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2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors

North Notes: Coleman, Vikings, Lions, Steelers

April 11th, 2014 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

After hosting Kurt Coleman for a visit this week, the Vikings offered the free agent safety a contract, but it wasn’t enough to get him to pull the trigger, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Although the two sides may revisit talks at a later time, Coleman appears to still be exploring all his options.

Here are a few more notes from the NFL’s two North divisions, with a focus on pre-draft visits:

  • The Vikings are conducting a private workout today with Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, tweets ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.
  • We know the Lions have real interest in receiver Sammy Watkins, but apparently he’s not the only member of the family drawing attention from the club. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports (via Twitter) that the Lions also had a private workout for Florida defensive back Jaylen Watkins, Sammy’s brother.
  • Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby, Boston College linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis, and Arizona State linebacker Carl Bradford are visiting the Steelers today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • The Ravens recently met with Virginia Tech signal-caller Logan Thomas, who has also met with the Bengals, according to Wilson. As Wilson details, in addition to those AFC North teams, Thomas has also worked out for or met with the Patriots, Cardinals, and Texans.

Rapoport On Clowney, Carr, Verrett

April 11th, 2014 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport has passed along a handful of updates on notable pre-draft visits this morning, including a note on a likely top-five pick, and a couple more on potential first-rounders. Let’s check out what Rapoport has for us (all link go to Twitter)….

  • The Rams, who hold the No. 2 pick, are hosting defensive end Jadeveon Clowney for a pre-draft visit today, according to Rapoport. It’d be a surprise if St. Louis drafted Clowney, considering the club has a strong defensive line already and has more pressing needs at other positions. Still, the Rams will do their homework on the player considered by many pundits to be the top prospect in the 2014 class.
  • Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr will visit the Buccaneers on Wednesday and the Browns the following week, says Rapoport. The Cleveland visit is particularly noteworthy, since the Browns already privately worked out Carr.
  • TCU cornerback Jason Verrett recently worked out for the Panthers and is visiting the Falcons today, a source tells Rapoport. Verrett visited the Cardinals earlier this week, and reportedly met with the Steelers and Jets recently as well.

Extra Points: Wilkerson, Jaguars, Mosley

April 10th, 2014 at 9:38pm CST by Zachary Links

First-round picks from the 2011 draft class became eligible for contract extensions this offseason, and the Jets and Muhammad Wilkerson seemed very intent on getting one signed. So far, there hasn’t been any indication of a deal on the horizon, but the defensive tackle still says he has no intention of holding out if he doesn’t get a long-term deal, tweets Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post. Wilkerson went on to call GM John Idzik “a great GM and a man with a plan,” (link). More from around the NFL..

  • Indiana wide receiver Cody Latimer has a pre-draft visit with the Jaguars, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
  • Former Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley will visit the Titans early next week, according to Audra Martin of WKRN (Twitter link).
  • The Falcons worked out Murray State wide receiver Walter Powell today, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter) adds that Powell has a private workout scheduled with the Jets later this month. So far, there’s nothing brewing between Powell and the Rams, Thomas says.
  • Nate Ulrich of the Akron-Beacon Journal weighs the pros and cons of the Browns matching the Jaguars’ offer to center Alex Mack. Ultimately, he concludes that the good would outweigh the bad for Cleveland.
  • As exciting as Johnny Manziel is, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle is pretty confident that the Raiders will pass on him at No. 5. General Manager Reggie McKenzie has said that he strictly goes for the best talent available and none of the signal callers are top ten talents, in Tafur’s view. He opines that there are five players available that can make an impact right away – Jadeveon Clowney, Sammy Watkins, Khalil Mack, Greg Robinson and Jake Matthews – and Oakland can get one of them if they don’t trade down.
  • Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin told SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that in addition to his visit with the Eagles, he has two more coming up with the Saints and 49ers.

NFC North Rumors: Flynn, Pryor, Lee, Brown

April 10th, 2014 at 9:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Packers have long been interested in a reunion with quarterback Matt Flynn, but things remain at a standstill, writes Weston Hodkiewicz of Press-Gazette Media. While a signing could still take place, General Manager Ted Thompson doesn’t like eating up cap room on backup quarterbacks and he’s also not swayed by Green Bay being one of only four NFL teams with fewer than three quarterbacks on their offseason roster. Here’s more out of the NFC North..

