Tag: meeting

Report: Fan favorite TE meeting with Chiefs on Thursday

According to Nate Taylor of The Athletic, fan favorite TE Jody Fortson met with the #Chiefs on Thursday.

The Kansas City Chiefs may be looking to bring in another tight end after Travis Kelce’s slow start in the 2024 regular season.

On Thursday, Nate Taylor of The Athletic reported that tight end Jody Fortson, a fan favorite in Kansas City, was at the Chiefs’ facilities.

Though Taylor didn’t indicate whether the team intended to sign Fortson, who has been part of all three of Kansas City’s Super Bowl rosters in the Patrick Mahomes era, his meeting with the Chiefs could indicate Brett Veach’s desire to add a big-bodied pass-catcher to Andy Reid’s offense.

Fortson signed with the Miami Dolphins earlier this year but has been a free agent since he was released on August 25.

https://twitter.com/ByNateTaylor/status/1839346956600242442

Fortson’s meeting with Kansas City isn’t less likely to be a product of concern about Kelce but, rather, a sign that the Chiefs are seeking to sign a red zone threat who can help Mahomes finish drives with touchdowns.

Report: Cowboys meeting with WR Zay Jones

From @ToddBrock24f7: Jones is a seven-year veteran in the league. The former 2nd-round draft pick torched the Cowboys in a Week 15 game in the 2022 season.

The Cowboys may be looking to make a late free-agency add to an already-crowded wide receiver room.

The team is meeting with seven-year veteran Zay Jones on Wednesday, per a report from Jordan Schultz. The former second-round draft pick spent the last two seasons with the Jaguars and has already met with the Titans and Cardinals recently.

Jones, 29, came highly touted out of East Carolina in the 2017 draft, going to Buffalo with the 37th overall pick. After 36 game appearances, the Bills traded him to the Raiders midway through the 2019 campaign.

Cowboys fans will no doubt recall Jones’s electric performance in 2022’s Week 15 visit to Jacksonville. Born in Dallas, Jones torched his hometown Cowboys for 109 yards on six catches, taking three of them to the end zone in a Jaguars overtime win.

There is another Cowboys connection. Jones’s father Robert was a first-round draft pick of the Cowboys in 1992; he played linebacker for Dallas and was a part of all three Super Bowl wins that decade.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Following the departure of Michael Gallup, the Cowboys currently have an opening in the WR3 role behind CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. Third-year man Jalen Tolbert, speedster KaVontae Turpin, veteran Martavis Bryant, and six other wide receivers are expected to compete for the job in camp this summer.

Jones has 104 regular-season game appearances on his NFL résumé, with 67 starts. He’s amassed 287 receptions for 3,028 yards and 18 touchdowns.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[mm-video type=video id=01hxaxsm35385ypcagkj playlist_id=01eqbwens7sctqdrqg player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01hxaxsm35385ypcagkj/01hxaxsm35385ypcagkj-adfa7e134de96d57602819104fea8a85.jpg]

[lawrence-newsletter]

Saints hosted Penn State pass rusher Chop Robinson for pre-draft visit

Add Chop Robinson to the list of prospects meeting the Saints before the 2024 NFL draft. The Penn State pass rusher already visited New Orleans:

One of the New Orleans Saints’ pre-draft visits almost slipped under the radar. Penn State pass rusher Demeioun “Chop” Robinson told the Daily Collegian’s Sam Woloson that he visited the Saints the week before the school’s March 15 pro day; the same week in which the team met with Northern Iowa defensive tackle Khristian Boyd at their headquarters in Metairie. Robinson is an impressive athlete, and he can move and make plays unlike anyone else the Saints have at defensive end.

Robinson, 21, weighed in at a hair under 6-foot-3 and 254 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine, and he put up great numbers in athletic testing drills: timing the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds and clocking the short shuttle in 4.25 seconds, with a 6.94-second mark inn the three-cone drill at his pro day. He also leapt 34.5 inches vertically and 10 feet, 8 inches broad. That combined in a 9.79 Relative Athletic Score, which is well within the range that lines up with the Saints’ own in-house metrics.

He’s undersized by New Orleans’ standards, but both head coach Dennis Allen and college scouting director Jeff Ireland have expressed an eagerness to add different body types and more versatile athletes at defensive end than they’ve valued before. After tying for the fourth-fewest sacks in the NFL last season, they can’t afford to be so picky.

