HEADLINES

2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors

East Rumors: Giants, Dolphins, Misi, Redskins

May 2nd, 2014 at 7:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants‘ roster is still a work in progress, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. GM Jerry Reese has signed more free agents than anyone else in the NFL, but he says there’s still more heavy lifting to be done.

“We had a lot of work to do in free agency, so we worked hard in free agency, and after that, I actually liked the couple of weeks’ extra time to get ready for the draft,” Reese said. “The draft stands alone. We try to take the best players we can in the draft. In free agency, you try to fill some holes.”

Here’s the latest from the AFC and NFC East:

  • The Dolphins hoped to move Koa Misi over to inside linebacker, but Misi now says he doesn’t want to, a source tells Andrew Abramson and Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post. The move could have a ripple effect on Miami’s draft plans. If the Dolphins aren’t confident with Dannell Ellerbe in the middle, that could make it more likely they draft an inside linebacker like Alabama’s C.J. Mosley, or possibly target a linebacker like Wisconsin’s Chris Borland later in the draft.
  • James Walker of ESPN.com has the highlights from Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey‘s pre-draft news conference earlier today. When asked if it’s better to have more picks or higher picks in this year’s draft, Hickey said “I always like more picks. I always want more picks.” Hickey went on to say that he’s open to trading up and down next week (Twitter link) and has been in contact with other GMs regarding that.
  • John Kelm of ESPN.com looks at Washington State safety Deone Bucannon as a draft candidate for the Redskins. Kelm is high on Bucannon, who figures to be a second round pick and is regarded by some as the fourth-best safety in the draft.

Draft Updates: WRs, Martin, Gilbert, Savage

May 2nd, 2014 at 1:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to make a minor change to the CBA related to rookie contracts, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, once a player is drafted, he will automatically be deemed to have received a four-year contract offer worth the minimum salary. Previously, clubs were required to submit written notice of that tender offer before or immediately after the draft, so the change will remove a simple piece of bookkeeping, simplifying the draft process.

Here are a few more draft-related items, with less than a week remaining until the first round gets underway:

  • In a separate PFT piece, Florio reads between the lines of recent comments by the Browns‘ and Raiders‘ general managers, and suggests that perhaps those teams are trying to push another club to jump up ahead of them to grab a wide receiver like Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans.
  • Ian Rapoport of NFL.com isn’t so sure there will be a big run on wide receivers in the first round, tweeting that he has heard from many teams that intend to wait until the second or third to snag a wideout.
  • USC center Marcus Martin has been added to the list of players attending the draft next week, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today, noting that Martin worked out for the Saints this week.
  • Within a profile of SMU quarterback Garrett Gilbert, Pelissero adds the Bengals, Panthers, and Buccaneers to the list of clubs who had Gilbert in for a pre-draft visit.
  • Pittsburgh quarterback Tom Savage has been one of the draft’s notable risers in recent weeks, so Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com explores why that has been the case.
  • More than ever, NFL franchises are investing time and effort into making sure they identify potential character flaws that could dissuade them from drafting a prospect, as Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report details. Teams’ approaches include everything from psychological testing to combing through all of a player’s tweets.
  • Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post has a few updates on prospects, writing that N.C. State tight end Asa Watson (Ben Watson‘s brother) has visited the Giants, and tweeting that a couple of NFL head coaches have called Old Dominion offensive lineman Jack Lowney within the last few days. Wilson also reports that Rutgers wide receiver Quron Pratt visited the Patriots and Dolphins and worked out for the Jets and Giants.
  • The Jets worked out Adams State kicker David Van Voris today, according to Wilson (via Twitter).

