HEADLINES

Month: April 2014

Poll: Which QB Should Be Drafted First?

April 22nd, 2014 at 3:43pm CST by Luke Adams

With so many teams near the top of the draft lacking a long-term answer at the quarterback position, it seemed as if we might see a run on signal-callers early in the evening on May 8, with Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, and Teddy Bridgewater all coming off the board within the first few picks.

In recent weeks though, the perception of this year’s quarterback class has shifted, with the general consensus now suggesting there are significant question marks about every QB in the class. Some players, like Pitt’s Tom Savage, have seen their stocks rise, but the players at or near the top of the board, like Manziel and Bridgewater, are no longer viewed as locks to be selected in the top 10, or – in Bridgewater’s case – even the top 25.

A piece from Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com this week suggested that Bortles is considered the quarterback most likely to come off the board first. The UCF product may not have the upside of others in the draft, but he’s considered a safer pick than most of his fellow signal-callers. In a league where the job security of coaches and general managers is often directly tied to the performance of first-round quarterbacks, opting for the choice with the least risk could look awfully appealing on draft night.

Still, with the draft a little over two weeks away, we still have no idea where those big three will land, and guys like Savage, Derek Carr, A.J. McCarron, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Zach Mettenberger are wild cards as well. What do you think? Which of these guys would you draft if all of them were still on the board and you needed a quarterback? Which QB should be drafted first?

Giants Notes: Amukamara, Freeman, Beason

April 22nd, 2014 at 2:17pm CST by Luke Adams

After winning a Super Bowl earlier this year on a Seahawks squad that featured arguably the NFL’s best secondary, Walter Thurmond thinks he may take that title with him to New York, telling reporters today that he feels like the Giants could have the league’s best secondary in 2014 (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News). As Vacchiano tweets, Thurmond also thinks he’s the best slot corner in the NFL.

While the Giants’ secondary may not reach the heights that Thurmond envisions, the group definitely looks stronger than it did in 2013, with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie having arrived along with Thurmond in free agency. As the former Seahawk prepares to back up his comments, let’s check in on a few more Giants notes:

  • Cornerback Prince Amukamara is hoping the Giants pick up his fifth-year option for 2015, and admits he might feel a little insulted if the club turns it down, tweets Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. A team source tells Vacchiano (Twitter link) that the Giants remain undecided on the option, and likely won’t announce anything until next week.
  • Josh Freeman‘s new contract with the Giants is a minimum salary benefit deal with a $55K signing bonus and a $10K workout bonus, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter links). Assuming he plays out the season, Freeman will earn $795K, while the cap hit for the team will be $635K.
  • Jon Beason, who represented himself in contract negotiations this offseason, said today that the Giants called him eight minutes before free agency opened in March (Twitter link via Vacchiano).
  • Earlier today, we heard that Will Hill‘s time with the Giants may be over, as the safety faces another drug-related suspension.

AFC North Notes: Burfict, McCarron, Steelers

April 22nd, 2014 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

When longtime Bengals defensive leader Domata Peko spoke yesterday about the teammates he hopes the team locks up to long-term deals, he identified Vontaze Burfict in addition Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. As important as Dalton and Green are to Cincinnati’s offense, you could make a strong case that Burfict is just as integral on the other side of the ball. Last season, the 23-year-old earned his first Pro Bowl nod, racking up an impressive 177 tackles to go along with three sacks, two fumbles, and an interception.

Now, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the Bengals are indeed engaged in extension talks with Burfict, who is in line for a $570K salary in 2014. The Arizona State product is eligible for restricted free agency after the ’14 season, which means the Bengals would still be in the driver’s seat for re-signing him, but presumably the club would prefer not to let it get to that point.

Let’s check out a few other items from out of the AFC North….

  • Following A.J. McCarron’s visit with the Browns today, the Alabama quarterback will continue a mini-AFC North tour by heading to Baltimore to see the Ravens on Wednesday, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). We heard earlier today that McCarron would privately work out for the Rams next week.
  • The Steelers are hosting Duke cornerback Ross Cockrell for a pre-draft visit today, according to ESPN.com’s Scott Brown (via Twitter). Cockrell projects as a likely mid- to late-round pick.
  • Minnesota safety Brock Vereen, the brother of Shane Vereen, has met with a number of teams in advance of the draft, including the Steelers and Bengals, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The Falcons, Vikings, Colts, Panthers and Jaguars have also met with the younger Vereen.

Draft Visits: Matthews, Colts, Aikens, Bills

April 22nd, 2014 at 12:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Texans continue to do their due diligence on every player near the top of the draft board, as they’re set to host Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews for a visit this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests that the Texans’ myriad pre-draft visits with top prospects could be designed to keep teams guessing about which player Houston actually wants, laying the groundwork to potentially trade down from No. 1. Meanwhile, Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that Matthews will visit the Falcons before heading to Houston later in the week for his Texans visit.

