Draft Notes: Penny, Chiefs, Jets, Jackson
Excepting the Eli Manning-for-Philip Rivers exchange, NFL draft trades rarely unfold like NBA draft-night swaps, with teams making picks and then sending players elsewhere. But the Seahawks indicated such an offer emerged on Thursday night. After they’d made their somewhat surprising Rashaad Penny selection at No. 27, John Schneider said (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times) another team called them to try and acquire the running back. Schneider said that was the first time he’d seen such an offer as an NFL executive. Schneider said he would have authorized a Penny pick at No. 18, which would have been even more interesting since the San Diego State product was viewed as a fringe first-round prospect going into the night, and the Seahawks obviously held onto their new rookie after the surely strange phone call.
Here’s more from the draft world going into Night 2.
- Despite talk connecting the Jets to Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, and (to a lesser extent) Josh Rosen before the draft, Sam Darnold was the top quarterback on their board, Manish Mehta of the Daily News tweets. The Jets did not expect Darnold to be on the board at No. 3, hence the franchise’s late maneuvering to secure more face time with its top QB prospect.
- The Chiefs made two blockbuster trades this offseason, and the team unloading Marcus Peters for second- and fourth-round draft choices deprives Kansas City of what was probably a top-three player on its roster. The now-Brett Veach-run franchise had discussions of moving up from No. 54 and all the way into the first round, and they’ve been reportedly considering a trade-up sequence in Round 2. Albert Breer of SI.com reports the Chiefs discussed moving into the Eagles‘ No. 32 spot last night before the Ravens did so and that a move north tonight will be with a cornerback acquisition in mind. The Chiefs traded for Kendall Fuller and signed David Amerson, but their defense — the No. 30 DVOA unit with Peters — still has a need at this spot.
- Some evaluators think that Lamar Jackson‘s best position in the NFL would be at wide receiver, but don’t tell that to Ravens offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. When asked about his plans for the Louisville product, he said, “[Jackson] is a quarterback. Done.” (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). He also emphasized that Joe Flacco will remain the team’s starter.
Rakeem Nunez-Roches Signs RFA Tender
A rotational presence on recent Chiefs defensive lines, Rakeem Nunez-Roches signed his RFA tender, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter), and will return to Kansas City for a fourth season.
The Belize native’s signing leaves Falcons safety Ricardo Allen as the only unsigned restricted free agent. Allen was given a second-round tender, while the Chiefs tagged Nunez-Roches with an original-round tender worth $1.9MM.
Nunez-Roches started 11 games for the Chiefs last season and five for the 2016 version. He played 390 snaps last season and registered a half-sack and made 24 tackles. Entering his age-25 season, he’ll rerejoin a Chiefs front that figures to see some augmentation in the draft. Kansas City, though, signed RFA Xavier Williams from the Cardinals and still has Allen Bailey to complement its Chris Jones-centered defensive line.
The deadline for RFAs to sign offer sheets elsewhere has passed, leaving Allen in limbo. The Falcons can withdraw their $2.9MM tender after June 15, so some action in this process should be expected by then.
Draft Rumors: Sutton, Chargers, Landry
The Cowboys exited Round 1 without taking a wide receiver, but the team is aiming for one in the second round. Dallas is hoping SMU’s Courtland Sutton is available, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets. La Canfora notes the Saints are also interested in Sutton, whom some mocks had going in Round 1. New Orleans’ interest is noteworthy due to the deep arsenal of wide receivers on its roster, with Cameron Meredith now in the fold and Brandon Coleman having re-signed. But Ted Ginn is now 33. The Cowboys, conversely, need a wideout now after cutting Dez Bryant. Coupled with the news of Jason Witten‘s rumored departure and it’s logical to assume the Cowboys will exit Day 2 with a pass-catcher. Dallas’ next pick is at No. 50, and rumors of a possible Earl Thomas swap have emerged. Should the Cowboys unload their second-round selection for the All-Pro safety, they will almost certainly miss out on Sutton being there. And they may even have to trade up to land him regardless.
Here’s the latest from the draft world as Day 2 looms:
- The Chargers have not drafted a quarterback since 2013, but La Canfora tweets a lot of buzz has surfaced about the Bolts’ interest in Mason Rudolph. Viewed as this draft’s sixth-best quarterback prospect, Rudolph may require the Chargers to trade up. The Bolts did their homework on this draft’s quarterback prospects, and that included a workout with the Oklahoma State passer.
