Ravens May Have Tried For Reddick
- Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome said the team tried to trade up in to the teens but couldn’t get a deal done (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun). Newsome didn’t say who he was targeting, but Zrebiec believes that Temple linebacker Haason Reddick was one of the candidates.
Draft Rumors: Cowboys, Conley, McCaffrey
Let’s round up the latest NFL Draft rumors:
- The Cowboys should not been overlooked as a possible destination when it comes to Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley, Tom Pelissero of USA Today tweets. Dallas need cornerback help and, as Pelissero notes, they’re used to taking risks. Dallas had Conley in for a visit and also phoned him on Wednesday. Conley, of course, is dealing with allegations of rape, and could fall as far as the third round. If he’s cleared of all charges, Conley could represent an excellent value for the Cowboys at the end of Round 1.
- Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) gets the sense that Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey is likely to go in the top ten. One NFL GM told Schefter that McCaffrey “had the best combine workout I’ve seen. Ever.” McCaffrey has been linked to the top-10 range for some time, and a number of clubs within that space make sense as a landing spot. The Eagles, sitting at No. 14, are reportedly “infatuated” with McCaffrey, but understand they may have to trade ahead of Carolina.
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) wouldn’t be shocked if the Chargers beat the Panthers to the punch on selecting McCaffrey. Los Angeles used a first-round pick on running back Melvin Gordon in 2015, and he broke out with 10 rushing touchdowns during his sophomore campaign. However, the Chargers did lose Danny Woodhead in free agency, and McCaffrey would presumably fill Woodhead’s passing down role with aplomb.
- The Ravens‘ interest in Corey Davis is real, Peter Schrager of NFL Network tweets. Baltimore owns the No. 16 overall pick, and is certainly in the market for a wide receiver after losing Steve Smith to retirement. Former first-round pick Breshad Perriman has been injured during much of his NFL tenure, so the Ravens could use another pass-catcher to pair with Mike Wallace. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reported a strong link between Davis and the Ravens on Wednesday.
- Both UCLA linebacker Takkarist McKinley and Washington wide receiver John Ross could slide due to their medical history, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Both players underwent surgery during the predraft process. While McKinley and Ross are certainly considered talented prospects, interested clubs will have to weigh injury risk against potential upside.
Ravens Have Strong Interest In Corey Davis
With the 16th pick in this year’s NFL draft, the Ravens could attempt to bolster an underwhelming receiving corps. The club has “considerable interest” in Western Michigan wideout Corey Davis, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).
Even though Davis underwent ankle surgery in February and missed the scouting combine, it’s possible he’ll be off the board long before the Ravens are on the clock. Davis is nearly all the way back from the surgery, which bodes well for his draft stock. So does the 6-foot-3, 213-pounder’s production at the college level, where he hauled in 331 passes and 52 touchdowns over four years. Davis was at his best in 2016, finishing with personal highs in receptions (97), yards (1,500) and scores (19).
Landing Davis could be a pipe dream for Baltimore, but somehow adding him would be a boon to a Ravens team in need of more weapons in the passing game. Steve Smith retired after last season, leaving Mike Wallace as the only receiver on the Ravens’ roster with a significant track record of success in the pros. The 30-year-old Wallace is unsigned beyond next season, though, so his time with the club might be winding down.
Behind Wallace, the Ravens’ best option is Breshad Perriman, a first-rounder in 2015 who sat out his rookie season because of injury. Perriman stayed healthy last year and showed promise (33 receptions, 15.1 yards per catch and three TDs), but he wasn’t exactly a force. Meanwhile, the only other wideout on the Ravens’ roster who caught a pass last year, Chris Moore, totaled just seven receptions.
Three Ravens ERFAs Sign Tenders
- Three of the Ravens’ exclusive rights free agents – receiver Keenan Reynolds, offensive lineman De’Ondre Wesley and linebacker Brennen Beyer – have signed their tenders, tweets Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
Ravens Linked To Cam Robinosn
- If the Ravens don’t trade down from No. 16, Alabama offensive tackle Cam Robinson is expected to in consideration, per Pauline. After losing right tackle Ricky Wagner during the free agent period, Baltimore could use another offensive lineman to help protect Joe Flacco. Given the presence of 2016 first-rounder Ronnie Stanley, Robinson would presumably play on the right side for the Ravens (though he could conceivably play guard, as well). Meanwhile, if Baltimore does trade down, the team would probably target UCLA edge rusher Takkarist McKinley, whom Pauline says is a favorite of general manager Ozzie Newsome.
