Latest On Browns’ Draft Plans
Will Myles Garrett or Mitch Trubisky be the first player off the board? Right now, Garrett remains the “likely” No. 1 overall pick for the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes. Meanwhile, the Browns continue to try and work their way up to the top eight, presumably to draft Trubisky, Cabot hears. 
On Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com became the latest insider to report that Trubisky is a very real possibility for the No. 1 overall pick. At this point, it’s hard to get a grip on exactly what is going on. Last year, the Rams were reportedly encouraged by the league office to shroud their selection of Jared Goff in secrecy, and we could be seeing something similar play out with the Browns. Alternatively, this could be some gamesmanship on the part of the Browns to throw everyone’s draft board into flux.
What we do know is that the Browns are exploring all possibilities for the draft as a whole. The Browns have contacted roughly 27 teams with interest in moving up or down, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. With the No. 1, No. 12, No. 33 and No. 52 overall picks (plus many more), the Browns are strategizing for all possibilities.
Latest On OSU CB Gareon Conley
This week, teams have taken a deep dive into the allegations against Gareon Conley. The attorney for the Ohio State cornerback says he has spoken to representatives from all 32 teams since the sexual assault accusation surfaced (via Tom Pelissero of USA Today). A different person close to Conley says the player has spoken with GMs, security people, and other reps from at least 24 NFL teams.
[RELATED: Gareon Conley Denies Any Wrongdoing]
Now that teams have done their homework, the general belief is that he will get drafted this week. Three GMs who spoke with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) predicted that he will go in the third round, which aligns with a report from Wednesday night. That’s a hard fall from his original top 15 status, but it’s a better prognosis than he had just 48 hours ago.
If a team lands Conley in the third round and his name is cleared, he could prove to be the best value pick in the entire draft. If the unsettling allegations against him have merit, however, he may never see the field.
Jaguars Considering Deshaun Watson At No. 4?
There is growing chatter about the Jaguars selecting Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson at No. 4, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. Watson has not really been linked to the Jaguars during the draft process, so this news some as a bit of a shock. 
[RELATED: Browns To Take Mitch Trubisky No. 1?]
The Jaguars, of course, already have a former top five pick at quarterback in Blake Bortles. However, Bortles struggled mightily in 2016 and it’s not even clear whether Jacksonville will exercise his fifth-year option for 2018. The option, guaranteed for injury only, would give the QB an $18MM salary in that additional season.
So far, the athletic Watson has been widely projected as a late first round type. He might have the most upside of any quarterback in this year’s class, but concerns about his accuracy have him pegged below UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky on most draft boards. If the Jaguars follow through and take Watson at No. 4, the Texans at No. 25 are one team that could be severely disappointed, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. In Tuesday’s dueling live mock draft on PFR, I had Houston selecting Watson with their No. 25 overall pick.
2017 NFL Draft Primer
After weeks of anticipation – or months, if your favorite team was eliminated early from playoff contention – the 2017 NFL draft finally gets underway tonight in Philadelphia. Pro Football Rumors will have you covered for the entire three-day event, passing along all 253 picks, along with all the trades, news, and rumors that come along with the draft.
While ESPN and NFL Network reporters typically don’t scoop teams’ draft picks before they’re announced on the TV broadcast, writers from other outlets have been known to report picks a few minutes before they’re officially announced. If and when that happens this year, we won’t be “spoiling” picks ahead of time on our social media accounts, so if you want to be kept in suspense until commissioner Roger Goodell makes his announcements, you’re safe to follow us on Twitter or Facebook without having to worry that those surprises will be ruined.
However, if a trusted reporter does get word of a pick before it happens, we’ll be passing it along on our site. So if teams’ picks are being reported ahead of time, and you want to know them immediately rather than waiting for an announcement from Goodell, be sure to refresh ProFootballRumors.com early and often tonight. Our post recapping the first-round results will be updated with teams’ picks as soon as they’re reported, even if that happens before they’re formally announced on ESPN.
With that in mind, here’s some info to get you prepared for the 2017 draft:
- The schedule for this year’s draft is as follows:
- Day 1 (Thursday): Round 1, 8pm ET/7pm CT
- Day 2 (Friday): Rounds 2-3, 7pm ET/6pm CT
- Day 3 (Saturday) Rounds 4-7, 12pm ET/11am CT
- Want to find this year’s full draft order? We’ve got every single selection selection listed here.
- Here’s a rundown of draft capital, by team. The Bengals and Browns lead the way with eleven picks each.
