HEADLINES

Month: April 2018

NFL Draft Rumors: Rosen, Dolphins, Hurst

April 11th, 2018 at 10:17am CST by Zachary Links

Is UCLA star Josh Rosen the top quarterback in this year’s draft? Josh Rosen thinks so.

“I’m the best QB in the draft,” Rosen told Sam Alipour of ESPN The Magazine. “A lot of guys are flashier, but I think I’m the most efficient, monotonously consistent QB in this draft. Rodgers has some flair, but if you watch Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, there’s nothing that’s explosive or Johnny Manziel — like. It’s just quarterbacking.”

Rosen has gotten some flack for his willingness to speak on social issues and interests outside of the game of football, but he says that he is focused on winning games and titles at the next level.

Here’s more draft news:

  • South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst had dinner with Dolphins brass on Tuesday night and has a top 30 visit with the team on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Dolphins are in need of a tight end as Julius Thomas and Anthony Fasano remain unsigned. Hurst, a former pro baseball player who walked on as a tight end for the Gamecocks, may have the most upside of any tight end in this year’s draft.
  • Key members of the Seahawks brass including GM John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll spent Tuesday at Arizona St. privately working out Texas A&M wide receiver Christian Kirk, Rapoport tweets. The Seahawks lost Paul Richardson to free agency this year and could use an impact player like Kirk to replace him. For now, Seattle projects to start Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett and also have offseason pickups Jaron Brown and Marcus Johnson in the mix. With the No. 19 pick in their possession, the Seahawks could be in range for the Aggies star.

Bengals Ask Eric Reid About Anthem Issue

April 11th, 2018 at 9:28am CST by Zachary Links

Safety Eric Reid met with the Bengals on Monday to discuss football as well as some non-football matters. Bengals owner Mike Brown personally met with Reid and asked him whether he’ll kneel during the 2018 season, Mike Florio of PFT hears. 

Reid, who previously indicated that he will not kneel this year, was unwilling to commit on the spot. He ultimately left without an offer, even though he sensed that defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and other coaches were interested in signing him and didn’t care much about his anthem protests.

However, late in the visit, head coach Marvin Lewis asked Reid if he wants to clarify anything that Reid told ownership regarding the anthem. Reid said that he had nothing to add and the visit ended soon after.

Things have stalled in free agency for Reid and it’s likely that his participation in protests during the national anthem are a factor. Reid is reportedly willing to return to the Niners on a one-year deal and that may wind up being his best option. There have been some discussions on that front, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears, though SF pitched a deal for a lower guaranteed rate than the one he had in 2017. Reid, meanwhile, wants to match his $5.676MM salary from last year, according to Florio.

Colts Sign CB Kenneth Acker

April 11th, 2018 at 8:54am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts annoucned the signing of cornerback Kenneth Acker. Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it’s probably not a costly contract for Indianapolis.

Acker has played in 40 career games, including 15 starts, over the course of his four-year NFL career with the Chiefs (2016-17) and 49ers (2014-15). The Seahawks also showed some interest in him before he landed in Indy.

The Colts lost Rashaan Melvin in free agency this year when he joined with the Raiders, leaving them with a lack of depth at cornerback. Acker probably isn’t in line for a starting job, but he can offer support from the bench, along with the recently re-signed Pierre Desir.

Jets To Pick Up Leonard Williams’ Option

April 11th, 2018 at 8:45am CST by Zachary Links

No surprise here. The Jets will pick up Leonard Williams‘ fifth-year option before the May 3 deadline, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. 

Williams was already under contract for the 2018 season at a reasonable $2.975MM salary. It’s not 100% clear what his 2019 salary will be since he has spent time at both defensive tackle and defensive end.

Fifth-year option salaries for top ten picks are dictated by the average of the top ten players in the NFL at the position, which is equivalent to the transition tag. This year, the transition tag the transition tag for defensive ends was set at $14.2MM. For defensive tackles, it was $11.4MM.

