Jerry Jeudy

AFC Rumors: Texans, Jeudy, Njoku

December 2nd, 2022 at 10:07pm CST by Ely Allen

The Texans will be without two key players as they go up against their former quarterback and the Browns this weekend, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Leading wide receiver Brandin Cooks and rookie cornerback Derek Stingley have been ruled out going into the weekend.

Houston has struggled mightily so far this year en route to a 1-9-1 record. Despite the promise heading into the year of the connection between second-year starting quarterback Davis Mills and Cooks, neither has quite lived up to their potential. Mills has officially lost the starting job he earned as a rookie, getting benched for Kyle Allen. Cooks, after cracking the 1,000-yard receiving mark in each of his first two seasons with the Texans, will be hard-pressed to reach that achievement this year as he currently boasts 520 receiving yards with only seven games remaining. Cooks will miss his second game of the season with a calf injury, and the Texans will be forced to lean on Nico Collins, Chris Moore, Phillip Dorsett, and Amari Rodgers to hopefully make up for the loss of Cooks.

Stingley is set to miss his third game in a row with a hamstring issue. Stingley has endured a rough transition to the NFL. So far in his rookie season, Stingley has only graded out as the NFL’s 107th-best cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Still, he is third on the Texans with five passes defensed and tied for second with one interception, showing that he makes an impact on a defense that has struggled for much of the year. In Stingley’s absence, Desmond King will continue to start opposite Steven Nelson with Tavierre Thomas getting some solid action, as well.

Here are a few other injury rumors from around the AFC, starting with some potentially good news at Mile High:

Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy could be set to make a return to the field against the Ravens this weekend, according to Kyle Newman of the Denver Post. After a two-week absence, the third-year wide out is a game-time decision to play. KJ Hamler will miss a fourth straight game, after suffering a recent setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury. Jeudy’s return would be a big boost for a Denver team that has been forced to rely on Kendall Hinton, Montrell Washington, and Brandon Johnson as its Courtland Sutton supporting cast over the past two games.
After returning for two straight games, Browns tight end David Njoku has been ruled out once again, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Despite a slow start to the season, Njoku had begun a streak of strong performances to justify his new contract. Unfortunately, his momentum came to a crashing halt when he missed two games with an ankle injury. Coming off a five-catch performance last week that included a game-tying touchdown catch with 32 seconds remaining, seeing Njoku sidelined once again, this time with a knee injury, is the last thing Browns fans were hoping to see.

WR Rumors: Diggs, Texans, Panthers, Hamler

November 17th, 2022 at 11:13am CST by Sam Robinson

Week 10’s Vikings–Bills thriller featured Stefon Diggs‘ first game against his former team. The 2020 trade that sent Diggs to Buffalo and a compensation package headlined by a first-round pick (Justin Jefferson) to Minnesota became one of the great win-win trades in modern NFL history. Diggs voicing his frustration about the Vikings’ run-heavy offense in 2019 led to Bills interest, laying the groundwork for the 2020 swap. Diggs requested a trade in October 2019, but after meetings with Vikings brass, the sides agreed to shelve the matter until 2020, Tim Graham of The Athletic reports (subscription required).

After a season in which Diggs drew just 94 targets in 15 games, the Vikings worked with the wideout’s agent to find a fit. The Jets and Patriots reached out, and Graham adds the Texans were in the mix as well. A Texans trade would have been interesting, considering they ended up trading DeAndre Hopkins on the same day Diggs was ultimately dealt. Houston ended up acquiring Brandin Cooks later that spring. Diggs did not ask for a new contract from the Bills immediately. His camp worried an extension request upon arrival would scuttle a potential deal, Graham adds, but the Bills understood money needed to be moved to accommodate the trade asset. Buffalo did so later that summer. Diggs ended up playing two years on his 2018 Vikings-constructed deal before inking a four-year, $96MM Bills pact this offseason.

