Tag: Daniel Jeremiah

Report: Saints calling teams to trade up in Round 1 of 2024 draft

NFL Media draft expert Daniel Jeremiah reports that the Saints are calling teams about trading up in Round 1 of the 2024 draft:

Are we in for another Mickey Loomis special? NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah shared a big piece of information in his final 2024 mock draft, which he had previously only alluded to on social media.

“The Saints have been calling teams to try to trade up, and I assume they want one of the top offensive tackles,” Jeremiah wrote, predicting the Saints will ultimately stay put and select Washington Huskies left tackle Troy Fautanu. He continued, “I’m not sure how they have the OTs stacked on their board, but I do feel highly confident that New Orleans will be taking a bookend blocker in Round 1.”

Jeremiah has been on the Saints’ case for a while; he previously tweeted that he couldn’t find a team with a bigger need in this draft class than the Saints have at offensive tackle, later adding that everything he’s hearing from sources around the league is that teams are working the phones to move up in trades for their favorite offensive tackles.

Which leads us to two different conclusions. The reasonable takeaway would be that the Saints are such an obvious fit for a first-round offensive tackle that other teams are working to move ahead of them, in case the blocker they like most is in New Orleans’ sights. If a team rates, say, Alabama’s JC Latham highest but fears the Saints will pick him, they’ll be calling now to try and leapfrog New Orleans.

Now the other conclusion: it’s the Saints themselves who are trying to get out in front. That’s backed up by what Jeremiah is reporting in his final mock draft, and it’s reasonable to think Loomis would work the phones upon hearing how other teams are trying to move ahead of him. It’s clear that the Saints desperately need a bookend tackle (two, really; Trevor Penning hasn’t earned anyone’s trust on the left side).

If Loomis sees a path towards getting this year’s best blocker, he’s going to act aggressively and pursue it. He has the rare job security to justify it. If the pick busts like Penning or Marcus Davenport, he’s confident he’ll be safe. He’s gotten away with these bad gambles before and he’ll try them again, sooner or later. Maybe he tries it as soon as Thursday night. It just seems ill-advised when this is such a deep draft class at offensive tackle. The Saints could probably stay put and still get a starting-quality blocker (like Fautanu), or else a difference-maker at another position. We’ll see how it plays out soon enough.

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NFL draft rumors: Jaguars linked to potential Brandon Aiyuk trade

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah is the latest in league circles to link the Jaguars with trade talks regarding 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk.

As the 2024 NFL draft inches closer and dominoes continue to fall in the league’s wide receiver market, all eyes are on San Francisco and the status of star 49ers’ pass-catcher, Brandon Aiyuk.

Aiyuk has been the subject of seemingly endless trade rumors this offseason as a long-term contract extension with San Francisco has evaded him thus far. He’s currently slated to play the 2025 campaign on his fifth-year option, worth just over $14.1 million fully guaranteed, and has been eligible for a new deal since March 2023.

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah added fuel to that fire on Wednesday, one day before the draft, saying on social media that the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts continue to stand out as potential trade partners for Aiyuk as he projects the selection ceremony’s results.

“Looking at possible teams for an Aiyuk trade and I keep coming back to the same two,” Jeremiah wrote, “Colts & Jags.”

Freshly removed from his second-consecutive season of 75+ receptions, 1,000+ yards and seven-plus touchdowns, Aiyuk, a late-first-round pick in 2020, is believed to be demanding a long-term deal with a salary and guarantees in range with the NFL’s top-paid receivers.

Detroit’s four-year, $120 million extension of wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown on Wednesday, and other big-dollar contracts awarded this offseason to pass-catchers like Tennessee’s Calvin Ridley, Philadelphia’s Devonta Smith and Indianapolis’ Michael Pittman Jr. set a pretty high bar for San Francisco to meet.

The 49ers currently rank No. 24 in the NFL in effective 2024 cap space with $6,391,025 available, and No. 31 in that department with negative funds accessible for 2025, according to Over the Cap.

Trade rumors are probable to surround Aiyuk until a deal is reached or a trade is dealt, as a result. Following Ridley’s jump from Jacksonville to Tennessee in free agency, the Jaguars have a need at the position and therefore have been pegged as potential suitors for Aiyuk consistently.