Williams, who will turn 24 this summer, had just two sacks last season, but that was due largely to playing snaps on the interior line. Pro Football Focus placed Williams as the No. 21 ranked defensive tackle in the NFL last season with a solid 84.8 overall score. He has graded out as a top 20 player at his position in each of his three NFL seasons, per PFF, and earned Pro Bowl honors for his work in 2016. It’s conceivable that Williams would have been in line for another Pro Bowl nod in 2017 had he not suffered a wrist injury early in the season. The tender wrist clearly affected his performance, though he did not miss a single game.

The Jets and Williams can still hammer out a long-term extension between now and 2019, which seems likely to happen. The Jets value Williams and they have the cap flexibility to lock him down for years to come.

East Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Cowboys, Ealy

April 10th, 2018 at 9:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Here’s that latest from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • Guard Richie Incognito‘s sudden retirement could theoretically force the Bills to wrestle with using their draft picks on finding a franchise quarterback, or instead deploying the selections to restock their roster as a whole, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com writes. Buffalo owns nine picks and possesses the third-most overall draft capital in the league, but would likely need to sacrifice several early selections — including both its 2018 first-rounders — in order to trade up for a signal-caller. However, the Bills are now fielding arguably the NFL’s worst offensive line after trading tackle Cordy Glenn and seeing Incognito and center Eric Wood retire, and needs at receiver and linebacker should be addressed via the draft. After surprising earning a postseason berth a season ago, Buffalo now must decide whether to finds it quarterback of the future or revamp its depth.
  • The Dolphins have their sights set on a defensive player with pick No. 11, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that club is hoping to select Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith, Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, or Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea in the first round. Defensive backs Derwin James (Florida State), Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama), and Denzel Ward (Ohio State) could also be in consideration, per Jackson, while the Dolphins also like South Dakota State tight end Dallas Goedert, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (although Miami almost surely wouldn’t use a top-15 pick on a tight end). The Dolphins would prefer to select a quarterback at No. 11, but don’t expect any of the draft’s top four QB prospects to be available.
  • Defensive end Kony Ealy‘s one-year deal with the Cowboys is worth up to $2MM, tweets Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Ealy, 26, will collect an $800K base salary and a $200K signing bonus, while he can also earn as much as $250K in per-game roster bonuses. In order for Ealy to max out his contract, he’ll need to post at least 12 sacks and play in 75% of Dallas’ defensive snaps next season, both of which seem like lofty goals. Because Ealy didn’t reach either of those thresholds with the Jets in 2018, both incentives will be considered “not-likely-to-be-earned,” meaning they won’t appear on the Cowboys’ salary cap immediately.

Eric Reid Would Accept One-Year Deal From 49ers

April 10th, 2018 at 8:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Eric Reid finally took his free agent visit on Monday by meeting with the Bengals, but he’d prefer to re-sign with the 49ers, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Indeed, Reid would accept a one-year deal from San Francisco at salary equal to his 2017 compensation ($5.676MM).

It’s unclear if the 49ers have made any sort of offer to Reid, but his affinity for the Bay Area and his teammates means the former first-round pick would like to remain in San Francisco, per Florio. Of course, it’s also fair to wonder if Reid isn’t receiving the sort of contract proposals he was initially hoping for (especially given that free agency is a month old), and is now attempting to reach out to his former team.

Nevertheless, Reid would offer an upgrade in a 49ers secondary that is currently projected to start Jimmie Ward and Jaquiski Tartt at safety. Reid, 26, was something of a playmaker during his first two NFL campaigns, as he posted seven total interceptions from 2013-14. While he hasn’t kept up that rate of turnover creation, Reid is still a solid starter, and Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s No. 30 safety a year ago.

The safety market has developed at a snail’s pace this offseason, as Reid, Tre Boston, and Kenny Vaccaro all remain unsigned. Reid’s meeting with the Bengals was the first known visit for any of those three veteran defensive backs, and it’s unclear why the positional market isn’t generating interest. Reid, for his part, was notably a participant in the Colin Kaepernick-led anthem protests, but has indicated he will no longer continue the practice in 2018.