Both Diggs and Jefferson are 2-for-2 in Pro Bowls since the trade, with both heading toward more accolades this year. Jefferson will be eligible for a monster extension in 2023. Here is the latest from the NFL’s receiver landscape:

Although the Texans used their No. 1 waiver spot to claim Amari Rodgers on Wednesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) the Panthers also submitted a claim. The Panthers have D.J. Moore and Terrace Marshall signed to long-term deals but recently changed up their receiver situation by trading Robbie Anderson. Houston now has Rodgers, a 2021 third-round pick whom the Packers cut this week, signed through 2024.
Injury problems have hindered the Broncos throughout the season, and their receiver situation — one already affected by Tim Patrick‘s training camp ACL tear — took another hit last week when KJ Hamler went down in practice. Hamler’s hamstring injury sidelined him for Denver’s Week 10 game, and Nathaniel Hackett said (via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, on Twitter) the third-year wideout is expected to miss “a few” more weeks due to the injury. A former second-round pick, Hamler is coming off a season marred by an ACL tear and a hip injury. The young deep threat drew interest at the trade deadline, but the Broncos opted to stand pat at receiver. Hamler has just seven catches for 165 yards this season.
Conversely, Jerry Jeudy is believed to have avoided a major setback. Jeudy suffered an ankle injury early in the Broncos’ Week 10 loss to the Titans; he was carted off the field. But the Broncos believe the former first-round pick dodged a bullet, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, who notes Jeudy could return this week. Jeudy, who also left a Week 2 game due to an ankle injury before returning in Week 3, has 30 receptions for 449 yards this season.

Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy Suffers Ankle Injury

November 14th, 2022 at 1:54pm CST by Ely Allen

NOVEMBER 14: An MRI confirmed on Monday that Jeudy did indeed only suffer a mild ankle injury, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (video link). His availability for this week remains up in the air, but the news represents a very positive development for the Broncos.

NOVEMBER 13: Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy left today’s loss to the Titans with an ankle injury that kept him out for the rest of the game. After evaluating the injury further, Denver believes the injury is not his Achilles tendon, which would be the worst-case scenario for the 23-year-old, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS.

Jeudy missed seven games last year, including six straight due to a high ankle sprain. He’s come back strong during his third year in the league, not missing a single start so far this year. That streak may be in question following today’s injury, though. It will be good news if the team can confirm that his Achilles is fine, but an injury that was serious enough to hold him out of the rest of the game will be tough to come back from quickly.

With slot receiver KJ Hamler dealing with a hamstring injury and Tim Patrick still on injured reserve with a season-ending ACL tear, the Broncos can hardly afford to lose Jeudy. With Jeudy on the sideline, Denver relied on Kendall Hinton, Tyrie Cleveland, rookie fifth-round pick Montrell Washington, and undrafted rookie Jalen Virgil to step up alongside the team’s only remaining starting wideout, Courtland Sutton. Virgil and Hinton found some success today against Tennessee but relying on them for multiple weeks is a lot to ask for an offense that has already struggled throughout the season.

The team is also piling up injuries at center. Graham Glasgow, who was already filling for Lloyd Cushenberry after the starting center was placed on IR, left today’s game and did not return, according to Klis. Denver brought in rookie fifth-round pick Luke Wattenberg to fill in for Glasgow and will likely ask him to start if Glasgow needs more time to recover.

Cowboys Interested In Odell Beckham Jr., Made Offer For Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy

November 6th, 2022 at 11:31am CST by Rory Parks

11:31am: Jay Glazer of FOX Sports says Beckham’s return to full strength will happen closer to the mid-November timeframe that had been floated for some time. Per Glazer, Beckham is expected to be fully cleared within the next week (Twitter link).

08:16am: The Cowboys made an effort to improve their WR corps in advance of Tuesday’s trade deadline, including an attempt to acquire Texans wideout Brandin Cooks. Cooks was not the only receiver Dallas was interested in, and though the deadline has passed, there is still one high-profile pass catcher on the team’s radar, as Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com report.

