Cabot On Browns’ Draft Options
Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer posted a mailbag this morning with several interesting tidbits about the Browns’ strategy regarding the upcoming draft: Let’s look at the highlights:
- The Browns are overwhelmingly likely to take a quarterback early in the draft, and have exhausted all options in terms of meeting with potential selections. The team worked out Johnny Manziel in College Station yesterday, and has also done its homework on big names like Blake Bortles and Derek Carr, plus lesser-known players such as Ball State’s Keith Wenning.
- Another option at quarterback could be Redskins backup Kirk Cousins, who was reportedly available earlier this offseason. Cabot suggests the young QB, who has experience in new Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s system, could be had for a third-round pick.
- Khalil Mack remains on the Browns radar, but Cabot thinks it is time for the team to use a top-five pick on a franchise quarterback. While Mack is undoubtedly an excellent prospect, Cleveland is already flush with pass-rushing talent, with the likes of Paul Kruger, Jabaal Sheard, and Barkevious Mingo manning the edge.
- Greg Robinson is also a strong possibility to be selected with the fourth overall pick, with Cleveland rumored to be dissatisfied with incumbent right tackle Mitchell Schwartz. Schwartz, however, graded out rather well according to Pro Football Focus, finishing with a +8.2 rating.
- A cornerback is also likely in the Browns’ plans, as the team could use a big, physical presence opposite Joe Haden. Buster Skrine is adept at covering the slot, but he is stretched when forced to play the outside.
Draft Notes: Jets, Patriots, Donald, Savage
A few notes as we get ever closer to the 2014 NFL Draft:
- A trio of receivers will meet with the Jets in the upcoming days, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The team will meet with Marqise Lee today and Monday, Odell Beckham on Monday and Tuesday, and Brandin Cooks later in the week.
- Also in the market for defensive backfield help, the Jets will meet with two cornerbacks (according to Mehta on Twitter): Jason Verrett tomorrow and Darqueze Dennard on Friday.
- The Patriots worked out Northern Arizona cornerback Anders Battle in early March, reports Zuri Berry of Boston.com. Battle, who has now earned his first mention in the pages of PFR, accrued 57 tackles and two interceptions last season, and reportedly ran a 4.57 40-yard-dash at his Pro Day.
- Two Pittsburgh Panthers have turned down invitations to the draft proceedings at Radio City Music Hall. Jerry DiPaola of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that defensive tackle Aaron Donald rejected the offer due to personal reasons, while the Pitt Football Twitter account noted that quarterback Tom Savage turned down the invitation (without citing a reason). I would guess that Savage realizes he likely will not be a first-round pick and does not want to become a spectacle for the cameras.
NFC Notes: Lattimore, Vikings, Eagles, Lions
49ers running back Marcus Lattimore is poised to contribute to the team in a meaningful way in 2014, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. The 2013 second-round pick, who suffered a gruesome knee injury while playing at South Carolina, aims to settle in as the third running back behind Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter. Following the defection of Anthony Dixon to the Bills and the 49ers willingness to trade LaMichael James, Lattimore could see ample amounts of playing time, and he seems ready to capitalize on the opportunity. “…I’ve just got to go in there and work hard. I can pass-protect and run the ball. I’ve got to show that,” said the 22-year-old. “If I prove it in practice, I don’t think there’s no excuse why I can’t play. I’m ready.”
More notes from around the National Football Conference:
- The Vikings‘ pay-as-you-go structure (not giving massive signing bonuses) allows the team to not only have more fluid cap management, but enables them to cut declining players with ease, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
- NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah lists Odell Beckham, Kelvin Benjamin, and Brandin Cooks as options for the Eagles with the No. 22 pick (via Bo Wolf of PhiladelphiaEagles.com). While DeSean Jackson obviously needs to be replaced, it would surprise me if Philadelphia doesn’t target defense in the first round, hoping to improve upon their 22nd-ranked unit (according to Football Outsiders) by adding to an abysmal secondary.
- Justin Rogers of MLive.com, citing this excellent paper by economics professors Richard Thaler and Cade Massey, makes the case that the Lions should trade down from pick No. 10 in the draft and acquire more selections in what is considered a tremendously deep draft class.
Extra Points: Options, Bucs, Ravens, Panthers
The new CBA could hinder the availability of elite talent on the free agent market, writes John Clayton of ESPN.com. With long-term contract prices exceedingly high, teams will look to use the fifth-year option on many 2011 first-round-picks who would’ve been free agents after the upcoming season. Players like Cam Newton, Von Miller, and A.J. Green will likely have their options picked up by their respective teams, followed by progressive talks towards long-term deals. Compounding the situation is the fact that the top seven picks of the 2010 draft have contracts that do not expire until after the 2015 season. Because teams will have to conserve cap space to hammer out inevitable extensions for star-level players, mediocre free agents may have to be willing to sign for less money than might be expected.
