Buccaneers Would Consider Drafting QB
The Buccaneers may be all-in on the 2021 season, but that wouldn’t stop them from considering a quarterback in the upcoming draft. During his press conference earlier this week, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht revealted that he’d consider taking a developmental quarterback who could learn from future Hall of Famer Tom Brady.
“You just want to make sure that you’re not picking a quarterback just to pick a quarterback,” said Licht (via Scott Smith of the team’s website). “You want everybody to be onboard, and the guy’s got to have the right mindset. He’s got to be, obviously, talented and can through the ball, but he’s got to be somebody that we all feel comfortable with above the neck. There’s always positives to drafting a quarterback if all those things align.”
The Buccaneers won’t use a first-round pick on a quarterback, and it’d be a bit surprising if the team selected a QB on the second day of the draft. A late-round quarterback would be a natural crapshoot, but the Buccaneers would be putting that young player in a position to succeed. For starters, the rookie would obviously be playing behind a seven-time champion (and a former late-round pick, to boot). Plus, as Licht pointed out, that young signal-caller would also benefit from the current coaching staff.
“Well, there’s always pros to drafting a quarterback for us because of our coaching staff,” said Licht. “Bruce and Byron and Clyde and Tom Moore – I mean, you couldn’t think of a better staff to groom a quarterback.”
A young quarterback would also have the inside track to succeed Brady when the veteran inevitably retires. In fact, this hypothetical player could have a path to playing time if Brady was forced to miss time next season; the only other quarterback on the roster is Ryan Griffin, although the team is still looking to re-sign backup Blaine Gabbert.
49ers To Sign DT Maurice Hurst
A week after getting cut by the Raiders, Maurice Hurst has found a new home. The defensive lineman is signing with the 49ers, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Raiders Cut Arden Key, Maurice Hurst]
The All-American out of Michigan was a potential first-round pick heading into the 2018 draft, but a heart condition caused him to fall to the fifth round. The Raiders scooped him up, and the defensive tackle was an immediate return on investment. Hurst started 10 of his 13 games as a rookie, finishing with 31 tackles and four sacks.
Unfortunately, those numbers still stand as career highs. Hurst found himself mostly playing in a backup role in 2019, and this culminated in him appearing in a career-low 23-percent of his team’s defensive snaps in 2020. With the Raiders having already added linemen Yannick Ngakoue and Quinton Jefferson this offseason, the team decided to move on from the 25-year-old earlier this month.
Hurst was cut alongside Arden Key, who was coincidentally picked up by the 49ers yesterday. Hurst still possesses some upside (eight sacks, 17 QB hits in three seasons), and that makes him a low-risk, high-reward signing for the 49ers.
Eagles GM Discusses Trading Back, Draft Flexibility, Owner
The Eagles have already made headlines this offseason when they traded the No. 6 pick to the Dolphins for No. 12 and a future first. While the front office might not be done trading, they’re making their final preparations for the draft. Armed with 11 picks, the Eagles have the most flexibility they’ve had in the draft in several years, and executive vice president/general manager Howie Roseman recognizes how crucial it is to be ready for whatever opportunities present themselves.
Speaking alongside executive Andy Weidl and head coach Nick Sirianni during a press conference today, Roseman provided some notable details on why the Eagles decided to trade down, how they plan to proceed with all of their picks, and how the team owner is involved throughout the process (h/t to Dave Spadaro and Vaughn Johnson of the team’s website and Zach Berman of the The Athletic):
On the front office’s logic for trading back from No. 6 to No. 12:
“Flexibility creates opportunity. When you go back and look at things that are hard to acquire, that’s one of the toughest things to acquire, a team’s first-round pick in the following year.
“What we really had to do is sit there and go, who are the 12 best players in this draft that we would feel really good about? Are there 12 players in this draft that we really feel good about? That’s what we’re going to do throughout this draft. If you move back, it’s because you feel like you have a bunch of guys that are the same value and to be really happy getting one and getting the extra volume from that pick. If you move up, it’s because your board kind of drops off at that point.
“You have to feel like you’re getting a premium and we felt like we were getting a premium to do that.”
On the front office’s preparation for the draft, especially considering they’re armed with 11 draft picks:
“The process this year with the coaches, with the scouts, has allowed us to really sit down and talk about a lot of these things and figure out the best way to maximize our 11 picks in this draft. We’re really excited about the opportunity to add to this football team next week.”
