Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Breaking down the final injury report for the Packers ahead of Week 3 vs. the Saints.
The Green Bay Packers listed running back Aaron Jones, left tackle David Bakhtiari, receiver Christian Watson, outside linebacker Lukas Van Ness and cornerback Jaire Alexander as questionable and ruled out left guard Elgton Jenkins and safety Zayne Anderson on the final injury report before Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints.
How will the injury situation affect Sunday’s showdown?
Here’s an in-depth breakdown of the Packers’ final injury report ahead of Week 3:
Analyzing the Week 1 Saints injury report: Who’s in, who’s out, and who has a chance to play against the Titans
We’ve already got the quick hits from Week 1’s final New Orleans Saints injury report, but let’s take a deeper dive and see who’s in, who’s out, and who has a chance to play against the Tennessee Titans — while surveying the Titans’ own injury situations. The regular season is finally here, but some players won’t be able to suit up and participate.
If you just want a brief glance at each player’s status, check here. But we’ll be recapping what was reported on each of them throughout the week and how it impacts their availability for Sunday:
Check out all the top #Chiefs stories and more on today’s edition of Chiefs check-in:
Chiefs Check-in is our online newsletter at Chiefs Wire, running Monday-Friday mornings. Subscribe to get more Chiefs news delivered to your inbox every day.
The Kansas City Chiefs will conduct their final training camp practice on Thursday ahead of their preseason Week 2 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday. The team fell short in their first exhibition tilt against the New Orleans Saints last weekend and will need to rest up on Friday as they recover from Andy Reid’s notoriously taxing camp.
Check out all the top Chiefs stories and more on today’s edition of Chiefs check-in for the morning of Thursday, August 17:
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has the Saints passing on Adetomiwa Adebawore for another defensive tackle in his final first-round NFL mock draft:
Here’s a curious call in the final round of 2023 mock drafts. With the real thing just hours away, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler shared his take on what the New Orleans Saints (and every other team) may do in the first round of selections on Thursday night.
And he has them curving a fan-favorite prospect with former Northwestern defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore being passed up in favor of another defensive tackle at No. 29. We’ll let Brugler make the case in his own words for the Saints picking Michigan Wolverines prospect Mazi Smith:
The Saints want to get better on the defensive line with this pick, and an edge defender like Myles Murphy makes sense. But Smith would give New Orleans the hulking nose tackle it desperately needs to improve its run defense.
Now, New Orleans doesn’t “desperately need” a hulking nose tackle after they signed Khalen Saunders to fill that role in free agency, but adding Smith wouldn’t hurt. He’s a good player and the best run defender in this draft class. But he doesn’t fit the niche the Saints are looking to fill at defensive tackle. They need an agile lineman with experience rushing the passer from the three-technique spot, and while Smith can push the pocket a little that’s hardly his main draw as a draft prospect.
Ironically, it’s exactly the projection for Adebawore to the next level, though he wasn’t asked to line up inside often at Northwestern. His college coaches played him out on the edge at defensive end but NFL coaches have almost exclusively been working him out at defensive tackle, projecting him to thrive in a move to the interior. But Brugler is as clued-in and well-sourced as it gets in this industry. Maybe the Saints are higher on Smith and his fit in their defense than we’re expecting.
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Daniel Jeremiah says he ‘wouldn’t rule out Hendon Hooker’ for the New Orleans Saints in Round 1 of the 2023 NFL draft:
Could the New Orleans Saints shock the world and make former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft? It’s an eventuality that NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah isn’t dismissing out of hand, though he went in another direction with his final mock draft by projecting the Saints to pick former Clemson Tigers pass rusher Myles Murphy as his first choice.
“I wouldn’t rule out Hendon Hooker going to New Orleans if he’s still available,” Jeremiah wrote. “But in this case, the team fills a need off the edge and lets the Derek Carr era begin without a first-round rookie passer in the fold.”
