49ers, Bears, Jets Eager To Trade Down
The 49ers, Bears, and Jets are the clubs holding top-10 draft picks that would most like to trade down, according to Peter King of TheMMQB.com. The problem, per King, is that few teams are interested in trading up in a draft that’s considered deep, but not necessarily stocked with elite talents.
San Francisco, particularly, is in a tricky spot at No. 2, as King writes. Texas A&M edge rusher Myles Garrett is considered the best prospect in this year’s class, but the second-rated player varies depending on team. Solomon Thomas, Malik Hooker, Jamal Adams, Leonard Fournette, Jonathan Allen, Marshon Lattimore, Gareon Conley, Reuben Foster, Christian McCaffrey, and O.J. Howard could all claim the title as the second-best player of 2017, so convincing rival clubs to trade up to No. 2 overall is difficult.
Not mentioned in that list of players is the 2017 quarterback class, where top-end options include Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, and DeShone Kizer. The 49ers, Bears, and Jets could all use help under center, and each of those teams may believe they can move down in the first round and still acquire a long-term signal-caller. San Francisco, specifically, is known to be willing to deal its first-round pick.
The Browns, meanwhile, may want to trade back up after likely selecting Garrett first overall. Although it sounds as though King is speculating rather than reporting, Cleveland could be willing to use its stockpile of draft picks to move up from No. 12, perhaps leaping all the way to No. 2 in order to secure a long-term quarterback option.
Eagles LB Mychal Kendricks Still On Trade Block
Despite head coach Doug Pederson‘s statement that Mychal Kendricks would be on the Eagles’ roster come September, Kendricks is still on the trade block, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Kendricks plans to participate in voluntary workouts this week, per McLane.
Philadelphia had placed Kendricks on the trade block as far back as the 2015 draft, but the club was reportedly actively shopping him this offseason. The Eagles were looking for a fifth-round pick in exchange for Kendricks, but no team was willing to meet that ask after $4.35MM of Kendricks’ $4.85MM 2017 base salary became fully guaranteed earlier this year. Kendricks, 26, is signed through the 2019 campaign thanks to an extension inked in August 2015.
A full-time starter during his first four seasons with the Eagles, Kendricks was largely relegated to a reserve role in 2016, as he played on only a quarter of Philadelphia’s defensive snaps. In that span, he racked up 28 tackles and fumble recovery, and earned positive marks for his run defense and pass rushing ability from Pro Football Focus. Kendricks’ coverage grade of 47.7, however, was lacking.
Saints, Willie Snead Working On New Deal
Wide receiver Willie Snead is attending Saints offseason workouts despite not technically being under contract, reports Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com. Snead hasn’t yet signed his exclusive rights free agent tender, and is discussing a “more lucrative” deal with New Orleans, per Katzenstein.
As an exclusive rights free agent, Snead essentially has no other options than to sign his tender and play for the Saints in 2017. That tender will pay him at or near the minimum salary level, but New Orleans could conceivably reward him for his play by upping his salary. The Saints are under no obligation to do so, however, and such a move would simply be a show of good will. Snead is also eligible for a multi-year extension after only two NFL seasons given that he was originally an undrafted free agent.
Snead, 24, has been a revelation for the Saints since entering the league out of Ball State in 2015. In two seasons in New Orleans, Snead has averaged 70 receptions for 940 yards and four touchdowns. He’ll return as one of the Saints’ top receivers in 2017 alongside Michael Thomas, filling the void left by the Brandin Cooks trade.
Without an extension, Snead will become a restricted free agent in 2018 and an unrestricted free agent in 2019.
Cal QB Davis Webb Visiting Chiefs, Jets
Cal quarterback Davis Webb will take the last of his predraft visits this week, as he’ll meet with the Chiefs on Monday and the Jets on Tuesday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
[RELATED: PFR’s 2017 Mock Draft]
Webb has bandied about as a potential first-round pick, but it’s extremely unlikely the Jets would use the No. 6 selection to tab Webb. New York certainly has issues at quarterback, but if Gang Green drafts a quarterback early, they’d almost surely go for one of Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson, or Patrick Mahomes. Webb, then, could be an option in Round 2, or at the back end of Round 1 if the Jets trade back into the first round to ensure a fifth-year option.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, have been linked to quarterback upgrades throughout the offseason, Chiefs management has been adamant that Alex Smith is the club’s quarterback for 2017. That doesn’t mean Kansas City won’t target a long-term successor in the draft, and Webb would be an option if he’s still on the board at No. 27.
