Latest On Jaguars, Alex Mack
The Jaguars and center Alex Mack met last night and it may not be long before Jacksonville extends an offer sheet to the restricted free agent. League sources tell Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer that if both sides feel it’s a good fit, the Jaguars will make a pitch to take the Pro Bowler away from the Browns. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (via Dan Hanzus of NFL.com) hears from a pair of sources that the two sides continue to talk about a potential deal.
Jacksonville has a significant void at center following the exit Brad Meester, who retired after 14 seasons with the team. Mack, 28, represents the very best available option at the position and would fortify the Jaguars’ offensive line for 2014 and beyond. By the same token, losing Mack would leave the Browns with a sizable hole in the middle. If Mack signs an offer sheet with the Jags, or any other club, Cleveland will have five days to match.
As the Browns’ transition player, Mack would make a little more than $10MM in 2014 if he stays put. The Browns could have kept him out of reach from other clubs with the franchise tag, but that would have called for a $11.6MM salary in ’14. The Browns have an estimated ~$31MM of cap space which should give them the financial flexibility to match an offer sheet.
AFC Notes: Mack, Burleson, Draft
The Jaguars have met with free agent center Alex Mack, reports BigCatCountry.com (via Twitter). Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 confirms that Mack has already visited with the team (via Twitter).
Mack received the transition tag from the Browns earlier this offseason, which gives the Browns the right to match any offer.
Here are some other notes from around the AFC:
- The Browns have hosted former Lion Nate Burleson, according Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter). Burleson, 32, had 191 catches between 2009 and 2011, but struggled to stay on the field the past two seasons.
- The Titans brought in West Virginia running back Charles Sims for a visit, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). With uncertainty at the position without Chris Johnson, the team is looking for long-term answers at the position.
- Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle was taking Raiders questions on Twitter, and discussed if the recent signings of Jacoby Ford and DeSean Jackson would push the team to choose Clemson’s Sammy Watkins with the fifth pick in the draft. Tafur believes that Watkins and Kalil Mack of Buffalo are both in play for the Raiders.
Extra Points: Pats, Ravens, Bears, Keller
The Patriots raised eyebrows this week with a string of quarterback draft prospect visits, and overthecap.com’s Aaron Fitzgerald says the team has structured its salary cap to allow for the addition of Tom Brady‘s successor.
Miscellaneous lunchtime news, notes and links. . .
- The Ravens are expected to draft a safety, and ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley discusses the merits of three of the top available, saying Northern Illinois’ Jimmie Ward might be the best fit. Last year’s first-rounder, Matt Elam, who did not produce an abundance of impact plays as a rookie, is expected to be used closer to the line of scrimmage more often next season. Says Hensley: “The Ravens can’t afford for Elam to disappear so much in games this year.”
- Dustin Keller, who tore his ACL, MCL and PCL and also dislocated the knee last August, is not yet 100 percent, but “hasn’t been ruled out and remains on the Dolphins’ radar,” writes ESPN.com’s James Walker.
- A brief, position-by-position analysis of the Jaguars’ off-season moves is provided by Jacksonville.com’s Ryan O’Halloran, who describes under-the-radar free agent acquisition Dekoda Watson as an “ascending player.”
- During an edition of ESPN’s First Draft podcast (listen here), ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay campaigns for the Bears to draft Pittsburgh three-technique Aaron Donald 14th overall, saying the team’s Plan B would be “panic” in a scenario where Donald is off the board. McShay also called Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert the most overrated player in the draft.
- Georgia Tech pass rusher Jeremiah Attaochu, recovered from a torn hamstring injury, worked out for scouts at GT’s pro day yesterday, and has visits scheduled with the Colts, Eagles and Patriots.
- A list of reported prospect workouts/visits as well as head coach and general manager sightings at various pro days can be found on NFL.com.
Poll: Chris Johnson’s Future Home
The Titans gave running back Chris Johnson his unconditional release today, giving the three-time Pro Bowler and 2009 NFL rushing leader the freedom to choose his next team. There was speculation that Tennessee would try to trade Johnson, but a prohibitive salary and the decreased value of running backs led to a lack of substantive interest league-wide.
Now comes the streaming of rumors as to who’s in and who’s out on the Chris Johnson market, much like we saw when former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson became a free agent a week ago today. In this rumors roundup post by PFR’s Luke Adams, we see that four teams — the Jets, Bills, Dolphins and Falcons — all discussed a possible trade for Johnson, but nothing came to fruition.
In this writeup by SI.com’s Chris Burke, the writer outlines eight teams as potential landing spots for the one-time 2,000-yard back: Jets, Giants, Cowboys, Bears, Cardinals, Broncos, Rams, and Jaguars.
Will CJ2K end up with one of these eight teams? Or is there a sleeper team Burke failed to mention that could wind up utilizing Johnson’s services for the foreseeable future? Let us know in this PFR poll.