  • Louisville safety Calvin Pryor made a recent pre-draft visit to the Bears, a source with direct knowledge of the situation tells Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. Pryor and Alabama’s Ha Ha Clinton-Dix are widely considered the two best safeties in this year’s draft.
  • USC standout wide receiver Marqise Lee has visited with the Lions, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year has also visited with the Ravens and Jets and will meet with the Panthers and Saints in the future.
  • Louisville’s Preston Brown will attend the Vikings‘ top 30 event next week, a league source tells Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The linebacker met with the Bills yesterday.

East Rumors: CJ2K, Pats, Redskins, Bills

April 10th, 2014 at 7:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agent running back Chris Johnson could be very useful for a team that’s very close to contending, but the Cowboys aren’t and therefore wouldn’t have much use for him, writes Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News. We heard earlier today that there hasn’t been a ton of movement on Johnson, partially because NFL teams and Johnson himself appear to be divided on his market value. More out of the AFC and NFC East..

  • In his latest mailbag, Erik Frenz of the Boston Globe opines that Dominique Easley has the look of a future Patriots defensive tackle. The 6-foot-2, 288 pound Florida product boasts a quick burst off the snap which allows him to make plays in the backfield. The only problem with Easley, Frenz explains, is that he is primarily a one-gap defensive tackle, not the two-gap, read-and-react style of lineman the Patriots have targeted in the past.
  • Anthony Armstrong left Washington D.C. without a deal after his workout today with the Redskins, tweets John Keim of ESPN.com. The wide receiver, who hasn’t suited up for the Redskins since the 2011 season, did not appear in an NFL game last season.
  • Meanwhile, former Colts and Patriots wide receiver Austin Collie had a tryout with the Redskins, tweets Howard Balzer of USA Today Sports. Towards the end of March we heard that a return to New England was still in the cards for Collie.
  • Bills GM Doug Whaley and coach Doug Marrone are not only open to keeping two kickers, but they also might already be leaning that way, writes Tim Graham of the Buffalo News. “If Dustin [Hopkins] can put the ball back there consistently, and if we can take that return play away,” Marrone said, “and Dan [Carpenter]‘s not at that higher percentage, then I have no problem with [keeping two kickers].”

Pompei’s Latest: Chris Johnson, Draft, Bills

April 10th, 2014 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas suffered a torn ACL during a pre-draft workout with the Saints, and the injury could result in him missing his rookie season and dropping precipitously in the draft. It could also inspire agents to rethink whether they’ll allow their clients to work out for teams before the draft, as Dan Pompei writes in his latest Bleacher Report column.

“Why should we do it?” said one agent. “They have seen maybe 30 games on tape. They have seen them at the Senior Bowl. They have seen them at the combine. Why do they have to see them again and risk something like this happening?”

Here are a few more notes from Pompei’s piece:

  • There hasn’t been a ton of activity on Chris Johnson since he hit the free agent market, in part because NFL teams and the running back himself appear to be divided on his market value.
  • All three teams picking in the top three of the draft have indicated an openness to trade down, according to Pompei, who says the Jaguars have put out feelers about the No. 3 pick.
  • While all of the quarterbacks at the top of the draft board have some question marks, Blake Bortles seems to inspire more confidence around the league than the alternatives, which could make him the first QB off the board next month, says Pompei.
  • On the other hand, Teddy Bridgewater has seen his stock slide a little since an underwhelming Pro Day, with one scouting director ranking him behind Derek Carr. However, Bridgewater is viewed as perhaps the best fit for the Texans, who hold the first overall pick.
  • People around the NFL expect a Jon Bon Jovi-led group to make a push to buy the Bills. That group could include Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment executives Larry Tanenbaum and Tim Leiweke.

Extra Points: Bush, Dalton, Draft Visits

April 10th, 2014 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Saints recently matched the Falcons‘ offer sheet for Rafael Bush, and as is the case with many offer sheets, the structure of the deal is a little unusual. There are no signing, workout, or roster bonuses on Bush’s two-year contract, which features base salaries of $1.85MM and $1.95MM, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. $850K of that first-year salary is fully guaranteed and $350K is deferred until March 31, 2015. Wilson adds (via Twitter) that Bush can also earn up to $750K in incentives if he makes the Pro Bowl and grabs a certain number of interceptions in 2015, so the deal can max out at $4.55MM.

