Category: NFL News

49ers could use 2023 draft to fill needs for future seasons originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

The 2023 NFL Draft for the 49ers could end up being more about the 2024 season and beyond.

The 49ers enter next week’s draft with 11 picks. But their first selections don’t come until after the regular phase of the third round with compensatory selections slated for Nos. 99, 101 and 102 overall.

With starting spots tentatively filled at every position on both sides of the ball, the 49ers have the luxury of being able to look ahead to see where they might require more help in the future.

This same strategy served them well in the 2021 NFL Draft with the selections of guard Aaron Banks, cornerback Deommodore Lenior and safety Talanoa Hufanga. Those players saw little action as rookies but they all rose to prominent starting roles and big contributors in Year 2.

Again, the 49ers are in a position where they do not necessarily need rookies to step in and contribute right away. But with a roster that usually has a 40-percent turnover from one season to the next, some long-term planning is necessary.

Here are the positions where the 49ers could look to bring on a player (or two) to develop for the 2024 season:

Wide receiver

Brandon Aiyuk enters the final year of his original contract, but general manager John Lynch has already stated the club will pick up his fifth-year option for the 2024 season at a cost of more than $14 million.

Meanwhile, Deebo Samuel’s base salary jumps next year to nearly $21 million.

Can the 49ers afford to have two highly paid No. 1-caliber wide receivers on the team?

Clubs around the league, sensing the 49ers might have to make a difficult decision, have reached out to see if Aiyuk is available in a trade, Lynch said.

This is a big season for Samuel. Next year, his cap figure jumps to $28.5 million. After this year, the club will have to determine if he continues to be worth that big price. With a post-June 1 release, the 49ers would save more…

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Alabama

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Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper earned his fortune off making numbers work. So, he’s trying to do the same in the NFL.

Head coach Frank Reich was featured on Thursday’s episode of NFL Players: Second Acts, a podcast hosted by former Panthers defensive backs Charles “Peanut” Tillman and Roman Harper. When asked about what has been a wild offseason, Reich credited owner David Tepper for making the right pushes at the right times.

“The big one was going to No. 1,” Reich said of the team’s bold moves. “But now, this free agency thing, Mr. Tepper just said, ‘Okay, let’s go. Let’s surround this guy with some playmakers.”

As Reich went on to note, the Panthers inked a handful of those proven playmakers. Whoever ends up under center will be working with some solid free-agent additions including running back Miles Sanders, wide receivers DJ Chark and Adam Thielen and tight end Hayden Hurst.

Tillman then cut in to ask if Tepper is “super involved” in bringing in particular players. Reich refuted that idea and went on to laud the billionaire for his skills with the bills.

“No,” Reich replied. “He’s looking and hearing everything. He’s, obviously, a brilliant guy—brilliant enough to know, hey, let Scott [Fitterer] and I handle that. But he’s involved in it. He wants to know. And, in particular, I think he’s involved in all the numbers and the cap and the contracts and how everything’s set up. I think he has his hands on all that.”

Well, thanks to Tepper—as well as, presumably, Fitterer and vice president of football administration Samir Suleiman—the Panthers have equipped their future quarterback with a strong supporting cast and still have the third-most salary cap space in the league.

Who would’ve known a massively successful hedge fund manager is good at making cents?

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USATSI

We are officially two weeks away from the 2023 NFL Draft, which will take place in Kansas City, Missouri. The draft begins Thursday, April 27, and rolls through the weekend. Round 1 takes place Thursday night, the second and third rounds are Friday and the final four rounds of the event will headline Saturday.

The NFL draft has evolved into a legitimate spectacle that will be broadcasted on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network. CBS Sports HQ will also provide coverage before, during and after the event. Each year, a number of prospects attend the event, with the anticipation of that moment where they get to walk across the stage, greet NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and hold up the jersey of the team that selected them in front of a national audience.

On Thursday, the NFL announced the names of the 17 players who will be in attendance. Check out the list below:

WR Jordan Addison, USCEDGE Will Anderson Jr., AlabamaS Brian Branch, AlabamaDL Jalen Carter, GeorgiaWR Zay Flowers, Boston CollegeCB Christian Gonzalez, OregonOT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio StateQB Will Levis, KentuckyCB Joey Porter Jr, Penn StateQB Anthony Richardson, FloridaRB Bijan Robinson, TexasWR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio StateQB C.J. Stroud, Ohio StateEDGE Keion White, Georgia TechEDGE Tyree Wilson, Texas TechCB Devon Witherspoon, IllinoisQB Bryce Young, Alabama

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According to ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter, the Carolina Panthers have made their decision about which quarterback they are drafting No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL draft. And he believes that the decision is Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.

