Who Should I Start? Michael Mayer or Feleipe Franks

Monday, June 30, 9:19 PM

The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vincent Bonsignore reports that the Las Vegas Raiders are not interested in trading tight end Michael Mayer. It comes after reports that the Miami Dolphins were interested in acquiring Mayer from the Raiders after trading tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday. Mayer is scheduled to make $1.6 million in 2025 and $2 million in 2026 and took a back seat in 2024 to rookie Brock Bowers, catching just 21 of 32 targets for 156 yards and no touchdowns in 11 games (eight starts) in his second year in the NFL. The 23-year-old Notre Dame product caught 27 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. There have been reports suggesting he'll have a bigger role in 2025 in two-tight end sets in new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly's scheme, but as long as Bowers is healthy, he'll be the second fiddle at the position if he stays in Vegas.

Thursday, March 20, 6:54 PM

The Atlanta Falcons are signing former Carolina Panthers tight end Feleipe Franks to a one-year contract. The financial details of the deal have not yet been disclosed. D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the news. Franks, a former quarterback, signed initially with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent back in 2021 but spent most of his time on the field as a wildcat QB. The 27-year-old was converted to tight end in 2022. However, he did not make an NFL roster the following season. In 2024, the Arkansas alum appeared in 16 games for Carolina, catching one pass for 12 yards on 45 snaps. He'll slot in behind teammates Kyle Pitts and Charlie Woerner in the team's tight-end pecking order.