AFC North Notes: Bengals, Rudolph, Ravens
The Bengals will have some important financial decisions to make in the coming months. Quarterback Joe Burrow is eyeing a sizable pay day on his first NFL extension, but the organization will also have to make important decisions on wideout Tee Higgins and linebacker Logan Wilson.
Naturally, the front office is hoping they’ll be able to retain their entire core. Speaking to reporters the other day, Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn stated that the organization would like to re-sign all of their notable extension-eligible players, and she added that Burrow’s impending contract shouldn’t impact the status of players like Higgins or Wilson.
“They’re all great guys that we love having and want to have for a while on our team,” she said (via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer). “So just a process that always plays out how it plays out however it plays out we’ll be looking at all of the options and alternatives and thinking about what we might be able to get done.”
Wilson, a 2020 third-round pick, has emerged as one of Cincy’s most reliable defenders. He’s started all 28 of his regular season appearances over the past two years, collecting 223 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles. Considering the organization’s eventual investment in their offense, it makes sense that they’d want to retain one of their defensive leaders.
Meanwhile, many have wondered if the Bengals will be able to afford both Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, who is eligible for an extension next offseason. Blackburn noted that the front office has time on their side as they look to fit in extensions for their key players, but she also hinted that the team’s ability to re-sign the two wide receivers will be dependent on the players themselves.
“We’ll find out,” Blackburn responded when asked if the Bengals could afford both receivers. “You know it, there are so many things that come into play. So, we’ll just play it by ear as we go and do our best to see where we can get to.”
More notes out of the AFC North…
- The Steelers have Kenny Pickett and Mitchell Trubisky atop their quarterbacks depth chart, but the front office could continue to add to the position. According to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, the organization would like to add a developmental quarterback to the mix. As the writer notes, that QB would likely be added via the draft, although he notes that the organization could choose to bring back Mason Rudolph, who is still only 27.
- The Ravens are currently armed with the 22nd pick in the draft, but it remains to be seen if they’ll end up making a selection at that point in the draft. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic writes that the Ravens are probably more likely to trade back than they are to make a selection at No. 22. The Ravens only have five picks in the upcoming draft, and while the front office may state publicly that they’re fine with the lack of selections, Zrebiec opines that they’ll be hunting for more picks. General manager Eric DeCosta previously hinted that the organization could be looking to make a trade in the first round. “We’ve got five picks. We wish we had more,” the GM said (via Zrebiec). “Our goal is probably to get more along the way if we can, depending on how things fall. But we see a great opportunity for us to add some quality players and be a better football team.”
- There have been a few coaching changes in the division. James Urban, who was previously the Ravens’ quarterbacks coach, and Craig Ver Steeg, who was Baltimore’s running backs coach, have been reassigned to senior football analyst/game-planning roles, per Zrebiec. The team also switched Keith Williams from pass game specialist to assistant wide receivers coach. Meanwhile, the Steelers announced that they’ve hired Glenn Thomas to be an offensive assistant coach. Thomas brings more than 20 years of coaching experience in both college and the NFL.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/7/23
Today’s lone minor move in the NFL:
Baltimore Ravens
- Re-signed: LB Kristian Welch
Welch, 24, has been in Baltimore since 2020. He has made 43 appearances over his Ravens tenure, including all 18 regular and postseason contests in 2022. Of his more than 900 NFL snaps, only 44 have come on defense, however, as the Iowa product has cut his teeth on special teams. Welch was not tendered as a restricted free agent earlier this offseason, but he will now be able to continue his career in Charm City as he looks to further his effectiveness in the third phase.
CB Joey Porter Jr. Visits Ravens, To Meet With Raiders
Most of the headlines surrounding the Ravens and Raiders this offseason have been centered on the quarterback position, but both teams have other positions to address. Cornerback is one of them, and Baltimore and Vegas are checking in on one of the top available prospects ahead of this month’s draft. 
The Ravens hosted Joey Porter Jr. on a top-30 visit today, and the Raiders will soon do the same (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport). The Penn State alum is, to no surprise, the product of growing interest from teams in need of additions on the perimeter. Porter has already had a local visit with the Steelers, the team which housed his father for years as both a player and coach.
Given that connection, there would be a degree of irony if the rival Ravens were to add Porter with their top pick, No. 22. Rapoport’s colleague Daniel Jeremiah has them doing just that in his latest mock, which sees two other corners (Illinois product Devon Witherspoon and Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez) drafted in the top eight before Porter. That generally falls in line with rankings at the position, with the trait which sticks out for the 6-2 product most being his length and physicality.
