The Jets got a productive edge rusher in Florida defensive end Jabari Zuniga.
The Jets needed help rushing the passer, and Florida defensive Jabari Zuniga should deliver that to Gregg Williams’ defense from the edge.
The 6-foot-4, 246-pound Zuniga had three sacks in 2019 after missing all but five games due to an ankle injury. For his career, he tallied 18.5 sacks, 116 combined tackles and 33 tackles for a loss. He’s fast off the snap and can get the jump on a lineman before pouncing on the quarterback.
Zuniga is a great addition to the Jets’ defensive front because he can line up all over the line like the rest of the members of that unit. Though he typically lined up as a defensive end for the Gators, he can play in B-gap packages between the offensive guards and tackles and also outside linebacker in a 3-4 defensive scheme. Gregg Williams should have a lot of fun shifting around Zuniga, 2019 first-round pick Quinnen Williams and the rest of the defensive line to confuse opposing offensive lineman.
The issue with Zuniga is his aggressiveness when engaged with blockers. He also appears predictable with his rushes at times. His usage might be capped early on with the Jets, especially considering the depth in front of him.
Expect Zuniga to play sparingly to start for the Jets but see time in certain sub-packages where he’ll easily win matchups. He’s incredibly athletic and productive, so the potential and opportunity is certainly there for Zuniga to excel for the Jets.
With only seven days remaining to the 2020 NFL Draft it has become evidently clear where the problem areas are on this Dallas Cowboys roste
With only a few days remaining before the 2020 NFL Draft it has become clear where the problem areas are on this Dallas Cowboys roster. Cornerback, wide receiver, and after losing Robert Quinn, pass rusher may have shot to the top of priority list.
This Cowboys roster doesn’t offer much when it comes to a consistent edge pressure outside of DeMarcus Lawrence, but there is some hope they can get Randy Gregory and newly-acquired Aldon Smith reinstated, but whether they can get peak performance out of either is a longshot. There are developmental guys like Dorance Armstrong, Joe Jackson, and Jalen Jelks; inexperienced and underdeveloped. Tyrone Crawford will likely start at right end but is returning from hip surgery and could be a release candidate if the right fit comes along. While this draft class lacks elite pass rushers outside of Ohio State’s Chase Young, there are high-upside, intriguing prospects who can be valuable to a rotation. We take a look at some of the prospects the Cowboys could target and how they fit.
K’lavon Chassion, DE/OLB, LSU
The 6-foot-3, 254 pound Chassion is a long framed, flexible rusher who can play both with his hand in the ground and in a two-point stance. Chassion’s upside is off the charts matching his athletic profile with his performance towards the end of the season.
Chassion has excellent get off and speed to stress offensive tackles, along with the ability to bend and flatten around the edge. He has a very active motor and is a relentless rusher. Though undersized, he plays with some power and sets a good edge versus the run. Chaisson’s versatile to drop in underneath coverage and play with some awareness. His feel is another trait defensive coordinators have fallen in love with.
He works well when he is involved in games often generating pressure by staying tight to the twist and attacking openings with speed and quickness.
Chassion has a lack of production throughout his career- as he has only recorded 9.5 sacks within two seasons. Chassion finished his redshirt sophomore season with 60 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and one forced fumble.
He would help the team transition to a more multiple defense because of his pure athleticism something Mike Nolan has stated he will do this season.
Possessing an impressive diversity of moldable pass-rushing ingredients and moves, Chaisson has begun putting the recipe together to become a game-altering pass rusher. While some long-limbed rushers lack the bend and leverage to maximize their length, his fluidity and agility allow him to dip, corner, change direction and close in tight quarters or with extended range. He’s not a physical run defender and might be a liability early in his career against power. Chaisson’s stock has gained momentum with his surging performance matching the elite athletic qualities. It adds up to an increasingly confident projection as an impact pass-rusher with Pro-Bowl potential.
K’Lavon Chaisson is a dynamic threat off the edge — he possesses elite versatility, explosiveness and a prototypical build to play a hybrid EDGE. Chaisson is still developing as a pass rusher but his effectiveness in speed rushes and inside stunts will afford him a pathway to early disruption. Chaisson is a high end run defender with length and heavy hands — a true natural in that regard. The sky is the limit. Chaisson, with more rush versatility, can be a cornerstone defender.
Chaisson is a valuable commodity because he is a lightning-fast edge rusher and twitchy athlete. He is quick off the ball, possessing a fast first-step. He has a burst to run around the corner and a second gear to close on the quarterback. On top of being a pure speed rusher, Chaisson has an impressive arsenal of pass-rushing moves. With his wicked spin move, Chaisson is able to get back to the inside, and his loose hips allow him to dip underneath offensive tackles while getting turned to the quarterback. Chaisson has active hands and is able to use them at the same time as his feet. With his dynamic skill set with rare speed off the edge, Chaisson has the potential to be a double-digit sack-producing pass-rusher in the NFL.
