Schrager’s Latest: 49ers, Kizer, Humphrey
The 49ers‘ interest in UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky has been “real” during the entire predraft process, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicated this morning that San Francisco is considering drafting a signal-caller with the No. 2 overall selection. LSU safety Jamal Adams and Stanford defensive lineman Solomon Thomas are also possibilities for the Niners, per Schrager, who adds San Francisco is willing to trade down if another club is eyeing Trubisky.
Here’s more on the 2017 draft, all courtesy of Schrager:
- Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer could have a similar draft outlook to Paxton Lynch in 2016 and Teddy Bridgewater in 2014, wherein a club with a need under center trades back into the end of the first round in order to select him, reports Schrager (Twitter link). Any team that does move into the first round for Kizer would have the added benefit of a fifth-year option, enabling them to retain Kizer for a fifth season at a cheap price.
- One NFL general manager says he’d be “shocked” if Alabama cornerback Marlon Humphrey isn’t off the board by pick No. 20, tweets Schrager. Last week, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report indicated the Saints, Titans, and Ravens — all of whom pick in the top-20 — could be possible landing spots for Humphrey. Other clubs with picks early in the draft who have a need at corner include the Bills, Cardinals, Eagles, and Redskins.
- As previous reports have indicated, the Titans are willing to trade out of the No. 5 pick, per Schrager (Twitter link). If Tennessee doesn’t trade away that selection, however, Alabama’s O.J. Howard and Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore will be among the players in consideration at fifth overall. Howard would give the Titans another option at tight end to pair with veteran Delanie Walker, while Lattimore would help fill out one of the league’s worse cornerback units.
Latest On Alabama LB Reuben Foster
The Eagles recently had a member of their organization meet with Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster, a source tells Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com. Philadelphia had already used of their allotted predraft visits on Foster earlier this year, but likely wanted more information on the ‘backer after a serious of off-field incidents.
[POLL: Where Will Reuben Foster Be Drafted?]
Foster not only got into a dispute with a hospital worker at the combine, but also failed a drug test in Indianapolis last month. Still, he’s viewed as the draft’s top off-ball linebacker, and is still in first-round consideration. Scouts earlier this year said Foster has a “perfect grade,” so teams will have to weigh his on-field production against potential question marks.
Of course, Foster is also tied to health questions after undergoing shoulder surgery in February. Foster was recently able to show a full range of motion, and he got positive feedback during a shoulder ultrasound today, according to agent Malki Kawa (Instagram link). The Alabama prospect is ahead of schedule and will be ready by training camp, per Kawa.
2017 NFL Draft Pick Capital By Team
While each NFL team is organically handed seven draft picks per season, trades involving draft choices and the compensatory pick process ensures that many clubs end up with more (or less) than their original seven selections. As always, you can view the complete 2017 NFL draft order, but here we’ll look at how much draft capital each club has amassed.
Here’s how many draft picks each NFL club currently possesses:
11 picks
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
10 picks
- Denver Broncos
- Kansas City Chiefs
- San Francisco 49ers
- Washington Redskins
8 picks
- Arizona Cardinals
- Carolina Panthers
- Detroit Lions
- Green Bay Packers
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Los Angeles Rams
- Miami Dolphins
- Minnesota Vikings
- Oakland Raiders
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tennessee Titans
7 picks
- Baltimore Ravens
- Buffalo Bills
- Chicago Bears
- Dallas Cowboys
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Miami Dolphins
- New Orleans Saints
- New York Giants
- New York Jets
- Seattle Seahawks
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6 picks
- Atlanta Falcons
- New England Patriots
Of course, not all draft picks are created equally. Using Chase Stuart of Football Perspective‘s draft value chart, we can calculate exactly how much draft capital each team owns heading into the 2017 NFL draft:
- Cleveland Browns: 96.7
- San Francisco 49ers: 65.0
- Chicago Bears: 59.1
- Tennessee Titans: 58.7
- New Orleans Saints: 55.7
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 54.5
- Carolina Panthers: 54.1
- Cincinnati Bengals: 52.1
- New York Jets: 50.8
- Los Angeles Chargers: 49.5
- Baltimore Ravens: 48.7
- Indianapolis Colts: 47.1
- Buffalo Bills: 45.0
- Philadelphia Eagles: 44.1
- Arizona Cardinals: 43.2
- Denver Broncos: 43.0
- Washington Redskins: 41.6
- Kansas City Chiefs: 40.7
- Seattle Seahawks: 39.1
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 38.7
- Detroit Lions: 37.8
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 37.6
- Houston Texans 37.5
- Los Angeles Rams: 36.8
- Oakland Raiders: 35.8
- New York Giants: 35.6
- Miami Dolphins: 34.8
- Green Bay Packers: 34.2
- Minnesota Vikings: 34.0
- Dallas Cowboys: 32.8
- Atlanta Falcons: 31.5
- New England Patriots: 18.8
Pauline’s Latest: Cowboys, Pats, Redskins
Alabama’s Cam Robinson now appears likely to become the first offensive lineman off the 2017 draft board, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. Initially viewed as one of several potential Round 1 tackle options along with Utah’s Garett Bolles and Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk, Robinson’s combine workout reportedly intrigued NFL clubs and proved that he could man left tackle in the pro game. Indeed, there’s been an “uptick” in the amount of teams traveling to Tuscaloosa to meet with Robinson over the past few weeks, per Pauline. Also working in Pauline’s favor is that he’s still only 21 years old, while Bolles — for example — will be 25 when the 2017 campaign gets underway.
