Tag: NFL

Raiders LB Tommy Eichenberg named Day 3 steal by NFL Media

Raiders LB Tommy Eichenberg named Day 3 steal by NFL Media

One of the best value picks for the Raiders during the 2024 NFL Draft was the selection of Tommy Eichenberg in Round 5. The Raiders needed to get bigger and tougher on defense and the selection of Eichenberg will allow them to do that.

But what will his role be as a rookie in Las Vegas? In a recent article by Chad Reuter of NFL Media, he wrote about the selection of Eichneberg and why he believes that he could start right away for Las Vegas.

Here is a snippet of his thoughts on the former Ohio State linebacker:

The Raiders found a potential starting middle linebacker in Eichenberg. The former Buckeye probably won’t play in obvious passing situations, but if the offense tries to bully lighter boxes, Las Vegas might want to counter by playing an extra run-stopper like Eichenberg alongside returning starters Divine Deablo and Robert Spillane.

Spillane and Deablo will open the season as the starting linebackers, but there is a chance that Eichenberg could see the field early. He is a better run defender than Deablo and is a much more reliable tackler. Eichenberger doesn’t have the same range or athleticism, but his instincts and power in the run game are far superior.

It’ll be fascinating to see how the linebacker rotation plays out this year, but the Raiders now have three quality linebackers that they can roll out depending on the opponent. Expect Eichenberg to see the field early and often in 2024.

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Raiders flipped a coin to draft Brock Bowers in first round, per cornerback they didn’t select

He probably just means it was a tough call, but with the Raiders you never know.

The Las Vegas Raiders did something no team had done for nearly five decades at the 2024 NFL Draft. They used top 40 draft picks on tight ends in back-to-back years.

The Raiders bolstered their offense by drafting Georgia star Brock Bowers with the 13th pick of the first round, just one year after taking Notre Dame stud Michael Mayer with their first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. It was a curious decision — one that came down to a coin toss if they player they didn’t select is telling it right.

Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold would have filled a hole in the Las Vegas secondary. Instead, he and the rest of 2024’s defensive back class languished on an offense-heavy board, falling to the 24th pick before the Detroit Lions traded up to land him. But Arnold said there was a 50-50 chance he’d be headed to Nevada instead of Michigan.

“Actually the Raiders coach, they called me after the draft, and they were like, ‘We actually had a coin toss between you and Brock Bowers. It landed on him.’ I was like, ‘Oh wow,'” Arnold said on The Next Round podcast. Of course, that’s just a figure of speech, but when general manager Tom Telesco was asked about Arnold’s account, he could neither confirm nor deny it.

In the end, Detroit got the cornerback help it desperately needs. Las Vegas added a dynamic playmaker who can boost Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell or whomever is taking snaps for the team next season. Only time will tell whether the Raiders regret their coin flip decision — even if no coin was actually used in the process.

Blake Corum shared an awesome throwback photo in a Rams uniform at age 6

Blake Corum played for the Rams when he was 6 years old and he has the photo to prove it

The Los Angeles Rams selected Michigan running back Blake Corum at No. 83 overall in the third round, adding another dynamic playmaker to go alongside Kyren Williams. Corum has yet to suit up in a Rams uniform, but he’s worn the team’s logo before.

Corum said after the draft that the first team he played for in youth football was the Rams, and now he has the photo to prove it. On Wednesday, Corum shared an awesome throwback photo of himself on a magazine cover wearing a Rams uniform while playing peewee football in the D.C. area.

His helmet featured the old-school Rams logo, and based on the cover of the magazine, Corum played linebacker back then.

“No one can escape LB Blake Corum,” the cover read.

The Rams are excited to have Corum in the mix next to Williams and given Sean McVay’s scheme on offense, he’s a perfect fit as the No. 2 running back. After a prolific career at Michigan where he scored 61 total touchdowns and a nation-leading 27 rushing touchdowns in 2023, Corum will look to keep playing at a high level in the NFL.

Former Steelers WR Allen Robinson signs with Giants

The New York Giants have signed former Steelers WR Allen Robinson.

Last offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers brought in wide receiver Allen Robinson to be an experienced veteran presence in the locker room and add another weapon in the passing game. The plan never really came to fruition but no fault of Robinson’s and now he finds himself a free agent signing with the New York Giants.

Robinson, like the rest of the Steelers skill players suffered thanks to a nearly full season of subpar quarterback play. Robinson only caught 34 passes for 280 yards in 2023 but did provide solid run blocking on the outside.

The Steelers have spent much of the offseason trying to rebuild the wide receiver depth chart after letting Robinson walk and trading away Diontae Johnson. The Steelers have signed multiple veterans including Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins along with most recently Scotty Miller.

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6th-round WR Tejhaun Palmer gets Greg Dortch’s old number

Palmer wore No. 19 in college but will start his Cardinals career wearing No. 83.

The Arizona Cardinals open rookie minicamp Thursday, so their draft picks and undrafted rookies will take the field with their first professional numbers.

Wide receiver Tejhaun Palmer, the Cardinals’ sixth-round selection out of UAB, will wear a number familiar to fans but different than his college number.

He will wear No. 83.

Palmer wore No. 19 in college at UAB. That was not available because Dan Chisena wears it.

The last three seasons, No. 83 was receiver Greg Dortch, who changed  his number to No. 4 after Rondale Moore, who wore No. 4 previously, was traded to the Atlanta Falcons.