And Robinson could be a good get. He’s commonly projected to go in the first round, possibly as early as to the Saints at No. 14, though most mock drafts have him being picked after other players like UCLA’s Laiatu Latu and Florida State’s Jared Verse. He had 17.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in 22 games at Penn State, having started his college career at Maryland. Pro Football Focus charting credited him with 48 pressures in 2022 (12 games) and 26 of them in 2023 (10 games), when he missed time with an unspecified head injury after a bad collision against Ohio State. He’s healthy now and hoping to put his best foot forward when meeting with NFL teams like the Saints.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Former Pro Bowl LB Anthony Barr visiting Saints as a free agent

The Saints are looking to add to a depleted linebacker corps by bringing former Pro Bowl LB Anthony Barr in for a free agent visit | @ClutchWDN

The New Orleans Saints have taken quite a few hits to the linebacker corps this offseason. Firstly, they lost Kaden Elliss in free agency to the Atlanta Falcons, and then recently placed Andrew Dowell on injured reserve for the year due to a torn ACL. Demario Davis has been limited in practice with a calf injury. This has led the Saints to have somewhat of a depleted linebacker unit, which they now may be looking to fix. They have scheduled a meeting Monday with free agent linebacker Anthony Barr, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings. ESPN’s Dianna Russini first reported news of his visit.

The four-time Pro Bowler has been a consistent starting-level linebacker for his whole career, which included last season where he started in 10 of the 14 games he played in for Dallas. In that span, Barr had 58 combined tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 fumble recoveries, a pass deflection, a sack, 7 pressures, and only 3 missed tackles (4.9% missed tackle rate). In every season of his career aside from one, he has seen 600-plus snaps defensively, the one exception being 2020 where he was injured for all but two games.

While Barr has not necessarily been up to the level of his Pro Bowl-caliber years, he has been a quality starting linebacker both for Minnesota and Dallas. The Saints desperately need another veteran presence in the room, and bringing in Barr would most certainly make sense with the current roster construction. We’ll see if a deal materializes.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Chiefs had virtual pre-draft meeting with LSU LB Micah Baskerville

The #Chiefs had a virtual pre-draft visit with a productive LSU linebacker, per report.

The Kansas City Chiefs are permitted to have virtual pre-draft visits with prospects all the way up until Day 1 of the 2023 NFL draft.

According to The Draft Network’s Justin Melo, LSU LB Micah Baskerville is one of the latest players to speak with the Chiefs virtually. He also had recent calls with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Las Vegas Raiders.

Listed at 6 feet 1/2  and 221 pounds, Baskerville was a highly productive linebacker for the Tigers. He was a two-year starter with LSU, amassing 172 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 11 pass breakups and two interceptions during the past two seasons. He has the makings of a three-down linebacker in the NFL, boasting inside/outside linebacker versatility and multi-phase special teams capability.

Baskerville did not test particularly well at the combine, but his tape shows that he might be a better athlete than the testing suggests. The Chiefs have an inside track to find out more information about any defender from LSU with their defensive coordinator being Matt House. He served as linebacker coach with the Chiefs from 2019 through 2021.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=217674209]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwa53mtds520q2 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Chiefs had virtual pre-draft meeting with Charlotte WR Grant DuBose

The #Chiefs met with DuBose at the Senior Bowl, but also had a recent virtual pre-draft meeting with him.

The period during which teams can conduct top-30 visits has now come and gone, but that doesn’t mean teams won’t continue to meet with players. Virtual meetings with draft-eligible prospects can take place all the way up to the first day of the 2023 NFL draft.

According to the Draft Network’s Justin Melo, the Chiefs recently had a Zoom visit with Charlotte WR Grant DuBose. This wideout started his NCAA career at D-II Miles College, but he eventually earned a tryout opportunity with the 49ers where he’d get a chance to play as a walk-on before earning a scholarship. Fast forward to now and he’s leaving for the NFL as Charlotte’s all-time leader in receiving yards (1,624), fourth all-time in receptions (126) and third all-time in touchdowns (15).

The 21-year-old DuBose is listed at 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds and ran a 4.57s 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. He’s someone who excels at creating separation in tight spaces with his physicality and route-running capability. He’s been his quarterback’s best friend in the red zone and I suspect with his size, the same will be true at the next level.

DuBose previously met with the Chiefs at the Senior Bowl, but he also mentioned to Melo that he had recent Zoom calls with Kansas City along with the Packers, Jets and Broncos. Maintaining contact with draft drawing near typically signifies a level of interest, be it in the late rounds of the draft or as a priority undrafted free agent following it.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=217674209]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwa53mtds520q2 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Chiefs had pre-draft meeting with Michigan DT Mazi Smith

The #Chiefs have reportedly met with an athletic defensive tackle prospect from Michigan.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to do their homework on prospects ahead of the 2023 NFL draft.

According to NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport, the Chiefs are among over 20 teams to have met with or hosted Michigan DT Mazi Smith on a pre-draft visit. Smith was set to visit the Bills on Wednesday and has met with the Bears, Eagles, Cowboys, Cardinals, and Saints. Rapoport says the Chiefs and Steelers met with Smith at Michigan, presumably at their pro day on March 17.