That allowed him to total 20 pass breakups across his four seasons with the Nittany Lions, and in some cases draw comparisons to Ravens All-Pro Marlon Humphrey. The latter is under contract in Baltimore through 2026, but fellow starter Marcus Peters remains a free agent. Peters’ likely absence in the 2023 lineup has led to many expecting Baltimore to spend its first pick on a corner like Porter, especially if no notable signings are made before the draft.
Vegas likewise has at least one hole to fill in their CBs room. Anthony Averett and Rock Ya-Sin are both unsigned. The latter had a free agent visit (with the Ravens, no less) soon after the new league year started, but all potentially interested teams are standing pat this close to the draft. Depth additions like Brandon Facyson and Duke Shelly will not deter the Raiders from adding a high-end corner prospect, though taking Porter seventh overall would be seen by many as a reach. Vegas’ next pick is No. 38, a point by which he is likely to be off the board.
Chiefs, Cowboys, Ravens Meet With WR Quentin Johnston
Although the Cowboys traded for Brandin Cooks last month, they continue to do extensive homework on this draft’s top wide receiver prospects. After meeting with Zay Flowers and Jalin Hyatt, Dallas hosted TCU pass catcher Quentin Johnston on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Johnston, who met with the Chiefs on Monday, is Baltimore-bound today for a Ravens meeting. Those two teams present needier wide receiver situations, but the Cowboys’ intel-gathering operation at receiver is a bit more interesting. The Giants have been connected to Johnston as well.
Dallas did not appear to capitalize fully on Amari Cooper‘s value last year, trading the Pro Bowler to Cleveland for fifth- and sixth-round picks. The team dealt the $20MM-per-year receiver just before the market boomed, and Cooper’s presence ended up being missed during a year that featured trade offers — one for Broncos wideout Jerry Jeudy — and a nonstop Odell Beckham Jr. free agency courtship. But the Cowboys now have Cooks, Lamb and Michael Gallup — more than a year out from his ACL tear — in the fold now. It would represent an interesting best-player-available move for Mike McCarthy‘s team to pull the trigger on a receiver early in this draft.
Then again, the Cowboys did let Dalton Schultz walk in free agency and have Cooks going into an age-30 season. Cooks’ contract runs through 2024, but the oft-traded speedster is only on the team’s books at $6MM and $10MM over the next two seasons. The veteran makes for an affordable Lamb complement. Gallup’s five-year, $57.5MM deal runs through 2026. Lamb is signed through 2023, but the team will undoubtedly exercise their WR1’s fifth-year option. Lamb is also on Dallas’ extension radar.
The Chiefs and Ravens have each been connected to both Beckham and DeAndre Hopkins. Baltimore has made Beckham an offer, though the ex-Giants Pro Bowler may well be waiting on a Jets-Aaron Rodgers trade to be finalized. But that process has stalled, potentially opening the door for other suitors. The Ravens have used first-round picks on receivers twice in the Lamar Jackson era, selecting Marquise Brown in 2019 and Rashod Bateman in 2021. The team also chose Breshad Perriman in the 2015 first round. Kansas City, conversely, has not taken a wideout in Round 1 during Andy Reid‘s tenure. The team’s last such investment — Jonathan Baldwin — came 12 years ago and did not provide much help.
ESPN’s Scouts Inc. grades Johnston as this draft’s top wide receiver, slotting him as the pool’s 12th-best prospect. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah is slightly less bullish on the ex-Horned Frog, placing him 30th overall as the fourth-best receiver talent available — in a draft that has not generated receiver hype on the level with the previous 2020s crops. Todd McShay’s most recent mock sends Johnston to the Ravens at No. 22. Johnston, who goes 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds, was instrumental in the Big 12 program completing an unexpected journey to the national championship game; he hauled in 60 passes for 1,069 yards and six touchdowns as a junior.
Ravens Will Consider Round 1 QB; Team Made Offer To Baker Mayfield?
Tyler Huntley remains in place as the Ravens’ backup quarterback, but the team did not tender its two-year QB2 on the second-round level. Baltimore giving Huntley the low-end tender would not lead to compensation if the former UDFA signed an unmatched offer sheet.
As Huntley goes into a contract year, the Ravens pursued other options for either a backup QB or insurance against a Lamar Jackson departure. The team made an offer to Baker Mayfield, per JoeBucsFan.com. An ESPN report in March indicated Baltimore looked into Mayfield and Jacoby Brissett. Mayfield signed with the Buccaneers, Brissett with the Commanders.
