Quinnen Williams was the dark cloud over C.J. Stroud, Jets defeat Texans 21-13

Quinnen Williams was the dark cloud over C.J. Stroud, Jets defeat Texans 21-13

New York Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams had his imprints written all over his team’s victory on Thursday night. With the Houston Texans frequently in plus territory, Williams and Jets defense unleashed everything they had in the tank to keep quarterback C.J Stroud out of he end-zone.

Stroud had a dismal night trying to attack the No. 2 pass defense in the NFL. Through 30 attempts, Stroud completed just 11 passes for 191 passing yards, and he was sacked eight tines.

With muddy looks for Stroud, Williams did his diligence in the pass rush, tallying 1.5 of those eight sacks on the night. Williams’ pressure and strip sack stopped a promising Texans scoring drive in the first half, setting the tone for relentlessness on defense the entire evening.

While the Jets did allowed running back Joe Mixon to get off, their ability to stall the Texans drives turned out to be a crucial component needed to help them stop their losing streak in front of their home crowd.

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Lions GM explains why all QBs should throw at the NFL Scouting Combine

Lions GM Brad Holmes explains why all QBs should throw at the NFL Scouting Combine, giving a great example from Detroit’s roster in 2024

It’s become commonplace for quarterbacks to elect not to throw at the annual NFL Scouting Combine. The quarterbacks, and their representatives, don’t want to risk looking inaccurate by throwing to unfamiliar targets, making throws they don’t normally attempt to different types of receivers they just met before the drills.

However, at least one prominent NFL decision-maker thinks they should take advantage of the opportunity.

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes brought up how impressive it can be when a quarterback does compete in the less controlled environment of the combine. Holmes brought it up in the context of Jake Fromm, a quarterback who earned his way onto the Lions practice squad by virtue of a two-drive performance at the end of the final preseason game.

Fromm, a fifth-round pick in 2020 out of Georgia, has bounced around in his young NFL career. He looked ready to bounce out of Detroit too. Brought into Lions camp only when Hendon Hooker suffered a concussion in the first preseason game, Fromm didn’t get a single rep in practice the entire week leading into Detroit’s preseason finale against Pittsburgh. In over two weeks of practices and training camp after signing, Fromm didn’t get more than 20 total snaps in team drills.

He wasn’t even expected to play, but Fromm took over and seized his moment. He was poised, accurate and confident despite the extremely limited preparation. That impressed Holmes and the Lions–enough that they opted to cut veteran Nate Sudfeld and keep Fromm on the practice squad instead as the third QB, behind Jared Goff and Hooker.

Holmes expounded upon how impressive that small glimpse can be, and why quarterbacks should try and prove themselves at the NFL Scouting Combine.

“I guess the best thing I can say is — and I tell young kids all the time, the kids at the combine, speaking to the quarterbacks, some guys, they don’t want to throw,” Holmes said in his end-of-summer press conference. “They don’t want to work out because they’re not working with their guys. They want to wait until their orchestrated pro day and all that. And same with all-star games, to an extent, too. But when a quarterback can go out there and operate and be accurate for guys that he has not been working with, that’s impressive.”

 

Ravens add an All-American offensive guard in ESPN’s early 2025 mock draft

Matt Miller released an early 2025 NFL mock draft for ESPN and the Baltimore Ravens landed Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker in Round 1

The Ravens have a loaded squad with Super Bowl aspirations, but it’s never too early for a look ahead to the 2025 NFL draft.

Baltimore reloaded the offensive line this past April, selecting Washington All-American offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten with their second-round pick. ESPN’s Matt Miller just revealed his first mock draft for 2025, and he has the Ravens landing an All-American offensive guard from Alabama and the SEC.

