2015 April - Pro Football Rumors

Pats Exercise Option On Chandler Jones

April 30th, 2015 at 4:39pm CST by Luke Adams

The Patriots have exercised their fifth-year option on defensive end Chandler Jones, according to Will Brinson of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Brinson adds that the team has also picked up its option on Dont’a Hightower, which was reported yesterday.

Jones, 25, missed six regular season games last season with a hip injury, but was productive as usual during his time on the field, recording 51 tackles, six sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles. In 2013, the only season in which he has played all 16 contests, Jones racked up 11.5 sacks.

As the 21st overall pick and a defensive end, Jones will be in line for a $7.799MM salary for the 2016 campaign before being eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2017. That salary doesn’t become fully guaranteed until the start of the ’16 league year, and the cap figure could always be adjusted if the Patriots work out something longer-term with Jones.

For all of this year’s fifth-year option decisions, which are due by Sunday, be sure to check out our tracker.

Draft Rumors: Collins, Gregory, DGB, Spain

April 30th, 2015 at 4:25pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s “some suspicion” that LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins may go undrafted all three days this weekend, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Even though Collins is not considered a suspect in a Louisiana police investigation, the case involves a shooting death and NFL investigators haven’t been able to uncover much info on it, so teams figure to play it safe until they know more. In an effort to buy time to clear his name, Collins asked for permission to withdraw from his draft and be eligible for the supplemental draft instead, but the league denied that request.

Here’s more on the draft:

A personnel man whose team has a top-10 pick tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) that his team is preparing to draft Nebraska edge rusher Randy Gregory tonight. “We’re not going to let him get past us,” Getlin’s source said. That sounds like it could be a smoke screen, given all the negative reports swirling around Gregory this week. Still, according to Getlin, this personnel man believes Gregory may be the most talented player in the draft, likening him to Derrick Brooks and Jason Taylor (Twitter links).
A source close to Dorial Green-Beckham‘s camp tells Danny Parkins of 610 AM in Kansas City (Twitter link) that the Chiefs, Cowboys, Bengals, Texans, and 49ers have shown “a lot” of interest in the young wideout within the last 36 hours.
West Virginia offensive lineman Quinton Spain, who received a fourth-round grade from some teams, worked out for the Jets, Steelers, Bengals, Titans, Falcons, and Buccaneers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
Albert Breer of the NFL Network identifies six teams he believes can control this year’s draft.

La’el Collins Not Allowed To Enter Supplemental Draft

April 30th, 2015 at 3:44pm CST by Zachary Links

3:44pm: The NFL has rejected Collins’ request to withdraw from tonight’s draft and be eligible for the supplemental draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

3:10pm: Both Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links) are hearing that the league is unlikely to allow Collins to withdraw and enter the supplemental draft.

2:20pm: Collins has major obstacles to overcome in his bid to get out of tonight’s draft and into the supplemental draft, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. For starters, he’s a senior and automatically draft eligible. Beyond that, he’s seeking the help of the NFLPA and since he’s not in the league yet, the NFLPA doesn’t represent him yet.

1:43pm: La’el Collins is seeking to have his name pulled from the draft, allowing him time to clear his name and then enter the supplemental draft, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (on Twitter).

The police want to talk to Collins to ascertain information relating to the murder of a pregnant woman. Collins is not a suspect in the killing, but it’s not 100% clear what his level of involvement is (if any), and that has scared off many NFL teams. The authorities have said that they will not talk to Collins until after the conclusion of the draft, leaving his situation far too murky and uncomfortable for interested clubs.

The NFL supplemental draft takes place in the summer and is designed to give players a second chance to get drafted when they miss the boat for the main draft in the spring. Typically, players enter the supplemental draft because of academic or disciplinary matters that affected their eligibility. A quick scan of the supplemental draft’s history shows that there is no precedent for a case like Collins’.

In the final version of his mock draft, PFR’s Rob DiRe projected Collins to go No. 14 to the Dolphins. Talent-wise, Collins has been universally regarded as a first round caliber player. His increasingly murky legal situation, however, makes the top half of the first round seem less and less likely.

