The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1506671
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 ■ 41 2023 NFL PREVIEW DL B.J. Hill Jr. (2014-17), Cincin- nati Bengals: Hill is in the second year of a three-year, $30 million contract that he signed after the 2021 season … In 2022, Hill started all 16 games for the first time in his career and logged career highs in tackles (68), pass break- ups (4) and fumble recoveries (3) while also collecting his first career forced fumble and registering 3 sacks. … Hill is favored to continue in his starting role. RB Nyheim Hines (2015-17), Buf- falo Bills: Hines will be forced to miss the season after suffering a knee injury while sitting on a jet ski that was hit by another … He had reworked his contract to a two-year, $9 million deal in the off- season. DT Justin Jones (2014-17), Chi- cago Bears: Jones, who has started all but one of the games in which he has played during the past four seasons, is in the final year of a two-year, $12 million contract with the Bears and appears to be a lock to make the roster … In his NFL career, Jones has 170 tackles, including 24 for loss and 7.5 sacks … He set career highs last season in tackles (52), tack- les for loss (12) and quarterback hits (7), and he matched his personal best with 3 sacks. LB Vi Jones (2019-21), Seattle Seahawks: Jones started out as an undrafted free agent, then made the Seahawks' practice squad, and last year was elevated to the active roster for three games … He faces another train- ing camp battle, with The Athletic not including him on the projected roster. CB Nick McCloud (2016-19, fin- ished at Notre Dame), New York Gi- ants: McCloud broke through last year with the Giants, starting eight of the 14 games in which he played and finish- ing with 43 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 7 pass breakups. DT T.Y. McGill Jr. (2011-14), San Francisco 49ers: The former undrafted free agent has found a way to play eight years in the NFL with seven different teams … Signed a one-year offseason deal with 49ers, with whom he played nine games last season and had 8 tackles, including a pair for loss, and 2 quarter- back hits. DT Alim McNeill (2018-20), De- troit Lions: McNeill is a lock to make the Lions after emerging as a full-time starter in Year 2 with Detroit, tallying 41 tackles, including a sack … McNeill dropped his body fat by 13 percent in the offseason to improve his condi- tioning. WR Jakobi Meyers (2016-18), Las Vegas Raiders: Cashed in on his suc- cesses with the New England Patriots, signing a three-year, $33 million con- tract with the Raiders after four seasons with his prior club, where he hauled in 235 passes for 2,758 yards and 8 touch- downs … Meyers is expected to start for Las Vegas. DT Larrell Murchison (2017-19), Los Angeles Rams: Murchison was cut midway through his third season with the Tennessee Titans and caught on with the Rams to conclude the 2022 campaign … He is in a camp battle to try to win a spot on the Los Angeles roster. CB Derrek Pitts Jr. (2021-22), Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The un- drafted free agent rookie earned a train- ing camp invitation with the Bucs but likely faces an uphill climb to make the roster. LB Germaine Pratt (2014-18), Cincinnati Bengals: After his third consecutive year as a full-time starter for the Bengals, Pratt cashed in on his success with a three-year, $21 million contract to stay in Cincinnati … Pratt has 355 career tackles, including 20 for loss. DE James Smith-Williams (2016- 19), Washington Commanders: After starting six games in his second season in the NFL, Smith-Williams started all 14 contests he played a year ago, amass- ing career highs in tackles for loss (5), sacks (3) and quarterback hits (16) … He's favored to be in the defensive line rotation, if not starting. DL Kentavius Street (2014-17), Philadelphia Eagles: After piling up 29 tackles in his lone season with the New Orleans Saints, including 5 for loss and 3.5 sacks, Street signed with the Eagles in the offseason on a one-year, $1.28 million deal, but first Street has to make the team … The Athletic's pro- jected roster for Philadelphia did not include Street. LB Drake Thomas (2019-22), Las Vegas Raiders: The undrafted free agent is another player who has made a positive impression, especially after having 10 tackles in a preseason game … Despite that performance, both The Athletic and Las Vegas Review Journal have Thomas on the outside looking in for a roster spot. WR Thayer Thomas (2017-22), Minnesota Vikings: The Athletic credited Thomas, an undrafted free agent rookie, with having "shown flashes" during training camp, but he is not on its projected 53-man roster. OG Joe Thuney (2012-15), Kansas City Chiefs: Has started every game he has played in his seven-year NFL ca- reer, the first five seasons with the New England Patriots … Is in the third year of his five-year, $80 million contract, one of the most lucrative ever signed by the Pack Pros community, and he is coming off his second All-Pro honor and first Pro Bowl selection. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (2013-14, finished at USF), Kansas City Chiefs: In his first season with the Chiefs after signing a three-year, $30 million contract, Valdes-Scantling set a career high with 42 receptions, which went for 687 yards and included 2 scores. QB Russell Wilson (2007-09, fin- ished at Wisconsin), Denver Bron- cos: The potential future Hall of Famer was looking for a fresh start after 10 sea- sons in Seattle, during which he played in two Super Bowls and was a nine-time Pro Bowler. But Year 1 in Denver was a struggle from the very beginning ... With Sean Payton having taken over as head coach, Wilson is looking for a re- bound year after setting career-worst marks for completion percentage (60.1) and quarterback rating (84.4) while throwing the fewest touchdowns (16) in any of his 11 seasons in the NFL ... Payton recently told Peter King of NBC Sports that he's looking for a strong showing from Wilson this fall. "There's something powerful about a guy with a chip on his shoulder," Payton said. OL Chandler Zavala (2021-22), C a ro l i n a Pa n t h e rs : T h e ro o k i e fourth-round draft pick for the Pan- thers started at offensive guard in Car- olina's second preseason game and is considered a safe bet by The Athletic to make the roster. ■