HEADLINES

2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Draft Notes: Texans, Bills, Rams, Watkins

March 28th, 2014 at 5:53pm CST by Peter Sowards

Buried deep below speculation on how Michael Vick will be utilized by the Jets, Bleacher Report’s Dan Pompei reports that the Texans are working hard to trade the No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. According to Pompei’s sources, the Bills, who own the No. 9 selection, might be a possible trade partner, and that the team could potentially select a quarterback. That would be two first-round quarterbacks in two drafts after selecting former Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel with the 16th overall pick a year ago. John McClain of the Houston Chronicle refuted the report, saying (via Twitter) there’s “no way” the Texans trade back to No. 9.

More draft notes from a busy Friday around the league…

  • After selecting a wide receiver with a top-10 selection in last year’s draft (West Virginia’s Tavon Austin No. 8 overall), it sounds as if the Rams will forgo making it two years straight, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Despite the gamebreaking ability of Clemson standout Sammy Watkins, Rams coach Jeff Fisher said he’s expecting improvements from Austin and Stedman Bailey, and added that he is pleased with Austin Pettis‘ performance in a backup role. St. Louis has the No. 2 overall pick.
  • Lions general manager Martin Mayhew, slated to pick No. 10 overall in the upcoming draft, said there aren’t 10 elite players in the draft pool, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Detroit currently has eight selections, including two compensatory picks in the fourth round.
  • University of Pittsburgh defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who was unblockable at the Senior Bowl, told ESPN reporter Michael Rothstein that he has visits set up with the Rams and Cowboys, and that he has already visited the Steelers (via Twitter).
  • Georgia State wide receiver Albert Wilson has an official visit scheduled with the 49ers, reports DraftInsider.net’s Tony Pauline (via Twitter).
  • A quarterback’s stock whose rising is Southern Methodist University’s Garrett Gilbert, who completed 88 of 89 passes at his pro day, according to NFL.com draft analyst Gil Brandt. Gilbert, who was not invited to the scouting combine, could wind up being drafted as high as the third round now after the performance (Twitter links).

North Notes: Carr, Ravens, Bears, Flynn

March 28th, 2014 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

On a busy Friday for NFL signings (Maurice Jones-Drew, LeGarrette Blount) and cuts (DeSean Jackson), let’s check out some of the latest headlines from around the league’s two North divisions….

  • Derek Carr‘s private workout with the Browns is scheduled for Monday, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
  • In a round-up of Ravens notes, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun says he gets the sense from talking to people around the team that Corey Graham was the toughest free agent departure this month. Zrebiec also writes that that if Baltimore doesn’t draft a quarterback, the club could wait until after the draft to see if a team that does take a QB jettisons one of its veterans.
  • As Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune details, Bears head coach Marc Trestman has a number of traits he’s looking for in a No. 2 quarterback.
  • It appears likely that the Packers will ultimately end up re-signing Matt Flynn to compete with Scott Tolzien for the team’s backup job, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
  • As Nick Fairley heads into the 2014 season without the security of the Lions picking up his fifth-year option for 2015, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com says the team shouldn’t reward Fairley with a lucrative contract next year even if he has a strong ’14.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com has the details on a pair of new contracts: Vlad Ducasse inked a one-year, minimum salary benefit deal with the Vikings that includes a $65K signing bonus, while Domata Peko‘s two-year extension with the Bengals includes a $4.4MM roster bonus for 2014 and is worth $9MM in total.

AFC Notes: Titans, Dolphins, Browns, Steelers

March 27th, 2014 at 3:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Reports of free agents visiting teams have slowed down considerably over the last couple weeks, but the Titans are on of the clubs staying busy as they weigh options at several positions. The team brought offensive lineman Mike McGlynn in this week, and is also hosting former Charger and Bronco Shaun Phillips today, according to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Phillips will turn 33 in May, so his best years are probably behind him, but he’s coming off a 10-sack season, and could still be an asset for a defense, particularly if the price isn’t prohibitive.

As Phillips visits the Titans, let’s check out a few more items from around the AFC….

