2024 NFL Mock Draft: Trades for QBs shake up Round 1; Ravens retool offensive line
We’re looking at an updated three round NFL mock draft for all 32 teams after the first wave of free agency
Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
We’re looking at an updated three round NFL mock draft for all 32 teams after the first wave of free agency
The Bengals put in work on a specific NFL draft prospect.
The Cincinnati Bengals are still evaluating players with the draft coming up, and most recently they were at Arizona’s pro day and put wide receiver Jacob Cowing through some workouts to see what he is able to do.
According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, the Bengals think highly of Cowing, who is expected to go later in the draft.
In two years with the Wildcats, he had 175 catches for 1,882 yards and 20 touchdowns, 90 of those catches, 848 yards and 13 touchdowns coming in the 2023 season. Before he was with Arizona, Cowing played three seasons at UTEP and accumulated 141 catches for 2,595 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Tyler Boyd is likely to find a new home in free agency, so the Bengals could be looking for another slot receiver to fill the roster spot. Cowing likely wouldn’t be able to take the spot immediately, but he would provide an option for the Bengals’ depth.
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Sheldon Rankins dons the Bengals stripes.
The Cincinnati Bengals made the signing of defneive lineman Sheldon Rankins official on Monday after a quiet stretch for the team in free agency.
Cincinnati signing Rankins to the big contract was reported last week.
Rankins was the subject of a reported bidding war the Bengals won as the team was losing DJ Reader to the open market and the Detroit Lions.
The new star defensive lineman will pair with B.J. Hill as an interior pass-rusher and alongside whoever the team elects to bring in via free agency or the draft as a nose tackle.
An obvious fit and solution to the team’s lack of pass-rush last year, Rankins’ reported deal worth $26 million over two years speaks to the way he fits into Lou Anarumo’s plans for the defense.
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The Bengals will host the biggest offensive lineman left in free agency on a visit.
The Cincinnati Bengals will get a visit from one of the bet offensive tackles left on the board in free agency.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Trent Brown will visit with the Bengals on Tuesday.
Brown spent the last two years playing left tackle for the New England Patriots but has more career reps on the right side. Turning 31 next month, Brown is a former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion who has played 16 games in a season just once since the 2018 season.
The Bengals are on the hunt for a possible starter after losing Jonah Williams in free agency to the Arizona Cardinals.
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Having to share a backfield is nothing new for Titans RB Tony Pollard.
In what was the first reported signing of their offseason, the Tennessee Titans inked running back Tony Pollard to a three-year, $21.7 million deal to pair him with 2023 third-round pick and standout, running back Tyjae Spears.
Sharing a backfield is nothing new for Pollard, who did so during his days in Memphis and in 2022 with the Dallas Cowboys, when he and Ezekiel Elliot split work.
“Just keeping the mindset of controlling what you can control and making the most of my opportunities, and just making them count,” Pollard said of sharing a backfield, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport.
“We haven’t really went into specifics (of what my role will be), but I’m coming in expecting to help, trying to contribute,” he added.
On top of having to deal with the expectations from the contract he signed, Pollard is also taking the spot of a franchise great in Derrick Henry. But the Memphis product has the right mindset on that front.
“For me personally, not at all,” Pollard responded when asked if he thinks about replacing Henry, according to AtoZ Sports Nashville. “All I’m focused on is coming in and being the best leader I can be this year, contributing to the team and just winning games.”
Signing with the Titans will be a homecoming for Pollard, who was born and raised in Tennessee. That’s one of the reasons why the 26-year-old back felt the Titans were the perfect fit for him.
“It just felt like this was the place for me to be, especially coming back home, with family so close,” Pollard said, according to Jim Wyatt. “It was just perfect timing. Everything worked out the way it should, me being from Memphis, born and raised in Memphis, went to the University of Memphis. So, I am very familiar with the area, have a lot of family here. It just made sense for me to be home.”
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Former Titans edge rusher Trevis Gipson has signed with the Jaguars.
Another one of the Tennessee Titans’ free agents has signed with a division rival.
The Jacksonville Jaguars announced on Monday that they have signed edge rusher Trevis Gipson, who spent the 2023 campaign with the Titans. The contract details have yet to be revealed.
Gipson is the third Titans free agent to sign with a division rival, along with defensive end Denico Autry and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, both of whom landed with the Houston Texans.
The 26-year-old played sparingly last season, seeing just 76 defensive snaps over eight contests. His lack of playing time was one of the more puzzling things to take place last season.
I had Gipson on the radar as someone the Titans could bring back, especially after Autry, who worked at both defensive end and outside linebacker during his time in Tennessee, left for the Texans.
The Titans have yet to address either position in free agency, leaving the team very weak at defensive line, and dangerously thin at outside linebacker.
