Arizona Cardinals defensive end JJ Watt, one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, will retire after the 2022 season, he announced on Tuesday.
Watt, the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, said he played his “last ever” home game this past Sunday, a 19-16 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude,” Watt wrote on Twitter. “It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure.”
Arizona’s remaining two games of the season are on the road – at the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday and at the San Francisco 49ers on January 8.
Known as a dominant pass rusher, Watt is likely bound for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, for which he will be eligible in 2028.
The 33-year-old was named Defensive Player of the Year three times, tied for most in league history with Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor.
The seven-time All Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, according to the NFL, was selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans where he played his first 10 seasons. He owns the Texans franchise record for the most career sacks with 101.
In March 2021, he signed a two-year contract with the Cardinals as a free agent. CNN has reached out to the Cardinals for comment.
Watt is well-known for his work off the field.
After Hurricane Harvey devastated areas around Houston and the rest of the Gulf Coast in August 2017, Watt embarked on what would be his most career-defining charitable effort to date.
Through a YouCaring campaign and plenty of social media attention and help from some famous friends, Watt raised more than $37 million for victims of the floods and damage Harvey left behind. Because of his fundraising, he was awarded the 2017 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which is given to honor the charity and volunteer efforts of NFL players.
Watt has two brothers, T.J. and Derek, who play in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The three Watt brothers played college football at the University of Wisconsin.
JJ Watt revealed in a social media post earlier this season that he underwent treatment for atrial fibrillation – an irregular heartbeat described by many sufferers as a “quiver,” “flutter,” or “flip-flop” of the heart.
The Arizona Cardinals have fired offensive line coach and running game coordinator Sean Kugler following an incident the night before the team’s game Monday in Mexico City, a team source confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday.
Coach Kliff Kingsbury spoke to the Arizona Republic, confirming the incident happened on Sunday night. Kugler was dismissed before Arizona’s 38-10 loss to San Francisco on Monday night.
“We relieved him of his duties, and he was sent home Monday morning prior to the game,” Kingsbury told the Republic. “It’s challenging anytime you make a staff change in that type of manner and I’m just going to leave it at that.”
No other info has been released about the nature of the incident. The Cardinals were in Mexico City for the weekend and through Monday night’s game against the 49ers. The team returned to Arizona following the game.
Arizona hired Kugler as an assistant in 2019 and he was promoted to running game coordinator in June 2021.
Kingsbury said assistant offensive line coach Brian Natkin and tight ends coach Steve Heiden will share Kugler’s duties. Offensive assistant Mike Bercovici will fill in for Heiden as tight ends coach. Kingsbury added that a search for a new running game coordinator and offensive line coach would begin after this season.
This is the second time this season the Cardinals have lost an assistant. In August, running backs coach James Saxon was placed on administrative leave after ESPN reported he had been charged with assaulting a woman in Indianapolis.
On Oct. 6, Saxon pled guilty to one count of domestic battery. He resigned from the Cardinals.
SEATTLE — The frustration from the brain trust of the Arizona Cardinals’ offense was noticeable after it failed to score an offensive touchdown for the second time this season and didn’t convert on three fourth downs in field goal range in a 19-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Sunday.
The loss dropped Arizona to 2-4, and its nine points were tied for the second fewest under coach Kliff Kingsbury. The Cardinals have yet to score 30 points this season and have reached 400 yards in a game just once.
Kingsbury said he has never experienced a stretch this long in which his offense has struggled.
“No, not yet since I’ve been a coach,” he said. “Just not being able to find rhythm as an offense, new to me. So, we’re going to continue to work at it. Personnel-wise, see how we can move things around, and scheme-wise, see how we get better because it’s a six-game view and it hasn’t been good enough.”
Quarterback Kyler Murray said Arizona’s offense hasn’t been this bad since his rookie year.
“That’s the last time s—‘s felt this hard,” he said. “We just feel it’s tough out there right now. Tough. That’s what it feels like. A lot of it it’s self-inflicted, put it on ourselves. Gotta get better.”
Murray didn’t go into detail about what’s been so hard for the offense but said the Cardinals continued to find themselves in difficult situations after productive spurts.
“Just feels like we moved the ball, we get to a certain area, get a long first down, next play we’re second-and-10, that’s tough to do,” Murray said. “It’s tough [place] to be in.
“We’re not doing things right right now.”
The Cardinals finally were able to get off to the type of start they’d been striving for all season. They scored in the first quarter for the first time in 2022 on a field goal by kicker Matt Ammendola and racked up 131 yards — 56 fewer yards than they had gained in total during the first quarter all season.
