Falcons To Host Budda Baker
- The Redskins are meeting with Washington safety Budda Baker today, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Baker will subsequently meet with the Falcons later in the week. Although he’s small in stature (195 pounds), Baker “screams off the edge as a blitzer,” says Lance Zeirlein of NFL.com, who compares Baker to former NFL defensive MVP Bob Sanders. Baker will likely be a late first-round or early second-round pick.
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).
Details On Desmond Trufant's Extension
- Falcons corner Desmond Trufant will earn nearly half of the money in his five-year, $68.75MM extension by next March, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Trufant is due $33MM over the next 11 months, and he’ll average $14.75MM per annum during the first three years of the deal.
Falcons Sign University Of Georgia Track Star Garrett Scantling
- The Falcons have signed former University of Georgia track and field athlete Garrett Scantling, who will try and make the team as a receiver (Instagram link). Scantling has not played football since his senior year of high school. However, he performed well when partaking in Jacksonville University’s pro day last month.
Falcons, Desmond Trufant Agree To Extension
Cornerback Desmond Trufant has agreed to an extension with the Falcons, reports Jordan Schultz of The Huffington Post (via Twitter). It’ll be a five-year deal worth $69MM, with nearly $42MM guaranteed.
This news shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, as we heard exactly a month ago that the two sides were working towards a “lucrative contract extension.” At the time, it was suggested that a Trufant extension would fall just below the five-year, $75MM contract that Josh Norman received from the Redskins last year, and that appears to be the case.
The 2013 first-round pick has been a consistent force in the Falcons secondary over the past four seasons. Trufant started all 48 games through his first three campaigns, and his 2015 performance earned him a Pro Bowl birth. A torn pectoral muscle sidelined Trufant for six games this past season, but the cornerback still managed to finish the year with 31 tackles, two sacks, one interception, and two forced fumbles. When he went down with the injury, Pro Football Focus had Trufant ranked as the 32nd-best cornerback in the NFL out of 119 qualified players.
Cornerback could arguably be the Falcons deepest position. Trufant will be joining a depth chart that features Robert Alford, Jalen Collins, Brian Poole, Deji Olatoye, C.J. Goodwin, and Blidi Wreh-Wilson.
Falcons Hosting Forrest Lamp
- 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.
Carter Bykowski Retires
- Falcons offensive tackle Carter Bykowski has retired, reports Vaughn McClure of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Bykowski, whom the 49ers chose in the seventh round of the 2013 draft, joined the Falcons in 2016 after a stint in Minnesota. He didn’t appear in any regular-season games during his career.
Falcons Notes: Trufant, Freeman, Chester
- The Falcons hope to come to an extension agreement with cornerback Desmond Trufant “very soon,” Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff tells Alex Marvez of the Sporting News. Earlier this month, a report indicated the Falcons and Trufant were nearing a “lucrative” long-term deal, but no announcement has since been made by the club. Atlanta is also planning to get a contract with running back Devonta Freeman “wrapped up,” per Dimitroff. In January, Freeman was said to be seeking “elite” running back money, but he and his agent have since walked those comments back.
- Veteran guard Chris Chester isn’t in the Falcons‘ plans for 2017, and the team ultimately expects him to retire, according to Marvez. Chester, entering his age-34 season, was the weak link on a solid Atlanta offensive line in 2016. PFR pointed to right guard as an area of need when assessing the Falcons’ offseason strategy, and while the club has only added Hugh Thornton in free agency, they could still address the interior offensive line in the draft.
Falcons Interested In Forrest Lamp
Offensive lineman Forrest Lamp is starting to look like a Round 1 lock, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. Lamp, a Western Kentucky product, will likely play guard in the NFL after playing tackle in college, but he offers versatility that intrigues clubs, as he could slide to the blindside or even to center if needed. The Packers and Vikings both have interest in Lamp, per Pauline, as do the Seahawks. The Falcons, Panthers, and Titans have all put Lamp through a workout, reports Pauline.
FB Will Johnson Visited Falcons, Jets
Free agent fullback Will Johnson recently met with the Falcons and Jets, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com.
Johnson, 27, was released by the Giants earlier this month, although he suggested he could end up re-signing with Big Blue on a cheaper deal. After spending four seasons in Pittsburgh (and appearing in 63 games during that period), Johnson missed the entirety of the 2016 campaign after suffering nerve damage in his deltoid muscle.
Atlanta signed two fullbacks — including veteran Derrick Coleman — earlier this week, but that shouldn’t stop the club from taking a look at Johnson. Last season, the Falcons deployed a fullback with regularity, as Patrick DiMarco played 324 offensive snaps, third among all NFL fullbacks. DiMarco has since signed with the Bills, leaving a void in Atlanta’s offense.
The Jets were on the other end of the spectrum in terms of fullback use: Julian Howsare lead all Gang Green fullbacks with a whopping three offensive snaps. Former offensive coordinator Chan Gailey didn’t utilize the fullback in his scheme, but new play-caller John Morton may want to, as the Saints (Morton’s former employer) used a fullback on roughly a quarter of their plays. New York doesn’t currently have a fullback on its roster.