AFC Notes: Raiders, Dolphins, Jaguars
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr isn’t signed beyond next season, but it doesn’t appear he’ll go into 2017 without long-term security. Carr’s agent, Tim Younger, and Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie have been discussing an extension “for months,” Carr told reporters Monday. Those talks have been “super positive,” added Carr, who hopes a deal comes together by training camp (Twitter links via Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com). Carr, who tossed 28 touchdowns and six interceptions last season to help the Raiders break their 14-year playoff drought, is in line to become one of the NFL’s highest-paid signal-callers.
More from Oakland and two other AFC cities:
- The fact that wide receiver Jarvis Landry was on hand for the start of the Dolphins’ voluntary program Monday bodes well for his chances of receiving an extension because it shows that he’s committed to the team, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. The Dolphins entered the offseason planning to extend Landry, and Salguero relays that his agent and the club have since spoken “at least a dozen times on the matter.” A new deal would make the 24-year-old Landry the Dolphins’ richest wideout – surpassing Kenny Stills‘ four-year, $32MM contract ($20MM guaranteed) – and could materialize by June, per Salguero.
- Newly acquired Jaguars left tackle Branden Albert is holding out of team activities in hopes of landing a new contract, but Joel Corry of CBS Sports doubts he’ll stay away for much longer. Albert would lose $40K for each day of training camp missed, and the Jaguars will have the ability to recoup his signing bonus if his holdout lasts long enough. Should Jacksonville trade Albert, the acquiring team would receive those recoupment rights (Twitter links).
- Houston edge rusher Tyus Bowser is currently visiting the Raiders, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). Bowser, who racked up 22.5 sacks during his 43-game college career, could pique the Raiders’ interest in the first round, in which they’re slated to pick 24th.
- The Jaguars hosted Temple edge defender Haason Reddick on Monday, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who wonders if Reddick’s stock has risen enough that he could be a top five pick. Jacksonville’s set to select fourth overall, though it could simply be doing its due diligence on Reddick and hoping he falls to No. 35 (the Jags’ second-rounder).
Extra Points: Hankins, Stafford, Falcons
Even though it took him until Tuesday to visit the Colts, newly signed defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins said Friday that his agent had been in contact with the team since the scouting combine in March. “We spoke to ’em I guess when my agent met with them at the combine and always been in contact with them,’’ Hankins revealed (via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post). “We were always in contact with a number of teams, and the Colts really stepped out among them all. Took a visit here, met with the coaches and everything just fell right in place. It was a good — I won’t say easy — decision, but it was a good decision for me and my family and I’m excited to be here.” Now armed with a three-year, $30MM contract, Hankins expects to make an impact in Indianapolis from both run-stuffing and pass-rushing standpoints.
Here’s more from around the league.
- The Lions continue to engage in conversations about a Matthew Stafford extension, and the talks are unfolding amicably, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Bob Quinn told season-ticket holders today he and Jim Caldwell, unsurprisingly, want Stafford in Detroit long-term but still doesn’t anticipate anything being done until the summer. That’s been his stance throughout the offseason.
- Stafford joins Matt Ryan and Derek Carr as quarterbacks who could become the league’s highest-paid player by summer’s end. The Lions’ ninth-year starter should look to build in protections for future cap spikes to ensure he stays near the top of that list, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. While this kind of deal has not been completed, Florio notes some quarterbacks and agents have tried to insert such language into contracts. It would cost the Lions $26.4MM to use the franchise tag on Stafford next season.
- O.J. Howard has the Falcons slotted as his final pre-draft visit, Conor Orr of NFL.com tweets. The Alabama tight end would seem to require a near-Julio Jones-level trade from the Falcons if they were to select him, being presently stationed in the No. 31 position. PFR’s Dallas Robinson has the pass-catcher going off the board to the Jaguars at No. 4.
- The Texans hosted safety Josh Jones on a visit today, per Caplan (via Twitter). Safety may now reside as Houston’s top need on an otherwise loaded defense after the unit lost Quintin Demps to the Bears. An N.C. State product, Jones paid a visit to Miami last week and has trips to meet with the Panthers, Jets and Redskins set up.
