Tag: Trent Williams

What’s the biggest question for the Commanders after the NFL draft?

Don’t count out Brandon Coleman.

The Washington Commanders had no bigger need outside of quarterback than left tackle heading into the 2024 NFL draft. Washington knew it was taking a quarterback and selected LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall last week.

Even after taking Daniels, the Commanders attempted to move back into the first round to find an offensive tackle to pair with Daniels. They were unsuccessful, as the run on offensive tackles took all of the top options off the board.

Washington remained at No. 36, but instead of reaching for need, general manager Adam Peters followed his board and selected defensive tackle Johnny Newton. He did the same with the Commanders’ new two second-round picks.

However, with Washington’s first pick in the third round, No. 67 overall, Peters selected TCU offensive lineman Brandon Coleman. It was widely viewed as a good selection, but most considered Coleman more of a guard prospect than a tackle. Not Peters. Not only did Coleman play both positions at TCU, but he tested at an elite level in the pre-draft process.

So, did the Commanders find their left tackle?

ESPN recently named the 32 biggest questions—one for each team—following the NFL draft, and Washington’s was whether it found a long-term solution at left tackle.

The Commanders drafted Brandon Coleman in the third round; some teams viewed him more as a guard, but Washington sees him as a tackle. If he’s not ready, the Commanders could start veteran swing tackle Cornelius Lucas, but after investing the second overall pick in quarterback Jayden Daniels, they need Coleman to ascend and become a solid long-term solution.

Peters believes Coleman can be that guy. That remains to be seen. But he shouldn’t be ruled out before he’s given a chance. Check out this comparison between All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams and Coleman, using their respective Relative Athletic Scores.

No one is comparing the two as players, but instead, using this as a metric to show Coleman playing tackle isn’t a far-fetched idea. The two are extremely similar in size, and Coleman’s arms are longer. Arm length is always an essential measurement for offensive tackles.

If Coleman turns out to be a starting-quality tackle for years, then that could be Peters’ best draft-day heist yet.

Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton drafted No. 29 overall by the Dallas Cowboys

Oklahoma Sooners offensive tackle Tyler Guyton taken No. 29 overall by the Dallas Cowboys.

The Oklahoma Sooners have another first round offensive tackle to tout. Former Oklahoma Sooner Tyler Guyton is headed to the Dallas Cowboys to play with former Sooner turned Cowboy [autotag]CeeDee Lamb[/autotag].

Guyton was selected with  29th overall by the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Guyton has been on NFL radars since his excellent showing against fellow first-round draft pick Jared Verse in the Cheez-It Bowl.

The Cowboys lost two starters on their offensive line when left tackle Tyron Smith and center Tyler Biadasz signed with the New York Jets and Washington Commanders. With Smith headed to the Jets, the opportunity to select a high-upside left tackle prospect was too much for the Cowboys to pass up.

Guyton, who is 6-foot-7 and 322 pounds, excels in pass protection. He needs to work on his hand placement and consistency as a run blocker, but he’s the type of player that Dallas has successfully developed in recent years.

With his first-round selection, Guyton becomes the fourth offensive lineman since 2010 to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft, joining [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag] (2023), [autotag]Lane Johnson[/autotag] (2013), and [autotag]Trent Williams[/autotag] (2010).

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10 pending free agents the Ravens should not re-sign

We’re looking at ten pending 2024 NFL free agents that the Baltimore Ravens should not re-sign

Baltimore faces an offseason of change after Mike Macdonald bolted for the Seahawks job. Anthony Weaver landed the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator job, and 26 players, headlined by Patrick Queen, are set to be free agents.

Justin Madubuike landed the franchise tag, leaving Baltimore -$9 million over the salary cap ahead of the early tampering period.

With an urgent offseason underway, we’re looking at ten pending free agents who shouldn’t return.

Tyler Guyton joins Sooners great in latest College Sports Wire NFL mock draft

Oklahoma Sooners offensive tackle Tyler Guyton heading west in latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft.

[autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag]’s transition from defensive line to offensive tackle to Oklahoma to potential first round draft pick makes for quite the story.

As we inch closer to the 2024 NFL draft, that story becomes a greater likelihood. Guyton put in the work to go from the raw, athletic offensive lineman that he was when he arrived in Norman to a player that will hear his name called sometime in the first round.

In College Sports Wire’s latest NFL mock draft, Guyton was selected No. 31 overall by the San Francisco 49ers, joining former Sooners great [autotag]Trent Williams[/autotag].

The 49ers have a massive hole at right tackle and also would be advised to potentially get some insurance for Trent Williams who is getting older. Guyton isn’t the ready made option up front but does offer massive upside. There might be some patience required but it could be a big payoff long term.  – Roberts, College Sports Wire

Much of the Niners’ success can be attributed to the work they’ve done building their offensive line and running game. Guyton would slide in at right tackle and have a fantastic mentor as he begins his journey at the NFL level.

When Guyton goes in the first round, he’ll be the second straight offensive tackle taken in the first round, following [autotag]Anton Harrison[/autotag]. Harrison was taken in the first by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2023 NFL draft.

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Could longtime Cowboys star be Commanders answer at left tackle in 2024?

Tyron Smith is expected to be available.

After 13 Hall-of-Fame seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, offensive tackle Tyron Smith appears on his way out.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the 33-year-old Smith looks like he will be elsewhere in 2024.

With Smith expected to be available on the free-agent market, he immediately becomes the top offensive tackle available, regardless of his age. In his 13 seasons in Dallas, Smith made the Pro Bowl eight times, was a two-time first-team All-Pro and a three-time second-team All-Pro.