Hooker dropped back to pass for the first time this week since his high-profile mid-November injury, and he’s consistently said he expects to be medically cleared in time to participate this season. With the Saints having signed Carr to a hefty free agent contract and named him their unquestioned starter, that would give Hooker the luxury of time to finish recovering and pick up the playbook before he’s expected to even hit the practice field.
Still, that wouldn’t be the best use of resources. The Saints need to find players who can contribute this year and help Carr get them to the playoffs. Give him a fair shot before you go looking for his replacement. If the Saints can get an impactful defensive or offensive lineman or a playmaker at tight end at No. 29, that should be the move. We’ll see whether they agree in just a few hours.
First day of dropping back during this mornings session… feels great to move around again #StackingDays pic.twitter.com/Pqy9aKnFhP
— Hendon Hooker (@henhook2) April 26, 2023
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Final predictions for the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft: What they should do, and what they’ll do instead in 4 scenarios
It’s finally here: the New Orleans Saints will have a chance to make their move in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, but what are they planning? We’ve had months to speculate and gather information to try and get an idea of what’s in the works. Let’s break it down with our final predictions.
Sure, I’m hedging my bets a little by presenting a scenario where the Saints trade up and another one where they stay put. But not even Mickey Loomis knows what he’s going to do until the first dozen or so picks are in. With a team this unpredictable, it’s important to consider all their options. Here are four scenarios we’re watching out for, from most- to least-likely:
The Packers got Tennessee OT Darnell Wright in Mel Kiper’s final 2023 mock draft for ESPN.
A review and breakdown of predictions for the Green Bay Packers in final 2023 mock drafts from a few of the most prominent analysts in the business:
The mock draft: Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN
The pick: OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee
The reasoning: “When the Packers swapped picks with the Jets in the Aaron Rodgers deal, putting them ahead of the Patriots, my first thought was an offensive tackle. Wright, who started 42 games in college, is a plug-and-play right tackle. Green Bay also could go for top pass-catching tight end Dalton Kincaid (Utah).”
Our breakdown: A sensible pick with a good chance of happening. Selecting big, athletic players along the line of scrimmage in the first half of the first round usually makes sense, and the Packers have a long-term need at offensive tackle, a premium position. David Bakhtiari might only be in Green Bay for one more season, and Yosh Njiman will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024. Taking Wright at No. 13 would immediately solve the right tackle problem, possibly in 2023 but definitely years into the future. He made 42 starts at Tennessee, including 27 at right tackle and another 13 on the left side. He shut down Will Anderson in his matchup in 2022 and ended his career without giving up a sack in 19 straight games. Wright has tremendous size, elite athleticism and a ton of experience facing pass-rushers in the SEC, and his arrow is pointed straight up after a terrific senior season.
Height: 6-5
Weight: 333
Age: 21
40-yard dash: 5.01
Vertical leap: 29″
Broad jump: 9-7
Three-cone: DNP
Short shuttle: 4.72
Bench press: DNP
RAS: 9.68
Pre-draft visit: Yes
Packers hosting Tennessee OT Darnell Wright on official pre-draft visit
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The Packers got Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Josh Norris’ final 2023 mock draft for Underdog Network.
A review and breakdown of predictions for the Green Bay Packers in final 2023 mock drafts from a few of the most prominent analysts in the business:
The mock draft: Josh Norris, Underdog Network
The pick: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
The reasoning: “The move from 15 to 13 was subtle, but noteworthy as the Packers have identical needs to the Patriots. This could be an offensive lineman if Darnell Wright is available. It could be a pass rusher. Or it could be JSN, who Bill Belichick himself has done extensive homework on.”