- As he prepares for a contract year, Redskins cornerback Bashaud Breeland will switch agencies, writes Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post. Breeland is ditching CAA Sports in favor of Joe Flanagan, two sources told Tesfatsion. Breeland has been productive since the Redskins selected him in the fourth round of the 2014 draft, having totaled 42 starts and seven interceptions during his first three seasons. The 25-year-old logged career highs in tackles (71) and picks (three) in 2016, though Pro Football Focus ranked his performance just 81st among 111 qualified corners.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report.
Marshawn Lynch, Raiders Nearing Deal
Beast Mode is back: Running back Marshawn Lynch has officially ended his retirement, agreeing to a contract with the Raiders, reports Michael Silver of NFL.com (Twitter link). Terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but it figures to be worth far less than the $9MM Lynch would have made on his previous pact.
Not so fast, report several outlets — including Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Pelissero tweets that Lynch and the Raiders don’t quite have a deal yet. Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com tweets the deal isn’t quite done but is expected to be completed soon.
Lynch is still under Seahawks control, meaning he can’t become a Raider until the two sides work out a trade. However, reaching a new contract was seemingly the only major obstacle blocking Lynch’s return. With that out of the way, Seahawks general manager John Schneider and Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie should be able to work quickly toward a trade, though talks haven’t yet occurred, tweets Silver. Schneider and McKenzie are friends stemming from their time together in Green Bay’s front office, which makes a painless swap all the more likely.
In Lynch, the Raiders will acquire one of the NFL’s best running backs in recent memory, albeit one who comes with obvious question marks. Lynch is a 30-year-old with over 2,100 carries under his belt, and he wasn’t particularly effective in his most recent action. The last time we saw Lynch, he averaged 3.8 yards per attempt on 111 carries during an injury-shortened, seven-game 2015 campaign.
Prior to 2015, Lynch posted four straight seasons of at least 1,200 rushing yards, including a 1,590-yard 2012, and averaged between 4.2 and 5.0 YPC each year. He also amassed between 11 and 13 rushing touchdowns in all of those seasons. Anything resembling that production would obviously be a boon for the Raiders, who lost their previous starting running back, Latavius Murray, to the Vikings in free agency.
Along with potentially providing the Raiders’ already potent offense with another high-end weapon, Lynch could give the franchise some much-needed positive PR in the Bay Area. Signing the Oakland native might make watching the Raiders a bit more palatable for their local fans as the organization counts down to its Las Vegas relocation in 2019. Regardless, Lynch is now poised to vie for his second Super Bowl ring as a member of one of the league’s elite teams.
Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
NFL Suspends Trent Murphy Four Games
The NFL has suspended Redskins outside linebacker Trent Murphy for four games without pay for a violation of its policy on performance-enhancing drugs, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Murphy unsuccessfully appealed the ban, which the league originally handed down last month.
A 2014 second-round pick, Murphy seemingly boosted his stock last season – his second straight 16-game campaign – by picking up career-high totals in sacks (nine) and forced fumbles (three) during his penultimate year of team control. Impressively, Murphy posted that gaudy sack total without starting a game, instead serving as a reserve behind Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith. Murphy was mostly a No. 1 in his first two years, during which he combined for 23 starts and six sacks in 31 appearances.
Now that the league has upheld Murphy’s suspension, he’ll miss a quarter of the season, thus hurting him as he vies for a strong contract year and subtracting a key defender from Washington’s lineup. The Redskins finished last season tied for ninth in the league in sacks (38), 20 of which came from Kerrigan (a team-leading 11) and Murphy.
Texans Exercise Jadeveon Clowney’s Fifth-Year Option
The Texans have exercised defensive end Jadeveon Clowney‘s fifth-year option, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26. Clowney is now in position to stay in Houston through at least the 2018 season.
Potentially keeping Clowney in the fold for an extra year was undoubtedly an easy call for the Texans, who originally chose the ex-South Carolina star first overall in the 2014 draft. Clowney missed 12 games as a rookie and failed to make much of an impact when on the field, but he has progressed significantly since then.
The 6-foot-5, 266-pounder has totaled 10.5 sacks over the past two seasons, including six in 2016, and started all 14 of his appearances last year. He also earned a Pro Bowl nod and a second-team All-Pro selection as an integral part of one of the NFL’s top defenses. Pro Football Focus was also impressed, ranking Clowney ninth among 109 qualified edge defenders.
