AROUND THE NFL

Daily Briefing

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

The Falcons will be building their brand in London against the Broncos this October if Heavy.com is to be believed:

No more guessing games for Atlanta Falcons fans. It is reportedly supposed to be made official as early as next week that the Falcons will take on the Denver Broncos in London this upcoming season.

@TroyRenck

#Broncos playing in London as visiting team against #Falcons should become official next week. Likely will come in October after east coast road game. So #Broncos would go from that city directly to London. That is Fangio’s preference. #Denver7

Denver 7’s Tony Renck reported that the game is likely to take place in early October. This means the Falcons will have a bye week in between Week 5 to Week 9.

The Falcons will lose a true home game for their 2020 schedule, but this opportunity will allow them to share American football and their brand with those internationally. Although it’s not official yet, look for this news to be confirmed during the week.

Also, follow the Heavy on Falcons Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors, and content!

Last Time in London

Blank mentioned briefly on what happened last time Atlanta was in London back in 2014. Although it was an exciting game, it wasn’t a pretty ending for the Falcons. The Falcons took on the Detroit Lions. With just eight minutes left in the third quarter, the Falcons led the game 21-0 then let the Lions score 22 points. The Lions won 22-21 after a Matt Ryan pick. Of course, Atlanta crumbled. But, that was under head coach Mike Smith and times have changed since then.

This London trip will mark Atlanta’s third time playing a regular season game in another country and their second time in London. It started in 2013 when the Falcons faced the Buffalo Bills in Toronto, Canada. Matt Bryant barely saved the Falcons in overtime by kicking his infamous 36-yard field goal with only three minutes left to play.

Again it’s not official the Falcons will play the Broncos, but with all of the Denver talk, it’s a 99% shot. This London game announcement also means the Falcons will not be playing the game in Mexico City since it was announced last week that the Arizona Cardinals will be and its nearing time to announce each team’s schedule.

The NFL will not be releasing the entire 2020 regular season schedule until this spring.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

Are the 49ers going to sneak into the TOM BRADY sweepstakes?  First, Peter King on the cap hurdles:

I think I heard Sunday the speculation—from Deion Sanders in this case, but he’s not the first and will not be the last—about how Tom Brady should play for the Niners. So let’s do the math.

• Niners are $13.1 million under the proposed 2020 cap.

• Jimmy Garoppolo is due to cost $26.6 million against the cap in 2020.

• Let’s say, conservatively, Brady could be signed to a two-year deal with a cap charge of $22 million in 2020.

That leaves the Niners, barring a huge round of cap-related player cuts, out of the free-agent market for anyone else of consequence, and likely out of the market for their own free agents: Arik Armstead, Jimmie Ward and Emmanuel Sanders. And we haven’t even gotten to this conversation between Kyle Shanahan and Garoppolo: “Uh, Jimmy, we love you. You’re our future. But we’re playing Tom Brady for the next year, maybe two. You’ll still make all your money.” And if the Niners would, say, trade Garoppolo in the midst of one of the most jam-packed QB markets in free-agency history, good luck in getting real value for Garoppolo. Finally: Who’s your quarterback on opening day 2022, John Lynch?

I think, as you can imagine, I am not bullish on the concept, either with Jimmy G staying or Jimmy G leaving. But if this happens, and Garoppolo stays, I would also like to wish the 49ers good luck with the quarterback position counting $49 million on the 2020 cap.

This from Mike Florio:

The powers-that-be in Santa Clara have said and done all the right things in the 29 days since the 49ers lost the Super Bowl regarding the future of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. But plenty of teams say one thing in February and do something else in March. Given that the 49ers have until April 1 (when $15.7 million in salary becomes fully guaranteed) to make a final decision about Garoppolo for 2020, it’s impossible to completely rule out an attempt to upgrade from a guy who had an opportunity to make a Championship Throw with 100 seconds left in the NFL’s 100th season.

I’ve mentioned multiple times here and elsewhere the question of whether the 49ers should be interested in Tom Brady, who grew up a fan of the team and who attended “The Catch” game that vaulted the 49ers to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance. Does anyone believe Brady would have missed Emmanuel Sanders with a championship on the line? Does anyone believe the 49ers wouldn’t have been in position for Brady to attempt that throw if he and not Garoppolo had been the quarterback all year long?

