Draft Notes: Trades, Ekpre-Olomu, Ajayi, Bengals
A few more notes on what we’ve seen from the draft so far:
- The Jets curiously switched spots with the Jaguars to select quarterback Bryce Petty. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), the Jets made the move because the Browns had made an offer to the Jags for the same pick, presumably so Cleveland could select Petty. However, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal reports that the Browns were not targeting Petty with that selection (via Twitter). The Bengals also inquired about trading up for that pick, writes Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- The Packers made a pretty big leap to move up in the fifth round, where they targeted UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley, switching spots in the round and giving up only a seventh-round pick to do so. When asked how the deal came together, Packers Director of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf says the Patriots initiated talks, according to Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette (via Twitter).
- Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu has dropped further in the NFL Draft than he would have liked due to an ACL injury he suffered in December, but the silver lining is that his insurance policy was triggered after he fell past the first picks of the third round, reports Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. The policy cost Oregon $40,000, and should pay out $3 million in a loss of value policy, but Alper notes that Darren Rovell of ESPN writes that no player has ever successfully collected on a policy of this type.
- The Dolphins added Jay Ajayi with a fifth-round pick, despite reports that the Boise State running back failed some teams’ physicals leading up to the NFL Draft, writes Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). Ajayi be a one-contract player due to the results of those physicals, according to Beasley.
- The Bengals have now added two tight ends in the 2015 NFL Draft, in Tyler Kroft of Rutgers and C.J. Azumah of Auburn. They needed depth at that position behind Tyler Eifert, who is returning from injury this season, and those picks signify that former first-round pick Jermaine Gresham will not return, writes Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter).
Colts Acquire No. 151 Pick From 49ers
The Colts have traded up in the fifth round to No. 151, trading with the 49ers according to the team’s official Twitter account. The Colts will give up their fifth-round pick (No. 165) and a seventh-round pick (No. 244) in order to move up to that spot.
The Colts make the trade in order to select Stanford defensive tackle David Parry, reports Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral.com (via Twitter).
The team has made an effort to rebuild their defensive line this offseason by signing Kendall Langford. They also drafted Parry’s teammate on the defensive line Henry Anderson yesterday in round three. After losing in the AFC Championship game to a Patriots’ team that was able to run all over them, becoming more stout in the front seven was a priority for general manager Ryan Grigson.
Packers Acquire No. 147 Pick From Patriots
The Packers have moved up to No. 147, finding a trade partner with the Patriots, reports Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
The Packers have used that pick to select UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).
Hundley will slide in as a developmental backup for Aaron Rodgers. The UCLA passer was once thought of as a future superstar, but failed to developed despite impressive statistics in college. The Packers aren’t remotely looking to move on from their All-Pro passer, but Hundley does provide tremendous upside if he can improve his accuracy and decision making in the NFL.
The Packers could come away with a high-end backup in Hundley, who – if he develops properly – could be traded to a quarterback-needy team in a few years for a nice pick, while providing some injury insurance for Rodgers in the meantime. The 32-year-old Rodgers isn’t expected to retire anytime soon, but Hundley may be ready to be a Pro-Bowl talent at quarterback by the end of his rookie deal if he can overcome some of the weaknesses in his game.
In return for pick No. 147, the Patriots will receive a fifth rounder (No. 166) and a seventh rounder (No. 247) from Green Bay, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (via Twitter).
Falcons Acquire No. 137 Pick From Vikings
The first pick of the fifth round has already traveled quite a distance, having previously been held by the Buccaneers and Bills. The Vikings were set to pick at No. 137, but according to Andrew Krammer of 1500ESPN (on Twitter), the team will be shipping that pick to the Falcons. In return, Minnesota will get a fifth-rounder (No. 146) and sixth-rounder (No. 185), according to Matt Vensel of The Minneapolis Star Tribune on Twitter.
Atlanta will select Clemson defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, according to Vaugh McClure of ESPN.com (via Twitter). NFL.com projected the defensive lineman to be selected in the second round.
Jets Talked To Rams About Zac Stacy
The Jets have already made a number of splashes this offseason, but it looks like the front office is not done. According to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter), the Jets are one of “several teams” to have spoken to the Rams about running back Zac Stacy. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News clarifies (on Twitter) that the Jets discussions with the Rams did not include a formal offer. Stacy, of course, recently requested a trade following the Rams’ first-round selection of running back Todd Gurley.
