Draft Visits: Perriman, DGB, Clemmings, Jones
Here are the latest updates on a few draft prospects taking some visits and working out for teams this week:
- Breshad Perriman, WR (UCF): Visiting the Titans today, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Second overall is too high for Perriman, but 33rd overall is likely too late to nab him, so Tennessee could be doing its due diligence in the event of a trade.
- Dorial Green-Beckham, WR (Missouri): Visiting the Chiefs today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- T.J. Clemmings, OT (Pittsburgh): Visiting the Saints, Falcons, and Rams this week, and has met with 19 teams since his Pro Day, per Rapoport (Twitter link).
- Byron Jones, CB (UConn): Visiting the Dolphins, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Jones was previously identified as a player on Miami’s radar.
- Anthony Harris, S (Virginia); Marcus Rush, DE (Michigan State): Both players are visiting the Lions today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
- Kyle Emanuel, DE (North Dakota); Eric Rowe, CB (Utah); Doran Grant, CB (Ohio State): All three players visited the Steelers today, tweets ESPN.com’s Scott Brown.
- Daryl Williams, OL (Oklahoma); Tyrus Thompson, OL (Oklahoma); Adam Shead, OL (Oklahoma): All three players worked out for Panthers offensive line coach John Matsko today, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Williams and Thompson previously worked out for Cowboys offensive line coach Frank Pollack.
- Jesse Davis, OL (Idaho): Has a private workout with the Seahawks later this week, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
Cowboys Re-Sign Lance Dunbar
The deadline for restricted free agents to sign an offer sheet with a rival team is this Friday, so while we may see one or two RFAs force their current team’s hand, we should expect to see more of them simply sign their tender offers. That’s the case for running back Lance Dunbar, who has signed his tender with the Cowboys, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Dunbar, 25, has been used sparingly on offense during his three years in Dallas, totaling 80 carries for 324 rushing yards. He earned a career-high 47 touches in 2014, carrying the ball 29 times and adding 18 receptions. The North Texas product also contributes on special teams and returns the occasional kick for the Cowboys.
The Cowboys, who lost the top running back on their depth chart when DeMarco Murray signed with the division-rival Eagles, tendered Dunbar at the low end, so he’ll be in line for a $1.542MM base salary in 2015. Despite the absence of Murray, Dunbar won’t necessarily receive more touches next season. Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle, and Ryan Williams are also in the backfield mix, and the team is expected to address the position in the draft as well.
NFC East Notes: RGIII, JPP, Scandrick
There’s a lot of talk over whether Washington will exercise Robert Griffin III’s fifth-year option by May 3rd, but he’s not fretting it too much, as Jeff Darlington of NFL.com writes. “I wouldn’t be bummed,” Griffin said. “Either way, we’re going out there to prove it this upcoming year — not next year. I just want to win. I want to win games and have fun doing it. The rest will take care of itself. They can pick up the option — or they can decide not to pick up the option. It’ll work out either way. I’m focused on this year.” More from the NFC East..
- The Giants have not made a long-term offer to Jason Pierre-Paul, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger. JPP, who had 12.5 sacks last season, was locked in on a one-year deal earlier this offseason. Now, the 26-year-old perhaps has a little bit of extra incentive to perform as he looks to land a big deal after this season.
- As we learned this morning, Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick, whose modest $1.5MM salary places him below even most teams’ No. 2 corners, didn’t report to the first day of Dallas’ offseason program. As Albert Breer of the NFL Network points out (via Twitter), Scandrick has a $500K de-escalator in his deal tied to workouts, so he’ll risk a third of his 2015 salary if he continues to stay away from the team.
- Washington safety and linebacker Shaq Thompson, who could be in play at No. 20 in the draft, visited the Eagles today, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).
East Notes: Dez, JPP, Giants, Mathis, Jets
Most teams around the NFL begin their voluntary offseason programs today, and a handful of players in the NFC East won’t be in attendance at their respective teams’ workouts. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the Cowboys will be without franchise player Dez Bryant and underpaid cornerback Orlando Scandrick, and Jordan Raanan of NJ.com reports that another franchise player, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, will be absent for the Giants.
Meanwhile, Eagles guard Evan Mathis, who attended the team’s voluntary workouts last spring amid trade rumors, won’t do the same this year, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who tweets that Mathis is staying away for now. Asked about his absence, the veteran offensive lineman jokingly replied, “I’m in Antarctica looking for frozen dinosaurs to extract their DNA and splice them with my chihuahuasaur” (Twitter link via McLane).
While we wish Mathis the best of luck on his Antarctic expedition, let’s round up a few more items from out of the NFL’s two East divisions:
- The Jets likely won’t select Breshad Perriman with the sixth overall pick, when one or both of Kevin White and Amari Cooper could still be on the board, but New York is doing its homework anyway, hosting the UCF wideout for a visit today, a league source tells Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
- There’s a good chance that the Giants will re-sign safety Stevie Brown soon, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. According to Schwartz, Brown would like to return to New York, but wanted to see if he could do better than the one-year deal the Giants offered him. However, it doesn’t appear that any other potential suitors are willing to do a longer-term contract.