Here are a few more miscellaneous draft notes, as we inch a little closer to May 8:

  • After meeting with the Dolphins on Monday, Clemson wideout Martavis Bryant is visiting the Colts today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Wilson also adds the Panthers and Steelers to the list of clubs that have hosted Bryant for visits so far.
  • In a separate NFP report, Wilson provides an update on Liberty cornerback Walt Aikens, who is visiting the Colts, Packers, and Bengals this week. According to Wilson, in addition to previously reported visits and workouts, Aikens has also visited the Dolphins, Chiefs, and Buccaneers, and worked out for Cowboys and Jaguars.
  • According to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago (via Twitter), the Bears traveled to Los Angeles late last month to conduct a private workout with UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr.
  • The Bills hosted Texas A&M receiver Mike Evans, USC offensive lineman Marcus Martin and Georgia Southern running back Jerick McKinnon today, says Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
  • Arizona State defensive tackle Will Sutton has visited with a long list of teams, including the Patriots, Cardinals, Rams, and Lions, tweets ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan.
  • Auburn cornerback Chris Davis worked out for the Falcons, Colts, and Patriots, among other clubs, according to Caplan (via Twitter).

Seahawks, Sherman Progressing On Extension

April 22nd, 2014 at 11:22am CST by Luke Adams

The Seahawks and Richard Sherman have made “considerable progress” on a new long-term contract for the standout cornerback, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. According to La Canfora, Seattle is prepared to make Sherman, whose current deal expires after the 2014 season, the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.

Per OverTheCap.com’s data, the largest per-year salary at cornerback currently belongs to Darrelle Revis, though his $16MM annual average is a little misleading, since his deal will almost certainly end up being one year for $12MM. Brandon Carr is the runner-up, at a little over $10MM per year. As for Sherman, several league sources expect his next deal to exceed $13MM per year, according to La Canfora, though he notes that the Seahawks have resisted going up to $14MM annually.

La Canfora writes that Ben Dogra and Jimmy Sexton of CAA, Sherman’s new agents, have been engaged in contract talks with the Seahawks for some time, and says negotiations have been “amicable and productive.” While nothing is necessarily imminent, there’s a chance the two sides could finalize something in time for May’s draft. That would have a significant impact on extension talks for other young star corners around the league, such as the Browns’ Joe Haden and the Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson.

Sherman, who is in line for a $1.431MM base salary in 2014, is viewed as one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks, and based on the numbers reported by La Canfora, it sounds like the Seahawks believe he deserves to be atop that list. Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required) ranked Sherman outside the top five at the position in 2013, though quarterbacks compiled a meager 47.3 QB rating on passes into his coverage, which was the best mark in the league. The 26-year-old, who earned his second All-Pro spot in 2013, also grabbed a league-leading eight interceptions.

NFC Notes: Will Hill, Julio Jones, Vikings

April 22nd, 2014 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

We rounded up several NFC West notes earlier this morning, but there are plenty more items to pass along from around the rest of the conference. Let’s dive in and check out the latest….

  • Giants safety Will Hill is facing another drug-related suspension and plans to appeal the results in hopes of avoiding a lengthy absence. However, as Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News writes, Hill is likely “done” with the Giants regardless of the appeal’s outcome, since the club is “livid” at the 24-year-old’s continued drug issues.
  • Speaking to reporters today, including ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (Twitter link), Falcons head coach Mike Smith indicated Julio Jones “is going to be an Atlanta Falcon for a long, long, long time.” Smith didn’t specifically address Jones’ fifth-year option, but I imagine the only way that won’t be exercised is if Atlanta reaches a longer-term agreement with Jones before the May 3 deadline.
  • Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) adds offensive tackle Greg Robinson to the list of prospects visiting the Falcons this week.
  • A source tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link) that Blake Bortles won’t be visiting or working out for the Vikings. It’s hard to know how to interpret the report — if it’s Bortles’ decision, he may be confident he’ll be drafted before the Vikings pick at No. 8. If it’s Minnesota’s decision, perhaps the team simply knows all it needs to after watching Bortles and meeting with him at his Pro Day.
  • Speaking of Vikings quarterbacks, Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune, with the help of cap expert Joel Corry, explains why the club’s decision on Christian Ponder‘s fifth-year option isn’t as simple as it may seem on the surface.
  • We heard yesterday that Kareem Martin has visited the Vikings, and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) says the Cowboys and Panthers will also be hosting the UNC defensive end.
  • The Lions invited five tryout players to minicamp, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter): Kevin Matthews (C), Sherman Carter (G), Josh Jenkins (G), Cordaro Howard (T), and Jordan Thompson (TE).

Russell Allen To Retire

April 22nd, 2014 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Former Jaguars linebacker Russell Allen, who was released last week by the club, will retire from the NFL for health reasons, according to a feature by Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com. Allen suffered a stroke during a Week 15 game against the Bills last season and was diagnosed with a “dead” spot on his cerebellum.

