Tag: safety

Broncos met with safety Jaylen Key at the NFL combine

The Broncos met with Alabama safety Jaylen Key at the NFL combine. He’s projected to be a late-round pick or UDFA.

The Denver Broncos met with Alabama’s Jaylen Key at the NFL combine earlier this offseason, the safety revealed during his media availability in Indianapolis in February.

Key (6-1, 208 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds and a 10-yard split in 1.59 seconds at the combine. He spent four years at UAB before transferring to Alabama ahead of the 2023 season.

In 24 games with the Blazers, Key recorded 78 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, two pass breakups and one sack. Playing for the Crimson Tide last fall, Key totaled 60 tackles and one sack.

Key is projected to be a late-round pick or undrafted free agent this spring. The Broncos do not hold a seventh-round pick, so barring a trade into the final round, Denver is likely considering Key as a potential UDFA target.

The Broncos have a promising safety trio of P.J. Locke, Brandon Jones and Caden Sterns, but more depth wouldn’t hurt. The NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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3 of Packers’ biggest needs among lowest graded positions in draft class by PFF

Three of the bigger draft needs that the Packers have are among the lowest graded position groups in this year’s class by PFF.

Three of the more pressing needs the Green Bay Packers will likely try to address in the upcoming draft, unfortunately, happen to be the lowest graded position groups in this year’s class by PFF.

Of the 10 position groups that PFF graded, running back was the lowest, receiving a C, while linebacker and safety both received C+ grades.

With how aggressive teams were at the running back position in free agency, including the Packers, in handing out some lucrative deals, that potentially gives us some insight into what the league thinks of this year’s class.

With Josh Jacobs on the roster, the Packers have stability at the position, but AJ Dillon isn’t guaranteed a roster spot this season with his contract, and Emanuel Wilson remains a relative unknown.

The second running back on the depth chart has become an important role in the NFL, and it was the run game late in the season that helped unlock the full potential of the Packers’ offense.

At linebacker, the Packers are in need of both depth and need to determine who their strong-side linebacker is going to be when they are in their base 4-3 defense. As the roster is currently constructed, Isaiah McDuffie would probably be the middle linebacker with Quay Walker the weak-side linebacker, along with Eric Wilson there for depth.

As I wrote about recently, I’m not sure that within the Packers’ organization there is as much consternation about the linebacker position as there is on the outside.

Jeff Hafley’s defense can hopefully put Quay Walker in more consistent positions to make plays. McDuffie played his final collegiate season at Boston College under Hafley and performed well when called upon last season. Wilson, meanwhile, provides experienced depth, and although the Packers now run a 4-3 scheme, they will still spend most of their snaps in nickel with just two linebackers on the field.

The Packers found their do-it-all safety in free agency in Xavier McKinney, whose presence on the field will make everyone around him better. However, it’s also possible that McKinney’s running mate isn’t on the roster yet either, with Anthony Johnson as the next most experienced defensive player with a few hundred career snaps.

With McKinney likely playing most of his snaps as the post-safety, finding a safety who can play in the box would be a good complement. However, at both safety and linebacker, GM Brian Gutekunst doesn’t want to hyper-focus on one specific need and pigeonhole a player into a role. Versatility at both positions is going to be an emphasis for Gutekunst in the draft.

Now, having said all of that, with players like Walker, Jacobs, and McKinney, the Packers do have very strong, solid foundations at those position groups.

With five picks in the top 100, Gutekunst has the flexibility to move around if needed to find the right player. He also shouldn’t feel the need to reach for a certain player or position group either because with that many selections in the firs three rounds, along with having 11 altogether, the Packers won’t be waiting too long before they are back on the clock again.

The Packers have options going into the draft, and that is what every GM wants. However, in terms of finding some immediate impact help at any of these position groups, that still could be a challenge.

Versatility key factor for Packers in draft at LB and S

With holes still to address at linebacker and safety, versatility will be a key factor in doing so in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Versatility will be what GM Brian Gutekunst looks for most when trying to address the safety and linebacker positions in the NFL draft.

Xavier McKinney will likely see the majority of his snaps played at the free safety position this season. That specific role is a very important part of the Jeff Hafley defense, and it is also where McKinney can make the biggest impact.