- As the Giants continue to consider options at safety, Raanan tweets that Virginia defensive back Anthony Harris – who is capable of playing the free safety position – visited the team this weekend.
- Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post has details on another Giants pre-draft meeting, reporting that Purdue running back Akeem Hunt is visiting the club today.
NFC East Rumors: DGB, Harris, Eagles
Here are some rumors coming out of the NFC East on Sunday night.
- First-round talent Dorial Green-Beckham declined a pre-draft visit with the Cowboys, according to Ross Jones of FoxSports.com (via Twitter). No reason was given for this decision.
- While the never-ending spree of Adrian Peterson-replacing-DeMarco Murray-in-Dallas rumors will persist for at least another 10 days, Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News writes Murray won’t be the toughest Cowboy to replace this season. On the surface, it appeared the Giants handed a typo-worthy check to pry return man Dwayne Harris from the Cowboys, but the five-year, $17.5MM deal goes a long way to fix Big Blue’s special teams while depleting the Cowboys’, notes Gosselin.
- The Eagles won’t likely trade up in the draft, and if they do it would probably be for Marcus Mariota, but Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com picks out two other potential prospects that he could imagine the team making a move to grab, in cornerback Trae Waynes and receiver DeVante Parker.
- In light of Sunday’s news that Tim Tebow intends to sign with the Eagles, ESPN Jets reporter Rich Cimini (via Twitter) passes along the polarizing quarterback’s QBR in the final five minutes of fourth quarters. Cherry-picking, indeed, but Tebow’s 80.7 crunch-time figure crafted largely in the middle portion of the 2011 season nearly doubles Sam Bradford‘s 46.8 mark.
Rob DiRe contributed to this report
Stevie Brown Narrowing Down Offers
SUNDAY, 2:08pm: The Titans have not offered Brown a contract and aren’t “currently in the mix” for him, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
SATURDAY, 2:40pm: Safety Stevie Brown is reportedly narrowing down his free agent choices, currently mulling over five or six offers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). Some of the teams that have expressed interest in the 27-year old former seventh-round pick include the Cowboys, Falcons, Titans, and Raiders, writes Schefter.
The Giants are also interested in keeping Brown in New York. He is expected to come to a decision soon.
Brown began his career with the Raiders and Colts, before coming to the Giants in 2012 where he picked off eight passes to go along with 76 tackles in his breakout campaign.
The Dallas Morning News originally ran with the story as reported by Schefter, before updating the story to contradict the report. According to a source, the Cowboys have not had any interest in Brown.
Extra Points: Draft, Peterson, Cowboys
The most landscape-altering move discussed in a slew of Marcus Mariota-procurement rumors involves Philip Rivers heading to the Titans.
But considering the price Washington had to pay the Rams to move up from No. 14 to No. 2 to select Robert Griffin in 2012 — three first-rounders and a second-round selection — ESPN’s Bill Polian argues that the Chargers‘ No. 17 pick and Rivers potentially being included in a trade isn’t enough to warrant the Titans moving out of the No. 2 spot.
“Why wouldn’t that be the benchmark?” Polian said to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Mark Craig. “The price to move up to No. 2 would be pretty darn high, I would think.”
The counter-argument there is the 33-year-old Rivers’ five-time Pro Bowl status and potential productivity going forward replaces one, possibly two, of those selections in a deal. Although Jay Cutler was nearly seven years younger and far less proven, another recent comparable maneuver fetched the Broncos two first-rounders, low-end starter Kyle Orton and a third-round selection, with only an additional fifth-rounder to make that deal work for the Bears.
On to some additional news from around the league on Saturday night …
- In the same piece from Craig, Vikings GM Rick Spielman‘s penchant for trading back into the first round stems from the ability to retain the player on his first contract for five years instead of four due to the fifth-year option introduced in the 2011 CBA. Minnesota did this to acquire Harrison Smith in 2012 and Teddy Bridgewater in 2014 but may not be able to execute such a move this year with just seven total draft choices, writes Craig.
- Star-Tribune columnist Sid Hartman expects a positive resolution to the ongoing Adrian Peterson-Vikings standoff despite the Cowboys’ not-so-secret pursuit. With the running back potentially accelerating Bridgewater’s development by providing a high-quality complementary force, Hartman expects Zygi and Mark Wilf to “make every effort” to get Peterson back. This included assuring more guaranteed money comes to the player with the biggest contract in the league at his position.