That player, of course, is Odell Beckham Jr., who is a popular name on the NFL rumor mill for the second consecutive November. Last year, it was a midseason divorce with the Browns that led to an OBJ free agent frenzy, which ultimately concluded with the three-time Pro Bowler signing with the Rams. Beckham then tore his ACL in Super Bowl LVI and has been without an employer since his contract with Los Angeles expired.

That is largely because Beckham has not been healthy enough to take the field. Reports have consistently maintained he would be ready to return to game action this month, so we fully expected contending clubs — especially those that did not land a receiver at the deadline — to ramp up their pursuit of Beckham right about now. The Rams have acknowledged since the offseason that they would be interested in a reunion, and that is presumably still the case since LA also missed out on Cooks and has gotten little production from offseason acquisition Allen Robinson. The Bills, Chiefs, Packers, and Vikings are also in the mix, and the Giants could be a factor as well.

Rapoport and Garafolo do note that, contrary to earlier reporting on the matter, Beckham is not expected to be at full strength and under contract until early December. That delay does not appear to be much of a concern, as one of the reasons the Cowboys did not overpay in a trade for a receiver is because the team believed it would have a chance to sign Beckham. Dallas has not yet talked contract with OBJ’s camp but has monitored his recovery closely.

In addition to Cooks, the Cowboys also made an offer for Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, per the NFL.com duo. Denver fielded a number of calls on its former first-rounder, and GM George Paton was said to be holding out for a Round 2 selection. Teams clearly did not meet that asking price, as Jeudy stayed put. Nonetheless, it is clear that the Cowboys, who have posted a 6-2 record despite playing five of their eight games without Dak Prescott, are serious about adding another weapon to Prescott’s arsenal.

According to Rapoport and Garafolo, Beckham wants a multi-year deal. It would be somewhat surprising to see him land such an accord given his recent injury history, though the sheer number of suitors could help him in achieving that goal. On the other hand, if he joins a team for only the remainder of the 2022 campaign and performs as well as he did with the Rams prior to the ACL tear, he will be in line for a much larger payday in the offseason.

Giants, Others Called Broncos On Jerry Jeudy; Team Wanted Round 2 Pick?

November 3rd, 2022 at 1:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

This year’s wide receiver trade market included Jerry Jeudy, but the Broncos backed away from trading him. They instead unloaded Bradley Chubb for first- and fourth-round picks, along with Chase Edmonds. But teams showed interest in Jeudy, a former first-rounder.

Denver is believed to have wanted a second-rounder for Jeudy, Dan Duggan of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Broncos GM George Paton said several calls came in for Jeudy and the team’s other wide receivers, but the team — which has each of its top three wideouts under contract beyond 2022 — stood down. The Chubb market picked up considerably ahead of the deadline, but the Broncos had been leaning toward keeping Jeudy for a few days before NFL trading ceased.

“We received a number of calls on our receivers, some other positions,” Paton said. “We wanted to keep our young, talented receivers. We started to get some rhythm in the last game vs. Jacksonville. We just feel good with where we’re going. We’re trending in the right direction with Jerry and [KJ] Hamler and Courtland [Sutton]. We didn’t want to break that up. I think we have a good thing going. We’re in it to win it moving forward, and so we kept all of our receivers.”

Rumored to be interested, the Giants indeed called the Broncos on Jeudy, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports adds. Addressing his team’s need at receiver, Giants GM Joe Schoen said “the price point just didn’t work out,” citing a desire to protect future draft picks. The Giants were interested in Jeudy and Brandin Cooks, though the latter’s big 2023 salary ($18MM) interrupted every team’s talks with the Texans, but were viewed as unlikely to part with more than a Day 3 pick for a wideout. Chase Claypool ended up being the only receiver — at least, among those eligible to play in 2022 — moved at the deadline, going from Pittsburgh to Chicago for a Round 2 choice.

The Broncos’ previous regime drafted Jeudy 15th overall. The Alabama alum (30 catches, 449 yards, three touchdowns in 2022) is on pace for a career-high receiving total, but he has also enjoyed an inconsistent career and has struggled with drops. Jeudy, 23, has four this season; Sutton has five. Coupled with Russell Wilson‘s struggles assimilating in Nathaniel Hackett‘s offense, the Broncos have run into rampant issues on that side of the ball.

