Tag: Workout

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes threw with Rashee Rice in Dallas before WRs draft selection

Patrick Mahomes worked out with Rashee Rice in Dallas earlier in the offseason before the #Chiefs drafted the talented receiver on Friday.

Bleacher Report analyst Adam Lefkoe got the inside scoop on Rashee Rice’s selection by the Kansas City Chiefs on the website’s B/N Gridiron Draft Night presentation. After making contact with Patrick Mahomes shortly after the pick was made, it was revealed by Lefkoe that Mahomes had thrown with Rashee Rice during one of his workouts in Texas earlier in the offseason, the players’ shared home state.

“I threw with him in Dallas,” Mahomes told Lefkoe, “You know I put my input on all offensive guys.”

This revelation could be a key indicator of Mahomes’ ability to get consistent production out of Rice next season, and after losing Mecole Hardman and Juju Smith-Schuster in free agency, the reigning MVP will need the help.

Kansas City will have a target on their back for the entirety of the 2023 season, and as reigning Super Bowl champions, history tells us that the team is likely to face an uphill battle in their pursuit to defend their title. The already-growing bond between Mahomes and Rice should help ease the burden, at least on the offensive side of the ball.

Report: Saints host QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson for visit after UCLA workout

Report: New Orleans Saints host Bruins QB prospect Dorian Thompson-Robinson for a pre-draft visit after meeting him for a workout at UCLA

Well isn’t this interesting. The New Orleans Saints are hosting UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson at their team facility on the last day that visits are allowed before the 2023 NFL draft, per The Score’s Jordan Schultz. This follows a private workout the Saints held with Thompson-Robinson at UCLA’s campus last week. So he’s clearly hot on their radar.

The Saints could use a long-term backup to Derek Carr (Jameis Winston is only under contract through 2023), so picking a quarterback like Thompson-Robinson on the third day of the draft to develop would make a lot of sense. And he brings a lot to the table. Thompson-Robinson was highly regarded for his leadership traits with the Bruins, but more important is how effective he was throwing the football. He’s accurate and on-point at every level of the field.

He’s also athletic enough to make plays with his legs, but don’t expect him to be a Taysom Hill heir-apparent. Thompson-Robinson weighs in at just 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds, and though he only missed two games to injury in his 50-game college career moving him around the formation like Hill would expose him to punishment his frame may not be able to handle. The UCLA prospect is currently projected to be picked somewhere between rounds four and six.

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Saints ran private workout with dynamic QB prospect Dorian Thompson-Robinson at UCLA

The Saints ran a private workout with dynamic quarterback prospect Dorian Thompson-Robinson at UCLA:

The New Orleans Saints have quietly been doing some work on the mid-round prospects in this year’s quarterbacks class. KPRC 2 Houston’s Aaron Wilson reports that the Saints held a private workout with former UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson at the Bruins’ campus this week, having previously met with Houston’s Clayton Tune and Incarnate Word’s Lindsey Scott Jr., as well as Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker, among others.

Thompson-Robinson is very intriguing. He’s one of the most-experienced passers in college football and a smooth athlete, though he flirts with NFL size thresholds at just 6-foot-1.5 and 203 pounds. He’s well-regarded for his leadership skills and playmaking ability with his legs, but he’s also got a pro-quality arm and can make all the throws asked of him. But he’s prone to panicking under pressure and struggles with ball security — he fumbled 39 times and threw 36 interceptions in 48 games at UCLA.

All told, Thompson-Robinson is expected to be drafted on the third day of this year’s event, somewhere between rounds four and six. But all it takes is one team to fall in love with him and call his name sooner. The Saints could use a long-term backup for Derek Carr with Jameis Winston only signed through 2023. Drafting a rookie like Thompson-Robinson do develop for that role could make sense.

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Saints to host Texas A&M running back Devon Achane on pre-draft visit

The New Orleans Saints plan to host Texas A&M running back Devon Achane on a pre-draft visit, per NOF’s Nick Underhill:

Add another running back to the list of 2023 NFL drafts the New Orleans Saints are checking in on. Texas A&M prospect Devon Achane has scheduled a visit at the team facility, per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, giving the Saints a good look at a versatile player who could make an impact on multiple phases of the game.

Achane was mainly used as a runner at Texas A&M but he did well as a receiver and pass protector on small sample sizes. However, he’s about 20 pounds underweight from what the Saints usually look for at 5-foot-8 and just 184 pounds. He timed the 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds and clearly has some home-run ability in the open field, but that might be more impressive from someone at a heavier weight class.

