Brandt’s Latest: Fuller, Moncrief, Archer
Draft expert and former Cowboys VP of player personnel Gil Brandt shared a few draft updates this afternoon, via Twitter, so let’s jump in and briefly round up the highlights from the NFL.com veteran….
- Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller, who paid a visit to the Bills today, has had 15 visits or workouts with NFL teams so far, and has four more lined up this week with the Rams, Jets, Steelers, and Broncos.
- Brandt adds a slew of teams to the list of those who have worked out or hosted Ole Miss receiver Donte Moncrief so far, tweeting that Moncrief has visited the Buccaneers, Cardinals, and Panthers, and has worked out for the Bucs, Panthers, Colts, and Falcons.
- Having already visited the Dolphins, Patriots, Cardinals, and Colts, Kent State running back Dri Archer, is on to the Buccaneers and Jets this week.
- Colorado wideout Paul Richardson, who has put on a few pounds since the draft combine, has workouts or visits with the Buccaneers, Cowboys, 49ers, and Seahawks. It’s not entirely clear if those visits and workouts are still on Richardson’s schedule, or if they’ve already happened.
NFC Draft Notes: Rams, Panthers, Eagles
While there are never any guarantees in the NFL, it seems very likely that the Rams will select a quarterback in this year’s draft, writes Jim Thomas of The Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. Thomas points to a list of quarterbacks that the team has shown interest in, including Aaron Murray, Connor Shaw, Garrett Gilbert and Derek Carr. Thomas also lists Tajh Boyd, A.J. McCarron and Zach Mettenberger as potential fits. If the Rams do ultimately draft a quarterback, that player will likely be third on the depth chart behind starter Sam Bradford and veteran Shaun Hill.
Let’s explore some more NFL Draft notes from around the NFC…
- While Nick Foles does not necessarily have the skill set for Chip Kelly’s offense, his success in 2013 should guarantee him the job this season. As a result, it would be a surprise if the Eagles selected a quarterback such as Teddy Bridgewater in the first round, said Charles Davis of the NFL Network (via Bo Wulf of PhiladelphiaEagles.com).
- LSU wideout Odell Beckham Jr. told Sirius XM that he will meet with the Eagles this week, writes Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com. Beckham would join a list of receivers who have worked out for the team, including Mike Evans, Kelvin Benjamin, Marqise Lee and Cody Latimer.
- Jonathan Jones of The Charlotte Observer answers readers’ questions pertaining to the Panthers and the draft. Jones lists offensive tackle as the team’s biggest need, followed by cornerback and defensive end. He also says that quarterback isn’t really an option following the Panthers’ signings of Derek Anderson and Joe Webb.
- USC tight end Xavier Grimble met with the Panthers and Falcons, reports Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. The projected mid-round pick struggled through a shoulder injury this past season.
Extra Points: Bears, Watt, Lee, Patriots
Lindenwood cornerback Pierre Desir is on the Bears‘ radar, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. A relative unknown after spending two years at Washburn, followed by the two seasons at Lindenwood, Desir finished his college career with 25 total interceptions and 52 pass breakups en route to being named a Division II All-American three times. The cornerback is projected by some to go in the second round and the Bears might be looking at him as a possibility at No. 51. More from around the NFL..
- Texans standout defensive end J.J. Watt will never play for his fifth year option, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. After the 2014 season he’s expected to sign a lucrative, long-term extension. As the Pro Football Rumors 2015 Fifth-Year Option Tracker shows, Watt’s option is worth $6.969MM.
- The Texans have holes to fill all over the roster, writes John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. That could be part of the reason why there’s ostensibly several viable candidates for the No. 1 overall pick.
- USC All-American wide receiver Marqise Lee visited the Patriots and Lions this week, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Lee was named the Pac-12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, when he caught a career-high 118 passes for 1,712 yards and 14 touchdowns. As a junior last season, Lee’s production fell to 57 catches for 791 yards and four touchdowns as he dealt with injuries.
- Alabama offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio worked out for the Buccaneers and Panthers, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com. The Crimson Tide standout has seven visits and workouts in total.
Pauline’s Latest: Richburg, Wenning, Moses
With May 8 now less than three weeks away, draft expert Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net is back with his latest round of updates on prospects and pre-draft visits. Here’s a recap of several of the highlights from Pauline’s newest piece:
- Colorado State center Weston Richburg, who has visited the Cardinals and worked out for the Patriots, could be a surprise round one pick, says Pauline, identifying the Packers, Patriots, and Broncos as potential landing spots. The Jaguars, at the start of the second round, could also be in the mix for Richburg.
- Ball State quarterback Keith Wenning is generating significant interest from NFL teams, says Pauline, writing that that Wenning has had eight visits and eight additional workouts. Of the teams mentioned by Pauline as having hosted or worked out the signal-caller, the Rams are the only one we haven’t heard mentioned previously.
