Category: PSU in NFL

Former Nittany Lion Saquon Barkley receives franchise tag

Saquon Barkley won’t be heading to free agency this year.

After months of negotiations between [autotag]Saquon Barkley[/autotag] and the New York Giants, they still haven’t come to an agreement. The band-aid fix? The team placed the franchise tag on the former Penn State running back.

The franchise tag will earn Barkley a guaranteed $10.09 million, which is an increase over his 2022 salary of $7.22 million.

Barkley had to sit by while he had a career year and watch other running backs such as Christian McCaffrey get paid. McCaffrey will earn $16 million on the new deal he signed with the 49ers which is what Barkley was hoping to earn around as well.

The former Penn State running back gave the impression he was not interested in being franchise tagged but when the team’s quarterback, Daniel Jones, came to a long-term agreement with the Giants, it was inevitable for Barkely at that point.

In a Pro Bowl season that saw the Giants return to the playoffs for the first time since 2011, Barkley played in 16 games and ran for a career-high 1,312 yards with 10 touchdowns, this doesn’t even include his work as a receiving back with him hauling in 57 receptions for 338.

Barkley will now have all offseason to negotiate an extension with the Giants. If they can’t come to an agreement between this year and next he could be franchised again, but the price he would be paid would rise 120% from the $10.09 million he will earn in the coming season.

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Former Nittany Lion Robbie Gould poised for NFL free agency

It looks like an all-time Penn State player is heading to NFL free agency.

Not many kickers have been as consistent as [autotag]Robbie Gould[/autotag] in recent memory. With plenty of big kicks made in the regular season and playoffs, and the way that kicking has been for a lot of teams, the value he has can not be measured.

In a roundabout way, Gould heads into free agency with a lot of money to make, and make it he shall.

“Veteran kicker Robbie Gould said today that, as much as he enjoyed the last six seasons in San Francisco, he will test free agency later this month and be kicking elsewhere in 2023,” ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter said on Monday, via Twitter.

Gould would not be about to cash in on NFL free agency were it not for a letter that was written to Penn State coach Joe Paterno at the time. Gould’s high school soccer coach wrote a letter to the late Paterno which would earn him a spot to try out for the team before earning a role as a walk-on. While Gould would work on earning his degree in business management, he would do his best to hone his kicking skills but based on the numbers, that was harder than one would think.

In four years with the Nittany Lions, he made 115 of 121 extra-point attempts and 39 of 61 field goal attempts. While the accuracy of 64% wasn’t anything to write home about in State College, he has earned a whopping 86.5% kicking accuracy while making 447 of 517 attempts in the NFL.

Gould has experience with the ups and downs that a football life can throw at people. It will be nice to see how far he has come from working construction between being undrafted in 2005 and signing with the Bears by seeing the number he signs for this Spring.

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Ji’Ayir Brown Impresses During On-Field Workouts at NFL Combine

Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown excelled in the on-field drills at the NFL combine.

[autotag]Ji’Ayir Brown[/autotag] entered the NFL Scouting Combine week with renewed hype around him as NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah had him inside his top 40 prospects on his big board. While his testing numbers didn’t live up to the hype, he did impress big time with his on-field drill work.

On Friday the former Penn State safety went through the last leg of the gauntlet that is the NFL Scouting Combine. He completed all of his testing with mixed results but as mentioned, he stood out once they got to play actual football.

The on-field drills for the defensive backs were highlighted by back peddling and ball tracking down on the field. For Penn State fans and those who have studied Brown, including Jeremiah, knew this was where he would shine. He was never going to be the best athlete on the field or on any team but he can flat-out play.

In this play specifically above, you could just see Brown was dialed in while also hearing Jeremiah and noted Michigan fan and announcer Rich Eisen giving major props to him for what he did here.

While it has to be sorted out by teams now between today and April 27, Brown, will his testing hold him back from being draft high or will they look at his play and see what he can be? Penn State saw safety Jaquan Brisker get drafted on day two of the draft last year but with this testing, it now becomes murky where Brown stands.

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NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah is a fan of Ji’Ayir Brown

Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown has caught the eye of this NFL Network analyst

Ji’Ayir Brown was the heart and soul of the Penn State defense last year by being their do-it-all player. The effort he played with during his career going from no college offers to community college and eventually, Penn State.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has heard his story and seen his film and is a bonafide fan.

When speaking with the media last week he gave praise to Brown but then went further this week at the NFL scouting combine stating “He is my top safety in the entire draft…he has corner skill, he can play in the middle of the field. He has ball production. You can drop him down low if you want. He is tough. He is physical.”

