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NFL Draft Rumors: Murray, Haskins, Giants

March 13th, 2019 at 3:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Although Kyler Murray threw at Oklahoma’s pro day Wednesday, and fared well during that portion of his workout, he did not go through the full process. The 2018 Heisman Trophy winner did not add any more fuel to the fire regarding his height, not taking part in another measurement. Murray only weighed in, stepping on the scale at 205 pounds, according to NFL.com’s Andrew Groover, on Twitter). This is two pounds down from Murray’s Combine weight. Murray measured at 5-foot-10 in Indianapolis. Additionally, the tantalizing prospect did not run the 40-yard dash at today’s event, per NFL.com’s James Palmer, despite the school planning on him doing so (Twitter links via James Palmer and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). So, teams will not have that figure going into the draft. Murray remains expected to be a top-10 pick, with a No. 1 overall ceiling.

  • Tyree Jackson is holding his pro day at the Bills‘ facility, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Buffalo University product is viewed as a rising prospect, with Schefter adding that many believe the 6-foot-7 passer will be a higher-than-expected draft choice.
  • The Giants now have two of the 2019 draft’s first 17 selections, which could point to them taking a quarterback with one of them. They have been most closely tied to Dwayne Haskins, but the Ohio State product may not enamor the team to the point of being worth the No. 6 overall pick, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY notes. It’s widely anticipated either Haskins or Murray will be the first quarterback selected, and both are viewed as likely top-10 picks. The Giants have been doing extensive research on Haskins, who burst onto teams’ radars with a dominant 2018.

OBJ Notes: Manning, 49ers, Bills

March 12th, 2019 at 10:05pm CST by Ben Levine

In the deal of the day, the Giants sent Pro Bowl wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns. In return, New York received a 2019 first-rounder (No. 17 overall), a 2019 third-rounder (No. 95), and safety Jabrill Peppers. This marks the end of an era for the Giants organization, and it also means the front office may be preparing for a full-on rebuild.

There have naturally been a number of Giants-centric and Beckham-focused notes since the deal was reported earlier this evening. We’ve compiled some of the more notable rumblings below…

  • The 49ers were among the teams that expressed interest in OBJ, writes ESPN’s Adam Schefter. San Francisco has been connected to several big-name playmakers, and the team could certainly use some additional weapons for Jimmy Garoppolo. Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis currently lead the 49ers’ depth chart, and while the pair certainly have plenty of talent, the team could easily transform the duo into a trio.
  • The Bills also had discussions about Beckham, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo (on Twitter). Tim Graham of The Athletic clarifies (on Twitter) that the Giants approached Buffalo about a trade, not the other way around. It’s not entirely surprising that Buffalo was considering a premier wideout, especially after the team failed to complete an Antonio Brown deal. The Bills have already added two free agent wideouts in John Brown and Cole Beasley, but their additions probably wouldn’t have prevented the organization from adding a player of OBJ’s caliber.
  • Following the Beckham trade, Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com explores whether the Giants will end up holding on to veteran quarterback Eli Manning. There’s no denying that the organization is rebuilding, as the team has also moved on from Landon Collins and Olivier Vernon. Ultimately, the writer opines that the pairing doesn’t make sense for either side; the Giants won’t want the one or two extra wins that Manning could provide, while the veteran quarterback surely doesn’t want to spend his last few years playing for a middling team. The Giants may have to make some kind of decision by Monday, when Manning is set to earn a $5MM roster bonus that counts for a portion of his $23MM cap hit.
  • We heard that Beckham may be seeking a new contract with the Browns, and it sounds like the two sides are already talking. Jason La Canfora tweets that “there has been contact” between the Browns and the receiver’s reps. The reporter attributes the negotiations to the “ramifications of the [Antonio Brown] contract,” noting that Beckham should look to capitalize on the trend of traded players securing guaranteed money.

Bills To Sign OL Jon Feliciano

March 12th, 2019 at 6:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

This week has brought a major revamp of the Bills’ offense, and the team continued its overhaul Tuesday night by adding a depth piece up front.

The Bills reached an agreement to add former Raiders lineman Jon Feliciano, Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com tweets. The fifth-year blocker will receive a two-year deal.

Having been used as a backup throughout his Raiders run, playing behind Gabe Jackson and Kelechi Osemele for much of it, Feliciano will join a Bills team that has already added two new potential starters up front.

Buffalo signed Spencer Long last month and reached an agreement with Ty Nsekhe earlier on Tuesday. Mitch Morse, he of the NFL’s new top center deal, is the big prize for a Bills team that is undergoing considerable personnel changes up front.