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PFR’s 2017 Live NFL Mock Draft
The 2017 NFL Draft begins on Thursday night, and Pro Football Rumors is back with its second mock draft of the year. While our initial mock attempted to project what will happen in Round 1, we’ve taken a different approach for mock draft 2.0.
PFR editor Zach Links and I conducted this live mock draft on Tuesday morning, rotating picks and breaking down what we would do were we in charge of these selections. We posted each pick on Twitter, followed by a short explanation of our thought process on this page.
Here’s the complete mock:
1. Cleveland Browns (Zach) – Myles Garrett, LB, Texas A&M
I suspect this is the easiest pick either one of us will make all day. Garrett is the best pure talent in this year’s draft and the Browns would be foolish to go in any other direction at the top of the draft.
2. San Francisco 49ers (Dallas) – Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
Reports that the 49ers are considering a quarterback with the second overall selection stand out as a potential smokescreen, and instead San Francisco uses the No. 2 pick to bolster its defense. Hooker, who recently earned a full medical clearance following combine rechecks, has been commonly linked to the Chargers as a perfect fit for Los Angeles defensive coordinator Gus Bradley‘s scheme. But the 49ers are running the same defensive look as the Chargers under new DC Robert Saleh, and Hooker would give the team a centerfielder with the upside of an Earl Thomas. San Francisco’s plan to convert nickel cornerback Jimmie Ward to safety won’t stop it from adding Hooker, who is possibly the draft’s No. 2 overall prospect.
3. Chicago Bears (Zach) – Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford
Dallas’ bold pick left my Bears with a golden opportunity. The Bears could go safety or cornerback in this scenario, but the talent of Thomas is too good to pass up. Thomas can be used on both the inside and outside of the Bears’ defensive line and I see him as one of the safest talents on the board.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (Dallas) – Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
No, we didn’t forget the Jaguars used a top-five pick on Jalen Ramsey in 2016 and then handed a $67.5MM contract to A.J. Bouye in free agency last month. But one of Ramsey’s key selling points last year was his versatility: while he’s a shutdown corner at his best, Ramsey can man the slot, cover tight ends, and dabble at safety. As such, adding Conley doesn’t mean Jacksonville is facing cornerback overload, especially given that NFL clubs are in the nickel more than two-thirds of the time. Conley is viewed as a safer prospect than his Ohio State teammate Marshon Lattimore, and he’d give the Jaguars a Broncos-like secondary.
5. Tennessee Titans (Zach) – Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
The Titans, arguably, get the best cornerback available in the draft even though they are the second team to address the position. No, we don’t have a ton of film to go on for Lattimore, but his combine numbers indicate that he could be a megastar. Few teams in the NFL would have a young cornerback duo like the Titans if they can pair Logan Ryan with Lattimore.
6. Cleveland Browns (projected trade with Jets) (Dallas) – Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
In need of a franchise quarterback, the Browns send the No. 12 and No. 52 pick to the Jets in exchange for No. 6 with the intention of drafting Trubisky. It’s a slight overpay for Cleveland (at least, based on Chase Stuart of Football Perspective‘s draft value chart, which is likely what the Browns front offices uses), but it does the deal anyway to land a long-term option under center. Given that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is reportedly pressing the club to select a quarterback early — and the fact the Cleveland may still be considering Trubisky with the first overall selection — landing the UNC signal-caller at No. 5 for the cost of a mid-second-round pick is a move the Browns can’t pass up.
7. Los Angeles Chargers (Zach) – Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
In this scenario, it seems like Allen’s subpar workouts have led to a bit of a drop. His size (6’3″) is a bit of a concern, but he has the ability to be an effective defensive end while spending some time on the inside as well. Allen would look great lining up on the opposite end of Joey Bosa.
