Tag: Connor McGovern

PFF calls Connor McGovern a free agent the Rams must pursue

Connor McGovern would fit nicely at center for the Rams.

The Los Angeles Rams are going to have to be selective in free agency this year, having approximately $14.8 million in projected cap space. They probably won’t be able to pursue top offensive linemen such as Brandon Scherff and Joe Thuney, if they hit the market, nor the top pass rushers and linebackers.

But if they’re looking for affordable help at center, Pro Football Focus suggests Broncos lineman Connor McGovern. PFF laid out one free agent each team must pursue this offseason and the pick for Los Angeles was McGovern.

At only 26 years old, McGovern is just entering his prime after spending four years with the Broncos – two as a full-time starter. He originally began his tenure with Denver as a guard but switched to center in 2018 and stayed there in 2019.

He didn’t commit a single penalty last season and allowed just one sack, a huge improvement over his six-penalty, two-sack-allowed campaign in 2018.

If you had to sum up the disappointment of the Rams’ 2019 season in two words, those words would likely be “offensive line.” The performance of certain players fell off a cliff, and injuries kept the Rams from being able to have any sort of continuity on the line. The center position was an almost even split between Austin Blythe and Brian Allen, but neither player was able to crack an overall grade of 60.0. The first three seasons of McGovern’s career certainly weren’t anything to write home about, as he picked up overall grades of 49.2 in 2017 and 58.3 in 2018 after missing his rookie season, but the full season at center last year under Mike Munchak brought positive results and an overall grade of 71.9. He could be one solution to getting that group back on track in 2020.

Brian Allen is penciled in as the Rams’ starting center right now, but he’s coming off a knee injury and may not be ready until training camp. Austin Blythe took over for Allen after he was injured last season, but he’s a free agent and is expected to test the market.

At the very least, McGovern would provide some experience at center and would likely be an upgrade over Allen, too. He’s someone the Rams should keep an eye on as the start of free agency nears, assuming they’re not set on Allen starting again in 2020.

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John Elway says Broncos will be talking with Connor McGovern

John Elway says the Broncos plan to talk with pending free agent center Connor McGovern.

The Broncos might enter the 2020 season with Garett Bolles and Ja’Wuan James as their starting tackles. Dalton Risner is locked in as a starter at one of the guard spots but Ron Leary won’t return after the team declined his contract option.

That means Denver will need to bring in a new guard this offseason. Depending on what happens with pending free agent Connor McGovern, the Broncos might need to bring in a new center as well.

“We’d like to get better there [on the offensive line] obviously,” general manager John Elway said at the NFL combine on Tuesday, according to The Athletic‘s Nicki Jhabvala. “Connor is still free, so we’ll be talking to Connor too.”

McGovern (6-4, 306 pounds) was selected by Denver in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft. After serving as a reserve lineman as a rookie, McGovern emerged as a top backup in 2017 and eventually earned five starts.

McGovern started his career as a guard before transitioning to center. He started all 16 games at center last season and allowed 3.5 sacks.

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1 pending free agent Chargers should target: AFC West Edition

Chargers Wire goes through every NFL team and names one free agent the Los Angeles Chargers should consider, starting with the AFC West.

The Los Angeles Chargers are set to enter free agency with the most salary cap available since Tom Telesco took over as general manager in 2013.

Even though the franchise has some in-house players that will need to get paid, there’s a great chance that Telesco and company will be aggressive in signing other soon-to-be free agents to bolster an already talented roster, with the hopes of making a quick turnaround after finishing 5-11 in 2019.

With that being said, we are going to list one pending free agent from each team in the NFL that could be a realistic target for L.A. First up is the AFC West.

Kansas City Chiefs – WR Demarcus Robinson, Chiefs

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams held the positional group down this past season, but there was hardly any production outside of those two, which means that adding a third wideout is an absolute must this offseason.

Robinson would be the perfect addition because he can stretch the field to open things up for the other pass-catchers. He flourishes as a deep ball and after the catch threat, winning with his straight-line speed and slivers of separation with his athleticism and polished route running.

Overshadowed by Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins and rookie Mecole Hardman, Robinson still managed to rack up a career-high 32 catches for 449 yards and four touchdowns during the 2019 regular season.

