Browns Notes: Mack, Quarterback
Alex Mack has agreed to an offer sheet with the Jaguars, reports Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). He writes that the actual offer sheet has not been drawn up, but it will be submitted as soon as it is. It was reported earlier that Mack would be signing a five-year deal with the Jaguars, and that the team put language in that would make it as difficult as possible for the Browns to match.
Here are further reports regarding the Mack deal and the Browns’ offseason:
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter had reported earlier that Mack would prefer to play out this contract in Jacksonville rather than have the Browns match (via Twitter). The Browns told Mack earlier in the offseason that they would not hold him hostage if he wanted to leave, according to Michael Silver of NFL.com (via Twitter). The general feeling is the Browns will strongly consider matching the offer.
- Head coach Mike Pettine plans to bring in a veteran quarterback before the draft, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. The team only has Brian Hoyer and Alex Tanney currently on the roster, and with Hoyer not fully recovered from his ACL injury, they will need another arm for minicamp, which starts on April 29. Even if they bring in a veteran, the Browns will still be expected to target a quarterback in the draft.
- Tom Pelissero of USA Today laid out a scenario that he believes some of the playoff teams picking at the end of the first round are hoping for, in which one or more of the top quarterbacks slides into the late first round (via Twitter). In this scenario, the Browns would be the last logical landing spot for a quarterback with the 26th pick, meaning the playoff teams with strong quarterback situations could look to trade down to a quarterback needy team at the top of the second round (via Twitter).
Pre-Draft Visits: Jaguars, Beckham, Raiders
The Jaguars have been bringing in a number of notable prospects, including some of the draft’s top quarterbacks. Tomorrow they will add Alabama’s A.J. McCarron, LSU’s Zach Mettenberger, Fresno State’s Derek Carr, and UCF’s Blake Bortles, reports Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter).
Here are some other visits from across the NFL:
- LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has a visit scheduled with the Bills for Thursday, reports Sirius NFL XM Radio (via Twitter). Beckham met with the 49ers and Steelers earlier this week.
- Clemson defensive back Bashaud Breeland met with the Raiders on Tuesday, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Breeland has played both safety and cornerback, and has already met with the Bills.
- Nevada offensive lineman Joel Bitonio had his visit with the Rams today, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch (via Twitter). Thomas writes that Bitonio could be drafted somewhere as high as the late first round.
NFC Notes: Lions, Hawkins, Cooks
The Lions hosted Clemson wide receiver Martavis Bryant, Washington State safety Deone Bucannon, and Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan this week.
Lewan could be in the mix for the team in the first round.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- The Lions first-round pick could change drastically depending on how many quarterbacks are selected in the nine picks ahead of them, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com. Rogers notes that the ideal scenario would find four quarterbacks selected in before the Lions are called to the podium, but two or three would be more realistic.
- The Buccaneers are finalizing their deal with wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins, reports Mark Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). The deal has already been agreed to in principle, but some specifics are being hammered out.
- Oregon State’s Brandin Cooks has been busy, meeting with the Jets earlier this week. Cooks will also meet with the Seahawks, Panthers, and Patriots, according to Bryan Fischer of NFL.com.
AFC Notes: Mack, Burleson, Draft
The Jaguars have met with free agent center Alex Mack, reports BigCatCountry.com (via Twitter). Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 confirms that Mack has already visited with the team (via Twitter).
Mack received the transition tag from the Browns earlier this offseason, which gives the Browns the right to match any offer.
Here are some other notes from around the AFC:
- The Browns have hosted former Lion Nate Burleson, according Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter). Burleson, 32, had 191 catches between 2009 and 2011, but struggled to stay on the field the past two seasons.
- The Titans brought in West Virginia running back Charles Sims for a visit, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). With uncertainty at the position without Chris Johnson, the team is looking for long-term answers at the position.
- Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle was taking Raiders questions on Twitter, and discussed if the recent signings of Jacoby Ford and DeSean Jackson would push the team to choose Clemson’s Sammy Watkins with the fifth pick in the draft. Tafur believes that Watkins and Kalil Mack of Buffalo are both in play for the Raiders.
Marcus Spears Retires
Former Cowboy and Raven Marcus Spears is retiring from the NFL, after nine seasons. This was announced by the SEC network via twitter, as Spears and former NFL defensive lineman Anthony McFarland will be joining the network as college football analysts.
Spears spent most of his career with the Cowboys, playing defensive end. The team hoped that he would emerge as a pass rushing threat to complement DeMarcus Ware, but Spears struggled to produce, only amassing 10 sacks for his career. Spears also struggled in run defense at times during his NFL tenure. He had not started more than seven games since the 2009 season.
Spears took to Twitter to express his gratefulness to the SEC Network.
Rams Not Interested In Chris Johnson
Since Chris Johnson‘s release from the Titans earlier this week, there has been some speculation that among his potential suitors he may find a home with his former coach Jeff Fisher and the Rams.