Still, Denver moving forward with Jeudy makes sense. He is tied to his rookie contract through 2023, with a to-be-determined fifth-year option allowing the deal to be extended through 2024. While the Broncos have not lived up to offseason expectations, a true fire sale did not make much sense — especially at receiver. The team could finetune this group next year, but as of now, Wilson’s top four wideouts — Sutton, Jeudy, Hamler and Tim Patrick — are all under contract in 2023.

The Giants have a far less certain receiving corps — both this year and next. They traded Kadarius Toney to the Chiefs and have lost Sterling Shepard for the season. Kenny Golladay has missed much of this year with an MCL sprain, while Darius Slayton only recently re-emerged from Brian Daboll‘s doghouse. Shepard and Slayton are on expiring contracts, with Golladay a certain 2023 cap casualty. With Wan’Dale Robinson about the lone guaranteed receiving cog to be part of next year’s Giants, this will be a major offseason need.

Trade Rumors: Broncos, Cooks, Akers, Hunt, Cowboys, Lions, 49ers

November 1st, 2022 at 1:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brandin Cooks is available, and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com notes (via Twitter) the Texans are in discussions involving the ninth-year receiver. But Cooks’ $18MM guaranteed 2023 salary — which came to pass after Houston re-signed him on a two-year, $39MM pact in April — has proven to be an impediment here. Teams are not moving on Cooks unless the Texans pick up a chunk of that salary. Cooks, 29, was linked to giving up some guaranteed money to facilitate a trade back to the Rams. But it is unlikely he will give up too much cash to be moved. The Giants and Vikings have also been connected to the thrice-traded Cooks. For what it’s worth, Cooks was not at Texans practice Tuesday. Personal reasons — not an imminent trade — are believed to be behind Cooks’ absence, NFL.com’s Garafolo tweets.

With the deadline in less than three hours, here is the latest from the trade front:

The Broncos have told teams they are not conducting a fire sale, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. A Bradley Chubb trade still could commence, but NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo hears (video link) the team is holding out for a better offer. Denver has been linked to not only wanting a first-round pick for Chubb but two firsts. With the latter price range unlikely to take shape, the Broncos figure to be put to a major decision today. Jerry Jeudy remains unlikely to be moved, per Garafolo.
No Cam Akers trade is imminent, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports tweets. The Rams have been looking for a trade partner to unload their 2020 second-round pick. This situation may not be as icy as previously believed, however. Akers was once rumored to be done with the Rams, but he is now prepared to return to the team if no trade occurs this afternoon.
Prior to acquiring James Robinson from the Jaguars, the Jets looked into Kareem Hunt, Breer notes. The Browns have dangled Hunt for the price of a fourth-round pick, but the former rushing champion may now be set to stay in Cleveland for at least this season’s remainder. Hunt, 27, should be expected to hit free agency if no trade goes down today.
The Lions may not be done dealing. After sending T.J. Hockenson to the Vikings, the rebuilding NFC North squad has informed teams it remains open for business. Defensive back is one of the areas in which Detroit is willing to deal, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones tweets. Contract-year cornerback Amani Oruwariye would appear to be one name available. While Jeff Okudah arrived before the Brad Holmes regime took over, it would still be surprising if Detroit moved on from the former No. 3 overall pick.
In addition to making defensive end Tarell Basham available, the Cowboys are open to moving defensive tackle Trysten Hill, Breer adds. Dallas has not seen the former second-round pick develop into a starter but has used him as a part-time player throughout this season. The team just added Johnathan Hankins via trade and has rookie-contract performers Osa Odighizuwa and Quinton Bohanna ahead of Hill. Basham has only played in one game this season (Week 1) and remains on IR. The Cowboys designated the former third-round edge rusher for return late last month, however.
The 49ers have already made their big trade splash, sending four picks to the Panthers for Christian McCaffrey. Kyle Shanahan said (via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area) the phone lines are always open, but the team does not expect to make another move.

