La Canfora’s Latest: Conley, Cowboys, Tabor
Ohio State’s Gareon Conley is now being considered the safest cornerback prospect in the draft, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Fellow Buckeye Marshon Lattimore may have chronic hamstring issues that are scaring NFL teams, while Florida’s Teez Tabor posted poor measurables and reportedly isn’t fairing well during the predraft interview process. Conley, however, is viewed as a “super-clean” player, per La Canfora, and could be the top corner off the board later this month.
Here’s more from on the draft, all courtesy of La Canfora:
- The Cowboys will likely look into Conley and the rest of the defensive back class after losing their top two corners — and two of their top three safeties — in free agency, writes La Canfora. Dallas has used an ample portion of its predraft visit allotment on cornerbacks, and may look to add a back-end defender at pick No. 28. A trade up to draft an “impact” corner isn’t out the question, says La Canfora.
- Jarrad Davis (Florida) is expected to be the second off-ball linebacker selected in the draft, following Alabama’s Reuben Foster, reports La Canfora. Davis’ Pro Day, during which he posted a 4.56 40-yard dash and 38.5 inch vertical jump, impressed pro clubs, per La Canfora, and Davis is viewed as a leader who could immediately step into an NFL defense. Lance Zeirlein of NFL.com compares Davis to the Panthers’ Shaq Thompson, noting Davis’ “plus acceleration” and “closing burst.”
- NFL teams have been “turned off” by Oklahoma receiver Dede Westbrook, according to La Canfora, who notes Westrbook’s combine interviews left a negative impression. Westbrook, who has a history of off-field trouble, is reportedly deemed “undraftable” by some clubs, as Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com indicated last month. Based on his on-field production, Westbrook is a projected fourth-round pick, per Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com, who compares Westrbook to Houston’s Will Fuller.
- Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard could be the sixth quarterback off the board following Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, DeShone Kizer, and Davis Webb, says La Canfora. NFL teams like Beathard because he comes from a pro-style system, and La Canfora would be surprised if Beathard isn’t drafted by the conclusion of Round 4. In his senior season, Beathard completed 56.5% of his passes for 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Latest On 2017 QB Draft Market
Mitch Trubisky is likely to become the first quarterback off the board in the draft later this month, but ordering the rest of the class is exceedingly difficult, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Scouts consider the second-tier of signal-callers to be comprised of Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes, but it’s unclear which prospect will be selected first among that pair. Davis Webb, meanwhile, is picking up more steam as a potential first-round pick, while “attitude and maturity” questions could force DeShone Kizer out of the first round.
The Chargers are putting in “ample work” on this year’s quarterback class, and are perhaps more likely to select a passer at No. 7 than many observers believe, per La Canfora. Both head coach Anthony Lynn and owner Dean Spanos have intimated their openness to drafting a quarterback in 2017, and Los Angeles is reportedly “serious” about finding a long-term successor to Philip Rivers. So far, the Chargers have been linked to Kizer, Webb, and Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs.
Like Los Angeles, the Saints and Cardinals may also try to secure replacements for Drew Brees and Carson Palmer, respectively. New Orleans will select a quarterback on Day 1 “in all likelihood,” writes La Canfora, and could use either pick No. 11 or No. 32 to draft a passer. For what it’s worth, I sent Kizer to the Saints at the end of the first round in PFR’s first 2017 mock draft.
Arizona, meanwhile, is attempting to “gauge internally” the price of trading up from No. 13 in order to draft a quarterback, reports La Canfora. Cardinals brass met with Trubisky on Monday, as team owner Michael Bidwill, general manager Steve Keim, and head coach Bruce Arians dined with the UNC signal-caller in Phoenix, tweets Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910. Arians voiced concerns about Trubisky last month: “The growth potential is obviously there,” said Arians. “The question is why wasn’t all that talent starting for the last three years? That’s always bugging me.”
Finally, the Texans “are drafting a quarterback high,” declares La Canfora, and Mahomes is unlikely to fall past Houston at No. 25. Clearly, the Texans are in need of talent under center, as the only quarterbacks currently on the roster are Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden. Veteran passers such as Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick aren’t expected to interest the Texans, so a draft pick will probably be added to the squad.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/11/17
Today’s minor moves:
- The Patriots re-signed exclusive rights free agent defensive back Brandon King, according to the league’s transaction wire. King, 23, has appeared in 29 total games over the past two seasons in New England. While he didn’t play a single defensive snap in 2016, King was a stalwart on special teams, where he saw action on roughly a third of the Pats’ snaps and put up 10 tackles.
- The Jaguars re-signed exclusive rights free agent defensive back Peyton Thompson, per the league wire. Thompson, 26, went undrafted out of San Jose State in 2012. After starting his NFL career in Atlanta, Thompson has spent the past three seasons in Jacksonville. Last year, he played 84 defensive snaps and 284 special teams snaps.
