NFL Draft

At this point, to whom didn't the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pledge they'd select in the first round?

While he didn't name the Bucs specifically, former Georgia safety Lewis Cine said on The Richard Sherman Podcast (via Collin Haalboom of BucsGameday) that Tampa Bay told him he would be the team's target in the first round.

"I had a team at [No.] 27," Cine said (around the 24:30 mark). "They know who they are. I ain't gonna say no names. It was at 27. The whole process—if you there—we're gonna pick you...OK. They move down to the first pick of the second round. I'm like, damn, they did me just so dirty."

The Buccaneers had the 27th overall pick but traded back and out of the first round altogether. The Minnesota Vikings selected Cine at No. 32 overall.

Apparently he may not have been the only player who heard similar things from Tampa Bay. Player agent Whitney Holtzman said one of her clients got the same treatment:

Cine told Sherman how he had already been growing a little nervous after watching so many players selected ahead of him:

The Buccaneers used their first pick in the 2022 draft on Houston defensive end Logan Hall. Head coach Todd Bowles said the team was "very excited to get him at 33" and called Hall "one of the guys we targeted at 27."

"We had four or five guys that we liked at 27, and they were pretty even," Bowles said. "When you have guys like that that are pretty even, and somebody wants to come up, you have to be sure that you’re going to come away with one of them. You don’t want to trade back to the 40th pick or the 45th pick and not be able to get anybody."

Especially when a franchise is on the clock in the back half of the first round, casting a wide net is the obvious approach. Unless the team plans on selecting somebody far higher than the general draft projection, a head coach and general manager can't assume their first or second choices will still be there.

But having multiple candidates to consider is a bit different from actually reaching out to a player and offering something in the way of a promise.

The good news for Cine is he didn't fall much further after Tampa Bay traded out of the first round. It's unclear whether Holtzman's client was as fortunate.

Bettors, adjust your Offensive Rookie of the Year expectations accordingly. Wide receiver Chris Olave landed in a spot where he can immediately shine as one of the focal points in an offense.

In the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, the New Orleans Saints traded up for Olave, moving from No. 16 to the Washington Commanders' slot at No. 11.  

This offseason, wide receivers stole the spotlight as teams traded star players such as Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill and A.J. Brown. All three big-name pass-catchers signed lucrative deals with their new teams. In need of offensive playmakers, the Saints made a move for a wide receiver high on their draft board.

As The Athletic's Katherine Terrell points out, Olave will likely see plenty of targets right away.

"The Saints are going to expect Olave to play early and often," Terrell wrote. "They feel like they are a team that can contend for the playoffs again this year if they can stay healthy, and the wide receiver cupboard was bare enough that he can get his share of catches right away."

For the 2021 season, running back Alvin Kamara led the Saints in catches with 47, and wide receiver Marquez Callaway had a team-leading 698 receiving yards. 

Obviously, the Saints desperately needed pass-catchers, so Olave will fill a huge void on offense. Fortunately for the team, he has the skill set to fill that need and produce gaudy numbers.

As a sophomore at Ohio State, Olave became a consistent contributor and big-play receiver who led the program's offense in receiving yards (849) and touchdown receptions (12) for the 2019 term. He topped the Buckeyes' pass-catching group in both receiving categories and in catches (50) for the 2020 campaign.

In 2021, Olave had to share targets with fellow first-rounder Garrett Wilson, whom the New York Jets selected at No. 10, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who's a potential top-10 pick in next year's draft. Yet, he made the most of his opportunities in the passing game, registering a personal high in touchdown receptions (13) through a single collegiate term.

Averaging 15.4 receiving yards per outing in his college career, Olave knew how to beat defenders downfield, and despite his thin frame (6'0", 187 lbs), he frequently found the end zone. Pro Football Focus tracked his big-play receiving numbers on 20-plus-yard receptions since his sophomore season: 

Pro Football Focus also noted Olave's success against one-on-one coverage, which tops all collegiate receivers in scoring production since 2019:

How does Olave do it? 

Bleacher Report NFL scout Nate Tice highlighted the wideout's ability to separate with precise routes, an understanding of how to break down coverages and a physical part of his game.

"Olave is a great route-runner with polish. He shows an understanding of not only the routes he runs, but the concept that the offense is running and will tempo his routes accordingly.

"Olave plays with balance and body control, which allows him to battle through contact and also attack defenders vertically before running by them or uncovering on a route. His understanding of space is on display when he's asked to run more 'advanced' routes and also during scramble drills, where he has to find unoccupied areas of the field."

Olave's traits and qualities should translate at the pro level. As he transitions from a loaded wide receiver corps at Ohio State to a depleted group in New Orleans, the talented wideout should see a spike in his receiving volume. 