Here’s more on the 2017 draft, all courtesy of Pauline:
- The Cowboys have a first-round grade on USC cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, and also like Clemson cornerback Cordrea Tankersley an “awful lot,” reports Pauline. Jackson may be available for Dallas at pick No. 28, and he’d likely be immediately inserted into the club’s starting lineup after the Cowboys lost both Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne during the free agent period. The former Trojan would also add value as a dynamic special teams maven. In 2016, Jackson averaged 29.5 yards on kick returns and scored two touchdowns, and posted 15.8 yards per punt return (and scored twice more).
- Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis has drawn the interest of both the Colts and Redskins, per Pauline. Meanwhile, multiple teams have Davis slotted as a Day 1 pick, while some clubs even have him rated as a top-20 selection (it’s unclear if Indianapolis and Washington are indeed those teams). Davis is expected to be the second off-ball linebacker selected this week (following Alabama’s Reuben Foster) after posting a 4.56 40-yard dash and 38.5 inch vertical jump at his Pro Day.
- The Cowboys hosted Florida safety Marcus Maye last week, and Maye is also receiving “a ton of interest” from the Saints, Cardinals, and Patriots, according to Pauline. Originally viewed as a mid-round pick, Maye is now moving off draft boards and could be selected by the middle of Round 2. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compares the Florida senior to Detroit defensive back Glover Quin, noting Maye’s “rangy” tackling ability and “ready-made safety frame.”
- While the Patriots currently aren’t slated to make a selection until pick No. 72 (early third round), New England is expected to make a move into the second round via some “maneuver,” says Pauline. Originally, the Patriots could have traded up through a Malcolm Butler deal, but the veteran cornerback is now expected to stay put in New England.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/24/17
Today’s minor moves:
- Redskins linebacker Will Compton has signed his restricted free agent tender, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com. Compton had been assigned the original round tender, meaning he’s now scheduled to earn a non-guaranteed $1.797MM base salary for the 2017 campaign. Washington has now re-signed each of its RFAs, as running back Chris Thompson inked his second-round tender last week. Compton, 27, started 15 games for the Redskins last season, racking up 103 tackles while grading as the league’s No. 73 linebacker among 87 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.
- Another restricted free agent — Chiefs wide receiver Albert Wilson — has also signed his tender, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Like Compton, Wilson is now set to earn nearly $1.8MM during the upcoming season. Wilson, 24, managed only 31 receptions for 279 yards and two touchdowns in 2016. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent in 2018.
5 Key Stories: 4/16/17 – 4/23/17
Patriots have a busy week. Bill Belichick & Co. were very active during the past seven days, and their most notable move was signing Bills restricted free agent Mike Gillislee to an offer sheet with the intention of adding him to an already crowded backfield. Buffalo has until Monday to match the Patriots’ terms. Meanwhile, fellow RFA Malcolm Butler officially signed his tender, meaning he can now be traded (the Pats may want to wrap up any swap by draft day). Elsewhere on the roster, New England extended running back James White, had wide receiver Danny Amendola take a paycut, and waived guard Tre’ Jackson.