- Virginia tackle Morgan Moses has seen his stock rise a little due to the ACL injury suffered by Brandon Thomas — teams eyeing tackles can no longer count on Thomas as a fallback option if they miss out on someone like Moses. According to Pauline, the Panthers may be a possibility late in the first round for Moses, and the tackle is unlikely to get past the Redskins in round two.
- Speaking of Thomas, his ACL surgery means he’ll likely fall to the fourth or fifth round, in Pauline’s view.
- We heard earlier in the week that Cameron Fleming visited the Redskins, and Pauline says Washington is “seriously interested” in the Stanford tackle. Fleming has also worked out for the Panthers, Falcons, and Titans, according to Pauline.
- Bloomsburg guard Brian Clarke is visiting the Chargers and has a private workout lined up with the Giants, tweets Pauline.
Extra Points: Clowney, Harper, Goodwin
Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney will be in Atlanta next week to visit the Falcons, a league source confirms to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure. Clowney is said to be close to shutting down workouts with teams, but will still be making visits to clubs at the top of the draft. The Falcons have the No. 6 pick and Clowney would be an excellent fit in Atlanta, but the club would likely have to trade up in the draft to have a real shot at the South Carolina standout. The latest from around the league..
- New Panthers safety Roman Harper told SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that he chose Carolina in part because he wanted to go somewhere that was warm and would give him a chance to play. Cold weather and losing would be the quickest path to retirement for him, he explained.
- The Saints brought in former center Jonathan Goodwin for a visit today, a league source tells Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (Twitter link). A reunion is possible for the two sides and makes a good deal of sense in Triplett’s view.
- While the Bengals signed punter T.J. Conley earlier today, they also had fellow punter Zoltan Mesko in for a tryout, tweets Howard Balzer of USA Today.
- The Saints brought Goodwin in for a visit today, but the Cardinals won’t do the same, tweets Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. That’s because offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin doesn’t want to coach his younger brother.
- Florida State running back Devonta Freeman is visiting the Vikings on Monday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
NFC Notes: Cowboys, Panthers, Cards, Saints
After hosting prospects such as defensive linemen Aaron Donald and Kony Ealy on Monday, the Cowboys are being visited by the likes of Florida State’s Timmy Jernigan, UCLA’s Anthony Barr, and Boise State’s Demarcus Lawrence today, writes David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com adds (via Twitter) that Northwest Missouri State cornerback Brandon Dixon is also visiting the club today.
Here’s more out of the NFC:
- A player like Donald may not be available at No. 16, but there’s no guarantee the Cowboys will be keeping that pick, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who points out that in the 25 drafts Jerry Jones has overseen, the team has traded up or down 20 times.
- The Panthers worked out LSU receivers Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry today in Baton Rouge, according to David Newton of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) provides the specifics on Thomas DeCoud‘s two-year contract with the Panthers, which has a base value of $3.525MM. That includes a $500K signing bonus and base salaries of $900K (2014) and $1.675MM (2015). Meanwhile, Alex Hall‘s one-year deal with the Panthers is for the minimum, but included a modest $10K signing bonus, tweets Wilson.
- Colorado State center Weston Richburg visited with the Cardinals on Monday, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
- Ohio State’s Bradley Roby and Lindenwood’s Pierre Desir are among the five cornerbacks visiting the Saints today, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The other three – Justin Gilbert, Aaron Colvin, and Demetri Goodson – had been previously reported.
- Mike Jones of the Washington Post reports (via Twitter) that Stanford offensive tackle Cameron Fleming visited the Redskins today, while ESPN.com’s John Keim tweets that Demarcus Lawrence is also scheduled to visit Washington.
- D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution lists more than a dozen players who worked out at the Falcons‘ local prospect day today, including Tennessee running back Rajion Neal and Georgia Tech safety Jemea Thomas, among others.
North Notes: Vikings, Browns, Bears, Lions
After working out for the Vikings on the weekend, Teddy Bridgewater visited with the team yesterday and is still there today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who notes that the Vikes are taking an extended look at the Louisville signal-caller. Bridgewater could very well still be on the board when Minnesota picks at No. 8.
Here’s more from out of the NFC and AFC North divisions:
- The Vikings and tight end Kyle Rudolph are said to have mutual interest in working out a long-term agreement to keep Rudolph in Minnesota, but the team has yet to approach the 24-year-old about an extension yet, as he tells Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
- Johnny Manziel‘s previously reported workout for the Browns is scheduled for this weekend, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
- After meeting with the Texans today, Blake Bortles will have finished with his pre-draft visits and workouts, with the exception of a visit with the Browns next week, according to Caplan (Twitter links).
- Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix will meet with the Bears this week, tweets Rapoport, adding that Clinton-Dix has also met with the Panthers and Falcons, among other teams. The Bears, meanwhile, have their eye on safeties, having already hosted Calvin Pryor.
- Rapoport passes along word of a couple more pre-draft visits, tweeting that Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard visited the Bengals today and yesterday, while Minnesota safety Brock Vereen visited the Steelers last week. The brother of Patriots running back Shane Vereen will also meet with the Vikings this week, says Rapoport (via Twitter).
