With just a few hours left until the 2014 NFL draft gets underway in New York, the first round is rightly the focus of the football world. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a handful of other reports on non-draft subjects. One such report comes from Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who writes that the Seahawks recently hosted veteran defensive end Andre Carter for a visit. At age 34, Carter is no longer the difference-maker he once was, but he could be a worthwhile backup piece on an elite defensive unit in Seattle.
Here’s more from around the NFC and AFC West divisions:
- Wide receiver Doug Baldwin is the only unsigned restricted free agent out there, but it sounds like he and the Seahawks are making progress on a longer-term deal, as he tells Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “I will say things are going in the right direction,” Baldwin said. “I don’t know how much time it’s going to take. They’ve got the draft to deal with. So we are in preliminary talks. But hopefully we will figure something out soon.”
- The Rams are more likely to have trade options with the No. 13 pick than the No. 2 pick, unless Jadeveon Clowney is available at No. 2, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. If Clowney goes first, Greg Robinson is viewed as the likely pick for St. Louis — if Clowney is still on the board, another team could push the Rams for a trade.
- TheMMQB.com’s Peter King suggested earlier today that if Blake Bortles falls into the twenties, “a team with a very good quarterback” will try to make a trade to land him. King doesn’t name the team, but a Broncos source confirms to Mike Klis of the Denver Post that it won’t be Denver.
- Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link) is hearing rumblings about the Chargers having interest in Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy. Acee adds in a second tweet that cornerback remains the team’s top priority in the first round, but that San Diego is performing due diligence on pass rushers.