On how the team overcame the limitations presented by COVID when evaluating prospects:
“Our coaches did an unbelievable job of taking all the guys that we would have interviewed at the Combine in Indianapolis and would have had here in Philadelphia and interviewing all of those guys.
“So just really appreciative of coach and his staff to take all the time to do that, and we continue to do the other things that we do, the psychological reports, and put ourselves in the best possible situation for next week.”
On whether the Eagles would consider Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, who finished last year with 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns, despite him only weighing in at 166 pounds:
“Good players come in all shapes and sizes, and so we’re not going to discriminate based on any of those things.”
On owner Jeffrey Lurie’s role in the draft process:
“He’s there to make sure that he’s looking through our process, and if he’s got any questions about why we’re doing things, we’re going to go and have those discussions about why the process looks like it does, why our draft board — just based on the descriptions that the coaches and the scouts are giving of this player. He’s taking notes on those. Those aren’t his evaluations, those are based on the coaches and scouts and making sure they fit in terms of what he’s looking for from that value, that spot. If we’re talking about a guy in the first round and we’re talking about him as a role player, he may stand up and say, ‘Wait a minute, is that really what we’re looking for in a first-round pick?’ He’s not saying this is my opinion, this guy is a role player or not. In terms of his role in the draft room, the draft room, 90 percent of the time, the work is done. It’s all done, and you’re just picking them off based on where it is.”
This Date In Transactions History: Raiders Trade Terrelle Pryor
When Terrelle Pryor was traded from the Raiders seven years ago today, many questioned whether he’d be able to stick around the NFL as a quarterback. Little did we know that the player would eventually transform into a 1,000-yard receiver.
Before we discuss that trade, let’s go back a bit. Following an autograph scandal and subsequent withdrawal from Ohio State, the former Big Ten star had to settle for the 2011 Supplemental Draft. The Raiders gave up a third-round to acquire the quarterback, and he later inked a four-year deal with the organization. Prior barely saw the field as a rookie, but he showed flashes during the 2012 season, tossing two scores and running for another on the ground.
He finally got a shot to start in 2013 following the Carson Palmer trade, and results were mixed. The Raiders went 3-6 in Pryor’s nine starts, with the quarterback completing only 57.4-percent of his passes for 1,798 yards, seven touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. However, he continued to show his talents on the ground, running for two more scores. During the 2014 offseason, Pryor found himself buried on the depth chart following the team’s signing of Matt Schaub. So, on April 21, 2014, the Raiders cleared a roster spot and saved a chunk of money by trading Pryor to Seattle for a seventh-round pick.
Pryor didn’t even make it to the regular season with the Seahawks, and he proceeded to bounce around the NFL a bit over the next few years, spending time with the Chiefs and Bengals. He spent time on the Browns roster during the 2015 campaign, and he got some recognition when he hauled in a 44-yard catch during the final game of the season.
He stuck around Cleveland for the 2016 season and proceeded to have a breakout campaign. Pryor played everywhere for the Browns: quarterback, wideout, safety. He was most productive at receiver, finishing the year with 1,028 yards from scrimmage and five scores (he also completed five of his nine passes). That performance earned him a one-year, $8MM deal from Washington, but he was unable to replicate his production from 2016, finishing the 2017 season with only 240 yards from scrimmage in nine games. Pryor had stints with the Jets, Dolphins, and Jaguars between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, and he hasn’t been on an NFL roster since the end of the 2019 preseason.
While Pryor’s peak was brief, it was memorable. Pryor’s transformation from struggling quarterback to 1,000-yard wideout was one of the better comeback stories in recent NFL history, and that transformation was unexpected when Pryor was traded on this date in 2014.
What Are The Most Well-Traveled Draft Picks (Not Players) Of All Time?
We learned earlier this week that the Eagles were considering trades for the No. 12 pick. If Philly finds a trade partner, it will be the third time that the No. 12 selection has changed hands (San Francisco to Miami, Miami to Philly, Philly to final team) … and that draft pick would join some (um) distinguished company.