From there, however, the Cardinals’ struggles began again. On the first play of the second quarter, they failed to convert their first of three missed fourth downs. That was the point where things started to go awry, Kingsbury said.
“I felt like we needed to convert that,” he said. “For a reason after that, it just felt like we lost some confidence or whatever. [We] didn’t play very good from that point on. Got to be able to convert those in that situation and unfortunately it didn’t work out and we didn’t recover well.”
Arizona was 1-for-5 on fourth downs, not converting its first three in field goal range. Instead of taking the points, which could have brought the Cardinals to within one late in the game, Arizona walked away with nothing. Kingsbury, who has said in the past that analytics typically drive his decision to go for it on fourth down, said Arizona’s kicking situation factored into those decisions on Sunday.
The Cardinals were without Matt Prater for the second straight game and didn’t have the faith in his replacement, Ammendola, who bolstered Kingsbury’s decision to continue going for it on fourth down when he missed an extra point on Arizona’s only touchdown of the game — Chris Banjo’s recovery of a fumble by Seattle kicker Michael Dickson in the end zone.
“We’re normally aggressive on fourth down, but if Prater was here, probably at least a couple of those would have kicked at that point,” Kingsbury said.
After the game, Kingsbury wouldn’t commit to his support of Ammendola if Prater can’t play again Thursday night against the New Orleans Saints.
“We’ll have to discuss that,” Kingsbury said.
The Cardinals’ issues on fourth down and in the red zone, where they were 0-for-2 on Sunday, were amplified to Murray because of how well they were able to move the ball at times against Seattle.
“We just can’t finish,” Murray said. “Can’t finish. That’s the moral of the story right now is not finishing drives, not putting the ball in the end zone. Can’t win like that.”
After gaining 131 yards in the first quarter, Arizona managed just 184 yards the rest of the game.
“I gotta do a better job of making sure we’re running things that we can execute at a high level and be efficient and stay on schedule and score touchdowns,” Kingsbury said. “We just struggled throughout the season. So, it starts there, and then execution, routine plays that we make in practice and how we do it in practice has to carry over to the games, and right now it’s not for a reason.”
Kingsbury said he knows immediately when one of his play calls is a “bad call,” but he also said it’s instantly noticeable when something Arizona worked on in practice doesn’t translate to the field. Murray agreed with Kingsbury’s assessment of the Cardinals not playing like they practice.
“You could say that,” Murray said succinctly.
Wide receiver A.J. Green chalked some of the Cardinals’ offensive issues to struggling with details.
“We’re just not doing the little things,” he said.
Murray threw for 222 yards and ran for 100 — the second time in his career he has reached the 200 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in a game — but Kingsbury felt like Murray is still finding his rhythm along with the entire offense.
“I thought he ran the ball well on some of that stuff that we had called and a couple of times when he had to make plays, but we’re definitely not as in sync as we’ve been in the past as far as accuracy, timing, all those things, overall,” Kingsbury said. “We have to get there quick because it’s not good enough.”
Receiver Marquise Brown left the game late in the fourth quarter with a foot injury. He was wearing a soft boot on his left foot in the locker room. Brown said X-rays were good but that he’ll know more about the status of his injury on Monday.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Coach Andy Reid blamed the turf in Arizona for injuries to two key Kansas City Chiefs players in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals.
The Chiefs lost cornerback Trent McDuffie with a hamstring injury. An ankle injury to kicker Harrison Butker forced the Chiefs to use a safety, Justin Reid, to kick two extra points and to kickoff.
“They resodded it, which is a good thing because they practice in there,” Reid said of the field at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium. “But it was a little bit loose. That’s what happens sometimes when you resod, is it’s loose.
“It was part of the Butker injury and McDuffie injury … The turf picked up and I would tell you that that did have something to do with it. If it didn’t, I would tell you that, too. So it’s not an excuse by any means, but I mean, you all can see it. Watch the tape.”
The Chiefs placed McDuffie on the injured reserve list, meaning he will miss Thursday night’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium and at least three more games after that.
Butker appears unlikely to play against the Chargers. The Chiefs said he would not work in the team’s only full practice of the week on Tuesday.
The Chiefs signed kicker Matt Ammendola to their practice squad this week, and he could be promoted to the active roster in time for Thursday’s game.
With 2022 NFL training camps getting ready to hit high gear, young starting quarterbacks around the league are getting valuable reps.
At the New England Patriots camp on Friday, onlookers anticipated that quarterback Mac Jones would raise his level of performance after the offense was almost shut out completely, scoring just one touchdown on 11 repetitions in a red zone drill at the end of Thursday’s practice.