Broncos Mandating First-Round Pick For Bradley Chubb?

October 31st, 2022 at 11:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Multiple reports have connected the Broncos to a trade involving a first-round pick for Bradley Chubb, in the event they end up dealing the fifth-year edge rusher. The Broncos may now be insistent on a first-rounder coming back.

Denver is setting a first-rounder as the Chubb starting point, according to Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero, who adds the team is telling teams it must offer a first and then some to pry Chubb away. The former Von Miller sidekick is in a contract year, like Miller was in 2022. While expectations were higher for the 2022 Broncos compared to 2021, they are 3-5 ahead of Tuesday’s deadline and again in position to make a seller’s trade.

The first-round price comes in north of what a report last week indicated Chubb would likely cost. A second- and third-round package, which Miller fetched last year, was viewed as the likeliest Chubb price. But the Dolphins and Jets have since been linked to the former No. 5 overall pick. The AFC East teams, who are each gunning for playoff spots for the first time in years, have been linked to being interested to the point a first-rounder would be exchanged. A Sunday-morning report also indicated the Broncos have received an offer including a first-rounder for Chubb, putting the team to a big-picture decision.

The Broncos have gauged the cost of a Chubb extension, according to Albert Breer of SI.com, but no talks of a new deal are believed to have taken place. Chubb, 26, has expressed a desire to stay in Denver beyond 2022, but he said from London he has not made bye-week plans due to the Broncos’ trade talks. Although injuries have depleted the 2022 Broncos’ outside linebacker depth, they have Randy Gregory, Baron Browning and second-round rookie Nik Bonitto signed long term.

No edge defender has garnered a first-rounder via trade since the Chiefs acquired Frank Clark from the Seahawks in April 2019. That move came with Clark on a franchise tag and before he had made a Pro Bowl. Chubb earned such a nod in 2020 and has a 12-sack season (as a rookie in 2018) on his resume. This would be a steep price to pay for a rental, but an acquiring team would have exclusive Chubb negotiating rights until March 2023. A 2023 tag — surely a Broncos consideration as well — would be in an acquiring team’s back pocket.

Chubb’s age compared to Miller’s likely has led to a first-rounder being in the equation. The Broncos also can use the John Elway-era draftee to recoup draft capital they lost in the Russell Wilson trade. The Wilson trade leaves Denver without 2023 first- or second-round picks, and the quarterback’s $49MM-per-year extension will make high-end investments elsewhere on the roster more difficult. Gregory is signed to a $14MM-per-year deal, while Browning and Bonitto are on rookie pacts. Chubb would be expected to sign for well north of $20MM per annum.

Still, the Broncos have not committed to dealing Chubb, per Salguero, who notes such a move would be a clear sign the team is punting on 2022. The prospect of other teams’ offers falling short of the Broncos’ asking price also looms. It would then be interesting to see if the Broncos would accept a lesser haul to bolster its 2023 draft arsenal or just ride it out with Chubb and reassess the situation ahead of the 2023 league year.

The team is not expected to part with Jerry Jeudy or K.J. Hamler, who are each under contract in 2023. But a Jeudy trade is not completely off the table, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, who adds tight end Albert Okwuegbunam is carrying next to no trade value. The Broncos have buried Okwuegbunam on their depth chart in recent weeks and would likely accept just about any draft capital to move him.

Giants Remain Interested In WRs; Team Unlikely To Trade High Picks

October 31st, 2022 at 5:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Having seen offseason trade candidate Darius Slayton become Daniel Jones‘ top target in recent weeks, the Giants have a need at wide receiver ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. How much are they willing to give up to acquire one?

Recently linked to Brandin Cooks, the Giants have indeed called the Texans on the oft-traded pass catcher, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports tweets. Cooks will not cost what fellow Giants target Jerry Jeudy would, but the ninth-year veteran has been connected to other destinations — most notably the Rams — as well.

