The start of voluntary offseason workouts, media availability, and a looming NFL Draft has created havoc in the world of NFL news and rumors. Things spread the ether weeks ago are being addressed directly by players. And with the offseason’s biggest event fast approaching, more information continues to break.
Please stick with us throughout the day, and as news breaks (usually on Twitter), make sure to come back around for the details and some commentary on each.
NFL News and Rumors
Josh Allen needs to make a change. Jared Goff is shutting down divisional favorites talk, and Mel Kiper and Todd McShay did a dueling three-round mock draft, with a few surprises in the first round.
Ownership Could Play a Role in Jalen Carter’s Landing Spot
Based on talent alone, Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter is one of the best players in the 2023 NFL Draft. But his draft stock is unsettled following a January racing incident in which Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting coordinator Chandler LeCroy were killed.
Carter did not cause the accident, nor was he driving while impaired. He has cooperated with police and has already pleaded guilty to reckless driving and racing. However, NFL teams are still debating whether they’re comfortable enough to take Carter in the top 10 given his off-field issues.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator With Trades
“These decisions … are being made this week and early next week,” said NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. “And they’re not being made by coaches and general managers — they’re being made in consultation with owners.
“And there are several teams in the top 10 who love Jalen Carter talent-wise and do not know the answer right now whether or not they would take him. They don’t know, organizationally, is this someone they want in their building.”
Stefon Diggs Not Present at Bills’ Offseason Program
Stefon Diggs didn’t show up for the start of the Bills’ offseason workouts this week, as Matt Parrino of New York Upstate writes. These programs are voluntary, so there’s no harm done by Diggs’ absence. However, Diggs has issued several intriguing offseason tweets — including “Comeeeeee anddddd rescue me…” earlier this month — that could signify a potential problem.
Diggs’ no-show is probably nothing, and Josh Allen indicated there isn’t a rift between him and his No. 1 WR. But given that Diggs can hardly be asking for a new contract after inking an extension 12 months ago, it’s worth wondering what he’s up to.
Will Anderson Takes Last-Minute Meeting With Seahawks
Will Anderson Jr. is now the favorite to be selected second overall, but there’s a world in which he falls a bit farther. With that in mind, the Seahawks scheduled a visit with Anderson for Wednesday, the final day teams are allowed to host prospects.
Seattle holds the No. 5 pick courtesy of last year’s Russell Wilson trade. While the Seahawks could consider a quarterback with that selection, they might sprint to turn their card in for Anderson if he’s still on the board.
A two-time unanimous All-American and Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner, Anderson is the No. 1 prospect on PFN’s Industry Consensus Board. He’d join Jordyn Brooks, Uchenna Nwosu, and free agent additions Dre’Mont Jones and Bobby Wagner to give the Seahawks a much-improved front seven.
Deonte Banks Has Met With Nearly Every NFL Team
Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks has met with or visited almost every team in the league, according to Rapoport. That list includes the Saints, Commanders, Titans, Vikings, Raiders, Texans, Giants, Buccaneers, Eagles, Jaguars, Bears, and Seahawks.
Banks completed his NFL tour on Wednesday by huddling with the Bills, per Rapoport. While Banks may no longer be available when Buffalo picks at No. 27, he would be an interesting addition to a secondary that already includes Tre’Davious White, 2022 first-rounder Kaiir Elam, and surprising UDFA Christian Benford.
Calijah Kancey Took No Pre-Draft Visits
Although Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey is expected to be a first-round pick, he told NFL Network today that he did not take a single pre-draft visit.
Of course, Kancey’s quiet pre-draft process doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have interest from around the NFL. Teams may not have additional questions or concerns that they want to discuss with Kancey, while the reigning ACC Defensive Player of the Year did meet with teams at the Scouting Combine.
In Pro Football Network’s latest mock draft, Oliver Hodgkinson sent Kancey to the Saints at No. 29, calling the Pitt product an “explosive and dangerous pass rusher with a loaded toolbox who also brings an unrelenting motor in the run game.”
UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson Visits Saints
Dorian Thompson-Robinson seems to be everyone’s favorite Day 3 QB. The Bruins’ QB ran a blistering 4.56 at the NFL Combine, and his good tape is impressive. The problem is, consistency at the position is more important than the flashes of brilliance, and Thompson-Robinson must figure out how to balance that.
The Saints are an interesting team, because they’ve consistently found ways to use Day 3 picks on athletic quarterbacks over the years. Tommy Stevens, Ian Book, and most famously adopting Taysom Hill as a hybrid player.
C.J. Stroud Visits Falcons While Anthony Richardson Visits Ravens
On the last day teams are able to bring NFL Draft prospects in for official visits, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson each make appearances around the league. C.J. Stroud visited Atlanta, while Richardson is spending his day in Baltimore.
Lamar Jackson obviously holds the starting spot for the Ravens, but his future is about as unknown as what’s sitting there in the back of your refrigerator. It might take some elbowing to get into position to draft Richardson, but the fit is obvious.
And while Arthur Smith has been complimentary of Desmond Ridder, it would be foolish to leave a stone unturned regarding the team’s future at the position. After all, Ridder was a third-round pick, and Stroud is a first-round prospect.
Teams Calling 49ers About Trey Lance
According to Ian Rapoport, sources tell him that several teams have inquired about Trey Lance. The tweet explicitly stated that other teams have been calling the 49ers, and they are simply the ones answering the phone to talk.
He also said that no trade is imminent, which makes sense considering the 49ers recent (half-decade) history of not being able to keep quarterbacks healthy.
MORE: Trey Lance Potential Landing Spots
The Vikings discussed Lance with the 49ers during the Scouting Combine, according to Pro Football Talk. Kirk Cousins is locked in as Minnesota’s starter through 2023, but the club needs an eventual successor. Lance could be a creative solution if the Vikings can’t find a way to land an early-round QB in the draft.
Josh Allen Changing His Ways
It’s important to note that Allen doesn’t need to stop being a football player. That is precisely what makes him so dangerous for defensive coordinators. However, even Allen understands that at some point, he must change how aggressively he goes about things on the ground.
“I’ve always had the mindset of, I’ve been a football player first and a quarterback second,” Allen said. “At some point, that is going to have to switch. When that point is, I don’t know. I guess I’ll let my body tell me.”
Hopefully, it starts now. Allen’s physical presence is part of what separates him. He’s big and physical as a runner, and that can be fine situationally. However, what Allen does as a quarterback that is reprehensible is his need to invite contact. He’s saying the right things, but when he gets back on the pitch, Allen must be more careful not to try hurdling defenders on a 1st-and-10 scramble.
“There were sometimes last year when I’m in the open field, I don’t need an extra two yards,” Allen said. “Get down, slide, and live to fight another down. Again, it has worked up to this point, but I understand that there’s going to be a point in time when it’s not going to work so well.”
There’s a reason most running backs don’t have decade-long careers. It’s not a single hit that ends most, but the accumulation of car crashes they go through. Allen seeks those crashes, and if he wants to play for two decades, he must learn to live for the next down.
Jared Goff Says ‘No Favorites in April’
Goff realizes the Detroit Lions are an offseason favorite. They had a strong year (relative to the Lions’ history) and have really attacked free agency. They also have four picks inside the top 55, and Dan Campbell is a media darling. But Goff remains laser focused.
“I don’t believe there are any favorites to win anything in April. But what do I know?” Goff told reporters Tuesday. “A lot can change from now until August or whatever. We like what we’ve done in the offseason and last year, but [there is] plenty of stuff to get better at and work on.”
The Lions’ secondary was a struggle last season. Adding Cameron Sutton, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, and Emmanuel Moseley is an outstanding start to reshaping the defensive backfield. It’s also a strong cornerback class, and Tracy Walker is healthy again after playing only three games a season ago.
Greg Newsome II ‘Mad’ About Trade Rumors
The rumors made sense from a 30,000-foot view. Greg Newsome II was upset a season ago with Joe Woods for placing him in the slot. But Woods is gone, and Jim Schwartz is in.
