Latest On 2017 QB Draft Market
Mitch Trubisky is likely to become the first quarterback off the board in the draft later this month, but ordering the rest of the class is exceedingly difficult, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Scouts consider the second-tier of signal-callers to be comprised of Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes, but it’s unclear which prospect will be selected first among that pair. Davis Webb, meanwhile, is picking up more steam as a potential first-round pick, while “attitude and maturity” questions could force DeShone Kizer out of the first round.
The Chargers are putting in “ample work” on this year’s quarterback class, and are perhaps more likely to select a passer at No. 7 than many observers believe, per La Canfora. Both head coach Anthony Lynn and owner Dean Spanos have intimated their openness to drafting a quarterback in 2017, and Los Angeles is reportedly “serious” about finding a long-term successor to Philip Rivers. So far, the Chargers have been linked to Kizer, Webb, and Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs.
Like Los Angeles, the Saints and Cardinals may also try to secure replacements for Drew Brees and Carson Palmer, respectively. New Orleans will select a quarterback on Day 1 “in all likelihood,” writes La Canfora, and could use either pick No. 11 or No. 32 to draft a passer. For what it’s worth, I sent Kizer to the Saints at the end of the first round in PFR’s first 2017 mock draft.
Arizona, meanwhile, is attempting to “gauge internally” the price of trading up from No. 13 in order to draft a quarterback, reports La Canfora. Cardinals brass met with Trubisky on Monday, as team owner Michael Bidwill, general manager Steve Keim, and head coach Bruce Arians dined with the UNC signal-caller in Phoenix, tweets Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910. Arians voiced concerns about Trubisky last month: “The growth potential is obviously there,” said Arians. “The question is why wasn’t all that talent starting for the last three years? That’s always bugging me.”
Finally, the Texans “are drafting a quarterback high,” declares La Canfora, and Mahomes is unlikely to fall past Houston at No. 25. Clearly, the Texans are in need of talent under center, as the only quarterbacks currently on the roster are Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden. Veteran passers such as Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick aren’t expected to interest the Texans, so a draft pick will probably be added to the squad.
Draft Rumors: Watson, 49ers, Texans
Here’s a rundown of the latest NFL Draft news:
- Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson is visiting the 49ers on Monday and Tuesday before meeting with the Cardinals on Wednesday, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Niners, of course, own the No. 2 overall pick and the Cards are at No. 13.
- The Bills worked out UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky on Sunday, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Owner Terry Pegula was there, along with head coach Sean McDermott. In our mock draft from last week, Dallas Robinson has the Bills passing on Trubisky in order to take a wide receiver.
- The Texans worked out Alabama left tackle Cam Robinson on Friday before flying to the 49ers over the weekend. Next up is a Panthers workout on Tuesday (Twitter link via Rapoport). Carolina has already met with Robinson, so this could be a sign of serious interest. The Panthers own the No. 8 overall pick.
- Safety Jamal Adams, who had a strong showing at LSU’s Pro Day, is visiting the Panthers today (Monday), Rapoport tweets. Rapoport wonders aloud whether he’ll be available at No. 8.
- Pitt quarterback Nathan Peterman has workouts for Steelers, Bills, Chiefs, and Patriots, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
Evaluators Not High On Savage As Starter
The Texans again have a choice to make at quarterback, especially now that Tony Romo retired. Currently, Tom Savage tops the depth chart. Various AFC coaches and staffers mostly agree there is some upside to the longtime backup who’s now watched the franchise cycle through four different starters in three years. But the consensus is that he hasn’t shown enough to be considered an unquestioned starter, which is what he would be right now.
One AFC player personnel director views Savage as a backup who can win games as a spot starter. None of the five staffers Brooks surveyed made a case for the Texans to give the job to Savage this season. This is Savage’s contract year, and it’s likely evaluators will know more about the soon-to-be 27-year-old passer at season’s end. As of now, he has 92 career pass attempts — two fewer than Jimmy Garoppolo, who has generated significantly more buzz based on his somewhat similar timeline — and has completed 61 percent of his throws. Houston has not been connected to any of the available UFAs, having all but ruled out Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick, but is believed to be ready to select a quarterback.