The Ravens faced Brissett last season, during the journeyman’s Deshaun Watson fill-in stop, and matched up with Mayfield for four seasons. Brissett signed a one-year deal worth $8MM ($7.5MM guaranteed); Mayfield inked a one-year, $4MM pact ($4MM guaranteed). Mayfield’s contract includes performance incentives. Each player will navigate in-house competition from inexperienced options — Sam Howell and Kyle Trask, respectively — but will be favored to win those jobs, unless a bigger name lands in Washington or Tampa.
Passing on a Ravens offer is logical for a quarterback hoping for a starter path. It cannot be assumed Jackson, despite his having issued a trade request March 2, will be gone. No team besides the Ravens has shown interest, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (video link) the sides have talked recently. Jackson and the Ravens spoke around 10 days ago, which was around the time the former MVP made his trade request public. The Ravens have until July 17 to sign Jackson to a long-term deal, though the sides remain far apart on guarantees. Jackson having a clear route back to Baltimore, however, would naturally lead less accomplished passers elsewhere.
Many bridge- or backup-level QBs have landed gigs since free agency started, but a few notable names have not. Teddy Bridgewater remains available, as do Carson Wentz, Mason Rudolph, Matt Ryan and 11-year Ravens starter Joe Flacco. Of course, Ryan and Flacco — each 2008 first-round picks — would be going into their age-38 seasons and are on clear declines. Bridgewater, who is preparing for his age-31 campaign, would be a better option. Wentz, 30, is open to continuing his career as a backup, but three teams have jettisoned the former No. 2 overall pick over the past three offseasons. The one-time MVP candidate would make for a polarizing insurance option.
Jackson has stuck to his guns as a self-represented player in search of Watson-level full guarantees ($230MM). The Ravens have offered Jackson $133MM guaranteed — in a deal that included a $175MM total guarantee that would have shifted to a full guarantee early in the contract — but that proposal is no longer believed to be on the table. Still, it should not be expected Jackson will pass on a $32.4MM franchise-tag salary.
Since the franchise tag was introduced in 1993, only three players — defensive linemen Sean Gilbert (1997) and Dan Williams (1998) and running back Le’Veon Bell (2018) — have skipped a season and passed on a tag paycheck. All three secured multiyear deals the following year — Gilbert and Bell from different teams, while the Chiefs circled back to Williams — but it is the extraordinarily rare path to take for a tag recipient. Jackson would have until Week 10 to report Then again, Jackson has passed on collecting franchise-QB money in each of the past two years. His 2021 route was perhaps more notable, as Watson’s Browns guarantee had not yet entered the equation.
Discussing the draft (and only the draft, as Jackson questions were declined; Ravens officials did not mention his name) Wednesday, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said (via SI.com’s Albert Breer) the team would consider a quarterback. While this may not be the full truth, as DeCosta deferred to the team’s draft board including QBs with first-round grades. But DeCosta added more than four passers in this draft can be “significant quarterbacks in this league.” The Ravens have scheduled an Anthony Richardson meeting. As of now, Richardson is the only QB the franchise is using a “30” visit on, Rapoport adds.
Draft Rumors: Bears, Jets, Patriots, Titans, Cardinals, Carter, Cowboys, Saints, Browns, Bucs, Jaguars, Ravens
Teams on the radar for tackle help will be meeting with one of the top options available. Georgia tackle Broderick Jones has at least four meetings on his pre-draft itinerary. Jones met with the Titans on Tuesday, will visit the Jets today and has his Patriots meeting on tap for Thursday, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Each of these teams exited free agency’s early waves with a question mark at one of their two starting tackle positions. The Bears are meeting with Jones, and the Cardinals are also likely to huddle up with the tackle prospect, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets.
Jones played only two full college seasons, redshirting in 2020 and declaring for the draft after his sophomore year with the Bulldogs. Of course, both those campaigns ended with Georgia winning national championships. Jones saw action behind Chargers 2022 draftee Jamaree Salyer in 2021 and took over as the Bulldogs’ full-time left tackle last season, starting all 15 Georgia games. He earned first-team All-SEC recognition for his work. The 6-foot-5 blocker grades as ESPN.com’s No. 24 overall prospect, while NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah slots the one-year college starter 19th on his big board.
