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Patriots Hosting Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy

April 14th, 2024 at 6:30pm CST by Ely Allen

The closer and closer we get to the 2024 NFL Draft, the more certain it seems that a run of quarterbacks will start the event. What continues to be entirely uncertain is the pecking order of passers following USC quarterback Caleb Williams. One popular name who continues to see his stock rise is Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who is set to visit the Patriots over the next two days, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

McCarthy originally entered the pre-draft process as a likely candidate to be selected outside of the first round. The former starter of the reigning College Football Playoff champion Wolverines, McCarthy flew up draft boards as the pre-draft process went on, essentially cementing his status as a likely Day 1 pick. As he’s continued to impress at the NFL scouting combine and Michigan’s pro day, McCarthy’s draft stock has risen even more, making a case not only to be a top-four draft pick, but also to be the No. 2 overall selection after Williams.

Following the Bears’ No. 1 overall pick, the Commanders and Patriots follow at Nos. 2 and 3. McCarthy visited Washington earlier this week, and now he’ll get out to New England for a visit with the Patriots. McCarthy has come a long way from being in danger of falling outside of the first round and is now garnering attention from two teams at the top of this month’s draft.

It’s not all up to McCarthy, though. LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels and North Carolina passer Drake Maye have long been in the conversation for the those second and third picks, as well. Maye saw the Commanders and Patriots comprise the largest NFL contingents at his pro day. Daniels, though, is seeming to be the favorite to be picked by Washington. If Daniels is, indeed, the choice at No. 2 overall, this weekend’s trip to New England could do a lot to affect the Patriots’ intentions at No. 3.

Of course, there’s always a chance that the Patriots could choose to trade back out of the third overall selection, not taking Maye, Daniels, or McCarthy, but that’s a very unlikely scenario. According to Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston, the price for New England to move out of the top three is likely going to be too high for any team to accomplish a move up into their draft slot.

So, McCarthy’s visit looms large. The 21-year-old will reportedly have dinner tonight with team officials before spending tomorrow in Foxborough for his visit. He’ll be the last out of himself, Daniels, and Maye to meet with the team, but if he can leave the best, lasting impression, he could find himself as the preferred option at No. 3, if he doesn’t get chosen by Washington at No. 2, of course.

Tom Brady Not Ruling Out Comeback

April 11th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Flacco managed to win Comeback Player of the Year acclaim despite not debuting for the Browns until December. This came as Tom Brady, who memorably backtracked on his first retirement in 2022, remained out of the game. The all-time great, once again, may be waffling on being fully retired.

Appearing on an episode of DeepCut with VicBlends, Brady said he “wouldn’t be opposed to” coming back in the right situation. Given the number of quarterbacks that went down last season, opportunities opened last year. Brady’s hometown 49ers also extended an invitation for him to sign last year — a situation that would have seen the 46-year-old icon mentor Brock Purdy — but he declined.

“I’m not opposed to it,” Brady said of another comeback, via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. “I don’t know if they’re going to let me, if I become an owner of an NFL team, I don’t know. I’m always going to be in good shape, always going to be able to throw the ball. So, to come in for a little bit, like MJ coming back, I don’t know if they’d let me, but I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”

This response came after Brady was asked a question about a Flacco-type return to join a contender who lost its starting QB late in a season. Set to start his high-priced contract as FOX’s lead game analyst, Brady has also seen the NFL stall his path to becoming a Raiders minority owner. This situation has been delayed for nearly a year. Brady agreed to buy a stake in the Raiders in May 2023, but owners have yet to approve him as a part-owner of the AFC West club. Brady’s FOX affiliation, and the price Mark Davis set for him to buy in, have represented hurdles here. Progress emerged on this front in February, but the matter remained unresolved at last month’s owners’ meetings.

Brady passed on the 49ers, who certainly offered just about as good of a situation as there was last season, so it would be interesting to see just what would pique his interest about a second unretirement. The 23-year veteran mentioned the Patriots and Raiders as teams he could potentially play for. Neither brings anything close to the roster strength last year’s 49ers edition supplied. When asked about playing in 2023 last June, Brady said he was “certain” he was done playing. Nearly a year later, it does not appear that is the case.

