2014 April - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: CJ2K, Bradford, Pryor, Vikings

April 14th, 2014 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

After Chris Johnson was released by the Titans, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that the veteran running back was likely to find a new team last week. However, Johnson remains on the market. Now Florio writes that if CJ2K is going to a find a new home before the draft, he expects it to happen within the next few days. As Florio writes, most NFL teams will be focusing almost exclusively on the draft in the coming weeks, so if a club is going to engage in negotiations for the former 2,000-yard rusher, that team would probably prefer to get it done sooner rather than later.

As we wait to see if Florio’s latest prediction works out, let’s round up several more items from around the NFL….

Although he makes it clear that he’s not reporting that the Rams are shopping or even considering dealing quarterback Sam Bradford, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com makes a case for why the club should do exactly that, speaking to a few executives around the league to attempt to gauge Bradford’s current value.
Louisville safety Calvin Pryor, who has previously visited the Titans and Bears, is meeting with the Saints today and has visits lined up later in the week with the Bengals and Jets, reports Gil Brandt of NFL.com (via Twitter). Considered one of the top two safeties in this year’s draft class, Pryor is viewed as a likely first-round pick.
The Vikings have a big day of pre-draft visits lined up for Thursday, and linebackers Khalil Mack and Anthony Barr will be among the players in attendance, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Barr will also be visiting the Eagles next week, a source tells Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com.
Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post passes along updates on a couple prospects, reporting that North Dakota State offensive tackle Billy Turner is visiting the Cowboys today and the Rams and Vikings later, and writing that Tennessee State offensive lineman Kadeem Edwards has met with the Dolphins, Titans, Colts, and Panthers.
The Falcons hosted Montana linebacker Jordan Tripp for a pre-draft visit today, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.

AFC Draft Notes: Texans, Chargers, Titans

April 14th, 2014 at 1:30pm CST by Ben Levine

We explored some NFC draft notes earlier today. Now, let’s take a look around the AFC…

The Texans will be hosting the top quarterback prospects this week, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. In addition to Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater, the Texans will also be bringing in defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
Having already visited the Chargers, as well as the Patriots, Middle Tennessee State defensive lineman Jimmy Staten will have a private workout with San Diego today, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
The Titans will privately work out LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger later this month, tweets Wyatt. In a separate tweet, Wyatt adds that the team will also be working out Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray.
Mike Klis of the Denver Post identifies middle linebacker, cornerback, and the interior offensive line as three areas the Broncos should be looking to address in the draft.
Williams & Mary safety Jerome Couplin participated in the Ravens‘ local prospect day, reports Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
Northern Illinois defensive tackle Ken Bishop will visit the Jaguars on Thursday, tweets Wilson.
The Bills will bring in an unconventional prospect for a workout. The team reportedly has interest in Canisius basketball player Chris Manhertz, according to WKBW-TV in Buffalo. The 6’6″ senior has never played football, writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

NFC Draft Notes: Ellington, Falcons, Saints

April 14th, 2014 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

A trio of NFC teams have shown interest in South Carolina wide receiver Bruce Ellington, the cousin of Cardinals running back Andre Ellington. The former Gamecock will be meeting with the Rams and Cards this week, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com chimes in (via Twitter) to add that Ellington has already worked out for the Falcons, while both Garafolo and Rapoport mention the Patriots‘ interest in the player. Ellington had 775 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 2013.

Let’s dive into some more draft notes from around the NFC…

Portland State running back D.J. Adams and Tennessee-Chattanooga cornerback Kadeem Wise are among the players scheduled to work out at the Falcons’ local prospect day tomorrow, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
The Saints are “definitely interested” in former Alabama wideout Kevin Norwood, tweets Larry Holder of NOLA.com.
In one of his articles, Holder projects the Saints‘ draft and has the team selecting wide receiver Marqise Lee with its first-round pick. Other notable Saints selections in Holder’s draft include defensive end Jeremiah Attaochu and cornerback Pierre Desir.
Despite tearing his ACL at Senior Bowl practice, Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin has been busy with pre-draft visits, meeting with the Eagles, Saints, and 49ers, according to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (via Twitter).
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com and Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee provide the details on several prospects scheduled to visit with the 49ers, including receivers Martavis Bryant and Albert Wilson, Louisville linebacker Preston Brown, and Boise State defensive end Demarcus Lawrence.
The Cowboys have interest in Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray, and plan to attend his Pro Day this week, tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com.
The Bears recently brought in Wisconsin running back James White for a workout, reports Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com (via Twitter).

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Eagles Inquired On Spiller Before Acquiring Sproles

April 14th, 2014 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles added a dynamic playmaker to their offense when they acquired running back Darren Sproles last month in a trade with the Saints. However, prior to landing Sproles, the team looked into trading for a younger back, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. Mosher reports that the Eagles contacted the Bills in the hopes of trading for running back C.J. Spiller. However, Buffalo wasn’t interested in moving Spiller, so Philadelphia never made a formal offer.

