Dez Bryant Won’t Sign Before Draft
Dez Bryant will land somewhere, but it won’t happen today or tomorrow. The former Cowboys wide receiver is not expected to sign before the draft and his free agency stint could last into May, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. 
At this point, it only makes sense for teams to wait until after the draft to assess their level of need for Bryant. Bryant won’t match the $12.5MM he was set to earn with Dallas in 2018, but it’s safe to say that he’ll command at least a few million on a one-year contract and that’s not exactly chump change for teams. If a club that is interested in Bryant drafts someone like Calvin Ridley, D.J. Moore, or Christian Kirk, they’ll be less apt to spend on the 29-year-old.
It’s not clear which teams are after Bryant at this stage. The Ravens were said to have interest, but the addition of Willie Snead likely takes them out of the running. For his part, Bryant is reportedly looking to sign with an NFC East team in order to exact revenge on Dallas, but there’s no obvious fit within the division. The Redskins are not interested, it’s not clear whether the Eagles have him on the radar, and the Giants are not pursuing him at this time. A return to Dallas is not in the cards either.
Bryant averaged 91 catches for 1,312 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Cowboys between 2012 and 2014. Over the last three years, however, those averages have plummeted to 50 catches for 678 yards and 6 TDs. He also missed ten games due to injury between 2015 and 2016.
NFL Draft Rumors: Jets, Darnold, Rosen
The latest NFL draft news:
- The Jets have cancelled Top 30 meetings with top prospects who aren’t quarterbacks, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, which only underscores their desire to take a QB at No. 3 overall. After the Jets sacrificed three second-round picks to jump from No. 6 to No. 3, it would be an absolute shock to see the Jets take a non-QB.
- One GM estimates there is a “50 percent chance” that four QBs will go in the first five picks on Thursday night, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. That’s bad news for teams outside of the top 5 who are hoping to land a QB, but excellent news for the clubs who are not in the market for a top-flight passer. If that scenario plays out, it may mean that Louisville’s Lamar Jackson will be selected earlier than anticipated.
- NC State defensive end Kentavius Street had successful ACL surgery last week, Rapoport hears (on Twitter). A full recovery is expected and Street is likely to still be drafted. Street had 19.5 sacks in four seasons at NC State, including nine sacks in his junior season. Before the injury, he appeared to have a shot at being taken during Day 2. Now, he seems more likely to go between rounds 4-7.
Cardinals Looking To Move Up In Draft
As of this writing, the Cardinals are set to pick at No. 15 overall. That might not be the case when the draft rolls around on Thursday. The Cardinals are “making a lot of noise about moving up,” Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
The Cardinals signed Sam Bradford to be their starting quarterback in 2018 and Mike Glennon is on hand as a backstop. In the long term, however, Arizona needs to consider the future of the QB position. At No. 15, the Cardinals are unlikely to land any of this year’s top four QBs, but they could be in range for one of them if they move up into the top 10. To solidify the possibility of landing Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, or Josh Rosen, they may need to go as high as No. 5 or No. 6.
Of course, the Cardinals have other major needs to address in the draft, including finding a cornerback and wide receiver to pair with star Patrick Peterson. Cornerbacks such as Minkah Fitzpatrick and Denzel Ward could be available if the Cards can find their way into the back half of the top 10. They could also be pressured into moving up for a wide receiver like Alabama’s Calvin Ridley or Maryland’s D.J. Moore, though one or both of those players could be on the board at their original pick.
Dolphins Pick Up DeVante Parker’s Option
The Dolphins are picking up Devante Parker’s fifth year option for 2019, a league source tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (on Twitter). The additional year on the wide receiver’s deal is guaranteed for injury only. 
[RELATED: PFR’s 2019 Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Parker has been held back by foot, hamstring, and ankle injuries during his three-year NFL career, so this is not exactly a no-risk proposition for the Dolphins. Parker has yet to break out in the way Miami hoped he would when he was drafted No. 14 overall in 2015, but they believe that he still has serious potential.
