2015 April - Pro Football Rumors

Bucs Draft Jameis Winston First Overall

April 30th, 2015 at 7:12pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Buccaneers have selected Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston with the first overall pick. The 2013 Heisman winner has long been cemented as Tampa Bay’s probable choice with the top selection, with Oregon QB Marcus Mariota also having generated consideration.

Winston emerged as a national name during the 2013 season, during which he passed for more than 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns en route to leading the Seminoles to the National Championship. During his redshirt sophomore season in 2014, Winton took a bit of step back, throwing for just 25 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. However, he did take FSU to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff, and finished his career with a 26-1 record.

Of course, Winston has been involved in his share of off-the-field trouble, including a sexual assault allegation and shoplifting incidents. Some in the Bucs’ ownership group were reportedly uncomfortable with tabbing Winston as the club’s face of the franchise, but he apparently alleviated many of those concerns through the predraft process.

Winston is the clearly the biggest piece of Tampa’s offseason rebuild, following the club’s signing of free agents Henry Melton, Chris Conte, and Bruce Carter, and acquisition of George Johnson. Winston will immediately slot in as the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback, ahead of 2013 draftee Mike Glennon.

Details On Eagles’ Proposed Trade Package

April 30th, 2015 at 7:05pm CST by Luke Adams

According to multiple reports, the Eagles have been most aggressive in their efforts to move up to the top of the draft to land quarterback Marcus Mariota, having had discussions with both the Titans at No. 2 and the Buccaneers at No. 1. Now, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has details on what Chip Kelly and the Eagles are offering to move up from No. 20.

According to Rapoport (via Twitter), Philadelphia’s proposed package would include two first-round picks (including this year’s), a third-round pick, defensive lineman Fletcher Cox, cornerback Brandon Boykin, linebacker Mychal Kendricks, and more. Rapoport adds that Sam Bradford has also been included in the Eagles’ offers (Twitter link).

Rapoport’s report on the Eagles’ proposal backs up Jason La Canfora’s tweet that Philadelphia’s offer is “substantial.” According to La Canfora, the Browns remain willing to include both their first-round picks in an offer to the Titans, but Cleveland likely won’t come close to trumping the Eagles’ offer (Twitter links).

For now, at least, the Titans and Buccaneers both appear inclined to stay put.

East Rumors: Scherff, Fowler Jr., Agholor, Pats

April 30th, 2015 at 7:02pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest from the NFL’s two East divisions:

Washington could prefer offensive lineman Brandon Scherff to edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr., per Dianna Marie Russini (Twitter link), who adds that the club could move back to target a defensive lineman like Danny Shelton.
USC receiver Nelson Agholor is a “good bet” to be the fourth receiver selected, and he’s been connected to the Dolphins, Chiefs, and Texans recently, tweets Albert Breer of NFL.com.
Admitting that the Patriots’ draft strategy is uncertain as of now, owner Robert Kraft said that this draft features solid options in the middle rounds, meaning New England could trade down (Twitter links via Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald).

Latest On Todd Gurley

April 30th, 2015 at 6:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With the draft about to begin, let’s check out the latest on perhaps the top running back available, Georgia’s Todd Gurley…

Dolphins sources have provided hints that they want to select Gurley, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). No source has said this outright, per Salguero, but reading between the lines, it sounds like Miami wants Gurley.
Though Salguero (via Twitter) suggests that the Chargers could look to move ahead of the Dolphins for Gurley, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union Tribune says (Twitter link) that San Diego could prioritize offensive line help over adding an RB.
Another team could be in on Gurley, as the 49ers could be surprise contender to draft the running back, per Dianne Marie Russini of NBC 4 (Twitter link).
Earlier tonight, we heard that in addition to the Dolphins and Chargers, the Browns could aim to trade up for Gurley.

Bears Discuss No. 2 Pick With Titans

April 30th, 2015 at 6:33pm CST by Luke Adams

6:33pm: Besides the Eagles, the Bears are the team pushing hardest for the No. 2 pick, tweets Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Kuharsky passes along word from ESPN’s Bob Holtzman (Twitter link) that the Bears have tried to stir up interest in Cutler, but the Titans have no interest.

