East Notes: Eagles, Bills, Glenn, Gilmore, Fins
In the wake of Alex Marvez’s report about what the parameters of an Eagles trade for the No. 2 overall pick would look like, Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports explains why Philadelphia may be willing to part with several picks to move up and land a quarterback.
While the Eagles haven’t made any decisions yet, the team doesn’t want to miss out on an opportunity to secure a franchise QB. Even with Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel under contract, Philadelphia is in position to make a move for Carson Wentz or Jared Goff, since Bradford could be cut after one year with limited financial repercussions, and Daniel is essentially earning elite-backup money.
As we wait to see just how serious Howie Roseman and his front office are about trading up, let’s round up a few more notes from out of the NFL’s East divisions…
- The Bills have been mentioned once or twice as possible candidates to trade up to No. 2 in the draft, and general manager Doug Whaley didn’t rule out the possibility today, telling WGR 550AM that Buffalo is “open to do anything” (Twitter link via Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News). However, the Bills have the 19th overall pick, which makes a move into the top five a long shot. And after sacrificing a 2015 first-rounder to trade up in 2014, it seems improbable that Whaley would make the same sort of deal again this year.
- In his conversation with WGR 550AM, Whaley also said it’s possible that the Bills can get long-term deals done with left tckle Cordy Glenn, cornerback Stephon Gilmore, and quarterback Tyrod Taylor. In fact, the Bills GM suggested he’s “more optimistic than pessimistic” about locking up Glenn and Gilmore (Twitter links via Carucci).
- The Dolphins will take a running back in this year’s draft, prompting Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald to explore the team’s options, beginning with Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott. Jackson also breaks down a bevy of second- and third-day possibilities for the club.
NFC Notes: Bears, Hoyer, Seahawks, Saints
The Jets are currently pursuing free agent quarterback Brian Hoyer, but the Bears could enter the mix for his services if he doesn’t end up in New York, reports Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. Hoyer would be the backup to Jay Cutler in Chicago, which lacks an ideal reserve option. Neither David Fales nor Matt Blanchard has taken a regular-season snap, and Hoyer has an obvious connection to the Bears’ coaching staff in first-year offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. Hoyer and Loggains worked together when the two were in Cleveland in 2014 (Loggains coached the Browns’ quarterbacks).
More from the NFC:
- The Seahawks haven’t made a pick in the first round since 2012, and it’s possible that streak will continue this year, according to Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com, who outlines why Seattle might look to trade down from No. 26.
- Evan Woodbery of the New Orleans Times-Picayune has the details on Tim Hightower‘s new one-year deal with the Saints, tweeting that it’s a minimum salary benefit contract that features an $80K signing bonus.
- The Falcons hosted Virginia Tech edge defender Dadi Nicolas for a pre-draft visit today, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Nicolas has also visited Washington, per Aaron Wilson of NFPost.com, and made previously reported trips to Arizona and Pittsburgh this month.
Connor Byrne contributed to this post.
Brian Hoyer Visiting Jets
5:31pm: The Jets have legitimate interest in signing Hoyer and could offer him a contract by Wednesday, according to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, who adds that it wouldn’t necessarily preclude them from bringing back Fitzpatrick. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com is less convinced, classifying the Jets’ decision to visit with Hoyer as due diligence – not unlike their meeting with Robert Griffin III in March.
8:42am: With Brian Hoyer officially back on the open market, the Jets aren’t wasting any time in expressing their interest in the veteran signal-caller. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), Hoyer is paying a visit to the Jets, and that meeting will get underway today.
[RELATED: Texans release Brian Hoyer]
Hoyer, 30, made nine starts and appeared in 11 total games for the Texans in 2015, and enjoyed his best season as a pro. The Michigan State product completed more than 60% of his passes, throwing for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. Houston went 5-4 in his starts.
