The New York Giants are looking to trade wide receiver Kadarius Toney one year after drafting him in the first round, sources told Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News.Toney reportedly didn't show up for the beginning of the Giants' offseason program, raising questions about where he and the franchise stand with one another. While the first set of team workouts are voluntary, second-year players rarely skip them.The Giants drafted Toney 20th overall last year, grabbing him after trading down nine spots from No. 11. The Florida product began his NFL career in a peculiar fashion, leaving his first practice with foot problems while wearing the wrong-sized cleats.Toney encountered several other obstacles in 2021, missing time with injuries to his hamstring, ankle, thumb, quad, oblique, and shoulder. He also tested positive for COVID-19 twice and got ejected from an October game against the Dallas Cowboys.The 23-year-old drew questions about his commitment level last year because of the frequent injuries, a lack of playbook study, and poor meeting behavior, according to Leonard.Toney posted 39 receptions for 420 yards over 10 appearances last campaign. He had 10 catches for 189 yards versus the Cowboys prior to his ejection, flashing the physical upside that led New York to draft him in the opening round.The Giants installed a new regime after going 4-13 in 2021, hiring general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll from the Buffalo Bills to lead the franchise.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said Friday that he hasn't received any trade calls for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft."We're willing to listen, but no, nobody's called directly," he said.This is the second consecutive year Jacksonville owns the first overall pick. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence was a virtual lock to be the first name off the board in 2021, but Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson have yet to decide who they'll select on April 28."It's still a work in progress," said Baalke, who added the team is considering four players for the No. 1 choice."We still have several meetings to go through, a lot of discussion between the coaching staff, the personnel staff, we're continuing to dig up and do research on these guys. The pick doesn't have to be made today ... We're ahead of last year's schedule in terms of preparation."He continued: "There's so much that goes into these decisions. It's not just the film, it's all the other things that go into that guy having success or not having success. Most of the time, they don't fail because they're not physically gifted. They fail for other reasons."Several prospects have been linked to the Jaguars at No. 1. Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is the favorite to go first, but many experts also consider Georgia edge rusher Travon Walker a strong candidate. Offensive tackles Evan Neal (Alabama) and Ikem Ekwonu (NC State) have also had their names tied to the first selection."Aidan is a good football player," Baalke said. "There's other good football players in this draft. Who's gonna be the best player when it's all said and done? Heck, if we knew that, we'd go to Vegas and lay the money down."Jacksonville owns 12 picks in this year's draft, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the most selections.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry said the team was transparent with Baker Mayfield about his status, but he does empathize with the quarterback."We were transparent with our intentions with his reps," Berry said Friday, according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot. "That being said, I think we can all understand how Baker feels. Sometimes things in the NFL, whether it's team-related, coach-related, player-related, they may not work out."Baker is a competitive and driven young man. He's had success as a quarterback and will continue to have success as a quarterback. So, definitely understandable."Mayfield stated earlier this month that he feels the Browns didn't handle the situation correctly while acquiring quarterback Deshaun Watson."I feel disrespected - 100% - because I was told one thing and they completely did another," Mayfield said on the "YNK: you know what I mean?" podcast.Trade rumors have circulated Mayfield since the Browns traded for Watson. However, Berry said he is solely looking ahead to the upcoming NFL draft."Speculating on the future is probably unfair because circumstances change, and my focus has been on the draft," Berry said of Mayfield, according to The Athletic's Zac Jackson.The GM also declined to discuss whether he's fielded trade calls or if a deal is imminent, according to The Akron Beacon Journal's Nate Ulrich.The Carolina Panthers reportedly had the "inside track" to land Mayfield.Cleveland drafted the 27-year-old, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, first overall in 2018. Mayfield completed 60.5% of his passes for a career-low 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while battling injuries throughout 2021.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Logan Ryan filed a grievance against the New York Giants, sources told The Athletic's Dan Duggan.Ryan had $5.5 million of his 2022 salary fully guaranteed and $8.5 million guaranteed for injury, Duggan adds. Ryan's grievance reportedly seeks the $3-million difference owed under his contract's terms for being injured.The 31-year-old, who played the last two seasons in New York, reportedly underwent finger surgery after the 2021 season. The Giants released him on March 17.The grievance makes $1.2 million unavailable on New York's salary cap, as 40% of the disputed amount counts against the cap, per Duggan.The 2013 third-round pick initially joined New York on a one-year deal in September 2020. He then inked a three-year pact worth $31 million ($20 million guaranteed) in December that year.Ryan transitioned to safety with the Giants after beginning his career as a cornerback. He joined the Bucs this offseason on a one-year contract.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Running back Cam Akers, who returned to action less than six months after suffering an Achilles injury, isn't happy with his performance during the Los Angeles Rams' title run."I don't feel like I played the best games throughout that time span, so there wasn't really a lot of celebrating for me," Akers said Thursday. "It was more, 'How can I get better?'"Akers suffered the injury before the 2021 season but managed to make an incredible comeback for the Rams' regular-season finale. He rushed for 3 yards on five carries in a defeat to the San Francisco 49ers.The Rams leaned on Darrell Henderson and acquired Sony Michel to spur their rushing attack with Akers sidelined for most of the campaign.The 2020 second-round pick struggled to gain yardage during the club's postseason charge. He averaged just 2.6 yards per carry in the playoffs while posting 167 yards in four games."I don't feel like I played my best games the five games that I returned," he said. "I did what I was supposed to do, but obviously that's not enough."Those numbers were well below Akers' marks as a rookie when he rushed for 625 yards and averaged 4.3 yards per carry to go along with two scores."I got a lot to improve on, a lot to polish up on when it comes to my game," he said. "So, this offseason I've been hitting all of those deficits trying to get better."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Dan Wilkins, Justin Boone, and Daniel Valente break down the 2022 NFL Draft with rankings and analysis for the prospects available at every position.QB | RB | WR | TE | OL

Seven-time Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas is hoping to get back on the field in 2022.Thomas, who hasn't logged an NFL snap since 2019, told ESPN's Adam Schefter that he wants to resume his playing career."I'm ready," Thomas texted to Schefter. "I'm in shape. My timing is on point - I'm proud of that."The free-agent defensive back was cut by the Baltimore Ravens in August 2020 for detrimental conduct after he got into an altercation with teammate Chuck Clark in practice.Thomas' release came after his first season in Baltimore. He racked up two interceptions across 15 starts en route to a Pro Bowl nod.The Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys were linked to Thomas during the 2020 campaign but a move never materialized.The soon-to-be 33-year-old made his name as a prominent member of the Seattle Seahawks' "Legion of Boom" secondary. A first-round pick in 2010, Thomas recorded 28 interceptions, six Pro Bowl appearances, and three All-Pro selections over his nine-year tenure in Seattle. He was also a part of the Seahawks' Super Bowl XLVIII championship team.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim is ruling out the possibility of trading quarterback Kyler Murray."Zero chance," Keim said Thursday, according to team reporter Darren Urban.He added: "I am smart enough to know Kyler Murray makes me a better GM."Murray, who's entering his fourth season in the NFL, has been looking for an extension from Arizona this offseason. However, the two sides don't appear to be close to agreeing on a deal.Murray's agent Erik Burkhardt submitted a long-term contract proposal to Arizona in February. However, Burkhardt reportedly pulled his opening offer off the table. He's yet to receive an extension proposal from the Cardinals."The way we have approached it is: We have free agency, we have the draft, and then we will take a deep breath and sort of refocus," Keim said. "That's sort of the reason every other player that has been a third-year quarterback has been (extended) in the middle of the summer or late summer. It's no different for us."Nothing has changed in terms of (Murray) being our long-term and short-term quarterback."Murray previously fuelled speculation about his future after stripping his Instagram account of all references to the Cardinals in February. The 2019 first overall pick said in March he's "not really too worried" about his future with the club.The 24-year-old stated his commitment to Arizona on social media Thursday, hours after Keim's interview.

