NFC South Notes: Bucs, Falcons, Panthers
Though the position isn’t necessarily a need, defensive tackle could be an area of focus in the draft for the Buccaneers, writes Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Bay’s front four includes All-Pro Gerald McCoy, free agent signee Clinton McDonald, and second-year player Akeem Spence, but, in new head coach Lovie Smith’s scheme, tackle is the most important defensive slot, and a solid rotation would be of help. Additionally, a selection of a player like Aaron Donald would be in line with general manager Jason Licht’s “best player available” philosophy. “What we’ve said all along is we want the best player,” said Licht. “Our team needs in September are going to be totally different than what our team needs are right now. The player you take, you may not think we have a need for him now. But a lot of times, you’re thankful you have them when the season starts.”
More items from the NFC South:
- Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff obviously wasn’t happy with his team’s 4-12 record in 2013, and tells Jarrett Bell of USA Today that his “goal is to rectify this with a vengeance.” Dimitroff hasn’t been afraid to trade up in the draft to acquire an impact player (Julio Jones, 2011), and some believe Atlanta is a player for the first overall selection.
- We previously noted that Florida State linebacker Telvin Smith had worked out for the Buccaneers, Falcons, and Panthers, and now Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post adds the Saints to that list, meaning Smith has completed the NFC South tour.
- In a separate post, Wilson reports that Louisiana-Lafayette tight end Jacob Maxwell, a late-round or free agent candidate, has drawn interest from about half the league, including the Buccaneers and Panthers.
- The Buccaneers could afford to trade Mike Williams to the Bills thanks to an especially deep class of receivers, writes Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.
- The Panthers have been highly successful with their first-round selections over the past few seasons, according to ESPN.com’s David Newton, and though Carolina is picking later than usual this year, there is reason to believe they’ll draft a useful player once again at pick No. 28.
- Don’t look for the Panthers to draft a developmental quarterback on Thursday, says Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer, because the team likes the presence of new addition Joe Webb, who is focusing solely on QB.
- The Saints have a history of finding gems in the draft, from late-round picks like Marques Colston and Jahri Evans, to undrafted free agents like Junior Galette, writes Sheldon Mickles of TheAdvocate.com.
Falcons Sign Bear Pascoe
MAY 5: It’s a one-year, minimum salary benefit contract for Pascoe, with a base salary of $730K and a cap number of $570K, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
MAY 1: The Falcons have officially signed free agent tight end Bear Pascoe, the team announced today in a press release. Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports had reported earlier that Pascoe was meeting with and working out for the Falcons.
Pascoe, 28, spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Giants, accumulating 38 total receptions in his stint with the club. Pascoe, who spends most of his time in pass protection and blocking for the run, isn’t the type of player who will step in to replace the production of the retired Tony Gonzalez, but he’s a solid depth piece.
Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but it figures to be a minimum salary contract for Pascoe.
Seantrel Henderson Failed Drug Test
NFL teams were apprised last week that Miami offensive line prospect Seantrel Henderson tested positive for marijuana during the combine in March, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).
Henderson, who was projected as a mid-round pick, could see his draft stock fall even further following this revelation. The 22-year-old was suspended three times during his college career, and, prior to the 2014 Senior Bowl, Henderson admitted those disciplinary actions were the result of marijuana use. He also had trouble finishing his workouts during Miami’s Pro Day, though his agent later said that Henderson was dealing with an illness.
Though many players have failed combine drug tests and then gone on to successful careers, such an infraction cannot be viewed in a good light. Around league circles, the drug use itself is perceived as less of a problem than a prospect failing a test he knew was coming. Such an error often gives the impression that the player was either unprepared, ill-informed, or simply unaware of the combine’s policies and structure.
King’s Latest: Mack, Manziel, Beckham Jr.
Once again, Peter King of TheMMQB.com has opened the week by sharing a number of intriguing notes, courtesy of his latest Monday Morning Quarterback column. Let’s work through the most interesting highlights:
- There is still talk that the Texans would like to either trade down from the first overall pick, or select Khalil Mack rather than Jadeveon Clowney. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported as much yesterday, and King adds that though a team like the Falcons is expected to be interested in trading up to No. 1, the Texans likely wouldn’t receive an overwhelming return.
