49ers Did Not Pursue Antonio Brown
The 49ers had interest in trading for Odell Beckham Jr. before the Giants shipped him to the Browns, but they did not go after this year’s other available star wide receiver. In an interview with KNBR, 49ers GM John Lynch said that he did not engage in talks with the Steelers for Antonio Brown. 
“We took a quick look and then we just said, ‘Hey, we’re not interested in that for our team,’” Lynch said (Twitter link via Matt Barrows of The Athletic). “That’s where we are. I think we feel pretty good about our receiving corps. I know a lot of people don’t share our sentiments.”
Brown, of course, went to the Bay Area’s other NFL team in exchange for third- and fifth-round picks. If Brown reverts to his old form in Oakland, there may be questions about the Niners’ lack of interest in the future Hall of Famer.
Meanwhile, Lynch indicated that the Niners’ possession of the No. 2 overall pick in the draft actually complicated trade talks with the Giants. The Giants were looking to come away with an additional first-round pick for 2019, but the Niners were unwilling to give up their valuable position.
“I think, ironically, the fact that we had the No. 2 pick made it more difficult because they wanted that badly,” Lynch said (Twitter link). “They wanted two No. 1s. And we weren’t willing to part with that. It was too valuable of a pick.”
The Niners, who did not land Brown or OBJ, are set to feature a receiving corps headlined by Marquise Goodwin and Jordan Matthews. There will be opportunities to bolster the WR group in the draft, but there are no prospects that warrant consideration at No. 2 overall.
Given Lynch’s reluctance to part with the No. 2 pick, one can’t help but wonder if the Niners should have given more thought to a Brown pursuit.
Latest On Patriots Owner Robert Kraft
Lawyers for Robert Kraft are taking steps to keep surveillance video allegedly showing the Patriots owner engaging in sexual activity out of court, as Deadspin’s Diana Moskovitz writes. Kraft’s attorneys are also looking to attack the traffic stop that occurred outside of the Orchids of Asia Day Spa. 
[RELATED: Bill Belichick Could Become Patriots DC]
Kraft’s lawyers will argue that the video, which was filmed without Kraft’s knowledge or consent, violated legal standards. And, if the traffic stop is also effectively whitewashed, there won’t be much of a case for Florida prosecutors to make.
Recently, Kraft rejected a plea deal that would have called for him to admit that he would have been found guilty in a court setting. Meanwhile, the NFL is keeping a watchful eye on the case. This week, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that the league’s personal conduct policy will apply to Kraft just as it applies to players.
Goodell stopped short of declaring Kraft will be suspended, but that remains a possibility for the billionaire owner.
Cowboys Notes: Lawrence, Irving, Jones
Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones had hip surgery this week, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. The issue started for Jones during the 2018 season and the club initially hoped that it would heal with rest. Unfortunately, things did not improve, forcing Jones to go under the knife. The good news is that the team believes Jones could be ready for training camp.
To date, the 26-year-old (27 in September) has not missed an NFL game. Last year, the Cowboys shifted Jones back to cornerback after spending the previous two seasons at safety and he thrived. Jones led the club with 15 pass breakups and earned the first Pro Bowl nod of his career.
Jones figures to be a part of the club’s plans moving forward and an extension could be on the way. For now, he’s set to play out his fifth-year option in 2019 at a salary of $6.26MM.
Here’s more from Dallas:
- Cowboys exec Stephen Jones says Demarcus Lawrence‘s desire to get paid like Von Miller and Aaron Donald is holding up negotiations. “The top two guys, I’m sure that is why we’re struggling a little bit,” Jones said (via the Dallas Morning News). “There is a delta between the top two guys and where the rest of the edge rushers and pressure players have been paid up to this point. We’re motivated to do it right now. We were motivated to do it before we put the tag on him. At the same time, we have some conviction of the range he should be in in terms of his compensation and I’m sure they have some conviction of what they’re asking for. I’m not being critical, but therein lies the root of the negotiations.” The Cowboys are offering Lawrence $20MM per season, but Lawrence recently upped his asking price to $22.5MM/year.
