HEADLINES

Month: April 2018

NFL Draft Rumors: Cowboys, Key, Bills

April 18th, 2018 at 1:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Wednesday marks the final day for NFL draft visits, and we have some notable ones to pass along. Here’s the latest NFL Draft news:

  • LSU linebacker/defensive end Arden Key worked out with the Cowboys on Tuesday and met with the Saints on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
  • Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans is visiting the Bills and Texas tackle Connor Williams is visiting the Packers, Rapoport tweets.
  • The Patriots are hosting Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley on a pre-draft visit, a source tells Rapoport (on Twitter). The Patriots aren’t known for taking receivers in the first round, but Ridley could be an exception as they look to rebuild that group. Ridley also visited the Bears on Tuesday.
  • Maryland wide receiver D.J. Moore seems to be a firm first round prospect, according to Rapoport (on Twitter). For a while, Moore appeared to be a fringe first/second round type, so his stock is improving as the draft draws near. Moore met with the Bills, who pick No. 12 and 22, on Wednesday.
  • Ohio State center Billy Price will meet with the Seahawks, Alex Marvez of SiriusXM tweets. Price is recovering from a torn pectoral muscle he suffered during the bench press at the combine. The good news is that Price is expected to be ready in time for training camp.

NFC South Notes: Panthers, Boston, Saints

April 18th, 2018 at 12:57pm CST by Zachary Links

Safety Tre Boston remains unsigned and Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer wonders if the Chargers free agent’s history of social activism is hampering his market. Much has been written about Eric Reid‘s ongoing unemployment, but Boston was fairly outspoken following the shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott by a Charlotte police officer two years ago while with the Panthers. For his part, Boston isn’t sure that his public stance in 2016 is working against him.

“I have no idea. But if I told you there’s a 25-year-old out there, no nagging injuries, no off-field issues, [eight] career picks, 180 tackles-plus, [two] sacks, what would you tell me?” Boston said. “I don’t know. I can’t say what upstairs is thinking,” he added. “But I know I have the stats and the numbers to play with the best of them. So for me it’s just being patient. Things are gonna happen.”

Late last month, Boston said that he has drawn interest from the Cardinals, Raiders, Browns, and Giants this offseason. We haven’t heard much about him in recent weeks, however.

Here’s more from the NFC South:

Raiders Work Out Lamarr Houston

April 18th, 2018 at 12:15pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders are hosting veteran pass-rusher Lamarr Houston for a workout today, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. If Houston signs with the Raiders, it’ll mark a homecoming for Oakland’s former 2010 second-round pick. 

Houston played the best football of his career when he was with the Raiders for his first four NFL seasons. After signing a five-year, $35MM contract with the Bears, he was unable to keep the momentum going thanks to injuries. In his first three campaigns with Chicago, Houston appeared in just 26 of a possible 48 games and made only ten starts.

The Bears cut Houston before the start of the 2017 season, eventually leading him to the injury-marred Texans’ front seven. When Houston was cut by Houston, the Bears brought him back in for the final stretch of the season. In five games with Chicago, he managed four sacks, including two sacks against the Lions on Dec. 16.

There’s reason to believe that Houston can be a solid contributor once again, though perhaps only as a situational pass rusher on limited snaps. If Jon Gruden likes what he sees, it probably won’t cost much for the Raiders to sign him on a one-year deal.

Titans Pick Up Marcus Mariota’s Option

April 18th, 2018 at 11:56am CST by Zachary Links

No surprise here, but the Titans will exercise Marcus Mariota‘s fifth-year option. Titans GM Jon Robinson confirmed the news in a radio interview on Wednesday (Twitter link via Paul Kuharsky).

“The plan is over the next couple of days to exercise Marcus Mariota’s fifth-year option,” Robinson said in a press release. “He is an important part of this team, as are a lot of players. We’re excited to have him around here for the next couple of years and hopefully after the next season we can start to figure something out to keep him around him even longer.”

Mariota, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft, is coming off of another solid season in which he conducted four game-winning drives, the most of any QB in the NFL. Mariota’s numbers weren’t great overall (his 13:15 TD/INT ratio leaves much to be desired), but many of those missteps can be forgiven in light of the injuries he played through last year. Mariota went into the offseason dealing with hamstring, leg, and ankle issues and managed to miss just one start and played through the pain in both of Tennessee’s playoff contests.

