Tag: Jeremy Fowler

Here’s what NFL execs, coaches and players think of Chiefs LB Nick Bolton

NFL executives, coaches and players voted #Chiefs LB Nick Bolton into ESPN’s annual top-10 rankings:

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The Kansas City Chiefs have made some significant draft investments at the linebacker position in recent years.

In 2020, the team selected Mississippi State’s Willie Gay Jr. in the second round. The following year, they’d take Mizzou’s Nick Bolton, also in the second round. In 2022, they take Wisconsin’s Leo Chenal in the third round.

They’ve cast a wide net to try to find the next great Chiefs linebacker. They tried and failed a few times since their last great, Derrick Johnson, was selected in the 2005 NFL draft. Some of the latest rankings would have you believe that Bolton is on his way to becoming that next great player at the position in Kansas City.

Touchdown Wire ranked Bolton as the eighth-best linebacker in the league. Now, ESPN has followed suit in Jeremy Fowler’s annual survey of NFL executives, coaches and players regarding the NFL’s top-10 linebackers. The highest ranking Bolton received was fifth and the lowest he received was unranked after going unranked a season ago. Ultimately he landed at No. 8 with an anonymous NFC scouting source getting the featured comment.

“For me it’s the instincts,” an NFC scouting veteran told Fowler. “You see the [ability to] diagnose, the trigger and obviously play speed and physicality on contact. I think he’s going to continue his ascension as a stacked playmaker.”

The 23-year-old was considered a defensive catalyst to the team’s Super Bowl run, highlighted by his Super Bowl LVII fumble returned for a touchdown (and the one that was called back). In general, during the course of the 2022 NFL season, Bolton’s game developed. He went from a bit of a thumper as a rookie to a do-it-all linebacker with the tackle numbers (180) and splash plays (two interceptions and two sacks in the regular season) to earn him this type of recognition.

Can that type of production and the accompanying praise persist into the 2023 NFL season? Bolton seems more motivated than ever to help the defensive side of the ball earn their flowers. That desire for respect can be a powerful thing, especially for an ascendant young player.

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Latest update on extensions for Chiefs DT Chris Jones, CB L’Jarius Sneed

A new report from ESPN suggests that cap space created by extending #Chiefs DT Chris Jones could facilitate a deal with DeAndre Hopkins or lead to a L’Jarius Sneed extension.

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Kansas City Chiefs fans are counting the days until training camp and anxiously awaiting news on a Chris Jones extension.

Speaking on SportsCenter on Friday afternoon, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reiterated a lot of what is already known about an extension talks with Jones. That is to say that the Chiefs are committed to getting a deal done and aim to have it done before training camp.

What Kansas City could do with the salary cap space freed by a deal extending Jones is where things start to get interesting.

“They’re pretty committed to doing this deal,” Fowler said of the Chiefs extending Jones. “They’d like to preferably do it before training camp in late July. If they can’t maybe (the holdout) bleeds into the first few days of training camp. But they’re committed to doing it. The $28-million-dollar cap hit for Jones would at that point be greatly reduced, which would free up some money if they do want to go chase say a DeAndre Hopkins. They’ve been linked to Hopkins in the past months. And maybe the stars align here, because Hopkins as we continue to hear, has been in no major rush to sign. He’s been willing to wait. The Titans and the Patriots, still involved, so we’ll see how that shakes out.”

As long as Hopkins is still available as a free agent, he’ll continue to be connected to the Chiefs. Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes both have told media members that they’re pleased with the wide receiver room thus far, so an addition there might be a luxury rather than a necessity.

However, that’s not the only option the Chiefs have when it comes to using cap space freed in a Jones extension. Fowler mentioned the possibility of the team extending former 2020 fourth-round draft pick L’Jarius Sneed after a Jones deal gets done.

“Also, cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, considered a core piece of the Chiefs,” Fowler continued. “He’s a 2024 free agent, they could try to re-sign him after Jones.”

Sneed has been a big part of the team’s defensive success over the past three seasons and locking him into an extension early could be beneficial for Kansas City with deals for players like Nick Bolton and Creed Humphrey also on the horizon.

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Vikings want to “do right” by Dalvin Cook

Despite his future likely not with the MInnesota Vikings, they are trying to do right by running back Dalvin Cook.

In a similar vein to how the Minnesota Vikings kept outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith, they have held onto running back Dalvin Cook. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, they want to do right by him and he said son during an appearance on Sports Center.