Smith is a true nose tackle that performs best when he’s lined up head over the center. He was the No. 1 player on Bruce Feldman’s 2022 Freaks list, which is no surprise given some of the flashes that he’s put on tape. The 6-foot-3 and 300-pound defensive tackle posted an impressive workout during his pro day, including the bench press (34), vertical jump (29.5) and broad jump (107 inches). He was also a senior co-captain of the Wolverines in 2022.

A few reasons that the Chiefs might be taking a pre-draft interest in this player stem from his lack of production at the college level and his off-field issues. Over the past two seasons, he’s managed 85 total tackles, five tackles for loss and just a half sack. As flashy and impactful as some moments on tape are for Smith, he struggles to finish plays at times in the passing game.

As far as the off-field is concerned, Smith was charged with felony weapons possession during the 2022 college football season. He has said that he’s simply being honest with the teams about the situation during the pre-draft process. Kansas City had its own felony weapons possession issues with a former Michigan Wolverine this past season, so it’s understandable why they’d want to get the facts there.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=217674209]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwa53mtds520q2 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Ravens set to meet with Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba ahead of 2023 NFL draft

The Ravens are set to host Ohio State wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba for a pre-draft visit

After signing wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. over the weekend the Baltimore Ravens are looking to grow their stable of pass catchers even more in the upcoming NFL draft. The team is set to host standout Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba this week as they solidify their draft board.

Smith-Njigba was a key cog in the Buckeyes’ offense last year and is one of the most prized prospects in the 2023 draft class. His ability to make contested catches and rare athleticism have attracted the attention of scouts across the league, and some analysts have predicted that he will be the first wideout to come off the board when the annual selection meeting commences later in April.

Though their aspirations of securing his talents are certainly warranted, the Ravens will be lucky if Smith-Njigba falls far enough in the first round for Baltimore to make a play on him. Unless the team has a plan in place to trade up, Ravens fans should view this visit as nothing more than a formality for Baltimore, which is simply doing its due diligence on one of this year’s most promising wideouts.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqby9dgr2e1eyts4 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Chiefs had pre-draft meeting with Louisville OT Trevor Reid

The #Chiefs have met with one of the top athletes at the offensive tackle position in the 2023 NFL draft.

The Kansas City Chiefs appear to have their eyes on one of the top athletes at the offensive tackle position in the 2023 NFL draft class.

According to KPRC2 NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, the Chiefs were among the teams to meet with Louisville OT Trevor Reid either at his pro day or the East-West Shrine Bowl. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 311 pounds (up 14 pounds from the All-Star game), Reid posted a workout at his pro day that would have reached several top marks at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. He posted a 4.90s 40-yard dash, a 38-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-4 broad jump and 25 repetitions of 225 on the bench press.

Reid started just 25 games for the Cardinals during the course of his career, with the vast majority of his snaps coming at left tackle. He is coming off of a season where he allowed just 13 pressures, but three of those pressures were sacks on the quarterback. He’s traditionally been a better pass blocker than a run blocker, but he moves quite well in space.

Reid clearly has a lot of the tools and athletic skills necessary for success at the NFL level, but he’s got some work to do in order to ensure that success. A team like Kansas City would likely view him as competition at the right tackle position for Lucas Niang with the potential to develop into a starter or swing tackle.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=217674209]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwa53mtds520q2 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Saints host former LSU, Raiders tight end Foster Moreau on a free agent visit

The Saints hosted former LSU and Raiders tight end Foster Moreau on a free agent visit, per ESPN’s Field Yates. He previously met with the Bengals:

We’ll be filing this one under “Made too much to not happen.” The New Orleans Saints made contact with former LSU Tigers and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Foster Moreau on Saturday, who made a formal free agent visit to the team facility in Metairie per ESPN’s Field Yates. Saints college scouting director Jeff Ireland was a fan of his coming out of Baton Rouge, and Moreau was a favorite target of Derek Carr with the Raiders — he averaged 2.6 and 3.6 targets per game the last two years.

This doesn’t mean that a signing is imminent, but it would make a lot of sense. Moreau is a competent blocker who could push Adam Trautman down into a role more focused on what he does best (paving the way on run plays) while complementing Juwan Johnson as the lead tight end. Having Johnson handle the lion’s share of receiving duties while Moreau chips in as both a receiver and blocker, being more of an all-around player, could be a nice addition to the offense.

We’ll see if anything develops on this front. Moreau previously met with the Cincinnati Bengals and his free agent tour may not be over yet. The Saints positioned well to make a competitive offer with more than $16 million in salary cap space, but the role envisioned for him needs to match what they’re willing to invest in the position after inking Johnson to a two-year extension.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[stnvideo key=”KwW5ObpEgJ-2619169-7618″ type=”float”]