Browns Trade QB Cody Kessler To Jaguars
The Browns have traded quarterback Cody Kessler to the Jaguars, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The Browns have acquired a conditional 2019 seventh-round pick in the deal. 
The Browns have now traded two quarterbacks this offseason after also sending quarterback DeShone Kizer to the Packers. Tyrod Taylor, who was acquired in a March trade with the Bills, profiles as their starter and the recently signed Drew Stanton will take one of the backup spots. The Browns are expected to take a quarterback with the first overall pick, so there was no room left for Kessler.
Cleveland didn’t get much in this trade, but Kessler didn’t have much value given his iffy performance in eight starts in 2016. The Jaguars, meanwhile, believe that Kessler has some potential, so he could be a candidate to take over for Chad Henne as Blake Bortles‘ backup. If Kessler doesn’t impress this summer, the Jaguars could release him without having to forfeit the draft pick to the Browns.
Lions To Sign TE Levine Toilolo
The Lions have signed veteran tight end Levine Toilolo to one-year deal, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Toilolo spent the last five years with Falcons. 
The Lions have reinforced their tight end group after releasing starting tight end Eric Ebron earlier this month and allowing blocking specialist Darren Fells to leave in free agency. Toilolo and fellow free agent addition Luke Willson now lead the way at tight end for Detroit. 2017 draft pick Michael Roberts projects as their top TE in support.
The Lions also met with free agent tight ends Ed Dickson, Brent Celek, and Logan Paulsen this offseason, but Dickson and Paulsen have since signed elsewhere. Celek remains in free agency limbo, but it seems unlikely that Detroit will sign him after adding two other veteran TEs.
Vikings Re-Sign CB/PR Marcus Sherels
Cornerback Marcus Sherels has re-signed with the Vikings on a one-year contract, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets. Sherels is expected to return in his role as the Vikings’ primary punt returner with some kick returns as well. The Vikings officially announced the deal on Thursday afternoon. 
Last year, Sherels returned a league-high 39 punts for Minnesota. He averaged 9.5 yards per attempt with a long of 46 coming against the Ravens in an October win.
The Vikings are also considering a reunion with cornerback Terence Newman, but money may be a factor in those talks. Newman will be 40 years old when the 2018 season begins, but he stayed healthy for the entire 16-game slate last year as well as the playoffs.
For now, the Vikings have a cornerback group headlined by Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes with Mackensie Alexander, Jack Tocho, Horace Richardson, and Sherels in support.
Latest On Cowboys, Dez Bryant
The saga of Dez Bryant‘s contract could be coming to an end soon. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones indicated that he hopes to hammer out a revised deal with the wide receiver by the end of the next, if not this week, Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram writes. 
“I think that these two guys that we signed [Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson] and what we might look at in the draft, at any level of the draft, plus what we might get worked out with Dez, gives us a good-looking receiver outlook,” Jerry Jones said.
Jerry Jones has been coy about discussing Bryant’s contractual situation, but vice president Stephen Jones has been public about the need for Bryant to shave his deal a bit. This year, Bryant is slated to carry a $12.5MM base salary with a $16.5MM cap figure. Given the decline in his performance, that is undoubtedly pricey. Bryant hasn’t topped 1,000 yards since the 2014 season and 2017 marked the first year that Bryant was able to stay healthy for all 16 games since that 2014 campaign. Bryant finished out with 69 catches and 838 yards last year, numbers that do not justify his placement as one of the ten highest-paid wide receivers in the game.
Chargers To Meet With QB Geno Smith
Former Giants and Jets quarterback Geno Smith will visit the Chargers on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Rapoport adds that Bolts head coach Anthony Lynn has been a fan of Smith in the past. 
Another former Jet – Kellen Clemens – served as Philip Rivers‘ primary backup last season. As it stands, Cardale Jones is the only other quarterback on the Chargers’ depth chart. While Jones has potential, the Chargers are looking for an experienced QB to play behind Rivers.
Smith, a second-round pick in the 2013 draft, has had a rocky NFL tenure to say the least. After two unsuccessful seasons under center for New York, he missed the overwhelming majority of the 2015 season after teammate IK Enemkpali broke his jaw in a locker room brawl.
Smith spent the following season holding the clipboard for Ryan Fitzpatrick before hooking on with the Giants last year. In an extremely controversial move, the Giants started Smith in a December contest against the Raiders. After his two-fumble game, the Giants reinstated Eli Manning as the starter and fired their coach and GM.
Despite all of his warts, Lynn believes that Smith could be a capable No. 2 QB for the Chargers.
Saints Sign TE Benjamin Watson
Tight end Ben Watson agreed to a one-year deal with the Saints, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. This marks a return for Watson, who spent 2013-2015 with New Orleans. 
The Saints tried to facilitate a more ambitious tight end reunion this offseason by pursuing Seahawks free agent Jimmy Graham. That didn’t pan out, but they have managed to add experience at the position at a cheaper rate by signing Watson.
Watson had 61 catches for 522 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games with the Ravens last season, demonstrating that he’s still productive, even in his old age. The veteran turned 37 in December.
Watson’s 2015 season with the Saints was the best of his long career. In that campaign, he set career-highs in receptions (74), yards (825), and touchdowns (six) while catching passes from Drew Brees.
The 2004 draft product will now compete with Coby Fleener for the starting role and he may have the edge after Fleener managed just 22 catches last season. Josh Hill, Michael Hoomanawanui, and Garrett Grayson fill out the club’s tight end depth chart.
Giants Want Two First-Round Picks For OBJ
The Giants have asked for at least two first-round picks in return for Odell Beckham Jr., a league source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Meanwhile, the Giants continue to insist that they are not shopping the standout wide receiver. 