Dating back to 1994, there have been 10 first-round picks that have been traded three times:
- 2019, 1.30: Giants (via Seahawks, via Packers, via Saints) selected CB Deandre Baker
- 2018, 1.22: Titans (via Ravens, via Bills, via Chiefs) selected LB Rashaan Evans
- 2016, 1.8: Titans (via Browns, via Eagles, via Dolphins) selected OT Jack Conklin
- 2010, 1.24: Cowboys (via Patriots, via Broncos, via Eagles) selected WR Dez Bryant
- 2003, 1.13: Patriots (via Bears, via Jets, via Washington) selected DE Ty Warren
- 2002, 1.21: Patriots (via Washington, via Raiders, via Buccaneers) selected TE Daniel Graham
- 2000, 1.12: Jets (via 49ers, via Washington, via Panthers) selected DE Shaun Ellis
- 1997, 1.6: Seahawks (via Buccaneers, via Jets, via Rams) selected OT Walter Jones
- 1996, 1.17: Lions (via Seahawks, via Oilers, via Raiders) selected LB Reggie Brown
- 1994, 1.7: 49ers (via Rams, via Colts, via Falcons) selected DT Bryant Young
I was hoping for some Kevin Costner/Draft Day shenanigans, but alas. For what it’s worth, that grouping above combined for 15 All-Pro nods, 18 Pro Bowl appearances, and five Super Bowl championships (sure, the player accolades were via Jones and the championships were via the Patriots, but let me have this). The majority of these first-round picks started as future compensation; if No. 12 is traded again, it’d surely set some PFR-official record for timing (the pick first changed hands on March 23).
What’s the most traded draft selection, regardless of round? Three selections have switched hands five times (since 1994)
- 2018, 7.250: Patriots (via Eagles, via Seahawks, via Patriots, via Seahawks, via Eagles) selected TE Ryan Izzo
- 2010, 5.158: Saints (via Jaguars, via Raiders, via Patriots, via Broncos, via via Cowboys) selected C Matt Tennant
- 2005: 4.126: Eagles (via Packers, via Panthers, via Seahawks, via Browns, via Broncos) selected OT Todd Herremans
I won’t review the accolades of that trio.
What can we take away from this exercise? Teams should consider hiring Sonny Weaver Jr. to break one of these records.
Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments!
Rams CB Darious Williams Signs First-Round Tender
Darious Williams is re-signing with the Rams. The restricted free agent signed his first-round tender today, the team announced on Twitter. This locks the cornerback into a $4.77MM price tag for next season.
The cash-strapped Rams raised a few eyebrows when they extended Williams a first-round tender, making him the only RFA who was tendered at that value. Teams rarely use the Round 1 tender, but the team clearly wanted to ensure that Williams stuck around opposite Jalen Ramsey next season. Had another team signed Williams to an offer sheet, they would have had to sacrifice a first-round pick to the Rams. Williams’ deadline to sign an offer sheet was this Friday.
After taking on a larger role as a backup in 2019, Williams had a breakout season in 2020. The 27-year-old finished the campaign having set career-highs across the board, including tackles (44), interceptions (four), and passes defended (14). He ultimately ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 4 overall cornerback.
The Rams cornerbacks corps is set to look a bit different next season; Troy Hill left for Cleveland, while cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant went to Detroit.
Bills To Consider RB At No. 30?
The Bills seem to have a full depth chart at running back, but Brandon Beane is receptive to adding a running back in the first round. Speaking to reporters, the GM revealed that the team would consider taking a running back at No. 30.
“What does his skill set have in comparison to what we have on the roster?” Beane asked reporters (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “Is this player going to do something … I don’t think either one of our backs are home run hitters, so is there an elite trait that this guy has and says, ‘Man, he’s got something we don’t have.’ That’s probably the conversation, versus, ‘OK, are we going to take the same type of back as Devin [Singletary], are we gonna take the same type of back as Zack [Moss]? Because even those two guys have different skill sets.”
While the Bills have used third-round picks in each of the past two drafts to select running backs (Singletary in 2019, Moss in 2020), the team still ranked in the bottom-half of the NFL in rushing yards, yards per attempt, and rushing touchdowns (with a chunk of that production coming from Josh Allen and his 421-yard, eight-touchdown performance on the ground). While Singletary and Moss (along with free agent addition Matt Breida) should be a passable grouping in 2021, it’d make sense that the team would look to add a dynamic play-maker to the bunch.