- Defensive tackle David Irving has retired from the NFL, and as he tells it, it was coach Jason Garrett‘s suggested course of action. “He told me I should just quit, smoke all the weed I want, the team didn’t need me,” Irving told Jori Epstein of USA Today. “I’m a distraction to the team. He views marijuana as a drug, whereas I view it as a medicine. It’s not a good situation.” Meanwhile, Irving says owner Jerry Jones was supportive of him and expressed disagreement with the NFL’s drug policies that landed him an indefinite suspension. Irving, meanwhile, plans to be a pro-marijuana advocate in his post-football life with a focus on how CBD can help NFL players deal with pain.
- On Thursday, the Cowboys acquired pass rusher Robert Quinn from the Dolphins, which should help to reinforce their D-Line after losing Irving to retirement and Randy Gregory to an indefinite ban. Of course, they could be left with a glaring hole on the other side if they are unable to reach a long-term deal with Lawrence.
Raiders To Sign LB Brandon Marshall
The Raiders have reached an agreement on a deal with linebacker Brandon Marshall, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Marshall will receive a one-year deal worth up to $4.1MM. 
Marshall met with the Raiders on Thursday and, like Isaiah Crowell, quickly agreed to a deal with the club. There’s no word on his guarantees just yet, but Marshall has some decent upside in his contract with the Raiders.
Marshall, who compiled 102 tackles and three sacks in 2017, would help a linebacker group that recently added Vontaze Burfict on a low-cost deal. And, like Burfict, he could be a solid value for Oakland. Marshall battled through injuries during the 2018 season and appeared in just eleven games.
Marshall finished out 2018 with only 42 tackles, his lowest total since he became a starter during the 2014 season. Still, the former fifth-rounder proved that he can be a difference maker when he’s at full strength – Marshall finished with at least 100 tackles in each of his three healthiest seasons.
Patriots DC Greg Schiano Steps Down
This offseason, the Patriots thought they had their new defensive coordinator in Greg Schiano. Now, the search continues. On Thursday, Schiano and head coach Bill Belichick released a joint statement to announce that Schiano is stepping down from the role. 
“I have informed Mr. Kraft and Coach Belichick that I am stepping down from my position at the Patriots,” Schiano said in the statement. “This is not the result of any one event, but rather a realization that I need to spend more time on my faith and family. I don’t want to look back years from now and wish I had done things differently. Therefore, I am taking time away from the game to recalibrate my priorities.”
Meanwhile, longtime friend Belichick offered words of support.
“I respect Coach Schiano greatly and appreciate his contributions to our staff and team,” Belichick said. “He is a friend who we support completely.”
Ironically, Schiano was never formally announced as the Patriots’ new DC. However, it was widely reported that he had accepted the job.
The Patriots have been close to hiring Schiano for key assistant roles in the past, only to see the deal fall apart at the last minute. Once again, this appears to be the case for the former Rutgers and Buccaneers head coach.
The Pats’ last DC, Brian Flores, left the club after the Super Bowl to take over as the Dolphins’ new head coach.
Eagles Re-Sign TE Richard Rodgers
The Eagles are bringing back tight end Richard Rodgers. On Thursday, the club announced a new two-year deal for the 27-year-old. 
[RELATED: Eagles Wanted To Keep Nick Foles Away From Giants, Redskins]
Rodgers, a former third-round pick of the Packers, inked a one-year deal with the Eagles last year. Unfortunately, a knee injury cut his first season in Philly short. After recording just one catch for seven yards, Rodgers is eager to show what he can do in green and white.
Rodgers’ best season to date came in 2015, when he hauled in 58 receptions for 510 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had a quietly productive 30/271/2 stat line in 2016. He never quite lived up to expectations in Green Bay, but he could make for a fine supporting TE behind Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert if healthy.
In other Eagles news, the club plans to keep Brandon Graham at defensive end, despite sometimes using him on the inside last year. The Eagles are also looking to extend Carson Wentz, despite his troubling injury history.
Raiders To Sign RB Isaiah Crowell
The Raiders are set to sign former Jets running back Isaiah Crowell, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). When finalized, it’ll be a one-year deal worth up to $2.5MM. 
Crowell visited the Raiders on Thursday and it didn’t take long for a deal to come together. Crowell now has an opportunity to take over as the Raiders’ top running back with Marshawn Lynch and Doug Martin both in free agent limbo.
