{"id":6722,"date":"2025-04-04T15:11:58","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T15:11:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/?p=6722"},"modified":"2025-04-04T15:11:58","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T15:11:58","slug":"the-daily-briefing-friday-april-4-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/the-daily-briefing-friday-april-4-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"The Daily Briefing Friday, April 4, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AROUND THE NFL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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NFC NORTH<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 CHICAGO<\/strong><\/strong>Veteran QB CASE KEENUM has been signed to play Obi-Wan Kenobi to QB CALEB WILLIAMS as Luke Skywalker. Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic: <\/em>The Bears are bringing in veteran quarterback Case Keenum, a league source said Thursday. Keenum will sign a one-year deal worth up to $3 million, according to ESPN.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Keenum, 37, has 66 career NFL starts, including two for the Houston Texans in 2023. He spent the past two seasons with Houston and young quarterback C.J. Stroud. Before that, he was in Buffalo with Josh Allen and in Cleveland with Baker Mayfield.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Last year, the Bears didn\u2019t have a veteran quarterback in the room with Caleb Williams. His backup was second-year, undrafted pro Tyson Bagent, and the team had undrafted rookie Austin Reed on the practice squad. The hope was that assistant coach Ryan Griffin, a long-time backup quarterback, would provide that presence, but the Bears wanted someone who was on the roster.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>At the league meetings earlier this week, Bears general manager Ryan Poles expressed that sentiment on the \u201cHoge and Jahns\u201d podcast.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cWe understand there\u2019s a unique wisdom that an experienced quarterback can bring to the table and help a young quarterback out,\u201d Poles said. \u201cWe have (quarterbacks coach) J.T. Barrett, who\u2019s played the game, who\u2019s going to have wisdom and perspective as well, but those guys have to go game-plan and prepare, and the contact time isn\u2019t as high as someone who\u2019s in the room.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cThe most important piece is making sure it\u2019s the right fit. That\u2019s a special room. The personalities, the egos, all of that has to work out perfectly or you can disrupt it significantly. We\u2019re being very particular.\u201d<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Bagent should remain the backup quarterback, but will relish the competition.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cTyson, in terms of his play \u2026 we love his skill set there,\u201d Poles said. \u201cThat makes it tough. I love Tyson as well. He\u2019s so competitive. If you think he\u2019s going to get beat out, you\u2019re probably going to be wrong.\u201d<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The Bears will likely carry three quarterbacks for the season, valuing what Keenum can bring to Williams in his second season, helping him acclimate to Ben Johnson\u2019s offense.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 DETROIT<\/strong><\/strong>Some of Detroit\u2019s key players have changed numbers: A number of Detroit Lions are changing things up next season, with the team announcing 14 players who are switching their jersey numbers for the 2025 season. Two of the most notable names on the list are running back Jahmyr Gibbs and wide receiver Jameson Williams.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Gibbs, who wore No. 26 the last two seasons, will now wear No. 0 for Detroit. Williams, who’s worn No. 9 since joining the team in 2022, will now switch to No. 1.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Gibbs will take No. 0 from cornerback (and former Alabama teammate) Terrion Arnold, who wore the number as a rookie but will now wear No. 6. Ennis Rakestraw, also a second-year cornerback, will be switching from No. 15 to No. 9.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Williams, another Crimson Tide alum, previously wore No. 1 during his final college season at Alabama.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Other updated numbers include cornerback D.J. Reed, who the Lions signed last month; he will wear No. 4 after wearing the same number with the New York Jets.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
NFC EAST<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>DALLAS<\/strong><\/strong>Mike Sando of The Athletic<\/em> talks to his panel of anonymous execs about the moves of NFC team in free agency.  We will have some of them in today\u2019s DB, all of the comments are here<\/a>. The Cowboys are waiting out EDGE MICAH PARSONS: The word \u201cselectively\u201d seems to be doing most of the work six weeks after Cowboys co-owner Stephen Jones said Dallas would be \u201cselectively aggressive\u201d in free agency.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cThey are a well-run team, but what they want to do and what their fans want them to do are two different things right now,\u201d an exec said. \u201cThey are more serious about staying relevant and keeping that brand up high than they are about winning.\u201d<\/em><\/em> <\/em>There has been no big offseason push to catch Philadelphia in the NFC East, from the decision to replace coach Mike McCarthy from within to signing Dante Fowler Jr. to replace DeMarcus Lawrence on defense.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cThey are buying low on former highly drafted picks like Solomon Thomas and Kaiir Elam, but how often do those guys really pan out?\u201d another exec said. \u201cJeff Okudah (signed by Minnesota) is Exhibit A. Third overall pick, now on his fourth team in four years.\u201d<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Re-signing defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa ($20 million APY) was critical for new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who struggled to find the right three-technique for his defenses in Chicago. But there\u2019s still no deal for pass rusher Micah Parsons, whose price tag likely climbed after Cleveland signed Myles Garrett for $40 million per year.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Parsons, who is scheduled to play on his fifth-year option in 2025, has 52.5 sacks over his first four seasons.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>An outspoken voice on social media and through his podcast, Parsons took harsh criticism recently from his former teammate Lawrence, who said this of Parsons upon signing with Seattle: \u201cMaybe if you spent less time tweeting and more time winning, I wouldn\u2019t have left.\u201d<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Much ado about nothing?<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cIf you wait out Jerry (Jones), he will pay,\u201d an exec said. \u201cBut there are people who think Parsons is \u2018out there\u2019 a little bit and might not be worth paying at the highest level, so it will be interesting to see where Dallas falls on that.\u201d<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Jones\u2019 claim that he didn\u2019t even know the name of Parsons\u2019 agent, David Mulugheta, and Parsons\u2019 response added to the intrigue.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>NEW YORK<\/strong> GIANTS<\/strong>Mike Sando and his guys try to figure out what the Giants are thinking: Russell Wilson plus Jameis Winston equals what for the Giants, after owner John Mara put his coach and GM on notice?<\/em> <\/em>\u201cThey went to Cam Ward\u2019s pro day, came back from that and signed Russell Wilson,\u201d one exec observed. \u201cTo me, that says that the owner said, \u2018You cannot trade up for a quarterback. If one falls to you, great, draft him, but you are not trading up for one.’\u201d<\/em> <\/em>When Mara said he was \u201crunning out of patience\u201d but still trusts coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen, some took it to mean the owner was staying the course only reluctantly. Restricting the availability of future assets could be seen as a lack of faith.<\/em> <\/em>\u201cThere is a big push by the owners to stop firing people and eating all this dead money with coaches,\u201d another exec said. \u201cSome owners are paying credence to that.\u201d<\/em> <\/em>The Giants were 3-14 last season. Their Vegas win total for 2025 is 5.5.<\/em> <\/em>\u201cIf you have the most stable ownership, you come out and say, \u2018I believe in these guys, it\u2019s been a weird set of circumstances, but they are the right people,’\u201d another exec said. \u201cThere is no way you can run a franchise going from three wins to playoffs as a mandate.\u201d<\/em> <\/em>Signing cornerback Paulson Adebo from New Orleans ($18 million APY) and safety Jevon Holland from Miami ($15.1 million APY) could help the secondary, at least.<\/em> <\/em>\u201cIf you don\u2019t let Xavier McKinney go to market last year, you don\u2019t need Holland this year,\u201d an exec said. \u201cYou are being reactive. Adebo is decent when healthy but coming off injury. Holland had a downtick last year with Miami, but he is still young, and if you are going to sign someone, sign someone young.\u201d<\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
