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Latest On DeAndre Hopkins

April 16th, 2023 at 10:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

With most veteran receivers now off the free agent market, the fate of DeAndre Hopkins is one of the top storylines at the position. The Cardinals star has frequently been mentioned in trade rumors this offseason, and he provided the latest updates on his situation earlier today.

During an appearance on the All Things Covered Podcast, Hopkins was asked about specific landing spots in a potential trade. Having been told to only answer with body language, the 30-year-old responded positively to the suggestion of joining the Chiefs and Bills, while the opposite was true of the Jets and Patriots (video link).

While there is certainly a limit to how much one should read into his answers, Hopkins’ responses come as little surprise. Both Kansas City and Buffalo have reportedly shown interest in acquiring the five-time Pro Bowler. The Super Bowl champions fielded a WR unit without Tyreek Hill in 2022 and achieved success in doing so, but they have lost JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman in free agency. The Bills, meanwhile, have a need for a compliment to Stefon Diggs, something which could come in the draft but would also be accomplished by a Hopkins acquisition.

New England, meanwhile, was named as a team unlikely to have much success in trading for the three-time All-Pro. The presence of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien – the head coach and de facto general manager of the Texans when Hopkins was traded to Arizona in 2020 – would no doubt create an uneasy situation for the Patriots. New England signed Smith-Schuster, but could still stand to add an impact pass catcher, be it a veteran or a rookie.

The Jets have been busy remaking their WR corps in anticipation of acquiring Aaron Rodgers. That process has included the signings of Hardman and Allen Lazard, as well as a pursuit of Odell Beckham Jr. With the latter having joined the Ravens (on a deal worth far more than what the Jets, or any other team, appeared willing to offer), speculation connecting them to Hopkins could intensify. As ESPN’s Rich Cimini notes, however, a deal for Hopkins remains unlikely at this point.

Financials are at the heart of trade talks between the Cardinals and interested teams. Hopkins has massive cap hits on each of the final two years of his current contract, with Arizona’s willingness to eat some of his compensation likely to affect the trade return they receive. According to Hopkins himself, an adjusted contract upon arrival with a new team will not require a raise from his currently scheduled compensation (Twitter link).

That falls in line with previous reporting on the matter, and comes as little surprise given Hopkins’ recent decision to hire an agent amidst his willingness to rework his contract. After the draft in particular, it will be interesting to see if his apparent interest in joining an AFC heavyweight will be reciprocated.

Utah TE Dalton Kincaid Cleared Before Draft

April 16th, 2023 at 6:38pm CST by Ely Allen

This year’s draft class is extremely deep at the tight end position, and one of the top prospects faced the additional challenge of a recent injury. Despite a back injury suffered late in the season, Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid has officially been cleared for football activity prior to the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Dr. Robert Watkins sent an email to NFL teams fully clearing the 23-year-old. “Dalton Kincaid sustained a back injury while playing football on 11/26/2022,” the email said. “Subsequent MRIs have shown appropriate healing, and he has been asymptomatic with no pain and no limitation of function for at least 3 months. He is cleared to play football with no restrictions.”

The injury caused him to miss the Senior Bowl and NFL scouting combine, and a shoulder injury forced him to miss time earlier in the year, as well. The injury issues don’t help concerns about his smaller frame for an NFL tight end. Yet, Kincaid is still a stellar pass-catching option who caught at least eight touchdowns in four of five college seasons (the fifth being the COVID-shortened season).

The full clearance is big for Kincaid, who is expected to be selected in the first round later this month. He and Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer are widely anticipated to go on Day 1, while Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave and Georgia’s Darnell Washington have a chance, as well. With such a deep class, a nagging back injury could’ve really hurt Kincaid’s draft stock; a full clearance should keep Kincaid with his status as a consensus top two tight end in the draft.

With injury concerns out of the way, Kincaid has had several visits planned with NFL teams. The Ute met with the Bengals and Patriots this past week and has plans to visit the Packers in the week to come. Prior to those visits, Kincaid had spent time with the Texans, Raiders, Chargers, Jaguars, Titans, Lions, Chiefs, and Cowboys.