Even with Olave's skill set, someone has to deliver well-placed targets and deep balls to elevate his numbers. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, the 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year, had Joe Burrow under center. The Saints hope to welcome back big-arm quarterback Jameis Winston after he tore his ACL in Week 8 of the 2021 season.

On The Rich Eisen Show, head coach Dennis Allen spoke about Winston's recovery (h/t NFL.com's Grant Gordon).

"Well, certainly that's certainly the plan," Allen said about Winston's status for the season opener. "There's a lot of days between now and Week 1, but we certainly like where he's at right now. We like the progress that he's making."

In his first year as a starter for the Saints, Winston threw for 1,170 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions through seven outings. He didn't throw for more than 280 yards in any of the games, but the eighth-year veteran had four- and five-touchdown performances despite a limited pass-catching group without wideout Michael Thomas, who missed the entire 2021 campaign because of ankle surgery and then a setback while on the mend.

With Olave in the fold, Winston should be able to push the ball downfield a lot more in the upcoming season. Though former Saints head coach and lead play-caller Sean Payton retired, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael will take over full-time play-calling responsibilities, which maintains a bit of continuity on offense. He's called plays for full games in the past.

In 2006, Payton added Carmichael to his Saints coaching staff. The latter served as a quarterbacks coach and a passing game coordinator before he became the offensive coordinator in 2009. With 16 years under Payton, Carmichael could carry over some concepts and designs that worked for Winston last year.

If Winston plays comfortably in the offense, we could see him perform at a level closer to his 2019 form when he threw for a league-leading 5,109 yards. In that year, the signal-caller had two receivers (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin) with at least 1,157 yards and eight touchdowns. Of course, the Saints would want Winston's 33 touchdown passes but not the 30 interceptions that came with all of that passing production.

Winston finished a shortened 2021 campaign with a 1.9 percent interception rate—his lowest frequency as a primary starter. With better decisions in the pocket, he could have a bounce-back year with Olave as the top beneficiary.

At this point, Allen seems optimistic about Thomas' return for Week 1, but on Eisen's show, he also said (via Terrell) that the wide receiver has a few "hurdles"—as any injured player does—while on the mend. 

Thomas has already gone through complications in a lengthy recovery process, though. The former suffered a setback in an effort to return last year, and he hasn't played a down since January of 2021 in the playoffs.

Even if Thomas suits up for Week 1, he may have to knock off some rust because of a long stretch on the sideline. The two-time All-Pro isn't familiar with Winston as the leader in the huddle during live action. The veteran quarterback could develop an immediate rapport with Olave, who's healthy and ready to play.

Moreover, the Saints may have to lean on the passing game without Kamara for several games in 2022. He faces a felony charge of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm and a gross misdemeanor count of conspiracy to commit battery. Kamara has a hearing for the case on Aug. 1. The league could suspend him for violating the conduct policy.

If Kamara cannot play for a notable stretch, don't expect the Saints to hand the ball off to 32-year-old Mark Ingram II 20-plus times. Fellow backup running back Tony Jones Jr. only averaged 2.6 yards per carry last year.

Without Kamara, Winston would likely take on a bigger responsibility in moving the ball through the air, which potentially creates more opportunities for Olave.

Because of the uncertainty around Kamara and Thomas, Olave has a good chance to take home Offensive Rookie of the Year. Even if Winston has to miss a few games while on the mend, the Saints have an experienced backup quarterback in Andy Dalton, who doesn't threaten defenses over the top but throws a fairly accurate ball. He completed at least 63.1 percent of his passes as a fill-in starter for each of the past two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears.

This year's top quarterbacks, Kenny Pickett, Desmond Ridder and Malik Willis, all have to beat out veteran signal-callers to see the field. The Jets picked Breece Hall, the top running back, in the second round, and he'll split carries with Michael Carter. 

With the Atlanta Falcons, fellow first-round wideout London Drake has a quarterback in Marcus Mariota, who hasn't started in a game since 2019. In New York, Wilson would need quarterback Zach Wilson to make a significant second-year leap after he threw for just nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2021. Treylon Burks could be the Tennessee Titans' No. 1 wide receiver, but the club employs a run-heavy offense with Derrick Henry.

As at least the No. 2 wide receiver on the Saints' depth chart, Olave's case for Offensive Rookie of the Year looks more appealing because of his potential for early opportunities and a bigger workload.  

College statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.

The Kansas City Chiefs landed one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2022 NFL draft without using a pick on him.

After watching Justyn Ross go unselected in any of the seven rounds, Kansas City capitalized on the Clemson wideout's surprise availability by signing him as a free agent Monday.

Boardroom's Jordan Schultz reported the deal, noting that Ross only went undrafted because of his medical history.

