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This year’s free agency and draft outcomes may dictate where the Jets place Alijah Vera-Tucker, who has shuttled between guard and right tackle over the past two seasons. But the team does have a preference for the former first-round pick.
As injuries have piled up over the past two seasons, the Jets have opted to kick Vera-Tucker to right tackle. Not long after each move, a season-ending injury occurred. Joe Douglas praised Vera-Tucker’s versatility and noted it is a resource the team can use as it assembles its 2024 roster, but the team still wants the 2021 draftee to master one job.
Despite the Jets expressing interest in keeping Vera-Tucker at right tackle on a full-time basis, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini points to an internal preference of the USC product returning to guard and staying there. The Jets have three starting spots to fill up front. If Vera-Tucker is moved back to guard, that mission will include two new tackles. Mekhi Becton is not expected to be re-signed.
Vera-Tucker has played fewer than 400 career snaps at RT, being moved because of injuries at tackle in the past two seasons. He suffered a torn triceps in 2022 and a torn Achilles last year; both injuries occurred in Denver. The Jets, who recently released Laken Tomlinson, will need AVT to remain upright as they break in a new O-line configuration following years of waiting on Becton to stay healthy.
Elsewhere on the Jets roster, the team wants to bring back both their 2023 specialists. The team would like to re-sign Greg Zuerlein and Thomas Morstead, Cimini adds. Zuerlein has been the Jets’ kicker for the past two seasons; he played out another one-year deal (worth $2.6M) in 2023. Morstead came over on a one-year deal as well, rejoining the Jets after a season with the Dolphins.
After being a Cowboys cut in 2022, Zuerlein has settled in with the Jets. The former Rams specialist turned in his best season since an All-Pro 2017 campaign, making 35 of 38 field goal tries. The strong-legged kicker out of the Division II ranks is now a 12-year veteran who is 36 years old, but the Jets are interested in an all-late-30s ST corps. Morstead will turn 38 later this week.
The Jets are also interested in retaining Jordan Whitehead, but Cimini offers that the two-year safety starter does not qualify as a high priority. A six-year veteran, Whitehead is only going into his age-27 season. The former Buccaneers Super Bowl starter intercepted four passes and broke up nine more last season; he has six picks as a Jet. With Kyle Dugger and Antoine Winfield Jr. off the market, players like Whitehead stand to be a bit more appealing. The former Bucs fourth-rounder played out a two-year, $14.5M deal.
Zuerlein and Morstead will certainly be much cheaper to retain, but if the Jets let Whitehead walk, they will need to fill a starting role. Tony Adams, who usurped Adrian Amos for the other starting role last year, remains under contract. Ashtyn Davis and Chuck Clark, a 2023 trade acquisition who missed the season due to injury, are also due for free agency.
More must-reads:
- Insider updates what Jets may have to do to trade Zach Wilson
- Five WRs Jets should target with star wideouts now off the market
- The 'Second QB selected in the NFL Draft' quiz
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Could the Packers add $13.7M weapon for Jordan Love?
The Green Bay Packers have only made two moves so far this offseason. Brian Gutekunst has remained patient rather than adopting the aggressive approach that many expected him to have. So far, the Packers have signed former San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Aaron Banks and former Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs. With those two moves, Green Bay was able to improve two major needs. However, there was one position that the Packers were widely expected to pursue. That position is wide receiver, where Jordan Love could use more help. While Green Bay has not made a move at the position yet, there are still a few intriguing options available on the free-agency market. One of those options could be Stefon Diggs. Diggs is coming off of a torn ACL that he suffered after playing just seven games with the Houston Texans last season. He has been a legitimate star throughout the majority of his NFL career and could be the missing piece for the Packers offense. In the seven games that he played in 2024 with the Texans, Diggs caught 47 passes for 496 yards and three touchdowns. He was on pace for another quality year. A lot of Green Bay's potential interest in wide receivers would depend on how much money it would cost to land them. The Packers were reportedly interested in signing Cooper Kupp, but he received a three-year, $45 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks, averaging $15 million per year. What kind of contract could Diggs be worth? Spotrac currently has his market value projected at $13.7 million per season. If that is the projected price and Diggs was willing to come down slightly to play a big role on a championship contender, Green Bay could be a team to watch. Diggs would provide Love with a proven veteran wideout who could be a playmaker within Matt LaFleur's offense. On the outside looking in, the fit would make sense for both sides. However, there have been no reports connecting the two parties to each other. It will be interesting to see if the Packers show interest in Diggs.