The speculation of Brady to the 49ers won’t go away, even after G.M. John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear last week that Garoppolo is their guy. Peter King addresses the subject in his post-Combine Football Morning in America column, and it’s smart to keep one eye on the Niners as March 18 approaches. That said, I’ll disagree with Peter on one key point: There’s no way the 49ers would keep both Brady and Garoppolo. If Brady arrives, it would be the ultimate Peyton-Manning-takes-the-field-and-Brock-Osweiler-reacts-with-body-language moment. The 49ers wouldn’t be able to afford both players, and Garoppolo wouldn’t want to stay. (Brady probably wouldn’t want him there, either.)

Garoppolo would be traded. (Possibly back to the Patriots.) And he’d arrive at his new team with an affordable $25.4 million compensation package for 2020, plus the next year at $25.5 million and then one more season at $25.6 million. The 49ers would absorb a cap charge of only $4.2 million, thanks to a low signing bonus.

And here’s the key prerequisite the 49ers pursuing Brady: Is that what Brady affirmatively wants? It’s one thing for the 49ers to say “we’re fine with our guy” in a vacuum. Once a guy like Brady makes it clear that he’s interested, everything changes.

What if the 49ers say “we’re fine with your former backup” to Brady? What if it eventually gets out that the 49ers passed on Brady? What if Garoppolo doesn’t deliver a Super Bowl win in San Francisco in 2020 and Brady does, wherever he ends up? No matter how things go this year or next (or in 2022 if Brady truly plays three more years), what team in their right mind would say no to the G.O.A.T.?

Yes, Brady’s going to be 43 in August. But which quarterback gives the team the better chance to win a Super Bowl this year, the guy who has won six of them or the guy who had a chance to put the 49ers up 27-24 late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIV, and couldn’t get it done?

Consider this quote from Tom Brady to Jim Gray of Westwood One regarding Garoppolo, from the Super Bowl LIV pregame show: “He’s got a great opportunity to go out there today and prove it. That’s when you really get to see whether someone’s capable or not.”

The end result from Super Bowl LIV for Garoppolo was “not.” The end result from six prior Super Bowls for Brady was “capable.”

AFC SOUTH

JACKSONVILLE

The Jaguars will use their franchise tag per Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com on DE YANNICK NGAKOUE who said he wants out of Duval:

The Jaguars will use their franchise tag on defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday.

The tag will allow them to try to trade him if that’s what they decide or are forced to do.

Ngakoue tweeted Monday morning that his time in Jacksonville is over.

@YannickNgakoue

The Jaguars are aware I no longer have interest in signing a long term contract in Jacksonville.  Duval, I love you and gave you guys everything I got.  I’m thankful for the journey and look forward to continuing my career elsewhere. -91

The franchise tag carries an approximate salary of $19.3 million in 2020.

Ngakoue, who turns 25 on March 31, wanted a new deal before last season, but negotiations broke down and he skipped most of OTAs as well as the mandatory minicamp. The Jaguars reportedly offered a deal that averaged $19 million annually while Ngakoue’s camp was seeking something similar to the $22 million that quarterback Nick Foles signed for.

He held out of the first 11 days of training camp and was fined $528,650, which included $88,650 for skipping the three-day minicamp in June. Ngakoue made $2.02 million last season after the team rescinded the fines, a league source said.

In just four seasons, Ngakoue, a third-round pick in 2016, is already second in franchise history with 37.5 sacks — Tony Brackens holds the record with 55 — and has forced 14 fumbles, which is fourth in the NFL over that span behind Khalil Mack (17), Chandler Jones (17) and T.J. Watt (15).

Ngakoue had eight sacks and set a career high with 41 tackles and tied his career high with 13 tackles for loss in 2019.

More from DiRocco on what Ngakoue’s recalcitrance says about the Jaguars “culture” problems:

Yannick Ngakoue wants out. So did Jalen Ramsey.

It’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of what’s going on with the Jacksonville Jaguars when two of the best players in franchise history don’t want to stick around.

After learning the Jaguars planned to use their franchise tag on him, Ngakoue tweeted Monday morning his time in Jacksonville is over. Losing the defensive end wouldn’t do anything to help the fortunes of coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell, either.

They are essentially on a one-year trial in 2020, and while owner Shad Khan hasn’t given any specific expectations, it’s safe to assume the Jaguars had better at least be fighting for a playoff spot or Khan will make the changes many thought he should have made in December.

“I know things change greatly year to year, but we’ve been closer [to the Super Bowl] more recently than many teams in the league,” Khan said last Tuesday, the day the Jaguars announced a second home game in London in 2020. “My feeling is that we can return to that place and go much faster to where we want to be if we can keep some things intact for 2020. We have a really good core of young players from our recent drafts. We have excellent draft capital. The message to the whole football organization as I met with them after our season was over is the time to win is now. We have everything really in place with some of the changes to expect a good season.”

