Ravens Rumors: Mangold, Draft, Mixon
The Ravens had a good meeting with center Nick Mangold and are comfortable with his medicals, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. There’s nothing imminent on that front, JLC reports, but a deal could emerge at some point.
Mangold, 33, could be the Ravens’ replacement for Jeremy Zuttah in the middle of the offensive line. Although he missed half of the 2016 season, the veteran has been largely healthy over the course of his NFL career. On Wednesday, GM Ozzie Newsome hinted that the team could be on the verge of adding a free agent soon and that free agent just might be the former Jets standout.
Here’s more out of Baltimore:
- Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta believes Mike Williams and John Ross both have a grade that could put them in the mix for the No. 16 overall pick (via Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com). DeCosta said that Corey Davis and JuJu Smith-Schuster were also somewhere in that range. The Ravens used their 2015 first-round choice on a wide receiver (Breshad Perriman), but that wouldn’t necessarily preclude the team from going that route again in 2017.
- DeCosta was diplomatic when asked about Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon as a player, but “you can be that Mixon’s name is nowhere to be found on the team’s draft board,” Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun writes. Naturally, the Ravens are not going to consider Mixon after going through the Ray Rice ordeal a few years ago. Speaking of Rice, he has found a new job.
- More from Zrebiec, who gets the sense that the Ravens not content with having just seven picks in such a deep draft. Newsome has said that teams have asked about potentially moving up to the Ravens’ No. 16 pick if a certain player is available. Zrebiec notes that in five of the past 12 drafts, Newsome has either moved up, back, or out of the first round entirely.
- On Thursday morning, we learned that the Ravens are on the verge of re-signing defensive back Lardarius Webb. Webb was a cap casualty earlier in the offseason but the fan favorite has agreed to return at a lower price. Before circling back to Baltimore, Webb also drew interest from the Vikings.
Christian McCaffrey To Go Top 10?
The sense among NFL front office personnel is that Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey will be selected within the top 10 picks, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
McCaffrey is generally considered one of the draft’s three best running backs along with Leonard Fournette (LSU) and Dalvin Cook (Florida State). In PFR’s first 2017 mock draft, we projected McCaffrey to go just outside the top-10, sending him to Philadelphia with the 14th overall pick. Teams that could theoretically use a pick on a running back inside the top-10 include the Jaguars, Panthers, and Bengals.
McCaffrey, who won’t turn 21 years old until June, broke out as a sophomore in 2015, averaging six yards per rush while totaling nearly 2,700 yards from scrimmage. For that performance, McCaffrey earned consensus All-American honors, was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, and finished second to Alabama’s Derrick Henry in Heisman voting. Last year, McCaffrey ranked first in the nation in all-purpose yards per game, and ninth in rushing yards.
Seahawks Rumors: Sherman, Chancellor, Schneider
Earlier today, Seahawks general manager John Schneider confirmed the Richard Sherman trade talks are “real,” citing a need for open communication with his star corner. The Patriots are known to have interest in Sherman, but New England reportedly won’t aggressively pursue the 29-year-old unless it loses fellow cornerback Malcolm Butler.
Let’s take a look at a few more notes out of Seattle, including items on Sherman and one of his defensive backfield mates:
- While the odds remain in favor of Sherman suiting up for the Seahawks in 2017, the club simply wants to maintain a “direct dialogue” with him, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. That’s especially important given that Sherman is acting as his own representation for the time being. Sherman never found another agent after Ben Dogra was hit with NFLPA sanctions. No contract is being discussed in the Sherman situation (unless the Patriots or another wants to rework his deal), but Seattle presumably wants to keep Sherman in the loop as it discusses his future.
- Sherman’s brother, who also acts as the manager of the Richard Sherman Family Foundation, believes a trade would be welcomed by the Seahawks corner, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. “[The Seahawks] are making it seem like they don’t need him,” said Branton Sherman. “This is the same player that everyone doubted and denied, saying he’s too tall, too slow, his hips aren’t good enough, fifth-rounder. This is a new chip Richard is going to use. He’s going to be like, ‘You think you can trade me? I’m going to show you guys. That you would even talk about trading me…’ This is a new obstacle, mentally.”