The presence of former 49ers vice president of player personnel and director of college scouting, Ethan Waugh, in the Jaguars’ front office lends credence to those theories. He was part of the San Francisco staff that scouted and drafted Aiyuk in 2020.

Should San Francisco be willing to part with Aiyuk via trade, a first-round selection in the 2024 NFL draft is considered likely to be required from a prospective buyer to complete the deal. Jacksonville owns the No. 17 pick.

Through four pro seasons and 62 regular season appearances, Aiyuk has tallied 269 receptions for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns. He’s also scored twice rushing.

Commanders hosted Notre Dame OL Blake Fisher on a top 30 visit

Joe Alt gets the recognition but Blake Fisher could be a steal on Day 2 of the draft.

The storyline surrounding the Washington Commanders this offseason has been centered around the quarterback position and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

However, Washington has been focused on other positions, too. The Commanders were active in free agency, addressing a 4-13 roster by signing over 20 external free agents and allowing some of their own top free agents to depart.

One area Washington didn’t address in free agency — outside of re-signing veteran Cornelius Lucas — was offensive tackle. Lucas has started 31 games at left and right tackle during his four seasons in Washington, but is best suited to be the team’s swing tackle.

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With a deep offensive tackle class in the draft, the Commanders are rumored to be interested in using some of their nine draft choices to move back into the first round to select one of the top tackle prospects.

Washington has hosted multiple offensive line prospects on top-30 visits, and we recently learned of another visit: Notre Dame offensive tackle Blake Fisher, according to Matt Freeman.

Fisher is a 6-foot-6, 310-pound redshirt sophomore who left the Fighting Irish with two years of eligibility remaining. In 2021, Fisher became the first player in school history to start at left tackle as a true freshman, but unfortunately suffered a knee injury and redshirted.

He took over as Notre Dame’s right tackle the past two seasons, starting a combined 25 games. He and Joe Alt proved to be one of the best tackle duos in college football.

Fisher is extremely athletic and talented. With strong coaching, he could prove to be a steal on Day 2 of the draft. Currently, the Commanders have five selections in the second and third rounds.

Fisher has the potential to be a long-term starter at either tackle spot in the NFL. There is some technique work that needs cleaning up, but Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network sees the upside with Fisher, ranking him as his No. 54 overall prospect in a loaded offensive tackle class.

 

NFL draft: Could 49ers buck their recent trend at cornerback?

The 49ers picked CB Ahkello Witherspoon No. 66 overall in the 2017 draft. Since then the earliest they’ve taken a CB is 102 overall. It may be the year to change that trend:

It seems like every year heading into the NFL draft the 49ers have cornerback at or near the top of their list of needs. Most teams on some level need CB depth, but for San Francisco specifically they’re in a spot where they have plenty of bodies at the position with no real clarity on their long-term viability as NFL starters. This year they may need to make an investment in CB via the draft that they’ve never made before.

Typically the 49ers have taken an approach where they add bodies at CB and hope their pass rush lowers the bar enough for CB play that a few of the players in their large pool can rise up and clear that bar.

With their pass rush as the top priority under general manager John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, CBs have mostly gone by the wayside in terms of investment. Save for Charvarius Ward, the club hasn’t paid a big-name free agent to come in. They’ve selected eight CBs since the 2017 draft. That year they took Colorado CB Ahkello Witherspoon No. 66 overall. They’ve not used a pick earlier than 102 on a CB since then, and only three of the eight CBs were taken in the top 50.

NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah believes the 49ers are in a spot with this year’s draft that it may be time to buck that trend.

“They can continue to look at the corner position,” Jeremiah said Wednesday on a conference call. “I think, in a draft like this where they’re picking those picks at 63, 94, I think there’s opportunities there to get players that can come in in the secondary and help out and be a part of their mix right away.“

If the 49ers take a CB at No. 63 it would be the earliest they’ve taken one since 2017 and it would be the first time they used a pick earlier than Round 3.

While it may not fit their roster-building ethos, it may be the year to do it. The 49ers have a handful of needs they could conceivably address at 63 overall, particularly if they don’t take an offensive lineman in the first round. Finding a starting-caliber CB to put alongside Ward and Deommodore Lenoir should be at least a medium-priority task if there’s no player available who can bolster San Francisco’s pass rush.

