Draft Rumors: Williams, Allen, Fournette
There seems to be a difference of opinions on the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft. When asked about the 2017 crop, ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski said, “I wouldn’t take any of these guys in the first round,” (Twitter link).
Early on, UNC QB Mitch Trubisky was regarded as a candidate for the No. 1 overall pick. Now, it seems much more likely that the Browns will select Myles Garrett and it’s not a given that Trubisky will even be the first QB to come off of the board. Deshaun Watson could instead be the first signal caller drafted and DeShone Kizer and Patrick Mahomes seem to be strong candidates for round one.
Of course, the draft isn’t a meritocracy – it’s about team needs and, often, team desperation. Several teams, including the Jets at No. 6, have a clear need for a young QB and there is no realistic scenario in which there isn’t a QB taken in the first round.
Here’s the latest draft news:
- Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams is with the Titans today on a top 30 visit, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rapoport adds that the Titans have done extensive work on Williams, which makes sense given their clear WR need. Our mock draft has Williams going to Tennessee at No. 18 overall.
- Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen visited with the Titans and has the Chargers and 49ers on deck, Rapoport tweets.
- Former LSU running back Leonard Fournette will visit the Bengals today (Tuesday), according to Kat Terrell of ESPN (on Twitter). The Bengals have hosted multiple running backs on visits this year and that could be tied to Jeremy Hill‘s contractual status. Hill is eligible for free agency following the 2017 season.
- The Dolphins are hosting Florida cornerback Jalen Tabor and Miami tight end David Njoku on visits this week, Rapoport tweets.
- Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett did a personal workout for the Falcons, a source tells Rapoport (on Twitter).
Bengals Acquire Chris Smith From Jaguars
The Bengals have acquired defensive end Chris Smith from the Jaguars, per a team announcement. Jacksonville will receive a 2018 seventh round pick which could go up, depending on certain conditions.
Smith has appeared in 19 games for the Jaguars since being drafted in the fifth round in 2014. Over the last three seasons, he has a combined 4.5 sacks and 19 tackles. Most of those sacks came during Smith’s rookie campaign.
At 6’1″, Smith doesn’t fit the typical mold of an NFL defensive end, but that doesn’t necessarily bother the Bengals.
“If that guy is 5’11” and he can get there, I don’t care,” defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said of smaller bookends earlier this offseason (via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Enquirer).
The Bengals now have five defensive ends under contract in Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson, Will Clarke, Wallace Gilberry, and Smith. There already has been some D-Line shakeup this offseason with Margus Hunt and Domata Peko leaving via free agency and the draft could bring further changes.
Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly Has Wrist Surgery
Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly had wrist surgery on Monday, Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. Specifically, the QB suffered an acute rupture of a ligament between two bones in his throwing wrist. Kelly cannot throw for three months as he recovers from the operation. 
[RELATED – NFL Draft Rumors: 49ers, Fournette, Hooker]
Kelly suffered the painful injury during his pro day earlier this month, which was a case of unfortunate timing on multiple levels. Kelly was unable to complete his drills and he’ll now be unable to conduct individual workouts for teams between now and the draft.
He was once considered to be a first round possibility, but it’s now unclear if Kelly will be drafted at all. Kelly still isn’t 100% recovered from ACL and lateral meniscus tears suffered in 2016. He also has a number of off-the-field red flags. Before joining Ole Miss, Kelly was booted from of Clemson’s program for conduct detrimental to the team. His ousting from the Tigers forced him to spend a year at East Mississippi Community College, also known as “Last Chance U.” Then, earlier this year, Kelly got into a skirmish at a high school football game.
The most recent QB rankings from WalterFootball.com have Kelly all the way down at No. 9.
Seahawks Sign DE Dion Jordan
Dion Jordan has agreed to terms with the Seahawks, a source tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter). The former No. 3 overall pick will now try to get a fresh start in a completely different part of the country. 
Late last month, the Dolphins officially released Jordan after weeks of buildup. The 27-year-old held lots of promise upon entering the league in 2013, but he has done very little at the professional level. Jordan was hit with three separate drug policy suspensions and the most recent one cost him the entire 2015 season. Then, in 2016, he suffered a significant knee injury and had surgery without first informing the team. The Dolphins figured they would get another chance to evaluate Jordan, but it wound up being another lost season. After all the headaches, here’s where we are: Jordan has not played in a game since December 28, 2014 and has just three career sacks to his name.
The Seahawks are hoping that their locker room culture can help get Jordan’s career back on track, but he’ll also have to stay healthy in order to contribute.The Seahawks now have five defensive ends under contract: Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Frank Clark, Garrison Smith, and Jordan.
NFL Draft Rumors: 49ers, Fournette, Hooker
Reportedly, the Browns could make LSU running back Leonard Fournette the top pick in this month’s draft. If that doesn’t happen, he could be a consideration for the 49ers at No. 2, Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com hears from sources with knowledge of the situation. The new regime, he hears, wants a big power back for the offense and they are not big believers in Carlos Hyde.
Here’s more from Pauline:
- Ohio State safety Malik Hooker won’t participate in any workouts for teams prior to the draft. Hooker had surgery to repair a labrum issue as well as a hernia, and he apparently won’t be healthy enough to audition in the next few weeks. Despite the setbacks, Hooker is widely projected as a top five prospect and almost universally considered to be a top ten guy. He’ll return to Indianapolis for the combine recheck on Thursday and that should give teams an indication of how much further he has to go in his recovery. Our first mock draft has Hooker going No. 6 overall to the Jets.
