Saquon Barkley Visited Buccanneers
The Buccaneers, who hold the No. 7 overall selection in this week’s draft, are one of the most RB-needy teams in the NFL, and they would love nothing more than to see Penn State’s Saquon Barkley — widely-regarded as the most complete and dynamic running back to enter the league in a long time — fall to them. And Tampa Bay did its due diligence on the Nittany Lion standout, as GM Jason Licht revealed several days ago that the team brought Barkley in for an official visit (Twitter link via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times). 
However, it seems unlikely that Barkley will still be on the board when Tampa Bay is on the clock, unless Licht & Co. decide to trade up. Indeed, there has been plenty of buzz connecting Barkley to the Giants — who have the No. 2 overall selection — in recent weeks, and he may not make it past Cleveland’s No. 4 overall pick. Even the Broncos and Colts, who have the Nos. 5 and 6 overall picks, respectively, could feel that Barkley’s upside is too great to pass up (Indianapolis is also known to have hosted Barkley during the pre-draft season).
And, despite Barkley’s tremendous track record of collegiate success and his potential at the next level, it’s doubtful Tampa Bay would surrender a significant amount of draft capital to move up for a RB. In fact, as Florida Football Insiders posits, it is much more likely that the Bucs trade down.
The Bucs would like to continue improving their pass rush, and this year’s draft boasts a prospect that, like Barkley, has plenty of GMs salivating: NC State’s Bradley Chubb. But Chubb, like Bradley, is expected to be off the board before the Bucs pick, and there are a number of second-tier pass rushers (and running backs) who offer plenty of ability and who could be had later in the first round. Of course, Tampa Bay also needs secondary help, and if it doesn’t get a trade-down offer it likes, the team may simply choose one of the top DB prospects in the 2018 class, like Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Cowboys To Exercise Byron Jones’ Option
The Cowboys are expected to exercise Byron Jones‘ fifth-year option, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The move will keep Jones, a UConn product, under club control through the 2019 season. He will be locked into a $6.266MM salary, guaranteed for injury only, for 2019.
Jones, whom the Cowboys selected with the 27th overall pick of the 2015 draft, played cornerback at UConn and during the early portion of his rookie season in Dallas, but he settled in at safety thereafter. His overall performance took a bit of a dip last year, but that could be due to the fact that he was asked to play closer to the line of scrimmage in 2017 than in the preceding campaigns. Over the past two seasons, he has started every game and has compiled 130 tackles, two interceptions (including one pick-six), and two forced fumbles.
Jones will be moving back to cornerback in 2018, as he confirmed just last week. He will work under the tutelage of new defensive backs coach Kris Richard, who helped turn the Seahawks’ secondary into one of the most formidable in the league during his time in Seattle.
Although it remains to be seen whether Jones will be operating in the slot or outside the numbers, his wallet should also benefit from the move to corner. Corners generally earn more than safeties, as reflected in the franchise tag numbers for the two positions, which will help Jones when he goes to negotiate his next contract.
The Cowboys have until May 3 to formally exercise Jones’ option. All of the fifth-year decisions on 2015 first-rounders can be found on our tracker.
West Notes: Mack, Perryman, Rams
We heard last week that the Raiders and star linebacker Khalil Mack are not close on an extension, and Mack has not yet reported to the team’s offseason workout program. GM Reggie McKenzie, though, remains confident that a new deal will get done, and there does not seem to be any reason to believe otherwise at this point. Scott Bair of NBCSports.com takes a crack at the value of Mack’s next contract, and he suggests that a six-year, $120MM pact (with around $65MM in guarantees) could be in play. He also says the team is unconcerned about Mack’s absence at this point, though the Raiders do want to get a deal in place before training camp.
Now let’s round up a few notes from west division clubs, starting with more out of Oakland:
- Jared Cook has been mentioned as a potential cap casualty this offseason given that he is owed a $5MM salary and can be cut without any dead money remaining on the books. But Bair does not believe the Raiders will part ways with Cook, though that could change if the team selects a tight end in the early rounds of this month’s draft.
- The Chargers‘ run defense was the weakest part of an otherwise strong unit in 2017, and with only Denzel Perryman locked in as a starter at linebacker for 2018, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times believes the Bolts could make a play for an LB early on in the draft. If the team does not trade up to select a talent like Tremaine Edmunds or Roquan Smith, Rashaan Evans and Leighton Vander Esch should be available when the Chargers are on the clock with the No. 17 overall pick. As Woike notes, the team also needs to decide what it wants to do with Perryman on a long-term basis, as the Miami product is entering the last year of his rookie deal.