- A potential Sherman trade is the most pressing matter for the Seahawks at present, but the club may also be considering an extension for safety Kam Chancellor, as Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com writes. Head coach Pete Carroll admitted Seattle may want to get a deal done with Chancellor, who is entering the final year of his contract, but terms may be difficult to agree to. Chancellor will likely be looking to match or exceed the four-year, ~$55MM deal the Dolphins recently handed to Reshad Jones, per Kapadia, but the franchise tag could also be an option in 2018.
South Notes: Saints, Falcons, Jaguars, Titans
While Saints general manager Mickey Loomis confessed the club’s meeting with Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon went well, he wouldn’t dive into the specifics the meeting, as Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune tweets. A number of clubs have already ruled out drafting Mixon, but New Orleans isn’t among those teams. If they select Mixon, they’d pair the controversial back with Mark Ingram in an excellent backfield.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two South divisions:
- The Falcons will host Western Kentucky offensive lineman Forrest Lamp for a workout, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. While the Falcons boasted a solid front five last season, right guard was a clear area of weakness. Veteran Chris Chester has retired, meaning Lamp could conceivably immediately slide in between Alex Mack and Ryan Schraeder. Most NFL teams believe Lamp will come off the board in the 20s, however, meaning he may not be available when the Falcons pick at No. 31.
- Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen and LSU safety Jamal Adams will meet with the Jaguars on Thursday and Friday, respectively, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Jacksonville, which holds the fourth overall pick, is taking a look at all the draft’s top prospects, as reports yesterday indicated players such as Myles Garrett, Reuben Foster, and Leonard Fournette will also visit with the Jaguars this week.
- In addition to the Jaguars, Adams also plans to visit the Titans and Bears, reports Ross Dellenger of the Advocate (Twitter link). Adams (unofficially) ran the 40-yard-dash in 4.33 seconds at LSU’s pro day, Josh Katzenstein of the Times Picayune tweets, and that mark might help his stock. At the combine in February, Adams only managed to post a 4.56 finish.
- The Jaguars are set to host Alabama offensive tackle Cam Robinson on Wednesday and Thursday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Subsequently, Robinson will travel to meet with the 49ers and Bengals, per Rapoport. Robinson is one of the more divisive prospects of 2017, as some draftniks believe he’s the top left tackle available, while other observers think he’ll eventually have to move to guard. Either way, Robinson seems likely to be taken in the first round, and he’s also met with Denver thus far.
Draft Rumors: Barnett, Njoku, Cook, Foster
Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett has held workouts with the Patriots, Bengals, Saints, and Titans, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). Barnett, who posted 33 sacks during three years with the Volunteers, is expected to be selected in the first half of Day 1, and I projected Cincinnati to take him at pick No. 9 in the first edition of PFR’s Mock Draft. The Buccaneers and Cowboys have also expressed interest in Barnett, who stands 6’3″, 265 pounds.
Here’s more on the 2017 draft:
- Miami tight end David Njoku is scheduled to visit with the Saints, Browns, and Giants, as Njoku said during an appearance on Pro Football Talk Live. New York, specifically, could be an intriguing landing spot for Njoku, and Big Blue is reportedly “very high” on the 20-year-old pass-catcher. Widely viewed as the draft’s second-best tight end behind Alabama’s O.J. Howard, Njoku will likely be a first-round selection. He’s also been linked to the Buccaneers, Titans, and Panthers.
- The 49ers are meeting with Florida State running back Dalvin Cook on Wednesday, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Cook, clearly, wouldn’t be in consideration for San Francisco at No. 2 overall, but could be a potential selection for the Niners he falls to the early part of Day 2. After topping 1,600 yards rushing and scoring 19 touchdowns in each of the past two seasons, Cook looks like a first-round pick, although his measurables and physical testing scores disappointed.
- Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster has met with a number of teams picking near the top of the draft, and he’s now visited with a club selecting in the 20s. The Chiefs hosted Foster on Wednesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Considerd the top linebacker in the 2017 class, Foster is expected to come off the board in the top half of the first round, if not earlier. Kansas City is currently sitting at pick No. 27, so it probably won’t have a shot at Foster barring a trade up.
