Tag: orlando brown jr

Oklahoma Sooners on the move in NFL free agency

Several Oklahoma Sooners on the move in the first week of NFL Free Agency.

Oklahoma recently sent seven Sooners to the NFL Scouting Combine to participate in the most extensive interviews of their lives. They hope to hear their names called at the end of April in the 2023 NFL draft.

While their careers are just getting started, Oklahoma’s representation in the NFL is rich. Several Sooners have established solid reputations but had interesting decisions to make early in the NFL free agency cycle.

We’ve taken the liberty and rounded up all the news about current Oklahoma Sooners and their situations with regard to free agency and new deals this offseason so far.

Quartet of former Sooners head to Super Bowl with Kansas City Chiefs

Four more former Sooners are headed to Glendale for the Super Bowl after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship

Just mere hours after Lane Johnson and Jalen Hurts punched their ticket to Glendale for the Super Bowl, former Sooners Blake Bell, Creed Humphrey,  Orlando Brown Jr., and James Winchester will be headed to the big game as well with the Kansas City Chiefs.

It was tough sledding for the duo of Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine against a stout Chiefs defense. The two were held to 41 yards on 13 carries. Perine did get into the end zone on a goalline carry, where he powered through the Chiefs’ front to tie the game at 20 a piece.

While there were some unfortunate officiating moments during the AFC Championship, a matchup between the Chiefs and Eagles promises to be a good one. Jalen Hurts is looking to put a stamp on what has been a phenomenal season, and Patrick Mahomes is trying to gain some ground in the greatest of all-time debate.

Both Hurts and Mahomes are MVP and Offensive Player of the Year finalists. The winner of both awards will be announced before the Super Bowl at the NFL Honors ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. CT. The awards show can be seen on NBC, streaming on Peacock, and on NFL Network.

As it stands, there are six former Sooners on active rosters of the remaining two teams. OU fans will have more than a few faces to root for in Glendale in two weeks.

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Ranking the AFC West offensive tackle duos

Ranking the AFC West offensive tackle duos

Offenses rely heavily on the pass protectors in order to be able to execute their plays. If the edge rushers get into the backfield, it doesn’t matter how open the receivers get, the quarterback isn’t getting the ball to them.

The common theme in the AFC West seems to be quality left tackles, with less talent at the right tackle spot. You’re only as strong as your weakest link, after all.

1. Denver Broncos

Starters: LT Garrett Bolles, RT Billy Turner

After some troubles early in his career, Bolles has become one of the best tackles in football. He was second-team All-Pro a season ago and was still among the highest-rated tackles this season. Meanwhile, Billy Turner has quietly played pretty well at right tackle, giving up just three sacks last season.

2. Kansas City Chiefs

Starters: LT Orlando Brown Jr, RT Lucas Niang

Brown headed to his third straight Pro Bowl last season, his first with the Chiefs since they acquired him in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens. He gave up just four sacks last season. On the other side, Niang has taken ahold of the right tackle job and performed pretty well over nine starts last season. The 2020 third-round pick gave up just two sacks from the right side.

3. Los Angeles Chargers

Starters: LT Rashawn Slater, RT Trey Pipkins

As a rookie first-round pick, Slater headed to the Pro Bowl. That says all you need to know about his talent level. There is some uncertainty on the other side, but Pipkins looked fairly good in two late-season starts — giving up no sacks — that if they decide to go with him, they could feel confident in doing so.

4. Las Vegas Raiders

Starters: LT Kolton Miller, RT Alex Leatherwood

Miller can hang with the best in the division at left tackle. There’s no question about that. But there are serious questions about the other side. Leatherwood has been lining up there throughout the offseason after playing himself out of a job four games into last season. It’s no certainty he continues to be the first-team right tackle, but the fact that he’s been lining up there so far says there aren’t any great options there.

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Terron Armstead leads NFC offensive tackles in Pro Bowl voting

Terron Armstead leads NFC offensive tackles in Pro Bowl voting

It’s about time that Terron Armstead started getting his due credit. The New Orleans Saints left tackle leads all NFC offensive tackles — on either side of the line — in Pro Bowl voting through the first two weeks, with an impressive 64,868 ballots putting him on top, per a Thursday NFL release.

