NFL Hot Press: 2023 Senior Bowl Rumors Tuesday

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2023 Senior Bowl Rumors Tuesday

Updated Jan. 31, 2023
By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.

With all the general managers, coaches and scouts in attendance for the Senior Bowl, there is a lot of chatter going around. Here are some of the highlights from around the league on Day 2 of the 2023 Senior Bowl week.

Multiple team sources shared with WalterFootball.com that they believe Washington Commanders defensive tackle Daron Payne might be the most sought-after free agent this year, provided he hits the open market. Payne picked a perfect time to have a dominant season, as he reorded 11.5 sacks and 64 tackles in 2022 for the franchise formerly known as the Redskins. Payne will be only 26 entering next season, so he is hitting the prime of his career. Finding quality interior pass rushers is a very difficult in the NFL, so team sources think Payne will face a big market.

Sources from around the league think there is a good chance that Payne will not get hit with the franchise tag. The Commanders have to account for looming contract extensions for Montez Sweat and Chase Young. Fellow defensive tackle Jonathan Allen already received a big contract, and Washington drafted Alabama defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis in the second round last year. Additionally, the Commanders could be in the market for an expensive veteran quarterback. The organization also decided to give Allen a big contract and did not negotiate an extension with Payne prior to his huge 2022 season. Here is a reason why per a source with the Commanders: “The [top decision makers] liked him, but weren’t in love with him. Daron has so much potential, but never tapped in as much as they would have liked.” Hence, many around the NFL think Payne stands a good chance of hitting the open market.

After a disappointing 2022 season that was one of the worst title defenses in NFL history, the Los Angeles Rams are already off to an interesting start to during this offseason. After flirting with resigning, head coach Sean McVay decided to stay with the Rams for the 2023 season. Many around the league were surprised that the team hired Mike LaFleur as its offensive coordinator after LaFleur struggled mightily with the Jets. Jump-starting their disappointing running game and offense is a top priority for the Rams according to team sources, so LaFleur was a head-scratching hire after guiding a bad offense with the Jets.

While the Rams have a number of needs on the roster, sources say they believe offensive line talent is the preferred position to for the team early in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. If the Rams had their first-round pick, they would have been in position to land a perfect addition in Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, but that pick belongs to the Lions due the Matthew Stafford trade that paid off with a championship. Protecting Stafford and finding better ground-game blocking is a top priority, so the Rams figure to be watching the offensive linemen very closely in Mobile.

Every NFL Draft has positions of strength and weakness, and one of the positions that has teams excited for the quality and depth of talent for the 2023 NFL Draft is tight end. Two tight ends have a definite shot at Round 1: Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer and Utah’s Dalton Kincaid. Some other first-round dark horses include Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave and Georgia’s Darnell Washington. Team sources also think there will be good prospects available on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft including Iowa’s Sam LaPorta and South Dakota State’s Tucker Kraft. For teams that want tight end help, this is a great year to target a young talent.

While Mayer has a definite shot at being a first-round pick, some team sources think he is a little overrated. Those sources say Mayer (6-4, 250) does not have great size and is not especially fast or athletic for the NFL. However, that opinion is not shared by all. “I think he goes top 20,” said an NFC director of college scouting.

Others feel that would be too high. “I think top 20 is too rich,” said an AFC director of player personnel. “But he’ll be one of the first tight ends off the board.”

With the strength of the tight end class, it will help Mayer if he runs fast and works out well ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.

One team that is likely to be active in free agency is the Detroit Lions. Part of that is out of default because they have a large number of their own free agents, including impactful starters like running back Jamaal Williams, linebacker Alex Anzalone and wide receiver D.J. Chark. The Lions also have some big needs on their roster, especially at cornerback. Last year, Lions general manager Brad Holmes focused on re-signing a lot of their own players, with Chark being the only high-profile acquisition from another team. Holmes’ strategy was very astute given that the Lions improved their win total by six and were one of the best teams in the NFC at the end of the season, going 8-2 over their final 10 games. Detroit also has four picks in the top 55 of the 2023 NFL Draft, including two in the top 20. It will be very interesting to see how Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell continue to build the young scrappy Lions.

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