Draft Rumors: Collins, Gregory, DGB, Spain
There’s “some suspicion” that LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins may go undrafted all three days this weekend, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Even though Collins is not considered a suspect in a Louisiana police investigation, the case involves a shooting death and NFL investigators haven’t been able to uncover much info on it, so teams figure to play it safe until they know more. In an effort to buy time to clear his name, Collins asked for permission to withdraw from his draft and be eligible for the supplemental draft instead, but the league denied that request.
Here’s more on the draft:
- A personnel man whose team has a top-10 pick tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) that his team is preparing to draft Nebraska edge rusher Randy Gregory tonight. “We’re not going to let him get past us,” Getlin’s source said. That sounds like it could be a smoke screen, given all the negative reports swirling around Gregory this week. Still, according to Getlin, this personnel man believes Gregory may be the most talented player in the draft, likening him to Derrick Brooks and Jason Taylor (Twitter links).
- A source close to Dorial Green-Beckham‘s camp tells Danny Parkins of 610 AM in Kansas City (Twitter link) that the Chiefs, Cowboys, Bengals, Texans, and 49ers have shown “a lot” of interest in the young wideout within the last 36 hours.
- West Virginia offensive lineman Quinton Spain, who received a fourth-round grade from some teams, worked out for the Jets, Steelers, Bengals, Titans, Falcons, and Buccaneers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
- Albert Breer of the NFL Network identifies six teams he believes can control this year’s draft.
Michael Brockers Drawing Trade Interest
1:40pm: The Cardinals did not inquire about Brockers and the Rams wouldn’t trade him in the division anyway, a source tells Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter).
12:17pm: A report earlier this week indicated that the Rams were exercising their 2016 option on defensive tackle Michael Brockers, but apparently teams around the league aren’t convinced that St. Louis will hang onto Brockers for the long term. According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link), the Cowboys, Texans, and Cardinals have been calling the Rams trying to strike a deal for Brockers, and the Dolphins have also expressed interest.
Brokers, 24, has played well for St. Louis since being drafted 14th overall by the team in 2012, though his sack total slipped in 2014. After recording 46 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2013, Brockers totaled just 32 tackles and 2.0 sacks last year.
The presence of 2014 first-round pick Aaron Donald may have limited Brockers’ impact last season, and he may see his playing time reduced a little this coming season after the Rams signed former Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley in free agency. I imagine Brockers will still see plenty of action on running downs, but the idea of having Donald, Fairley, Robert Quinn, and Chris Long getting after the quarterback on passing downs must be tantalizing for the Rams.
Last month’s addition of Fairley to go along with Donald is likely what’s spurring teams to call the Rams about Brockers. St. Louis is already spending a good chunk of money on its defensive line, so the idea of paying Brockers $6.146MM (his option salary) for 2016 may be a little off-putting.
Nonetheless, Rams COO and EVP of football operations Kevin Demoff said yesterday that there’s a better chance of Adam Wainwright pitching again for the Cardinals this year than there is of the Rams trading Brockers (Twitter link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Wainwright, of course, recently tore his Achilles and will miss the rest of the MLB season. Still, it’s worth noting that the Rams adamantly denied that Sam Bradford was going anywhere, just weeks before he was dealt to Philadelphia.
Extra Points: Hardy, Randle, Jordan
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith firmly believes there is precedent for getting Greg Hardy‘s suspension reduced, Charean Williams of the Star Telegram writes. “In the last three years, we’ve had the league overturned three times in [the Saints’] Bounty, [Adrian] Peterson and Ray Rice,” Smith said as he gears up to defend the Cowboys star. “To me, it’s never a question about whether I’m confident or not. We start with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and if they continue to seek to impose penalties that are inconsistent with that agreement or inconsistent of the law of the case that has been developed under that agreement, this is what unions do. We fight that.” More from around the NFL..
- Cowboys running back Joseph Randle won’t face domestic violence charges for his incident in Wichita, according to Drew Davidson of the Star Telegram tweets. There was a “lack of evidence” cited by the DA’s office in the case. More from around the NFL..
- Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan issued a statement through the NFLPA regarding his suspension. “I’m very disappointed that I will not be playing in the NFL in the 2015 season,” the statement read. “Because of past positive tests and my status in the drug program, the consequence of dilute (not positive) tests is severe. I deeply regret putting myself in this position, and I apologize to my teammates and the Dolphins organization. I will use the time away from playing to finish my college degree. I will stay in excellent physical shape and look forward to returning to the NFL as soon as possible. I’m deeply grateful to my family and friends for their continued support.”