That’s big enough on its own, but then you look at the other conference and realize that he’s halfway towards lapping his AFC counterpart again; Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. leads his conference with just 41,803 votes up to this point in the process. Being the best player on what’s become the league’s best offensive line has its perks.

One of those perks will be the titanic contract extension Armstead signs in the offseason, potentially with another team. But that’s something worth worrying about later on. For now, be sure to cast your vote for Armstead and his Saints teammates.

A couple of other Saints players are awful close to taking the lead at their position groups: Deonte Harris has the third-most votes among all returns specialists, while running back Alvin Kamara and defensive end Cameron Jordan are each ranked eighth among their peers.

Let’s push them over the top. Fans can vote using the hashtag #ProBowlFanVote on Twitter along with the first and last names of the player, the player’s official Twitter handle, or a hashtag including the player’s first and last name. This ends Dec. 16, and rosters will be announced live on NFL Network and ESPN Dec. 20. The 2022 Pro Bowl itself will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 6.

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Ranking the AFC West: Offensive Tackles

Ranking the AFC West: Offensive Tackles

We move from the offensive skill positions to the big fellas who do the dirty work. We start with the pass protectors who give the quarterbacks time to work and find open receivers.

1. Broncos

Starters: LT Garett Bolles, RT Bobby Massie

After a rough first couple of years, Bolles has turned into one of the best left tackles in the NFL. Last season he gave up just a half-sack in 15 starts.

Massie too was considered a middling starter for most of his career but has quietly stepped up the past few seasons as the starting right tackle in Chicago. A solid 2018 season earned him a 4-year extension,  but injuries ended his past couple of seasons.

2. Chiefs

Starters: LT Orlando Brown Jr, RT Mike Remmers

Brown comes over in a trade with the Ravens, becoming the division’s only Pro Bowl tackle. Brown has been to two Pro Bowls in three NFL seasons. The Chiefs lost former first overall pick Eric Fisher to injury and managed to replace him with a potential upgrade.

Remmers stepped in at right tackle for the injured Mitchell Schwartz last season and earned a return as the starter. In ten starts, Remmers didn’t give up a single sack.

3. Raiders

Starters: LT Kolton Miller, RT Alex Leatherwood

Miller has improved each season, playing into the level of one of the more solid left tackles in the league. He gave up a respectable two sacks in 2020 in 14 starts. His run blocking has been better, but could still use some work.

The Raiders made former Alabama left tackle Alex Leatherwood their pick at 17 overall in the draft and will put him at right tackle. Leatherwood is known as a strong run blocker but has some concerns as a pass protector. He will get his shot at right tackle to see if he can hold up.

4. Chargers

Starters: LT Rashawn Slater, RT Bryan Bulaga

Veteran Bryan Bulaga is a proven talent. Though he is coming off a down season, giving up 3.5 sacks in just ten starts. He is joined by 13th overall pick Rashawn Slater, widely considered one of the top tackles in this draft. Then again, left tackle in the pros isn’t always an immediate transition.

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Philadelphia Eagles omitted from ranking of the best offensive tackle duos in the NFL

Eagles offensive tackles snubbed in a ranking of the best OT duos in the NFL

The Eagles are entering a new day at the left tackle position and the loss of Jason Peters has been resounding so far this offseason.

Offensive tackle is almost second to quarterback in terms of importance, and the 2020 NFL Draft provided proof with five offensive tackles coming off the board over the first 18 picks of the first round.

Pro Football Focus recently listed the top-5 offensive tackle duos in the NFL and unlike past years, the Philadelphia Eagles weren’t represented on the list.

With Peters moving on in free agency, Andre Dillard has been tasked with replacing the legend. The fact that the Eagles have spent the entire offseason flirting with Peters indicates that someone in the NovaCare Complex isn’t necessarily sold on Dillard as the left tackle of the future.

The Saints duo of left tackle Terron Armstead and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk landed in the No. 1 spots, followed by the Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith and right tackle La’el Collins.

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