Tom Brady’s Arrival Increased Pete Carroll’s Raiders Interest
Joining the Patriots months after Pete Carroll‘s ouster, Tom Brady later led the team to a last-second win over Carroll’s Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. The decades-long NFL presences are now working together in an attempt to revitalize the Raiders, with each carrying significant personnel say in a setup that also includes ex-Brady college teammate/Buccaneers coworker John Spytek as GM.
Carroll agreed to join a team that finished 4-13 in 2024. More importantly, the Raiders had become a chaotic operation in recent years. Counting interim leaders, Carroll is the team’s fifth head coach this decade. The team also fired Dave Ziegler after less than two years on the job and then canned Tom Telesco, despite the ex-Charger GM’s Brock Bowers selection, after one season. This instability did not make the Raider job especially appealing to Carroll.
While the 73-year-old coach wanted to return to the NFL, he would not have done so merely to take any available job. The Raiders were not previously near the top of Carroll’s list of return destinations, the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore notes. Brady being approved as Raiders minority owner changed the equation for the former Jets, Patriots and Seahawks HC, who said the retired QB’s addition “shifted my thought about what this opportunity was about.”
This job does not feature Carroll installed as a final-say presence in the Raiders’ building. The current Raiders party line points to the three power brokers collaborating, though given how much Mark Davis has praised Brady and involved him in personnel matters, it would not shock if the inexperienced front office presence holds that hammer. In Brady, Davis has a decision-maker who does not have to worry about operating through self-preservation, seeing as he is an owner rather than a top executive or coaching staff presence. This provides Brady stability, and he has been at the heart of the Raiders’ top moves this offseason.
“It brought somebody with football acumen into the organization at the top level,” Davis said of Brady’s role. “Somebody that wasn’t going to be on a five-year contract or a 10-year contract. This was a lifetime deal.”
Although the Raiders could not close deals on Ben Johnson or Matthew Stafford, they came up with a Carroll-Geno Smith reunion. Spytek certainly could owe his GM opportunity to Brady, his Michigan teammate and someone who overlapped with the future Hall of Famer’s three-year Tampa stay. Spytek is now, by a considerable degree, the lowest-profile part of the Raiders’ power trio. It will be interesting to see the level of input Spytek carries, as Carroll spent 14 years holding the anvil in Seattle and Brady has been one of the more hands-on ownership presences — by design — in recent NFL history.
Spytek and Carroll will run the day-to-day operations, Bonsignore adds. Brady also wants the Raiders to make substantial commitments to analytics and game management. They will attempt to do so during the tenure of a historically old head coach.
Set to turn 74 in September, Carroll will soon become the oldest HC in NFL history. He has a three-year deal, which is shorter than standard coaching contracts, to stabilize this Raiders operation. Brady will play a central role in Carroll’s Las Vegas tenure, being perhaps the lead figure in determining if it will work out. But the 14-year Seahawks HC agreed to join a division housing Andy Reid, Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh due in part to Brady’s arrival.
“I didn’t know how he would be to work with,” Carroll said. “I just competed against him and listened to him over the years and had great admiration and respect. But he is really grounded in his mentality, and that’s what makes him so valuable to us, because we can draw from that.“
LSU WR Kyren Lacy Passes Away At 24
10:07pm: Harris’ apparent suicide took place in a vehicle as he was being pursued by authorities, according to a Harris County (Texas) Sherriff’s report (via ESPN.com). A female family member called police and indicated Lacy discharged a firearm into the ground during a verbal argument Saturday night. Lacy then fled the scene in a vehicle, according to the police report.
Authorities’ pursuit of Lacy ended after a car accident, according to the report, which indicates officers approached the vehicle to retrieve him. Lacy was then found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound; emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
10:28am: Former Louisiana and LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy passed away last night, as Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports. Lacy was just 24, and according to WBRZ 2, he died by suicide.
Lacy’s size (6-3, 212) and route-running acumen made him an intriguing professional prospect. After playing the 2023 slate in the shadow of Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers, Lacy made the most of his chance to take on WR1 duties for LSU in 2024. In his final collegiate season, he hauled in 58 catches for 866 yards and nine TDs, and he was on track to hear his name called at some point during this month’s NFL draft.
