10 Centers The Saints Could Pursue
Saints center Max Unger went under the knife to help fix an issue with his foot, and that surgery will cause him to miss the start of the season. With no exact timetable in place for his return, the Saints will likely consider out-of-house options to help fill the void.
With some help from PFR’s Dallas Robinson, here are centers that New Orleans could look into acquiring:
- Nick Mangold (free agent): Mangold remains on the open market and he stands as the most obvious choice for the Saints to consider. The Saints would be hard-pressed to find anyone with a resume as impressive as Mangold’s and the seven-time Pro Bowler probably wouldn’t cost all that much at this stage of the offseason. At the same time, there’s a reason why he is still available here in May and word of clubs asking him to change positions isn’t exactly encouraging.
- Jason Kelce (Eagles): Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com was quick to connect the dots on Monday morning after word of Unger’s injury broke. The Eagles reportedly have had Kelce on the trading block for some time now and the Saints would now be a logical landing spot for him. The Eagles beat writer suggests that a Kelce deal could see running back Mark Ingram going to Philly, but I personally have a hard time seeing that happen. If the Saints are unable to meet the Eagles’ asking price for Kelce, however, they might be able to swing a deal for another interesting option on their roster.
- Stefen Wisniewski (Eagles): If the Eagles were to trade Kelce, Wisniewski or guard Isaac Seumalo would be the top candidates to step into the starting role. However, Wisniewski himself would make lots of sense as a stopgap for the Saints. Wisniewski was a starter for five straight years with the Raiders and Jaguars before landing with the Eagles as a reserve. In addition to that starting experience, he also offers experience at guard, so he could be used at multiple spots once Unger returns to action. Pro Football Focus ranked him 39th among 72 eligible guards last season with strong marks for his pass blocking skills.
- Joe Hawley (Buccaneers): The Buccaneers are moving Ali Marpet to center and he could very well wind up as the starter. There’s also Evan Dietrich-Smith and guard/tackle Ken Pamphile to consider for the No. 1 job and that could make Hawley expendable. The 28-year-old (29 in October) has been the Bucs’ primary center for the last two years, but he could be on the outside looking in after camp concludes. This offseason, he re-signed with the team on a two-year, $5.5MM deal with just $1MM guaranteed. It’s an affordable deal that the Saints could easily wiggle out of next year, if need be. Alternatively, the Bucs may want to dangle Dietrich-Smith in New Orleans’ direction.
- Tim Barnes (49ers): Barnes just showed up in San Francisco, but indications are that the Niners will use Jeremy Zuttah as their starting center in 2o17. Before getting cut this offseason, Barnes spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons as the Rams’ starter. Another Niner, Daniel Kilgore, could have appeal for the Saints.
- Cameron Erving (Browns): The Browns are planning to move Erving to right tackle now that J.C. Tretter is in town, but perhaps the Saints would be interested in seeing what he can do in the middle. Then again, he was shifted to right tackle last year after performing poorly in 12 games at center.
- Matt Slauson (Chargers): Slauson isn’t guaranteed to start this year thanks to the presence of Max Tuerk, Forrest Lamp, and Dan Feeney. All three players are rookies (Tuerk didn’t play in 2016 thanks to his knee injury) but the team is high on each of them. In theory, Slauson could be shifted over to guard with Tuerk starting in the middle, but it’s also possible that Feeney starts at right guard over him. Slauson would be a valuable swing reserve for Los Angeles, but the Bolts might also be willing to trade him thanks to their glut of O-Line options.
- Joe Berger (Vikings): Vikings coach Mike Zimmer sees third round rookie Pat Elflein as a center, and that could potentially make Berger expendable. Berger, 35 later this month, has started 68 games over the course of his career. He graded out as the 12th best guard in the entire NFL last season, according to PFF. He earned an even stronger overall score in 2015 when he primarily played in the middle. Berger still has plenty in the tank, so it would be harder to pry him away than some of the other names on this list.
Sashi Brown: Browns Probably Won't Add Veteran QB
The Browns are currently rostering four quarterbacks in Cody Kessler, Brock Osweiler, DeShone Kizer, and Kevin Hogan. Despite the depth, the grouping doesn’t have a whole lot of experience, as the four signal-callers have combined for 49 career games. Despite the inexperience, the front office doesn’t anticipate adding a veteran quarterback to their roster.
- While appearing on ESPN’s Mike and Mike, Brown explained the logic that went behind the Browns selection of Florida defensive tackle Caleb Brantley in the sixth round. “We’ll see what the prosecutor’s office does here, but that was another thing,” Brown said (via Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com). “There was no warrant issued for his arrest. There was an allegation of what happened. So we did our diligence.” Brantley is accused of punching a woman back in April.
DeShone Kizer Will Be Part Of "Open Competition"
- As is the case with Houston, the Browns are prepared to let their rookie signal-caller compete for a starting job. In Cleveland’s case, it’s second-rounder DeShone Kizer, who will be part of “an open competition” that could also feature Brock Osweiler, Cody Kessler and Kevin Hogan, GM Sashi Brown said Thursday on ESPN’s Mike and Mike (via Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com). Meanwhile, speaking with Cleveland Browns Daily, head coach Hue Jackson lavished praise on Kizer, a former Notre Dame star who went 52nd in the draft. “He has the characteristics that we as an organization covet. He’s a big man,” Jackson said of the 6-foot-4, 233-pounder. “He has the AFC North stature that I love. He has a big arm. He’s very intelligent. He’s played in a real big-time football program. He understands the demands of playing the position. He understands the demands of being a quarterback and the face of the franchise.”