NFC SOUTH<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 ATLANTA<\/strong><\/strong>Mike Sando of The Athletic<\/em> talks to his panel of anonymous execs about the moves of NFC team in free agency.  We will have some of them in today\u2019s DB, all of the comments are here<\/a>. This what they said about the Falcons \u2013 swapping average for average. <\/em>The Falcons parted with mainstay defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who turns 32 in April. They added pass rusher Leonard Floyd, who turns 33 in September. They extended left tackle Jake Matthews, added linebacker Divine Deablo from the Raiders for $7 million per year and let center Drew Dalman leave in free agency after Ryan Neuzil developed into a cost-effective replacement.<\/em> <\/em>\u201cI don\u2019t know that they got any better,\u201d one exec said. \u201cIt boils down to Michael Penix and whether he is the guy.\u201d<\/em> <\/em>Another exec called the Falcons\u2019 moves \u201cswapping average for average\u201d with one benefit: Floyd\u2019s familiarity with Falcons coach Raheem Morris from their time together on the Rams. Floyd, now on his fourth team in four seasons, has at least 8.5 sacks in each of the past five seasons. Myles Garrett is the only other player riding a streak that long.<\/em> <\/em>Next up: whether the Falcons trade Kirk Cousins after the draft.<\/em> <\/em>Would owner Arthur Blank be willing to pay most of Cousins\u2019 $27.5 million salary for 2025, in exchange for a minimal return? Cousins, burned last offseason when the Falcons unexpectedly drafted Penix only weeks after his own signing in free agency, has a no-trade clause, meaning he can be selective. However that turns out, the Falcons won\u2019t be getting better at the position.<\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>TAMPA<\/strong> BAY<\/strong><\/strong>Not sure who is going to pay for it, but the Buccaneers are planning on a \u201cmassive\u201d renovation of Raymond James Stadium.  Rick Stroud\u2019s story in the Tampa Bay Times<\/em> is not very deep on details: The Tampa Bay Rays are playing at Steinbrenner Field, just a couple long flyballs away from Raymond James Stadium.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The Bucs and Rays currently share a parking lot that is connected by a pedestrian bridge over Dale Mabry Highway.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>But the commonality doesn\u2019t stop there.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>As the Rays search for a new home, the Bucs are planning a massive renovation to Raymond James Stadium, co-owner Joel Glazer confirmed Tuesday.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Speaking at the conclusion of the NFL\u2019s annual meetings, Glazer admitted they are focused on improving RayJay and evaluating their options for the stadium that opened in 1998.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cIt\u2019s something you\u2019re always looking at because the fan experience is so important in the NFL, in all sports,\u201d Glazer said. \u201cSo we\u2019re constantly looking at the stadium, constantly looking at how we can improve it. We did stuff about six years ago, but now it\u2019s six years later and there\u2019s been a lot of new stadiums built, a lot of different renovations done. Some advances.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cSo we\u2019re currently looking at all those types of things and evaluating it. There will be a time and a place but we will always want to improve the stadium and keep it up to the highest standards.\u201d<\/em><\/em> <\/em>However, Hillsborough County officials have indicated that they haven\u2019t had much communication with the Bucs or the Glazer family about their stadium plans.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cI\u2019ve heard people say there\u2019s been no communication,\u201d Glazer said. \u201cThat\u2019s actually not very accurate. You know, we\u2019re going through a phase right now where we\u2019re assessing the stadium, what might be needed. I know they\u2019re assessing the stadium and what might be needed. Once both of us are done with our assessments, then we come together and work through things.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cWe\u2019ve always had an excellent relationship with everybody at the (Tampa Sports Authority). They do great. They do a great job at Hillsborough County and that\u2019s the process that\u2019s happening right now. … It\u2019s just patiently working through what everybody has to do. It\u2019s such an important part of the community, the other events that come to town. My God, Taylor Swift came to town and all the concerts we have so there\u2019s multiple people affected by it. Not just us, but tourism and everything like that. We\u2019ve got to make sure we all come together and meet the needs of what\u2019s necessary.\u201d<\/em><\/em> <\/em>A critical decision is looming on the fate of Raymond James with the Bucs\u2019 lease set to expire in 2028. By that time, the stadium will be 30 years old, well past the expiration date of many NFL venues.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>In addition, the Glazers want to help Tampa Bay attract Super Bowls and college football national championship games.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Meanwhile, the vacant parcel of land south of RayJay, Lot 14, remains a valuable piece of real estate and one that could provide a solution for the Rays\u2019 stadium search.<\/em><\/em> We would endorse something that produced shade such as what the Dolphins have done with Hard Rock Stadium. <\/td><\/tr>
NFC WEST<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 ARIZONA<\/strong><\/strong>The highest-paid tight end in NFL history is now TREY McBRIDE.  Myles Simmons ofESPN.com<\/a>: The Cardinals have locked up one of their key young offensive players for years to come.<\/em> <\/em>Arizona announced on Thursday that the club has agreed to a four-year extension with Trey McBride.<\/em> <\/em>According to ESPN\u2019s Adam Schefter, McBride will become the highest-paid tight end in league history, earning $76 million with $43 million guaranteed.<\/em> <\/em>McBride, 25, was a second-round pick in 2022 and has become one of the Cardinals\u2019 best players. He earned his first Pro Bowl berth in 2024, catching 111 passes for 1,146 yards with two touchdowns. He also had a 2-yard rushing touchdown on the lone carry of his career.<\/em> <\/em>In 49 career games with 41 starts, McBride has recorded 221 receptions for 2,236 yards with six TDs.<\/em> Sanjesh Singh of NBC Bay Area has a handy chart: McBride currently is the highest-paid tight end in the NFL. His annual average salary is $19 million a year, putting him atop the tight end summit.<\/em> <\/em>Prior to his extension, McBride ranked No. 46, making $1,574,916 on his rookie deal.<\/em> <\/em>Fellow stars like Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle also feature on the list. Here’s a look at the top 10 in terms of annual average salary, via Spotrac:<\/em> <\/em>Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals: $19 million<\/em>Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs: $17.1 million<\/em>T.J Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings: $16.5 million<\/em>George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers: $15 million<\/em>Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles: $14.2 million<\/em>Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens: $14 million<\/em>David Njoku, Cleveland Browns: $13.6 million<\/em>Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears: $12.5 million<\/em>Pat Friermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers: $12.1 million<\/em>Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans: $12 million<\/em> Considering the career arc of the other nine names on the list, we think he could remain number one for awhile. <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>LOS ANGELES RAMS<\/strong>Mike Sando\u2019s anonymous execs on the Rams: How many playoff teams let their Super Bowl-winning quarterback explore trade opportunities before welcoming him back and proceeding as normal? The Rams did it with Matthew Stafford and lived to tell about it.