- Before the Seahawks traded for tight end Jimmy Graham, they had trade discussions with the Bears about Martellus Bennett, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Alex Boone, who held out last offseason for a new contract, will skip all of the 49ers‘ voluntary activities in the final year of his contract, a source close to the guard tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Boone, who will earn $3.4MM in 2015, has not taken part in the 49ers’ offseason program, and he was not on the field Tuesday and Wednesday for the start of the team’s voluntary three-day minicamp at the team’s practice facility.
- The Titans have gotten calls from multiple teams inquiring about what it will take to deal for the No. 2 overall pick, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Meanwhile, one team executive tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that the Titans have been asking for three first round picks to part with the No. 2 choice. The executive laughed hard when passing that info along, he adds.
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.
King’s Latest: Bucs, Mariota, Cowboys, Pats
Before answering readers’ questions in his weekly mailbag this week, Peter King of TheMMQB.com passed along a number of the latest draft rumors he’s hearing with the first round just one day away. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights….
- The Buccaneers have yet to receive a trade offer that “would come close” to making them decide to move down from No. 1.
- The Titans, Buccaneers, and Jaguars have all inquired with teams picking late in the first round about moving up from the second round, says King. The three teams have the first, second, and fourth picks, respectively, in round two.
- One GM told King that while the Titans still look like the favorites to end up with Marcus Mariota, he wouldn’t be shocked if Cleveland “trades the farm” to land the Oregon quarterback. The thinking is that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is sick of the merry-go-round at the position, and would like to land a “squeaky-clean” signal-caller to lead the franchise.
- The Cowboys would love to see running back Melvin Gordon fall to them at No. 27, but two other names to watch are linebackers Eric Kendricks (UCLA) and Benardrick McKinney (Mississippi State).
- One team considering drafting a tackle in the first round is debating whether or not LSU’s La’el Collins will be on its draft board on Thursday night. While King acknowledges that this may be unfair, he explains the club’s thinking: “How can you draft a guy who’s being sought in connection with the death of a woman, even if police are saying now he isn’t a suspect? He needs to be exonerated by Thursday.”
- The Patriots like USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor, who looks like a logical target for the club if he’s still available at No. 32.
- With the 21st overall pick, the Bengals are considering Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, who had ACL surgery in January. King views this is a sign that teams are willing to wait on a prospect who wouldn’t be healthy enough to contribute immediately if they think he can be a premier player in the long term.
NFC Notes: Packers, Peterson, Ratliff, 49ers
With Tramon Williams (Browns) and Davon House (Jaguars) both departing in free agency, there’s a void at outside cornerback for the Packers. The odds-on replacement right now is Casey Hayward, but Green Bay will have options to choose from in the first and second round, Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes.
Here’s more from across the NFC:
- Vikings general manager Rick Spielman has made no secret of the fact that he’d like to get some deals done on draft day. As Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes, the GM has a history of doing that.
- Of course, Adrian Peterson is the Vikings‘ most notable potential trade chip, and according to Mike Leslie of WFAA (Twitter link), the running back said yesterday that “it would be nice” to play in Dallas. However, Peterson acknowledged that the decision is out of is hands, and neither the Vikings nor the Cowboys seem inclined to work out a deal that would send the former MVP to his home state.
- Bears defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff, who has a $50K workout bonus for 2015 in his contract, won’t be present at the team’s voluntary minicamp this week, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
- Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) hears that the 49ers don’t value inside linebackers in the first or second round, so someone like Denzel Perryman probably isn’t a fit for them.
- With this year’s draft just a day away, it’s important to remember that scouts don’t always get it right, and Darren Sproles is proof of that. The Eagles running back was overlooked by many teams in 2005, causing him to drop to No. 130 overall, as Vaughn Johnson of Philly.com writes.
- Tom Rock of Newsday looked at five safeties the Giants could target in the draft, including Landon Collins of Alabama and Arizona State’s Damarious Randall.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Extra Points: Ray, Falcons, Cowboys
Jets tight end Jace Amaro walked back some of the harsh comments he had for former head coach Rex Ryan, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. “I had no intention of attacking anybody, especially Rex,” Amaro said. “I have the utmost respect for the guy, he gave me a chance to play in this league before anyone else. … I was really just talking to the players mostly and our team now and I’m not really worried about what happened last year.” Amaro is squarely focused on the season ahead, but two of those 16 games will be against his former coach. Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Earlier tonight, SiriusXM’s Adam Schein asked Falcons coach Dan Quinn if Shane Ray is still on his board. “Yeah, absolutely,” the coach said, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “As we’re going through the process we felt good about him. I think he had a setback. It was hard, and hopefully one that, like I said, he learns from and can move on from.”
