Latest news with #KevinZeitler
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Tennessee Titans' $9 million signing dubbed one NFL offseason's best moves
Tennessee Titans' $9 million signing dubbed one NFL offseason's best moves With the expectation of an incoming rookie quarterback, the Tennessee Titans made an emphasis on improving the offensive line. While the splash move in free agency was signing left tackle Dan Moore Jr. to a four-year, $82 million deal, that was a move that has been largely questioned considering the amount of money the Titans gave to the 26-year-old. In contrast, one of their more under-the-radar moves was signing veteran guard Kevin Zeitler to a one-year deal in free agency. When looking at the 25 best offseason moves across the NFL, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report ranked that signing at No. 21. The Tennessee Titans were a mess on the offensive line last year, and with everyone expecting Tennessee to draft Cam Ward first overall the team had to improve the protection in front of him. It can be argued (and has been) that the team overpaid offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr, but veteran guard Kevin Zeitler was another story--$9 million over one season for a reliable (if aging) lineman was a bargain. Zeitler has been an underrated asset wherever he's been, and he had another exceptional season with the Detroit Lions during the 2025 campaign. Though the 35-year-old allowed 5.0 sacks, he only allowed 18 total pressures on 577 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus. The Titans' offensive line will be a major key in the development of their young quarterback, and having Zeitler manning the right guard position should give Tennessee upgraded production from that spot.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Two former Wisconsin Badgers land on PFF's list of the NFL's top guards for 2025
A pair of former Wisconsin Badgers appeared on ProFootballFocus' recent list of the NFL's top 32 guards entering the 2025 season. Detroit Lions right guard Kevin Zeitler, a three-year Badger from 2009-11, and Buffalo Bills left guard David Edwards, who represented the Badgers from 2015-18, earned designations on the outlet's 32-man hierarchy. Advertisement Zeitler, a native of Waukesha, Wisconsin, landed at No. 9 on the list between Los Angeles Rams guard Kevin Dotson (No. 8) and San Francisco 49ers run-blocker Dominick Puni. The former Badger signed with the Detroit Lions ahead of the 2024 slate following his 2023 Pro Bowl campaign with the Baltimore Ravens. He's now entering his 14th professional campaign. In offensive coordinator Ben Johnson's scheme, Zeitler helped the Lions rush 534 times for 2,488 yards and 29 scores with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs starring in the backfield. Zeitler started at right guard in all 16 of his appearances. Despite being one of the older players at his position, Zeitler is about as effective as anyone not named Joe Thuney, Chris Lindstrom, or Quenton Nelson. Here's PFF's analysis: "Although Zeitler enters 2025 at age 35, he continues to prove he isn't slowing down. In his lone season in Detroit, Zeitler earned his highest PFF overall grade (86.5) in a decade, finishing as the NFL's third-highest-graded guard. While his pass protection dipped a bit in 2024, his 87.2 PFF run-blocking grade stands as the best of his career." Meanwhile, PFF ranked Edwards down at No. 29. The 2019 First-team All-Big Ten team member has played six professional seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills. Shortly after winning a Super Bowl with the Rams in 2021, the lineman joined the Bills in 2023 as a backup before starting all 16 games during the 2024 campaign. Advertisement With reigning MVP Josh Allen and dynamic rusher James Cook as primary ball-carriers, the Bills rushed for 2,230 yards and a league-best 32 touchdowns a season ago. Here's what PFF said about Edwards ahead of his third season in Buffalo: "2024 marked Edwards' first season in a starting role since 2021. He earned solid PFF overall grades, but really stood out as a zone blocker, recording a 78.1 PFF run-blocking grade on zone concepts — good for the 93rd percentile and the fifth-highest mark among qualifying guards." Zeitler's Lions will square off against the Packers on Sept. 7 to begin the season, while Edwards' Bills will play the Ravens the same day, beginning their quest for a second straight AFC Championship game appearance. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin Badgers in NFL on PFF's Ranking top guards for 2025
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Lions' Offensive Line May Be a Problem in 2025