The Jets already added one running back this offseason, signing former Patriots rusher Stevan Ridley. The team also has Bilal Powell and Chris Ivory under contract, but the Jets may be intrigued by the youth and potential of the 24-year-old Stacy.
The former fifth-rounder had a disappointing season in 2014, running for 293 yards and a touchdown on 76 carries. This was a far cry from his 2013 performance, when he rushed for 973 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. As our own Luke Adams previously pointed out, Stacy’s contract makes him a valuable trade asset. The running back is set to earn $585K in 2015 and $675K in 2016, and the Rams would be left with only $88K in dead money if they decided to move him.
Buccaneers Acquire No. 124 Pick From Raiders
For the second time today, the Raiders have moved down in the fourth round. Oakland will trade the No. 124 pick acquired from the Panthers to the Buccaneers, the Raiders announced on Twitter. In return, Oakland will receive a fourth round (No. 128) and seventh round (No. 218) selection.
With the pick, the Bucs will select LSU linebacker Kwon Alexander. The 20-year-old is the first defensive player selected by the Buccaneers since 2013, and it’s the first defender taken during Jason Licht and Lovie Smith‘s tenure.
Cardinals Acquire No. 116 Pick From Browns
After having taken Northwestern safety Ibraheim Campbell at pick No. 115, the Browns have traded their next selection. According to Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com (via Twitter), the Cardinals have acquired pick No. 116 from Cleveland. In return, the Browns will get a fourth-rounder (No. 123), sixth-rounder (No. 198) and seventh-rounder (No. 241), according to ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon on Twitter.
With the pick, Arizona will select Delaware State defensive end Rodney Gunter, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (on Twitter). He finished last season with 57 tackles and seven sacks.
Lions Acquire No. 113 Pick From Eagles
Having entered the day with no picks until the fifth round, the Lions have moved up to the fourth round. According to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter), Detroit has acquired pick No. 113 from the Eagles. In exchange, the Eagles have received a 2016 third-rounder from Detroit, according to Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).
According to the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter), the Lions will select Auburn defensive tackle Gabe Wright. The 23-year-old will never be confused with departed defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh (or replacement Haloti Ngata), but the rookie will certainly provide some depth and reinforcement at the position.
After trading out of the fourth round, the Eagles’s next selection is in round six, at pick No 191.
Draft Notes: Seahawks, Ajayi, Bills, Flowers
Some assorted draft notes from around the league…
- The Seahawks made a big push to move up to the No. 100 spot in the fourth round, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
- A “potential bone-on-bone issue” may be a contributing factor to running back Jay Ajayi falling in the draft, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan. The writer notes that the main concern is regarding the player’s longterm picture, not his immediate impact. He was projected to be a second-round pick by NFL.com.
- Meanwhile, a knee issue had led to FSU offensive lineman Tre Jackson falling in the draft, according to ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner (via Twitter).
- Joe Buscaglia of WKBW says if the Bills ultimately select a quarterback today, the rookie will end up on the practice squad (Twitter link).
- Giants first round pick Ereck Flowers will negotiate his own rookie contract, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (via Twitter).
Latest On La’el Collins
11:27am: According to Schefter (on Twitter), a team that had been “strongly considering” Collins will actually pass on the lineman. The writer notes that anything could now happen, perhaps indicating that Collins may go undrafted after all.
11:06am: While some members of the media expected talented offensive lineman La’el Collins to be selected on Friday evening, the LSU product since hasn’t heard his name called. That may change today, as ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Collins is “likely” to be picked at some point this afternoon.
We learned yesterday that the player was considering not signing with a team if he wasn’t selected in the first three rounds. The logic behind this decision is simple; if Collins is drafted but doesn’t sign, he’d have the opportunity to enter the draft next season. If his stock improves, he could be selected earlier in 2016, and he would subsequently receive a significantly higher salary.
However, as NFL.com’s Albert Breer points out (on Twitter), Collins will not be allowed to re-enter the draft is he goes undrafted this weekend. Going undrafted seems to be the worst-case scenario for the guard, as the bonuses for undrafted free agents don’t come close to the salaries for those actually drafted.
According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), Collins will meet with Baton Rouge investigators on Monday regarding the murder of his ex-girlfriend. Meanwhile, NFL.com’s Albert Breer tweets that the player’s attorney contacted all 32 NFL teams yesterday to “explain Collins’ situation.”