Browns still thinking at No. 1. While most observers expect Cleveland to use the first overall pick on Texas A&M edge rusher Myles Garrett, the Browns are reportedly open to spending the No. 1 selection on UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky. That could be due to franchise owner Jimmy Haslam, who is apparently pressing the team’s decision-makers to land a signal-caller. Another option for the Browns could include trading up from the No. 12 pick into the No. 5 or No. 6 range with the hope of landing Trubisky. Cleveland doesn’t expect to trade for a veteran quarterback such as Jimmy Garoppolo or A.J. McCarron, however.
Reuben Foster fails drug test. Once expected to be a surefire top-10 pick, Foster has had a nightmare of a predaft process. During the combine, Foster got into a dust-up with a hospital worker, though his camp has brushed it off as little more than a miscommunication. There are also question marks about the Alabama linebacker’s surgically-repaired shoulder and his upbringing. Finally, Foster failed a drug test at the combine, but has chalked up the failure to a diluted sample. Based on talent alone, Foster should still be an early draft choice, but numerous issues could push him down the board.
Veteran backs nearing resolutions? The Raiders want to complete a Marshawn Lynch trade before the draft begins on Thursday, but the two sides need to agree on a restructured contact before any deal will be consummated. Lynch is due $9MM in 2017, but Oakland waits him to play for roughly a third of that total. Free agent Adrian Peterson, meanwhile, is reportedly willing to play for $5MM or less in the “right situation.” The Giants are among the clubs keeping tabs on both Peterson and fellow FA LeGarrette Blount.
Panthers extend Kawann Short. Carolina locked up Short, one of its more talented defenders, to a five-year, $80MM deal that makes him the fifth-highest-paid interior defender in the league on an annual basis. Short, 28, will reportedly secure $35MM in full guarantees which includes a $20MM signing bonus. In 2016, Short played on nearly three-quarters of the Panthers’ defensive snaps, posting six sacks and grading as the league’s No. 3 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus.
Photos courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Dolphins Notes: Landry, Pouncey, Jones
Although the Dolphins plan to offer an extension with wide receiver Jarvis Landry, the club has yet to begin talks with Landry or indicated when such discussions might occur, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Landry, however, is handling the situation well, per Jackson, and may have helped his case by showing up for workouts earlier this week. Fellow Miami wideout Kenny Stills landed a four-year, $32MM deal on the first day of free agency, and Landry figures to eclipse that total. After averaging 96 receptions and 1,017 yards during his first three NFL seasons, Landy could theoretically target the recent deals inked by Doug Baldwin and Keenan Allen, each of which pays north of $11MM annually.
Here’s more from Miami:
- The Dolphins are cognizant of the need to find a backup plan to center Mike Pouncey, who has dealt with nagging hip injuries in recent years, per Jackson. Pouncey doesn’t believe the issue is career-threatening, but he did miss 11 games during the 2016 season, and Miami is aware it needs to be prepared if Pouncey is sidelined again in 2017. With that in mind, the Dolphins recently put Baylor center Kyle Fuller (not to be confused with the Bears cornerback of the same name) through a workout. Indiana guard Dan Feeney has also met with the Dolphins, and could conceivably be an option at the pivot. At present, second-year pro Anthony Steen — who started seven contests last season — is Pouncey’s direct backup.
- Safety Reshad Jones‘ extension with the Dolphins actually covers only a four-year term, not five years as had been previously reported, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap indicates. The deal has a base value of $48MM, and contains $19.885MM in full guarantees. The guarantee money is comprised of a $9MM signing bonus and Jones’ 2017 and 2018 base salaries, per Fitzgerald. Another ~$13MM is guaranteed for injury only, and will fully guarantee on the third day of the 2018 and 2019 league years.
- In case you missed it, the Dolphins “love” Western Kentucky offensive lineman Forrest Lamp and Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett. Miami was expected to target edge defenders and guards in the draft, so both Lamp and Barnett will fill needs for the club. Both Lamp and Barnett are considered Round 1 prospects, and both could be available when the Dolphins pick at No. 22 (of course, the possibility exists that both are already off the board, as well).
