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.
Saints Host Louisville QB Tyler Shough
The Saints had planned to start Derek Carr at quarterback in 2025, but Carr’s shoulder malady – which may impact his regular season availability – could increase the club’s urgency to select a passer in the upcoming draft. Per Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com, the Saints hosted Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough on a “30” visit on the same day news of Carr’s injury surfaced.
Even before the Carr development, New Orleans was at least connected to the possibility of drafting a QB with its first-round pick (No. 9 overall). As even casual NFL observers likely know by now, however, this year’s collegiate class of signal-callers is not considered a strong one, and with the Saints in dire need of cost-controlled talent throughout the roster, a Day 2 swing on a player like Texas’ Quinn Ewers has seemed like a more realistic possibility.
In the initial round of reports concerning Carr’s shoulder, Dianna Russini of The Athletic said New Orleans was not surprised by the possibility that the 34-year-old could require surgery. So while Duncan implies the meeting with Shough may be directly related to the Carr news, the team may have been planning to host the fast-rising prospect anyway.
And despite Shough generating a fair amount of pre-draft buzz and securing visits with a number of clubs in need of both short-and long-term QB answers, it would still be surprising to see him selected in the top-10. If the Saints opt for a Day 1 passer, a player like Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart would appear to represent better value. Although there is some disagreement about the likelihood of a Saints-Sanders connection, a number of mock drafts (including ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s most recent offering) project exactly that.
Perhaps the biggest knock on Shough is his age. Thanks to relaxed transfer and eligibility rules, the Oregon recruit was in college for seven years – also suiting up for Texas Tech and Louisville along the way – and he will turn 26 shortly after the 2025 season kicks off. He nonetheless seems like a safe bet to hear his name called in the second round of the draft, if not sooner.
In his first and only season with Louisville in 2024, Shough completed 62.7% of his passes and threw for 3,195 yards and 23 TDs against six interceptions. After battling injuries during the three prior seasons with the Red Raiders, the fact that he remained healthy in 2024 was a notable development for him. Along with his age, durability will be a concern for interested teams, though his size and arm talent have created plenty of intrigue.
Cardinals’ Kyler Murray Addresses ACL Recovery; QB Aims To Run More In 2025
A 2022 ACL tear ended Kyler Murray‘s campaign that season and delayed his return to the field until the midway point of the following season. 2024 thus marked an important checkpoint in his recovery as the Pro Bowl quarterback managed to play a full slate. 
Mobility was an issue for part of last season, however. Murray revealed during an interview with PHNX Sports that he was “feeling something” with respect to his knee early in the 2024 campaign (video link). As a result, the former No. 1 pick did not run as much as he wanted to. Murray recorded 78 rushing attempts, well short of his career-high in that regard (133 attempts in 2020).
Notably, Murray added there are “conversations” taking place with the coaching staff about his rushing numbers increasing in 2025. The 27-year-old is of course one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks with respect to producing with his legs when fully healthy, having amassed over 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns on the ground during his career. Improving on offense moving forward could include a heavier emphasis on Murray using his legs.
“I don’t want to get too scheme based, but I do feel like I have to run more next year,” the former Offensive Rookie of the Year said. “I’m open to running more next year, just because it’s such a weapon… I think for us, part of the emphasis going into next season is, conceptually, on time, I feel I’m one of the best in the league. I think where we get better is making things happen outside the pocket.”
The Cardinals were in contention to win the NFC West for much of last season, but a 2-5 run to close out the campaign left them outside of the playoff picture. The team’s overall record of 8-9 represented a notable step forward from the first year of the Jonathan Gannon-Monti Ossenfort regime, but further development on both sides of the ball will be needed to continue in that direction. Defensive help early in the draft is expected to be targeted, something which would leave Murray in place as a central figure in the passing and rushing attack moving forward.
The Oklahoma product has another four seasons left on his contract, and most of his scheduled 2026 compensation recently became locked in. Murray’s future in the organization is not in doubt, but the extent to which he operates as a rushing quarterback next season will be an interesting storyline for the Cardinals.
Colts RT Braden Smith’s 2024 Departure Was Caused By OCD
Braden Smith managed 12 appearances for the Colts in 2024, remaining a full-time starter up front. The veteran right tackle was away from the team for the end of the campaign, however, and further details regarding his absence have emerged. 
In a detailed piece documenting Smith’s situation, Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star notes the 29-year-old dealt with religious scrupulosity, which is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (or OCD). Smith played through the issue during the 2024 campaign, but his worsening condition caused him to pause his career and attempt a number of treatment options.