Brady’s 2022 season did not match the quality he submitted in 2021 — a second-team All-Pro campaign — or late in 2020, when his improved play rallied the Buccaneers to the Super Bowl LV title. But he was certainly a starter-caliber passer at age 45. The seven-time Super Bowl champion being out of the league for a year and being set to turn 47 before next season would stand to make teams skittish, as there is no track record of a non-specialist playing at that age. As Brady’s ownership path may be stalled, he has not so subtly reopened the door about playing yet another season.

Citing Michael Jordan’s early-2000s Washington Wizards comeback as a player/owner, Brady attempted to pull off this double with the Dolphins in 2022. That brought consequences for the AFC East franchise, which was docked first- and third-round picks for tampering with Brady and Sean Payton that year. It would seem easier for Brady if he put the ownership matter on hold and agreed to return — a decision that would again shake up FOX’s plans — but it does not appear he is ready to do that. Brady is already a part-owner of Davis’ WNBA franchise (the Las Vegas Aces).

While Flacco made a successful comeback in Cleveland, he was in the NFL (and in his 30s) in 2022. The 49ers, however, also had loose plans to sign Philip Rivers had they made a miraculous comeback in the 2022 NFC championship game. Rivers retired after the 2020 season; a re-emergence after Purdy’s UCL tear in Super Bowl LVII would have involved the ex-Chargers and Colts QB returning in the emergency circumstance at age 41. Brady changing his mind again at 47 would add another chapter to his historically unique legacy. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a legitimate storyline going forward.

Draft Notes: Titans, Alt, Chargers, Jags, Hawks, Cardinals, Bucs, Pats, Latu, Rams

April 11th, 2024 at 8:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Cutting Andre Dillard and not replacing him to this point, the Titans have a clear left tackle need going into a draft loaded with high-end prospects at the position. The Titans are “definitely” interested in Joe Alt, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller writes, noting the team’s recent visit and Combine meeting with the two-time All-American. But the Chargers should be considered a team to watch for the Notre Dame alum. The Bolts, whose first-round slot (No. 5) is two in front of the Titans’, have a clear wide receiver need but have hired a coach (Jim Harbaugh) who has not emphasized that position.

Alt continues to come up in connection to the Chargers at 5, ESPN’s Jordan Reid adds, and SI.com’s Albert Breer is not sure the Titans will have a chance at the decorated blocker due to the Bolts staying drafting Alt at 5. Alt would replace Trey Pipkins at right tackle in this scenario. Alt was a left tackle for the Fighting Irish and would step in there immediately if he lasted until the Titans at 7. One avenue for Tennessee to have a shot here would be if the Bolts trade down — a move they have made it known they are willing to make. Other quality tackles like Alabama’s JC Latham and Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga could be options for the Bolts if they move down, Reid adds.

Here is the latest from the draft:

  • Personnel around the NFL are tying the Jaguars to a cornerback investment at No. 17, Reid adds in the above-referenced ESPN piece. Jacksonville has hosted both Alabama CBs — Terrion Arnold, Kool-Aid McKinstry — and has a need at the position due to the Darious Williams cut. The Jags signed Ronald Darby, but the 30-year-old CB is signed to a two-year deal that can be shed easily in 2025. A young corner to pair with Tyson Campbell would make sense. With Josh Allen signed long term and Trevor Lawrence perhaps on deck this year, the Jags finding quality starters on rookie contracts will be paramount.
  • The Cardinals and Seahawks have hosted Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson on visits this week, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes. The ex-Nittany Lions sack artist has been busy during the draft run-up, having already met with the Eagles, Ravens, Saints, Giants and Jets. Robinson would come into play for the Cardinals if they moved down from No. 4, but Arizona — which certainly needs help on the edge — also holds the No. 27 choice courtesy of its Texans trade early in last year’s draft. The Seahawks hold the No. 16 selection. Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com mock draft sends Robinson to the Buccaneers at 26.
  • Speaking of the Bucs, they recently brought in Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley for a pre-draft meeting, Pelissero tweets. The Bucs have plenty of money allocated to the receiver position, with both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on deals north of the $20MM-AAV mark. Corley profiles as a second-round option in a deep receiver draft, with teams who pass on filling a WR need in Round 1 likely paying attention to the ex-Hilltoppers standout’s status entering Day 2. The Browns, Ravens, Seahawks and 49ers have also scheduled Corley visits.
  • Moving to another Day 2-level wideout, Troy Franklin is believed to have scheduled a Patriots meeting, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. The Patriots not landing Calvin Ridley places them on the radar for a wideout in Round 2, assuming they fill their QB need at No. 3 overall. The Pats did sign K.J. Osborn and kept Kendrick Bourne off the market, but the team’s rookie QB will need more help.
  • Most teams to meet with UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu have cleared him medically, per Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline, who indicates the Rams are one of them. A neck issue forced a Latu medical retirement in 2020, and the ex-Washington recruit missed the 2021 season. He re-emerged to post back-to-back double-digit sack seasons in L.A., and ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop notes edge rusher is a priority for the Rams. With Aaron Donald gone and the team not making any additions here in free agency, that adds up. The reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year has already met with the Eagles, Bears, Broncos, Vikings and Cardinals.

Patriots, S Kyle Dugger Agree To Deal

April 11th, 2024 at 10:20am CST by Rory Parks

APRIL 11: Dugger’s new pact is guaranteed in full for its first two years; he will collect $29.75MM over that span, as detailed by the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin (the additional $2.75MM guaranteed, set to paid out in Year 3, is conditional). The contract includes an $18MM signing bonus along with per-game roster bonuses worth up to $5MM. Dugger’s cap hit will sit at $7.5MM in 2024 before rising to $11MM the following season, then $12.5MM and $13.5MM.

APRIL 7: Patriots safety Kyle Dugger is no longer on the transition tag. Per Mike Garafolo and Eric Edholm of NFL Media, player and team are in agreement on a four-year contract, which NFL Media colleague Ian Rapoport says has a base value of $58MM (including $32.5MM in guaranteed money). The maximum value, according to Rapoport, is $66MM.

This offseason, New England made it a point to retain its homegrown talent, re-signing players like Michael Onwenu, Anfernee Jennings, and Josh Uche. At one time, Dugger seemed the likeliest of that group to remain in Foxborough on a long-term basis, with the Patriots submitting a $13MM/year offer to the Lenoir-Rhyne product shortly before the deadline to apply the franchise or transition tag. The two sides were unable to come to terms prior to that deadline, which compelled the Pats to deploy the transition tag, but it ultimately did not take too long for an agreement to be consummated.

Per the rules of the transition tag, if Dugger had signed an offer sheet with another team and New England declined to match the offer sheet, the Patriots would have received no draft pick compensation. Fortunately for them, no outside club extended an offer, as Dan Duggan of The Athletic confirms. As such, all the Pats needed to do was bump the average annual value of Dugger’s new contract ($14.5MM) slightly above the $13.8MM transition tag value to get a deal done.

In terms of both AAV and total guarantees, Dugger now ranks fifth in the league’s safety hierarchy (excluding Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr., who remains on the franchise tag as of the time of this writing). That underscores his importance to New England’s defense, a unit that finished in the top-10 in total yardage and defensive DVOA in 2023.

Now 28, Dugger has been a full-time starter for most of his four-year career, racking up nine interceptions (including two pick-sixes) and 20 passes defensed along the way. He has not yet earned any Pro Bowl acclaim, and his Pro Football Focus evaluation in 2023 was less than ideal; PFF assigned him an abysmal 50.0 coverage grade and considered him the 68th-best safety out of 95 qualified players.

While it is true that Dugger is more suited to play near the line of scrimmage — he eclipsed 100 tackles for the first time in his career last season — he did yield a fairly modest 82.7 QB rating on passes thrown in his direction in 2023, and his PFF evaluation was much more favorable in 2022, when the advanced metrics placed him as the 11th-best safety among 88 qualifiers.

