Ravens Acquire 55th Pick From Cardinals
The Ravens have acquired the 55th pick from the Cardinals, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, and Andy Slater of 940-AM WINZ reports (Twitter) they will select Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams. The Cards will receive a second-round pick (No. 58) and fifth-rounder (No. 158), according to the NFL’s official Twitter account.
Draft Notes: Gregory, Jags, Eagles, Titans
The latest notes concerning the ongoing 2015 NFL Draft:
- Despite possessing immense talent, Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory wasn’t one of the first 50 players taken in the draft. One reason, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, is that Gregory missed at least three pre-draft meetings with various teams, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. That “alienated” some clubs, per Schefter.
- Jaguars general manager David Caldwell, who selected Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon in the second round, tried to trade back into the first round Thursday to land either Todd Gurley or Melvin Gordon, tweets NFL.com’s Michael Silver. Both went in the top 15, however, which was too high for the Jags to trade up.
- The Eagles tried to acquire the 45th pick from the Vikings, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link), before Minnesota used the selection on UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks. Philadelphia ended up moving from the 52nd pick to No. 47 and taking Utah defensive back Eric Rowe – whom Chip Kelly expected to go higher, per Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter).
- After the Titans traded down from the 33rd overall pick to the 40th selection on Friday, general manager Ruston Webster said they were able to do so because there were four or five players on the board they liked. Therefore, Webster felt moving down was a worthwhile risk, tweets Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com. The Titans ended up taking former Missouri and Oklahoma wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham with the 40th pick.
- The mother of new Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker, the 14th pick, had some choice words for Cleveland. “We didn’t want him going to Cleveland,” Reneca Parker said Friday, according to Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald.“They don’t have a team, really, or a quarterback.” The Browns passed on Parker at No. 12, which pleased Dolphins football czar Mike Tannenbaum.“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the result,” he said.
Eagles Acquire 47th Pick From Dolphins
The Eagles will acquire the 47th overall pick from the Dolphins, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), and will select Utah defensive back Eric Rowe, tweets Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. In return, Miami will receive Philly’s second-round choice and two fifth-rounders (Nos. 52, 145, and 156). The Eagles will also get a sixth-rounder (No. 191), per Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk (Twitter).
Panthers Acquire 41st Pick From Rams
The Panthers have acquired the 41st pick from the Rams for a second-, third-, and sixth-rounder, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The selections the Rams will receive are the 57th, 89th, and 201st, respectively.
Carolina will take Michigan tight end/wide receiver Devin Funchess with the 41st choice, according to ESPN’s David Newton (Twitter link).
Giants Acquire 33rd Pick From Titans
The Giants have acquired the 33rd overall pick in the draft from the Titans, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. In return, the Titans will receive the Giants’ second- , fourth-, and seventh-round picks, reports Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link). Those selections are the 40th, 108th, and 245th picks, respectively.
The Giants selected Alabama safety Landon Collins with the 33rd pick. Collins, who totaled 103 tackles and three interceptions for the Crimson Tide in 2014, is expected to improve a Giants defense that finished last season 29th in the NFL.
Draft Rumors: Gregory, AP, Wilkerson
Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory is regarded as one of the most talented players in this year’s NFL draft, but he remains available after the completion of the first round because of off-field issues. Gregory voiced his disappointment about his current undrafted status to Yahoo! Sports’ Rand Getlin on Friday (via Twitter).
“I feel like I let my family and the people who believe in me down, and I’m sorry for that,” said Gregory. “But I’m going to use this as fuel. The franchise that drafts me won’t have to worry about me off the field, but the teams that didn’t select me will have to worry about me on the field.”
Gregory went on to state that he is “the best defensive player in the draft.”
Here’s more as the second round of the draft draws nearer:
- If the Jets are going to trade defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, it could take multiple first-round picks to land him, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. However, La Canfora notes that, after having drafted Leonard Williams with their first-round selection, the Jets would have a loaded defensive line even without Wilkerson. That may lead to a reduction in their asking price, and the likes of the Browns and Raiders could be possible destinations should the Jets move Wilkerson.
- Friday could be the last real chance for the Vikings to trade Adrian Peterson, per LaCanfora. Peterson might fetch the Vikings a second-round pick if he’s willing to take a pay cut to play elsewhere.
- Florida State defensive tackle Eddie Goldman won’t stay on the board for long tonight, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport notes that Goldman is viewed as a first-round talent by many teams.
- Indiana’s Tevin Coleman could be the first running back taken tonight, according to Rapoport (Twitter link). A team tried to trade up for Coleman last night, Rapoport notes.
- The first half of the second round could see several running backs and offensive lineman selected, according to La Canfora. Conversely, La Canfora doesn’t expect any tight ends to go for a while, noting that South Carolina’s Rory Anderson or Rutgers’ Tyler Kroft could be the first one taken.
- La Canfora writes that Baylor’s Bryce Petty will likely be the first quarterback drafted Friday. The Bills, Rams, Saints and Chargers are among the teams that have done their homework on Petty.
Extra Points: Dez, Johnson, Cooper, Draft Visits
The recent falling out between Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant and longtime mentor David Wells makes it unlikely Bryant will stay in Dallas long term, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). The Cowboys view Wells as crucial to keeping Bryant out of trouble off the field, and if Wells isn’t going to continue on as part of Bryant’s life, Cole doesn’t expect the team to risk giving the wideout a long-term deal. Bryant, on whom the Cowboys placed the franchise tag earlier this offseason, is scheduled to become a free agent next year.