Despite his slighter frame, Achane is currently projected to be a second- or third-round pick in April’s draft. The Saints need more depth at running back but they’ll look to answer some questions in his evaluation at this meeting to determine whether he’s a good fit behind Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams.

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Texas DT prospect Keondre Coburn had private workout with Saints

Texas defensive tackle prospect Keondre Coburn says he had a private workout with the New Orleans Saints ahead of the 2023 NFL draft:

Texas Longhorns defensive tackle Keondre Coburn told The Draft Network’s Justin Melo that the New Orleans Saints put him through a private workout and met with team personnel over dinner, among contact with multiple other teams ahead of the 2023 NFL draft. He listed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, and Tennessee Titans among his other recent meetings.

He’s a big man at 6-foot-2 and 332 pounds, though his 31.5-inch arms would tie former Saints undrafted free agent Josiah Bronson as the shortest for any of their defensive tackles over the last five years. He also didn’t meet their baselines in athletic testing drills, but the Saints have given more leeway to interior line prospects in the past. It’s hard to move well at that size.

Coburn has been a solid player for Texas up front. He’s averaged about 400 snaps per year over the last four seasons while consistently shutting down running lanes, though he didn’t make as much of an impact on passing downs until 2022 — Pro Football Focus charting found he generated 31 quarterback pressures. He’s currently projected to be a fourth- or fifth-round pick, but all of this attention from interested teams suggests he could be selected higher.

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Ravens to reportedly meet with Florida QB Anthony Richardson ahead of 2023 NFL draft

The Ravens will reportedly meet with one of the draft’s most coveted quarterback prospects ahead of the 2023 NFL draft

Given the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position for the Baltimore Ravens, it should come as no surprise that the team is eyeing talent in the 2023 draft class, even if only in case of a worst-case scenario. Lamar Jackson’s future in the Charm City is very much in question, and new blood at the most important position could prove to be a positive for the Ravens, who are in need of a bounce-back next season.

Baltimore is reportedly meeting with University of Florida signal caller Anthony Richardson, which could indicate their interest in selecting a quarterback with their 22nd overall pick. Richardson, who would be a developmental prospect for the Ravens, is anything but a finished product, though scouts have raved over his arm strength and physical tools that may make him a star at the NFL level.

Baltimore seems poised to spend their first selection on an offensive playmaker and, if Richardson is available when the clock starts during their turn, he may be too valuable a prospect for the Ravens to pass on. Plenty of teams around the league could benefit from a rookie quarterback, but if Baltimore cannot come to an agreement with Jackson in the coming weeks, they may be the most in need of a new signal-caller for the 2023 season.

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Cowboys work out former first-round WR Laquon Treadwell

Treadwell was compared to DeAndre Hopkins coming out of Ole Miss, but hasn’t lived up to expectations over 7 seasons with 4 NFL teams. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys held their annual “Dallas Day” workout on Friday, and among the local prospects to audition for the team were a few veteran players who are also looking for a new opportunity in the league.

Former first-round draft pick Laquon Treadwell laced up his cleats and did some work with the team, as first reported by 105.3 The Fan’s Cowboys insider Bobby Belt. ESPN’s Field Yates confirmed the news later in the day.

The 27-year-old wide receiver was selected 23rd overall in 2016 and played for four seasons in Minnesota, though he never lived up to high expectations that saw him compared to DeAndre Hopkins prior to the draft.

After a single season in Atlanta, scoring two touchdowns in 2020, the Ole Miss product moved on to Jacksonville, where he logged a career-high 434 receiving yards in 2021. Treadwell spent last season in Seattle, appearing in just six games.

Dallas is still searching for additional wide receiver depth, even after trading for free agent Brandin Cooks earlier this month. While Cooks is expected to form a talented trio with CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, the list of names behind them on the Cowboys depth chart is largely untested.

Jalen Tolbert, Simi Fehoko, and return specialist KaVontae Turpin make up the main backups at receiver; Antonio Callaway, Dontario Drummond, and Dennis Houston have been practice-squad players. Longtime Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton is currently a free agent whose status for 2023 is technically unknown.

Despite Treadwell’s availability and first-round pedigree, Dallas is apparently in no hurry to add him to the 2023 roster. NFL insider Josina Anderson tweeted Friday afternoon that the Cowboys “don’t have imminent plans to sign” Treadwell, citing a source.