With training camp fast approaching, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo remains in limbo.Not only was Garoppolo subject to trade rumors this offseason, but he's also continuing to rehab from offseason shoulder surgery. However, Garoppolo is choosing to focus on what he can control."It's a long offseason. It's already been crazy with trades, guys going to different teams, whatever it is," he told SiriusXM NFL Radio. "I don't know, it's one of those things where I'm just going to let the chips fall where they may, keep working my ass off like I always do. When you do that, good things will happen to you."Garoppolo has seemed like the odd man out in San Francisco ever since the 49ers traded up to draft Trey Lance in 2021. He was expected to be dealt in an offseason where big names like Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan, and Deshaun Watson have changed teams.Additionally, San Francisco could create $25.55 million in cap space by trading the 30-year-old, according to Over the Cap.However, instead of worrying about whether he'll change teams, Garoppolo remains focused on his rehab from right shoulder surgery."I'm not where I want to be yet," he said. "The shoulder surgery, obviously, it went well. Rehab has been going great, but it's a process. So, I knew going into the surgery what it was going to take to get the shoulder back right."When asked whether he'd be ready to return by training camp, the passer said, "I will definitely be ready. To what degree, I don't know yet."Garoppolo started for most of the 2021 season with San Francisco. He led the Niners to the NFC Championship Game despite suffering multiple injuries.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Quarterback Jared Goff would have no issues with the Detroit Lions if they decide to use one of their two first-round picks (No. 2, No. 32) in the 2022 NFL Draft to find his replacement."I trust those guys," Goff said Thursday of the Lions' front office. "They've expressed a lot of confidence in me and feel good about where I'm at and where I'm at with them and where we're headed. I'm excited about it. But if anything were to happen there (selecting a quarterback in the draft), no, no concern."Goff has three years remaining on the four-year, $134-million contract he signed as a member of the Los Angeles Rams prior to being traded to the Lions last year. The 2016 first overall pick was unlikely to be moved in 2022 because he'd cost nearly $30 million in dead money.The 27-year-old expressed willingness to take on a mentorship role if Detroit brings in a young signal-caller."I've always liked helping younger guys. ... I'm sure I would be the same guy I am," Goff said.Head coach Dan Campbell may have hinted at the Lions' draft strategy earlier in April, saying that an elite signal-caller is nice, but not necessary for "sustained success."The Lions are expected to hold onto Goff as a potential bridge to a long-term solution at the position. The NFC North club could decide to part ways with the veteran passer after next season, when his dead-money value will be around $10 million and a release or trade would create $20.6 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap.The California native led the Lions to a 3-10-1 record in 14 games last season. Goff passed for 3,245 yards and 19 touchdowns with a 67.2% completion percentage.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After missing out on Tyreek Hill, the New York Jets might suddenly have another great chance at adding a big-time pass-catcher.New York's been strongly linked as a potential destination for Deebo Samuel since the wide receiver asked for a trade from the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday.It's unclear if San Francisco will move the All-Pro wideout, and Jets general manager Joe Douglas said Thursday that he couldn't get into specifics about players on other rosters. But when asked about the wide receiver market, he said the team would be aggressive "if the right opportunity presents itself.""Since coming here, my job has been to get the team better," Douglas said. "I'll do that any way that I can."The Jets have been trying to give quarterback Zach Wilson more offensive playmakers. The team brought in two new tight ends in C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin, but New York hasn't yet bolstered its wide receiver depth chart. Despite the Jets reportedly being a finalist for Hill earlier this offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs dealt him to the Miami Dolphins.Douglas has selected two receivers in the second round since joining the Jets (Denzel Mims in 2020 and Elijah Moore in 2021). He also signed wideout Corey Davis to a three-year, $37.5-million deal last offseason."It's going to be about developing and helping our young quarterback," Douglas said. "Outside of that, it's about adding as many difference-makers as you can to the roster, and making sure that they fit within the culture and scheme that we're trying to provide."Douglas' investments at wide receiver have yet to pay off, though, as Moore led the team with just 538 yards and five touchdowns on 43 receptions last season. New York also saw Wilson, the second overall pick in 2021, pass for only nine touchdowns against 11 interceptions through 13 appearances as a rookie.The Jets, who ranked 28th in scoring, went 4-13 in 2021, their sixth straight losing campaign."We expect to be playing meaningful games in December," Douglas added. "We feel like we're a better team now than we were at the end of last season, and we're going to get better here in a few days."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An exploding receiver market is causing problems for many NFL teams, but the Tennessee Titans don't intend to let A.J. Brown leave."I do not foresee that happening," said Titans general manager Jon Robinson on Thursday when asked about the possibility of trading the star wideout, according to team reporter Jim Wyatt.The Titans reportedly aren't fielding trade offers for Brown. Robinson has consistently emphasized his desire to keep the wideout, but that hasn't ended speculation about Brown's future ahead of a contract year.The 24-year-old is seeking his first extension. Robinson said they've begun discussions for a new deal and recently met in person."We've made it public how we feel about A.J. and how we want him to be a part of this football team," Robinson added, according to Emily Proud of WKRN News 2.Brown, who racked up 2,995 yards and 24 touchdowns across his first three NFL seasons, is reportedly skipping ongoing voluntary workouts.A host of other young receivers are in line for new contracts, including the Seattle Seahawks' D.K. Metcalf and Washington Commanders' Terry McLaurin. Deebo Samuel requested a trade Wednesday from the San Francisco 49ers amid stalled contract talks.Davante Adams' and Tyreek Hill's recent record-setting deals are seemingly causing the negotiations to stagnate.Adams and Hill reset the top of the receiver market this offseason after being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders and Miami Dolphins, respectively. Adams briefly set a new annual benchmark at $28.25 million before Hill topped him with a $30-million average salary.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper is embracing a fresh start after being traded by the Dallas Cowboys earlier this offseason."I wouldn't say I just wanted to leave, but at the same time, it's never personal. It's just business, and that's part of the business of being in this league," Cooper said Wednesday at his introductory press conference, according to Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal. "Things like that happen all the time - players get cut, players get traded."There's no player in the league who's still in the league from 30 years ago. It all comes to an end at some point. With that said, I am excited about this new chapter, and I embrace it. I look forward to the future here."Cleveland acquired Cooper on March 12. The Cowboys, who were reportedly prepared to release the receiver if a trade didn't come together, were looking to offload his salary off their books before it became guaranteed.The deal marked the second time in Cooper's career that he was traded. The then-Oakland Raiders shipped him to Dallas in 2018.Part of Cooper's excitement in playing for the Browns is being able to catch passes from Deshaun Watson, who Cleveland acquired from the Houston Texans on March 18. But although Cooper was "elated" at the prospect of playing with Watson, he's not taking his role with the team for granted."He's a great player. I'm a great player. We're going to make it work by any means necessary," Cooper said. "But I think as far as being his No. 1 receiver, that has to be earned."Meanwhile, Cooper's presence is already being felt in the Browns' locker room during offseason workouts."Just watching him work there in the weight room and seeing him around his teammates, I think he's a guy that really works hard," said head coach Kevin Stefanski.Cooper should give the Browns a top pass-catcher among a young wide receiver corps. He's hauled in 517 receptions, 7,076 yards, and 46 touchdowns since 2015.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Most of your bets will be settled within the first two hours of Day 1 of the NFL draft. Hopefully, that also applies to our favorite bets to be picked in the top 32. However, there's also a surefire way to keep your attention locked in through the final picks of the first round. One of those ways is to identify the players who could shockingly have their names called Thursday night.There's at least one surprise in the first round every year. The Raiders selected Alex Leatherwood on Day 1 in 2021, despite most draftniks believing he'd be around for Day 2.Here are the players who oddsmakers don't expect to be selected Thursday night. They could offer a nice return if we can identify which ones might sneak their way into the top 32.1st-round draft pick oddsPLAYERPOSITIONODDSLewis CineS+120Tyler SmithOL+120Travis JonesDT+125Logan HallDE+130Bernhard RaimannOT+135Kaiir ElamCB+135Skyy MooreWR+140Breece HallRB+145George PickensWR+150Roger McCrearyCB+150Kyler GordonCB+150David OjaboEDGE+200Quay WalkerLB+200Drake JacksonEDGE+225Daniel FaaleleOT+225Jaquan BriskerS+250Kenneth WalkerRB+300DeMarvin LealDE+300Jalen PitreS+300Tariq WoolenCB+300Christian HarrisILB+350Troy AndersonLB+350Chad MumaILB+400Trey McBrideTE+400Isaiah SpillerRB+500Abraham LucasOT+500Darian KinnardG+500Perrion WinfreyDT+500Jalen TolbertWR+550Carson StrongQB+650Justyn RossWR+650John MetchieWR+650James CookRB+1600Teams with two first-round picks - with one coming in the teens or later - are more likely to reach off the board in the opening round. The thinking is that those clubs won't take the same heat as if they were going all-in on a reach if they're more conservative with their first selection.Here are some teams that are candidates to reach with two first-rounders and their positional needs:TEAM1ST-ROUND PICKSNEEDTexans3 / 13OL/DL/DBEagles15 / 18WR/DBSaints16 / 19QB/OL/WR/DBPackers22 / 28WR/OL/LB/CBChiefs29 / 30WR/DL/LB/CBEach one of these clubs also has at least one pick in the second round, which might make them less likely to reach. The Chiefs and Packers have two selections in the second round, meaning they could fill depth with those picks and take a big swing in Round 1. The Texans are also a wild card at this point, a la the Raiders of years past.Best value betsDavid Ojabo (+200)Talent evaluators don't seem to care about Ojabo tearing his Achilles at the NFL combine. He's got first-round ability and production. A team could stash this quality player at a key position if they have some extra draft capital - like Kansas City does - and are willing to wait a year.Jalen Pitre (+300)After Kyle Hamilton, the second safety coming off the board is anyone's guess. Since Hamilton will go first, there's no fun in the "first safety drafted." However, taking the best price among a positional group is a good strategy. The hard part is deciding whether Pitre is the next safety picked and if that happens in the first round. The Baylor product's talent and ability to alter a game is undeniable.Perrion Winfrey (+500)Winfrey has a particular skill set as a 3-4 defensive tackle prospect. The Oklahoma product's explosiveness off the ball might be enough to get a team that runs the same scheme to take a shot on him since clubs are now placing importance on getting pressure via the interior.Carson Strong (+650)It's unlikely Strong gets picked in the first round. But choosing the Nevada quarterback would give a team a fifth year on the entry-level contract to develop a prospect who was a projected first-rounder going into last season. All it takes for a big price to cash late in Round 1 is a general manager believing Strong is the most attractive option among a group of quarterbacks with shorter odds.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's Dan Wilkins, Justin Boone, and Daniel Valente break down the 2022 NFL Draft with rankings and analysis for the prospects available at every position.QB | RB | WR | TE | OL