29. Baltimore Ravens
Tyler Booker, G, Alabama*

The Ravens lost guards John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler to free agency and did very little to replace them, relying now on backup Ben Cleveland and former seventh-rounder Andrew Vorhees. Booker, meanwhile, is the best guard in the nation and would have likely been the top true guard in the 2024 draft class had he been eligible. He’s powerful and pancakes defensive linemen with ease. In 2023, he surrendered just four pressures and one sack over 13 starts at left guard. This is the type of no-nonsense interior blocker whom the Ravens covet.

Booker and Andrew Vorhees would give Baltimore two young, athletic offensive guards for the future while solidifying the offensive line for years to come outside of the left tackle spot currently manned by Ronnie Stanley.

9 pending free agents the Eagles should not re-sign

We’re looking at nine pending 2024 NFL Free Agents the Philadelphia Eagles should not re-sign

The Eagles have undergone wholesale changes. GM Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni shook up the coaching staff following Philadelphia’s historic collapse. The team finished the season 1-6 after a 10-1 start.

The first domino to fall is All-Pro center Jason Kelce, 36, retiring after 13 seasons with the Eagles.

Brandon Graham, who turns 36 in April, is negotiating with the Eagles for one more final season, his 15th, and he’s one of the few guys on the roster deserving of writing his final script.

Fletcher Cox could also retire, while several pending free agents will depart.

With the fans and media awaiting the legal tampering period, we’re looking at nine free agents who shouldn’t return.

PODCAST: Defensive prospects from the 2024 combine for Cardinals fans to know

Justin Higdon joins Jess Root and Seth Cox on the podcast to break down the defensive players at the NFL combine.

The second of our two NFL combine episodes has dropped. Joining me and Seth Cox on the podcast for the second time this week was Seth’s Original Draft Breakdown Podcast cohost Justin Higdon to go over the defensive players who stood out and the 2024 NFL combine and who the players are to know for the Arizona Cardinals, as they more or less have needs at every defensive position.

Enjoy the show!


Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple PodcastsSpotify or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!


Times and topics:

(1:00) Interior defensive linemen

(16:19) Edge defenders/pass rushers

(36:30) Off-ball linebacker

(49:56) Defensive backs

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2024 NFL Scouting Combine was viewed by over 5M viewers on NFL Network

The NFL Scouting Combine drew a very big audience, both on television and online,

It is a big draw to watch large men get evaluated as they run around and exercise on an indoor field. The NFL Scouting Combine drew a massive audience, both on television and online, according to a release by the league. The press release claims that the four live windows of the Scouting Combine combined to produce a “total unduplicated audience of over five million viewers” for the NFL Network.

NFL Network’s four live NFL Combine windows last week (Thursday through Sunday) saw an 11% jump.

That’s an 11% improvement over last year’s event, according to Sports Business Journal, which reports that “the four live windows averaged 244,000 viewers, up from 219,000 in 2023. In 2022 and 2021, there were ABC or ESPN windows included in the numbers.”

The best-performing window was the Saturday afternoon session because it had the QBs, WRs, and RBs (390,000). Because you know what they say: “Offense sells tickets.” The 390K is a decently sized surge over last year, which drew 329,000. However, that comes with a caveat, as the 2023 edition had TEs running drills in that session instead of RBs. Running backs are the second most high profile/glamor position, behind only the quarterback.

There are two ways to look at these Nielsen numbers. By NFL viewing standards, these are very meager and miniscule. Compared to other sports, these ratings are extremely impressive. There are very meaningful prime-time games in the NBA, NHL, and major conference college basketball that don’t draw audiences this big. Unless you actually work for a television network, news stories about ratings only interest you when A.) they break all-time records, B.) they are egregiously and laughably low, or C) unique oddities like this.

While it may seem odd to consider the Combine a spectator sport, these numbers show that for some people, watching young dudes do drills and exercises to chase their dreams is big-time entertainment.

Bears GM Ryan Poles on which position group stands out in draft class

There’s one position group in this 2024 draft class that stands out as the deepest to Bears GM Ryan Poles.