Building depth this year in the draft is paramount for the 49ers, but so is finding some upgrades at a couple starting spots. Cornerback is one of those spots, and we may see the 49ers pursue a player at that spot earlier than they ever have under Lynch and Shanahan.

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Patience a virtue for 49ers in 2024 draft

Why one draft analyst believes patience is key for the #49ers in this year’s draft.

There’s certainly a world where the 49ers get aggressive and start flying up the board in this year’s draft. Having patience may wind up being a better path forward for them though given where their roster stands and some of the needs they have beyond their starting 22 on offense and defense. Patience may be a better avenue for them this year, especially if they’re looking to build out another Super Bowl contender in a new Super Bowl window beyond the one they’re currently operating in.

NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah is on board with a patient approach for the 49ers given how deep this year’s class is at some key positions. While the 31st overall pick may keep them from landing a blue chip talent at a premium position, it will also give them a chance to add quality depth in  areas their roster is lacking without trading up.

“I mean, they’ve got a nice haul of picks here. If they want to move up, they absolutely have the ammunition to do so,” Jeremiah said Wednesday in a conference call. “I just think when you look at the needs that they have and some of the different areas that they could go, if you’re thinking about corners and edge rushers, maybe you miss out on the top tier. Interior offensive linemen, grabbing a wide receiver if they want one. I still
think there will be a quality corner there, personally, even though some of the
top guys might go. I don’t really see them in a position where they need to do
that.

“I think this is more filling out your roster, getting a layer of depth. They have the stars in place so I don’t think they’re in a position where they have a must, ‘hey, we’ve got to get up there. We must get this accomplished.’ I
don’t feel like they’re in that spot here. I think they can be a little more patient
than that.”

The 49ers’ front office is one that won’t hesitate to move up when it finds a player it likes. It’ll also climb up to attack a very obvious, glaring need. They may or may not feel that way about their offensive tackle situation, but it’s clear they can come away from the 2024 draft with a successful haul without a major move up the board.

Sitting and waiting may be tough given how close the team is to getting over the hump for a Super Bowl, but the potential long-term gain would be worth that patience.

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Commanders trading back into 1st round is the ‘worst kept secret in the draft’

Another top draft analyst believes Washington comes away with another first-round pick next week.

The Washington Commanders have nine selections in next week’s 2024 NFL draft. The fun begins on Thursday for the Commanders when they go on the clock at No. 2 overall, where they are expected to select a quarterback.

Washington holds five picks on Day 2, including two in the second round and three in the third round. With a massive need at offensive tackle, could the Commanders use some of that draft capital to move back into the first round?

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah believes it’s a good possibility. General manager Adam Peters didn’t dismiss the idea during his pre-draft press conference on Thursday.

In an interview with “Grant and Danny” on 106.7 The Fan on Thursday, ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid weighed in on the Commanders’ interest in moving back into the first round.

“I think this is the worst kept secret in the draft right now, is the Commanders trading up from 36 or 40 to get an offensive tackle,” Reid said, via Lou DiPietro of Audacy.

“It just makes so much sense for them to trade up and take advantage of this deep offensive line class. I just don’t see Adam Peters having so many picks and just waiting till 36 or 40 for one of those guys to fall to him. I could see them trading up to the mid-to-late twenties, something like that, to get one of these guys that potentially is falling.”

This offensive tackle class is as deep as it has been in years. So, for teams needing an offensive tackle, it is a good year to find one. Washington needs two, including who can come in and start as a rookie at left tackle. Veteran Cornelius Lucas was re-signed, but he is best used as a swing tackle/spot starter.

Andrew Wylie starts on the right side and while he struggled during his first season with the Commanders, the current regime doesn’t think he’s as bad as the fans think.

Every draft, there is a run on positions. Once that run begins, you need to make a move. When does that run begin next Thursday? And how high would Washington be willing to go?

Joe Alt is considered the top offensive tackle and he could go as high as No. 5. That’s not happening. Taliese Fuaga is a potential top-10 pick, with Troy Fautanu, JC Latham and Olu Fashanu likely landing in the top 15.

