Draft Updates: Lions, Texans, Watkins
While the ability to contribute on special teams may not be the deciding factor when the Lions decide which players to draft this week, it certainly doesn’t hurt, as GM Martin Mayhew tells Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
“It factors in,” Mayhew said. “It factors in more when you don’t have a competent returner, which we do. But it’s certainly something you take into consideration. If somebody can be a backup punt returner, he has more versatility.”
The Lions GM went on to point out that special teams contributions are something the club considers more and more as the draft goes on. In the sixth or seventh round, or even when pursuing undrafted free agents, having the input of area scouts on which players they think could become strong special-teamers is a key factor, according to Mayhew.
More on the draft from around the NFL:
- Asked about the possibility of being drafted first overall, Johnny Manziel said the Texans are “holding their cards close” and that he hasn’t been told anything, while Jadeveon Clowney told reporters with a smile that he doesn’t think Houston will pass on him. Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle has the quotes from Manziel and Clowney.
- Meanwhile, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com says (via Twitter) “no one is buying” that the Texans are locked in on a specific player at No. 1, adding that he believes the asking price for that first overall pick will drop tomorrow.
- Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk passes along word that NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport said on the NFL Network this morning that the Lions have told Sammy Watkins they’re considering trading into the top three to draft him.
- Former agent Joel Corry and ex-Packers executive Andrew Brandt each provide articles detailing some of their experiences in past drafts, which are illuminating and worth reading. You can find Corry’s piece at CBSSports.com and Brandt’s at TheMMQB.com.
- Notre Dame defensive tackle Kona Schwenke visited the 49ers and Chiefs in the weeks leading up to the draft, and also had a private workout and meeting with the Niners prior to his Pro Day, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
Saints Notes: Graham, Ingram, Draft
When Saints general manager Mickey Loomis addressed the media today at his pre-draft press conference, he told reporters, including Larry Holder of the New Orleans Times-Picayune (Twitter link), that there were no new updates on Jimmy Graham‘s contract situation. However, that quickly changed, as Tom Pelissero of USA Today reports the NFLPA has filed a grievance on behalf of Graham, related to his positional designation.
This step had been long anticipated by both sides, and it should help expedite the process. Graham’s tight end franchise tag is worth just $7.035MM, so if an arbitrator determines he should actually be in line for the wide receiver tag of $12.312MM, it will significantly affect leverage in long-term contract talks. It also may prompt the two sides to work out a compromise, particularly if it seems as though the decision could go either way.
Loomis also weighed in today on a few other Saints-related topics, so let’s turn to Holder, ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett, and the Times-Picayune’s Katherine Terrell for the highlights (all links go to Twitter)….
- Of the 30 allowable pre-draft visits for NFL teams, the Saints used 29 to host prospects. Loomis also confirmed that the club had the opportunity to talk to every draftable player on its board.
- While other GMs have identified a few positions they’ll be targeting in the draft, Loomis balked at giving away any details on that, presumably attempting not to tip his hand regarding the Saints’ first-round pick.
- Asked about the decision to turn down Mark Ingram‘s fifth-year option, Loomis said it was purely a financial move and not a reflection of the team’s opinion of Ingram. Given the price tags we saw on running backs this offseason, it makes sense that New Orleans wouldn’t want to commit to Ingram on a $5MM+ salary for 2015.
- The Saints are always keeping an eye out for the potential successor to Drew Brees, but that doesn’t figure to be an area of focus this year.
- Although they have some candidates on the roster to return kicks, the Saints will be on the lookout for guys with return ability in the draft.
- There hasn’t been any increase in trade chatter between the Saints and other teams so far this week, according to Loomis. However, if the club decides to try to acquire extra picks in the draft, salary cap constraints shouldn’t be a concern.
- Asked about the team’s plans at center, Loomis was fairly noncommittal, suggesting that it’s difficult but not impossible for a rookie to come in and take over the starting job.
Browns Eyeing Bridgewater, Carlos Hyde?