“Dalvin Cook’s future has been sort of open-ended recently. I was told from a source that the Vikings want to do right by Dalvin Cook. Right now, they’re willing to hold on to his cap hit of around $14 million until they figure this all out.

“They want him to go to a place where he can play and be happy, whether that’s via trade, or eventual release, or even staying in Minnesota. But that’s sort of the thing they’ve been sorting through.”

Fowler, who used to be a Vikings beat writer for The Pioneer Press, has connections in the Twin Cities market and goes on to say that he “believe(s) the Vikings have been willing to listen to trade offers.”

This makes sense as to why Cook is still a member of the Vikings. While it may not make the most business sense to keep him on the roster, they didn’t earn an A+ NFLPA report card grade for being ruthless.

Report: Za’Darius Smith had two other suitors, picked Browns

After the trade that sent Za’Darius Smith to the Cleveland Browns was announced, we found out that he had more suitors.

Back in March, outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith asked to be released in a tweet. The Minnesota Vikings didn’t respond publically, instead keeping him and even let $5 million in guarantees vest. They finally traded Smith to the Cleveland Browns, but they weren’t the only option.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, there were two other suitors for Smith, but he found the opportunity to play opposite of Myles Garrett “appealing.”

When you consider the contract restructure that was done, it remains to be seen whether or not this was the best deal for the Vikings, but they got compensation in return for a player that wasn’t going to play for them next year.

Report: Vikings may cut Dalvin Cook before NFL draft

With the NFL Draft approaching, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Vikings might cut Dalvin Cook before the NFL Draft.

The Minnesota Vikings have been holding on to running back Dalvin Cook throughout the offseason, likely in hopes of finding a trade partner. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Saturday morning’s “SportsCenter,” the Vikings could cut Cook before the NFL draft.

“I’m told all options are on the table here and that he could be released closer to the draft if things don’t work out,” Fowler said. “They had talked to at least one team about a trade in the past closer to free agency, so he is certainly a name to watch.”

Holding on to Cook and then releasing him right before the draft would signal they couldn’t find a trade partner. Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was asked about Cook being on the team next year, and he kept it vague.

“Again, conversations are always ongoing with him,” Adofo-Mensah said. “We’re trying to be solutions-oriented and always trying to put the roster together within our constraints, and we’ll continue those conversations.”

Once the Vikings signed Alexander Mattison, Cook’s future looked bleak. The Vikings would save $5.89 million if they release him pre-June 1, $7.89 million if they trade him pre-June 1 and $11 million if they do either post-June 1, per Over The Cap.

ESPN insider suggests Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire on trade radar for NFL teams

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, there are some NFL teams that believe #Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire could be acquired in trade.

Could the Kansas City Chiefs be moving on from their 2020 first-round draft pick? Some teams appear to believe that the Chiefs will be listening to offers over the coming months.

Reporting on the latest free agency and trade buzz from the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler mentioned plenty about the Chiefs and their upcoming plans. The most interesting thing, however, is what he had to say about RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Some teams have running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire on their radar as a potential trade option, though I don’t believe Kansas City is actively shopping him. It could be more of a “we will listen” situation.

The belief here seems to be that the emergence of Isiah Pacheco as a true No. 1 running back in Kansas City has made Edwards-Helaire expendable. While Fowler doesn’t seem to think the team is actively shopping him, it seems like they could move from Edwards-Helaire if the offer was right.

While Edwards-Helaire has seen his share of injuries since entering the league, and despite popular opinion, he’s been a productive piece for the Chiefs. This last year alone, his six total regular season touchdowns tied with Mecole Hardman for third on the team behind only Travis Kelce and Jerick McKinnon. He’s also still only 23 years old, which could be appealing to a team looking to trade for the former LSU star.

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ESPN insider believes Adam Thielen could play elsewhere in 2023

The NFL Scouting Combine isn’t just for prospects, it’s also where we get news on what teams will do come free agency

The Minnesota Vikings currently have a lot of decisions to make over the next few weeks. They currently sit $24 million over the salary cap and have a lot of high-priced veterans that they need to make decisions on.

Reporting from the NFL Scouting Combine, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler mentioned three veterans that the Vikings could move on from: wide receiver Adam Thielen, safety Harrison Smith and linebacker Eric Kendricks.

Of those three, Thielen was mentioned as a contract that “must be reworked.”