More NFL notes to close out your weekend:
- The Buccaneers plan to draft a quarterback, but in what round is still a question, says Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Johnny Manziel remains a possibility if he slips to pick No. 7, as Bucs coach Lovie Smith noted: “I had time to watch quite a few games, and I had a chance to watch him — a lot. So you add all that up.”
- Boise State offensive lineman Matt Paradis, who worked out for the Patriots on Wednesday, recently visited with the Broncos, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
- The Ravens have improved this offseason, but their offensive line (particularly left guard and right tackle) is still in flux, writes Greg Bedard of the MMQB.com.
- The Panthers receiving corps and offensive line are both listed among Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness’ list of offensive units that took a step back this offseason (via ESPN insider – subscription required). Carolina lost pass-catchers Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell, and Ted Ginn, while their offensive line suffered the retirement of Jordan Gross and is still awaiting the decision of Travelle Wharton.
- On the Over the Cap podcast (audio link), Jason Fitzgerald stated that he believes the Chiefs will extend quarterback Alex Smith this summer. Signing Smith, whose contract expires after the upcoming season, would lower his cap figure and allow the team more cap space, enabling them to negotiate new deals for young players like Justin Houston.
NFC Notes: Smith, Cowboys, Seahawks, Bell
49ers linebacker Aldon Smith was arrested this afternoon at Los Angeles International Airport following an incident where he allegedly falsely indicated that he possessed a bomb, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. The episode reflects poorly not only on a Niners team that has dealt with several off-the-field issues over the past month (the Colin Kaepernick investigation and the Chris Culliver arrest), but also on Smith himself, who has been embroiled in personal struggles over the past year, including missing five games last season while spending time in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility.
This incident could have implications on Smith’s future with the 49ers: as ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson points out, the team has not decided whether to pick up the fifth-year option they hold on Smith. If San Francisco decides that the young edge rusher’s personal issues make him too difficult to trust, they could opt to decline the option, estimated to be worth more than $9MM. The deadline to decide on the option is May 3.
Other news from the NFC:
- Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News examines the Cowboys draft strategy regarding developmental quarterbacks, and wonders why the team hasn’t copied the strategy of the Patriots and Packers and drafted an heir apparent to Tony Romo.
- The Seahawks might look ahead to 2015 needs rather than simply draft to fill immediate positional vacancies in the upcoming draft, writes Andy Benoit of the MMQB.com. Seahawks general manager John Schneider is a forward-thinking executive, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him eschew a pressing receiver need in favor of stockpiling defensive talent.
- Byron Bell is expected to slide from right to left tackle for the Panthers, helping to replace the void created by Jordan Gross‘ retirement, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. Bell was below-average last season according to Pro Football Focus (-2.8 grade), but both Gross and coach Ron Rivera think Bell should be much improved in 2014. Additionally, Carolina’s tight cap situation meant they couldn’t sign a free agent left tackle, and the premier options in the draft likely won’t last until pick No. 28, so Bell looks to be the team’s only option.
AFC Notes: Finley, Browns, Chiefs, Patriots
An assortment of items from around the AFC:
- The Dolphins have engaged in talks with free agent tight end Jermichael Finley, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Finley, who suffered a bruised spinal cord last season, played under ‘Fins head coach Joe Philbin when both were with the Packers.
- The two players that most interest the Browns at pick No. 4 are Sammy Watkins and Greg Robinson, and the team could trade down if neither is available, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. However, Cabot also cautions that if Cleveland wants a top-flight quarterback, they shouldn’t wait until to pick No. 26 to select one.
- Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star believes the Chiefs should look to trade safety Eric Berry, citing cap flexibility, the need to stockpile draft picks, and the relative ease of finding in-the-box safeties. Dealing Berry, whom Pro Football Focus graded as the third-best safety in the league last season, would save the Chiefs a little over $11MM in cap space over the next two seasons. I don’t see such a trade coming to fruition, as Berry is an excellent player, and the cap room gleaned would only be useful next offseason, since all the name free agents have already signed this offseason.
- Duron Harmon is the leading candidate to take over as the Patriots strong safety now that Steve Gregory has been released, writes Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Harmon, at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, would add an imposing presence to a backfield that has gotten progressively smaller over the past few seasons.