Regardless of what PFF might say, the Patriots clearly consider Dugger to be a foundational player and value his versatility (in addition to lining up in the box and at free safety, he has also seen action as a slot and boundary corner, on special teams, and even on the D-line). His new contract will keep him under club control into the Pats’ next competitive window.

Traded NFL Draft Picks For 2024

April 10th, 2024 at 10:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the 2024 draft nears, numerous picks have already changed hands. A handful of picks have already been moved twice, with a few being traded three times. Multiple deals from 2021 impact this draft. Here are the 2024 picks to have been traded thus far:

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

NFL Staff Updates: Hawks, Dolphins, Slater

April 10th, 2024 at 9:06pm CST by Ely Allen

The Seahawks have added a new face to their front office, according to team senior reporter John Boyle. Boyle tells us that Joey Laine has been hired as Seattle’s new vice president of football administration.

Laine was hired by the Packers last year to the role of salary cap analyst. Before that, he spent seven years in Chicago serving as the Bears’ chief contract negotiator. He also looked after the team’s salary cap situation and strategic planning while ensuring compliance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

Seattle announced the hiring of a new assistant coach, as well. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, the Seahawks are bringing in former Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton to serve as an offensive assistant. Keeton most recently spent the 2023 season as an offensive analyst at Marshall. He was hired to be Montana State’s new quarterbacks coach in January but will instead take his first job in the NFL.

Here are a few other coaching and staffing updates from around the league:

  • The Dolphins also brought in a new coaching assistant from the college ranks, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Rob Everett, formerly a senior offensive analyst at the University of Wisconsin, will come in as a new Miami offensive assistant. Before his time with the Badgers, Everett was a defensive coordinator at Division III Bridgewater College.
  • Patriots special teams legend Matthew Slater announced his retirement in February after 16 years in New England. We noted at the time that Slater’s attention would now turn to his post-playing days, and it didn’t take long as Conor Ryan of Boston.com reports that Slater will stick around with the Patriots in a new role. Right now, it’s unclear whether the position is a paid, full-time gig or if Slater is simply volunteering, but the 10-time Pro Bowler was on hand for the team’s first day of their voluntary offseason workout program today. New head coach Jerod Mayo has already made a habit of hiring former Patriots players as coaches, hiring Dont’a Hightower as the team’s linebackers coach and Tiquan Underwood as assistant wide receivers coach. Slater may just be the next to join in the fun.

QB Jayden Daniels To Meet With Six Teams

April 9th, 2024 at 7:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

TODAY, 7:20pm: Daniels’ visit with the Commanders has officially been scheduled. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the quarterback will visit with the team next Monday and Tuesday.

MARCH 27, 11:00am: Jayden Daniels is going through an abbreviated pro day Wednesday. The 2023 Heisman winner is expected to throw, but NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe notes the LSU product is not planning to perform other drills. He will then prepare for a cross-country tour of “30” visits.

The fast-rising prospect already has six meetings scheduled, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Commanders, Patriots, Giants, Vikings, Broncos and Raiders are planning to meet with Daniels. This sextet of teams makes sense due to QB needs or draft proximity.

The Bears not being included is notable, and the team not meeting with the dual-threat talent would only further solidify its intentions of starting the draft with a Caleb Williams pick. Considering the 2022 Heisman winner has hovered over this draft class for months, the Bears not taking a meeting with another QB prospect would not be too surprising. Then again, a Chicago meeting could emerge down the road during the pre-draft process. Ryan Poles, however, is among several prominent execs or HCs at the pro day.

As should be expected, Antonio Pierce is at LSU’s pro day. The Raiders HC has offered persistent Daniels praise, after being on Arizona State’s staff during the QB prospect’s time with the Sun Devils. Jerod Mayo, Dan Quinn, Dennis Allen, Adam Peters and Joe Hortiz are among the other HCs and execs in attendance today in Baton Rouge, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham joins his boss at the pro day, per Breer.

High-end wide receiver prospect Malik Nabers is also generating considerable attention, as should be expected. After declining to weigh in at the Combine, Daniels checked in at 210 pounds today, per Breer.

