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Jets Targeted T Broderick Jones; Latest On Patriots’ Trade Process

May 2nd, 2023 at 5:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets exited draft week with one of the biggest quarterback upgrades in many years, but they paid far more than it took to execute a similar transaction 15 years ago. It cost the Jets a conditional third-round pick to acquire Brett Favre‘s rights in 2008; the Aaron Rodgers trade cost New York a second-rounder, a likely 2024 first and a first-round pick swap this year. The last component here became key to start this draft.

Connected to tackles for weeks leading up to the draft, the Jets saw three of this year’s top four options — Paris Johnson, Darnell Wright, Peter Skoronski — go off the board between Nos. 6-11. With Broderick Jones still available at No. 14, the Steelers traded up one spot in front of the Jets — who moved from No. 13 to 15 in the Rodgers trade — to obtain the former Georgia blocker. This maneuver generated some attention in the days since.

Some around the league believe the Patriots made an effort to help ensure the Jets did not land the tackle they coveted at No. 15, with Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post noting select staffers viewed the Jets’ choice of Iowa State edge rusher Will McDonald as a bit of a panic move. The Jets were reported to have given Jones positive feedback on their “30” visit with the tackle, and La Canfora adds the team was targeting him at No. 15. Several GMs also said (via NBC Sports’ Peter King) they believed the Jets were planning to select Jones at No. 13, but the Rodgers trade gave the Packers that pick (which became Iowa defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness).

The Patriots sold the 14th pick to the Steelers, moving down three spots and picking up a fourth-round pick (No. 120) to do so. One GM whose team was monitoring a potential trade-up move with the Pats told La Canfora that Pittsburgh should have needed to fork over a third-rounder to move from 17 to 14 to land its potential long-term left tackle. The Giants gave up more than that — a fourth and a seventh — to move up from No. 25 to No. 24 later Thursday night. Rival execs viewed the Pats as giving the Steelers a friendly route to leapfrog the Jets, given the AFC East rivalry in play and Bill Belichick‘s checkered history (the 2000 hiring snafu and the 2007 Spygate whistle-blowing incident) with the organization.

Scouts Inc. rated McDonald 25th on its big board. Even if this was a perceived reach, far worse stretches have occurred in modern draft history. The undersized pass rusher joins a Jets team rostering Carl Lawson, Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers. Lawson’s contract expires after this season. At tackle, the Jets face more uncertainty.

Left tackle Duane Brown‘s two-year contract runs through 2023, but the veteran will turn 38 this year and is coming off surgery. The team declined Mekhi Becton‘s fifth-year option, and the once-promising left tackle has played one game over the past two seasons. Becton has lost more than 40 pounds and is on track to compete for the right tackle job again in training camp, but he cannot exactly be relied upon to anchor that spot. The team signed ex-Nathaniel Hackett Broncos and Packers charge Billy Turner on Monday; Turner missed nine games last season. Jones would have offered Gang Green a high-ceiling option, and if the one-year Georgia starter develops in Pittsburgh, the Jets’ 2023 draft plan will encounter more scrutiny.

The Patriots ended up with Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez at No. 17. Scouts Inc.’s No. 8 overall prospect, Gonzalez was not expected to fall that far. It is worth wondering what the Patriots’ tackle plan will be, seeing as Trent Brown is an annual injury risk and UFA pickup Riley Reiff is 34 and did not begin last season as the Bears’ right-side starter. But the Pats passed on Jones and loaded up on interior O-linemen on Day 3.

Belichick’s well-earned reputation for trading down aside, Pats director of player personnel Matt Groh said (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss) a move up was in play. The team placed Gonzalez in a cluster of players with similar value, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, who adds second-round Pats pick Keion White was in that cluster. The Pats not viewing the Jets as likely to draft a corner contributed to the team’s decision to resume talks about trading down with the Steelers, Breer adds. Belichick hired ex-Steelers O-line coach Adrian Klemm to the same position. Klemm spent last season at Oregon, helping with Gonzalez intel. The Pats had not drafted a pure corner in Round 1 during Belichick’s previous 23 years at the helm.