Marcus Mariota Rumors: Thursday

April 30th, 2015 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota are the consensus top two quarterbacks in this year’s draft class, and while Winston is considered by many to be the more NFL-ready QB, it’s Mariota who is dominating headlines as the first round nears. With Winston viewed as a near-lock to come off the board first overall to the Buccaneers, the big question heading into tonight is which team will end up with Mariota, either at No. 2 or a little later.

Here’s the latest on Mariota and that No. 2 overall pick:

Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) identifies the Eagles and Browns as the top two contenders for Mariota and the No. 2 pick, suggesting that Philadelphia is willing to put Sam Bradford, Mychal Kendricks, and Fletcher Cox on the table in trade talks. According to Cole, the Titans want a 2016 first-round pick in any deal, and are looking to somehow come away with a potential franchise quarterback, since that would raise the value of an organization that may be sold within the next couple years.
If the Eagles want to get from No. 20 to No. 2, they may need to go through the Browns at No. 12, sending Bradford to Cleveland, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. I don’t think the Browns would give up the No. 12 pick for Bradford straight up, and it would still take quite a bit to move from No. 12 to No. 2.
Despite the obstacles, the Eagles continue to make a serious bid for the second overall pick, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
While there are no offers currently on the table that would make the Titans bite, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) fully expects those offers to improve over the next few hours.
Earlier today, the Rams, Jets, and Bears were also mentioned as teams that have spoken to Tennessee about the No. 2 overall pick.

Dolphins Pick Up Ryan Tannehill’s Option

April 30th, 2015 at 3:06pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 3:06pm: The Dolphins have officially exercised their option on Tannehill, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.

WEDNESDAY, 7:59pm: The Dolphins will exercise the 2016 option on quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s contract, a league source tells Mike Florio of PFT. Tannehill was the No. 8 overall pick in the draft three years ago.

The Dolphins quarterback is now slated to earn $16.155MM in the fifth year of his contract. The Dolphins have been said to be interested in hammering out an extension and that, of course, could still happen. As Florio notes, the $16.1MM salary for ’16 sets the floor, the question now is what the ceiling will be for one of the league’s better young quarterbacks.

Florio has heard from people in football that they believe the Dolphins will make a very-good, but not great offer. Tannehill, who previously blinked in a contract snag as a rookie, is widely expected to play it safe and take the guaranteed dollars rather than go for a jackpot.

Tannehill, 27 in July, threw for a career high 4,045 yards in 2014, completing 392 out of 590 passes on the year. He threw for 27 touchdowns, a career high, with a career best 12 interceptions on the year.

Extra Points: Brees, Saints, Bucs, Collins

April 30th, 2015 at 2:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Saints GM Mickey Loomis says he may take a quarterback in this year’s draft, but he doesn’t see the end of the line for Drew Brees anytime soon either, ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett writes. “That’s a good question,” Loomis said. “I think you’re always looking to get a young quarterback in the program. We’ve got one in Ryan Griffin that we like. And if an opportunity presents itself, hey, we may take another one here. But I don’t see the end for Drew Brees on the short-term horizon. At least I certainly hope not. But it does take time for these quarterbacks to develop. And we’re conscious of that. We evaluate the quarterbacks. And obviously if an opportunity presents itself to take one at the right time, we’re not afraid to do that.” More on that and other news from the NFL..

If the Saints draft Bryce Petty, it’ll be a clear indication that Jeff Ireland is already calling the shots there, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets.
Ed Werder of ESPN (via Rob Demovsky on Twitter) says the Buccaneers may be looking to move up into the bottom of the first round. The Bucs currently pick at No. 34 and Demovsky wonders if the Packers at No. 30 could be a match.
Multiple teams have removed LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins from their draft boards, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Bills GM Doug Whaley called Kentucky defensive end Za’Darius Smith a “perfect fit” for the type of scheme they run, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW tweets.
Army running back Raymond Maples has been granted administrative leave to attend team activities if he’s drafted or signed, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets.
With so few quality safeties available, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that James Sample (Louisville) and Damarious Randall (ASU) will go higher than most people think.

49ers Sign Philip Wheeler

April 30th, 2015 at 2:28pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers announced that they have signed linebacker Philip Wheeler. In related moves, the team also released wide receiver Trindon Holliday and waived guard Fou Fonoti and wide receiver Lance Lewis.