All of that are points that fans and opponents can back up. Jeremiah even went to a specific game when discussing Brown. He highlighted the Auburn game this year noticing “what he does as a rusher there with a sack and the forced fumble…he can cover tight ends. He can do everything. He is a really good player. He is one of my favorite guys to watch in this draft.”

Jeremiah backed up all his praise by having Brown debut at 40 overall on his top 50 big board that came out on Monday. He is currently the top-ranked safety on his board but the second-ranked Penn State player behind Joey Porter Jr. who is at number 12.

Defensive backs will test on Friday at the combine and if Brown can test well to go with the tape, we may be seeing him going in round two or higher. Having the numbers to back up the film is something that teams love.

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Top 2022 photos from former Penn State players drafted over the past two years

From Micah Parsons to Jahan Dotson, Penn State has packed a good amount of talent into the NFL the past couple of years.

The 2023 NFL Combine starts today, which means we are closer and closer to the NFL Draft. Penn State has had a plethora of talent get drafted into the NFL, many of which had or are currently having productive careers at the next level.

Current Nittany Lions prospect Joey Porter Jr. has had several draft analysts out of their seats with his talent and it is likely the star cornerback out of State College could be a first-round pick this spring.

Penn State wide receiver [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] was a first-round pick in last year’s draft to the Washington Commanders. Despite being sidelined for a few games due to an injury, Dotson still had a solid rookie season with the Commanders. The Nittany Lions have plenty of young talent at the next level, and Dotson is one of them.

The star of the past two draft classes out of Penn State though has been [autotag]Micah Parsons[/autotag]. The former linebacker with the Nittany Lions was the NFL’s unanimous winner for defensive rookie of the year in his debut season with the Dallas Cowboys, and he put up another strong season in his second season as he helped guide the Cowboys to a spot in the NFC playoffs and a victory in the wild-card round.

Let’s take a look at some of the key moments from former Penn State players who have been drafted over the past two years.

Looking back at Jahan Dotson’s 2022 NFL Combine numbers

Former Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson impressed at the 2022 NFL Combine before being a first-round draft pick.

As the 2023 NFL Combine begins this week, Penn State has plenty of prospects to keep an eye on. Taking a look at some of the notable 2022 draft prospects, one notable Nittany Lion that ended up being a first-round pick was wide receiver [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag].

Dotson was drafted by the Washington Commanders with the 16th overall pick last spring. He had a decent rookie season to build off of, despite being sidelined due to an injury for a few games in 2022.

Dotson had an impressive career at Penn State and really stood out in his final season with the Nittany Lions. Let’s take a look back at Jahan Dotson’s combine results.

2023 NFL Combine Profile: Parker Washington, Wide Receiver

Parker Washington could be primed for a big NFL scouting combine performance.

Penn State has slowly established a solid receiving corp in the NFL and now [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] looks to add his name to the group. The dynamic Nittany Lion playmaker saw his fair share of ups and downs during his three years but in 2022 he flashed his best moments and is now riding that momentum into the NFL.

He has a good physical build and the explosive athleticism to dominate the NFL scouting combine. He will be primed for what he hopes is a big week during the combine. He won’t jump into round one but he has a chance to be very close to the top of round two.

Here is a look at Parker Washington as an NFL draft prospect as he prepares to attend the NFL combine in Indianapolis.

PFF’s top 101 NFL players has top five ranking for former Nittany Lion

PFF ranked the top 101 players in the NFL and one former Nittany Lion lands in the top five.

Former Penn State linebacker [autotag]Micah Parsons[/autotag] just wrapped up his second season in the NFL, and he continues to leave little doubt the Dallas Cowboys made the smart decision using a first-round draft pick on him. Although Parsons didn’t walk away from the 2022 season with hardware to show off for his accomplishments in 2022 the way he did in his rookie season in 2021, Parsons continues to cement himself as one of the top defensive players in the NFL. And according to a recent ranking of the top 101 players in the NFL based on performances in the 2022 season, Parsons is one of the best players overall in the entire National Football League.

PFF’s ranking of the top 101 players slotted Parsons at no. 5 overall in its assessment. This made Parsons the second-highest ranked defensive player on the list behind only Chris jones of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, who was PFF’s Defensive Player of the Year as well.

“It’s worth remembering that this was Parsons’ first full-time season as an edge rusher,” PFF notes in its brief summary of Parsons. “He was immediately one of the best in the game, dominating lesser opponents and beating some of the best tackles in the game for their first sacks allowed this season.”

Parsons was not the only former Penn State star to make the ranking from PFF. New York Giants running back [autotag]Saquon Barkley[/autotag] was the no. 62 player on the PFF ranking.

