Indianapolis Colts Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Pre-Draft Visits: Bills, Patriots, Titans

April 4th, 2014 at 4:59pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Bills are hosting a few pre-draft visits today, writes Chris Brown of BufalloBills.com. North Carolina’s star tight end Eric Ebron could be in play for the team in the first round. The Bills are also meeting with defensive end Scott Crichton of Oregon State and LSU’s bruising running back Jeremy Hill. Brown writes that Crichton is projected as a second-round pick and Hill as a mid-round selection.

Here are some other players visiting with AFC teams:

The Patriots are bringing in Boston College quarterback Chase Rettig for their local pro day, writes Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. The team already hosted the top quarterback talents, who they are unlikely to draft, but Retig would more likely be a late-round pick. Retig will be able to workout with the team, because he is part of a local visit.
Another late-round quarterback, Brock Jensen of North Dakota State, has visits scheduled with both the Browns and the Bengals, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter).
The Steelers will be hosting visits from Minnesota safety Brock Vereen, and South Carolina wide receiver Bruce Ellington, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
Wilson also reports that Titans hosted Florida State defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan and Colorado State linebacker Shaquil Barrett. Jernigan is expected to be a first-round pick.
Wide receiver Eric Thomas of Troy University has a visit with the Colts, according to Wilson (via Twitter).

FA Notes: DeCoud, Reynolds, Coffman, Packers

April 3rd, 2014 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of notable safeties have come off the board today, with Patrick Chung heading back to New England, and Danieal Manning putting the finishing touches on a deal with Cincinnati. Like those players, Thomas DeCoud didn’t have an expiring contract, but found himself on the open market last month when his team decided to release him. And it appears a potential suitor has emerged for DeCoud as well. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the former Falcon is visiting the division-rival Panthers on Monday.

While we wait to see if DeCoud ends up reaching a deal in Carolina, let’s check out a few more free agency items:

Rapoport passes along a little more free agent safety news, tweeting that Kurt Coleman, who met with the Jets earlier this week, is visiting the Colts tomorrow.
Before the Titans signed Eric Olsen for offensive line depth, the team engaged in contract talks with free agent guard Garrett Reynolds, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). However, the two sides couldn’t work out an agreement.
Chase Coffman was already an unrestricted free agent, but now it looks like a lock that he won’t be returning to his old team. The Falcons have informed the tight end that they won’t be offering him a contract, Coffman tweeted this morning.
The Packers are the only team that hasn’t signed an unrestricted free agent from the 2014 class, writes Weston Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. While the team did bring players like Julius Peppers and Letroy Guion aboard, those players were released by other clubs, rather than having their contracts expire. As Hodkiewicz notes, the team’s offseason reflects GM Ted Thompson‘s philosophy, which places more value on the compensatory picks acquired by losing free agents than on signing free agents themselves.

Draft Notes: 49ers, Patriots, Verrett

April 2nd, 2014 at 9:12pm CST by Matt Feminis

At the beginning of the offseason, it was thought the 49ers might target a receiver in the first round, but with the draft a month away, cornerback has become the team’s top draft need, writes Doug Williams of NBC Bay Area.

In other draft prospect news…

TCU cornerback Jason Verrett has visits lined up with the Steelers, Jets and Cardinals, according to Fox’s Alex Marvez (via Twitter). All three teams value speed, athleticism and man-coverage skills. Verrett boasts sub-4.4 speed and outstanding leaping ability.
Drafting Aaron Dobson in the second round last year won’t preclude the Patriots from taking a receiver in the first round this year, writes NESN’s Doug Kyed, who lists five prospects who would be good fits.
When asked about the likelihood of a quarterback run in the draft’s top ten picks (consequently pushing down highly regarded prospects at positions of need), Lions GM Martin Mayhew acknowledged momentum might be slowing on that scenario. “I think (if) you said that a month ago, everybody would have signed off on that,” Mayhew told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “But if you say that now, you don’t know how it’s going to go with the quarterbacks.”
Middle Tennessee State guard Josh Walker worked out for the Ravens and will also work out for the Saints and Colts, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. A potential late-round pick, Walker was not invited to the Combine.

AFC South Notes: Locker, Draft, Nicks, Jags

March 30th, 2014 at 4:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Titans are unlikely to pick up their 2015 option on quarterback Jake Locker, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. As a first-round-pick under the new CBA, Locker would be entitled to a one-year salary at the average of the top-ten highest-paid quarterbacks, which would amount to roughly $14MM. If Locker performs well this season, the Titans could look to sign him to an extension, but if not, the team needs more insurance than the recently-signed Charlie Whitehurst. Wyatt argues the team should draft Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray in the 4th-5th round of the draft, and ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky agrees, noting the team should select “one of the injured SEC guys.”