In his playoff debut, Mariota led the Titans on a remarkable second half comeback to top the Chiefs in the Wild Card round. In the next round, the Patriots largely kept Mariota in check as he completed less than 60% of his passes and threw for only two touchdowns.

The fifth-year option is guaranteed for injury only, so the Titans can escape the additional 2019 season in the event that his performance suffers for non-health reasons.

Agent Denies Steering Saquon Barkley Away From Browns

April 18th, 2018 at 11:36am CST by Zachary Links

Saquon Barkley‘s handlers at Roc Nation do not want the Browns to draft him at No. 1 or No. 4, according to Ben Baskin of Sports Illustrated. However, Barkley’s agent Kim Miale says that’s simply not true. 

“I can say on behalf of our entire team that we would be thrilled for Saquon to go to whichever team drafts him,” Miale wrote to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “We know he will be a resounding success for any team fortunate enough to select him.”

Of course, this could wind up being a non-issue with the Browns. Cleveland is widely expected to take a quarterback – probably Sam Darnold – with the No. 1 overall pick. If Darnold goes at No. 1, there is increasing chatter that the Giants will pounce on Barkley at No. 2, which would satisfy Roc Nation’s goal of putting him in the No. 1 media market, according to SI’s report. However, in the event that the Giants do not take Barkley and the Jets take a QB at No. 3, as expected, this is a story to keep an eye on.

For what it’s worth, Basking hears that Barkley would in fact be “happy” to play for any team that selects him. Meanwhile, Roc Nation may have to do a bit of damage control as they also represent Browns head coach Hue Jackson.

Broncos Sweeten CB Chris Harris’ Deal

April 18th, 2018 at 11:12am CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos have added $3MM in incentives to the contract of cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. for 2018, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Originally slated to make no more than $8.5MM, the corner can now earn up to $10.5MM in 2018. 

It’s somewhat rare for GMs to add incentives to a player’s contract without getting something in return, but it’s completely unprecedented by John Elway‘s administration. This marks the first time that Elway has improved a player’s contract with the addition of bonuses without getting something else (additional years or a lower guarantee) in return.

In 2017, Harris turned in another quality year with 40 tackles, two interceptions and seven passes defensed as he graded out as the 29th best corner in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. He has done even better in the past, however, grading out as a top five corner in both 2014 and 2016.

The Broncos also have Harris under contract for the 2019 season with a $8.766MM cap hit. However, if the Broncos choose to part ways with him next year, they can escape with just $867K in dead money.Right now, it’s hard to envision a scenario in which the Broncos would want to cut Harris.

Tom Brady Has Not Committed To Playing For Patriots In 2018

April 18th, 2018 at 8:54am CST by Zachary Links

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady still has yet to commit to playing in 2018, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter hears. Those close to Brady believe that he will suit up again, but there is some room for doubt since Brady has not pledged to play. 

“My money would be on him playing football for the foreseeable future, but what goes on away from the football field, I don’t know,” one source told ESPN.

Brady, 41 in August, still wants to continue playing. However, Schefter hears that some around Brady want him to retire. That may include close family members who would rather see Brady enjoy his millions of dollars instead of risking brain trauma.

Before the Super Bowl, Brady said that he would continue playing next season. Apparently, some combination of the loss, the deterioration of his relationship with coach Bill Belichick, and the opinions of his inner circle have swayed him over the last ten weeks.

Even at age 40, Brady was terrific in 2017, leading the league in passing yards on the way to his third MVP trophy. The veteran is signed through the 2019 campaign with a team-friendly $15MM base salary ($22MM cap hit).

Meanwhile, teammate Rob Gronkowski is also considering retirement. It’s not clear whether the standout tight end is serious about walking away or if he is angling for a new deal.

Redskins OL Ty Nsekhe Signs RFA Tender

April 17th, 2018 at 9:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Redskins tackle Ty Nsekhe has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). Nsekhe will now be paid $2.914MM for the 2018 campaign.