Not everything, if Ngakoue gets his wish. And it’s likely the Jaguars won’t have him in uniform even if they decide to play hardball, use the franchise tag, and tell him, “You play in Jacksonville this year or you don’t play at all.” He would almost certainly hold out in as Le’Veon Bell did during his negotiations with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018, when he sat for the entire season. Ngakoue indicated late last season he wouldn’t be willing to play on the franchise tag, which would pay him approximately $19.3 million. So it’s likely the Jaguars will be entertaining trade offers for a player who has averaged more than nine sacks in his first four NFL seasons.

Linebacker Josh Allen led the team with 10.5 sacks and was a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie last season despite coming off the bench, but the team declined the option on defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and defensive end Calais Campbell, who turns 34 in September. Ngakoue got off to a slow start last season because of a hamstring injury but closed strong, with six of his eight sacks and three of his four forced fumbles coming in the final nine games. Where can the Jaguars find that kind of production?

It’s unlikely to come from a rookie. Allen is one of 16 players to record at least eight sacks as a rookie over the past 10 seasons. Only seven players have done it since 2017. Ngakoue had eight as a rookie in 2016.

By the way, here’s a list of the quarterbacks the Jaguars will be facing in 2020: Deshaun Watson (twice), Ben Roethlisberger, Lamar Jackson, Mitchell Trubisky, Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers. And there’s a chance Philip Rivers could sign with the Colts and Tom Brady could sign with the Titans. They would be on the schedule twice each.

There is still time for Ngakoue to change his mind and be receptive to a long-term contract offer from the Jaguars (in the range of $22 million annually), but even in that unlikely event, it doesn’t erase Jacksonville’s culture problem.

Ramsey’s issues with the franchise are well-documented, and he eventually forced a trade last season after a meeting with Khan that left the owner optimistic the team could repair its relationship with the disgruntled cornerback. Ramsey had issues with the entire front office — but former executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin was at the forefront.

It appears Coughlin played a large role in Ngakoue’s unhappiness with the franchise, too. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported Coughlin cut off negotiations with Ngakoue’s camp roughly a month after they started in early July, saying the team had made its final and best offer. That led to Ngakoue’s 11-day training camp holdout and he ended up playing out the final year of his rookie contract for $2.02 million.

But it’s not fair to place all the blame on Coughlin. Even when the Jaguars were winning in 2017, there were issues. The defense’s trash-talking and brash attitudes rubbed some players the wrong way and there was blatant disrespect of the coaches. (Ramsey, Davon House and Tashaun Gipson openly questioned defensive coordinator Todd Wash and Ramsey advocated for a sweeping change.) The on-field discipline also has been an issue: The Jaguars have more penalty yards than all but one team since 2017 began and were second and third in that category the last two seasons.

Quarterback Nick Foles drew a lot of heat from the fan base when he talked about continuing to establish the team’s culture when he returned from his broken collarbone in November. It looks like he was on to something.

There’s a lot for Marrone and Caldwell to solve in one make-or-break season, and now they likely won’t have one of their best players in Ngakoue — who is a tireless worker with a burning desire to be great — to help them do it.

The running joke over the past five or six years is that the Jaguars have won the offseason and struggled when the games began. This offseason isn’t off to a good start.

Twenty-four months ago, the Jaguars led late in the AFC Championship Game with a young and dynamic roster.

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND

Tom Curran, well plugged into the Patriots, says New England will not let QB TOM BRADY walk away without a fight.  That per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

It was part feeding frenzy, part circular firing squad last week in Indianapolis regarding Tom Brady‘s future. Every reporter wanted to advance the story, every reporter hoped to plant a flag in the soil that Brady eventually will call home. As the dust settles on a week that served only to fuel speculation that Brady will be leaving the only team with which he has spent nearly half his life, Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston has explained that Brady fleeing the Patriots is hardly a fait accompli.

Curran explains that, no, the Brady and the Patriots aren’t engaged in a Cold War.

“The Patriots want Tom Brady to play quarterback for them in 2020,” Curran writes. “There are financial hoops to jump through. There are personnel obstacles to clear. Understandings on both sides need to be reached. But the Patriots want to try and make that happen.”

