Pre-Draft Visits: Ravens, Barr, Ellington
Towson running back Terrance West met with the Ravens today, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. West will visit the Vikings tomorrow and the Seahawks on Wednesday.
Here are some other notes on pre-draft visits from around the NFL:
- Morgan State guard Karim Barton also visited the Ravens as a local prospect, reported Wilson (via Twitter).
- Linebacker Anthony Barr of UCLA will be getting busy, with multiple visits scheduled over the next two weeks, reports Ross Jones of FoxSports.com (via Twitter). Among his scheduled visits are the Cowboys, Vikings, Steelers, Falcons and Eagles.
- Receiver Bruce Ellington of South Carolina is visiting a few teams this week, including the Rams, Cardinals, and Patriots, and has already worked out for the Falcons, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 and and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The cousin of Cardinals’ running back Andre Ellington is the fourth receiver to visit the Rams, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch (via Twitter).
Trump Interested In Keeping Bills In Buffalo
Donald Trump has come out publicly to state his interest in buying the Bills, reports Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. Trump stressed that he was sincere in his attentions to acquire the franchise, and according to Graham, multiple sources have already confirmed that Trump has spoken to Bills president and CEO Russ Brandon.
Trump has his own checkered history with the NFL dating back to his days as the owner of the USFL’s New Jersey Generals. Trump would eventually lead the newly formed league to challenge the NFL in court, with a high-profile antitrust lawsuit.
However, Trump does not believe that will negatively affect his ability to acquire the Bills, nor would it influence his working relationship with other owners should he purchase the team.
“I think the NFL owners respected me for it because I took a dead league and made it hot,” Trump said. “The NFL owners that I know and are very honest about it, they’ll tell you I did a good job and they have respect for me. And I have respect for them.”
The most important part of Trump’s intentions for NFL fans was his promise to keep the team in Buffalo, as opposed to moving it to Toronto or Los Angeles. In an attempt to convince his skeptics, Trump noted that his residency in New York leaves only about an hourlong plane ride to fly to Buffalo, and that moving the franchise across the country wouldn’t make sense for an owner who would want to be near it.
Trump, who Forbes estimates is worth close to $4 billion, is thought to be the frontrunner at this time, as he is the only one to publicly declare his interest. Another group, Toronto’s Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment – led by rock star Jon Bon Jovi – is rumored to be in the mix. MLSE would perhaps move the team to Toronto.
Graham notes that current Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula and former owner Tom Golisano could enter the mix, and while Buffalo native Jeremy Jacobs has made it clear he would not sell the Boston Bruins to make a run at the Bills, his children could still legally acquire the franchise.
Graham writes that the earliest a purchase could be finalized is October, and the likely time of sale would happen in either December or January.
AFC Notes: Ebron, Lee, Matthews
North Carolina’s Eric Ebron is the top rated tight end in the 2014 NFL Draft, and could be in play for the Titans at pick number 11, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. While the team is happy with Delanie Walker, the background of head coach Ken Whisenhunt and his staff may add to their desire to bring in a play making tight end.
Here are some other notes from around the AFC:
- USC standout receiver Marqise Lee will visit the Dolphins on Tuesday, reports James Walker of ESPN.com. The Dolphins will pick 19th in the draft, and at one point Lee was thought to have been off the board much earlier than that. Lee’s disappointing speed at the combine has put him in play for the latter half of the first round.
- Vanderbilt receiver Jordan Matthews is visiting the Raiders today, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Matthews is thought to be a day two draft pick.
- The Raiders aren’t the only team interested in Matthews, as Meredith Perri of WEEI.com has highlighted the 6’3″ pass catcher for the Patriots. Perri writes that Matthews is a good route runner and possesses a good set of hands, both important when playing with Tom Brady. Matthews is a cousin of Jerry Rice, and holds SEC career records for receptions and receiving yards.