Jones didn’t disappoint, showing that his connection with tight end Jonnu Smith is in a better place than it was for most of 2021. On one play, Jones lofted about a 20-yard pass to Smith in the back of the end zone, with safety Kyle Dugger in coverage, and Smith leaped high to snare the pass for a touchdown. Smith, who later caught another touchdown from Jones, then followed with an emphatic spike.
While he was mostly sharp, Jones did throw his first interception of camp — right into the chest of cornerback Jalen Mills.
In Philadelphia, quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offense had a rocky outing Friday following a strong showing in the opening practice. In Tennessee and Washington, it was young receivers who made their mark.
Here’s what you need to know from camps across the league:
What our NFL Nation reporters saw today
Washington Commanders: Second-year receiver Dyami Brown needs to be a bigger threat for Washington in his second season. A third-round pick in 2021, he caught just eight passes. But his speed still excites Washington, and Friday he made a terrific catch. On the play, quarterback Carson Wentz threw deep down the left side to Brown. Corner Kendall Fuller was in perfect position to intercept the ball with Brown pinned to his side. But as Fuller extended for the ball, Brown jumped and reached over the veteran and snagged the ball as they fell to the ground.— John Keim
Philadelphia Eagles: Quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offense struggled following a strong showing in the opening practice.
“It didn’t look good,” center Jason Kelce said.
Corner Avonte Maddox provided one of the defensive highlights, elevating to intercept a floating Hurts pass intended for tight end Dallas Goedert.
“It’s Day 2 of camp. We’ll get it right,” Goedert said.— Tim McManus
Tennessee Titans: Rookie wide receiver Treylon Burks turned in another outstanding day of work. He used his size to create separation and win reps in one-on-one period. The momentum rolled over to group periods of practice when he caught a couple of passes from Ryan Tannehill in traffic across the middle.— Turron Davenport
Green Bay Packers: Given his injury history, it would’ve been easy to say “Same old Sammy Watkins” when he began camp on the non-football injury (NFI) list. But the veteran receiver the Packers signed in the offseason was relieved after he was able to start practicing on Day 3 of camp. He said he felt what he called “a tweak” in one of his hamstrings following a pre-camp workout.
“The next day I went out and ran routes and ran around and felt great, and I think I was kind of in my own head [thinking], ‘Man, this happened again,'” Watkins said. “But it was really nothing.” His return to practice on Friday came on a day when the Packers conducted only a short, half-speed practice. Still, Watkins was able to catch a few passes from Aaron Rodgers as he eased his way back.— Rob Demovsky
Kansas City Chiefs: Newly signed defensive end Carlos Dunlap was not at practice. Dunlap told the Chiefs he needed a few days to get some things in order at home and won’t return to camp until the middle of next week. — Adam Teicher
New England Patriots: Rookie guard Cole Strange, the team’s first-round pick, ended practice with an exclamation point as coach Bill Belichick summoned him as part of a punt-catching competition. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Strange hauled in one punt, and then when undrafted rookie defensive lineman DaMarcus Mitchell (Purdue) missed his attempt, Strange followed by catching another with a football already in his grasp. That set off a wild celebration by the offense, which didn’t necessarily win anything other than bragging rights. — Mike Reiss
New York Jets: Newly-signed linebacker Kwon Alexander will be brought along slowly as he gets into football shape. The Jets’ plan is to have him work on his own for a couple of days before getting on the practice field next week for limited work. He was unsigned since the end of last season, so he had no offseason program. He will be used in the ‘Sam’ and ‘Will’ linebacker spots, starting off as a backup.
“No expectations,” said coach Robert Saleh, who coached him in San Francisco. “(He) just has to do what he always does, which is to bring a lot of juice, a lot of energy.” — Rich Cimini
Carolina Panthers: The Panthers ranked in the bottom half of the NFL last season in scoring points before halftime, so at the end of practice coach Matt Rhule gave quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield each a chance to see what they could do with 1:45 left on the clock. Darnold engineered a touchdown drive thanks to pass interference on a deep pass and a circus catch in the end zone by wide receiver Shi Smith after the ball was tipped by a defender.
Mayfield’s group produced a long field goal as time expired. Carolina also ranked in the bottom half of the league in red zone scoring in 2021. Darnold went 0-for-4 on his first series there Friday. Mayfield went 1-for-4. Darnold did complete his first deep pass of practice with a 40-plus yard strike to Terrace Marshall Jr. — David Newton
Buffalo Bills: Starting safety Micah Hyde was injured while trying to intercept a Josh Allen pass. Hyde dropped the ball as he came to the ground. After a couple of seconds, starting safety Jordan Poyer motioned to the team’s athletic trainers, who came over to attend to Hyde. Multiple Bills players took a knee while Hyde was looked at and the music playing was turned off.