Wheeler, 30, has spent time with the Colts, Raiders, and Dolphins over the course of his seven-year career. In total, he has played in 108 games (60 starts) and has registered 455 tackles, 5.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In 2013 with the Dolphins, he led the team with a career-high 118 tackles. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Wheeler as the 18th best outside linebacker in a 3-4 set last season, giving him an overall grade of 2.6.

Holiday, a kick return specialist, appeared in the team’s season finale against the Cardinals and returned three kickoffs for 83 yards. Fonoti never saw the field for the Niners after being placed on IR in late July. Lewis, meanwhile, spent the 2014 season on SF’s taxi squad before signing a reserve/future deal in December 2014.

Browns Could Move Up Or Down

April 30th, 2015 at 2:05pm CST by Zachary Links

While the Browns have had talks with the Titans about moving up to land Marcus Mariota, they’ve also talked with teams about moving back from No. 19, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Cleveland is keeping their options wide open heading into tonight’s draft, Rapoport adds.

Earlier today, Browns head coach Mike Pettine told NFL Network’s Andrea Kremer that “opinions on Marcus Mariota in this building are varied.” Of course, opinions were split on Johnny Manziel too, but that didn’t stop the Browns from drafting him last year. Cabot also reported that the Browns do not want to surrender their first-rounder in 2016 in order to land the Oregon quarterback. That could be fueling their openness to moving back in the draft rather than forward.

Dolphins Looking To Move Up

April 30th, 2015 at 1:41pm CST by Zachary Links

Dolphins are laying the groundwork for a trade that would vault them up the draft board in round one, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Years ago, Mike Tannenbaum authored a trade to move up and select cornerback Darrelle Revis when he was the GM of the Jets. Now the head decision maker in Miami, Rapoport hears that he could once again be making a play for a defensive back.

In a class where the defensive backs at the top are thought to be underwhelming, it’s not immediately clear who Tannenbaum could have his eyes on. Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes is regarded by most as the best cornerback in this class and likely the only one with a shot at going in the top ten. The Dolphins are just a bit outside of that at No. 14, so he could be their target. Kevin Johnson (Wake Forest) and Marcus Peters (Washington) also figure to go in the top half of the draft, so it’s conceivable that Miami could be looking to pounce on one of them.

Michael Brockers Drawing Trade Interest

April 30th, 2015 at 1:40pm CST by Luke Adams

1:40pm: The Cardinals did not inquire about Brockers and the Rams wouldn’t trade him in the division anyway, a source tells Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter).

12:17pm: A report earlier this week indicated that the Rams were exercising their 2016 option on defensive tackle Michael Brockers, but apparently teams around the league aren’t convinced that St. Louis will hang onto Brockers for the long term. According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link), the Cowboys, Texans, and Cardinals have been calling the Rams trying to strike a deal for Brockers, and the Dolphins have also expressed interest.

Brokers, 24, has played well for St. Louis since being drafted 14th overall by the team in 2012, though his sack total slipped in 2014. After recording 46 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2013, Brockers totaled just 32 tackles and 2.0 sacks last year.

The presence of 2014 first-round pick Aaron Donald may have limited Brockers’ impact last season, and he may see his playing time reduced a little this coming season after the Rams signed former Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley in free agency. I imagine Brockers will still see plenty of action on running downs, but the idea of having Donald, Fairley, Robert Quinn, and Chris Long getting after the quarterback on passing downs must be tantalizing for the Rams.

Last month’s addition of Fairley to go along with Donald is likely what’s spurring teams to call the Rams about Brockers. St. Louis is already spending a good chunk of money on its defensive line, so the idea of paying Brockers $6.146MM (his option salary) for 2016 may be a little off-putting.

Nonetheless, Rams COO and EVP of football operations Kevin Demoff said yesterday that there’s a better chance of Adam Wainwright pitching again for the Cardinals this year than there is of the Rams trading Brockers (Twitter link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Wainwright, of course, recently tore his Achilles and will miss the rest of the MLB season. Still, it’s worth noting that the Rams adamantly denied that Sam Bradford was going anywhere, just weeks before he was dealt to Philadelphia.