Tag: Jeremy Fowler

Vikings front office member expected to interview for GM openings

With the Minnesota Vikings having a better than expected season in 2024, could Ryan Grigson be a GM candidate for the New York Jets in 2025?

There are still several weeks of the NFL season left to play, but the NFL’s coaching carousel has already begun. The New York Jets kicked off this year’s cycle by firing their head coach Robert Saleh in early October. The Las Vegas Raiders were next to make moves, clearing out several coordinators but keeping head coach Antonio Pierce — for now.

The Saints followed up by firing head coach Dennis Allen in early November, and the Bears followed by firing offensive coordinator Shane Waldron but keeping head coach Matt Eberflus—again, for now.

Then, the Jets kicked off the front-office carousel by firing their general manager, Joe Douglas, kicking their personnel search into high gear. A number of people across the NFL landscape are going to be hot commodities for these positions, and at least one of those people could come from the Minnesota Vikings.

According to ESPN’s NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler, current Vikings senior VP of player personnel Ryan Grigson could be a name to watch for the Jets’ opening or any other openings that become available. Grigson has helped build a Vikings team that exceeded expectations in 2024 and has added a number of high-quality talents to the roster since arriving in 2022.

Grigson also has previous experience as a GM in the league, serving in that position for the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2016. That tenure was notable for the Colts taking former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Luck, along with Grigson and head coach Chuck Pagano, immediately turned the Colts’ fortunes around. From a lowly 2-14 team in 2011, they finished second in the AFC South with an 11-5 record in 2012. Grigson’s Colts won their division the next two seasons and made the playoffs.

Ultimately, though, the Colts could never get over the hump during Grigson’s tenure, and Grigson was fired after the Colts turned in back-to-back 8-8 seasons, missing the playoffs in two straight seasons for the first time since the beginning of the Peyton Manning era in Indianapolis.

Enough time has passed since his Colts’ tenure, and the Vikings have done well enough that Grigson will likely get a second chance at a GM gig if he wants it. Grigson’s days with the Vikings could be numbered whether that’s this year or in the near future.

Insider believes Steelers pursued D.K. Metcalf at trade deadline

After an eventful trade deadline, insider Jeremy Fowler believes Pittsburgh was one of several teams in inquire about a D.K. Metcalf trade.

It appears Pittsburgh’s trade to acquire WR Mike Williams, which Steelers fans have excitedly embraced, may not have happened if the Seattle Seahawks hadn’t treated trade talks as a “nonstarter,” per insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

In an ESPN article co-written with fellow insider Dan Graziano, Fowler revealed several interesting and previously unheard details from the trade deadline. One notable scoop was Fowler’s claim that not only did Pittsburgh “scour the earth for receiver help,” but the ESPN insider also believes the Steelers were one of several teams to inquire about a possible trade for Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf.

While a Russell Wilson-Metcalf reunion would have been an amazing sight for fans of the Black and Gold to behold, the trade would likely have been far too expensive for Steelers’ GM Omar Khan‘s tastes.

There is no refuge in looking back at what could have been, as the team now has a bona fide WR2, and the Wilson-Williams combo could be ‘DangeRuss.’

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Report: Chiefs DB to undergo surgery after sustaining serious injury vs. 49ers

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, #Chiefs DB Jaylen Watson is set to go under the knife after his injury against the #49ers in Week 7.

According to a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson is set to go under the knife after sustaining a serious injury against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7.

Watson was removed from the game during the fourth quarter with an apparent leg injury, and his status was quickly downgraded to out.

Though the Chiefs haven’t given an official update on the third-year defender, Fowler’s report seems to indicate that he will miss extended time, and may be a candidate to be placed on Kansas City’s injured reserve list.

Take a look at Fowler’s report below, which was posted to Twitter on Tuesday morning:

 

If Watson’s injury proves to be season-ending, it would be a major blow to the Chiefs and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who will have to rely on less experienced replacements when Kansas City faces the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8.

ESPN positional rankings underscore that the time is now for the New York Jets

ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler believes that the New York Jets are currently in their window of opportunity.

Pragmatically and at times painfully, the New York Jets have pieced together a roster that is among the best in the NFL. And one ESPN reporter believes that the roster is good enough to be contenders this year.

And for the Jets, the argument can be made that this is the most talented roster that they’ve assembled in franchise history.

Consider a recent tweet from ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler about the Jets.

Not one given to knee-jerk reactions or hot takes, Fowler has been releasing a ranking survey over the last few days of the top players in the NFL. Fowler has culled this information from conversations with league executives and scouts.

And while Jets fans might quibble with the placement of certain players on the list (*cough* Sauce Gardner is the third-ranked cornerback in the ESPN survey *cough*), the big picture still remains promising for the franchise as a whole.