Jay Bilas Predicts Three Major Upsets in First Round of NCAA Tournament
The 2025 NCAA Tournament is here, with conference tournaments in the books and the official bracket released on Sunday. With the Round of 64 tipping off on Thursday, fans and analysts are busy filling out their brackets and trying to predict how the tournament will unfold. ESPN's Jay Bilas was among the first to lock in his picks. Bilas already shared his Final Four on Sunday, which featured all the No. 1 seeds and the Florida Gators' defeat of the Houston Cougars in the National Championship Game. Meanwhile, on Monday, he shared his picks for the Round of 64, and there were three major upsets. The first one is the No. 10 seed Vanderbilt Commodores over the No. 7 seed Saint Mary's Gaels in the East Region. "This is a coin-flip," Bilas said. "Saint Mary's is very physical and outrebounds opponents by 10.7 per game (best in Division I), but Vanderbilt has played a killer schedule and is used to being challenged. Regardless, I don't see either team beating Alabama in the second round." Bilas' second upset is the No. 11 seed Texas Longhorns defeating the No. 6 Illinois Fighting Illini in the Midwest Region. Texas will have to knock off the No. 11 seed Xavier Musketeers in the First Four to even get a crack at Illinois in the Round of 64. "I like Texas to slip past Xavier -- Tre Johnson is one of the best scorers in the tournament, and often a First Four team advances," Bilas stated. "It won't be easy; Xavier could easily advance behind Ryan Conwell's shooting. There is a risk to advance Texas, but it's one worth taking. All three teams have been inconsistent, but Texas has won more big games." The final upset Bilas predicts is the No. 10 seed Utah State Aggies taking down the No. 7 UCLA Bruins. This is also in the Midwest Region. "UCLA should win, because its defense is better," Bilas added. "But if there is an upset to pick, this one works. The Aggies are very good offensively and have beaten Saint Mary's and San Diego State this season. Ian Martinez and Mason Falslev can really shoot it." Here's when those games are scheduled for: Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. ET - No. 11 Xavier vs. No. 11 Texas (First Four) Thursday, 9:25 p.m. ET - No. 10 Utah State vs. No. 7 UCLA (Round of 64) Friday, 3:15 p.m. ET - No. 10 Vanderbilt vs. Saint Mary's (Round of 64) Friday, 9:45 p.m. ET - No. 11 Xavier/Texas winner vs. No. 6 Illinois (Round of 64)
Fraser Minten's outstanding performance sparks major regret over Leafs' deadline trade with Bruins
The Toronto Maple Leafs included prospect Fraser Minten in the deal with the Bruins in exchange for Brandon Carlo, a move they may now be regretting. The Maple Leafs felt that they needed to beef up their blue line for the stretch run leading up to the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, and they pulled off a rare trade with their Original 6 and Atlantic Division foe Boston Bruins. The Leafs acquired defenseman Brandon Carlo from the Bruins and in return sent prospect Fraser Minten along with a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft to Boston. While it wasn't the easiest of decisions for general manager Brad Treliving to move a highly regarded prospect to a divisional foe, he hopes it pays off in the long run (and more immediately with postseason success in this especially pivotal year for his club). Fraser Minten Already Making Waves In Boston However, Minten is making the Leafs consider if moving him was the best option. He's already lighting it up with the AHL's Providence Bruins, having picked up a natural hat trick in Sunday's game against the Springfield Falcons. The Leafs made Minten the 38th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, and he's played the bulk of his professional career in the minors with the WHL's Kamloops Blazers along with the AHL's Toronto Marlies. He has 19 total NHL games under his belt with four points (2G, 2A). He scored his first NHL goal earlier this season only seconds into his first shift, which was a hopeful sign of things to come for the future of Minten with the team, but it was short-lived. Before being traded to the Bruins, Minten had 13 points (6G, 7A) in 26 games with the Marlies. He struggled over his past dozen or so games, but with his latest outburst of production, it's safe to say he's finding his offensive game. Which is a hard pill to swallow if you're a Maple Leafs fan.
Steelers get surprisingly great news about Aaron Rodgers from NFL insider
Aaron Rodgers isn’t going to come cheap, but reports are that Pittsburgh is in on him, and he’s deciding what he wants to do. On Saturday, one very connected NFL insider, Benjamin Allbright, dropped some surprising insight regarding Rodgers and his chances of going to the Minnesota Vikings. Allbright revealed that despite speculation about Minnesota being a potential landing spot, he doesn’t believe the Vikings are truly in the mix. Instead, he suggested that Pittsburgh remains one of the strongest suitors, making it clear that Rodgers knows how much the Steelers want him. With Minnesota seemingly out of the picture, Rodgers’ options could be narrowing, which might increase the chances of him ending up in Pittsburgh. For the Steelers, adding Rodgers would finally give them a proven veteran quarterback after years of instability at the position. At least in the minds of the Steelers' front office. While Rodgers' 2023 season was cut short by injury, his 2024 season showed flashes of the four-time MVP quarterback he once was. The New York Jets won just five games with Rodgers at the helm but he completed 63% of his passes, threw for 3,897 passing yards and had a touchdown to interception ratio of 28/11. There’s no doubt he can still play at a high level if healthy. The biggest question is whether Pittsburgh is willing to make the financial commitment necessary to bring Rodgers in, but with Minnesota reportedly fading as an option, the Steelers could emerge as the most realistic destination for the former Super Bowl champion. According to Steelers insiders closest to the team, Pittsburgh views Rodgers as a very real option, and the price isn’t the issue. The real holdup is Rodgers himself, as the polarizing quarterback is taking his sweet time making a decision. Some have accused him of seeking attention, but in reality, this is a major career choice, and he’s in no rush to finalize his plans. Steelers' chances to get Aaron Rodgers increase big time For the Steelers, the only real threat seemed to be the Vikings. They boast a high-powered offense, and Head Coach Kevin O’Connell is widely regarded as one of the brightest offensive minds in the league. Minnesota was the only truly attractive alternative to Pittsburgh, but if Allbright’s report is accurate, the Vikings are no longer in the mix. That would leave the Steelers as the frontrunners to land Rodgers if he chooses to play in the 2025 season. The Steelers are reaching a point of desperation. They seem determined to bring Rodgers to the Steel City, and if it happens, the reactions from Steelers fans will be fascinating to watch. Yes, Rodgers is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, but his age and injury history are legitimate concerns. Now, all eyes are on Rodgers as the football world awaits his decision, which could come at any moment.
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