Daniel Jeremiah: Byron Murphy II, top edge rushers are ‘obvious’ trade-up targets for Rams

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network could see a scenario where the Rams trade up for DT Byron Murphy II or a top edge rusher in Round 1

No one knows what Les Snead and the Los Angeles Rams are going to do in the first round of the draft this year, their first time picking in Round 1 since 2016. They could trade down and out of the first round entirely like they did in 2019, or they could use some of their 11 picks to move up for a player they covet.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah could see either scenario playing out. On a conference call Thursday, Jeremiah said he wouldn’t rule out Snead trading back and coming away with “a zillion Day 2 picks in Rounds 2 and 3 and continues to attack it that way.” He could also envision Snead trading up for someone such as Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II or one of the top edge rushers.

“They have the ammunition if they want to move up,” Jeremiah said. “I would think with a guy like Byron Murphy, knowing who just left the building, if Byron Murphy started to drift a little bit, I would think that would be an obvious one for them to target to go up, as well as if one of those three edge rushers, if they have a preference on those guys, I wouldn’t sleep on that, as well.”

The top three edge rushers he’s referring to are Dallas Turner, Jared Verse and Laiatu Latu. They’re all locks to be drafted in the first round, potentially all within the first 20 picks. With it expected to be such a heavy offensive draft in Round 1, though, it’s possible one of those three will be on the board at No. 19.

Chop Robinson would be the fourth edge rusher for the Rams to target and according to Jeremiah, he’s much closer to the top three than some people think, potentially even being the second edge rusher off the board.

“In talking to teams around the league over the last week, I think it’s a lot closer with Chop Robinson with those top three guys than maybe some people expect,” he said. “So I have Turner at 12 on my list, Verse was 14, Latu was 16, Robinson was 21. There’s a lot of people out there that think that Chop Robinson could end up being the second edge rusher to go.”

Jeremiah believes there’s “a decent chance” one of those four edge rushers will be available at No. 19 and added that it “would not be a bad way to go” if the Rams take one of them.

Everything is on the table for Los Angeles, from drafting a quarterback at 19 to trading back and selecting a wide receiver. Peter Schrager of NFL Network all but guaranteed the Rams will go offense if they stay put in Round 1, so we’ll see how things play out next Thursday.

Daniel Jeremiah believes Commanders are ‘prime candidate’ to move back into 1st round

Jeremiah believes the Commanders will come back into the first round for an offensive tackle.

You know it’s NFL draft time when NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah holds his annual pre-draft conference call, during which he answers questions from the media.

The Washington Commanders were a popular topic on Jeremiah’s call. Why? Because Washington is essentially starting over with a new owner (Josh Harris), general manager (Adam Peters) and head coach (Dan Quinn). After a solid free agency where the Commanders signed over 20 players to bolster a 4-13 roster, Jeremiah feels they are poised to make a splash in next week’s draft.

Washington’s first pick is at No. 2 overall, where it’s likely to choose between a pair of quarterbacks: Jayden Daniels (LSU) or Drake Maye (North Carolina).

The Commanders are next on the clock at No. 36, the first of their two second-round selections. This is where things get interesting, according to Jeremiah.

“I think they’re a prime candidate to come back up and try and scoop up one of these tackles,” Jeremiah said. “If you’ve got Amarius Mims (Georgia), who’s floating around there in the teens, they have plenty of ammunition to be aggressive and go get a starting offensive tackle. That, to me, is something I would keep an eye on. I don’t see them standing pat and sticking there at 36 and 40. I think you’ll see them try and make a move and address the offensive line.”

We’ve discussed this throughout the offseason. When the Commanders didn’t address offensive tackle in free agency other than re-signing veteran Cornelius Lucas to serve as the swing tackle, it was clear they would target the position in an offensive tackle-rich draft. However, a run on the best tackles could begin in the teens, meaning if Washington wants to land one of the top options, it will need to move up.

The good news is that the Commanders hold six picks in the top 100, giving them plenty of ammunition for a move up the board.

While it’s mostly been speculation, Jeremiah almost said he expects the Commanders to make a move up the board. This is a good year for Washington to need an offensive tackle and have the draft capital to move up the board.