Which Team Signs Chris Johnson?
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New York Jets 32% (422)
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Denver Broncos 15% (200)
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New York Giants 11% (144)
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Dallas Cowboys 10% (127)
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Other 9% (113)
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Chicago Bears 7% (90)
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Arizona Cardinals 6% (81)
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St. Louis Rams 6% (75)
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Jacksonville Jaguars 4% (54)
Total votes: 1,306
AFC Notes: Raiders, Burleson, Jaguars, Titans
On this day in (sort of) NFL history, Bo Jackson signed a one-year deal with the Chicago White Sox. The year was 1991, and the signing came only three months after Jackson suffered a career-threatening hip injury while playing in the NFL playoffs with the Raiders. Jackson would never play another NFL game, finishing with 2,782 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. Jackson would play in 23 games for the White Sox in 1991 and, after missing the entire ’92 baseball season, would appear in another 160 games between 1993 and 1994. Jackson was the first athlete to be named an All-Star in both the NFL and MLB.
Now, for some more news on the Raiders and other AFC teams…
- The Raiders will host Northern Illinois defensive tackle Ken Bishop, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.
- Free agent wide receiver Nate Burleson will visit with the Browns on Saturday, tweets Alex Marvez of Fox Sports. Burleson met with the Dolphins earlier today.
- The Jaguars are keeping their options open in regards to trading the No. 3 pick, and Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com looks at a couple of deals that the team could make. The “jackpot scenario,” according to DiRocco, would have to include the Texans selecting a quarterback and the Rams taking Greg Robinson. Plenty of teams would have interest in Jadeveon Clowney, meaning the Jags could move down a few spots while also adding a couple of draft picks.
- Assuming the Titans draft a running back, there still will not be a bona fide starter among the group, ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky says in a chat. According to Kuharsky, snaps will change game-to-game between the rookie, Shonn Greene and Dexter McCluster.
- In the same chat, Kuharsky says he wouldn’t “be surprised” if the team selected a receiver, adding that the team needs one more. When asked which players he would avoid in the first round, Kuharsky replied “the quarterbacks.”
Brandt: Changes Needed For Cowboys To Return To Glory
Gil Brandt is a revered football man thanks to his role as the only VP of player personnel the Cowboys knew for the first 30 years of the franchise’s existence. The team won a pair of Super Bowls in the 1970s and three more in the 1990s, but has just one postseason victory since 1996. Accordingly, Brandt endorsed a “five-point, four-year plan to help the Cowboys return to glory” on NFL.com:
- Hire a director of football operations
Brandt credits Jerry Jones for his willingness to spend and spend big in an effort to win, but politely and eloquently echoes what many have said for years: Jones is in over his head as a football decision maker. Says Brandt: “This is why Jones would do well to hire an NFL insider — a veteran front office figure with a background in personnel and preferably general-manager experience — to direct the football side of the business, specifically with regard to scouting players.”
- Refocus the draft strategy
Brandt says the team has hurt itself by too often prioritizing need over value in the draft: “The Cowboys would likely improve their draft yield by first looking for the most talented player and then considering need. In the past, they’ve hampered themselves by focusing on filling roster holes rather than taking the best prospect available, leading them to sometimes reach for players. Picking a prospect ahead of where his rating suggests he should be picked often leads to trouble.” - Turn up the heat on the quarterback hunt
Brandt says the team is “set for now” with 34-year-old Tony Romo, but the time is now to look for his successor, calling this “an ideal year to grab a quarterback.” - Spend more carefully
Brandt insists the team must improve its contract valuation in order to avoid overpaying veterans (a consequence of poor drafting), entering into endless contract restructures, incurring dead money and hamstringing itself financially. Brandt warns, “Dallas should focus on getting the situation under control…. The team’s approach to staying under the cap has been driven largely by the tactic of re-working contracts and pushing the pain off to future years, likely with the expectation that the cap will continue to rise. But it would be better not to borrow so much against the future.” - Cement a franchise identity
Brandt asserts, “Great organizations have a solid identity and don’t change with the wind. They don’t shift their schemes suddenly or make erratic changes in strategy, because they have a carefully considered plan to begin with. This comes from taking a consistent approach to the draft, contracts and what you do on the football field — and that’s where the director of football operations would come in.”
In closing, Brandt advocates “taking a proactive approach” to analytics — he credits the Jaguars, in particular, in this department — and believes, “Statistical analysis has the potential to change the league in the same way that the advent of computer technology did 25 years ago, and keeping up with that can ensure that the Cowboys continue growing and getting better in a grounded, smart way.”
Extra Points: Flacco, Ford, Falcons, Jags, Pats
Here’s a few miscellaneous news-and-notes items from around the league:
- Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, who signed a six-year, $120.6MM contract a year ago, but ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley says Flacco “actually has manageable salary cap numbers for this year and 2015.”
