NFL News Updates

Author: nfltalk

  • Ex-Auburn coach Gus Malzahn believes Hugh Freeze will have Tigers challenging Alabama, Nick Saban

    Ex-Auburn coach Gus Malzahn believes Hugh Freeze will have Tigers challenging Alabama, Nick Saban

    Auburn coach Hugh Freeze topped Alabama coach Nick Saban in 2014 and 2015 while Freeze was coaching Ole Miss, which explains why he was so attractive to the Auburn administration when he was tabbed to take over the role previously occupied by Bryan Harsin. Freeze, along with former Auburn and current UCF coach Gus Malzahn and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, are the only active Power Five coaches who have topped Saban more than once.

    Malzahn served as coach of the Tigers from 2013-20, and he developed a close relationship with Freeze as they worked their way through the coaching ranks before arriving in the SEC. Malzahn believes that Freeze is in a perfect spot to recapture the magic at Auburn and challenge Saban on an annual basis.

    “He will,” Malzahn said when asked by Sports Illustrated whether Freeze will pose the same threat to Saban as he did in 2014 and 2015.

    Freeze knows that topping Saban, with whom he interviewed after being dismissed from Ole Miss prior to the 2017 season, is job No. 1 on The Plains. 

    “Yeah, I want to beat the crap out of him during the Iron Bowl, but we are friends,” Freeze told Sports Illustrated.

    Malzahn knows — more than most — what resources are available at Auburn. He led the Tigers to within 13 seconds of a national title during his first season leading the program in 2013. He also served as the Tigers’ offensive coordinator when Heisman Trophy-winner Cam Newton led them to the national title in 2010. 

    “I think Auburn and Hugh is a really good match,” Malzahn said. “Auburn is an unbelievable place. Hugh is really, really good. I’m excited for both parties. You can win the whole thing there. Unbelievable fan base and support. He’s coming at a great time with NIL and the new facility. Everything came…

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  • Broncos’ Sean Payton says Jarrett Stidham ‘can become an NFL starter,’ calls new QB an ‘important’ addition

    Broncos’ Sean Payton says Jarrett Stidham ‘can become an NFL starter,’ calls new QB an ‘important’ addition

    USATSI

    When the Broncos acquired Sean Payton as their new head coach this offseason, everyone wondered how the move would affect quarterback Russell Wilson in 2023. But some of Payton’s most notable comments at NFL owners meetings Monday regarded another QB on his roster. Weeks after signing former Patriots and Raiders backup Jarrett Stidham in free agency, the coach called Stidham an “important” piece of Denver’s offseason, adding that Wilson’s new No. 2 could soon become an NFL starter.

    “I think he’s young, but I think he’s someone that we had a good grade on coming out,” Payton said of Stidham. “We like the player. I think he played well in the two starts he had (last season) — if you study closely the San Francisco game, he’s smart at the line of scrimmage. There were a couple directions, really, with that position. There were a handful of No. 2s that either I had worked with or we felt comfortable with, but in this case, I think it’s a No. 2 (where) his arrow’s moving in a direction where we feel like he can become an NFL starter in our league.

    “So the evaluation was pretty crystal clear for all of us,” Payton continued. “I think he’s someone that’s gonna be great in the room. He’s smart. And so, quietly, that was an important (signing) for us.”

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  • Michigan football announces 2023 annual team trip location

    Michigan football announces 2023 annual team trip location

    Michigan football made headlines in the college football world for years by doing something teams just don’t do — at least not football programs. Jim Harbaugh took his team abroad, where they could learn all about different cultures while experiencing different things.

    It started in 2017, when Harbaugh took the team to Rome, Italy. The team actually held practices there on top of sightseeing and learning. The following year, the team went to Paris, and South Africa the year after that. Then COVID hit in 2020, and the trips were put on hiatus. But with the world opening back up, the team got its feet wet again by traveling the state of Michigan last summer.

    Now, the program is set to be on the move again, with the team announcing via video on Twitter that Michigan football will be headed to not just one location, but multiple this spring: Washington D.C., New York City, Gettysburg (Pa.), as well as Canton and Cleveland, Ohio.

    It will be interesting to see how the logistics work and how long the trip will be given that generally the team has mostly stuck to one area or region — the trip to Normandy while in France and the state of Michigan tour, aside.

