The Cardinals selected Jones in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 90th overall.

EDGE Analysis

Jones (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) might be limited to a Cover-3 style of boundary corner as a thin prospect with a linear set of athletic traits, but in that role, he could prove to be a viable starter at the NFL level. Jones was an effective starter on a solid Boston College defense in college, and his NFL Combine testing supports the notion his skill set can continue to show up in the pros. Jones' 4.44-second 40, 42.5-inch vertical and 131-inch broad jump give him uncommon vertical range on the sideline.

Following the selection of No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, Bagent is viewed as the favorite to open the season as the Bears' primary backup quarterback, USA Today's Vincent Parise reports.

EDGE Analysis

With Justin Fields traded to the Steelers earlier in the offseason, it leaves Bagent and Brett Rypien behind Williams. There's a chance Chicago adds an experienced veteran to what is currently a pretty young quarterback room, but Bagent showed well enough as a rookie last year to enter 2024 with a chance to claim backup duties. Bagent went 2-2 in four games as a starter, completing 65.7 percent of his passes for 859 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions and adding 109 rushing yards and two additional scores on 23 attempts.

Cousins (Achilles), who signed a four-year deal with Atlanta in March, is slated to be joined in the team's QB corps by Michael Penix, who was taken with the No. 8 overall pick in Thursday's NFL draft, Terrin Waack of the Falcons' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Despite the franchise's surprising decision to select Penix, Cousins, who is rebounding from an Achilles tear that he sustained Oct. 29, remains locked in as the Falcons' No. 1 QB for the foreseeable future. Regarding that topic, GM Terry Fontenot noted Thursday, "Kirk Cousins is our quarterback. We're very excited about Kirk, very excited about this team. (With) Michael Penix we're talking about the future. The draft is you look at the future and you look at big picture." In terms of his injury recovery, Cousins relayed last month that he's progressing well and is "optimistic that (he) can be full speed at practice before (the Falcons) break for the summer." In any case, barring any setbacks, Cousins -- who turns 36 in August -- is entrenched atop Atlanta's depth chart, with Penix providing the team with both an insurance policy for the veteran signal-caller, as well as a potential successor down the road.

With the Panthers' selection of Xavier Legette with the No. 32 overall pick Thursday night, Mingo is pushed down the wide receiver depth chart, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Carolina has made it a point to upgrade its wideout room this offseason, first trading for Diontae Johnson before then trading up into the final pick of the first round for Legette. Adding those two to veteran slot man Adam Thielen pushes both Mingo and Terrace Marshall down in the pecking order for targets. Mingo -- who is bouncing back from a late-season foot issue -- started 14 of 15 games he appeared in as a rookie, but he posted an uninspiring 43-418-0 receiving line on 85 targets. He was one of the least productive starting receivers in the league in 2023.

The Panthers have elected to pick up Horn's fifth-year contract option, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Horn, who the Panthers took eighth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, is thus slated to remain under contract with the team through the 2025 campaign. Injuries have hampered the starting cornerback over his first three years as a pro, but when available, the 24-year old has made his mark in Carolina's secondary by racking up 85 tackles and four picks over the course of 22 regular-season outings.

The Patriots and Bills have interest in trading for Samuel, Michael Giardi of Boston Sports Journal reports.

EDGE Analysis

There's been a lot of trade chatter around Samuel's teammate, Brandon Aiyuk, but Giardi reports Samuel is "more likely to be traded" and has a couple interested suitors in Buffalo and New England. Both offenses are in dire need of wideout help, and the Bills (33rd overall) and Patriots (34th) hold picks atop the second round of the NFL Draft on Friday night. Samuel has two years left on his contract but has been more prone to injuries throughout his career, missing six regular-season games and parts of several others across the last two seasons. Aiyuk, meanwhile, is coming off a career year and a second consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season. The Niners used their first-round pick Thursday night on Florida WR Ricky Pearsall, further fueling trade chatter on the team's veteran wideouts.

Brissett is in line to compete with newcomer Drake Maye for the Patriots' starting QB job ahead of the upcoming NFL season, Mike Reiss of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Given that New England selected Maye with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it's only a matter of time before the North Carolina product is installed as the team's starter. That said, it's possible that the rookie begins the season as Brissett's understudy, with coach Jerod Mayo noting Thursday of the Patriots' signal-caller situation that "at the end of the day, our philosophy is the best players will play. We will compete and the best player will start." Brissett rejoined the franchise that drafted him in 2016 on a reported one-year, $8 million deal, providing New England with an experienced option who can either helm the offense until Maye is deemed ready to do so, or alternatively serve as quality backup and mentor to Maye, who doesn't turn 22 until Aug. 30. Meanwhile, 2022 fourth-rounder Bailey Zappe and Nathan Rourke are also on hand to provide the Patriots with QB depth ahead of training camp.

Mariota will be joined by fellow Heisman winner and No. 2 overall draft pick Jayden Daniels in Washington's QB room.

EDGE Analysis

The incoming rookie was a four-year college starter (five if you count a COVID-shortened season) and is already 23 years old, making him a strong bet to quickly take over as QB1 in Washington. Mariota presumably knew the Commanders were likely to use the No. 2 overall pick on a quarterback when he signed with them in March, but the team at least traded Sam Howell to Seattle, leaving the 30-year-old unchallenged for a backup role. It remains to be seen how the Commanders divide reps between Daniels and Mariota this spring and into summer.

GM Tom Telesco said Thursday that he excepts Mayer to "take a leap this year" even though the Raiders drafted fellow tight end Brock Bowers at No. 13 overall, Nick Walters of KTNV Las Vegas reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Raiders presumably plan to use a lot of multi-TE formations, but the new competition for snaps and targets is nonetheless terrible news for Mayer's fantasy value. He and Bowers were arguably the most productive tight ends in college football over the past half-decade, with Mayer recording 2,099 yards and 18 TDs in three seasons at Notre Dame and Bowers putting up 2,538 and 26, respectively, over three seasons for Georgia. While Mayer is both taller and heavier, Bowers is faster, more agile and an earlier draft pick (Mayer went 35th in 2023). On the bright side, Telesco said there's "no concern" about the foot injury that brought Mayer's rookie season to an early end after 14 games (12 starts) and a 27-304-2 receiving line, per Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com.

Brown (knee) signed a three-year, $96 million extension with the Eagles on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

Rumors emerged early in the offseason that Brown was on his way out of Philadelphia after a disappointing close to the 2023 campaign. He did his best to shut the speculation down, and this extension -- which reportedly includes $84 million in guaranteed money -- should squash any lingering doubt as to his future with the Eagles as he's now under contract through 2029. Brown -- who is bouncing back from a knee issue that he sustained in the Eagles' regular-season finale -- has had two standout seasons with the team, topping 1,450 in each year with 18 total touchdowns.