- LSU running back Leonard Fournette weighed in at 228 pounds at his Pro Day today, per Andrew Groover of the Associated Press (Twitter link). tweets. He’s down from his combine weight of 240 pounds. Fournette also ran a few routes as a receiver, which — coupled with the slim-down — might be an attempt to prove to NFL clubs that he’s not solely an early-down plodder.
Bears Sign B.W. Webb
The Bears have agreed to sign free agent cornerback B.W. Webb, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The club has since confirmed the transaction, and added that it’s a one-year deal.
Webb, 27, met with Chicago, Buffalo, and Cleveland this week, and has opted to sign on in the Windy City. General manager Ryan Pace & Co. have been aggressive in attempting to fix a poor pass defense this offseason, and the club had already added defensive backs Prince Amukamara, Marcus Cooper, and Quintin Demps over the past month. Webb now joins a secondary that also includes former first-round pick Kyle Fuller, Tracy Porter, Cre’Von LeBlanc, and others.
Webb has bounced around during his NFL career, spending time with the Cowboys, Steelers, Titans, and Saints. He’s appeared in 49 games during that span, but didn’t start his first contest until last year. In 13 games (seven starts), Webb played on 56% of New Orleans’ defensive snaps, and racked up one interception, 11 passes defensed, and 27 tackles.
AFC North Notes: Browns, Cook, Ravens
The Browns allowed free agents Alex Mack, Mitchell Schwartz, Tashaun Gipson, and Taylor Gabriel to leave via the open market in 2016, and did the same with wide receiver Terrelle Pryor this year. But Cleveland doesn’t plan on constantly employing a strategy of letting key players walk for the cost of only a compensatory pick, as Browns chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta explained to Peter King of TheMMQB.com.
“I’d say going back a year when we did have a handful of free agents and we allowed them all to sign elsewhere, that was a moment in time,” said DePodesta. “That is not something that we want to do continuously. Again, that was a situation that we felt like we really do need to rebuild the foundation of this organization, and it is almost like redoing a house—you need to rip down all the walls and get it down to the studs.
Now, when you do that and you tear out all the walls and the floors and all you have left are the studs, you look at it and go, wow this looks terrible. We never want to go through this again, and I think that is our attitude.”
Here’s more from the AFC North:
- The Browns aren’t necessarily in need of a running back, but they “really like” Florida State’s Dalvin Cook, according to Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Cleveland hosted Cook on a predraft visit Monday, and could conceivably use the No. 12 pick to add him to the roster. At present, the Browns’ backfield is led by Isaiah Crowell (who was tendered at the second-round level) and Duke Johnson. Other backs on Cleveland’s squad include George Atkinson and Darius Jackson.
- Teams have already calling the Ravens about trading up to the 16th pick, as general manager Ozzie Newsome told reporters, including Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Given that they sit in the middle of the first round, the Ravens could be in a good position to move down and acquire more assets if a notable prospect begins to slip. Alternatively, rival clubs with a quarterback need may be interested in jumping ahead of the Giants, Texans, and Chiefs, all of whom pick in the 20s and could look to draft a signal-caller.
- Thanks to the depth of the 2017 secondary class, Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta feels the club will be able to target cornerback help in the first three rounds (Twitter link via Zriebec). At present, Baltimore’s defensive backfield is headlined by Jimmy Smith, Brandon Carr, Tavon Young, Maurice Canady, and Kyle Arrington. If the Ravens wait until Day 2 of the draft to address the corner position, they could theoretically target players such as Teez Tabor (Florida), Adoree’ Jackson (USC), or Cordrea Tankersley (Clemson).
FA Rumors: Ravens, Mangold, Bills, Walden
The Ravens may be close to bringing a free agent on board, as general manager Ozzie Newsome told reporters, including Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “We’re working,” Newsome said. “And I can say there’s a high probability of that, yes.” That unidentified free agent could be interior offensive lineman Nick Mangold, who met with Baltimore today but left without a contract. Mangold would fit the Ravens’ need for a veteran center, and as Hensley notes, Baltimore lost a potential option when John Sullivan signed with Los Angeles earlier today. Newsome & Co. traded former starting pivot Jeremy Zuttah to San Francisco last month.