2:51pm: A handful of teams, including the Eagles, Browns, Jets, and Rams, continue to be cited as potential Marcus Mariota suitors, linked to the second overall pick in the draft. Now, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has added another club to that list. According to Rapoport (Twitter links via Shayne L. Marsaw), the Bears have touched base with the Titans about the possibility of moving up to No. 2.

The Bears, who currently hold the No. 7 overall pick, would certainly have an easier time moving up from their spot than a team like the Eagles (No. 20) would, but there are several notable roadblocks impeding a potential deal. For one, the team has Jay Cutler under contract, and while the new regime hasn’t exactly been overflowing with praise for the incumbent quarterback, the guaranteed money still left on his contract would make it difficult to simply move on from him.

Additionally, the Bears have a number of other holes on their roster, and will likely be in the market for players who will fit their new defensive scheme — surrendering multiple picks to move up for Mariota would significantly hinder the club’s ability to add talent at several different positions.

Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report (Twitter links) suggests that the Bears’ primary needs are at wide receiver, tight end, cornerback, and safety, and landing a pass rusher wouldn’t hurt either. Giving up another premium pick to move up from No. 7 to draft a quarterback would leave Chicago with plenty of question marks, putting pressure on the club to nail its mid-round picks.

Cardinals Exercise Michael Floyd’s Option

April 30th, 2015 at 6:19pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 6:19pm: The Cardinals made the decision official today, formally exercising Floyd’s option, per Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).

WEDNESDAY, 5:16pm: The Cardinals have told wide receiver Michael Floyd and his reps that they are picking up his fifth year option, a source tells Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter).

As of last week, the Cardinals were said to be on the fence regarding Floyd’s fifth-year option for 2016. Word was that Arizona would wait until after the draft to make that determination, but it sounds like the front office has reached a consensus more than 24 hours before the first pick. Floyd is now in line to earn a salary of $7.32MM and his salary is guaranteed in the event of an injury.

Larry Fitzgerald has long been the face of the Cardinals and the focal point of their passing attack but in 2014 we saw the torch being passed a bit to the younger Floyd. In 16 regular season games, Floyd caught 47 balls for 841 yards and a career-high six touchdowns. Fitzgerald out performed him by some measures, notching 63 catches for 784 yards and two scores, but there were multiple games last season where Floyd was the No. 1 target.

The Cardinals are clearly high on Floyd’s upside and it should only get better with a more stable quarterback situation in 2015.

Breer’s Latest: Titans, Gurley, Rams, Bears

April 30th, 2015 at 6:13pm CST by Luke Adams

With the draft less than an hour from getting underway, Albert Breer of the NFL Network took to Twitter to pass along a number of draft-related nuggets. Here are the highights from Breer (all Twitter links):

The Titans have fielded offers for the No. 2 pick, but haven’t gotten any to their liking yet and are ready to draft Marcus Mariota. The club isn’t very interested in picks below 15th overall as a central part of any trade package.
Teams like the Browns, Dolphins, and Chargers are eyeing Todd Gurley, and it’s possible one of those clubs – or another suitor – will get anxious and trade up for the Georgia running back, given the interest he’s generating.
Although Washington, the Jets, and the Rams are all viewed as trade-down candidates in the top 10, St. Louis is a little more flexible than the other two teams, who may not want to drop too far. Washington may target an offensive lineman like Brandon Scherff or Ereck Flowers if Scot McCloughan decides to move down, and those players – or Andrus Peat – could be targets for the Giants and Rams as well.
There’s a belief that Giants GM Jerry Reese would prefer a pass rusher to an offensive lineman at No. 9, but depending on how the first few picks play out, the value might not match up.
According to Breer, the run on offensive lineman may happen earlier in the first round than people think, which may motivate one or two teams to trade up. Cameron Erving has a chance to go in the teens. The Panthers and Broncos are among the teams picking late in the first who are seeking offensive linemen.
Cornerback Trae Waynes is generating buzz and could go as high as seventh overall to the Bears. Dupree and Kevin White are also in the mix at No. 7. The draft range for Amari Cooper appears to be between the third and sixth overall pick, so he likely won’t be available for Chicago at No. 7.
The Falcons may decide to move up from No. 8 for an impact defender like Leonard Williams, but if they stay where they are, Bud Dupree could be their man.
Either Sean Mannion or Bryce Petty figures to be the third quarterback off the board, and it’s not likely to happen in the first round.
According to Breer, teams believe Shane Ray will slip but will be picked in the first round, whereas Randy Gregory isn’t viewed as a first-round pick.