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cI would love to know how the conversation with Stafford went and whether he felt jilted or appreciated by it,\u201d an exec said. \u201cThey were able to give him the opportunity to see if the grass was greener without ever losing him. They could stand on that, and that is a really powerful thing for a team, especially if they felt good about their offer.\u201d<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Another exec saw it as a wink-nod situation, where both sides probably knew Stafford would be returning.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cI think secretly they have faith in Jimmy Garoppolo,\u201d a third exec said. \u201cYou don\u2019t mess around with your starting quarterback unless you are confident in the other guy.\u201d<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The decision to add Davante Adams after releasing Cooper Kupp was interesting because Adams does not fit the typical mold of a Rams receiver. He\u2019s a traditional X, not known for his blocking. Adams also likely sees himself as a true No. 1 receiver, but Puka Nacua is the workhorse for the Rams.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cDavante is a little better separator (than Kupp), but there has been a dropoff in his ability to get consistently open,\u201d another exec said.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Some also wondered how Adams would fit in McVay\u2019s scheme, which often puts receivers in condensed sets and features them as blockers. Could Adams evolve the way Larry Fitzgerald did later in his career? One exec found that unlikely.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cLarry was willing to get rugged, block, do some dirty work over the middle,\u201d this exec said.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>SEATTLE<\/strong><\/strong>Brady Henderson of ESPN.com<\/a> takes a look at the Seahawks offensive makeover: – The Seattle Seahawks are in the midst of a full-blown transformation on offense. With the 2025 NFL draft still three weeks away and more additions in the offing, they’ve already replaced their starting quarterback and two of his top three receivers. They’ll be running a new scheme by a new coordinator, Klint Kubiak, who brought several handpicked assistants with him.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>That sea change was at the heart of a question to second-year coach Mike Macdonald, who was asked Tuesday at the annual league meetings whether their offense has improved.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“I think it’s different,” he said. “I mean, we have a long way to go. We have different players in the building, and we’re really excited about those guys. But as a football team, we have to do a great job throughout the offseason program of installing our process again, not skipping steps, being connected as a football team, doing all the things the right way so we hit the ground running in September. But you can’t evaluate where we are compared to last year because there’s so many different pieces.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The Seahawks appeared to be headed for merely a retool on offense, but it became a rebuild when general manager John Schneider traded quarterback Geno Smith and star receiver DK Metcalf in a span of three days before the start of free agency. Those unexpected moves followed the anticipated release of Tyler Lockett, the second-most prolific pass catcher in franchise history. Schneider then signed Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling as their respective replacements.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The question posed to Macdonald is best answered by viewing the big picture, because that new trio is arguably less talented than the old one.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Ove the past two seasons, Darnold started 14 fewer games than Smith and had a higher touchdown-to-interception ratio (2.8 compared with Smith’s 1.7) and off-target percentage (13.8% compared with Smith’s 12.3%). Since the beginning of 2023, Metcalf and Lockett combined for 65 games, 55.4 receiving yards per game, 3,600 receiving yards, 20 touchdowns and 982 yards after catch. In the same time frame, Kupp and Valdes-Scantling combined for 54 games, 40.2 yards per game, 2,173 receiving yards, 16 touchdowns and 818 yards after catch.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Despite the numbers, the Seahawks are hoping to still be better off for those swaps when factoring financial savings, scheme fits, team culture as well as the second- and third-round picks they added in the Metcalf and Smith trades.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Darnold’s three-year, $105.5 million deal will pay him $37.5 million in 2025. The Seahawks sent Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for the 92nd overall selection once they deemed him unwilling to engage in contract talks after their initial offer. It included $40 million in Year 1, according to sources familiar with the negotiations, a figure that easily could have grown had negotiations progressed.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>But when Smith balked, Schneider and Macdonald pivoted to Darnold, who was coming off a Pro Bowl season with the Minnesota Vikings and had a previous relationship with new offensive coordinator Kubiak from the year they spent together with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“You come from all these different angles from people in the building that have worked with him even all the way back to his USC days and really, to a man … they love the person, they love the leader, the teammate,” Macdonald said. “The film kind of speaks for itself with his accuracy, able to push a ball down the field. Specifically with us, we move the pocket a good bit now, so Sam’s a great thrower on the run and he’s able to make a lot of plays that way and then in these critical downs in the red zone and third down, especially last year, he had such a great year and that we’re going to be counting on him to come through in those situations.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Metcalf had been unhappy in Seattle before he requested a trade last month, which led the Seahawks to send him to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for the 52nd overall selection and a swap of late-round picks. According to team sources, he had asked out multiple times in recent offseasons. That was a factor the Seahawks had to weigh in addition to the inherent risk in giving him a massive third contract like the four-year, $132 million extension he got from Pittsburgh.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>That deal will pay Metcalf $35 million this season. Lockett was set to make $17 million if he stayed with the Seahawks. Kupp’s three-year, $45 million deal will pay him $17.5 million in 2025 while Valdes-Scantling will make $4 million on his one-year deal.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Schneider said Kupp had three or four teams who were interested in signing him, and that the Yakima, Washington, native “wanted to come home.” The general manager called it “a huge get for us.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“You could have him covered on paper, but he’s still going to get open,” Macdonald said of Kupp, a one-time Pro Bowl selection. “That’s something that you have to experience in-game. So he’s a guy that you have to account for in a lot of the possession downs and high-leverage situations where you’ve got to have two guys on this guy. It’s a little bit different than some straight-line vertical guys where you want more of a high-low double, you want them surrounded as much as possible and you’re allocating resources over there. It kind of shifts where the stress points are in the rest of the field. So yeah, he’s a pain in the butt.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The Seahawks could still add a receiver early in the draft, but for now, Valdes-Scantling projects as the No. 3 behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Kupp. The veteran deep threat spent the second half of last season playing for Kubiak with the New Orleans Saints.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“You can really look at their offense last year in New Orleans and kind of picture it now, especially with MVS being here,” Schneider said. “We thought it was going to be DK, but here we are, so now MVS is the take-the-top-off guy, JSN can take the top off and then Cooper gives us a deceptively fast dude working the middle of the field, setting people up. Those two guys working with each other are going to be really hard to defend with the tight splits and everything.”<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The interior of the Seahawks’ offensive line remains a major question mark. The team was prepared to spend big money on guard Will Fries before he signed with the Vikings, but he was the only high-priced veteran lineman they were planning to pursue. They’ve visited with lower-cost options such as Teven Jenkins, Dillon Radunz and Lucas Patrick, who later signed elsewhere.