Palmer might not keep 83, depending on what happens on the roster. If he makes the team and Chisena does not, that would free up No. 19. But that is a change that wouldn’t happen until September probably.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

OL Christian Jones, drafted in Round 5, gets new number for Cardinals

Jones, drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round, wore No. 70 in college but starts his NFL career with No. 75.

The Arizona Cardinals’ rookie class, both drafted and undrafted, will take the field Thursday in their professional numbers for the first time with the start of rookie minicamp.

For tackle Christian Jones, selected by the Cardinals in the fifth round out of Texas, it means a new number.

While the team has not announced it, Jones will wear No. 75.

Jones wore No. 70 while playing collegiately for Texas, but that belongs to tackle Paris Johnson, Arizona’s first-round pick last year.

No. 75 will be remembered by most recent Cardinals fans for belonging to both Leonard Davis and Levi Brown, first-round picks who didn’t play as well as fans hoped. It also belonged to Lomas Brown in the late 90s.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Cardinals rookie LB Xavier Thomas gets very different number than in college

Thomas wore No. 3 while at Clemson. He will wear No. 54 as a rookie for the Cardinals.

The Arizona Cardinals open rookie minicamp Thursday, giving their draft picks and rookie free agents the first opportunity to wear their professional numbers. The players’ numbers have not been announced yet but they have been given.

One player who will have to wear a very different number than he had in college is linebacker Xavier Thomas, selected in the fifth round out of Clemson.

Thomas wore No. 3 in college, which belongs to Cardinals safety Budda Baker.

Thomas will instead get a very traditional linebacker number — No. 54.

No. 54 has either been a linebacker or an offensive lineman but it has not been a notable number for the Cardinals in years. Linebacker Gerald Hayes wore it from 2003-2010 and center Aaron Graham had it from 1996-1999.

But from 1971-1988, it was important as four-time Pro Bowl center Tom Banks wore it and then it belonged to two-time Pro Bowl linebacker E.J. Junior.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Rams legend Jim Everett is all-in on Steve Avila’s move to center

In an exclusive interview with Rams Wire, Jim Everett discusses Steve Avila’s move to center and why it’s one that will help LA beat the 49ers

It is never an easy thing to change positions, especially on the offensive line. For Rams lineman Steve Avila, his second season in the NFL begins with a new and daunting challenge.

Avila starred at left guard during his rookie year, establishing himself as an anchor for the Sean McVay offense for years to come. A member of the PFWA All-Rookie team, Avila was also an All-American at TCU during his senior season.

However, in 2024, Avila is being moved to center, a position he hasn’t played since his junior year in college. I had the pleasure of speaking with Rams legend Jim Everett over the weekend about Avila and what he sees in the young lineman, and Everett is all-in on the move.

“Honestly, we haven’t had a power center since McVay has been here. Very creative but the interior of this line is exactly what you have to be like to beat the Niners,” Everett told Rams Wire.

Everett’s view of building a strong interior offensive line is shared by the Rams, who re-signed Kevin Dotson and brought in Jonah Jackson to flank Avila.

Of course, the transition to center has its physical challenges, but it also comes with a whole new set of mental obstacles, as well. Not only will Avila be responsible for calling the checks on the line and pointing out assignments and protections, but he will also need to develop a deeper relationship with Matthew Stafford.

I asked Everett, “As a quarterback in the NFL, could you provide some insight into what the process looks like for Matthew Stafford and Steve Avila in building that QB-center relationship?”

Everett’s response was one of confidence.

“It’s a special relationship but Steve’s a natural and while it’s totally expected to have a few hiccups, they’ll do fine together,” he said.

Only time will tell if Everett’s words come true but based on Avila’s play and the experienced players around him, it seems like the former Rams quarterback is right on the money with his expectations.

Rookie S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson to wear No. 42

The Cardinals’ fourth-round pick wore No. 1 at Texas Tech. His first professional number is 42.

The Arizona Cardinals open rookie minicamp on Thursday and their draft picks and other rookies will wear their professional numbers for the first time. As of Wednesday, the team had not announced the rookies’ uniform numbers but they were revealed.

The Cardinals’ fourth-round pick, safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson will wear No. 42.

He did not wear No. 42 in college for Texas Tech. He wore No. 1, which is not available because it belongs to quarterback Kyler Murray.

Devon Kennard wore No. 42 for three seasons and Dennis Gardeck did in 2019.

The most notable player to wear it was a safety like Taylor-Demerson. It belonged to Kwamie Lassiter from 1995-2002.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Ranking the top 32 running backs in the league after the 2024 NFL draft

Here’s how we rank the top 32 running backs in the league, including a few rookie we expect to be starting no later than season’s end.

Don’t look now but running backs are making a comeback. This past free agency period is evidence of that, as several high-end backs got serious pay-days from their new teams, including Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley. You certainly don’t need to tell the Seahawks that an effective rushing attack can still win you games – as their failures to stop the run were a big reason they lost several close ones over the last two years.

The proliferation of two-high safety shells and defenses generally doing all they can to take away home run balls isn’t going away anytime soon, so let’s take stock and see who the best in the game are at this position. Seattle has at least one strong candidate here. However, as you will see, several teams are far, far more loaded than others in this department, including the Dolphins, Lions and Falcons.

Here’s how we rank the top 32 running backs in the league, including a few rookies we expect to be making an impact no later than season’s end.

Ranking the top 50 quarterbacks in the NFL after the draft