- The Rams seem to be set on Greg Robinson at No. 2, rather than either Sammy Watkins or Jake Matthews. But things could get interesting when the Rams are back on the clock with the 13th pick — St. Louis’ GM Les Snead recently met with Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who was Johnny Manziel’s offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, and left the visit believing Manizel could flourish in the NFL.
- The main concern of the Jaguars appears to be avoiding risk and making a safe selection; King observes that both Watkins and Matthews would fit that profile.
- The Vikings may look to add a defensive contributor with the eighth pick (perhaps Aaron Donald), and then select their quarterback of the future at pick No. 40.
- King hears that the Eagles are interested in trading up to select a receiver, with eyes on acquiring a versatile threat like Odell Beckham Jr. GM Howie Roseman has talked to at least two teams in the middle of the first round about moving up.
- The Cardinals remain interested in Derek Carr, but King wonders if it is prudent for Arizona to use a first-round pick on a “redshirt” quarterback when the team is so close to contention.
- Browns GM Ray Farmer has talked to one team with a low first-round pick about trading back into the first round, using Cleveland’s second-round pick as bait. This would mean the Browns would have three first-round picks in total, leading King to believe Cleveland wants to move ahead of the Texans at pick No. 33 in order to secure a franchise quarterback.
- One team within the top ten is seriously considering selecting Zack Martin, who is picking up the most buzz of any player in the draft.
Draft Notes: Eagles, LBs, Jets, Broncos
With less than four days until the NFL draft, here is the latest news and rumors from around the league:
- While the Eagles need to improve their porous secondary, selecting a safety might not be in the cards, according to Jeff McClane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Outside of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Calvin Pryor, and perhaps Jimmie Ward, most experts don’t consider this year’s safety class to be elite, and Eagles GM Howie Roseman agrees. “I don’t think it’s a good group overall,” said Roseman. “I think you’re talking about a drop-off, certainly when you get into Saturday.”
- Over the past few days, we’ve passed along the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Bob McGlnn’s reports on the crop of both running backs and offensive lineman, which heavily feature McGlinn’s conversations with informed scouts. McGinn’s most recent article focuses on the linebacker class, and is also a must-read for draftniks.
- In a separate piece, McGinn analyzes linebacker Chris Borland (who was profiled today by Rory Parks) and comes away noting that scouts love Borland’s versatility and work ethic.
- In his latest notes piece, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini observes that this will be the first draft in which Jets GM John Idzik will have his own group of scouts on which to lean. (However, the Jets didn’t fare too poorly in the 2013 draft with Idzik’s inherited staff, selecting an immediate contributor in defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson).
- With Peyton Manning‘s limited window and a dominant defense save for inside linebacker, Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post argues that the Broncos might trade up to select C.J. Mosley in order to further strengthen their defense.
- If the Browns are truly utilizing a “best player available” approach, a selection of Greg Robinson would be appropriate, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. However, Robinson (as Ulrich notes) is expected to be drafted before the Browns pick at No. 4.
Prospect Profile: Jake Matthews
If lineage is something to be desired in an NFL draft prospect, Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews has that contest won. The 22-year-old is the son of Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews, who played 19 seasons with the Oilers/Titans, the cousin of current NFL linebackers Clay and Casey Matthews, and the brother of Kevin Matthews, who has spent time with the Titans and the Redskins.
But even without his storied family history, Matthews’ own talent and development would make him a surefire top 10 draft selection. After being named a 2009 USA Today high school All-American, Matthews entered Texas A&M, and was plugged in on the Aggies’ offensive line, where he played started 33 games over his first three seasons (mostly at right tackle). In 2013, following the departure of incumbent left tackle Luke Joeckel (the third overall pick by the Jaguars), Matthews moved to blind side and protected quarterback Johnny Manziel for all 13 games. In addition to being selected as a consensus All-American last season, Matthews was named to the All-SEC team in both 2012 and 2013.