Jaguars GM Talks Blackmon, Draft, Trades

May 2nd, 2014 at 12:16pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been a busy week for NFL general managers, many of whom are taking a break from draft preparation by speaking to the media about that draft and other team-related topics. It was Jaguars GM David Caldwell‘s turn today, and he provided a few interesting tidbits while speaking to John Oesher of Jaguars.com, Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union, and Ryan O’Halloran of the Times-Union, among others. Here are some highlights from Caldwell (all links go to Twitter):

  • The Jaguars aren’t counting on having wide receiver Justin Blackmon available for the 2014 season, and would be “relatively surprised” if he returned and contributed. Blackmon is facing an indefinite suspension after violating the league’s substance abuse policy multiple times.
  • Most of the Jaguars’ pre-draft work is done, and the team is pretty confident about which direction it’ll go with the No. 3 pick if no trades occur.
  • However, Caldwell sounded open to trading down, suggesting that the club believes it can get good value as far down as the 10th, 11th, or 12th pick, if the price is right. If the Jags were to trade out of the top 10, a 2015 first-round pick would become the minimum requirement, in the GM’s view.
  • Jacksonville also isn’t ruling out trading up, with Caldwell noting that a few extra picks this year gives the team a little more flexibility than usual. Caldwell adds that the Jags aren’t against the idea of trading with division rivals
  • The Jaguars used 27 of 30 allowable pre-draft visits, and ended up with about 180 draftable players on their board. Caldwell hopes to come out of the draft with four or five players capable of starting.

NFC Notes: Giants, Ealy, Hatcher, Panthers

May 2nd, 2014 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

Jordan Raanan of NJ.com lists a few of the primary takeaways from Giants GM Jerry Reese’s Thursday press conference, noting that Reese hopes to land two starters in the draft, and that the club will target “clean” players early. In other words, the Giants don’t want a guy with injury concerns or off-field question marks, which helps explain why the team reportedly prefers Zack Martin to Taylor Lewan. Raanan also points out that the New York GM didn’t shoot down the idea that the team could trade backup quarterback Ryan Nassib.

  • Some NFL teams may want Missouri defensive lineman Kony Ealy to put on a few pounds and convert to defensive tackle, which could result in him being drafted earlier than expected, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport identifies the Giants, Rams, Cowboys, and Bears as a few clubs that could have interest in Ealy (Twitter link).
  • He has only been a Redskin for a few weeks, but former Cowboy Jason Hatcher is already enjoying some aspects of the experience more than he did in Dallas, as he told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas (link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). “They really take care of the veteran guys,” Hatcher said of the Redskins. “They give us more say-so over the team. This is our team. The head coach don’t want to be policing the team.”
  • ESPN.com’s David Newton reads between the lines of some recent comments by Panthers GM Dave Gettleman to make a case for why Carolina is very unlikely to trade up from No. 28 in next week’s draft.
  • Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group tweets that Jonathan Baldwin‘s fifth-year option was removed from his contract when the 49ers restructured his deal earlier in the offseason. Baldwin’s option wouldn’t have been exercised anyway, but Inman’s tweet confirms that it can’t be.
  • This year’s draft could be a pivotal one for Lions GM Martin Mayhew, as Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News explains.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Abram, Dolphins, Pats

May 2nd, 2014 at 11:08am CST by Luke Adams

A number of investors and groups have already expressed some interest in purchasing the Bills, and John Wawrow of The Associated Press adds another name to that ever-growing list. According to Wawrow, two people familiar with discussions confirmed that New York City developer Howard Milstein has interest in purchasing the franchise and keeping it in western New York.

Milstein perhaps wouldn’t be the strongest candidate among the list of prospective buyers, since he has a spotty history in sports ownership. Wawrow writes that Milstein’s previous ownership of the NHL’s New York Islanders was “filled with controversy” and adds that the developer previously tried to purchase the Redskins, but withdrew his bid after he failed to get support from a majority of NFL owners. Both of those incidents happened over a decade ago, however, so it remains to be seen how significantly they’d impact a potential run at the Bills now.

Here’s more from around the AFC East:

  • ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak doesn’t think the Bills should part with their 2015 first-rounder to move up in this year’s draft, since that pick should be earmarked for a quarterback.
  • Running back has been a position of strength for the Bills in recent years, but both C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson are entering contract years, meaning the team will have to plan ahead for 2015 and beyond. Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News examines the situation, and talks to Spiller about approaching free agency.
  • The Dolphins and Patriots are among the teams that have worked out Florida State fullback Chad Abram, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. According to Wilson, Abram, a “versatile fullback and a bruising lead blocker,” has also has workouts with the Falcons and Chiefs.
  • A source tells Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that the Dolphins sent linebackers coach Mark Duffner to Louisville earlier this week to work out Preston Brown, who has piqued the team’s interest. Within Jackson’s piece, he also passes along several tidbits from draft guru Mike Mayock that relate to the Dolphins.