He limped off the field with their assistance and held the back of his leg at one point before sitting in the passenger seat of cart, which took him to the team’s locker room. Hyde is dealing with a hip/glute injury that is still being evaluated. He and Poyer make up arguably the best safety tandem in the NFL, so any time missed would be a big loss for this Bills defense. Jaquan Johnson and Damar Hamlin filled in for Hyde the rest of practice. — Alaina Getzenberg
Top NFL news of the day
Commanders’ Chase Young to miss at least season opener
Washington defensive end Chase Young will miss at least the season opener — and possibly more — because of a knee injury he suffered late last year. One team source had told ESPN this month that Young would return mid-September at the earliest.
Cardinals’ J.J. Watt not a fan of ‘bobblehead’ Guardian Cap
Arizona’s Watt is not a fan of wearing the Guardian Cap during training camp and wasn’t shy in sharing his thoughts on Friday.
“You feel like a bobblehead,” Watt deadpanned. “Like you’re gonna fall over. I’ll probably get fined for this. This is great. … There’s 15 grand gone.”
The Guardian Cap is required for all offensive linemen, defensive linemen, tight ends and linebackers during training camp practices until the second preseason game.
More:
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Some wholesome content for your Friday morning 💙❤️🥹 pic.twitter.com/bEdtVdjSvG
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) July 29, 2022
🔥 @juliojones_11 pic.twitter.com/UZAEsJhveL
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) July 29, 2022
Training Camp Touchdown 💪@Tua 👉 @b_sanders pic.twitter.com/wzkagNuaan
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) July 29, 2022
Sammy Watkins (11) is on the field after missing the first two days on the NFI list with a hamstring. pic.twitter.com/h2GDAtRBj3
8:15pm: And like that, the clause is no more. Rapoport tweets that the Cardinals have removed the “independent study” clause in Murray’s contract.
“After seeing the distraction it created, we removed the addendum from the contract,” the Cardinals said in a statement (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter). “It was clearly perceived in ways that were never intended. Our confidence in Kyler Murray is as high as it’s ever been and nothing demonstrates our belief in his ability to lead this team more than the commitment reflected in this contract.”
1:25pm: In making Kyler Murray the NFL’s second-highest-paid quarterback, the Cardinals included an independent study clause in his contract. The strange inclusion mandates the fourth-year passer watch at least four hours of film on his own per week during the season, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Understandably, this unusual mandate has generated more attention than the five-year, $230.5MM deal itself. Addressing this matter Thursday, Murray said questions about his film-study habits are “disrespectful” and “almost a joke,” via CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones (all Twitter links).
“There’s multiple different ways to watch film. Of course we all watch film. That doesn’t need to be questioned,” Murray said, before declining to answer questions related to the film clause. “I refuse to let my work ethic and my preparation be in question. I’ve put in an incomprehensible amount of time in what I do, whether it’s football or baseball.”
Murray himself has admitted in the past he is unlikely to be a top-tier film studier among quarterbacks, making comments to the New York Times about his habits. Given his importance to the franchise, this December 2021 stance may well have been a factor for the Cardinals during their offseason negotiations.
“I think I was blessed with the cognitive skills to just go out there and just see it before it happens,” Murray said, via NYT’s Ben Shpigel, last year. “I’m not one of those guys that’s going to sit there and kill myself watching film. I don’t sit there for 24 hours and break down this team and that team and watch every game because, in my head, I see so much.”
The two-time Pro Bowler declined to say if he was mad about this film-study component of his contract, but the Cardinals going so far as to include it their highest-profile extension reveals at least some level of hesitancy about the dual-threat passer’s commitment. This is not the first piece of atypical language in a Murray contract. His rookie deal protected the Cardinals against a return to baseball, a sport he was ticketed to play — as a top-10 Oakland Athletics draftee — before his 2018 Heisman-winning season changed his career course. That transition has now led to Murray securing a monster extension — one featuring $104.3MM guaranteed at signing.
It is certainly interesting that, despite the reports of the acrimony between the fourth-year QB and the Cardinals dying down, Murray has needed to address this matter after the team made this financial commitment. Generally, talk of discontent between player and team recedes in the wake of big-ticket extension agreements. But it is clear Murray, who has followed up fast starts with suboptimal end-of-season stretches in each of his Pro Bowl years, will struggle to distance himself from this story. The Cardinals, who have never authorized a contract remotely close to this neighborhood, stand to be regularly tied to this language as well.
TEMPE, Ariz. — Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray held an unscheduled press conference on Thursday to defend himself against the backlash he’s received from the independent study addendum that was added to his contract.