- Miami cornerback Corn Elder is also returning for the combine recheck. His 40-yard-dash time of 4.55 at the combine was a disappointment, but it turns out that he was held back by a groin issue. More recently at Miami’s pro day, however, Elder timed as fast as 4.38 seconds. He has drawn comparisons to Tyrann Mathieu of the Arizona Cardinals, but those close to him see Captain Munnerlyn as his NFL comp.
- Toledo defensive tackle Treyvon Hester is also scheduled to return to Indianapolis for a look at his surgically-repaired labrum. On the same day, he’ll audition on campus at Toledo for scouts and position coaches.
Draft Rumors: Watson, 49ers, Texans
Here’s a rundown of the latest NFL Draft news:
- Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson is visiting the 49ers on Monday and Tuesday before meeting with the Cardinals on Wednesday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Niners, of course, own the No. 2 overall pick and the Cards are at No. 13.
- The Bills worked out UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky on Sunday, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Owner Terry Pegula was there, along with head coach Sean McDermott. In our mock draft from last week, Dallas Robinson has the Bills passing on Trubisky in order to take a wide receiver.
- The Texans worked out Alabama left tackle Cam Robinson on Friday before flying to the 49ers over the weekend. Next up is a Panthers workout on Tuesday (Twitter link via Rapoport). Carolina has already met with Robinson, so this could be a sign of serious interest. The Panthers own the No. 8 overall pick.
- Safety Jamal Adams, who had a strong showing at LSU’s Pro Day, is visiting the Panthers today (Monday), Rapoport tweets. Rapoport wonders aloud whether he’ll be available at No. 8.
- Pitt quarterback Nathan Peterman has workouts for Steelers, Bills, Chiefs, and Patriots, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
Marshawn Lynch Interested In Patriots
Marshawn Lynch has privately expressed interest in playing for Patriots if talks break off with the Raiders, Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald tweets. He remains focused on returning to the NFL as a Raider, but he is at least viewing the Pats as a Plan B. 
Lynch met with the Raiders last week and the belief, to this point, has been that he would only return to football with Oakland. The Seahawks still hold Lynch’s rights, so any union with the Patriots or Raiders would require him to be released or traded.
The Patriots do not have a clear need at running back after signing Rex Burkhead this offseason and re-signing Branden Bolden last week. Dion Lewis, James White, and D.J. Foster are also on the roster and a reunion with free agent LeGarrette Blount remains a possibility. There’s also the (outside) chance of the team circling back to Adrian Peterson after last week’s workout.
Lynch was held back by injuries in 2015 due to nagging injuries, but he had a strong 2014 with 4.7 yards per carry and a career-high 13 touchdowns on the ground. He’s still only 30 years old and, theoretically, would be returning to football with fresh legs.
Bills Sign QB T.J. Yates
The Bills announced the signing of T.J. Yates. It’s a one-year deal for the veteran quarterback. 
Yates hooked on with the Dolphins late last season but Miami’s addition of David Fales left him without a spot on the depth chart. Now, he projects to be the Bills’ third option behind starter Tyrod Taylor and youngster Cardale Jones. Of course, if the Bills’ flirtations with quarterbacks in this year’s draft are to be taken seriously, then Yates might not be long for Buffalo.
Yates, 30 next month, has only seven regular starts on his resume. He does, however, have two playoff starts to his credit thanks to his time with the Texans.
Eagles Sign QB Matt McGloin
The Eagles agreed to terms with quarterback Matt McGloin, according to a team announcement. The former Raiders gets a one-year contract in Philly. 
McGloin, rated as one of Pro Football Rumors’ top remaining free agent QBs, was not expected back in Oakland for 2017. Last month, Raiders coach Jack Del Rio spoke openly about the idea of using Connor Cook as the team’s No. 2 QB or bringing in an outside arm for that role. When EJ Manuel was signed to a free agent deal, that pretty much closed the door shut on a potential McGloin return.
“I think, for us, we want to develop [Cook] first as our backup quarterback. He’s the guy we know we have right now,” Del Rio said. “But there’s always competition in this league, and I wouldn’t close the door there, to say we wouldn’t make it competitive for him.”
“Moxy” McGloin now projects to be the third QB on the depth chart in Philly behind Carson Wentz and Nick Foles, though he is not a lock for the 53-man roster. Last year, the Eagles kept 2 QBs on the roster with one on the practice squad.
Latest On LeGarrette Blount
The Patriots made an offer to LeGarrette Blount weeks ago, but they have not moved at all from their original proposal, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. In order to get more money out of New England, Blount will need to drum up a market for his services. So far, it doesn’t sound like there has been much outside interest. 
Blount is without a competing offer and actually hasn’t taken a visit with any other teams yet. Until he can get that leverage, the two sides may continue to be in a holding pattern. For what it’s worth, there is strong interest on both sides in a return, but the Patriots are trying to take a cold, numbers oriented approach to the negotiations. Meanwhile, Blount doesn’t want to come back on a deal that would have him earning less than offseason acquisition Rex Burkhead.
Blount, 30, is now coming off one of the best seasons of his career. He had career highs in carries (299), yards (1,161) and touchdowns (an NFL-leading 18). Still, the running back depth chart is crowded and the Patriots historically have had success in replacing valuable vets.