- And the Bolts are indeed considering a trade-up from their No. 48 position, per La Canfora, who adds the Chiefs are inquiring about a move north as well (Twitter link). Kansas City considered moving into the back end of the first round but decided against, and Brett Veach said those talks weren’t too close to producing a deal. However, the Chiefs don’t pick until No. 54 and have several needs across their defense.
- Boston College standout pass rusher Harold Landry is still be on the board entering Round 2, and injury concerns may be at the root of it. Some teams have flagged Landry for medical reasons, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter), adding knee and back issues have impeded a possible pick. Landry played in only eight games for Boston College last season, missing time with an ankle malady. However, he registered 16.5 sacks and 22 tackles for loss as a junior in 2016. It may be up to a team that doesn’t view Landry’s issues as enough of an investment deterrent to take him off the board Friday night.
- The Browns are high on Georgia running back Nick Chubb, La Canfora notes (via Twitter). Cleveland was linked to Saquon Barkley but didn’t have a chance to get him at No. 4. John Dorsey acquired the reigning NFL rushing champion, Kareem Hunt, in the third round last year. The Browns recently signed Carlos Hyde and have Duke Johnson entering a contract year.
- Former Wichita State basketball player Shaq Morris has an interesting decision on his hands, it appears. Morris is determining if he will try to make an NBA push or, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter), try his hand at an NFL career. The 6-foot-7, 270-pound athlete averaged a career-high 14.0 points per game last season for the Shockers and finished as the now-American Athletic Conference program’s all-time dunks leader. Garafolo reports Morris has hired NFL agent David Canter and will entertain interest from teams. Morris played high school football and may be attempting to follow in the footsteps of Antonio Gates, Julius Thomas and others whose college careers mostly commenced on basketball courts.
West Notes: Bradford, Raiders, Chiefs
The Cardinals gave Sam Bradford a hefty deal to be their starting quarterback in 2018, but that’s no longer a certainty after their selection of UCLA’s Josh Rosen in the first round.
“We got Sam to be our starting quarterback and I would still say that is the case,” coach Steve Wilks said when asked if Bradford will be the starter (via Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic). “I’m very excited about Josh … what he can bring. Every position is open for competition.”
The selection of Rosen marked the first time in 12 years the Cardinals drafted a quarterback in the first three rounds. They also gave up third- and fifth-round picks in order to advance to the No. 10 pick for him.
Clearly, the Cardinals believe that the future is very bright for Rosen, but he is also regarded by some as the most NFL-ready of any QB from this draft class. For Rosen and Arizona, the future could be the present.
Here’s more from the West divisions:
- The Raiders converted $7.085MM center Rodney Hudson’s 2018 base salary into a bonus, creating $5.668MM in cap space, a league source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The move had to be made in order to make room for the Raiders’ draft class as well as the acquisition of wide receiver Martavis Bryant.
- Due to the Raiders already paying Seth Roberts his $2MM roster bonus, the slot target’s $2.25MM 2018 salary is fully guaranteed. Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweets there are also incentives in Roberts’ deal — $150K for 45 receptions and another $150K if he eclipses his career-high mark (43 grabs last season) by a bigger margin and reaches 65 — and adds that Roberts may not be easy to move despite this draft featuring a less-than-stellar wideout contingent. But Oakland is trying to do so. Roberts has been Oakland’s primary slot man since the 2015 season, but his work has been consistently maligned by Pro Football Focus.
- The Chiefs did not have a first-round pick on Thursday, but they did try to trade into the back end of the first round, as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes. “I was (tempted),” GM Brett Veach said. “We make calls. But if you were to ask me, what were the odds of getting into round one, I would have said they were very low. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t going to try. We certainly had dialogue from (picks) 27 to 32. But it had to make sense for us, both now and in the future. It never got close.” The Chiefs traded their first-rounder to the Bills for the right to select Patrick Mahomes last year.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report.