  • The Dolphins still haven’t ruled out the possibility of re-signing Bryant McKinnie to play right tackle, though a signing likely wouldn’t happen until after the draft, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • New GM Ray Farmer and the Browns haven’t tipped their hand when it comes to the fourth overall pick, but wide receiver Josh Gordon thinks the club will use the selection on a quarterback, as he said on SportsCenter today (link via Pat McManamon of ESPN.com). Gordon also suggested that Johnny Manziel would probably be the top signal-caller on his personal draft board.
  • The Steelers will probably need to create some cap space if they hope to sign Maurice Jones-Drew or LeGarrette Blount, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who suggests that restructuring Lawrence Timmons‘ contract could do the trick.
  • Joel Corry of CBSSports.com explores whether the Broncos have mortgaged their future by going all-in on free agency this offseason. Corry concludes that most of Denver’s big contracts are flexible enough that the team may not be in bad shape long-term.
  • The Bills have officially named their seven representatives for a committee that will explore the possibility of building a new stadium in the area, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Erie County previously appointed seven members to the group, and New York State added five.
  • Indiana running back Stephen Houston worked out for nearly an hour with Patriots running back Ivan Fears today, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net.

Draft Notes: Manziel, Fiedorowicz, Lee, Latimer

March 27th, 2014 at 1:39pm CST by Luke Adams

While plenty of schools have held their Pro Days within the last few weeks, none have included more media members or notable guests than Texas A&M’s, which was attended by former president George H.W. Bush, among others. Johnny Manziel, Mike Evans, and the Aggies also attracted interest from most NFL teams, with representatives from 30 clubs showing up to check out the A&M prospects — only the Bears and Browns weren’t in attendance, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).

According to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter links), GMs for the Jets, Texans, Vikings, Rams, Steelers, Jaguars, Bills, and Lions, along with head coaches for the Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Steelers, Lions, Buccaneers, Eagles, and Raiders were in attendance today.

Meanwhile, Manziel will meet privately with the Texans, Jaguars, Bucs, and Raiders today, as well as the Vikings tomorrow, says Breer (Twitter links). And although the Browns didn’t show up today, they have a private workout lined up with the young quarterback, according to Williams (via Twitter).

Here’s more on the 2014 draft class:

  • Iowa tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz is scheduled to work out privately for the Cowboys and Texans on Friday, and also has plans to visit the Bucs, Lions, Falcons, and Patriots in the next few weeks, writes Jeff Arnold at ChicagoFootball.com. The Packers and Panthers have also expressed interest in Fiedorowicz, according to the tight end.
  • The Ravens are hosting USC wide receiver Marqise Lee for a visit this week, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Albany offensive tackle Kadeem Williams worked out for the Bucs and Chargers, and moved well in positional drills, a source tells Wilson (Twitter link).
  • Indiana receiver Cody Latimer has visits lined up with the Panthers, Raiders, Eagles, Bills, and Lions, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter links).
  • Boston College quarterback Chase Rettig will work out for the Falcons tomorrow, tweets Pauline.
  • The Dolphins are scheduled to work out a pair of Monmouth players, tight end Mike McLafferty and cornerback Tevrin Brandon, according to Pauline (Twitter link).
  • Syracuse cornerback Keon Lyn has visits scheduled with the Dolphins, Lions, and Raiders, says Pauline (via Twitter).

Extra Points: Allen, Jackson, Clowney, Spencer

March 26th, 2014 at 9:06pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets kept an eye on the Jared Allen situation but never made a firm offer before the defensive end signed with the Bears, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Meanwhile, Rapoport adds (link) that the Raiders actually offered more money than the Bears. Oakland was willing to give Allen a deal worth $9MM per year, but he believed Chicago was the best fit for him. What made Chicago such a good fit for the Pro Bowler? Rapoport says he chose the Bears in part because he has a great deal of faith in Jay Cutler‘s ability to win championships (link). Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL..