Each of the teams preparing to bring in Daniels holds a pick between Nos. 2 and 13. The Raiders are on the low end here, landing at No. 13 after they completed a sweep of the Broncos in Week 18. Although mock drafts have regularly sent Daniels to Washington or New England at No. 2 or No. 3, Las Vegas has been consistently connected to him. Daniels attended the Raiders’ regular-season finale to support Pierce, celebrating with the team in the locker room after the game. Connected to a potential trade-up, the Raiders are also believed to have brought up Daniels during their OC search.

The Vikings (No. 11) and Broncos (No. 12) reside well outside of Daniels range as well, but both are logically being tied to a trade-up maneuver. Minnesota acquired Houston’s first-round pick (No. 27), providing more ammo to climb up for a passer. Denver does not have its second-rounder, sending it to New Orleans for Sean Payton, and traded three first-round picks — for Payton and Russell Wilson — from 2022-23. Although the Broncos are planning to acquire another veteran to compete with Jarrett Stidham, they will surely be in on first-round QBs.

Washington (No. 2) and New England (No. 3) have clear needs. How the Commanders proceed will be a pivot point in this draft, with the team now tied to three passers — Daniels, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy — at No. 2. Patriots trade-down rumblings have emerged, though a previous rumor suggested some of the team’s scouts are higher on Daniels than Maye. The Pats are doing considerable recon ahead of their Daniels meeting, with Breer adding nine New England representatives are on-hand today.

If the Commanders want Daniels, trade-ups will not factor into the equation. The Giants could also be left out if they are eyeing last year’s Heisman recipient, seeing as the Commanders will be unlikely to trade them the No. 2 pick. Steadily linked to QBs despite Daniel Jones‘ employment, New York has a big-picture decision to make. The team, which holds the No. 6 pick, can easily move on from Jones by 2025. The Giants have already met with Maye and McCarthy.

Transferring to LSU in 2022, Daniels broke through with a dominant final season and became the second Tigers QB to win the Heisman in four years. Following Joe Burrow, Daniels obviously displayed a more versatile skillset than the pocket passer. Accounting for 50 TDs (40 passing) last season, Daniels paired 3,812 passing yards with 1,134 on the ground. The ex-Arizona State recruit completed 72.2% of his passes, setting himself up to go early in this year’s draft.

Draft Notes: Sweat, Seahawks, Titans, Bears, Patriots, Packers, Mims, Eagles, Broncos

April 9th, 2024 at 10:06am CST by Sam Robinson

Ranked as the No. 3 defensive tackle on Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board, T’Vondre Sweat has an off-field issue to navigate ahead of the draft. The Texas alum was arrested on a DWI charge over the weekend. Sweat was involved a two-car accident, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg, who indicates the DT’s SUV collided with a sedan shortly before 5am on Sunday. The Seahawks and Titans are among the teams performing some due diligence on Sweat, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero indicating the ex-Longhorns D-lineman met with the Titans on Monday and will fly to Seattle for a “30” visit later this week. Sweat posted a $3K bond following his arrest.

Here is the latest from the draft ranks:

  • Widely expected to begin the draft by taking Caleb Williams first overall, the Bears still hold another top-10 pick. Pertaining to the latter draft slot, the team is hosting Alabama tackle JC Latham on a two-day visit that runs through Tuesday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. Latham has already met with the Cardinals and Titans. One of this draft’s supply of intriguing tackle prospects, Latham is on track to be a first-round pick. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board ranks the first-team All-SEC blocker 18th overall, while ESPN slots him 12th. The Bears have Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright, their 2023 first-round pick, as their starting tackles. A recent report indicated Chicago is unlikely to trade its No. 9 pick.
  • Another of the Round 1-level tackle prospects in this draft pool, Tyler Guyton visited the Patriots recently, ESPN’s Mike Reiss notes. Ranked 23rd on Jeremiah’s big board, Guyton stands 6-foot-8 and is more projection than proven talent. Only garnering honorable mention All-Big 12 acclaim last season, Guyton made just 15 college starts. Five of those came at TCU in 2022 before transferring. The Patriots re-signed Michael Onwenu with the intention of keeping him at right tackle, but with Trent Brown leaving for Cincinnati, New England still has a need at left tackle. Barring a trade out of No. 3 — certainly a possibility — the Pats would need to address this issue after the first round.
  • This draft class features another raw tackle talent drawing first-round consideration. Amarius Mims has Guyton beat, starting eight games in three Georgia seasons. Six of Mims’ starts came at right tackle last season. The 6-foot-8, 340-pound tackle missed time at Georgia, requiring ankle surgery early last season, and suffered a hamstring injury while running at the Combine. Viewed as high-ceiling talent, Mims has drawn understandable concerns about his durability, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid.
  • The Eagles and Broncos are two teams to monitor with regards to an early-round tackle investment, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller writes. Although Philadelphia just extended left tackle Jordan Mailata, stalwart RT Lane Johnson is heading into his age-34 season. The Eagles are typically proactive on their O-line. The Broncos have two high-priced tackles (and a rather glaring QB need) in Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey, but Bolles is going into a contract year. The second pick going to the Saints in the Sean Payton trade is the Broncos’ 2024 second-rounder, leaving Denver with only a third after its No. 12 overall slot.
  • Add the Packers to the list of teams to meet with cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry. The Alabama product visited Green Bay on Monday, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein. This will follow McKinstry meetings with the Jaguars, Buccaneers and Lions. Regarded as a more highly touted prospect going into last season, McKinstry has seen teammate Terrion Arnold leapfrog him. The latter ranks higher now, though McKinstry should still hear his name called early. Save for the Jordan Love pick, the Packers have used a defense-focused approach in Round 1 for more than a decade. Beyond Love, Green Bay’s last offensive player chosen in Round 1 was tackle Derrick Sherrod in 2011.

DB Logan Ryan Announces Retirement

April 9th, 2024 at 8:17am CST by Sam Robinson

Nearly two months after returning to the Super Bowl stage, Logan Ryan is stepping away from football. The versatile defensive back announced his retirement after 11 seasons Tuesday morning (video link).

The former Patriots draftee later made his way to the Titans, Giants, Buccaneers and 49ers. The San Francisco agreement did not come to pass until early December, shortly after Talanoa Hufanga‘s season-ending injury. Ryan, 33, went from spending most of 2023 out of football to playing 62 defensive snaps in Super Bowl LVIII. He closes his career with 19 interceptions.

That marked Ryan’s third Super Bowl appearance. The 2013 third-rounder was a backup cornerback in Super Bowl XLIX but a starter by the time the Patriots returned to a Super Bowl two years later. Ryan played every Patriots defensive snap in their historic comeback past the Falcons, parlaying that season into a three-year, $30MM Titans contract.

A Rutgers alum, Ryan started 124 games and suited up for 19 playoff contests. Primarily playing cornerback in New England and Tennessee, Ryan was one of the top tacklers at the position during this NFL period. That helped a transition to safety commence during his Giants tenure. The Giants picked up Ryan late in the 2020 offseason and handed the New Jersey native an extension (three years, $31MM) months after that signing.

During Ryan’s final Titans season (2019), the team voyaged to its first AFC championship game since 2002. The 5-foot-11 defender had returned from a broken leg that ended his 2018 season. Ryan helped the 2019 Titans’ cause by making 113 tackles — 31 more than any other corner registered that season — as primarily a slot defender. Ryan’s 2019 playoffs included a pick-six on Tom Brady, ending the Patriots’ Super Bowl LIII title defense in the wild-card round. Ryan also intercepted a pass and sacked Brock Osweiler during the Patriots’ divisional-round win over the Texans in 2016.

The COVID-19-marred 2020 offseason led to several veterans lingering in free agency for months, as visits were shut down for an extended period. Ryan belatedly landed with the Giants on August 31, 2020, soon completing the transition to a safety role. This came after he displayed high-level blitzing chops, tallying 8.5 sacks over his final two Titans seasons.

