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NFC Roundup: Suh, Cowboys, Bears, Eagles

May 18th, 2014 at 10:20pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Despite the fact that he will be attending organized team activities this week, Ndamukong Suh continues to be the subject of trade rumors. According to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report, teams are still contacting the Lions to inquire about Suh, despite Detroit claiming that no teams have shown interest (Twitter links). A trade of the All-Pro defensive tackle would yield almost $3MM in cap space for the Lions, but Suh’s 2014 $12.55MM base salary would probably prove too costly for any team looking to acquire him. In order for a trade to take place, it would probably take a willingness from Suh to restructure his deal, along with a first- or second-round pick heading to Detroit.

More news from the NFC:

  • The Cowboys have a fondness for Boise State players, so it was logical that the team surrendered its second- and third-round picks to move up and select BSU linebacker Demarcus Lawrence, writes Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News. “We like Boise guys,” said Dallas head coach Jason Garrett. “We always take a hard look at where the player has played, what kind of program [it is] and what that program is all about. They do a great job up there. It’s a very competitive program. The players that come out of there compete; they play hard. We’ve got two of them,” he said, referencing Orlando Scandrick and Tyrone Crawford.
  • Jason Witten was pleased with the Cowboys draft, as he believes the selection of guard Zack Martin shows Dallas wants to improve to the running game, according to Carlos Mendez of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I think it says a lot about where our football team’s headed,” said Witten. “It was huge for us, because for a long time, we didn’t have that solidified. I think it speaks volumes for where we’re at and where we’re trying to go.”
  • Despite the presence of veteran corners Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings, Bears first-rounder Kyle Fuller is expected to contribute in 2014, specifically because of the spread offense. “Typically, at least half of the snaps that you’ll play in the season will be with five defensive backs in the game,” said defensive coordinator Mel Tucker. “And sometimes you’ll go into game weeks or games and almost every snap will be in sub personnel…A third corner is like a starter. A third corner plays as much if not more than your third linebacker in a 4-3″ (per Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times).
  • Eagles second-rounder Jordan Matthews is expected to replace Jason Avant in the slot, and fellow rookie receiver Josh Huff isn’t thought of as a field-stretcher, but that hasn’t stopped the DeSean Jackson comparions, writes Martin Frank of USA Today.
  • 49ers coach John Harbaugh is known as a quarterback guru, and after San Francisco added Josh Johnson to compete for the third QB role, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com ran through the extensive list of signal-callers that Harbaugh and company have brought in over the past three seasons.

NFC North Notes: Kromer, Packers, Lions

May 18th, 2014 at 4:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Bears offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer may not call the plays in Chicago (noted offensive mastermind/head coach Marc Trestman performs that duty), but that doesn’t mean his impact on offensive production is limited. Working mostly with the offensive line, Kromer molded a unit that was among the league’s worst in 2012 into one of 2013’s elite lines. The Bears’ line, infused with talent in the forms of Jermon Bushrod and Kyle Long, gave up only 30 sacks (fourth-fewest in the NFL), and finished with a fifth-best 5.5% adjusted sack rate (per Football Outsiders).

Kromer will expand his duties in 2014, writes Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times, as the coordinator aims to work more with the Bears’ quarterbacks and receivers. “It’s given myself a chance to broaden my horizons and not spend 100 percent of my time with the offensive line when it comes to practice and meeting time,” said Kromer. “Sometimes an offensive line coach can get pigeon-holed into just doing that job.”

More items from the NFC North:

  • Packers general manager Ted Thompson doesn’t sound like he’s ready to leave Green Bay just yet, telling reporters he’s “just getting started” after the conclusion of the draft, according to ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. Reports surfaced earlier this month that indicated Thompson might be nearing the end of his tenure in Green Bay.
  • Retired NFL kicker Jason Hanson was at the Lions’ rookie minicamp over the weekend, primarily to help seventh-round kicker Nate Freese, who had a 86.4% field goal-conversion rate while at Boston College, writes Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
  • In a separate piece, Twentyman writes that Lions second-year receiver Corey Fuller has an extra reason to want to make the Detroit roster: to play against his brother (and now, divisonal rival), Bears first-round corner Kyle Fuller.
  • The Lions have changed their approach with regards to undrafted free agents, according to Justin Rogers of MLive.com. While the team had previously waited until the sixth- or seventh-round to make contact with potential UDFAs, Detroit now starts placing calls to prospects as early as the fourth round. This strategy of displaying early interest in a players aided the Lions in signing Kansas State offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas.
  • In his latest mailbag, ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling opines that the battle for the Vikings starting QB job between Teddy Bridgewater and Matt Cassel could play out much like the Russell Wilson–Matt Flynn situation during Seattle’s 2012 training camp.

