2017 April - Pro Football Rumors

Month: April 2017

Titans, Bills Hoping To Trade Down In Draft

April 22nd, 2017 at 8:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Titans and Bills are among the teams currently holding picks in the top 10 of next week’s draft who are inquiring on possible trades down the board, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), who also confirms Peter King of TheMMQB.com‘s recent report indicating the Jets and 49ers are eager to trade back, as well.

Tennessee, of course, traded the first overall selection to the Rams in 2016, acquiring a bevy of draft picks in the process. Depending on how far back the Titans are aiming to drop this year, the resulting compensation package may not be as lucrative, as Cole reported earlier today that top draft picks aren’t worth as much in 2017 due to the lack of “overwhelming” prospects available at the outset of Round 1. The Titans own the fifth overall selection at present, and also holds the No. 18 pick.

Buffalo, meanwhile, is thought to be considering a quarterback at No. 10, and could theoretically look to trade down if the signal-caller it wants is not available when its turn come around, as Josh Norris of Rotoworld speculates (Twitter link). Bills general manager Doug Whaley is reportedly “in love” with Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, but the club’s highest-graded QB may be UNC’s Mitch Trubisky.

The Browns stand out as one obvious team who may be willing to trade up, specifically with the Titans, and in fact have already been linked to such a trade. If Cleveland doesn’t select Trubisky with the No. 1 pick, it could move up with the intention of jumping — among other teams — the Bills, especially if Browns owner Jimmy Haslam continues to press for a quarterback.

Browns RB Isaiah Crowell Not Attending Workouts

April 22nd, 2017 at 8:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although the deadline has passed for restricted free agents to ink offer sheets with rival clubs, Browns running back Isaiah Crowell has yet to sign his second-round RFA tender and is not attending Browns workouts, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Crowell is one of three restricted free agents tendered at the second-round level who hasn’t yet signed his tender, a list that also includes Broncos kicker Brandon McManus and Chargers wide receiver Dontrelle Inman. If and when Crowell does ink the tender, he’ll be scheduled to earn a non-guaranteed $2.746MM base salary for the 2017 season. While Crowell did reportedly draw interest as an RFA earlier this year, it was always unlikely another team would sacrifice a second-round pick in order to add a running back with limited results at the NFL level.

That doesn’t mean Crowell can’t be traded at some point, but he’d need to officially sign his tender before that can happen. The Browns have expressed interest in collegiate backs such as Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook, and Joe Mixon throughout the predraft process, so it’s possible Cleveland could use the No. 12 or No. 33 pick on a runner while dealing Crowell away. In addition to Crowell, other backs on the Browns’ roster include Duke Johnson, George Atkinson, and Darius Jackson.

Draft Rumors: Kelly, Peterman, Jones, Chiefs

April 22nd, 2017 at 6:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

In addition to the Bills, Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly has also met with the Seahawks and Chiefs, as Kelly told SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). In addition, Kelly said he’s had phone calls with several other clubs. Kelly, the nephew of Bills legend Jim Kelly, is considered a Day 3 prospect thanks a multitude of injury concerns and off-field issues. After recovering quickly from a ACL tear, Kelly underwent wrist surgery in early April and won’t be able to throw for three months. Both Seattle and Kansas City are potentially looking for developmental quarterbacks to play behind Russell Wilson and Alex Smith, respectively.

Here’s more on the 2017 NFL draft:

Both the Chargers and Cardinals have hosted Pittsburgh quarterback Nathan Peterman on visits, as Peterman himself explained on Pro Football Talk Live. Peterman, who is likely to be selected on Day 2 of the draft, is viewed as a high-floor signal-caller in the vein of an Andy Dalton. Los Angeles and Arizona each employ veteran quarterbacks in Philip Rivers and Carson Palmer and could be looking to find long-term successors under center. The Chargers, notably, have been more open about their desire to land a youthful passer in 2017, and are reportedly putting in “ample work” on the 2017 class.
North Carolina State safety Josh Jones embarked on a “last minute” visit with the Raiders earlier this week, tweets Josh Norris of Rotoworld. Oakland already used a first-round pick on defensive back Karl Joseph in 2016, but Jones could be an eventual replacement for 33-year-old Reggie Nelson. Jones is considered a Round 2 prospect, but he’s been hosted by a significant number of NFL clubs during the predraft process, and there’s a chance he could sneak into Day 1. In 2016, Jones put up 109 tackles, three interceptions, and one sack.
A Redskins contingent traveled to Alabama on Friday to meet with Crimson Tide edge defender Ryan Anderson, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Anderson, who managed 8.5 sacks in 2016, has also met with Houston, Carolina, and Arizona. Likely a Day 2 prospect, Anderson was compared to San Francisco’s Ahmad Brooks by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith are penciled as Washington’s starting outside linebackers (Trent Murphy is suspended for the first four games of 2017).
Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham took late predraft visits with the Jaguars and Broncos, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Cunningham, a projected Day 2 pick, has also been linked to the Giants and Saints. Earlier this year, a scout told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report that Cunningham “needs to gain strength” and “make more tackles.”

Jaguars Considering Quarterback At No. 4?

April 22nd, 2017 at 6:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jaguars have largely coalesced around quarterback Blake Bortles this offseason, as general manager Dave Caldwell said Bortles can win a Super Bowl, while new executive VP Tom Coughlin indicated Bortles will be Jacksonville’s signal-caller in 2017. But there’s a chance — however small — that those proclamations are part of a smoke screen, as one rumor circulating in league circles has the Jaguars selecting a quarterback with the fourth overall pick, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com (Twitter link).

The possibility of taking a quarterback makes some sense for Jacksonville on a number of levels. For one, Bortles regressed mightily in 2016, taking a step back from his relatively successful sophomore campaign. Bortles, 25, finished 26th in quarterback rating, 27th in adjusted yards per attempt, and 26th in DVOA while tossing at least 16 interceptions for the third consecutive season. As such, Caldwell told reporters Friday the Jaguars have yet to make a decision on Bortles’ 2018 fifth-year option. Jacksonville has until May 3 to exercise or decline the option.

Additionally, there aren’t a ton of great prospect fits for the Jaguars at No. 4. Having already spent a good deal of money on free agents along the defensive line and in the secondary, Jacksonville doesn’t necessarily need an impact player on the defensive side of the ball. No offensive lineman is thought to be worth a top-five selection, leaving running back or tight end as possible options for the Jaguars’ first-round pick. Neither would fit a strategy of position-based drafting, whereas a quarterback clearly would.

The Jaguars have only had a few quarterbacks in for visits, as they’ve met with Clemson‘s Deshaun Watson and Pittsburgh‘s Nathan Peterman. However, Caldwell and the rest of the Jacksonville staff proved in 2014 they could keep a secret, as the team’s intention to select Bortles was never divulged prior to the draft.

Cole’s Latest: Panthers, Rivera, Watson, King

April 22nd, 2017 at 5:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

If the Panthers don’t earn a postseason berth in 2017, head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Dave Gettleman could be on the hot seat, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Carolina, of course, finished the 2016 campaign with a 6-10 record after losing only regular season game and securing a Super Bowl appearance the year prior. Both Rivera and Gettleman are now facing extra pressure, says Cole, which would be one reason the Panthers handed defensive tackle Kawann Short an extension earlier this week, as the club may have wanted to ensure Short was present for offseason activities.