His draft stock took a major hit as a result of his alleged involvement in an accident that left a 78-year-old man dead and injured several others. Although the vehicle Lacy was said to be operating did not make contact with the other vehicles involved, prosecutors say Lacy was passing several vehicles in an area where passing was not permitted. A car in the oncoming lane abruptly braked in order to avoid a collision, and the car behind them swerved left into oncoming traffic to avoid rear-ending the first vehicle. That car then collided head-on with the car that Lacy was allegedly attempting to pass. Lacy then allegedly drove around the crash and fled the scene, failing to stop and render aid, call emergency services, or report his involvement in the crash. He declared for the draft two days later (via Fox8Live.com).
Lacy turned himself in about a month after an arrest warrant was issued, and he was released on a $151K bond. Per WBRZ 2, a grand jury was scheduled to start hearing evidence in Lacy’s case Monday. He was facing charges of negligent homicide, hit-and-run, and reckless operation of a vehicle. His attorney had argued that another driver, not Lacy, caused the fatal accident.
We at PFR offer our condolences to Lacy’s friends and family, as well as the friends and family of Herman Hall, the man who was killed in the collision. We also offer our best wishes to those injured in the accident.
Brandon Graham Open To Return?
Longtime Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham announced his retirement in March, but he recently indicated that he hasn’t fully closed the door on returning to the NFL.
“I’m 90 percent retired,” said Graham in an interview with NFL Network’s Kay Adams, suggesting that he is open to resuming his playing career.
“The 10 [percent] is how much I want to continue to train the way I’m training,” he explained. “I’m training to look good, training for a game is different, but I haven’t really changed that yet.”
Graham mentioned feedback from other retired NFL players who told him to maintain his fitness regimen even after he stops playing. Tellingly, Graham said that he is focused on “making sure that when I do retire, I’m staying in the habit of that.” He also hinted at the potential for a television gig as a commentator or analyst.
However, Graham walked back his initial comments and stopped short of stating his intention to return to the NFL.
“That 10 percent is just in case, but I doubt it because I try to be a man of my word and I don’t want to have to play that back-and-forth stuff,” said Graham. “I’m just going to accept it and just move on, get ready for what’s next.”
Graham turned 37 years old on April 3 after 15 seasons in the NFL, all with the Eagles. He suffered a torn triceps in November that sidelined him until the Super Bowl, in which he re-tore his triceps. The prospect of rehabbing his arm again was one of the motivators for Graham’s retirement, along with his desire to spend more time with his family.
Adams speculated that Graham would be open to returning to the Eagles for a Super Bowl run next season. He declined to confirm or deny that possibility, only saying, “We ain’t there yet.”
Latest On NFL’s Proposed ‘Tush Push’ Ban
The Packers’ controversial proposal to ban the ‘tush push’ was the subject of intense debate at league meetings at the beginning of April, leading to a postponement of a formal vote on the measure.
Packers team president Mark Murphy said that the NFL’s competition committee was “pretty strongly in favor” of the proposed ban, according to ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler, though the league’s full 32-team voting body was evenly split. Discussions surrounding the rule change have expanded to include other instances of pushing or pulling ballcarriers, not just “immediately at the snap,” as Green Bay’s proposed language currently reads. That would be a more substantial shift, representing a return to pre-2005 rules banning all pushing of ballcarriers, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.
Murphy said that the Packers are going to look at the league’s previous language and expressed optimism that the revised rule will pass, according to NBC Sports’ Michael David Smith.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell indicated his support for a broader proposal, saying it “makes a lot of sense in many ways.”
“There are a lot of plays where you see people pushing or pulling somebody that are not in the tush push formation that I think do have an increased risk of injury,” Goodell said (via Kahler). “So I think the committee will look at that and come back in May with some proposals.”
Multiple teams expressed reservations about the seemingly-targeted nature of the rule change, per Kahler. Only two teams – the Eagles and the Bills – used the tush push more than five times in 2024, though Bills head coach Sean McDermott emerged as a surprising voice in favor of the ban. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni remained a vocal opponent of Green Bay’s proposal after originating the play in 2022.
The Packers cited player safety as one of the primary reasons for their proposal, setting off a debate about the injury risks associated with the little-used ‘tush push.’ It accounted for just 0.28 percent of all plays in 2024 without any significant injuries occurring in that small sample size.
NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills presented information on potential injury risks at the Combine and league meetings in Florida, saying (via Kahler) “It’s not if but when a catastrophic injury occurs.” Sills shared projected injury data based on modeling of the play, and medical consultants have echoed concerns about the potential of a major injury resulting from the play, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
Unsurprisingly, Murphy backed Sills, arguing that “the nature and the makeup of the play really does lend itself [to injury]” given the force of so many players concentrated on a single point. Other teams are less convinced by the injury data, but warned that the league could regret a decision not to ban the tush push if a major injury does occur.
Murphy believes that a broader proposal will sway at least the eight teams required for the measure to pass. The Packers are expected to present their revised language at the next set of league meetings in May, setting the table for an official vote of all 32 teams.
Dak Prescott Close To Full Health
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott expressed confidence about his recovery from last year’s season-ending hamstring injury during a recent appearance at the Children’s Cancer Fund gala, per ESPN.
“If I had to play a game today, I definitely could do that,” said Prescott, adding that he’s still building up for the physical attrition of a full NFL season.
Prescott went down in November with a partial avulsion of his hamstring tendon that required surgical repair. Initial updates on his rehab were positive and projected a return for organized team activities in May. Prescott recently confirmed that estimation, saying that he would participate in OTAs in some capacity.
“I’m getting close to where I want to be. I don’t want to put a percentage on it,” he said. “I know we’ve got team activities coming up, imagine myself being involved in some sort if not all.” Dallas’ offseason program begins on April 14, followed by rookie minicamp in early May and OTAs in late May/early June.
Prescott is still focused on the long haul, as he enters the first year of a four-year, $240MM extension he signed last September.
“I just understand my age, what I’ve had, what I’ve went through, it’s about being my best in the fall,” he explained. “So I’m not rushing anything, but I’m where I want to be.”
Buccaneers, Cowboys, Jets, Patriots, Seahawks Host EDGE Mykel Williams
Mykel Williams‘ pre-draft itinerary is becoming quite busy. After meetings with the Cardinals, Saints and 49ers surfaced, the Georgia edge defender prospect will run his meeting count toward 10.
The Buccaneers, Cowboys, Jets, Patriots and Seahawks have also brought in the first-round talent for “30” visits, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports. Listed as the No. 22 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, Williams is among the latest in a wave of Georgia defender prospects considered a safe bet to be a first-round pick.
[RELATED: Panthers Showing Interest In Williams]
The Bulldogs sent five defenders (Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt and Lewis Cine) into the 2022 first round and saw two more (Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith) go in Round 1 in 2023. Both the Bulldogs’ 2024 first-rounders (Brock Bowers, Amarius Mims) came on offense, but this year will introduce another wave of Bulldog defenders to the NFL masses on Day 1 of the draft. Williams joins hybrid linebacker Jalon Walker and safety Malaki Starks as first-round candidates.
Williams spent each of his three years at Georgia, earning second-team All-SEC honors in 2023 and ’24. A former five-star recruit, Williams did not quite live up to expectations in Athens. He did not eclipse five sacks or 10 tackles for loss in a season, though he was a regular on three Georgia defenses — including a national championship-winning 2022 group. An ankle injury hindered Williams’ play in 2024. Still, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound rusher’s size and athleticism has him squarely on the first-round radar. Unlike Walker, Williams is a pure edge rusher who will not enter the NFL with questions about his best positional fit.
The Bucs have been mentioned as a team that could still target an edge rusher despite their Haason Reddick signing. Tampa Bay has needed consistent help from non-edge players to produce sacks in recent years. Barring an unexpected blockbuster trade, Dallas has Micah Parsons anchoring a D-end contingent that houses a returning Sam Williams, 2024 second-rounder Marshawn Kneeland and Dante Fowler, who rejoined the team after a year in Washington. DeMarcus Lawrence left for the Seahawks, who cut Dre’Mont Jones as part of their latest cap purge. The team still rosters Boye Mafe, Derick Hall and Uchenna Nwosu, who has seen back-to-back injury-shortened seasons lead to a reworked contract.
Neither the Jets nor Patriots appear in range for Williams, as the AFC East squads both hold top-10 picks. A trade-up move could conceivably be in play, though both can use these meetings to gather intel on Williams as a potential future opponent as well. The Pats reunited Mike Vrabel with Harold Landry last month but could still use another edge defender. The Jets split with Reddick to wrap a tumultuous partnership but still feature starters Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald.
