Talks For Lions’ No. 3 Pick Are Heating Up
Talks for the Lions’ No. 3 overall draft pick have “heated up” over the last 24 hours with multiple teams, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport adds that clubs are looking to work out trades before the draft begins, just in case there are glitches, which has led to increased activity.
The Lions, reportedly, are planning for the No. 5 pick, which means that they could be closing in on a deal with the Dolphins. That swap would allow Miami to get their preferred quarterback or offensive tackle. Meanwhile, the Lions would likely still be in range for the players they’re supposedly targeting – Ohio State cornerback Jeffrey Okudah, Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown, and Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons.
Over the weekend, Lions GM Bob Quinn said that if he’s going to trade back, he wants to have a deal in place by Thursday afternoon. Right now, it sounds like things are trending in that direction.
As of this writing, the Lions have nine picks in the draft, including two third-round choices and a pair of fifth-round selections. Their needs include (but are not limited to): cornerback, defensive tackle, defensive end/outside linebacker, and safety.
Eagles Not Interested In Trent Williams
Michelangelo supposedly carved his statue of David by chipping away the pieces of marble that did not look like David. That, perhaps, will be the method to figuring out Trent Williams‘ next destination. 
A rumor circulating on Thursday morning linked the Eagles to the Redskins left tackle, but they are not interested in acquiring him, a source tells PFT’s Mike Florio (Twitter link). That source says there’s “zero truth” to such talk.
Florio speculates that the initial rumor could have been planted by Washington to drum up a larger market than they presently have for Williams. So far, the Browns have been the most aggressive club in talks, and they might be the only team making a serious offer.
Plenty of teams would like to have the multiple-time Pro Bowler, but few clubs seem willing to part with significant assets, since they’d also have to give Williams a massive new contract. There’s also his age (32 in July) and medical history to consider.
To recap: The Eagles are not looking to acquire Williams, who would be largely redundant given the availability of Jason Peters and 2019 first-round choice Andre Dillard. The Bucs, who nearly traded O.J. Howard for the veteran left tackle two months ago, haven’t revisited discussions with the Redskins. Ditto for the Vikings, who showed interest in March. The Jets, unwilling to cough up a second-round pick, are not the frontrunners.
As far as we know, the Browns are in the driver’s seat. With ample leg room.
Bengals Reject Dolphins’ Offer For No. 1 Pick
The Dolphins have called the Bengals on multiple occasions to inquire on the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Bengals told the Dolphins “in no uncertain terms” that they would not give up the top choice. 
No surprises on either end here. The Bengals have been laser-focused on tapping Joe Burrow as their quarterback of the future and the Dolphins probably see him as the best passer in this year’s class as well. The Dolphins’ love affair with the LSU star has been a poorly-kept secret throughout the year and they’ve been pondering a move up to No. 1 since January.
The Bengals, meanwhile, have been hitting the b-button on teams asking about the pick. Unless they’re playing really, really, really hard to get, Burrow to the Bengals is a done deal.
Unable to climb to No. 1, the Dolphins may move up to No. 3 via trade with the Lions. Initially, they tried to make the move without sacrificing their No. 5 pick, but that doesn’t seem to be on the table.
After a strong 2018 season, Burrow shattered all expectations with a 76.3% completion rate, 5,671 passing yards, and 60 (!) touchdowns through the air. He also added another five rushing TDs for good measure.
Giants’ Leonard Williams To File Grievance
Leonard Williams signed his franchise tender this week, but things are far from settled. The Giants lineman will file a grievance to be classified as a defensive end rather than a defensive tackle, Dan Duggan of The Athletic tweets. 
[POLL: What Will Giants Do At No. 4?]
This year, the franchise tag for defensive tackles is worth $16.1MM while the defensive end tag is priced at $17.9MM. That would make a difference of $1.8MM for the coming year and, more importantly, it’d give Williams’ camp additional leverage in talks.
Dave Gettleman was widely criticized for his decision to tag Williams this offseason. Although talented, Williams has been inconsistent throughout his career. By cuffing him in March, the Giants put Williams on the books for the second-highest cap number on the team.
“Really what it came down to was we felt good about our cap space,” the Giants GM said. “We felt for what Leonard brings to the table and for our team, it was more prudent to put the franchise tag on him.”
Meanwhile, Williams is pressing for a long term deal. The two sides have until mid-July to hash out a contract, but Gettleman doesn’t seem to be in any rush.
“You can’t guarantee anything in this life, but we have gotten to know Leonard really well and I feel really comfortable with the decision,” Gettleman said. “Contracts get done when they’re supposed to get done. So we’ll move along.”
Lions Expect To Trade For Dolphins’ No. 5 Pick
The Lions are “making plans for having the No. 5” pick in tonight’s draft, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (via Twitter) hears. The Dolphins own that choice and they’ve been discussing a potential trade for the last few days.
At one point, the Dolphins were hoping to land the Lions’ No. 3 overall pick without sacrificing No. 5. Instead, they wanted to move up the board by dealing from the rest of their stockpile, which includes the Nos. 18 and 26 picks, plus a pair of Round 2 picks. No dice, it seems. If the Dolphins are to acquire Detroit’s No. 3 pick, they’ll have to cough up their own No. 5.
Had the Dolphins landed No. 3 and kept No. 5, they could have used those picks to address their two biggest needs at quarterback and tackle; not necessarily in that order, but probably in that order. If they send the No. 5 pick to Detroit, they could go either way at No. 3, where Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert should both be available. After weeks of Herbert talk, the Dolphins are now said to be eyeing the Alabama star.
