Extra Points: Wilkerson, Jack, Fuller, K. White
Unsigned franchise player Muhammad Wilkerson is not expected to attend the Jets‘ voluntary workouts, according Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link). Wilkerson will follow the same pattern as fellow franchise players Josh Norman (link) and Von Miller (link), who also won’t participate in their respective team’s offseason program.
Let’s take a look at a few more notes from around the NFL…
- The Cowboys are unlikely to use the No. 4 pick on UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, reports Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. Jack, who underwent knee surgery last fall, said his medical recheck earlier this week went smoothly, but other sources say that some clubs are concerned.
- Like Jack, Virginia Tech corner Kendall Fuller underwent a medical recheck on his knee this week, and he received positive reports, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Fuller, who is expected to be selected on Day 2 of the draft, should be ready by training camp, per Rapoport.
- After missing his entire rookie season with a shin injury, Bears receiver Kevin White — the No. 7 overall pick in 2015 — is now expected to be ready for Chicago’s offseason program. Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune has the details on White’s arduous recovery.
- Elsewhere in the NFC North, Mike Spofford of Packers.com examines Green Bay’s running back situation, noting that Eddie Lacy is not guaranteed to be a member of the Packers beyond 2016. Lacy’s rookie contract expires after this season, and it’s not clear if Green Bay has plans of extending him.
- Though an immature attitude was reportedly one factor in defensive tackle Dominique Easley‘s release from the Patriots, at least one New England veteran has spoken up on Easley’s behalf. “I loved Easley, especially his work ethic,” the unnamed player told Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “I hope he gets a second chance. . . . He’s a great (guy) and teammate in my eyes.”
Rams To Meet With Jared Goff And Carson Wentz
Though Rams general manager Les Snead has said he’s “97% sure” which quarterback his club will select with its recently-acquired No. 1 overall pick, reports have conflicted as to whether Los Angeles prefers California’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz. In an effort to choose between the two, the Rams will meet with both QBs in advance of the draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Los Angeles has already worked out both Goff and Wentz, and has surely spent the past few months watching game film of the two signal-callers, so it’s not clear what else can be learned by more meetings with the pair. Additionally, it’s somewhat difficult to believe that the Rams would trade up to No. 1 — and sacrifice so much draft capital — without having a clear idea of whom they want to select.
There are several reasons why the Rams may have yet to announce whom they’ll draft, with one being simply that they haven’t decided between Goff and Wentz. Los Angeles might also be trying to create a smokescreen in order to generate interest in the first overall pick (an idea postulated by PFR’s Zach Links earlier this week) — such a scenario would probably have to include the Rams moving down to No. 2 via a three-team trade, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk outlined earlier today. Alternatively, it’s possible the Rams are hoping to create a buzz around the team by not announcing the pick, allowing the club to get headlines while they make the move to Los Angeles.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bengals Hope To Extend Tyler Eifert
Tight end Tyler Eifert was the second first-round rookie from 2013 to see his fifth-year option exercised, as the Bengals picked up their 2017 option for Eifert on Thursday. As such, Cincinnati will control Eifert for the next two seasons, but the club wants to keep the young pass-catcher around beyond that, as Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the Bengals want to eventually sign Eifert to a long-term contract.
The news doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as most teams would probably like to extend their young stars. However, the key word in Dehner’s report is “eventually” — as the Enquirer scribe details, the Bengals will likely follow a similar timetable to the one used with wide receiver A.J. Green. Green, a first-round pick in 2011, had his fifth-year option exercised prior to the 2014 season, but didn’t agree to a long-term deal until September 2015. If the Bengals employ the same schedule with Eifert, he won’t be extended until next fall.
The Bengals have enough cap space (more than $16MM) that they could get a deal done now — and take on some Eifert’s prorated signing bonus on their 2016 cap — but they also have more than $54MM in 2017, good for 17th in the NFL. For his part, Eifert will count just $2.623MM against the cap in 2016 and $4.782MM in 2017, at which point (barring an extension) he could reach free agency or be offered the franchise tag.
Eifert, 25, had a breakout season in 2015, earning his first Pro Bowl nod since entering the league as the 21st overall pick in 2013. After spending the majority of the 2014 season on injured reserve, the Notre Dame alum hauled in 52 passes for 615 yards and 13 touchdowns in just 13 regular season contests last year.
Eifert may take on an even larger role in the Bengals’ passing game in the 2016 season, with secondary receivers Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones no longer in the mix. Cincinnati signed Brandon LaFell as a free agent to help complement Eifert and A.J. Green, and the team figures to address the wide receiver position in the draft as well, but Eifert may be in line for a career high in targets next season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rams Notes: No. 1 Pick, Adams, Rose, Palacio
The Rams unquestionably made the most notable move of the week, trading away a collection of picks to the Titans in order to move up to No. 1. Since then, there’s been a number of conflicting reports about exactly which quarterback prospect — Cal’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz — Los Angeles is targeting. While we wait for news to rise to the surface, let’s take a look at a few notes out of LA, both about the Rams’ choice at No. 1 and the draft overall…
- The Rams could find a way to both secure their quarterback of the future and acquire more picks, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk lays out. If Los Angeles indicates that they’ll be happy with either Goff or Wentz, they could convince a team that is certain it wants one or the other to move up to No. 1 via a three-way deal with the Browns — such a move would allow the Rams to select the remaining QB at No. 2 while giving Cleveland a cache of picks. It’s an unlikely scenario, though the thought process could help explain why Los Angeles hasn’t yet indicated which signal-caller it wants (though GM Les Snead did say he’s “97% sure” which quarterback he’s taking).