Jets Doing Extensive Tyler Warren Work; Team Eyeing Armand Membou?
Retooling after a failed Aaron Rodgers experiment, they have new decision-makers set for their first draft. As Darren Mougey prepares for his first Jets draft, two names are coming up as players to monitor at No. 7 overall.
Although the team was listed as a potential stealth destination for Shedeur Sanders weeks ago, a Jets QB move appears likelier on Day 2. Justin Fields will be given the chance to reboot as a starter, after a season spent mostly as a backup, and help may well be coming for the team’s $20MM-per-year passer. The choice between a weapon or a blocker may come by the time the Jets go on the clock.
Mentioned as a team infatuated with Tyler Warren weeks ago, the Jets indeed have been doing extensive homework on the 2024 John Mackey Award winner, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes. Warren landing spots appear to begin with the Jets at 7, even though the Jaguars (No. 5) recently released Evan Engram. One team in the top 10 had canceled a workout with the Penn State product, which could mean any Colts effort to snag Warren will prove futile absent a notable trade-up.
The Jets did not see their C.J. Uzomah signing pay off, and they opted to let fellow 2022 signee Tyler Conklin walk after his contract expired. Conklin signed with the Chargers, leaving a big hole at the position in New York. Mougey praised 2023 third-round pick Jeremy Ruckert (35 career catches, no TDs) and signed ex-Charger Stone Smartt to a low-cost deal (one year, $1.35MM). The team appears unlikely to go into the season with a Ruckert-Smartt top two at the position.
Jets-Brock Bowers ties formed before the 2024 draft, but the team did not strongly consider making that pick. It instead selected Olu Fashanu during that historically offense-tilted start to a draft. Warren would give the team a chance to fill that need a year later, though Bowers admittedly set the rookie-year bar quite high. A Warren move also would leave another major need unfilled in Round 1.
Morgan Moses‘ career has now included two Jets one-and-done stays. While the team engaged in talks to re-sign the veteran right tackle, the Patriots came in with a notable offer — three years, $24MM ($11MM at signing) — to land a player going into an age-34 season. The Jets have Fashanu ready to go at LT, but they could use the draft to add on the right side. Will Campbell-Patriots connections have emerged, potentially leaving the door open for Missouri prospect Armand Membou to slide to No. 7. This appears a scenario that would tempt the Jets, as Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes the team will be prepared to find a trade-down option if the Mizzou blocker is off the board.
The Pats have been tied to Membou on multiple occasions during the pre-draft process, but Campbell-New England ties persist. Membou, the No. 12 prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board (which lists Campbell 10th), would represent a lofty investment to fill the Jets’ RT post. This would mean back-to-back first-round tackle investments, as the team added Fashanu at No. 11 last year.
The Jets also chose an O-lineman (Mekhi Becton, Alijah Vera-Tucker) twice previously under GM Joe Douglas, but a need remains. While the team has been connected to being an earlier-than-expected landing spot for Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., Membou appears more likely to be the draft’s second tackle chosen (assuming Campbell’s arm length does not keep him from being the first).
Early-Season Brandon Aiyuk Return In Play; Latest On 49ers’ Jordan Mason Trade
Thanks in large part to the $22.85MM roster bonus that vested on April 1, along with the fact that his contract and recent ACL tear have cratered his trade value, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will be back with the 49ers in 2025 as both player and team attempt to rebound from a forgettable 2024 season. We recently heard Aiyuk was targeting a return midway through the 2025 slate, but there is some hope he could be back even earlier, as Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area writes.
“I don’t know,” Kyle Shanahan said at this year’s league meetings. “It’s too early to tell. The goal is always early. You hope to have him right away. We were told by his doctor there’s a chance. But it’s too early in the process and we’ll see when we get closer to training camp and see what it looks like.”
Confirming Aiyuk’s recovery is coming along as planned, GM John Lynch added, “[w]e’re pleased with Brandon’s progress. He’s been working hard and got good reviews from [surgeon] Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache. That was a key marker, as I mentioned it would be. He did well.”