The Lions' Offensive Line May Be a Problem in 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Detroit Lions have featured one of the NFL's best offensive lines in recent years. In 2024, they consistently opened up running lanes for their backfield and held opposing pass rushes to just 33 sacks while being led by three Pro Bowlers. Advertisement The unit is going to look a lot different in 2025. Kevin Zeitler left in free agency. Now Frank Ragnow has decided to retire. Detroit Lions in a huddleJunfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Lions are now looking at the interior of their offensive line consisting of an aging Graham Glasgow and two players with a year or less of NFL experience. Glasgow showed signs of decline last season and The Lions Wire's Jeff Risdon revealed that he didn't think Glasgow would make the roster before the Ragnow news. Now he could be changing positions for the 2025 season to start for the Lions, The options to take the other positions could be good. Christian Mahogany was solid in his spot starts last season and Tate Ratledge was taken in round two for a reason. Advertisement The problem is that we just have no idea what to expect from these two or Giovanni Manu and Miles Frazier. It makes the decision to let Zeitler take a $9 million deal elsewhere look even worse than it did at the time. Luckily for the Lions, their division isn't exactly loaded with defensive interiors that strike fear into the hearts of their opponents. However, they'll run into some of the league's best interior defenders in other key matchups against the Chiefs, Ravens, Rams, Buccaneers and Eagles. Those last three teams could be particularly troublesome for the Lions' hopes of contending for a Super Bowl. Advertisement The Bucs, Rams, and Eagles were all playoff teams last season and the Eagles are currently the favorites to win the NFC again in 2025. Last season, it was their defensive front that really swung the Super Bowl as they kept Patrick Mahomes on the run. They've lost Milton Williams, but Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter are still going to be a problem for opponents. If the Lions can get through the top D-lines they'd face in the NFC, they'd then potentially run into star defenders like Chris Jones or Nnamdi Madubuike out of the AFC. The Lions should have no issues dealing with any of these teams on the outside with Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker at the tackle spots, but if the interior offensive line becomes a weakness, it could be a big problem against the NFL's elite. Advertisement The Lions should still be a very good team even with their O-line uncertainty, but for them to reach the Super Bowl that has eluded the franchise for so long, their young guards are going to need to be very good very quickly. Related: Lions Urged to Pursue $120 Million Seven-Time All-Pro Related: Lions' Three-Time All-Pro Unexpectedly Announces Retirement at Just 29 Years Old This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Washington Post
7 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Titans revamp their offensive line to protect No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Trying to fix the offensive line was this offseason's top priority for the Tennessee Titans even before quarterback Cam Ward became the No. 1 overall pick. Only four NFL teams allowed more sacks in the 2024 season than Tennessee and that was a reason why the Titans won only three games in coach Brian Callahan's debut season. New general manager Mike Borgonzi signed Dan Moore Jr. as the Titans' left tackle along with veteran Kevin Zeitler as a right guard. JC Latham, their first-round pick a year ago, has switched ends to right tackle. Protecting the quarterback better is a priority. That's why offensive line guru Bill Callahan has taken his linemen back to fundamentals this offseason. 'I think we have a good vision,' Callahan said Tuesday. 'I think we'll have a better idea as it unfolds here in training camp.' The Titans have plenty of room for improvement with only Houston (54), Seattle (54), Cleveland (66) and Chicago (68) giving up more than Tennessee's 52 sacks allowed. Center Lloyd Cushenberry , who missed eight games with an Achilles' tendon injury, is busy rehabbing along with Zeitler. Brian Callahan said that's by design as the Titans try to manage the 35-year-old Zeitler. 'Don't need to see a lot of Zeitler at the moment,' the Titans coach said. 'He's pretty proven at this point in his career. So more just about being smart than anything else. But he's here, he's participating, he's around, he's in meetings and he's with us.' The Titans made a beeline for Moore in free agency. The Pittsburgh left tackle got a four-year deal worth $82 million and $50 million guaranteed as a rare starting offensive tackle available in free agency. 'It's hard to find, you know, quality tackles any more in free agency because everybody's keeping them,' Bill Callahan said. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound Moore's best ability might be his availability. He started all 66 games he's played, including 17 last season. His arrival helps Tennessee try to fix right tackle where four different players started last season. Moore's big contract is a sign the Titans see beyond the NFL-high 12 sacks along with 41 quarterback pressures allowed by Moore, according to Pro Football Focus. Moore said he thought he played well last season and expects to improve his game with Bill Callahan's help. 