026. The Rams crashing the party as a Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy or Michael Penix Jr. suitor would inject more intrigue into a draft teeming with trade-up buzz.
NFC East Notes: Eagles, CBs, Smith, Giants, Draft, Cowboys, McCarthy
Buzz earlier this week pointed to the Eagles making a trade-up effort ahead of Round 1. More is coming out on another potential Philly climb up the first-round board. The Eagles, who have traded up in four of the past five first rounds, are making an aggressive effort to try and move up the board, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets. Going further here, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano notes the Eagles are “frantically” trying to trade up, listing cornerback as the most likely target. The Eagles hold the No. 22 overall pick.
The Eagles have not chosen a corner in Round 1 since 2002 (Lito Sheppard), but the team has two 30-somethings (Darius Slay, James Bradberry) in place as starters and certainly struggled down the stretch last season. Tackle has come up as a potential Philly target as well, and while this is a good draft to add help here, the team’s trend of ahead-of-the-curve O-line moves will need to be weighed against a more pressing need in coverage.
Here is the latest from the NFC East, moving first to the Giants’ draft approach:
- If the Giants want to trade up for a quarterback, they might need to target the Cardinals at No. 4. Barring a big offer, the Patriots are expected to stay at 3 and draft Drake Maye. The North Carolina passer has been mentioned frequently as a Giants trade-up target, potentially putting New York to the test (re: J.J. McCarthy) or leading to the team standing down and selecting a wideout at 6. The Giants should be expected to send the Patriots an offer, according to Vacchiano, but they appear less likely to trade up from No. 6 compared to where they stood a few weeks ago. If the Giants stay at 6, they are viewed as interested in adding a top-flight wideout — likely Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers — though things could get quite interesting if McCarthy remains on the board.
- The Cowboys may want someone to target their No. 24 pick in a trade-up maneuver, per the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore, who writes, adding the team does not have 24 first-round grades on players in this class. Dallas has a clear need on its offensive line, not doing much (besides re-signing swing tackle Chuma Edoga) as Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz exited in free agency. Center and either LT or LG are needs, depending on where the Cowboys see Tyler Smith lining up. Impressing at both tackle and guard, Tyler Smith gives the Cowboys options. This is a loaded tackle draft, however, and value may well line up with the Cowboys’ needs.
- Staying on the subject of the Cowboys, Mike McCarthy made an interesting move this week. The rare coach set to go into a lame-duck year, McCarthy hired agent Don Yee, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Yee represents the likes of Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh, two of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches, and will bring an interesting wrinkle to a Dallas equation involving a coach on a hot seat despite three straight 12-5 seasons.
- DeVonta Smith‘s three-year, $75MM Eagles deal includes four void years, which will keep the extension’s cap hits manageable in the near future. Smith is tied to cap numbers of $8.1MM, $7.5MM and $10.7MM over the next three years. Void-year proponents, the Eagles would face a big dead money hit ($35.8MM) if Smith is unsigned by March 2029. For the foreseeable future, however, Philly has the 2021 first-round pick tied to a deal that will not affect its cap sheets too much.