Here is the latest regarding this year’s draft pool:
- Like last year, Georgia stands to be well represented in the first round. The top ex-Bulldog available will be Jalen Carter, who has generated increased scrutiny in recent weeks. After the arrest warrant interrupted Carter’s Combine, Albert Breer of SI.com notes teams outside the top 10 begun digging into the high-end defensive tackle prospect. Carter, who will not face jail time in connection with the misdemeanor warrants that arrived in February, does not plan to take visits with teams picking outside the top 10. The teams picking beyond No. 10 look to have expressed increased interest after the charges, which have affected Carter’s stock to a degree. A mediocre pro day did as well. Carter is open to meeting with teams who could trade into the top 10, and Breer adds a Laremy Tunsil-like tumble out of the top 10 should not be ruled out based on some teams’ views.
- Joining Carter and Jones as first-round-caliber talents, defensive end Nolan Smith is on a few teams’ radars. Jeremiah’s No. 16 overall prospect, Smith met with the Buccaneers on Tuesday and will visit the Ravens and Jaguars later this week, Wilson notes. A torn pectoral muscle limited Smith to eight games in 2022, and he did not top 4.5 sacks in a season with the Bulldogs. But the explosive edge — he of a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the Combine — is still viewed as a near-certainty to go off the board early. The Bucs and Ravens used first-round choices on an edge in 2021 (Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Odafe Oweh), while the Jaguars took Georgia edge rusher Travon Walker first overall last year.
- Tennessee wide receiver Jalin Hyatt visited the Cowboys on Tuesday and is meeting with the Saints today, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and The Score’s Jordan Schultz report (Twitter links). The Browns also hosted Hyatt this week, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets. Teaming with QB Hendon Hooker, Hyatt won the Biletnikoff award — given to the Division I-FBS’ top wideout — last season after catching 15 touchdown passes. After not exceeding 300 receiving yards in his first two college seasons, Hyatt broke through for 1,267 in 2022. The slender receiver sits 36th on Jeremiah’s board; Scouts Inc. slots him 44th. The Saints have also met with Hooker.
- In addition to Hyatt, the Cowboys hosted Trenton Simpson, per Rapoport, who adds a Browns visit is also on tap for the former Clemson linebacker. Simpson started for two seasons at Clemson, pairing 65 tackles with 6.5 sacks as a junior. This is not viewed as a strong off-ball linebacker class. Both Jeremiah and Scouts Inc. rate Simpson as the top ILB available; he appears outside the top 40 on both big boards.
Ravens Offered Lamar Jackson $175MM In Total Guarantees; Deal No Longer On Table
Offseason No. 3 of the Ravens-Lamar Jackson contract story has produced the biggest headlines, which include franchise tag and a trade request. But this saga’s second year included the clearest picture of Baltimore’s offer.
Long reported to have offered Jackson $133MM fully guaranteed, the Ravens proposed the former MVP a deal with $175MM in total guarantees. The $42MM injury guarantee would have shifted to a full guarantee early over the course of the contract, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. An additional $25MM — present in the fourth year of the contract — would have become guaranteed in Year 3 of the deal, Breer adds. Overall, that 2022 offer topped $290MM over six years. The $175MM in total guarantees would have topped Russell Wilson ($165MM) for second in the league.
The year-out guarantees helped move the Patrick Mahomes Chiefs extension past the goal line in 2020, and while that 10-year agreement is an outlier and rather team-friendly, the two-time MVP has protections via the advanced rolling guarantees. Mahomes joins most of the league’s franchise QBs in having signed an extension before his fourth season. Jackson joins Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins in not doing so. Prescott, however, had a deal in place by this point in his career; he signed his Cowboys extension in March 2021. Jackson has played five seasons; no resolution is in sight.
Perhaps more importantly, given the time that has passed since the 2022 offseason — when the Ravens proposed the $175MM guaranteed ahead of the Jackson-imposed negotiation deadline — Breer adds this deal is no longer on the table. The Ravens remain in fairly good position, even after their disgruntled QB’s trade request emerged, as no team has shown much interest in authorizing the monster guarantee he seeks. Baltimore has also been open to a Cousins-style short-term accord that would come fully guaranteed, per Breer, who adds Jackson is not set against one type of structure.
Cousins signed a three-year, $84MM Vikings contract in 2018; that deal helped accelerate the QB market after it had moved slower in the years leading up to that point. Jackson indicated the Ravens have offered him a Cousins-like deal — a $133MM fully guaranteed pact over three years — but the self-represented passer turned it down. Jackson, 26, has continually been linked to seeking a contract in the Deshaun Watson full guarantee neighborhood ($230MM). With no other QB tied to more than $125MM in full guarantees, Jackson and the Ravens have a substantial gap to bridge.
