Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks is drawing trade interest from multiple teams, but it would take something “real significant” for New Orleans to deal the 23-year-old, head coach Sean Payton told the team’s website (video link). Still, Payton didn’t deny that talks have taken place and he says the Saints are “always listening,” particularly when there are opportunities to improve their defense.
More from around the NFL:
- Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell says safety Jonathan Cyprien and cornerback Prince Amukamara will hit the open market, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union tweets. The 26-year-old Cyprien was the more impressive of the pair in 2016, when he ranked as Pro Football Focus’ seventh-best safety and amassed 126 tackles and four pass deflections over a career-high 16 starts. Amukamara, 27, often had difficulty staying healthy as a Giant from 2011-15, but last year he appeared in his most games (14) since 2013. And though he failed to record an interception for the first time, Amukamara did rank a respectable 42nd among PFF’s 112 qualified corners.
- The 49ers plan to transition cornerback Jimmie Ward to free safety in 2017, GM John Lynch told Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “We’re excited to give (Ward) an offseason to say, ‘Let’s give this a go,’” said Lynch. “That doesn’t preclude him from playing nickel in some situations, or moving around. I think he brings some great versatility.” Safety isn’t foreign to Ward, who played the position at Northern Illinois and then started a game there with the Niners as a first-round rookie in 2014. As a cornerback, the 25-year-old has logged 34 appearances (18 starts) and two interceptions. PFF rated Ward as the league’s 46th-best corner last season. The Niners will have to decide by May whether to pick up his fifth-year option for 2019.
- Unless the Lynch-led 49ers acquire a bona fide starting quarterback in free agency or via trade, there will be pre-draft speculation that the team could use a high-round pick – perhaps the No. 2 overall selection – on a signal-caller. Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer stands as one of the top QBs in this year’s class, and Lynch lavished praise on him Thursday (via Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today). “Last night we had an interview with DeShone Kizer,” he said. “This whole thing is not about an interview, but if we’re grading him on that alone, he blew the doors off of it. He’s an impressive young man. His film is impressive, too.” Lynch also called the QB class of 2017 “very talented,” which runs counter to the notion that it’s among the worst ever.
- The Falcons are likely to re-sign defensive lineman Courtney Upshaw sometime in the next week, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Upshaw joined the Falcons on a $1.25MM deal last year and went on to post modest numbers (23 tackles, a forced fumble and a half-sack) in 13 appearances and five starts.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Cyprien to the Chargers to play for Gus Bradley again and replace Addai when he takes more money and signs elsewhere.
Instead of moving Ward to the Free Safety spot, the 49ers should take a long and hard look at signing Cyprien.
If they can sign Cyprien, that would allow their secondary much more flexibility. On 3rd and medium to long situations, they could drop Tartt in the box, use Ward as a moving chess piece, and then they could have Cyprien and Reid roaming as their safeties…
Sounds like a good idea and plan to me, Lynch make it happen!! lol
Cyprien is an in the box safety, not one you would want being a roamer.
As a Jags fan, I’d be fine with Amukamara returning if Gilmore or Bouye go elsewhere. He’s solid enough to be a No. 2 corner and the turnovers should come if their pass rush ever develops. However, I’m still not sold on Cyprien. I don’t know what other safeties are even out there that could replace him as I think it is risky to possibly bank on the safety out of LSU (Adams I think it was) still being available in the draft. I would prefer Adams over Cyprien, but again, there’s no guarantee he’s even available. If Cyprien doesn’t ask for an absurd amount, I’d be fine with them bringing him back though.
Also, I wouldn’t doubt it if Lynch was speaking so highly of Kizer just to boost his draft stock and Kizer’s reputation…
He knows exactly how the media works, and how to work the media angle to his and the 49ers advantage!!
I’m sure we will see many more examples, like this with Kizer, of Lynch using his media connections to paint a very promising picture of the available QB’s in the draft or just the 49ers #2 pick in general.
ward is a interesting player he doesnt have a set spot but maybe the former safety can help ward find his spot on the defense
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