Browns Announce 11 UDFA Signings
The Browns announced that they’ve agreed to terms with 11 undrafted college free agents. The full list of new Cleveland players is as follows:
- B.J. Bello, LB (Illinois State)
- Josh Boutte, OL (LSU)
- Ladell Fleming, LB (Northern Illinois)
- J.D. Harmon, DB (Kentucky)
- Alvin Hill, DB (Maryland)
- Jamal Marcus, DL (Akron)
- Taylor McNamara, TE (USC)
- Kai Nacua, DB (BYU)
- Kenneth Olugbode, LB (Colorado)
- Karter Schult, DL (Northern Iowa)
- Channing Stribling, DB (Michigan)
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/2/17
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: CB Brian Dixon
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: LB Cavellis Luckett
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: CB Tyler Patmon
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: K Brett Maher
Detroit Lions
- Waived: CB Ian Wells (failed physical)
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers: WR Devin Street
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived/injured: DT Aziz Shittu, WR Dom Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: RB Brandon Brown-Dukes, RB Gus Johnson, WR Canaan Severin, CB Al-Hajj Shabazz
Washington Redskins
- Waived LB Steven Daniels,WR Reggie Diggs, LB Rufus Johnson, OL Quinton Schooley
DeShone Kizer Could Start Right Away
The Browns were the club most frequently connected to new Bears’ QB Mitch Trubisky prior to the draft, but Chicago made the surprising decision to trade up to the No. 2 overall pick and nab the former UNC signal-caller, and then Patrick Mahomes came off the board before Cleveland could nab him with the No. 12 overall selection. So the Browns dealt that pick and waited until the the second round to get a quarterback, selecting Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer, whose stock slipped over the last few months but who certainly has first-round ability.
As Tony Grossi of ESPN.com writes, the Browns are open to having Kizer start right away. Head coach Hue Jackson said, “If he can handle [starting], great. We are not going to say, ‘No, you can’t play,’ if he is ready to play.”
Browns Uncertain To Keep Caleb Brantley
The Browns made one of the draft’s more controversial picks earlier today by selecting Florida defensive tackle Caleb Brantley, who has been charged with assault for an incident that occurred in Gainesville, Florida, earlier this month.
Brantley’s time with the Browns looks like it will depend on the outcome of this investigation. GM Sashi Brown (via Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, on Twitter) said the team may be forced to part ways with the sixth-round pick. Brown added “the facts of this case may be something we can’t get comfortable with,” candidly discussing how the team could move on if this process progresses to a point the Browns can’t handle (Twitter link, via Cabot).
Viewed as a first- or second-round talent, Brantley has been charged for allegedly striking a woman in a bar and causing dental injuries after a verbal altercation. Cabot adds (Twitter link) that a source relayed a message from a Florida coach telling every team with which he spoke to stay away from Brantley.
Cleveland has not been afraid to make unconventional moves since Brown and Co. took over last year. Drafting a higher-end talent to retain his rights while a legal investigation ensues would qualify as such. The Browns visited with Brantley, but that summit came before the Gainesville incident, Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com tweets.
“It’s concerning to us and continues to be a concern,” Brown said, per Cabot (on Twitter), discussing Brantley’s case.
This makes the draft pick all the more interesting, but the Browns being a team in the early stages of a potential rebuild and being viewed as possibly years away from contention affords the franchise the opportunity to take a risk with a sixth-round pick. Brantley seeing the team that drafted him announce this stance puts his NFL career on thin ice before it’s begun.
Browns Acquire Jets’ No. 160 Selection
The Browns traded up for the second time today, acquiring the Jets’ No. 160 selection. They took Florida State offensive lineman Roderick Johnson after making the move. The Browns traded pick No. 181 (fifth round) and pick No. 188 (sixth) to the Jets to make the move. They also received pick No. 224 from the Jets in the swap (Twitter link via Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald).
Cleveland also made a deal with Denver earlier today to acquire the Broncos’ fourth-round selection, along with a seventh. The Browns traded two fifth-rounders for that right. They selected cornerback Howard Wilson from Houston in the fourth.
These moves come two days after the Browns traded out of their No. 12 overall spot, with the Texans moving up 13 spots for the right to draft Deshaun Watson. The Browns then took Jabrill Peppers before trading back into the first round and adding receiving tight end David Njoku.
The 6-foot-7 Johnson will join former Seminoles teammate Cameron Erving on the Browns’ line, one that’s been partially remade via additions of Kevin Zeitler and J.C. Tretter this offseason.
Browns Acquire No. 126 From Broncos
The Browns have acquired the No. 126 pick from the Broncos, tweets Mike Klis of 9News. Cleveland will select cornerback Howard Wilson (Houston).
Browns Draft DeShone Kizer
The Browns have selected Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer with the 52nd overall pick, giving them a young signal-caller to develop after they didn’t choose one in the opening round.
Kizer was excellent in 2015, posting 21 touchdowns and completing nearly 63% of his passes while averaging 8.5 adjusted yards per target. Last season, however, his completion percentage by more than four points, and while many of Kizer’s raw statistics remained stagnant, draft analysts pegged him as a Day 2 pick.
Kizer is the second passer the Browns have chosen in the past two drafts, joining 2016 third-round pick Cody Kessler. While Kessler fared respectably in limited action last season, he didn’t do enough to establish himself as a long-term option, and he also dealt with concussion issues. He and Kizer will presumably take up two spots on the Browns’ QB depth chart next season, while the futures of Brock Osweiler, recently acquired via trade, and Kevin Hogan are unclear.