Falcons Looking To Trade Up?
The Falcons may be looking to move up the draft board. They’ve done lots of homework on players who figure to be gone before their No. 16 pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears, and other teams are projecting that they’ll deal for a higher choice. This echoes what we heard earlier this week from Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, who also reported that the Broncos and Bucs are serious about trading up. 
Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time that the Falcons went all-in for a top prospect. In 2011, GM Thomas Dimitroff moved up to No. 6 for Julio Jones by shipping Nos. 27, 59, 124 and their first- and fourth-round picks in 2012 to the Browns for Julio Jones.
This time around, it’s not exactly clear who the Falcons might be targeting, but they’re likely looking at defenders since they’re well set on offense. Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah, who could go as high as No. 3 to the Lions, would make sense after the release of Desmond Trufant. Other corners like Florida’s C.J. Henderson would also fit the bill. Or, if the Falcons want to plug multiple holes on defense, they could turn to versatile Clemson standout Isaiah Simmons.
The first two picks in the draft – belonging to the Bengals and Redskins – are probably unavailable. However, the Lions and Giants – picks Nos. 3 and 4, respectively – could be willing to move down. Depending on who the Falcons want, they could aim lower with a team like the Cardinals at No. 8.
Ravens’ Mark Ingram II On His Future
Father Time isn’t always kind to running backs, but Mark Ingram isn’t planning on slowing down anytime soon. In a chat with reporters this week, the 30-year-old said that he plans on playing “at the highest level for another four or five years.” 
“That’s how I feel, man,” Ingram said (via the team website). “I’m with a great team that takes care of me, and I feel like I can play this game at a high level – at the highest level – for at least another four or five years…My body feels good. I’m moving good. I have nothing really lagging. If I do, I’ll be working on it, rehabbing it, strengthening it up so all my weaknesses are turning into my strengths. I just want to be the best, man. I want to be one of the best. When you talk about running backs who had long, prestigious careers, I want to be in that discussion.”
Ingram – who is only “old” by NFL RB standards – delivered his third 1,000-yard season in 2019, paving the way for his third career Pro Bowl selection (he also came 36 yards shy of the four-digit mark in 2014). After averaging 4.5 yards per carry across eight seasons with the Saints, he took things to a new level in Lamar Jackson‘s offense, setting a new career high with 5.0 ypc. So far, his three-year, $15.5MM deal looks like a clear win for the Ravens.
Beyond the yards and touchdowns, Ingram also maintained his usual high standards when it comes to pass blocking. For a second straight year, he was one of Pro Football Focus’ top-ranked qualified tailbacks in the category. All things considered, we’d be surprised if the Ravens invested an early pick in the position, though they may use a middle or late-round choice to back Ingram, Gus Edwards, and Justice Hill.
Packers, Aaron Jones Discuss New Deal
The Packers opened up extension talks with Aaron Jones at the combine earlier this year, ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky hears. As it stands, the running back is set to reach free agency for the first time in his career following the 2020 season. 
Jones, still only 25, made a strong case for himself with a monster 2019. The former fifth-round pick ran for 1,084 yards with a league-leading 16 touchdowns and averaged 4.6 yards per carry as the Packers’ primary back. He also hauled in 49 receptions – one of several new career watermarks – for 474 yards and three scores.
A new deal for Jones wouldn’t approach Christian McCaffrey‘s new record-breaking extension with the Panthers, though CMC’s deal will bolster the market for running backs everywhere. That’s especially true for dual-threat types like Jones. More than ever, the league recognizes the impact of RB1s that also provide WR2/WR3 value.
The Packers don’t have an in-house replacement for Jones and, as Demovsky writes, their approach to the early rounds of the draft may tip their plans. The Packers have bigger fish to fry than running back – wide receivers and run-stuffers are on their to-do list – so drafting an RB inside of the first two rounds would speak volumes. Someone like Florida State’s Cam Akers could serve as a strong complimentary back for Jones in Year One and, potentially, take over as the starter in 2021.
Through injuries, suspensions, and committees, Jones has shined throughout his Packers tenure – albeit in a limited sample size for his first two seasons. Between 2017 and 2018, Jones averaged 5.5 yards per carry on a total of 214 attempts. This past season, he held strong with his 4.6 yard average on 236 attempts.