- Jacoby Ford, who signed with the Jets yesterday, picked New York over the Browns, according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (via Twitter).
- Prior to last season, the Falcons “firmly believed” Lamar Holmes had Pro Bowl potential, but now ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure believes the team should spend the sixth overall pick on a franchise tackle. As for Holmes? “He could be a decent backup…”
- With the Jaguars bringing Toby Gerhart and Jordan Todman into the fold, there won’t be many reps available for Denard Robinson, especially if he doesn’t improve his catching and blocking, writes ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco.
- There are still a handful of noteworthy, low-risk, budget friendly free agents available for the Patriots, who have $8MM in cap space, writes NESN’s Doug Kyed.
Draft Updates: Clowney, Bortles, Robinson
With no throws to make or brooms to evade, Jadeveon Clowney‘s Pro Day may not have had the fanfare of Johnny Manziel‘s event at Texas A&M, but plenty of coaches and executives showed up to watch Clowney at South Carolina today. Following his Pro Day, Clowney will make visits to work out for the Rams and Falcons, he confirmed today, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
Here’s more on May’s draft and the 2014 class of prospects:
- The Browns are conducting their private workout with Blake Bortles today, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
- Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson is visiting the Rams in St. Louis today, tweets Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
- Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link) hears from several sources that Clemson cornerback Bashaud Breeland, who had dinner with GM Trent Baalke following his Pro Day, is drawing “heavy interest” from the 49ers.
- The Panthers worked out Wyoming defensive back Marqueston Huff today and will do the same for Wyoming wideout Robert Herron and quarterback Brett Smith on Thursday, says Gil Brandt of NFL.com (Twitter links).
- According to Brandt (via Twitter), Ball State quarterback Keith Wenning has nine workouts lined up with nine NFL teams, including the Jaguars, Browns, and Patriots.
- Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (all Twitter links) passes along details on three prospects visiting the Titans: Auburn running back Tre Mason, who left Nashville today; West Virginia running back Charles Sims, who will visit later this week; and UCLA edge defender Anthony Barr, who will be in town next Tuesday.
- The Bills hosted Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby, Baylor running back Lache Seastrunk, and Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier today, according to the team.
AFC South Notes: Locker, Draft, Nicks, Jags
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.”
More from the AFC South:
- In the above piece, and in a similar article summarizing the Titans defensive unit, Wyatt points to running back, offensive line depth, and speed on the defensive edge as the primary needs for Tennessee in the draft.
- In his mailbag (linked above), Kuharsky agrees that a running back is needed in Tennessee, writing that the backfield plan is “draft pick + Shonn Greene + Dexter McCluster.”
- The Colts would be interested in retaining receiver Hakeem Nicks if he plays well this season, writes Mike Wells of ESPN.com. The Colts signed Nicks to one-year deal worth ~$4MM.
- Wells also thinks that the Colts will use a running-back-by-committee approach, cycling through Trent Richardson, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Vick Ballard.
- In his mailbag segment, Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com notes that he believes the Jaguars will select Jadeveon Clowney if he is available. If not, he thinks their preferences are (in order) Khalil Mack and Sammy Watkins.
AFC Notes: Clowney, Broncos, Jets
Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley is not done beefing up his team’s floundering pass rush, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida-Times Union. The Jags have already re-signed Jason Babin and have added Chris Clemons and Red Bryant to the fold, but Bradley wants four “Leo-types” on his roster. In other words, if Jadeveon Clowney is still on the board when Jacksonville makes the third overall selection, expect him to be standing next to Roger Goodell with a Jaguars jersey in his hands.
By the same token, if the Rams–or, much more likely, the Texans–take Clowney with one of the top two picks, expect the Jaguars to try and trade down. Jacksonville will also have a chance to manipulate the draft in the later rounds. The team holds 11 picks, including two in the fourth round, three in the fifth, and two more in the sixth. Expect the team to move around in the draft as it looks to become relevant again in the AFC South.
More notes from the AFC:
- Despite the departure of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Chris Harris‘ knee surgery and the injury history of the newly-added Aqib Talib, don’t expect the Broncos to jump on a corner in the first round of the draft, writes Mike Kiszla of the Denver Post. Kiszla believes defensive linemen will offer the most value at the bottom of the first round, where collegiate standouts Ra’Shede Hageman and Stephon Tuitt may still be available.
- Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, like his colleagues, does not believe the Jets will pursue DeSean Jackson, and he believes that staying away from Jackson is a “smart move.” Cimini is intrigued by newly-added cornerback Jeremy Reeves, whose signing our Luke Adams discussed on Friday.
- Christopher Price of WEEI.com looks at some of the Patriots‘ prime candidates for contract extensions.