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones won’t call running back a “must” for his team in this year’s draft. That checks out with Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter), who hears that they could wait until the third or fourth round to grab a tailback. Dallas can afford to take a lesser back in this year’s draft thanks to their outstanding offensive line.
- Danny Amendola said he didn’t have any hesitation about taking a pay cut to stay with the Patriots, Shalise Manza Young of The Boston Globe writes. “You know, it’s a business and everybody treats it like a business. Obviously you love playing football, you love being around the locker room, you love being around your teammates, and that’s really the most important thing for me,” Amendola said. “I love the group we have here, I love the work ethic everybody puts in every week, I love being here, so that’s why I chose to come back.”
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).
East Notes: Eagles, Jordan, Mathis, Cowboys
When Adam Schefter of ESPN.com first reported today that Dion Jordan had been suspended for the 2015 NFL season – news that has since been confirmed by the Dolphins – he also added another interesting tidbit, noting that the Eagles were nearing a trade for Jordan prior to his latest ban.
Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer has some additional details on those trade talks between the Dolphins and Eagles, tweeting that Jordan would’ve gone to Philadelphia for a conditional late-round pick. Per McLane, veteran guard Evan Mathis was also discussed, but it doesn’t appear Mathis would’ve been involved in the deal, if it had been finalized.
Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Speaking today to reporters, including David Helman of DallasCowboys.com (Twitter link), Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said having the No. 27 pick increases the team’s chances of moving around in the draft, either up or down. Per Helman (Twitter links), Jones also classified Dallas’ need at running back as “not urgent,” suggesting that defense is a much greater priority. In Jones’ view, running back is merely a position of interest, while the D must be improved “by hook or crook.”
- General manager Doug Whaley made a visit to meet with Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty today, a source tells Joe Buscaglia of WKBW.com. Peter Schrager of Fox Sports adds (via Twitter) that Whaley isn’t the only member of the Bills‘ front office in Dallas to have dinner with the young signal-caller. Petty is viewed as a probable day two pick in this week’s draft.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links) provides the specific details on Chris Jones‘ new three-year contract with the Cowboys. Based on Wilson’s figures, the deal features a $1MM cap number for 2015.
- The Dolphins met with Miami running back Duke Johnson today, since a conflict with a Colts workout had prevented him from attending the team’s local pro day, tweets Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
- Former TCU quarterback Casey Pachall and ex-Patriots defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick are among the players attending the Jets‘ minicamp as tryout players, per Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter links). Deaderick has also played for the Saints and Jaguars since spending three seasons in New England.
NFC Notes: Washington, Forte, David
Washington owner Daniel Snyder may have finally gotten it right with his hiring of GM Scot McCloughan, Jarrett Bell of USA Today Sports writes. The 44-year-old McCloughan made none of the splashy, high-dollar moves that had become a franchise trademark in his first offseason. Instead, he signed Terrance Knighton, Stephen Paea and Ricky Jean-Francois to fortify the defensive line at reasonable rates while obtaining Pro Bowl safety Dashon Goldson for next to nothing.
As we wait to see what McCloughan has up his sleeve in the draft, let’s round up some more items from across the NFC….
- Bears head coach John Fox said today that he doesn’t believe running back Matt Forte is present at the team’s voluntary minicamp, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Forte is heading into a contract year, and figures to be seeking an extension.
- Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway is returning to the Vikings for at least one more season, but he’s not sure yet whether 2015 will be his final year in the NFL, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
- Speaking today to reporters, Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David said he’s not thinking about contract negotiations. Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune tweets that the team intends to begin extension talks with David following the draft.
- Defensive end Adam Carriker, who was cut by Washington a year ago, is trying out for the Falcons during the club’s minicamp this week, per Jay Adams of AtlantaFalcons.com (Twitter link).
- Nebraska’s Randy Gregory would be a gift from the gods if the Cowboys could land him, Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News writes. If Gregory somehow falls all the way to No 27 and Dallas doesn’t take him, Gosselin would be shocked.
- Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com ranked the 49ers‘ top five draft needs, starting with inside linebacker. San Francisco won’t necessarily take an inside linebacker in the first or second round, but at some point the team will add depth at the position.
Zach Links contributed to this post.