Bills To Audition Patrick Mahomes
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes will have a private workout with the Bills next week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This is the latest in a long line of reported workouts for the Texas Tech product. 
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What makes this work out particularly interesting is the Bills’ long-term situation at quarterback. Rather than exercising Tyrod Taylor‘s hefty multi-year option this offseason, the two sides worked out a last-minute agreement to effectively keep Taylor in Buffalo through 2017. After that, the Bills will have a similar decision on their hands: they can keep Taylor for an additional season, but only $1MM of his $10MM salary for 2018 is guaranteed.
The Bills could give Taylor the peace of mind of being the team’s unquestioned top signal caller in 2017. Alternatively, they could look into taking a developmental quarterback right now, giving them a safety net in the event that Taylor falters. Right now, it’s anyone’s guess as to whether the Bills are serious about taking Mahomes as his stock continues to rise. It’s possible that they simply are doing due diligence on a top prospect, as most teams do during this time of year.
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Possible Injury For Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly
This could be bad news for Chad Kelly. The former Ole Miss quarterback left his pro day after just 12 throws, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. It’s not immediately clear whether it’s his throwing hand, but he presumably wouldn’t have shut down his pro day if it were a non-throwing hand injury. Specifically, it’s a wrist injury, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He’s currently weighing whether he can return. 
Kelly was once viewed as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2017 draft class. Unfortunately, he has major question marks surrounding him due to off-the-field issues and injury problems. A hand injury, if serious, will only hurt his stock even more. Before coming to Ole Miss, Kelly was tossed out of Clemson’s program for conduct detrimental to the team and had to spend a year at a community college. Last month, Kelly had to be held back during a brawl at a high school football game. Incidents like those plus his recent major surgery have put everything into flux.
Kelly recently received a go-ahead from Dr. James Andrews for a “35-45 play script” at the pro day. Kelly, according to his agent, came into today’s audition about 85% recovered from ACL and lateral meniscus tears.
AFC East Notes: Peterson, Patriots, Jets
Adrian Peterson could be a tough sell for Patriots ownership, Mike Florio of PFT opines. The Pats are hosting the former Minnesota great on a visit, but Florio wonders aloud if the meeting designed solely to put pressure on free agent LeGarrette Blount. Despite his impressive on-field resume, Peterson’s off-field history could be tough for owner Robert Kraft to swallow. At the time of Peterson’s child-abuse charges, Kraft called the allegations “completely unacceptable and as abhorrent” as the Ray Rice situation. Less than three years later, Kraft likely feels the same way.
Here’s more from the AFC East:
- The Jets are expecting to see Muhammad Wilkerson step it up in 2017, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. Last year, coach Todd Bowles gave the defensive lineman something of a pass due to his health situation. Now, he’s giving different indications. “I’m sure he played hurt most of the year,” he said. “We had to give him some off-days. Usually, those things take about a year-and-a-half to come back from. He came back early and gutted it out. It shows the kind of warrior he is. Hopefully, he’s gotten better and he can go back to being himself.” Wilkerson’s level of play in 2016 isn’t quite what they had in mind when they signed him to an extension with $37MM fully guaranteed.
- The Dolphins reportedly have interest in Michigan defensive end Taco Charlton, but they’re far from alone in that pursuit.
- Bills free agent agent linebacker Zach Brown, meanwhile, is unlikely to come to join up with the Dolphins. Brown ranks as PFR’s top free agent linebacker left, ahead of Perry Riley, Gerald Hodges, and DeAndre Levy. He’s also one of the most talented free agents remaining on the board at any position.
Lions Sign LB Nick Bellore
The Lions have signed linebacker Nick Bellore, according to a team announcement. Bellore was previously with the Niners and entered the league with the Jets.
Bellore is primarily known for his special teams work, but he did get reps on defense last year with San Francisco. In 2016, he had ten starts on defense and finished out with 83 tackles, one sack, one interception, and a forced fumble. For his work in 692 snaps, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the No. 61 linebacker in the NFL last season out of 87 qualified players. His run defense left much to be desired, per the advanced metrics, but his solid coverage score helped boost his overall grade.
It remains to be seen how Detroit will use him, but it seems like he’ll provide linebacker depth as well as special teams help. Bellore went to college at Central Michigan, so this is something of a homecoming for the 27-year-old.
North Rumors: Browns, Ravens, M. Williams
Stockpiling draft assets has been a clear strategy for the Browns under their new regime, as Peter King of TheMMQB.com writes. After trading back several times in the 2016 draft, Cleveland is now armed with nine selections in the first five rounds of this year’s draft (and seven picks in the first four rounds of 2018). Acquiring more capital is all part of the rebuild orchestrated, in part, by chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta.
