Tag: ESPN

ESPN analyst sees Kyle McCord and Kellen Moore as a ‘strong fit’ for Saints

Don’t like Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler or Jake Haener? ESPN’s Dan Orvlosky sees Syracuse QB Kyle McCord and the Saints as a ‘strong fit’

At this point, it’s pretty safe to project Kellen Moore as the next head coach of the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans has to wait until after the Super Bowl to officially hire the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator, but they’ve told everyone else the race is more or less over.

As an offensive minded head coach, the first thought becomes what is he going to do at quarterback. A recent report from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini suggested Moore was less than enthralled with the quarterback room, though he may have come around on the idea of working with them anyway.

Don’t like Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler or Jake Haener? ESPN’s Dan Orvlosky believes Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord would be a “strong fit.”

Drafting a quarterback from the Senior Bowl has been a recent trend for New Orleans. Ian Book, Haener and Rattler all attended the Senior Bowl before getting picked in the fourth and fifth rounds. The Saints could switch it up under new leadership.

McCord attended the Shrine Bowl and was recognized as one of the top performers during practice. CBS Sports’ Emory Hunt said McCord “had a fantastic week throwing the football, just building on what he all season at Syracuse.”

In his lone season at Syracuse, McCord led the FBS in passing yards while also finishing top-five in passing touchdowns. This would mark the third year in a row the Saints drafted a quarterback in the middle of the draft, McCord’s likely range. As with Rattler and Haener, the commitment to a mid-round is low.

This could easily be Moore taking a chance for 2025 while keeping the door open to select a quarterback early in the 2026 NFL draft.

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2025 Free Agency: Can Steelers afford Tee Higgins’ massive payday?

The Steelers may be interested in Tee Higgins, but his price tag could force them to consider a cheaper alternative.

The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves once again in search of receiver help heading into 2025. Bengals WR  Tee Higgins, arguably the biggest free-agent wide receiver this offseason, has been tied to the Black and Gold as of late. However, he may prove too expensive for the Steelers’ taste.

According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, Higgins is expected to break the $30 million per year mark. Fowler noted that he has heard discussions of Higgins’ contract being lower—closer to Philadelphia Eagles WR DeVonta Smith’s $25 million per year—but ultimately, more team personnel believe it will be much higher:

“The rest saw him breaking into the $30 million range, based on his status as a No. 1-caliber receiver and the number of teams desperate for pass-catching help.”

This could prove troublesome for the rest of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster, with T.J. Watt, George Pickens, and DeShon Elliott set to hit free agency in 2026—all of whom could command massive contracts in their own right.

Should the Pittsburgh Steelers settle for a cheaper veteran option, such as WR Amari Cooper, or is Higgins’ talent too great to pass up in 2025 free agency?

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Fran Fraschilla’s genuine shock at Kansas blowing a historic lead spoke volumes

Yikes.

No. 11 Kansas men’s basketball seemingly had Baylor on the ropes until it blew the biggest lead in program history (21 points) on Saturday while on the road.

ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla was in genuine shock to see the Jayhawks falter in such a major way after having such a commanding lead, and his reaction probably spoke for many at home watching this bizarre collapse.

“This is unbelievable!” Fraschilla exclaimed on the broadcast to partner Jon Sciambi, as it really was unbelievable to see Kansas falter down the stretch in such epic fashion.

The Jayhawks have such an established history of excellence, but Saturday’s game will most likely be quickly forgotten by Kansas fans for plenty of reasons. It was a rough one.

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Report: Eagles ‘bracing to lose’ OC Kellen Moore after Super Bowl

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Philadelphia Eagles are ‘bracing to lose’ their offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to the Saints after Super Bowl LIX:

The New Orleans Saints have had a clear frontrunner for their head coaching vacancy the past few days, Kellen Moore. That sentiment has only grown stronger as it was reported that they will meet again after Super Bowl LIX, with general manager Mickey Loomis informing other candidates that’s when the decision will be made. NFL rules prohibit the Saints from hiring anyone on a staff competing in the Super Bowl — like Moore — until after the title game.

In a recent ESPN article discussing the Senior Bowl rumor mill and some of the information moving around there, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler shared a good nugget on Moore and his potential departure from the Philadelphia Eagles:

“Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is the favorite to land the Saints head coaching job, to the point where people with the Eagles are bracing to lose him. Moore is putting together ideas for staffing and other New Orleans candidates have essentially been put on ice. But I’m told Moore wants to get through the Super Bowl game-planning before making any determinations.”

This only makes things more clear, as not only are the Saints preparing further meetings in the window after the Super Bowl, but the notion that the Eagles are preparing for life without Moore shows that, at minimum, there is a large enough interest for them to be concerned about him leaving. We will learn within the next few weeks who ultimately gets the Saints job, but right now, their choice seems relatively clear.

