GM Loomis: Saints not actively shopping Lattimore

The New Orleans Saints aren’t looking to move star cornerback Marshon Lattimore after the team drafted Kool-Aid McKinstry in the second round last month.

“Marshon’s been a really good player for us for a good period of time,” general manager Mickey Loomis said on “Schein on Sports.” “He’s one of the leaders of our team. We can use as many corners as we can get.”

Loomis added: “I’m not actively trying to trade Marshon. … He’s an elite corner.”

Lattimore has earned four Pro Bowl nods since being selected 11th overall in 2017. Yet injuries have limited the 27-year-old to 17 games over the past two seasons.

Lattimore tallied 48 tackles, eight passes defended, and one interception in 10 contests last campaign.

Lattimore signed a five-year, $97.6-million extension in September 2021. He’ll carry a $14.6-million cap hit in 2024 that’ll jump to $31.4 million in 2025, according to Over the Cap. The Saints could save close to $4 million this year if they trade their top cornerback. They’d incur a $10.6-million dead-cap penalty for any deal completed after June 1.

McKinstry is set to join a talented group of cornerbacks that includes Lattimore, Alontae Taylor, and Paulson Adebo.

Patriots open to trading No. 3 pick

The New England Patriots would move the third overall pick for the right price, though they haven’t received a suitable offer yet, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report.

The Patriots and Washington Commanders, the latter of whom own the No. 2 selection, have received phone calls for their selections, Rapoport and Garafolo add. However, the Commanders haven’t indicated they’re interested in trading out. The Las Vegas Raiders are among teams that have called Washington, according to Garafolo.

Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf said earlier this month that his team is “open for business” in all rounds of the 2024 draft.

New England has multiple needs across its roster with the most obvious area being quarterback. Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe headline its depth chart at the position following the trade of Mac Jones.

If the Patriots stay at No. 3, they’d be in a position to take a potential star at quarterback. USC star Caleb Williams is expected to go first overall, but there’s uncertainty about who goes second; signal-callers Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye are the two most speculated names.

The Patriots are entering their first draft under head coach Jerod Mayo.

Giants looking to trade up, likely eyeing Maye

The New York Giants are exploring trading up to the third or fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and the likely target would be North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, sources told ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.

The Giants currently own the sixth overall selection, while the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals own the third and fourth picks, respectively.

New York’s move would come under the assumption that the Chicago Bears will take quarterback Caleb Williams at No. 1, and the Washington Commanders are eyeing Jayden Daniels at No. 2, adds Raanan.

The Giants handed Daniel Jones a four-year, $160-million extension in March 2023. However, the 26-year-old struggled in six appearances last season before suffering a torn ACL.

The current regime in New York didn’t draft Jones, and his contract allows for a potential exit after the 2024 campaign.

Maye was once seen as the favorite to be selected by Washington but was overtaken by Daniels in recent weeks.

The former Tar Heels star had an outstanding 2022 campaign, throwing for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns against seven interceptions.

Maye’s production dipped in 2023 – 3,603 yards and 24 scores against nine picks – amid a change at offensive coordinator and losses at pass-catcher. However, he remained one of the top prospects of the 2024 draft, which begins Thursday.

Markstrom: ‘I don’t know’ where I’ll play next season

After hearing his name in several trade rumors this season, Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom said he isn’t sure what his future holds.

“I don’t know,” he told reporters Friday. “What I do know, and what I tell you guys every day, is I love winning hockey games. … And I know everyone in that locker room wants to win hockey games, too. That’s pretty much where my head is at right now.”

The Flames had a fire sale this campaign, parting ways with pending free agents Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, and Noah Hanifin.

Though Markstrom has two seasons left on his deal with a cap hit of $6 million and a no-move clause, the New Jersey Devils reportedly wanted to acquire the veteran ahead of the deadline and appear interested in taking another run at him in the offseason.

Flames general manager Craig Conroy was noncommittal when asked if he envisions Markstrom being on the team in 2024-25, saying “time will tell with everything we’re doing.”

Calgary is currently carrying three goalies – Markstrom, the injured Dan Vladar, and youngster Dustin Wolf – but Conroy said it’s “tough to say” if that will still be the case come September.