AFC South Notes: Draft, Jackson, Nicks, Mack

March 29th, 2014 at 2:28pm CST by Rob DiRe

While the Titans may not be committed to Jake Locker as their quarterback of the future, the team is unlikely to consider the position with their first-round pick, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Even if the Titans were to have their choice between Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, and Johnny Manziel, Kuharsky believes none of those three would be in the top 11 on their board anyway. The team is much more likely to see what it has in Locker, and possibly look for a quarterback later in the draft to serve as a backup or eventual replacement option down the road.

Here are some other notes from the AFC South:

Kuharsky also writes that although Mike Evans (wide receiver out of Texas A&M) could be the best player available when the Titans are called up on draft day, the team would be hesitant to take him due to their depth at the position. The team sees Kendall Wright, Justin Hunter, Nate Washington, and Dexter McCluster as a strong group, and may be reluctant to add to it with such a high draft pick.
The Colts will not have any interest in the recently released DeSean Jackson, writes Mike Wells of ESPN.com. The team may have considered him had they not already added Hakeem Nicks earlier this offseason.
Speaking about Nicks’ long term future, Wells wrote that if he succeeds this year, he could see the Colts giving him a long-term extension to keep him as one of Andrew Luck‘s weapons going forward, joining him with T.Y. Hilton, Coby Fleener, and Dwayne Allen.
While Alex Mack still remains a possibiliy, the Colts are not expected to make him a substantial offer, writes Wells. He believes the team is comfortable entering the season with Phil Costa and Khaled Holmes competing to start at center.
Despite notions that the Texans might be willing to move down in the draft, Daniel Kim of NFL.com writes that currently Jadeveon Clowney is the favorite if they keep the first overall pick. NFL Network’s Kurt Warner says that Clowney is still a better option than Manziel, and Kim notes that four out of six NFL.com mock drafts have the Texans taking the pass rusher.

AFC Notes: Jets, Broncos, Blount, MJD, Titans

March 26th, 2014 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

In addition to the Seahawks and Cowboys, the Jets may also have been in on Jared Allen before he agreed to sign with the Bears, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. According to Schefter, head coach Rex Ryan spoke to the veteran defensive end last week, and the Jets wanted to get involved in the bidding, though it’s not clear how serious the interest was from Allen’s end. As New York continues to search for upgrades in free agency, let’s check in on a few more AFC teams….

Unsurprisingly, the Broncos are expected to exercise their fifth-year option for 2015 on defensive standout Von Miller, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The option, available for 2011 first-round picks, would pay Miller a little less than $10MM in ’15.
The running back market is coming into focus, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter links). According to La Canfora, LeGarrette Blount, who is still receiving interest from the Patriots, will visit with the Steelers later this week. Pittsburgh is still considering Maurice Jones-Drew as well, though not at his original $3.5MM-per-year asking price.
Free agent offensive lineman Mike McGlynn, who has met with the Redskins and Rams since the start of free agency, is scheduled to visit the Titans tonight and tomorrow, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
The Raiders have added several players over age 30 in free agency, but GM Reggie McKenzie doesn’t view those players as stop-gap solutions. McKenzie told Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle that he wanted to bring in immediate contributors to show the team’s young players the Raiders are serious about winning.
Colts GM Ryan Grigson said today that his team preferred its in-house options at center to the free agents available at the position, as Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star details. That’s not to say that no free agent center would have been an upgrade, but given the potential cost, Grigson didn’t feel a move would be worth it.
Offensive line and wide receiver will be areas of focus for the Jaguars in the draft, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
R.J. Stanford‘s new one-year deal with the Bengals includes a $730K base salary, a $50K signing bonus, and a $25K workout bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

AFC South Notes: Texans, Titans, Colts

March 22nd, 2014 at 3:28pm CST by Rob DiRe

By trading Matt Schaub to the Raiders, the Texans have even more incentive to take a quarterback with the top pick in the draft, writes Marc Sessler of NFL.com. Ryan Fitzpatrick is not expected to be the answer at quarterback for the team, writes John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Bryan Fischer of NFL.com writes that NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s mock draft has the Texans taking Blake Bortles out of UCF with the first-overall pick.

Here are some more notes from around the AFC South:

The Titans still have two areas of need on their roster, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. The team needs to find a pass rusher and a running back, assuming Chris Johnson is traded or released.
Even with the release of Rob Bironas, Kuharsky does not expect the Titans to target a kicker in the draft. It is more likely the team brings in an undrafted free agent or a veteran to compete with Maikon Bonani for the job.
The Colts will most likely target the best player available in the draft, writes Mike Wells of ESPN.com. However, general manager Ryan Grigson does tend to prefer certain positions. “You want to continue to infuse the team with draft picks and young players that can grow together and be great together,” Grigson said. “With that being said, yes, you can never have enough corners, you can never have enough pass-rushers and you can never have enough linemen.