NFC North Notes: Bears, Houston, Packers, Vikings

May 17th, 2014 at 8:52am CST by Matt Feminis

Following one of the worst defensive seasons in team history, the Bears’ scheme under defensive coordinator Mel Tucker will “undergo significant alterations in 2014,” says ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. “There are some significant changes in terms of techniques that we’re going to play; how we’re going to fit the run, some of our alignments,” Tucker said. “We’ll have some alternative fronts that we’ll play. I’m not sure how much of a difference you’ll see during the OTAs and things like that because we’re going to work to lay the foundation on our base principles and techniques, which will allow us to do pretty much anything we want down the road.” Wright also mentions that the team plans to cross train all of the defensive linemen in an effort to achieve better flexibility and versatility.

In other NFC North notes. . .

  • Lions veteran cornerback Chris Houston had toe surgery earlier this week, and the team is uncertain if he’ll be ready for the start of training camp, writes Dave Birkett in the Detroit Free Press.
  • The Packers drafted four defensive rookies. Of the group, first-round safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and third-round defensive lineman Khyri Thornton are expected to contribute as rookies. “There’s a reasonable chance Clinton-Dix will be plugged in as a starter on Day 1 of training camp,” says Tyler Dunne in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “Thornton, while raw, was taken in the third round for a reason. Green Bay envisions him adding rotational juice to the defensive line.”
  • Because of an NFL rule, Vikings rookies Anthony Barr, Scott Crichton and David Yankey can’t join the team full-time until next month, writes Master Tesfatsion of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. The players’ schools — UCLA, Oregon State and Stanford, respectively — are on quarters instead of semesters, and the players are required to return to school until the term ends in June.
  • Meanwhile, the Vikings envision third-round pick Jerick McKinnon, an option quarterback at Georgia Southern, as the type of complimentary, all-purpose back that has thrived in so many of offensive coordinator Norv Turner’s units, writes ESPN’s Ben Goessling.

NFC Rookies: Lions, 49ers, Seahawks, Sam

May 16th, 2014 at 7:51pm CST by Rob DiRe

Lions‘ draft picks Nevin Lawson and T.J. Jones have officially signed their rookie deals, reports Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Lawson, a cornerback out of Utah State, was a fourth-round selection. Jones, the receiver out of Notre Dame, was taken in the sixth round. That leaves only three players left to be signed, which Twentyman writes is expected soon.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • The 49ers have announced the signing of sixth-round draft pick Kenneth Acker, according to the team’s official website. The SMU cornerback signed a standard four-year deal with the team. He is one of six rookie draft picks to sign his deal.
  • The Seahawks have officially announced the signing of defensive tackle Jimmy Staten, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). Staten, a fifth-round pick out of Middle Tennessee State, is the third draft pick to sign with the team.
  • While Michael Sam and the Rams have yet to agree on their rookie contract, the player and team already made one big decision together, as the OWN Network’s documentary on Sam has been postponed, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN (via Twitter). The Rams have said they prefer to treat Sam like any other seventh-round draft pick.

Draft Signings: Lions, Packers, Ravens, Vikes

May 16th, 2014 at 11:24am CST by Luke Adams

Several dozen of this year’s draftees have already signed their contracts, and many more will do so today. Here’s the latest round of signings for mid-to-late-round draft picks:

  • The Lions have locked up a pair of draftees, signing fourth-round defensive end Larry Webster and seventh-round kicker Nate Freese, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Webster should receive a signing bonus worth a little over $300K, while Freese’ bonus will amount to about $59K, per Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap.
  • Fourth-round linebacker Carl Bradford has signed his four-year deal with the Packers, the team announced today in a press release. Green Bay now has four of nine draft picks under contract.
  • The Ravens have agreed to terms with fourth-round running back Lorenzo Taliaferro, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Having come off the board just two picks after the Lions selected Webster, Taliaferro should be in line for an identical bonus of about $300K.
  • Fifth-round offensive lineman David Yankey has signed his contract with the Vikings, according to agent Mike McCartney (via Twitter). Yankey becomes the first of 10 Minnesota draft picks to ink his rookie deal.

Lions Sign 12 UDFAs, Cut Eight Players

May 16th, 2014 at 10:09am CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 10:09am: The Lions have officially signed one more undrafted free agent, inking Robert Morris offensive lineman A.J. Dalton to a contract, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Dalton received a $2.5K signing bonus, per Birkett (via Twitter).