NFC Notes: Donald, Vikings, Herron
Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald expressed his interest in the Cowboys, writes David Helman of DallasCowboys.com. He had particular affection for defensive line coach Rod Marinelli. “He loves doing what he does, so that’s a coach I’d love to play for and learn from. Knowing he coached guys like Warren Sapp, that just gets you excited just knowing he’s got history and is one of the best to do it,” said Donald. “If I was able to play for Coach Marinelli that would be a blessing.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- The Vikings are expected to bring in a linebacker in the upcoming draft, writes Master Tesfatsion of StarTribune.com. The team has targeted Khalil Mack of Buffalo and Demarcus Lawrence of Boise State during recent visits, already having seen Preston Brown of Louisville and Anthony Barr of UCLA. The Vikings will also host North Dakota State offensive tackle Billy Turner.
- The Panthers‘ quest to find a receiver in the draft continues, as the team will host Wyoming wideout Robert Herron, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The team had previously worked out Herron earlier this month.
- The Falcons will host Brandon Watts on Tuesday, reports Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The linebacker was not a big name in the draft process before running a 4.4 40 yard dash at his Georgia Tech pro day.
NFC Notes: Giants, Jackson, Visits
It has been difficult to predict which way the Giants will go during the draft in May, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Mock drafts have the Giants looking at a number of different positions, from defensive tackle to offensive tackle, from receiver to cornerback. Aaron Donald of Pittsburgh and Eric Ebron of North Carolina are the most common choices, with three mock drafts selecting them out of a dozen. Mike Evans of Texas A&M and Taylor Lewan of Michigan each appear on two mocks, with Oklahoma State’s Justin Gilbert and Notre Dame’s Zack Martin rounding out.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- Reports stated that DeSean Jackson was more trouble than he was worth to the Eagles, but LeSean McCoy stuck up for his former teammate, writes Les Bowen of Philly.com. “Playing against him is really going to be different,” said McCoy. “It’s some big shoes to fill. DeSean’s by far one of the biggest playmakers in the game, and the biggest deep threat there is in the game. Some big shoes to fill, for sure.“
- Preston Brown of Louisville will visit the Vikings on Wednesday and Thursday, reports Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Brown said he grew up in Cincinnati watching Mike Zimmer coordinated defenses.
- Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin is set to visit with the 49ers, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Colvin tore his ACL at the senior bowl in January, which will hurt his draft stock, but the 49ers have 11 draft picks and could take a chance on the rehabbing corner.
AFC Notes: Bengals, Brooks, Amaro
The Bengals have a very crowded depth chart at the wide receiver position, which could take them out of the running to jump on a very strong receiving class when they select with the 24th pick of the NFL Draft, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. While the team wants to put Andy Dalton in the best position to succeed, using a valuable pick at the position would be tough considering the team already has A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Dane Sanzenbacher, Brandon Tate, Ryan Whalen, and Cobi Hamilton.
Here are some other notes from around the NFL:
- The Ravens have a great need at safety, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. While the team could target Northern Illinois’ Jimmie Ward, Hensley writes that Florida State safety Terrence Brooks could be a fallback plan. Brooks, a former corner, has the range to play centerfield.
- The Patriots need to find a second tight end to pair with Rob Gronkowski, and Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com thinks that the draft could be a place to fill that hole. Curran picks out Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro as a possible option, as Amaro was a top flight receiving option in 2013.
- The Titans have been looking for linebacker help this offseason, and Will Lomas of MusicCityMiracles.com writes that the team should look at James Harrison. Although the pass rusher is 35 years old, he can still be effective in the run defense on a limited snap count.
AFC East Notes: Bridgewater, Decker, Patriots
As Louisville quarterback Terry Bridgewater continue’s to see his stock fall, teams in the mid-to-late first round have to be seriously considering the possibility of him being on the board when they draft. Once thought to be the potential top pick, GangGreenNation.com asks if the Jets should consider taking Bridgewater should he be on the board when they come up to the podium.
While the Jets have Geno Smith and Michael Vick in the fold, Bridgewater could represent the long-term solution at quarterback that some fans and pundits hope Smith can still become. It also increases the trade value of the pick should the Jets decide to move down in the draft, as teams moving up to take a quarterback are often willing to overpay in a trade.