PFR Originals: 4/16/17 – 4/23/17
- The deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets with rival teams passed on Friday, so I checked in on the status of the 40+ 2017 RFAs. Mike Gillislee is still in limbo as he waits to hear if the Bills plan to match the Patriots’ offer sheet, while other players, such as Browns running back Isaiah Crowell, still haven’t inked their respective tenders. New England restricted free agent cornerback Malcolm Butler, meanwhile, has signed his tender, and could be traded this week.
- Reports last week indicated Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster failed a drug test at the combine due to a diluted sample, the latest chink in Foster’s predraft ranking armor. Foster also had shoulder surgery in February, and his argument with a hospital worker at the combine also didn’t do him any favors and portrayed him as something of a loose cannon. With all that in mind, Zach Links asked PFR readers if Foster will still be drafted among the top-10 picks, and 87% of respondents said no.
Florida DT Caleb Brantley Charged With Assault
Florida defensive lineman and 2017 draft prospect Caleb Brantley has been charged with misdemeanor assault after knocking a woman unconscious earlier this month, according to Patrick Pinak of The Alligator (Twitter link).
Two witnesses saw Brantley engaging in a verbal dispute with a female on April 13. After the woman shoved Brantley due to “crude comments” he made, Brantley struck the woman in the face, rendering her unconscious and displacing a tooth (the victim will now be forced to undergo a root canal). Per the witnesses, Brantley’s actions were borne out of retaliation and not self-defense, and his level of “force far exceeded what was reasonable or necessary.
Brantley had been viewed as a Day 2 prospect heading into the week, per Rob Rang of CBSSports.com. Following this assault charge, however, Brantley stands a chance of going undrafted, tweets Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). With only four days left until the draft begins, NFL clubs will be “scrambling for info” on the Brantley situation, per Miller.
Falcons Notes: Mixon, Freeney, Coleman
The Falcons are not interested in drafting running back Joe Mixon, and have removed him from their draft board given his prior assault charge, according to Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta becomes the third known to team to have ruled out Mixon, joining Miami and New England. Like the Dolphins and Patriots, though, the Falcons don’t necessarily need a player of Mixon’s caliber given the level of talent on their roster. In Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, Atlanta already boasts one of the better backfield tandems in the league, and can easily make the decision to avoid the headache of adding Mixon.
Here’s more from Atlanta:
- Although veteran pass rusher Dwight Freeney is likely to continue his career in 2017, the Falcons won’t decide whether to offer him a new contract until after the draft, per Schultz. Freeney, 37, probably wouldn’t have been participated in Atlanta’s spring workout sessions, so the club doesn’t feel the need to hurry into an offer. Last season, Freeney played on roughly a third of the Falcons’ defensive snaps in 2016, and posted three sacks and 18 hurries. He’s PFR’s No. 1 free agent edge defender. At present, Atlanta’s defensive end depth chart includes Vic Beasley, Adrian Clayborn, Derrick Shelby, Courtney Upshaw, Brooks Reed, and Jack Crawford, while the club could also select another pass rusher in the draft.
- A long-term extension with Freeman is also on the back burner, reports Schultz, and the Falcons don’t expect to begin contract discussions until the start of training camp. Negotiations could also bleed into the regular season. Freeman, 25, is scheduled to earn $1.797MM in 2017, and was at one point reportedly looking for “elite” running back money. While Freeman and his agent have since walked back those comments, Freeman is surely still hunting for a hefty deal after combining for 2,100-plus rushing yards, 27 touchdowns (22 on the ground, five receiving) and 127 catches from 2015-16.
- The Falcons could have interest in trading up from the No. 31 pick, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “To move up in the 20s, there will be opportunities there,” general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “There are some interesting candidates that will be around there in the early parts of the 20s.” Atlanta could target a number of positions of Day 1 of the draft, but edge rusher or guard seem to be the club’s clearest need areas. In PFR’s first 2017 mock draft, I sent UCLA defensive end Takkarist McKinley to the Falcons at the end of the first round.
- In case you missed it, the Falcons plan to exercise left tackle Jake Matthews‘ 2018 fifth-year option. The former No. 6 overall pick had a decent showing last year, earning a 74.3 overall score on Pro Football Focus. That mark left Mathews ranked No. 37 among all tackles, putting him in the middle of the pack out of 78 qualified players. He’ll earn roughly $12.81MM in 2018, but that figure is guaranteed for injury only until the first day of the 2018 league year.