“Barkley had a career year this past season and was one of the leading candidates for Comeback Player of the Year,” PFF said about Barkley. “Behind a terrible Giants offensive line, he was able to record more than 1,400 rushing yards and score 12 touchdowns. He broke 41 tackles overall and helped propel the Giants past the Vikings on the road in the playoffs.”

Parsons and Barkley each helped get their teams into the NFC playoffs as wild card participants, and each team advanced past the wild-card round before being eliminated in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. While Parsons will continue to move into the third year of his rookie contract, Barkley is lining up for his first offseason without a contract in place. If the Giants cannot reach a deal with Barkley, the former Penn State star could be set to test the free agent waters for the first time in his career.

You can see the full list of PFF’s top 101 players here.

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How much will Saquon Barkley get in free agency in 2023?

Saquon Barkley is the top running back on the free agent market in the NFL in 2023.

In most cases, a running back’s value drops off significantly after five years in the National Football League, but some exceptions apply. [autotag]Saquon Barkley[/autotag] could be one of those exceptions to the rule as the former Penn State standout is set to enter free agency for the first time since entering the league.

When all is said and done, Barkley could very well remain with the New York Giants, the franchise that used a No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft to make him a cornerstone piece of the offense for years to come. But Barkley has battled some injuries in his otherwise stellar time with the Giants.

After two seasons impacted by injury issues in 2020 and 2021, Barkley is coming off a career year with a career-high 1,312 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns with 57 receptions for an additional 338 yards of total offense for the Giants, who ended their playoff drought in 2022 as a wild card participant in the NFC playoff field. Barkley rushed for two touchdowns in the Giants’ road playoff win against the Minnesota Vikings in the wild-card round, his playoff debut.

Barkley is among the top running backs in the NFL, and he figures to be paid as such this offseason. According to the estimated projections from Spotrac, Sanders could command a market value of $12.3 million per year with a four-year contract. That would fall between a pair of similar running backs of similar comparison, with Alvin Kamara getting a five-year contract valued at $15 million per year and Dalvin Cook getting a five-year deal at $12.6 million.

It should be noted, however, both Kamara and Cook signed those contracts at a younger age than Barkley. Barkley, now with five seasons under his belt, tow of which had injury concerns, just turned 26 years old recently. He may still be in terrific shape, but history suggests Barkley could be about to hit the wrong end of the long-term trajectory in his career. Still, Barkley appears to be a player that can be a great asset for the course of his next contract.

Barkley won’t be the only former Penn State running back on the free agent market this season either. [autotag]Miles Sanders[/autotag], who is also coming off a career season with the Philadelphia Eagles (and completing a four-year contract) is also about to test the free agent market. Barkley figures to land a more significant deal than his former teammate, but it will be fun to watch just how much Sanders and Barkley receive on their next contracts, and whether or not they both remain in the NFC East.

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After Pro Bowl season, Miles Sanders set to hit free agent market

Miles Sanders enters free agency coming off a career season and four years with the Eagles.

Former Penn State running back [autotag]Miles Sanders[/autotag] picked a good year to have a career season. Although Sanders did not have an impact on the Super Bowl effort with the Philadelphia Eagles in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Sanders will be an unrestricted free agent coming off a career year which should lead to some good options to consider this offseason.

Sanders just wrapped up his fourth year in the NFL. The lifespan of a running back in the NFL is notable for being among the shortest in terms of true effectiveness, but it may help Sanders’ cause coming off 1,269 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns for the Eagles in 2022. Both were career highs.

Sanders was paid a base salary of $1.2 million bu the Eagles in 2022, the final year on his rookie contract (four years, $5.35 million). The Eagles drafted Sanders with a second-round draft pick in 2019 and the franchise has some decisions to make with the running back position this offseason with Sanders and teammate Boston Scott. Both could be extended some lucrative offers to play elsewhere, and it remains to be seen how much the Eagles will be willing to pay either running back given the history of the position around the league and with the Eagles’ general payroll priorities and philosophies.

Sanders should command a decent contract upgrade too, although not one with lengthy job security. According to an estimated value from Spotrac, Sanders has a value of $7.2 million per year on a two-year contract.

The Eagles are also about to give quarterback Jalen Hurts a nice bump in pay after the season he had, and there are other key free agents the franchise may be more invested in keeping, especially on the defensive side of the football. How much money is dedicated to investing in Sanders and the running back position remains to be seen.

Sanders rushed for 1,649 yards and 12 touchdowns during his three seasons at Penn State. After serving as the primary backup to [autotag]Saquon Barkley[/autotag] in 2016 and 2017, Sanders rushed for 1,274 yards and nine touchdowns in 2018 before opting to leave for the NFL. Barkley will also be heading into free agency this offseason after finishing off his fifth season with the New York Giants.

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