🐺 Wolf Sports Weekly

Julio calls it a career, latest mock draft

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Wolf Sports
April 08, 2025

👀 A few NFL teams are already back for voluntary offseason workouts.

🫡 Officially calling it a career

Superstar WR Julio Jones announced his retirement after 13 NFL seasons. The extremely talented weapon caught 914 passes for 13,703 yards and 66 touchdowns in his illustrious career.

  • Jones’ 82.5 receiving yards per game are the fifth-most in NFL history, and he was in the No. 1 slot until he parted ways with the Falcons in 2021.

  • He was named a WR on the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2010s along with Calvin Johnson Jr., Larry Fitzgerald, and Antonio Brown.

  • Pretty much the only thing missing from Julio’s resume was a championship, but he had one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history in the Falcons’ 28-3 loss to the Patriots.

First-ballot: We expect to see Jones inducted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2029.

OT Terron Armstead retired after an extremely consistent career that included five Pro Bowls across his time with the Saints and Dolphins. Miami gave him time to decide on his future, and the team will now turn to 2024 second-rounder Patrick Paul at left tackle.

We appear to be getting much more clarity on the top of the 2025 NFL Draft, with Cam Ward looking like a lock at No. 1 overall—and either Travis Hunter or Shedeur Sanders gaining steam at No. 2. This week’s Consigliere Corner hits on the top five of our latest mock draft. You can read the full mock here.

1. TEN: Cam Ward, QB, Miami
If the Titans aren’t taking Cam Ward No. 1 overall, they’ve done a heck of a job with a smokescreen that could potentially bring a godfather offer from a team like the Giants at the last minute. The mutual cancelation of Shedeur’s private workout probably locks in Ward here. It’d be interesting to hear the max offer another team sends Tennessee, though.

2. CLE: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Abdul Carter was long the betting favorite to go No. 2, but things are changing and I believe we’re going to see some order of the Colorado guys go before Carter. The Browns sound like they love both—and are having trouble deciding between—Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. While it’s easy to see the quarterback winning out, the two-way star might bring value the Browns feel is worth adding with a premium selection.

3. NYG: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
If Hunter is available, I think the Giants would go with him. But with Hunter going two—as opposed to Carter—it’s easy to envision the Giants feeling more comfortable taking Sanders. Despite their value, the Giants simply might not want to add another edge defender to go with big 2024 trade acquisition Brian Burns and former first-rounder Kayvon Thibodeaux.

4. NE: Abdul Carter, OLB, Penn State
The ideal scenario for the Patriots is two quarterbacks going in the top three, allowing them at worst to get the No. 2 player on their board. Abdul Carter would join a roster that invested in a bunch of veteran pieces this offseason. A front four of Carter, Christian Barmore, Milton Williams, and Harold Landry III could do some damage in terms of getting after the passer. 

5. CHI (mock trade w/ JAX): Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
The Bears have an extra second-round pick from the Panthers, and using the trade chart (not that the Jaguars would automatically go for that) it’d be more than enough to move up from No. 10 to No. 5. If they are locked in on Ashton Jeanty—an extremely talented running back who also has great character—it makes sense to go get him as a headliner on offense to make things much easier on Caleb Williams.

📝 Rule changes: Brotherly Shove safe for now

The NFL announced three rule changes for the 2025 NFL season after the Annual Meeting:

  • Touchback Spot: The “Dynamic Kickoff” is being made permanent, and they are moving the touchback spot to the 35-yard line in an effort to create more returns.

  • OT Rules: Regular season overtime is now moving to the postseason format, meaning each team will have an opportunity to possess the ball even if the team on offense first scores a TD.

  • Expanded Replay Assist: If there is clear and obvious video evidence, replay assist can now also make changes to questions on calls/non-calls of defenseless players, facemasks, tripping, and roughing/running into the kicker.

Also passed: A one-year trial is allowing players to visits teams during the legal tampering period, and Sony’s Hawk-Eye technology will be used as the primary method to measure first downs,

Tabled: The Brotherly Shove is safe for now, as no vote was taken essentially because they knew not enough votes would pass a ban on it; and Detroit’s proposal to stop divisional winners from automatically hosting a playoff game even if they have a worse record was not yet voted on.

🔒 Geno, McBride headline moves

The Raiders agreed to a two-year contract extension with new QB Geno Smith, locking the 34-year-old up for the next three years after acquiring him from Seattle earlier this offseason.

Cardinals TE Trey McBride is now the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history after signing an extension through 2029 worth $19 million per year.

Veteran DL Calais Campbell is back with the Cardinals, where he was drafted in 2008 and played nine seasons, for his 18th year in the league.

QB moves: The Chargers signed former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance, the Cowboys acquired big-armed Joe Milton in a trade with the Patriots, and veteran backup Case Keenum joined the Bears.

The Jags officially exercised the fifth-year option for DE Travon Walker.

The Raiders are releasing 2024 starting CB Jack Jones after being unable to find a trade partner.

The Panthers signed former college basketball player Colin Granger, who is six-foot-nine and will play TE.

📰 More news and notes

Disgruntled pass rushers: Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson is not happy with Bengals EVP Katie Blackburn for saying he needs to be happy at some point with what the team is offering, and Cowboys star Micah Parsons says he won’t negotiate a deal with Dallas without his agent after Jerry Jones brushed off the agent’s role.

Bengals EVP Katie Blackburn also indicated the team could leave Cincinnati after this season if they want. It’s hard to see the Bengals leaving Ohio, but the franchise has a two-year stadium lease extension they can exercise by June 30, so keep an eye on that date.

The Chiefs are reportedly requesting placement in the NFL’s Christmas Day game every season, to set up a tradition like the Lions and Cowboys on Thanksgiving.

“Oh, not only is he good enough, like, he’s really good.” New Broncos TE Evan Engram nearly signed with the Chargers, until he felt comfortable with Bo Nix at QB after watching the film.

More teams can now be forced to participate in Hard Knocks, with the non-playoff requirement removed.

The Patriots are finally putting Bill Parcells in their Hall of Fame, Robert Kraft announced.

Former NFL WR and Dolphins WRs coach Wes Welker has joined the Commanders coaching staff.

The Rams announced a Rams Village at Warner Center, headlined by a new team headquarters and training facility.

Number news is headlined by a bunch of changes for the Lions:

Rest in Peace to Browns office dog Moose, who passed away at 10 years old.

Other Sports Updates

🏆 National champions: Florida defeated Houston, 65-63, in the college basketball national title game.

⛳️ The Masters begin on Thursday at Augusta National.

⚾️ The Blue Jays are signing star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year, $500 million extension.

🤯 Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hit a walk-off homer on his own bobblehead night.

🎮 NFL RedZone host Scott Hanson is joining Madden 26 as the newest voice in the series.

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