10:34am: The Browns have also looked into the possibility of trading up from No. 26 to ensure they have a shot at Bridgewater, according to Cabot (via Twitter).
10:00am: The Browns have three picks within the top 35 in this week’s draft, and while the focus has primarily been on their top pick (fourth overall), Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com has some details on the team’s targets at Nos. 26 and 35. According to Cabot, Browns GM Ray Farmer is “enamored with” Louisville signal-caller Teddy Bridgewater and will strongly consider him at 26th overall. Cabot also hears (Twitter link) that Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde is on the club’s radar at No. 35.
Despite many reports of Bridgewater’s falling stock, there’s no guarantee he’d be on the board when the Browns pick at No. 26, and the team’s pick at No. 4 should significantly affect the direction of that second first-round pick. According to Cabot (via Twitter), an ideal situation would have the Browns landing offensive tackle Greg Robinson fourth overall, Bridgewater 26th, and a receiver or Hyde 35th.
The Browns’ decisions could have a significant ripple effect on the rest of the first round, since the team has a few potential holes. The need for a quarterback and receiver could mean that players like Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, and Sammy Watkins are also in play for the team at fourth overall. Meanwhile, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com suggested earlier today that a trade down from No. 4 is possible as well.
In my view, snagging Robinson and Bridgewater in the first round would be a nice haul for Cleveland, though I’d question whether 35th overall is a good spot to draft a running back, particularly when after the club added Ben Tate in free agency. I’m also not sure Robinson makes it past the Rams at No. 2, assuming St. Louis keeps its selection.
AFC South Rumors: Texans, Jags, Bortles
Jadeveon Clowney is generally considered the top prospect in this year’s draft class, and Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report writes that many people around the league believe the Texans have settled on keeping their first overall pick and selecting the South Carolina end, since it’s the safest move. However, that pick certainly isn’t set in stone yet. Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that he gets the sense Houston will remain flexible when it comes to potential options, and any trade may not occur until the club is on the clock tomorrow night.
As we try to search for clues regarding the Texans’ plans, let’s check in on a few more items out of the AFC South….
- According to veteran beat writer John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), word is spreading among the media in the New York that the Jaguars will select Johnny Manziel at No. 3. Of course, as is the case with any report the day before the draft, this could be a smokescreen — perhaps the Rams are trying to spur trade action for their No. 2 pick.
- A league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Blake Bortles is one of three players the Jaguars have identified as a potential pick at No. 3. Within Florio’s exploration of where Bortles could land, he identifies the Texans as a possible destination too, particularly if Houston trades out of the No. 1 spot.
- The Colts are among the teams that have worked out Arkansas kicker Zach Hocker, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Hockey, who has drawn interest from more than 20 NFL teams, also worked out for the Cardinals, Saints, and Eagles, per Wilson.
East Rumors: Manziel, Pats, Jets, Eagles
Within his latest article for Bleacher Report, Mike Freeman drops a few nuggets relating to NFC and AFC East clubs, writing that the Cowboys and Eagles both definitely have interest in Johnny Manziel, but are very unlikely to land him. Meanwhile, one scout tells Freeman he thinks there’s a “90% chance” the Patriots draft a quarterback this week, since New England knows the Tom Brady era will end within the next few years.
Let’s round up several more items from out of the NFL’s East divisions….
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported previously that the Jets are trying to move up in the first round, and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News is hearing similar rumblings. A source tells Mehta that the Jets have been telling other teams they’re interested in trading up.
- The Patriots hosted free agent guard Davin Joseph for a visit, according to Field Yates and Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. New England’s current projected starting guards, Logan Mankins and Dan Connolly, are both entering their age-32 seasons, so having a veteran like Joseph around for insurance purposes could be beneficial for the club.
- Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link) keeps hearing that the Eagles really love Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller, who probably won’t still be on the board at No. 22. If Philadelphia decides to move up in the first round, Fuller could be the team’s target, though Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that the Steelers, who pick several spots ahead of the Eagles, are also high on the young corner.