The fifth-year option for Clowney is guaranteed for injury only, and he’s currently due to make a meager $690K salary in 2017 as he closes out a four-year deal worth upward of $22MM. However, odds are the Texans will look to extend the 24-year-old, who figures to become one of the league’s highest-paid defenders in the near future. The Jets’ Muhammad Wilkerson paces all 3-4 DEs in both annual salary ($17.2MM) and guarantees ($36.75MM), while Clowney’s teammate, superstar J.J. Watt, leads the way in total contract value ($100MM).
Jets’ Nick Marshall Suspended Four Games
The NFL has suspended Jets cornerback Nick Marshall four games for violating its policy on performance-enhancing drugs, reports Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Nick Marshall is the third Jet to earn a ban this offseason, joining wide receiver Jalin Marshall and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins. The league also hit Jalin Marshall with a four-game PED suspension, while Seferian-Jenkins will sit for two games on account of a substance abuse violation.
The 24-year-old Nick Marshall, who went undrafted out of Auburn in 2015, is coming off his second NFL season and first with the Jets. While the former Jaguar appeared in eight games last year with Gang Green, he didn’t see any playing time defensively. He instead worked on special teams, totaling 106 snaps and returning a combined 18 kicks and punts.
Roddy White Retires
Longtime Falcons wide receiver Roddy White indicated in February that his NFL career had ended. The 35-year-old made it official Friday, announcing on Twitter that he has retired. White also thanked the Falcons “for a great 11 years.”
The 2015 season will go down as the last for White, who didn’t sign with another team last year after the Falcons released him in March. White wanted to continue his career in 2016, and he nearly inked a deal with the Patriots, who went on to knock off the Falcons in Super Bowl LI. However, they opted to sign Nate Washington instead.
White will go down as a rare long-tenured veteran who spent his entire career with one team. The former Alabama-Birmingham standout proved to be a steal for the Falcons, who chose him 27th overall in the 2005 draft. White now holds franchise records in catches (808), receiving yards (10,863) and receiving touchdowns (63). The 6-foot-1, 201-pounder posted seven 80-catch seasons and earned four Pro Bowl nods, including during his best year – 2010 – in which he amassed 115 receptions, 1,389 yards and 10 scores.
Thanks to his consistently stellar output, White currently ranks 33rd on the all-time receptions list, in company with notables like Steve Largent, Shannon Sharpe, Keyshawn Johnson, Henry Ellard, Chad Johnson, James Lofton, Charlie Joiner and Michael Irvin. As he begins his post-NFL life, White will join the coaching staff at Johns Creek High School in Georgia, where he’ll focus on developing receivers.
Miller’s Latest: Trubisky, Mahomes
We took a look at some fresh draft rumors earlier Friday. Here are several more, courtesy of Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller:
- While Browns head coach Hue Jackson wants the team to select Texas A&M edge rusher Myles Garrett first overall, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, that doesn’t mean he’s against taking North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Jackson “likes Trubisky a lot,” writes Miller, who notes there’s a chance the signal-caller will still be on the board when the Browns make their second first-round selection at No. 12 (assuming Garrett’s their initial pick, of course).
- The Jets have met with Trubisky on multiple occasions, but Miller’s not quite buying their interest. They “would love” if someone traded ahead of them at No. 6 and chose Trubisky, Miller contends.
- Both the Cardinals and Chiefs “really like” Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes, two sources have told Miller. The Cardinals are reportedly interested in trading up from No. 13 for Trubisky, but they could perhaps stay where they are and grab Mahomes. As for the Chiefs, who own the 27th pick, Mahomes visited them last month.
- The Titans are likely to draft Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore if he’s still available at No. 5, according to Miller; in the event he’s gone by then, Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams will garner consideration. The club met with Lattimore earlier this month, and it subsequently created a need at corner when it released Jason McCourty on Thursday. Tennessee hosted Williams on Tuesday, and has done its homework on the 6-foot-3, 225-pounder.
- Lattimore may well end up with the Bears at No. 3 overall. Whether it’s him or someone else, one executive is “99 percent sure” the Bears will wind up with a defensive back in Round 1.
- The Saints “would love” to select Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster at No. 11, per Miller. Otherwise, New Orleans is a possible destination for one of Foster’s college teammates, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, as are the Titans and Ravens.