Here’s more from the free agent front:
- Free agent defensive back Marcus Cromartie will work out for the Bills on Friday, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link), who indicates Buffalo would be willing to play Cromartie at either corner or safety. Cromartie, 26, hit the open market last month after San Francisco declined to offer him a restricted free agent tender. He’s appeared in 21 games during his three-year NFL tenure, mostly acting as a special teams player during that time. Cromartie has generated a good amount of interest since being cut lose, as the Jets, Seahawks, Eagles, and Lions are all keeping touch.
- Linebacker Erik Walden has hired Michael and Jason Katz of CSE Talent as his new representation, tweets Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal. Walden, 31, fired agent Todd France at the tail end of last month. His only known visit came with the Titans after the Colts informed him he wouldn’t be retained. PFR ranks Walden as the sixth-best edge defender remaining on the board.
- Two new players have hit the free agent market after being waived/released today: the Packers cut ties with defensive tackle Ego Ferguson after he failed a physical, and the Saints parted ways with veteran backup quarterback Luke McCown.
East Notes: Jets, Redskins, Samuel, Eagles
The Ravens’ trade of defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan could impact the Jets‘ asking price for Sheldon Richardson, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com details. Gang Green may still be asking for a first-round pick in exchange for Richardson, but they’re highly unlikely to reap that level of compensation. When accounting for the draft picks swapped by Baltimore and Philadelphia, the Eagles gave the equivalent of a late third-rounder for Jernigan, as Cimini writes (using Chase Stuart of Football Perspective‘s model, the Eagles paid much less: a late fifth-round pick). Jernigan is also much cheaper in 2017, as he’ll earn just north of $1MM while Richardson will take in more than $8MM.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- New Redskins linebacker Zach Brown was reportedly looking for $6MM per year on the open market, but his new deal won’t pay him anywhere near that total. Brown’s one-year pact has a base value of only $2.25MM and comes with $700K guaranteed, per Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post (Twitter links). He’ll earn a base salary of $1.5MM and can earn $250K in per-game roster bonuses. Another $2.3MM is available via incentives, which are tied to playing, Pro Bowl and All Pro nods, and Washington making the postseason.
- Ohio State WR/RB Curtis Samuel will work out for the Eagles on April 11, tweets Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com observes, Samuel while likely end up as a slot receiver in the NFL after playing running back at the collegiate level, but he could still manage 8-10 carries per game out of the backfield. Philadelphia’s running back corps currently boasts Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood, and Ryan Mathews, the latter of whom is still a release candidate.
- Patrick Robinson‘s one-year deal with the Eagles is worth only the minimum salary of $775K and contains no guaranteed money, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Initial reports indicated Robinson would make $1MM in 2017, so it’s possible the single-year pact will have a maximum value of $1MM. If incentives are involved, however, Robinson’s deal contract would not qualify for the minimum salary benefit. Robinson, 29, appears to be on track to start for Philadelphia next season, pending the results of the draft.
Texans Still Not Open To Cutler, Kaepernick?
Even after learning Tony Romo has chosen retirement over Houston (or any other NFL club), the Texans don’t view Jay Cutler or Colin Kaepernick as “strong options” for their quarterback vacancy, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).
Cutler, for his part, doesn’t seem to be garnering interest anywhere, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Cutler’s name “rarely, if ever, comes up” during discussions with head coaches and general managers regarding quarterback openings. Following the Jets’ recent signing of veteran Josh McCown, Rapoport indicated New York — unsurprisingly — was no longer an option for Cutler, and also signaled the Texans were similarly disinterested in the former Bears quarterback.
The possibility of a Cutler retirement is still on the table, per Rapoport, confirming a scenario that was first floated in February. While Cutler may wait for an injury to occur that would enable him land a starting job, he might simply be forced into hanging up his cleats. If no team reaches out with sincere interest, an involuntary retirement could be on the table.
Kaepernick, meanwhile, hasn’t been linked to any clubs as of yet, and his asking price may be a problem. While some reports have indicated Kaepernick is pushing for a starting gig and $9-10MM, that figure may not be entirely accurate. Still, some teams are apparently concerned about his vegan diet and his commitment to football, which — in addition to his recent play and political beliefs — could limit his market.
At present, the Texans have just two quarterbacks — Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden — on their roster. If they don’t bring in a veteran passer, they could look to draft a signal-caller either at pick No. 25 or on Day 2.