Teams “Keeping Tabs” On Tramaine Brock
If free agent cornerback Tramaine Brock is not officially charged following a purported domestic violence incident last week, he could be in line for a $10-11MM per year contract on the open market, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Numerous clubs are reportedly keeping an eye on Brock’s situation following his recent release from the 49ers.
Brock, without the DV charges hanging over his head, would easily be the best cornerback on the free agent market, as the rest of the crop includes Jason McCourty, Darrelle Revis, Brandon Flowers, Alterraun Verner, and Sam Shields. The 28-year-old Brock has been a full-time starter in each of the past two seasons, and in 2016 graded as the league’s No. 23 corner while playing 95% of San Francisco’s defensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus.
But Brock, of course, isn’t hitting free agency unfettered, as the domestic violence charges are an incredibly serious matter that NFL clubs are now increasingly dealing with in a zero-tolerance manner. Police found “visible facial injuries” on the woman involved in the episode, while 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said the team gathered enough information that made cutting ties an easy decision. Brock could face a four-year prison sentence if found guilty of felony domestic violence.
Before the domestic violence accusations forced them to release Brock, the 49ers were interested in extending Brock, per Cole.
Vincent Jackson Interested In Bucs Reunion
Free agent wide receiver Vincent Jackson has fielded inquiries from interested NFL clubs, but it sounds as though he’d prefer to return to the Buccaneers. Appearing on 620 WDAE Friday, Jackson maintained that while he isn’t currently working on a deal with Tampa Bay, he feels he’d be a solid fit in Dirk Koetter‘s offense.
[RELATED: Top NFL Offensive Free Agents]
“I’m just going to wait until the right opportunity presents itself,” Jackson said (link via JoeBucsFan.com). “I’m assuming it may be later this spring/early summer when people can kind of evaluate their roster, get through the draft, and know exactly what they need and what the value is. For me man, I’m being patient.”
Jackson, 34, appeared in only five games for the Buccaneers in 2016 after suffering an ACL injury. During that time, he caught 15 of 32 targets for 173 yards and zero touchdowns. Tampa Bay reportedly discussed a potential reunion with Jackson, but general manager Jason Licht hinted last month that Jackson’s time with the club may be over.
“We did have conversations with Vincent,” Licht said. “I have the utmost respect for him. Everybody in the organization does. In my mind, in head coach Dirk [Koetter’s] mind, in the owners’ minds, he’ll be a Buc for life. So whatever happens happens, but we’ll always want Vincent to be around the organization.”
The Buccaneers already added another veteran receiver this offseason, inking DeSean Jackson to a three-year deal worth $33.5MM. He’ll pair with Pro Bowler Mike Evans to give Tampa Bay a solid starting pass-catching tandem. The rest of the Bucs’ wide receiver depth chart is comprised of Adam Humphries, Josh Huff, Freddie Martino, Donteea Dye, and Bernard Reedy.
Draft Rumors: Bears, Kizer, Kamara, Bolles
The Bears worked out Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer today, tweets Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. Chicago has already met with Kizer on at least one other occasion, but today’s visit was deemed a local workout given Notre Dame’s proximity to the Windy City. Although the Bears signed veteran Mike Glennon to a three-year contract last month, that’s not expected to preclude them from drafting a quarterback this year. Kizer won’t be in play at pick No. 3, but Chicago could consider him if he falls to the top of the second round.
Here’s more on the 2017 draft:
- The Eagles, Bears, and Panthers will all host Tennessee running back Alvin Kamara, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Kamara, who recently fired his agent, could sneak into Round 1 despite being viewed as a Day 2 prospect for most of last year. A committee back with the Volunteers, Kamara managed less than 1,300 yards rushing during two years in Tennessee, but also averaged more than six yards per carry during that time. He’s also been linked to New Orleans and Minnesota.
- North Carolina State safety Josh Jones recently completed a visit with the Dolphins, and will next meet with the Panthers, Jets, and Redskins, reports Alex Marvez of the Sporting News (Twitter link). Jones is considered a Round 2 prospect, but he’s been hosted by a significant number of NFL clubs during the predraft process, and there’s a chance he could sneak into Day 1. In 2016, Jones put up 109 tackles, three interceptions, and one sack.