    This will be the second domestic trip for the team, although it could be counted as the third, as Jim Harbaugh took the program to IMG Academy in Florida for the first week of spring practice back in 2016.

    More Football!

    Why Tyler Morris is ready for a primetime role with Michigan football

    What Jack Tuttle sees in Michigan football QB J.J. McCarthy

    A bulked-up Kris Jenkins ready to take on starring role in 2023

    Story originally appeared on Wolverines Wire

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  • Even with Stephon Gilmore, CB must remain a Cowboys draft priority

    Even with Stephon Gilmore, CB must remain a Cowboys draft priority

    The Cowboys made an enormous upgrade to their roster by adding cornerback Stephon Gilmore this offseason. Acquired in a trade with Indianapolis, Gilmore is expected to cleanly slide into the starting role opposite Trevon Diggs.

    The addition takes the pressure of the draft to find a ready-now solution and gives Dallas a little more flexibility as they navigate the treacherous waters of “best player available.”

    Yet looking at the big picture, how much should Gilmore really impact the Cowboys draft strategy?

    A case can be made they don’t need to find an immediate starter anymore but they still need to find an eventual starter. The need has remained.

    Playing on the last year of his deal, Stephon Gilmore is a band-aid. He’s an excellent one, but a band-aid nonetheless. His presence means the Cowboys aren’t forced to find a plug-and-play cornerback this year, but finding a cornerback capable of taking the reins in 2024 should still be high priority.

    With so many quality prospects expected in the early rounds, Dallas would be wise to use some foresight to take advantage.

    Even this year the Cowboys could use some help at cornerback. As things currently stand, Diggs, Gilmore and DaRon Bland are Dallas’ top-3 cornerbacks. Behind them, things get uncertain.

    Jourdan Lewis, Israel Mukuamu, Nahshon Wright, Kelvin Joseph and Isaac Taylor-Stuart currently populate the depth chart.  Coming off a Lisfrac injury and on the books for $5,872,550 against the cap, Lewis’ future with the Cowboys is somewhat in doubt. And after re-signing special teams standout C.J. Goodwin to a new deal, Joseph’s future on the team is in question as well. The talent pool in September may not be as deep as it looks today.

    Aside from Mukuamu, who looked promising in his limited reps last postseason, there aren’t many truly ascending players behind Bland and Diggs. It’s plain to see, after the 2023 season things get sparse at cornerback for Dallas.

    As they learned last season, teams can never…

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  • Auburn football recruiting: Four-star RB J’Marion Burnette commits to Tigers over Alabama, Georgia

    Auburn football recruiting: Four-star RB J’Marion Burnette commits to Tigers over Alabama, Georgia

    247Sports

    J’Marion Burnette, a four-star running back from Andalusia (Alabama) High School, announced Friday that he will stay in his home state and play for Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers in 2024. Burnette chose the Tigers over several other FBS offers, including Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Florida State and Michigan.

    Burnette is ranked No. 153 overall and is the 10th-ranked running back in the 2024 recruiting cycle. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound bruiser has rushed for 4,038 yards and 30 touchdowns during his three-year high school career. He rushed for 1,473 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior, which helped lead his high school to a 14-1 record and a 4-A state title.

    Burnette credited former interim head coach and current assistant Carnell “Cadillac” Williams as one of the big reasons why he chose to commit to the Tigers. 

    “It’s because they make their recruits feel like family,” Burnette told Auburn Undercover. “It’s a great program, great coaching staff. Coach Caddy is amazing. He’s been going out of the way since Auburn first offered me a year ago. He’s just been keeping up with me nonstop.”

    Burnette attended Auburn’s Junior Day on January 28, which led to 247Sports analysts giving him a 100% chance to join the Tigers in the 247Sports crystal ball. However, he made an unofficial visit to Florida State on March 21 prior to announcing his commitment on Friday. 

    Burnette will join a program that could offer immediate playing time. Rising junior running back Jarquez Hunter will be eligible for the NFL…

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  • NFL Draft 2023: Panthers may have let slip which QB they plan to select at No. 1

    NFL Draft 2023: Panthers may have let slip which QB they plan to select at No. 1

    The Carolina Panthers put themselves on the clock by trading up to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft earlier this month. While we know that this leap will lead to a young quarterback making his way to Charlotte, who that actually will be is unclear. Unlike other drafts, there isn’t a slam-dunk, bona fide No. 1 overall pick that stands above the rest, so there is a bit of mystery as to which way Carolina will ultimately end up going.