Chiefs Re-Sign WR Justin Watson

April 14th, 2023 at 6:53pm CST by Ely Allen

After a one-year tryout contract, Kansas City has decided to extend wide receiver Justin Watson‘s tenure with the Chiefs, according to the Twitter account of Watson’s agency, JL Sports. The Chiefs signed him to a new two-year contract worth $3.5MM, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The deal includes a guaranteed amount of $1.4MM and a potential $2.5MM in escalators and incentives that could bring the overall value of the contract up to $6MM.

In an offense that lost star wide receiver Tyreek Hill and saw both Mecole Hardman and Kadarius Toney miss much of the season with injuries, Watson provided some reliable depth. The Chiefs saw three new free agent additions lead their wide receiving corps last season as JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Watson were first, second, and third at the position in receiving yards.

Although Watson ranked only fifth on the team in receiving, 2022 was a career year for him. He matched career-highs in catches (15) and touchdowns (2) but expanded his route tree a bit down the field as he nearly doubled his previous high in receiving yards with 315, despite having the same number of receptions as his previous high. Last year was also extremely productive for Watson in terms of proving that he could stay on the field after only appearing in one game for the Buccaneers in 2021. In his first season with the Chiefs, Watson played in every game (except the AFC Championship game), starting five contests.

Kansas City lost Smith-Schuster and Hardman to free agency this offseason but return Valdes-Scantling, Toney, and second-year wideout Skyy Moore. The Chiefs also brought in former 49ers and Giants wide receiver Richie James and return a number of receivers who were on the roster but didn’t record any offensive statistics last season.

The losses of Smith-Schuster and Hardman open a door for Watson to increase his role on the Chiefs offense, but he’ll have to beat out James and several other backups for those targets. Regardless, Watson provides the Chiefs with consistent depth at the wide receiver position as well as a player who can contribute on offense and special teams.

AFC West Notes: JuJu, Chargers, Broncos

April 14th, 2023 at 5:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

After two years of low-level deals in free agency, J.J. Smith-Schuster finally cashed in via his Patriots pact. The seventh-year wide receiver signed a three-year, $25.5MM deal that came with $16MM fully guaranteed. The Pats guaranteed Smith-Schuster exactly what the Raiders locked in for Jakobi Meyers, and they will expect upper-echelon performance. Smith-Schuster, 26, increased his market through his 78-reception, 933-yard Chiefs season, becoming the Super Bowl champions’ top Tyreek Hill replacement. Smith-Schuster wanted to stay in Kansas City, and the Chiefs aimed to keep him. While Andy Reid confirmed the sides discussed a deal all the way up to the Patriots agreement, the Chiefs are going with lower-cost options at receiver presently.

“You’ve got to manage all the cap stuff. We couldn’t give him what they gave him,” Reid said, via the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, of matching the Patriots’ offer. “We talked all the way through it. It’s good for him; he deserves that opportunity.”

The Chiefs have been connected to both Odell Beckham Jr. and DeAndre Hopkins, but the OBJ path is now closed after the Ravens handed the injury-prone receiver a surprising $15MM guaranteed. Kansas City is planning bigger roles for Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore, and the team has Marquez Valdes-Scantling attached to what is now a pay-as-you-go contract. Valdes-Scantling’s deal runs through 2024. Here is the latest from the rest of the AFC West:

  • While the Chiefs may be looking to add a piece at receiver in the draft, the Chargers appear ready to add an early-round target. The Bolts are believed to be looking for pass-catching help early in the draft, Jordan Reid of ESPN.com notes. Holding the No. 21 overall pick, the Chargers are coming off a season in which Keenan Allen and Mike Williams both missed extended stretches. While Tom Telesco pushed back against an Allen trade, the Pro Bowler is going into his age-31 season. The Chargers still roster Josh Palmer as a WR3, while DeAndre Carter signed with the Raiders. The Bolts, who have deep threat Jalen Guyton coming off an ACL tear, are seeking perimeter speed, per Reid, who adds Jordan Addison could be a name to watch. Chargers wideouts coach Chris Beatty recruited Addison while at Pitt.
  • The Broncos appear to have four locked-in starters on their offensive line, having signed Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers to go with left tackle Garett Bolles and guard Quinn Meinerz. Center Lloyd Cushenberry has struggled during his Denver tenure and is going into a contract year after an injury-plagued 2022. The Broncos are doing work on centers ahead of this draft, Reid adds. The team holds the Nos. 67 and 68 overall picks. Beyond top center John Michael Schmitz, ESPN’s Scouts Inc. views second- and third-ranked centers Olusegun Oluwatimi (Michigan) and Luke Wypler (Ohio State) as third-round-caliber snappers.
  • One of the Broncos’ stopgap O-line solutions last year, Billy Turner, is not expected back with the team. Turner, whom the Broncos used at right tackle in 2022, told the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson he is not in the team’s 2023 plans (Twitter link). Turner, 31, has enjoyed two Denver stints but followed Nathaniel Hackett over from Green Bay last year. The nine-year veteran said he is 100% after knee trouble limited him last season.
  • Broncos cornerback Faion Hicks was arrested earlier this month for carrying a concealed firearm, Mike Klis of 9News notes. This is a third-degree felony charge; the arrest occurred in Hallandale, Florida. Hicks is free on bond. The Broncos drafted Hicks in the 2022 seventh round; he saw action in only two games and did not play a defensive snap.

Latest On Michigan DL Mazi Smith’s Draft Stock

April 12th, 2023 at 9:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Mazi Smith is turning into a popular name leading up to the draft. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Michigan defensive lineman has had more than 20 meetings or visits with teams.

The Bills were one of the most recent teams to meet with Smith, with Rapoport noting that the team had a top-30 visit with the prospect today. The Chiefs and Steelers previously met with the defensive lineman at Michigan, and Rapoport also connects the Bears, Eagles, Cowboys, Cardinals, and Saints to the player.

Over the past two years, Smith had 85 tackles and five tackles for loss in 28 games for the Wolverines. The 2022 campaign had majors ups and downs for the player. He was arrested in October after being found to be in possession of a gun without a license. The ensuing felony charge was later dismissed in favor of a guilty plea on a misdemeanor. Then, following the season, Smith earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, putting him firmly on the NFL map.

The six-foot-three, 323-pound lineman has been lauded for his size and athleticism. Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com previously compared Smith’s “rough-and-tumble style” to that of fellow defensive line prospect Bryan Bresee‘s “finesse.” NFL.com ultimately gave him the third-highest combine grade among defensive tackles, although the site questioned his ability to produce behind the line of scrimmage. That lack of pass-rushing prowess could end up forcing Smith into the second round, but his growing collection of top-3o visits certainly bodes well for his chances of being selected on the first day of the draft.

Chiefs, Cowboys, Ravens Meet With WR Quentin Johnston

April 6th, 2023 at 10:14am CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Chiefs Meet With CB Cam Smith

April 2nd, 2023 at 1:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chiefs are once again scheduled to have the last pick of the first round in the upcoming draft, but a number of high-end prospects will be available with the 31st selection. Kansas City could use it to add to their secondary, as they did last year.

The Chiefs hosted former South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith on a pre-draft visit recently, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). That marked the first of what will be several sit-downs with NFL teams, given Smith’s status as one of the top corners in this year’s deep class at the position.

The redshirt junior appeared in 32 contests during his college career, playing a key role in the Gamecocks’ success on the backend. Smith totaled six interceptions and 18 pass breakups, primarily operating as the team’s nickel corner. That allowed him to live up to his expectations as a former four-star recruit and solidify his status as a potential first-round pick. Competition from the likes of Devon Witherspoon, Christian Gonzalez, Joey Porter Jr. and Deonte Banks, among others, could push Smith to the second round, though.