It's understandable that teams were leery about spending draft capital on Ross after he suffered several major injuries during his collegiate career. Nothing was more concerning than the rare spinal condition that was revealed after he took a hit in spring practice leading up to the 2020 campaign.

Ross missed that entire season and was told he may never play football again. 

But the wideout returned in 2021 and appeared in 10 contests while nursing a stress fracture in his left foot that eventually cost him the Tigers' final three games. He posted respectable numbers—leading the program with 46 catches and 514 receiving yards—but didn't appear to be the same game-breaking player who racked up 112 catches for 1,865 yards and 17 touchdowns across his first two years with the program.

A concerning pro day performance didn't help Ross' draft stock either. He couldn't participate in all the available drills and ran a slow 4.64-second 40-yard dash and posted a vertical of 31.5 inches in the ones he did test in—numbers that aren't indicative of the athleticism he displayed during his earlier years at Clemson.

Despite all this, the Chiefs are still getting a prospect with massive potential.

The Bleacher Report Scouting Department graded the 22-year-old at a 7.9, a score generally reserved for late-first- to second-round draft picks with a great shot at starting as rookies. He was the No. 8 wideout and No. 36 overall prospect on their final big board and their top remaining wideout going into Day 2 of the draft.

No other prospect with a grade in the same stratosphere slipped out of the draft entirely. 

Ross' build—he stands 6'4" and tips the scales at 205 pounds—athleticism, strength, route-running skills, catching ability and competitiveness are all reasons he could become one of the top wideouts in a loaded class, per the B/R Scouting Department.

While Ross isn't a perfect prospect—he's almost exclusively an outside receiver and lacks experience with complex routes in addition to his injury concerns—he was one of the best X wideouts on the board going into the draft.

Although going unselected can be a dubious distinction reserved for heavily flawed players or those with major character concerns, Ross may end up greatly benefiting from this situation. It has allowed him to start his NFL career in an ideal spot, one he likely was able to choose out of several offers given his status as a marquee UDFA target.

Ross did his best work at Clemson with Trevor Lawrence as his quarterback and could see similar results while running routes for Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. The Chiefs have ranked among the top five passing offenses in all four of Mahomes' seasons as a starter, including in 2018 when he threw for a league-best 50 touchdowns and earned NFL MVP honors.

While Mahomes is coming off a relatively down year—his 13 interceptions were a career high and his five regular-season losses were the most he's suffered as a pro—he still lit up opposing defenses for over 4,700 passing yards for the second straight season.

This is the perfect time for Ross to get onboarded. The Chiefs are crafting a new offensive identity after trading star receiver Tyreek Hill earlier in the offseason. They also let Byron Pringle and Demarcus Robinson walk in free agency, leaving Mecole Hardman as Kansas City's only notable wideout returning for the 2022 season.

Although Hill's loss will sting—it will never be easy to move on from one of just four receivers to post at least 450 receptions, 6,500 receiving yards and 55 touchdowns over their first six seasons—the addition of Ross should help ease the blow and get the Chiefs back on track.

The organization has left no stone unturned in its search to replace the superstar wideout, coming to terms with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency, retaining Josh Gordon after beginning the process of integrating the mercurial veteran last season and drafting Skyy Moore in the second round.

Adding Ross is the cherry on top, a move that carries almost no risk while providing Kansas City with a potential superstar at a bargain-bin price.

Even if Ross takes time to get up to speed, the Chiefs have the depth to remain competitive offensively while bringing him along. 

Tight end Travis Kelce is still one of the league's most dangerous pass-catchers, and the backfield received a boost with the addition of Ronald Jones II to complement incumbent starter Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Those assets, coupled with a surprisingly deep receiving corps that could heavily feature Ross—assuming he can stay healthy and return to form—make the Chiefs as dangerous as ever.

According to SI.com's Wilton Jackson, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach confirmed Tuesday that team doctors have medically cleared the receiver to play. It is a big step toward Ross' goal of becoming the first known player to make the NFL with a congenital fusion in his spine.

He will compete against 16 other Chiefs wideouts for a roster spot this offseason. His place in the lineup is far from secure, but Ross has more than enough talent to earn a prominent role within the Kansas City offense when he's at his best. 

The team is already one of the favorites to represent the conference in the Super Bowl and will only see a boost if Ross lives up to his potential.

The 2022 NFL draft featured trades with star wide receivers A.J. Brown and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, but the three-day event came and went with two available veteran quarterbacks still without a new home. Neither the Cleveland Browns' Baker Mayfield nor the San Francisco 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo were traded. For Mayfield and the Browns, the question is: Where do both parties go from here?