FA Rumors: Colts, Blount, Allen, Britt, Finley

March 21st, 2014 at 3:23pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Colts aren’t necessarily done adding free agents, the team’s major moves have likely already been made, as GM Ryan Grigson told reporters today, including Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

“You never say you’re done,” Grigson said. “We had a plan and we feel really good about it. We feel real good where we’re at right now. We’re going to look toward the draft. You never say never and we’re always trying to get better. If somebody pops up and they make sense from a roster standpoint and they kind of fit the specs – age and money, big picture – then I’ll look at it.”

As the Colts shift their free agent focus to the bargain bin, let’s check in on a few other afternoon items related to the open market:

Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link) doesn’t see the Colts pursuing center Alex Mack any further, suggesting it always would have been a long shot to sign him away from the Browns.
Free agent running back LeGarrette Blount, who continues to draw interest from the Patriots, is scheduled to visit the Steelers on Sunday night, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Pittsburgh also met with veteran running back Maurice Jones-Drew this week.
As Jared Allen continues to mull his options, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) weighs in with a couple tidbits: The veteran defensive end is considering three teams, with retirement also still an option, and should make a decision this weekend. As for Allen’s second visit with the Seahawks, it happened because key members of the organization weren’t at the first meeting, says Rapoport.
Wide receiver Kenny Britt has visited the Rams, Patriots, Redskins, and Bills, and has also garnered interest from the Seahawks and Panthers, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, Britt will decide his next move this weekend, whether that means taking more visits or agreeing to sign with a team.
Jermichael Finley may still be a few more months from being in position to sign with an NFL club, a source tells Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The free agent tight end continues to recover from a spinal injury, and hasn’t yet received medical clearance.
At this point, the Panthers aren’t expected to sign Kevin Cone, Lestar Jean, or C.J. Akins, the three receivers they worked out today, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.

Draft Rumors: Bishop, Webster, Archer, Carr

March 20th, 2014 at 9:35pm CST by Zachary Links

Northern Illinois defensive tackle Ken Bishop is set to work out for the Dolphins, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Bishop, an All-Mid-American conference selection projected as a later-round draft pick, had 59 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, and an interception last season. Here’s the latest draft news..

The Lions are hosting defensive end Larry Webster for a pre-draft visit today, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Webster, who stands at 6’6″, 252 pounds, had 12.5 sacks for Bloomsburg University in 2013 and boasts a 4.58 second 40-yard-dash time.
Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon-Journal (on Twitter) spoke with Kent State running back Dri Archer, who says that he has workouts scheduled with the Dolphins, Patriots, Cardinals, and Colts.
Fresno State standout quarterback Derek Carr has met with Raiders, Titans, Vikings, and Browns since last night, tweets Marek Warszawski of the Fresno Bee (on Twitter).
Stanford safety Ed Reynolds has meetings scheduled with the Lions and Falcons, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter). Reynolds has a 38-inch vertical jump and ran a 4.41 second 40-yard-dash earlier today at his pro day.
The Giants will work out Maine outside linebacker/defensive end Michael Cole on April 10th, a league source tells Aaron Wilson. Cole had eight sacks last season and finished his career with 29 sacks, making him the all-time sack leader for the Black Bears.
One scouting director gave Albert Breer of NFL Network (Twitter link) a rundown of what he was looking for from Michael Sam today at the linebacker’s Pro Day. “He needs to show good movement in linebacker drills — Bend quickness and good feet and quickness in pass rush drills. Hopefully he is staying in good shape and not letting that go.”

Draft Rumors: Ebron, Bortles, Desir

March 19th, 2014 at 5:41pm CST by Zachary Links

North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron figures to be a popular man in the coming weeks and he told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that he’s got at least four visits lined up for himself. Ebron, a Newark, New Jersey native, will check in with the Bills, Lions, Ravens, and Panthers in April. Here’s today’s latest draft rumors..

ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio said on air that the Texans, Jaguars, Browns, Raiders, and Vikings have met with Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles, according to Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal (on Twitter). The signal caller participated in UCF’s pro day this afternoon.
The Rams, Chiefs, Jaguars, Packers, Lions, and Bears attended cornerback Pierre Desir‘s pro day at Lindenwood University (Missouri), tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Desir recorded 25 interceptions over the course of his career at the Division II school.
The Browns worked out Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas individually today, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.com. Pauline says Thomas is looking more like a top 45 pick at this juncture.
Lache Seastrunk says he has visits set up with Steelers and Bills, tweets Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram. The Baylor running back posted the best vertical jump (41.5-inches) and broad jump (134 inches) of anyone at the draft combine in February.
San Jose State quarterback David Fales will meet with the Vikings this weekend, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter).
Middle Tennessee State guard Josh Walker will visit the Colts, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The standout lineman also has a visit with the Saints lined up.

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