Taulia Tagovailoa

NFL Workouts: Jones, Ward, Summers, Tagovailoa

Veteran wide receiver Zay Jones continues to make the rounds after getting released by the Jaguars last week. Since then, the 29-year-old pass catcher has taken visits with the Titans, Cardinals, and Cowboys. The newest report has Jones scheduling a visit with the Chiefs tomorrow, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

An impressive 2022 campaign that saw Jones catch 82 balls for 823 yards and five touchdowns, all career highs except for the touchdowns, was virtually erased by a disappointing 2023 campaign in which the receiver missed eight games due to a PCL issue and femur damage. The Jaguars opted not to finish out Jones’ final season of a three-year contract, for which Jones would have represented a $6.57MM cap charge.

In Kansas City, Jones could be a part of a completely new-look wide receiving corps for Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs have added Marquise Brown in free agency and Texas first-round rookie Xavier Worthy in the draft. They also return Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, and Noah Gray from last year, but Rice could be facing some legal trouble, and if healthy, Jones would be an improvement over the other three while playing alongside Brown and Worthy.

Here are a few other workouts happening around the NFL:

  • Career depth running back Jonathan Ward is participating in the Steelers rookie minicamp, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Over four years with the Cardinals and Titans, Ward only has 69 career rushing yards on 17 carries. He’s proven to be an active special teams contributor during that time, though.
  • The Broncos took a look at veteran linebacker Ty Summers at their rookie minicamp this past weekend, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Summers only has one career start over five years with the Packers, Jaguars, and Saints but has appeared in 71 games over that span. A linebacker with some speed, Summers is a productive special teamer, as well.
  • After agreeing to participate in the Seahawks’ rookie minicamp, undrafted Maryland quarterback, and brother of the Dolphins’ starting passer, Taulia Tagovailoa will attend the Cardinals‘ rookie minicamp this week, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The rookie will audition to join last year’s fifth-round pick Clayton Tune and 2022’s third-round pick for Atlanta Desmond Ridder as potential backup arms for Kyler Murray in 2024.
  • An undrafted linebacker who graduated from Harvard before playing as a graduate transfer at Villanova, Daniel Abraham has been invited to minicamps for both the Falcons and the Seahawks, per Wilson. The speedy linebacker obviously poses some interest due to both his athleticism and his intellect.

Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa Participating In Seahawks Rookie Camp

After going undrafted in this weekend’s NFL Draft, Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa is set to participate in the Seahawks’ rookie minicamp next weekend, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The younger brother of the Dolphins’ starter, Tua, will attempt to make an NFL roster after starting five years for the Terrapins.

Tagovailoa transferred to Maryland after backing up his older brother at Alabama as a true freshman. He only got to start four games of Maryland’s five-game, pandemic-shortened season, but then he went on to start 37 games over his final three seasons with the Terps. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in his final two collegiate seasons.

The Seahawks are currently set to head into the summer with three quarterbacks on the roster. Geno Smith returns as the team’s primary starter following two Pro Bowl seasons. The team also acquired former Commanders starter Sam Howell in a trade that included the exchange of several draft picks, as well. Other than that, the only other passer reported to be on the roster is Chevan Cordeiro, who Garafolo reports has signed with Seattle as an undrafted free agent out of San Jose State.

Tagovailoa may simply be a camp arm for the Seahawks next weekend, but he will use the opportunity to attempt to show NFL teams that he has what it takes to throw at a professional level. Howell is likely guaranteed into the QB2 role, but there’s always a chance he could beat out Cordeiro for the emergency third quarterback role and earned a contract himself.