Mosher’s report isn’t exactly groundbreaking, since it’s not as if the Bills are shopping Spiller — the Eagles asked and Buffalo essentially shot them down. Still, it shows that Philadelphia didn’t simply trade for Sproles because the opportunity fell into the team’s lap. Sproles became available relatively cheaply when it seemed as if New Orleans was leaning toward releasing him, but even before then, the Eagles were exploring ways to add playmakers to their offense.

Sproles, 30, is a better receiver than Spiller, having caught more passes in the last two seasons (146) than Spiller has in his entire four-year NFL career (139). However, Spiller, who turns 27 in August, is the more dangerous runner, having accumulated 2,177 yards on the ground on just 409 carries over the last two seasons — good for an average of 5.3 yards per carry.

As Sproles prepares to make his debut in Philadelphia, Spiller is set to split the Bills’ backfield workload with Fred Jackson again in 2014. Spiller, who is due to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2015 season, is owed a base salary of about $3.5MM in 2014 and $2.2MM in 2015.

North Notes: Lions, Ravens, Steelers

April 14th, 2014 at 11:18am CST by Luke Adams

Jadeveon Clowney won’t be working out for any more NFL teams prior to the draft, as we heard this morning from Peter King, but that doesn’t mean he’s done making visits. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Lions will be hosting Clowney for a visit soon. There’s obviously no chance the standout defensive end falls to Detroit at No. 10, so bringing in Clowney could be a further signal that the Lions are exploring moving up in the draft. The club has also been linked multiple times to wideout Sammy Watkins, who will almost certainly be off the board by No. 10 as well.

Here’s more on the Lions and a few other teams in the NFL’s two North divisions:

Rapoport’s previously linked tweet also includes word that the Lions are meeting today with UNC tight end Eric Ebron.
Notre Dame tight end Troy Niklas, who visited the Bills earlier in the month, recently met with the Ravens, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Wilson also tweets a couple more players who were in attendance at the Ravens’ local prospect day: Dexter McDougle (CB, Maryland) and Louis Young (CB, Georgia Tech).
TCU cornerback Jason Verrett, Arizona corner Shaquille Richardson and Oregon State defensive end Scott Crichton are visiting the Steelers today, tweets ESPN.com’s Scott Brown.
Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune takes a look at how the Vikings are spending their money by position, noting that the club is only among the top 10 NFL teams in spending at running back (first) and defensive end (ninth).
The Lions hosted Boston College linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis on a pre-draft visit last week, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). We heard on Friday that Pierre-Louis also visited the Steelers.

Rams Eyeing Watkins, Robinson, Clowney?

April 14th, 2014 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

The Rams are hosting Clemson wideout Sammy Watkins for a pre-draft visit today, and will privately work out Watkins on Friday of this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). St. Louis, with the second and 13th overall picks in this year’s draft, has taken a look at several of the year’s top prospects, but Rapoport thinks the team’s pick at No. 2 could come down to Watkins, offensive tackle Greg Robinson, and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Both Robinson and Clowney have already visited St. Louis.

Of the teams with top-five picks, the Rams appear to be the only one without any real interest in the top tier of quarterbacks in this year’s draft class. As such, the club can focus on the best players available at other positions, which includes guys like Watkins, Robinson, and Clowney. While Clowney ranks as perhaps the best overall prospect in the draft, defensive end also isn’t a real position of need for the Rams at the moment, whereas wide receiver is a spot where the team could use an upgrade. It’s also possible Clowney won’t be on the board when the Rams pick at No. 2, but it’d be a real surprise if Watkins or Robinson was unavailable.

If the Rams pass on Watkins, they’ll likely draft a receiver later on, and one candidate could be Indiana’s Cody Latimer. According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter), Latimer is visiting the Rams.

Browns Sign Chris Pressley

April 14th, 2014 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

Having landed one of the top running backs on this year’s free agent market in Ben Tate, the Browns have now secured a fullback to block for him. According to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland has signed former Bengal Chris Pressley.

Pressley, 27, has been sidelined since suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 15 of 2012. That knee still hadn’t healed in time for the 2013 season, so the fullback spent most of last year on the reserve/PUP list before being cut by Cincinnati in December.

Although Pressley has contributed a handful of receptions in parts of four seasons with the Bengals and Buccaneers, his real value comes as a blocker. In 2011, the Wisconsin alum saw a career-high 296 offensive snaps and ranked as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-best fullback (subscription required), primarily due to a well above average blocking grade.

King’s Latest: Clowney, Savage, Jags, Mack

April 14th, 2014 at 8:39am CST by Luke Adams

Peter King of TheMMQB.com shares a few notable draft updates to lead off his latest column, so let’s dive right in and check out the highlights….