The Pats attempted to move back into Round 1 later Thursday night, with Reiss indicating the team engaged multiple clubs in those talks. New England’s actual trade, depending on who you believe, may have left the Jets scrambling. Jones’ Pittsburgh path could make for an interesting “what if?” for the Jets, who may need to make another tackle investment as Rodgers readies for his New York debut.

Lions Eyed CB Devon Witherspoon; Team Considered Taking Jahmyr Gibbs At No. 6

May 1st, 2023 at 9:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Decisions to use No. 12 and No. 18 overall picks on a running back (Jahmyr Gibbs) and an off-ball linebacker (Jack Campbell) brought some scrutiny for the Lions. Another organizational plan would have generated more attention during Round 1.

The Lions were prepared to pounce on Devon Witherspoon if the Seahawks went in another direction, with Albert Breer of SI.com indicating the Lions regarded the Illinois cornerback as a clean prospect. But the Seahawks deviated from their past at the corner position and chose Witherspoon at No. 5, leaving the Lions in a bind.

That predicament stemmed from the team placing a much higher-than-expected value on Gibbs. After the Seahawks drafted Witherspoon, GM Brad Holmes spoke with Dan Campbell about pivoting to Gibbs at 6. While Breer adds the Lions’ initial plan was not to draft the Alabama dual threat that high, they were prepared to do so until the Cardinals called about their trade offer to secure Paris Johnson. That move to No. 12 allowed the Lions to pick up draft capital, avoiding a wildly unexpected scenario in which Gibbs went off the board before Bijan Robinson.

Teams’ interest in Gibbs became known during draft week, when reports circulated about some clubs rating former Crimson Tide contributor in the same realm as Robinson. Gibbs topped 440 receiving yards in each of the past two years, and the Lions are prepared to use thee rookie as a multipurpose back to complement David Montgomery. Holmes has acknowledged the positional value-based criticism that has come with selecting a running back 12th overall, and the Lions had the option of drafting Jalen Carter or Tyree Wilson at No. 6. Taking Gibbs over those two pass rushers would have doubled as one of the more fascinating moves in recent draft history, but the Lions added No. 34 and No. 168 to move down six spots.

Detroit did not bring Witherspoon in for a visit, and neither Campbell nor Holmes trekked to Champaign for his pro day. The Seahawks had never drafted a corner higher than 90th (Shaquill Griffin) under the John Schneider–Pete Carroll regime, but Witherspoon will team with Tariq Woolen in Seattle. Witherspoon remaining on the board at 5 helped the Seahawks resist a trade-down urge. The Lions have made a few significant additions to their secondary this offseason, signing Cameron Sutton, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Emmanuel Moseley. After the Seahawks chose Witherspoon, the Lions added Alabama DB Brian Branch in Round 2.

The team initially wanted to draft either Witherspoon or Will Anderson Jr. at No. 6, per Breer, and trade up from No. 18 for Gibbs. Trading out of No. 6 obviously reflected Lions hesitancy regarding Carter and the team placing a value gap between Anderson and Wilson. The Lions moving to 12 also kept them in front of two teams they heard were Gibbs fans — the Patriots (No. 14) and Jets (No. 15). A scouting trip to last season’s Alabama-Texas game alerted Holmes to Gibbs, and he will replace D’Andre Swift in the Motor City.

The Gibbs pick prompted the Eagles to act quickly. They swapped seventh-round picks with the Lions sent the NFC North franchise a 2025 fourth for Swift, who joins Rashaad Penny as Philly offseason backfield additions. Holmes and Eagles GM Howie Roseman discussed the Swift trade for “a few days.”

“It’s my job to keep laser-focused on the present but probably even more importantly, keep laser-focused on the future,” Holmes said, via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. “And that’s what went into a lot of the decisions with having to make the trade with D’Andre Swift to Philly. He was in the last year of his contract and if I go back to last year, I felt really good about us being able to bring back Jamaal Williams. I felt confident as the season ended. I felt good with our conversations with his camp, and it didn’t happen. So you have to just be prepared for all those things.”