The question continue to be when will that effort commence? Last week’s notion that the Patriots and Brady’s agent didn’t meet due to uncertainties over the CBA seemed odd at the time, and Curran agrees. There are two broad options at this point — new CBA or no new CBA — and that hardly prevented the Patriots and Brady’s agent from getting together at the Scouting Combine so that the Patriots could make it clear that they want Brady to stay. But Brady and his agent already know that, which is a far better reason for a meeting amid the hectic days and nights in Indianapolis to have been unnecessary.

The clock is now ticking, more loudly than ever. In fewer than two weeks, Brady can officially field offers from other teams. In 15 days, the absence of a new deal with the Patriots not only will allow him to sign with a new team but also will result in the Patriots taking a $13.5 million cap charge that can’t be managed via a new deal, with the dead-cap figure from past contracts becoming the starting point for whatever his cap number with the Patriots would be in 2020.

But there’s still time. Time to see whether the players vote yes on a new CBA. Time to see whether Brady and the Patriots can come to the kind of understanding that causes him to pause before yielding to the temptation to explore the precise color of the foliage on the other side of the fence. It doesn’t mean he’ll definitely stay, but the lack of activity also doesn’t mean he’ll definitely leave.

Through it all, Brady seems to be enjoying the situation. If he is, he’s earned that right, through 20 seasons and six Super Bowl wins and a career of accomplishments that has made him, in the eyes of many, the greatest quarterback who ever has played.

And so the wait continues. But the die is still days from being cast, the Rubicon half a month from being crossed. And Brady won’t lightly slam the door on returning to the only NFL organization for which he has ever been employed, starting fresh with a new team in a new city with a new coaching staff and new teammates and a new offense and new everything.

Does he want maximum money? He never has. Does he want to win? He always has. Brady consistently says his favorite ring is the next one, and above all else he’ll be looking for the place where he can get one or maybe more before Father Time finally tells him, “It’s time.”

Considering that the Patriots of the past two decades have achieved a success rate in that regard unlike any franchise in league history, he won’t take lightly a decision to abandon the familiarity of success for a fresh start, no matter how tempting it may seem before the moment he signs a new contract and settles into the reality of a dramatically altered reality that could cause him to pull his Maybach into the parking lot of a new facility, look at the entrance, and ask himself, “My God, what have I done?“

THIS AND THAT

BROADCAST NEWS

Peter King says all eyes are now on Peyton Manning and ESPN:

As Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reported, and as Adam Schefter of ESPN added to, Tony Romo will stay at CBS for about $17 million a year for at least three years. If CBS retains the right to NFL games after 2022, Romo stays for additional years. Getting double what any analyst has ever made is, obviously, a stunning example of Romo being very, very good and being at the perfect place at the right time. CBS needed to keep Romo to show the NFL it would remain a bejeweled property, and CBS desperately wanted to keep Romo from making ESPN’s telecast now and in the future much, much better. Now ESPN, to boost the profile of “Monday Night Football” in the new deal or get a different package, may have to convince Peyton Manning to do something he apparently doesn’t really want to do—color comment on a national TV game every week. It’ll be interesting to see if Manning budges with a gargantuan contract offer from ESPN. I doubt it, but we’ll see.

2020 DRAFT

Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com with our first Mock Draft from after the Combine.  We think it will be the start of a trend that shows Utah State QB JORDAN LOVE to be rising up the board.

The NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, with several players showing off skills that will help their draft stock.

That also means it’s time for Mock Draft 2.0 from me. In this mock, I actually include a trade that has the Miami Dolphins trading up to the third spot to take Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

In dealing with the Lions to get the pick, the Dolphins would move from No. 5 up to No. 3 to get their quarterback by trading their second-round pick this year (No. 39 overall). That fits on the trade chart since the third overall pick is worth 2200 points and the fifth is 1700, while No. 39 is worth 510 points. Of course, Miami might be forced to sweeten the pot to go get the quarterback, so let’s throw in pick 162 from the fifth round.

The best thing about the move: It wouldn’t cost them either of their other two first-round picks this year. Tanking for Tua would have worked in this scenario.

There are some other changes in this mock, but Joe Burrow is as locked in as ever as the No. 1 overall pick to the Bengals. Then again, he was never going to play anywhere else.

In talking with Burrow, he is thrilled with the idea of playing for the Bengals and the challenge to make them a sustainable contender. Aside from Burrow, things are still quite murky but there is a long way to go before Las Vegas and the first round in late April.

ROUND 1

1 – CINCINNATI

Joe Burrow QB

LSU • SR • 6’4″ / 221 LBS

So much for the idea that Burrow wouldn’t play for the Bengals. He’s going there and he will be a big-time quarterback in a year or so.