Although OBJ is among the league’s very best receivers, an asking price of two first-round picks is probably too high to facilitate a deal. The 25-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is reportedly considering a holdout if he does not get a pricey contract extension. Even if Beckham Jr. backs off of that stance, a team would have to address his long-term future at some point or use the expensive franchise tag to keep him in the fold for 2019.
There’s also behavioral and health concerns to keep in mind. In March, Beckham was caught in a video which may have contained drug use and he has occasionally lost his cool on the field. Last season, a fractured ankle limited Beckham to just four games and he missed the start of his rookie year due to a hamstring issue.
Broncos Acquire Su’a Cravens From Redskins
The Broncos have acquired strong safety Su’a Cravens from the Redskins. The deal will see a fifth-round pick (No. 163 overall) go to Washington in return (Twitter link via Mike Klis of 9News). 
Also, as part of the deal, the Broncos and Redskins will swap fourth- and fifth-round picks. The Broncos will move down from No. 109 to No. 113 in the fourth round and from No. 142 to No. 149 in the fifth round. The Redskins will also receive a sixth-round pick in 2020 if Cravens appears in a playoff game for Denver. There are a lot of components in this deal, but the Broncos are essentially acquiring a talented former second-round pick for a fifth-round choice and change.
Cravens decided late in the 2016 offseason to retire from football. The news caught the Redskins completely off guard as they were banking on Cravens to start at one of their safety spots. The youngster reversed his decision hours later, but the Redskins were still skeptical about his desire to continue playing. After a short stay on the NFI list, the Redskins parked him on the reserve/left squad list, barring him from playing in 2017.
The versatile defender was diagnosed with Post Concussion Syndrome, according to a statement released by his agent late last year, but he is now “asymptomatic and cleared to return back to all things football.” The Redskins insisted that they would not trade Cravens this offseason, but they either had a change of heart or were not being entirely truthful.
“We’re not trading him,” coach Jay Gruden said just weeks ago. “I just saw that on the ticker. He’s still a member of this football team and we have every intention of seeing where he’s at. I’ll have to talk to him and see where he’s at mentally. Physically, I know he’s going to be in great shape. The big thing is, is this something that he wants to do? He has to commit to it full time. He’s a good football player, there’s no doubt about it. He’s a great kid. I’m sure it will work out for him.”
The Broncos’ faith in safeties Darian Stewart, Justin Simmons, and Will Parks led them to part ways with former Pro Bowler T.J. Ward last September. If Cravens is healthy and ready to rededicate himself to football, Simmons or Stewart could be displaced from the starting lineup with Parks pushed a bit further down the depth chart. Simmons was arguably Denver’s best safety in 2017 and he plays at strong safety, so it will be an interesting situation to watch. Cravens may also see time at linebacker, as he did in his rookie season with the Redskins.
As a rookie, Cravens tallied 34 tackles, one sack, five passes defended, and one interception. In his ten games, Cravens graded out as the league’s No. 27 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus.
Jets Rumors: Mayfield, Pryor, Roberts
Some in football circles believe that the Jets traded up from No. 6 to No. 3 in order to draft Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, Mike Florio of PFT writes. Mayfield is widely regarded as one of the four best QBs in this year’s class, but most have some combo of Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and Josh Allen coming off the board in the first two picks.
Mayfield comes with some concerns about his demeanor and height, but coach Todd Bowles won’t rule him out just because of his stature.
“They’re important to a degree,” Bowles said of height and tangible measurements (via Manish Mehta of the Daily News). “Winning is more important. You just have to weigh the pluses and the minuses on that. Quarterback measurables are important. Defensive back measurables are important. There’s a height requirement there as well. There’s a height requirement for linebackers and defensive linemen.”
Mayfield has measured at at 6-foot 3/8 with 9 1/2-inch hands, which has kept him in the conversation near the top of the draft. He still doesn’t have ideal height for the quarterback position, but the Jets could be willing to overlook that if they believe in his overall potential.
Here’s more on Gang Green:
- Terrelle Pryor’s deal with the Jets is one year, $4.5MM pact with $2MM guaranteed, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Pryor managed only 20 receptions, 240 yards, and one reception in nine games with the Redskins before landing on IR, but he had a strong showing for the Browns in the previous year. If Pryor gets back to his old form, he could prove to be one of this year’s best value signings in the NFL.
- Andre Roberts‘ contract with the Jets is a one year, $1.005MM pact with the $90K signing bonus representing his only guarantee (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). Roberts is expected to serve as a depth addition as well as a special teams contributor, but his low guarantee means that he is not necessarily assured a spot on the final 53-man roster.
- Former Jets long snapper Tanner Purdum has retired, according to an Instagram post from his wife. Purdum was with the Jets from 2010-2016 and did not botch a snap during that period. He was released last September after the team traded for rookie long snapper Thomas Hennessy and did not hook on with another club.
Saints To Meet With Benny Cunningham
Running back Benny Cunningham is expected to visit the Saints soon, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. He adds that other teams are interested in Cunningham, who has appeal both as a backup running back and special teams standout.
The Saints are set at the top of their running back depth chart with Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara, but there could be room for Cunnigham in a group behind them that currently includes Trey Edmunds, Daniel Lasco, and Jonathan Williams. The Saints are the bottom ten of the league in salary cap space, per Over The Cap, but Cunningham would not be a costly addition for them.
Cunningham averaged 27.8 yards per kick return with the Rams from 2014-16, which would make him an intriguing special teams pickup. Last year, Alvin Kamara averaged 31.5 yards per return for the Saints, but they may look to protect him a bit more going forward and use him less frequently on kick returns. Tommylee Lewis had the most KR attempts of any Saint (13) and he averaged 23.6 per try.
Cunningham visited the Buccaneers on Sunday but left Florida without signing a deal.