San Francisco lost a great deal of notable talent this offseason thanks to cap constraints, and it also traded away longtime WR Deebo Samuel. After authorizing a four-year, $120MM extension for Aiyuk in August 2024 – on the heels of the receiver’s 75/1,342/7 showing in 2023 – the Niners were reportedly open to dealing the Arizona State product this year as well. While it would not have taken much to convince Lynch to agree to a trade, it seems that even a buy-low offer did not come in.
Meanwhile, Lynch did execute a trade with the Vikings, sending running back Jordan Mason to Minnesota in exchange for a 2026 sixth-rounder and a Day 3 pick swap in the 2025 draft. While the deal may have been motivated in part by finances – the 49ers had applied the second-round RFA tender to Mason, which would have paid him a fully guaranteed $5.3MM in 2025 – the presence of fellow RB Isaac Guerendo also played a role.
“I was impressed with how tough he competed, how hard he ran,” Shanahan said of Guerendo (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic (subscription required)). “I think he ran harder as the year went (on), which is a really good sign for guys. Because if you run less hard as the year goes on you’re probably not going to be running it too much in the future. I was impressed with the mentality he had.”
That said, injuries have frequently forced Shanahan to plumb the depths of his RB depth chart during his tenure as the Niners’ HC. With the injury-prone Christian McCaffrey due back as the club’s RB1, the 49ers still should be considered likely to use this deep draft class to further bolster this position, Barrows adds. Though, Guerendo flashed at points during an intriguing rookie year.
Labeling Guerendo as a player with a “bright future,” Shanahan observed the fourth-round pick average five yards per carry and 10.1 per reception. The Wisconsin product totaled 78 rushing yards and two touchdowns during a start against the Bears while adding 99- and 85-yard showings prior to that outing. Guerendo suffered an MCL sprain and a sprained ankle late in the season. By trading Mason, the 49ers dealt away a key backup option. While they are set to turn to a player who clocked a 4.33-second 40-yard dash time at the 2024 Combine, more help will likely be en route soon.
McCaffrey had held up for the 49ers between the October 2022 trade and Super Bowl LVIII, but last season reminded of the injury issues the dynamic starter experienced as a Panther. Guerendo should be expected to see steady work off the bench in 2025, and it will be interesting if the 49ers make a notable addition to further insure this position group. Patrick Taylor and Israel Abanikanda round out the 49ers’ RB contingent.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan To Visit Patriots, Saints, Cowboys
First-round wide receiver prospect Tetairoa McMillan has secured visits with the Patriots, Saints, and Cowboys, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Wilson also confirms the previously-reported McMillan-Panthers summit.
McMillan’s size (6-4, 219), catch radius, and ability to make contested catches are among his chief selling points, while his lack of deep speed and inability to create consistent separation – which is why he needed to make so many contested grabs – have caused some concern. The highest recruit in the history of the Arizona football program, McMillan averaged 87 catches for 1,360.5 yards and nine TDs for the Wildcats over the past two seasons. He finished his college career with a 16.1 yards-per-catch average, thus illustrating his ability to make big plays downfield despite the fact that he is not a blazing runner.
After a long search that saw the team make aggressive pursuits for Brandon Aiyuk and Chris Godwin over the last year, New England finally landed a quality, veteran wideout when it signed Stefon Diggs last month. Nonetheless, Diggs is coming off a platform campaign cut short by an ACL tear, and between the injury and the fact that he is entering his age-32 season, there is reason to believe he will not return to his peak level of performance.
As such, it would not be surprising to see the Pats add more top-tier talent at the skill positions to aid in second-year quarterback Drake Maye’s development. On the other hand, new head coach Mike Vrabel has said addressing the club’s offensive and defensive lines would be a top offseason priority, and blockers like LSU’s Will Campbell and Missouri’s Armand Membou have been consistently linked to New England as possible solutions for the team’s glaring left tackle need.
Either of those OTs are realistic targets for the Pats and their No. 4 pick, though McMillan is unlikely to be selected that high. But, if the Pats find a trade-down opportunity to their liking, McMillan could become an option.
The Saints bolstered their WR corps by reuniting with Brandin Cooks this offseason, and they also return Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. However, all three players missed significant time due to injury in 2024, so another receiver addition would not come as a shock. Still, New Orleans has more pressing needs, including a long-term quarterback. While the club could still target a passer with its second-round pick – by which time McMillan is likely to be long gone – a QB like Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart are legitimate possibilities for the Saints’ No. 9 overall pick.