At 6’5″, 305 pounds, the former Aggie is large enough to handle stout defensive lineman, but also has the agility to ward off quicker outside linebackers. When compared to Joeckel, Matthews grades out as slower, but he does have the advantage in power. Sound technique is the foundation of Matthews’ game, and that proficiency, combined with his size, allows him to simply maul in the run-blocking game. His physical traits aside, Matthews’ intangibles are off the charts — he was a team captain at Texas A&M, obviously has the pedigree, reportedly scored a 32 on the Wonderlic test, and scouts are said to be highly impressed with both his awareness on the field and his leadership off it. A prototypical franchise left tackle, Matthews has the ability to “walk in and play left tackle and sit there for 10, 12 years,” as one scout told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Bob McGinn.
Matthews, of course, also has his detractors and his limitations. Another scout told McGinn that Matthews’ surname might be clouding evaluators’ opinions: “If his last name was something else, I don’t think he’d be picked as high.” Physically, others believe that his arm length of 33 3/8″ might be too short, limiting his extension. Like Joeckel, Matthews is sometimes accused of lacking a “killer instinct” (however, that demerit didn’t seem to hurt Joeckel’s stock). Finally, some point to his prowess as a right tackle and believe he would be a better fit on that side of the line, which would obviously degrade his value.
It is difficult to find a team that wouldn’t be interested in Matthews, as most franchises could use a left tackle of his caliber, and if not, at least an upgrade at right tackle. The Texans will probably go in another direction, and while the Rams could be interested in an offensive lineman, most reports have Greg Robinson as the higher rated player and the favorite to go second overall. The Jaguars could re-pair him with Joeckel, but the first real possibility is probably the Browns at No. 4, who would immediately install Matthews at right tackle. Within the top 10 selections, the Raiders, Falcons, Buccaneers, Bills, and Lions are all possible landing spots for Matthews. Along with Robinson and Taylor Lewan, Matthews is part of a triumvirate of offensive tackles that will all likely be top 10 picks.
Photo courtesy of USA Sports Images.
North Notes: Browns, Ravens, Vikings, Bears
Browns GM Ray Farmer has lauded receiver Sammy Watkins, but Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio thinks those comments are simply a smoke screen, and suggests that the team could be angling to select an offensive tackle in Thursday’s draft. Cleveland could be interested in Greg Robinson, Jake Matthews, or Taylor Lewan, any of whom would play right tackle (an increasingly important position, says Florio) with the Browns due to the presence of Joe Thomas on the left side of the line. In such a scenario, incumbent right tackle Mitchell Schwartz would presumably move to guard. Florio’s theory makes sense, especially when considering that the receiver class is extremely deep. Selecting an offensive tackle at pick No. 4, a quarterback at No. 26, and then potentially a corner and a receiver in rounds two and three might be exactly what the Browns brass is hoping to pull off.
More notes from the North divisions:
- Farmer and the Browns, as noted, hold the fourth and 26th overall selections in the draft, the same picks that Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome inherited when took over as Baltimore’s GM in 1996. Per Greg Bedard of TheMMQB.com, Newsome offers Farmer some advice on how to handle the scenario: “Just to trust the information that he has. Let the information make your decisions,” said the veteran executive. “If you spend nine months preparing for a draft and you set your board, why are you going to get to game day and then change? That never works, whether you’re calling plays, calling defenses or drafting players.”
- Speaking of Newsome, he is glad the Ravens aren’t in the market for a starting quarterback, and hopes many QBs are taken before Baltimore picks at No. 17, according to Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. “If as many as three, four, or five quarterbacks go before 17, that means other players from other positions will slide down to us,” Newsome said. “There will be more players for us to choose from.”
- Vikings GM Rick Spielman tried to dispel the media’s notions that the team would draft a quarterback with the eighth overall selection, but noted “there are lots of possibilites,” tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
- In a series of tweets, Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune opines that Spielman cautioned there could be a “surprise” at pick No. 8, and that linebacker was the first position mentioned by the Vikings GM.
- The Bears’ defense has already been infused with talent this offseason, with player additions ranging from Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston, and Willie Young, to coaching upgrades like Paul Pasqualoni (defensive line) and Reggie Herring (linebackers), but as Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune writes, the job isn’t done, and the draft will be critical if the Bears wish to contend in 2014.
Prospect Notes: Manziel, Clowney, Mack, Carr
The Browns are in need of a quarterback and this year’s draft class gives the team a number of different options. According to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan seems to be particularly infatuated with former Aggies’ passer Johnny Manziel.