When filling that specific spot, the Packers will need a box safety to complement McKinney, and right now, there isn’t an obvious option for that role on the roster.

So naturally, a player who can handle those responsibilities, like Jaden Hicks from Washington State, who has spent a lot of time lining up in the box, would be a good fit for what the Packers need in those instances.

However, what Gutekunst wants to avoid is pigeonholing a player into a specific position. While this defense needs a box safety presence, more importantly, Gutekunst wants a player who can handle a variety of responsibilities.

At the NFL Combine, Gutekunst said he wanted the two safety spots and the nickel cornerback to be “interchangeable.” And while perhaps the bulk of McKinney’s snaps will come as the post safety, where he lines up each week will be dependent upon the opponent.

So if one game calls for McKinney to play more snaps closer to the line of scrimmage, the Packers need someone who they can trust to handle free safety role.

The same concept applies to the linebacker position. Looking at the current construction of the roster, one could say that the Packers need to find strong-side linebacker for Hafley’s 4-3 defense or an upgrade at middle linebacker.

But again, filling super-specific roles is not at the top of Gutekunst’s to-do list. As he noted recently at the NFL Owners’ Meetings, injuries happen, which means players need to be able to handle different responsibilities because they could change from week to week.

On top of that, this is a nickel league, as Gutekunst has mentioned several times, where 4-3 base defenses are the subpackages. So, trying to hyper-focus on a role that will only be on the field for 20 percent of the defensive snaps isn’t the prudent move.

“Quite frankly, for me,” said Gutekunst about the linebacker position, “and I’ve talked about this a lot, you’ve got to be very careful pigeonholing guys in positions that can only do certain skill sets.

“We have so many injuries in this game that he may be the strong-side linebacker today but he may be starting at Will or Mike for five or six games, he’s got to be able to do all of that. So from a personnel man’s perspective, I want those guys as versatile as can be so that when those things do pop up we don’t have to change the way we play.”

The good news for the Packers is that with five picks in the top 100 and 11 picks in total – tied for the most in the NFL – Gutekunst has the flexibility to take a patient approach and draft the right players at linebacker and safety who check these boxes, rather than feeling like they have to address a specific need at a certain point.

However, having said that, neither the linebacker nor safety classes are all that strong, and were two of the lower graded overall position groups from PFF. This, in turn, will make finding more immediate impact help at either position more difficult.

Broncos invite safety Jayden Goodwin to their local pro day

Jayden Goodwin aims to follow in the footsteps of Ben Garland and Jordan Jackson to reach the NFL after playing for the Air Force Academy.

The Denver Broncos have invited Air Force safety Jayden Goodwin to their local pro day, according to Tanner Phifer of XPAND Sports.

Goodwin (6-1, 195 pounds) spent four years with the Falcons, totaling 154 tackles, 13 pass breakups, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and one sack.

NFL teams can host a local pro day each offseason to host prospects who played high school or college football in the club’s region.

For the Broncos, prospects are often invited from schools like Colorado, Colorado State, Wyoming, CSU Pueblo, Forts Hayes State, Colorado Mesa, Colorado School of Mines and the Air Force.

Eleven graduates from the Air Force have been drafted by NFL teams in the past, most recently including defensive lineman Jordan Jackson with the New Orleans Saints in 2022. Jackson now plays for the Broncos — the Air Force allowed him to defer his five-year military commitment until after his football career.

Denver also drafted Air Force linebacker Steve Russ in 1995 and the team signed guard Ben Garland as an undrafted free agent in 2010.

As for Goodwin, he seems unlikely to go undrafted as well. The Broncos are likely considering him as a potential college free agent signing or rookie minicamp invite. The draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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Broncos host TCU safety Nook Bradford on pre-draft visit

The Broncos brought in TCU safety Nook Bradford for a pre-draft visit last month.

The Denver Broncos hosted TCU safety Millard Bradford on a pre-draft visit last month, according to The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler. He goes by “Nook” Bradford.

Bradford (5-10, 191 pounds) ran a 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds at the NFL combine, the second-fastest time among safeties (Dadrion Taylor-Demerson ran it in 4.41 seconds).