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>“We brought several guys through and it just hasn’t been a fit,” he said.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The lack of urgency to address the interior spots is tied to the team’s confidence in its young in-house options over the available veterans, which, according to Schneider, is shared by both the coaching staff and personnel department. He believes those players will be in better positions to succeed in Kubiak’s scheme — with its emphasis on the outsize zone rushing attack and under-center plays — than they were in former coordinator Ryan Grubb’s pass-first, shotgun-heavy offense, which finished 21st in scoring and 14th in yards last year.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Schneider volunteered that it will be hard to find an upgrade at center in the draft given how the Seahawks don’t view this year’s class as being particularly strong at that position. That suggests their best chance at finding a blue-chip talent for new line coach Mike Benton’s unit will be at guard. Schneider is still open to adding a veteran lineman at some point, but he said it probably wouldn’t happen until after the draft, and that it could be someone who becomes available as a cap casualty.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The Seahawks have five picks in the top 92 and 10 picks total. OverTheCap.com<\/a> estimates their available cap space at well over $30 million. So whether it’s through the draft or the veteran market, Schneider and Macdonald will have ample resources to keep their offensive transformation going.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
AFC WEST<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
 LAS VEGAS<\/strong>QB GENO SMITH gets some good short-term money from the Raiders.  Vic Tafur and Tashun Reed of The Athletic<\/em>: The Las Vegas Raiders and quarterback Geno Smith have agreed to a two-year extension worth up to $85.5 million, according to team and league sources. The deal has a base value of $75 million in new money and an additional $10.5 million in incentives tied to team performance. It also includes $66.5 million guaranteed for Smith, according to a league source. He is now under contract through the 2027 season. NFL Network was the first to report the news of an extension.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Last month, the Raiders traded the lower of their two 2025 third-round picks (No. 92) to the Seattle Seahawks for Smith, who was entering the final year of his contract.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>It was always expected that Smith would get a new deal shortly after the trade was completed. He was paid a roster bonus worth $16 million on March 16 that ballooned his 2025 cap hit to $31 million. Extending Smith should lower that number. With the extension, he is essentially now on a three-year, $106 million deal. That gives Smith an average annual salary of 35.3 million, which ranks 17th among NFL quarterbacks (just below Derek Carr and above Sam Darnold), according to Over the Cap.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Coach Pete Carroll said at the NFL\u2019s annual league meeting Monday that \u201cwe\u2019re working on it,\u201d when asked about a potential extension for Smith. Just three days later, the Raiders have committed to Smith as their starter moving forward.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>\u201cGetting Geno was a really important part of this puzzle we\u2019re putting together,\u201d Carroll said Monday. \u201cWe have a guy that\u2019s such a great worker who\u2019s grown so much through his career, been through so much and overcome so much. I love the way he approaches the game. He\u2019s serious. He\u2019s competitive. He works his tail off. He\u2019s a great leader in that regard. He leads the guys by the way he takes to the game. And he\u2019s talented.<\/em><\/em> Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com<\/a> has some thoughts on Smith\u2019s contract vis a vis the one signed by SAM DARNOLD in Seattle: Remember when the Seahawks pivoted from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold because Smith wanted too much and Darnold was signed for significantly cheaper? Less than a month later, that swap has a much different feel.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Although the initial reports of the value of a new contract are almost always flawed because (1) the agents overstate the terms to the insiders and (2) the insiders know that any regard for, you know, the truth will keep them from being first or close to it, the initial word on the Smith report points to a base two-year extension worth $75 million. Given that he was due to make $31 million in the final year of his existing contract, it becomes a three-year, $106 million deal.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>The Seahawks signed Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million deal.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Smith reportedly has a $10.5 million upside. Darnold has a $15 million upside. That puts Smith at $116.5 million in maximum earnings, and Darnold at $115.5 million.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>That said, Darnold\u2019s deal is structured to let the Seahawks escape it after one year and $37.5 million. The structure of Smith\u2019s deal has yet to be reported.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Regardless, the two contracts look a lot more apples to apples than anyone would have expected. Smith supposedly wanted well over $40 million per year. His new-money average is $37.5 million. His total average from signing is $35.3 million.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Maybe he decided to reduce his expectations after being traded. Maybe the reunion with coach Pete Carroll softened his resolve.<\/em><\/em> <\/em>Regardless, what he supposedly wanted is far different from what he reportedly got. What he reportedly got isn\u2019t dramatically better than what the Seahawks gave to his replacement.<\/em><\/em> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>THIS AND THAT<\/strong> <\/td><\/tr>
 <\/strong>2025 DRAFT<\/strong>Here is a Mock Draft, two rounds worth, from Field Yates of ESPN.com<\/a>: <\/em>I’ve put together a handful of mock drafts so far, but none of them has gone past the first round. This time I went 64 picks deep, with predictions for Rounds 1 and 2. Along the way, I found new homes for five quarterbacks and a bunch of future NFL stars. And because we can always expect some moves during draft weekend, I even projected four intriguing trades in this exercise.<\/em> <\/em>ROUND 1<\/em><\/strong> <\/em><\/strong>1. Tennessee Titans<\/em><\/strong>Cam Ward, QB, Miami<\/em><\/strong>Absent a “Godfather”-style trade offer — one the Titans cannot refuse — I fully expect Tennessee to take Ward and build this franchise around him. He had an incredible 2024 season in which he led the FBS in passing touchdowns with 39, and he’s the best innovator in the quarterback class when the play breaks down. While this group of quarterbacks does not stack up to last year’s elite class, the majority of evaluators I’ve spoken with view Ward as the clear-cut top signal-caller and worthy of the first pick.<\/em> <\/em>The Titans still have Will Levis, but after the team finished 31st in QBR (37.3) and threw the second-most interceptions (21) in 2024, it will be looking for an upgrade.<\/em> <\/em>2. Cleveland Browns<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State<\/em><\/strong>The Browns haven’t frequently been linked to the top quarterbacks, which indicates they are likely more focused on choosing between Carter and Colorado receiver\/cornerback Travis Hunter. They did trade for Kenny Pickett and — spoiler! — can find another quarterback option later in the draft with Deshaun Watson out (re-torn Achilles).<\/em> <\/em>While Hunter is my top prospect, Carter isn’t far behind. And putting him opposite Myles Garrett would form perhaps the scariest pass-rush duo in the NFL. Carter had 12 sacks last season and looked unstoppable despite playing through a shoulder injury down the stretch.<\/em> <\/em>3. New York Giants<\/em><\/strong>Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado<\/em><\/strong>Despite the Giants’ signings of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, I just don’t buy them passing on Sanders. If the team is bullish on Sanders being its franchise quarterback, the veteran signings are irrelevant. This would be a move about the future and stability. Sanders throws with pristine accuracy and touch — he passed for 4,134 yards and completed 74% of his throws last season — but he must improve his urgency under duress.