- Rick Smith‘s tenure as Texans GM could end due to his inability to find a starting quarterback, Matt Mosley of the Dallas Morning News writes. Since Matt Schaub‘s stock tumbled in 2013, Smith has gone through Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Hoyer (and Ryan Mallett), and Brock Osweiler. Mosley believes the GM was reluctant to give up a late draft pick for Romo because of the passer’s health history.
LB Ryan Anderson Meets With Texans
- Alabama linebacker Ryan Anderson had a private workout with the Texans on Friday, tweets Wilson. Jeremiah listed Anderson as the 49th-best prospect in this year’s draft. The senior finished last season with 31 tackles and 8.5 sacks.
[SOURCE LINK]
Texans Still Not Open To Cutler, Kaepernick?
Even after learning Tony Romo has chosen retirement over Houston (or any other NFL club), the Texans don’t view Jay Cutler or Colin Kaepernick as “strong options” for their quarterback vacancy, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).
Cutler, for his part, doesn’t seem to be garnering interest anywhere, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Cutler’s name “rarely, if ever, comes up” during discussions with head coaches and general managers regarding quarterback openings. Following the Jets’ recent signing of veteran Josh McCown, Rapoport indicated New York — unsurprisingly — was no longer an option for Cutler, and also signaled the Texans were similarly disinterested in the former Bears quarterback.
The possibility of a Cutler retirement is still on the table, per Rapoport, confirming a scenario that was first floated in February. While Cutler may wait for an injury to occur that would enable him land a starting job, he might simply be forced into hanging up his cleats. If no team reaches out with sincere interest, an involuntary retirement could be on the table.
Kaepernick, meanwhile, hasn’t been linked to any clubs as of yet, and his asking price may be a problem. While some reports have indicated Kaepernick is pushing for a starting gig and $9-10MM, that figure may not be entirely accurate. Still, some teams are apparently concerned about his vegan diet and his commitment to football, which — in addition to his recent play and political beliefs — could limit his market.
At present, the Texans have just two quarterbacks — Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden — on their roster. If they don’t bring in a veteran passer, they could look to draft a signal-caller either at pick No. 25 or on Day 2.
Reaction To Tony Romo’s Retirement
Today was essentially Tony Romo Day in the NFL — the longtime Cowboys quarterback retired rather than possibly pursue a late-career opportunity with another club, signed on to become CBS’ No. 1 color commentator, and was officially released by Dallas.
Let’s take a look at some of the reaction to and fallout from Romo’s decision to hang up his cleats:
- While Romo wouldn’t rule out an eventual return to the NFL earlier today, one source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) Romo won’t be on the field again. “It’s over,” said the source. “He’s done. This was a no-brainer.” Theoretically, nothing prevents Romo from a midseason comeback once the 2017 campaign gets underway, especially if his contract with CBS contains opt-out clauses (as is rumored). Plus, now that the Cowboys have released Romo, his rights are no longer owned by a single club.
- Romo contends he would have had to pay back money to the Cowboys had they not chosen to release him, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link). However, Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram reported Dallas would not have gone after the $5MM in signing bonus money to which it was entitled. Unless the organization had privately changed course on that aspect of Romo’s contract, he needn’t have worried about sacrificing money.
- Had he not retired, Romo — unsurprisingly — would have been atop the Texans’ wishlist, and Houston would have signed him to a deal that paid him like a starter “if he played and performed as such,” tweets Werder. Romo admitted the Texans would have been among the teams he strongly considered playing for, but Werder’s report indicates a contract with Houston would have been heavily incentivized.
- CBS began discussing a possible deal with Romo as soon as the season ended, CBS Sports president Sean McManus says (Twitter link via Breer). Negotiations apparently intensified over the past month, and a final deal came together on Monday evening.
Tony Romo Won’t Rule Out NFL Comeback
The Texans were said to have interest in Tony Romo and we now know that interest was mutual. Romo has chosen broadcasting over playing, but if he moved forward as a quarterback, Romo says the Texans would have been his top choice. 
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“Obviously Houston was at the top of the list of teams that I looked at,” Romo told reporters on a conference call today.
Romo’s affinity for the Texans might not mean much right now, but it is perhaps something to file away in case we have a Brett Favre situation on our hands. Romo stressed that he could “play tomorrow” if he wanted to, so it sounds like we’ll be in for at least a couple of years of will he/won’t he speculation. When asked if this is really the end of the line, Romo said he’s “99%” retired and “never say never” to the possibility of a comeback. He also said that he’s probably healthier now than he was in 2014.
