Draft Notes: Gardner, Funchess, Irving
With teams beginning to set their draft boards in stone, many are meeting with prospects to try to learn as much as they can as they prepare for the 2015 NFL Draft.
Here are a few prospects that have visited with organizations, with new updates added to the top:
- LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins will visit with the Ravens prior to the NFL draft, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Collins had already met with the team during both the NFL Combine and the Senior Bowl.
- Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner says that between three and four teams are interested in him as a passer, while the rest of the league views him as a wide receiver, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN (via Twitter). Gardner has already worked out with the Falcons and Bengals, and has visits with the Patriots and Chiefs coming up next week (via Twitter). He will also be meeting with the Steelers before the draft as well (via Twitter).
- Rothstein also notes thats fellow Wolverine Devin Funchess worked out for the Falcons last week, at both wide receiver and H-back (via Twitter).
- Former Iowa State defensive tackle David Irving will work out in San Jacinto, California on Monday morning. Despite being dismissed from the team due to an arrest and missing the 2014 season, at least two NFL teams are expected to attend, writes Gil Brandt of NFL.com (via Twitter).
Falcons Re-Sign Kroy Biermann
SATURDAY, 8:55am: Biermann’s deal is for one year and $1.925MM, with a $500K signing bonus, according to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (via Twitter).
WEDNESDAY, 3:27pm: Having already brought in a pair of new defensive ends by signing Adrian Clayborn and O’Brien Schofield, the Falcons locked up one of their own today. According to a team release, Atlanta has re-signed veteran edge defender Kroy Biermann.
Biermann, 29, started a career-high 15 games for the Falcons last season, racking up 77 tackles and 4.5 sacks to go along with a forced fumble. In 867 defensive snaps, he recorded a -5.7 grade on Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but that was largely due to a poor rating in pass coverage — he was an above-average run defender and held his own as a pass rusher.
Financial terms of Biermann’s new deal aren’t yet known.
Draft Rumors: Mariota, Winston, Williams
If Jameis Winston goes No. 1 to the Buccaneers, expect the Titans to receive a flurry of offers at No. 2, suggests CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. The NFL insider anticipates the Rams, Browns, Eagles, Chargers and Saints to consider making a move for Marcus Mariota.
Armed now with the Seahawks‘ No. 31 pick in addition to their own at No. 13, the Saints may be in the last year of Drew Brees‘ tenure and could continue their makeover offseason with a move for the Oregon spread prodigy, La Canfora muses, and he notes the Chargers at No. 17 could be in the same boat with Philip Rivers, whose deal expires after 2015.
Some other notes from an extensive day of draft rumors …
- In case Tampa Bay has an 11th-hour change of heart, Tennessee will prepare by hosting Winston on a private workout around Winston’s pro day (March 31), 247Sports reported. Mariota is due to visit the Titans in April.
- Armed with possibly the worst tight end situation heading into free agency, the Falcons added two former starting tight ends to their corps today in Jacob Tamme and Tony Moeaki. But they also worked out the draft’s top tight end, Minnesota’s Maxx Williams, earlier this week, according to ESPN Falcons reporter Vaughn McClure. A pass-rusher remains the priority at No. 8, notes McClure, but the Falcons have also worked out Michigan’s Devin Funchess — a tight end/wide receiver hybrid.
- Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams worked out for the Lions today, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com reports. Williams, who NFL.com’s Mike Mayock lists as the fourth-best corner in the draft, watched tape with Lions coaches during his visit.
- The Patriots met with Stanford defensive tackle David Parry after the Cardinal’s workout today, Draftinsider.net’s Tony Paulie notes on Twitter.
- West Georgia rising defensive line prospect Tory Slater will visit the Falcons and Seahawks, National Football Post writer Aaron Wilson said. Slater, who had 10 sacks last season and played wide receiver in high school, will tour the Falcons’ facilities April 7 and trek to Seattle on April 16.
- Utah cornerback/safety Eric Rowe will visit the Ravens, Dolphins and Lions and conduct private workouts with the Texans and Bucs, according to Wilson, writing this report for the Baltimore Sun. Neither Rowe nor Slater are top-10 prospects at their respective positions according to ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.
Falcons Sign Jacob Tamme
2:31pm: The two-year pact has a max value of just over $4MM, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
10:14am: Tamme’s deal with the Falcons is for two years, says Mike Klis of the Denver Post.