Former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson believes Kyler Murray's bubbling frustrations with the franchise stem from the way it conducts business."I think the thing that Arizona does a bad job of … is keeping key guys, keeping core guys there that can help you continue to build," Peterson said on the "All Things Covered" podcast. "Like a Chandler Jones for example. … If you're looking to win, if you're looking to compete for a Super Bowl championship, there's no way in the world Chandler Jones should be walking away. I don't care how you cut it. I've seen it time and time and time again with Calais Campbell … the list goes on."They have a tough problem just keeping guys there that mean something to the team."Murray has hinted at frustration with the organization throughout the offseason while pursuing a new contract. Peterson, who played with Murray from 2019 to 2020 before joining the Minnesota Vikings, added that he doesn't believe the quarterback will stick with the Cardinals for the remainder of his career."No disrespect to the Arizona Cardinals, I feel like they don't put the team in a position to be successful year after year after year," Peterson said. "They want to sit and wait on draft picks instead of being aggressive in free agency and going and getting guys that can help you get better right now versus waiting on the future. And Kyler Murray's not gonna sit around and wait for that."Running back Chase Edmonds, who played with the pair on the Cardinals before signing with the Miami Dolphins in March, echoed similar sentiments on the podcast."It wasn't surprising to me, bro, to say the least," Edmonds said of the recent drama involving the Cardinals and their franchise quarterback."I speak when spoken to, but my ears are always open," he added. "I know how certain things were done. I know us as players didn't always agree with."The Cardinals drafted Murray first overall in 2019. The former Oklahoma star led Arizona to the playoffs in 2021 for the first time in his career.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Deebo Samuel wants off the San Francisco 49ers. Though it's still unclear whether the 49ers will agree to move on from their top offensive playmaker, San Francisco should expect several teams to make offers for Samuel, who's entering the final year of his rookie contract.Here are the top five potential landing spots for the star wide receiver:New York Jets Sarah Stier / Getty Images Sport / GettyPotential offer: Jets acquire Samuel for 1st-round pick (No. 10 overall), 3rd-round pick (No. 69 overall)It isn't news to anyone that the Jets are trying to bolster their wide receiver room. New York missed on Tyreek Hill, who chose the Miami Dolphins over the Jets this offseason after the Kansas City Chiefs made him available for trade. Head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur are already familiar with Samuel after working together in San Francisco. LaFleur was the 49ers' passing game coordinator when the team drafted Samuel in the second round in 2019.Samuel would instantly give New York one of the NFL's most dynamic wide receiver corps, adding to a group that already features the likes of Elijah Moore and Corey Davis. The Jets, who are one of eight teams that currently own multiple first-round picks this year, also have an extra selection in Round 2.New Orleans Saints Chris Graythen / Getty Images Sport / GettyPotential offer: Saints acquire Samuel for 1st-round pick (No. 19 overall), 3rd-round pick (No. 98 overall), G Cesar RuizThe trade for an extra first-round pick this year just got a whole lot more interesting for the Saints. Many around the NFL questioned why New Orleans acquired another Round 1 selection from the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this month, and although the Saints did give up a lot in the deal, they could now have enough assets to potentially land Samuel rather than draft a wide receiver early.Acquiring Samuel would kill two birds with one stone for the Saints, who need more star power and depth at wide receiver. Michael Thomas didn't play at all last year due to injury, and running back Alvin Kamara finished the campaign with a team-high 47 receptions. With Thomas sidelined, Marquez Callaway was New Orleans' No. 1 wideout with just 698 yards and six touchdowns on 46 receptions.Green Bay Packers Jeff Haynes / Sports Illustrated / GettyPotential offer: Packers acquire Samuel for 1st-round pick (No. 28 overall), 2nd-round pick (No. 53 overall)Few teams in the NFL need a No. 1 star pass-catcher as much as the Packers. Green Bay is heading into the 2022 NFL Draft with a major need at wide receiver after losing Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The Packers have 11 picks this year, including two first-rounders (22nd and 28th overall) and a total of four selections in the top 60.Granted, it's fair to wonder whether the Packers would be willing to give Samuel a lucrative long-term deal after their recent contract dispute with Adams. However, money reportedly wasn't the main issue that led to Samuel's trade request. If the All-Pro pass-catcher wants a change of scenery to continue playing at a high level, joining Aaron Rodgers seems like a great idea.Kansas City Chiefs Jamie Squire / Getty Images Sport / GettyPotential offer: Chiefs acquire Samuel for 1st-round pick (No. 30 overall), 3rd-round pick (No. 103 overall), WR Mecole HardmanA high-profile player leaving the NFC to join the AFC West - sound familiar? The Seattle Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, the Packers sent Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders, and the Los Angeles Chargers acquired Khalil Mack from the Chicago Bears. A trade sending Samuel to the Chiefs would be the cherry on top for perhaps the wildest NFL offseason of all time.The Chiefs, who've rebuilt their wide receiver depth chart with the signings of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Valdes-Scantling this year, have a pair of 2022 first-round picks to offer for Samuel. Yes, Kansas City just traded Hill because of his high contract demands, so potential negotiations with Samuel for a long-term extension could be an issue. Still, Samuel fits like a glove in the Chiefs' dynamic offense, and his versatility sure would make Kansas City's creative play-calling even scarier.Philadelphia Eagles Jamie Schwaberow / Getty Images Sport / GettyPotential offer: Eagles acquire Samuel for 1st-round pick (No. 18 overall), 3rd-round pick (No. 101 overall), WR Jalen ReagorWith a big need at wide receiver, an emerging offense, and plenty of draft capital, Philly makes a lot of sense as a potential trade destination for Samuel. Few teams can offer as much as the Eagles, who have two first-round picks in this year's draft - and five selections in the first three rounds - to go along with another pair of first-rounders in 2023 and an extra second-round choice in '24.Plus, there's a clear sense of urgency for Philadelphia to address its need at wide receiver. The team drafted a wideout in the first two rounds in each of the last three years (JJ Arcega-Whiteside in 2019, Jalen Reagor in 2020, and DeVonta Smith in 2021), but Arcega-Whiteside and Reagor turned out to be major busts. That explains why the Eagles were reportedly close to trading for Calvin Ridley this year before the league suspended the Atlanta Falcons receiver. Teaming up another dynamic playmaker with Smith is crucial for the development of third-year quarterback Jalen Hurts.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Star wide receiver Deebo Samuel requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers, he told ESPN's Jeff Darlington.Samuel didn't specify the reasons for his trade request, Darlington adds.The All-Pro receiver's request comes amid stalled contract talks. The 49ers have been trying to offer him a long-term extension, but Samuel hasn't engaged in talks, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.The 26-year-old is uncomfortable with how coach Kyle Shanahan used him in San Francisco's offense last season, Rapoport adds.Samuel, who's stripped his Instagram account of all references to the 49ers, recently hinted on social media that he was looking for an extension worth at least $25 million annually.It's unclear whether San Francisco is willing to move on from its top offensive weapon.Samuel, who's entering the final season of his rookie contract, racked up 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 total touchdowns last season en route to earning his first Pro Bowl nod.The 2019 second-round pick established himself as one of football's most dynamic playmakers in 2021, piling up game-changing plays both as a receiver and runner. He caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns last year, good for a league-high 18.2 yards per catch. He also put up 365 yards (6.2 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns on the ground.Samuel's the only player in NFL history to top 1,400 receiving yards and 300 rushing yards in the same season.The wide receiver market has exploded this offseason, largely thanks to Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill.The Las Vegas Raiders acquired Adams from the Green Bay Packers in March and gave him a five-year, $140-million deal, which set an all-time record at the position. Hill topped that a week later after the Miami Dolphins traded for him and signed him to a four-year, $120-million contract.Samuel is one of a handful of young star receivers looking for an extension this year along with Terry McLaurin of the Washington Commanders, DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks, and A.J. Brown of the Tennessee Titans.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is ready to prove he can be the star he was projected to be when he entered the league."My mindset from the last two years, to be honest, I just want to kill, go crazy," Barkley said Wednesday, according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. "I don't want to jump the gun. It's a long way before September and we start the regular season. To be honest, I'm just tired of whatever is written about me, the BS that's said about me or this team. I want to go out there and prove to this organization that the player they drafted is still there.""I feel like I've got a lot to prove," Barkley added.Barkley had a breakout rookie campaign in 2018, racking up a league-leading 2,028 scrimmage yards and being named Offensive Rookie of the Year.However, multiple injuries - including a torn ACL suffered during the 2020 season - limited Barkley to 15 contests over the past two seasons. He tallied 856 scrimmage yards (593 rushing, 263 receiving) and four total touchdowns in 2021.The tailback's name surfaced among possible trade candidates in February, when general manager Joe Schoen expressed willingness to field calls from other clubs for anyone on the Giants' roster during the NFL Scouting Combine.Barkley said his phone "blew up" with messages and that he initially thought he'd been traded as the club sought to improve its cap space. He added that Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll later called to reassure him they weren't shopping him, according to North Jersey's Art Stapleton.The 2018 No. 2 pick is set to earn $7.2 million entering the final year of his rookie contract.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As much flair as the top half of the first round will have to fans, what happens late in the round matters more. When it comes to first-round betting markets, it's important to know if teams are looking to keep their pick or move up once the draft starts April 28.Remember, first-round selections receive a fifth-year option, which means those players will be affordable for longer. In the modern NFL, team decision-makers have figured out certain positions warrant more salary cap allocation. With a fifth year of affordability up for grabs late on the first night, higher-paid positions are worth reaching for to give a team an extra year of cost certainty.Draft positional totalsPOSITIONTOTALOVER/UNDERQuarterbacks2.5-250/+190Running Backs0.5+145/-190Wide Receivers5.5-250/+195Tight Ends0.5+475/-700Offensive Linemen7.5+135/-165Cornerbacks4.5+120/-150Safeties1.5-250/+200Sportsbooks are less willing to put up totals for defensive linemen and linebackers as various players have been labeled as both in recent years. For example, edge rushers are just as likely to play on the defensive line in a 4-3 alignment as they are to rush from the outside linebacker position in a 3-4 scheme. Rather than deal with this gray area, sportsbooks just removed the market from their offerings.Last year, there was a late run on edge rushers, with four going in the last five picks for Round 1. That's because:

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, NFL draft guru Dane Brugler of The Athletic joins Boone to discuss his favorite sleepers.