- In a separate piece, Woike suggests that the Chargers could look to bolster their run defense by selecting a defensive lineman in the early rounds of the draft, with Vita Vea and Da’Ron Payne being tied to the team in various mocks. Los Angeles has stayed out of the free agent market for linebackers and defensive lineman thus far, and Woike notes that Jay Bromley could be a name to watch if the team cannot fill its DL needs in the draft.
- One team that decidedly does not need to draft a defensive lineman is the Rams, although Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times said the team could still be on the lookout for DL depth in the later rounds of the draft. Klein notes in a separate piece that the Rams — who will not be on the clock until the third round — do need to address their LB corps. The team has three fourth-round selections and four sixth-round picks, and Klein says Los Angeles will be on the lookout for LBs, especially edge rushers.
Eagles CB Daryl Worley Arrested
New Eagles cornerback Daryl Worley was arrested in Philadelphia at around 6am this morning, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As Rapoport notes in a separate tweet, Worley was passed out inside a vehicle that was blocking a highway. When police arrived, Worley became combative with them and was ultimately tasered. A gun was recovered at the scene.
Philadelphia acquired Worley earlier this offseason in a trade that sent wide receiver Torrey Smith to the Panthers. Smith, who was far from productive in his first and only season with the Eagles, had a $5MM option that Philadelphia was widely expected to decline, which would have made him a free agent. However, they managed to swing a trade for him, and Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that Worley’s track record of bad behavior is what allowed them to do so. Indeed, Worley pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault while in college, and McLane says that the West Virginia product had a “rep” in Carolina as well.
Last season, Worley’s second in the league, he appeared in 15 games for the Panthers and started all but one of those contests. He tallied 63 tackles, one sack, and ten passes defensed. He also started Carolina’s lone playoff game last season, registering six tackles and a pass defensed in the team’s loss to the Saints in the wild card round. The advanced metrics did not love his work, though; he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 89 ranked cornerback last season.
The team is aware of the arrest and noted that it is still in the process of gathering information (Twitter link). Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets it is likely, though not certain, that Philadelphia will release Worley, and that discussions are still ongoing. Bowen adds in a separate tweet that Worley’s arrest makes it much less likely that the team trades fellow corner Ronald Darby prior to the draft, which was looking like a real possibility.
The Panthers selected Worley in the third round of the 2016 draft. He grew up in the Philadelphia area, and per McLane (via Twitter), he was specifically asked at his introductory news conference if playing in his hometown would create unnecessary distractions. The Eagles, at least, certainly have a distraction on their hands to go along with the Michael Bennett drama.
Patriots Notes: Brady, Belichick, Guerrero
It’s no secret that there is some tension among the three most prominent figures in the Patriots’ organization: owner Robert Kraft, head coach Bill Belichick, and quarterback Tom Brady. As Ben Volin of the Boston Globe writes, one of the sources of conflict between Belichick and Brady is the role of Brady’s personal trainer, Alex Guerrero.
Belichick, of course, wants one voice when it comes to his team’s strength and conditioning program, so he wants his players to adhere to programs established by head strength coach, Moses Cabrera, and head trainer, Jim Whalen. But by the middle of last season, approximately 30 of the Patriots’ 53 players were seeing Guerrero regularly, either in Gillette Stadium or at the TB12 facility at Patriot Place. Guerrero’s methods clash with the more traditional approaches set forth by Cabrera and Whalen, and Belichick revoked Guerrero’s special privileges after the bye week last season (although he did not ban players from seeing Guerrero).
We heard back in January that Guerrero’s presence was creating some problems in New England’s locker room, and Volin’s story provides some interesting context to those reports.
Now for more news out of Foxborough:
- Kraft is not concerned about extending Brady’s contract, and Volin notes that there is no reason for the team to do so at this point. Brady is under club control through the 2019 campaign, and his cap number of $22MM is reasonable given his ability, importance to the franchise, and the quarterback market.
- For the second consecutive year, Brady is unlikely to be present for the first day of the Patriots’ offseason program, per Volin, which is somewhat curious given that he has been a “devout offseason participant” in prior years. But as Brady’s absence is tied to his appearance as a Best Buddies Global Ambassador in Qatar, Volin is not putting much stock in it until Brady starts to miss more time. Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says Belichick “went out of his way” to hint that he and Brady have at least one talk in that regard. Belichick said, “[The offseason program] will be heavily attended, but I know there are a couple players that I’ve talked to that have other commitments, but that’s the way it always is. So, not really anything new there.”
- Volin says the Pats do have the ammunition to move up in the draft to select one of this year’s top signal-callers if they want to, though it remains more likely that they will stand pat.
- In the same piece linked above, Reiss reports that the Patriots have hired Cameron Achord as an assistant coach. Achord has ties to special teams coach Joe Judge, and he has already been on the scouting trail on behalf of the Patriots.