“I feel pretty excited about what we have,” Broncos linebacker Von Miller said. “It’s going to be exciting.”
After acquiring defensive lineman Jurrell Casey in a trade with the Titans, the Broncos have a projected starting front seven of Von Miller, Todd Davis, Alexander Johnson, Bradley Chubb, Casey, Mike Purcell and Shelby Harris.
Denver will undoubtedly add more depth and competition through the draft but Miller is excited about the roster even before the draft.
“It’ll be incredible [to have Casey],” Miller said during a conference call with reporters on Apri 6. “I’m looking forward to it. He’s a great player, five-time Pro Bowler. I’ve been around him at the Pro Bowl several times . . . . I’m just super excited to have a guy like that on my team where I can rush with him.
“We can do all sorts of things together. He can rush with me, rush with Chubb. We get Shelby back. We get DeMarcus Walker. We’re going to get Dre’Mont Jones back as well. I feel pretty excited about what we have. It’s going to be exciting.”
Chubb was injured for most of last season and teams gave extra attention to Miller, who had a down year. With Chubb now healthy again and Casey added to the rotation, teams won’t be able to focus on Miller so much.
That should allow Denver’s defense to generate plenty of pressure.
“They’re going to push the quarterback into the pocket and make the job easy,” Broncos defender Jurrell Casey said of Miller and Chubb.
Broncos defensive lineman Jurrell Casey totaled 51 sacks during his nine years with the Titans. In Denver, he will now team up with Von Miller and Bradley Chubb to give the Broncos three feared pass rushers.
Casey is an interior pass rusher and Miller and Chubb are outside edge defenders. If opposing teams focus on Miller and Chubb, it will make Casey’s job a lot easier.
“Those guys are amazing pass rushers,” Casey said during a conference call with reporters on March 19. “To see how those guys play, the effort that they give every game, the tenacity . . . those guys are great. What else can a guy like me who loves the pass rush and getting after the quarterback ask for but have two great edge rushers who can collapse the pocket and make the job a lot easier for me where I don’t have to push a hundred guys backward and push them too far?
“They’re going to push the quarterback into the pocket and make the job easy. Nobody can complain about that right.”
In 2018, when all three players were healthy, Casey, Miller and Chubb combined to total 33.5 sacks. Denver fans would love to see that kind of production from the three defenders this season.
The Seattle Seahawks bolster their pass rush in Touchdown Wire’s mock draft 4.0 but selecting Penn State’s defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos.
The Seattle Seahawks have yet to re-sign defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and may need to look to April’s NFL draft to bolster their pass rush heading into the 2020 season.
Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield has them doing just that, selecting Penn State edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos in the first round at No. 27 overall.
“While the market for free agent edge-rusher Jadeveon Clowney remains a question, the Seahawks still will need to add to their pass rush even if he returns to the Pacific Northwest,” Schofield writes. “Last year, even with Clowney in the fold, the Seahawks generated more pressure than just one NFL team: the Miami Dolphins. Whether Clowney is back or not, they need another pass-rusher.”
“Yetur Gross-Matos gets them that player,” Schofield continues. “He might be raw, but his length, size and pass-rushing moves make him a very interesting option for Seattle. Watching him on film, you do see that some of his best work comes when he is kicked inside, but with Bruce Irvin returning to Seattle and potentially Clowney as well, Pete Carroll could conceivably use him inside and get him favorable matchups to start his career. Even with some of these questions about his game, Gross-Matos tallied nine sacks, five quarterback hits and 22 QB hurries. Seattle would like that kind of production out of someone not named Clowney next season.”
The NFL draft is set to go on as scheduled despite the coronavirus pandemic and if Clowney and the Seahawks aren’t able to reach an agreement soon, Seattle may have to take an even closer look Gross-Matos.
The Broncos are re-signing outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu to a one-year contract.
The Denver Broncos are bringing back outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu on a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Attaochu (6-2, 252 pounds) entered the league as a first-round pick out of Georgia Tech with the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers in the 2014 NFL draft. He was productive when healthy for the Chargers but he struggled to stay on the field and L.A. opted not to re-sign him in 2018.
Attaochu then had a brief stint with the San Franciso 49ers before spending a season with the New York Jets. He went to training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs last summer but failed to make their 53-man roster.
After Bradley Chubb went down with a season-ending ACL injury last fall, the Broncos signed Attaochu in October. He dressed for 12 games last season, earning five starts. Attaochu was a serviceable edge defender, totaling 21 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
This year, Attaochu will give Denver depth as a rotational pass rusher below starters Von Miller and Chubb on the depth chart.
The Broncos will likely negotiate a potential new contract with outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu.
The Denver Broncos “have expressed interest” in bringing back edge defender Jeremiah Attaochu, according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Attaochu is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 18.
Attaochu (6-3, 252 pounds) won’t be among the marquee players signed during the first wave of free agency but he might be re-signed by Denver after the team addresses some big holes at other positions.