Why would Dallas move on from Smith?

It sounds like the two sides differ on Smith’s value. Smith sees what Trent Williams got paid into his 30s and likely wants the same treatment from the Cowboys. Also, the Cowboys could move Tyler Smith to left tackle. Smith played left tackle as a rookie and looked excellent before moving to left guard last season.

Guess who has the second-most salary-cap room and needs a left tackle? The Washington Commanders.

Washington released Charles Leno Jr. on Friday due to his age, injuries, and salary number. Smith is older than Leno, will cost more and also has an injury history. So, why would the Commanders sign another older offensive tackle?

Leno was a solid player, an overachiever. Smith is an elite player. And all general manager Adam Peters needs to do is ask his new head coach Dan Quinn how much gas Smith has left in the tank. Smith hasn’t played a full season since 2015. He played in 13 games last season.

Here’s a look at how many games Smith has played in each of the past five seasons:

  • 2019: 13
  • 2020: 2
  • 2021: 11
  • 2022: 4
  • 2023: 13

That’s concerning, for sure. But the Commanders will have better knowledge of Smith’s injuries than any other team, thanks to Quinn.

Any team interested in Smith will have competition. Contending teams needing offensive line help should be all over Smith. The Commanders aren’t expected to be a contender in 2024, but that doesn’t mean Washington isn’t trying to win. If the Commanders select a rookie quarterback at No. 2 overall, it would make sense to invest in a veteran left tackle.

If Washington signed Smith, it would also need to sign a quality swing tackle. That would make bringing back veteran Cornelius Lucas even more critical. Lucas has thrived in the swing tackle role over the past four seasons.

Injuries and age are concerns with Smith, but he will immediately be one of the top free agents available. Does Washington kick the tired on the longtime Cowboy? It would be a wise short-term decision.

 

Ravens salary cap: Positional breakdowns and financial outlook ahead of NFL free agency

Here’s an early look at the Baltimore Ravens’ salary cap, positional breakdowns, and financial outlook ahead of 2024 NFL free agency

The Ravens voided four contracts on Monday, accruing $8.3 million in a dead salary cap hit.

Baltimore will enter the 2024 NFL free agency with urgent decisions to make on Justin Madubuike, Patrick Queen, and 20+ other unrestricted free agents.

The Ravens have about $5 million in salary cap space and the No. 30 overall pick in April’s NFL draft courtesy.

With the new league year quickly approaching, we’re looking at Baltimore’s salary cap, with a positional breakdown and financial outlook before free agency.

Ravens 9 biggest needs ahead of 2024 NFL free agency

We’re looking at the Baltimore Ravens nine biggest needs for the 2024 NFL offseason

The Ravens have concluded their 2023 season, and the focus now shifts to what’s shaping up to be a franchise-altering offseason for general manager Eric DeCosta.

Baltimore is 20th in the NFL in cap space, with $7.3 million available, and there will be critical decisions regarding several vital contributors and two All-Pros. And they’re spending about $120+ million plus on the offensive side of the football.

PFF recently did an early ranking of the top 50 free agents for 2024, and John Harbaugh’s squad had four players make the list.

With the new league set to begin, we’re looking at the Ravens nine biggest needs entering the 2024 NFL offseason.

6 toughest decisions for Ravens GM Eric DeCosta this offseason

We’re looking at the six toughest offseason decisions for Baltimore Ravens GM Eric DeCosta ahead of the 2024 NFL free agency period

The Ravens have concluded their 2023 season, and the focus now shifts to what’s shaping up to be a franchise-altering offseason for general manager Eric DeCosta.

Where things currently stand, the Ravens are expected to have roughly $7,328,828 in cap space via OverTheCap, the 20th most in the NFL.

That number could grow if the team opts to part ways with some expensive contracts (perhaps Ronnie Stanley and Marlon Humphrey.

The Ravens have 48 players currently under contract for the 2024 season; we’re looking at the six most challenging decisions facing GM Eric DeCosta.

7 potential salary cap casualties for the Ravens in 2024

We’re looking at seven Baltimore Ravens who could be potential salary cap casualties ahead of the new league year and NFL free agency

The Baltimore Ravens’ has officially concluded with the Chiefs Super Bowl win, and the focus now shifts to what’s shaping up to be a franchise-altering offseason for general manager Eric DeCosta.

Where things currently stand, the Ravens are expected to have roughly $7,328,828 in cap space via OverTheCap, the 20th most in the NFL.

That number could grow if the team opts to part ways with some expensive contracts (perhaps Ronnie Stanley and Marlon Humphrey.

The Ravens have 48 players currently under contract for the 2024 season; we’re looking at seven potential pre-free agency casualties per the Over The Cap transaction table.

Early look at the 15 biggest salary cap hits for the Ravens in 2024

We’re looking at the Baltimore Ravens 15 biggest salary cap hits for the Baltimore Ravens in 2024

The Baltimore Ravens have concluded their 2023 season, and the focus now shifts to what’s shaping up to be a franchise-altering offseason for general manager Eric DeCosta.

Where things currently stand, Baltimore is expected to have roughly $7,328,828 in cap space via OverTheCap, the 20th most in the NFL.

That number could grow if the team opts to part ways with some expensive contracts (perhaps Ronnie Stanley or Marlon Humphrey.

Currently, the Ravens have 48 players under contract for the 2024 season.

Here’s a look at the 15 biggest cap hits via Over The Cap.