In early March, Markstrom said his situation “could’ve been handled a lot different from up top.” The Swede revealed Friday that he addressed his team the morning after making those comments.

“I wanted them to know everything that’s going on and how I feel and what I was pointing at,” he explained. “I love every single player on the team and I love the coaching staff. … This is my home and has been for four years. I’ve got great relationships, and I take pride in who I am as a person.”

Markstrom added that he thinks there’s no tension between him and management, while Conroy said they had a “cordial” chat.

The Flames missed the playoffs for the second straight season, but Markstrom had a strong campaign. He ranked third among all netminders in goals saved above expected at all strengths (28.93), per Evolving-Hockey, and ranked among the best in high-danger save percentage (.868) at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.

However, all the 34-year-old cared about was his 23-23-2 record.

“Obviously, (I was a) .500 goalie. … It’s not where I want to be, I want to be still playing and win a lot more games than half of the ones I’ve played,” he said.

Markstrom owns a career .907 save percentage and 105 wins in 213 appearances as a Flame.

Broncos don’t plan on trading Sutton despite calls

The Denver Broncos have received multiple trade inquiries regarding wide receiver Courtland Sutton, sources told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

However, the Broncos don’t plan to move Sutton, Fowler adds. The 28-year-old is skipping voluntary workouts due to his contract situation.

General manager George Paton said he and head coach Sean Payton have spoken with Sutton, who’s “in a good place,” according to Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports.

Sutton has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $60.8-million contract extension signed in 2021. His base salary in 2024 is $13 million, but only $2 million is fully guaranteed. Sutton currently sits 22nd in highest salaries among receivers, per Over The Cap.

The SMU product led the team in receiving yards (772) and set a career high in touchdowns with 10 last year. He’s had at least 90 targets and 58 receptions in three straight seasons but hasn’t eclipsed 1,000 yards since 2019.

Denver has $17.8 million in cap space, according to Spotrac. The club enters the NFL draft with eight selections but only two top-80 picks. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are the only quarterbacks currently on the roster.

Raiders’ Adams: ‘If I wanted to be gone, I’d be gone’

Raiders receiver Davante Adams made it clear Sunday that he doesn’t want to play anywhere other than Las Vegas despite speculation about his future earlier in the offseason.

“If I wanted to be gone, I’d be gone by now. … This is where I want to be,” said Adams at his third annual youth football camp, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic.

It was reported in February that Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Adams’ former teammate with the Green Bay Packers, was trying to convince the star pass-catcher to join him in New York. The Jets reportedly also attempted to land Adams at last season’s trade deadline.

The Raiders’ lack of an established starter under center also fueled rumors about Adams, with free-agent signing Gardner Minshew set to compete with sophomore Aidan O’Connell unless the club drafts a quarterback.

But with a new era underway in Las Vegas led by head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco, the six-time Pro Bowl receiver is locked in for 2024.

Adams was one of Antonio Pierce's biggest advocates and is obviously happy he got the full-time HC job, but he also feels better about the overall state and direction of the team than he did at this time last year. He's confident the #Raiders can compete in 2024.

— Tashan Reed (@tashanreed) April 14, 2024

Telesco shot down rumors in February that suggested Adams might be moved.

Adams produced 1,516 yards in his first campaign with the Raiders in 2022 following a trade from Green Bay and had 1,144 yards last season.

Payton: ‘Realistic’ that Broncos could trade up for QB

Sean Payton says there’s a “realistic” possibility that the Denver Broncos could trade up to select a quarterback in April’s draft, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

“It’s good to be (Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort) right now,” Payton added.

Denver currently owns the No. 12 pick.

The Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, and New England Patriots are all expected to select signal-callers if they retain picks Nos. 1 through 3, respectively, when the draft kicks off April 25. The Cardinals, who have Kyler Murray, own the fourth overall selection.

Denver would likely need to trade up to pick one of Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, or J.J. McCarthy. Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. could also be in play for the Broncos in the first round.

Denver is looking for a new passer after cutting Russell Wilson earlier this offseason. Wilson started the Broncos’ first 15 games last year but was benched for Jarrett Stidham to close out the campaign.

