Draft Rumors: Tunsil, Ravens, Cardinals, Bears
As soon as the seventh round came to a close, NFL clubs immediately begin placing calls in attempts to sign undrafted free agents. While we will be sharing that information eventually, the sudden flurry of activity makes it difficult to track in real time. As such, we’ll wait until teams formally announce their UDFA signings before we post the news (along with accompanying signing bonuses).
Here’s the latest as the 2016 draft is in the rearview mirror…
- Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome denied a report that his club would have drafted Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil except for a social media posting that showed him smoking out of bong, tweets Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun. Baltimore selected fellow tackle Ronnie Stanley instead of Tunsil.
- Bruce Arians says the Cardinals had a grade on a quarterback in every round, but other teams picked the signal-callers in question before Arizona got the chance, as Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- The Steelers tried to trade back into the fifth round, says general manager Kevin Colbert, but no other clubs wanted to trade back, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link).
- Having lost Brad Nortman to the Jaguars over the offseason, Panthers GM Dave Gettleman says his team would have selected a punter in the seventh round had a draft-worthy one been available, reports David Newton of ESPN.com. Gettleman also relayed that he declined offers to trade up because Carolina is already missing a 2017 seventh-rounder and didn’t want to give up more capital (Twitter link via Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer).
- The Bears plan to target tight ends in undrafted free agency, GM Ryan Pace told Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link).
Chargers To Release Mike Scifres
After selecting a punter in the sixth round of the draft, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco says he called veteran punter Mike Scifres to tell him that he’s being released, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link).
“He’s a true pro,” said Chargers head coach Mike McCoy. “When people ask what it means to be a Charger, I’ll point to Mike Scifres. Thank you Mike. We’re going to miss you.”
San Diego drafted Texas A&M punter Drew Kaser in the sixth round earlier tonight, so it’s no surprise that Scifres is being cut, given that a club that invests any draft pick in a specialist is likely doing so with the intent of said player making the 53-man roster. Scifres, 35, had been with the Chargers since 2004, having spent his entire 13-year career with San Diego. He suffered a down year in 2015, ranking just 29th in net punting average, but with his record of consistency, Scifres should be able to find a new home before or during training camp.
Scifres was entering the final year of his deal with the Chargers, and was set count for $4.163MM on their 2016 cap. By releasing him, San Diego will clear Scifres’ base salary off its books, leaving the club with just $600k in dead money.
Scifres’ agent said last fall that his client does not plan on retiring any time soon, so unless his plans have changed since that time, Scifres should be on the lookout for a new punting gig.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Extra Points: Broncos, Lynch, Bills, Lawson
The first round of the 2016 draft ended when the Seahawks selected offensive lineman Germain Ifedi, but there are still quite a few interesting options left on the board — which isn’t surprising given the depth of this draft class.
The most high-profile name is UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, who was projected as a top-five pick but wasn’t chosen, presumably because of health concerns. A cadre of defensive tackles, including Chris Jones, Jarran Reed, A’Shawn Robinson, Andrew Billings, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Kevin Dodd are still left, as is linebacker Reggie Ragland and cornerback Mackensie Alexander. On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Connor Cook, running back Derrick Henry, wide receiver Sterling Shepard, tight end Hunter Henry, and offensive lineman Cody Whitehair are still available.
More from the draft, as we look forward to rounds two and three on Friday…
- The Broncos talked to every team starting with the Falcons at No. 17 about a move up to draft Paxton Lynch, John Elway tells Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. Elway adds that Denver will continue to look at other quarterback options, and might still bring in a veteran QB.
- The Cowboys spent more time with Lynch than any other team club did, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Dallas was considering trading back up into the first round, per reports, but stopped their efforts once Lynch was drafted by Denver.
- Although a report tonight indicated that new Bills edge rusher Shaq Lawson would require shoulder surgery at some point, Lawson says that report is false, according to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter link). Such a procedure would reportedly force Lawson out of action for four-to-six months.
- GM Dave Gettleman said the Panthers received seven calls from teams interested in acquiring the No. 30 pick, but he was comfortable staying put and drafting defensive tackle Vernon Butler (Twitter link via Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer).
- Chargers GM Tom Telesco said his team may have the opportunity to trade down in the second round on Friday, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The team holds the fourth pick of the second round (No. 35 overall).
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
49ers Acquire No. 28 Pick
10:35pm: The 49ers also picked up an extra seventh-round pick (No. 249), tweets Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group.
10:16pm: The 49ers have acquired the No. 28 pick from the Chiefs, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link) reports San Francisco will ship a second-round pick (No. 37), a fourth-round pick (No. 105), and a sixth-round pick (No. 178) to Kansas City, and use the pick to select guard Joshua Garnett, per Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
Kansas City was reportedly trying to trade up at one point, perhaps with its eye on Paxton Lynch. Once Lynch went to the Broncos, however, it seems that the Chiefs changed course and decided to trade back and acquire more picks. Garnett will be plugged in as an immediate starter on a San Francisco offensive line that has become porous in recent years.