Rounding up the rest of the latest NFL news as Friday comes to a close:
- Colts receiver Andre Johnson spent the first 12 years of his career with the Texans and caught over 1,000 passes before the team released him in March. Despite subsequently signing with AFC South rival Indianapolis, Johnson doesn’t harbor ill will against his old team. “It wasn’t about circling (game) dates or nothing against the Texans. I had 12 great years [in Houston],” Johnson said Friday, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. “I have nothing bad against the Texans.”
- The Giants could draft a receiver with the ninth overall pick, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (Twitter link), who believes Amari Cooper of Alabama tops their wideout big board. However, Raanan tweets that it’s unlikely Cooper will fall to the Giants.
- Speaking of Cooper, multiple teams rate him as the best player in the draft, per Peter King of TheMMQB.com (Twitter).
- University of Kentucky edge rusher Bud Dupree visited the Rams on Friday, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter).
- Sacramento State wide receiver DeAndre Carter will visit the Patriots on Monday, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter).
- Washington visited with University of Pittsburgh linebacker Todd Thomas on Friday, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.Net.
- The Colts on Friday hosted a pair of safety prospects – Northwestern’s Ibraheim Campbell and Samford’s Jaquiski Tartt – per Pauline (Twitter).
Raiders Interested In Adrian Peterson
The Raiders had the worst rushing attack in the NFL in 2014 and still don’t have a proven running back on their roster capable of taking the pressure off young quarterback Derek Carr, but that might change soon. The NFL Network reports that the Raiders have shown interest in acquiring six-time Pro Bowler Adrian Peterson, writes Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. 
The 30-year-old Peterson sat out all of last season because of domestic violence issues, but the league reinstated him earlier this week. Despite being under contract with the Vikings for three more years, the former MVP’s future in Minnesota is uncertain and he could end up traded prior to next season.
If the Vikings do deal Peterson, the Raiders could be a fit because of both their need for a top-end back and their available cap space. Oakland has plenty of salary room for Peterson, whose cap hit exceeds $15MM in each of the remaining years of his contract (it’s $15.4MM in 2015).
The Raiders’ cap situation is much better than that of the Cowboys, who have been linked to Peterson this offseason. Oakland has roughly $12MM more to spend than Dallas, per Smith, but he also notes that Peterson to the Bay Area is unlikely because the rebuilding Raiders aren’t an expensive, over-30 player away from contention. Nonetheless, given the Raiders’ dearth of offensive weapons, it’s a situation that bears watching as the offseason progresses and Peterson’s future becomes clearer.
NFC South Notes: Wisniewski, Draft, Saints
Free agent interior offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski has been heavily linked to the NFC South this offseason, having drawn interest from the Buccaneers, Saints and Panthers. The 26-year-old, who spent his first four seasons with the Raiders and started in all 61 of his appearances, visited the Buccaneers last month and then underwent shoulder surgery. That hasn’t killed the Bucs’ interest, according to the Tampa Tribune’s Roy Cummings, who tweets that the team could sign Wisniewski when he recovers. Cummings notes (Twitter link) that the Bucs have competition for the services of Wisniewski, who has visited with at least a dozen teams. If Tampa does add Wisniewski, Cummings believes he’ll be its center (via Twitter).
Here’s the latest on the Bucs’ division rivals:
- Alabama safety Landon Collins is visiting the Panthers today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Collins is expected to be a first-round pick and might not make it to 25th overall, where Carolina selects. In a mock draft posted last week, our own Rob DiRe projected Collins as a top-20 selection.
- Miami (Ohio) University cornerback Quinten Rollins will visit the Falcons next week, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. An ex-basketball player, Rollins played just one season of college football. He made it count, earning MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2014.
- The Saints need to address their lack of playmakers on defense and at wide receiver via the draft, writes Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. New Orleans’ defense allowed the second-most yards in the league in 2014 and struggled to take the ball away, and its offense has to replace wideout Kenny Stills – whom the team traded to Miami earlier this offseason. Stills led the Saints with 931 receiving yards in 2014.
Draft Notes: Winston, Beasley, Gurley, Dawson
Here are the latest draft-related updates from around the NFL:
- The Buccaneers are undaunted by Florida State quarterback’s Jameis Winston’s latest legal problems, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link). Cummings believes Winston will be the Bucs’ choice at No. 1 overall.
- The Raiders worked out Clemson pass rusher Vic Beasley on Friday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Oakland sent a four-man contingent headed by defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. to observe Beasley, who is Clemson’s all-time sacks leader and a candidate to be the Raiders’ first-round pick (fourth overall).
- Beasley might not make it to Oakland’s pick, as the Jaguars – who own No. 3 overall – had defensive line coach Todd Wash follow up with the 22-year-old, Rapoport tweeted. Jacksonville worked out Beasley earlier this month.
- Georgia running back Todd Gurley will visit the Patriots next week, reports Mike Giardi of CSNNE.com. Gurley is a potential fit for the Patriots in the first round, in which they hold the 32nd overall selection.
- TCU linebacker Paul Dawson has visited the 49ers and Chiefs and had a private workout with the Falcons, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. He also met with the Rams and Saints at his Pro Day workout.