- We also took a closer look at how exactly this year’s traded picks changed hands, and how 2017’s compensatory picks were assigned.
- All of our posts discussing news and rumors related to the 2017 draft can be found on this page, though given how much the draft has dominated the NFL news cycle lately, it doesn’t look much different from our main page at this point.
- On our Instagram, we’ve been doing speculative jersey swaps for many of the top prospects in this year’s draft. Click here to follow us on Instagram and see what we’ve got coming up next.
Packers To Sign G Jahri Evans
Guard Jahri Evans is signing with the Packers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Evans will help to fill the void for Green Bay after T.J. Lang got away in free agency. 
In 2016, Evans was Pro Football Focus’ No. 36 ranked guard in the NFL. His 78.6 overall score was roughly in line with the work he has done over the past four NFL seasons. It took him a long time to find an NFL home, but Evans has himself a deal for 2017 and a chance to win a Super Bowl ring.
To date, Evans has never played a regular season (or playoff) game for another franchise since being drafted by the Saints in 2006. He did sign a free agent deal with the Seahawks, but his stint there ended before the start of the 2016 season. Over the course of his eleven seasons in New Orleans, Evans racked up six Pro Bowl nods and four First-Team All-Pro selections.
Heading into the draft, the Packers offensive line features David Bakhtiari, Evans, Corey Linsley, Jason Spriggs, and Bryan Bulaga in the starting lineup. Guard Lane Taylor, guard/tackle Don Barclay, and Kyle Murphy are in reserve. Evans is the fifth free agent of note to join the Packers this offseason and the first free agent addition to the O-Line.
Gareon Conley Refutes Allegations
Gareon Conley has issued a statement to reporters calling the allegations against him “completely false.” The statement, republished in its entirety below, is a strong denial of any criminal activity on the part of the Ohio State cornerback: 
[RELATED: Conley Accused Of Sexual Assault]
“The allegations against me concerning the night of April 8/9 that have recently been reported in multiple media outlets are completely false. I did not commit a crime and have not been charged with a crime.
I pride myself on doing things the right way on and off the field. The things being said about me and what happened that night are not true and don’t fit my character at all. I realize that I put myself in the situation and I could have used better judgment. However, I have worked tirelessly to put myself in position to have the honor of being an NFL draft pick and these untrue allegations are putting a huge cloud over my name and the NFL Draft.
These allegations appear to be an attempt to ruin this once in a lifetime experience for me and my family. There were several witnesses, including another female, who were present the entire time and have given statements that give an accurate description of what took place. We also have video evidence that further discredit and disprove other versions of these events. I am upset but realize that I am powerless when false accusations are made and people try to convict you in the court of public opinion. It’s sad that your name can get dragged through the mud based upon untrue and malicious allegations alone.
I am completely confident that as the facts actually come out, my name will be cleared.
I was excited about participating in Thursday’s draft, but I have decided that it would be selfish for me to stay and be a distraction to the NFL, the other players, and their families who have worked just as hard as me to enjoy the experience so I will not be in attendance.
I hope and look forward to the honor of being an NFL player and working to be the best representative, player, person, and teammate that I can be for the team and the community I will be in.”
Before the allegations, Conley was widely viewed as a first round lock. Now, it’s anyone’s guess as to where he might get drafted.
Raiders Acquire Marshawn Lynch
It’s officially official: Marshawn Lynch is a member of the Raiders. Lynch’s representatives and the team have agreed to terms on a two-year deal.
Early Wednesday morning, the Raiders and Seahawks hammered out the framework of a trade that sending the the Raiders’ 2018 fifth-round pick to the Seahawks in exchange for Lynch and the Seahawks’ 2018 sixth-round pick. The only box to check was a passed physical, and Lynch has satisfied that requirement on Wednesday afternoon.
Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie said the draft was his deadline for a potential Lynch deal. Now, he has his starting running back in place and can satisfy other areas of need in the draft. Without Lynch, a running back would have been in consideration as early as the No. 24 overall pick.
Lynch’s deal with the Raiders will pay him a $3MM base for the 2017 season with a chance to earn $2MM more if he gains 1,000 yards. The base value of the contract is $9MM and the max is $16.5MM, giving him similar upside to Adrian Peterson‘s deal with the Saints.