2 – WASHINGTON

Chase Young EDGE

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 264 LBS

He is the elite rusher in this draft class and would fill a big-time need if the Redskins don’t trade down. I still think trading down is possible.

3 – MIAMI (Mock Trade from Detroit)

Tua Tagovailoa QB

ALABAMA • JR • 6’0″ / 217 LBS

The Dolphins need to get their quarterback of the future and it looks like Tagovailoa has made big strides in terms of his health. So the Dolphins go get him.

4 – NY GIANTS

Mekhi Becton OL

LOUISVILLE • JR • 6’7″ / 364 LBS

They need to upgrade their offensive line and this kid is a massive, athletic player who would do just that.

5 – DETROIT (Mock Trade from Miami)

Jeff Okudah CB

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’1″ / 205 LBS

He is the smoothest corner in this draft. He is the type of shutdown corner teams love.

6 – LA CHARGERS

Jordan Love QB

UTAH STATE • JR • 6’4″ / 224 LBS

They need to get a developmental passer and Love would seem to fit. He didn’t play well last season, but he’s a talent.

7 – CAROLINA

Derrick Brown DL

AUBURN • SR • 6’5″ / 326 LBS

Their run defense was awful last season. They need to get a big body to shore that up and Brown could end up being the best defensive player in this draft – despite his poor workout at the combine.

8 – ARIZONA

Tristan Wirfs OL

IOWA • JR • 6’5″ / 320 LBS

He can play either tackle spot and he really impressed at the combine. He’s much more athletic than many expected.

9 – JACKSONVILLE

Javon Kinlaw DL

SOUTH CAROLINA • SR • 6’5″ / 324 LBS

This is a team that struggled against the run and will likely lose Marcel Dareus (they could sign him back). They need to get big bodies up front.

10 – CLEVELAND

Jedrick Wills Jr. OL

ALABAMA • JR • 6’4″ / 312 LBS

Their tackles caused all types of issues last season. They have to improve both spot and Wills could play either spot.

11 – NY JETS

Andrew Thomas OL

GEORGIA • JR • 6’5″ / 315 LBS

Their offensive line was a major issue last season. Getting Thomas will help alleviate that. He could also slide inside to guard if need be.

12 – LAS VEGAS

Isaiah Simmons LB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’4″ / 238 LBS

They need to get help at linebacker and this kid is the perfect hybrid speed player for their defense. His combine was special, but they’re more value positions that could drive him down.

13 – INDIANAPOLIS

Jerry Jeudy WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 193 LBS

They have to get help outside to pair with T.Y. Hilton. Jeudy is the best of this receiver class.

14 – TAMPA BAY

K’Lavon Chaisson EDGE

LSU • SOPH • 6’3″ / 254 LBS

They will likely lose Jason Pierre-Paul, so why not add another edge player to pair with Shaq Barrett. Their defense has a chance to be much improved next season.

15 – DENVER

Henry Ruggs III WR

ALABAMA • JR • 5’11” / 188 LBS

They have to get more speed in the passing game. As Ruggs showed at the combine, he can fly.

16 – ATLANTA

A.J. Epenesa EDGE

IOWA • JR • 6’5″ / 275 LBS

The pass rush has been a problem for this team for a long time. Maybe Epenesa is the guy to finally fix it.

17 – DALLAS

CeeDee Lamb WR

OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’2″ / 198 LBS

With Amari Cooper likely moving on, they need to get a receiver to help Dak Prescott. Lamb is right up there with Jeudy in terms of all-around talent.

18 – MIAMI (from Pittsburgh)

Josh Jones OL

HOUSTON • SR • 6’5″ / 319 LBS

They have to get a left tackle after trading Laremy Tunsil to the Texans last year. Jones is an athletic player who should be a long-time starter.

19 – LAS VEGAS (from Chicago)

Justin Herbert QB

OREGON • SR • 6’6″ / 236 LBS

Let’s be real: The Raiders would love to move on from Derek Carr. Herbert is raw, but he has all the tools.

20 – JACKSONVILLE (from LA Rams)

CJ Henderson CB

FLORIDA • JR • 6’1″ / 204 LBS

A.J. Bouye is almost certainly gone, so they have to get a young corner to replace him. Henderson is outstanding in coverage.

21 – PHILADELPHIA

Justin Jefferson WR

LSU • JR • 6’1″ / 202 LBS

He lit up the combine and the Eagles have a major need at the position. I think they address corner in free agency.

