Everything we heard at NFL league meetings
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The NFL concluded the league's annual meetings Tuesday, with significant news coming out of Orlando on subjects, including a major change to kickoff rules, a ban of the controversial "hip drop" tackle, the addition of Wednesday Christmas Day games in 2024 and an alteration to the timing of the trade deadline.
The three-day event also included numerous owners, general managers and coaches discussing the makeup of their teams and answering the most pressing questions in this period between free agency and the draft, and more than 20 ESPN reporters were on the scene to collect the highlights:
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Anybody who tells you they know how the quarterbacks are going off the board at the top of the draft is lying, but here's some of the scuttlebutt I picked up in the Ritz-Carlton hallways: People still seem convinced the Chicago Bears will take Caleb Williams first overall, though it's worth mentioning that he still hasn't taken his pre-draft visit with them (GM Ryan Poles said that would be next week), he didn't do medicals at the combine and they aren't going to draft him without giving him a physical.
The Washington Commanders are still going through their process at No. 2 and being tight-lipped about it. Some people think they'll take Jayden Daniels, others think Drake Maye, but I don't think Washington even knows for sure yet. The New England Patriots at No. 3 are a mystery but open to trading down if they aren't in love with whichever quarterback is there at No. 3.
The Minnesota Vikings and the Las Vegas Raiders both seem very eager to trade up, and it sounds like there could be a competition between those two, especially if Daniels is still there at No. 3 and the Patriots decide not to take him. A lot of people think the Giants' guy is J.J. McCarthy, and if so, the question is whether they can sit at No. 6 and take him or whether they might need to trade up a spot or two. -- Dan Graziano
Team officials never worried about the possibility of losing QB Aaron Rodgers to the campaign trail. The story about him being a potential running mate for presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. actually prompted some lighthearted banter, with GM Joe Douglas joking about potential hires for the cabinet. But, seriously: The Jets expect Rodgers, six-plus months removed from right Achilles tendon surgery, to be on the field for OTA practices in May.
Coach Robert Saleh said he "fully anticipates" the 40-year-old QB to participate to some degree. The Jets are excited about Rodgers' recovery, with Saleh saying the four-time MVP is "on a mission" to regain his pre-injury form. As insurance, they signed well-traveled quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Saleh called him "an elite locker-room presence." -- Rich Cimini
DeMeco Ryans explained why the Texans traded out of the first round, and it simply came to value. "There's a really large amount of players in a second to third, fourth round," Ryans said, adding that the range was viewed as the "sweet spot."
The Texans have two second-round picks in the upcoming draft and can address a couple of holes on the roster. Defensive tackle and cornerback are spots where the Texans could improve. But they want another offensive playmaker. Houston attempted to trade for Keenan Allen before he landed with the Chicago Bears. --DJ Bien-Aime
North Carolina QB Drake Maye, who is among those the Patriots could be considering with the No. 3 overall pick, impressed first-year head coach Jerod Mayo. He's squarely on the team's radar if he is available.
"Drake Maye had a fantastic interview at the combine. He brings a lot of energy. You can tell he has that leadership ability," Mayo said. "Also the exciting part about a guy like Drake Maye, there is really no ceiling with a guy like that. In saying that, when we're trying to put together this roster, I know a lot of people look at the ceiling. But you also have to look at how low is the floor. I would say a guy like Drake Maye -- he has a lot of room to grow. He's a young guy. Honestly, he hasn't played football nearly as much as these other guys. So that's definitely something we've looked at, but he's definitely going to develop." -- Mike Reiss
General manager Howie Roseman said the depreciated running back market factored into the Eagles' decision to go against their normal practices to sign Saquon Barkley to a sizable contract.
"Has the pendulum swung so far at this position? I mean, the guy touches the ball 300 times a year, hopefully, there's not a lot of other skill position players that are touching the ball that many times and having that effect," Roseman said.