“We’ve looked ourselves in the mirror and said, ‘Do we think that we are actually superhuman when it comes to picking players?’” said DePodesta. “And we pretty easily answered that with a resounding no. So how are we going to increase our chances? We need to have more picks. So, if we have the same number of picks every year as everyone else, we don’t expect do better than anyone else.”
Here’s more from the NFL’s two North divisions:
- Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams will attend predraft visits with the Ravens, Browns, and Titans, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. Williams is widely viewed as one of the draft’s top three wideout prospects, along with Washington’s John Ross and Western Michigan’s Corey Davis, and he’s also met with another WR-needy club — the Eagles — earlier this offseason. In January, a scout told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report that Williams favorably compares to Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green, and called him the “best player on the field” during the Alabama-Clemson Championship Game.
- The Ravens have scheduled a meeting with Temple linebacker Haason Reddick, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Reddick is capable of playing either inside or outside ‘backer, meaning he could step in next to C.J. Mosley in the middle of Baltimore’s defense, or help replace Elvis Dumervil on the edge. “Outside linebacker in a 3-4 system is most natural to me,” Reddick said at Temple’s Pro Day. “Because of the type of player I am, how fast I can learn the game, I know that if I’m put at inside linebacker I can be the best at that as well.” Reddick posted 9.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss in 2016.
- Although they recently inked free agent Latavius Murray, the Vikings may consider drafting a running back later this month, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. While Murray signed for three years, Minnesota can cut bait after 2017 with minimal dead money accelerating onto its cap. Fellow running back Jerick McKinnon, meanwhile, is scheduled to become a free agent in 2018. So far, the Vikings have met with Tennessee‘s Alvin Kamara and Oklahoma‘s Joe Mixon.
West Notes: Chargers, Rams, Lamp, 49ers
While the Chargers could conceivably use another interior offensive lineman, the club is expected to eschew free agent veterans such as Nick Mangold in favor of younger players such as Max Tuerk and Spencer Pulley, as Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com writes. Tuerk, a 2016 third-round pick, didn’t see a single snap during his rookie campaign as he recovered from ACL surgery, but he could earn a starting role in 2017. Incumbent center Matt Slauson also has experience at guard, meaning Los Angeles has the option of deploying its interior lineman — a group that also includes veteran Chris Hairston — in numerous ways.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions:
- The Rams will put Western Kentucky offensive lineman Forrest Lamp through a workout, tweets Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. Lamp, a collegiate tackle who projects as a pro guard, has met with a multitude of clubs in recent weeks, and is now expected to be drafted somewhere in the 20s. NFL teams are apparently high on Lamp’s versatility, given that he should be able to play inside and out, and could even slide to center in a pinch. At present, the Rams’ projected starters on the inside are guards Rodger Saffold and Cody Wichmann and center Demetrius Rhaney. Los Angeles attempted to lure restricted free agent Ryan Groy earlier this offseason, but failed when the Bills matched its offer sheet.
- Linebacker Dekoda Watson‘s three-year deal with the 49ers is worth $5MM, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter links). The 2018 and 2019 seasons are team options, however, which would allow San Francisco to reap a compensatory pick if the options are declined. Watson will receive a $1MM signing bonus, and can earn $200K annually in per-game roster bonuses. Watson, 29, will likely stick to a special teams role with the 49ers.
- Although free agent linebacker Rey Maualuga recently took a visit with the Chiefs, no deal is imminent between the two parties. Maualuga, 30, was released by the Bengals last month after eight seasons in Cincinnati.
- In case you missed it, the 49ers agreed to a one-year deal with veteran running back Tim Hightower, who will serve as a backup to Carlos Hyde in 2017.
Poll: Who Will Be No. 2 Overall Pick?
Barring something unexpected, Myles Garrett can begin researching the ins and outs of Cleveland. The Texas A&M standout looks destined to head to the Browns, who are not planning to unload the No. 1 pick for a quarterback.
The No. 2 choice, though, doesn’t appear nearly as certain. A number of talents could hear their names called when the 49ers or another team turns in the draft’s second player card.
San Francisco will be open to trading the No. 2 overall selection, which the Browns did last year in acquiring draft picks to send Carson Wentz to Philadelphia. The 49ers have needs at many positions after going 2-14 last season and having parted ways with their coach following the past three campaigns. They have been monitoring the quarterbacks in this class. They worked out Mitch Trubisky, and John Lynch attended Patrick Mahomes‘ pro day. The 49ers also visited with Garrett and Reuben Foster.