Webb, 22, transferred to Cal from Texas Tech after losing out on the Red Raiders’ starting job to Mahomes. In his only season with the Bears, Webb completed 61.6% of his passes for 4,295 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
Christian McCaffrey Received First-Round Guarantee?
Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey has reportedly received a guarantee from a club with a draft pick in the teens that they will select him if he’s still on the board, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com.
Speculatively, the list of teams that currently own a first-round pick between No. 11 and No. 19 and could use a running back include the Saints, Browns, Eagles, Colts, Ravens, Redskins, and Buccaneers. But McCaffrey might not even be available at that point in the draft, as one report has indicated McCaffrey is likely to be a top-ten selection. The Panthers, specifically, have been linked to McCaffrey at No. 8, and the Cardinal back recently visited Carolina. For what it’s worth, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said no spot is “too high” to draft a running back.
Interestingly, McCaffrey has chosen not to workout for any teams during the predraft process, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. While he’s clearly met with clubs, McCaffrey is declining to run through physical workouts, presumably with the intention of avoiding injury. No NFL personnel have demonstrated a concern about McCaffrey’s position on the issue, per Florio. Notably, McCaffrey sat out Stanford’s bowl game in order to alleviate injury risk.
McCaffrey, who won’t turn 21 years old until June, broke out as a sophomore in 2015, averaging six yards per rush while totaling nearly 2,700 yards from scrimmage. For that performance, McCaffrey earned consensus All-American honors, was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, and finished second to Alabama’s Derrick Henry in Heisman voting. Last year, McCaffrey ranked first in the nation in all-purpose yards per game, and ninth in rushing yards.
Bucs Exercise Mike Evans’ Fifth-Year Option
The Buccaneers have exercised wide receiver Mike Evans‘ 2018 fifth-year option, general manager Jason Licht announced today.
While the NFL hasn’t yet announced the fifth-year option figures for 2018, wide receivers selected within the top-10 picks will earn $12.268MM for the 2017 campaign, so Evans figures to rake in slightly more under the terms of his option. That salary made the decision an easy one for Tampa Bay, and the club is interested in inking Evans to a long-term deal, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
Evans, 23, has lived up to his draft status since being chosen with the seventh overall pick in 2014. He’s topped 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first three NFL seasons, and posted his best overall campaign in 2016. Last year, Evans put up 96 receptions for 1,321 yards and 12 touchdowns. The 2016 Pro Bowler will count for roughly $4.6MM on the Buccaneers’ salary during the upcoming season.
Evans becomes the fifth member of the 2014 draft class to see his fifth-year option be picked up, joining Jadeveon Clowney (Texans), Aaron Donald (Rams), Kelvin Benjamin (Panthers), and Zack Martin (Cowboys).
Adrian Peterson Willing To Play For Less Than $5MM?
Free agent running back Adrian Peterson is willing to play for $5MM or less in the “right situation,” according to Peter King of the TheMMQB.com.
Which club would represent that ideal situation is presently unclear, as King reports there’s no “leader in the clubhouse” for Peterson at the moment. The Saints, per King, stand out as a good fit given New Orleans’ closeness to Peterson’s home in Houston. Peterson met with the Saints earlier this month, and he’d give the team another option in a backfield that currently includes Mark Ingram, Travaris Cadet, and others.
Peterson, of course, has also visited with the Patriots, and reportedly looked explosive during a workout session in New England. The Patriots’ backfield is especially crowded, as offseason addition Rex Burkhead joined a stable comprised of Dion Lewis, James White, Brandon Bolden, and D.J. Foster. New England also has an offer out to LeGarrette Blount, who led the league in rushing touchdowns a year ago.
The 32-year-old Peterson isn’t expected to sign a new deal until after the draft, but his openness to inking a deal at a reduced rate could open up his market. Previously, Peterson took to Twitter to reject claims he was seeking in excess of $8MM annually.