Bradford spent five seasons with the Horned Frogs, earning honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition in 2023 and 2022. He totaled 231 tackles (16.5 behind the line of scrimmage), 19 pass breakups, four interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 58 games at TCU.

Despite his impressive speed, Bradford is projected to go undrafted later this month. The Broncos might be considering him as a college free agent candidate. He projects as a backup safety who could contribute on special teams as a rookie.

Denver holds eight picks in the draft, including three selections in the fifth round and a pair of six-round picks. The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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WR, CB, S listed as ESPN’s 3 biggest needs for Colts entering NFL draft

Not surprisingly, ESPN listed receiver, cornerback, and safety as the Colts’ biggest needs following free agency and heading into the draft.

Not surprisingly, ESPN’s Stephen Holder listed cornerback, safety, and receiver as the Indianapolis Colts’ top needs heading into the 2024 NFL Draft.

In the secondary, Holder notes that the Colts finished 2023 with one of the youngest defensive backfields in the NFL. In their final four games, with their playoff hopes on the line, the Colts ranked 30th in completion rate allowed, not to mention that explosive pass plays were an issue as well.

At receiver, while the Colts do have Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce, Holder mentions that another playmaker could take that unit to the next level—not to mention that giving your young quarterback another weapon is never a bad idea.

Recently, GM Chris Ballard mentioned that he does like his young cornerback room, which is made up of JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones, and Dallis Flowers, however, the opportunity to add some immediate impact help should be available in the draft.

This is considered to be a fairly deep cornerback class, with Quinyon Mitchell, Terrion Arnold, Cooper DeJean, and Nate Wiggins all potential options at pick 15. With the depth of this position group, the chance to add on Day 2 if needed should also be there.

The safety position, however, is not nearly as deep. In fact, the overall draft class received the second-lowest grade from PFF in regards to talent and depth.

There isn’t a player at this position who the Colts will draft at pick 15, meaning they will have to address it on Day 2 or Day 3. Safety is not often a position where we see players make an immediate impact, and of course, the further away a team gets from the first overall the selection, the odds of finding that level of help decreases.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea for Ballard to try to address the need in free agency, where there are still several impact players available, including Julian Blackmon.

Back to the positives for the Colts, this wide receiver class is loaded with talent. PFF graded this position group as the best overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Realistically, Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze, and Malik Nabers – the top receivers in this class – will be off the board before the Colts are on the clock, but Brian Thomas Jr. from LSU is a name that could be in play at 15th overall. If the Colts don’t address the need there, they will have plenty of other options on Day 2.

Getting Richardson back under center will help, but this is a Colts’ offense looking to generate more big passing plays this upcoming season.

Of interest to Colts, Safety draft class receives second-lowest grade from PFF

Of interest to the Colts, the safety position in this year’s draft class received the second-lowest overall grade from PFF among position groups.

Safety remains a need for the Indianapolis Colts, but finding immediate impact help in the NFL draft could be a tall task.

Recently, Pro Football Focus graded the overall depth of each position group in this year’s draft class. The safety group received a C+, which was only ahead of the running back position and tied for the second-lowest grade among all position groups with linebacker.

Here is what Sam Monson of PFF had to say about his assessment of the safety class:

“This is a solid yet unspectacular safety class. There might not be a first-round player at the position — unless a team decides Cooper DeJean will play there at the next level — but there will likely be a run on them in the second and third rounds of the draft, which tallies with the current valuation of the position overall.”

On Daniel Jeremiah’s most recent big board, he didn’t have any safeties listed among his top 50 overall prospects.

Realistically, the Colts won’t be addressing this need until the second round at the earliest–there just won’t be a player from the safety group that GM Chris Ballard will be spending the 15th pick on.

The balance for Ballard, with somewhat limited options, will be in making sure that he gets the player he likes and fits best with the Colts without reaching for a prospect. And, of course, the further a team gets from the first overall pick, statistically, the lower the chances are of that player coming in and making a quick impact.

Unless the Colts add to the safety position through free agency before the draft begins, there is going to be some urgency for them in the draft when it comes to addressing this position group.