8. Carolina Panthers (Dallas) – Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Sitting at pick No. 8, the Panthers certainly have options. General manager Dave Gettleman & Co. could go after a running back like Leonard Fournette or Christian McCaffrey, bring in a young edge rusher to play alongside veterans like Charles Johnson and Julius Peppers, or even reach for an offensive tackle given Michael Oher‘s health questions. With Ted Ginn Jr. and Corey Brown having defected via free agency, the Panthers need another wideout to pair with Kelvin Benjamin. Enter Davis, who topped 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (Zach) – Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Foster’s stock, by all accounts, is slipping after he turned in a diluted urine sample and got into an argument with a hospital worker at the combine. However, with other teams in the market for an inside linebacker (like the Jets at No. 12, for example), it would be somewhat risky to trade down into the teens and expect Foster to still be there. The Bengals have been willing to overlook character concerns in the past, so I see no reason why they can’t do the same here and land the Alabama star.
10. Buffalo Bills (Dallas) – Jamal Adams, S, LSU
While the Bills gave Jordan Poyer a four-year deal with $6MM in guarantees earlier this offseason, I’m still not convinced Buffalo views him as a definite starter. Those questions come to the forefront with Adams still on the board, and the Bills don’t hesitate to take the LSU defensive back. With ex-Packer Micah Hyde also in the fold, Buffalo can field one of the more diverse and flexible safety tandems in the league. Adams is viewed as a leader in the locker room, and has been favorably compared to former Cowboys All Pro Darren Woodson by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
Ravens Want To Trade Down
- King wouldn’t be surprised if the Giants move up from No. 23 or if the Texans move up from No. 25 to get a pick in the teens. The Giants are looking for a tackle and the Texans are in need of a quarterback. The Ravens (No. 16) and Titans (No. 18) “would be happy to move down,” King writes.
Ravens, Hurst Agree To Reduced Deal?
- While initial reports indicated Ravens offensive lineman James Hurst had signed his restricted free agent tender, that doesn’t appear to be the case, tweets salary cap guru Ian Whetstone. Instead, Hurst looks to have agreed to a reduced one-year contract, similar to Baltimore RFA wide receiver Michael Campanaro. Under the terms of his original-round RFA tender, Hurst would have earned $1.797MM in 2017. But he will now will presumably take in a lesser total. Hurst, 25, started three games for the Ravens last season and played on roughly a quarter of the club’s offensive snaps.
Ravens Interested In Obi Melifonwu
- Obi Melifonwu met with or auditioned for 14 teams, and just one — the Titans — viewed the Connecticut defensive back as a corner, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports. The UConn safety talent blazed to a 4.40-second 40-yard dash clocking, making him an intriguing get either in the late first or early second round. In addition to the workout circuit, Wilson notes Melifonwu has attracted steady interest from the Ravens, Raiders, Colts and Jaguars. The Bengals attempted to schedule a workout with Melifonwu, but the popular commodity’s schedule didn’t have room.
Ravens Re-Sign James Hurst, Ryan Jensen, Chris Matthews
Wednesday’s minor NFL moves:
- Restricted free agent offensive linemen James Hurst and Ryan Jensen have signed their tenders with the Ravens, as has exclusive rights free agent wide receiver Chris Matthews. The Ravens tendered both Hurst and Jensen at the lowest level last month, meaning they wouldn’t have been entitled to compensation had either headed elsewhere by way of an unmatched offer sheet. Hurst, a tackle, is the more experienced of the two, having appeared in all 48 regular-season games and totaled 16 starts during his three-year career. Jensen has also been in the NFL for three years, but the interior blocker only has 19 appearances and nine starts to his name.
- The Raiders have announced the signing of kicker Giorgio Tavecchio, who was with the team in each of the previous three training camps. The Italy native, undrafted from Cal in 2012, has also spent time with San Francisco, Green Bay and Detroit, but he hasn’t seen any regular-season action yet.
- The Rams have waived defensive back Kevin Short, who spent time on their practice squad last year and then signed a reserve/futures contract in January. Interestingly, Short came to the pros directly from the JUCO level, having played at Fort Scott Community College (Kansas). He went undrafted in 2015, unsurprisingly, and suited up for the Chiefs’, Seahawks’ and Jets’ practice squads prior to joining LA’s taxi squad.