NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Florida TE Kyle Pitts
Kyle Pitts began his high school career as a quarterback. At his Pro Day last week, he measured in with the wingspan of an offensive lineman and ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash like a wide receiver. Needless to say, the 6’6″ tight end is going to hear his name called early in the 2021 NFL Draft. 
[RELATED: Falcons Eyeing Pitts At No. 4?]
Pitts put himself on the NFL radar with 54 catches for 649 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore. Then, last year, he took his game to a whole ‘nother level. In 13 games, he reeled in 43 receptions for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns. That was good for a 17.9 yards per catch average — a major leap from his previous 12.0 ypc. Pitts even placed as a finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff award, which goes to the top wide receiver in football.
The Florida product profiles as a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. Pitts is too fast for most linebackers and he’ll likely outstretch most cornerbacks on deep routes. His aforementioned 40-yard-dash time will only boost his stock further — most evaluators expected him to land somewhere in the high 4.5 range, which still would have been impressive for a player of his size.
On the flipside, there are questions about Pitts’ blocking ability, but he could improve in both of those areas over time. At 245 pounds, there’s ample room for Pitts to bulk up, and his 83-inch wingspan provides a solid base for pass and lead blocking.
In terms of pure talent, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah ranks Pitts as the second-best prospect in this year’s class, behind only Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. LSU’s JaMarr Chase — who captured the Biletikoff trophy as a sophomore in 2019 — sits behind him at No. 3. So, where will Pitts land? The Florida product says that the Falcons have been showing interest in him and they’d be well within range with the No. 4 overall choice.
“They were saying that they have interest in me,” Pitts said. “After today, we’ll get on another Zoom and they’ll try to learn more about myself. I feel like they are pretty interested.”
It’s been decades since a TE went in the top five. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Vernon Davis came close, but they were taken No. 6 overall in 2004 and 2006, respectively. A few weeks ago, the Falcons were expected to target a quarterback. Now, in the wake of the 49ers’ move up to No. 3, they may have to go in another direction. Pitts could very well be the pick, forming an impressive 1-2 TE combo with Hayden Hurst.
49ers Seeking First-Round Pick For Jimmy Garoppolo?
The 49ers are asking for a first-round pick in exchange for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, according to Mike Giardi of NFL.com (on Twitter). That’s likely more than any team would be willing to spend, given Garoppolo’s recent struggles. 
[RELATED: 49ers Monitored Texans’ Watson]
After vaulting up to the No. 3 overall pick, the Niners seem poised to select a new QB. And, even before that deal, they were keeping tabs on embattled Texans QB Deshaun Watson. Still, the 49ers insist that Garoppolo is staying put.
“We went to ownership and said, ‘Hey, things are looking good. We’d like to make this move, but we also don’t want to say goodbye to Jimmy,” Lynch said. “We’ve shown we can get to a Super Bowl with him. We can play at a high level and we don’t think those two things have to be mutually exclusive.”
Meanwhile, there’s been chatter about the Patriots potentially reuniting with Garoppolo, especially since Cam Newton‘s new contract is light on guaranteed cash. Still, it’s hard to imagine the Pats meeting this asking price, especially since they received a second-round pick when they shipped him to SF in 2017.
Garoppolo played all 16 games in San Francisco’s 2019 NFC Championship season, but played in only three in 2018 and just six this past year. The 49ers went 3-3 in the 29-year-old’s starts this season, with Garoppolo completing 67.1% of his throws for 1,096 yards, seven touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Buccaneers GM: I Won’t Draft A Kicker
Buccaneers GM Jason Licht has learned his lesson. He’s reached for kickers twice during his tenure as Tampa’s GM, but he’s ruled out the position in this year’s draft. 
“I won’t take a kicker,” said Licht, who intends to head into the fall with Ryan Succop as his kicker.
In 2016, Licht went for Roberto Aguayo in the second round, citing him as a generational talent. The Florida State product was the first kicker since 2005 (Mike Nugent, Jets) to be selected in the second round, but he made just 71-percent of his field goal attempts as a rookie. During the 2017 offseason, he was replaced by Nick Folk.
“This is the best kicker I’ve ever seen in college, my favorite kicker,” Licht said of Aguayo following the draft. “I’m not going to risk [not] getting him and then have to go through a kicking carousel again during my tenure. I want to get the best kicker. Every position, I want to get the best.”