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch writes that a reunion between Fisher and Jackson is unlikely, as the organization and the coaching staff have expressed little interest in bringing in the former Pro Bowl running back.
The Rams are happy with current running back Zac Stacy, who had an impressive rookie year, tallying 973 yards in 14 games. While Johnson could supplement that production, he was scheduled to make $8MM with the Titans this year. Thomas writes that if Johnson can get even half that in the open market, then the Rams would not be able to afford him as a second back.
Even still, Fisher has a history of bringing in his former Titans, with Cortland Finnegan, Jared Cook, Will Witherspoon, and William Hayes. Most recently, the Rams brought troubled wide receiver Kenny Britt into the fold. If the price tag comes down closer to the veteran’s minimum, it is not impossible for the Rams to jump back into the mix.
Pre-Draft Visits: Garopollo, Cooks, Lee
The Browns brought Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in for a private visit earlier today, writes Jeff Schudel of the Morning Journal (he writes March 4, but he most likely means April 4). Schudel examines the idea of the Browns selecting a position other than quarterback at the top of the first round, and looking to grab the rookie signal caller with the 26th pick in the first round, or the third pick in round two.
Schudel writes that Browns star receiver Josh Gordon believes the team will take a quarterback with the fourth pick, and that Teddy Bridgewater would be his choice.
Here are some notes from some other pre-draft visits:
- Oregon State wide receiver Brandin Cooks is visiting the Jets, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Cooks also has received interest from the Patriots and the Panthers.
- In addition to Cooks, the Patriots have expressed interest in receivers Marqise Lee of USC, Mike Evans of Texas A&M, Odell Beckham Jr. of LSU, and Kelvin Benjamin of Florida State, according to Doug Kyed of NESN (via Twitter).
- The Saints have scheduled a visit with Lee, but have not yet set a date to meet with Cooks, reports Larry Holder of NOLA.com (via Twitter).
- The Giants worked out quarterback Rusty Smith, reports Howard Balzer of LockerDome.com (via Twitter). Smith appeared in three games for the Titans between 2010 and 2012, throwing no touchdowns and four interceptions.
- Balzer also notes that Kurt Coleman visited the Colts, and while he is not an ideal candidate to replace the departed Antoine Bethea, he could add depth to the safety position
Raiders Sign Daniel Zychlinski
The Raiders have announced that they came to terms on a contract with free agent punter Daniel Zychlinski (via Twitter). Zychlinski last punted for Stanford in 2012.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it can be expected that it was a short-term contract, most likely for only one year and for the minimum salary. Zychlinski will be looked at as a camp leg, and it would be a surprise if he earned a spot on the 53-man roster.
NFLPA To Investigate Eagles
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith appeared on ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike in the Morning” earlier today, to discuss the circumstances surrounding DeSean Jackson‘s release from the Eagles. During the interview, Smith mentioned that the player’s association would be investigating whether the Eagles had leaked the story of Jackson’s affiliation with a Los Angeles gang to NJ.com, writes Mike Jones of the Washington Post.
“We’ve been in touch with DeSean, and first and foremost he is a tremendous football player and great young man,” Smith said. “On the issue of how he was released, whether or not there were comments or leaks from the team, misinformation to the media coming from the team, that’s something that we’re going to look at. We’ve always been aggressive about protecting the integrity of our players.”
A spokesman for the NFLPA confirmed Smith’s comments, although it is unclear how long the investigation process will take. It has not yet been reported what a potential punishment would be incurred should the Eagles be found guilty.
In an interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Jackson was asked if he thought the Eagles could have potentially leaked the story in order to facilitate his release. Jackson said he did not believe the Eagles would have leaked the story, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (via Twitter).
NFC Notes: Pre-Draft Visits, Contract Updates
The Rams are hosting Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy for a workout, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch (via Twitter). Because it is considered a local visit, Ealy will be allowed to work out with the team.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- The 49ers are bringing in wide receiver Albert Wilson out of Georgia State for an official visit, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team has been open about the possibility of using a high draft pick at the position.
- The Seahawks have not begun talks of a contract extension with Earl Thomas yet, reports Todd Dybas of the Tacoma News Tribune (via Twitter).
- Colt McCoy‘s deal with the Redskins is a one-year agreement and carries a $730K base salary with a $65K signing bonus, reports Wilson (via Twitter).
- The Packers re-signed John Kuhn to a one-year deal worth $1.03MM, according to Wilson (via Twitter). The contract includes $855K in base salary, and a $100K signing bonus. Additionally, Kuhn can earn a $25K workout bonus and $3,125 in per-game active roster bonuses.
- Details of former Toronto Argonauts safety Marcus Ball’s contract with the Saints have been reported by Wilson via Twitter. Ball’s three-year deal will be worth $1.536MM, with minimum salaries and a $6K signing bonus.