2017 April - Pro Football Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/19/17

April 19th, 2017 at 4:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Wednesday’s minor NFL moves:

Restricted free agent offensive linemen James Hurst and Ryan Jensen have signed their tenders with the Ravens, as has exclusive rights free agent wide receiver Chris Matthews. The Ravens tendered both Hurst and Jensen at the lowest level last month, meaning they wouldn’t have been entitled to compensation had either headed elsewhere by way of an unmatched offer sheet. Hurst, a tackle, is the more experienced of the two, having appeared in all 48 regular-season games and totaled 16 starts during his three-year career. Jensen has also been in the NFL for three years, but the interior blocker only has 19 appearances and nine starts to his name.
The Raiders have announced the signing of kicker Giorgio Tavecchio, who was with the team in each of the previous three training camps. The Italy native, undrafted from Cal in 2012, has also spent time with San Francisco, Green Bay and Detroit, but he hasn’t seen any regular-season action yet.
The Rams have waived defensive back Kevin Short, who spent time on their practice squad last year and then signed a reserve/futures contract in January. Interestingly, Short came to the pros directly from the JUCO level, having played at Fort Scott Community College (Kansas). He went undrafted in 2015, unsurprisingly, and suited up for the Chiefs’, Seahawks’ and Jets’ practice squads prior to joining LA’s taxi squad.

Rams Claim OL Tre’ Jackson Off Waivers

April 19th, 2017 at 3:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Rams have claimed guard Tre’ Jackson off waivers from the Patriots, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Los Angeles can use reinforcements all along the front five after finishing as a bottom-five unit in both pass protection and run-blocking, per Football Outsiders. Veteran Rodger Saffold is projected to start at left guard, while Rob Havenstein is moving from right tackle to right guard, paving the way for former No. 2 overall pick to take over at tackle. Jackson, then, will likely start his Rams career as a depth option on the interior.

Jackson, 24, was a fourth-round pick in 2015, and played a significant amount of snaps during his rookie campaign as he started nine games for New England. According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson was roughly average in 2015, grading as the NFL’s No. 47 guard. Knee injuries knocked Jackson out at the end of that season, however, and forced him to spend the entire 2016 campaign on the PUP list.

The Rams will now assume the two remaining years on Jackson’s rookie contract. They’ll take on Jackson’s base salaries of $615K and $705K over the next two respective seasons, leaving the Patriots with only Jackson’s accelerated bonus money (roughly $260K) as dead cap space.

Chargers Putting In “Due Diligence” On Mitch Trubisky

April 19th, 2017 at 3:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers are doing “due diligence” on North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com.

The drum beat signalling a possible Los Angeles quarterback draft pick has gotten louder in recent weeks, as both franchise owner Dean Spanos and head coach Anthony Lynn have expressed their willingness to bring in a young signal-caller behind Philip Rivers. The Chargers are reportedly “serious” about finding a successor to Rivers, and have been linked to DeShone Kizer (Notre Dame), Davis Webb (California), and Joshua Dobbs (Tennessee) thus far.

Overall, the Chargers are putting in “ample work” on the 2017 quarterback class, but it’s unclear if the team will use the seventh overall pick on a passer. Los Angeles has other needs on its roster, and if, for example, a safety such as Ohio State’s Malik Hooker or LSU’s Jamal Adams is still on the board, the Chargers may be hard-pressed to pass up an immediate contributor in favor of a long-term prospect.

Los Angeles is far from the only team with interest in Trubisky, as Matt Miller of Bleacher Report indicated earlier today the Browns could trade up from No. 12 to No. 5 or No. 6 in order to land the UNC quarterback. In that scenario, Cleveland would not only be moving ahead of the Bills, who reportedly are intrigued by Trubisky, but in front of the Chargers at No. 7.

Browns Considering Trade Up For Mitch Trubisky?

April 19th, 2017 at 2:15pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Browns may be mulling a trade up from pick No. 12 in order to select quarterback Mitch Trubisky, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter links). The Titans at No. 5 and the Jets at No. 6 could be potential trade partners as Cleveland seeks to jump ahead of the Bills at No. 10.

Speaking to the media earlier today, Browns general manager Sashi Brown indicated he isn’t totally averse to the idea of trading up, but noted he isn’t interested in converting multiple picks into a single selection on a regular basis. “Open to it,” said Brown. “Positioned to do it. Don’t want to make a habit of it.” Peter King of TheMMQB.com recently speculated Cleveland could move up — perhaps as high as No. 2 — in order to acquire a quarterback after selecting Myles Garrett first overall.

Multiple reports have linked Trubisky to the Browns, and the club was reportedly considering him with the No. 1 pick at one point. But even if Cleveland goes with Garrett with the draft’s first pick, the club has enough ammunition to move back up in the first round. In addition to No. 12, the Browns own picks No. 33 and No. 52 in the second round and No. 65 in the third round. In 2018, they have two extra second-rounders, an extra fourth-rounder, and an extra sixth-rounder.