NFC South Notes: Falcons, Panthers, Bucs

April 10th, 2018 at 8:15pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Contract talks between the Falcons and franchise quarterback Matt Ryan have been enveloped by positive words from both sides, and today Ryan affirmed that while no deal is close, talks are moving towards an end goal. “Everything is good. I think the discussions have been very positive. I think those will work out,” said Ryan, whom Atlanta is reportedly willing to make the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback (story via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). “As far as a time frame of anything like that, it will shake out. It will handle itself. I don’t know if it will be today or tomorrow. Or in a couple of weeks, but I really think we are moving in the right direction.”

Here’s more from the NFC South:

  • Adding new weapons for quarterback Cam Newton was one of the Panthers‘ top offseason goals, and the club doesn’t figure to stop doing so even after acquiring Torrey Smith and signing Jarius Wright. Carolina will be taking a look at multiple wideout prospects in the coming days, as D.J. Moore (Maryland) and Christian Kirk (Texas A&M) are each scheduled to meet with the Panthers, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Moore and Kirk aren’t the only pass-catchers Carolina is eyeing, as reports earlier today indicated that Alabama’s Calvin Ridley and Memphis’ Anthony Miller will also visit the Panthers.
  • The Buccaneers will meet with Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey, tweets Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports. While Tampa Bay figures to be set along the interior of its front five after inking center Ryan Jensen last month, the club could still use help at tackle. Former second-round pick Donovan Smith currently mans Jameis Winston‘s blindside, but he’s consistently struggled and last season graded as just the No. 53 tackle among 81 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. McGlinchey, meanwhile, is viewed as one of the best tackles in a weak class that also includes Connor Williams (Texas) and Kolton Miller (UCLA).
  • The Falcons have announced a few late additions to their coaching staff, as they’ve hired Travis Jones as an assistant defensive line coach and Aden Durde as a defensive quality control assistant. Jones, notably, is fresh off a five-year run with the Seahawks during which he served as the team’s DL coach for four seasons. He’s also worked for the Dolphins, and Saints at the NFL level.

Titans To Sign WR Michael Campanaro

April 10th, 2018 at 6:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Titans have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with free agent wide receiver Michael Campanaro, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).

Tennessee had been searching for a new slot receiver, as 2017 slot man Eric Decker is currently a free agent. The Titans also hosted Jordan Matthews before he signed with the Patriots, and while he and Campanaro are very different receivers, they’ve both spent most of their time inside. At present, Tennessee’s wideout depth chart is topped by Rishard Matthews and 2017 first-rounder Corey Davis, with Taywan Taylor, Tajae Sharpe, Darius Jennings, and Zach Pascal in reserve.

Campanaro, 27, had managed only 12 total receptions during his first three years in the league, but topped that total alone with the Ravens in 2017. Not only did Campanaro post 19 receptions for 173 yards, but he served as Baltimore’s primary punt returner, averaging 10.8 yards per return while adding one touchdown. The Titans, for their part, used first-round rookie Adoree’ Jackson as a punt returner last season, but it’s possible Campanaro could take over that role if Tennessee wants to give Jackson a breather.

The Titans hosted Campanaro on a visit last week and had reportedly been discussing a deal for weeks. Other clubs, including the incumbent Ravens, also expressed interest in Campanaro, but he never met with any team besides Tennessee.

AFC West Notes: Raiders, Broncos, Chargers

April 10th, 2018 at 6:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Raiders recently released Marquette King following what was described as a personality clash between the veteran punter and new Oakland head coach Jon Gruden, but King says he’s perfectly capable of toning down his act if need be. “You can’t judge me by what you see on TV or social media, and sadly, a lot of people do that,” King tells Jim Trotter of NFL.com. “If those things were an issue, just sit down and tell me. I can be a zombie if you want me to. But everybody knows what they sign up for when they get into professional sports. You know there are going to be ups and downs, and you’ve got to be able to handle them regardless of the situation, with professionalism and a positive attitude.” King has since signed a thee-year pact with the Broncos, and is clearly relishing the opportunity to play against the Raiders twice per season from here on out.