“I was physically present, but I was nowhere to be found,” Smith said when reflecting on his time with the team. “I did not care about playing football. I didn’t care about hanging out with my family, with my wife, with my newborn son. I [felt like I] was a month away from putting a bullet through my brain.”
Smith told his wife in September he intended to retire at the end of the season if the issue persisted. The seven-year veteran spent 48 days at a treatment facility after stepping away from the Colts, receiving an official diagnosis for the first time. A number of treatment options and medications proved ineffective in terms of improving his condition on a permanent basis, however.
The decision was therefore made to attempt treatment using ibogaine in Mexico (since it is illegal in the United States). The psychoactive alkaloid compound has been used in cases of post-traumatic stress disorder as well traumatic brain injury, and it – along with a regimen of OCD-specific therapy sessions back home – yielded progress. As a result, Smith is now prepared to resume his career.
The former second-rounder agreed to a restructure this offseason, lowering his cap hit to $10.4MM. Smith is a pending 2026 free agent, so his performance next season will be critical in determining his future. He will be counted on to reprise his role as a key O-lineman after Indianapolis lost center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries on the open market. OCD will remain a part of Smith’s life moving forward, but, fortunately, he appears to be in position to return to the Colts on a full-time basis.
“I wasn’t here last year,” he added. “I was physically here, but I wasn’t. I want to be me again here, and I want the people around me to experience that, because I do feel like I do have something to offer the people around me.”
Courtland Sutton: Progress Being Made On Broncos Extension Talks
Courtland Sutton‘s contract status was a talking point for the Broncos last offseason until a 2024 top-up was agreed to. As a result, this year represents the window for an extension to be worked out as Denver looks to negotiate several new deals. 
No Sutton agreement is in place yet, meaning he remains on track for free agency in 2026. The former Pro Bowl wideout skipped voluntary OTAs last spring, but he will be in attendance this time around. That is an encouaraging sign regarding the chances of an extension coming to bear, and Sutton added to the positive sentiment when speaking on the subject Saturday.
“My team has had a really good conversation with the guys up there in the front office, and I think it’s working in the right direction,” the 29-year-old told Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post. “Ultimately, you just want to know you’re working in the right direction. I think they see and have seen what I’ve brought to the team. I’m open and optimistic about the fact that I’ll be able to be here for the rest of my career.”
Sutton finishing his NFL tenure in the Mile High City has looked like far from a certainty for some time now. Regularly included in trade talk, the Broncos’ No. 1 receiver delivered the second 1,000-yard campaign of his career in 2024 and now profiles as a priority for the team to continue building on offense around quarterback Bo Nix. Sutton is currently owed $14MM for 2025 with a scheduled cap hit of $20.2MM.
A multi-year deal will no doubt require a raise based on the surges in the receiver market, although without the same resume as many of his younger counterparts Sutton should not approach the most lucrative contracts at the position. Still, a new Broncos commitment would ensure his place as a major contributor on offense for years to come, particularly as a red zone target with 18 touchdowns over the past two years. With Nix on his rookie deal, Denver could afford to keep Sutton in the fold at a higher rate while bolstering a skill-position group which saw the arrival of tight end Evan Engram in free agency.
The upcoming draft looms as another opportunity for the Broncos to bring in new weapons on offense. No extension will be in place with Sutton or any other player in line for a new deal until after it takes place, but signs continue to point to an agreement being worked out on that front before the 2025 season kicks off.
Prospect Profile: Nic Scourton
While much of the pre-draft focus coming out of College Station this year has been on likely first-round pass rusher Shemar Stewart, teammate of one year and fellow pass rusher Nic Scourton may quietly sneak into the first round with him. According to sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, Scourton has been getting some buzz as a potential late first-round pick recently with late-round teams like the Eagles and Ravens showing particular interest. 
While registering as a consensus four-star prospect coming out of Bryan HS (TX), Scourton only ranked as the 22nd best defensive line prospect in his class, per 247Sports. As a result, Scourton wasn’t recruited by many Power 5 schools coming out of high school. His only in-state offers came from SMU, North Texas, and UTSA, and his biggest offers came from Purdue, Colorado State, Memphis, and Marshall. As his only Power 5 offer, the Boilermakers landed his commitment.
Coming off the bench as a true freshman, Scourton still found a way to make an impact. His 22 tackles were the most for a freshman defensive lineman at Purdue since George Karlaftis three years earlier, and he notched two sacks in the team’s last two games of the year. In 2023, Scourton took on a starting role and graded out as the team’s second-best defender that season, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). In only 11 games, he led the Big Ten in sacks (10.0) and was fourth in the conference in tackles for loss (15.0), earning second-team All-Big Ten honors.