Williams did not speak highly of the Lions’ offer; last season’s rushing touchdowns leader is now with the Saints on a three-year, $12MM deal. Montgomery signed a three-year, $18MM pact with the Lions. He and Gibbs now comprise Detroit’s backfield, with the latter on a first-round contract that could have checked in at a higher draft slot.

2023 NFL Draft Results: Team By Team

April 29th, 2023 at 10:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the 2023 NFL Draft gets underway, we will keep track of each team’s haul here:

Arizona Cardinals

Round 1, No. 6 (from Rams through Lions): Paris Johnson, OT (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 2, No. 41 (from Titans): BJ Ojulari, DE (LSU) (signed)
Round 3, No. 72 (from Titans): Garrett Williams, CB (Syracuse) (signed)
Round 3, No. 94 (from Eagles): Michael Wilson, WR (Stanford) (signed)
Round 4, No. 122 (from Dolphins through Chiefs and Lions): Jon Gaines II, G (UCLA) (signed)
Round 5, No. 139 (from Broncos through Lions): Clayton Tune, QB (Houston) (signed)
Round 5, No. 168 (from Cardinals through Lions): Owen Pappoe, LB (Auburn) (signed)
Round 5, No. 180: Kei’Trel Clark, CB (Louisville) (signed)
Round 6, No. 213: Dante Stills, DT (West Virginia) (signed)

Atlanta Falcons

Round 1, No. 8: Bijan Robinson, RB (Texas) (signed)
Round 2, No. 38 (from Colts): Matthew Bergeron, T (Syracuse) (signed)
Round 3, No. 75: Zach Harrison, DE (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 4, No. 113: Clark Phillips III, CB (Utah) (signed)
Round 7, No. 224 (from Raiders): DeMarcco Hellams, S (Alabama) (signed)
Round 7, No. 225: Jovaughn Gwyn, G (South Carolina) (signed)

Baltimore Ravens

Round 1, No. 22: Zay Flowers, WR (Boston College) (signed)
Round 3, No. 86: Trenton Simpson, LB (Clemson) (signed)
Round 4, No. 124: Tavius Robinson, LB (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 5, No. 157: Kyu Blu Kelly, CB (Stanford) (signed)
Round 6, No. 199: Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, OT (Oregon) (signed)
Round 7, No. 229 (from Browns): Andrew Vorhees, G (USC) (signed)

Buffalo Bills

Round 1, No. 25 (from Giants through Jaguars): Dalton Kincaid, TE (Utah) (signed)
Round 2, No. 59: O’Cyrus Torrence, G (Florida) (signed)
Round 3, No, 91: Dorian Williams, LB (Tulane) (signed)
Round 5, No. 150 (from Commanders): Justin Shorter, WR (Florida) (signed)
Round 7, No. 230 (from Buccaneers through Jets, Texans, Eagles and Bills): Nick Broeker, G (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 7, No. 252 (from Buccaneers through Rams): Alex Austin, CB (Oregon State) (signed)

Carolina Panthers

Round 1, No. 1 (from Bears): Bryce Young, QB (Alabama) (signed)
Round 2, No. 39: Jonathan Mingo, WR (Ole Miss) (signed)
Round 3, No. 80 (from Steelers): D.J. Johnson, DE (Oregon) (signed)
Round 4, No. 114: Chandler Zavala, G (North Carolina State) (signed)
Round 5, No. 145: Jammie Robinson, S (Florida State) (signed)

Chicago Bears

Round 1, No. 10 (from Saints through Eagles): Darnell Wright, OT (Tennessee) (signed)
Round 2, No. 53 (from Ravens): Gervon Dexter, DT (Florida) (signed)
Round 2, No. 56 (from Jaguars): Tyrique Stevenson, CB (Miami) (signed)
Round 3, No. 64: Zacch Pickens, DT (South Carolina) (signed)
Round 4, No. 115 (from Saints): Roschon Johnson, RB (Texas) (signed)
Round 4, No. 133 (from Eagles): Tyler Scott, WR (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 5, No. 148 (from Patriots through Ravens): Noah Sewell, LB (Oregon) (signed)
Round 5, No. 165 (from Saints through Eagles): Terell Smith, CB (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 7, No. 218: Travis Bell, DT (Kennesaw State) (signed)
Round 7, No. 258: Kendall Williamson, S (Stanford) (signed)

