Ravens Not Expected To Cut Eugene Monroe
One might think that the Ravens’ drafting of Ronnie Stanley could spell the end of Eugene Monroe in Baltimore, but that is apparently not the case. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Monroe is likely to stay put since he could be a starter on the interior line and also provide general depth along the offensive line. 
Monroe is currently recovering from the shoulder injury which landed him on IR last season. The 29-year-old is making good progress in rehabilitating that injury, according to recent comments made by GM Ozzie Newsome. For much of the offseason, there has been speculation about the veteran’s future in Baltimore. Monroe has missed 15 of 32 games since joining the team and is set to carry a hefty $8.7MM cap number in 2016.
The Ravens’ offensive line was drastically altered on the first day of free agency when Kelechi Osemele shook hands with the Raiders on a five-year deal that could be worth as much as $60MM. Baltimore lost one long-time starter in the 6’5″ Osemele, but it sounds like they’re planning on keeping another O-Line notable in Monroe, despite his difficulty in staying healthy.
After 2016, Monroe’s contract calls for him to carry an $8.95MM cap number in 2017 and 2018.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Ravens GM: We Had Stanley Rated Above Tunsil
Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome claims that the team preferred Ronnie Stanley over Laremy Tunsil, even before the leak of Tunsil’s now infamous video.
Cowboys Rumors: Lynch, Elliott, Trade Talks
It was an interesting evening for the Cowboys, who used their fourth overall pick to make Ezekiel Elliott the first running back to come off the board in the top five since Trent Richardson in 2012. The team also made a run at trading back into the first round for Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, as owner Jerry Jones confirmed tonight. Here’s more on those efforts, along with a few more Cowboys updates:
- The Cowboys offered their second- and third-round picks to the Seahawks for the No. 26 pick in an effort to nab Lynch, per Todd Archer and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It seems odd that the Seahawks wouldn’t have accepted that offer, since I’d think the 34th and 67th overall picks would have been a little more appealing than the 31st and 94th they got from Denver.
- According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com and Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter links), the Cowboys made a strong effort to land Lynch, and Jerry Jones suggested that, in hindsight, the club might have been willing to match or exceed Denver’s offer. So perhaps Dallas would have been open to offering its second- and third-rounders, but never officially put that proposal on the table. It’s also possible that the Cowboys formally offered their second- and third-round picks, but wanted more in return than just the Seahawks’ first-rounder — or maybe Seattle simply didn’t want to move down an extra three spots and risk missing out on its top target(s).
- The Cowboys considered sending their No. 4 overall pick to the Ravens for the No. 6 pick and a fourth-rounder, tweets Adam Schefter. However, talks broke down due to the fact that Baltimore would have been moving up for Elliott, and the Cowboys didn’t want to miss out on the running back, tweets Clarence Hill.
- Elliott was the top-rated player on the Cowboys’ board and was the club’s top-graded running back in several years, according to executive VP Stephen Jones (Twitter link via Ed Werder).
- Before the draft got underway, the Cowboys re-signed guard Ronald Leary to his RFA tender, and exercised the 2017 option for center Travis Frederick. According to Stephen Jones, the Cowboys would consider trading Leary during the draft to allow him to start somewhere. Jones also indicated the club wants to lock up Frederick to a longer-term deal (Twitter links via Clarence Hill).
Draft Rumors: Bosa, Tunsil, Jack, Chargers
The Chargers had been intending to draft Joey Bosa “for months”, a source tells Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com (Twitter links), who adds that San Diego was extremely happy when the Eagles traded up to No.2, since that deal meant that Bosa would likely slip to pick No. 3. Chargers general manager Tom Telesco spoke with Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer for over an hour on Monday night, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), which may have helped the Chargers solidify their pick.
Here’s more draft news as the first round action continues…
- The Ravens drafted Ronnie Stanley at No. 6, but they originally had another offensive tackle in mind. According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link), Baltimore was prepared to select Laremy Tunsil, but a video posted earlier tonight of Tunsil smoking out of a bong “scared them off.”
- Before selecting running back Elliott, the Cowboys considered trading out of the No. 4 pick, tweets Schefter. According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link), Dallas was discussing a pick swap with the Ravens before drafting Ezekiel Elliott. Baltimore, per Moore, wanted Jalen Ramsey, who ultimately went fifth overall.
- The Dolphins are a potential suitor for linebacker Myles Jack, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who says he’s heard “over and over” that Jack could be a target for Miami. Jack’s health, specifically a 2015 knee injury, could force him to tumble down the draft board, but the Dolphins could be ready to catch him at No. 13.
Draft Rumors: Elliott, Ravens, Browns, Cowboys
The Cowboys are currently “struggling” with the decision of whether or not to draft running back Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Owner Jerry Jones is believed to prefer Elliott, while presumably some other members of the front office would rather go in another direction.
Dallas isn’t the only team at the top of the draft considering taking Elliott, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that the Ravens would “strongly consider” the Ohio State back if he’s on the board at No. 6.
In just a matter of hours, we should find out exactly how serious teams like Dallas and Baltimore are about taking a running back in the top six. With some other clubs, including the Dolphins, said to be coveting Elliott, it’s possible that teams are overstating their interest in the ex-Buckeye in an attempt to get another club to trade up for him. And it sounds like there will be no shortage of trades tonight, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).