Despite Hoyer’s solid performance, he became expendable when the Texans went out and signed Brock Osweiler to a four-year, $72MM deal in free agency last month. With veteran backup Brandon Weeden also on the roster, and 2014 fourth-rounder Tom Savage in the mix as well, Houston opted against paying Hoyer a $4MM salary, plus per-game roster bonuses.
While the Jets are the first team Hoyer will visit, New York is not his only potential suitor. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets that four or five other clubs are interested in Hoyer, and we heard on Sunday that the Steelers may be one of those teams. The Broncos will likely kick the tires on Hoyer as well, and the Cowboys reportedly have interest “at the right price.”
Of course, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets, the Jets’ preference continues to be re-signing their 2015 starter, Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, a report earlier this week suggested that Fitzpatrick and the Jets are unlikely to reach an agreement before this year’s draft gets underway.
For the Jets, Hoyer represents both a viable Plan B and a way to gain leverage in negotiations with Fitzpatrick. Even if Hoyer ultimately signs with another team, it could benefit Gang Green, since it would potentially eliminate another suitor for Fitzpatrick, reducing his options.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
East Notes: Cowboys, Wake, Parker, Eagles
In an interview on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Tuesday, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones identified the pass rush as his club’s top need heading into the draft, as Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes. “Ultimately we want to find a dominant type of pass rusher,” Jones said. “Obviously that’s easier said than done.” If Dallas keeps the No. 4 overall pick rather than moving up or down, top pass rushers like Joey Bosa and DeForest Buckner will likely be available, so it will be interesting to see the club’s approach in the draft.
Let’s check out some other updates from out of the NFL’s East divisions…
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald believes it makes sense for the Dolphins to gauge defensive end Cameron Wake‘s value on the trade market, arguing that not doing so would be “shortsighted.” In Salguero’s view, if Miami can land a second- or third-round pick for the veteran pass rusher, that would be more valuable in the long term for the club than keeping Wake.
- Former Giants wide receiver Preston Parker, who appeared in two games for Big Blue last season, was arrested in Palm Beach on Monday night for possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana and resisting arrest, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Parker caught 36 balls for the Giants in 2014, but was the cut by the team last September, and this incident won’t help him find a new job.
- The Eagles are bringing in four veteran free agents for tryouts this week, tweets Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Defensive tackle Ken Bishop, fullback Michael Zordich, wide receiver DaVaris Daniels, and wide receiver T.J. Graham will get a look at Philadelphia’s minicamp.
- Patriots defensive lineman Alan Branch doesn’t agree with the notion that his former teammate Dominique Easley, who was cut by New England last week, was a problem in the locker room, as Chris Mason of the Boston Herald details.
AFC Draft Updates: Ravens, Lynch, Texans
The final visit for Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch will take place in Baltimore, according to agent Leigh Steinberg, who tweets that Lynch will meet with the Ravens on Wednesday. Holding the No. 6 overall pick, the Ravens seem like an improbable first-round suitor for Lynch, so perhaps the team is just doing its due diligence in case it trades down in the first round or Lynch slips to round two.
Here are more draft updates from out of the AFC:
- The Texans hosted Louisiana Tech quarterback Jeff Driskel for a visit this week, and are also hosting Eastern Michigan running back Darius Jackson today, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Houston fortified its offensive backfield by signing Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller in free agency, but could still be eyeing additional depth.
- We heard yesterday that Virginia Tech cornerback Kendall Fuller had a Monday visit with the Jets and a Wednesday visit in Carolina this week. Aaron Wilson fills in the gap in Fuller’s schedule, tweeting that the young corner is meeting today with the Titans.
- The schedule for Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah includes a pre-draft visit with the Chargers this Wednesday, writes Aaron Wilson in a piece for the Chronicle. Wilson reported yesterday that Ogbah was also visiting Carolina and Atlanta this week, though he doesn’t include the Panthers in his list of Ogbah’s visits in his latest piece.