Dallas, Cooks’ most recent employer, has confirmed that it is in the market for a WR to complement CeeDee Lamb, and McMillan could be a fit for the club’s No. 12 selection. The team recently met with several other high-end WR prospects, Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka and Texas’ Matthew Golden, though the Cowboys could see running back as a bigger need.
Browns, Giants Have Inquired About Trading For No. 1 Pick; Titans Never Considered Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers?
APRIL 13: Zac Jackson of The Athletic (subscription required) says the Titans appear sold on Ward. League sources have praised Ward’s maturity and the steady improvements he made over the course of his collegiate career, which leads clubs to believe he can thrive at the professional level.
Russini, on a recent episode of her Scoop City podcast, says it would take an historic offer to convince Tennessee to trade out of the No. 1 overall spot and forego its shot at Ward (video link). Russini adds that the reports of the Titans’ faith in Ward are real and are not part of the club’s effort to drive up the price for the top pick in the draft.
APRIL 6: The Browns and Giants, both still in need of a long-term quarterback despite offseason bridge additions, have inquired about trading up with the Titans to obtain the No. 1 overall pick in this month’s draft, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic (subscription required). We had previously heard Tennessee was fielding calls on that front, and it only makes sense that Cleveland (which presently holds the No. 2 overall pick) and New York (No. 3) would at least see what it would take to make a swap and put themselves in position to land Miami quarterback Cam Ward, the top QB in the 2025 class.
Less than two months ago, many around the league believed the rebuilding Titans would look to trade down, and the Giants were arguably the team most connected to a possible move up the board. The Browns, meanwhile, have been more closely linked to a Kirk Cousins pursuit than a trade for the No. 1 selection, with GM Andrew Berry recently confirming he is unlikely to swing a deal with Tennessee.
Interestingly, Howe says the Titans have not even determined what sort of compensation they would require to move down the board, which further strengthens the prevailing notion that they will select Ward with the top pick. And, contrary to pre-free agency rumors on the matter, Howe says Tennessee never got involved in the Sam Darnold sweepstakes, and he confirms the same is true of Aaron Rodgers. Of course, that represents yet another sign that Ward is Nashville-bound.
Recent reporting has pegged Cleveland as the likely destination for two-way phenom Travis Hunter, and the Giants – who have long been intrigued by Hunter’s collegiate teammate, quarterback Shedeur Sanders – would thus be in position to nab the polarizing passer. That would align with the belief that Big Blue is “praying” Cleveland takes a non-QB like Hunter so that Sanders will fall to No. 3.
On the other hand, New York is said to be “convinced” Cleveland – its professed comfort in having Kenny Pickett assume QB1 duties notwithstanding – will be the team to take Sanders. The Browns did indeed plan a private workout for Sanders, and according to Howe, the Giants will also meet again with the second-generation star prior to the draft.
With Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston having been added to the QB room in free agency, and with Wilson seemingly in the driver’s seat to serve as the starting quarterback regardless of how the draft unfolds, Giants GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll, who are both clinging to their jobs, may prefer to use the No. 3 pick on a player who can help the team win now rather than a high-upside project like Sanders. To that end, one team picking in the top-10 has told Howe that New York seems to be cooling on the idea of adding a signal-caller with its top draft choice.
Considering the Browns-Hunter connections that have recently emerged — supported by Dianna Russini of The Athletic, who says she no longer believes Cleveland will take a QB (video link) — Howe says if the Giants do not select Sanders with the No. 3 pick, they would likely take Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter (assuming Ward and Hunter are off the board by that time). Carter is seen as one of the draft’s best all-around prospects, and New York is one of the four clubs (along with the Titans, Browns, and Patriots) that secured a visit with him. That said, as our Sam Robinson noted when it became clear the Giants would host Carter, they are the team on Carter’s itinerary that would seemingly need him the least, given the presence of Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
Carter is nonetheless a blue chip talent, and if Hunter is gone by the time the Giants are on the clock, and if New York does not believe Sanders represents the best player available at No. 3, there is logic in nabbing the Penn State product. Or, if they feel Carter is not a great fit, the Giants could trade down themselves in an effort to collect more draft capital.