Chris Harris Trade Imminent?
Broncos star Chris Harris could be hours away from changing jerseys. The Broncos have received interest in the cornerback and something could happen over the next two days of the draft, James Palmer of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. The offers were strong enough to prompt Denver to make a deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) hears and the Broncos are expected to decide on one of them soon.
Meanwhile, Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter) has received conflicting info – there is little-to-no trade interest in Harris right now, a source says, so today may be do-or-die for a trade. If Harris is not moved for a second or third round pick, the Broncos may follow through on their original plan of negotiating with the cornerback sometime after the draft.
The Broncos don’t want to meet Harris’ $15MM/year demand, but plenty of other teams might, especially if they don’t have to fork over much in the way of draft compensation. Harris would immediately bolster the secondary of any team he joins and his value may be bolstered by a so-so crop of corners in this year’s draft.
On Thursday night, the Giants made Deandre Baker the one and only cornerback selected in the first round, leaving a group of CBs including LSU’s Greedy Williams, Temple’s Rock Ya-Sin, Michigan State’s Justin Layne, Notre Dame’s Julian Love, Central Michigan’s Sean Bunting still on the board. There’s definitely potential in that group, but none of those players would match the immediate impact of Harris.
Eli Manning To Start For Giants
The Giants shocked the world on Thursday night by drafting Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the No. 6 overall pick. Despite the significant investment in the position, GM Dave Gettleman says that Eli Manning is still on course to be the team’s starter in 2019 (via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com). 
In fact, it could be a long time before Jones sees the field. After the draft, Gettleman was asked about his plans for Jones and indicated that the team will take an ultra-patient approach to his development.
“Maybe we’re going the Green Bay model,” Gettleman said. “Where [Aaron] Rodgers sat for three years. Who knows? You can never have too many good players at one position.”
When pressed further, Gettleman gave a puzzling response.
“Who knows?” the GM said. “I might go out to my car and get hit. … You don’t know. We drafted a quarterback that we believe is a franchise quarterback.”
Manning has at least some assurance that he’ll be the Giants’ starter in 2019, but there’s not much guaranteed beyond that. The veteran is entering the final year of his deal and the two sides have not engaged in serious contract talks this offseason. Meanwhile, Manning plays on playing in 2020, whether it’s with the Giants or another team.
Steelers GM: Likely Big Ben’s Last Deal
This week, Ben Roethlisberger inked a lucrative new extension with the Steelers to take him through the 2021 season. This deal, GM Kevin Colbert says, will likely be his last (Twitter link via Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com). 
This doesn’t come as a huge surprise – Roethlisberger celebrated his 37th birthday in March and the new pact will take him through his age-39 campaign. Roethlisberger has flirted with retirement a few times in the past, so it was never expected that he would plan for the Tom Brady route.
Even in his old age, Big Ben remains effective. He’s also healthier than he has been in the past. Roethlisberger started all 16 games last year, marking his first perfect attendance campaign since 2014.
This year, Big Ben will seek to prove that he can conquer both father time and the absence of star wide receiver Antonio Brown. There’s plenty of reason to believe that he can pull it off – he finished fourth in Total QBR and eighth in adjusted net yards per attempt last season, even though the Steelers fell just shy of the playoffs.
49ers GM: We Won’t Trade Solomon Thomas
Solomon Thomas is reportedly on the block, but 49ers GM John Lynch says that’s not the case. When asked if Thomas will be a part of the team in 2019, Lynch replied in the affirmative (Twitter link via Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports). 
Thomas, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft just two years ago, hasn’t done a whole lot as a pro. Meanwhile, the Niners went out and got Dee Ford this offseason to pair with Arik Armstead, leaving Thomas in limbo on the defensive line. Clearly, the 49ers are unsure about what Thomas can bring to the table, but at the same time, they likely recognize that his stock is low.
Last year, Thomas had one sack with 31 tackles in total. He’s still on an inexpensive rookie deal, but it’s hard to imagine another team giving up anything of consequence for him at this time. It’s possible that injuries elsewhere will open up trade opportunities for him, but it’s also quite possible that Lynch is telling the truth – while the Cardinals are open to bailing on last year’s No. 10 overall pick, the Niners could be willing to find out whether Thomas can be a late bloomer in the NFL.
Cardinals Eyeing Byron Murphy
Washington cornerback Byron Murphy is the heavy favorite to be the first pick of the second round on Friday night, provided that Arizona holds on to the pick, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Of course, the top choice in the second round is extremely valuable, so it’s entirely possible that another team will be on the clock at No. 33 overall. 
The Cardinals probably aren’t the only team eyeing Murphy and other top cornerbacks left on the board. Only one cornerback was drafted in the first round on Thursday night, leaving LSU’s Greedy Williams, Temple’s Rock Ya-Sin, Michigan State’s Justin Layne, Notre Dame’s Julian Love, Central Michigan’s Sean Bunting, and several others up for grabs.
There were plenty of CB holes to be filled heading into the first round, but general uncertainty about this year’s crop may have stalled things, Browns GM John Dorsey says (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter):
“If you talk to a lot of people around the league, if you talked about the cornerbacks and how they had the cornerbacks rated, I bet you would have 20 different stackings at the cornerback position this year.”