The former Cowboys QB “went back and forth many times” on playing versus retiring, but says he ultimately decided to transition to the booth because of the great opportunity presented by CBS. Only time will tell if Romo can be coaxed into playing again.
Cowboys QB Tony Romo Retires From NFL
Tony Romo will retire from the NFL in order to begin a new career in broadcasting, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes. Romo has reportedly drawn interest from at least two of the league’s major television partners, but it’s not clear which network he’ll be joining. What we do know is that he won’t be taking the field for the start of the 2017 season. 
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Ultimately, Romo’s decision came down to health. After two lost seasons, Romo apparently did not feel good about the idea of taking the field for his age-37 season. The veteran has suffered collarbone and back injuries, including the compression fracture that opened the door for Dak Prescott in 2016.
This year, speculation was rampant that the Texans and Broncos would go hard after Romo. However, in recent weeks, we’ve been hearing that their interest has cooled. At minimum, both teams had decided that they would not be willing to trade for him, which makes sense given his enormous contract and Jerry Jones’ asking price, which was believed to be high. It’s not clear what each franchise would have been willing to offer Romo as a free agent, nor do we know if he would have been guaranteed a starting job in Week 1. That’s especially true in Denver, where the Broncos have two quality young QBs. For now, it’ll be Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch fighting for the job in Denver. Meanwhile, Houston as Tom Savage penciled in as the QB1 with Brandon Weeden as the understudy.
Dallas will be able to split Romo cap hit over two years without designating him as a post-June 1 release or even releasing him, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. If Romo officially retires on June 2 or later, they can take cap hits of $10.7MM in 2017 and $8.9MM in ’18 rather than one giant $24.7MM hit in the coming year. However, not everyone is convinced that Romo is done for good.
“Romo is now every teams emergency backup QB in case your starter gets hurt. [They can] pay him to come out of “retirement.’ ,” one anonymous team executive texted to Schefter (on Twitter).
Meanwhile, Jane Slater of NFL Network (Twitter link) hears from one source that it’s a soft retirement for Romo. If the Cowboys ever really needed him, he would consider a return. As CBS and FOX (and possibly NBC) vie for him, Romo may push for an opt-out clause that would allow him to come back to the NFL whenever he chooses.
Broncos, Texans Won’t Trade For Tony Romo
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has opened up the lines of communication for a Tony Romo deal to go down. So far, that has not spurred any action. The Broncos and Texans still will not trade for Romo, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
Instead, it seems that both teams will wait to see if Romo is released by Dallas. From there, they can freely negotiate with Romo (if they choose) without sacrificing draft compensation. They should also be able to sign him at a cheaper rate that his current contract calls for.
Romo does not want to play out the season as Dak Prescott‘s backup it seems unlikely that Jones would force him to stay. That doesn’t leave the Cowboys with an awful lot of options. At this point, it’s the smart play for Denver and Houston to bide their time and see what happens. Even if Romo reaches the open market, the Broncos might not be willing to go all out for him given that they have two quality QBs already under contract.
Texans Not Interested In Tony Romo Trade?
Tony Romo has long been linked to the Texans, but it sounds as though the Texans do not want to trade for him. Or, at minimum, they are working hard to give off that impression. The Cowboys’ asking price remains too high for Houston’s liking and they are still not interested in working out a deal with Jerry Jones, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears. 
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With a talented defense already in place, a quality quarterback might be the team’s biggest need as they look to position themselves as contenders for 2017. As it stands, Tom Savage is the team’s No. 1 QB. Romo offers far more experience, but he also comes with injury concerns and a bloated contract. It’s also not clear what Jones is seeking in a trade and it’s possible he could place a premium on an intra-state swap. It would make sense for the Texans to have sincere interest in the veteran, but they might also be better served by waiting things out to see if Dallas might release him instead.
Lately, Broncos GM John Elway has been saying that he is content to go into the season with Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch as his top quarterbacks. In theory, that could leave the Texans as the most likely landing spot for Romo, but right now they are unwilling to play ball with the Cowboys.