Coming off his successful sophomore campaign, Scourton opted to jump into the transfer portal for what would seemingly be his final year of collegiate play. Despite their campus being a mere three miles from his high school, Texas A&M didn’t recruit Scourton out of high school, but he overlooked that fact in favor of a homecoming for his junior year, committing to transfer to the Aggies.
Because Stewart struggled to produce throughout his time in College Station, it’s no surprise that Scourton came in and led the Aggies in sacks (5.0) and tackles for loss (14.0) in 2024. Starting 12 games for Texas A&M, he graded out as the third-best player on the Aggies defense and the 48th-best edge defender in the country, per PFF.
Neither ESPN’s Matt Miller nor Dane Brugler of The Athletic have Scourton ranked as one of their top 10 edge defenders. Brugler slots him in at 12th for the position, citing some bad weight and a lack of ideal length on his frame as some issues limiting his ranking. Still, Scourton’s thick build can be beneficial at the next level, granted he puts on the right kind of weight. The size does help him as an above-average run defender, though he still profiles as a pass rusher who could stand to add some more elegant moves to his arsenal.
As Pauline mentioned above, Scourton received a top-30 visit with the Eagles this past Thursday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted his presence with the Browns on Tuesday, and Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 also logged meetings with the Cardinals, Texans, and Patriots.
What most all of these teams have in common is that they reside around the late-first round and early-second round, giving us a good idea of where he could fall in two weeks. While he maybe didn’t capitalize on his lone year back in the College Station area, it seems teams and their scouts are willing to look over this past season to see the potential production he displayed at Purdue in 2023. As a result, he may just find himself being selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Raiders Could Both Sign And Draft A WR
While having a record-setter at tight end does kind of mask other shortcomings in the passing game for the Raiders, there still seems to be a noticeable need for help at wide receiver. According to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, help could come through both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft this offseason. Per Reed, Las Vegas is likely to sign a veteran receiver, but it won’t prevent them from drafting one, as well. 
The Raiders do currently roster starting-caliber wide receivers in Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, but after the departure of Davante Adams last year, they struggled to find contributions from a supporting cast of DJ Turner, Terrace Marshall, Alex Bachman, and company. Besides Meyers and Tucker, the returning roster in 2025 combined for only 56 total yards with contributions from Bachman (31 yards), Kristian Wilkerson (18), and Ramel Keyton (7). The only addition to the group so far has been former Titans wide receiver Kyle Phillips, who totaled 259 yards over two years in Tennessee and didn’t play last season.
There are a number of impact options the team could sign before or after the draft, depending on the approach they’d like to take. Spending more money on more established veterans by signing Keenan Allen or reuniting with Amari Cooper could allow them to take a later flyer in the draft on a wide receiver who may need time to develop. Otherwise, Las Vegas could fetch a bargain on veterans like Diontae Johnson, Tyler Lockett, Robert Woods, Nelson Agholor, DJ Chark, or Tyler Boyd, which would put more pressure on them to find a more impactful rookie receiver in the draft.
The team isn’t expected to go after a pass catcher in the first round. At No. 6 overall, the team has been linked more to options like Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, or Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker. More likely, Vegas could attempt to address wide receiver at the top of the second round, should they fail to land Allen or Cooper in free agency. At No. 37 overall, options like Texas’ Matthew Golden, Missouri’s Luther Burden, and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka could all be around, as they’re all considered to be fringe first-rounders.
Las Vegas has nine draft picks this year, so they should have plenty of other options throughout the three-day event. Meyers, 6-foot-2, is effective as a reliable possession receiver who excels at getting open in the slot, and Tucker, at 5-foot-9, is a more dynamic speedster with some deep ball potential.
With that in mind, the team could opt to add a big-bodied red-zone target. Players like TCU’s Savion Williams (just under 6-foot-4), Tennessee’s Dont’e Thornton (6-foot-4.5), or Arkansas’ Isaac TeSlaa (6-foot-3.5) could all be sizeable options as Day 3 picks. More versatile, mid-size options could be another area to look at for the Raiders. Prospects like TCU’s Jack Bech and Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor could be solid Day 2 options, while SEC pass catchers like Keandre Lambert-Smith (Auburn), Chimere Dike (Florida), and Arian Smith (Georgia) could be names to watch on Day 3.
However they choose to go about it, Las Vegas has plenty of options on the table for addressing their receiving corps. Whether they choose to bring in a big-name veteran and take a later flyer in the draft or sign a solid role-player and go after one of the draft’s better receiving prospects, there’s no shortage of possible combinations that we could see in silver and black next year.