<\/em> <\/em>With Wilson and Winston sharing the QB room with him, Sanders could learn and keep developing without the pressure of being immediately thrown into the QB1 role.<\/em> <\/em>4. New England Patriots<\/em><\/strong>Travis Hunter, WR\/CB, Colorado<\/em><\/strong>The Patriots are likely rooting for two quarterbacks to go ahead of their pick. That would mean either Carter or Hunter would be available to them at No. 4, and either player could be a building block for New England. Hunter would change the dimensions of this offense if slotted alongside newly acquired Stefon Diggs. He is a natural playmaker with elite ball skills, catching 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 scores last season. And he could even be used as a part-time cornerback on the other side of the ball, with Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis III as the two full-time starters.<\/em> <\/em>5. Jacksonville Jaguars<\/em><\/strong>Mason Graham, DT, Michigan<\/em><\/strong>Jacksonville has big needs up front on defense that are too hard to ignore with this pick, and Graham would immediately reshape the complexion of both the pass rush and the run defense. He racked up 26 pressures and 14 run stops last season. The Jaguars, meanwhile, allowed the second-most yards (389.9 per game) and fifth-most points (25.6 per game) in the NFL last season. Lined up between edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, Graham would help this defense get back on track.<\/em> <\/em>6. Las Vegas Raiders<\/em><\/strong>Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State<\/em><\/strong>The Raiders have a thin running back room (Raheem Mostert is listed atop the depth chart) and will almost assuredly address the position in the draft. They averaged 3.6 yards per carry and 79.8 per game last season, both bottom of the league. New coach Pete Carroll has historically relied on the running game, so Jeanty is an easy match.<\/em> <\/em>I believe Jeanty has the best chance of any player in the class to be a Pro Bowler in Year 1. His rare blend of power, contact balance, explosion and pass-catching ability can keep him on the field for any situation. He could post big numbers in Las Vegas after rushing for 2,601 yards in his final season at Boise State.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>7. New York Jets<\/em><\/strong>Armand Membou, OT, Missouri<\/em><\/strong>The free agent signing of Justin Fields means the Jets have a quarterback solution for at least 2025. But the loss of Morgan Moses in free agency means they have a hole at right tackle. New York already had pass-protection issues, finishing 23rd in pass block win rate last season (57.1%).<\/em> <\/em>Membou had a meteoric rise in 2024, as the 20-year-old dominated in the SEC with tenacity, elite movement skills and pass protection proficiency. He can be a tone-setter up front, joining Olu Fashanu to give New York a pair of talented young OTs.<\/em> <\/em>8. Carolina Panthers<\/em><\/strong>Jalon Walker, Edge\/LB, Georgia<\/em><\/strong>The Panthers have made a series of edge rusher investments over the past two years, but none has massively moved the needle. The Panthers — who allowed the most yards per play (6.0) and tied for the third-fewest sacks (32) last season — could truly address their need in the top 10, though.<\/em> <\/em>Walker had 6.5 sacks in 2024 even though he spent a lot of his time patrolling the middle of the field at off-ball linebacker. Carolina could deploy Walker in a hybrid role since it needs a boost at both linebacker and edge rusher.<\/em> <\/em>9. New Orleans Saints<\/em><\/strong>Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M<\/em><\/strong>I’ve said this about Stewart throughout the predraft process: The general manager who uses a high pick on him will need a lot of cachet. Stewart is a risky pick with exactly 1.5 sacks in each of his three collegiate seasons. Mickey Loomis fits that GM bill perfectly, though, and the Saints haven’t been afraid of taking toolsy pass rushers in the first round in the past (including Payton Turner in 2021 and Marcus Davenport in 2018). This would be the ultimate big swing given Stewart’s upside at the position. I see acceleration and power when I watch him play.<\/em> <\/em>10. Chicago Bears<\/em><\/strong>Will Campbell, OT\/G, LSU<\/em><\/strong>I’m pretty bullish on Campbell as a prospect. Despite concerns about his 32\u215d-inch arm length, he ranks fifth on my board. And in this scenario, I’m not super focused on whether he would ultimately play tackle or slide inside to guard. The Bears’ starting five is already much better on paper after a busy free agency, and Campbell could play wherever he’s needed.<\/em> <\/em>New coach Ben Johnson would love a player like Campbell, whose elite foot quickness and pass-protection ability fit great in his system. The Bears will likely feature plenty of zone rushing schemes in 2025.<\/em> <\/em>11. San Francisco 49ers<\/em><\/strong>Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss<\/em><\/strong>The 49ers have major work to do along the defensive line and perhaps a few other spots after losing multiple starters on both sides of the ball this offseason. Nolen would be a play-wrecker for them. He is overwhelmingly powerful and explosive, and he could help replace veterans Maliek Collins and Javon Hargrave. Nolen had 6.5 sacks in his lone season at Ole Miss after two years at Texas A&M. In a league that has put an increased premium on pass-rushing defensive tackles, he would provide San Francisco with a valuable building block.<\/em> <\/em>12. Dallas Cowboys<\/em><\/strong>Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona<\/em><\/strong>Some evaluators are dubious of using an early pick on a wide receiver with somewhat pedestrian speed — scouts I spoke to timed McMillan in the high 4.5s in the 40-yard dash at his pro day — but I’m a true believer in the T-Mac camp. At 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, he is a nightmare assignment for a cornerback in man-to-man coverage. Plus, he has outstanding ball skills and a catch radius that makes quarterbacks want to target him in the red zone. Over the past two seasons, McMillan compiled 2,721 yards.<\/em> <\/em>He’d give Dak Prescott the second top-end receiver that Dallas has long been seeking opposite CeeDee Lamb.<\/em> <\/em>13. Miami Dolphins<\/em><\/strong>Will Johnson, CB, Michigan<\/em><\/strong>I know the Dolphins must address their interior offensive line, but cornerback should not be overlooked. There is a big hole at CB2 in Miami opposite Jalen Ramsey, with Storm Duck and Cam Smith currently listed as options to start. Johnson has strong ball skills (nine career interceptions, including two pick-sixes in just six games last season) to pair with his great 6-foot-2 size. While there are some questions about his top-end speed, he’s a good example of a prospect who has enough tools to overcome any potential limitations.<\/em> <\/em>14. Indianapolis Colts<\/em><\/strong>Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State<\/em><\/strong>The Colts have not had a tight end reach 500 receiving yards in a single season since 2018, and none of their tight ends reached even 200 last season. So it’s safe to say Indy needs to beef up that position. Enter Warren, who crossed the 200-yard threshold on the ground and had 700 of his 1,233 receiving yards come after the catch last season. He chews up extra yardage with a combination of power, tenacity and quickness that is tough to imagine from a player of his 6-foot-6, 256-pound size.<\/em> <\/em>15. Atlanta Falcons<\/em><\/strong>Mike Green, Edge, Marshall<\/em><\/strong>With the second-fewest sacks of any team in the NFL last season (31), Atlanta needs to make major strides in its pass rush if it wants any chance at a meaningful playoff run. While the Falcons will return 2024 third-round pick Bralen Trice (knee) and signed Leonard Floyd, Green — who led the FBS with 17 sacks in 2024 — would go a long way in boosting their defensive line. He has an advanced arsenal of rush moves and plays with power. He is a willing and stout run defender, as well.<\/em> <\/em>16. Arizona Cardinals<\/em><\/strong>Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas<\/em><\/strong>Arizona has an interesting offensive line arrangement, as Paris Johnson Jr. started his career at right tackle before switching to left tackle this past season. In the long term, this pick would allow the Cardinals to move Johnson back to the right side and slot in Banks at left tackle. Banks started three full seasons on the left side at Texas, showing a good combination of size (6-foot-5, 315 pounds), nimble feet and pass-protection acumen. He allowed pressure on just 0.8% of his pass-block snaps in 2024, which tied for third best in the FBS among offensive tackles.