Teaming with Xavier McKinney in 2021, Ryan notched a career-high 117 tackles in his second Giants season. Ryan’s two Giants years overlapped with ex-Patriots special teams coordinator Joe Judge’s New York tenure. The team moved on shortly after hiring Joe Schoen as GM, cutting Ryan and letting Jabrill Peppers join the Patriots in free agency. The Giants have since passed on re-signing ex-Ryan safety teammates McKinney and Julian Love, effectively starting over at the position.

The Buccaneers gave Ryan an opportunity in 2022, but a foot fracture limited his on-field work in Tampa. Ryan played in nine games with the Bucs, starting six, but the team did not bring him back in 2023. The 49ers reached out to Ryan following Hufanga’s injury, encouraging him to go on a booked cruise with his family before joining the team for the stretch run. After playing 12 defensive snaps over his first three 49ers games, Ryan was on the field for every San Francisco defensive play in Week 17, as the team wrapped up home-field advantage. He then played 100% of the 49ers’ defensive snaps against the Packers in the divisional round.

Ryan moved into the San Francisco slot role by Super Bowl LVIII and was the closest defender in coverage on Mecole Hardman‘s game-winning touchdown — one that wrapped the NFL’s longest Super Bowl — but the veteran safety/corner provided the 49ers with some pivotal reps leading up to that point. Discounting a short-field, one-play TD possession in the third quarter, it took the Chiefs until overtime to mount a touchdown drive against the 49ers. Ryan played in both the NFL’s overtime Super Bowls.

Over his career, Ryan earned just more than $69MM. The Titans authorized Ryan’s biggest contract, one he played out in the late 2010s, but he earned more than $15MM with the Giants as well.

Latest On Patriots’ Plans At No. 3

April 8th, 2024 at 3:00pm CST by Ben Levine

APRIL 8: Especially with New England having lined up ‘top 30’ visits with both Daniels and McCarthy, it would still come as little surprise to see the team remain at No. 3 and add the highest-ranked passer still on the board. However, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes the Patriots have only committed three such visits to quarterbacks (Daniels, McCarthy and Maye), adding his sense is the team has not yet fully committed to one draft strategy over another.

Plenty of time remains for the Patriots to finalize their draft board, of course, and much of their decision when on the clock will depend on the Commanders’ actions at No. 2. As things stand, now, though, uncertainty surrounds New England’s preferred direction.

APRIL 2: The Patriots’ plans with the third-overall pick are partly dependent on how the top-two selections unfold. However, it’s seeming increasingly likely that the organization will opt for a quarterback with their first-round pick.

According to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, league executives believe the Patriots will take a quarterback at No. 3. While Kyed says the team won’t force the selection, it sounds like the organization’s top decision makers are in favor of drafting a QB.

The question is: which quarterback will the Patriots select? Since the Patriots won’t have their choice of QBs, we probably won’t hear anything definitive out of New England. Caleb Williams is the assumed first-overall pick, and Kyed believes the Patriots would love the opportunity to choose between LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye (in the scenario where the Commanders opt for Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy or another position).

If the Patriots do somehow have the opportunity to choose between Daniels and Maye, Kyed knows there are some members of the Patriots who are “fans” of the LSU product. This isn’t a complete surprise; Williams has never been a realistic option at No. 3, and there were rumblings that the Patriots weren’t particularly enamored with Maye. For what it’s worth, ESPN’s Jordan Reid writes that the Patriots and Commanders were among the teams with the most representation at both Daniels’ and Maye’s pro days.

Many pundits have suggested the Patriots could look to move back in the draft. Ben Volin of The Boston Globe previously opined that the organization would still leave the draft with an early-round QB, even if they do make a trade. Kyed writes that the Patriots don’t believe there are five or six franchise quarterbacks in the draft, so if the team is serious about adding a future starter at the position, they can’t stray too far from the top of the board.

The Patriots have already moved on from Mac Jones this offseason, putting them in prime position to select a quarterback with the third-overall pick. The team brought in old friend Jacoby Brissett to keep the seat warm, and they’re still rostering Bailey Zappe in case they want to redshirt a rookie.

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