The tight ends and offensive tackles who visit Tavita Thompson's house for barbecue dinners know the deal going in: to be served food, they have to sing.The Central Michigan position coach demanded this of Bernhard Raimann when the behemoth Austrian showed up on campus a few years ago. Before he converted from tight end to lineman and matured into a first-round NFL draft candidate, Raimann proved himself a good sport. He stood to sing "Happy Birthday" in front of Thompson's guests. He parodied Miley Cyrus' hits."He would crush it: full heart, effort, sing anything, sing everything," Thompson said. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it's good. But he'll do it."Raimann played soccer and skied before he discovered football as a teenager in Vienna. Seldom targeted with passes as a freshman and sophomore, Central Michigan's staff noticed his destructive blocks and sensed that skill could springboard him to the pros. Up for anything, Raimann added 60 pounds to switch positions.Bernhard Raimann. Justin Casterline / Getty ImagesFew paths to the draft next week were as twisty as Raimann's. Another offensive tackle with a comparable odyssey is Minnesota's Daniel Faalele, the Australian 384-pound former rugby player who took up Madden in high school to learn American football's rules.Coaches tapped them for the offensive line because of the same realization: this big dude is fleet and ferocious."Those guys are harder and harder to find nowadays. Most times you talk about a big tackle, he's played tackle his whole life. He's never had to play in space. He doesn't know how to block in space. He doesn't know how to (establish) balance. Now you're taking that athlete who's had to do those things," Thompson said."The hard part is: everything's new. You've got to learn how to fight in a phone booth."Months after a battle in the trenches helped swing the Super Bowl - the Bengals' shaky pass protection couldn't withstand the Rams' pass rush - a run on linemen is anticipated early in the draft. Six of the top seven selections in theScore's latest mock were edge rushers or offensive tackles. Sixteen linemen on either side of the ball were picked in our projected first round.They include the star defensive ends Aidan Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Travon Walker, plus the tackles who'll be assigned to stop them in the pros. Alabama's Evan Neal, North Carolina State's Ikem Ekwonu, and Mississippi State's Charles Cross have generated top-five buzz. Northern Iowa product Trevor Penning's stock has surged. Faalele's enormity is intriguing. Tyler Linderbaum of Iowa is a special center prospect, maybe the best in recent memory.Linderbaum's signature attributes pop on film: his handwork, his agility, the brute strength that helped him pin Tristan Wirfs, the Buccaneers' All-Pro lineman, in high school wrestling in 2017. It's no discredit to him that several peers could be drafted earlier."We could see a bunch (of tackles) taken in the top 10. The Giants are going to take one of them. You could certainly see Carolina taking one. There are a lot of teams that might be very tempted to take one of these tackles in the first round," Brian Baldinger, the NFL Network analyst and retired offensive lineman, said in a recent interview.Baldinger added: "Teams, like the Giants a year ago, that didn't address the offensive line in free agency or the draft, it doesn't matter what else you do. Until you get your offensive line fixed and functioning at a high level, your offense is going to struggle."Tyler Linderbaum (center). Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesTrevor Penning. Zach Bolinger / Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesTo Baldinger, Wirfs exemplifies how the right O-line prospect can "make a tremendous difference" in the NFL. Rebounding from his defeat to Linderbaum, Wirfs was drafted No. 13 overall in 2020 and started immediately at right tackle for Tampa Bay. Wirfs boosted the line that kept Tom Brady upright as he led the Bucs to a title.Flashing the same promise, this draft's marquee linemen blend gargantuan size with power, startling athleticism, and versatility. Neal made 40 career starts for Alabama with stints at left guard, right tackle, and left tackle. The 6-foot-7, 337-pounder has the hops to land 48-inch box jumps. On his highlight reel, Neal immobilizes SEC pass-rushers, none of whom lay a finger on Heisman Trophy quarterback Bryce Young.Comparatively small at 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds, Ekwonu is a dominant run-blocker who racked up 67 pancakes in 2021. Talent evaluators laud his nastiness. The NC State tackle's full first name is Ikemefuna, and the rough translation is poetic: My effort won't be in vain.Per Pro Football Focus, Cross conceded 16 pressures on 719 pass blocks last season, including none on 66 snaps against Alabama. When Mississippi State upset LSU in 2020, Cross thwarted an edge rusher's spin move, helped push him to the ground, and shoved him in the back for the hell of it. He wasn't responsible for the QB getting collared elsewhere in the pocket.Penning's bite distinguishes the FCS prospect: "He's just a mauler," Baldinger said. Penning squats 625 pounds. He set a PFF record when the site gave him a 99.9 run blocking grade last season. Northern Iowa coaches learned to be vigilant on the sideline, such was the chance Penning would manhandle an opponent into someone's lap."If you think about it, that's the main part about playing O-line that's fun," said Ryan Clanton, Penning's position coach at Northern Iowa. "Everybody else has stats. You get to go out there and legally get into a fistfight every play."When Central Michigan deployed Raimann at tight end, he caught 20 passes for 164 yards over two seasons. To shift to offensive tackle in 2020, he ran less and ate more - "Even when you're not hungry," Thompson said - and swelled from 245 pounds to more than 300 while packing on "damn near no body fat." In 18 career starts at tackle, Raimann allowed one sack.His hustle and killer instinct as a newcomer to the position impressed Paul Alexander, the retired NFL line coach whom Raimann cold-called last spring to strike up an offseason training partnership."What you really saw was tremendous athleticism: quickness, agility, balance, body control," Alexander said. "He's an extremely well-coordinated guy. You can tell him to take a three-inch step, not a two-inch step, and he would nail three inches."Shortly after he retired as an NFL guard in 2017, Geoff Schwartz shared a few tips for identifying standout O-line prospects.A productive lineman has an efficient three-point stance, Schwartz wrote at SB Nation, meaning he doesn't waste steps or lose leverage when he rises off the snap. He has a finisher's mentality, which Schwartz defined as "taking your man further than he wants to go, with an attitude.""Finishing is so important because it’s a mindset. You build that mindset in the weight room and in the meeting room," Schwartz wrote. "It only happens when your body is in a position to move the defender with power - a good base, engaged core, powerful hips, strong hands in the right position, and knowing exactly when to strike."Balance helps a lineman belt defenders without falling forward or being bull rushed. Alexander said Raimann has a martial artist's posture and center of gravity; when he crouches, his head doesn't overextend in front of his toes, behind his heels, or to either side. Penning's steady on his feet, too, as this one-legged yoga demonstration attests:

theScore's Dan Wilkins, Justin Boone, and Daniel Valente break down the 2022 NFL Draft with rankings and analysis for the prospects available at every position.QB | RB | WR | TE | OL

Veteran wide receiver Jarvis Landry will visit the New Orleans Saints this week, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.The Saints have been trying to bolster their wide receiver depth chart after struggling at the position last season. Injuries have sidelined Michael Thomas, the team's No. 1 target, for most of the last two campaigns. Thomas appeared in only seven regular-season games in 2020 and missed the entirety of 2021 due to an ankle ailment.Landry became a free agent after the Cleveland Browns released him March 14. The Browns, who saved $14.88 million in cap space by cutting the 29-year-old, have shown interest in re-signing him at a lower price.The Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Green Bay Packers are among other teams who've been linked to Landry this offseason.Landry spent the past four seasons in Cleveland and led the club in receiving in three of those years. However, the five-time Pro Bowler caught only 52 passes for 570 yards and two touchdowns through 12 appearances in 2021.Running back Alvin Kamara led the Saints with 47 receptions last season. Marquez Callaway was New Orleans' most productive wideout in 2021, racking up 698 yards and six touchdowns on 46 receptions.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This year's explosion in the wide receiver market left many wondering what Cooper Kupp's next contract with the Los Angeles Rams might look like. Though Kupp's stellar 2021 season put him in a position to potentially reset that market again, the All-Pro wideout isn't demanding that happens."I don't think that's the approach that I take," Kupp said, according to Nick Shook of NFL.com. "There's a place you want to be. There's a place that I think is fair."Kupp isn't among the NFL's highest-paid pass-catchers, but no other receiver dominated like he did last season. The 2017 third-round pick led the league in catches (145), yards (1,947), and touchdown receptions (16) en route to winning the Offensive Player of the Year award. He also shone in the postseason, winning Super Bowl MVP honors after leading his team to a title.Kupp, who has two years left on his contract, currently ranks 18th among wideouts in average annual salary at $15.75 million, according to Spotrac. He previously inked a three-year, $47.25-million extension in 2020.The 28-year-old's contract is well behind the historic pacts signed by Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams this offseason.The Las Vegas Raiders acquired Adams from the Green Bay Packers in March and gave him a five-year, $140-million deal, which was at the time an all-time record for average annual value ($28 million) at his position. Hill topped that a week later after the Miami Dolphins traded for him and signed him to a four-year, $120-million contract ($30 million per season).Buffalo Bills receiver Stefon Diggs recently inked a four-year extension worth $24 million annually."I'm not trying to beat anybody. I'm not trying to compare myself to anyone else," Kupp said.Rams head coach Sean McVay said Tuesday that extending Kupp is a priority this spring, adding the two sides have had "good dialogue," according to The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue.Many receivers are looking to take advantage of the inflated market. The Tennessee Titans' A.J. Brown, San Francisco 49ers' Deebo Samuel, and Washington Commanders' Terry McLaurin will reportedly skip their teams' voluntary on-field offseason programs as they seek new extensions.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said Tuesday that he hasn't talked to Tom Brady about the recent reports linking the quarterback to the Miami Dolphins.Licht hasn't addressed Brady's future with the franchise after the 2022 season, either."No, we haven't had those discussions," Licht said, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine. "The only discussions we've had with Tom (were) when he came back. We're excited about this year, and we're excited to get going."Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently reported that Brady retired this offseason with plans to become a minority owner of the Dolphins. Miami also wanted to add Brady as the starting quarterback and former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton as head coach. However, Brian Flores' civil lawsuit filed against the NFL and the Dolphins put those plans on hold, Florio adds.Payton stepped down as head coach of the Saints in January, though the 58-year-old didn't rule out a potential return to the sidelines in the future. Brady officially announced his retirement on Feb. 1 but quickly changed course, returning to the Bucs on March 13.Licht described the reports as "chatter.""We're focused on putting our team together here with the draft. ... We're all in lockstep here - Tom, (coach) Todd (Bowles), myself, (offensive coordinator) Byron (Leftwich), the entire coaching staff - on this season," Licht said Tuesday.Tampa Bay named Bowles, its defensive coordinator from 2019-21, as head coach in March to replace Bruce Arians, who retired from coaching. Arians moved to the Bucs' front office as a senior football consultant.Arians has been a part of Tampa Bay's draft meetings this offseason and will be present in the team's draft war room this year, Licht said.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones is asking for patience from fans who are frustrated by the state of the team's roster as the draft approaches."I don't think you ever win the Super Bowl in the offseason," Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan. "I think it's a full body of work that you put together over time. ... I think we'll be a better team and I think we can take the next step."The Cowboys made some difficult decisions after winning the NFC East in 2021 with a 12-5 record but falling short in the wild-card round against the San Francisco 49ers. The club traded receiver Amari Cooper along with a sixth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for fifth- and sixth-round selections in the 2022 draft."Sometimes you let a player move on and it allows other players to step up in even a bigger role," Jones said. He added, "I know Amari was a great player for us, but this might allow CeeDee (Lamb) and Michael (Gallup) to step up and play an even bigger role. And who knows what their upside may be?"On the other side of the ball, the team nearly re-signed defensive end Randy Gregory, but he backed out of the deal to join the Denver Broncos. Jones noted that returnee Dorance Armstrong's production (37 tackles, five sacks, three tackles for loss) compares favorably to Gregory's numbers last season (19 tackles, six sacks, four tackles for loss). "He's right there from a production standpoint with Randy," the Cowboys executive said.Key contributors from last year such as Cedrick Wilson and La'el Collins also found new homes, while Dallas brought in Dante Fowler and James Washington.Jones said that the Cowboys aren't done adding in free agency, but he noted that the club has the opportunity to select the best players on its board with the No. 24 pick among its nine selections in the draft.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A lot has changed for Justin Fields after just one year in the NFL.Fields entered the league last season as a touted quarterback prospect, but the Chicago Bears didn't give him a chance to start straight away. A year later, the signal-caller starts the campaign as his team's main leader."Feels good, just having that mindset. It's definitely a different mindset than last year," Fields said Tuesday. "I'm ready to lead this offense and lead this team."Chicago drafted Fields 11th overall in 2021. The Ohio State product began the campaign backing up Andy Dalton and only logged his first NFL start in Week 3 after Dalton went down with an injury. Fields - who battled injuries of his own throughout the season - was inconsistent as a rookie, tossing only seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions while completing 58.9% of his passes. Chicago went 2-8 with him under center."A lot of ups and downs," Fields said of his rookie year. "But I definitely learned a lot, so (I'm) thankful for all the experiences and the stuff we had to go through, (but) the stuff last year is just gonna make me better."Fields also answered whether he thought the Bears put him in the best position to succeed in 2021."I don't know," he said. "At the end of the day, that doesn't matter, you just have to handle what you've got."The 23-year-old said his understanding of what it takes to be an NFL quarterback has changed "a lot" in 2022."I just have more knowledge now, and going through a whole season, you learn a lot of things and start incorporating things into your routine to make you a better football player," he said.The Bears recently signed wide receivers Equanimeous St. Brown and Byron Pringle, who'll join a receiving corps headlined by Darnell Mooney.Chicago also went through significant changes off the field, hiring head coach Matt Eberflus to replace Matt Nagy. Eberflus brought a new coaching staff with him - one that includes first-year offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.Getsy has already been working on changing Fields' dropback approach while in the shotgun."Last year, I had my right foot forward in the gun, so I've been working a lot on having my left foot forward in the gun," Fields explained.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite retiring at the age of 44 on Feb. 1, Tom Brady said Monday that he never doubted his ability to physically keep up with today's game.In fact, Brady, who'll turn 45 on Aug. 3, said he returned for a 23rd NFL season last month because he believes he still belongs in the league."I knew my body, physically, could still do what it could do," the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback told Tom VanHaaren of ESPN. "And, obviously, I have a love for the game. I think I'll always have a love for the game."I do think, physically, I'll be able to do it. I just felt like there was still a place for me on the field."After spending time with his family and reflecting on his decision to leave football, Brady spoke with members of the Buccaneers organization, including former head coach Bruce Arians. He then eventually decided to end his 40-day retirement. Brady said he was motivated by the love for his teammates and the chance to make up for last season's "very bitter ending" at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams."I wanted to give myself and my teammates and our organization another incredible opportunity to accomplish something that we'd all be very proud of," he said.Brady added: "At the end of the day, I just love the competition on the field."However, the future Hall of Famer realizes he's at the end of his career."I wish you could go forever, but it's just not (possible). Football comes at too high of a cost now," he said. "My kids are getting older, and it's just getting harder and harder to miss these things."Brady showcased that he could still produce at an elite level in 2021. He led the league with 5,316 passing yards and 43 touchdowns last season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NFL is investigating former Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson's recanted accusation that the club incentivized tanking while he was leading the team, a league spokesperson told Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal."We can confirm the NFL engaged former SEC chair Mary Jo White in February to look into allegations made by Hue Jackson against the Cleveland Browns," the spokesperson said in a statement. "The review is ongoing and is expected to conclude soon."The Browns told Ulrich they expect the probe will prove the claim to be false."Even though Hue recanted his allegations a short time after they were made, it was important to us and to the integrity of the game to have an independent review of the allegations," Browns senior vice president of communications Peter John-Baptiste said. "We welcomed an investigation and we are confident the results will show, as we've previously stated, that these allegations are categorically false."Jackson tweeted in February that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam offered him "a good number" to lose games, though the team labeled the claim "completely fabricated." Jackson's accusation came shortly after former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores filed a discrimination lawsuit, which included an allegation that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 per loss in 2019.The former Browns head coach later walked back his accusation, noting he "was never offered money like Brian (Flores) had mentioned." He added that the two situations were "totally different" yet had "some similarities."Jackson posted a 3-36-1 record with the Browns from 2016-2018. He was fired midway through his third year with the team.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Four of the NFL's most exciting quarterbacks will join the 2022 edition of The Match.Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers will take on Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen on June 1 in Las Vegas, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback announced Monday.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid doesn't plan to make major changes to his offensive system despite losing superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill."I don't think it'll be significantly different," Reid said of his offense Monday, according to The Athletic's Nate Taylor."It will be similar to the games that Tyreek couldn't play in. We will have people try to fill in those spots, we won't force anything, we will play to the players' strengths, we will see what the new guys can do," he added, according to WIBW's Jake Lebahn.The Chiefs traded Hill to the Miami Dolphins this offseason in a stunning move following a contract dispute. Reid also said Monday that Kansas City's front office "kept it wide open" with tight end Travis Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes about the trade, KSHB's Aaron Ladd reports."In this day and age, unfortunately, you can't pay everybody," Reid said. "That's just the way it goes. Along the way you're going to lose a guy or two."The Chiefs rebuilt their receiving corps this year, adding free agents JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the mix to start alongside Mecole Hardman."We know what Mecole can do, and we have a lot of confidence in what he can do," Reid said. "Mecole has the speed like a Tyreek had. A different player, but he gives you a nice skill set."Reid is also excited about Valdes-Scantling's addition."He's a big target, run the slant game, deep throws. ... Gives us some flexibility there," he said, according to Fox4 News' Harold R. Kuntz.Hill, a six-time Pro Bowler, has been a big part of Kansas City's high-scoring offense in recent years. The Chiefs, who saw Hill catch a career-high 111 passes for 1,239 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021, have ranked in the top 10 in scoring and total yards each year since Mahomes became the starter in 2018.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A trio of young receivers is looking to get paid.Tennessee Titans' A.J. Brown, San Francisco 49ers' Deebo Samuel, and Washington Commanders' Terry McLaurin will skip their teams' on-field voluntary offseason programs as they seek new contract extensions, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.McLaurin will still report to Washington's program, which starts Monday, to participate in off-field activities, Schefter added. The Titans' program also starts Monday, while the 49ers will report Tuesday.All three wideouts are entering the final year of their four-year rookie contract after being taken in the 2019 NFL Draft. Brown and Samuel have been subject to trade rumors this offseason, as has Seattle Seahawks star D.K. Metcalf, who's also entering the last year of his deal.However, Metcalf is expected to participate in Seattle's workouts, according to the Seattle Times' Bob Condotta.Brown, Samuel, and McLaurin are looking to take advantage of a wide receiver market that has exploded this offseason thanks to Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill.Adams received a deal worth a then-league-high $28.25 million annually from the Las Vegas Raiders following a blockbuster trade from the Green Bay Packers in March.Hill then pushed the top of the market even higher when the Kansas City Chiefs traded him to the Miami Dolphins a week later, and he immediately inked an extension worth $30 million.Brown, Samuel, and McLaurin are among the best ascending young talents in the league.The 24-year-old Brown produced two 1,000-yard seasons and 19 combined touchdowns to begin his career. He finished with 869 yards and five scores in 2021 after missing four games due to injury.Samuel, 26, enjoyed a breakout season in 2021, showcasing his dual-threat skills by racking up 1,405 receiving yards (fifth-most in the league) and 365 yards with eight touchdowns on the ground.Meanwhile, McLaurin had over 1,000 yards in 2021 and 2020 despite inconsistent quarterback play and a lack of other receiving options on the team.