2016 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Rams To Meet With Jared Goff And Carson Wentz

April 16th, 2016 at 8:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Though Rams general manager Les Snead has said he’s “97% sure” which quarterback his club will select with its recently-acquired No. 1 overall pick, reports have conflicted as to whether Los Angeles prefers California’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz. In an effort to choose between the two, the Rams will meet with both QBs in advance of the draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Los Angeles has already worked out both Goff and Wentz, and has surely spent the past few months watching game film of the two signal-callers, so it’s not clear what else can be learned by more meetings with the pair. Additionally, it’s somewhat difficult to believe that the Rams would trade up to No. 1 — and sacrifice so much draft capital — without having a clear idea of whom they want to select.

There are several reasons why the Rams may have yet to announce whom they’ll draft, with one being simply that they haven’t decided between Goff and Wentz. Los Angeles might also be trying to create a smokescreen in order to generate interest in the first overall pick (an idea postulated by PFR’s Zach Links earlier this week) — such a scenario would probably have to include the Rams moving down to No. 2 via a three-team trade, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk outlined earlier today. Alternatively, it’s possible the Rams are hoping to create a buzz around the team by not announcing the pick, allowing the club to get headlines while they make the move to Los Angeles.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rams Notes: No. 1 Pick, Adams, Rose, Palacio

April 16th, 2016 at 7:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Rams unquestionably made the most notable move of the week, trading away a collection of picks to the Titans in order to move up to No. 1. Since then, there’s been a number of conflicting reports about exactly which quarterback prospect — Cal’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz — Los Angeles is targeting. While we wait for news to rise to the surface, let’s take a look at a few notes out of LA, both about the Rams’ choice at No. 1 and the draft overall…

The Rams could find a way to both secure their quarterback of the future and acquire more picks, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk lays out. If Los Angeles indicates that they’ll be happy with either Goff or Wentz, they could convince a team that is certain it wants one or the other to move up to No. 1 via a three-way deal with the Browns — such a move would allow the Rams to select the remaining QB at No. 2 while giving Cleveland a cache of picks. It’s an unlikely scenario, though the thought process could help explain why Los Angeles hasn’t yet indicated which signal-caller it wants (though GM Les Snead did say he’s “97% sure” which quarterback he’s taking).
While the Rams debate which quarterback to select first overall, they worked out another QB at their local pro day, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (Twitter link) that Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams‘ workout went “very well.” Adams, who is expected to be drafted in the later rounds, could be an option for Los Angeles if they want to secure a long-term backup.
New Mexico State cornerback Winston Rose also participated in the Rams’ local pro day, as Wilson writes in a piece for the National Football Post. Rose posted three interceptions over 23 games during his career with the Aggies.
Washington State’s Kache Palacio met with and worked out for the Rams today, as his agent Brett Tessler tweets. Palacio, who started 36 games at linebacker for the Cougars, is also capable of playing fullback and works on special teams, as Tessler notes.

South Notes: Norman, Falcons, Texans, Bucs

April 16th, 2016 at 5:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We learned earlier today that one franchise-tagged player — Broncos linebacker Von Miller — won’t be attending his club’s offseason program, and it sounds like another franchise player will take the same approach, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (Twitter link) that Panthers cornerback Josh Norman won’t join Carolina’s conditioning program. As Rapoport notes, it’s standard practice for unsigned franchise players to stay away from team activities until a deal is worked out.