Cardinals, Texans, Bears Interested In Patrick Mahomes
Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes is one of the more divisive prospects in the 2017 draft. While he received a second-round grade from the NFL’s College Advisory Committee, reports have indicated Mahomes could possibly be a top-three selection. Mahomes seems unlikely to slip out of the first round next week, and several teams have emerged as potential suitors.
The Cardinals are in search of Carson Palmer‘s long-term successor, and they “like” Mahomes, according to Peter King of TheMMQB.com, who adds Arizona may indeed “love” the Red Raider signal-caller. That jibes with reporting from Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, and Mahomes would seemingly be a good fit in head coach Bruce Arians‘ vertical offense. The Cardinals, who own the 13th pick in the first round, attended a Mahomes workout in March.
The Texans, too, are in need of a quarterback, and head coach Bill O’Brien “absolutely loves” Mahomes, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported last week Mahomes is unlikely to fall past Houston at pick No. 25, and the Texans are meeting with Mahomes today. Following the trade of Brock Osweiler, Houston only has two quarterbacks — Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden — on its roster.
Finally, Mahomes was scheduled to meet with the Bears last weekend, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Chicago inked Mike Glennon to a three-year deal last month, but that may not eliminate the club from selecting another passer with the third overall pick, according to Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com.
Branden Albert Holding Out For New Deal
New Jaguars left tackle Branden Albert has not reported for team meetings today and is holding out for a new contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Albert, of course, was nearly released by the Dolphins earlier this year before Miami worked out a trade to send him to Jacksonville for minimal draft pick compensation. That deal became official when the new league year began in March, but was supposed to be contingent on Albert agreeing to report. Albert was reportedly discussing his contract with Jaguars brass in February, but it appears a solution was not fully hammered out.
Albert, 32, is under contract through the 2018 campaign. The Dolphins absorbed on his remaining prorated bonus money via the trade, but the Jaguars are scheduled to pay Albert $8.9MM in 2017 and $9.6MM in 2018. None of that money is guaranteed, but Jacksonville presumably haggled over the issue when negotiating the trade conditions with Albert.
Contractually, the Jaguars have little reason to give in to Albert’s demands, except for one glaring fact — they need Albert to be their starting left tackle. Albert wasn’t great in 2016 as he struggled with injuries throughout the season, but he’s the best option Jacksonville has on the blindside.
Panthers Extend Kawann Short
The Panthers have signed defensive tackle Kawann Short to a five-year extension, the club announced today. The new deal is reportedly worth $80MM, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, while $35MM is fully guaranteed, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). $20MM of that guarantee comes in the form of a signing bonus, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). 
Short had been assigned the franchise tag, meaning the two sides had until July 15 to work out a long-term deal. He’d expressed a willingness to sign his franchise tender, which would have paid him a fully guaranteed $13.387MM for the 2017 campaign. After staging a short holdout during Carolina’s OTAs in 2016, Short had no plans to use similar tactics this year. The Panthers, of course, rescinded cornerback Josh Norman‘s franchise tag last offseason, but a similar situation won’t play out this year, as Short is now locked up through 2021.
Now earning $16MM annually, Short places third among defensive tackles in yearly salary, just behind Ndamukong Suh and Fletcher Cox. He’ll earn $40MM over the first two years of the deal, tweets Florio. The extension also likely clears a bit of cap room for the Panthers, who won’t be forced to carry Short’s ~$13MM franchise tag on their books in 2016. Any signing bonus included in the pact can be prorated over the life of the deal.
Short, 28, played on nearly three-quarters of Carolina’s defensive snaps in 2016, posting six sacks and grading as the league’s No. 3 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus. The 2015 Pro Bowler has earned positive marks during all four seasons he’s played with the Panthers, grading out as an excellent pass rusher from the inside.
For the Panthers, Short’s extension indicates a continued investment on front four players. General manager Dave Gettleman has used early round picks on Star Lotulelei, Vernon Butler, and Short, signed Mario Addison, Charles Johnson, and Wes Horton to multi-year deals, and inked external free agents such as Julius Peppers in an effort to solidify Carolina’s defensive line.