This is why Schefter says it is a “waste of time” for Young to meet with the Houston Texans for a pre-draft visit. Young has been among the top prospects in this draft for the entire pre-draft process. But as a quarterback he does have some competition. Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud has been right there with Young throughout the offseason and even Florida’s Anthony Richardson has made a late push.

Young is a tremendous prospect but not without his flaws. In fact, each of these top quarterbacks is rather unique in their skill sets and isn’t a perfect fit for every team. One of Young’s biggest downsides is his lack of size. But according to Schefter, the Panthers are ok with that and Young should just save his travel time.

More 2023 NFL draft!

2023 NFL Draft: Jaxon Smith-Njigba scouting report

2023 NFL Draft: O’Cyrus Torrence scouting report

2023 NFL Draft: Devon Witherspoon scouting profile

Story originally appeared on Draft Wire

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Two notable New York Giants players will be absent for the start of the team’s offseason program on Monday. Running back Saquon Barkley and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence will both sit out the start of OTAs over contract issues, according to multiple reports.

Barkley has yet to sign the franchise tag he received in March. Not only that, but the star running back doesn’t intend to sign the tender, according to Newsday, and is therefore on track to skip the start of the Giants’ offseason program. Lawrence is set to miss the start of the Giants’ offseason program as he is entering the final year of his rookie deal, according to the New York Daily News. 

Barkley would be guaranteed $10.09 million under the one-year tag, making him the eighth-highest paid player at his position alongside the Cowboys’ Tony Pollard and Raiders’ Josh Jacobs. Like Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Barkley can technically negotiate with other teams under his tag, which is non-exclusive, but the Giants would have the option to match any offer.

The RB was displeased with receiving the tag, according to Fox Sports, after long-term contract talks with the Giants did not progress. New York attempted to ink Barkley to a deal extending beyond 2023, per Ralph Vacchiano, but the two sides were far apart. The team apparently has no interest in resuming those talks at this time, and is content to proceed with the tag.

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The Seattle Seahawks are in the business of trying to improve at center for the 2023 season. Last year, center Austin Blythe was the clear weak link in an otherwise vastly improved offensive line – thanks to the additions of rookie tackles Charles Cross and Abe Lucas.

Well, the Seahawks won’t have to worry about Blythe since he retired after his lone season in Seattle. The Seahawks did make a move in free agency to replace and upgrade by signing former Detroit Lions center Evan Brown. While this was a good transaction, it appears Seattle is not quite finished with the position.

Center Jake Andrews from Troy is a durable player who started 37 games for the Trojans in his career. Selecting this young man in the draft would seemingly do wonders to help with much-needed depth at a crucial position. Andrews’ NFL draft profile has this to say about him:

“His inability to trigger his feet quickly and make fluid redirections in space show up in run blocking and pass protection, but his ability to square up and hold his own against a true nose tackle over the top of him is a valuable talent. Players with Andrews’ thickness and drive-blocking talent tend to find their way onto rosters and often end up sticking around.”

Whatever direction the Seahawks go in, it’s clear they will likely still need to find a center in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Story originally appeared on Seahawks Wire

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Good morning to everyone but especially to…

THE NBA PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT TEAMS

Two playoff bids will be clinched tonight — and two other teams will be pushed to the brink — as the NBA Play-In Tournament opens with a pair of games:

The winner of each game will be the No. 7 seed in their respective conferences. The loser will play the winner of tomorrow’s contests on Friday, and the winner of that game will claim the No. 8 seed. You can see all the details here.

Let’s start with Timberwolves-Lakers, specifically Minnesota, because the biggest storyline is who won’t be there: Rudy Gobert has been suspended one game after punching teammate Kyle Anderson in the regular-season finale.

Gobert will be available for the Timberwolves’ next game, whether that’s in the playoffs or in the play-in elimination game.The Timberwolves will also be without Jaden McDaniels after he fractured his hand punching a wall in frustration earlier in the game.Of note, Minnesota has played better recently with Gobert off the court. Over the last 10 games, they have a +5.7 net rating when he’s not playing; only the Celtics had a better net rating than that this season.

The Lakers, on the other hand, are finally fully healthy and rolling. They’ve won nine of their last 11 games and are a unanimous pick to win by our experts. You can see all of our play-in picks here.

In the first game, the Hawks are looking for some revenge after the Heat beat them in five games in the first round last year. Miami absolutely hounded Trae Young in that series, so Dejounte Murray has to step up, and Atlanta has to play fast, writes our Brad Botkin.

Meanwhile, a big trade rumor surrounding Young popped up Monday.

Honorable mentions

And not such a good morning for…

PAUL GEORGE AND THE LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

The Clippers‘ daunting first-round task — taking down the Suns — just got a lot tougher. Paul George (knee) will miss the…

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