'All I'm looking forward to is the future,' Moore said. Latham has spent the offseason losing weight after getting up to 370 pounds at the end of his rookie season with the added heft slowing him down. He met with his position coach and worked with the Titans' nutritionist and his own chef to cut down his food. That is why Latham showed up for the third phase of the offseason program at 337 pounds, and he is working to get closer to 325 or even 320 as he settles back in the position he played in college at Alabama. Latham said he'll play wherever the Titans want him. The Titans linemen hope to build on chemistry started this offseason working out at offensive line coach Duke Manyweather's gym in Texas. Moore was there with Latham and left guard Peter Skoronski, going into his third NFL season with yet another left tackle. Skoronski, the 11th pick overall in 2023, said he'll miss Latham but sees Moore's experience as being helpful. 'He's got a great attitude and works super, super hard,' Skoronski said of Moore. 'So we already gel pretty well. And you always want to have a great relationship with your left tackle. So I think we're off to a good start with that.' ___ AP NFL:
Associated Press
7 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Titans revamp their offensive line to protect No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Trying to fix the offensive line was this offseason's top priority for the Tennessee Titans even before quarterback Cam Ward became the No. 1 overall pick. Only four NFL teams allowed more sacks in the 2024 season than Tennessee and that was a reason why the Titans won only three games in coach Brian Callahan's debut season. New general manager Mike Borgonzi signed Dan Moore Jr. as the Titans' left tackle along with veteran Kevin Zeitler as a right guard. JC Latham, their first-round pick a year ago, has switched ends to right tackle. Protecting the quarterback better is a priority. That's why offensive line guru Bill Callahan has taken his linemen back to fundamentals this offseason. 'I think we have a good vision,' Callahan said Tuesday. 'I think we'll have a better idea as it unfolds here in training camp.' The Titans have plenty of room for improvement with only Houston (54), Seattle (54), Cleveland (66) and Chicago (68) giving up more than Tennessee's 52 sacks allowed. Center Lloyd Cushenberry, who missed eight games with an Achilles' tendon injury, is busy rehabbing along with Zeitler. Brian Callahan said that's by design as the Titans try to manage the 35-year-old Zeitler. 'Don't need to see a lot of Zeitler at the moment,' the Titans coach said. 'He's pretty proven at this point in his career. So more just about being smart than anything else. But he's here, he's participating, he's around, he's in meetings and he's with us.' The Titans made a beeline for Moore in free agency. The Pittsburgh left tackle got a four-year deal worth $82 million and $50 million guaranteed as a rare starting offensive tackle available in free agency. 'It's hard to find, you know, quality tackles any more in free agency because everybody's keeping them,' Bill Callahan said. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound Moore's best ability might be his availability. He started all 66 games he's played, including 17 last season. His arrival helps Tennessee try to fix right tackle where four different players started last season. Moore's big contract is a sign the Titans see beyond the NFL-high 12 sacks along with 41 quarterback pressures allowed by Moore, according to Pro Football Focus. Moore said he thought he played well last season and expects to improve his game with Bill Callahan's help. 'All I'm looking forward to is the future,' Moore said. Latham has spent the offseason losing weight after getting up to 370 pounds at the end of his rookie season with the added heft slowing him down. He met with his position coach and worked with the Titans' nutritionist and his own chef to cut down his food. That is why Latham showed up for the third phase of the offseason program at 337 pounds, and he is working to get closer to 325 or even 320 as he settles back in the position he played in college at Alabama. Latham said he'll play wherever the Titans want him. The Titans linemen hope to build on chemistry started this offseason working out at offensive line coach Duke Manyweather's gym in Texas. Moore was there with Latham and left guard Peter Skoronski, going into his third NFL season with yet another left tackle. Skoronski, the 11th pick overall in 2023, said he'll miss Latham but sees Moore's experience as being helpful. 'He's got a great attitude and works super, super hard,' Skoronski said of Moore. 'So we already gel pretty well. And you always want to have a great relationship with your left tackle. So I think we're off to a good start with that.' ___ AP NFL:
