Bears Host DL Jaye Howard On Visit
Former Chiefs defensive lineman Jaye Howard is visiting the Bears, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The 28-year-old Howard became a free agent when the Chiefs released him April 23 in a cost-cutting move. Howard, a fourth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2012, joined the Chiefs in his second year and ended up spending four seasons with the club. Kansas City was quite reliant on Howard from 2014-16, when he started in 29 of 40 regular-season appearances and piled up 7.5 sacks, 5.5 of which came in 2015.
Howard only suited up eight times and made five starts last year, as a hip injury ended his season in November. During his limited action in 2016, Howard added 23 tackles and a sack, and ranked 55th in performance among Pro Football Focus‘ 127 qualified interior defensive linemen.
If he signs with Chicago – which, like Kansas City, utilizes a 3-4 defensive alignment – Howard would figure to line up at both tackle and end, as he has previously. The Bears finished last season 28th in DVOA against the run, so Howard could perhaps help them improve in that aspect. He’d also provide insurance behind nose tackle Eddie Goldman, who missed most of last season, and give the Bears another end option to join a group including Akiem Hicks, Mitch Unrein and 2016 third-rounder Jonathan Bullard.
Cowboys Shopping Orlando Scandrick?
The Cowboys are shopping cornerback Orlando Scandrick, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The asking price is a third-round pick.
Franchise owner Jerry Jones, however, pushed back against reports of a possible Scandrick trade. “Absolutely not,” said Jones when asked if Scandrick would be dealt (Twitter link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). “I don’t know who started that. He’s a valued member of our team.”
Another Cowboys source, meanwhile, tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that while Dallas isn’t actively shopping Scandrick, other teams have called on him, and the Cowboys are willing to listen. Scandrick himself also “believes” talks are occurring, per Anderson.
Scandrick perhaps became superfluous to Dallas after it selected Colorado corner Chidobe Awuzie, a four-year starter with the Buffaloes, toward the end of the second round. However, with Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr having departed in free agency, the 30-year-old Scandrick stands alongside offseason pickup Nolan Carroll as one of the Cowboys’ most established corners. The club also has Anthony Brown, who started in 10 of 16 appearances as a sixth-round rookie last season.
Scandrick has spent his entire career with the Cowboys since they selected him in the fifth round of the 2008 draft. During his nine-year tenure, he has started 58 times – including in 10 of 12 games last season. Scandrick totaled 46 tackles, two sacks and an interception, ranking an impressive 27th in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 111 qualified corners. He’s signed through the 2019 season at cap hits ranging from $5.28MM to 5.6MM.
Buccaneers Acquire 107th Pick From Jets
The Buccaneers have acquired the final selection of the draft’s second day, No. 107 overall, from the Jets. Tampa Bay gave up the 125th and 204th picks to land the 107th choice, and has taken LSU linebacker Kendell Beckwith.
The 252-pound Beckwith broke out in earnest in 2014, when he accumulated 77 tackles – 7.5 for loss – and two sacks. He then combined for 175 tackles, 16 of which were for loss, and 4.5 sacks over his final two seasons at LSU. Unfortunately, Beckwith tore his ACL late last season, which could further limit a player who already had speed issues before the injury, notes Pro Football Focus.
Assuming he’s healthy, Beckwith should serve as much-needed middle linebacker depth for the Buccaneers as a rookie. The club entered the draft in need of bodies behind starter Kwon Alexander.
49ers Acquire 104th Pick From Vikings
The 49ers have acquired the 104th pick from the Vikings in exchange for the 109th and 219th selections, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link).
San Francisco is using the pick on a quarterback, Iowa’s C.J. Beathard, who became the Hawkeyes’ full-time starter in 2015. Beathard totaled 17 touchdown passes in each of his two seasons at the helm and combined for 15 interceptions, 10 of which came last year. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder has a “very good” arm, observes Pro Football Focus, though the outlet only expects him to develop into a third-stringer at the NFL level. That figures to be his immediate role in San Francisco, which features Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley as its top two QBs.
Patriots Acquire 85th Selection From Lions
The Patriots have acquired the 85th pick in the draft from the Lions, tweets Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. New England has given up the 96th and 124th picks, per Field Yates of ESPN (on Twitter), and will select Troy offensive lineman Antonio Garcia.
The 23-year-old Garcia was a stalwart at left tackle with Troy, but if he remains a bookend in the pros, he could have trouble getting on the field for the time being. The Patriots are all set at both tackle spots with Nate Solder protecting Tom Brady‘s blindside and Marcus Cannon manning the right. Solder is entering a contract year, though, so Garcia could be in position to step into the starting lineup in 2018.
Moving up for Garcia gave the Pats two of the three picks from 83 to 85. With the 83rd selection, they chose Youngstown State defensive end Derek Rivers.
Panthers Acquire 77th Pick From Cardinals
The Panthers have acquired the 77th pick from the Cardinals in exchange for Nos. 98 and 115, tweets Arizona’s vice president of media relations, Mark Dalton.
Carolina has selected Texas A&M defensive lineman Daeshon Hall, who saw significant playing time in each of his four seasons with the Aggies. The 260-pounder was particularly effective over the previous two years, combining for 27.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in 25 games.
Hall, who played second fiddle to No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett in college, will inject some youth into a Panthers defensive line that features accomplished pass rushers in Julius Peppers, Mario Addison and Charles Johnson. All three are over the age of 30.
Vikings Acquire 70th Pick From Jets
The Vikings have acquired the 70th overall pick from the Jets, per Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link). Minnesota surrendered the 79th and 160th selections to move up, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. With the 70th choice, the Vikings selected Ohio State center Pat Elflein.
Formerly a guard, the 300-pound Elflein started all of the Buckeyes’ games over the previous three seasons and last year earned the Rimington Trophy, given to the nation’s top center. On paper, the Vikings are already in good shape at center with Joe Berger, but he’s entering his age-35 campaign. If Berger, not Elflein, serves as the Vikings’ pivot next season, the latter could end up at right guard, where Jeremiah Sirles is the penciled-in starter. Sirles worked as a tackle in 2016 and turned in uninspiring results.
Saints Acquire 67th Pick From 49ers
The Saints have acquired the 67th overall pick from the 49ers, tweets Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. New Orleans will give up a second-round pick in 2018 and a seventh-rounder this year, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
The Saints had been working to move back into the second round in order to draft a pass rusher. But the second ended without a trade for the club, which will instead settle for an early third-rounder. Surprisingly, the Saints will select Tennessee running back Alvin Kamara with the newly acquired pick.
The 5-foot-10, 215-pound Kamara was a dual threat as a member of the Volunteers, with whom he averaged 6.2 yards per rush, caught 74 passes and combined for 23 touchdowns over two seasons. It’s unclear how many touches he’ll receive during the early part of his pro career, though, as the Saints already have Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson as their top two backfield options. Of course, a timeshare won’t be anything new for Kamara, who coexisted with Jalen Hurd at Tennessee.
Saints Trying To Trade Back Into Second Round
After selecting Utah safety Marcus Williams at No. 42, the Saints are trying to trade back into the second round in order to draft an edge rusher, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). In its effort to move up, New Orleans is offering both a third-round pick this year (No. 76) and a second-round selection in 2018.
The Saints had trouble pressuring opposing quarterbacks last season, evidenced in part by their 27th-place ranking in sacks (30). Defensive end Cameron Jordan and outside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe combined for 11.5 sacks, but the Saints otherwise got little pass-rushing production from the rest of their edge players.
With Round 2 nearing a conclusion, Kansas State’s Jordan Willis and Alabama’s Tim Williams represent a couple of the most notable edge defenders left on the board.
Bills Unlikely To Exercise Sammy Watkins’ Fifth-Year Option
The Bills have a decision to make on wide receiver Sammy Watkins‘ fifth-year option by May 3, and odds are they won’t exercise it, reports Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter link).
Watkins has been a stellar performer since going fourth overall in the 2014 draft, but injuries have limited the ex-Clemson star to just 37 of 48 regular-season games, including only eight in 2016. Watkins is currently recovering from foot surgery, which is a key reason why the Bills probably won’t pick up his option, per Carucci. Fifth-year options are guaranteed for injury only, so the Bills don’t want to potentially tie themselves to Watkins for $13.26MM in 2018 if they’re unsure of his health. In the event he’s healthy next offseason, the Bills would have the option of placing the franchise tag on an unsigned Watkins for roughly $16MM.
For at least next season, Watkins will team with the club’s newly minted second-round pick, Zay Jones, to comprise the Bills’ top two receivers. Thus far in his career, the 23-year-old Watkins has averaged 66 catches, 1,064 yards and seven touchdowns per 16 games. Unfortunately for Watkins and the Bills, he hasn’t played a 16-game slate since his rookie season.