- Joel Corry of the National Football Post looks at what the Jaguars could have done to ensure that the Browns did not match their offer sheet to Alex Mack; among the options, the Jags could have considered guaranteeing all $42MM in the contract, which would have been unprecedented.
- The Raiders’ defensive line should be among the most improved defensive units in the league next season, writes Rick Drummond of Pro Football Focus (via ESPN Insider – subscription required). Oakland added Justin Tuck, Antonio Smith, and LaMarr Woodley, all of whom had excellent PFF grades in 2013.
PFR Originals: 4/6/14 – 4/13/14
Here’s the original content produced by PFR during the past week:
- Luke Adams explained the fifth-year option, the mechanism contained in the most recent CBA that allows teams to retain first-round-picks for an additional season.
- Rob DiRe asked if the Browns would match the Jaguars’ offer sheet to Alex Mack, and about two-thirds of voters selected the correct answer (which was, of course, “yes”). Thanks for voting!
- We illustrated how to follow specific players on PFR; if you’re solely interested in the latest Chris Johnson rumors, for example, there’s a way to follow those notes.
Week In Review: 4/6/14 – 4/13/14
The headlines from the past week at PFR:
Major Move:
- The Browns matched the Jaguars’ five-year, $42MM offer sheet for Alex Mack, which allows Cleveland to retain the veteran center for at least two seasons before Mack has the option to void the remainder of the deal.
Signings:
- Bears – center Brian De La Puente – one year (link)
- Browns – receiver Nate Burleson – one year (link)
- Texans – running back Andre Brown – one year (link)
- Saints – safety Rafael Bush – two years (matching Falcons’ offer sheet) (link)
- Panthers – receiver Jason Avant – one year (link)
- Bears – tight end Matthew Mulligan – one year (link)
- Bengals – receiver Dane Sanzenbacher – one year (link)
- Panthers – defensive lineman Colin Cole – one year (link)
- Panthers – tight end Ed Dickson – one year (link)
- Dolphins – receiver Damian Williams – one year (link)
- Panthers – safety Thomas DeCoud – two years (link)
Waivers:
- Bears – claimed receiver Josh Bellamy off waivers from the Redskins (link)
Follow all the latest news at PFR’s Transactions page.
AFC Mailbag Roundup: Chiefs, Colts, Steelers
We took at a look at the most recent mailbag segments involving NFC teams, so let’s do the same for the AFC:
- Though Johnny Manziel doesn’t figure to be around when the the Chiefs at No. 23, Teddy Bridgewater might be in for a draft-day fall. If he does slip, don’t be surprised if Kansas City pulls the trigger on the young quarterback, writes Terez A. Paylor of ESPN.com. The selection would make sense, as Alex Smith is entering the final year of his contact.
- The oft-criticized Colts offensive line is still in flux, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Wells. Donald Thomas, returning from a torn ACL, is expected to man one guard spot, while Lance Louis and Hugh Thornton will battle for the other guard position. The most intriguing position may be center, where the team seems to want Khaled Holmes to beat out recent addition Phil Costa for the starting role.
- Third-year Steelers safety Robert Golden could be the victim of a roster crunch, says Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Golden played only 51 snaps on defense last season, but excelled on special teams.
- Though Kevin Boothe might be the better player, Khalif Barnes could be the favorite for the Raiders left guard position, writes Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com. Boothe is set to be the backup center, and the need to keep him fresh for that role could mean Barnes will enter the starting lineup.
- ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco doesn’t believe Jaguars will draft a quarterback with the third overall selection, but he does think QB is an option later in the draft. Zach Mettenberger and Jimmy Garoppolo seem to be among the Jags preferred choices.
PFR Originals: 3/31/14 – 4/6/14
Here’s the original content produced by the PFR during the past week:
- Peter Sowards asked where DeSean Jackson would land, and about a quarter of readers correctly guessed Washington.
- Rory Parks parsed comments by the National Football Post’s Joel Corry on the franchise tag and its implications, and added his own insights.
- Luke Adams delved into the details regarding post-June 1 cuts, which apply to players like Miles Austin and LaMarr Woodley this offseason.
- We took a look at the remaining free agents on offense, headlined by players like Andre Brown and Nate Burleson (and technically Jimmy Graham).
- We also eyed the available defenders — Thomas DeCoud, Anthony Spencer, and Kevin Williams are all still waiting on deals.
- We want to know where you think Chris Johnson will end up following his release from the Titans; the Jets currently lead the pack with about a third of the responses. Thanks for voting!
- Parks also looked at the Browns and their notable absences from recent Pro Days.