Jackson’s refusal to use an agent in these negotiations has generated scrutiny, and the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora notes it has contributed to the sixth-year star being in this position. Since Jackson entered the league in 2018, Mahomes, Carson Wentz, Jared Goff, Josh Allen and Kyler Murray have signed big-ticket extensions to lock in windfalls before their fourth seasons. Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert may join them this offseason. Watson earned unusual leverage to sign two deals before his sixth NFL campaign. Jackson played on his rookie salary in 2021 and the fifth-year option in 2022, putting him significantly behind his peers in earnings through five seasons. An agent might have helped prevent that outcome, and La Canfora adds some around the league believe a certified rep might also help provide clarity regarding the gridlock that has formed since the Ravens gave Jackson the $32.4MM non-exclusive tag.
The Ravens remain on solid footing with Jackson in part because teams have lined up to say they are not interested, closing doors early. These paths might not remain barricaded all the way through the July 17 tag deadline, but they are presently closed. Jackson’s playing style has caused concerns about a short career, according to one executive assessing the Ravens’ offseason (via The Athletic’s Mike Sando). Despite Jackson missing 10 regular-season games from 2021-22, his 727 carries lap the field among QBs through five seasons. Cam Newton‘s 599 are second. Another exec added that if the pass-oriented Mahomes were in this position, he would have 30 guaranteed offers.
Jackson’s injuries over the past two seasons and guarantee demands have frozen his market. The Ravens, meanwhile, want to bring back the former Heisman winner to play in new OC Todd Monken‘s scheme. A team’s draft not unfolding as planned might entice a post-draft offer sheet from another team, but for now, the Ravens are his only known suitor.
Ravens To Meet With Anthony Richardson; Seahawks On Radar For QB?
Submitting an intriguing prospect profile during an uneven 2022 season at Florida, Anthony Richardson has seen his schedule fill up. Six teams have booked visits with the high-end QB prospect, with No. 6 currently embroiled in one of the odder situations in many years at the position.
The Ravens will host Richardson on a visit, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets. Richardson’s Baltimore trip will come amid an itinerary that still includes previously reported plans to meet with the Panthers, Colts, Raiders, Falcons and Titans. The Texans are not planning to meet with Richardson, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, but a private workout is not out of the question. 105.7 The Fan had previously indicated the Ravens would host Richardson (Twitter link).
Richardson is on track to meet with the Ravens during the Lamar Jackson standoff. The former MVP continues to push for a contract that rivals Deshaun Watson‘s for fully guaranteed money. The Ravens have continually expressed a desire for Jackson to remain their starter, but the sides have been unable to come to an agreement despite the sixth-year passer having been extension-eligible since January 2021. As the Ravens navigate messy negotiations with their self-represented quarterback — who requested to be traded more than a month ago — they will meet with at least one of this year’s top prospects.
Making the playoffs last season, the Ravens do not pick until No. 22. They would need to come up with a monster trade package to move into Richardson territory. The rest of the teams meeting with the ex-Gators QB pick from Nos. 1-11. Jackson would be worth a Watson-like trade haul (a package starting with three first-rounders), but his contract demands and injury history have led to the rest of the league passing on an offer sheet. An unmatched offer sheet would lead to the Ravens receiving two first-round picks. The Colts hold the No. 4 pick and would make sense as a Jackson suitor, but Jim Irsay‘s comments about guarantees do not point to a serious push.
The Seahawks should also be considered on the Richardson radar. Pete Carroll has developed a quality rapport with the 6-foot-4 passer, Anderson adds, but Seattle has not yet scheduled a visit. The Seahawks recently re-signed Geno Smith, but that contract — despite it being billed initially as a three-year contract worth more than $100MM — looks more like a “prove it” deal. Smith signed for just $27.3MM fully guaranteed, giving the Seahawks flexibility. Carroll and GM John Schneider have been regulars at pro days this year, and the power duo has not shied away from a potential QB pick at No. 5. While Schneider is fond of first-round trade-down maneuvers, Richardson falling to No. 5 at this point would be a bit of a surprise.
Buzz at last week’s league meetings connected the Seahawks to a trade-up from No. 5 to No. 3 for either Richardson or Will Levis, Vic Tafur of The Athletic adds (subscription required). C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young are the favorites to go off the board at Nos. 1 and 2, though this is not the slam-dunk proposition a Trevor Lawrence–Zach Wilson draft start was in 2021. Richardson completed only 53.82% of his passes last season but showed tremendous athleticism during his one season as a full-time starter. Richardson, who weighed 244 pounds at the Combine, would profile as a developmental player. The Seahawks having Smith under contract for three years would help pave a potential Richardson runway.