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49ers would love if Brock Purdy signs ESPN’s predicted contract

This would be a huge win for the 49ers.

Brock Purdy’s contract extension is the San Francisco 49ers’ new top offseason priority now that their defensive and special teams coordinator searches are over.

While it would behoove San Francisco to ensure they’re getting Purdy’s deal done as soon as possible, there’s a chance negotiations could get sticky due to some of the circumstances surrounding Purdy’s first three years in the NFL.

There’s a chance Purdy commands a contract that sits at or near the top of the quarterback market. San Francisco might be wary of doing such a deal.

A more palatable contract number is one offered in a prediction from ESPN’s Dan Graziano. He wrote down contract predictions for some of the NFL’s highest-profile free agents and his deal for Purdy comes in at a very reasonable number for San Francisco.

Graziano predicts a four-year, $196 million deal for Purdy with $112 million guaranteed.

Purdy’s $49 million average annual value would rank No. 10 among QBs, and his $112 million in guarantees would be the eighth-most among QBs.

Those are both reasonable marks, especially considering how QB contracts have gone in the past. The 49ers will argue they’ll need to ensure they’re surrounding Purdy with high-end talent, so they’ll need his contract to come in under the $55-60 million mark.

Purdy’s camp would likely counter with the fact his resume is already better than players like Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence, who recently signed much heftier deals in terms of both AAV and guarantees.

Both sides seem keen on coming to an agreement in time for Purdy to report to OTAs in mid-April. If that agreement is anything close to what Graziano predicts, the 49ers will be in a great spot to surround their franchise QB with enough talent to extend their Super Bowl window.

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ESPN grades Raiders’ head coaching hire of Pete Carroll

ESPN shared its grade for the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coaching hire of Pete Carroll.

Last week the Las Vegas Raiders tabbed Super Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll as its next head coach.

After a 4-13 finish in 2024, turning to the winningest coach in Seattle Seahawks history feels like a solid direction for a franchise in transition.

The Raiders need stability and to reestablish a winning culture. Carroll’s track record suggests he’s the perfect candidate to provide that.

It’s easy to see why Raider fans would be excited to welcome Carroll to Las Vegas. But, what do analysts nationally think of the hire?

ESPN analyst Ben Solak shared his grade on the Raiders’ hiring of Carroll.

Grade: B

Carroll might not be a hire with tons of fireworks and joy, but he’s exactly what the Raiders need. They have needed to return to adulthood and culture to lead their organization — a guy with experience, a track record, a formula for winning. That will help yank them up out of the gutter, where they’ve been for the past few seasons, and back to some respectable level of contention.

Even if you think Carroll is washed and lacks schematic innovation — both of which I would argue are untrue, as he did plenty things differently in his past few years in Seattle — this can work. Carroll’s time in Seattle ended because he struggled with shaky personnel and a declining quarterback. Now, how he fills out his staff is a big question. He has a deep Rolodex, but does he know any young innovators? Other than that, this is a solid hire. – Solak, ESPN.

The Raiders get a proven franchise-builder in Carroll, which feels like a must at this juncture.

Carroll brings a 181-131-1 mark to Las Vegas, including a 137-89-1 record in the regular season and 10-9 mark in the postseason during his 14 years with Seattle. The Seahawks advanced to the playoffs 10 times under Carroll’s watch and won Super Bowl XLVIII to cap the 2013 NFL season.

Carroll also won a pair of national championships with USC in the 2003 and 2004 college football seasons.

With the hiring of Carroll, the Raiders have their fifth coach, including interims, since the franchise moved to Las Vegas in 2020. Carroll is also the ninth coach, including interims, since Raiders owner Mark Davis took over in 2011.

The most pressing issue now for Carroll and the Raiders is to finalize filling out the coaching staff and to find their franchise signal-caller. Can the Raiders get that accomplished at No. 6 in the 2025 NFL draft or even at the top of the second round?

If the answer is yes, Carroll has the NFL coaching history to reposition the Raiders’ franchise among the top of the AFC West and perhaps the league.

ESPN designs odd scenario to get Derek Carr off of the Saints

ESPN came up with a bizarre scenario which has the Saints moving on from Derek Carr, sending him to the AFC North instead

The New Orleans Saints 2025 offseason is no doubt going to be an intriguing one, with cap management, head coaching searches, and whatever free agents they are able to bring in and retain. However, with that in mind, there is also a line to draw between likely and unrealistic. ESPN writer Ben Solak recently put out an article discussing the quarterback market in this offseason. One of the pieces discussed is Derek Carr, and how things could shape up if Sam Darnold returns to the Minnesota Vikings.