- Texas A&M cornerback Brandon Williams has been busy during the pre-draft visit, making five visits and taking part in 14 private workouts, according to Aaron Wilson, who tweets that Williams is meeting with the Steelers today. Utah running back Devontae Booker and Michigan safety Jarrod Wilson are also in Pittsburgh to visit the Steelers, Wilson adds (via Twitter).
Latest On Fletcher Cox, Eagles
The Eagles and standout defensive lineman Fletcher Cox are “closing in” on a long-term extension, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Two sources tell Cole that if and when the two sides complete a deal, it will include upwards of $52MM in guaranteed money.
However, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links) spoke to a source who referred to the report on Cox as “untrue.” Bowen clarified that his source initially was denying that a deal between the two sides was done – whereas Cole’s report merely suggests that an agreement is close – but the Daily News scribe later added (via Twitter) that his source also emphatically denies that Cox and the Eagles are even close to a deal.
This isn’t the first time that a report has suggested Cox and the Eagles are nearing a multiyear agreement. Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com wrote nearly two and a half months ago, in early February, that the two sides were “close to a deal” that might include more than $50MM in guarantees. At the time, Cox took to Twitter to dismiss the story, so perhaps he’ll do so again in the wake of Cole’s report.
Still, there’s some reason to believe a contract agreement could be coming sooner rather than later for the 25-year-old. Cole suggests that the Eagles would like to see Cox participate in as much as possible of the team’s offseason program as the franchise transitions from former head coach Chip Kelly to his replacement, Doug Pederson. Cox has skipped Philadelphia’s voluntary workouts so far this month.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman also indicated on Monday that the team has zero interest in trading Cox, and is fully committed to locking him up, adding that he’s not worried about the club “winning” extension negotiations and getting Cox at a discount — he simply wants to keep the star defender around for the long term.
Cox had arguably the best season of his four-year career in 2015, setting a new career high with 9.5 sacks. He also racked up 71 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a pair of fumble recoveries. The performance earned the Mississippi State alum his first Pro Bowl nod, along with a top-10 spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings of interior defenders — he placed ninth out of 123 qualified players.
As a first-round pick in 2012, Cox is currently under contract for one more season, with a fifth-year option for 2016 worth $7.799MM. However, if and when he and the Eagles get a new deal done, Cox will be in line for a sizable raise.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Drew Rosenhaus Parts Ways With Johnny Manziel
Agent Drew Rosenhaus has officially terminated his business relationship with quarterback Johnny Manziel, says Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Rosenhaus announced last week that Manziel would have a five-day window to take certain steps in order to retain Rosenhaus as his agent, but it seems that window closed without the quarterback committing to making any changes.
“I have terminated the standard representation with Johnny Manziel in the hopes of helping him get the treatment I believe he needs,” Rosenhaus said last Wednesday. “I have informed him that if he takes the immediate steps I have outlined for him that I will rescind the termination and continue to represent him. Otherwise the termination will become permanent. There is a five-day window for me to rescind the termination.”
Rosenhaus, who called Manziel’s situation “life or death,” adding that it’s not about football, said during an appearance on PFT Live on Friday that he didn’t believe he and Manziel were “on the same page” regarding the treatment he believes the ex-Brown requires. Today’s news essentially confirms as much.
During a conversation with TMZ earlier this month, Manziel dismissed the notion that NFL teams would be put off by his fondness for partying, suggesting that there was a difference between parting and being “out of control.”
Even if Manziel believes his lifestyle and his behavior isn’t an issue for NFL teams, it has clearly been a problem for his agents, who have urged him to seek help. Rosenhaus becomes the second player rep this year to part ways with Manziel — his previous agent, Erik Burkhardt, publicly cut ties with the troubled quarterback in early February, issuing a public statement in which he wrote: “Accountability is the foundation of any relationship, and without it, the function of my work is counterproductive.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NFC Draft Updates: Hackenberg, Cowboys, Lions
Washington‘s quarterback depth chart for the coming season looks set, with Colt McCoy set to act as the No. 2 option behind starter Kirk Cousins. But it seems the team hasn’t ruled out the possibility of adding a developmental QB to its roster as a third option. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Penn State signal-caller Christian Hackenberg is making a pre-draft visit to Washington today.