- The Packers have waived cornerback Makinton Dorleant, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. Dorleant was arrested along with Chicago’s Deiondre’ Hall earlier this offseason, and charged with suspicion of interference. After going undrafted in 2016, the 24-year-old Dorleant spent much of his rookie season on injured reserve before being activated in December. He played in four games (primarily on special teams) before being placed on IR again.
Colts Host Johnathan Hankins On Visit
One month after the start of free agency, Johnathan Hankins remains on the open market. It’s possible that we could see the defensive tackle – finally – find his NFL home. Hankins visited the Colts on Tuesday, according to a source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). 
The Colts, we presume, are the previously reported “mystery club” that jumped in the mix for Hankins. The 25-year-old is the best free agent still left on the board, but his market has developed at a snail’s pace. Today’s Colts meeting is his first visit of this free agent cycle.
Hankins is PFR’s best free agent interior defender left on the board and would give the Colts’ D-Line a major boost after the free agent departure of Zach Kerr. The Colts have upwards of $30MM in cap space, per Over The Cap, so the room to sign Hankins should certainly be there. The defensive tackle had visions of a monster multi-year deal when free agency opened, but at this point he might be willing/forced to settle for a reasonably-priced one-year deal.
So far the Dolphins and the incumbent Giants are the only teams known to have been in communication with Hankins. The Dolphins seem unwilling to commit big dollars to him, however, and the Giants will only go so far to retain him.
Linebacker James Laurinaitis Retires
James Laurinaitis is calling it a career. The linebacker announced via social media that he will retire instead of seeking an NFL home for the 2017 season. 
“The thing I’m going to miss the most is the locker room,” Laurinaitis wrote. “The conversations and relationships I built with all that I’ve battled with will be my favorite memories. Players, coaches, equipment staff, medical staff, community outreach, marketing, you name it, the people I’ve met through this game is what I’ll take with me. I’ve been blessed way more through football than I could’ve ever imagined.”
Laurinaitis was with the Rams for the first seven years of his career but the team left him behind before playing its first game in Los Angeles. Prior to the 2016 season, Laurinaitis hooked on with the Saints, but things did not go according to plan. After six games, the 30-year-old was placed on IR just as rookie Sheldon Rankins was designated for return from IR. The move meant that Laurinaitis could not take the field for the Saints again in 2016.
As a courtesy, New Orleans granted him his release, but he was unable to find work. Late-season auditions with the Lions and Chiefs did not result in an offer from either squad.
Laurinaitis will be best remembered for his many years as a starter in St. Louis. From 2009 through 2015, he was first string in every possible regular season game. The former second round pick had 16.5 career sacks and 870 total tackles.
Jaguars Release LB Dan Skuta
The Jaguars have released linebacker Dan Skuta, according to a team announcement. The move will save the Jaguars $4.1MM against this year’s cap.
Skuta, 31 later this month, came to Jacksonville on a five-year, $20.5MM deal two years ago. That free agent investment did not pan out. Skuta was demoted to a bench role in 2016 and turned in his worst campaign in the last four years, according to Pro Football Focus. Skuta’s 68.3 overall score would have placed him as the No. 62 ranked edge defender in the league last year, if he had enough snaps to qualify. He saw only 268 defensive snaps across his 13 games.
The Jaguars have revamped their reserve linebacker group this offseason with the signings of Lerentee McCray, Josh McNary, and Audie Cole. With Skuta gone, the Jags still have six outside linebackers on the roster and nine linebackers in total. Myles Jack, Paul Posluszny, and Telvin Smith currently project as the starters.
Skuta’s deal called for him to earn $4.1MM in each of the next three seasons, but none of that money was guaranteed.
Seahawks Drop Richard Sherman Price
Last week, Seahawks were telling teams that they would only part with Richard Sherman in exchange for “a very good player” plus a high draft pick, according to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. Already, it seems that asking price has dropped a bit. The Seahawks are now looking for a first-round pick in the upcoming draft plus a conditional mid-round choice in 2018, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com.
For what it’s worth, Garafolo (Twitter link) says the asking price has always been a first-round pick plus a future mid-round choice. But, Salguero has a history of rock solid reporting and, with that in mind, it appears there has been a reduction in Seattle’s ask.
As former NFL executive Joe Banner suggested recently, Garafolo says the Darrelle Revis trade of 2013 could give us an idea of the kind of return that would come in a Sherman deal. The Jets received a first-round pick in 2013 and a fourth-round pick in 2014 in exchange for Revis, which is right in line with what Seattle is now asking for. That fourth-round pick was a conditional choice that would have blossomed into a third-round selection if Revis remained on the roster on the third day of the 2014 league year.