As Klemko writes, “none of the doctors Allen consulted could find a precedent for a pro football player suffering this kind of stroke” and the former Jaguar was told definitively by the last neurosurgeon he consulted that he should never play football again. Klemko’s entire piece, which provides an account of how the stroke happened and its effect on Allen, is worth reading.

A San Diego State alum, Allen spent his entire five-year career in Jacksonville, developing into a full-time starter with the club over the last two seasons. The 27-year-old was a key contributor on defense for the Jaguars in 2013, playing 601 snaps and providing nearly league-average production at the outside linebacker spot, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Allen, who logged 64 tackles and a sack, saw his PFF grade buoyed by solid play against the run.

NFC West Links: McCarron, Rams, Jacobs

April 22nd, 2014 at 9:50am CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a few Tuesday morning items on NFC West clubs….

  • Although teams and draft prospects must complete pre-draft visits by Sunday, that doesn’t preclude clubs from working players out after that date. According to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter), the Rams will privately work out Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron in Tuscaloosa on May 1, one week before the draft.
  • In his latest piece at TheMMQB.com, Peter King examines the Rams‘ No. 2 pick, suggesting that the team would be better off passing on Jadeveon Clowney (if he’s available) and selecting an offensive player like Sammy Watkins, Greg Robinson, or Jake Matthews instead. In King’s view, the Rams need to fortify their offense more than they need to turn their formidable pass-rushing duo (Chris Long and Robert Quinn) into a formidable pass-rushing trio.
  • McNesse State tight end Nic Jacobs has visits lined up with two NFC West clubs, the 49ers and Cardinals, writes Gil Brandt of NFL.com. As Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee notes, Jacobs is the latest tight end to visit the Niners, who have hosted 13 prospects by Barrows’ count.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com gives the Seahawks a grade of C+ for their moves in free agency, questioning the team’s decision not to retain offensive lineman Breno Giacomini.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Ebron, Dolphins, Jets

April 22nd, 2014 at 8:49am CST by Luke Adams

Over the weekend, we heard that former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly has interest in being part of the team’s next ownership group, but Kelly isn’t the only Bills legend who wants to play a role in keeping the franchise in Buffalo. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk details, a group called the Buffalo Fan Alliance announced on Monday that former Bills wide receiver Andre Reed and kicker Steve Christie are members of its advisory board. The group’s goal is to raise between $100-170MM, which would serve as interest-free loan to the Bills’ new ownership group as a way to entice the new owners to keep the club in Buffalo.

Florio expresses some skepticism about how practical the idea really is and makes some good points, but at the very least, having big names like Kelly, Reed, and Christie involved in the process can’t be a bad thing for Buffalo football fans.

Here’s more from around the AFC East:

  • We heard yesterday that UNC tight end Eric Ebron believes the Lions are a potential landing spot for him, and in an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio, he suggested that the Bills fall into that category as well. “Those are the two teams that I believe are the highest upon me,” Ebron said, according to Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk. “Now are they telling the same things they are telling me to everybody else? I don’t know. But from my perspective and my point of view, those are the two teams that I believe if they could have signed me that day would have.”
  • Alex Marvez of Fox Sports suggests (via Twitter) that free agent offensive lineman Daryn Colledge, who drew some interest from the Dolphins early in free agency, is a name to continue monitoring as a possible Miami target.
  • Jamar Taylor, who was selected by the Dolphins out of Boise State in the second round of the 2013 draft, told Chadd Cripe of the Idaho Statesman last week that there were times during his injury-plagued rookie season when he was seriously considering retiring from the NFL. However, he worked through that adversity and is looking forward to turning “a lot of heads” in his second season.
  • The Jets are hosting Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas for a pre-draft visit today, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Steelers Exercise Cameron Heyward’s Option

April 22nd, 2014 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

TUESDAY, 7:59am: The Steelers have now made it official on Heyward’s option, exercising it and locking him up through 2015, tweets Burt Lauten, the team’s PR rep.

MONDAY, 2:53pm: Breer has issued a correction to his earlier report, tweeting that it was Cameron Jordan, not Heyward, who had his option exercised today. We passed along word on the Saints’ decision on Jordan earlier in the afternoon.

So while there’s nothing official on Heyward yet, the Steelers still have until May 3 to pick up their option on him, and appear likely to do so. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com wrote earlier today that he viewed Heyward’s option as a “no-brainer” decision for Pittsburgh.

2:26pm: The Steelers have picked up their 2015 option on Cameron Heyward, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. It’s the latest in a string of fifth-year options for 2011 first-rounders that will be exercised in advance of the May 3 deadline.

Heyward, the 31st overall pick in the 2011 draft, became a starter for the first-time last season, appearing in 845 total defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. The 24-year-old recorded a career-best 59 tackles and five sacks, as well as recovering his first career fumble.

The Steelers defensive end will be in line for a salary of $6.969MM for 2015. At this point, that money is guaranteed for injury only, though it’ll become fully guaranteed on the first day of the 2015 league year. Heyward will be eligible for unrestricted free agency following the ’15 season.

Load More Posts