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brad Boyette shared a story recently about Nakobe Dean, the high-end NFL draft prospect, that had been told to him by the coaches at Georgia. Dean played linebacker for Boyette in high school and earned pristine grades each year in the classroom. Georgia staffers were awed when he listened to engineering lectures during football meetings, one earbud linking Dean to the online class, and answered every question about that week's game plan correctly."That probably was a little bit misconstrued," Dean said, smiling over Zoom as he corrected the story. Dean isn't that good a multitasker. But his routine in college was to tune into class at Georgia's practice facility, writing notes as an athletic trainer taped or treated him, maximizing his available time to excel in different settings."I got a lot of dreams. I want to be one of the greatest to ever do it on the football field," Dean said. "I want to be one of the greatest to ever do it in life." Jamie Schwaberow / Getty ImagesTo call Dean a high achiever is no exaggeration. He's the middle linebacker who anchored last season's fearsome Georgia defense, the strength of the program's first national championship team in 41 years. At least four Bulldogs defenders project to be first-round picks in next week's draft. Dean's one of them, going No. 26 overall in theScore's most recent mock.Whichever club picks him will get the college game's reigning top linebacker. Dean earned the same national honor, the Butkus Award, that he won in high school in 2018, when his play for Boyette's Class 6A state champion Horn Lake Eagles got him crowned Mr. Football in Mississippi. All this while acing his advanced placement schoolwork."He took Latin 1 and 2. Straight-A student. He finished with, like, a 4.4 GPA," Boyette said. "That intelligence was not strictly on the academic side. He had the same type of football IQ. He saw things that weren't normal for a high school kid to see."Dean is small for an NFL linebacker at 5-foot-11 and 229 pounds, but his brain elevates him on the field. Cerebral and explosive, he diagnosed plays in an instant in college and closed on ball carriers about as fast. Dean thinks and acts "two steps ahead of everyone," NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah wrote. Jeremiah likens him to Jonathan Vilma, the retired three-time Pro Bowler who was Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2004.Dean turned heads at Georgia as soon as he got to campus. Glenn Schumann, the Bulldogs' inside linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator, recalls him posting five tackles for loss in his first spring practice as an early enrollee, so instinctive was Dean's read of the game.Last season is when Dean emerged as a destructive force all over the field. Leveraging his three-down versatility, Schumann stationed him in the box, had him blitz inside or off the edge, and tapped him to drop into nickel coverage when needed."There's not a skill that he doesn't have," Schumann said. "Everybody can always improve. We're all trying to improve and grow in whatever our career is. But he has those natural traits in terms of instincts, intelligence, and the power and strength that he plays with - the burst and ability to close that let him do a lot of things really well."SEC foes are aware. When Georgia thumped unbeaten Kentucky last October, Dean sniffed out a screen pass in the red zone, tracking the running back to the weak side before the ball was thrown. Eluding two blockers, Dean clocked him in the backfield.The week before, Dean's awareness and speed helped him capitalize on an Auburn misplay. Shadowing the running back's underneath route, Dean put himself in position to dive and snare his first career pick.When Georgia faced Florida, one play at midfield demanded Dean cover a running back split out wide. He jumped a curl route and ran 50 yards to the house to pad the Bulldogs' blowout lead."To make a play like that, you first have to be extremely comfortable where you are. Once you're comfortable, you can trust your technique and play ball," Schumann said."He knew he had the time to make that break and undercut the route, and obviously it was a huge play in that game. But what does it say about him? Mostly that you can line him up wherever you want."Georgia's defense pitched three shutouts last season and limited five more teams to seven points or fewer, reflecting the unit's cohesiveness and abundance of talent. Edge rusher Travon Walker, a potential top-three draft pick, matched Dean's season output with six sacks. Jeremiah thinks Devonte Wyatt has elite upside at defensive tackle. Linebacker Quay Walker, like safety Lewis Cine, is expected to go in the second round.Based on Heisman Trophy balloting (he got nine first-place votes), Georgia's standout defender was Jordan Davis, the immovable 341-pound nose tackle. Davis clocked a 4.78 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine, the fastest run since 2003 among players remotely as big as him. Early in the national championship game, he forced an Alabama fumble that Dean, thinking on his feet, scooped and ran back for a touchdown.The play was reviewed and ruled an incomplete pass, nullifying the score. Georgia romped to the title anyway by holding Alabama to 18 points, that program's fewest in a game in three years."Generally, when you combine ability with character and work ethic, good things happen," Schumann said about Georgia's departing defenders, gauging their NFL potential. "As long as they're resilient when there are struggles - because every step of growth in life has struggles - they can be as good as they want to be."Stories from Dean's past illustrate all sides of him: the planner, the leader, the math whiz. At Horn Lake High School baseball practice his freshman year, he dove to catch a pop fly and landed on his bent wrist, necessitating surgery. This was Dean's first time under anesthesia, and when he awoke, he asked his mom to pepper him with equations to clear his mind."She starts: 'What's nine times nine?'" Dean said. "Eighty-one. Come on. Give me something harder." Todd Kirkland / Getty ImagesMidway through Dean's last high school football season, Horn Lake trailed a regional rival 17-7 at halftime, and Boyette sensed his undefeated team was about to panic. The coach taped a brief radio interview and set off for the locker room, resolving to speak calmly. He came upon the full roster crowded outside the door as Dean, from the center of a 90-man circle, urged each player to be the best version of himself when play resumed."I look at the circle and I'm looking at their eyes. He had everybody's 100% attention," Boyette said. Horn Lake rallied to win 28-17.Shortly before Dean left Horn Lake for Georgia, his English teacher unearthed the first assignment Dean completed in ninth grade. Boyette read the sheet of paper on which Dean had written four objectives."Goal No. 4 was about some girl in the class. He was going to date her. That's the only one I don't know about," Boyette said. "But Day 1 of his freshman year he said: I'm going to make all A's in high school, we're going to win a state championship, and I'm going to be an Under Armour All-American. And he did. He hit on all three."Luck doesn't explain that, Boyette said: "It was intentional, purposeful preparation day in and day out for those things that he wanted to achieve." Todd Kirkland / Getty ImagesWhen Dean was a kid, his mom, Neketta Dean, directed community affairs for the county sheriff's department. Neketta's children volunteered at the events she organized and championed, from street cleanups to Toys for Tots giveaways. This ingrained in Dean a mentality of service, as Boyette puts it, that he maintains.Last year Dean captained a national all-star team that recognizes community-mindedness. Allstate donated $10,000 on his behalf to a Horn Lake community center. NIL rules have enabled Dean to give money and lend his likeness to local causes. At points of the 2021 season, Dean sponsored a bed at a Georgia homeless shelter, handed out turkeys and canned goods at Thanksgiving, and helped procure Bulldogs tickets for kids in the Boys and Girls Club."It means just as much to me as football does. My momma had us in the community and giving back before I had the dream of wanting to be a professional athlete," Dean said. "That's a part of who I am. I give back and I want to help people."Like Dean said, he has a lot of dreams, one of which stems from Neketta's work in veterans affairs. When Dean was young, he was introduced to military personnel who'd lost arms or legs. Versed in mechanical engineering, maybe he could build prosthetics one day: "That's something that I could see myself interested in down the road." David E. Klutho / Sports Illustrated / Getty ImagesDraft day looms large in the short term. A pectoral strain stopped Dean from working out at the league combine, and he was limited to positional drills at Georgia's pro day later in March. Scouts who knock Dean do so because of his size, wary of the deficiencies it might present in the NFL: a lack of power relative to offensive linemen, a lack of length compared to tight ends.To which Schumann replies: Trust his tape."The guy was the same size all year when he was making all these plays - playing in the best conference in college football, playing on the best defense in college football," Schumann said. "At the end of the day, your film is your resume. His film resume is as good as anybody's."Boyette watched Dean excel at Georgia from afar and, a few times last season, from the stands near the Bulldogs bench. He took note of how Dean challenged teammates on the sideline without angering them or causing rifts, one sign of a respected leader.Not long before the draft, a coaching friend asked Boyette how he'd describe Dean."He's not a T-shirt All-American. He's not going to go to a combine or workout and blow you away with 40 times," Boyette said. "But when you line up and you snap the ball and you want a football player, that's what you'll get when you get Nakobe Dean on your team."Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Panthers have the inside track over other potential suitors to acquire Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, league sources told Mark Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.Mayfield has been the subject of trade rumors after the Browns landed Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans. The Seattle Seahawks are also reportedly exploring adding Mayfield.The Panthers have looked to bolster their quarterback room since last season's conclusion. General manager Scott Fitterer previously said that Sam Darnold is in the lead for the starting job. He's also acknowledged potentially taking a quarterback early in the 2022 NFL Draft."But we do need a quarterback, and at some point you have to take a shot, especially in the top 10," Fitterer said last month. "You hate to force it, because when you force it, you could make a mistake."The Browns have enjoyed highs and lows since drafting Mayfield first overall in 2018. Mayfield ended the franchise's playoff drought in 2020 before enduring a pedestrian, injury-riddled campaign last season.The 27-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He's thrown for 92 touchdowns to 56 interceptions and carries a 29-30 career record.