Here’s more from around the league, all courtesy of Cole:

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson displayed a “CEO presence” in predraft meetings with NFL team, and his intangibles are highly impressive to personnel executives, reports Cole (video link), who adds Watson is considered the best leader among the top QB prospects. Listed at 6’2″, 220 pounds, Watson’s size does have some scouts concerned, as they aren’t sure he’ll be able to withstand the pounding of an NFL campaign. For what it’s worth, I sent Watson to Kansas City in PFR’s first 2017 mock draft.
Some NFL decision-makers believe Washington cornerback Kevin King is the most overrated player in the 2017 draft, per Cole (video link). King is an impressive physical specimen, especially for a defensive back, as he stands at 6’3″ and 200 pounds. But evaluators don’t believe King’s performance on the field matches his stature. While King has been creeping into the first round of mock drafts — specifically as a possible Seahawks target — one scout said he grades King as no better than a seventh-round choice.
As Peter King of TheMMQB.com reported earlier this week, the 49ers and Jets are among the clubs most eager to trade down at the top of the draft, but any such deals could come with a relatively cheap price attached, according to Cole (video link). Outside of Texas A&M edge defender Myles Garrett, the draft doesn’t contain multiple “overwhelming” players, per Cole, while the supply of clubs looking to trade down doesn’t equal the demand of teams hoping to move up.
One prospect that could lead to draft-day discussions is Stanford pass rusher Solomon Thomas, whom most NFL clubs consider the “clear” No. 2 player in this year’s class, reports Cole (video link). If the cost of trading up does remain low, several teams might consider moving up the board in order to land Thomas, as such a maneuver would be viewed as an “extraordinary bargain.”

Giants Monitoring Adrian Peterson, LeGarrette Blount

April 22nd, 2017 at 5:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Giants are among the clubs keeping an eye on free agent running backs Adrian Peterson and LeGarrette Blount, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Specifically, New York is waiting to see if either Peterson or Blount’s contract demands decrease before the draft.

Peterson has been linked to the Giants before, as head coach Ben McAdoo said “never say never” in response to a possible Peterson inquiry (previous reports had indicated Peterson was not a fit for Big Blue). Having visited the Seahawks, Patriots, and Saints, Peterson is still without a contract and is thought to be waiting until after the draft to find a new team. The 32-year-old reportedly looked “explosive” during a workout in New England, and may be willing to accept $5MM or less to play in the “right situation.”

Blount, meanwhile, hasn’t generated anything close to the market that has Peterson, as the only team that’s even remotely shown interest in Blount is Seattle. Although he reportedly had an offer on the table to return to New England, the Patriots’ dalliance with Bills restricted free agent back Mike Gillislee may change the status of that proposal. If Buffalo doesn’t match New England’s offer sheet to Gillislee and he heads to the Patriots, Blount likely will have lost his chance to re-sign with the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Giants did make one change to their running back corps this offseason, swapping out veteran Rashad Jennings for ex-49er Shaun Draughn, who signed a one-year deal. New York also boasts Paul Perkins, Shane Vereen, Orleans Darkwa, and George Winn in the backfield.

Draft Rumors: Lamp, Ross, Bengals, Hawks

April 22nd, 2017 at 4:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins have been looking for guard assistance for quite some time, and now that Laremy Tunsil will take over at left tackle, the team has an even bigger issue inside. This has put the Dolphins in the market for high-round help at guard, and Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com notes the team is “locked in” on Western Kentucky product Forrest Lamp with its first-round pick. The Dolphins did add Ted Larsen from the Bears, but guard remains the only offensive line position the team doesn’t have a long-term starter. Miami holds the draft’s No. 22 pick, and Pauline notes that defensive end resides as the other critical area the franchise wants to enhance. If a quality edge defender is on the board at 22, the Dolphins may pass and set their sights on a Day 2 guard, Pauline writes.

As for Lamp, Pauline hears the lowest he will drop will be the Falcons at No. 31. Atlanta lost Chris Chester to retirement to open a spot opposite Andy Levitre up front.

Here’s the latest coming from the 2017 draft prospect pool.