9:50am: The Falcons have added a tight end to their roster, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed veteran free agent Jacob Tamme away from the Broncos. Tamme himself tweeted about the news as well, expressing his excitement this morning about joining the Falcons.
On a crowded Broncos depth chart that also featured Julius Thomas and Virgil Green, Tamme saw his role reduced in recent years — after he grabbed 52 balls in 2012, the former fourth-round pick had his reception total drop to 20 in 2013 and to just 14 in 2014.
Although he wasn’t playing a huge role in the Denver offense, Tamme, who turned 30 this past Sunday, still drew interest from the Broncos this offseason. Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com first reported this morning (via Twitter) that Tamme was likely to sign with the Broncos, but cautioned that the Broncos could still make a last-minute play for their tight end. Denver lost Thomas in free agency earlier this month, but re-signed Green and added Owen Daniels.
For Atlanta, Tamme will help try to solidify a position that has been lacking for the team since Tony Gonzalez retired. In 2014, Levine Toilolo was the Falcons’ primary tight end, but he caught just 31 balls for 238 yards and a pair of touchdowns, as Matt Ryan relied primarily on his receivers and running backs when he dropped back to pass.
Falcons Sign Tony Moeaki
After signing Jacob Tamme earlier today, the Falcons have added some more depth at the tight end position, announcing (via Twitter) that they’ve also signed Tony Moeaki. The veteran tight end, who gets a one-year deal, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link), becomes the latest former Seahawks to follow new Falcons head coach Dan Quinn to Atlanta.
Moeaki, 27, was a pass-catching threat earlier in his career in Kansas City, averaging 40 receptions during his first two full seasons with the Chiefs. However, over the last two seasons, in stints with the Chiefs, Bills, and Seahawks, Moeaki has caught just eight balls. The former third-round pick likely won’t play a significant role in the Falcons’ offense.
Financial terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but I’d be surprised if it’s more than a minimum salary pact. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun confirms (via Twitter) that it’s a one-year deal.
Besides having a connection to Quinn, Moeaki also has history with Falcons executive Scott Pioli, who worked in the Chiefs’ front office when the tight end was drafted.
FA Notes: Mays, Dent, Tamme
Let’s check out some notes regarding some notable free agents…
- Former Bengals safety Taylor Mays will have dinner with members of the Vikings organization this evening, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Mike Zimmer and his front office had been reportedly eyeing the defensive back for some time.
- According to agent Hadley Engelhard, free agent linebacker Akeem Dent has received interest from the Texans (via Mark Berman of Houston’s Fox26 on Twitter). The agent noted that he is “having extensive dialogue with [two] other teams” regarding his client.
- Free agent tight end Jacob Tamme is visiting the Falcons this evening, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The former Colts and Broncos weapon is reportedly considering a pair of offers, and one of those contracts could be from Denver, as Mike Wilkening of ProFootballTalk.com says the Broncos would like to bring back the 30-year-old.
Falcons Sign Jared Smith
Dan Quinn is adding some reinforcement to his offensive line, as the Falcons announced the signing of offensive lineman Jared Smith. The length and value of the deal have not been released.
The former UNH standout was drafted by the Seahawks as an offensive lineman in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. The designation as an offensive lineman was a bit surprising considering Smith played defensive lineman in college. The 24-year-old spent time on Seattle’s practice squad, winning a Super Bowl ring in the process. He was released by the organization last July.
Per the Falcons’ press release, Smith finished his college career with 129 tackles, 12.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He has yet to make an appearance in an NFL game.
Falcons To Keep Smith, Add Person
MARCH 18th, 12:54pm: Smith’s deal will pay him $1.4MM in total between his $1.2MM salary and $200K bonus, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
MARCH 10th, 6:08pm: The Falcons‘ new-look backfield will still include elusive speedster Antone Smith. Atlanta re-signed the 29-year-old running back while adding practice squad veteran offensive lineman Mike Person, Jay Adams of AtlantaFalcons.com tweets.
These signings come after the Falcons added linebackers Brooks Reed and Justin Durant earlier today. Terms of these deals have not been disclosed.
Before going down with a fractured leg in November, Smith was one of the NFL’s best yards-after-catch performers, with 17.3 per reception. A longtime special-teamer and backup to Michael Turner or Steven Jackson, Smith will suit up for the Falcons in a sixth straight season and do so as part of a revamped backfield.