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Indianapolis Colts are signing free-agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore, he told Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.Gilmore, 31, has agreed to a two-year, $23-million deal that includes $14 million guaranteed, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.The Los Angeles Rams were also reportedly pursuing the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year.The New England Patriots traded Gilmore to the Carolina Panthers for a sixth-round pick in October. He missed the first half of the season with a quad injury while with the Patriots but quickly returned to form with Carolina, finishing as PFF's 12th-ranked cornerback while making eight appearances.Gilmore, a five-time Pro Bowler, joins an ascendant Colts defense that boasts two other All-Pros in linebacker Darius Leonard and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, as well as a new coordinator in Gus Bradley.Indianapolis finished tied for ninth in points per game in 2021 (21.5) and second in turnovers (33).The AFC South club has focused on reinforcing its defense this offseason, trading for pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue and adding safety Rodney McLeod and cornerback Brandon Facyson.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is embracing heightened expectations after the offense added several key players this offseason."I think pressure is everywhere, especially in any professional industry," Tagovailoa said on "The Fish Tank" podcast, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. "You're either going to make use of this opportunity with the guys we have, or you're not. That's what it is. I'm looking forward to making use of this opportunity."Miami's roster has undergone a significant transformation since the end of the 2021 season. The Dolphins added veteran talents such as Tyreek Hill, Terron Armstead, and Cedrick Wilson.The fifth overall pick in the 2020 draft described the acquisitions as "exciting" but acknowledged that it's going to take work from the entire group to make those moves successful."We've got to do the most important thing why we're here, which is just (to) win games," Tagovailoa said.Tagovailoa has led the Dolphins to a 13-8 record as a starter the past two seasons, but his inconsistent play and injuries have been a concern for the franchise. The 24-year-old threw for 2,653 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions with a 67.8% completion rate in 2021.The Dolphins, who were once linked to Deshaun Watson, have backed Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback entering his third season. One of his biggest endorsements came from new head coach Mike McDaniel, who Miami hired in February to replace Brian Flores."I'm really excited moving forward because (Tua) has some skills that I think are untapped," McDaniel said last month.Tagovailoa complimented his new coach as well, saying he's "a person you can relate to in a lot of things," per Jackson.With a brand-new supporting cast, the Dolphins will seek to improve on last season's 9-8 record and third-place finish in the AFC East.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's safe to say members of the Denver Broncos have been blown away by Russell Wilson's presence.Offensive tackle Garett Bolles was the latest player to praise the newly acquired quarterback, comparing him to the likes of some NBA greats."You talk about some of the greatest athletes - Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan - the type of mentalities those athletes have, that’s what he has," Bolles said, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. "He’s so focused all the time, ready to rock and roll, and it’s what we needed here.”Wide receiver Courtland Sutton already compared Wilson to former Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning earlier this week.The Broncos went out and made a splash this offseason, acquiring Wilson in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks. Adding the former Super Bowl winner was an attempt to resolve a long-standing issue under center for Denver. The Broncos have not made the playoffs since Manning retired following their Super Bowl run in 2015.“We were just missing the puzzle piece. Now we got the puzzle piece," Bolles said of Wilson, according to DNVR's Zac Stevens.Bolles also revealed his first words to Wilson after his new quarterback FaceTimed him shortly after the trade."I know you’re used to getting hit. You're not going to get hit here," Bolles told Wilson.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Michigan pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson will headline the list of 21 prospects attending the 2022 NFL Draft.Hutchinson, who's in contention to be the first overall pick, will be joined by many other high-profile prospects such as Cincinnati's Ahmad Gardner, Notre Dame's Kyle Hamilton, and Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux.Here's the full list of confirmed attendees:Name School PositionAhmad GardnerCincinnatiCBAidan HutchinsonMichiganEDGECharles CrossMississippi StateOLChris OlaveOhio StateWRDevin LloydUtahLBDevonte WyattGeorgiaDLEvan NealAlabamaOLGarrett WilsonOhio StateWRGeorge KarlaftisPurdueEDGEIkem EkwonuNC StateOLJermaine Johnson IIFlorida StateEDGEJordan DavisGeorgiaDLKayvon ThibodeauxOregonEDGEKyle HamiltonNotre DameDBMalik WillisLibertyQBKyler GordonWashingtonCBNakobe DeanGeorgiaLBZion JohnsonBoston CollegeOLJameson WilliamsAlabamaWRDrake LondonUSCWRMatt CorralOle MissQBMalik Willis and Matt Corral are the only quarterbacks who'll be at the event. The duo - along with Kenny Pickett, Sam Howell, and Desmond Ridder - has received first-round buzz.The Jacksonville Jaguars own the first pick of the draft, followed by the Detroit Lions at No. 2 and the Houston Texans at No. 3.The first round takes place April 28.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Green Bay Packers are signing wideout Sammy Watkins, the team announced Thursday.The two sides agreed on a one-year deal worth up to $4 million, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.Watkins spent the 2021 season with the Baltimore Ravens, recording 27 receptions for 394 yards in 13 contests.The 28-year-old joins his fifth NFL club since being a first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2014. He also spent time with the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs.Watkins was a reliable weapon for the Chiefs from 2018-20, racking up 129 receptions for 1,613 yards and eight touchdowns. He was also a contributing member of the Super Bowl LIV roster.The veteran's arrival provides much-needed depth at receiver for Green Bay following the offseason departures of Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.Watkins joins a group that features Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb among the pass-catching options for reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The drama surrounding Kyler Murray's future with the Arizona Cardinals could be set to reignite.Murray's agent, Erik Burkhardt, informed the Cardinals several weeks ago that he was pulling his opening contract proposal off the table, sources told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.The quarterback reportedly has also yet to receive an extension offer from Arizona.Other teams are closely monitoring Murray's situation, added Pelissero. The NFC West club has insisted it doesn't intend to trade the 2019 No. 1 pick.Burkhardt announced at the end of February that he had submitted a proposal to Arizona to create "long-term stability" for the organization and Murray. He added the deal would "match the current quarterback market" while allowing the team to build a championship-caliber roster.Friction between Murray and the Cardinals arose following the team's playoff exit to the Los Angeles Rams.The club was reportedly looking for more leadership out of the quarterback. Meanwhile, Murray apparently felt the Cardinals used him as a scapegoat for their blowout postseason loss.The 24-year-old also fueled speculation about his future by scrubbing all mentions of the Cardinals from his Instagram account in early February.Murray is set to earn around $5.5 million in the fourth year of his rookie contract.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Cardinals re-signed wide receiver A.J. Green to a one-year contract, the team announced Thursday.Green, who'll turn 34 in July, had 54 catches for 848 yards and three touchdowns during his first season with the Cardinals in 2021.He rejoins a receiving corps headlined by DeAndre Hopkins and Rondale Moore. Arizona needed to bolster its wideout group after losing Christian Kirk to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency.The Cardinals have focused on retaining their own talent, re-signing tight end Zach Ertz and running back James Conner, among others.Green established himself as one of the NFL's premier receivers during nine campaigns with the Cincinnati Bengals, producing six 1,000-yard seasons and earning seven Pro Bowl nominations.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Seahawks are re-signing quarterback Geno Smith, he told Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.Smith is finalizing a one-year deal worth up to $7 million, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.The veteran signal-caller joins a quarterback room that includes Drew Lock and Jacob Eason.Smith spent the last three seasons in Seattle as the primary backup to Russell Wilson. But with Wilson now in Denver following a blockbuster move to the Broncos, Smith could be set to compete with Lock - who joined the Seahawks as part of the Wilson trade - for the team's starting job.Head coach Pete Carroll said in March that Smith would likely enter the offseason atop the depth chart if he re-signed, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.The NFC West club is also widely expected to target a quarterback early in the draft.Smith, a 2013 second-round pick of the New York Jets, started three games for the Seahawks in 2021 while Wilson was sidelined with a finger injury. He led Seattle to a 1-2 record while throwing for 702 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The thing that makes the NFL draft most fun is the number of different positions there are on a football field. If you're picking high in the first round, how does the best cornerback compare to the best wide receiver available? You can draft in the mid-teens and still get the best player available at a position of need - like linebacker, safety, or interior offensive line. The No. 1 pick in a given year could be a quarterback, pass-rusher, or offensive lineman.Two weeks before most NFL drafts, pundits and oddsmakers tend to make assumptions about who the best players are at each position. However, we've learned over the years that beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder.Let's look at the markets on the offensive side of the ball to see where there might be value.First QB selectedPLAYER ODDSMalik Willis-175Kenny Pickett+130Desmond Ridder+1400Matt Corral+1800Sam Howell+2500Carson Strong+10000Bailey Zappe+10000Willis moved from +150 to the odds-on favorite since this market opened months ago - though mock drafts seemed to align Pickett at No. 6 to the Panthers until recently. The market hasn't budged since that first move, an indicator that Willis would be a more likely choice in the top 10, whether that's to the Lions at No. 2, further down to the Seahawks at No. 9, or anywhere in between.A price of -175 would be scarier if there were more than one contender, but in a two-horse race, it's still palatable to bet on a team buying in on Willis' upside.First WR selectedPLAYER ODDSGarrett Wilson+125Drake London+130Jameson Williams+400Treylon Burks+1200Chris Olave+1800Skyy Moore+5000Christian Watson+5000Tyquan Thornton+5000Jahan Dotson+5000If only Al Davis were still around to call for the Raiders to draft a speedster no one else thinks is the best receiver of the group. Rumor has it that some teams have Williams (+400) atop their board - and all it takes is one team to like a player more than they do the favorite. There are some assumptions that the Falcons will take Wilson to start a run on pass-catchers, but they could simply have loved what they saw when Williams lit up their home turf in the 2021 SEC championship game.First RB selectedPLAYER ODDSBreece Hall-250Kenneth Walker III+200Isaiah Spiller+650Kyren Williams+1800Dameon Pierce+2000Brian Robinson Jr.