Kanas City invested heavily in their defense last year at the draft, using their first-round picks on cornerback Trent McDuffie and edge rusher George Karlaftis. The former operated as a full-time starter immediately, logging a 95% snap share in his rookie campaign. McDuffie went without an interception during both the regular and postseason, but he was a key contributors in pass coverage on a generally young backend for the Super Bowl champions.

The team’s CB group also incudes fellow 2022 draftees Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson, who each played a role alongside McDuffie and L’Jarius Sneed. The play of the younger members of the unit allowed Kansas City to trade away Rashad Fenton at the deadline, a move which leaves open a vacancy for another addition this offseason. The Chiefs have not brought in any free agent corners, but Smith will be one of many options to choose from if they wish to spend more premium draft capital at the cornerback spot later this month.

Chiefs To Re-Sign S Deon Bush

March 31st, 2023 at 4:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

A year after bringing Deon Bush over from the Bears, the Chiefs will give him the opportunity to play an eighth NFL season. The veteran safety/special-teamer agreed to terms on a new Kansas City accord Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Bush, who is going into his age-30 season, will stay in Missouri on a one-year deal. The seven-year vet has experience as a starter, but his most common roles have come on special teams. The Chiefs took advantage of the longtime Bear’s special teams abilities last season, using him on 73% of their ST plays.

Bush’s 317 special teams snaps last season marked a career-high number. This role came a year after he played 44% of Chicago’s defensive snaps during his final Bears season; the Chiefs deployed the former fourth-round pick on just 71 defensive plays in 2022. Bush has been a steady special teams presence for most of his career, having logged at least a 60% ST snap rate in each of the past five seasons.

The Chiefs lost Juan Thornhill in free agency, a year after they let Tyrann Mathieu and Daniel Sorensen defect to the Saints, but added Mike Edwards from the Buccaneers. Kansas City now has Edwards, Justin Reid and Bryan Cook in place as its top safeties (those three entered Friday as the only safeties on K.C’s roster).

Bush will be in position to provide in-case-of-emergency depth while likely playing another major role on Dave Toub‘s ST units.

AFC West Coaching Updates: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers

March 25th, 2023 at 5:03pm CST by Ely Allen

The Broncos announced several additions to their coaching staff today as they attempt to round out Sean Payton‘s first coaching staff in Denver. While we’ve already covered most of the offensive additions, the defensive announcements were new to report.

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is adding some NFL and college experience to the staff. The team reportedly lured veteran NFL defensive coach Joe Vitt out of retirement to join the Broncos as a senior defensive assistant. On the other end of the spectrum, Denver hired veteran college assistant Jamar Cain as its new pass rush specialist. Cain spent last year as LSU’s defensive run game coordinator/defensive line coach.

Lastly on the defensive side, the Broncos hired Isaac Shewmaker and Addison Lynch as defensive quality control coaches. The only offensive announcement we had yet to cover was another new quality control coach, Favian Upshaw.

Here are some other coaching updates from around the AFC West, starting with the defending Super Bowl champions:

  • The Chiefs‘ offensive staff lost some talent in the offseason after another extremely successful campaign, necessitating some updates to the coaching staff. Joe Bleymaier was promoted from wide receivers coach to the title of pass game coordinator. Replacing him at wide receivers coach will be former offensive quality control coach Connor Embree, a large step up. Todd Pinkston joins the team to coach running backs after formerly serving as the wide receivers coach at Austin Peay. Former offensive quality control coach Porter Ellett will join him as assistant running backs coach. Dan Williams, formerly an offensive assistant, has taken one of the offensive quality control positions along with the added title of assistant quarterbacks coach. Filling his old offensive assistant role will be Kevin Saxton, who formerly served as the co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Benedict College.
  • The Chargers also went to the college ranks to make a coaching addition, according to Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports. Los Angeles hired former Georgia Southern defensive coordinator Will Harris to serve as assistant secondary coach in 2023. Before his time as a coordinator, Harris had coached a slew of talented future NFL players as the defensive backs coach at the University of Washington.
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