At one point in time, the Dolphins were concerned about their ability to lock both Parker and Jarvis Landry up in the long-term. Much has changed. Landry has since been sent to the Browns in a sign-and-trade and Parker is not a candidate for a big money extension at this time.
Last season, Parker missed three games and totaled just 670 yards and one touchdown off of 57 catches. His 2016 season was his best showing to date as he had 56 grabs for 744 yards and four scores.
Parker is now set to earn $9.387MM in 2019.
Rams Pick Up Options For Gurley, Peters
Some fifth-year option decisions are easier than others. On Tuesday, the Rams finalized a couple of no-brainer calls. The Rams will exercise their fifth-year options on running back Todd Gurley and cornerback Marcus Peters, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). 
Gurley, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2015 draft, set new career highs in 2017 as he ran for 1,305 yards with a league-leading 13 rushing touchdowns. He also set new personal watermarks with 64 catches and 788 yards with six receiving TDs. The decision to keep him under contract for 2019 was an easy one, but the eventual discussions on a new long-term deal could be tricky. The Rams will have to address the contracts of several other key players – including Peters and defensive tackle Aaron Donald – and Gurley will command a whopping asking price, particularly if Steelers star Le’Veon Bell secures the mammoth contract he is seeking.
The Rams acquired Peters in February from the Chiefs in February in exchange for second- and fourth-round draft picks. Peters is one of the most talented young cornerbacks in the NFL, but a personality clash led to his exit from KC. The Rams, presumably, will want to see how Peters meshes with the coaching staff before discussing a long-term contract. For now, the Rams have Peters under contract through 2019 with the option to bail for any non-injury reason.
As shown on PFR’s 2019 fifth-year option tracker, Gurley is set to earn $9.630MM in 2019 while Peters is slated to make $9.069MM.
NFL Draft Rumors: Sweat, Giants, Patriots
FSU pass rusher Josh Sweat is a player to keep an eye on as the NFL Draft approaches. Sweat, a five-star, top-10 overall recruit nationally coming out of high school, impressed at the draft combine and drew the attention of evaluators across the league. However, his history of knee issues including ACL, MCL, PCL injuries have teams concerned, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Interestingly, his 2016 knee surgery was performed by Giants team doctor Russ Warren, and that leads Rapoport to wonder aloud if that could make New York a potential landing spot for him. Sweat has been widely projected as a third round possibility, but it sounds like he could find his way into the second round based on his potential.
Here’s the latest NFL Draft buzz:
- We could see three centers come off of the board in the first round, Rapoport tweets. Arkansas’ Frank Ragnow, Iowa’s James Daniels, and Ohio State’s Billy Price – whose health is no longer a major issue – are all candidates to hear their name called on Day 1. We’ve also heard that Georgia guard Isaiah Wynn could come off the board sooner than expected as teams zero in on interior linemen.
- Former Oregon left tackle Tyrell Crosby spent last week taking visits to the Patriots and Lions, Rapoport tweets. He adds that the Pats are a team to watch, as they could target Nate Solder’s replacement in the draft. Crosby, a 6’5″, 309-pound lineman, missed the bulk of his junior year due to a broken left foot. He rebounded well as a senior, appearing in all 15 games for the Ducks with nine starts. Six of those starts came on the outside at the tackle position.
Panthers In Talks With QB Derek Anderson
The door remains open for a Derek Anderson return in Charlotte. The Panthers are in talks with the quarterback, GM Marty Hurney tells reporters (Twitter link via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer). However, Hurney cited former Packers GM Ron Wolf’s belief that teams should take a quarterback in every draft, so it’s not a given that Anderson will return. Even if he does, he might not handed the No. 2 job behind Cam Newton. 