Here’s more from across the NFL:

  • Former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com takes an in-depth look at Andy Dalton’s contract situation and explores whether or not the Bengals should commit to paying him $15MM per year. Ultimately, Corry suggests that the team would be better off suspending negotiating with its quarterback for now.
  • The Steelers are hosting three players on pre-draft visits today, according to ESPN.com’s Scott Brown (via Twitter): Washington State safety Deone Bucannon, Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier and UCLA linebacker Jordan Zumwalt.
  • Wyoming wide receiver Robert Herron met with the Saints yesterday and today on a pre-draft visit, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Herron reportedly worked out for the Panthers last week.
  • The Redskins are hosting Scott Crichton on a pre-draft visit, according to Rapoport, who notes (via Twitter) that the Oregon State defensive end has already worked out for the Patriots, Falcons, and Panthers.
  • Connecticut edge defender Jesse Joseph is among the players working out for the Eagles today, tweets Aaron Wilson.
  • Bloomsburg defensive end Larry Webster has several more visits on the docket in addition to the ones we heard about last month. Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net tweets that the Eagles, Jets, and Giants will meet with Webster, while the Chargers will work him out.
  • According to Pauline (via Twitter), Patriots offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo worked out Colorado State center Weston Richburg, who is likely to be a second-day pick.

Titans Rumors: Schofield, Talley, Pryor

April 10th, 2014 at 1:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Titans remain in the midst of the first week of the post-Chris Johnson era in Tennessee, and it sounds like the team is keeping busy in the days since parting with the franchise’s third all-time leading rusher. Here’s a round-up of the latest out of Tennessee:

  • Linebacker O’Brien Schofield, who agreed to a two-year deal with the Giants early in free agency before it fell apart, paid a visit to the Titans, tweets ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. According to Schefter, although Schofield failed his physical with the Giants, he passed one with Tennessee.
  • The Titans hosted several more free agents yesterday, as defensive end Ronald Talley was in town, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). The Cardinals decided not to offer Talley a contract tender last month, making him an unrestricted free agent.
  • Former Brown Alex Hall also visited the Titans on Wednesday, according to Wyatt (via Twitter). Hall, who worked out for the Cardinals back in January, racked up 16 sacks in the CFL last season.
  • Finally, ex-Bengals defensive lineman DeQuin Evans visited the Titans yesterday as well, tweets Wyatt.
  • We heard earlier today that the Titans met with safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, but he’s not the only young safety the club is eyeing. Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweeted last night that Calvin Pryor is among Tennessee’s pre-draft visitors, while Wyatt confirmed today (via Twitter) that the visit happened recently.

AFC East Notes: Pats, McCarron, Jets, Bills

April 10th, 2014 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a few brief items out of the AFC East….

  • Before heading to Jacksonville to meet with the Jaguars, Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron visited the Patriots yesterday, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com.
  • Jets offensive line coach Mike Devlin is at Bloomsburg’s Pro Day to work out offensive tackle Matt Feiler and guard Brian Clarke, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter).
  • We knew that wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. would be visiting the Bills today, but the team also announced that it’s hosting two other draft prospects — Cumberlands running back Terrance Cobb and Rice cornerback Phillip Gaines.
  • The contract signed by punter Jake Dombrowski with the Bills is a three-year, minimum-salary pact with no bonuses, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Dombrowski will provide competition this summer for incumbent punter Brian Moorman.

NFC Notes: Suh, Graham, Cardinals, Draft

April 10th, 2014 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Lions running back Reggie Bush speculated today that Ndamukong Suh‘s absence from the team’s offseason workouts may be contract-related, but as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press details, Suh has made a habit of skipping these workouts in past seasons. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com later reported (via Twitter) that Suh’s absence wasn’t related to his contract, and head coach Jim Caldwell indicated he knew the defensive tackle wouldn’t be in town for the start of the club’s offseason program (Twitter link via Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com).

Let’s round up a few more items from around the NFC….

  • Saints GM Mickey Loomis has shot down the notion that the team has to reach some sort of resolution on Jimmy Graham‘s contract situation by April 22, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk had originally suggested that the April 22 date represented the deadline for Graham to file a grievance about his franchise-tag position. However, having reviewed the CBA, Florio now admits that Graham actually has three years to challenge his tight end designation, meaning there’s certainly no rush yet for the two sides to strike a deal.
  • Cardinals offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin tells Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic that he was “shocked” when he heard that offensive tackle Jared Veldheer would hit the open market after the Raiders decided not to franchise him. Veldheer, of course, ultimately signed a five-year deal with the Cards.
  • As he has been doing for the last few weeks, Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post passes along word of a couple pre-draft visits. According to Wilson, Florida State center Bryan Stork is visiting the Saints today and tomorrow, while Minnesota defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman has met with or worked out for the Falcons, Cardinals, and Colts so far.
  • The contract punter Blake Clingan signed with the Redskins is a two-year deal worth $930K that includes no guaranteed money, tweets Wilson. That makes it a minimum salary pact, with base salaries of $420K (2014) and $510K (2015).
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