Extra Points: Thomas, Watkins, Raiders

May 1st, 2014 at 9:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Oregon’s De’Anthony Thomas may be small, but he contributed mightily for the Ducks, writes Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star. While Thomas is just 5’9″ and 174 pounds, there’s no doubting his playmaking ability. In his three years at Oregon, Thomas scored 46 touchdowns in nearly every manner possible whether it was rushing, receiving, kick returns, or punt returns. Still, he’s likely a mid-round pick because of his size. Tonight’s look around the NFL..

  • If Sammy Watkins is off the board by the time the Raiders pick at No. 5, they should look at his teammate, Martavis Bryant, in the second or third round, writes Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Sulia link). Bryant boasts good size at 6’4″ and has tremendous physical tools.
  • In a press conference earlier today, Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie confirmed free agent signee Austin Howard, a former right tackle with the Jets, will get a look at right guard with the club having released Mike Brisiel. “What coach (Tony) Sparano likes with the offensive line is versatility,” McKenzie said. “What else can this guy play. We already know he can play right tackle. We think he can play right guard also so let’s get the best five and see what happens.”
  • After cutting ties with Chris Johnson this winter, the Titans are looking for versatility from their current stable of running backs, the Associated Press writes. Shonn Greene, Dexter McCluster, Jackie Battle, and Leon Washington are now charged with filling the void left by the talented but inconsistent veteran tailback.
  • The Rams are amongst teams with interest in South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw, writes Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Shaw went 27-5 for the Gamecocks, making him the winningest QB in school history.
  • Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd told SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that he’s hearing there’s no way he’ll go any later than the third round.

Pompei On Clowney, Ebron, Jets, Thomas

May 1st, 2014 at 8:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Jadeveon Clowney is widely regarded as the best player in this year’s draft but that doesn’t mean that teams believe he’s someone worth trading up for, writes Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report. The Bills (No. 9) and Falcons (No. 6) are potential players in a Clowney trade-up scenario. The Bills are a long way away and would have to come up with a compensation package for the Texans that might be regrettable down the line. The Falcons, at No. 6, meanwhile, have less of a gap to cross but it still won’t be cheap. Officials familiar with trades of this nature estimated it would cost Atlanta the sixth pick, their second-round pick, and their fourth-round pick in a best-case scenario. Here’s more from today’s column…

  • Teams could be jockeying for tight end Eric Ebron and even though several execs say the UNC product has the ability to be a top-10 pick, he might slip further because some teams don’t want to take a tight end that high. The word going around is teams in the low teens or even high 20s could make a move for Ebron if he slides a bit. Candidates to move up for him are the Jets, Dolphins, Cardinals, and Packers.
  • Chris Borland of Wisconsin may be the best pure 4-3 middle linebacker in the draft (if C.J. Mosley is considered an outside linebacker), but he might not be the first drafted. There have been questions about Borland’s height (shy of 6’0″), arm length (29 1/4″) and speed (4.83 40-yard dash), but none of those issues are as problematical as his bad shoulder. Sources say multiple teams have downgraded Borland because of his medical file. In 2010, he missed all but two games with a shoulder injury, and some doctors fear the shoulder will become an issue again. Borland has undergone had two shoulder surgeries.
  • The Seahawks had no hesitation about making Earl Thomas the highest-paid safety in league history last week in part because they saw him take his commitment to a higher level over the last year. Seattle sources say Thomas, taking a cue from quarterback Russell Wilson, began working harder than ever last offseason. Thomas’ new work ethic proved to be contagious and others played follow the leader.
  • One of the reasons Indiana receiver Cody Latimer‘s stock has risen is he has come across wonderfully in interviews. One front-office man said Latimer has the type of character that can help give a receiver room and even an offense an identity.

Eagles Rumors: Roseman, Draft, Barr, Evans

May 1st, 2014 at 5:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, Eagles GM Howie Roseman addressed reporters in a pre-draft press conference. Let’s dive in and check out some of the highlights..

