Miller’s Latest: Bills, Watson, Mahomes
They say that you shouldn’t draft a box safety in the top 10, but that’s not enough to get Matt Miller of Bleacher Report to cool off on LSU’s Jamal Adams. That’s because he doesn’t view him as a box safety. Yes, the Tigers had Adams playing more in the box last year, but he did more coverage work in 2015 and excelled. Anyone who thinks he’s just a box safety, Miller argues, hasn’t looked closely enough at the tape. Miller believes he can go as high as No. 3 to the Bears and “can’t see any way he falls out of the top 10.”
Here’s more from Miller:
- The buzz is that Bills GM Doug Whaley is “in love” with Deshaun Watson. In fact, Watson may be the first QB off the board if the Bills go for him at No. 10 overall. The 49ers, Bears, Jaguars, and Jets are also in the market for a QB, but some believe that might not happen in the first round.
- Tennessee edge-rusher Derek Barnett looks like a first-rounder on film, but he hasn’t done well in workouts, Miller hears. Recently, he ran a subpar 4.89 second 40-yard dash at his pro day.
- Some scouts who attended Patrick Mahomes‘ pro day weren’t super impressed by the Texas A&M product’s scripted throws . One scout said he’s a “thrower, not a passer” while another said “[he’s] got some [Colin] Kaepernick to his arm.” All in all, however, those in attendance were high on Mahomes’ arm, athleticism, and poise. Meanwhile, Miller polled six execs and they all said that Mahomes will come off the board in the first round.
- Solomon Thomas seems like a top five lock and the Jaguars really like him if he’s on the board at No. 4.
- Chad Kelly injured his wrist during his pro day, but the Ole Miss product was recently cleared to throw and do drops, Miller hears.
- John Ross‘ 4.22 second 40-yard-dash time turned a lot of heads, but teams Miller have spoken to are worried about his injury history. He has had knee injuries in the past and suffered a torn labrum that was operated on right after the combine.
Bears To Host Jamal Adams
- In addition to the Jaguars, Adams also plans to visit the Titans and Bears, reports Ross Dellenger of the Advocate (Twitter link). Adams (unofficially) ran the 40-yard-dash in 4.33 seconds at LSU’s pro day, Josh Katzenstein of the Times Picayune tweets, and that mark might help his stock. At the combine in February, Adams only managed to post a 4.56 finish.
Bears Sign B.W. Webb
The Bears have agreed to sign free agent cornerback B.W. Webb, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The club has since confirmed the transaction, and added that it’s a one-year deal.
Webb, 27, met with Chicago, Buffalo, and Cleveland this week, and has opted to sign on in the Windy City. General manager Ryan Pace & Co. have been aggressive in attempting to fix a poor pass defense this offseason, and the club had already added defensive backs Prince Amukamara, Marcus Cooper, and Quintin Demps over the past month. Webb now joins a secondary that also includes former first-round pick Kyle Fuller, Tracy Porter, Cre’Von LeBlanc, and others.
Webb has bounced around during his NFL career, spending time with the Cowboys, Steelers, Titans, and Saints. He’s appeared in 49 games during that span, but didn’t start his first contest until last year. In 13 games (seven starts), Webb played on 56% of New Orleans’ defensive snaps, and racked up one interception, 11 passes defensed, and 27 tackles.
Bears To Meet With Josh Jones
- North Carolina State safety Josh Jones worked out for the Titans on Tuesday and is meeting with the Vikings on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Jones, who is expected to be selected near the end of the first round or in the early part of Day 2, also has visits scheduled with the Browns, Steelers, and Bears, per Rapoport. Thus far, Jones has also been linked to Baltimore and Miami.
NFL Draft Rumors: Thomas, 49ers, Davis
There continues to be lots of talk about Solomon Thomas going No. 2 overall, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report hears (Twitter links). However, he’s not totally convinced that it’ll the 49ers taking him. On one hand, the Niners could use a strong 4-3 defensive end and Thomas could be used a role similar to what Michael Bennett has filled for Seattle. At the same time, Miller can also see the Niners trading out from No. 2, allowing the Panthers or Jaguars to move up for Thomas.
Miller speculates that SF could send the No. 2 overall pick to Carolina for the Nos. 8 and 40 selections. Recently, PFR’s Dallas Robinson ran down a number of scenarios in which the Panthers could come away with that highly-coveted draft choice.
While we wait to see how that plays out, here’s a roundup of the latest draft rumors:
- The Browns are visiting with Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis today and tomorrow (Wednesday and Thursday), Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Davis missed the combine with an ankle injury but he is still considered to be one of the very best wide receivers in this year’s class. Last year, he had 97 catches for 1,500 yards and 19 touchdowns.
- The Ravens are hosting prospects a number of big name prospects this week, including Alabama outside linebacker Tim Williams and North Carolina State safety Josh Jones (Twitter link via Albert Breer of The MMQB). Williams is said to have serious upside, but concerns about his conditioning and motivation may push him into the second round. This will mark Jones’ second meeting with Baltimore.
- Quarterback Deshaun Watson is scheduled to be with the Jaguars on Wednesday and Thursday (Twitter link via Josina Anderson of ESPN.com).
- Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore is on his way to visit with the Titans, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Titans could consider him at No. 5 overall.
- Ohio State safety Malik Hooker is visiting with the Bears, Rapoport tweets.
B.W. Webb To Visit Browns, Bears
B.W. Webb spent his first four NFL seasons with four different teams, so the cornerback is accustomed to visiting different parts of the country. He’s continuing this trend this week as a UFA.