As we wait to see where Elliott lands, let’s round up some other draft updates from around the NFL:
- The Browns have spoken to teams about the possibility of moving down from No. 8, but they’ve also had conversations about moving up from the second round into the late-first, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who wonders if Cleveland might be eyeing a particular quarterback. Earlier this evening, a Browns source told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that there was “nothing new” on the trade front for the club.
- Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears the Cowboys aren’t likely to move down from No. 4 tonight. Two GMs whose teams are picking in the top 10 tell Werder they haven’t heard from Dallas about a possible trade.
- Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link) has heard that the Ravens are “hot on” Eastern Kentucky edge defender Noah Spence, though the team won’t take him as high as No. 6. It will be interesting to see if Baltimore likes Spence enough to consider trading up for him if he’s on the board near the end of the first round.
- Having spoken to multiple general managers and other NFL sources, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report has updates on where a few prospects are expected to be selected in the draft. Cole suggests Georgia pass rusher Leonard Floyd could go in the top 10 (video link), Clemson edge defender Shaq Lawson should go between No. 7 and No. 19 (Twitter link), and Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith appears likely to be a day two pick (Twitter link). Cole also hears that Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch may not be selected quite as high as expected in the first round (video link).
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com has published his first and only mock draft of 2016, sprinkling plenty of interesting draft tidbits throughout his look at the first 31 picks.
Ravens Re-Sign De'Ondre Wesley
- The Ravens have officially re-signed guard/tackle De’Ondre Wesley, the team announced (Twitter link). Wesley had been an exclusive rights free agent, so he wasn’t going anywhere after being tendered by Baltimore.
Ravens Will Consider Ezekiel Elliott
- If Laremy Tunsil does not fall into their laps, the Ravens will consider Ezekiel Elliott with their No. 6 choice unless they are able to trade down, Pauline hears.
[SOURCE LINK]
King: Expect Ravens To Call Around On No. 6 Pick
- King hears that there weren’t many trade calls made on Wednesday, but that could change today. King anticipates the Ravens to call around and gauge interest in their No. 6 pick. He anticipates that the Titans (No. 15) will continue to look into trading up for a tackle. The Dolphins (No. 13) could try and move up for Ezekiel Elliott if the Cowboys don’t beat them to the punch. The Jaguars (No. 5) and Browns (No. 8), he expects, will “aggressively” try to move down.
[SOURCE LINK]
Ravens Draft Rumors: Marshall, Hansen
- Oregon wide receiver Byron Marshall visited the Ravens and worked out for the Cardinals and Eagles, Wilson tweets. Marshall suffered an ankle injury that caused him to miss all but four games last season, but he is said to be healthy now. In 2014, Marshall cracked 1,000 receiving yards for the Ducks.
- Air Force defensive end/outside linebacker Alex Hansen is drawing late interest from the Chargers, Eagles, Ravens, Texans, Broncos, Rams, and Lions, Wilson tweets.
Pauline’s Latest: Falcons, Neal, Joseph, Titans
Cal quarterback Jared Goff and North Dakota State signal-caller Carson Wentz are widely expected to come off the board in that order with the top two picks on Thursday night, but there’s some uncertainty about how the next several picks will play out.
After speaking to several people around the league, Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com takes a shot at forecasting how picks three through eight will go. In Pauline’s view, the most probable scenario would see DeForest Buckner land with the Chargers, Jalen Ramsey to the Cowboys, Myles Jack to the Jaguars, Laremy Tunsil to the Ravens, Ronnie Stanley to the 49ers, and Joey Bosa to the Browns.
Ezekiel Elliott is a wild card – if he’s still on the board at No. 8, the Browns could potentially trade down with a team like the Dolphins – but otherwise Pauline’s predictions for the top eight seem entirely plausible. According to the draft scribe, the Chargers feel like they “desperately” need to add a standout defensive lineman, while the 49ers also covet Buckner, so that’s a situation worth watching too.
Here’s more from Pauline:
- While Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee has frequently been linked to the Falcons at No. 17, Pauline hears that Clemson linemen Kevin Dodd and Shaq Lawson are also in play. According to Pauline, head coach Dan Quinn has been pushing for the team to select safety Keanu Neal, though that’s probably only a possibility if Atlanta trades down.
- Washington wouldn’t mind trading down and nabbing West Virginia safety Karl Joseph, says Pauline.
- According to Pauline, there’s a decent chance that the Titans will use one of their second-round picks to grab Ohio State wideout Braxton Miller, assuming the team doesn’t use any of those selections in a trade. Tennessee will also likely consider Buckeyes linebacker Joshua Perry on day two.
- The Broncos plan on drafting a running back on day three, and Pauline hears that they like Auburn’s Peyton Barber in the neighborhood of the sixth round.
- Teams are already talking to prospects and their agents in an effort to sign those players as undrafted free agents after the draft, and some clubs are creating “bad blood” with their approach to this process. According to Pauline, a couple teams have called potential UDFA targets and told them that they’re unlikely to be drafted. Those players are still optimistic about being mid-round selections, so being told that they’re likely to go undrafted has soured those players (and their agents) on those teams, per Pauline.