Vikings’ Kirk Cousins On Diggs, Contract
Naturally, Kirk Cousins wants to see life return to normalcy as soon as possible. But, if this year’s NFL games have to be played without fans in the crowd, he’s willing to take an optimistic view. 
“Honestly, we practice every day in an empty grass area and pump in fake crowd noise for away games,” Cousins told reporters (via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com). “But more often than not, you’re used to it. OTA practices don’t have a lot of pomp and circumstance to them. So honestly to go out and just play the game would kind of be refreshing, a breath of fresh air, to just let us know that we don’t have to have all the smoke and the fire, we can just play football. As long as we’re playing the game, I won’t have a lot of complaints, and hopefully if it’s still not returned to normal, we can find a way to make it work.”
Meanwhile, Cousins has extended his contract with the Vikings, agreeing to a new two-year, $66MM add-on to give him a grand total of $96MM over the next three seasons. This week, Cousins opened up to beat reporters about his shiny new deal and also gave his thoughts on Stefon Diggs for the first time since the trade. Here’s a look at some of the highlights.
On his contract:
“We felt like with the CBA and the shifting landscape that it was going to be difficult to know where this was going to go from here, so the timing was not going to be easy. I think that was a big point of communication through the process…a long contract would have been difficult because of the changing landscape of the CBA and I think that’s true for both sides. It was a win-win to get that contract structured the way it was.” (Twitter links via Cronin).
On the talks and the cap space provided by the extension:
“It was a no brainer to be back with the Vikings and find a way to make it work,” Cousins said (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press).
On his reaction to Diggs being traded to the Bills:
“It became apparent that he [Diggs] wanted to play elsewhere, and I think it was smart of the Vikings to grant him that opportunity…I think it wasn’t a mystery, and that’s OK. I wish him really well. I just so enjoyed playing with him. He’s a special player, and we now have to find a way to move forward and replace that, if you will, with a variety of players.”
On bidding Diggs farewell:
“I think my text message to him said something along the lines of, ‘You’re as good as any receiver I’ve ever played with. That includes some names like Adam Thielen, DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon … he’s elite. I just wanted to affirm him, and thank him.“
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/14/20
Seahawks Rescind Malik Turner’s Tender
The Seahawks have pulled their exclusive rights tender for Malik Turner, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). With that, Turner has gone from the ERFA property of the Seahawks to a full-fledged free agent.
It’s rare for an ERFA to have his tender pulled, especially since those deals are inexpensive with no real guarantees, but the Seahawks apparently had second thoughts. Turner, 24, appeared in 15 games for Seattle last year. He managed 15 receptions for 245 yards and a touchdown in his second season with the club.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks re-upped a pair of their own free agents this week. Guard Mike Iupati, entering his age-33 season, will return on a one-year deal. Ditto for cornerback Neiko Thorpe, who is also looking to stay healthy after finishing the 2019 season on IR.
Seahawks To Re-Sign Mike Iupati
The Seahawks have agreed to a brand new deal with Mike Iupati, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The veteran guard will return on a one-year deal as he looks to battle back from a neck injury. 
Iupati signed with the ‘Hawks on a one-year pact last spring, bringing him to the third NFC West team of his career. The former 49ers and Rams protector stepped in to replace J.R. Sweezy and played on the first-string unit for 15 games, up until the injury bug struck late in the year. Iupati was unable to play in either one of Seattle’s playoff games and had to watch from afar as the Seahawks fell 28-23 to the Packers in the divisional round.
Iupati, 33 in May, has four Pro Bowl appearances to his credit, but injuries have hampered him over the last few seasons. At his peak, he inked a five-year, $40MM free agent deal with Arizona.
The Seahawks managed to keep Iupati, but they’ve watched offensive linemen George Fant (Jets) and Germain Ifedi (Bears) depart in free agency this season. To help replace them, they’ve added new faces in B.J. Finney and Chance Warmack. Meanwhile, Joey Hunt remains unsigned.
Alvin Kamara Wants To Stay With Saints
In a true sign of the times, Alvin Kamara found out about Christian McCaffrey‘s record-breaking deal as he was playing video games on a live Twitch stream. Kamara declined to make his case for a similar deal in real-time, but he did reiterate his desire to stay with the Saints for the long haul. 