Below, you will find the six safeties that PFF has listed in their top 100 prospects, along with that player’s overall ranking:

26. Tyler Nubin, Minnesota

48. Javon Bullard, Georgia

61. Jaden Hicks, Washington State

87. Kamren Kinchens, Miami

97. Calen Bullock, USC

When it comes to Nubin and Kinchens, specifically, it’s worth noting that Nubin posted a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 2.91 and Kinchens 1.83. For some context, over the last five drafts, the average RAS of Ballard’s draft picks has been 8.76. In the last two drafts, the average RAS has been 9.55, so it’s possible neither player is on the Colts’ board, or at least not in the early rounds of the draft.

If the Colts wanted to address the safety need in free agency, there are still a few players availabl  who are currently on PFF’s best available free agents list. This includes Justin Simmons, Julian Blackmon, Tashaun Gipson, Micah Hyde, Jayron Kearse, and Eddie Jackson.

From a salary cap perspective, the Colts do still have some flexibility when it comes to making an addition, and at this stage of free agency, none of these contracts should break the bank by any means.

As noted by Zach Hicks of Horseshoe Huddle in a recent article, it is expected that Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas will compete this summer for the starting free safety role, but the Colts are still in search of their starting strong safety. 

Last season, Cross played 292 defensive snaps, allowing just three receptions on seven targets with an interception. Thomas played nearly 1,000 defensive snaps for the Colts, allowing 12 completions on 20 targets but at 21.2 yards per catch with two pass breakups. Limiting explosive plays is an area where the Colts’ defense will have to improve this season.

Packers prefer to turn to draft to address remaining needs at safety

Even with some impact free agents still available at safety, it sounds like the Packers would prefer to address that need through the draft.

The Green Bay Packers still need to add to their safety position, but even with a few big-name free agents still available, it sounds like GM Brian Gutekunst is planning on addressing the need in the draft for now.

“Certainly, I think we’d always prefer a young guy that’s always going to have his best football ahead of him,” said Gutekunst at the NFL’s Annual Meeting. “But we will look at all options as we go forward. Certainly, with the draft coming up, which is important, we’ve had some success finding guys after the draft in the free-agent market that have fit us very well.

“I’ve spoken to you guys in the past about how this never stops, so we’ll continue to look at ways to add to our football team. Kind of keeping this year and the years to the future in mind.”

Free agency has just about come to a halt at this point, but there are still several players available at the safety position who could step in and make an immediate impact.

On PFF’s list of available free agents, Justin Simmons is listed as the best remaining player, regardless of position. Julian Blackmon is ranked ninth. Also unsigned are Tashaun Gipson, Micah Hyde, Jayron Kearse, and Rudy Ford, who makes sense to bring back.

The Packers do still have operating room when it comes to the salary cap. According to Ken Ingalls, who independently tracks the Packers’ cap situation, when factoring in incoming expenses, such as signing the draft, class, the practice squad, and having in-season reserves, among other costs, the Packers’ effective cap space is $13.57 million.

However, every deal made today has future salary cap implications. And while the Packers’ have the ability to make another fairly significant addition at safety, from the sounds of it, Gutekunst wants to see how the draft unfolds first.

“You can do whatever you’d like,” said Gutekunst when it comes to spending. “It’s just there’s going to be consequences to that, not only within this year but in future years. I feel really good about our roster right now. Our numbers are higher than they usually are going into this time.

“Certainly, we’ve got a number of players who are entering the prime of their careers, so I feel really good about it. But at the same time, if there becomes a player that fits what we are looking for, not only as a player but financially as well, then we’ll consider it. We can do that, but I do think there are ramifications to that.”

With Xavier McKinney able to provide the most value to this defense as a post-safety, adding a box safety to the mix, especially in a Jeff Hafley defense that will utilize more Cover-1, would be a nice complement to McKinney’s skill set.

But with that said, the priority for Gutekunst is going to be versatility. He mentioned at the NFL Combine that he wants the two safety positions and the nickel to be “interchangeable.”