Cincinnati Bengals

Round 1, No. 28: Myles Murphy, DE (Clemson) (signed)
Round 2, No. 60: DJ Turner, CB (Michigan) (signed)
Round 3, No. 95 (from Chiefs): Jordan Battle, S (Alabama) (signed)
Round 4, No. 131: Charlie Jones, WR (Purdue) (signed)
Round 5, No. 163: Chase Brown, RB (Illinois) (signed)
Round 6, No. 206: Andrei Iosivas, WR (Princeton) (signed)
Round 6, No. 217 (from Chiefs): Brad Robbins, P (Michigan) (signed)
Round 7, No. 246: DJ Ivey, CB (Miami) (signed)

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Patriots To Sign UDFA QB Malik Cunningham

April 29th, 2023 at 8:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

The UDFA signing period is in full swing, and the Patriots are among the teams adding quarterbacks to their rosters. New England is signing Malik Cunningham, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). A to Z Sports’ Doug Kyed tweets that the deal includes $200K in guaranteed money, the most ever given to an undrafted free agent in team history.

Cunningham succeeded Lamar Jackson at Louisville in 2018, having been drawn there by the team’s willingness to play the latter at quarterback. They did the same with Cunningham, allowing him to have a lengthy career with the Cardinals.

Cunningham started 47 of 56 games, demonstrating an ability both through the air and on the ground throughout his time. He totaled 9,664 passing yards (on a completion percentage of 62.6%), and posted a 70:29 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He added 3,184 yards (averaging 5.1 per carry) and 50 touchdowns on the ground, giving him the all-time school record in total scores.

The 24-year-old thus has one of the more unique profiles amongst the many signal-callers who either heard their names called earlier today or have been signed to free agent deals. His frame (5-11, 192 pounds) and lack of development as a passer during his lengthy career, however, represent causes for concern about his potential at the NFL level. That explains his drop out of the draft, though New England’s sizeable investment in him demonstrates the competition they faced to sign him.

The Patriots have been at the heart of plenty of QB speculation this offseason, of course, with Mac Jones‘ status as the undisputed starter coming into question. New England was connected to Will Levis rumors after he visited the team prior to the draft, but they elected not to add a passer with any of their 12 selections this weekend. 2022 fourth-rounder Bailey Zappe and recent signing Trace McSorley comprise the rest of the team’s QB depth chart. Cunningham will look to compete for a role among those two in training camp as he begins what could be an intriguing NFL career.

Raiders Trade Up For Purdue QB Aiden O’Connell

April 29th, 2023 at 12:43pm CST by Ben Levine

The Raiders have moved up to select a quarterback. Las Vegas has acquired No. 135 from the Patriots and will select Purdue quarterback Aiden O’Connell. The Patriots are moving back to No. 144 while picking up No. 214 in the process.

O’Connell had a breakout season at Purdue in 2021, finishing with 28 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions. He took a bit of a step back during his senior campaign, seeing regression in completion percentage (64.1), passing yards (3,490), touchdowns (22), and interceptions (13).

With no mobility and a shaky deep ball, O’Connell earned his draft stock thanks to his quick decision making. That gives him some hope in the NFL, especially if he gets competent offensive line play in front of him.

The Raiders are now preparing for a post-Derek Carr era. The team brought in Jimmy Garoppolo to lead the depth chart, but the veteran has his fair share of injuries. Veteran Brian Hoyer isn’t a future option at the position, and while the team retained 2022 undrafted free agent Chase Garbers, he projects as more of a backup. In other words, if things go his way, O’Connell could find himself quickly climbing the Raiders depth chart.