- The Lions announced pre-draft visits for Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller, Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and Boston College kicker Nate Freese, as Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com details.
- Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune takes a look at Notre Dame defensive tackle Louis Nix, who recently visited the Bears.
- Matthew Mulligan‘s one-year deal with the Bears is a minimum salary benefit contract, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Chris Pressley‘s one-year pact with the Browns falls into the same category, Wilson adds (via Twitter).
Four Teams Interested In Sidney Rice
8:17pm: Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer confirms (via Twitter) that the Panthers will make a run at Rice “if the price is right.” Echoing those sentiments, Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer writes that there are several hurdles standing in the way of a Rice-to-Carolina deal. Aside from Rice’s troubling injury history, Jones points out that the Panthers are only $1.57MM under the salary cap and will need roughly $4.5MM to sign their draft picks (the team is still exploring restructures with players already on the roster to clear some cap room). As such, Rice would be a fit in Carolina “only at a discount.”
3:25pm: Despite the Giants being identified as a club with interest in Rice, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com suggests (via Twitter) they’re “extreme long shots” to land the receiver.
2:45pm: Following a visit with Dr. James Andrews, free agent receiver Sidney Rice has received clearance to resume football activities, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Rice himself confirmed that news, via Twitter, later this afternoon. Now that the veteran receiver has been medically cleared, his market could develop quickly. Florio reports that the Seahawks have interest in bringing back Rice, but that at least three other NFC teams – the Saints, Giants, and Panthers – are also in the mix.
Rice, 27, has missed time with injuries in many of his NFL seasons, including 2013. He started all 16 games for the Seahawks in 2012, but finished the season with fairly modest numbers — 50 receptions, 748 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. While he may never again match the Pro Bowl numbers he posted in 2009 (83 catches, 1,312 yards), if he stays healthy and finds the right fit, the former second-round pick could still have a positive impact for an NFL team.
The Saints were identified last month as a likely suitor for Rice, and the Seahawks have reportedly had interest all along in bringing their former receiver back at a reduced rate. The Jets were also previously linked to Rice, but it seems as if they’re not seriously in the hunt at this point, perhaps because they’re focusing on the draft to further fortify their receiving corps.
NFC Notes: Donald, Vikings, Herron
Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald expressed his interest in the Cowboys, writes David Helman of DallasCowboys.com. He had particular affection for defensive line coach Rod Marinelli. “He loves doing what he does, so that’s a coach I’d love to play for and learn from. Knowing he coached guys like Warren Sapp, that just gets you excited just knowing he’s got history and is one of the best to do it,” said Donald. “If I was able to play for Coach Marinelli that would be a blessing.”
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- The Vikings are expected to bring in a linebacker in the upcoming draft, writes Master Tesfatsion of StarTribune.com. The team has targeted Khalil Mack of Buffalo and Demarcus Lawrence of Boise State during recent visits, already having seen Preston Brown of Louisville and Anthony Barr of UCLA. The Vikings will also host North Dakota State offensive tackle Billy Turner.
- The Panthers‘ quest to find a receiver in the draft continues, as the team will host Wyoming wideout Robert Herron, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The team had previously worked out Herron earlier this month.
- The Falcons will host Brandon Watts on Tuesday, reports Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The linebacker was not a big name in the draft process before running a 4.4 40 yard dash at his Georgia Tech pro day.
Extra Points: CJ2K, Bradford, Pryor, Vikings
After Chris Johnson was released by the Titans, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that the veteran running back was likely to find a new team last week. However, Johnson remains on the market. Now Florio writes that if CJ2K is going to a find a new home before the draft, he expects it to happen within the next few days. As Florio writes, most NFL teams will be focusing almost exclusively on the draft in the coming weeks, so if a club is going to engage in negotiations for the former 2,000-yard rusher, that team would probably prefer to get it done sooner rather than later.
As we wait to see if Florio’s latest prediction works out, let’s round up several more items from around the NFL….
- Although he makes it clear that he’s not reporting that the Rams are shopping or even considering dealing quarterback Sam Bradford, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com makes a case for why the club should do exactly that, speaking to a few executives around the league to attempt to gauge Bradford’s current value.
- Louisville safety Calvin Pryor, who has previously visited the Titans and Bears, is meeting with the Saints today and has visits lined up later in the week with the Bengals and Jets, reports Gil Brandt of NFL.com (via Twitter). Considered one of the top two safeties in this year’s draft class, Pryor is viewed as a likely first-round pick.
- The Vikings have a big day of pre-draft visits lined up for Thursday, and linebackers Khalil Mack and Anthony Barr will be among the players in attendance, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- Barr will also be visiting the Eagles next week, a source tells Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com.
- Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post passes along updates on a couple prospects, reporting that North Dakota State offensive tackle Billy Turner is visiting the Cowboys today and the Rams and Vikings later, and writing that Tennessee State offensive lineman Kadeem Edwards has met with the Dolphins, Titans, Colts, and Panthers.
- The Falcons hosted Montana linebacker Jordan Tripp for a pre-draft visit today, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.