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4 centers the Jets should target in free agency

Jets Wire takes a look at four centers the Jets should target in free agency this offseason.

To say the Jets got next to nothing out of their centers in 2019 would be an understatement.

Ryan Kalil was a massive disappointment after coming out of retirement to join the team in August. Once he landed on season-ending injured reserve, Jonotthan Harrison took over and things did not get much better.

New York missed out on two top-notch free agent centers last offseason in Matt Paradis and Mitch Morse. Don’t expect Gang Green to miss on a top free agent center again this offseason, as first-year general manager Joe Douglas is placing a heavy emphasis on improving the offensive line.

Which centers could the Jets potentially target in free agency? Let’s take a look.

Connor McGovern

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

McGovern did an excellent job taking over for Paradis in 2019, giving the Broncos another reliable player at the position following the veteran’s departure in free agency.

A former fifth-round pick in 2016, McGovern is only 26 and has a lot of good football ahead of him. He also has plenty of experience and positional versatility, as he was Denver’s starting right guard before shifting over to center. He should be at the top of New York’s wish list at the position come March.

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4 positions Broncos must improve this offseason

The Denver Broncos need to look for upgrades at these four positional groups during the NFL offseason.

The Denver Broncos are a team with many holes on the roster following a 7-9 season. Those holes could grow bigger should certain players leave as free agents.

The team will need to make upgrades at several spots whether that be through free agency or the draft. How the team goes about making those changes remains to be seen, but here, you will be able to read more about the four most important positions of need for the team.

1. Wide receiver

(Ben Ludeman-USA TODAY Sports)

Without any doubt, the Broncos need to look for a player who can provide more productivity at the wide receiver spot.

Courtland Sutton is a terrific No. 1 target, but Tim Patrick won’t cut it as a No. 2, nor will DaeSean Hamilton, though the latter offers some promise.

Sutton caught 72 passes in 2019 and all other wide receivers on the team combined caught 82. That includes 30 for Emmanuel Sanders, who the Broncos traded to the San Francisco 49ers in October.

Sanders finished with the second-most receptions on the team by a wide receiver, which isn’t a great sign.

Guys like Patrick and Hamilton can be nice role players and added depth, but the Broncos need to find a guy who can fill the role once occupied by Sanders.

Peyton Manning had a ton of success with the combination of Sanders and Demaryius Thomas. This is not to say that Drew Lock is Manning, but if the team gave him another serious threat on the outside to go with Sutton and Noah Fant, it would be supplying the young quarterback with enough tools for ultimate success.

2. Interior offensive line

(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

The Broncos should move on from Ronald Leary this offseason. They can do that by declining his club option. In addition, starting center Connor McGovern is set to become an unrestricted free agent.

At least one of those players won’t be with the team next season and the Broncos need to look for replacements.

Dalton Risner had a terrific rookie season, but the Broncos don’t have much depth in the way of an interior lineman that can play guard or center. Ideally, the team should re-sign McGovern and look to free agency or the draft for a replacement for Leary.

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6 pending free agents Broncos should re-sign this offseason

The Denver Broncos should strongly consider re-signing these six players during the NFL offseason.

The Denver Broncos, coming off a disappointing 7-9 2019 season, have a lot of work to do this offseason in order to get back to being the regular contenders many fans have come to expect.

But like with any team looking to rebound from a poor season, the first questions that have to be asked are those concerning the players already on the roster.

The Broncos have several key players set to become unrestricted free agents. Recently, we discussed a handful of those players the team should allow to move on, but here, the focus will be on the players to sign.

Each of the players listed below is a player that the team should recognize as one that is integral to the team’s future success.

1. Connor McGovern, center

(Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports)

The last time the Broncos had their center hit free agency, Matt Paradis signed with a new team.

The offensive line needs to have continuity and having a long-term starter at the center position is important to any offensive line. In addition, if the Broncos are going to add pieces along the offensive line, the team should concentrate on depth at the tackle and guard spots rather than having to look around for a new center.

McGovern should be brought back.

2. Theo Riddick, running back

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Bringing Riddick back into the fold has been talked about before, but it must be reiterated. The Broncos saw something in the shifty running back and signed him after he was released by the Detroit Lions last year but a preseason injury forced him out the entire regular season.