Here’s the latest from the NFL’s two South divisions…

Because they only have five picks in this year’s draft, the Falcons are going to have to take a different approach when targeting players, Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff tells D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We think the draft is going to be interesting for us and creative for us,” said Dimitroff, and Ledbetter notes that the club might explore trading down from the No. 17 pick. Additionally, the Falcons are said to be one of a number of teams that are “very interested” in Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith‘s medical recheck, presumably because Smith could prove to be a draft-day steal if he slips.
Rutgers receiver Leonte Carroo will visit the Texans on Tuesday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Carroo, a favorite of some NFL draftniks, has already met with the Patriots, Jets, Dolphins, and Giants. PFR’s Rob DiRe projected Carroo to come off the board at the end of the second round in the first edition of PFR’s Mock Draft.
Texans left tackle Duane Brown is progressing nicely as he recovers from offseason surgery to repair a torn quadriceps muscle, and Wilson details Brown’s rehab in a separate piece at the Chronicle. As Wilson notes, Houston has no incentive to rush Brown back to the field given that they re-signed swing tackle Chris Clark to a two-year deal.
After working out for the Buccaneers yesterday, USF tight end Sean Price is expected to meet with the Texans on Friday, tweets Jenna Laine.

Extra Points: Broncos, Kaepernick, P. Lynch, Bears

April 15th, 2016 at 10:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The blockbuster trade between the Rams and Titans that saw Los Angeles acquire the first pick in the draft, with which it will presumably select a quarterback, could have a notable ripple effect on the Broncos’ pursuit of Colin Kaepernick, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post. If the Rams take Cal signal-caller Jared Goff and the Browns, who hold the second choice, prefer Goff to North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, it might lead Cleveland to trade down with a team that wants Wentz. If that team isn’t San Francisco, which is scheduled to pick seventh, it could result in the 49ers closing the door on trading Kaepernick. Renck doesn’t expect the 49ers to deal him without a legitimate solution at quarterback in place, and their best non-Kaepernick option right now is the less-than-stellar Blaine Gabbert.

Draft Rumors: Jaylon Smith, Cowboys, Broncos

April 15th, 2016 at 7:46pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith – once considered a sure bet to be one of the top picks in this year’s draft – is expected to sit out next season as a result of the torn ACL and MCL he suffered New Year’s Day, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Smith’s medical re-check Friday didn’t look much different than the report from the combine, when he failed multiple teams’ physicals, tweets Rapoport. The news isn’t necessarily a death knell to Smith’s career, however, as Rapoport adds that “many teams” believe he’ll return to full strength come 2017. While Smith’s first-round hopes appear dashed, he’s still a possibility for Day 2 (the second or third round), per Rapoport (via Twitter). That, however, will hinge largely on a team’s willingness to make a high-risk, high-reward selection in the early going.

Here’s more of the latest draft news:

The Cowboys have visited with and/or worked out Oklahoma wide receiver Sterling Shepard, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Shepard put up tremendous production last season (86 catches, 1,288 yards, 11 touchdowns) and could be a fit for the Cowboys in the second round.
In addition to the previously reported Lions, Auburn offensive tackle Shon Coleman has visited the Buccaneers, Panthers, Patriots, Titans and Vikings, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
Clemson second-team all-ACC linebacker B.J. Goodson has had six visits, three of which have been with the Jaguars, Broncos and Dolphins (reported earlier this week), writes Wilson.
The Buccaneers, Cardinals, Chargers and Chiefs are all interested in Bowling Green receiver/returner Ryan Burbring, per Wilson (on Twitter).
Arizona State guard Christian Westerman has worked out for the Bengals and Saints, he told Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic, adding that he has an upcoming workout for the Broncos (Twitter link).
The Texans are showing “steady interest” in William & Mary linebacker Luke Rhodes, Wilson writes. They also have interest in Toledo defensive lineman Orion Jones, a source told Wilson.
Connecticut safety Junior Lee has privately worked out for both New York teams – the Giants and Jets – as well as the Colts, reports Wilson (Twitter link).

West Rumors: Broncos, Keenum, Rams, Foles

April 15th, 2016 at 5:57pm CST by Luke Adams

With the Rams poised to use their newly-acquired No. 1 pick to select a quarterback, the Broncos might have some interest in Case Keenum, who had been in line to be the starter in Los Angeles, tweets Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Troy Renck of the Denver Post adds (via Twitter) that the Broncos had some interest in Keenum before the Rams placed a first-round RFA tender on the QB.