Either the market for Sherman isn’t quite as strong as the Seahawks anticipated or the Seahawks were intentionally setting an inflated sticker price to begin the sweepstakes. Now, one has to wonder if the Seahawks will be willing to take even less than the Revis package as we get closer to the draft.
If the Seahawks do not find a suitable deal for Sherman, they may have to work on mending some fences with their star cornerback.
Will Someone Other Than Garrett Go No. 1?
The No. 1 overall pick is an open and shut case – unless it isn’t. Popular thinking in recent weeks has Myles Garrett going to the Browns, but they’re not ruling out Leonard Fournette with the top selection. The LSU running back is a possibility, per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, although JLC concedes that it’s still unlikely to happen. 
Garrett is widely considered to be the best talent in this year’s class at any position and would be a strong choice for the rebuilding Browns. By the same token, there are other quality defensive ends to be had early in the draft and the Browns have a stockpile of picks to use. Solomon Thomas, Derek Barnett, Charles Harris, Takkarist McKinley, Taco Charlton, and T.J. Watt all hold varying levels of promise and some of those names can be had as late as the second round. The Browns presently own four picks in the top 52 and five picks in the top 65. Passing on Garrett could come back to haunt them – the Texas A&M actually says that he’ll “punish” the Browns in the NFL if he doesn’t hear his name called at the top of the draft – but there are still alternatives to consider later on.
Fournette isn’t the only non-Garrett player to be mentioned in connection with the top pick. Though Mitch Trubisky‘s momentum has cooled significantly, it wasn’t long ago that he was thought to have a chance at going No. 1. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who considers Trubisky to be the BPA (best player available), but Cleveland has an obvious need under center. If the Browns really like Trubisky or Deshaun Watson, they could theoretically play it safe and shock the world by taking a quarterback at No. 1 instead of waiting for pick No. 12 or later.
With a few weeks to go until the draft, what does your gut tell you about the Browns’ intentions with the top pick? Will they select Garrett, a player who they have bestowed with an “astronomical grade”? Or will they go in a different direction and take someone else? Alternatively, if they trade the pick, do you envision the deal being for someone other than the Texas A&M star? Cast your vote below to choose between Garrett and the rest of the field.
Who Will Go No. 1 Overall?
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Myles Garrett 84% (1,487)
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Someone else 16% (285)
Total votes: 1,772
Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Draft Rumors: Williams, Allen, Fournette
There seems to be a difference of opinions on the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft. When asked about the 2017 crop, ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski said, “I wouldn’t take any of these guys in the first round,” (Twitter link).
Early on, UNC QB Mitch Trubisky was regarded as a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick. Now, it seems much more likely that the Browns will select Myles Garrett and it’s not a given that Trubisky will even be the first QB to come off of the board. Deshaun Watson could instead be the first signal caller drafted and DeShone Kizer and Patrick Mahomes seem to be strong candidates for round one.
Of course, the draft isn’t a meritocracy – it’s about team needs and, often, team desperation. Several teams, including the Jets at No. 6, have a clear need for a young QB and there is no realistic scenario in which there isn’t a QB taken in the first round.
Here’s the latest draft news:
- Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams is with the Titans today on a top 30 visit, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rapoport adds that the Titans have done extensive work on Williams, which makes sense given their clear WR need. Our mock draft has Williams going to Tennessee at No. 18 overall.
- Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen visited with the Titans and has the Chargers and 49ers on deck, Rapoport tweets.
- Former LSU running back Leonard Fournette will visit the Bengals today (Tuesday), according to Kat Terrell of ESPN (on Twitter). The Bengals have hosted multiple running backs on visits this year and that could be tied to Jeremy Hill‘s contractual status. Hill is eligible for free agency following the 2017 season.
- The Dolphins are hosting Florida cornerback Jalen Tabor and Miami tight end David Njoku on visits this week, Rapoport tweets.
- Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett did a personal workout for the Falcons, a source tells Rapoport (on Twitter).
Bengals Acquire Chris Smith From Jaguars
The Bengals have acquired defensive end Chris Smith from the Jaguars, per a team announcement. Jacksonville will receive a 2018 seventh round pick which could go up, depending on certain conditions.
Smith has appeared in 19 games for the Jaguars since being drafted in the fifth round in 2014. Over the last three seasons, he has a combined 4.5 sacks and 19 tackles. Most of those sacks came during Smith’s rookie campaign.
At 6’1″, Smith doesn’t fit the typical mold of an NFL defensive end, but that doesn’t necessarily bother the Bengals.
“If that guy is 5’11” and he can get there, I don’t care,” defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said of smaller bookends earlier this offseason (via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Enquirer).
The Bengals now have five defensive ends under contract in Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson, Will Clarke, Wallace Gilberry, and Smith. There already has been some D-Line shakeup this offseason with Margus Hunt and Domata Peko leaving via free agency and the draft could bring further changes.