John Ross‘ medical history is causing some teams to drop him on their boards or remove the former Washington Huskies wideout from draftable lists entirely, Mike Mayock of NFL.com reports. Ross is currently recovering from shoulder surgery and underwent operations on both knees in 2015. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report listed the speedster as a possible Day 2 pick in light of these concerns.
However, the Bengals are hovering as a Ross suitor, Pauline reports. They have given Ross a clean bill of health, which looks to be the only issue between the receiver and a first-round selection. The Bengals, who pick at No. 9 (generally before Ross is being projected in mock drafts), took a wideout in the first round last year in Tyler Boyd. Boyd figures to have a bigger role in Cincinnati’s offense this season. The team also re-signed Brandon LaFell, crowding the receiver depth chart even before the draft.
East Carolina wideout Zay Jones is on the Seahawks‘ radar, per Pauline. They are expected to be prepared to take Jones in the second round, should the ex-Pirates pass-catcher fall to them at No. 58 overall. Todd McShay of ESPN.com (Insider link) places Jones as his fourth-best wide receiver prospect, and with three receivers potentially set to go in Round 1, that could be a stretch for Jones to make it to Seattle that late in Round 2. The Seahawks have taken two wideouts in the second round during this decade — Golden Tate and Paul Richardson.
Obi Melifonwu met with or auditioned for 14 teams, and just one — the Titans — viewed the Connecticut defensive back as a corner, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports. The UConn safety talent blazed to a 4.40-second 40-yard dash clocking, making him an intriguing get either in the late first or early second round. In addition to the workout circuit, Wilson notes Melifonwu has attracted steady interest from the Ravens, Raiders, Colts and Jaguars. The Bengals attempted to schedule a workout with Melifonwu, but the popular commodity’s schedule didn’t have room.
An NFL personnel man and a scout believe the Packers‘ No. 29 pick will be coveted among teams antsy to snag one a quarterback. “I think there’s going to be some action there at the end of the first round,” the scout said, via Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “With these quarterbacks, they need a five-year contract because they’re not ready. I think there will be a lot of movement coming up [into the first round]. With the depth of this draft at defensive end and safety and corner and tight end, I would be looking to trade down.” The personnel man added that the quarterbacks are going to “drive this draft.” With players like Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes expected to go before the Packers pick at 29, it’s conceivable talents like Davis Webb or DeShone Kizer could be coveted at the end of the round.

Jags Notes: Bortles, Marrone, Albert, Draft

April 22nd, 2017 at 3:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jaguars are undecided on Blake Bortles‘ fifth-year option, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union reports. But the Jacksonville-based writer notes that had the new-look Jags decision-making group planned to exercise it, word would have gotten out by now. The team has until May 3 to pick up the 2018 option, which could be worth as much as $18MM.

“We’re still discussing that,” Jags GM Dave Caldwell said. “There are a lot of things that go into it.”

Bortles has not shown himself to be what the Jags envisioned when they used the No. 3 overall pick on him, making Bortles the franchise’s second top-10 quarterback of the decade after Blaine Gabbert, and the current embattled starter’s play regressed last season. Caldwell said before the franchise established its new power structure that the next coach wouldn’t have to start Bortles this season, but he backtracked on that later in the winter, saying the fourth-year player was going to be the team’s quarterback. O’Halloran doesn’t expect the team to exercise the option, meaning the 25-year-old passer would be in a contract year.

Here’s the latest out of Jacksonville, courtesy of O’Halloran.