Watch for the Minnesota Vikings to make some moves with veteran players, too. Receiver Adam Thielen’s $20 million cap hit must be reworked, and it wouldn’t surprise if talks resulted in a fresh start. His role in the offense could be an issue after Thielen averaged 6.4 targets per game, down from 7.3 in 2021. He believes he has more to offer than that, and Minnesota very well could enter the receiver market in free agency or via trade. Safety Harrison Smith ($19.1 million) and linebacker Eric Kendricks ($11.4 million) are veterans to watch, as well. The Vikings could ask them to restructure their contracts or take pay cuts. The sense here is Smith stays on, even if it’s at a reworked salary.

Thielen wanting more of a role shouldn’t be much of a surprise. He became the third option at best once T.J. Hockenson came in. Whether he stays or goes, it’s a near certainty that Thielen won’t be back at his current cap hit of nearly $20 million.

As far as Kendricks and Smith are concerned, they provide different challenges. Kendricks doesn’t have the speed to run in coverage anymore and will likely be cut to save over $9 million. Smith feels like a perfect player for Flores’ defense. Versatile, smart and uses instincts to win.

How the Vikings approach things will be interesting and really tell the story of what the 2023 team will look like.

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EDGE Jason Pierre-Paul officially signs with Ravens

The Ravens announced that EDGE Jason Pierre-Paul has officially signed with the team

The Baltimore Ravens have seen their pass rushing unit take blow after blow with injuries over the first three weeks of the 2022 season. However, they officially made yet another outside addition to their group on Monday.

Baltimore announced that EDGE Jason Pierre-Paul officially signed a one-year deal after he passed his physical. The details of the contract, as reported by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, includes a guaranteed base salary, a $150,000 signing bonus and playing time and sack incentives that can get him above $5 million in overall pay.

Pierre-Paul is entering his 13th NFL season. The veteran played his first eight seasons with the New York Giants before spending his last four seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Throughout his career, Pierre-Paul has played in 166 games, notching 603 combined tackles, 91.5 sacks, 21 forced fumbles, and 10 fumble recoveries. He can play both inside and outside on the defensive front, and will look to help Baltimore’s pass rush over the course of the year.

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Ravens S Marcus Williams named as top-10 player at position by NFL peers

Ravens safety Marcus Williams was named as a top-10 player at his position by NFL peers

The Baltimore Ravens secondary has been viewed as one of the best in the NFL, especially after the additions they’ve made during the 2022 offseason. With players such as safeties Marcus Williams, Chuck Clark and first-round draft pick in Kyle Hamilton as well as cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey, the group appears to be one that could cause a lot of disruption for opposing quarterbacks in 2022.

In an article posted by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he listed the NFL’s top 10 safeties for 2022 as voted on by executives, coaches and players. Coming in on the list at No. 8 was Williams, and when explaining why the safety was on the list, Fowler said that his ability to generate turnovers was the main reason, while also stating his ability at tackling could of caused him to drop in the rankings.

“And, so, as the voting went, those who like Williams really like him. Those who don’t, especially tackling purists, have no problem leaving him off the ballot. His 74 tackles last season (with the Saints) tied for 49th among defensive backs. But his ball production — 15 interceptions and 38 pass deflections since 2017 — is undeniable.”

The Ravens signed Williams in free agency, awarding the safety with a five-year, $70 million contract in hopes of having a potential Pro Bowl caliber player at the position. He adds to a deep secondary group, and should be able to make an instant impact in the back end of Baltimore’s defense

Williams spent the first five years of his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints, totaling 320 combined tackles, 15 interceptions, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one touchdown and one sack in 76 games played.

Where Lane Johnson landed in an ESPN ranking of the NFL’s top 10 offensive tackles for 2022

Where Philadelphia Eagles’ bookends Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata landed in an ESPN ranking of the NFL’s top offensive tackles for 2022

The Eagles have one of the NFL’s top offensive lines, and that ranking is buoyed by two bookend tackles that could be All-Pro in 2022.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has released his annual top 10 list for all the positions, and Philadelphia had two players get recognized, with Lane Johnson returning to elite status.

Johnson is No. 7 on the list, landing behind Laremy Tunsil (Texans), who was No. 6 on the list.

Johnson surged back into the top 10 after injuries wrecked his 2020 campaign. His 94.9% pass block win rate was second best among offensive tackles, and he was solid against the run (76.2% run block win rate, 17th at the position). All of this was good enough for an All-Pro second-team honor.

Jordan Mailata made the honorable mentions list after landing at No. 4 in the NFL in run block win rate (78.9%) among tackles.

Trent Williams (49ers) was No. 1 on the list, followed by Tristan Wirfs (Buccaneers), David Bakhtiari (Packers), Rashawn Slater (Chargers), and Tyron Smith (Cowboys).

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