Chiefs, Cardinals, Titans, Cowboys Trying To Trade up
The Chiefs, Cardinals, Titans, and Cowboys all have interest in trading up, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Kansas City and Arizona would be moving up, while Tennessee and Dallas would be trading back into the first round, having already selected once.
The Chiefs, Cardinals, and Cowboys could all conceivably have interest in acquiring a quarterback. Paxton Lynch just went off the board at No. 26, but Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg have been rumored as first-round options. Indeed, a sorce tells Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star Telegram (Twitter link) that Dallas “was” trying to trade up, and Ed Werder of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that the Cowboys’ target was Lynch.
Jets Unlikely To Trade Muhammad Wilkerson
It doesn’t appear that Jets franchise player Muhammad Wilkerson will be traded, as general manager Mike Maccagnan essentially confirmed tonight. “I would not envision that happening,” said Maccagnan (Twitter links via Brian Costello of the New York Post and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News). 
Wilkerson, 26, enjoyed his best season as a pro in 2015, racking up a career-high 12 sacks and forcing three fumbles, to go along with 64 tackles. Arguably the best defensive player for the Jets last season, Wilkerson also earned his first Pro Bowl berth. However, he broke his leg during New York’s regular-season finale, and while that injury isn’t expected to sideline him at all next season, it may have been a strike against his trade value.
After being franchised, Wilkerson is currently projected to earn a $15.701MM base salary in 2016. The Jets are comfortable enough with that sum for this season, but they are not looking to pay him that kind of salary on a long-term deal.
Wilkerson, who has not yet signed his franchise tender, is not expected to participate in the Jets’ voluntary offseason program. Even though he followed the same path as Josh Norman in that regard, GM Mike Maccagnan recently told reporters that he will not rescind Wilkerson’s franchise tag.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Broncos Acquire No. 26 Pick From Seahawks
The Broncos have acquired the No. 26 pick from the Seahawks, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Denver will send the 31st pick and a 2016 third-rounder (No. 94) to Seattle, per Broncos PR man Patrick Smyth (Twitter link). The Broncos will use the pick to draft Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, tweets Mike Klis of 9NEWS.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) reported just prior to the trade that Denver was looking to move up with its eye on a quarterback, and now they’ve acquired Lynch, who was widely viewed as the third-best QB in the draft. He’ll head to the Mile High City and presumably compete with Mark Sanchez for the starting quarterback gig.
The Broncos, of course, have been linked to a multitude of veteran QB options, including Colin Kaepernick, Sam Bradford, Brian Hoyer, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, with Lynch in the organization, it’s probably safe to say that any efforts to land an outside quarterback option will cease.
Texans Acquire No. 21 Pick From Washington
The Texans have acquired the No. 21 pick from Houston, according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter links). Houston will sacrifice a 2017 sixth-rounder to move from No. 22 to No. 21, adds Farmer. The Texans will use the pick to draft Notre Dame wide receiver Will Fuller, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
Because the Texans moved up just one spot, it’s fair to wonder if another club in the 20s — like the Vikings or the Bengals — was also trying to move up in the hopes of selecting Fuller. Fuller is a speed threat, so he could be a nice compliment in a Houston offense that already has a great-route runner in DeAndre Hopkins and a veteran slot option in Cecil Shorts.
The Texans have added several new elements to their offense over the past few months, including quarterback Brock Osweiler, running back Lamar Miller, and offensive lineman Jeff Allen.
Draft Rumors: Lawson, Tunsil, Cravens, Fins
New Bills edge rusher Shaq Lawson will need to undergo shoulder surgery at some point, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The operation will knock Lawson out of action for four-to-six months, so Lawson will likely wait until after the season to undergo the surgery.
More draft rumors…
- Washington is hearing interest from clubs who want to move up to No. 21, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link). The club hasn’t heard yet heard an offer that will entice them to move back.
- A report earlier tonight suggested that the Cowboys could trade back into the first round while targeting a quarterback, but David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link) hears that’s unlikely. Dallas will likely stay in place at No. 34 and take a defensive player.
- Laremy Tunsil was the No. 2 player on the Dolphins‘ board, general manager Chris Grier tells Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (Twitter links). Grier also says the video that caused Tunsil to slip down the board is two years old. Meanwhile, Tunsil’s stepfather — who is currently suing the former Ole Miss tackle — has denied to TMZ that he hacked his son’s account or leaked the video.
- The Falcons drafted one safety/linebacker at No. 17 in Keanu Neal, but they apparently considered another hybrid-type player in Su’a Cravens, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Draft Rumors: Jets, Falcons, Giants, Jack
The Jets are trying to move up from the No. 20 pick, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). RapSheet doesn’t provide any more details, but it’s easy to speculate that New York might be targeting a quarterback like Paxton Lynch.
More from the draft…
- Like the Jets, the Falcons are also trying to move up, tweets Rapoport, who notes that only the Browns and Lions are ahead of Atlanta.
- The Giants took calls on the No. 10 pick before drafting Eli Apple, but GM Jerry Reese didn’t hear any offers that made him want to trade down, according to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).
- The Giants reportedly took Myles Jack off their draft board due to his knee condition, and according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), at least two other teams have done the same.