Trade or no trade, the Dolphins will also have to address their tackle situation early in the draft. This year’s top tackles include Alabama’s Jedrick Wills, Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, Georgia’s Andrew Thomas, and Louisville’s Mekhi Becton.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/22/20
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Colin Thompson (XFL)
Miami Dolphins
- Signed exclusive rights free agent tender: LB Trent Harris
Buccaneers Haven’t Pursued Redskins’ Trent Williams This Week
Two months ago, the Buccaneers nearly shipped tight end O.J. Howard to the Redskins in a deal that would have landed them Trent Williams. However, there are no active talks on Williams between the two teams, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. 
[RELATED: Brady Didn’t Demand Gronk]
Taking finances out of consideration, the Howard-for-Williams scenario would make more sense than ever right now. The arrival of Rob Gronkowski arguably makes Howard an expendable luxury and the Bucs still need quality protection for Tom Brady. Meanwhile, the Redskins are still looking to solidify the tight end position after parting ways with Jordan Reed. While sensible – again, when taking cap limitations and Williams’ demand for a hefty new contract out of the equation – nothing seems to be in the works between the Redskins and Bucs at present.
Instead, the Redskins could look to mid-round tight end options in this year’s class, or explore the late wave of available veterans. Last week, the Bears put Trey Burton on the free agent pile – he could be a low-risk option on a one-year deal with a modest base and incentives.
For the Bucs, the lack of Williams talk may signal a trade up for one of this year’s best offensive linemen. Bucs GM Jason Licht is already burning up the phone lines to explore a move, one that could put him in range for Mekhi Becton (Louisville), Jedrick Wills (Alabama), Tristan Wirfs (Iowa), or Andrew Thomas (Georgia).
Falcons Could Target OT
The Falcons have been ultra aggressive in their play to move up the board in Round 1. Many have assumed that they’d leap for a big-time cornerback, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that they’ve also spent time chatting with some of this year’s top offensive tackles. 
The elite cornerbacks – Jeffrey Okudah and C.J. Henderson – still seem to be the most likely targets for Atlanta if they vault into the Top 10. Still, Rapoport hears they’re at least considering the possibility of tapping a tackle near the top of the order. The offensive lineman in this year’s class aren’t getting as much love as the wide receivers, but it’s another area of strength in this year’s crop.
Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, Georgia’s Andrew Thomas (a local fave, of course), Louisville standout Mekhi Becton, and Alabama’s Jedrick Wills could all be there for the taking if the Falcons manage to soar high enough. Assuming the Redskins and Lions stand pat at Nos. 3 and 4 respectively, getting the Giants’ No. 4 pick should allow them to grab any of the aforementioned targets, with the possible exception of Okudah. Of course, the Giants are also in the hunt for OL help and they’ve been linked to Wirfs for several weeks, so it’s not a given that they can pry that pick away.
Last year, the Falcons fortified their offensive line in the draft by taking Kaleb McGary and Chris Lindstrom in the first round. They’re still looking for lineman, so it’s a situation worth monitoring.
Dolphins Rumors: Herbert, Tagovailoa, Thuney
With ~24 hours to go until the NFL Draft, the Dolphins have succeeded in their mission to confuse everyone in the football world. Here’s the latest on what the Dolphins might be thinking at No. 5, plus more from South Beach:
- If the Dolphins choose anyone other than quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with the No. 5 pick, it’ll come as a surprise to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington based on what he’s been hearing (Twitter link). This, of course, comes after weeks of reports that the Dolphins have shifted their attention to Oregon’s Justin Herbert, who perhaps offers a higher floor and lower ceiling at QB. They’ve also spoken with the Lions about No. 3 with interest in trading up for an offensive tackle.
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald recently speculated that the Dolphins could explore a trade for Patriots offensive lineman Joe Thuney. Later on, a Dolphins source confirmed to Salguero that they are indeed fans. It could be a situation to keep an eye on – the Patriots have lots of holes to fill, the Dolphins could use the help up front, and they’ve got the draft capital to get a deal done. Thuney is set to play on the franchise tag this year, which means that the ‘Fins – or any other club with interest – would have to consider the cost of a long-term deal.
- As we noted earlier today, Salguero also hears that the Dolphins passed Tagovailoa on his physical in February.
Tom Brady Didn’t Demand Gronk
Tom Brady made no demands for a Tampa reunion with longtime pal Rob Gronkowski, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. However, the QB did “mention” to head coach Bruce Arians and GM Jason Licht that Gronk would love to play for the Buccaneers. 
[RELATED: Patriots Trade Rob Gronkowski To Buccaneers]
The speculation over Gronk’s potential return to football has raged ever since his retirement in March of 2019. Once Brady left the Patriots for the Bucs in March of this year, everyone connected the dots, speculating that Gronk could force a move to Florida. This week, the deal went down. Gronkowski will be traded to the Bucs, along with a seventh-round pick. In exchange, the Patriots will receive a fourth-round pick in this weekend’s draft, a compensatory pick at No. 139 overall.
To date, Gronkowski has registered 521 receptions, 7,861 yards, and 79 touchdowns over the course of his legendary career. The majority of those throws, of course, came from Brady. Together, they’ve racked up multiple Super Bowl rings while securing their status as future first ballot Hall of Famers.
Gronk, the one-man fiesta, will look to silence any on-field doubts after a down 2018. In his last NFL season, he appeared in 13 games, catching 47 passes for 682 yards and three touchdowns. Still, with incredible offensive skills plus blocking ability, he’s one of the best (if not the best) tight ends of all-time.