Then, in 2019, Licht took Matt Gay with the No. 145 overall choice. This time around, he’s standing pat with Succop, who recently inked a three-year, $12MM contract extension.
PFR’s NFL Glossary: Supplemental Draft
The NFL’s supplemental draft allows teams to select players who, for one reason or another, were barred from entering the regular draft in the spring. When a team selects a player in the supplemental draft, they forfeit the corresponding pick in the regular draft next year. For example, if a team selects a player in the sixth round of the supplemental draft this year, they will have to give up their 2021 sixth round selection. 
In the past, teams have found gems in the supplemental draft. In 2011, the Raiders selected Ohio State quarterback and future standout NFL receiver Terrelle Pryor. In 2012, the Browns used a second round pick to take the talented and troubled Josh Gordon. Other supplemental draft alums include quarterback Bernie Kosar (Browns, 1985), wide receiver Cris Carter (Eagles, 1987), running back Bobby Humphrey (Broncos, 1989), wide receiver Rob Moore (Jets, 1990), nose tackle Jamal Williams (Chargers, 1998), and linebacker Ahmad Brooks (Bengals, 2006).
There were no players taken in the supplemental draft in 2016 or 2017, but the Giants snapped the cold streak when they selected Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal in the third round of the 2018 draft. Then, in the sixth round, the Redskins tapped Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander. In 2019, defensive back Jalen Thompson (Cardinals) was the only player to hear his name called.
Last year, due the pandemic, the NFL cancelled the supplemental draft altogether. The draft is likely to return in 2021, likely on the week of July 12th.
William Jackson III: “Blessing” To Leave Bengals
William Jackson III is glad to be done with the Bengals. Now with the Washington Football Team, the standout cornerback says it was a “blessing” to leave Cincinnati. 
[RELATED: Washington Adds William Jackson III]
“Cincinnati, they got some crude fans, man. You know misery loves company. When nothing (is) going good, everybody’s not doing any good,” Jackson said (via 106.7 The Fan). “(WFT) has been nothing but supportive since Day 1. The Bengals, on the other hand, them dudes – they wonder why they’re not winning. I’m happy I’m out of that thing man. It’s a blessing to get away and I wish them the best, but Washington – let’s go from here.”
Jackson spent four up-and-down seasons with the Bengals, but saved his best for last. After a so-so 2019, he notched 45 stops, eleven passes defensed, and one interception in his platform year. Then, he parlayed that into a three-year, $40MM deal to join up with Washington and aid them in their bid to return to the playoffs.
The cornerback drew lots of interest on the open market, but his price tag was too rich for the Bengals’ blood. Instead, they pivoted to former Cowboys cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (at about half the price of Jackson’s deal) and ex-Steeler Mike Hilton (for just over 50% of WJIII’s contract).
Texans To Consider Alex Smith As Deshaun Watson Replacement?
The Texans have yet to engage in trade talks for Deshaun Watson, but the calls are still coming in — even in the midst of Watson’s off-the-field situation. If the Texans move on from Watson or lose him to league discipline, former Washington quarterback Alex Smith could be considered for the role, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). 
[RELATED: 49ers Monitored Deshaun Watson]
Smith suffered his horrific leg injury against the Texans in 2018, but managed to return to the field in 2020. According to the QB, Washington didn’t necessarily want him back. Smith went on to go 5-1 in his starts and help WFT capture the NFC East title. Smith was, understandably, not at his best. Last yar, he threw for six touchdowns against eight interceptions with a 78.5 QB rating.
“When I decided to come back, I definitely threw a wrench in the team’s plan,” Smith said earlier this year. “They didn’t see it, didn’t want me there, didn’t want me to be a part of it, didn’t want me to be on the team, the roster, didn’t want to give me a chance.”
Ron Rivera & Co. went on to cut Smith, saving $14.7MM against the cap. Although they didn’t want to give Smith a chance – or a 2021 return — the Texans could be willing to give him an opportunity.
Watson is facing upwards of 20 lawsuits alleging a variety of sexual misconduct. The league office could move to place Watson on the commissioner’s exempt list, which would keep him off the field while the legal situation plays out.
Giants’ Isaac Yiadom Takes Pay Cut
Isaac Yiadom has accepted a pay cut in order to keep his place on the Giants’ roster (Twitter link via Dan Duggan of The Athletic). The cornerback was initially slated to earn a non-guaranteed $2.15MM in 2021. Instead, he’ll earn $1.07MM with $100K locked in.