The Broncos can move forward with Phillip Lindsay as the feature back and Royce Freeman as the guy to spell him. But Riddick, who is a fantastic receiver out of the backfield, can add a dimension to Denver’s offense that no one has had a chance to see yet.

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News: Cowboys claim Prescott deal was close, McCarthy yet to call him

Cowboys news and notes for January 11 2020.

It’s now been a little over 48 hours after Mike McCarthy was introduced as the ninth head coach in franchise history.  While it will probably be a few more weeks until fans can see just exactly how he will put his imprint on this team, some of the effects can already be felt.  There have been rumblings about this apparent super staff coming together, but just how super will this staff be?  In order for the Cowboys to make any noise next season, they will need to have their franchise quarterback in Dak Prescott.  Prescott is scheduled to become a free agent this offseason and both Stephen and Jerry Jones know that signing him to a new contract is paramount.

The upcoming offseason is also the last one prior to the current collective-bargaining-agreement expiring at the end of the 2020 season, and with that are a few different changes teams must adhere to.  Another key offseason task will be the continued recovery of Connor McGovern who missed the entire season with a torn pectoral.  If McGovern is a full participant in the offseason then that can eliminate one potential need for the Cowboys.

Modus Operandi: Cowboys business-as-usual seems to be changing with McCarthy :: CowboysWire

Upon the completion of the much-maligned 2019 season, Jerry Jones reiterated that there would be an abundance of change for the Dallas Cowboys.  Gone is the stalwart of Jason Garrett and enters the arrival of McCarthy.  McCarthy delved into various items coming the Cowboys’ way regarding coaching staff as well as bits and pieces of his offensive and defensive preferences.  These words only cemented Jerry’s wish for change.  What remains to be seen is whether these changes are for the better.

–CM

Stephen Jones: Cowboys need to get Dak’s deal done :: NFL.com

Now that the season is finished, all eyes turn to the many players of the Cowboys set to hit free agency.  Quarterback Dak Prescott tops the list.  The Cowboys tried to get a deal done with Prescott prior to the start of the season, however they were unsuccessful and Prescott instead opted to bet on his play.  That bet paid off as Prescott made huge strides as a quarterback and cemented himself towards the upper-echelon of players at his position.  Now Prescott deserves to get paid like one and the Jones’s know it.

Jones claims the two sides were close at the beginning of the season, is that believable or team-sponsored propaganda?

On Friday, head coach Mike McCarthy did a full-blown media tour, talking to everyone. Except for Prescott. What gives?

–CM

Explaining Some of the Different Salary Cap Rules for 2020 :: Over the Cap

The current collective-bargaining-agreement signed in 2011 expires at the end of the 2020 season.  That means the upcoming offseason has a few differences between it and any other offseason.  The fine folks at Over the Cap go into detail about the various changes this upcoming offseason will have.

–CM

Film room: Potential immediate fixes for the Cowboys’ biggest offseason roster needs :: Dallas Morning News

It’s no secret the Cowboys have weaknesses in their roster.  Under Jason Garrett, the team routinely neglected to place a high roster value on a safety or a mammoth run-stuffing defensive tackle.  John Owning delves into three separate positions of need detailing how the team can solve their problems in both free agency as well as the draft.

–CM

Cowboys G Connor McGovern made the most of a rookie season spent rehabbing from pectoral injuries :: Dallas Morning News

2019 was a redshirt year for rookie third-round draft pick Connor McGovern.  Expected to come in and provide solid depth for the interior of the offensive line, McGovern missed the entire season after injuring a pectoral in training camp.  The season-ending injury of Connor Williams showed just how much McGovern was missed.  Fully healthy, McGovern expects to be a full participant in all offseason activities.

–CM

Will Mike McCarthy’s ‘super staff’ with the Dallas Cowboys really be all that super? :: Dallas Morning News

Mike McCarthy has potentially assembled quite the coaching staff for the 2020 Cowboys.  While none of the hirings are official at this time, it remains to be seen just how much of a difference this new staff can make.  A lot of the potential hires have previous stints as head coaches, albeit most were unsuccessful.  However, just because if a coach flames out as a head coach does not mean he will as a coordinator or positional coach.  The Cowboys have all the talent in the world, now they need someone to put it all together.