+2500James Cook+2500Tyler Allgeier+2500As a rule, the further down the board you expect the first selection of a position to go, the harder it is to predict which player it'll be. With teams chided for wasting a first-round pick on a player at the replaceable position of running back each year, there's no guarantee any of these players go in the first round.Once you get into Round 2, it becomes more about fit for a team's offense, so I'd play this market a little looser. Sure, Hall and Walker were more decorated college runners, but splitting a unit between Robinson and Cook to create a +1250 bet could be worth a try, especially since we can envision a team taking a tailback from Alabama or Georgia and feeling pretty good about it.In particular, Dalvin Cook's little brother has the lineage to go with elite receiving skills that a team might value higher than most. If no running back goes on Night 1, you also have a fun sweat for the second round after almost every other bet is decided.First OL selectedPLAYERODDSIkem Ekwonu-140Evan Neal+120Charles Cross+1000Trevor Penning+2000Tyler Linderbaum+2500The buzz around the offensive linemen in this draft has been electric. At one point, Ekwonu and Neal were the top two choices for the Jaguars to pick first overall. Since I'm still not ruling that out, I'd bet both players to go No. 1 in a small-risk, big-reward play rather than try to figure out which team will take an offensive tackle first and which prospect is the apple of its eye.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Derek Carr will lead the Las Vegas Raiders for the foreseeable future after inking a multi-year extension Wednesday, and the quarterback has no doubt he's capable of finally delivering postseason success."The question of, 'Can I win a playoff game?' Yeah, that's ridiculous. … Just because we had one chance, and we lost in the last series of a game to the AFC champions? Yeah, I think we can," Carr said Wednesday, according to NFL.com's Kevin Patra."It just shows you how close we were. But with that said, 55% of the teams that make the playoffs, the next year don't. So the odds are against us. I like that kind of thought process better, so I'm going to keep that underdog mentality and that chip-on-the-shoulder mindset."Carr, whose deal is reportedly for three years and worth $121.5 million, has yet to win a playoff game after making one postseason appearance in eight years with the Raiders.The AFC West club lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in last season's wild-card round. Carr missed the playoffs in 2016 after suffering a broken fibula in Week 16.The Raiders have had an aggressive offseason, which might give Carr his best chance at ending his postseason win drought. Las Vegas landed Josh McDaniels - a lauded offensive mind - as its new head coach and acquired All-Pro receiver Davante Adams in a blockbuster trade in March.The quarterback's arsenal of weapons also includes Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller and wideout Hunter Renfrow, who's coming off his first 1,000-yard season."I know what I'm capable of, I know what our team's capable of, and I'm excited to see," Carr said. "Obviously, we have to earn that (playoff) spot. I don't know what we were, the fifth seed - or something like that. Hopefully, we can earn more than that this year. That's always the goal. With this division, it'll be tough, but we're excited for that challenge."Carr had a career-high 4,804 passing yards while throwing 23 touchdowns against 14 interceptions in 17 starts last season. He also produced a career-best six game-winning drives.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.theScore's Justin Boone was first overall in FantasyPros' Most Accurate Expert Competition in 2019 and finished among the top seven each of his last seven years in the contest.In an effort to help you find trades that could improve your fantasy team, we present the Dynasty Trade Value Chart.You can use this chart to compare players and build realistic trade offers. Values are based on 12-team PPR leagues.Follow the links below to see the trade values for each position.Dynasty Rankings & Trade Values

The Carolina Panthers have talked to multiple teams about potentially trading down from the sixth overall pick in this year's draft, sources told NFL Network's Mike Giardi.Carolina owns just one selection in the first three rounds; the team's next pick is in the fourth round (137th overall). The Panthers traded second- and fourth-round choices in 2022 to the New York Jets in exchange for quarterback Sam Darnold last year.Quarterback is one of Carolina's biggest needs. However, many experts consider this year's class weak at the position. Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer recently admitted he isn't sold on the QB prospects in 2022 but didn't close the door on drafting one.Darnold tossed just nine touchdowns against 13 interceptions through 12 appearances last year. The Panthers also played Cam Newton (five starts) and P.J. Walker (one start) in 2021, but both failed to pass for more touchdowns than interceptions.This is the third straight season in which the Panthers own a top-10 selection. Third-year head coach Matt Rhule has mainly focused on his defense in the draft since joining the team; he took defensive tackle Derrick Brown seventh overall in 2020 and cornerback Jaycee Horn at No. 8 in 2021.The 2022 NFL Draft takes place April 28-30.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.Welcome to theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, hosted by Justin Boone.Find the show on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, and Anchor.In this episode, Danny Kelly of The Ringer joins Boone to discuss NFL draft rumors and break down the prospects expected to go off the board in Round 1.

Free-agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore visited the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday, reports NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Though Gilmore has been quiet about his future this offseason, he's been linked to multiple teams lately. The 2019 Defensive Player of the Year reportedly has also been in contact with the Los Angeles Rams.The 31-year-old battled multiple injuries last season, appearing in eight games with the Carolina Panthers after being traded from the New England Patriots in October. The veteran corner amassed 16 tackles, two pass breakups, and two interceptions in Carolina.Gilmore is only a couple of years removed from his best NFL campaign; the five-time Pro Bowler led the league with six interceptions and 20 pass breakups in 2019.The Colts lost one of their top cornerbacks after trading Rock Ya-Sin to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. Indy's cornerback depth chart is currently headlined by Kenny Moore, Brandon Facyson, and Isaiah Rodgers.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's the season of lying in the NFL.Misinformation is the name of the game in the lead-up to the draft, presenting a particularly difficult challenge in an event based entirely on information.With two weeks to go before the first round, teams are doing whatever they can to create an advantage, using the media to pump up the value of their pick in hopes of inducing a trade that will set them up for years to come. Since some pick trades will happen, it can be difficult to predict where players will be drafted.Let's take a look at the draft position over/unders for individual players and try to determine where the valuable bets might be.PLAYERDRAFT POSITIONO/U ODDSAidan Hutchinson1.5+225/-280Travon Walker3.5+185/-230Ikem Ekwonu3.5-110/-120Evan Neal3.5-200/+155Kayvon Thibodeaux5.5-130/+100Charles Cross7.5-150/+120Ahmad Gardner8.5+160/-200Kyle Hamilton8.5-150/+120Jermaine Johnson II9.5+110/-140Derek Stingley Jr.10.5-105/-125Garrett Wilson10.5-115/-115Drake London10.5-125/-105Jordan Davis13.5-160/+130Jameson Williams16.5+150/-200Trevor Penning16.5-125/-105George Karlaftis16.5-135/+105Trent McDuffie17.5-105/-125Chris Olave17.5-115/-115Devin Lloyd18.5+100/-130Treylon Burks23.5-120/-110Andrew Booth Jr.26.5-115/-115Tyler Linderbaum27.5-105/-125Like any bet, the goal is to beat the market before either a price adjustment or a line adjustment. Many of these draft position lines are created with a team in mind - a player may be considered sought-after by a franchise that's drafting at a particular spot.Best betsAidan Hutchinson over 1.5 (+225)Call it a conspiracy theory, but I'm not sold on the Jaguars taking Hutchinson. With the Detroit Lions picking at No. 2, the Jags might think the Michigan Wolverine is attractive enough to get the Lions to make a modest trade up, or maybe he'll entice another team to deal into the top spot. If that happens, this bet loses, but no other prospect has the same appeal, so the Jaguars have no reason to give us the impression they'll take anyone else.You may want to fade Hutchinson as first pick overall by trying to hit on who will go No. 1, but there are too many other good candidates for Jacksonville. If the Jags do keep the pick, I've made the case for why they may still select an offensive lineman, but there's fire to go with the smoke that is Travon Walker's move up the board.Meanwhile, Hutchinson at just -280 this close to the draft is a potential clue - the No. 1 pick is often a much heavier favorite at this point.Kayvon Thibodeaux under 5.5 (+100)As with the previous bet, we'd prefer to make draft bets that have two chances to win.With two picks in the first seven selections, the Giants should have two primary targets - a pass-rusher and an offensive lineman. Who's available depends in part on what their MetLife Stadium roommates do, as the Jets hold the fourth pick.This market suggests that the first three picks will be Hutchinson, Walker, and Ekwonu in some order. That would leave the Jets to decide between Evan Neal, Kayvon Thibodeaux, or a star cornerback. If they take Thibodeaux, this bet cashes. If they take either Ahmad Gardner or Derek Stingley, then the Giants can grab the Oregon pass-rusher - who at one point was suggested as the first overall pick - at No. 5.With the Panthers expected to draft a quarterback sixth overall, Neal would still be free for the Giants at No. 7. On top of that, if the Lions or Texans go for a cornerback with their first pick, the Giants would be assured that they could get an offensive tackle with their next selection.Garrett Wilson under 10.5 (-115)There are two ways this wins: either the Falcons find Marcus Mariota someone to throw to besides Kyle Pitts at No. 8, or the Jets add a playmaker for Zach Wilson at No. 10.Jordan Davis over 13.5 (-160)When betting these props, remind yourself what teams desire in the modern NFL. A run-stuffing defensive tackle is something of a luxury that the Ravens would be happy to add to their defense with the 14th pick. However, Davis is unlikely to draw enough attention for anyone to trade in front of Baltimore. There are too many other good prospects at prime positions like pass-rusher, cornerback, offensive line, wide receiver, and quarterback for a team to reach on Davis.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.