Patriots Acquire No. 112 From Jets, Select K Chad Ryland

April 29th, 2023 at 11:35am CST by Ben Levine

Two AFC East rivals have pulled off a trade. The Patriots have acquired pick No. 112 from the Jets. In exchange, New England is sending New York picks No. 120 and No. 184.

The Patriots are using their newfound pick on kicker Chad Ryland. The special teamer spent four years at Eastern Michigan, setting the school’s all-time record for scoring (309 points). He transferred to Maryland for the 2022 campaign and proceeded to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors after connecting on 19 of his 23 field goal attempts and 39 of his 40 extra point tries.

Ryland is now the second kicker to be selected in the top-112, joining Michigan’s Jake Moody, who was selected by the 49ers at No. 99.

Veteran Nick Folk has served as the Patriots kicker for the past three-plus seasons. He hit on 86.5 percent of his field goal tries last year, his lowest total since 2019. He inked a two-year, $5MM deal with the organization last March, and he’ll likely be part of a kicking competition in the preseason.

It’s not every day that you see the Patriots and Jets pull off a trade. Earlier this draft, some pundits suspected if Bill Belichick spited his former employer by pulling off a trade with the Steelers. Pittsburgh jumped ahead of the Jets in the first round and took the last top-rated offensive tackle in Broderick Jones, forcing the Jets to pivot to edge Will McDonald at No. 15.

Draft Notes: Young, Chiefs, Saints, Addison, Vikings, Patriots, Campbell, Lions

April 28th, 2023 at 3:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Panthers brass joined other front offices in being wowed by Bryce Young during his 2021 Heisman-winning season, and the team had mostly decided on the Alabama prospect by the time Frank Reich arrived. David Tepper and Panthers scouts had zeroed in on Young — prior to making the trade with the Bears — and Reich learned of the staff’s preference early during his tenure.

“And it was unanimous with every guy in that room, starting from [GM] Scott [Fitterer] on down, that Bryce was the guy. That was great for me to hear,” Reich said of an early-February meeting, via The Athletic’s Joe Person (subscription required). “But what I appreciate about the way Scott handled it, he was like, ‘Frank, you take your time.’ … And it wasn’t much convincing.”

Fitterer said he sought Reich’s final stance late in the process. It would have been interesting had Reich, who was initially mentioned as preferring a taller passer, stood his ground for another prospect. He was believed to also be intrigued by Anthony Richardson. But the veteran HC will be coaching a 5-foot-10 quarterback in Carolina.

Here is the latest from the draft, as we head into Day 2:

  • The Vikings closed the record-breaking run on wide receivers at No. 23, selecting Jordan Addison, the fourth straight receiver taken from Nos. 20-23. But Minnesota received interest in the pick. The Chiefs and Saints contacted the Vikings about moving up to 23, per KTSP’s Darren Wolfson, who adds the belief is at least one of the teams eyeing a trade-up would have taken the USC wide receiver (Twitter link). The Vikings appear to have received an offer, but they instead chose Addison. The Chiefs were mentioned as a team pursuing a move up the board, and the defending Super Bowl champions — after J.J. Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman‘s exits — had done a lot of work on this year’s wideout class. The Saints have not re-signed Jarvis Landry and have not seen much of a healthy Michael Thomas since the 2010s. Both teams will probably be on the hunt for receivers tonight.
  • It is not surprising to see Patriots first-round trade-downs, and the team allowing the Steelers to leapfrog the Jets for tackle Broderick Jones likely made the move doubly intriguing for Bill Belichick. But the Pats turned in their draft card quickly at No. 17, selecting cornerback Christian Gonzalez. New England was high enough on the Oregon product it was close to finalizing a trade-up move from No. 14, Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets. The Commanders had been in on corners, but they chose Mississippi State ballhawk Emmanuel Forbes over Gonzalez at No. 16.
  • While the Patriots have been praised for nabbing a high-end prospect a bit later than he was expected to go, the Lions bucked pre-draft rankings by taking a running back (Jahmyr Gibbs) at No. 12 and an off-ball linebacker (Jack Campbell) at 18. Campbell, in particular, was not viewed as especially likely to be a first-round pick, and GM Brad Holmes admitted he probably could have nabbed the Iowa defender if he had traded down once again. “It’s not about just don’t pick a running back [in Round 1] because that’s not how we really view [Gibbs],” Holmes said, via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. “And then it’s the same thing about don’t pick an off-ball linebacker. That’s not really how we view Jack. If you put them in boxes and you put on a sheet of paper and you run mock draft analytics, yeah, you can come up with those stats. But all the hours and research and all the time that we put in, in terms of looking at these players, it becomes very, very visible that what kind of impact they can bring.”