In Lynch, the Raiders acquire one of the NFL’s best running backs in recent memory, though he does not come without question marks. Lynch is a 30-year-old with over 2,100 carries on his odometer and he wasn’t particularly effective in his most recent action. The last time we saw Lynch, he averaged 3.8 yards per attempt on 111 carries during an injury-shortened, seven-game 2015 campaign. They’re hoping to see Lynch in his 2014 form, a season in which he averaged 4.7 yards per carry and had a career-high 13 touchdowns on the ground.
Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram. Details provided by Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (on Twitter), and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link).
Extra Points: Cowboys, Brantley, Steelers
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones seems content to sit at No. 28 rather than trade up, as Drew Davison of the Star Telegram writes. “This is a real good year for staying put,” Jones said. “I don’t know if it’s because we need so many good football players or because there are some good football players there, especially in those early rounds. But in my experience, it’s wasting your time to talk about what you might do trading in the later rounds.”
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Florida defensive tackle Caleb Brantley has been approached about a potential settlement in his assault case, but he has no plans to accept the offer, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter links). Additionally, Brantley’s lawyer says a security guard present during the incident witnessed the victim punch Brantley in the mouth, while Brantley never hit the female as the police report stated (Twitter links). Clearly, it’s a very murky situation, and one that doesn’t figure to be resolved before the draft begins on Thursday night. As such, there’s no clear indication as to how NFL clubs will value Brantley and his potential baggage, but it’s difficult to see how this episode doesn’t affect his draft stock.
- As part of Martavis Bryant‘s conditional reinstatement, he’s not allowed to participate in Steelers‘ practices or preseason games until he’s located a treating clinician, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. When he’s right, Bryant is one of the more dynamic wide receivers in the NFL, but the league wants to ensure that he’s heading down the correct path. Having been handed a one-year ban in 2016, Bryant will now undergo regular drug tests as he works his way back into the NFL’s — and Pittsburgh’s — good graces.
- Contrary to previous reports, the Dolphins are not “locked in” on Western Kentucky offensive lineman Forrest Lamp, and are not expected to target guard help with the 22nd pick, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Seemingly practitioners of positional-based drafting, the Dolphins are more likely to use their first-round selection on “defensive playmakers” such as corners and, presumably, defensive ends, a position group to which Miami has been heavily linked. Additionally, the Fins seem content with their current veteran guards, Ted Larsen and Jermon Bushrod, per Salguero.
- Former Vikings center/guard Brandon Fusco is visiting the Patriots today, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Fusco appeared/started in 14 games for Minnesota in 2016.
- The Chiefs‘ release of Jaye Howard came with a failed physical designation, as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes.
Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Cardinals Pick Up Deone Bucannon’s Option
The Cardinals picked up the fifth-year option for linebacker Deone Bucannon, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. It wasn’t quite a slam dunk that Bucannon’s option would be triggered by Arizona, but it was viewed as likely. The new 2018 season on his deal will be guaranteed for injury only, so the Cardinals will have an escape hatch if he stays healthy but underperforms.
Bucannon, 25 in August, was used used primarily at linebacker in 2016 after trying to make it work as a strong safety in the previous two seasons. All in all, he has 89 total tackles, two pass deflections, and one fumble recovery in 13 games before an ankle injury shut him down in December. The former first-round pick was ranked as the No. 34 linebacker in the NFL by Pro Football Focus at the time of his injury, a score that was powered by his strong 86.1 coverage grade.
Assuming he stays at linebacker, Bucannon currently projects to start at one of the inside linebacker spots in Arizona’s 3-4 scheme.
For a full rundown of every option decision on 2014 first-round draft picks, check out PFR’s tracker.
Chargers Considering WR Mike Williams?
Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams worked out for the Chargers on Thursday and the Titans on Saturday, sources tell Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). His workout with the Chargers is particularly noteworthy since they haven’t really connected to him much during the draft process. Earlier this morning, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report also indicated Williams could be a possibility for Los Angeles at No. 7.
It would make some sense for the Bolts to target a wide receiver in the first round, even though that hasn’t been the popular prognostication for them. After Keenan Allen, the Chargers’ top receivers are Tyrell Williams, Travis Benjamin, and Dontrelle Inman. While Williams and Inman were surprising contributors in 2016, Allen hasn’t been able to stay healthy in recent seasons. Of course, Allen’s health issues have generally been on the one-time variety — lacerated kidney, torn ACL — but they’re still concerning.
Williams, at 6’4″, 218 pounds, would give Los Angeles’ offense another boost after the unit ranked 19th in DVOA a year ago. In his junior season at Clemson, Williams put up 98 receptions for 1,361 yards and 11 touchdowns. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com favorably compares him to former NFLer Plaxico Burress.