And Fowler underscored that with this tweet about the talent level on the Jets roster. It is certainly a fair assessment of where things stand on the Jets roster:

 

Yes, there are question marks about the health of quarterback Aaron Rodgers (eighth in the NFL according to ESPN) and the revamped offensive line still has to prove itself. But every NFL team has at least one major question on their roster and this shouldn’t be held against the Jets when projecting their season.

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Now, the Jets still need to go out there and prove it, but general manager Joe Douglas has certainly done a masterful job of building this team both through free agency and the NFL draft.

And that puts the Jets in a prime spot to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season.

NFL execs, coaches, and players rank Chiefs Patrick Mahomes as the top quarterback

NFL execs, coaches, and players rank Kansas City #Chiefs Patrick Mahomes as the top quarterback | @EdEastonJr

According to the annual NFL poll on ESPN, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes reminded the rest of the league why he’s still the top player at his position.

Mahomes finished the 2023 season with 4,183 yards passing and 27 touchdowns, playing through tough offensive outings on the way to another AFC West division title. He silenced many doubters in the postseason by winning two road games, a third Super Bowl MVP, and securing the Chiefs’ third Lombardi Trophy in five years.

“When it’s late in a meaningful game and Mahomes is playing, you just know he’s going to find a way to win,” an NFC executive said in Fowler’s article. “That’s the stage he’s at that a lot of the greats get to — they figure out how to win the game and get it done. The game’s slowed down for him in that way.”

The quest for a three-peat will dominate the headlines for the upcoming season as Mahomes attempts to do what none of the other great quarterbacks have done in their careers. The star quarterback is still under 30 years old, and barring early retirement, he should continue to add to his unprecedented career resume.

NFL execs, coaches, and players rank Chiefs Travis Kelce as the top tight end

NFL execs, coaches, and players rank Chiefs Travis Kelce as the top tight end | @EdEastonJr

According to an annual NFL poll, Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce had another strong season in 2023, enough to claim his spot as the best at his position.

Kelce fell short of an incredible eighth consecutive 1,000-yard season in 2023 primarily because he voluntarily sat out the Week 18 season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. He was still able to accumulate 93 receptions for 984 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games.

In a poll of NFL decision-makers and players conducted by ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler, Kelce is alone at the top of the tight end rankings. The annual rankings list is detailed, and multiple player factors are included.

“Voters give us their best ten players at a position,” wrote Fowler. “then we compile the results and rank candidates based on a number of top-10 votes, composite average, and dozens of interviews, with research and film study help from ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen.”

Kelce beat out last year’s top-ranked tight end, George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers, as the two friends continue their rivalry for supremacy at the position. Entering his 12th NFL season, there is no sign of slowdown from the Pro Bowler.

NFL execs, coaches, and players rank Chiefs Chris Jones top defensive tackle

NFL execs, coaches, and players rank Kansas City #Chiefs Chris Jones top defensive tackle | @EdEastonJr

NFL executives, coaches, and players ranked Kansas City Chiefs DT Chris Jones as the top defensive tackle in the league in ESPN’s recent top-10 rankings.

Jones and every defensive tackle in the league annually finished behind the legendary Aaron Donald. The perennial All-Pro called it a career at the end of last season, opening the door for a new star at the top of the rankings.

“The best player of the Top 10 series era is retired.” wrote ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “Aaron Donald consistently garnered more first-place votes than any other player in the four years of polling since we started this exercise in 2020. “

Jones remained dominant after holding out from training camp, the preseason, and the season’s opening game. He finished 2023 with 10.5 sacks in 16 games and earned first-team All-Pro honors. The performance earned the 30-year-old a five-year, $158.75 million deal containing $101 million in guarantees, making him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history.

Jones can now finally add the top spot on ESPN to his many career accolades. He and his teammates hope to secure a Super Bowl three-peat for Kansas City in 2024.

No surprise here as Quinnen Williams makes ESPN’s list of top defensive tackles

In an ESPN survey of NFL executives, Quinnen Williams of the New York Jets is one of the league’s top defensive tackles. #Jets #NYJ

Quinnen Williams is among the best defensive tackles in the league, with the New York Jets star making a move in a recent poll ranking from ESPN.

Chris Jones was ranked atop the ranking with Williams checking in at second on the list. Following a strong season with the Jets, Williams makes the move up from fourth in last year’s ranking.

The results come via a poll of 80 league executives and scouts conducted by ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler.

Set to enter his sixth season in the NFL, Williams had 62 total tackles and 5.5 sacks for the Jets in 2024.

 

The poll results come after Monday’s release by ESPN of the top running backs in the NFL where Jets star Breece Hall was also second in the league.

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Williams was a first-round pick of the Jets in the 2019 NFL draft. He was an All-Pro selection in 2022 and has twice been named to the Pro Bowl.