“It’s obvious how good of a player he is, how fun he is to watch,” said Shanahan. “I think it does translate to the NFL. If you can make those plays in college, you can do it in the NFL.
“He’s going to be able to make plays in this league. Eventually when they try to contain him, he’s going to have to do everything he didn’t always have to do in college.”
Shanahan and his staff put Manziel through a private workout at Texas A&M in addition to hosting him in Cleveland. The Browns have the fourth-overall pick.
Let’s see what’s going on with some other notable prospects…
- After speaking with people who know Texans general manager Rick Smith, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport is no longer certain that the team will take Jadeveon Clowney with the first pick (via Twitter). In a subsequent tweet, Rapoport adds that the team would be willing to trade down.
- Following up on the report by SI’s Peter King, Rapoport confirms (via Twitter) that Khalil Mack is an option for the number-one pick.
- If the Texans do indeed pass on Clowney, Rapoport points out the “incredible drama” the Rams would be presented with (via Twitter).
- Derek Carr said that four or five teams told him that they would like to trade into the 20-29 range to select him, reports John Clayton of ESPN.com.
- In the same post, Clayton adds that the Lions would like to move up a few spots to select receiver Mike Evans.
- Washington State safety Deone Bucannon and Boise State linebacker Demarcus Lawrence could be surprise first-round picks, tweets Eric Galko of OptimumScouting.com.
NFC Draft Links: Cards, Rams, Eagles
There hasn’t been a single first-round pick from the 2011 draft who has signed an extension and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com investigates the matter. While a solid portion have had their fifth-year options picked up, Florio says it’s “curious” that even a handful of the players have yet to ink a longterm deal. According to the writer, a league insider suggests that the lack of extensions is an indication of collusion among the teams.
The list of players includes Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson and Falcons receiver Julio Jones. These players could holdout (and pay a hefty fine of $30K a day), with Florio adding that Peterson hasn’t ruled out that option.
Let’s take a look at some draft notes from around the NFC…
- Cardinals general manager Steve Keim makes it sound like he’s in favor of trading back, writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. “You are going to get third-round players in the fourth and fifth round,” Keim said, “guys who can come in and be immediate impact players for you.”
- 2014 will be a crossroads year for the Rams, says Bernie Miklasz of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead are in their third year on the job, and the writer opines that if a general manager/coach duo can’t succeed by year three then “you have to wonder if they’ll be able to get it done at all.”
- The Eagles are committed to drafting the best available player in each round, but in each instance that could potentially be a wideout, writes Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer. As a result, Berman says that it’s essential for the team to identify receivers they like and where in the draft they’ll be selected.
- Eagles general manager Howie Roseman isn’t impressed by the safeties in the upcoming draft and hinted that the position may not be a priority, writes Les Bowen The Philadelphia Daily News.
AFC West Notes: Chargers, Raiders, Chiefs
The Chargers appear to be all set at quarterback heading into the draft, with a depth chart led by Pro Bowler Philip Rivers. The team added Kellen Clemens this offseason and held onto seventh-rounder Brad Sorensen.
Even with the three signal callers, general manager Tom Telesco didn’t dismiss the possibility of drafting a quarterback next weekend. Per ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams:
“It’s something you keep your eye on because you never know,” said Telesco. “It’s probably not in the front of your mind, but it’s in the back of our mind all of the time. That’s why we evaluate every position like there’s nobody on our roster.”
In addition to the quotes, Williams reviews the team’s selections at the position since 2004. He also analyzes the Chargers possible quarterbacks selections this season.
Now, for some more notes out of the AFC West…
- Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie is “open to trading up, staying put or trading down for more picks,” writes Vic Tafur of SFGate.com. While sources say the Raiders wouldn’t be interested in either Johnny Manziel or Blake Bortles with their first-rounder, the general manager cautioned that he is “open to everything.”
- The Raiders are expected to sign a kicker to help veteran Sebastian Janikowski get through camp, says Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. The writer adds that a competition could develop, but he has his doubts about a young player overtaking Janikowski.
- Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star ranks the Chiefs biggest draft needs as wide receiver, offensive line, pass rusher, cornerback and safety. Paylor also says the Chiefs could potentially surprise by selecting a tight end or quarterback in the first round.