Murray spoke for about 11 minutes, saying he felt it was necessary to explain himself.
He said it was “disrespectful” that outsiders thought he would reach the levels he’s at — a starting quarterback in the NFL — without being a “student of the game.”
“It’s almost a joke,” he said.
Murray said playing quarterback is too hard to do without studying a significant amount of film.
“I’m flattered that y’all think that at my size I can go out there and not prepare for the game and not take it serious,” he said.
Murray, who’s usually reserved when it comes to talking about himself, admitted his surprise appearance was out of character.
He also listed his accomplishments — going undefeated in high school, winning the Heisman, going in the first round in the NFL and MLB drafts, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and being a two-time pro bowler.
He then cited his size — 5-foot-10 — and said he’s already “behind the eight ball.”
“I can’t afford to take any shortcuts, no pun intended,” he said. “Those are things you can’t accomplish if you don’t prepare the right way.
“It’s laughable.”
Murray declined to answer specific questions about the addendum, including whether he felt offended about it being included, instead asking reporters if they had any questions about football.
“I’m flattered that y’all think that at my size I can go out there and not prepare for the game and not take it serious.”
Kyler Murray
Murray said there are multiple different ways to watch film and many different ways to process the game.
“Of course, I watch film by myself, that’s a given,” Murray said. “That doesn’t even need to be said. But I do enjoy and love the process of watching the game with my guys — the quarterbacks — my coaches.”
Murray took issue with the response to the addendum and the criticism that he received about his preparation. He said he wasn’t shocked by the reaction.
“I refuse to let my work ethic, my preparing to be in question,” Murray said. “I’ve put in an incomprehensible amount of time and blood, sweat, tears and work into what I do, whether it’s football or baseball. People can’t comprehend the amount of time that it takes to do two sports at a high level in college, let alone be the first person to do it ever at my size. It’s funny.
“But to those of you out there that believe that I’d be standing here today, in front of y’all without having a work ethic and without preparing, I’m honored that you think that. But it doesn’t exist. It’s not possible. It’s not possible.”
Andrea Mercedes Palacios, the girlfriend of Jeff Gladney, has been identified as the woman who died alongside the Arizona Cardinals defensive back in a car accident Monday morning.
Palacios has been identified by both her family and the Dallas County police.
“She was just a loving, selfless person,” Palacios’ brother, John Paul Figueroa, told NBC Dallas Fort-Worth. “Just outgoing. I know she loved Jeff because they were always together.”
Gladney and Palacios died early Monday morning after a two-car accident on the Woodall Rodgers Freeway in Dallas.
Police said that a white vehicle — containing Gladney and Palacios — sped and clipped a car from behind. Subsequently, the white vehicle lost control and hit a freeway pier beam.
It is not clear which of the two was driving.
Jeff Gladney was a first-round pick by the Vikings in the 2020 NFL Draft.APAndrea Mercedes Palacios, the girlfriend of Jeff Gladney, also was killed in Monday’s car crash.Facebook
Passengers in the second car were not seriously injured.
Gladney, who played in college at TCU, was a first-round pick for the Minnesota Vikings in the 2020 NFL Draft. He was released by the team after being accused of “intentionally, knowingly and recklessly” applying pressure to an ex-girlfriend’s neck and throat.
He was found unanimously not guilty by a Texas court and signed with the Cardinals this offseason.
Sharonda Francois, Gladney’s cousin, told WFAA that the defensive back had recently purchased a house for his mother. She also said that Gladney has a son who just turned a year old in February.
“He really loved his son, a lot of young guys are really not into being parents — but he really loved him,” Francois said. “He hosted football camps, he took care of our kids at family gatherings. I mean money did not change him, he was still the same down to earth cousin. He was just so well-loved.”
The jet lag from Sunday’s flight home from the 2022 NFL draft in Las Vegas has barely worn off, but I’m already digging in on the 2023 class. I’m that excited about this group. After only one quarterback was selected in the first 73 picks this year, we could see a handful in the first round next April. There are also truly special prospects on the defensive side of the ball, and I think we could see five-plus receivers in Round 1 yet again. So let’s project the early scope of the first round.
Now, this is an extremely early prediction. I haven’t spent much time with the 2023 class’ tape yet, and a lot of this is based on what I’ve seen while watching prospects in person over the past two seasons and early buzz around the league. Expect big changes between now and next April. My 2022 way-too-early mock, for example, featured 10 prospects who ultimately were first-rounders and predicted five top-10 picks — but eight players listed ultimately didn’t enter the draft, and 14 others weren’t selected in Round 1. It’s still 12 months out, and we have a full college season and a long pre-draft process ahead.