It would be interesting to see if the Cardinals would move out of that spot to allow their division rivals to select a quarterback. The Titans have also been connected to moving into that spot for a passer, as have the Raiders. The Seahawks moving up would not seemingly require as much trade compensation, though the intra-NFC West element complicates matters.
Ravens Submit Offer To Odell Beckham Jr.
As free agency continues into April, plenty of attention continues to be aimed at Odell Beckham Jr. The list of potential destinations for the three-time Pro Bowl wideout appears to be shrinking, and at least one team has now put a contract on the table. 
The Ravens have submitted an offer to Beckham, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (video link). No terms are available, but Beckham was connected yesterday to an asking price of $15MM on a one-year deal, a figure which would come as a surprise for a number of reasons, from his injury history (including missing the entire 2022 campaign) to the underwhelming nature of this year’s receiver market.
Indeed, veteran reporter Mike Giardi notes (on Twitter) that Beckham’s cost to his next team appears to have dropped. He adds, however, that his asking price remains untenable given the uncertainty surrounding his ability to produce following multiple ACL tears. Nevertheless, it comes as no surprise that the Ravens are among the teams seriously courting the 30-year-old.
Baltimore was reported as one of a handful of teams who met with Beckham when a midseason signing seemed to still be possible. More recently, they were among the attendees at his private workout, and spoke with him at the league meetings in Arizona. The Ravens have been linked to a number of potential noteworthy moves at the WR position, following another season in 2022 in which the team produced underwhelming numbers in the passing game.
Part of that was due to the season-ending injuries suffered by Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay, the team’s top options at the position. Baltimore has added veteran Nelson Agholor on a one-year deal, but that certainly doesn’t preclude further additions being made. The Ravens have been mentioned as a suitor for not only Beckham, but also the likes of DeAndre Hopkins and Courtland Sutton on the trade front. Any moves to augment Baltimore’s pass-catching corps are thought to be made regardless of the future of quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Schefter names the Jets and Rams as other teams firmly in the mix to ultimately sign Beckham. The former squad has been increasingly connected to Beckham given their (presumed) acquisition of Aaron Rodgers and his list of desired targets upon arrival in New York. Beckham’s reaction to the Baltimore offer could mark the next turning point in his decision-making process.
WR Jordan Addison To Visit Vikings, Ravens, Giants, Patriots, Chargers
The 2023 draft offers a number of high-end receivers available in the first round, one of whom is Jordan Addison. The former Pitt and USC product is continuing a busy schedule of visits with interested teams. 
That process will include meetings with the Vikings, Ravens, Giants and Patriots, as detailed by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Each of those sit-downs will constitute one of the 30 allotted to all teams for out-of-town prospects. Wilson adds, however, that Addison also has a local visit scheduled with the Chargers.
Addison flashed plenty of potential in his first season at Pitt, totaling 666 yards on 60 catches. The following year, he and quarterback Kenny Pickett put together a massively productive campaign, one which saw Addison establish himself as one of the top wideouts in the country. In 2021, he finished second in the ACC with 100 receptions, leading the conference in yards (1,593) and touchdowns (17).
Those totals earned him All-American honors and the Biletnikoff Award, along with substantial expectations upon his transfer to USC. In his lone season with the Trojans, the 6-0, 170-pounder recorded 59 catches for 875 and eight touchdowns. While those totals came up well short of his production the year before, they helped cement his status as one of the most effective receivers in the 2023 class, particularly with respect to route running and catch radius.
Of the teams listed, the Vikings, with Justin Jefferson and the Chargers, with Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, already have established high-end wideouts. The latter (who has been listed as an NFL comp for Addison) emerged in trade rumors this offseason, though, and could be a candidate to be replaced in the near future. New England inked JuJu Smith-Schuster as a Jakobi Meyers replacement in free agency, but their pass-catching corps is likely to receive further additions in the coming weeks, including the draft.
Both the Giants and Ravens have been connected to WR moves beyond the relatively minor ones they have already made this offseason. That could, of course, include using Day 1 draft capital at the position as both teams look to take a step forward in the passing game. While Addison’s size and college experience points to him primarily operating in the slot, he represents one of the top options available around the middle of the opening round for any team eyeing an offensive boost.