- The Cowboys‘ acquisition of Greg Hardy will enable them to address other needs early in the draft, notes Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News. While a forthcoming suspension remains in play for Hardy, Dallas’ 28th-best pass rush receives a big upgrade and as a result, the linebacker and running back needs can be addressed without a reach for a pass-rusher being necessary at No. 27.
- Josh Lambo is an unusual kicking prospect that will be available in post-draft free agency, writes Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Before kicking for three years at Texas A&M and breaking the Aggies’ field goal accuracy record, the 24-year-old Lambo resided in Major League Soccer’s FC Dallas organization for four years.
Draft Notes: Beasley, Jones, Dunkley, Delaire
Our own Ben Levine collected a number of notes surrounding prospects for the upcoming NFL Draft earlier today, and as they keep pouring in, here are some additional notes from around the NFL:
- The Raiders have sent four of their people to South Carolina to get a closer look at Clemson pass rusher Vic Beasley, reports Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. Beasley would be a slight reach at fourth overall, and isn’t a perfect scheme fit, but could be an interesting prospect especially if the team is serious about trading down.
- Connecticut cornerback Byron Jones has been rising up draft boards, and could be a day-one selection by the time the NFL Draft commences. Jones has visits lined up with the Cardinals, Cowboys, Eagles, Bills, Bears, and 49ers, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- South Florida cornerback and return specialist Chris Dunkley will be visiting with the Ravens, Patriots, Bills, and Lions next week, according to Wilson. He has already met with the Falcons, Dolphins, and Chargers.
- Wilson also writes that Towson pass rusher Ryan Delaire will be attending both the Ravens and Washington’s local prospect days. Delaire had his medical recheck this weekend, and seems healthy. He could be an interesting prospect in the later rounds of the draft.
- University of Akron receiver Zach D’Orazio had a private workout with the Browns today, according to George Thomas of Ohio.com. D’Orazio is a former quarterback, who has the size and speed to present a matchup advantage running routes out of the slot.
Extra Points: Wilson, Saints, Gurley
Appearing on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson discussed his passion for baseball. The host cited Wilson’s subpar minor league numbers (.227 average, five home runs, 26 RBI), but the former Super Bowl champion believes he could still make it to the majors (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com):
“I wouldn’t be worried about the statistics of it. I know I can play in the big leagues. With the work ethic and all that, I think I definitely could for sure. And that’s why the Texas Rangers got my rights. And they want me to play. Jon Daniels, the G.M., wants me to play. We were talking about it the other day.”
Wilson also discussed N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien’s refusal to let the quarterback play baseball, forcing the player to transfer to Wisconsin:
“I’ll never forget it. I’ll never forget the times that people have told me that I couldn’t do something.”
Let’s take a look at some more assorted notes from around the NFL…
- Mike Golic Jr.‘s contract with the Saints is for one year at the league minimum ($435K), according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (via Twitter). The writer notes that the organization’s cap space will not affected by the signing.
- Georgia running back Todd Gurley had his injured ACL examined, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says (via Twitter) the player’s knee “checked out fine.”
- UConn cornerback Byron Jones has visited the 49ers, Bills, Bears, Cowboys, Cardinals and Eagles, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan. The reporter notes that Jones is expected to also meet with the Dolphins.
Extra Points: Dez, Johnson, Cooper, Draft Visits
The recent falling out between Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant and longtime mentor David Wells makes it unlikely Bryant will stay in Dallas long term, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). The Cowboys view Wells as crucial to keeping Bryant out of trouble off the field, and if Wells isn’t going to continue on as part of Bryant’s life, Cole doesn’t expect the team to risk giving the wideout a long-term deal. Bryant, on whom the Cowboys placed the franchise tag earlier this offseason, is scheduled to become a free agent next year.
Rounding up the rest of the latest NFL news as Friday comes to a close:
- Colts receiver Andre Johnson spent the first 12 years of his career with the Texans and caught over 1,000 passes before the team released him in March. Despite subsequently signing with AFC South rival Indianapolis, Johnson doesn’t harbor ill will against his old team. “It wasn’t about circling (game) dates or nothing against the Texans. I had 12 great years [in Houston],” Johnson said Friday, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. “I have nothing bad against the Texans.”
- The Giants could draft a receiver with the ninth overall pick, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (Twitter link), who believes Amari Cooper of Alabama tops their wideout big board. However, Raanan tweets that it’s unlikely Cooper will fall to the Giants.
- Speaking of Cooper, multiple teams rate him as the best player in the draft, per Peter King of TheMMQB.com (Twitter).
- University of Kentucky edge rusher Bud Dupree visited the Rams on Friday, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter).
- Sacramento State wide receiver DeAndre Carter will visit the Patriots on Monday, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter).
- Washington visited with University of Pittsburgh linebacker Todd Thomas on Friday, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.Net.
- The Colts on Friday hosted a pair of safety prospects – Northwestern’s Ibraheim Campbell and Samford’s Jaquiski Tartt – per Pauline (Twitter).