Cooks, 29, has been mentioned as being willing to give up some guaranteed money to facilitate a trade. That arrangement may only apply to the Rams, and it would surprise to the thrice-dealt wideout agree to give up too much cash. Cooks signed a two-year, $39MM extension with the Texans, and while they are amid a rebuild, the veteran receiver did well to score $36MM fully guaranteed. The former Saint, Patriot and Ram is not quite on pace for a seventh 1,000-yard season, as he has 32 catches for 354 yards, but he still carries some value ahead of the deadline. Regardless of Cooks’ status, the Rams join the Giants as parties interested in receiver help.

Jeudy remains a Giants target as well, per Vacchiano, but ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan adds (via Twitter) the Broncos’ asking price is steep. Unlike fellow Broncos trade chip Bradley Chubb, Jeudy is under contract through 2023 and can be kept through 2024 via the fifth-year option. The Giants should not be expected to part with more than a Day 3 pick for a wideout, Vacchiano adds.

The Giants entered the season closer to rebuilding than contending, and the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy adds that indications are GM Joe Schoen does not view his team as a receiver away from serious contention. Schoen is interested in an upgrade, per Dunleavy, but it appears Jeudy — a player the Broncos do not appear eager to deal — will likely cost too much for the Giants’ liking.

New York’s decision to ship Kadarius Toney to Kansas City does well to illustrate a belief one receiver addition will not be something that vaults the team onto the Super Bowl-contending tier. The Giants did collect an extra third-rounder for Toney, giving them four Day 1 or Day 2 picks in 2023. But those selections are more likely to be used on college talent than sacrificed to help a surprisingly successful 2022 squad.

The Giants have Slayton and second-rounder Wan’Dale Robinson as their top receiving assets, but journeyman Marcus Johnson played 86% of Big Blue’s offensive snaps Sunday in Seattle. The team has Kenny Golladay rehabbing an MCL sprain; the free agency bust has not played since Week 4. Golladay, whom the Giants dangled in trades this summer, has two receptions this season. The Giants will almost certainly make the $18MM-per-year player a 2023 cap casualty.

It will be interesting if the Giants’ weeks-long goal of acquiring receiver help will come to fruition, and while the team did make a buyer’s trade at the 2019 deadline (Leonard Williams), big-name assistance probably should not be expected by Tuesday. In 2023, however, the Giants — who have Slayton and the injured Sterling Shepard on expiring contracts — will undoubtedly be busy at the position.

Chiefs, Rams Expected To Pursue Pass Rushing Help

October 30th, 2022 at 7:58am CST by Rory Parks

The Chiefs and Rams are involved in the Brandin Cooks market, and both clubs are also seeking upgrades to their pass rushing contingent. Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Kansas City and Los Angeles would like to add a pass rusher prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline.

The most notable pass rusher that has the best chance of being moved within the next several days appears to be Denver’s Bradley Chubb. Indeed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com classifies the 2-5 Broncos as the most likely team to make a trade, and he further reports that one club has offered Denver a package headlined by a first-round pick in exchange for Chubb. Even though two of Chubb’s first four professional seasons were marred by injury, his fifth season has proven that, when healthy, he is one of the game’s better edge defenders. Through seven games in 2022, he has posted 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

As Jones points out, Denver would almost certainly not trade Chubb to the division-rival Chiefs, though the Rams would be a viable trade partner. LA, however, lacks a 2023 first-round pick due to last year’s Matthew Stafford trade, so it remains to be seen if it would be able to present Broncos GM George Paton with a winning offer. Jones says the Rams, as is their custom, are willing to trade future first-rounders.

Since Chubb is in the final year of his rookie contract, any acquiring club would want to work out a contract extension with him, according to Schefter. Of course, if Paton holds onto Chubb, he would want to come to terms on a multi-year pact as well (as Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post writes, Chubb is amenable to a contract that keeps him in the Mile High City for the long haul). Regardless of where he ends up, Chubb’s next deal is expected to pay him more than $20MM on an annual basis.