Daniel Jeremiah takes strong stand on Commanders No. 2 pick

Jeremiah makes it clear that nobody knows what the Commanders are going to do.

Daniel Jeremiah has been around the block a few times.

Jeremiah is not new to the NFL draft or to the NFL draft buildup.

So, watching and listening to the media circus it becomes annually, Jeremiah did not hold back when he was asked about the Commanders’ No. 2 overall selection.

Jeremiah went as far as expressing to Scott Abraham (WJLA TV 7), “I’ve been connecting them (Commanders) with Drake Maye (North Carolina) for a long time…I think anybody that says they know exactly what Washington is doing is lying.”

Just last week Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd boldly stated that he had been told that Washington is going to select Jayden Daniels at the overall No. 2 position in the draft. Seeing Peters has yet to tell anyone, who told Cowherd?

ESPN’s Adam Schefter last week also expressed that all signs were pointing to the Commanders drafting Daniels with the second overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

We responded here on Commanders Wire asking if Commanders insiders John Keim, Ben Standig, Nicki Jhabvala, J.P Finlay and Sam Fortier all agree that Adam Peters is providing absolutely no signs right now, then how is it that Cowherd and Schefter know?

We also advised that some in the media were making too much of Daniels being invited for a visit. We explained that we were confident that Maye and McCarthy would also be invited for visits, and sure enough, they were.

Jeremiah is correct, and he is also brave enough to double down that others in his business don’t know what the Commanders are doing either.

Perhaps some in the business feel they need to present an image of having the inside scoop when they actually don’t.

As Adam Peters continues to hold his cards close to his chest, making any “signs” invisible to all concerned, might Jeremiah simply be more willing to be honest that he doesn’t know what Peters is going to do?

Daniel Jeremiah sees one prospect as ‘the Lion’ of the IOL draft class

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah sees West Virginia’s Zach Frazier as ‘the Lion’ of the IOL draft class

As draft time rapidly approaches, sorting out position groups and which prospects are better fits than others for the Detroit Lions is a full-time gig. Sometimes an outsider with good knowledge can provide an interesting, informed perspective to blow through the localized smoke.

Such is the case for the Lions and NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah. In Jeremiah’s pre-draft conference call with media all around the country on Wednesday afternoon, “DJ” weighed in on how he sees the top interior offensive line prospects in next week’s draft in relation to the Detroit Lions.

“I’ve talked about that a bunch around the league is these three guys paired together and teams going through their meetings trying to sort these guys out,” Jeremiah said early in his conference call. “I would have Graham Barton, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and then Zach Frazier.”

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That’s not necessarily true for the Lions, however. The longtime draft analyst and former NFL scout likes Frazier the best to fit what the Lions want in an interior offensive lineman.

“If you asked me who’s the Lion in the group, I would say the third one, Frazier,” Jeremiah declared. “The four-time state champ wrestler. A guy who’s got a tenacity and a physicality to and through the whistle. He kind of fits their style, as you know, there. I think he’s worthy of being taken there in the bottom of the first round. I have no problem with that at all.”

Frazier isn’t typically projected in the first round, though some mocks have slotted him in that range and to the Lions specifically.

As for Barton, it’s clear Jeremiah is a big fan.

“In terms of stylistically, Graham Barton is the best athlete of the three,” Jeremiah continued. “I think he has legit five-position flexibility. He can move around and do different things. Played left tackle. I think he’s best at center, but he can survive at tackle if you needed him to. I think he’s fully capable of playing guard as well. He’s the best in space, change in direction, just overall athleticism. He’s really, really talented there.”

What about Powers-Johnson?

“Jackson Powers-Johnson, he’s just bigger. He’s 328 pounds. He’s going to be
more set a firm pocket. You want more of a mauler/brawler in the run game.
He’s not a poor athlete. He’s just not the athlete the other two guys are out in
space. But he’s a physical, strong, sturdy presence there in the middle who
you’ll be able to set a nice deep pocket with him.”

While Jeremiah sees Frazier as the most “Lion” of the trio, he doesn’t think there’s a wrong decision to be made by Detroit with any of the trio.

“I think they’re three kind of distinctly different players, but I think all three of them are excellent, and I think all three of them are ready to start right away.”