Extra Points: Foster, Panthers, Cowboys

Two Alabama stalwarts are making the pre-draft visit rounds. Reuben Foster had dinner with Bears brass on Sunday night and visited the team’s facility today, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (on Twitter). Chicago holds the No. 3 pick in the draft. Although, the Bears spent upper-echelon inside linebacker money on Danny Trevathan and Jurrell Freeman last offseason.

Meanwhile, former Foster teammate Cam Robinson met with the Bills and Panthers. A Jaguars stop is next for the first-round tackle prospect, Rapoport reports. The Carolina visit occurred today. Robinson, Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk and Utah’s Garrett Bolles headline the tackle class.

Here’s more from around the league.

  • Speaking of Panthers tackles, Matt Kalil‘s arrival in Charlotte will return Michael Oher to the right tackle position, should he be cleared to return to action. He and 2015 fourth-rounder Daryl Williams will compete for the right tackle job, David Newton of ESPN.com notes. Oher remains in the concussion protocol after suffering what turned out to be a severe head injury early last season. The 30-year-old Oher has two years remaining on the 2016 extension he signed. Oher started at left tackle for the Panthers beginning at the start of the 2015 season.
  • Zach Brown‘s Dolphins visit began tonight and will likely continue into Tuesday, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports (on Twitter). Brown is arguably the best linebacker remaining on the UFA market. He worked with Fins linebackers coach Frank Bush while with the Titans.
  • Recently added Bengals linebacker Kevin Minter will begin his Cincinnati career as a middle ‘backer, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Minter played as a 3-4 inside ‘backer with the Cardinals. However, it’s possible he could see time on the strong side in the Bengals’ 4-3 set. Vontaze Burfict and Vincent Rey are the likely incumbents set to flank Minter. Karlos Dansby returned to the Cardinals, beginning the teams’ indirect swap of non-rush ‘backers and leaving a bit of a hole on Cincinnati’s second level.
  • Jelani Jenkins figures to be Malcolm Smith‘s replacement as the Raiders‘ weakside linebacker, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com notes. Smith played as the Raiders’ weakside man for two seasons and was the team’s most utilized linebacker during that span, operating as a nickel player and a 3-4 inside man when Oakland shifted into those looks.
  • Kellen Moore‘s one-year Cowboys re-up is for $775K, Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports (on Twitter). Both Williams and the Telegram’s Clarence Hill report the Cowboys did not want to pay nearly what Josh McCown received from the Jets ($6MM fully guaranteed) to fill their impending backup quarterback vacancy. Dak Prescott will make $540K in base salary this season.
  • Damontre Moore signed a two-year, $1.66MM deal with the Cowboys, one that contains a $100K signing bonus, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
  • Ray Rice remains focused on trying to re-enter the NFL. The former Ravens Pro Bowl running back said today his absence isn’t because he no longer has the ability. “The reason why I’m not playing football, you do the dots,” the now-30-year-old Rice said from Torrey Smith‘s charity basketball game in Baltimore, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “It ain’t because I’m a bad football player. That’s just keeping it real. I’m never giving up and never giving in.” Rice hasn’t played since the 2013 season. The video of him striking his then-fiancee, now-wife in an elevator that emerged in September of 2014 led to the Ravens cutting him. Rice’s incident figures to come up again as teams decide whether or not to take a chance on Joe Mixon, who was also seen punching a woman on camera.
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