Here’s more from the AFC West:

  • Although the Raiders are reportedly not close to an extension with star pass rusher Khalil Mack, the club expects to reach an agreement before the 2018 campaign gets underway, tweets Trotter. Mack failed to report for the first day of voluntary workouts on Tuesday, but no one inside the Oakland organization is panicking, per Trotter. The fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft, Mack has averaged 12 sacks per year over the past three seasons and is likely looking for an annual salary in the $20MM range. Mack, 27, is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and is scheduled to earn a base salary of $13.836MM thanks to his fifth-year option.
  • Several rival teams have told Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com that the Raiders are open to dealing the No. 10 overall selection, and a trade could become all the more likely if a quarterback prospect is still on the board when Oakland’s turn comes. While the draft’s top four signal-callers may well be gone by pick No. 10, second-tier passers such as Lamar Jackson and/or Mason Rudolph could still be available (one AFC executive thinks both will be selected in the top-20, per La Canfora). At that point, the Raiders — who are already set with Derek Carr under center — could collect extra draft capital by moving back a few slots.
  • Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea met with the Chargers on Tuesday, according to Josh Norris of Rotoworld (Twitter link). To this point, Vea has also set up visits with the Bengals, Cowboys, Packers, Buccaneers, and Browns, and is widely viewed as a surefire first-round pick. In Los Angeles, the 6’5″, 340-pound Vea would play in between star pass rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, and help the Chargers cover for the suspended Corey Liuget. He’d also be considered an eventual replacement for fellow defensive tackle Brandon Mebane, who is entering his age-33 campaign.
  • While most mock drafts have the Broncos ending up with a quarterback, running back Saquon Barkley, or guard Quenton Nelson, Mike Klis of 9News argues Denver could consider trading back and hitting other positions. Receiver and corner are still considered areas of need on the Broncos’ roster, so general manager John Elway could conceivably pick up a few extra picks and use his first-rounder on those positions.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Ajayi, Giants

April 10th, 2018 at 4:32pm CST by Zachary Links

What does the future hold for Eagles running back Jay Ajayi? Beyond the 2018 season, that’s a tough question to answer, Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia writes.

The Dolphins gave up on Ajayi, in part, because of a long-term chronic knee injury. The running back closed out 2017 strong for Philly, but the Eagles will have to figure out what kind of offer to make to him if he turns in a big year.

Ajayi, 24, is under contract for this year at a paltry $1.9MM cap figure. He’s just one year removed from a Pro Bowl appearance and could be primed for another strong campaign.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • Eli Manning said he has not discussed his future with the Giants. “No,” Manning said when asked about whether the big looming conversation has taken place, Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. “This league, it’s one year at a time. That’s kind of how it goes. I need to go out there and play well this year, and that’s all I’m looking forward to.” Manning is slated to count for $22.2MM against the Giants’ cap this year and $23.2MM in 2019, the final year of his contract. The Giants can get out of that last season and save $17MM, however. The Giants are widely believed to be targeting a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft and the success of that rookie may dictate their course of action with Manning.
  • Meanwhile, the rival Redskins aren’t ruling out a quarterback in the first round. “When we get to [No.] 13, we’ve got to see who’s there,” executive Doug Williams told Kimberley Martin of the Washington Post. “If there’s a quarterback that we feel should have gone [at the top of the draft], then that’s a major discussion. To say it’s off the table, that would be unfair.” The top four QBs in this year’s draft are likely to be off of the board by the time the Redskins are called at No. 13 and, even then, they are expected to address bigger needs in the first round. Of course, Washington already has Alex Smith to steward the offense.
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