Our breakdown: Smith-Njigba is on the smaller side, he missed most of 2022 with a hamstring injury, and the Packers haven’t picked a first-round receiver since 2002, but this would be a slam dunk. The former Buckeye is the top pass-catcher and receiver and arguably a top-10 overall talent in the draft class. He’s entering the NFL with easily translatable skills in terms of creating separation and getting open with explosive and subtle movements, and he catches everything. Put him in the slot in between Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs and the Packers would be cooking. The need at receiver and in the passing game overall is clear. Smith-Njigba is pro-ready and would create easy, high-percentage throws for Jordan Love in Matt LaFleur’s scheme. Similar to Julian Edelman and Amon-Ra St. Brown, JSN is – at his best – going to be a 90-to-100-catch receiver who wins in the middle of the field and gobbles up first downs at the next level. Together, Smith-Njigba and Watson – perfect complements of one another – could create one of the most dynamic receiver combos in football.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 196
Age: 21
40-yard dash: 4.52
Vertical leap: 35″
Broad jump: 10-5
Three-cone: 6.57
Short shuttle: 3.93
Bench press: DNP
RAS: 8.34
Pre-draft visit: No
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 91, Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
First-round prospect for the Pack: Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
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The Packers got Utah TE Dalton Kincaid in Daniel Jeremiah’s final 2023 mock draft for NFL Network.
A review and breakdown of predictions for the Green Bay Packers in final 2023 mock drafts from a few of the most prominent analysts in the business:
The mock draft: Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com
The pick: TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah
The reasoning: “Green Bay could weigh Kincaid versus Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba here. I think Kincaid is a perfect fit in this offense, and the Packers could circle back for a receiver later, which has generally been their preferred approach at the position. They haven’t picked a WR in Round 1 since 2002.”
Our breakdown: Kincaid has a strong case for being the top receiving threat at tight end and maybe even the top player among all pass-catchers in the draft class. He’d fit an immediate need at tight end and give Jordan Love a dangerous weapon in the passing game, especially from the slot. Many see Kincaid (35 career touchdown catches) as a Zach Ertz type at the next level. However, would the Packers take a smaller tight end who turns 24 as a rookie and is both lacking an athletic testing profile and coming off a back injury with the 13th overall pick? It’d be a big risk, but the payoff could be huge if Kincaid emerges as a high-production player at a position where the difference between good and elite can be so valuable. The Packers had Kincaid in for a pre-draft visit.
Height: 6-4
Weight: 246
Age: 23
40-yard dash: DNP
Vertical leap: DNP
Broad jump: DNP
Three-cone: DNP
Short shuttle: DNP
Bench press: DNP
RAS: N/A
Pre-draft visit: Yes
Unpacking Future Packers: No. 5, Utah TE Dalton Kincaid
First-round prospect for the Pack: Utah TE Dalton Kincaid
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Auburn led for the majority of the game, but Alabama’s depth caught up to the Tigers. The Tide battled to earn a 8-point victory atop the Tigers on Saturday afternoon.
The No. 3-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Auburn Tigers on Saturday afternoon, 77-69. The game was tightly contested for the majority of the game, but Alabama pulled away at the end.
Despite a large disparity at the free throw line, the Crimson Tide were able to make enough shots in the end. Alabama was led offensively by Mark Sears, Jaden Bradley, and Rylan Griffen. The three guards combined to score 43 of Alabama’s 77 points. That is over 50% of the points that came from Alabama’s backcourt.
On the defensive end, Charles Bediako played a key part in slowing down Auburn center Johni Broome. Broome finished the game with just eight points. The Crimson Tide struggled to contain point guard Wendell Green Jr. He finished with 24 points.
Alabama improves to 12-0 in the conference and 22-3 on the season. Nate Oats’ squad will return to action on Wednesday night against Tennessee. The game will be played at Thompson-Boling Arena at 7 ET/6 CT and televised on ESPN2.
𝙆𝙄𝙉𝙂𝙎 of the Jungle#RollTide | @AlabamaMBB pic.twitter.com/8I0WfIYxf3
— Alabama Athletics (@UA_Athletics) February 11, 2023
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the Alabama men’s basketball program.
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