–CM

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Connor Williams to IR, Cowboys sign journeyman OL to round out roster

The Dallas Cowboys will have to make the miracle run owner Jerry Jones desperately wants to believe is possible without their starting offensive line intact. Left guard Connor Williams, who missed the team’s Week 11 win over the Detroit Lions after …

The Dallas Cowboys will have to make the miracle  run owner Jerry Jones desperately wants to believe is possible without their starting offensive line intact. Left guard Connor Williams, who missed the team’s Week 11 win over the Detroit Lions after arthroscopic knee surgery but returned after just one missed week is done for the year.

Williams tore his ACL in the Thanksgiving loss to the Buffalo Bills and on Sunday, Dallas placed the second-year player on injured reserve, ending his season. The designation opened up a spot on the team’s 53-man roster and the club signed versatile offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch to fill the void.

Williams will have surgery something in the month of December and as of now his readiness for the team’s offseason work is unknown.

Benenoch has spent time on three different NFL rosters prior to this, having been drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 selection process by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He actually worked out for the Cowboys during that process.

The Nigeria native started all three seasons at UCLA playing both right tackle and the guard positions. At 6-foot-5 and 305 pounds, he’s an exceptionally quick athlete.

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The Cowboys had hoped to be better prepared for such an injury, when they drafted Penn State guard Connor McGovern in the third round of this year’s draft, but after missing training camp the Cowboys placed him on IR after he made the team’s initial 53-man roster.

That move would have allowed him to recover from his pectoral injury and be activated at some point after eight weeks, but with him missing such a large part of the offense’s installation, it does not appear the team has any thoughts toward activating him down the stretch of the season.

Xavier Su’a-Filo, a six-year veteran, will start in Williams’ place.

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What we learned from Bills’ Week 12 win over Broncos

What We Learned, Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos, NFL Week 12

The Buffalo Bills find themselves in unfamiliar territory heading into Thanksgiving: comfortably in a playoff position with one of the best records the AFC.

The Bills improved to 8-3 for the first time since 1996, Jim Kelly’s final season with the team, with a workman-like 20-3 victory over the Denver Broncos. It took a while for the Bills’ offense to get going, but once they did they were able to pull away from a Denver team that never seriously threatened Buffalo in this game. The Bills racked up over 240 yards rushing and Josh Allen tossed a pair of touchdown passes, including a 34-yard rainbow to John Brown that should satisfy fans who have been calling for Allen to deliver on a deep ball.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo defense was dominant, holding Denver to just nine first downs and 134 total yards. Young Broncos’ signal caller Brandon Allen tallied just 82 passing yards on 25 attempts. The Bills also sacked him four times, and the yardage from those sacks brought Denver down to just 49 net passing yards for the day. The run defense also held Phillip Lindsay and company to just 85 yards on the ground.

There was little to criticize from a complete effort from this Bills’ team as they find themselves in strong position heading into the final stretch of the regular season. The schedule does get considerably tougher beginning on Thanksgiving Day Thursday in Dallas.

Here are four things we learned as the Bills won for the second week in a row to continue their playoff push:

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Shaq Lawson had choice words for Connor McGovern after Bills beat Broncos

Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson had some choice words for Broncos center Connor McGovern after Buffalo defeated Denver in Week 12.

Bills edge defender Shaq Lawson apparently has a beef with Broncos center Connor McGovern. After Buffalo defeated Denver 20-3 in Week 12, the defensive end found the offensive lineman on the field and had some choice words for him.

Lawson seemed to indicate that McGovern had said he had never heard of the defender before the game. Lawson then had a two-sack performance against the Broncos’ offensive line.

“You remember my name, I got two sacks on [you],” Lawson said after the game. “I got two sacks on [you]. You remember me now. That’s all I wanted to say to him. No cap.”

Bills center Mitch Morse came between the two players to prevent the situation from escalating. One of Lawson’s sacks came against McGovern and the other came against rookie guard Dalton Risner.

McGovern (6-4, 306 pounds) was selected by Denver in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft out of Missouri. He has been a reliable offensive lineman for the Broncos, allowing just four sacks in 42 games.

Lawson (6-3, 267 pounds) was selected by Buffalo in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft out of Clemson. At worst, he’s a bust. At best, he’s a late bloomer. He has just 15 sacks in his career, including a career-high five sacks this season.

The Broncos are scheduled to play the Bills again in 2020.

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