Nsekhe got a late start to his NFL career, as he spent time in the Arena Football League before finally settling in as a reserve for Washington at age-30 in 2015. He’s appeared in 40 games and made 11 starts over the past three seasons, and he’s been effective when asked to step into the lineup. In 2017, Nsekhe saw a career-high 43.4% playtime on offense, and he’ll revert to a backup role behind fellow tackles Trent Williams and Morgan Moses.

Nsekhe was one of 14 NFL restricted free agents to be tendered at the second-round level. There was no rush for Nsekhe to ink his tender, as RFAs have until April 20 to work out offer sheets with other clubs. However, it was unlikely that any NFL team would have been willing to sacrifice a second-round pick in order to land Nsekhe.

North Rumors: Bengals, Lamar, Lions, Bears

April 17th, 2018 at 8:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson met with the Bengals on Monday, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer. While the Bengals haven’t attempted to upgrade on incumbent signal-caller Andy Dalton in recent years, Jackson could potentially be available when the club picks at No. 21 in the first round. But as Dehner notes, Cincinnati might also be planning for other outcomes, such as a Jackson draft-day fall or a trade with another team. It’s conceivably the Bengals simply want to appear interested in quarterback prospects in an effort to goad a club into moving up. Currently, Cincinnati has free agent Matt Barkley and Jeff Driskel behind Dalton on its depth chart.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • The Lions have hosted Boston College edge rusher Harold Landry, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Detroit has added several interior defensive lineman so far this offseason, but the team has yet to address its pass-rushing need. Landry could help in that regard, but there’s no guarantee he’ll still be on the board at pick No. 20. For what it’s worth, Landry played under now-Lions defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni at BC. Landry, who posted 48 sacks during his collegiate career, would not only give Detroit immediate help on the edge, but allow the Lions to hedge against a potential 2019 loss of franchise-tagged defensive end Ezekiel Ansah.
  • Darqueze Dennard finally lived up to his first-round billing in 2017, and the Bengals are now open to extending his contract, as Dehner writes in a separate piece. Under contract for one more season thanks to his fifth-year option, Dennard will earn $8.526MM in 2018 before hitting free agency next spring. The No. 24 overall selection in the 2014 draft, Dennard played 899 defensive snaps a season ago (nearly triple his previous career-high) and graded as the NFL’s 30th-best corner, per Pro Football Focus. Cincinnati is already heavily extended at cornerback, as it re-signed Dre Kirkpatrick and draft William Jackson III in 2016, but the club has always been willing to pay for secondary help.
  • The Bears will work out veteran defensive back Tharold Simon at their minicamp this week, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Simon, 27, didn’t see the field last season after inking a futures deal with the Redskins, as he was cut in May. A subsequent tryout with the Saints didn’t result in a contract, and Simon never generated any other known interest. However, Simon was a key contributor for the Seahawks in 2014, and as Bigg notes, has the type of size 6’2″, 200 pounds) that Chicago defensive coordinator Vic Fangio covets. Wide receiver Marlon Brown and linebacker Ryan Delaire, each of whom boasts NFL experience, are also auditioning for the Bears, per Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link).

Vikings OL Nick Easton Signs RFA Tender

April 17th, 2018 at 7:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Vikings offensive lineman Nick Easton has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Easton will now be paid $2.914MM for the 2018 campaign.

Minnesota and Easton have mutual interest in hammering out a long-term agreement, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pionner Press. Easton won’t hit unrestricted free agency until next spring, so the Vikings have plenty of time to work out an extension.

The Vikings have invested heavily in their offensive line over the past year, as they inked free agent tackles Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers while deploying a third-round pick on Pat Elflein, who became the club’s starting center in his rookie season. Easton, a former undrafted free agent, spent most of his 2017 time at left guard, and played 92% of Minnesota’s offensive snaps overall. Pro Football Focus ranked the 25-year-old as the No. 58 guard among 77 qualifiers a year ago.

Easton was one of 14 NFL restricted free agents to be tendered at the second-round level. There was no rush for Easton to ink his tender, as RFAs have until April 20 to work out offer sheets with other clubs. However, it was unlikely that any NFL team would have been willing to sacrifice a second-round pick in order to land Easton.

Load More Posts