Even if the Broncos are interested in working out a deal for Keenum, it’s not clear if the Rams would be on board. With Carson Wentz or Jared Goff joining the team, the depth chart at QB will certainly be crowded, with the rookie joining Keenum, Sean Mannion, and Nick Foles. However, the Rams like Keenum enough that they may prefer to explore a deal involving Foles or Mannion.

In fact, when Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk asked Rams head coach Jeff Fisher whether Foles will be on the team’s regular-season roster in 2016, Fisher was noncommittal, but called it a “good question,” hinting that the former Eagle could be the odd man out.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s West divisions, including a few more Rams-related notes:

Rams general manager Les Snead said today during an appearance on ESPN Radio that his team is “97% sure” about which player will be the first overall pick, as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com tweets.
As part of the trade for the No. 1 pick, the Rams agreed to send a 2017 third-round pick to the Titans. According to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com, that third-rounder will be a compensatory pick, since those comp picks can be traded beginning in 2017, and the Rams expect to get one for losing Janoris Jenkins. If L.A. doesn’t get a third-round comp pick, the team will send its own pick to Tennessee, and get a 2017 seventh-rounder back from the Titans.
The Broncos are expected to re-sign free agent safety Shiloh Keo when their offseason program gets underway next week, reports Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post (via Twitter). Keo, who signed in Denver last December, was arrested for driving under the influence in February.
The Rams hosted Iowa tight end Henry Krieger-Coble for a pre-draft visit today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
While the Chargers are viewed as a near-lock to select Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil if he’s on the board at No. 3, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune explains why Tunsil may be a bit of a “messy fit” in San Diego. Gehlken makes some good points, but given the Chargers’ offensive line woes in recent years, it would still be a surprise if they pass on the draft’s top tackle.

Titans Working To Move Back Into Top 10?

April 15th, 2016 at 4:42pm CST by Luke Adams

After the Titans sent their No. 1 overall pick and two other selections to Los Angeles in exchange for four 2016 picks and two 2017 selections, general manager Jon Robinson referred to his collection of picks as “currency,” suggesting that his team might not be done trading. And according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), Robinson may be trying to make another first-round move.

[RELATED: Titans send No. 1 pick to Rams]

La Canfora reports that he continues to hear the Titans are “working hard” to trade back into the top 10. Tennessee is currently set to pick at No. 15, and getting back into the top 10 would ensure that the team could land a top defensive player or offensive tackle.

While the Titans explore another draft-pick swap, the Browns, who hold the No. 2 overall pick, are also mulling a move, says La Canfora (Twitter link). According to the CBSSports.com insider, most teams expect the Rams to use their top pick on Cal quarterback Jared Goff, who is Cleveland’s preferred signal-caller. Taking that into account, the Browns’ interest in trading their pick has “intensified,” since they don’t think Goff will be available for them.

Of course, while La Canfora’s sources seem confident that both the Rams and Browns prefer Goff to Carson Wentz, there have been conflicting reports on both fronts. As we detailed yesterday, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times and ESPN’s John Clayton are among the reporters who believe the Rams intend to pick Wentz, and multiple reports in recent weeks have indicated the Browns like Wentz as well.

Many draft-pick trades aren’t officially consummated until draft day, once teams trading up can be sure that their desired target(s) will be available, so there may not be any resolution on these situations within the next few days. It’s certainly something worth monitoring as April 28th approaches though — it seems possible that there could be a decent amount of movement at the top of this year’s draft.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pauline’s Latest: Eagles, Elliott, Mathews, Cook

April 15th, 2016 at 1:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net is back with another round of draft-related updates and rumors at WalterFootball.com, so let’s see what he has for us, with less than two weeks until draft day….