- While the Rams debate which quarterback to select first overall, they worked out another QB at their local pro day, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (Twitter link) that Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams‘ workout went “very well.” Adams, who is expected to be drafted in the later rounds, could be an option for Los Angeles if they want to secure a long-term backup.
- New Mexico State cornerback Winston Rose also participated in the Rams’ local pro day, as Wilson writes in a piece for the National Football Post. Rose posted three interceptions over 23 games during his career with the Aggies.
- Washington State’s Kache Palacio met with and worked out for the Rams today, as his agent Brett Tessler tweets. Palacio, who started 36 games at linebacker for the Cougars, is also capable of playing fullback and works on special teams, as Tessler notes.
South Notes: Norman, Falcons, Texans, Bucs
We learned earlier today that one franchise-tagged player — Broncos linebacker Von Miller — won’t be attending his club’s offseason program, and it sounds like another franchise player will take the same approach, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (Twitter link) that Panthers cornerback Josh Norman won’t join Carolina’s conditioning program. As Rapoport notes, it’s standard practice for unsigned franchise players to stay away from team activities until a deal is worked out.
Here’s the latest from the NFL’s two South divisions…
- Because they only have five picks in this year’s draft, the Falcons are going to have to take a different approach when targeting players, Atlanta general manager Thomas Dimitroff tells D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We think the draft is going to be interesting for us and creative for us,” said Dimitroff, and Ledbetter notes that the club might explore trading down from the No. 17 pick. Additionally, the Falcons are said to be one of a number of teams that are “very interested” in Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith‘s medical recheck, presumably because Smith could prove to be a draft-day steal if he slips.
- Rutgers receiver Leonte Carroo will visit the Texans on Tuesday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Carroo, a favorite of some NFL draftniks, has already met with the Patriots, Jets, Dolphins, and Giants. PFR’s Rob DiRe projected Carroo to come off the board at the end of the second round in the first edition of PFR’s Mock Draft.
- Texans left tackle Duane Brown is progressing nicely as he recovers from offseason surgery to repair a torn quadriceps muscle, and Wilson details Brown’s rehab in a separate piece at the Chronicle. As Wilson notes, Houston has no incentive to rush Brown back to the field given that they re-signed swing tackle Chris Clark to a two-year deal.
- After working out for the Buccaneers yesterday, USF tight end Sean Price is expected to meet with the Texans on Friday, tweets Jenna Laine.
Browns Willing To Trade No. 2 Pick?
The idea of the Browns dealing away the second overall pick is gaining steam, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com (Twitter link), who reports that there is “more and more smoke” around the concept of Cleveland trading down in the draft. The club’s intention would be to select a quarterback in the second round, per Zierlein, who adds that “something big” is likely to happen involving the top five picks.
The Browns, of course, have already added Robert Griffin III this offseason, signing the reclamation project to a two-year deal, and also have veteran Josh McCown under contract. The overwhelming majority of mock drafts have Cleveland selecting either Jared Goff or Carson Wentz second overall, but the Browns have a lot of holes elsewhere on the roster, and trading back could give the team the extra ammunition it needs to fill out their squad. Just this March, the Browns saw a ton of talent walk out the door via free agency, as Mitchell Schwartz, Alex Mack, Travis Benjamin, and Tashaun Gipson all found contracts elsewhere.
Depending on how far back the Browns trade in the first round, they could still have a shot at someone like Paxton Lynch, but Zierlein’s report indicates that Cleveland would instead target a quarterback in Round 2, where it currently holds pick no. 32, the first selection of Day 2. Lynch (possibly), Connor Cook, Christian Hackenberg, and Cardale Jones are among the signal-callers that could be available at that juncture, or even later.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Leon Hall Underwent Offseason Back Surgery
Free agent cornerback Leon Hall underwent offseason back surgery to repair a disc injury, Bengals radio analyst Dave Lapham told ESPN 1530’s James Rapien today (link via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). Hall, whose contract with Cincinnati expired in March, has yet to sign with another club despite drawing some interest.
The severity of the surgery isn’t known, but back issues aren’t the only health questions that the 31-year-old Hall has dealt with over the past few years. He’s suffered two torn Achilles since 2011, and though he’s been pretty durable otherwise (only five missed games outside of those two lost seasons), Hall has played through other ailments that have limited his effectiveness.