- USC cornerback Adoree’ Jackson has met with the Titans and Browns, and has visits scheduled with the Eagles and Texans, as he tells SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Jackson could help a club on the defensive side of the ball, but he’d also add immediate 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).
- The Bills are hosting Utah offensive tackle Garett Bolles today, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). One of the fastest rising players in the draft, Bolles is now considered the top offensive lineman available, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he gets pushed into the top-10 based on the dearth of tackles in the 2017 class. Buffalo, though, already has a long-term option on the left side in Cordy Glenn, while right tackle is spoken for by Cyrus Kouandjio.
- Wisconsin tackle Ryan Ramczyk met with the Giants earlier this week, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Despite drafting Ereck Flowers ninth overall just two years ago, New York has made no promises that Flowers is their left tackle of the future. New York didn’t add any tackles during the free agent period, however, so if the club wants to upgrade its line, it will have to do so during the draft. Ramczyk was named a first-team All-American in 2016.
AFC North Notes: Bengals, Steelers, Ravens
The Bengals were interested in defensive end Chris Smith for more than a year before acquiring him from the Jaguars this week, tweets Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Jacksonville’s new front office structure, which now includes Tom Coughlin, helped the trade come to fruition, per Owczarski. The Bengals forked over a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick for Smith, who has appeared in 19 games over the past three seasons. Smith, 25, will slide into a Cincinnati edge rushing group that also includes Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson, Will Clarke, and Wallace Gilberry. The Bengals are likely to add a pass rusher early in the draft this month, so Smith isn’t a lock to make the roster, especially given that he hasn’t been active on special teams.
Here’s more from the AFC North:
- Washington wide receiver John Ross will meet with the Bengals over the weekend, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Ross was thought to have completed his predraft visits, but Cincinnati scheduled a visit “at the last minute,” according to Rapoport. The Bengals re-signed veteran pass-catcher Brandon LaFell last month, and have 2016 draft picks Tyler Boyd and Cody Core on the roster, but are still looking for another weapon to play opposite A.J. Green. Ross could conceivably be in play for Cincinnati at No. 9 (especially after posting a 4.22 40-yard dash at the combine), but would more likely be in consideration if the Bengals trade down in the first round.
- Safety Lardarius Webb‘s new three-year deal with the Ravens has a base value of $5.1MM, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). The pact comes with a $1.2MM signing bonus, while another $1.4MM is available annually via incentives. Those incentives are based on playing time, interceptions, fumble recoveries, punt return yards, and other statistical measurements, per Zrebiec. Webb, 32, played 95% of Baltimore’s defensive snaps in 2016, but his role could be reduced now that the Ravens have signed free agent safety Tony Jefferson.
- The Steelers plan to host Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster next week, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Foster has some off-field concerns and injury issues, but he’s still the best off-ball linebacker in this year’s class, so he probably won’t be around when Pittsburgh comes on the clock at No. 30 barring a draft-day all. The Steelers already boast one of the league’s best inside linebackers in Ryan Shazier, while Vince Williams is projected to replace Lawrence Timmons, who signed with Miami.
CB Jerraud Powers Announces Retirement
Cornerback Jerraud Powers intends to retire from the NFL following an eight-year career, as Powers himself announced on Instagram. 
“With the 2017 season getting started and teams are preparing to be the best they can be, I think it’s time for me to walk away from the game,” Powers writes. “The last 8 years have been a joy and wonderful ride. Even though I can still compete and play at a high level, mentally, I’m ready for the next chapter of my life.”
As Powers alludes to, he almost certainly would have found a job at some point despite not having been linked to any teams thus far during the free agent period. In 2016, Powers appeared in 13 games for the Ravens (six starts), posting two interceptions and five passes defensed while grading as the league’s No. 67 cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus. PFR, meanwhile, ranked Powers as the sixth-best corner still available on the market.
Instead, Powers will hang up his cleats three months before he turns 30 years old. Originally a third-round pick, Powers played for the Colts and Cardinals before joining Baltimore on a one-year deal prior to 2016. All told, Powers played in 100 NFL games (88 starts), put up 13 interceptions, and scored one touchdown.
