NFL News: Wednesday, March 22nd, 2023

The 2023 NFL season might not start for another few months, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some significant things taking place from around the league.

Teams are trying to give themselves the best chance possible to have success in 2023, and that is forcing each team to improve its roster. 

Here is a look at four of the biggest NFL news stories from around the league over the last few days.

Jackson Ready to Move On

The Baltimore Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson earlier this month, but that doesn’t mean that he will be staying with the team. Jackson is free to negotiate with other teams, but the Ravens will have a chance to match any contract that is handed out. 

NFL teams have let insiders know that there is an unapproved representative of Jackson that is reaching out to teams in hopes of getting a new contract signed.

That representative has made it clear that Jackson wants to move on from the Ravens, but most NFL teams have already stated that they are not looking to sign the veteran. 

Hightower Announces Retirement

The New England Patriots are going to be missing a big piece of their defense next season as linebacker Dont’a Hightower has announced his retirement from the NFL. Hightower played nine seasons with the Patriots, and he was a part of three separate Super Bowl championship teams. 

Hightower chose to sit out the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, and he never took the field in 2022, either. He spent his entire NFL career with the Patriots, and he was known as one of the hardest-hitting players in the league. 

Head coach Bill Belichick spoke glowingly of Hightower during his NFL career, and his retirement will impact the New England franchise moving forward. 

Cowboys Make Running Back Move

The Dallas Cowboys had a number of big moves to make this offseason, and one of those moves was to release running back Ezekiel Elliott. That move was made possible by the fact that Tony Pollard has emerged as a star running back, but the Cowboys still needed another person in the backfield. 

Dallas actually placed the franchise tag on Pollard, and they just recently signed Ronald Jones to a free-agent deal. Jones is must-known for his work with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he most recently spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Newton Throws at Auburn Pro Day

Former NFL MVP quarterback Cam Newton is trying to show teams that he still has what it takes to play in the NFL. Newton was present and a participant in the Pro Day at Auburn on Tuesday in hopes of impressing a scout of an NFL team that was in attendance. 

Newton threw more than 30 passes during the event, and all of them were thrown to wide receivers that are hoping to get drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. It’s unclear if any of the scouts were there watching for what Newton could do, but he at least had the opportunity to be seen.

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All Media on this page by Associated Press.