Latest On Cardinals, Josh Rosen
Josh Rosen is most definitely available after the Cardinals used their No. 1 overall pick on quarterback Kyler Murray. Rosen, meanwhile, appears to be fed up with the Cardinals. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) notes, Rosen unfollowed the Cardinals on Instagram after last night’s draft. 
[RELATED: Dolphins, Cardinals Discussing Rosen Trade]
Rosen, presumably, wants out of Arizona, but this saga could drag on for a while. The Giants, Dolphins, and Chargers previously discussed Rosen with Cardinals GM Steve Keim, but the Giants are presumably out of the hunt after selecting Duke QB Daniel Jones with the No. 6 overall pick. The same goes for the Redskins after they landed Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, but head coach Jay Gruden says the team wasn’t interested in Rosen anyway (Twitter link via Dianna Russini of ESPN.com).
Meanwhile, Keim didn’t start taking calls and texts on Rosen trade until minutes before the draft started, sources tell Robert Klemko of The MMQB (on Twitter). Keim’s apparent effort to keep the Murray pick under wraps may have hurt him – multiple potential suitors found young QBs of their own and no one came close to offering the first-round pick the Cardinals wanted.
Texans Looking For CB
The Texans have been poking around the veteran cornerback market for potential trade additions, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). If the Texans are able to land an established CB, they could steer away from corners in the draft.
[RELATED: Texans Open To Trading Clowney]
Right now, all eyes are on Broncos cornerback Chris Harris. The Broncos are unwilling to meet Harris’ demand for a $15MM/year deal and they are listening to offers on the elite corner. It’s not immediately clear whether the Texans are interested in giving up significant draft capital, but they may have the flexibility to give him the contract he wants, especially if they move Jadeveon Clowney.
In other Texans news, the club has received positive health news on two of its offensive players.
Latest On Broncos, CB Chris Harris
Chris Harris wants a new contract that will pay him upwards of $15MM/year. The Broncos don’t want to give it to him, which makes sense given their cap situation. However, the logic behind their stance is a bit puzzling.
[RELATED: Broncos Unlikely To Take QB At No. 10]
The Broncos are wary about paying Harris near the top of the market with his 30th birthday on the horizon, Albert Breer of The MMQB hears. Meanwhile, they’re just weeks removed from giving Kareem Jackson a three-year, $33MM deal, which was the richest deal ever given to a cornerback in his 30s.
If Harris is moved, it’s possible that the Broncos will shift their focus to cornerbacks in the draft. But, right now, it seems more likely that the Broncos will target inside linebacker, defensive line, and tight end.
Giants Targeting Late First-Round QB?
The Giants could theoretically pass on quarterbacks at No. 6 and No. 17 overall and still come away with a QB tonight. Talk is spreading about the Giants potentially trading back into the first round to land either West Virginia’s Will Grier or North Carolina State’s Ryan Finley, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY reports (on Twitter). 
Neither Finley nor Grier has garnered as much ink as top QBs Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins, Drew Lock, and Daniel Jones. Still, the Giants have holes to fill and a big desire to bolster their pass rush, so rumor has it they may pass on all four with their first two choices. It’s worth noting that Vacchiano doesn’t believe the Giants “love” Finley, so Grier could be their preferred target.
The Seahawks (picks Nos. 21, 29) and the Colts (No. 26) have shown an interest in trading back, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), so either club could be a match for the Giants in this scenario.
Meanwhile, GM Dave Gettleman seems to be hinting that the Giants will not take a QB at all in the first round.
“We want to come out of [the first round] with two legitimate starters [who] can step in and help us win now,” Gettleman told NFL Network (via PFT).
Meanwhile, Gettleman confirmed that a rookie quarterback would not start ahead of Eli Manning.
“No, he wouldn’t [start right away], but it’s the position,” Gettleman said. “The worse place you can be is quarterback hell.”
Chargers Out On Josh Rosen?
To many, the Chargers are the most logical destination for Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen. Apparently, those in the Chargers front office do not agree. The Chargers had some interest in Rosen at one point, but they are not pursuing a trade at this time, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. 
The Bolts are obviously set in 2019 with Philip Rivers as their starting QB, but they need to start thinking about the future as Rivers looks ahead to his 38th birthday. There are some interesting QBs in this year’s draft, but one can’t help but wonder why the Chargers wouldn’t pounce on the opportunity to land last year’s No. 10 overall pick for .40 cents on the dollar.
It’s possible that the Cardinals are still holding out for a first-round pick (unlikely to happen) or a second-round choice (a bit more likely, but still improbable). Hypothetically, a deal involving the Chargers’ No. 60 overall pick near the back of the second round for Rosen and a later-round choice could get the job done, but that would depend on the Chargers’ overall interest in Rosen and the Cardinals’ desperation to sell.
For what it’s worth, some in Arizona feel that Rosen could co-exist with Kyler Murray, if he is indeed the choice at No. 1 overall.