Jadeveon Clowney won’t be working out for any more NFL teams, according to King, who says that Clowney and his camp have turned down at least three clubs hoping to work out the standout defensive end. The decision, which stems from the torn ACL suffered by Brandon Thomas during a workout with the Saints, was met with mixed reactions from the general managers who spoke to King. While it shouldn’t have a real impact on Clowney’s draft stock, at least one GM was disappointed not to get a closer look at the South Carolina defender: “I’d want the guy who’s going to be coaching him to put him through some of our drills, and see how he responds.”
Pittsburgh quarterback Tom Savage is one of the draft’s hottest names, and has such a full calendar this month that he literally has no room to schedule more visits. By the end of April, Savage will have visited with or worked out for 24 or 25 teams, says King. There’s a good chance that the young signal-caller could be drafted ahead of players like A.J. McCarron, Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger.
Four quarterback-needy teams with top-five picks – the Texans, Jaguars, Browns, and Raiders – are “strongly considering” passing on the position in the first round, according to King. Those teams aren’t necessarily in love with any of the top quarterbacks, and may prefer to take a surer thing at another position. I’d be pretty surprised if all four of those clubs decided not to draft a QB in round one, but it sounds like at least a couple could pass.
The Jaguars “really like” Jimmy Garoppolo, who could be available when Jacksonville picks in the second round.
King also explores the Alex Mack situation, suggesting that the Jaguars‘ willingness to negotiate with Mack and offer him $18MM+ guaranteed could buy some good will for the team next time the veteran center hits free agency. King adds that Mack likely won’t forget that the Browns, who had plenty of cap space and for whom the 28-year-old has never missed a game, didn’t choose to pay him until their hand was forced. I’m not sure I fully agree with King on that point, since simply using their transition tag on Mack indicated that the Browns were serious about keeping him around and paying him a significant salary. Still, it’ll be interesting to see what happens in two years when Mack has the chance to opt out.

Extra Points: Options, Bucs, Ravens, Panthers

April 13th, 2014 at 10:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The new CBA could hinder the availability of elite talent on the free agent market, writes John Clayton of ESPN.com. With long-term contract prices exceedingly high, teams will look to use the fifth-year option on many 2011 first-round-picks who would’ve been free agents after the upcoming season. Players like Cam Newton, Von Miller, and A.J. Green will likely have their options picked up by their respective teams, followed by progressive talks towards long-term deals. Compounding the situation is the fact that the top seven picks of the 2010 draft have contracts that do not expire until after the 2015 season. Because teams will have to conserve cap space to hammer out inevitable extensions for star-level players, mediocre free agents may have to be willing to sign for less money than might be expected.

More NFL notes to close out your weekend:

The Buccaneers plan to draft a quarterback, but in what round is still a question, says Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Johnny Manziel remains a possibility if he slips to pick No. 7, as Bucs coach Lovie Smith noted: “I had time to watch quite a few games, and I had a chance to watch him — a lot. So you add all that up.”
Boise State offensive lineman Matt Paradis, who worked out for the Patriots on Wednesday, recently visited with the Broncos, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
The Ravens have improved this offseason, but their offensive line (particularly left guard and right tackle) is still in flux, writes Greg Bedard of the MMQB.com.
The Panthers receiving corps and offensive line are both listed among Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness’ list of offensive units that took a step back this offseason (via ESPN insider – subscription required). Carolina lost pass-catchers Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell, and Ted Ginn, while their offensive line suffered the retirement of Jordan Gross and is still awaiting the decision of Travelle Wharton.
On the Over the Cap podcast (audio link), Jason Fitzgerald stated that he believes the Chiefs will extend quarterback Alex Smith this summer. Signing Smith, whose contract expires after the upcoming season, would lower his cap figure and allow the team more cap space, enabling them to negotiate new deals for young players like Justin Houston.

NFC Notes: Smith, Cowboys, Seahawks, Bell

April 13th, 2014 at 8:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

49ers linebacker Aldon Smith was arrested this afternoon at Los Angeles International Airport following an incident where he allegedly falsely indicated that he possessed a bomb, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. The episode reflects poorly not only on a Niners team that has dealt with several off-the-field issues over the past month (the Colin Kaepernick investigation and the Chris Culliver arrest), but also on Smith himself, who has been embroiled in personal struggles over the past year, including missing five games last season while spending time in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility.

This incident could have implications on Smith’s future with the 49ers: as ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson points out, the team has not decided whether to pick up the fifth-year option they hold on Smith. If San Francisco decides that the young edge rusher’s personal issues make him too difficult to trust, they could opt to decline the option, estimated to be worth more than $9MM. The deadline to decide on the option is May 3.

Other news from the NFC:

Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News examines the Cowboys draft strategy regarding developmental quarterbacks, and wonders why the team hasn’t copied the strategy of the Patriots and Packers and drafted an heir apparent to Tony Romo.
The Seahawks might look ahead to 2015 needs rather than simply draft to fill immediate positional vacancies in the upcoming draft, writes Andy Benoit of the MMQB.com. Seahawks general manager John Schneider is a forward-thinking executive, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him eschew a pressing receiver need in favor of stockpiling defensive talent.
Byron Bell is expected to slide from right to left tackle for the Panthers, helping to replace the void created by Jordan Gross‘ retirement, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. Bell was below-average last season according to Pro Football Focus (-2.8 grade), but both Gross and coach Ron Rivera think Bell should be much improved in 2014. Additionally, Carolina’s tight cap situation meant they couldn’t sign a free agent left tackle, and the premier options in the draft likely won’t last until pick No. 28, so Bell looks to be the team’s only option.