On Daniel Jereamiah’s big board, he didn’t have any safeties ranked in his top 50 overall prospects. Below is how PFF sees the top-10 of the safety class shaking out:

25. Tyler Nubin, Minnesota
48. Javon Bullard, Georgia
61. Jaden Hicks, Washington State
87. Kamren Kinchens, Miami
97. Calen Bullock, USC
99. Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
101. Sione Vaki, Utah
117. Tykee Smith, Georgia
118. Cole Bishop, Utah
159. Beau Brade, Maryland

“I think it’s a pretty good safety class this year,” said Gutekunst. “The draft is unpredictable. It’s how these things fall, whether it comes to you, but it’s a pretty good safety class. But I don’t think going into the draft is anything you can count on just because you never know how it’s going to fall.”

As Gutekunst alluded to, depending on how the draft goes, we could see the Packers active in the free agent safety market if they feel that they need to raise the floor of the position group and add some competition with a veteran. Recent post-draft signings who came in and made an impact include De’Vondre Campbell, Dennis Kelly, and Jonathan Owens.

Even with the addition of McKinney, safety remains a top need for the Packers. The only other players on the roster are Anthony Johnson, a second-year seventh-round pick. Benny Sapp and Zayne Anders, two special teams players if on the roster, and Tyler Coyle, who was signed to a futures deal in January.

Sean Payton comments on Broncos releasing Justin Simmons

“That was difficult,” Sean Payton said of releasing Justin Simmons. “That’s the hard part of this job sometimes. It wasn’t any fun.”

Speaking at the NFL’s annual meetings in Orlando on Monday, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton had very little to say about the team’s decision to cut quarterback Russell Wilson.

“We felt it was in the best interests of our team,” Payton said of Wilson’s release. The coach had more to say about former safety Justin Simmons.

“There was a lot that went into that,” Payton said when asked about the release of Simmons, via KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Payton explained that it was a financial decision — after eating $53 million in “dead money” from the Wilson release, the team needed to save $14.5 million by cutting Simmons.

It wasn’t an easy decision.

“[I]t’s difficult especially for someone like Justin who’s really been a first-class player for the organization, someone who I know is respected highly in our league, certainly by us as coaches,” Payton said. “That was difficult. That’s the hard part of this job sometimes. It wasn’t any fun.”

After parting ways with Simmons, Denver replaced him by signing safety Brandon Jones. The Broncos now have seven safeties on the roster and their combined salary cap hits in 2024 will be less than what the team saved with Simmons’ release.

Simmons will be remembered as one of the best safeties in franchise history, but Denver had to make a business decision to stay under the salary cap.

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Here’s why you probably shouldn’t go trail running at Yellowstone National Park

Stay safe at Yellowstone.

Some national parks are perfect for runners. A few of the parks, like Grand Teton and Joshua Tree, even host 5K, half marathon, and marathon events. Yellowstone National Park also offers runners fun races to partake in. These events include races like the Yellowstone Half Marathon and 5K and the Yellowstone 50K Trail Race.

So, if there are official races like these hosted at Yellowstone, why shouldn’t you try tail running through the park? The answer is simple: wildlife. Bears, bison, wolves, and other powerful critters may view your running as a threat or as prey behavior. This isn’t just a potential danger; people have been attacked and killed by animals within Yellowstone. In 2023, a bear attack on one of the park’s trails led to the death of marathon runner Amie Adamson.

While wildlife dangers shouldn’t keep you from enjoying Yellowstone, the park does have a few important safety tips guests should know. Outdoors enthusiasts are probably familiar with most of these rules: don’t feed the animals, keep your distance, and carry bear spray just in case.

A brown bear in the snow at Yellowstone National Park
NPS photo by Neal Herbert

“All of Yellowstone is bear country,” Yellowstone National Park’s website explains, “from the trails in the park’s backcountry to the boardwalks and parking lots around Old Faithful. Your safety cannot be guaranteed, but you can play an active role in protecting yourself and the bears people come here to enjoy.”

Additional safety tips recommended by the park include hiking with a partner or group, making noise, respecting park closures, and not leaving food sources unattended. Oh, and if you’re carrying bear spray, make sure you know how to use it. Remember, it’s not like bug spray. You do not want to spray this stuff on yourself or your gear. Instead, bear spray should be directed at an aggressive bear to keep them away and keep you safe.

Read up on more wildlife safety tips here, or explore some of the sights you can expect to see at Yellowstone here.