MONDAY, 3:45pm: The Lions have signed 11 undrafted free agents to contracts, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. In order to make room for the new additions, the team also cut eight players: Cornerback Nate Ness, safety Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, tight end Matt Veldman, kicker John Potter, wide receiver Carlin Isles, linebacker Jon Morgan, center Sherman Carter and wide receiver Cody Wilson.

While none of those players was expected to be a real contributor in Detroit this season, there are a couple notable names in the group. Isles is a rugby speedster who was considering coming to camp with the Lions, while Potter had been expected to compete for the kicking job vacated by David Akers.

Here’s the full list of the club’s UDFA signings:

  • Chad Abram, FB, Florida State ($7.5K bonus, per Dave Birkett)
  • Alex Bullard, G, Tennessee ($500 bonus)
  • Jerome Couplin, S, William and Mary ($6K bonus)
  • James Franklin, QB, Missouri ($2K bonus)
  • Justin Jackson, LB, Wake Forest ($2.5K bonus)
  • Cornelius Lucas, OT, Kansas State ($20K bonus)
  • Gabe Lynn, S, Oklahoma ($2.5K bonus)
  • Jacob Maxwell, TE, Louisiana Lafayette ($3K bonus)
  • D.J. Morrell, G, Old Dominion ($2.5K bonus)
  • Andrew Peacock, WR, Appalachian State ($2.5K bonus)
  • Mohammed Seisay, CB, Nebraska ($5K bonus)

Draft Signings: Chiefs, Cards, Texans, Cowboys

May 15th, 2014 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ve already rounded up several draft pick signings a couple times today, but with teams and players motivated to hammer out deals, there are another handful of updates to pass along this afternoon. Let’s dive right in….

  • The Chiefs have locked up third-round cornerback Phillip Gaines, his reps tell ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link). Meanwhile, ESPN.com’s James Walker reports (via Twitter) that fourth-rounder De’Anthony Thomas has also signed with Kansas City. According to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, Gaines should receive a signing bonus worth about $549K, while Thomas’ will be worth around $420K.
  • The Cardinals have agreed to terms with third-round pick Kareem Martin, a source tells Caplan (Twitter link). That would make Martin the first Arizona draftee to sign so far.
  • After signing Ben Gardner earlier today, the Cowboys have agreed to terms with two more draftees, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, who writes that seventh-round linebacker Will Smith has agreed to his deal, and tweets that seventh-round cornerback Terrance Mitchell has done the same.
  • The Texans have agreed to terms with quarterback Tom Savage, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Houston’s fourth-round pick will be in line for a bonus of just over $300K, according to Fitzgerald.
  • A couple agents broke their clients’ own news this afternoon, with Mike McCartney tweeting that Princeton DT Caraun Reid has signed his contract with the Lions, while Blake Baratz announced (via Twitter) that sixth-rounder Zach Moore is the first draftee to sign with the Patriots.
  • The Colts have signed sixth-round linebacker Andrew Jackson, the team announced today in a press release.
  • According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the Packers have signed fifth-round pick Corey Linsley. Linsley’s signing bonus should be worth $185K, based on Fitzgerald’s figures at OTC.
  • The Seahawks have signed Kiero Small to his rookie contract, a source tells Curtis Crabtree of KJR in Seattle. The seventh-round fullback is the second of nine Seahawks draft picks to sign.
  • The Texans and Eagles have signed seventh-rounders, according to various reports. Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston has the details on Texans cornerback Andre Hal, while Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com tweets the new on Eagles defensive tackle Beau Allen.

North Notes: Webb, Vikings, Browns, Packers

May 14th, 2014 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

With the draft behind us, players selected last week are signing contracts, and teams are also revisiting the free agent pool, which may hold renewed appeal if a club missed out on a position it had targeted in the draft. The Vikings, who selected one offensive lineman with their 10 picks last week (fifth-rounder David Yankey), hosted veteran free agent tackle J’Marcus Webb for a visit today, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. Webb, who was on Minnesota’s roster last season after starting for the Bears from 2010 to 2012, also met with the Chiefs back in March.