If the Eagles select running back Ezekiel Elliott and decide to make Ryan Mathews available, the Cowboys and 49ers would have interest in the veteran, per Pauline. As James Walker of ESPN.com tweets, Elliott feels like the Eagles have shown the most interest in him so far, so it’s possible he’ll end up in Philadelphia. Even in that scenario though, and even if the club was willing to trade Mathews, it’s not clear whether Howie Roseman would be enthusiastic about dealing with a divisional rival or with Chip Kelly‘s team.
Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook continues to be plagued by leadership questions, with Pauline hearing that he came off as “flippant and cavalier” during some team interviews. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported earlier this week that he expects Cook to come off the board earlier than many observers expect, which could still be true, since all it takes is one team willing to roll the dice.
San Jose State running back Tyler Ervin is drawing interest around the league and could end up as a day two pick, says Pauline. The Panthers, Browns, Texans, Saints, and Patriots have hosted Ervin for pre-draft visits.
Vanderbilt linebacker Stephen Weatherly has worked out for the Panthers, Patriots, Colts, and Cardinals, and has visited the Panthers, Broncos, Saints, Raiders, Chiefs, and Vikings. Meanwhile, Maryland linebacker Yannick Ngakoue worked out for the Texans, Cowboys, Saints, Colts, Titans, Ravens, Dolphins, and Patriots, in addition to making several previously-reported visits. Pauline believes both players may come off the board earlier than expected.

Draft Rumors: Lawson, Jack, Eagles, Bills

April 15th, 2016 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

Medical re-checks are taking place this week for some prospects, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has updates on how they went for a pair of top defenders. According to Rapoport (Twitter links), the re-check for Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson confirmed that there’s no concern about his availability for 2016 — one team had flagged Lawson’s shoulder, but was comfortable with it after getting a closer look at the combine.

Meanwhile, although UCLA linebacker Myles Jack told ESPN’s Stephania Bell that his re-check went great, adding that “no one had any concerns,” Rapoport says that’s not quite the case. Teams had “differing opinions,” with some clubs believing the knee is a potential issue. Still, Rapoport says that teams who believe in Jack won’t be deterred by today’s medicals (Twitter links).

Let’s round up a few more draft updates and rumors from around the NFL…

The Rams gave the Titans a massive haul of picks to get the No. 1 selection because they believed Tennessee was about to pull the trigger on a deal with the Eagles, Howard Balzer of USA Today tweets.
With Tyrod Taylor and EJ Manuel both entering contract years, the Bills are “very much” in the hunt for a quarterback in this year’s draft, sources tell Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
In an article for FOX Sports, Schrager lays out the case for why there’s a chance the Browns, who hold the No. 2 overall pick, might become the second team to trade down from the very top of this year’s draft.
Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch met with the Saints on Thursday and will visit with the Jets on Friday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Gannon quarterback Liam Nadler is drawing interest from the Texans, Steelers, Chargers, Jets, Eagles, and Seahawks, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle. Wilson also reports (via Twitter) that the Texans, Buccaneers, Dolphins, Patriots, and Bears are among the teams to show interest in South Florida edge defender Eric Lee.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC Rumors: Treadwell, Giants, Packers, Rams, Britt

April 14th, 2016 at 8:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the NFC:

Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell identified the Giants and Bears last month as two teams that had shown interest in him. Now, he’ll visit both of those clubs. Rand Getlin of the NFL Network tweets that Treadwell will visit the Giants on Monday, then the Bears after that.
With seven members of the Packers‘ 2016 free agent class still unsigned, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com explores whether or not Green Bay will eventually re-sign players like fullback John Kuhn, linebacker Mike Neal, and others.
Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt has signed with agent Fadde Mikhail for representation, as Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal tweets. Britt, a Rutgers product, was formally repped by SportsTrust Advisors. Britt, 28 in September, caught 36 passes for 681 yards and three touchdowns in 2015. That was a step back from 2015 when he hauled in 48 passes for 748 yards and three scores. Britt is scheduled to carry a cap number of $4.85MM this season before hitting the open market.
The Cardinals met with Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott on Thursday, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Texas-El Paso defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris is set to visit the Packers next, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.
Linebacker Leonard Floyd has been visiting the Bears over the past two days, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

2016 NFL Draft News & Rumors