- Cornerback Prince Amukamara said he was “definitely relieved” that the Giants decided to pick up their fifth-year option on his rookie contract last week, as Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News details.
AFC North Rumors: Big Ben, Ravens, Browns
Although Ben Roethlisberger heads into the 2014 season with two years left on his contract, he expects his career to extend well beyond his current deal, as he told 93.7 The Fan on Tuesday (link via ESPN.com’s Scott Brown).
“I feel like I’m in great shape,” Roethlisberger said. “I think I can get five, six, seven more years out of this arm and these legs.”
Roethlisberger turned 32 in March, so another seven seasons would have him pushing 40, but the Steelers at least appear interested in locking him up beyond the 2015 campaign. We heard last month that extension talks between the two sides have been ongoing for a while, and that discussions could pick up later this summer when Pittsburgh picks up some post-June 1 cap space.
Here’s more from around the AFC North:
- The Ravens, who may be targeting a quarterback at some point in this week’s draft, have done their due diligence on LSU signal-caller Zach Mettenberger, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. That means the team is likely aware of a back condition called Spondylolsis, which several teams have medically flagged Mettenberger for, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. While LSU trainer Jack Marucci said it was a non-issue for the QB during his senior season, it would represent a long-term concern for Mettenberger’s NFL suitors.
- Virginia offensive tackle Morgan Moses had 13 private workouts or official visits leading up to the draft, including a visit to Baltimore to meet with the Ravens, writes Wilson at the Sun. According to Wilson, the Saints were among the other teams to host Moses for a pre-draft visit.
- The best approach for the Browns with their No. 4 pick on Thursday may be to trade down, says Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com, making the case for why a move back would make sense for the club.
Titans GM Talks Draft, RBs, Kickers
Earlier today, we recapped comments made by Redskins GM Bruce Allen and Vikings GM Rick Spielman in their respective pre-draft press conferences. Now we’ll turn our attention to the AFC South, where Titans GM Ruston Webster spoke to local reporters today at Tennessee’s pre-draft presser. Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean and Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweeted several highlights, so let’s dive in….
- The Titans only have six picks in this year’s draft and would like to acquire more if possible. In Webster’s opinion, the best chance to do so will happen when Tennessee is on the clock later this week.
- Webster stressed that it’s important for the Titans to draft players who will fit into the team’s new offensive and defensive systems, noting that the change to a 3-4 defense opens things up to land a pass rusher in the draft.
- About 26 or 27 prospects received first-round prospects from the Titans, according to Webster.
- While Tennessee filled several holes in free agency, there are still a couple areas of need, including running back, said Webster. However, don’t expect the Titans to target backfield help too early — the club feels there will be value at the position in the fourth or fifth rounds.
- The Titans will be having multiple kickers compete to replace Rob Bironas, who was released this offseason, and Webster didn’t rule out the possibility of adding one on the third day of the draft.
Redskins Cut Tanard Jackson
4:51pm: Jackson passed his physical today, so his release appears to be contract-related rather than health-related, tweets Zac Boyer of the Washington Times. Meanwhile, a person familiar with the situation tells Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link) not to rule out a potential return to Washington for Jackson, though nothing is set in stone yet.
3:44pm: Shortly after he was reinstated following an indefinite suspension by the NFL, Tanard Jackson will hit the free agent market. The Redskins have terminated Jackson’s minimum-salary contract, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter).
Jackson, 28, was effective early in his career in Tampa Bay after being selected by the Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2007 draft. He hasn’t appeared in a regular-season NFL game since 2011, however. Given his past violations of the league’s substance abuse policy, and question marks about his conditioning following his absence, it could be an uphill battle for him to earn an NFL roster spot this year.
Still, the timing of the move comes as a bit of a surprise, since Redskins general manager Bruce Allen indicated earlier today that the team may give Jackson a chance this summer. The safety had been expected to take a physical this afternoon, so perhaps the club was unimpressed with the results of that exam.