Falcons, Raiders, Titans, Pats, Rams Tried To Trade Into Round 1; Eagles Fielded Calls

April 28th, 2023 at 1:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

1:30pm: The Patriots and Rams also made efforts to trade back into the first round, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Levis visited the Pats just before the meeting deadline last week, driving some intrigue around a team that is not in a great place with its quarterback. The Bill Belichick–Mac Jones relationship encountered some turbulence last season.

The Rams may not have been trying to land a QB, given Matthew Stafford‘s contract situation, but the veteran has run into a few injury issues as of late. The Rams hold the No. 36 overall pick; the Pats’ first Day 2 choice arrives at No. 46.

1:05pm: Will Levis might end up leaving Kansas City with some bad memories, but his freefall may have a market forming ahead of the draft’s second night. Teams were interested in coming back into Round 1, with Levis being the most likely reason for the efforts.

Specifically, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes the Falcons, Raiders and Titans “desperately” tried to trade back into Round 1 (Twitter link). While these teams were not desperate enough to offer a trade that made one of last year’s playoff teams move out of the first, it does set up a fascinating backdrop for the draft’s continuation tonight.

The Eagles were one of the teams to receive calls about moving down — from No. 30 — and NFL.com’s James Palmer adds (on Twitter) teams were interested in trading back into the first round to secure a fifth-year option on a quarterback. Multiple teams called the Eagles about their second first-round pick, but the defending NFC champions stood pat and selected Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith.

Teams were believed to already be calling the Steelers about No. 32 last night, and those conversations look to be continuing today. Although No. 32 is normally a first-round slot, a team convincing the Steelers to move down would not secure a fifth-year option. Only players chosen in Round 1 have those clauses in their contracts. Prospects chosen from the second round and down are tied to four-year rookie deals. This matters a bit more with quarterbacks, and Levis will be the center of attention going into the second round.

A report from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen indicated teams had concerns over a toe injury Levis previously battled, though the veteran reporter did not confirm this was the sole reason Levis fell (Twitter link), it may provide a bit more clarity as to why every team with a first-round pick passed on the high-profile Kentucky prospect. Not every team buys into this sudden toe concern, with one GM expressing considerable skepticism (via Florio) that is the reason everyone passed. Mortensen also notes multiple teams tried to trade back into Round 1.

The Titans, who are not exactly committed to Ryan Tannehill as their 2023 starter, discussed trading up to the Cardinals’ No. 3 spot; Tennessee was believed to have targeted C.J. Stroud, whom Houston ended up taking. When the Cardinals found a taker to move ahead of the Colts, it was the Texans with a Will Anderson Jr. aim. The Titans hold the No. 41 overall pick tonight. That sits behind the Raiders’ second-round pick (No. 38) but ahead of the Falcons’ (No. 44). The Levis matter may end up being decided via trade-up and not by the draft order.

Las Vegas gave Jimmy Garoppolo a three-year deal, though the guarantees would allow the team to escape the contract with a modest dead-money hit after one season. But after Jarrett Stidham chose the Broncos, only 37-year-old Brian Hoyer resides behind Garoppolo on the Raiders’ depth chart. The Raiders hosted Levis and Hendon Hooker on pre-draft visits; the Silver and Black were believed to be impressed with Hooker, who expects Week 1 clearance from ACL surgery. Hooker enjoyed late momentum but did not sneak into the first round. The Falcons, who have pledged support for 2022 third-round pick Desmond Ridder, also hosted Levis. Atlanta rosters a capable backup in Taylor Heinicke but was connected to QBs ahead of the draft.