A 2015 Raiders fourth-round pick, Feliciano did make eight career starts — including four last season. The Bills struggled up front last season, having lost a few starters from a 2017 line that performed far better.

Latest On Le’Veon Bell

March 12th, 2019 at 5:10pm CST by Ben Levine

The market for Le’Veon Bell may not actually be all that robust. Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets that the Bears, Colts, Ravens, Texans and Bills “haven’t really been in it” for the All-Pro running back.

This is particularly notable following reports from earlier today that six teams were in the running for Bell: the Jets, Colts, Ravens, Packers, Texans, and Bills. With four of those teams out of the running (along with the Bears), that would seemingly mean that New York and Green Bay are going head-to-head for the running back’s services. The Raiders have also been mentioned as a potential suitor for Bell.

Breer notes that the market’s been tough for the former Steelers offensive weapon, and he adds that more teams may enter the bidding if the asking price drops. As of right now, there’s a feeling that Bell could be secured for a deal that will pay him between $11MM and $12MM per season.

Regardless of who’s in and who’s out of the bidding, we may get a resolution sooner than later. We learned earlier today that the Jets have given Bell a deadline to make a decision. If the Jets don’t hear back by that unreported time, they’ll likely move on to other free agent targets.

Bills To Sign OL Ty Nsekhe

March 12th, 2019 at 1:12pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Bills are making their third signing of the day. Buffalo has agreed to terms on a contract with offensive lineman Ty Nsekhe, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Nsekhe will get a two-year deal worth $14.5MM with $7.7MM of that guaranteed, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Rodak writes that the amount of money “certainly means he’s projected to start at right tackle.”

Nsekhe comes to Buffalo from Washington, where he spent the past four seasons with the Redskins. Nsekhe was always a reserve, but thanks to the Redskins’ frequently injured offensive line, ended up starting at least four games each of the past three years. This past season, he started five games and split time between left guard and left tackle.

Nsekhe is an interesting case, as he bounced around the arena league for a handful of years before breaking through in the NFL. He’s been regarded as one of the league’s better backup linemen the last couple of years, so this could prove to be a sneaky good singing for Buffalo. Between Nsekhe now, center Mitch Morse yesterday, and receivers Cole Beasley and John Brown earlier today, the Bills have significantly upgraded their offense.

They’ve also done it without breaking the bank for any one player. These added pieces will greatly help Josh Allen next season in what will be a critical year for the young quarterback. Nsekhe received above average grades from Pro Football Focus for his work last season.

Bills, Saints To Host Ziggy Ansah

March 12th, 2019 at 12:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The pass rusher market has begun to move rapidly, with the Packers doing much of the heavy lifting on this front Tuesday. One of the biggest names left unsigned will enter the picture now.

Ziggy Ansah has visits scheduled with the Bills and Saints, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Bills will get the first visit, per Rapoport.

While free agent peers Trey Flowers, Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith agreed to deals without visits, teams obviously want to examine Ansah given his recent struggles with injuries. The former top-five overall pick missed most of last season due to injury, and the Lions’ Flowers addition signals they are indeed moving on from their six-year defensive end.

Ansah, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, played in just seven Lions games last season. This came after Detroit franchise-tagged its top pass rusher. Ansah, who is set to turn 30 in May, has two 12-plus-sack seasons — the most recent coming in 2017. But he has battled injuries for a while now.

Buffalo could obviously outbid New Orleans for Ansah, given the cap space disparity between these franchises, but Ansah’s recent history might not point to a high-end deal.

Bills To Sign WR Cole Beasley

March 12th, 2019 at 11:55am CST by Zachary Links

The Bills aren’t done making upgrades at wide receiver. Shortly after inking John Brown to a free agent deal, the Bills struck an agreement with Cole Beasley, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The pact will pay Beasley $29MM over four years, Garafolo adds. 

We previously heard estimates that Beasley could get up to $10MM/year, so the $7.25MM average annual value on this deal isn’t too pricey for Buffalo by comparison. Still, it’s a big chunk of change for a player who had just 672 yards off of 65 catches last year for the Cowboys. Beasley also added three touchdowns, bringing his career total to 23.

Beasley has never been much of a deep threat with a career average of 10.3 yards per reception, but he offers speed in the short game as well as special teams acumen.

Statistically, Beasley’s best season came in 2016 when he posted a 75/833/5 line. He also averaged 11.1 yards per grab that year, which nearly matched his career best of 11.4 ypc in 2014.