The Chicago Bears are in the midst of an important offseason where general manager Ryan Poles is looking to bolster the roster.

Some of those needs will be addressed in free agency, which kicks off next week, but others will be addressed in the 2024 NFL draft. The Bears have holes at edge rusher, safety, wide receiver, tight end and center.

Reports have indicated Chicago could address a good number of those in free agency, but there will be opportunities to do so in the NFL draft. But there’s one position group that stands out to Poles as the deepest in this draft class.

“”The one that stands out it to me is the tackle class,” Poles said at the NFL Scouting Combine, via CBS Sports. “The tackle class is really deep this year with a ton of talent. Young, strong, big, all the measurables that you need to play the right way.”

Tackle isn’t an immediate need for the Bears, but Poles will always look to upgrade at all positions. While Braxton Jones has been solid, there are some potential franchise left tackles that could be available for Chicago that Poles might take a chance on to pair with last year’s No. 10 pick, Darnell Wright.

The Bears only have five draft selections after agreeing to terms to acquire offensive lineman Ryan Bates from the Buffalo Bills. If Chicago opts to trade Justin Fields, as the team is expected to draft Caleb Williams at No. 1, that should result in additional draft capital.

PODCAST: What did we learn at the NFL combine about offensive NFL draft prospects

Justin Higdon from the Original Draft Breakdown Podcast joins the show to discuss the offensive prospects at the 2024 NFL combine.

The NFL combine is over and it was time for our nearly shows about it and the NFL draft. Joining me and Seth Cox on the podcast is Seth’s Orginal Draft Breakdown Podcast cohost Justin Higdon to break down the performance of the offensive players at the 2024 NFL combine.

Sit back and enjoy this super-sized episode!


Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple PodcastsSpotify or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!


Times and topics:

(1:00) Quarterbacks 

(29:25) Running backs

(44:10) Receivers

(1:05:56) Tight ends

(1:17:48) Offensive line

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Ravens place the franchise tag on DT Justin Madubuike

With Baltimore unable to agree to a contract extension, the Ravens have placed the franchise tag on defensive tackle Justin Madubuike.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta had clarified that the organization would place the franchise tag on star defensive tackle Justin Madubuike if no deal could be reached.

With the March 5 deadline in effect, Baltimore has placed the tag on the All-Pro defensive tackle DeCosta confirmed.

DeCosta had this to say about the move.

“We were unable to agree on a contract ext. w/Justin before the deadline and will use the franchise tag,” GM Eric DeCosta said. “Justin is a great player and person, and we’ll continue to negotiate long-term deal with him.”

Madubuike, 26, bet on himself last spring, and he is coming off a breakout season in which he produced a career-high 13 sacks for a Ravens defense that led the NFL with 60 sacks last season. Madubuike totaled more sacks last season than he did in his first three seasons combined (8.5 sacks).

Madubuike’s 13 sacks last year are the fifth-most in a single season by a Baltimore player and are tied for the most by a Ravens defensive tackle.

With All-Pro linebacker Patrick Queen likely to depart for a massive free agent deal, retaining Madubuike is the Raven’s biggest priority in a critical offseason that’ll see 26 players test free agency.

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2024 NFL Draft: Ravens to host Texas WR Xavier Worthy on a top 30 visit

The Baltimore Ravens are expected to host NFL Combine star and Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy on a top NFL Draft, Top 30 visit

The NFL Combine always produces a star or a fast riser on team draft boards, and Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy is that man after posting a 4.21 40-yard dash on Saturday.

Baltimore values the wide receiver position, and with multiple free agents at the position, the Ravens will host the former Longhorns wideout on the Top 30 visit.

An elite deep threat that can open up the Philadelphia passing game. Worthy needs to improve against press coverage.

Worthy was outstanding for Texas in 2023, logging 75 receptions for 1,014 yards (13.5 yards AVG) and five touchdowns.