Here are a few more notes from out of the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • The Browns officially announced Joe Haden‘s new extension with a press conference today, and the cornerback sounds motivated to live up to the mammoth deal, as Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. “This contract makes me want to play like the best cornerback in the league,” Haden told reporters.
  • Fullback Eric Kettani, who was cut earlier this week by the Chiefs, has been invited to the Browns’ rookie minicamp, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Kettani, who has also spent time with the Redskins and Patriots, will be fighting to earn a 90-man roster spot in Cleveland.
  • Wilson also reports that former Maryland linebacker Demetrius Hartsfield, who auditioned for the Packers last year, has been invited back to Green Bay’s rookie minicamp to try out again.
  • Unlike their division-rival Bears, the Lions haven’t officially agreed to terms with any of their draftees yet, but it shouldn’t take long for the team to do so, says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Bradford, Bortles, Lions

May 12th, 2014 at 11:02am CST by Luke Adams

The Cowboys didn’t come away from the 2014 draft having selected a new quarterback, which head coach Jason Garrett says is just fine. Garrett explained the thinking to Todd Archer of ESPN.com:

“The thing you’re concerned about is developing them for somebody else,” Garrett said. “You develop them for two, three, four years and he goes and plays for another football team. We don’t think that’s a worthwhile thing. There’s been a theory around the league, teams like Green Bay for years always took a guy late and if that player develops into something that was a good thing for their team or to trade to somebody else. … It’s a philosophy a lot of teams, they agree with that. But when you have other issues on your team I think it becomes a little bit of a luxury to do that.”

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • While there have been rumblings about possible Sam Bradford trade talks lately, Rams coach Jeff Fisher said on today’s Dan Patrick Show that the club has neither made or received any calls about Bradford’s availability (link via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).
  • If the Jaguars hadn’t selected Blake Bortles with the third overall pick, neither the Vikings or Titans would have drafted him, but the Cowboys would’ve considered it at No. 16 and the Cardinals would’ve pulled the trigger at No. 20, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter).
  • The Lions strongly considered picking a quarterback on the third day of the draft, but the club’s targets came off the board before Detroit had a chance to select them, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com.
  • If the conditional pick traded to the Eagles by the Bills in this weekend’s Bryce Brown trade doesn’t change hands next year, it can become a 2016 third-rounder if Brown rushes for 800+ yards in either of the next two seasons, according to Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter).
  • Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News provides an interesting look at how safety Jimmie Ward became the 49ers’ man in the first round last Thursday.
  • Longtime Vikings college scouting director Scott Studwell resigned from the position following this weekend’s draft, and will transition into a new role within the organization, writes Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune.

NFC North Notes: Vikings, Packers, Lions

May 11th, 2014 at 9:03am CST by Peter Sowards

In dire need of secondary talent after allowing 4,596 yards through the air in 2013, the Minnesota Vikings supplemented the roster with three defensive backs on day 3 of the NFL Draft, writes Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Virginia Tech’s Antone Exum, Maine’s Kendall James and North Carolina’s Jabari Price will don the purple, white and gold after being drafted in the sixth, sixth and seventh rounds, respectively.

“It’s definitely going to be competition (in the secondary),” Price said. “Whether we know it or not, whether they know it or not, it’s going to be a competition. 

“And I’m willing to step up to the challenge.”

More news and notes from the NFC North…

  • The Vikings earned the lone A-plus from SI.com’s Chris Burke and Doug Farrar in their 2014 NFL draft grades writeup, calling it an outstanding haul for first-year coach Mike Zimmer. The Packers received an A, the Bears an A-minus and the Lions a B.
  • The Packers addressed needs without sacrificing talent, according to Packers.com’s Vic Ketchman. General manager Ted Thompson makes his hay in the annual player selection meeting, and the nine players selected — highlighted by first-round pick Ha Ha Clinton-Dix — should solidify a deep roster.
  • One constant in the Packers the last three decades has been a prolific offense highlighted by an elite quarterback. However, defense has been an issue, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and Thompson gave defensive coordinator Dom Capers “a nice offering” at the top with the selection of Clinton-Dix No. 21 overall. But with four defenders and five offensive players coming to Green Bay, it was an overall balanced draft for the Pack.
  • Lions Offensive tackle LaAdrian Waddle, offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterback Matthew Stafford were pegged as winners by mlive.com’s Justin Rogers. Waddle figures to remain the team’s right tackle after the team passed on Taylor Lewan. Lombardi has a new toy in tight end Eric Ebron with which to play, joining an already deep position. Stafford received an upgraded No. 2 receiver earlier in free agency — Golden Tate — and now has an upgrade at tight end. Named as losers by Rogers were linebacker Ashlee Palmer, defensive back coaches Tony Oden and Alan Williams, and tight end Joseph Fauria.
  • Bears general manager Mark Emery is giddy about the potential long-term payout of his eight draftees, finishing his third draft with Chicago and 16th overall. “These come in all varieties with how people work with one another,” Emery said via Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. “And this was awesome.” 
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