ESPN’s Scouts Inc. slotted Levis as the 11th-best prospect in this draft; every other player in the database’s top 18 is off the board. Levis figures to be picked early in Round 2, and the Steelers have likely heard from this trio of teams about a trade. If the Steelers stay at No. 32, the Cardinals — at 33 — would have another opportunity collect future assets.

Patriots Take Christian Gonzalez At No. 17

April 27th, 2023 at 9:09pm CST by Ben Levine

Christian Gonzalez has seen a slight drop down the draft board, but his fall has landed him in New England. After trading down three spots with the Steelers, the Patriots selected the Oregon cornerback with the No. 17 pick. The Pats picked up a 2023 fourth-rounder from the Steelers to move down.

Gonzalez spent his first two collegiate seasons at Colorado, but he firmly put himself on the first-round radar in 2022 thanks to his performance with the Ducks. He notched the only four interceptions of his college tenure at Oregon, adding a career-high seven pass breakups along the way.

That performance helped put him in the conversation to be the draft’s top corner this year. His main competition for that title, Devon Witherspoon, was selected earlier in the first round, but the Commanders surprised some by selecting Emmanuel Forbes at No. 16.

This looks to be a value add for the Pats. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. graded the Oregon product as the seventh-best prospect in this draft; NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah slotted him 11th. This is the first cornerback the Patriots have chosen in Round 1 in Bill Belichick‘s 24-draft tenure.

The Pats have managed to find gems later in the draft (Asante Samuel) or in post-draft free agency (Malcolm Butler, Jonathan Jones, J.C. Jackson). For the most part, Belichick’s recent early-round corner picks (Cyrus Jones, Duke Dawson, Joejuan Williams) have not panned out.

New England let Jackson walk in free agency last year, par for the course during Belichick’s tenure, but re-signed Jones this offseason. Jones has fared better in the slot but provided some value as a boundary defender last season as well, giving the team some flexibility. The Pats also reached a new agreement with Jalen Mills, who has corner and safety experience. Two other Joneses — Jack and Marcus — will join Gonzalez at corner.

Steelers Trade Up For OT Broderick Jones

April 27th, 2023 at 8:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

In traditional Patriots fashion, the team is moving back. The Steelers have acquired the No. 14 pick from New England. The Patriots will be acquiring No. 17 and No. 120, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter).

The Steelers are using their new selection on Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones. After Mike Tomlin said he was comfortable with his two-year starting tackle tandem — Dan Moore–Chukwuma Okorafor — the Steelers trading up for Jones points to a change at one of these positions.

This marks just the third Steelers first-round trade-up in the past 20 drafts. The team had previously moved up for Santonio Holmes and Devin Bush in that span, but a new GM (Omar Khan) is running the show now. The longtime Kevin Colbert lieutenant decided to pull the trigger and help protect 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett.

A report earlier this week connected the Steelers to a potential O-line trade-up, and unlike pre-draft smokescreens perpetrated by the Texans and Colts, Pittsburgh followed through on the effort. Jones, who met with the Steelers on a pre-draft visit, has just one full season as a starter under his belt. He succeeded Chargers 2022 draftee Jamaree Salyer as the Bulldogs’ left tackle and ended up going much higher in the draft; Salyer went to Los Angeles in Round 6 last year.

The Steelers have used Moore, a 2021 third-round pick, as their left tackle over the past two seasons. Pro Football Focus rated neither Moore nor Okorafor as a top-50 tackle last season. Given the investment the Steelers made in Pickett, it is understandable Khan and Co. made this effort to secure a potentially significant upgrade. This marks the first Steelers first-round O-lineman investment since All-Pro guard David DeCastro in 2012 and the first time the franchise has chosen a first-round tackle since 1996.

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