Clemson’s Travis Etienne, Alabama’s Najee Harris, and North Carolina’s Javonte Williams could all be available when the Bills are on the clock at No. 30.
Seahawks OL Kyle Fuller Signs ERFA Tender
Kyle Fuller is officially back with the Seahawks. The offensive lineman signed his ERFA tender today, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter).
The 2017 seventh-round pick out of Baylor started two of his nine games as a rookie with the Texans, but he was let go after one year with the organization. The offensive lineman had brief stints with both Washington and the Dolphins before landing in Seattle prior to the 2019 campaign.
Fuller spent the majority of his first season with Seattle on the practice squad, but he saw a larger role in 2020. After sitting out the first two games of the season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, the lineman proceeded to appear in nine games (one start) for the Seahawks. The 27-year-old didn’t play a whole lot (78 offensive snaps, 25 special teams snaps), but he made enough of an impression to get a tender from the team.
Fuller could end up seeing more playing time during his third season with Seattle. The Seahawks lost a pair of backups this offseason in Chad Wheeler and Chance Warmack, although they’ll probably add to the position with rookies.
Latest On Extension Talks Between Bills, Josh Allen
It sounds like Josh Allen and the Bills will eventually agree on a long-term pact, but the two sides are starting to play some hardball. Speaking to reporters, general manager Brandon Beane seemed to hint that the two sides weren’t close on a deal.
“Josh and I have spoken,” Beane said (via Chris Brown of the team’s website on Twitter). “We’d love to get Josh extended, but it has to be a number that works for him and us. We’re all on same page. Josh wants to be here. That gives me hope we’ll get something done at some point. Can’t guarantee it’ll be this year.”
That tiny revelation at the end is a bit telling. It was only last month that Beane revealed that the two sides would likely focus on extension talks following the draft, and there seemed to be some optimism that the deal would be completed relatively quickly. Now, it’s sounding like the organization isn’t convinced that a deal will get done any time soon.
Of course, there shouldn’t be any cause for concern. Allen could simply play the 2022 season on his fifth-year option, meaning there’s no urgency to get a deal done before the start of the 2021 season. In fact, Beane has plenty of experience dealing with this contract scenario; the former Panthers executive detailed how his front office was unable to extend Cam Newton following the QB’s third season.
“He played that season and then after that season, we got it done pretty quick that next offseason,” Beane said (via Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News). “We were all on the same page. I guess what I’m saying is, you can’t force it. It happens when it happens. If it happens this year, great. If it doesn’t, I’ll be very positive that we’ll get it done next year.”
Allen had a breakout campaign in 2020, transforming into an MVP candidate and guiding the Bills to 13 wins. He finished the year having completed 69.2-percent of his passes for 4,544 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, and he added another 421 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the grund. He also helped lead the Bills to the AFC Championship Game, the organization’s first appearance in the game since 1993. Considering some of the recent quarterback deals that have been handed out, Allen will certainly be eyeing a lucrative pay day when he inevitably puts pen to paper.
Eagles Could Move Up In First Round?
After having made one blockbuster trade involving first-round picks, the Eagles might not be done. Albert Breer of SI.com writes that the Eagles could look to move back up in the first round.
The Eagles currently sit with the No. 12 pick in the draft, and Breer writes that the team could spend assets to move into the top-10 while still coming out ahead (when combined with their deal with the Dolphins). The writer speculates that the front office could target a cornerback in a hypothetical trade-up scenario, although Breer doesn’t discount the chances that the team would take a quarterback; this would be a significant pivot after the team selected Jalen Hurts in the second round of last year’s draft.
Alternatively, Breer hints that the Eagles are also sniffing around at trade scenarios that would see them move back even further in the first round. If the Eagles are indeed seeking a cornerback, this path would make some sense, as there’s a chance the team is perfectly fine with any of the top-three players at the position (Jaycee Horn, Patrick Surtain, Caleb Farley).
Either way, it sounds like the No. 12 pick could be on the block, and that particular selection has switched teams multiple times this offseason. That selection was originally owned by the 49ers, and it was sent to Miami (along with a 2021 third-rounder and first-round picks in 2022 and 2023) in a trade that brought the No. 3 pick to San Francisco. Then, Miami went and traded that No. 12 pick (plus a 2022 first-round pick) to the Eagles for No. 6 and No. 156.