After paying a visit to Buffalo today to meet with Bills brass, Webb is scheduled to make trips to meet with the Browns and Bears, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Webb’s set to be in Cleveland on Tuesday and Chicago on Wednesday, barring an earlier deal changing the itinerary.
Webb has suited up for the Cowboys, Steelers, Titans and Saints the past four seasons, with his most significant usage coming in New Orleans. He started seven games last season on a Saints team stricken with cornerback maladies.
The Bears have retooled at corner this offseason in signing Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper. They still have Kyle Fuller, Tracy Porter and Cre’Von LeBlanc as well. Cleveland does not have the same depth outside. Jamar Taylor did well to rebound after a shaky stretch in Miami and was rewarded with an extension. He and Joe Haden remain the Browns’ top two corners. Behind them, though, are second-year player Briean Boddy-Calhoun and Trey Caldwell.
Bears Host Marshon Lattimore
- Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore is visiting the Bears today, a source tells Rapoport (on Twitter). The Bears pick at No. 3 and they could consider Lattimore, the player widely considered to be this year’s top cornerback. The Bears’ top corners, as of this writing, are Cre’Von LeBlanc and Prince Amukamara.
Bears To Meet With O.J. Howard
- The Panthers, Jaguars, and Bears will all meet with Alabama tight end O.J. Howard, who has previously chatted with the Titans and Buccaneers, reports Connor Orr of NFL.com. Howard is universally regarded as the draft’s No. 1 tight end, and could be selected as high as pick No. 4 when Jacksonville is on the board. Over the past two years in Tuscaloosa, Howard averaged 42 receptions for 599 yards while displaying ferocious blocking skills.
Bears GM Discusses QBs, Free Agency
The Bears have seemingly been one of the busiest teams this offseason. The organization moved on from veteran quarterback Jay Cutler, replacing him with Mike Glennon and Mark Sanchez. The team also watched as wideout Alshon Jeffery left for the Eagles. Meanwhile, the team added a number of players on the defensive side of the ball, including cornerbacks Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper.
While attending the NFL owners’ meeting earlier this week, general manager Ryan Pace talked to reports about the Bears’ offseason. Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune compiled the executive’s sound bites, and we’ve passed along some of the more notable quotes below…
On where Mark Sanchez will slot into the team’s depth chart:
“So Mike Glennon is our starting quarterback, and Sanchez I see as a really good solid No. 2 quarterback. I like him in this role for a lot of reasons, and one of them is the experience that he has. He’s been through the highs and lows of our league. He has played in some big markets. He has dealt with challenges. He has dealt with success. I think he’s the kind of player that exudes confidence. I like that about him. He’s knowledgeable. He’s smart, and him and Mike have already kind of clicked. They’re together and they’re organizing workouts on their own, and those kinds of things are important.”
On why the team inked a backup quarterback prior to the draft as opposed to after the draft:
“Honestly, it was just kind of where the market was going. So I think if we waited much longer he wouldn’t have been available. We brought him in and visited with him. We had some important questions to kind of know where his mindset was because I’ve never met him personally like that. Over the course of that visit it became very evident that he would mesh well with Mike Glennon and fit really well in the room, so we’re excited about it.”
On the additions of cornerbacks Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper:
“In free agency in general, we’ve signed a lot of players. I think it’s either us or San Francisco, most signings in the league. I like that. Hey, honestly, we had a lot of needs. And I think by spreading (the money) out like this it’s kind of the shotgun approach I like to take sometimes instead of putting all of your eggs in just one basket. I kind of like what we’ve done, and there are different qualities I like with each one of these guys. As a free-agent class in general, I really like the makeup and the character and the intelligence and the intangibles of the class.”
On how the organization will look to fill the hole left by wideout Alshon Jeffery’s departure:
“I’m excited about Cam [Meredith]. I just feel like you just see him getting better and better. No different than how we talked about Marcus Cooper. Cam is a guy with a lot of upside, the path that he took. Just to see him mature over the last couple years. I hate to make comparisons, but I felt like I saw this happen with Colston a little bit. Cam just has a great attitude right now. He’s getting better. I love his skill set. I love his professionalism. I think we’re going to see him ascend.
And Kevin [White] — Kevin is going to have to step up and stay healthy. He knows that. He’s motivated. We’re excited about a handful of guys. We still have the draft ahead of us too.”
On cornerback Deiondre’ Hall‘s arrest last weekend:
“I talked to him. John [Fox] has talked to him. We’ve got other people working on it. He’s back in Lake Forest now. It’s just one of those deals you kind of want to make sure you are thorough gathering all the information before you jump to major conclusions. But the circumstances surrounding it are obviously disappointing.”
Bears Release DL Ego Ferguson
The Bears have released defensive lineman Ego Ferguson, according to a team announcement. He’ll now go through the waiver process. If every team passes on him, he’ll be a free agent early next week. 
Ferguson, a second-round pick of the old regime, played in only four games in 2015 due to injuries and a suspension. Then, he missed the entire 2016 season with a shoulder injury. In total, he appeared in only 20 games since being drafted in 2014. In that time, the 25-year-old (26 in September) has compiled 26 tackles, two sacks, and three passes defended.
The Bears shopped Ferguson in September 2016, but they were unable to find any takers. With some big name defensive linemen still on the board and the draft still on the horizon, it seems unlikely that he’ll get claimed.