Other pass rushers that could be available for the Chiefs and Rams include players like the Panthers’ Brian Burns and the Jaguars’ Josh Allen. Jones echoes recent reports that Carolina seems unwilling to move Burns, and the NFL.com trio of Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo report that Jacksonville wants to retain Allen, whom it views as a foundational piece.

While Chubb could be dealt, Schefter says the Broncos do not plan to trade wideouts Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler. Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, meanwhile, is still likely to be traded, per Troy Renck of Denver 7 (via Twitter). The asking price on Okwuegbunam is “minimal.”

Giants Interested In Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy

October 27th, 2022 at 3:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants created a bit of cap space by sending Kadarius Toney to the Chiefs. They are believed to be looking to another AFC West team for help at this position.

Jerry Jeudy is on the Giants’ radar, according to Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano, who notes the team is interested in the third-year wide receiver — a player who spent his freshman season at Alabama working with Brian Daboll. League buzz is indeed pointing to a Giants Jeudy run, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post writes. The Broncos have made Jeudy available, but with the former first-round pick signed through 2023 and able to be kept through 2024 on his rookie deal, the struggling team has a big-picture decision to make ahead of the Nov. 1 deadline.

The Broncos will hold out for a high return, according to Denver7’s Troy Renck. That return could be a second-round pick or multiple selections, an NFL exec told The Athletic’s Dan Duggan (subscription required). The Giants have their own first-, second- and third-round picks in 2023 and now have a Chiefs compensatory selection in Round 3.

If the Broncos do end up trading Jeudy, the return will certainly be interesting. As the prospect of the Broncos acquiring Aaron Rodgers loomed for nearly a year, Renck adds the Packers eyed Jeudy in a prospective trade. The Packers have been linked to a wide receiver move for a bit now. Multiple offers will obviously lead to a better market for the Broncos.

Jeudy did not break out at Alabama until his sophomore season, after Daboll had left for Buffalo. Jeudy’s freshman campaign with Daboll, the Tide’s OC during an Alabama national championship season, centered around Jalen Hurts‘ rushing abilities. Calvin Ridley worked as the powerhouse’s No. 1 target that year.

Denver used the No. 15 overall pick in 2020 to select Jeudy but has not seen consistency from the ex-Crimson Tide standout. Of course, the Broncos have gone through several quarterbacks and two offensive systems since drafting Jeudy, undoubtedly affecting his development. The team will need to weigh Jeudy’s potential long-term impact with Russell Wilson against the offers it receives ahead of this year’s trade deadline.

Toney may have flashed more after the catch, but he has been seldom available since being last year’s No. 20 overall choice. Jeudy, 23, has shown plus route-running skills and has settled in as Denver’s No. 2 wideout behind Courtland Sutton. Jeudy led the 2020 Broncos in receiving (856 yards) and has 24 catches for 386 yards and two touchdowns this year. Jeudy has also battled injuries, most notably the high ankle sprain that sidelined him for a chunk of last season. After a productive debut against the Giants (six receptions, 72 yards), Jeudy missed the next six games and finished last season without a touchdown.

No Giant receiver has topped 200 yards yet, as the team has reached the 6-1 mark without wideout consistency. The team was eyeing receiver help early this season, when the bulk of its top contributors were down. New York has since lost Sterling Shepard for the season and seen Kenny Golladay suffer an MCL sprain. Tied to a four-year contract worth $72MM, Golladay came up in trades earlier this year. Even with the Giants willing to eat some of his 2022 money, no team budged on a player who has been one of the bigger free agency busts in recent years. The team shopped Darius Slayton all offseason, one that saw his stock drop and a pay cut ensue, but Daboll’s club has since turned to the former fifth-round pick as a key target for Daniel Jones.

Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson profile as Big Blue’s top receivers. Jeudy, who has seen extensive time in the slot and outside, would help fill a need for the Giants. With Toney gone, Slayton and Shepard in a contract years and Golladay a cap casualty-in-waiting, receiver will be one of the team’s top needs in 2023. While Jones and Saquon Barkley‘s contract-year statuses bring bigger questions for the resurgent team, its receiver situation will need addressing.

Load More Posts