Attaochu entered the NFL as a second-round pick out of Georgia Tech with the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers. He was productive when healthy (totaling 10 sacks in 34 games) but struggled to stay on the field with the Chargers.
After spending his first four seasons with the Bols, Attaochu had short stints with the San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. He totaled two sacks in 11 games with the Jets in 2018 before suffering an injury.
Denver signed Attaochu last October after Bradley Chubb suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Attaochu made a big impact as a rotational outside linebacker, recording 21 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
If he can stay healthy, Attaochu would be an excellent backup edge defender for the Broncos in 2020.
Also, Jerry speaks from Indy, Leighton Vander Esch’s injury, David Irving’s possible return, elite pass rushers, and a pumped-up punter.
Questions about if and when the current CBA’s tag structure will change have kickstarted talks between the Cowboys and two of their high-profile free agents. But Jerry Jones still found an hour-plus to spill the tea on a variety of topics- including his recent shower thoughts- to the media assembled in Indianapolis. Mike McCarthy also held court at the combine and provided a sneak peek at what the 2020 Cowboys may look like.
All that plus news on Leighton Vander Esch’s injury recovery, David Irving’s possible reinstatement, and Dak Prescott’s self-appointed advisory committee. There’s also linkage to elite pass rushing options, the Great Dallas Interception Drought, the ratings bonanza that is America’s Team… and a punter showing off his guns. Here’s the News and Notes.
Now that the Cowboys know that using a transition tag on Amari Cooper will likely only result in them having to rescind it if a new collective bargaining agreement is approved, contract talks with wideout Amari Cooper’s camp have taken on a new sense of urgency. The two sides met Thursday evening in Indianapolis; a Byron Jones conversation is also on the immediate itinerary.
In a wide-ranging 80-minute sit-down aboard the team bus, the big boss dished on Byron Jones’s status, Jason Witten’s future, Robert Quinn’s “real deal”-ness, Dak Prescott’s familial standing with him and Jimmy Johnson in the Ring of Honor.
One notable thing the Cowboys defense has lacked is turnovers. It’s a mystery that has seemed to plague this unit for years, and one that needs to change in 2020.
Last season’s 8-8 record notwithstanding, the Cowboys are anything but mediocre in the Nielsen numbers. One industry insider theorizes that a Super Bowl appearance would be an absolute record-breaker.
Why are the Cowboys called "America's Team?"
Because in 2019, 32% of the 25 highest rated TV Programs in America featured The Dallas Cowboys.
They're what America cares about.
— The Big D Rusty Shackleford アダム (@TwoBitWhackJob) February 25, 2020
The Arizona State punter, who recently made a list of punters the Cowboys should consider drafting, may have improved his stock Thursday night when he absolutely smoked the 225-pound bench press in Indianapolis. Michael Turk’s 25 reps were better than all 33 wide receivers and all but one tight end who participated.
The Seahawks could select another defensive end in this year’s draft and should keep an eye on Penn State’s Yetur Gross-Matos at the combine.
The Seattle Seahawks, along with the rest of the teams in the league, will be keeping a close eye on this year’s prospects at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine later this month in Indianapolis.
Always seeking to improve their pass-rushing capabilities, the Seahawks could very well look to snag another defensive end in April’s draft.
“Jadeveon Clowney is a free agent and the Ziggy Ansah experiment did not work,” writes Casserly. “The success of Seattle’s defense starts with having a good pass rush. The athletic Gross-Matos is a playmaker, as evidenced by his 17.5 sacks and 35 tackles for loss as a two-year starter at Penn State.”
While Ansah and his injuries might have been a disappointment for Seattle, Clowney potentially signing a contract extension isn’t outside of the realm of possibility.
The combine kicks off Sunday, Feb. 23, so be sure and follow our complete coverage here at Seahawks Wire.
John Pagano has been named the Broncos’ new outside linebackers coach.
The Broncos have hired John Pagano as their new outside linebackers coach, Denver head coach Vic Fangio announced Thursday. Pagano coached under Fangio for three seasons as a defensive assistant with the Colts from 1999-2001 (Fangio was the Colts’ defensive coordinator at the time).
John is the younger brother of Chuck Pagano, who interviewed for the Broncos’ head coach position last year. Chuck now serves as the Bears’ defensive coordinator. The brothers grew up in Boulder, Colorado.
Pagano has 25 years of coaching experience in the NFL, including two stints as a defensive coordinator (Raiders, 2017 and Chargers, 2012-2016). He most recently served as the Texans’ senior defensive assistant and outside linebackers coach from 2018-2019.
Pagano will be responsible for coaching up Broncos superstar outside linebackers Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. When they were both healthy and played in all 16 games in 2018, Miller and Chubb combined to record 26.5 sacks and forced six fumbles.
Pagano is replacing former Broncos OLBs coach Brandon Staley, who left the team to become the Rams’ defensive coordinator earlier this year.