The team is expected to also consider several wide receivers in next month’s draft.

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Saints send heavy contingent to Tulane pro day, RB coach works out Tyjae Spears

The Saints sent a heavy contingent to Tulane’s pro day, with RB coach Joel Thomas putting Tyjae Spears through his paces:

Tulane held its pro day for prospects in the 2023 NFL draft on Thursday, and the New Orleans Saints were well-represented. The Saints sent a heavy contingent to Yulman Stadium to observe workouts and, at least in one case, direct them.

All eyes were on star running back prospect Tyjae Spears, who helped power the Green Wave to the best season in school history and a stunning upset of USC in the Cotton Bowl. The Saints got an up-close-and-personal look at him during Thursday’s pro day workout. Check the sights and sounds from the scene we’ve gathered below:

Saints skip Odell Beckham Jr.’s free agent workout, could still be in the mix

The Saints skipped Odell Beckham Jr.’s workout, but they could still be in the mix. CBS Sports reports ‘at least one team very interested’ in him didn’t make the trip:

Odell Beckham Jr. is 13 months removed from ACL surgery and finally ready to play again, but will the New Orleans Saints make another run at him? The three-time Pro Bowler and very proud former LSU Tiger recently hit the field in front of interested teams ahead of free agency.

A dozen teams showed up, but the Saints weren’t among them — CBS Sports reported that the Panthers, Patriots, Cardinals, 49ers, Bills, Chiefs, Vikings, Ravens, and Jets were joined by Beckham’s three former teams (the Giants, Browns, and Rams) at his Arizona workout, where he was said to be moving well and caught everything thrown his way.

That’s not to say the Saints aren’t interested; we don’t know that one way or another. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports that “at least one team very interested” in Beckham chose to not make the trip because they were comfortable in their evaluation of him. Maybe that’s the Saints. Maybe it’s one of the other 20 teams who weren’t spotted in attendance.

Regardless, the Saints have their own issues to work out internally at receiver before they can start adding to the group. They need to put a dot on their in-the-works extension with Michael Thomas and consider whether to re-sign free agents like Jarvis Landry, Marquez Callaway, Deonte Harty, and Kevin White. There’s been a lot of smoke linking him to New Orleans in the past — some of it sparked by Beckham himself — but it remains to be seen if it’s legitimate interest or just a negotiating tactic with other serious bidders.

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Cowboys skip Beckham’s workout; does it mean anything?

12 teams attended Odell Beckham Jr.’s private workout. The Cowboys were not among them, but it may be because they’ve already decided. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Odell Beckham Jr. was on a football field once again, running routes and catching passes for an assembled collection of 12 NFL team scouts and representatives as the free agent wide receiver looks to sign with a new squad following his 13-month recovery from ACL surgery.

But despite the very public courting that went nowhere between the two sides last fall, the Cowboys were not in attendance at an Arizona Sun Devils’ practice field Friday.

According to CBS Sports, the Panthers, Patriots, Cardinals, 49ers, Bills, Chiefs, Vikings, Ravens, and Jets were present at Beckham’s private workout, along with all three of Beckham’s previous teams: the Giants, Browns, and Rams.

The Cowboys’ absence leaves fans to wonder if the team has decided against pursuing the three-time Pro Bowler whose last game appearance was Super Bowl LVI with the Rams.

The Cowboys met with Beckham in December, as did the Giants, and Bills. He did not work out for teams at that time.

Several Cowboys players made a very public play for Beckham to join the team leading up to and then during a two-day visit. The Dallas front office had suggested that they were interested in signing him to help the team’s air attack during the regular season but ultimately chose not to add him to the roster and signed T.Y. Hilton instead.

The Dallas Morning News reported this past week that a person close to the situation claimed the Cowboys “would be comfortable” signing Beckham “if the money and health were right.”

Reports from Friday’s workout state that Beckham showed great hands and looked “noticeably muscular.” He still looks like a receiver who can help a receiver-needy offense, even if he may have lost a slight step at 30 years old and with multiple knee injuries in his past.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hinted that he’s done his own research on the talented wide receiver, telling the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he had reached out to Beckham’s mother, and that the pair had “a very impressive conversation.”

Maybe the club has elected to go a different route, perhaps looking at another free agent like the just-released Adam Thielen or a trade target such as DeAndre Hopkins.

Or maybe that chat was enough to convince the Cowboys that a trip to the desert wasn’t necessary.

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