Draft Updates: Cowboys, Watkins, Ealy, Pryor
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk pointed out last month, since Jerry Jones have overseen Cowboys drafts, the team has traded up or down in the first round in 20 of 25 instances, or 80% of the time. That would suggest there’s a good chance Dallas won’t stand pat on Thursday, but it doesn’t sound like the club is too engaged in trade talks yet.
“We haven’t heard a lot from other clubs,” Jones said today, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “We haven’t found that to be particularly productive. That’s day-of-draft type dynamics. I’d be surprised if there are not trade opportunities by the time you get to where we’re going to be picking or certainly afterwards.”
Here’s more on the 2014 NFL draft, which is now just a little over 50 hours away:
- The Lions have frequently been linked to wide receiver Sammy Watkins, and Watkins confirmed today to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (Twitter links) that Detroit was the only team to meet with him more than once. “That sounds like they really want me, but you never know,” said the Clemson wideout.
- If two meetings are a signal of legit interest, count the Cowboys, Falcons, and Bears among the potential landing spots for defensive lineman Kony Ealy. As Hubbuch tweets, all three clubs met with Ealy multiple times.
- The Jets‘ interview of Calvin Pryor was extensive, the Louisville safety told Hubbuch (Twitter link). “They really seemed interested,” according to Pryor.
- Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post passes along updates on Florida State running back Devonta Freeman and Utah cornerback Keith McGill. According to Wilson, Freeman met with the Steelers and worked out for the Falcons, Patriots, and Dolphins, while McGill either visited or worked out for the Cowboys, Buccaneers, Redskins, and Raiders, among other teams.
La Canfora On Raiders, Browns, Cards, 49ers
Albert Breer of the NFL Network suggested earlier today that Johnny Manziel could end up on a team whose owner likes the idea of injecting some life into his franchise, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com makes a similar case in his latest column, pointing out that you should never underestimate the role an owner can play in the selection of a quarterback.
According to La Canfora, in the case of the Raiders, owner Mark Davis “is smitten” with Derek Carr. Fifth overall is too high to draft Carr, but if Oakland trades down, or perhaps decides to acquire a second pick later in the first round, it could be a sign that the team is targeting the Fresno State signal-caller.
Here are more highlights from La Canfora:
- The Browns‘ ideal situation may involve taking a player such as Sammy Watkins or Greg Robinson at No. 4, then nabbing a QB like Carr or Teddy Bridgewater at No. 26. As La Canfora notes, Carr may not be available that late in the first round, and if ownership gets involved, that may tip the scales toward Manziel early in the first round. For what it’s worth, head coach Mike Pettine told Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com today that there are five or six guys he’d be happy to land with that fourth overall pick (Twitter link).
- La Canfora continues to hear that teams who aren’t being frequently linked to quarterbacks will be the ones to draft them, and perhaps higher than expected. He goes on to cite affordable fifth-year options as one reason why clubs will pounce on QBs in the first round, though I feel as if seeing Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert, and Jake Locker have their options turned down last week will remind teams that the fifth-year option isn’t really a factor if you don’t select the right player.
- La Canfora “would be surprised” if the Cardinals didn’t select Carr or Blake Bortles with the 20th overall pick. Peter King of TheMMQB.com tweeted this afternoon that, after sending Bortles to the Browns at No. 26 in his early-morning mock draft today, he now thinks that’s too low, and that the Browns or Cardinals will target him earlier in the first round.
- Four tackles could come off the board within the first 12 picks on Thursday, and two or three more could be selected in the first round, says La Canfora.
- The 49ers are likely to trade up if possible, with wideouts Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandin Cooks among their potential targets.
- Several evaluators strongly believe A.J. McCarron will be the fourth or fifth quarterback drafted, and rave about his film.
- La Canfora thinks Aaron Donald will be the third defensive player off the board, likely no lower than eighth overall.
- The Patriots may end up drafting multiple tight ends, including a late-round project, in La Canfora’s view.