“I think that was last year’s issue,” Newsome said. “Now, with a new defensive coordinator, just being able to sit down, talk to him, see a new scheme and things like that. I feel like last year, I was more of a linebacker in certain instances than an actual cornerback. Talking to Jim Schwartz and being able to get in his new scheme, I feel like we will work very well together.”
Newsome was outstanding as a rookie when he was healthy, something he’s struggled with dating back to his college career at Northwestern. Physically, it makes sense for a player with his physical attributes to play in the slot, but he’s a starting outside cornerback at the NFL level, not a modern slot.
But after hiring Drew Rosenhaus, an erroneous report surfaced claiming that Newsome wanted out. By the end of the day, Rosenhaus did what he does and sliced the rumors to pieces. But Newsome is still mad it happened.
“I was mad [about the report],” Newsome said Tuesday via team transcript. “I really just don’t think people really, truly understand how much — first of all — Cleveland means to me. Getting drafted here, the fans embracing me right away. I really just don’t understand something like that. I wouldn’t do that. I truly adore Cleveland. I was definitely mad.”
Where Will DeAndre Hopkins Go?
DeAndre Hopkins doesn’t want a pay raise. But it’s pretty clear that Hopkins also doesn’t want to bake in the Arizona sun on a team that probably won’t be competitive until 2024 at the earliest. The best thing about modern media is that we get to hear from players more often, and that is how we learned that Buffalo might be in on Hopkins as well as Baltimore.
While the Pat McAfee Show isn’t exactly a journalistic standard, and neither is Adam “Pacman” Jones, players talk to one another. They made it clear that their sources are telling them Baltimore is still in play even after paying Odell Beckham Jr. That duo together in 2018 would have made all our collective skulls spontaneously combust. But Hopkins won’t end up in Baltimore if Von Miller has anything to do with it.
“I talk to Hop all the time, and it’s kind of like the same thing with OBJ,” Miller said, according to the Buffalo News. “You just never know until you know. Hop said he wanted to be a Buffalo Bill, and you never know until you get that DeAndre Hopkins signature on a contract.
Surprises From Mel Kiper and Todd McShay’s Dueling Mock Draft
Drafting a running back with the 10th pick would have the entire country under the age of 40 aghast. Running backs do not matter, and it would be shocking to see Howie Roseman use the 10th pick on one, even one as talented as Bijan Robinson. However, a backfield consisting of Robinson and Jalen Hurts would take a rushing attack that was historically good a season ago and take it to another level.
Dalton Kincaid might very well be the best tight end in the 2023 NFL Draft. He’s easily the most fluent receiver in the group, and he’s a functional blocker. But in a tight end class as strong as this one is, taking a 23-year-old TE who didn’t test because of a back injury is a scary proposition, particularly because tight ends often take years to round into form.
MORE: Michael Mayer Drafted Ahead of Dalton Kincaid in Latest 2023 NFL Mock Draft
Emmanuel Forbes is an outstanding cornerback, but I find it hard to believe the NFL will draft a 166-pound cornerback in the first round, let alone before a physical freak like Joey Porter Jr., even if Forbes is currently the cleaner player.
Bengals Expected To Ask Joe Mixon To Take Pay Cut
The Bengals don’t have a great situation in the backfield. Joe Mixon has an aggravated menacing case levied against him currently, and cutting him now could save Cincinnati over $10 million against the cap in 2023.
Samaje Perine scooted to Denver to play with Sean Payton, a nice fit for his skill set. But the Bengals remade their rushing attack a season ago. Cincinnati’s under-center, outside-zone style was scrapped for a more downhill rushing attack out of the shotgun. After all, they want to spend as much time in the gun as possible to avoid predictability.
Having an elusive pass-catching back is imperative, and there are plenty of guys like that in the 2023 NFL Draft, along with a mix of other talents that could help split the load. According to The Athletic, the Bengals will ask Mixon to either take a pay cut or be released.