The Browns' bold move to trade for Deshaun Watson and give him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract created significant shrapnel for Mayfield, fans and NFL owners. At least on the ownership front, it's not surprising that Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti was irritated that negotiations with star quarterback Lamar Jackson could become more complicated after this record, precedent-setting deal. It's also understandable for Browns fans to be uncertain about the team's willingness to invest in Watson as 22 civil lawsuits of sexual assault and misconduct have yet to be decided. 

Mayfield is in a different boat. He understandably felt "disrespected" by the Browns' decision to pursue Watson and said on the Ya Neva Know podcast that the team didn't communicate its intentions to him. The Browns told Mayfield's agent they'd only pursue an upgrade over Baker if they could land one, and maybe Mayfield didn't see Watson as an upgrade.  

Regardless, the writing is on the wall that Mayfield's time in Cleveland should come to an end sooner than later. His $18.9 million salary is an albatross on Cleveland's cap sheet, and Mayfield wants an opportunity to find a long-term starting role in 2022. NFL draft weekend was the last major milestone before training camp kicks off in mid-to-late July.

After both the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers passed on quarterbacks in the first two rounds, it seemed plausible the Browns may have two clear suitors left for Mayfield. However, the Panthers opted to invest the 94th overall pick in Ole Miss passer Matt Corral. Carolina can still afford Mayfield, but the team has already sunk the 226th overall pick in the 2021 draft and the 38th, 94th and 111th overall picks in the 2022 class on Sam Darnold and Corral. 

If Carolina ever wanted Baker, it wasn't enough to pay whatever Cleveland wanted. Cleveland may have had to eat most of Mayfield's salary and take a late Day 3 pick. Per Cleveland.com's Terry Pluto, the Panthers believed Cleveland had little leverage, and they're right.

Meanwhile, Seattle opted against taking a quarterback at all and remains a potential fit for Mayfield. With first-round tackle Charles Cross fulfilling their huge need for a blindside blocker, the Seahawks now have a stronger surrounding cast to entice the veteran. Mayfield's deep-passing prowess and willingness to give his targets a chance to win one-on-one mesh well with Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

Seattle can also offer one of the best run games in the league. Rushers Chris Carson, Kenneth Walker III and Rashaad Penny make up one of the deeper backfields in the NFL. This should be attractive to Mayfield since much of Cleveland's own success stemmed from a productive set of ball-carriers.

Other uncertain quarterback rooms around the league exist, but it's hard to imagine teams like Houston, the New York Giants or even the Pittsburgh Steelers wanting to move an asset for Mayfield unless his salary is covered by the Browns. Teams are almost always willing to wait until a player is released, when they know they're no longer on the hook.

Mayfield could realistically compete for a starting job for at least 10 teams. The remaining teams either have clearly better options or a young talent who will start no matter what. Seattle, Carolina, Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Philadelphia, the New York Giants, Washington, Tennessee, New Orleans and Pittsburgh have varying levels of uncertainty at the position. However, we just saw the Steelers take Kenny Pickett in the first round and the Titans, Panthers and Falcons invest a third-rounder in a rookie, so they may be out.

Houston, Atlanta and New Orleans each also effectively passed on Mayfield before. Houston could have asked for him in return for Watson. Atlanta and New Orleans signed veterans Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, respectively, after the Watson trade instead of making a play for Mayfield.

The Browns' best strategy is to simply wait. There's no financial upside in releasing Mayfield now and allowing him to bolt for their rival in Pittsburgh. At least the Browns can regain some leverage in trade discussions if an injury occurs between now and the start of the regular season. 

San Francisco is also lurking to find such leverage with Garoppolo. Having another veteran on the market complicates things for Cleveland. Garoppolo is coming off shoulder surgery but is regarded as the better player and is beloved within the 49ers locker room. 

Mayfield has called out teammates several times, including Duke Johnson in 2019 and again on the YNK podcast when he lamented that some teammates are motivated by money. He may not be wrong, but the locker room political game matters, and Mayfield has shown immaturity when given the chance to earn his teammates' unwavering support. Concern over Baker's on-field inconsistency and off-field immaturity is heightened when compared to Garoppolo's winning resume and locker room leadership.

In retrospect, maybe Browns general manager Andrew Berry should've quickly moved Mayfield as soon as Watson announced his decision to waive his no-trade clause for Cleveland—or even asked Watson for a small window to trade Mayfield before news of the blockbuster broke. At the time, Indianapolis had not yet traded for Matt Ryan, so there was another potential destination for Mayfield.

Seattle appears to be the best landing spot for Mayfield to walk into as a starter. It's hard to imagine the 49ers trading Garoppolo within the division to their rival in the Pacific Northwest. Cleveland may not get much in return, but the alternatives for now are bleak.