The Falcons cut Jackson last month and haven’t re-signed diminutive reserve Jacquizz Rodgers yet, leaving only Smith and 2014 rookie Devonta Freeman in the backfield.
Person’s played with four different teams, but after only seeing action in one game from 2011-13, the former undrafted free agent played in 16 games with the Rams last season.
Michael Bennett Seeking Trade To Falcons?
1:21pm: The Seahawks are denying any knowledge of Bennett wanting to be traded, tweets Terry Blount of ESPN.com. The team says it has not heard that from either Bennett or agent Drew Rosenhaus, says Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter links).
1:00pm: Former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn joined the Falcons as the team’s new head coach this offseason, and he’s already brought one former Seattle pass rusher – O’Brien Schofield – with him to Atlanta. Now, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, another key Seahawks defender wants to join Quinn in Atlanta. Citing multiple sources, Hill reports (via Twitter) that Michael Bennett is seeking a trade to the Falcons, and wants a new contract.
Bennett, 29, was eligible for a new contract a year ago, ranking first on PFR’s list of top free agents for 2014. However, despite receiving serious interest from the Bears, Bennett elected to return to the defending-champion Seahawks on a four-year contract worth just $28.5MM, with $10MM in guaranteed money.
If Bennett had gone to the highest bidder on the open market, his payday likely would have been significantly higher than what he received from Seattle, and while his 2015 base salary is now guaranteed, his deal doesn’t include any more guaranteed money beyond this season. So it makes some sense that he’d want a new contract, particularly since he has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL in recent years — Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him as the league’s second-best 4-3 defensive end in 2014, as he racked up an impressive 72 total quarterback pressures.
Still, Bennett made the decision to return to the Seahawks for a lesser rate, and the team was essentially one play away from repeating as Super Bowl champions this past year, so it seems unusual that the Texas A&M product would want out of Seattle. It could help explain why the Seahawks have been bringing in a number of defensive linemen for visits though, with Chris Canty and Anthony Spencer reportedly in town today, and Greg Hardy due in later this week.
As one of the league’s best pass rushers, Bennett won’t come cheap in any deal, so assuming Hill’s report is accurate, we’ll have to wait and see if the Falcons would be willing to part with a high draft pick to land him, or if the Seahawks are even open to discussing a trade.
FA Notes: Newman, Johnson, Clay, Lowery
As Peter King of The MMQB.com observes in his latest column, spending big in free agency often doesn’t translate to wins in the next season or two. As such, this year’s spenders – such as the Jets, Eagles, Dolphins, and Jaguars – should be wary about how much of an on-field impact their signings will have in 2015. A team like the Ravens, on the other hand, has enjoyed great success by consistently letting big free agents leave for other teams, then collecting compensatory picks for those players and replenishing the roster with young talent.
Here are a few more free agent updates:
- Veteran cornerback Terence Newman will turn 37 in September, but he intends to continue his playing career. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Newman visited the Vikings yesterday, and is headed to New England today to meet with the Patriots.
- When Michael Johnson‘s new four-year contract with the Bengals was initially reported, figures of $20MM and $24MM were cited as the overall value of the deal. Rapoport offers some clarity on that front, tweeting that the $20MM base value increases to $24MM if Johnson records 10 or more sacks during the 2015 season.
- Rex Ryan has been the “driving force” behind the Bills‘ pursuit of tight end Charles Clay, a source tells Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News. Having become familiar with the Dolphins tight end over the last few years of AFC East divisional games, Ryan badly wants Clay in Buffalo, and the Bills continue to prepare an offer sheet for Miami’s transition player.
- Safety Dwight Lowery admits that the Falcons haven’t shown much interest in re-signing him, and says he hasn’t spoken to new head coach Dan Quinn, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes. Atlanta is still without a starting free safety, so it’s possible the team will circle back to Lowery at some point.
- Referring to an article in Australia’s Courier-Mail, former Seahawks defensive lineman Jesse Williams suggested in a tweet that he didn’t actually speak to the outlet. The Courier-Mail piece indicated that Williams himself said he expected to re-sign with Seattle, so it’s not clear whether or not a new deal with the club is actually in the works.
- Earlier today, I listed a few of the top free agents still on the board at each position.