Nevertheless, Hall can still play — especially in the slot — and he’s the best free agent corner remaining on the market. Both the Cardinals and Cowboys have expressed interest earlier this offseason, and as Wesseling notes, the Dolphins could make sense as a destination given the presence of Vance Joseph (formerly the Bengals’ secondary coach and now Miami’s defensive coordinator). Hall, however, is thus far thought to have priced himself out of the Dolphins’ range.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Franchise Tag Notes: Mo, Cousins, Norman
The asking price for Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson is a first-round pick, and perhaps even more, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, who reports that Wilkerson is still on the trade block. One club that won’t be bidding for Wilkerson is the Bears, per Robinson, because Chicago doesn’t want to sacrifice the No. 11 pick and likes the depth of this year’s defensive line draft class.
Let’s take a deep dive into Robinson’s article (which is well worth a full read), as he passes along updates on the top franchise-tagged players…
- Kirk Cousins wants a “legitimate” franchise quarterback offer before he considers signing a long-term deal with Washington, sources tell Robinson. In other words, Cousins, who is set to earn more than $19MM in 2016, isn’t interested in a “pay-as-you-go” extension signed by the likes of Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick. At the moment, Washington doesn’t view Cousins as the centerpiece of its team.
- The Panthers aren’t interested in paying cornerback Josh Norman‘s asking price, which Robinson reports is around $15-16MM (a number that jibes with earlier reports). Carolina is fine with letting Norman play out the year under the franchise tag, which, at nearly $14MM, pays him like an elite corner.
- Von Miller‘s price has gone up this offseason following Olivier Vernon‘s massive deal with the Giants, but the Broncos want to pay him somewhere between Ndamukong Suh and Justin Houston money, which would be around $18MM. Recent reports have indicated that Denver offered Miller more than $17MM annually.
- The Bills have made left tackle Cordy Glenn their top priority, and because they view him as an “ascending cornerstone,” they’re willing to pay him elite tackle money, writes Robinson. The deal could be delayed, but Anthony Castonzo‘s deal with the Colts is a starting point in talks, per Robinson.
- The Chiefs expect to get a deal done with Eric Berry, but probably not until after the draft, according to Robinson. Berry and Kansas City have a great relationship which should make negotiations easier, and Robinson opines that Berry should be able to top Devin McCourty‘s deal.
- Alshon Jeffery is in the same boat as Berry, per Robinson, as the Bears are largely focused on the draft at the moment. Jeffery is not worried about reaching a long-term deal, especially since the franchise tag is paying him nearly $15MM, but the two sides are expected to knock out an extension later in the offseason.
- The Rams might have a hard time getting cornerback Trumaine Johnson to agree to a reasonable deal, especially because they picked Johnson over fellow CB Janoris Jenkins, who went on to score a large contract with the Giants. If the two sides do work out an extension, says Robinson, it will be late in the offseason.
49ers Expected To Meet With Amini Silatolu
Having already signed veteran guard Zane Beadles earlier this offseason, the 49ers are still on the hunt for more interior line depth, and they’re expected to meet with free agent guard Amini Silatolu, a source tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Silatolu, 27, spent the past four seasons with the Panthers.
[RELATED: 49ers GM denies club is trying to trade Anthony Davis]
A second-round pick in 2012, Silatolu started 15 games during his rookie season and looked to be a mainstay along Carolina’s offensive line for years to come. But he’s been hampered by injuries ever since — torn ACLs ended both his 2013 and 2015 seasons, and he was similarly calf and knee injuries in 2014. Silatolu has largely been relegated to backup duty with the Panthers, having been usurped at guard by Trai Turner and Andrew Norwell.
San Francisco isn’t the first club to express interest in Silatolu this offseason, as he’s also met with the division rival Seahawks and Cardinals during the past month. In the Bay Area, Silatolu would likely compete with the aforementioned Beadles, Brandon Thomas, and Ian Silberman for playing time at left guard opposite Andrew Tiller.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Giants Sign Bobby Rainey
MONDAY, 10:40am: The Giants’ deal with Rainey is now official, according to a team release.
SUNDAY, 4:48pm: The Giants are set to sign running back Bobby Rainey, as Rainey himself reported on Instagram (h/t to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post). Rainey was a participant in a recent round of New York veteran tryouts, which apparently went well enough for the veteran back to be offered a contract.
The 28-year-old Rainey entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2012, spending time with both the Ravens and Browns before latching on with the Buccaneers, the club with which he’s had the most NFL success. In 11 starts with Tampa Bay between 2013-14, Rainey rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and scored six touchdowns, adding another 300+ yards via 44 receptions. His offensive role dwindled in 2015, as he saw only five carries, but he was a key cog on special teams, where he played on more than 60% of Tampa’s snaps.
Rainey, who also worked out for the Dolphins before agreeing to terms with the Giants, will join a busy New York backfield that also includes Rashad Jennings, Shane Vereen, Andre Williams, and Orleans Darkwa. The Giants have also been rumored as a potential first-round landing spot for Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott, and given that Rainey is unlikely to carve out a role as a third-down pass catcher (Vereen has that covered), his best bet to earning a roster spot might be continuing to star on special teams duty.