Add that the Eagles view Barkley as a "special" player and person, and there's the reason for the move. Coach Nick Sirianni said he isn't worried about Barkley fitting in the new scheme that Siriani and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore are putting together. He called having multiple playmakers, such as Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, a "good problem to have" but acknowledged a team-first mindset is going to be required for the inevitable stretches when a high-profile player won't be getting the touches he desires. -- Tim McManus
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said the team is still looking for its QB1 heading into the draft, despite Aidan O'Connell returning and the team signing veteran Gardner Minshew in free agency.
"You're looking for somebody that wants to come in that room and be competitive," Pierce said. "Give us that edge. And again, if it's a rookie, if it's Aidan, if it's Minshew, if it's [Anthony] Brown, we're going to put the best player out there that gives us a chance to win."
The Raiders own the No. 13 overall pick, and it would be a Herculean task to trade up into the top 10, where four quarterbacks are projected to be taken. Still, Pierce would rule out nothing at the owners meetings. -- Paul Gutierrez
Ravens coach John Harbaugh was noncommittal on Baltimore adding another veteran wide receiver. Asked about recent free agent visits by Michael Gallup and Josh Reynolds, Harbaugh said, "We drafted two great players in the last three years in the first round. I would think that Rashod [Bateman] and Zay [Flowers] would be excited to step to the front together. That's where it begins."
While Flowers is expected to be the No. 1 wide receiver, it seems like Bateman will get a chance to take over as the clear-cut No. 2. Team officials have talked glowingly about him this offseason and expect him to take the next step. Bateman, a first-round pick in 2021, has had a disappointing start to his career. He has totaled 93 catches and four touchdowns in his first three seasons. The Ravens have a need at wide receiver after cutting Odell Beckham Jr. and losing Devin Duvernay to the Jaguars in free agency. -- Jamison Hensley
There was only one draft prospect the Bears representation in Orlando talked about by name, and the details of the team's visit to USC for Caleb Williams' pro day highlight the extensive research the team has done on the presumptive No. 1 overall pick. How Williams interacted with his USC teammates and Bears staffers in small group settings solidified the Bears' belief in his leadership and character. Poles noted that he didn't see Williams pick up his phone once during a dinner the Bears hosted prior to his pro day and was impressed by the feedback they received from those who have worked with him closely.
"When you talk to his teammates, they don't like him, they love him," Poles said. "I'm having a hard time finding a person that doesn't like him or even love him and thinks that he can reach the highest limits."
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The same goes for coach Matt Eberflus, who spent 80 minutes with Williams one-on-one inside USC's football offices to learn about the quarterback's football acumen and journey. The Bears have already begun teaching Williams their offense and will work on the install further when he is scheduled to take his visit next week. Testing Williams' recall and ability to process and relay back the information given to him is one of the final boxes the Bears will check in their evaluation before being on the clock next month.
"He's been great that way," Eberflus said. "Again, spend some more time visiting with him. He'll get a chance to spend some more time with the offensive staff that wasn't there at the pro day. It's going to be good." -- Courtney Cronin
Further proof that the NFL is living in Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's world and enjoying every second of it: Sunday afternoon, the league assembled a sizzle reel for owners and executives to kick off the meetings. Usually, these reels are about players and metrics and ratings and business. This year, it was a photo of Kelce and Swift kissing after the Super Bowl -- punctuated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell joking about the season being sealed with a kiss. -- Seth Wickersham
For the past year, there has been plenty of discussion about whether the 49ers will be able to re-sign wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk or be forced to trade him because of the realities of a top-heavy payroll. But the Niners have been steadfast that they want to keep Aiyuk and were more definitive in those statements than they've ever been this week in Orlando.
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Yes, getting Aiyuk signed to a lucrative extension won't be easy, and there have already been signs of frustrations from the wideout, but the Niners have been through prolonged negotiations with disgruntled players, such as Dee
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28 of April 2024