Former NFL executive Michael Lombardi believed the decision on Bortles has been made, telling O’Halloran the Jaguars are going to begin the potentially looming breakup in this draft. “[Tom] Coughlin’s going to draft a quarterback,” said Lombardi, who now works for The Ringer. “… Look, there are some times when we’re all better off saying, ‘We screwed that up. We really blew that. We have to admit we made a mistake.’ He has to be a guy they have to replace. This is the perfect draft to do it.” The Jags have Bortles, Chad Henne and Brandon Allen under contract, but the top two on the depth chart are only signed through 2017. Bortles represented the Jags admitting a mistake three years about Gabbert, and this draft would represent the same time span from when Bortles arrived. Of course, it would be somewhat of a surprise if the Jags went with a quarterback at No. 4 overall considering their recent history with such passers.
Doug Marrone has attempted to contact recent trade acquisition Branden Albert, but in a somewhat puzzling development the presumptive left tackle starter has not gotten back to him. “I have not had any communication with him [this week], which is a surprise,” Marrone said, via O’Halloran. “I don’t know what his thoughts are going forward. Obviously, it’s voluntary, but I was surprised that I didn’t receive a call back from him.” The 32-year-old Albert has not reported to his new team’s workouts yet. He’s holding out for a new contract, presumably one with more guaranteed money on it. Albert has two years remaining on his Dolphins-designed deal. That pact stands to pay the former Pro Bowler $8.9MM in 2017 and $9.6MM in ’18. The Jags have more than $51MM in cap space.
Coughlin provided some cryptic answers on his first draft since returning to north Florida, but the former Jags and Giants HC said the team is open to moving down from No. 4 overall. This could be relevant if the Jags want to stockpile picks, because the Browns are believed to be debating a move from their No. 12 pick back into the top 10 to take Mitch Trubisky. That is, if they don’t select him No. 1 overall, which is under consideration as well. This marks the sixth straight year Jacksonville has held a top-five pick.

Taylor Gabriel Signs RFA Tender

April 22nd, 2017 at 1:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Taylor Gabriel will be back with the Falcons as they continue their offseason program. The wide receiver signed his RFA tender, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

Barring a new contract, the fourth-year wideout will make $2.81MM on the second-round tender this season. Gabriel figures to again be a key part of Atlanta’s passing attack, one that dazzled last season under Kyle Shanahan‘s guidance.

Gabriel turned in a second season of quality complementary work, with his 579-yard showing in 2016 representing the second-most of his career. Shanahan’s one year in Cleveland helped the then-rookie target to a 621-yard campaign in 2014. The six receiving touchdowns last season, though, were far and away Gabriel’s career high.

He’s yet to excel outside of Shanahan’s stewardship, though, so 2017 figures to be a critical year for the 5-foot-8 performer as he makes a case for long-term employment in Atlanta or elsewhere as a free agent. The 26-year-old receiver stands to be a UFA in 2018. For now, he’ll return to his post alongside Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu after rewarding the Falcons for their prescient preseason waiver claim.

Glen Coffee Attempting NFL Comeback

April 22nd, 2017 at 12:29pm CST by Ben Levine

Glen Coffee is looking to return to the NFL. The running back has been reinstated from retirement and is attempting a comeback, reports Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (via Twitter). Following the news, Coffee was subsequently waived by the 49ers, and barring an unexpected waiver claim, he’ll become a free agent.

The 2009 third-round pick out of Alabama spent only one season in the NFL, serving primarily as Frank Gore‘s backup in San Francisco. In 14 games, Coffee ran for 226 yards and one touchdown on 83 attempts. The running back also hauled in 11 receptions, returned three kicks, and compiled 11 tackles.

Prior to the 2010 season, the running back curiously announced his retirement (this ultimately led to the 49ers signing veteran Brian Westbrook). Coffee intended to return to the University of Alabama to finish his degree, and he later acknowledged that he was never fully committed to the sport. The 29-year-old had been serving as a paratrooper and working for the 6th Ranger Training Battalion since 2013.

“I can tell you, he’s in great shape,” agent Ray Oubre said (via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). “The man doesn’t have a six-pack, he’s got a 12-pack. He’s been waiting for the right time to hopefully get a workout with someone and show what he can do.

“He had a calling, and right now he feels like it’s his time to show what he can do. He explained to me, ‘I can do things now that I couldn’t do when I was initially with the 49ers.’ That’s the kind of shape he’s in.”

It would have been a nice story for Coffee to return to the 49ers, but the team’s running back depth chart is crowded enough as is. The team is currently rostering Carlos Hyde, Tim Hightower, DuJuan Harris, Mike Davis, and Raheem Mostert.

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