Head coach Jon Gruden has indicated that he would like to retain both Lynch and Martin, but he also said the same of tight end Jared Cook, who has since left to join the Saints. There’s also the draft to consider, so the returns of those two vets are far from guaranteed.
The Jets released Crowell earlier this offseason after his first and only campaign with the club. Crowell did well on a per-carry basis in New York, matching his career high with 4.8 yards per carry. But, the Jets gave the 2018 free agent acquisition a career-low 143 carries. Crowell, 26, finished with 685 yards and the Jets replaced him with Le’Veon Bell.
Crowell has 27 career rushing touchdowns and surpassed 850 ground yards in his final two Browns seasons, doing so despite the team often trailing in a 1-31 stretch. He might not be the sexiest name out there, but he could help to fortify the Raiders’ running game.
Latest On Oklahoma WR Marquise Brown
Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise Brown had the boot on his foot removed and has been cleared to begin running, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Brown could still be available for mini-camp after the draft, which should help his stock. 
Brown is still projected to go in the first round, despite undergoing Lisfranc foot surgery in January. The early word was that Brown would be ready for training camp in the summer, but the latest update on his health shows a faster track to recovery.
There has been buzz about Brown’s 40-yard-dash time being in the low 4.3s, or perhaps even the high 4.2s, so his speed and potential still makes him a tantalizing selection. History is on Brown’s side – Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis was also sidelined for key workouts in 2017, but he wound up going fifth overall to the Titans.
Over the last two seasons, Brown caught 132 passes for 2,413 yards and 17 touchdowns for Oklahoma. Those numbers and Brown’s speed, which he didn’t get to show off in Indianapolis, should lead to him coming off of the board early.
Brown put himself on the map in 2017 with 57 catches for 1,095 yards and seven touchdowns. He stepped his game up even further in 2018 when he reeled in 75 passes for 1,318 yards and ten TDs.
Cowboys Trade For Dolphins’ Robert Quinn
The Cowboys are set to acquire pass-rusher Robert Quinn from the Dolphins, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The Dolphins will receive a 2020 sixth-rounder in return, tweets ESPN’s Todd Archer. 
The Saints also showed interest in Quinn, but he’ll take his talents to Dallas instead. He’ll receive a new one-year deal, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). Calvin Watkins of The Athletic tweets that the deal will reduce Quinn’s salary from $11.1MM to $8MM. The Dolphins also picked up the veteran’s $1.12MM roster bonus, according to Albert Breer (via Twitter).
The Cowboys tagged Demarcus Lawrence earlier this month, but the star edge defender has said in the past that he will not sign a one-year tender. Lawrence also recently upped his asking price, which further complicates matters. Meanwhile, Randy Gregory and David Irving have both been hit with indefinite suspensions, so the Cowboys badly needed someone like Quinn on the D-Line.
In 2013, Quinn earned All-Pro acclaim with 19 sacks and seven forced fumbles. He hasn’t matched that level of production in recent years, though Quinn still has a respectable 15 sacks combined over the last two seasons. He did his best work in a 4-3 scheme, so there’s reason to believe that he can thrive in Dallas.
Quinn’s 6.5 sacks in 2018 weren’t a head-turner, but he did tie for 20th among DEs with 24 quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus, meanwhile, assigned Quinn the 19th-highest pass-rush grade among 103 qualifying edge rushers. Quinn is still only entering his age-29 campaign, so he’s a player that could be in the Cowboys’ plans for years to come.
Panthers Re-Sign Cameron Artis-Payne
The Panthers have re-signed running back Cameron Artis-Payne, according to his agents at Element Sports Group. Artis-Payne will provide support on the Panthers’ RB depth chart, behind starter Christian McCaffrey. 
Artis-Payne has had some success running the ball in limited snaps with the Panthers. In 2015, his first NFL season, Payne averaged 4.1 yards per carry off of 45 tries. His reps fell off from there, but he still boasts a respectable 4.2 yards per tote average.
He might not get a ton of opportunities in 2019 either, given the way McCaffrey performed last year. As an NFL sophomore, McCaffrey nearly totaled 1,110 yards on the ground with seven touchdowns. He also added 107 catches, 867 yards, and six receiving touchdowns, positioning him as the Panthers’ bell cow.
After Kenjon Barner left for the Falcons, the Panthers have just two other RBs under contract in Elijah Hood and Reggie Bonnafon.