<\/em> <\/em>17. Cincinnati Bengals<\/em><\/strong>Grey Zabel, G\/C, North Dakota State<\/em><\/strong>While it is no mystery that the Bengals must attack defense in this draft, there’s one notable offensive position that is still a big problem: guard. Consider that 64 guards qualified in pass block win rate last season, and Cordell Volson and Alex Cappa — the Bengals’ two starters — were 61st and 64th, respectively. (Cappa was released.)<\/em> <\/em>Zabel has had an outstanding predraft process. He was the best player I saw at Senior Bowl practices, proving he can dominate against top competition after starting 41 games at the FCS level. Plus, teams believe he has the positional versatility to play guard or center in the NFL, and he is always in control as a pass protector.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>18. Seattle Seahawks<\/em><\/strong>Matthew Golden, WR, Texas<\/em><\/strong>Following their trade of DK Metcalf and release of Tyler Lockett, the Seahawks have made small strides to retool their receiving room beyond Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Cooper Kupp was the headline acquisition, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling will be an occasional deep threat for Sam Darnold. But the room is far from complete. Golden ran the fastest 40-yard dash of any offensive player at the combine (4.29 seconds), and that speed pops on his tape. He also explodes in and out of his breaks, which helped him tally 987 receiving yards and nine TD catches in 2024.<\/em> <\/em>For those wondering how Seattle could possibly bypass the interior offensive line: With Zabel off the board one pick earlier, I’m just not sure the Seahawks would reach for Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson or Alabama’s Tyler Booker.<\/em> <\/em>19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/em><\/strong>Malaki Starks, S, Georgia<\/em><\/strong>Tampa Bay allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game last season (243.9) and desperately needs a partner for All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. at the third level of the defense. Starks was not as impactful this past season as he was in 2023 (one INT, down from three), but the high-end skill set is still there. Starks is a versatile, instinctive safety who is willing to help in any phase of the defense. He had plenty of snaps at Georgia covering the deep portion of the field, hovering over the slot and even walking down into the box.<\/em> <\/em>20. Denver Broncos<\/em><\/strong>Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina<\/em><\/strong>The Broncos opted for a committee approach at running back last season, mixing in Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime. It resulted in a pedestrian run game behind an excellent offensive line. I see Hampton as a legitimate three-down back for coach Sean Payton. Hampton had back-to-back seasons with 1,500-plus rushing yards and can be a factor in the passing game (67 catches over the past two seasons). He ran a 4.46-second 40 at 221 pounds at the combine, too.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>21. Pittsburgh Steelers<\/em><\/strong>Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss<\/em><\/strong>While it seems the Steelers are the most likely landing spot for Aaron Rodgers, signing him would not preclude them from looking toward the future at quarterback. Rodgers is 41 years old, and each coming season is a true year-to-year proposition. But Pittsburgh hasn’t even signed Rodgers yet, meaning Mason Rudolph is the current QB1. Let’s lock up another signal-caller for the Steelers here.<\/em> <\/em>Dart broke Eli Manning’s school record at Ole Miss for passing yards (4,279) and led the FBS in yards per attempt (10.8) in 2024. He has good mobility and accuracy, throwing 52 touchdowns and 11 interceptions over the past two seasons.<\/em> <\/em>22. Los Angeles Chargers<\/em><\/strong>Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan<\/em><\/strong>This is a common projection in part because it would reunite Loveland with his former college coach Jim Harbaugh, but the fit really does make sense for the Chargers. Los Angeles lacked a movable matchup player at tight end in 2024, and Loveland is exactly that. At 6-foot-6 and 248 pounds, he is too big for defensive backs to cover, but he’s also faster than most linebackers with his seam-stretching speed and nifty route running.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>23. Green Bay Packers<\/em><\/strong>Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia<\/em><\/strong>The Packers had the second-highest percentage of snaps in zone defense last season (70.7%), which has more to do with their personnel limitations than coordinator Jeff Hafley’s scheme preference. Teams can play more man coverage when they have a dominant pass rusher or a shutdown corner. The latter could be the move here, with guys like Texas’ Jahdae Barron and Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston on the board. But let’s go with Williams, who posted 14 sacks over three years at Georgia.<\/em> <\/em>He has the 6-foot-5, 260-pound frame and 34\u215c-inch arm length to get into the chest of blockers and swat passes at the line of scrimmage. He’s coming off an ankle injury that limited him in 2024, and I think major improvement is ahead for the 20-year-old.<\/em> <\/em>24. Minnesota Vikings<\/em><\/strong>Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas<\/em><\/strong>Minnesota spent big to upgrade its defensive interior, but it also has to ensure its secondary does not drop off too much in 2025. The cornerback room lost Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin, and Byron Murphy Jr. — who returned on a new deal — is a better fit in the slot. Barron could claim one of the starting outside spots. He is one of the most instinctive players in the entire class, showing an ability to find the football from any alignment. His versatility would surely appeal to defensive coordinator Brian Flores, and he posted five interceptions and 10 pass breakups in 2024.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>25. Houston Texans<\/em><\/strong>Donovan Jackson, G, Ohio State<\/em><\/strong>Houston would continue its offensive upheaval with the addition of Jackson, who just cracks my top 20 prospects. He was a stalwart for multiple seasons at guard for Ohio State before kicking out to left tackle in October when Josh Simmons went down with a knee injury. Jackson immediately became comfortable in the position and was outstanding throughout the Buckeyes’ national championship run. His best spot is still at guard, but he has invaluable positional flex to go along with power and toughness.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>26. Los Angeles Rams<\/em><\/strong>Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky<\/em><\/strong>Hairston would bring natural man coverage skills and rare speed to the Rams. His 4.28-second 40-yard dash was the fastest at the combine among all players. And Hairston’s speed makes it difficult for receivers to challenge him downfield because he can still catch up even if he loses them at the line of scrimmage. He also has a playmaker mentality that led to an SEC-best five interceptions in 2023, two of which were returned for touchdowns in the same game.<\/em> <\/em>27. Baltimore Ravens<\/em><\/strong>James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee<\/em><\/strong>With the Ravens looking for more pass-rush juice, Pearce’s wait ends here. He entered this past season as a potential top-10 pick and has some of the most effortless movement skills of any pass rusher in this class. He ran a 4.47-second 40 and can really bend the edge, too. But his lack of consistency last season resulted in a stock drop. The Ravens could capitalize by landing Pearce and his considerable upside late in the first round.<\/em> <\/em>28. Detroit Lions<\/em><\/strong>Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon<\/em><\/strong>Injuries befell the Detroit defense down the stretch last season, and some of them will linger into this upcoming season — including stalwart defensive tackle Alim McNeill’s torn ACL. Harmon could help fill that hole after his breakthrough 2024 season. His 34 pressures in his lone year with the Ducks were by far the most of any FBS defensive tackle. He has the length, power at the point of attack and pursuit speed as a rusher to make a difference.<\/em> <\/em>29. Washington Commanders<\/em><\/strong>Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina<\/em><\/strong>The Commanders added veteran defensive back Will Harris in free agency to replace Jeremy Chinn, but Emmanwori could have some appeal to their defensive staff, given Dan Quinn’s history of using safeties in creative ways. Emmanwori’s physical tools are off the charts; he ran a 4.38 in the 40 at the combine despite weighing 220 pounds. He also jumped 43 inches in the vertical. Emmanwori is a menace with the football in his hands and took two of his four interceptions to the house last season.