 22 – BUFFALO

Chase Claypool WR

NOTRE DAME • SR • 6’4″ / 238 LBS

They need to get bigger at receiver and Claypool showed at the combine he can run well enough to stay at receiver, rather than moving to tight end.

23 – NEW ENGLAND

Zack Baun LB

WISCONSIN • SR • 6’2″ / 238 LBS

Bill Belichick loves versatility in his players and Baun offers that. He just seems like the perfect Patriots player.

24 – NEW ORLEANS

Denzel Mims WR

BAYLOR • SR • 6’3″ / 207 LBS

They have to get help outside to pair with Michael Thomas. Mims was outstanding in showing off his skills at the combine.

25 – MINNESOTA

Trevon Diggs CB

ALABAMA • SR • 6’1″ / 205 LBS

We know Mike Zimmer likes drafting corners and they will need one with Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander both unrestricted free agents. Diggs would join his brother, Stefon, on the roster.

26 – MIAMI (from Houston)

Terrell Lewis EDGE

ALABAMA • SR • 6’5″ / 262 LBS

After addressing offense with the first two picks, it makes sense to take a pass rusher in this spot.

27 – SEATTLE

Yetur Gross-Matos EDGE

PENN STATE • JR • 6’5″ / 266 LBS

They could be losing Jadeveon Clowney so it would make sense to grab another young edge to go with last year’s first-round pick, L.J. Collier.

28 – LSU

Patrick Queen LB

LSU • JR • 6’0″ / 229 LBS

They played last season with veteran pickups at linebacker and somehow managed to be good on defense. Adding a young playmaker to their group would really amp up that unit.

29 – TENNESSEE

Jeff Gladney CB

TCU • SR • 5’10” / 191 LBS

They will likely lose Logan Ryan in free agency, so landing a corner in this spot makes sense. Gladney can run and he’s a willing tackler.

30 – GREEN BAY

Cole Kmet TE

NOTRE DAME • JR • 6’6″ / 262 LBS

They will explore tight ends in free agency, but this would make sense if they come up short. They need to give Aaron Rodgers more help in the passing game.

31 – SAN FRANCISCO

Grant Delpit S

LSU • JR • 6’3″ / 213 LBS

They will likely lose Jimmie Ward in free agency, so landing a smart, heady player like Delpit to replace him would make sense.

32 – KANSAS CITY

Kenneth Murray LB

OKLAHOMA • JR • 6’3″ / 241 LBS

Their linebackers weren’t great last season and there is some age there. So landing a big-time thumper fits what they want to do.

– – –

Peter King with some thoughts on the fast-rising Utah State QB JORDAN LOVE:

Love for Jordan Love. I stopped in my tracks walking by a TV on Thursday night, hearing NFL Network’s Marc Ross saying of Utah State quarterback Jordan Love, “His potential far exceeds Tua.” So I found Ross, 11 years a top personnel executive with the Giants, and asked for an explanation.

“If you actually watch Jordan on tape, watch the traits he has, the playmaking ability, the innate feel for the game, the feel for the pocket, the poise, that will transfer well to the NFL,” Ross said. “When you would watch him every game, there were those ‘oh my gosh’ plays that you just have to keep rewinding . . . I have been banging his drum for a while saying that he was my second favorite guy. When you watch Utah State and Jordan Love’s cast, he was under siege every play, just about. With Tua, or Joe Burrow, they have layup plays where the scheme, the protection’s there, there’s a wide receiver open every time.

“Jordan Love didn’t have any layups in his offense. He’s got these receivers who will be nowhere close to NFL receivers who are tightly covered. He has to overcome all that on every play. Whereas, the Tuas and Joe Burrows, they just really have to make five or six tough plays a game, three-pointers. Jordan Love, every play for him is a three-pointer, or beating his man off the dribble to try to score.”

Why Ross is rare. I told one GM about Ross’ comments. This is a GM who is seeking quarterback help this spring. This GM doesn’t agree with Ross about Love; the GM is lukewarm about Love off the field and thinks he’s careless on the field. (Love was cited for marijuana possession the week before Utah State’s bowl games this year, which some teams care about and some don’t. The charge was later dropped.) But Ross, former personnel VP for the Giants, was unswayed. “I love that,” one respected GM said. “I don’t agree, but it’s hard to have that opinion with a guy like Tua. The wave starts—people have loved him for a couple of years—and then it becomes a tsunami. It’s like you can’t go against him. Scouts I like are ones who have opinions like that and don’t back down.”