West Notes: Chiefs, Raiders, Broncos, Cards
Virginia Commonwealth’s Mo Alie-Cox isn’t the only collegiate basketball player garnering interest from the Chiefs, as the club also has visits lined up with D.J. Johnson (Kansas State) and Najeal Young (Texas Wesleyan), according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Johnson, meanwhile, has also set up a meeting with the Bears, per Kellis Robinett of the Wichita Eagle. As Paylor notes, Kansas City has used the basketball-to-football strategy before, as tight ends Demetrius Harris and Ross Travis both played hoops in college. Like Alie-Cox, Johnson and Young aren’t eligible for the draft and are allowed to sign NFL contracts immediately.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions:
- The Raiders stand a “good chance” of bypassing one of their biggest needs — linebacker — in favor of defensive back help on Day 1, per Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. Both the Raiders and Titans have visited with Colorado cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, reports Pauline, and both clubs could seriously consider Awuzie in the first round (at picks No. 24 and No. 18, respectively). Oakland could use another player in the secondary next to Sean Smith and David Amerson, while Tennessee released veteran corner Jason McCourty today and are fielding one of the league’s worst corner depth charts. Dallas has also met with Awuzie, who posted one interception and four sacks last year.
- After ranking 27th in adjusted sack rate in 2016, the Broncos are unsurprisingly expected to target offensive lineman in the draft, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Utah tackle Garett Bolles, whom I sent to Denver in PFR’s first 2017 mock draft, is of “high interest” to the Broncos, who hold the No. 20 pick in Round 1. But Denver is unlikely to stop on Day 1, as the club will probably select multiple offensive lineman over the course of the draft, per Cole. The Broncos signed free agents Menelik Watson and Ronald Leary last month, but the front five — especially left tackle — still needs a lot of help.
- Alabama linebacker Ryan Anderson has a workout scheduled with the Cardinals, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Arizona currently boasts Chandler Jones, Markus Golden, free agent signee Jarvis Jones, Kareem Martin, and Gabe Martin on the edge, but Anderson would give the club yet another option to get after opposing quarterbacks. Anderson, who managed 8.5 sacks in 2016, has also met with Houston and Carolina. Anderson is a likely Day 2 prospect, and was compared to San Francisco’s Ahmad Brooks by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
- The Raiders had scheduled a meeting with Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster, but he won’t be able to attend due to a scheduling conflict, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links). Still, the proposed visit indicates a level of interest from Oakland, which clearly needs assistance at linebacker. If Foster falls to No. 24, the Raiders would likely run to turn in their card.
49ers Make Offer To Seahawks’ Garry Gilliam
The 49ers proposed a multi-year contract to Seahawks restricted free agent offensive lineman Garry Gilliam, but Gilliam rejected the offer, according to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. San Francisco will continue negotiating with Gilliam, per Kapadia, who says the “lines of communication” are open between the two parties.
Gilliam met with the Niners earlier today on something of an exploratory mission, and he now has until April 21 to sign an offer sheet with San Francisco (or another club). The Seahawks own the right of first refusal, but if they decline to match the 49ers’ terms, they’ll receive no draft pick compensation for Gilliam. Seattle tendered Gilliam at the original round level, and Gilliam entered the league as an undrafted free agent.
If Gilliam can’t agree on a deal with the 49ers, he’s expected to sign his Seahawks RFA tender next week, reports Kapadia. That tender will pay him a non-guaranteed $1.797MM base salary for the 2017 season. If Gilliam — for some reason — doesn’t sign his tender by June 15, Seattle can cut his 2017 earnings down to $660K.
San Francisco’s offensive line is nothing special, and Gilliam could conceivably compete for time at right tackle. But it’s not clear the 26-year-old would be much of an upgrade, even on the 49ers’ roster, given that he graded as a bottom-10 offensive tackle in 2016, per Pro Football Focus.
FSU RB Dalvin Cook’s Stock Slipping?
Florida State running back Dalvin Cook is continuing to tumble down draft boards due to off-field concerns, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). NFL clubs are reportedly worried about the group of advisers surrounding Cook, and aren’t confident he’ll be able to remove himself from questionable personal ties that litter his past.
[RELATED: Leonard Fournette A Candidate To Go No. 1?]