Tennessee, sitting at pick No. 5, doesn’t need a quarterback, and is in an excellent position to trade back if it so chooses. Notably, the Titans traded the first overall pick in 2016, sending the top selection, a fourth-round pick, and a sixth-round pick to the Rams in exchange for a first-rounder, two second-rounders, a third-rounder, a 2017 first-rounder, and a 2017 third-rounder. New York, meanwhile, could use a signal-caller, but may prefer to amass draft capital as they begin a rebuilding process.

AFC East Rumors: Pats, Ramczyk, Bills, Fins

April 19th, 2017 at 1:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

James White‘s three-year extension with the Patriots is worth $12MM, but can max out at $15MM, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. White, 25, picks up $4.69MM in guaranteed money, which likely means his $690K base salary for 2017 is now fully guaranteed. A hero of New England’s Super Bowl LI victory, White rushed only 16 times is 2016 and did most of his work through the air. On 86 targets, White managed 60 receptions for 551 yards and five touchdowns.

Here’s more from New England and the rest of the AFC East:

The Patriots hosted Wisconsin offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk on Tuesday, according to Rapoport (Twitter link). Offensive line is something of an underrated long-term need area for New England, especially given that incumbent left tackle Nate Solder is entering the final year of his contract. As such, the Patriots could look to secure a successor on the left side, although Ramczyk probably won’t be an option for New England unless it trades up (the Pats currently don’t have a pick until the third round). Ramczyk is viewed as one of the draft’s best tackle prospects along with Utah’s Garett Bolles and Alabama’s Cam Robinson.
Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly visited the Bills on Monday, reports Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. 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. Buffalo may be looking for a developmental quarterback in this year’s draft, as Tyrod Taylor‘s new contract doesn’t tie him to Buffalo for long.
The Dolphins visited with Clemson cornerback Cordrea Tankersley and Florida safety Marcus Maye this week, tweets Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. Tankersley is expected to come off the board on Day 2, and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compares him to Cincinnati’s Dre Kirkpatrick. Maye, too, is thought to be a Round 2 or 3 selection, but Eric Galko of the Sporting News, for one, calls Maye a darkhorse first-rounder.

Browns Unlikely To Trade For Veteran QB

April 19th, 2017 at 12:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Browns don’t envision trading for a veteran quarterback, general manager Sashi Brown told reporters, including Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link), today. Depending on Brown’s definition of the word “veteran,” that could rule out pursuits of the Patriots’ Jimmy Garoppolo and the Bengals’ A.J. McCarron.

New England reportedly isn’t willing to deal Garoppolo, but that hasn’t stopped the Browns from inquiring. The Patriots’ price for Garoppolo has varied, but Cleveland’s No. 12 pick isn’t going to get a deal done. The Browns aren’t willing to trade the No. 1 overall pick in exchange for a quarterback, so they may simply not match up with the Patriots on a swap.

The Bengals, meanwhile, aren’t actively shopping McCarron, but are willing to trade him (and would even be comfortable shipping him within the AFC North). Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com recently hinted Cincinnati would be open to sending McCarron and the ninth overall pick to Cleveland for pick Nos. 12 and 33. Using Chase Stuart of Football Perspective‘s draft value chart, that deal would imply McCarron is worth the 44th overall selection on his own.

At present, the Browns’ depth chart at quarterback includes Cody Kessler, Kevin Hogan, and Brock Osweiler. Although Osweiler had been expected to be traded or released, Brown said today the ex-Texan will have a chance to compete for the starting QB role, tweets Marc Sessler of NFL.com. Of course, that sentiment could simply be lip service until Cleveland decides how to proceed with Osweiler.

Browns Likely To Keep No. 1 Overall Pick

April 19th, 2017 at 11:30am CST by Dallas Robinson

While the Browns have received inquiries into the first overall pick — including from one club that was interested in moving up for a quarterback — Cleveland is likely to stay put at No. 1, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter links). “We feel really good about picking at one,” said general manager Sashi Brown.

The Browns, notably, traded away the No. 2 pick to the Eagles last year, acquiring a bevy of picks in the process. In exchange for No. 2 and a 2017 fourth-round pick, Cleveland picked up a 2016 first-rounder (No. 8 overall), a third-round pick (No. 77), a fourth-round pick (No. 100), a 2017 first-round pick, and a 2018 second-round pick. Brown said it would be a “surprise” if Cleveland moves down in a similar manner this year, tweets Cabot.

Trading up in the first round, meanwhile, could also be on the table, as Peter King of TheMMQB.com recently speculated, but Brown doesn’t sound fond of that idea either. “Open to it,” said Brown. “Positioned to do it. Don’t want to make a habit of it.” Cleveland owns a smorgasbord of selections in the first three rounds, but the club isn’t ready to turn multiple picks into one on a regular basis.