  • Roseman said that he’s willing to trade up for the right players, writes CSNPhilly.com’s Geoff Mosher. While Roseman didn’t name names, Mosher could see Philly moving up to grab someone like UCLA outside linebacker Anthony Barr or Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans.
  • Meanwhile, Roseman hinted that the Eagles’ top pick might not be a wide receiver or safety as some have assumed, writes Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. The GM explained that it’s not a particularly strong group at safety and added that he doesn’t necessarily need to grab a wide receiver with the No. 22 overall pick since there’s tremendous depth at the position. At safety, the Eagles have Malcolm Jenkins, Earl Wolff, Nate Allen, and Chris Maragos in-house.
  • “Quality is going to trump quantity,” Roseman said, according to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “If you look back at successful drafts, if you can come out of it with three starters, that is a really good draft. There are not a lot of drafts that you can come out and do that. So we still have enough picks to do that. Obviously, you’d always like to have more picks, but it is what it is at this point.”

Draft Updates: Texans, Browns, Carr, Watkins

May 1st, 2014 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After declaring yesterday that he knew who the Texans would pick first overall, GM Rick Smith added a caveat today when he spoke to reporters, including Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle: “I don’t know exactly who we will take. What I do know is, I know the order of our board. If we take the first pick, we know who we want.”

In other words, Houston has a good idea which player it will grab if it doesn’t trade down, but the team remains very much open for business. According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), at least four teams have inquired on that No. 1 pick, but as McClain notes, checking in on the Texans and being ready to consummate a deal with them are two very different things.

Here are a few more Thursday draft updates:

  • It seems as if one way to forecast which teams might draft Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr is figuring out which clubs are expressing interest in his older brother. According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link), David Carr said the Browns are one of about six teams that have talked to him about signing him if they draft the younger Carr.
  • Many of the teams interested in Clemson wideout Sammy Watkins view him as a potential impact kick returner as well, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
  • Buffalo cornerback Najja Johnson visited the Falcons and has worked out for the Chargers and Colts, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
  • The Rams and Patriots worked out SMU quarterback Garrett Gilbert this week, tweets agent Leigh Steinberg.

NFC Rumors: Falcons, Connor, Williams, Cards

May 1st, 2014 at 3:45pm CST by Luke Adams

While many of the rumors swirling around the Falcons and a possible move up to the No. 1 pick have been linked to the team’s interest in Jadeveon Clowney, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com says the defensive end wouldn’t necessarily be the club’s target if Atlanta does trade up. According to La Canfora, the Falcons are “very, very high” on offensive tackle Greg Robinson, who is a candidate to be drafted second overall by the Rams, meaning Atlanta may be considering moving up for Robinson instead.

La Canfora adds that several GMs believe Clowney, Robinson, Khalil Mack, Jake Matthews, and Taylor Lewan could be the top five players selected, which would put the Falcons in a tough spot, since they seem intent on adding an impact offensive lineman or pass rusher.

While we wait to see what the Falcons decide, let’s check out a few more updates from across the NFC:

  • Longtime Carolina linebacker Dan Connor, who split time between the Giants and Panthers last season, recently worked out for the Falcons, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. Connor, an unrestricted free agent, would be competing for playing time in a reserve role if he signed with Atlanta.
  • Former Viking Kevin Williams, who has visited the Giants and Seahawks, is mulling the possibility of retiring if he doesn’t receive an offer he likes, as he tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “If it’s not worth the risk of going back out there, I can’t say I’ll do it,” Williams said. “I don’t see it at this point (taking a low-value deal), but you never know.”
  • Speaking to reporters today, including Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com, Cardinals general manager Steve Keim didn’t rule out the possibility of trading up in the first round, but made it clear that a trade down was far more likely. The GM added that the Cards have already engaged with a number of prospects they expect to go undrafted to try to sell them on signing in Arizona after the draft.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com provides a year-by-year breakdown of Earl Thomas‘ new contract with the Seahawks, which features a cap hit of about $7.373MM in 2014. According to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter), the 2015 and 2016 figures become fully guaranteed after the start of those respective league years.
  • Temple defensive tackle Levi Brown paid a pre-draft visit to the Giants last month, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
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