This isn’t the first time Cook’s character concerns have come to the surface, as Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com recently reported that teams are being scared off by Cook’s off-field issues. But clubs are also apprehensive of Cook’s “inconsistent” workout performances, per Cole. As I noted in PFR’s first 2017 mock draft, Cook tested in the seventh percentile in SPARQ score, a metric that analyzes athleticism. Given that NFL teams are already wary of selecting running backs early in the draft, Cook’s disappointing athletic testing could force him down the board even further.
One club that is keeping tabs on Cook is the Buccaneers, who have now met with him multiple times and sent national scout Byron Kiefer and director of player personnel John Spytek to Cook’s Pro Day in March, reports Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. Tampa Bay’s backfield is in flux given the murky status of Doug Martin, who is suspended for the first three games of 2017. But Martin is attending Buccaneers workouts and is reportedly “all good” following a rehab stint, which may lessen the need for Tampa to spend a draft pick on a runner.
Other teams that have met with Cook during the predraft process include the Eagles, Browns, Jaguars, 49ers, Bengals, and Redskins.
NFC South Notes: Panthers, Falcons, Saints
Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey visited the Panthers last week, and one NFL general manager tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that it “wouldn’t be shocking or surprising” if Carolina tabs McCaffrey at No. 8. Many mock drafts have sent LSU’s Leonard Fournette or Florida State’s Dalvin Cook going to the Panthers in the first round, and as Rapoport notes, McCaffrey isn’t exactly a scheme fit for Carolina. But McCaffrey is now expected to be selected within the top 10 picks, and Panthers head coach Ron Rivera recently indicated no slot is “too high” to draft a running back. Carolina recently inked incumbent back Jonathan Stewart to an extension through 2018, but that deal won’t preclude them from adding another runner.
Here’s more from the NFC South:
- The Falcons hosted Houston edge rusher Tyus Bowser on Tuesday, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. In his senior season with the Cougars, Bowser registered 8.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and four passes defensed. He ranks as the 36th overall prospect in the draft, in the estimation of Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, who lauds Bowser’s “tremendous play speed” and ability to match up against opposing tight ends. Atlanta’s current pass-rushing group consists of Vic Beasley and an amalgamation of average to below-average players: Adrian Clayborn, Brooks Reed, Courtney Upshaw, Derrick Shelby, and Jack Crawford.
- UCLA edge rusher Takkarist McKinley met with two NFC South clubs — the Panthers and Falcons — this week, per Rapoport (Twitter link), who adds McKinley will visit with four more unidentified teams next week. Both Carolina and Atlanta could use youthful reinforcements on the edge, and McKinley stock has vacillated enough that he could conceivably be selected at No. 8 (Panthers) or No. 31 (Falcons). For what it’s worth, I sent McKinley to Atlanta in PFR’s first mock draft of 2017. Following shoulder surgery, McKinley may miss part or all of an NFL training camp and preseason.
- The Saints hosted Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham today, and have been showing “a lot of interest” in the Commodore defender during the predraft process, according to Nick Underhill of the Advocate (Twitter link). New Orleans already added veteran off-ball linebackers A.J. Klein and Manti Te’o to a second-level group that also includes Craig Robertson, Dannell Ellerbe, and Stephone Anthony. Earlier this year, a scout told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report that Cunningham “needs to gain strength” and “make more tackles.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/13/17
Today’s minor moves:
- The Jets have re-signed restricted free agent corner Marcus Williams, as Williams has now inked his second-round RFA tender, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link). New York tendered two restricted free agents — Williams and center Wesley Johnson — at the second-round level, and both have now signed their tenders, which will pay $2.746MM for the 2017 campaign. Williams, 26, has appeared in 34 games (15 starts) for Gang Green since joining the club in 2014.
- The Texans have waived linebacker Gerald Rivers, the club announced today. Rivers, 26, has bounced around the league since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2013, spending time with six different clubs in that time. He’s appeared in three career games, but those all came during his rookie campaign. Rivers spent the entire 2016 season on injured reserve, and had inked a reserve deal with Houston in January.
- Four players signed their exclusive rights tenders today, meaning they’ll return to their clubs on a minimum salary:
- CB Bryce Callahan (Bears)
- TE Gabe Holmes (Raiders)
- DT Christian Ringo (Packers)
- OL Zac Kerin (Vikings)