Finally, Brown called reports that Cleveland’s front office is torn between edge rusher Myles Garrett and quarterback Mitch Trubisky “false,” but also said total consensus is not the end goal. “Even if we all agree, we constantly are pushing each other,” said Brown. “Our job is not to agree.” Brown also said Cleveland won’t convey whom it intends to select before the pick is officially announced next Thursday, per Cabot (Twitter links).

Ryan Fitzpatrick Intends To Play In 2017

April 19th, 2017 at 10:29am CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn’t received a contract offer thus far, but he intends to continue his career in 2017, according to Gary Myers of the New York Daily News. However, Fitzpatrick did admit that his struggles in 2016 forced him to consider retirement.

“Last year was the most difficult year for me,” Fitzpatrick said. “Not physically, just kind of mentally and emotionally. I had to take a step back and think about it. Is this something I still want to do? Football is something so ingrained in me, something I love doing and definitely something I want to do. I still want to compete and I still think I can contribute whether I am in a starting role or whatever capacity.”

Fitzpatrick, 34, struggled through a nightmarish 2016 campaign, at times losing his starting job with the Jets while tossing 12 touchdowns against 17 interceptions. The year prior, however, Fitzpatrick managed 31 scores, and thanks to the dearth of quarterback options around the league, he’s PFR’s No. 2 free agent signal-caller at the moment. Fitzpatrick won’t be afforded another starting opportunity, but clubs that could speculatively use a backup quarterback include the Rams and Lions.

Fitzpatrick should come cheap, as he won’t garner anything close to the $12MM he earned with Gang Green last year. Thanks to the structure of his Jets contract, Fitzpatrick still counts for $5MM in dead money on New York’s 2017 salary cap.

Draft Rumors: Mahomes, Texans, Humphrey

April 19th, 2017 at 9:24am CST by Connor J. Byrne

Texans head coach Bill O’Brien “absolutely loves” Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes, according to one report, but Houston’s interest could be a smokescreen, writes Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. Pauline spoke to sources close to the organization who pointed out that the Texans are in win-now mode, meaning they’re more likely to use their first-round pick (No. 25) on a player who can make an immediate impact than select a project like Mahomes. There’s also a sense that current starting signal-caller Tom Savage‘s familiarity with O’Brien’s system will enable him to successfully transition from a backup to a No. 1. As such, there’s a stronger probability of the Texans taking an offensive tackle or a cornerback than a QB with their initial pick, per the sources.

More draft-related news and rumblings:

“Several” clubs have concerns regarding Alabama cornerback Marlon Humphrey, notes Pauline. Specifically, they fear that Humphrey is too much of a straight-line defender and someone who’s only capable of playing in limited schemes. Those teams liken him to ex-Crimson Tide corner Dee Milliner, who, despite going ninth overall to the Jets in 2013, is no longer in the NFL.
Kansas State edge defender Jordan Willis was among the Ravens’ pre-draft visitors Tuesday, and Houston’s Tyus Bowser will meet with the team Wednesday, relays Albert Breer of The MMQB (Twitter links). Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranks Willis as the 49th-best prospect in the 2017 class – right in the vicinity of the Ravens’ second-rounder (No. 47) – and rates Bowser an even better 36th.
Missouri defensive end Charles Harris‘ stock has risen so much that he could come off the board before Tennessee DE Derek Barnett, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jeremiah places Harris 21st in his rankings and Barnett 13th, and PFR’s Dallas Robinson currently has the former going 26th overall and the latter ninth. Harris recently worked out for the Falcons, as he tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
Indiana offensive lineman Dan Feeney could be a late first-rounder or an early second-rounder, according to Pauline, who reports he has visited the Vikings, Bears and Colts. Feeney also has meetings with the 49ers and Rams on tap. The Dolphins have also worked out Feeney, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, who adds Miami has also spent “considerable time” with Western Kentucky guard Forrest Lamp.

Aaron Hernandez Commits Suicide In Prison

April 19th, 2017 at 8:13am CST by Dallas Robinson

In a shocking development, former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez committed suicide in prison earlier this morning, report Aimee Ortiz and John R. Ellement of the Boston Globe.

“Mr. Hernandez was in a single cell in a general population unit,” according to a statement from the Department of Correction. “Mr. Hernandez hanged himself utilizing a bedsheet that he attached to his cell window. Mr. Hernandez also attempted to block his door from the inside by jamming the door with various items.”

Hernandez, of course, was serving a life sentence for the murder of Odin Lloyd in 2013. But he had recently been acquitted of another double murder committed in 2012. Hernandez was not on suicide watch as he’d given no signal that he was intent on harming himself, per the Boston Globe scribes, and no suicide note has yet been discovered. An investigation into the incident is still ongoing, however.

Hernandez’s death brings to a close one of the larger recent tragedies in the NFL sphere. Hernandez shined during his three seasons with the Patriots, and even secured a $40MM contract extension with the club. He was quickly released after the Lloyd murder investigation, began, however, and had been in custody ever since. Hernandez was 27 years old.