Draft Rumors: Gurley, Saints, K. Johnson

April 30th, 2015 at 6:01pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Three teams who pick in the top ten are considering Georgia running back Todd Gurley, according to Todd McShay of ESPN (Twitter link). The Dolphins are also known to be in on Gurley, but it sounds like he may not last that long.

Here are some more rumors as we approach the start of the draft:

A “high-level” Saints source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) that the club doesn’t intend to take a quarterback in the first round. Previous reports had indicated that New Orleans would be interested in Baylor QB Bryce Petty at No. 31.
Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson is expected to be off the board by the time the Ravens pick at No. 26, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who notes that the Dolphins, at pick No. 13, could consider Johnson.
It’s possible that we see a run on offensive tackles near the end of the first round, which could cause the Broncos to consider trading up. However, Denver won’t give up a second-rounder to do so, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post.
The Lions recently called Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi to double-check his contact information, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). That might not mean much on its face, but at least we know Ogbuehi, who is recovering from an ACL injury, is still on Detroit’s board.
The Rams have received calls from teams interested in moving up to the tenth pick, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Bucs Committed To Drafting Winston; Deal Unlikely

April 30th, 2015 at 5:50pm CST by Luke Adams

5:50pm: The Buccaneers are committed to drafting Winston with the first overall pick at this point, and don’t feel they’ll receive enough value to make a trade worthwhile, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

5:35pm: Within the past hour, the Bucs have been receiving calls about trading the first overall pick, including one from the Eagles, but nothing is happening on that front at the moment, per Werder (all Twitter links). Werder adds that NFL sources who are most familiar with Tampa Bay’s coaching staff and management team are convinced that the club won’t give up its chance to draft Winston.

4:56pm: While a number of teams have spoken to the Titans about the No. 2 overall pick and Marcus Mariota, it’s “pretty clear” that the Eagles are the team most aggressively pursuing that selection, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Meanwhile, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report tweets that the Titans aren’t the only team at the top of the draft getting calls about their pick — the Buccaneers are also receiving inquiries about the first overall pick.

If the Titans aren’t budging off of No. 2, it makes sense that the Eagles would contact the Bucs about the first overall pick — Tampa Bay might not want quite as massive a haul as Tennessee, and perhaps talking to both teams could give Philadelphia some leverage in trade discussions. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, there are indeed rumblings that the Eagles could set their sights on that first overall pick, though it’s not clear what combination of picks and players the Bucs might want for it.

Although the Eagles still could make a last-ditch effort for that first overall pick, Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) has been assured twice by his “most trusted” Bucs source that, as of 45 minutes ago, the team isn’t discussing a deal with Philadelphia. However, Werder adds (via Twitter) that GM Jason Licht‘s colleagues have told him he’ll be surprised how many offers come in late, so Tampa Bay isn’t locking in that No. 1 pick quite yet.

I doubt the Eagles will put an offer on the table that makes the Bucs part with the first overall pick, but if the club has any lingering doubts about Jameis Winston‘s off-field behavior, the idea of loading up on draft picks and/or established NFL veterans could have some appeal. At this point though, a deal appears very unlikely.

Philip Rivers Won’t Be Traded

April 30th, 2015 at 5:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers have told quarterback Philip Rivers that he won’t be traded, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union Tribune (Twitter link). Extension talks between the two parties are ongoing, adds Acee.

Though the rumors of a Rivers trade, specifically to the Titans, have been flying for some time, we heard on Monday that San Diego hadn’t had any discussions about moving its franchise quarterback, and were instead focused on extending him. Most reports centered around Tennessee acquiring Rivers, the 17th overall pick, and possibly more draft compensation in exchange for the No. 2 pick. Although the Chargers probably would have had a shot at Marcus Mariota, they presumably decided that either the haul required to move up was too great, or that Rivers was too valuable.

For the Chargers, this news means that they’ll stay put in the middle of round one for now, and probably target either offensive line help or a pass rusher. For the Titans, it means that they won’t be acquiring the veteran Rivers, and can now focus on either accepting another package for the second pick (possibly from Cleveland or Philadelphia), or staying at No. 2, and possibly selecting Mariota for themselves.