<\/em> <\/em>Projected trade: An AFC East deal<\/em><\/strong>Our first trade — and it’s an intriguing interdivisional move. The Patriots<\/strong> went with the best player available at No. 4, but that meant bypassing arguably their biggest roster hole. They can rectify that by getting back into the first round for another Day 1 pick. Meanwhile, Bills<\/strong> general manager Brandon Beane can slide down to acquire extra draft capital, similar to what he did in 2024. I have the Patriots trading a second-rounder (No. 38) and a third-rounder (No. 77) to the Bills for No. 30 and a fourth-rounder (No. 109).<\/em> <\/em>30. New England Patriots (via projected trade with BUF)<\/em><\/strong>Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon<\/em><\/strong>Despite a fruitful free agency, the Patriots could still use better protection and more playmakers around quarterback Drake Maye. They had the second-worst pass block win rate last season (50.9%). Those needs and a steady supply of draft capital might embolden them to move up for Conerly, an ever-steady left tackle who had an excellent 2024 season. He allowed one sack over 14 starts. The Patriots can make this trade to get ahead of Kansas City and Cleveland, who could both be interested in the tackle market.<\/em> <\/em>Projected trade: An AFC West deal<\/em><\/strong>Let’s keep the trades rolling. And yes, it’s another one between two teams in the same division. With New England jumping to No. 30 to take Conerly, the Chiefs<\/strong> might look at the OT board and think they could get someone early on Day 2 and improve one of their later-round picks. The depth of this class aligns nicely with their biggest needs. And the Raiders might see a fit on offense that they can’t let slip away. Full terms of the trade would include the Chiefs sending No. 31 and a late third-rounder (No. 95) to the Raiders for a second-rounder (No. 37) and an early third-rounder (No. 68).<\/em> <\/em>31. Las Vegas Raiders (via projected trade with KC)<\/em><\/strong>Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri<\/em><\/strong>Wide receiver is high on the Raiders’ needs list. The value wasn’t there at No. 6, as we instead went with Jeanty. But considering Jakobi Meyers was the only Las Vegas receiver over 600 yards last season, it makes sense for the Raiders to surge back into the first round to take the extremely talented Burden. He was dominant in 2023, when he had 1,212 receiving yards, including 710 after the catch. He had a modest 2024 (676 yards), but his explosiveness and power with the ball in his hands give him game-changing ability.<\/em> <\/em>32. Philadelphia Eagles<\/em><\/strong>Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama<\/em><\/strong>It hurts me to see Campbell have to wait this long; he’s the final prospect on the board who ranks in my top 25. But after recent left shoulder surgery, his health outlook for the start of his career is less clear. But this would be a classic example of the Eagles pouncing on a talented player who fell due to circumstance. Philly struck gold with a no-risk signing of Zack Baun last offseason, and the idea of a linebacker trio eventually composed of Baun, Nakobe Dean (knee) and Campbell is exciting. Campbell had 112 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks and an interception last season.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>ROUND 2<\/em><\/strong> <\/em><\/strong>33. Cleveland Browns<\/em><\/strong>Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville<\/em><\/strong>After skipping the quarterbacks at No. 2, Cleveland can open Day 2 by taking the talented Shough. He has an impressive arm and moves well, leading to 23 touchdown throws last season. He could compete with Kenny Pickett to start with Deshaun Watson sidelined.<\/em> <\/em>Projected trade: Bills jump back up the board<\/em><\/strong>We just had the Bills<\/strong> slide down from No. 30 to No. 38, but they might be watching the board early on Day 2 and opt to hop back up a few picks to No. 34. To do so, I have them trading the No. 38 selection they just acquired in the trade with the Patriots and a fourth-rounder (No. 132) to the Giants,<\/strong> who would happily take an extra midround pick.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>34. Buffalo Bills (via projected trade with NYG)<\/em><\/strong>Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan<\/em><\/strong>At 331 pounds, Grant would help fortify the Bills’ run defense up the middle and assist in collapsing the pocket as an interior pass rusher. He had three sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss in 12 games last season.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>35. Tennessee Titans<\/em><\/strong>Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College<\/em><\/strong>It’s tempting to give Ward and the Titans an offensive playmaker, but the team can fill another pressing need with Ezeiruaku. He had the most pressures (65) and second-most sacks in the FBS (16.5) last season, and he could easily replace Harold Landry III on the edge.<\/em> <\/em>36. Jacksonville Jaguars<\/em><\/strong>Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss<\/em><\/strong>Jacksonville could continue to chip away on defense. Amos blends 6-foot-1 size, 4.43 speed and great ball skills. He stood out for Ole Miss this past season with three interceptions after stops at Alabama and Louisiana.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>37. Kansas City Chiefs (via projected trade with LV)<\/em><\/strong>Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State<\/em><\/strong>The Chiefs are finally on the board after our projected trade out of the first round. But good news: They get their guy. Simmons is coming off a torn patellar tendon, which is the only reason he is even in this range. If healthy, he would be long gone by the second round — and he still might go much sooner than this. But Kansas City can afford to be patient after signing Jaylon Moore in free agency, and Simmons could be eased into action behind him.<\/em> <\/em>38. New York Giants (via projected trades with BUF\/NE)<\/em><\/strong>Tyler Booker, G, Alabama<\/em><\/strong>In this scenario, the Giants move down from No. 34, add an extra fourth-rounder in a deep draft and then select a player in Booker who would have been justifiable in the Giants’ original slot. Booker is among the most powerful players in the class and allowed one sack across 38 career games.<\/em> <\/em>39. Chicago Bears (via CAR)<\/em><\/strong>Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State<\/em><\/strong>As the Bears look for one more playmaker to maximize Ben Johnson’s offense, they could turn to the ever-reliable Egbuka in Round 2. He set the Ohio State record for catches (205) and is a great route runner.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>40. New Orleans Saints<\/em><\/strong>Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State<\/em><\/strong>The Saints need a receiver who brings more size and speed to the table than their current corps, and Higgins has plenty of both. He’s 6-foot-4 and ran a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash at the combine, traits that helped him to 1,183 yards and nine scores last season.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>41. Chicago Bears<\/em><\/strong>Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State<\/em><\/strong>More offense for the Bears, two picks after I had them taking Egbuka. I have an ever-so-slightly higher grade on Judkins’ fellow Ohio State back TreVeyon Henderson, but Judkins can bring a better profile of power and thump to a Chicago offense that could use it. He scored 45 career rushing TDs.<\/em> <\/em>42. New York Jets<\/em><\/strong>Mason Taylor, TE, LSU<\/em><\/strong>I considered Tyler Warren for the Jets at No. 7 before going with Membou. So picking Taylor one round later makes sense to fill a hole at tight end. He has exceptional hands and can handle in-line blocking duties.<\/em> <\/em>43. San Francisco 49ers<\/em><\/strong>Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota<\/em><\/strong>San Francisco’s search for offensive and defensive line reinforcements will be ongoing, and Ersery could be the heir apparent to Trent Williams (who is turning 37 in July) at left tackle. Ersery allowed four sacks over 39 career starts, and his 6-foot-6, 331-pound frame makes it difficult for pass rushers to get around him.<\/em> <\/em>44. Dallas Cowboys<\/em><\/strong>TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State<\/em><\/strong>The Cowboys have frequently been linked to running backs early in the draft, and Henderson is an electric playmaker as both a runner and receiver. Dallas averaged 4.0 yards per carry last season and replaced Rico Dowdle with Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. Henderson has the open-field speed to make an instant impact on the ground.