Here are some other notes from the AFC East:
- GangGreenNation.com also notes the despite the Jets’ improvement the quarterback situation should experience, that adding Eric Decker would not adequately fix the depth chart at receiver. They note that while Decker is an upgrade, he is not the elite type receiver that would be able to change the offense. Also, the belief that Stephen hill will be the second receiver would give pause, as he has not proven himself as a viable option in his first two seasons.
- In a series of tweets, Albert Breer of the NFL Network discusses the Patriots’ offseason. He notes that the team has made a focused effort to be good in 2014, although the team says they are all in for the Super Bowl every year. Breer notes that Nate Solder and Devin McCourty are the top priorities going forward, and that interior line play and backup tight end will be priorities in the draft.
- The Dolphins are set at running back after signing Knowshon Moreno, and they will not pursue free agent Chris Johnson, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. However, the team has a backlog at the position, and while Lamar Miller is safe, Daniel Thomas and Mike Gillislee will fight for a roster spot.
Poll: Alex Mack’s Offer Sheet
The Browns will have five days to make a decision on whether or not to match the Jaguars offer sheet to center Alex Mack once he signs. The offer sheet would make Mack the highest paid center in the league, but the structure of the contract would make it a difficult decision, even for a team with cap space.
Mack’s contract is reportedly frontloaded, worth at least $18MM over the first two years and $27MM over the first three. The total value of the contract is yet to be disclosed, but it is a five-year deal.
Mack would reportedly prefer to go to the Jaguars, but even the frontloaded offer sheet is doable for the Browns, who were prepared to pay him over $10MM under the transition tag in 2014. Even if they expect him to opt out of the contract after the second year, it would most likely still be cheaper than tagging him consecutive years.
Alex Mack’s Potential Poison Pill Contract
Alex Mack‘s offer sheet will reportedly pay him between $18MM and $20MM over the first two years regardless of whether he ends up with the Browns or the Jaguars, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Including the third year, it could be worth as much as $27MM. All of the first three years could be fully guaranteed.
It would leave Mack with the option to void the deal after two years. The Jaguars reportedly feel they have a 50/50 chance of eventually bringing Mack in. The Browns will have five days to decide whether or not to match from the time Mack signs the offer sheet.
Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 reports that this deal will make Mack the highest paid center in the NFL (via Twitter). He also notes that if Mack had played 2014 under the transition tag, that also would have made him the highest paid center that season (via Twitter). This new deal will make him the highest paid center over the course of a long term deal.
wrote a piece about the history of poison pill contracts, and what the NFL allows in terms of language that would dissuade a team from matching an offer. This is what has been expected of the Jaguars, as they are afraid the Browns will elect to match the offer. He writes that while the NFL has banned the practices that led to poison pill contracts like those of Steve Hutchinson and Nate Burleson following the 2005 season.
However, Fitzgerald writes that the Mack situation could be similar to the Curtis Martin contract in 1998, where the contract was frontloaded with an early player option. Based on the details already leaked, this type of contract is certainly in play.
NFC Visits: Rams, Coleman, Latimer
The Rams are piling up their pre-draft activity, as the team brought in Pittsburgh quarterback Tom Savage today, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the team has also shown interest in South Carolina’s Connor Shaw and SMU’s Garrett Gilbert (via Twitter).
Thomas also noted that offensive lineman Zack Martin of Notre Dame was also scheduled to visit, but that meeting was cancelled (via Twitter). Thomas did not give a reason for the cancellation.
Here are some other visit information from around the NFC:
- Kurt Coleman is visiting with the Vikings today, and will spend the night and continue to meet with the team tomorrow, reports Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Indiana wide receiver Cody Latimer had a meeting tonight with the Panthers, reports Alex Marvez of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter). Latimer will have his pro day on April 25.
- Iowa tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz is visiting the Buccaneers today, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The 6’5″ tight end has worked out privately for the Buccaneers previously. He’s will visit the Jets next.