  • In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Field Yates explores the trade market for Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, identifying the Jets, Raiders, Browns, and Panthers as trade partners that could make sense.
  • Texans ownership, coach Bill O’Brien, and General Manager Rick Smith will be meeting and dining with Jadeveon Clowney the night before his South Carolina pro day next week, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
  • Anthony Spencer remains on the Cowboys radar, but there’s no rush on the part of Dallas or any other club to sign him as the defensive end fights his way back from microfracture surgery on his knee, writes David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. Spencer’s representative Jordan Woy says his client, who underwent the surgery last fall and missed the final 13 games of the Cowboys season, is “structurally” sound and now working on his strength and conditioning.
  • Bernie Miklasz of the Post-Dispatch likes the Rams‘ signing of Shaun Hill as their veteran backup quarterback for 2014. Hill, he writes, has been one of the better backup QBs in the NFL since getting his first opportunity to start in a relief role for the 49ers in 2007 and now he’ll be reunited in St. Louis with Frank Cignetti, who was the QB coach with SF during Hill’s time there.
  • San Jose State cornerback Bené Benwikere, who had 14 interceptions over four seasons, penned a journal entry for USA Today Sports and disclosed that he’s set to work out for the Panthers on April 1st.
  • Scouts Walter Juliff and Chris Hall and quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson are expected to be the Cowboys‘ representatives at Johnny Manziel‘s pro day, tweets Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram.

AFC North Rumors: Browns, Ravens, Smith

March 26th, 2014 at 8:24pm CST by Zachary Links

New Browns coach Mike Pettine is eager to get more sacks out of linebackers Barkevious Mingo and Paul Kruger, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer. “We really liked Barkevious coming out of LSU a year ago, so he’s a guy that has freakish ability,” Pettine said. “But he’s got some technique things that need to get cleaned up.” More on the Browns and Ravens..

  • The Ravens have made it known that a new deal for wide receiver Torrey Smith is a priority and it sounds like the interest is mutual, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. “Everybody knows I want to be in Baltimore for the long haul,” Smith said. “Even when my playing days are long gone, I’m still be here. It’s something I’m looking forward to. I’m pretty sure and hopeful that it will be able to happen one day. It’s a business. I’m not losing any sleep wondering what’s going to happen contractually.”
  • The Ravens met today with veteran unrestricted free agent nose tackle Terrence Cody, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. If Baltimore re-signs Cody, he would likely figure into the defensive line rotation as a backup.
  • The Browns are using one of their 30 official visits on Texas guard Trey Hopkins, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net. Hopkins is a legitimate late round or undrafted free agent prospect.

NFC North Rumors: Capers, Orlovsky, Sanchez

March 26th, 2014 at 6:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Seeing Jared Allen rush the quarterback for a division rival might be strange, but it’s hardly unprecedented, writes Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “It will be pretty weird seeing Jared with the Bears, but you’ve got to remember Alan Page played his last (3-1/2 years) with Chicago, so it won’t be any different,” Fran Tarkenton said of the former Vikings standout. “And Alan arguably was our best defensive player that has ever been.” More out of the NFC North..

  • Got a problem with the play calling of Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers? Coach Mike McCarthy doesn’t want to hear it. “Dom Capers has the toughest job on our staff; I can tell you that from experience,” McCarthy told reporters, including Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “Anytime you’re a coordinator for a head coach that is predominantly on the other side of the ball, there’s a lot of responsibility there. His responsibility with his assistant coaches is a lot higher than with the offensive coordinator, and obviously his background of being a head coach was a big part of why we went that direction. You know, he has a lot of responsibility, and I’m very in tune with the way he goes about it.“
  • Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Post-Gazette (on Twitter) says former Colts offensive lineman Mike McGlynn is set to visit the Packers this week. Meanwhile, USA Today’s Howard Balzer (via Twitter) hears the visit to Green Bay already happened.
  • With the Vikings eyeing quarterbacks in this year’s draft, Tajh Boyd could be a late-round option for the team, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net, who tweets that offensive coordinator Norv Turner is “intrigued” by the Clemson signal-caller.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

2014 NFL Draft Picks By Team

March 26th, 2014 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we published the complete 2014 NFL draft order. In that list of 256 picks though, it may be a little tricky to find all your favorite team’s selections, so we’ve created a separate list which shows the breakdown of the 2014 draft picks by club. Here’s the complete list of 2014 NFL draft picks by team, sorted in order of total picks:

  1. New York Jets (12): 1st (18), 2nd (49), 3rd (80), 4th (104), 4th (115), 4th (137), 5th (154), 6th (195), 6th (209), 6th (210), 6th (213), 7th (233)
  2. San Francisco 49ers (12): 1st (30), 2nd (57), 3rd (70), 3rd (77), 3rd (100), 4th (106), 4th (129), 5th (150), 5th (170), 6th (180), 7th (243), 7th (245)
  3. St. Louis Rams (11): 1st (2), 1st (13), 2nd (41), 3rd (75), 4th (110), 6th (188), 6th (214), 7th (226), 7th (241), 7th (249), 7th (250)
  4. Houston Texans (10): 1st (1), 2nd (33), 3rd (65), 3rd (83), 4th (135), 6th (177), 6th (181), 6th (211), 7th (216), 7th (256)
  5. Minnesota Vikings (10): 1st (9), 1st (32), 3rd (72), 3rd (96), 5th (145), 6th (182), 6th (184), 7th (220), 7th (223), 7th (225)
  6. Jacksonville Jaguars (9): 1st (3), 2nd (39), 2nd (61), 3rd (93), 4th (114), 5th (144), 5th (159), 6th (205), 7th (222)
  7. Atlanta Falcons (9): 1st (6), 2nd (37), 3rd (68), 4th (103), 4th (139), 5th (147), 5th (168), 7th (253), 7th (255)
  8. Pittsburgh Steelers (9): 1st (15), 2nd (46), 3rd (97), 4th (118), 5th (157), 5th (173), 6th (192), 6th (215), 7th (230)
  9. Dallas Cowboys (9): 1st (16), 2nd (34), 4th (119), 5th (146), 7th (231), 7th (238), 7th (248), 7th (251), 7th (254)
  10. Baltimore Ravens (9): 1st (17), 2nd (48), 3rd (79), 3rd (99), 4th (134), 4th (138), 5th (175), 6th (194), 7th (218)
  11. Green Bay Packers (9): 1st (21), 2nd (53), 3rd (85), 3rd (98), 4th (121), 5th (161), 5th (176), 6th (197), 7th (236)
  12. New England Patriots (9): 1st (29), 2nd (62), 4th (105), 4th (130), 4th (140), 6th (179), 6th (198), 6th (206), 7th (244)
  13. Seattle Seahawks (9): 2nd (45), 2nd (64), 4th (108), 4th (123), 4th (132), 5th (172), 6th (199), 6th (208), 7th (227)
  14. Oakland Raiders (8): 1st (5), 2nd (36), 3rd (81), 4th (116), 4th (107), 7th (219), 7th (235), 7th (247)
  15. Detroit Lions (8): 1st (10), 2nd (40), 3rd (76), 4th (133), 4th (136), 5th (158), 6th (189), 7th (229)
  16. Chicago Bears (8): 1st (14), 2nd (51), 3rd (82), 4th (117), 4th (131), 6th (183), 6th (191), 7th (246)
  17. Miami Dolphins (8): 1st (19), 2nd (63), 3rd (67), 4th (125), 5th (155), 5th (171), 6th (190), 7th (234)
  18. Cincinnati Bengals (8): 1st (24), 2nd (55), 3rd (88), 4th (111), 5th (164), 6th (212), 7th (239), 7th (252)
  19. Washington Redskins (8): 2nd (47), 3rd (66), 3rd (78), 4th (102), 5th (142), 6th (186), 7th (217), 7th (228)
  20. Buffalo Bills (7): 1st (4), 2nd (44), 3rd (73), 4th (109), 5th (153), 7th (221), 7th (237)
  21. New York Giants (7): 1st (12), 2nd (43), 3rd (74), 4th (113), 5th (152), 5th (174), 6th (187)
  22. Philadelphia Eagles (7): 1st (26), 2nd (42), 3rd (86), 4th (101), 5th (141), 5th (162), 7th (224)
  23. Arizona Cardinals (7): 1st (27), 2nd (52), 3rd (84), 3rd (91), 4th (120), 5th (160), 6th (196)
  24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6): 1st (7), 2nd (38), 3rd (69), 5th (143), 5th (149), 6th (185)
  25. Cleveland Browns (6): 1st (8), 1st (22), 2nd (35), 3rd (71), 3rd (94), 4th (127)
  26. Tennessee Titans (6): 1st (11), 2nd (54), 4th (112), 4th (122), 5th (151), 6th (178)
  27. New Orleans Saints (6): 1st (20), 2nd (58), 4th (126), 5th (167), 5th (169), 6th (202)
  28. Kansas City Chiefs (6): 1st (23), 3rd (87), 4th (124), 5th (163), 6th (193), 6th (200)
  29. San Diego Chargers (6): 1st (25), 2nd (50), 3rd (89), 5th (165), 6th (201), 7th (240)
  30. Carolina Panthers (6): 1st (28), 2nd (60), 3rd (92), 4th (128), 5th (148), 6th (204)
  31. Denver Broncos (6): 1st (31), 2nd (56), 3rd (95), 5th (156), 6th (207), 7th (242)
  32. Indianapolis Colts (5): 2nd (59), 3rd (90), 5th (166), 6th (203), 7th (232)