Bills To Sign WR John Brown

March 12th, 2019 at 11:47am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Bills didn’t end up landing Antonio Brown, but they are bringing in a receiver. Buffalo is going to sign John Brown, a source told Peter Schrager of NFL Network (Twitter link). 

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com followed up with a tweet reporting that Brown will get $27MM over three years. Brown comes to the Bills from the Ravens, where he spent the 2018 season after inking a one year deal. Brown will provide an immediate upgrade to the Bills’ weak receiving corp, and will be a great asset for Josh Allen as he continues to develop as a passer. Buffalo’s leading receiver last year was Zay Jones, which wasn’t going to cut it moving forward.

Brown will provide a much-needed deep threat for Buffalo’s offense, and he’s still one of the fastest receivers in the league. Brown was always high on talent, and showed flashes during his years with the Cardinals. He broke out with 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 2015, but struggled with injuries and inconsistency the next couple of years.

He got off to a really hot start in Baltimore, and revitalized his career last year. He showed an instant connection with Joe Flacco, and had at least 85 yards in four of his first seven games. His production really dropped off the second half of the season, but only because Lamar Jackson took over at quarterback and the team stopped throwing deep as much. Brown is still only 28, and will immediately slide in as Buffalo’s best receiver.

Le’Veon Bell Deciding Between Five Teams?

March 12th, 2019 at 10:03am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Free agents have been flying off the board but perhaps the biggest name, running back Le’Veon Bell, remains unsigned. The market does appear to be narrowing down for Bell’s services, and there’s a “good likelihood” he signs with one of the Jets, Colts, Ravens, Packers, Texans, or Bills, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

However, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com soon tweeted that the Colts are officially out on Bell, which would narrow down the list to five teams. Furthermore, the Packers have already spent a ton of money today on Adrian Amos, Za’Darius Smith, and Preston Smith, so they might not no longer be able to fit the massive contract Bell is seeking into their cap.

The Jets have been the team most heavily linked to Bell for months now. There have been conflicting reports about their level of interest, and rumors they’re concerned about his weight, but they’ve been the one constant when discussing Bell. The Jets are looking to add some excitement, need a running back, and have plenty of cap space, so they still make the most sense on paper.

The Ravens make some sense as well, as they’re looking for weapons for Lamar Jackson and are planning to have a very run-heavy offense. The Texans and Bills are more outside the box options, as both have established running backs. The Texans have Lamar Miller, while the Bills have LeSean McCoy and just added Frank Gore. Both Gore and McCoy are getting up there in age while the Texans could get out of Miller’s contract fairly easily, so they’re both definitely options.

Interestingly, Anderson’s list doesn’t include the Raiders. After trading for Antonio Brown, rumors began swirling that Jon Gruden would attempt to re-pair him with Bell in Oakland. That could still be the case, although they didn’t make Anderson’s shortlist.

 

Contract Details: Collins, Morse, Graham

March 11th, 2019 at 9:56pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s take a look at the details of a few recently-signed contracts from around the NFL:

  • Landon Collins, S (Redskins): Six years, $84MM deal, $45MM guaranteed. $15MM signing bonus, $6MM option bonus for 2024 (exercised between first and fifth of 2020). Deal includes $32MM guaranteed over the first two seasons. $5MM of his 2021 salary is guaranteed at signing. Salaries: $1MM (2019), $10MM (2020), $12.5MM (2021), $11.5MM (2022), $12.5MM (2023), $13.5MM (2024). All Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, and ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
  • Mitch Morse, C (Bills): Four years, $44.5MM, $26.5MM guaranteed (original story). Receives $19.5MM in 2019, $28.375MM in 2020. Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.
  • Brandon Graham, DE (Eagles): Three years, $40MM. $23.5MM guaranteed. $12.5MM signing bonus. Salary: $1MM (2019), $10MM (2020). Team option for 2021: $13MM salary and $3.5MM option bonus. Twitter link via Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic.
  • Danny Amendola, WR (Lions): One year, $4.5MM. $4.25MM fully guaranteed. $250K in per-game roster bonuses, $1.25MM in incentives. Twitter link via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
  • Tyler Kroft, TE (Bills): Three years, $18.75MM. $8.3MM guaranteed, $2.4MM signing bonus. Will earn $1.8MM salary in 2019, $4.45MM in 2020. Roster bonuses include $2.1MM (2019), $750K (2020), $750K (2021). Twitter links via Wilson and ESPN’s Mike Rodak.
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