The team has short- and long-term questions at quarterback. The 49ers signed the 2016 Bears’ Nos. 2 and 3 quarterbacks in Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley, and Hoyer would probably be the starter as of now. But the team has also been connected to Kirk Cousins, and with a Redskins extension for the signal-caller not gaining any steam, might San Francisco be content to start Hoyer in this rebuilding season and either take the second-best player in the draft or add picks from another team? With ex-Redskins OC Kyle Shanahan now at the controls, the 49ers would seemingly be a top destination for Cousins in 2018. A third Washington franchise tag in ’18 is untenable, so no extension by July 15 could trigger a unique modern bidding war next year.
Players like Foster, edge man Solomon Thomas and interior defender Jonathan Allen have also been connected to the 49ers, who have used first-round picks fortifying their defensive interior — in Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner — the past two years. They are also switching to a 4-3 scheme after many years in base 3-4 looks. Their defense plummeted to No. 32 in the league last season, with just two players registering more than three sacks. Defensive backs Jamal Adams (LSU) and Marshon Lattimore (Ohio State) have been generating top-five buzz after the Combine, and the 49ers are thin in the secondary as well. Beyond quarterback, mock drafts are leaning to a potential impact defender going to San Francisco.
But would the 49ers, whose offense ranked 31st in 2016, be better unloading this coveted selection and gathering potential starters with the returns of a trade?
The Panthers are interested in acquiring the 49ers’ pick, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report notes, with the purpose of said swap being Thomas or Leonard Fournette. Other teams could also be pondering that move as well. It would almost certainly cost the Panthers their second-round pick (No. 40) and possibly their third-rounder as well, with certain value models requiring Carolina to surrender more assets to complete that deal. But Fournette probably isn’t going to go to the 49ers if they keep the pick.
Wentz was not believed to be a No. 2 overall-level talent until the Eagles pulled the trigger on their seminal trade. A quarterback-needy team could still be looking at a trade centered around taking Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer or even Mahomes — the quartet’s enduring scrutiny notwithstanding — and shake up the draft like the Titans, Browns, Rams and Eagles did last year. But these quarterbacks have not received the praise Jared Goff (and eventually Wentz) did, further complicating this draft.
So, where would the 49ers go with their selection? Should they take a quarterback and bypass a potential Cousins pursuit? Should they go with one of the impact front-seven Alabama stalwarts in Allen or Foster? Or after bolstering their defensive interior the past two years, is an edge threat like Thomas in the cards? Would another team make a deal to land one of the quarterbacks or Fournette? Take PFR’s latest poll to weigh in on this unique draft.
Extra Points: Hayden, Titans, Patriots, Mauti
Despite joining many of his high-first-round peers from 2013 in not living up to their draft statuses, D.J. Hayden signed a one-year, $3.75MM deal from the Lions. He will be looking to bounce back after four inconsistent seasons with the Raiders. His former GM agrees that Hayden needed to go elsewhere.
“I think he probably made a good decision by getting away from Oakland,” Reggie McKenzie told the Detroit Free Press at the NFL owners meetings last week. “Fresh start.”
McKenzie considered making a push to re-sign the former No. 12 overall pick, and per the Free Press’ Dave Birkett, that might have happened if Hayden came at more of a discount. But the sixth-year Raiders GM concluded that if Hayden was going to reach his potential as an NFL corner he would have to leave Oakland. The injuries that dogged Hayden “killed his confidence,” per McKenzie. Hayden played in 16 games just once in his four Raider years, in 2015, and missed the final five games last season. The Lions are expected to give Hayden a quality opportunity to win their slot corner job alongside Darius Slay and Nevin Lawson.
“All he lacked, and it’s hard coming from a near-death situation and being thrown right in and had a couple relapses because of the illness, but he was always playing behind the 8-ball from a physical standpoint,” McKenzie said. “So if he gets that behind him, his confidence will grow. He never, I think in his whole time in Oakland, the confidence for him to really thrive was not where it needed to be.”
Here’s more from around league.
- The Titans may have a different view of Connecticut safety prospect Obi Melifonwu than some other teams. They worked out the UConn product today as a cornerback, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). The organization reportedly likes the 6-foot-4, 224-pound player’s size and cover skills. Melifonwu also has a 4.40-second 40-yard dash clocking, which is good for a corner while being excellent for a safety. The ex-Huskies back-line defender being envisioned as a corner isn’t merely a Titans viewpoint, though, with around 40 percent of NFL teams categorizing the safety this way.
- Adrian Peterson‘s Patriots visit strikes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk as a tactic aimed at getting LeGarrette Blount‘s attention. Noting New England’s secretive nature, this Monday summit being made public now and not after the fact leads Florio to believe this is a get-acquainted session at best. Florio writes this could be a method used at getting Blount to take what’s being offered instead of holding out for more money on the heels of an 18-touchdown season. Blount and the Patriots broke off talks last month.