AFC Notes: Jets, Broncos, Blount, MJD, Titans

March 26th, 2014 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

In addition to the Seahawks and Cowboys, the Jets may also have been in on Jared Allen before he agreed to sign with the Bears, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. According to Schefter, head coach Rex Ryan spoke to the veteran defensive end last week, and the Jets wanted to get involved in the bidding, though it’s not clear how serious the interest was from Allen’s end. As New York continues to search for upgrades in free agency, let’s check in on a few more AFC teams….

  • Unsurprisingly, the Broncos are expected to exercise their fifth-year option for 2015 on defensive standout Von Miller, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The option, available for 2011 first-round picks, would pay Miller a little less than $10MM in ’15.
  • The running back market is coming into focus, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). According to La Canfora, LeGarrette Blount, who is still receiving interest from the Patriots, will visit with the Steelers later this week. Pittsburgh is still considering Maurice Jones-Drew as well, though not at his original $3.5MM-per-year asking price.
  • Free agent offensive lineman Mike McGlynn, who has met with the Redskins and Rams since the start of free agency, is scheduled to visit the Titans tonight and tomorrow, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
  • The Raiders have added several players over age 30 in free agency, but GM Reggie McKenzie doesn’t view those players as stop-gap solutions. McKenzie told Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle that he wanted to bring in immediate contributors to show the team’s young players the Raiders are serious about winning.
  • Colts GM Ryan Grigson said today that his team preferred its in-house options at center to the free agents available at the position, as Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star details. That’s not to say that no free agent center would have been an upgrade, but given the potential cost, Grigson didn’t feel a move would be worth it.
  • Offensive line and wide receiver will be areas of focus for the Jaguars in the draft, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
  • R.J. Stanford‘s new one-year deal with the Bengals includes a $730K base salary, a $50K signing bonus, and a $25K workout bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

NFC Notes: Panthers, Allen, Rams, Bucs, Lions

March 26th, 2014 at 12:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters today, including ESPN.com’s David Newton, head coach Ron Rivera attempted to clear the air when it came to the Panthers‘ decision to release Steve Smith. While there had been a belief that Smith was viewed as a locker-room distraction, that wasn’t the case, according to Rivera, who said the decision was purely a football one.

“This is not a fly-by-night decision,” Rivera said. “This was not a personal decision…. There was nothing personal about it. I’m a little disappointed that so many people reacted the way they did without truly understanding there was a lot of things that go into this. This was not a willy-nilly, fly-by-night vengeful thing. This was a very calculated [decision].”

Here’s more from around the NFC, with a focus on head coaches’ comments from Orlando….

  • Rivera also made it clear this morning that the Panthers will be drafting at least one receiver, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who originally reported that Jared Allen was expected to sign with the Seahawks, hears from the defensive end that the Bears entered the mix for him at the last minute.
  • Rams head coach Jeff Fisher told reporters today, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), that his team hasn’t had trade talks involving the No. 2 pick at this point. Of course, that’s not to say discussions won’t occur at some point.
  • The Rams will host Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews for a private workout, according to Fisher (Twitter link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch).
  • Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links) passes along a couple highlights from Lovie Smith‘s conversation with the media today. According to the Buccaneers head coach, the team feels good about Josh McCown and Mike Glennon but could add another quarterback in the draft. Smith also said that extending Gerald McCoy‘s contract is a priority: “We want him around for a long time.”
  • Before tight end Jim Dray signed with the Browns, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians was very interested in bringing Dray back to the Cardinals, tweets Nate Ulrich.
  • Lions head coach Jim Caldwell said today that the club would like to add a pass-rushing outside linebacker, and are looking for “a little bit different flavor” rusher to pair with Ezekiel Ansah, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
  • Caldwell and Lions GM Martin Mayhew will both attend Texas A&M’s Pro Day tomorrow to check out wide receiver Mike Evans, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
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