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>45. Indianapolis Colts<\/em><\/strong>Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA<\/em><\/strong>Schwesinger broke out last season with 115 tackles, becoming an All-American for UCLA and showing exceptional range, coverage instincts and sideline-to-sideline speed. And the fit makes sense because the Colts lost E.J. Speed in free agency.<\/em> <\/em>46. Atlanta Falcons<\/em><\/strong>Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo<\/em><\/strong>The Falcons could truly go entirely defense in this draft, and I wouldn’t be surprised. Alexander would boost the interior pass rush after Atlanta cut Grady Jarrett in March.<\/em> <\/em>47. Arizona Cardinals<\/em><\/strong>Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M<\/em><\/strong>This would be a rock-solid addition for Arizona at this point in the draft. Scourton has an advanced arsenal of pass-rush moves. While he had just five sacks last season at Texas A&M, he had 10 in 2023 at Purdue. And he’s a great run defender.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>48. Miami Dolphins<\/em><\/strong>Jonah Savaiinaea, G, Arizona<\/em><\/strong>This would address a glaring issue at guard. Savaiinaea played both tackle spots and guard in college, and he showed an excellent combination of size (6-foot-4, 324 pounds) and quick feet. The Dolphins signed James Daniels, but he is coming off a torn Achilles.<\/em> <\/em>49. Cincinnati Bengals<\/em><\/strong>Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State<\/em><\/strong>After we addressed their offensive line in Round 1, the Bengals could now get to work on the defense. Thomas would bring excellent 6-foot-2 size and ball skills to their cornerback room, though he lacks superb top-end speed (scouts I spoke with had him in the high 4.5s in the 40 at his pro day).<\/em> <\/em>50. Seattle Seahawks<\/em><\/strong>Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina<\/em><\/strong>Yes, Seattle is pretty set at cornerback to start the season, with Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon and Nehemiah Pritchett atop the depth chart. Drafting Revel is more about depth and planning for the future, though, especially since he is coming off an ACL tear. His speed and man coverage skills will be an asset in time.<\/em> <\/em>51. Denver Broncos<\/em><\/strong>Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami<\/em><\/strong>The Broncos signed Evan Engram, but another swing at tight end would provide them with one of the best duos in the NFL. Arroyo averaged 16.9 yards per catch last season.<\/em> <\/em>52. Seattle Seahawks (via PIT)<\/em><\/strong>Jared Wilson, C, Georgia<\/em><\/strong>Wilson is probably the best pure center in the entire class. If Seattle skips the offensive line in Round 1 — as I had it doing here — Wilson has the elite footwork and movement skills to be a good Day 2 pick and early contributor.<\/em> <\/em>53. Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/em><\/strong>Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame<\/em><\/strong>The Buccaneers’ secondary overhaul rolls on. Morrison — who missed a large chunk of last season with a hip injury — has very good size and great ball skills. He had nine interceptions and 21 pass breakups over three seasons.<\/em> <\/em>54. Green Bay Packers<\/em><\/strong>Jack Bech, WR, TCU<\/em><\/strong>One of my favorite prospects in the class, Bech is an easy separator at the top of his routes. He has excellent hands and is instinctive after the catch. He might not be the WR1 that Green Bay needs, but he could make a big impact on its offense.<\/em> <\/em>55. Los Angeles Chargers<\/em><\/strong>Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford<\/em><\/strong>The Chargers brought Mike Williams back this offseason, but he’s 30 years old and on a one-year deal. Even after I projected tight end Colston Loveland to them in Round 1, the Chargers should be looking for WRs to slot alongside Ladd McConkey outside. Ayomanor has developmental upside thanks to his 4.44 speed and 6-foot-2 size.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>56. Buffalo Bills (via MIN\/HOU)<\/em><\/strong>JT Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State<\/em><\/strong>There are few players in this class whom I have more confidence in being ready to play as a rookie than Tuimoloau. His power and pass-rush savviness would improve Buffalo’s front.<\/em> <\/em>57. Carolina Panthers (via LAR)<\/em><\/strong>Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State<\/em><\/strong>At 5-foot-10 and 194 pounds, Noel might be a better fit in the slot than outside. But he has serious explosion, averaging 14.9 yards per catch last season en route to 1,194 yards and eight scores. Noel could join Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker to form an intriguing young WR corps.<\/em> <\/em>58. Houston Texans<\/em><\/strong>Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State<\/em><\/strong>Williams would bring juice to Houston’s offense, considering he finished his college career on a TD heater, scoring nine over his final six games. Tank Dell’s status for 2025 is uncertain (knee), Stefon Diggs is off to New England and newly acquired Christian Kirk is under contract for just one season.<\/em> <\/em>59. Baltimore Ravens<\/em><\/strong>Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame<\/em><\/strong>Watts is a ball magnet on the back end, as he led the FBS with 13 interceptions over the past two seasons. If Baltimore wants to take the next step, it has to shore up the pass defense. Putting Watts alongside Kyle Hamilton is a good step in that direction.<\/em> <\/em>60. Detroit Lions<\/em><\/strong>Tate Ratledge, G, Georgia<\/em><\/strong>The Lions lost Kevin Zeitler in free agency, and if they don’t view either Christian Mahogany or Kayode Awosika as a lock to start at right guard, Ratledge would be a great pick. He is among the most polished players in the class.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>Projected trade: Saints get their QB<\/em><\/strong>One last trade. It’s getting late in Round 2, and only four quarterbacks have come off the board. New Orleans<\/strong> — which should be thinking about its future under center — might take the opportunity to flip an extra Day 3 selection to Washington <\/strong>to move up 10 picks and capitalize. The Commanders would hand over the No. 61 pick for a third-rounder (No. 71) and a fifth-rounder (No. 112). Washington has only five picks in this draft, so it would love any extra selections.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>61. New Orleans Saints (via projected trade with WSH)<\/em><\/strong>Will Howard, QB, Ohio State<\/em><\/strong>Derek Carr’s contract restructure means he will stick in New Orleans for at least one more season, but nothing is guaranteed beyond that. Spencer Rattler flashed in his rookie season, but he’s no sure thing as a 2024 fifth-rounder. Howard, though, is accurate and mobile. He threw 35 touchdown passes last season, and he ran for seven more scores.<\/em> <\/em>62. Buffalo Bills<\/em><\/strong>Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas State<\/em><\/strong>Parrish is feisty in coverage and ran a 4.35-second 40 at the combine. That speed shows up all over his tape. Rasul Douglas is unsigned, and Buffalo traded Kaiir Elam. That means the cornerback depth chart is pretty open behind Christian Benford and Dane Jackson.<\/em> <\/em>63. Kansas City Chiefs<\/em><\/strong>Landon Jackson, Edge, Arkansas<\/em><\/strong>As the Chiefs work to solidify their edge rusher group, Jackson is worth a look at the end of Round 2. He would provide their defense with outstanding length and an “empty the tank” mentality on every play. Jackson had 25 tackles for loss and 13 sacks over the past two seasons.<\/em> <\/em><\/strong>64. Philadelphia Eagles<\/em><\/strong>Alfred Collins, DT, Texas<\/em><\/strong>Collins had dominant stretches at Texas, and with more consistency, he could quickly outplay this draft slot. He’s 6-foot-6 and 332 pounds, and he has 34\u215d-inch arms. The Eagles love to address the trenches at the draft, and Collins could help replace Milton Williams.<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AROUND THE NFL NFC NORTH  CHICAGOVeteran QB CASE KEENUM has been signed to play Obi-Wan Kenobi to QB CALEB WILLIAMS as Luke Skywalker. Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic: The Bears are bringing in veteran quarterback Case Keenum, a league source said Thursday. Keenum will sign a one-year deal worth up to $3 million, according to ESPN. Keenum,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[6,7,11,8,13],"class_list":["post-6722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-daily-briefing","tag-chris-myers","tag-chris-myers-sports","tag-daily-briefing","tag-fox-sports","tag-nfl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6722"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6722\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chrismyerssports.com\/cmi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}