Hackenberg projects as a day two pick, and it’s not clear if Scot McCloughan, Jay Gruden, and company have genuine interest in nabbing a QB that early, but the fact that Washington is bringing him in for a visit signals that the club is keeping its options open.
Here are a few more draft updates from around the NFC:
- The Cowboys worked out Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott earlier in the pre-draft process, and are now bringing him to their facility for an official visit, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- Florida Atlantic safety Sharrod Neasman is also paying a visit to the Cowboys this week, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link). However, before heading to Dallas, Neasman is heading to Atlanta today to meet with the Falcons, says Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, adding that the Lions have also either worked out or hosted the safety.
- Notre Dame cornerback Keivarae Russell revealed (via Twitter) that he visited the Lions. We heard on Monday that Detroit is one of the most active teams when it comes to exploring defensive back prospects leading up to the draft.
- Speedy Notre Dame wideout Will Fuller is making a visit to Halas Hall to meet with the Bears today, per Greg Gabriel of 670 The Score in Chicago (Twitter link).
- The Buccaneers have worked out and shown significant interest in Northwestern fullback Dan Vitale, who could be a late-round pick, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
Broncos Sign Ronnie Hillman
6:23pm: The Broncos have announced the deal, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
5:18pm: Hillman’s one-year deal is worth $2MM, with roughly $600K guaranteed, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
4:12pm: After letting them become free agents last month, the Broncos have now re-signed each of their top two running backs from their Super Bowl team. According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS (via Twitter), the Broncos have agreed to a one-year contract with free agent back Ronnie Hillman.
[RELATED: Broncos sign Shiloh Keo, Brandian Ross]
Hillman, 24, will return to Denver to pair with his old backfield mate C.J. Anderson, who signed a four-year offer sheet with the Dolphins that was ultimately matched by the Broncos. While Anderson may be first in line for carries going forward, given the length and worth of his contract, Hillman was the Broncos’ leading rusher in 2015, totaling 863 yards and seven touchdowns on 207 regular-season carries.
While Hillman had a solid regular season for the Broncos, his free agent stock may have been negatively impacted by his postseason performance. With Anderson carrying the majority of the load, racking up 234 yards and two TDs on 54 carries, Hillman had just 54 yards on 32 playoff carries (1.7 yards per attempt), and failed to reach the end zone.
The Packers were reportedly “poking around” on Hillman (and other running backs) near the end of March, and he was believed to have a few other potential suitors as well, but he’ll return to Denver for at least one more season.
The Broncos have also officially brought back kicker Brandon McManus, who signed his ERFA tender, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jaguars Cut Sergio Brown
About 13 months after signing him to a three-year, $7MM contract, the Jaguars have parted ways with veteran safety Sergio Brown. As Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union details, Jacksonville released Brown today, making him a free agent.
Brown, who turns 28 next month, appeared in 15 contests during his lone season with the Jaguars, starting four games before he was relegated to backup duty. Playing about half the team’s defensive snaps, the Notre Dame alum recorded 36 tackles and 1.5 sacks, and broke up two passes.
Like many of the contracts the Jaguars signed last winter, Brown’s deal didn’t feature any guaranteed salary or dead money beyond its first season, which means the team can clear his entire cap hit from the books for 2016. Brown had been set to earn a $2.25MM non-guaranteed base salary, so his release removes that $2.25MM charge from Jacksonville’s cap.
Brown, who ranked as a bottom-10 safety (among regulars) last season according to Pro Football Focus’ grades, became expendable when the Jaguars landed ex-Browns free safety Tashaun Gipson in free agency.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.