After being traded by the Broncos, Yiadom appeared in every game for the Giants last year, including ten starts. He finished out with 46 tackles, one forced fumble, and a shared sack. With 45 career games to his credit, Yiadom hit a salary escalator for the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. The Giants were prepared to cut him loose, so the two sides worked out a different arrangement.
This year, the former third-round pick will support a revamped CB group that now includes newcomer Adoree’ Jackson. Jackson and James Bradberry will serve as the starting outside corners. Jackson’s three-year deal cost the Giants a whopping $39MM, which meant that cuts and restructures would be needed. Thanks to cooperation from Yiadom, the Giants have gone from about $4.5MM in cap room to approximately $5.6MM.
Bears To Start Andy Dalton
On Monday, Bears GM Ryan Pace anointed Andy Dalton as his starting quarterback for 2021 (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jeff Dickerson). Dalton, who inked a one-year deal with Chicago earlier this year, is years removed from his best work. Still, Pace believes that Dalton can turn things around for the Bears, who have turned in two straight .500 seasons. 
Dalton’s one-year, $10MM deal was a solid indicator that he’d be starting, or at least considered for the starting role. Still, it wasn’t the splashiest choice for a team that watched Mitchell Trubisky decline over the last couple of years. For what it’s worth — the 49ers and Broncos were keenly interested in Dalton, so the Bears aren’t the only club that believes in the 33-year-old.
Both Pace and head coach Matt Nagy are on the hot seat, so there’s a lot riding on Dalton’s arm. For now, he’s slated to be backstopped by Nick Foles, though no one would be surprised to see him traded in the coming months.
Dalton enjoyed success during his run as the Bengals’ starter, earning three Pro Bowl nods and five straight postseason berths. But, after his tenure from 2011-19, the Bengals let him walk. After Dak Prescott‘s season-ending injury, he took over under center for the Cowboys. In eleven games and nine starts, the veteran finished with 14 touchdowns against eight interceptions while averaging 6.5 yards per attempt.
Ron Rivera: No Rush To Solidify WFT’s QB
Ryan Fitzpatrick will enter training camp as Washington’s top quarterback, but he’ll have to earn his starting role through competition. Meanwhile, head coach Ron Rivera says he’s in no real rush to find the team’s QB of the future.
“If you put all the other pieces into place and now you start going forward, when that guy does show up, when that guy is in the right position, you can grab him,” said Rivera (via Rhiannon Walker of The Athletic). “I went through it the other way my first stint as a head coach in Carolina. We drafted the guy of the future for us in the first round.…At that point, we had not put all the other pieces around Cam Newton.
“So, I’ve always thought if you can do it the other way where you put all the other pieces around and then go out and get your quarterback, that might be a pretty good situation, too. I’ve seen a lot of teams that have had things in place then drafted their quarterback next year. This could be one of those situations where we put all the other pieces in place and then a year or two from now, the right guy is there and we can make that move.”
For now, WFT is set to move forward with Fitz, Taylor Heinicke, Kyle Allen, and Steven Montez on the depth chart. At N0. 19 overall, they won’t be in the mix for top QBs Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, or Trey Lance. From the sound of it, they won’t be vaulting up to the top five unless they’re especially keen on one of those passers.
Texans Rework Shaq Lawson’s Deal
The Texans have converted $7MM of Shaq Lawson‘s contract into a signing bonus, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The move will carve out $5.2MM in breathing room for Houston while adding
two voidable years to the edge rusher’s deal.
[RELATED: Dolphins Trade Shaq Lawson To Texans For Benardrick McKinney]
Lawson arrived a couple weeks back in the trade that sent inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney to Miami. He was the second player from Miami’s 2020 front-seven spending spree to be jettisoned in a matter of days, following the release of Kyle Van Noy.
Lawson turned in a solid, if unspectacular, 2020 campaign with the Dolphins. Previous to that, Lawson recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks for the Bills in 2019. For all intents and purposes, Lawson’s is set to continue on the three-year, $30MM he inked with the ‘Fins last spring. But, thanks to those voidable years, the Texans can kick the can down the road a bit.
For his career, Sack-a-Shaq has 20.5 sacks across five pro seasons. Barring any further changes to his deal, he’s due to make $8.9MM in 2022.