    That said, we may have gained a bit of clarity on that following Ohio State’s Pro Day on Wednesday. That was where C.J. Stroud — one of the top quarterback prospects in this class — was showing off his skills in front of various NFL evaluators, including a sizable contingent from the Panthers headlined by owner David Tepper, head coach Frank Reich, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and several others. 

    After the workout, Stroud could be seen speaking with Reich and a Panthers group that also included McCown. At the end of that conversation, McCown and Stroud could be heard talking about playing a game of HORSE against one another, and that’s where the coach may have let slip what the team plans to do with their top selection.

    “Maybe when you live in Charlotte we’ll find a court,” McCown said to Stroud as they embraced. 

    Depending on how you view that interaction, you could come away with the impression the Panthers — or at least McCown — expect to take Stroud and bring him to Charlotte. Of course, McCown doesn’t have the final say on such a massive decision for the organization, but if his feelings mirror the rest of the coaching staff and front office, Stroud seems to be sitting pretty as the top pick. 

    McCown has previously been on record talking about how much he likes Stroud as a prospect and even compared him to current Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. 

    “Physically, as I watch him, I think his skill set is very similar to Joe Burrow,”…

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  • 5 offensive storylines to follow as Alabama begins spring practice

    5 offensive storylines to follow as Alabama begins spring practice

    On Monday, Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide football team began spring practice in Tuscaloosa.

    Over the course of five weeks, Alabama will complete 14 practices and will conclude the spring activities with the annual A-Day Game on Saturday, April 22 from inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

    With each new season, position battles and question marks take center stage and 2023 will be no different.

    Coach Saban not only has a lot of new faces on the roster, but a ton of new coaches will also be making their Alabama debuts in 2023.

    As spring practice gets underway, let’s take a look a look some of the top storylines on each side of the ball. We will begin with the offense!

    Tommy Rees as OC

    Syndication: Notre Dame Insider

    After two seasons with Bill O’Brien as the Alabama offensive coordinator, Nick Saban hired a young gun in Tommy Rees to take over the play-calling duties for the Tide. Rees, even at a young age, brings a wealth of knowledge to the table and enjoys playing a physical brand of football and focusing on development at the quarterback position. How Rees fits in at Alabama is a huge piece of the puzzle.

    The wide receivers

    Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

    Alabama returns a pair of veteran players at receiver in Jermaine Burton and Ja’Corey Brooks as well as a herd of true sophomores who received plenty of playing time in 2022 as freshmen. The wild card of the bunch is JUCO transfer Malik Benson, who by all accounts has the potential of some of the recent Alabama greats such as Jerry Jeudy or DeVonta Smith. It will be interesting to see how Alabama lines those guys up this spring.

    The running back rotation

    Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

    Jase McClellan is back in the Alabama backfield for 2023 and will likely provide better production than most Alabama fans assume. After that, you have Roydell Williams, Jam Miller, and…

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  • Damien Harris feels signing with Bills can take him to a new height

    Damien Harris feels signing with Bills can take him to a new height

    Running back Damien Harris is switching teams in the AFC East for the 2023 season.

    Harris has signed with the Bills after spending four seasons with the Patriots and he’s joining an offense that is bringing back a number of weapons from their third straight division champion. Those weapons include running backs James Cook and Nyheim Hines, but Harris does not sound like he believes those players will keep him from thriving in Buffalo’s offense.

    “I always said that playing against the Bills, I felt like brought out the best in me as a competitor and as a player,” Harris said, via the team’s website. “And from the outside looking in as an opponent if I felt that way then I knew that if I was able to join this organization, I feel like I could just take it to a new height.”

    After rushing for 929 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2021, Harris dipped behind Rhamondre Stevenson in the New England backfield pecking order last year. It remains to be seen just how he’ll fit into the Bills attack, but it’s clear he feels like he can bounce back to previous heights.

    Damien Harris feels signing with Bills can take him to a new height originally appeared on Pro Football Talk

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