- Prior to actually participating in Wrestlemania 33, Rob Gronkowski said he would be ready to go by the time the Patriots’ offseason program begins later this month, In an interview with ESPN’s Jonathan Coachman (video link), Gronk said he feels good after his latest surgery and would be “ready to roll” when the team reconvenes on April 17. The soon-to-be 28-year-old tight end underwent back surgery in December.
- Saints coach Sean Payton expects recovering linebacker Michael Mauti to be ready by the time training camp comes, Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com reports. Stricken with an intestinal disease, the 27-year-old linebacker did not play in eight Saints games last season because of it. He remains a UFA, but the Saints have interest in retaining the backup defender. Mauti contemplated having a surgery to fix this years-long problem last spring but opted against since he was going into a contract year. Energy and weight loss led to the Saints placing Mauti on their NFI list in November, and he underwent surgery in December. The team still paid him his full $675K salary last season. Mauti told Katzenstein he wants to continue his career with the Saints.
Patriots Notes: Peterson, Gronk, Solder, OL
Here’s the latest coming out of New England, beginning with some fallout from the Adrian Peterson visit being scheduled.
- Peterson posted a statement rejecting the notion he was seeking an $8MM-per-year contract, and USA Today’s Tom Pelissero notes (via Twitter) the running back has not focused as much on finances during his first free agent odyssey. Instead, the 32-year-old future Hall of Famer is gauging fits with respective franchises. In Pelissero’s mind, this fit is as good as any. Peterson has thrived when stationed in traditional backfields, and the Patriots were a middle-of-the-pack team in terms of shotgun usage last season (41.28 percent of their 2016 plays came out of the gun; that ranked 20th).
- An incentive-laden deal close to the veteran minimum would make Peterson a fit in New England, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes. The Patriots have no running back set to count more than $3.2MM to their 2017 cap this year. Peterson hasn’t made less than $3MM in base salary since the 2009 season. The Pats boast $21MM-plus in cap space but are unlikely to splurge on Peterson at this juncture.
- Entering his 11th NFL season, Peterson will tame his asking price for teams with championship aspirations, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Peterson has already visited the Seahawks, whose UFA running back visit bonanza ended with an Eddie Lacy accord, and has been connected to 2016 playoff teams like the Giants, Raiders and Packers. The Patriots and Packers lead the league in consecutive postseason berths, having appeared in eight straight postseason brackets.
- Nate Solder came to the Pats as a replacement for Matt Light in 2011, but Light remained a starter that season before retiring. Solder’s most recent contract — a two-year, $20.062MM deal — expires after the 2017 season. Reiss points to the franchise’s forward-thinking ways as a sign Solder’s successor could be on tap this coming draft. Alluding to the shorter-length extension, Reiss believes a similar transition plan could be in the works. The Pats have Marcus Cannon signed long-term now on the right side. Solder will only be 29 in April, though, whereas Light was entering his age-33 season in 2011 when the Patriots knew, per Reiss, he was going to be in his final year.
- For those of you who enjoy wrestling, Rob Gronkowski looked pretty healthy tonight. Making a cameo at WWE’s Wrestlemania 33, the Pats’ oft-injured tight end entered the ring and moved well, as Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com relays. Gronkowski underwent back surgery late last season and missed 11 Pats games (counting the playoffs) in their latest Super Bowl championship campaign.
Patriots To Host Adrian Peterson
Free agent running back Adrian Peterson will meet with the Patriots on Monday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Peterson, one of only four unsigned PFR Top 50 Free Agents, has been linked to a number of clubs this offseason, but he’s only met with the Seahawks thus far. In fact, most of the reports surrounding Peterson have involved teams who are not interested in signing him. Several rumored suitors – the Texans, Raiders, Giants – have shown little to no interest in Peterson since the Vikings declined his option in late February.
New England, meanwhile, has always loomed as a potential landing spot for Peterson, and the future Hall of Famer is reportedly open to accepting a discount in order to play for the Patriots. While the Pats have already added one free agent to their backfield this offseason (former Bengal Rex Burkhead), the club could still use another runner. LeGarrette Blount remains on the open market, so New England’s running back corps currently consists of Burkhead, Dion Lewis, James White, and D.J. Foster.
Peterson, if signed, would be simply the latest high-profile addition for a Patriots team that is not resting on its laurels after winning the Super Bowl in February. New England has pulled off three trades — adding Brandin Cooks, Dwayne Allen, and Kony Ealy in the process — while inking free agents Stephon Gilmore, Dont’a Hightower, Lawrence Guy, and Duron Harmon.