In his scenario where Darnold does return, Solak believes the Pittsburgh Steelers could pivot and make a push for Carr via trade:

“While the most likely outcome is that Darnold gets a big deal from someone else in free agency, I remain far less confident than public perception that he gets out of Minnesota. And if he stays, things could get wonky, fast. In Darnold’s absence, I could see the trade market getting hot for a player like Carr, the next-best option for two to three years of acceptable play. The Steelers and coach Mike Tomlin need that plug-and-play fix at quarterback to finally find some postseason wins before seats start to get too hot. Could they work with the Saints to get New Orleans some cap relief in return for Carr’s services? I think it’s doable.”

This is one of the more peculiar suggestions on how to get Carr off the Saints this offseason, but then again when you think about it, the Steelers do need a plug and play starter as Solak mentions. And they do also have a substantial amount of cap space (approximately $40.4 million) where they could eat a large majority of his contract. This would give the Saints the ability to either draft a new quarterback (via trade up, potentially) under whoever their new head coach ends up being, or find a free agent they believe could be serviceable and build around them.

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Cam Newton causes stir with bold take on MVP vs. Super Bowl ring debate

As expected, Cam Newton’s opinion on taking his MVP award over a Super Bowl ring stirred up some folks on social media.

Death, taxes and Cam Newton making people . . . well . . . you know the rest, Carolina Panthers fans.

The franchise’s all-time leading passer made quite a stir on Thursday morning, after stating on ESPN’s First Take that he wouldn’t trade his Most Valuable Player award for a Super Bowl ring.

But instead of just hearing him out and moving on with their days, quite a few folks had to add their own two cents into Newton’s point of view. (And we can’t say we didn’t expect it.)

Here are some of the most interesting reactions (both positive and negative) to Cam’s take:

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Panthers great Cam Newton says he wouldn’t trade his MVP award for Super Bowl title

Panthers legend Cam Newton on if he’d trade his MVP award for a Super Bowl ring: “Nope.”

Well, Cam Newton has never claimed to be like most folks.

On Thursday’s episode of ESPN’s First Take, host Stephen A. Smith posed a simple question to the Carolina Panthers legend—asking Newton if he’d be willing to trade his Most Valuable Player award for a Super Bowl title.

And Newton, as he often does, brought a different kind of perspective to the table.

“Nope,” he replied. “What’s more important—impact or championships? You look at a guy like Allen Iverson. Everybody’s not gonna be a Michael Jordan. Everybody’s not gonna be Patrick Mahomes. Everybody’s not gonna be these individuals who have the luxury of saying, ‘Hey, I not only dominated this sport, but I also have championships to back it.

“Let me remind you—Brad Johnson won a Super Bowl. Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl. Respectfully, Nick Foles won a Super Bowl. So, yes, when you look at those guys and you say, ‘What’s more important? Would you have preferred to win a Super Bowl?’ I think that’s a humble approach.

“But if we’re being honest, the impact of you holding yourself accountable to say, ‘Everybody has a responsibility to do.’ And you can say, as an MVP award winner, or All-American, you’ve held yourself or you’ve held the bargain down.”

Newton held up that particular bargain in 2015 by recording 4,473 total yards and 45 total touchdowns en route to a near-unanimous MVP win. His all-time campaign helped lead the Panthers to a franchise-best 15-1 record in the regular season.

But the bargain stopped short in Super Bowl 50, where Newton and the Panthers were stopped by the Denver Broncos in a deflating 24-10 loss. Newton, in his one and only Super Bowl appearance, completed 18 of his 41 throws for 265 yards and an interception while coughing up a pair of fumbles.

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One Bucs free agent considered among the best by ESPN

They were never able to recover from his missing production, which makes his return so valuable to the offense.

Chris Godwin is one of several prominent free agents the Bucs franchise has to maneuver and negotiate with this offseason. The team missed him when he went down with a season-ending ankle injury in Week 7.

They were never able to recover from his missing production, which makes his return so valuable to the offense. ESPN also recognized Godwin on their list of top 50 free agents, knowing his work out of the slot would be a welcome addition to any team.

They make the obvious pitch of stating, “. . .his 50 receptions over the first seven games were the most in the NFL up to that point, and he caught 30 of them out of the slot. A savvy route runner with the toughness to work the heavy-traffic areas of the field, Godwin has the veteran traits to upgrade any wide receiver room.”

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes in the column that “multiple execs expect the Bucs to try to re-sign Godwin, who has a Buc-for-life feel similar to Mike Evans.”

That has to be music to the ears of Bucs fans everywhere.