Extra Points: Manziel, Collins, Jets
Coach Mike Pettine indicated to 92.3 The Fan that quarterback Josh McCown is the Browns‘ likely starter heading into training camp rather than Johnny Manziel, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer writes. It’s not a guarantee that McCown opens the season as the starter, of course, but prior to the draft Pettine was reluctant to say much of anything regarding the battle. More from around the NFL..
- La’el Collins met with police this morning, cooperated fully, and is still not considered a suspect, the Baton Rouge Police Department tells Jerit Roser of The Times-Picayune (on Twitter). Earlier tonight, we learned that Collins is meeting with Bills coach Rex Ryan in Louisiana.
- Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (on Twitter) doesn’t expect the Bills to land Collins.
- Meanwhile, one team personnel man told Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that the entire NFL is monitoring the situation with Collins. “We are all watching this (La’el Collins) situation closely. Every team. If he’s cleared, every team wants him.”
- The Jets have fired director of pro personnel Brendan Prophett, sources tell Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter). Prophett was with Gang Green for 14 years.
- James Jones and Kevin Boothe are just the latest players to be purged from the Raiders‘ disappointing 2014 free agent class, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com writes.
Bills, Dolphins Meeting With La’el Collins
9:34pm: The Dolphins also have a meeting scheduled with Collins, according to Ben Wallace of The Advocate. Collins is represented by Priority Sports, which is the firm that current Dolphins football operations czar Mike Tannenbaum previously worked for.
8:59pm: Bills coach Rex Ryan met with former LSU tackle La’el Collins Monday night in Baton Rouge, Chad Sabadie of WVUE-Fox 8 tweets. The meeting was not cleared through Collins’ reps, as Adam Schefter and Mike Rodak of ESPN.com write.
Collins, of course, is facing a very uncertain future after his situation caused him to slide out of the first round and the draft altogether. Just days ago, Bills GM Doug Whaley said his club wouldn’t consider Collins as a UDFA, calling the entire situation “too cloudy” right now. Now, it appears that there has been a change in thinking in the Bills’ front office. Or, it’s possible that Ryan is thinking about signing Collins and hoping to convince the rest of Buffalo’s braintrust.
Prior to his murky predicament coming to light, Collins was widely viewed as a player who would come off the board within the top 15 picks. The fact that Collins proceeded to go undrafted on day two is an indicator that teams are wary of taking on character or potential legal risks in the new NFL. Collins might have been taken as a flier on day three, but Collins’ agent threatened a holdout if a team were to do that.
Collins’ camp was hoping to either enter the tackle in this year’ supplemental draft or next year’s NFL draft, but the former request was denied and the latter will not be permitted either.
Bills Sign Alex Carrington
2:29pm: The Bills have officially signed Carrington, the club confirmed today in a press release.
11:19am: After not addressing the defensive line in the draft, the Bills will add some depth to the unit, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Rapoport reports that veteran defensive lineman Alex Carrington is signing with Buffalo, having visited the club today.
For Carrington, it’s a reunion of sorts, as he spent the first several years of his career with the Bills, playing there from 2010 to 2013. After spending time in St. Louis in 2014, the former third-round pick will return to a Bills team that has a new coaching staff in place, led by head coach Rex Ryan.
Carrington will sign a one-year deal with the Bills, per Rapoport. I expect Carrington will be given an opportunity to earn a roster spot this summer, though he’s unlikely to see significant playing time unless the team sustains multiple injuries on its defensive front.
Draft Notes: Seahawks, Ajayi, Bills, Flowers
Some assorted draft notes from around the league…
- The Seahawks made a big push to move up to the No. 100 spot in the fourth round, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
- A “potential bone-on-bone issue” may be a contributing factor to running back Jay Ajayi falling in the draft, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan. The writer notes that the main concern is regarding the player’s longterm picture, not his immediate impact. He was projected to be a second-round pick by NFL.com.
- Meanwhile, a knee issue had led to FSU offensive lineman Tre Jackson falling in the draft, according to ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner (via Twitter).
- Joe Buscaglia of WKBW says if the Bills ultimately select a quarterback today, the rookie will end up on the practice squad (Twitter link).
- Giants first round pick Ereck Flowers will negotiate his own rookie contract, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (via Twitter).
Pauline’s Latest: Mannion, Grayson, Sample
With day two of the NFL draft getting underway, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net points out a few players to keep an eye on tonight. Here are the highlights from Pauline:
- The representatives for Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion are “pretty confident” he’ll come off the board quickly in the second round, writes Pauline. As for Garrett Grayson, there’s a chance he lands in the third round — the Bills and Jets are looking hard at Grayson, and the Rams, Broncos, and Washington are also in the mix.
- According to Pauline, many people believe Florida Atlantic cornerback D’Joun Smith will be selected in the second round tonight, which would be much earlier than expected.