Then there is the draft order, which I did not decide. We opted to project the order using the inverse of Super Bowl odds from Caesars Sportsbook, though we broke some ties and tweaked the end of the order to ensure seven teams from each conference in the playoffs. That puts Houston on the clock to get things going in Round 1.
Note: Underclassmen are noted with an asterisk. Traded picks are shown below as well.
C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State*
The Texans believe in quarterback Davis Mills, but if they actually end up picking No. 1 next April, something went terribly awry for Mills during his sophomore season. Stroud has a big arm, completing 71.9% of his passes for 4,435 yards, 44 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2021. The third-year sophomore has only 12 career starts, though, so all eyes will be on him this season.
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama*
Detroit wisely focused on the rest of its roster last week, but it will likely have to find its franchise quarterback in 2023 and has a prime chance to do so at No. 2 with Young still on the board. A former five-star recruit, Young is only 6-foot but has solid accuracy and plenty of mobility in the pocket. And he clearly has chemistry with receiver Jameson Williams, one of the Lions’ first-round picks this year, considering nearly a third of Young’s 4,872 passing yards in 2021 went Williams’ way. Jared Goff’s dead money dips to just $10 million next offseason, making the Lions’ QB easier to move on from.
Will Anderson Jr., DE, Alabama*
Anderson is probably the best player in the 2023 draft class and is here at No. 3 only because the teams picking at Nos. 1 and 2 need quarterbacks. The 6-foot-4, 243-pounder is a special player with elite traits and great burst to the quarterback. He led the nation in sacks (17.5), tackles for loss (34.5) and pressures (79) last year. Pairing Anderson with Jermaine Johnson II (a first-rounder this year) could give New York one of the least expensive yet best overall edge tandems in the NFL.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State*
If you don’t know the name yet, go watch some Rose Bowl highlights. Smith-Njigba caught 15 passes for 347 yards (a bowl game record) and three touchdowns in Ohio State’s win against Utah — putting him over 1,600 receiving yards for the season. It’s very possible he is a better prospect than Garrett Wilson or Chris Olave, who both just went in the top 11 picks. The Jags signed Christian Kirk and Zay Jones in March, but they still need a true WR1 for Trevor Lawrence. JSN can be that guy.
Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia*
Another Georgia defender? The 6-foot-3, 310-pounder is extremely disruptive and would help shore up Atlanta’s run defense while providing a pass-rush spark from the interior. And yes, Grady Jarrett just signed an extension, but he will be 30 years old when the draft comes back around. Carter is the best player available here and a difference-maker.
As for quarterback, it’s a very possible direction for the Falcons. But Stroud and Young are off the board, and I get the sense that they would like to develop Desmond Ridder and give him a chance if there isn’t another clear and obvious upgrade on the table.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida*
The Panthers, however, should start scouting the 2023 signal-callers. I’m not so sure they view Matt Corral as a long-term option, and Sam Darnold will be off the books after this season. Plus, Carolina could have a new regime in place, especially if it’s picking this early again. Now, Richardson is a huge projection — the 6-foot-4, 236-pound passer played in just eight games and started once last year — and has some turnover issues. But he’s extremely talented and poised for a breakout season in his first as a full-time starter.
Jordan Addison, WR, Pittsburgh*
Addison entered the transfer portal, so where he’ll be suiting up this season is still up in the air. He was among the best receivers in college football last season with 100 catches for 1,593 yards and 17 trips to the end zone. The Bears opted to wait until Round 3 to draft a receiver (Velus Jones Jr.) and still need a legitimate outside starter opposite Darnell Mooney.
Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
The Giants didn’t pick up Daniel Jones’ fifth-year option, which leaves the QB seat up for grabs next season. Levis needs to find more consistency, but he has a live arm and a big 6-foot-3, 232-pound frame. He has thrived in the quick game at Kentucky, with a lot of run-pass options and screen-type stuff, but there are some Josh Allen-like traits here for new Giants coach Brian Daboll. Oh, and Levis connected with receiver Wan’Dale Robinson — whom the Giants drafted in Round 2 this year — 104 times last season.
play
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Mel Kiper Jr. breaks down which players teams should keep their eye on for the 2023 NFL draft.
Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami*
Van Dyke didn’t consistently play like a first-rounder in nine starts last season, but the 6-foot-4, 224-pounder has the talent of a future franchise passer. The third-year sophomore just needs to take the next step this year. Seattle GM John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll seem to still legitimately like Drew Lock’s potential as an NFL starter, but if the Seahawks have another disappointing season and another top-10 pick, they could be in the market for an upgrade.
Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama*
After a four-interception freshman year at LSU, Ricks missed most of 2021 with an injured shoulder and then transferred to Alabama. He’s a smooth press corner who can take away an opponent’s No. 1 receiver. The Commanders’ top two corners — William Jackson III and Kendall Fuller — are both under contract for only two more years, and the team’s pass defense has struggled, so adding a playmaker on the outside makes a lot of sense. One more note here: Ricks was arrested on Monday for speeding and possession of marijuana.
Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State*
Only the Dolphins had a worse pass block win rate than the Steelers last season (48.8%), and I don’t think Pittsburgh did enough to fix the line. When it decides to turn the offense’s keys over to new quarterback Kenny Pickett, the protection has to be there. Johnson has 13 career starts (all at right guard) and allowed only one sack last season. He will slide outside to left tackle this year.
Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia*
I thought Philadelphia might look at a cornerback in Round 1 this year, but the long-term spot opposite Darius Slay remains open — and Slay is currently primed to hit free agency in 2024. Ringo broke up eight passes and picked off two in 2021 as part of the dominant Bulldogs defense. One of those interceptions was a memorable one in the College Football Playoff national title game.
Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern*
Skoronski already has a lot of experience (21 starts), and the 6-foot-4, 294-pound lineman has the makings of a future franchise tackle, as long as he tacks on more weight. Las Vegas needs another bookend for the line opposite Kolton Miller.
Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson*
The Vikings had one of the worst run defenses in the NFL last season and didn’t draft a defensive tackle this year, and Dalvin Tomlinson is entering the final year of his contract. Bresee suffered a torn ACL in September, but he’s primed to return for a big 2022 campaign.
Noah Sewell, ILB, Oregon*
The brother of 2021 first-rounder Penei Sewell, Noah Sewell can impact multiple areas of the game. The 6-foot-3, 251-pound linebacker had 110 tackles, four sacks and six pass breakups last season. And the Patriots are still looking for a leader in the middle of their defense.
Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson*
The Dolphins tied for fifth in sacks last season and just re-signed Emmanuel Ogbah, but Murphy would be another playmaker off the edge who can get home on opposing QBs. He has 11.5 sacks over two seasons at Clemson and looks like a future impact player at the next level.
Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame*
Mayer finished his sophomore season with 71 catches (third among tight ends) and 840 receiving yards (fourth). He has tremendous 6-foot-4, 251-pound size and good hands. The Titans would love a playmaking tight end like Mayer for quarterback Ryan Tannehill — or Malik Willis, should the Titans make that move going into 2023.
Derick Hall, DE, Auburn
Hall broke out in 2021, recording nine sacks and 13 tackles for loss in his first season as a full-time starter. Will he take another step in 2022? The Colts are coming off a 33-sack season, and while they traded for Yannick Ngakoue and should see more from Kwity Paye in his second year, you can never have enough productive pass-rushers.
Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas*
Zero running backs were taken in Round 1 this year, but I expect we’ll return to seeing at least one come off the board on Day 1 next April. After going cornerback earlier, Philly could look to spark the run game here. At 6-foot and 214 pounds, Robinson is a unique talent both as a runner and receiver. He piled up 1,127 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns last season, but he also caught 26 passes for 295 yards and four more scores. Miles Sanders is entering the final year of his current deal, and the Eagles played their best football last season when they leaned on the run.
Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah*
Phillips is already a two-year starter, and he broke up 12 passes last season. Arizona’s cornerback room has holes, and that’s before factoring in that Byron Murphy Jr. is entering the final year of his contract.
Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU*
Everyone loved the Ravens’ 2022 draft, but remember that they traded away Marquise Brown, leaving Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay as their top two wide receivers. Boutte is a top-15-caliber prospect who had nine touchdown catches in six games last year before a leg injury ended his season.
Trenton Simpson, ILB, Clemson*
The Bengals drafted a pair of versatile defensive backs in the first two rounds this year, and they spent on the offensive line in free agency. If the fixes prove effective, one area they could instead look at in 2023 is linebacker. Simpson had 63 tackles and six sacks last season, and he can drop in coverage.
BJ Ojulari, DE, LSU*
We already got Houston a quarterback, so how about a high-end edge rusher for new coach Lovie Smith’s defense? I love Ojulari’s burst and bend off the edge.
Henry To’oTo’o, ILB, Alabama
The Cowboys just used a fifth-rounder on linebacker Damone Clark, who will miss 2022 because of a back injury but should be ready to roll in 2023. Even so, adding another top-flight linebacker could help free up Micah Parsons in a more versatile role in which he thrives. To’oTo’o made 106 tackles last season.
Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State*
At 6-foot-2 and 192 pounds, Porter has size on the outside and some versatility, though he has only one career interception. I like the upside of defensive backs Coby Bryant and Tariq Woolen, midround picks for Seattle this year, but the Seahawks really need a potential star to improve this pass D.
Zion Nelson, OT, Miami*
I actually had Nelson in my way-too-early mock this time last year, and he’s back again after opting to return to Miami. Nelson has 33 starts and could be the answer opposite Rashawn Slater on the Chargers’ offensive line.
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama*
Gibbs was a hidden gem at Georgia Tech, and now I expect him to explode onto the national stage after transferring to Alabama. His pass-catching ability out of the backfield will get a lot of attention. Pairing Gibbs with Chase Edmonds (Myles Gaskin and Raheem Mostert are under contract for only 2022) would give Miami a very strong rushing attack.
Tony Grimes, CB, UNC*
Grimes has 6-foot-1 size and good speed, and he broke up seven passes last season. A duo of Grimes and Jeff Okudah should help turn things around for Detroit’s lackluster pass defense.
Emil Ekiyor Jr., G, Alabama
We’ll see how Green Bay’s moves at wide receiver play out; if quarterback Aaron Rodgers can’t find a reliable target this year, the Packers might be looking for a first-round pass-catcher next April. Another way to help Rodgers? Drafting Ekiyor, a versatile lineman with 28 starts under his belt.
Nolan Smith, OLB, Georgia
The 6-foot-3, 235-pound defender’s sack production isn’t overwhelming (3.5 in 2021 and 8.5 over three seasons), but he forced three fumbles last year and has a lot of upside. I’m excited to see what he can do in 2022 with much of the Georgia defense heading to the NFL. Smith could help the Chiefs keep the AFC West’s talented quarterbacks in check.
Josh Downs, WR, UNC*
Downs is an explosive route runner who caught 101 passes for 1,335 yards last season and excelled after the catch. He’d be dangerous in Tampa Bay’s offense. Also keep an eye on the QB situation here; the Buccaneers could potentially turn to Kyle Trask or sign a free agent if Tom Brady retires after the 2022 season, but they could also focus on the draft class for a replacement.
Marvin Mims, WR, Oklahoma*
Another year, another loaded wide receiver class. Mims is undersized at 5-foot-11 and 177 pounds, and he hasn’t caught more than 37 passes in a season. But his 22.0 yards per reception ranked third in the nation last season, and he’d be yet another target for quarterback Josh Allen.
The 2022 NFL draft delivered on everything from flashy outfits to surprising picks and, of course, blockbuster trades.
One major move involved the Baltimore Ravens trading wide receiver Marquise Brown and their 100th overall pick for the Arizona Cardinals’ sole first-round pick.
Read More: 2022 NFL draft trade tracker: Every deal for a first-round pick
The Ravens later selected Iowa Hawkeyes center Tyler Linderbaum with the No. 25 pick they received from Arizona.
But Lamar Jackson wasn’t too thrilled with the front office’s decision.
Wtf
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) April 29, 2022
🥺🥺🤬 https://t.co/PqO2e81vvZ
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) April 29, 2022
In March, Baltimore’s star quarterback made his feelings known about a potential trade involving Brown being sent to the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Excuse my French real quick sir … But HELL NAW!” Jackson wrote on Twitter.
Unfortunately for Jackson, a deal involving Brown became a reality as Jackson and his former receiver bid each other farewell.
Wish I coulda played with my brotha forever but ima see you at the top @Lj_era8 🤞🏿💯
— Hollywood Brown (@Primetime_jet) April 29, 2022
Despite his displeasure, Jackson made it clear that he was not upset by the addition of Linderbaum.
It’s not about my new center🙄 stop that bs https://t.co/meRpOw4zD0
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) April 29, 2022
On the other side of the trade, Kyler Murray, Budda Baker and J.J. Watt celebrated the arrival of their new wide receiver.
Let’z Get It Gang ❤️💯 https://t.co/UQrdZAvNsb
— Hollywood Brown (@Primetime_jet) April 29, 2022
Welcome to the Bird City!! @Primetime_jet Offense Gonna Be 🏃♂️💨💨💨 🔥🔥🔥
— Budda Baker (@buddabaker32) April 29, 2022
pic.twitter.com/b8yK2tKXfR
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) April 29, 2022
The trade allows for a reunion for Murray and Brown, who were teammates on the Oklahoma Sooners. The two connected for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2018, and Murray went on to win the Heisman Trophy before being the first overall selection in the 2019 NFL draft. Brown was later selected 25th overall.