Aside from starter Cam Newton, the only other signal callers on Carolina’s roster are Garrett Gilbert and Taylor Heinicke. Combined, they have thrown exactly one NFL pass. That attempt belongs to Heinicke, who threw one pass for the Texans in relief of T.J. Yates against the Steelers in December. On the second drive of his career, Heinicke suffered a head injury as he was sacked and had to be taken off of the field.
Anderson has 76 career NFL appearances under his belt, but the Panthers can’t be blamed for exploring other backstops as he nears his 35th birthday. The veteran made a name for himself in 2007 when he led the Browns to a 10-5 record in his 15 starts, but he has not seen consistent action since his 2010 campaign with the Cardinals. For the last seven years, he has serve as Newton’s understudy.
Anderson’s last deal paid him $2.25MM per year and it stands to reason that he could earn a bit less on a new pact with the Panthers.
Giants HC: OBJ To Remain With Team
Despite trade chatter throughout the offseason, Odell Beckham Jr. isn’t going anywhere, according to Pat Shurmur. He will “absolutely” be a part of the team in 2018, the Giants head coach says (Twitter link via Kim Jones of NFL.com). Shurmur added that the has been in frequent contact with the wide receiver. 
Shurmur’s comments jibe with the latest we’ve heard on OBJ. Teams no longer believe that the Giants are looking to move the superstar receiver before or during the draft, despite concerns from the club about his off-the-field decisions. It appears the Giants are willing to move forward with Beckham Jr., though they’ll have to address his contract situation as he enters his walk year.
Beckham is reportedly pushing for a $100MM+ contract and the Giants will likely have to break the $90MM barrier to lock him up for the long term. However, the Giants can still control Beckham through the 2020 season via consecutive franchise tags. In theory, the Giants could even control OBJ through 2021 with three straight franchise tags, though the cost of a third tag would likely be prohibitive.
Beckham followed through on his plan to report to the Giants for offseason activities, which is perhaps a productive first step towards getting the contract he’s after. The new regime in New York will be watching Beckham closely as they consider his future with the club beyond 2018.
Browns Could Trade CB Jamar Taylor
If the Browns take a cornerback early, cornerback Jamar Taylor is expected to be made available via trade, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) hears. The Browns added three free agent cornerbacks this year and drafting one in the first or second round would likely squeeze Taylor out of the picture. 
[RELATED: Browns Considering Baker Mayfield With No. 1 Pick?]
Taylor, 28 in September, is set to enter the second year of his three-year, $15MM deal. The former second-round pick had the best year of his career in 2016 as he hauled in three interceptions and 57 total tackles, but he took a step back in 2017. New GM John Dorsey traded Jason McCourty to the Patriots for a late draft pick after a strong showing in ’17, so there’s little question that the Browns would be open to moving on from Taylor.
Already, Taylor sits no higher than third on the Browns’ CB depth chart after the signings of T.J. Carrie and E.J. Gaines. Meanwhile, newcomers Terrance Mitchell and Denzel Rice will push for time in support.
Giants Looking To Trade Ereck Flowers
As the 2018 draft approaches, the Giants are looking to unload a former top 10 pick. The Giants have had trade discussions centered around former first round tackle Ereck Flowers, sources tell NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (on Twitter) hears the Giants aren’t expecting a big return for him. The Giants believe a deal is possible, but they understand that they won’t get much in terms of compensation. 
Flowers, who doesn’t turn 24 until April, has not panned out for the Giants. The University of Miami product has earned poor grades in each of his three years as the Giants’ starting left tackle and new addition Nate Solder is expected to man the left side for the Giants in 2018. Flowers, in theory, could handle duties at right tackle, but the new administration led by Dave Gettleman would apparently prefer a fresh start.
Given the need for tackles around the league, the Giants can’t necessarily bank on finding a replacement for Flowers at No. 34 overall. It is expected that Connor Williams (Texas) and Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame) will be long gone by the time the Giants come up in the second round, so they may have to settle for lesser prospects like Tyrell Crosby (Oregon), Brian O’Neill (Pitt), and Kolton Miller (UCLA) if they want a tackle with that selection.