- Ohio State running back/wide receiver/return man Curtis Samuel might come off the board before Florida State RB Dalvin Cook, a scout told Miller. Samuel’s ability to impact games in all of those areas is improving his stock, with teams mindful of the damage Kansas City’s jack-of-all-trades weapon, Tyreek Hill, did last season.
- Like Samuel, Michigan defensive lineman Chris Wormley is a candidate to go earlier than expected. Miller pegs Wormley as a Day 1 starter in a 3-4 defense, adding that he’s unlikely to last beyond the top 50 picks.
Draft Rumors: Cook, Eagles, Conley, Panthers, Fins, Bengals, Texans
Florida State running back Dalvin Cook‘s stock is reportedly slipping as the draft approaches, but the Eagles seem undeterred. The club has “heavy interest” in Cook, the runner revealed Wednesday in an interview with Philadelphia-based radio station 94WIP (via Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com). The feeling is mutual, with Cook adding that he “loved the city” when he visited. “It’s a great organization, great people,” he continued. “I think the program is on the rise, just need a couple more guys to fill in and help the program. I like the organization overall and the people that’s in the building.” Should the Eagles pass on Cook at 14th overall, their next opportunity to take him would be at No. 43, though he could certainly be gone by then.
More of the latest on the draft:
- The Panthers, Browns, Eagles, Bengals, Lions, Titans, Saints and Jets are among the teams with the most interest in Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Conley should go somewhere between ninth and 18th overall, per La Canfora, whom one NFL decision-maker told: “Conley has always been a first-round corner, and I understand why he is the top guy on some boards. He may not be as flashy as some of the other corners, and maybe the upside isn’t quite as high, but neither is the risk. This is a clean player who started for two years and who made big plays in big games. There is a lot to like.”
- Though they’re interested in Conley, the Panthers hosted another cornerback – Florida’s Teez Tabor – on Thursday, and both Tennessee edge defender Derek Barnett and LSU corner Tre’Davious White are visiting Charlotte on Friday, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Barnett (13th) and White (18th) are each top 20 prospects, according to NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, who places Tabor 48th.
- Utah offensive tackle Garett Bolles is currently visiting the Bengals, relays Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). Cincinnati lost starting left tackle Andrew Whitworth to free agency, potentially creating a major need, but it’s only two years removed from using first- and second-round picks on OTs Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher. Bolles would require yet another sizable investment via the draft in the position. The Bengals are set to pick ninth overall, in the neighborhood of where Bolles could slide off the board.
- The Dolphins are hosting Connecticut safety Obi Melifonwu on Friday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. This isn’t the first connection between Miami and Melifonwu – the two sides spent “significant” time together last week. Given their interest in Melifonwu, the defender might be a target for the Dolphins at No. 22 overall.
- Texans offensive line coach Mike Devlin has met with Wisconsin offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk, a source told Wilson. PFR’s Dallas Robinson currently has Houston selecting Ramczyk with the 25th pick in the draft, noting he’d give the team a much-needed upgrade at right tackle.
Hue Jackson Wants Browns To Draft Myles Garrett
While some members of the Browns organization want the team to select North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky with the first pick in the draft, head coach Hue Jackson isn’t among them. Jackson has thrown his support behind Texas A&M edge rusher Myles Garrett, reports Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.
Considering both Jackson’s offensive background and the Browns’ lack of ideal quarterback options, it perhaps speaks volumes that he’d rather grab a defender No. 1 overall. He’s hardly alone in preferring Garrett over Trubisky, though, with one NFL personnel executive telling Cabot that “it’s not even close between Garrett and Trubisky.” However, Trubisky isn’t without his supporters – another personnel man informed Cabot he has more upside than Eagles signal-caller Carson Wentz, who went second overall last year after the Browns traded out of that spot.
The Browns have a second first-rounder, No. 12 overall, though it’s doubtful Trubisky will still be available when the time comes for them to make that pick. That means their bigwigs are going to have to make a choice between Garrett or Trubisky, which could be a problem. There’s “some discord” among the team’s decision-makers, with a clash potentially occurring between the old- and new-school members of the organization, multiple sources have told Cabot. Led by general manager Sashi Brown and chief strategy officer/former baseball executive Paul DePodesta, the Browns’ front office heavily emphasizes analytics. It doesn’t seem that everyone in Cleveland is on board with that, which bears watching for a club with a franchise-altering call to make in two weeks.
Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.