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We’re looking at 5 potential landing spots for Odell Beckham Jr. after his release from the Baltimore Ravens
The Odell Beckham Jr. era is over in Baltimore after the Ravens decided to release the veteran wide receiver with a Post June 1 designation.
Beckham confirmed the move with a goodbye on his Instagram account.
https://instagram.com/obj/p/C4olbKLPu29/?hl=en
“Swea on everything I appreciate the Flock more than yall could EVER imagine. Did everything I could wit the opportunities I had. Wish I got to do it big for yall. Thank you for the Vibez! To the City of Baltimore I f— wit yall forever FRRRR. And most importantly to my brothers over there this sh-t a lifetime sentence, I love yall! BiggestTruzzz”
The revision will allow Baltimore to spread the dead money out over 2024 and 2025, as opposed to it all hitting in 2024.
Free agent WR Odell Beckham Jr. confirms he won’t be back with the #Ravens in 2024… pic.twitter.com/6BKKlhjYaF
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 17, 2024
Beckham had 64 targets during his lone season in Baltimore, logging 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns.
With the move now complete, we’re looking at potential landing spots for the talented pass catcher.
The Titans were reportedly “really close” to trading for Chiefs CB, L’Jarius Sneed.
We’ve seen differing reports on how close the Tennessee Titans — and other teams — were to trading for cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, who remains a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
But The Athletic’s Dianna Russini clarified things during a recent episode of “The Athletic Football Show”, stating the Titans and Indianapolis Colts were “really close” to completing a trade for Sneed. The holdup, she believes, had to do with Sneed’s contract extension demands.
Russini notes that this came before the Titans signed Calvin Ridley last week, and adds that all trade talks aren’t dead but the chances of Tennessee landing Sneed are “smaller” now. She believes the Colts are the front-runners.
You can check out the entire clip below.
For those that are wondering, here’s the Dianna Russini clip on what’s going on with the L’Jarius Sneed trade talks (Colts, Titans, Vikings, & Patriots). https://t.co/zLAntFtWVi pic.twitter.com/1yJbXMgP1v
— CLew 🏈🏀⚾️🥊 (@droppedballspod) March 18, 2024
As far as what draft compensation the Titans would’ve sent to Kansas City is concerned, Russini did not say. But clearly the Titans were ready to pull the trigger on what could have been a massive upgrade to their secondary.
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A new mock draft from The 33rd Team has the Titans taking a left tackle at No. 7, but it isn’t Joe Alt.
In most of the recent mock drafts out there, when experts have the Tennessee Titans taking a left tackle at No. 7 overall, it’s been Notre Dame’s Joe Alt in that spot.
However, a new mock draft from Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team has the Titans taking a different left tackle in Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga. Here’s what Mosher had to say about Tennessee taking Fuaga over Alt.
Fit: The first surprise of the draft comes at No. 7, with the Tennessee Titans drafting an offensive lineman. That’s not a surprise, as they’ve been expected to pick an offensive tackle here. But the selection of Taliese Fuaga over Joe Alt would undoubtedly be a shock. However, Fuaga is worthy of a top-10 pick. His size, athleticism and power could better fit what Bill Callahan wants at left tackle, so don’t be surprised if Fuaga is the first offensive tackle off the board in April.
Fuaga played right tackle in college, but some draft experts, including NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, believe he can play on the left side, also.
While I certainly understand Mosher’s reasoning, given the offensive system the Titans will run, I just don’t see this happening.
Alt is the best left tackle in the class, in my humble opinion, and he has the athleticism necessary to be a fit for Tennessee, something we saw during his impressive showing at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.
This isn’t a knock on Fuaga, who has improved his stock greatly in the last few months and is no doubt an intriguing prospect, but Alt is the better bet for Tennessee at No. 7 overall and should be the pick if he’s there.
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The Titans are set for a free-agent visit with three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Andrus Peat.
The Tennessee Titans are reportedly expected to meet with former New Orleans Saints offensive lineman, Andrus Peat.
The news comes from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who notes that the Titans are scheduled to meet with Peat on Monday.
A former first-round pick of the Saints, Peat has been a full-time starter since entering the league and offers versatility with his ability to play guard and tackle.
In 2023, Peat played 715 snaps at left tackle and 89 at left guard, giving up two sacks and 30 total pressures. In the years before that, the 30-year-old played primarily at left guard, where he received three Pro Bowl nods.
#Saints veteran free agent guard Andrus Peat, who has started 102 games in New Orleans since 2015, is visiting the #Titans today, source said. They've already made a couple OL additions, perhaps another?
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 18, 2024
Peat could be the Titans’ insurance policy at left tackle in the event the team doesn’t land a Day 1 starter at the position in the 2024 NFL draft, something I’d expect them to do at No. 7 or No. 38 overall.
If Tennessee does land its left tackle of the future, Peat could compete for a starting spot at either right guard or right tackle. Of course, left guard is already claimed by 2023 first-round pick, Peter Skoronski.
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