- Safety James Sample, who is receiving interest from the Seahawks and Ravens, could also come off the board earlier than anticipated, per Pauline.
- South Carolina guard A.J. Cann likely won’t last long tonight. The Dolphins would love to nab Cann at No. 47, but the Jets have him graded highly and pick 37th, writes Pauline.
Draft Rumors: Gregory, AP, Wilkerson
Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory is regarded as one of the most talented players in this year’s NFL draft, but he remains available after the completion of the first round because of off-field issues. Gregory voiced his disappointment about his current undrafted status to Yahoo! Sports’ Rand Getlin on Friday (via Twitter).
“I feel like I let my family and the people who believe in me down, and I’m sorry for that,” said Gregory. “But I’m going to use this as fuel. The franchise that drafts me won’t have to worry about me off the field, but the teams that didn’t select me will have to worry about me on the field.”
Gregory went on to state that he is “the best defensive player in the draft.”
Here’s more as the second round of the draft draws nearer:
- If the Jets are going to trade defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, it could take multiple first-round picks to land him, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. However, La Canfora notes that, after having drafted Leonard Williams with their first-round selection, the Jets would have a loaded defensive line even without Wilkerson. That may lead to a reduction in their asking price, and the likes of the Browns and Raiders could be possible destinations should the Jets move Wilkerson.
- Friday could be the last real chance for the Vikings to trade Adrian Peterson, per LaCanfora. Peterson might fetch the Vikings a second-round pick if he’s willing to take a pay cut to play elsewhere.
- Florida State defensive tackle Eddie Goldman won’t stay on the board for long tonight, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport notes that Goldman is viewed as a first-round talent by many teams.
- Indiana’s Tevin Coleman could be the first running back taken tonight, according to Rapoport (Twitter link). A team tried to trade up for Coleman last night, Rapoport notes.
- The first half of the second round could see several running backs and offensive lineman selected, according to La Canfora. Conversely, La Canfora doesn’t expect any tight ends to go for a while, noting that South Carolina’s Rory Anderson or Rutgers’ Tyler Kroft could be the first one taken.
- La Canfora writes that Baylor’s Bryce Petty will likely be the first quarterback drafted Friday. The Bills, Rams, Saints and Chargers are among the teams that have done their homework on Petty.
Extra Points: Brees, Saints, Bucs, Collins
Saints GM Mickey Loomis says he may take a quarterback in this year’s draft, but he doesn’t see the end of the line for Drew Brees anytime soon either, ESPN.com’s Mike Triplett writes. “That’s a good question,” Loomis said. “I think you’re always looking to get a young quarterback in the program. We’ve got one in Ryan Griffin that we like. And if an opportunity presents itself, hey, we may take another one here. But I don’t see the end for Drew Brees on the short-term horizon. At least I certainly hope not. But it does take time for these quarterbacks to develop. And we’re conscious of that. We evaluate the quarterbacks. And obviously if an opportunity presents itself to take one at the right time, we’re not afraid to do that.” More on that and other news from the NFL..
- If the Saints draft Bryce Petty, it’ll be a clear indication that Jeff Ireland is already calling the shots there, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets.
- Ed Werder of ESPN (via Rob Demovsky on Twitter) says the Buccaneers may be looking to move up into the bottom of the first round. The Bucs currently pick at No. 34 and Demovsky wonders if the Packers at No. 30 could be a match.
- Multiple teams have removed LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins from their draft boards, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
- Bills GM Doug Whaley called Kentucky defensive end Za’Darius Smith a “perfect fit” for the type of scheme they run, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW tweets.
- Army running back Raymond Maples has been granted administrative leave to attend team activities if he’s drafted or signed, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets.
- With so few quality safeties available, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that James Sample (Louisville) and Damarious Randall (ASU) will go higher than most people think.
Draft Rumors: Gregory, Falcons, Bills, Saints
While Randy Gregory‘s failed drug test at the combine might not be enough to push him too far down draft boards on its own, there’s concern about the pass rusher’s ability to “handle the mental rigors of professional football,” according to Ian Rapoport and Albert Breer of NFL.com. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, the NFL.com report is quite vague and short on specifics, but Rapoport and Breer suggest that multiple teams have removed Gregory from their draft boards entirely. According to the duo, Gregory’s issues might be manageable, but not fixable, which makes it crucial that he lands in the right situation.
“It all depends on the organization, and what they have in place for him,” said one NFC personnel executive. “There are quite a few players that have issues. It’s where you place football character over the things he can’t control. That’s the big thing to me.”
Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports indicated earlier today that he wouldn’t touch Gregory, alluding to the Nebraska defender’s “other issues” (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that those “issues” are a combination of mental health concerns and recreational drug use.