Daniels and Commanders are actually scaring others to death?

The Daniels talk is exciting, but it’s important to remember he’s still a rookie.

It’s that time of year again, and everyone’s favorite NFL team is going to be much better than they were in 2023.

All of the draft selections your team made in April have tremendous upside. Your fan base is busy projecting how good they are going to be in 2024.

I remember how George Allen was always acquiring a couple of new veterans every off season. “The future is now,” Allen would proclaim, firing up the fan base. The Redskins were going to be even better next year.

That was 50 years ago, and I’ve been watching this phenomenon ever since.

But this offseason, may take the cake regarding the Commanders.

Three weeks ago, ESPN’s Louis Riddick declared Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was “going to take the town by storm.” After three weeks, Riddick has had more than enough time to calm down and become more realistic, right?

After the latest workouts Riddick talked of how the ball rarely hits the ground, Jayden Daniels is that good. Not to be outdone, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler last week exclaimed that others around the NFL are saying, ” I am kinda scared to death of what Washington could be with Jayden Daniels.”

But “Scared to death of Washington…” People, they were 4-13 last year, and Daniels is going to be so great in his rookie season. Are other NFL insiders already scared to death of Washington?

If Daniels and the Commanders are already scaring them to death, what is Washington’s record going to be this season? Scared to death? Does that mean 12-5?  13-4?

Excuse me, did you forget about the offensive tackles? How about the defense that was absolutely last in several categories last year? Noticed how Ron Rivera’s four first-round choices have performed?

Of course, Adam Peters and Dan Quinn have worked hard to improve the roster, and Daniels will make exciting plays, but do you remember great NFL quarterbacks like Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen who struggled at times as rookies?

Have those guys forgotten Justin Herbert still hasn’t won a playoff game?

We here at Commanders Wire want very much for Daniels to have a productive rookie season, but lets’ have some realistic expectations, shall we?

ESPN reports what Alvin Kamara is looking for in Saints contract talks

ESPN reports Alvin Kamara ‘could be a threat to miss training camp’ if he doesn’t get more future security in New Orleans Saints contract extension talks:

Just what was Alvin Kamara looking to achieve by exiting New Orleans Saints minicamp early last week? ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that it’s the opening salvo in what may turn into a messy summer of contract talks as Kamara looks for more assurances that his future in football remains in New Orleans.

Fowler shared what he’s hearing on Kamara during an appearance on ESPN SportsCenter.

“I can confirm he missed the final day of minicamp, and that was contract-related,” Fowler said. “He’s got two years left on his deal, he’s due $11.8 million this year. The problem is next year he’s due $25 million non-guaranteed, the Saints, there’s no way that they are going pay that. I’m told Kamara is open to doing a reworked two-year deal, strengthen his guarantees in Year 1 (2025). They’ve talked about it. So far, not a lot of momentum. We’ll see if something shakes out, but he could be a threat to miss training camp if they don’t get something done before late July.”

That’s a bold threat, if Kamara is indeed committed to a training camp holdout. Under the new collective bargaining agreement — Article 42, Section 1(b)(vi) — veteran players under contract are subject to a mandatory fine of $50,000 per day they remain away from the team during training camp. For context, Kamara received weekly game checks of about $63,000 in salary last season.

Training camp includes 21 practice dates, so if he holds out the entire time that’s potentially $1.05 million lost in fines. While Kamara can technically afford it, having earned more than $43 million in his contracts with the Saints alone (to say nothing of endorsements), effectively losing a year’s salary isn’t appealing. And this isn’t about him wanting a higher salary, it’s about ensuring he’ll get to be a lifer and finish his playing career where it started.

The modern CBA also does not allow teams to rescind or waive those fines as in the past should both sides reach an agreement on a new contract. It’s been an effective deterrent against holdouts. Some players like Deebo Samuel and Derwin James have attempted “hold-ins” by showing up to camp each day and working out alone on the side while refusing to participate in team drills, but this approach has drawn mixed results.

Additionally, Fowler pointed to Klint Kubiak’s experience with the San Francisco 49ers last year informing his plans for Kamara, which may have helped push the running back to this crossroads: “Kamara’s got to play that Christian McCaffrey role, and McCaffrey just got paid. So that changes things. Kamara’s going to need more money.”

Kamara has spoken about how great a fit Kubiak’s offense is for him, so we’re guessing he wants to settle into it right away. He spent his spring like he usually does, training on his own in Miami while communicating with his coaches (including Kubiak) and teammates almost daily. We’ll just have to wait and see whether the threat of a holdout materializes into something serious, or if it’s even necessary. Kamara’s teammates like Jamaal Williams have publicly supported his efforts to get a new deal, but the longer this draws out, the greater a distraction it may cause. There’s room for compromise to make both sides happy. Let’s see if the Saints and Kamara can find it.

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