NFL rumors are swirling and we take a look at Austin Ekeler trade landing spots, the Steelers signals for the draft, and the Chiefs making the right call.
It’s most definitely NFL rumors season with free agency set to begin on Wednesday but with the legal tampering period beginning on Monday as well and many big deals having already been agreed to. However, it’s the prospect of what could happen still that has fans checking in constantly.
Of course, Aaron Rodgers has dominated the NFL rumors cycle with a heavy sprinkle of Lamar Jackson as well. But there’s more than that. Orlando Brown Jr., after not being re-signed or franchise tagged by the Chiefs, shockingly remains without a deal. Meanwhile, the Steelers have lost some key defensive pieces. And on top of that, Chargers running back Austin Ekeler has requested a trade.
So lets take a look at these NFL rumors and break down some key aspects as to why things are happening and, more importantly, what they could mean moving forward.
NFL rumors: Chiefs look right not ponying up for Orlando Brown Jr.
Whenever the Kansas City Chiefs let the franchise tag deadline pass without tagging Orlando Brown Jr., there were a plethora of furrowed brows around the league wondering why that was the case. After all, this was a team letting its left tackle hit the open market.
Since then, though, the Chiefs have signed Jawaan Taylor to fill at least one tackle spot — presumably on the left side with a move from his normal position — on a lucrative deal. More importantly, though, Brown remains unsigned on the open market. And now we’re starting to figure out why.
According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter on NFL Live, the league views Brown as a right tackle outside of Kansas City but the tackle remains adamant he wants to play on the left side, which is causing issues in negotiations.
Adam Schefter just said on NFL Live that the holdup on former #Chiefs OT Orlando Brown Jr. signing with a new team is the fact that "the league" views him as a right tackle, but OBJ wants to get paid like a left tackle. #ChiefsKingdom
— Devon Clements (@DevclemNFL) March 14, 2023
This is highly intriguing considering that Brown was traded to the Chiefs from the Ravens because of his desire to move to the left side. Kansas City obliged but they clearly had some reservations about that being the long-term plan or else he might still be in the building.
As of right now, though, the Chiefs are looking quite smart for their decision to let Brown hit the market as, clearly, he wasn’t as coveted as many believed he might be.
NFL rumors: Steelers losing Cameron Sutton makes draft plans clear
There have been some solid moves from the Pittsburgh Steelers early in free agency but, at the same time, re-signing guys like Larry Ogunjobi has also meant seeing talented players like cornerback Cameron Sutton walk. On Monday, Sutton signed a three-year deal with the Detroit Lions, cementing his exit from the Steel City.
On the surface, the Steelers did seemingly make a move to offset the loss of Sutton with the signing of veteran Patrick Peterson. However, at his age and given the need at the position being pretty substantial for Pittsburgh, that’s far from a long-term or high-end solution. And that brings us to the 2023 NFL Draft.
It was always likely that the Steelers could use their first-round pick (No. 17 overall) on a cornerback, but now that is looking increasingly necessary for the viability of the defense, a strength of this team, moving forward.
Perhaps the most obvious solution would be a familiar face — or at least a familiar name.
Joey Porter Jr. out of Penn State makes a ton of sense for the Steelers. He fits the mold as a big, long cornerback that Pittsburgh has long been interested in while also having ties to the organization given his father’s long history in the Steel City. His draft projection has him around that Top 20 mark, so the Steelers taking him with the 17th pick is starting to look like it can be written in Sharpie given how the early offseason and free agency have played out.
NFL rumors: Austin Ekeler trade landing spots after Chargers grant permission
One of the truly most surprising moments at the start of the legal tampering period was Austin Ekeler requesting a trade from the Chargers after contract negotiations appeared to hit an impasse. The question was if Los Angeles would be willing to do that for the running back or try to play hardball.
We got our answer on Tuesday as ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that the Chargers had granted Ekeler’s request and would allow him to find a trade partner that would sign him to a new deal.
Chargers granted permission to RB Austin Ekeler today to seek a trade after the two sides failed to make progress for a new contract, per his agent Cameron Weiss.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2023
That leads us to the million-dollar question: Who should be ready to jump at an Austin Ekeler trade?
Ekeler, interestingly enough, might have the most value to the Chargers given everything he does to make that offense work around Justin Herbert. Having said that, there are some landing spots that would make a lot of sense if a trade is indeed going to happen.
Not only do the Chicago Bears still have money to burn but they could be moving on from David Montgomery. Having a dual-threat option like Ekeler could be valuable for the development of Justin Fields. Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons could also be interested in such a trade for the development of their young quarterbacks. And don’t overlook the Buffalo Bills. Though the salary cap is not their friend, adding Austin Ekeler to that offense would be a boondoggle for the ages.