With players like Josh Gordon and Dion Jordan set to serve season-long suspensions, it makes sense that teams would be wary of a player like Gregory, who could potentially run into similar off-field trouble. It’ll be interesting to see which club eventually takes a chance on a player who has top-10 talent, and when exactly that happens.
Here are a few more draft updates:
- As rumors swirl suggesting that the Falcons could trade up from No. 8 for a top pass rusher, Rapoport tweets that most of the teams he has spoken to believe Atlanta will actually trade back and select an offensive lineman.
- According to Rapoport (via Twitter), Bills owner Terry Pegula initially planned to make the trip to Texas this week for the club’s meeting with Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty. It ultimately didn’t work out, but it could be a sign that Buffalo is serious about Petty.
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com identifies the Rams, Saints, Bengals, Cowboys, Colts, Patriots, and Seahawks as teams that may be willing to roll the dice on some of the prospects in this year’s draft class who have red flags related to character and/or off-field incidents.
- While the Saints earned a mention in La Canfora’s list, GM Mickey Loomis did say today that some players will be off New Orleans’ draft board because of character issues, tweets Brett Martel of The Associated Press. Still, Loomis noted that in many cases he’s more concerned about a player’s judgment than the incident itself, and said it’s important to be careful about labeling a player based on one incident (Twitter links).
- Loomis also said today that the Saints are unlikely to trade picks, but will listen to opportunities to move up or down. The overarching goal for the draft, according to the GM, is to make the team better “right now” (Twitter links via Martel).
- Penn State tight end Jesse James, a probable mid-round pick, worked out for the Ravens, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Draft Rumors: Collins, Bucs, Gurley, Titans
We heard yesterday that police are looking to question La’el Collins following the shooting death of a pregnant woman last week, though the LSU offensive lineman isn’t considered a suspect. Jim Boren, the attorney for Collins, tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that he has been in constant contact with the lead detective in the case, and spoke to the district attorney yesterday.
“We took the investigation seriously,” Boren said on Tuesday. “We’ve tried to rule him out as a suspect. We’re going to provide that information to the police, and ultimately [Collins] will sit down and talk to them. But the timing is poor.”
Indeed, even if Collins is officially ruled out as a suspect by police, which appears likely, it’s not clear if that will happen before the draft gets underway tomorrow night, and teams figure to approach the lineman with extra caution.
As we wait to see how the ongoing investigation affects Collins, let’s round up a few more Wednesday draft rumors from around the league….
- According to Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht, trade inquiries involving the No. 1 overall pick are on the rise this week, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Still, I think Tampa Bay would have to be blown away to move out of that first overall spot.
- One team has Georgia running back Todd Gurley at No. 1 overall on its draft board, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, adding that it’s safe to say that’s not the consensus around the NFL. In fact, scouts who have spoken to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report don’t believe Gurley will be a top-10 pick, as has been rumored.
- Within Freeman’s piece, the BR scribe notes that the Jets are still very much in the hunt for Marcus Mariota, though he’s skeptical that New York will offer enough to move the Titans out of the No. 2 spot.
- Speaking of those Titans, Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network (Twitter links) hears that Tennessee isn’t just taking trade calls — the club is making them as well. So far, things haven’t gotten serious, but trade talks involving that second overall pick could heat up today and tomorrow, says Darlington.
- Amidst reports that Shane Ray could slide out of the first round, and perhaps much further than that, one NFL executive tells Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link) that the Missouri pass rusher “isn’t going to fall very far” following his citation for marijuana possession.
- Northwestern quarterback Trevor Siemian appears to be a popular target, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who writes that Siemian has received calls from 11 teams in the past two days. Those teams are the Broncos, Jets, Jaguars, Raiders, Vikings, Packers, Browns, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, and Dolphins.
Draft Notes: Cooper, Lions, Collins
In his latest mock draft, Peter King of The MMQB sees the first two picks going as most of us suspect they will: Jameis Winston to the Buccaneers and Marcus Mariota to the Titans. However, he cautions that if a team offers something ludicrous like three first-round picks, the Titans would consider dealing the No. 2 selection. At No. 3, King projects that the Jaguars will take Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper, though it’s tough to forecast what Jacksonville will do. Here’s a look at the latest draft news:
- The Lions among the teams making lots of calls about possibly moving down in the draft in order to get more picks and they’re not alone in that, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets.
- Police are seeking to question La’el Collins following the shooting death of a pregnant woman last week, but the former LSU offensive lineman is not considered a suspect, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes. Collins is not being looked at as the shooter but he could potentially be the father of the infant who was delivered after the woman’s death. The former LSU standout is projected to be a first-round pick.
- Iowa defensive tackle Carl Davis has visited the Cowboys, Dolphins, 49ers, Bills, and Bears, according to Josh Katzenstein of The Detroit News (on Twitter).
- The Saints worked out Central Arkansas wide receiver Dezmin Lewis, according to Kristian Garic of WWL 870am (on Twitter).