[RELATED: Panthers, Christian McCaffrey Agree To Record-Breaking Deal]
“I had never been to New Orleans until I got drafted by New Orleans, so just to be able to get to New Orleans and have that city embrace me, and just take me in, basically like adopt me, it’s amazing,” said Kamara (Twitter link via Bleacher Report’s Master Tesfatsion). “There is so much love there. It’s a dope city, outside of football. It’s beautiful people. It’s lit. It’s alive. If we’re talking about football, I’ve never been around a group of guys like in New Orleans that just want to win and just want to be there for each other and want to be around each other.”
At one point in time, Kamara seemed poised to take the highest-paid RB mantle. The 24-year-old (25 in July) is still effective, but he’s come back down to earth since his incredible rookie season. In his 2017 debut, Kamara torched opponents for a league-leading 6.1 yards per carry. Over the last two years, he’s averaged 4.6 yards per tote.
Like McCaffrey, Kamara has proven himself to be an effective weapon both on the ground and through the air. Of course, he hasn’t done it at quite the same level. His balanced production as a runner and pass-catcher is impressive, but it all pales in comparison to CMC, who has two 1,000-yard rushing seasons and over 2,500 career receiving yards.
With one year left on his original rookie deal, Kamara is eligible for an extension. You can expect the two sides to talk, though it might behoove both sides to wait things out.
Latest On Cowboys, Dak Prescott
If the Cowboys go forward with a virtual offseason program next week, Dak Prescott won’t log on, unless he has a new deal in place (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). The online OTAs would be voluntary, just like regular OTAs, so the choice is entirely up to him. 
[RELATED: Redskins Wanted To Take Cooper From The Cowboys]
The Cowboys cuffed Prescott with the franchise tag earlier this offseason and he has yet to sign his tender. With a one-year, $31MM+ deal on the table, Prescott is pushing for a multi-year pact that would bring him closer to Russell Wilson‘s league-leading $35MM average annual value. While teammates Amari Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott signed long-term contracts (five years and six years, respectively), Prescott is reportedly looking for a shorter agreement that would allow him to cash in all over again in his prime years.
Even though Prescott’s performance dovetailed in the second half of last season, it’s still possible that he could become the NFL’s new cash leader. The two sides have until July 15 to sort all of that out. If they’re not able to come to terms, Prescott will probably take his time before putting pen to paper, but ultimately play on the one-year tender. Then, after the 2020 season, the two sides will be free to resume negotiations.
Prescott, of course, is not the league’s best quarterback, but he’s one of the better QBs in the game and these deals ultimately come down to age and timing. He won’t turn 27 until the end of July and he’s in a great position to get what he wants from the Cowboys.
The two-time Pro Bowler threw for 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2019. Many of those throws went to Amari Cooper, who tallied 79 receptions for 1,189 yards and eight touchdowns en route to a massive payday.
Latest On Jake Fromm, Jordan Love
At this stage, it’s hard to peg where this year’s top quarterbacks will land in the draft. Right now, Utah State’s Jordan Love is one of the draft’s biggest wildcards at the position, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The feeling is that Love could go anywhere between No. 5 (where the Dolphins pick) and No. 25, per RapSheet. 
At least six teams have done extensive research on Love and his seamless throwing mechanics, including the Packers and Patriots. That might mean that Love could land in the Top 15, though the latest word from NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo threw cold water on that idea. Ultimately, because there’s so much information and, potentially, misinformation, flying around about Love, no one’s exactly sure where he’ll go.
There’s been increasing chatter about the Dolphins taking Justin Herbert over Tua Tagovailoa at No. 5, but little discussion about Love being the pick. If the Dolphins do see Love as their QB of the future, they’d probably be able to trade down, add to their already substantial stockpile, and still land him.
Meanwhile, Georgia signal caller Jake Fromm is “buzzing” thanks to strong interviews and praise from NFL quarterback coaches, Rapoport reports. Fromm was once viewed as a potential No. 1 overall pick, but he took himself out of the running with an iffy 2019. Last year, Fromm completed just 60.8% of his throws, the lowest rate of his collegiate career. Still, many evaluators see the potential in Fromm, who led the Bulldogs to the National Championship Game as a true frosh in 2017.