- It was previously reported that Brady was a big reason for Jordan Matthews‘ decision to sign with the Patriots, but as Reiss notes, Matthews was impressed with the organization as a whole. Matthews said, “There was a lot of intentionality during the visit. They were very detailed. They were very specific with me on what they thought about me and areas they thought I could grow. I appreciated that more than anything. I appreciated that type of honesty.”
- We learned yesterday that the Patriots did not come close to matching the two-year, $12MM deal that Danny Amendola signed with the Dolphins, which made Amendola’s decision to leave New England a little easier.
Richie Incognito Seeks Release From Contract
The Richie Incognito saga might not be over just yet. On March 15, Incognito agreed to rework his contract with the Bills, which ultimately resulted in a fairly sizable pay cut. But, given that the Bills rank in the top half of the league in available cap space — which means they did not really need to save the $1.675MM of cap room they picked up with the restructure — and given that Incognito is coming off his third consecutive Pro Bowl season, it seems that Incognito quickly came to resent his new deal.
Indeed, he fired his agent via Twitter about three weeks after he agreed to the reworked contract, and just a few days later, he announced he was going to retire. Although he initially suggested that he could be convinced to come back for one more season at the right price, he later indicated that his health is declining and that he would be better served walking away from the game.
On Thursday, Buffalo placed Incognito on the reserve/retired list, furthering the notion that the 34-year-old guard has played his last snap. Yesterday, however, Incognito tweeted to the Bills and asked them to release him from his contract. Interestingly, he requested that Buffalo contact Athletes First, the agency that he recently fired, for details.
The tweet no longer appears on Incognito’s Twitter page, but it is preserved on a post from Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. As Smith notes, Incognito would have to pay back the $1MM signing bonus he received as part of his new deal if he officially retires, which he would not have to do if he were released. Plus, he may be able to land a more favorable contract with a different club if he hits the free agent market.
Or, as Smith observes, Incognito could simply “un-retire” and show up to Buffalo’s offseason program, which starts tomorrow. Incognito did send out an interesting tweet on Friday saying, “That was a short lived retirement” and suggesting that he may indeed appear for the first day of the offseason program. That same tweet, however, also included a laughing emoji and a #madeyalook hashtag, so the Bills probably aren’t expecting to see him walk through the door tomorrow.
Dak Prescott On Dez Bryant’s Release
The Cowboys’ decision to release Dez Bryant and the fallout from Bryant’s release have predictably dominated NFL storylines over the last couple of days. Yesterday, we learned that Bryant is at least partially blaming the Cowboys’ team captains for his departure, saying, “Little do they know is they can wear that ‘C’ [for captain] all they want to, but in that locker room, they know who they run and they talk to. They know who they communicate with. Everybody know where the real love is at, and I’m not throwing anybody under the bus, but that’s the difference between me and them.” 
Last season’s team captains included young quarterback Dak Prescott, with whom Bryant never seemed to establish any real on-field chemistry. But as Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram writes, Prescott denied any involvement in Bryant’s release and expressed sadness that the three-time Pro Bowler will no longer be suiting up for Dallas.
The video of Prescott’s first post-Bryant remarks is on the Cowboys’ official website, and here are some of the highlights (via Hill):
On his relationship with Bryant: “That is a brother to me. Put the football stuff beyond you, what he meant to me as a person, what he meant to me as a brother, it’s tough to see him gone.”
On his role in Bryant’s release: “As much you want to say yeah I want a say so … those guys (front office executives) get paid a lot more than me. That is what those guys are there to do. That is not my decision.”
On how difficult it will be to replace Bryant: “He was a great player. He did a lot of great things for us. He was a guy in man-to-man you go to. Dez is going to be a hard guy to replace. He is a talented guy. So he will be missed.”
On how Bryant will be replaced: “At this point, we got to figure that out with the guys we got. I have thrown with [Allen] Hurns. Deonte [Thompson] is on his way. We have communicated. We will see. We will figure it out. I am sure we are going to go after guys in the draft and free agency. Who knows? All I can do is to continue to get better at my job and do the best I can do.”
As Hill notes, and as Prescott suggests, the Cowboys are focused on selecting a wide receiver in the early rounds of this month’s draft in an effort to replace Bryant’s production. New free agent signees Hurns and Thompson will play a significant role in the team’s offense, along with returning players like Cole Beasley, Terrance Williams, and Ryan Switzer.
Odell Beckham Jr. To Report To Giants
In the midst of trade talk, in the wake of a video that could get him into some hot water, and coming off a 2017 season largely ruined by an ankle injury, Odell Beckham Jr. will be at the Giants’ facility tomorrow for the first day of the team’s offseason conditioning program, according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson (via Twitter). Per Anderson, Beckham wants to “check in, work out in the gym, and meet with some people.”
Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com says that Beckham, who is scheduled to fly from Los Angeles to New Jersey later today, wants to make a goodwill gesture. Big Blue is trying to reshape its culture under new head coach Pat Shurmur and new GM Dave Gettleman, and Beckham’s presence will allow the team to take a look at his ankle and will allow him to show that he is buying in to the team’s culture. Shurmur said last month that he expected the star wideout to be present for the offseason program, which is voluntary and which Beckham was not present for last year.
It is in Beckham’s best interests, of course, to be a good soldier at this point. Even after the disappointment of 2017, he could still land a massive contract with up to $60MM in guaranteed money, but the team has never entered into serious negotiations with him. Now, as he is set to play out the 2018 season under the fifth-year option of his rookie contract (for a “modest” $8.5MM), it’s time for the Giants to make a decision about Beckham’s long-term future in New York.
We heard yesterday that the Giants are unlikely to trade the former first-round pick unless they are blown away by an offer, and it is clear they want to keep him in the fold. But they want to see him grow up a bit, and perhaps his attendance at the offseason program is one way of showing his willingness to do that. However, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that Beckham is mostly reporting tomorrow for a medical check, and that he will not be back for “a long while” without a new contract in hand. Similarly, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv tweets that it is unknown how long Beckham will stay. We will have to wait and see, then, what Beckham’s intentions are.
Draft Notes: Nelson, Evans, Patriots
The 2018 draft class is considered to be one of the deepest in recent memory with respect to quarterback talent, and the quarterbacks are understandably dominating draft-related stories. But there are plenty of other collegiate players with the potential to dominate at the next level, so let’s round up a few non-QB draft notes:
- Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com believes there is a “decent” chance that the Giants trade down from their No. 2 overall selection, and if they do, he believes Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson would be the target. Nelson is widely-regarded as the safest bet in the draft.
- Because there is so much QB talent in the draft, as many as six signal-callers could be taken before New England’s No. 23 overall pick rolls around. As Mike Reiss of ESPN.com observes, that could allow the Patriots to land the type of player it rarely gets the chance to select, as they are typically picking at the end of the first round. Reiss suggests that Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans could be the team’s target, as he would provide much-needed speed at the LB position.
- Alabama DT Da’Ron Payne, an excellent run-stuffer who has the skills to become a quality pass-rusher as well, will meet with the Bengals tomorrow, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union thinks the Jaguars need another TE who can threaten the middle of the field to take attention off their outside receivers, and he believes Oklahoma’s Mark Andrews would be a good fit for Jacksonville’s No. 29 overall selection.
- Florida DT Taven Bryan has been generating a lot of buzz lately, per Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, who tweets that the Gator could be a top-25 pick. Miller suggests the Falcons, who are working out another DT in N.C. State’s B.J. Hill, could be a fit.
- Miller tweets that three offensive tackles are considered locks for Round 1: Texas’ Connor Williams, Notre Dame’s Mike McGlinchey, and UCLA’s Kolton Miller.
- UCF’s Mike Hughes has a great deal of upside and is the No. 15 overall prospect in Daniel Jermiah’s most recent Top 50 rankings. However, Miller believes that, because of Hughes’ off-field concerns, he could be the fourth or fifth CB off the board (Twitter link).
- There are four linebackers expected to be taken in the first round, per Miller (via Twitter): Evans, Virginia Tech’s Tremaine Edmunds, Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch, and Georgia’s Roquan Smith. Miller says Edmunds’ stock is rising rapidly and that he should be a top-10 selection.
Ravens Made Offer To Cam Meredtih
The Ravens have made a concerted effort to revamp their receiving corps this offseason, and to that end, they extended an offer to Bears’ restricted free agent Cameron Meredith, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Meredith, however, ultimately decided to sign an offer sheet with the Saints, and Chicago has until Wednesday to either match the offer sheet or let Meredith depart for New Orleans without receiving any draft compensation.
The offer sheet is a two-year, $9.6MM pact ($5.4MM guaranteed), and while Hensley does not give the specifics of Baltimore’s offer, he does indicate that the Ravens’ small amount of cap room limited their ability to potentially bring Meredith into the fold. The Ravens’ salary cap situation also kept them out of the market for the top free agent wideouts this offseason, though the team has done well to acquire Michael Crabtree and John Brown.
Meredith would have been a nice complement to Crabtree and Brown, and we heard at the end of last month that Baltimore was higher on Meredith than other players the team has recently brought in for a visit (Willie Snead and Michael Floyd). But Snead, a restricted free agent of the Saints, would represent a solid option as a slot receiver, and the Ravens may ultimately circle back to him. After all, he will probably cost less than Meredith, and it seems unlikely that New Orleans would match an offer sheet (particularly if the Saints wind up with Meredith).
Even if they do acquire another receiver like Snead in free agency, the Ravens should target a WR and a pass-catching TE in the early rounds of the draft.