Stidham went 1-1 while throwing for 496 yards, a pair of touchdowns, and an interception on 60.6% passing in his two starts. That was enough for him to earn the right to compete for the starting job.

“He is going to compete for that position,” Payton said, according to NFL Network’s James Palmer. “I know he’s anxious and excited to do that, and I’m sure there will be other candidates that will be competing with him.”

Jets put Lazard on trade block

The New York Jets have made wide receiver Allen Lazard available in trade discussions, sources told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and Zack Rosenblatt.

The Jets signed Lazard to a lucrative four-year, $44-million deal last offseason, but he struggled to meet expectations in his first season in New York.

The 28-year-old’s production was cut in half from 2022 to 2023, as he caught just 23 passes for 311 yards and one touchdown. He was made a healthy scratch in Week 12 and Week 18. He also missed Week 17 due to an illness.

Lazard spent the first five seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers. He was coming off a career-high 60 receptions and 788 receiving yards when he entered free agency last offseason.

Lazard is due a $10-million base salary next season, per Spotrac.

The Jets also released wide receiver Corey Davis from the retired list Thursday after he applied to the NFL for reinstatement. Davis stepped away from football prior to the 2023 season.

Vikings have ‘no plans’ to trade Jefferson

The Minnesota Vikings have “no plans” to trade star wide receiver Justin Jefferson despite losing quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons, sources told Dianna Russini and Alec Lewis of The Athletic.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah “aggressively rejected” the idea of trading Jefferson at the NFL draft combine, Russini and Lewis add.

Minnesota came close to extending Jefferson last offseason, according to Russini and Lewis.

The 24-year-old is set to play the 2024 season on the fifth-year option worth $19.7 million. Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill is the highest-paid wideout in the NFL after signing a four-year, $120-million deal in 2022.

“I want to break the bank and be a part of an organization that wants me and (is willing) to give me what I deserve,” Jefferson told Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio in February.

He added: “Eventually, the Vikings will do what they need to do to have me in the building.”

Jefferson eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards last season in only 10 games. He suffered a hamstring injury in Week 5 that sidelined him for seven contests.

The LSU product has been one of the NFL’s best wide receivers since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2020. He’s totaled 5,899 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns in 60 games.

Devils plan to target Markstrom, Saros in offseason

The New Jersey Devils may not have landed a legitimate No. 1 goalie at the trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean their pursuit of upgrading between the pipes is over.

The club plans on re-engaging with the Calgary Flames about Jacob Markstrom and checking in with the Nashville Predators about the availability of Juuse Saros once the offseason arrives, reports The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.

The Flames and Devils reportedly discussed a trade for Markstrom ahead of the deadline. The goaltender, whose contract contains a no-movement clause, said he wasn’t happy about how the Flames’ front office handled his situation.

Markstrom has two more years left on his contract with a $6-million cap hit. Calgary was in complete sell mode at the deadline, shipping out notable pending unrestricted free agents Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev, among others.

Markstrom is in the midst of a stellar campaign, posting a .910 save percentage in 41 contests. The 2022 Vezina Trophy runner-up ranks second in the league with 31.88 goals saved above expected, per Evolving-Hockey.

The Predators, meanwhile, had no intention of trading Saros at the deadline while they were in a playoff spot. But the 28-year-old will be a free agent after next season, so Nashville could trade him if the two sides can’t agree on an extension. The Predators also have Yaroslav Askarov, the top goalie prospect in hockey, coming through the system.

Saros has finished in the top six in Vezina Trophy voting in each of the last three campaigns. He’s had a bit of a down year but has still posted a solid .907 save percentage and stopped 7.03 goals above expected while appearing in a league-leading 52 games entering Tuesday.

Poor goaltending has torpedoed New Jersey’s season, as its team save percentage of .882 is the second-worst mark in the NHL.

Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald shook up the crease at the deadline, acquiring Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens. He also traded Vitek Vanecek – who’s under contract next year – to the San Jose Sharks for Kaapo Kahkonen. With Montreal retaining 50% of Allen’s contract, which runs through next year, and Kahkonen set to become a UFA, the Devils could make a splash in net this summer.