Browns, Colts Lead League In Cap Space
The Browns and Colts have the most cap room of any team in the NFL heading into draft, as Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes. Here’s the official rundown of every team’s cap space for 2018 on the eve of draft weekend:
- Browns – $69.5MM
- Colts – $59.8MM
- 49ers – $43.8MM
- Titans – $35.8MM
- Texans -$35.6MM
- Bears – $24.1MM
- Jets – $21.9MM
- Bills – $19.4MM
- Jaguars – $18.6MM
- Cardinals – $18.1MM
- Redskins -$17.1MM
- Bengals – $16.8MM
- Packers – $16.2MM
- Vikings – $15.5MM
- Broncos – $14.6MM
- Patriots – $13.8MM
- Buccaneers – $12.3MM
- Cowboys -$11.9MM
- Chargers – $11.4MM
- Lions – $9.4MM
- Giants -$9.4MM
- Ravens – $8.8MM
- Seahawks – $7.6MM
- Chiefs – $6.7MM
- Saints – $5.7MM
- Panthers – $5.2MM
- Dolphins – $2.9MM
- Eagles – $2.2MM
- Steelers – $2MM
- Raiders – $1.8MM
- Falcons – $1.3MM
- Rams – $264K
Brett Veach Discusses Trade-Up Scenario
Having traded away a cornerback who was probably a top-three player on their roster, the Chiefs are in need of defensive help after ranking as the No. 30 DVOA unit with Marcus Peters in the fold last season. Although Kansas City signed Anthony Hitchens and Xavier Williams and traded for Kendall Fuller, the two-time defending AFC West champs have needs across their defense. But they lack a first-round pick after trading it to the Bills for the right to select Patrick Mahomes. Brett Veach, whose team’s first pick sits at No. 54, has not ruled out a big move in his first draft as GM.
The Chiefs acquired an extra fourth-round pick this year and a 2019 second-rounder from the Rams for their All-Pro cornerback and a 2018 third-rounder in the Alex Smith swap. The additional selections could be used as ammo in case this sort of scenario arises next weekend.
Chiefs To Sign RB Kerwynn Williams
The Chiefs have agreed to sign free agent running back Kerwynn Williams to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Kansas City has now made two under-the-radar additions to its backfield this offseason, as the club also signed former Dolphins running back Damien Williams. Kareem Hunt will still handle the bulk of the Chiefs’ carries after leading the league with 1,327 rushing yards during his rookie season in 2017, but the team is accruing depth behind the former third-round pick. In addition to Kerwynn and Damien Williams, Kansas City also boasts Charcandrick West, Akeem Hunt, and a rehabbing Spencer Ware.
Kerwynn Williams should be able to fill a variety of roles for the Chiefs, and will compete to be Hunt’s direct backup. In 2017, Williams saw the most playing time of his career while filling in for David Johnson in Arizona, as he managed 120 carries for 426 yards and one touchdown. He also added 10 receptions for 93 yards in the passing game.
In addition to contributing on offense, Williams can also help out on special teams. The 26-year-old returned 16 kickoffs for the Cardinals last year, averaging 20.4 yards per return. A year prior, Williams played on nearly 50% of Arizona’s special teams snaps.
Chiefs Meet With OT Cornelius Lucas
The Chiefs have met with free agent offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Lucas, 26, entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and spent three seasons with the Lions before playing for the Rams in 2017. He’s never been a full-time starter, and his playing time has decreased in every campaign since his rookie year. Lucas appeared in 30 games and made six starts from 2014-15, and even played 448 offensive snaps during his first season in the NFL. In 2017, however, Lucas appeared in only a single contest for Los Angeles and saw action on just 65 snaps, all of which came in a meaningless Week 17 game.
Lucas played his college ball at Kansas State, so signing with the Chiefs would represent something of a homecoming. Kansas City already has two rock-solid tackle starters in Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, but Lucas would compete with Jordan Devey, Cameron Erving, and Andrew Wylie to serve as a backup.
Colts Sign CB Kenneth Acker
The Colts annoucned the signing of cornerback Kenneth Acker. Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it’s probably not a costly contract for Indianapolis.
Acker has played in 40 career games, including 15 starts, over the course of his four-year NFL career with the Chiefs (2016-17) and 49ers (2014-15). The Seahawks also showed some interest in him before he landed in Indy.
The Colts lost Rashaan Melvin in free agency this year when he joined with the Raiders, leaving them with a lack of depth at cornerback. Acker probably isn’t in line for a starting job, but he can offer support from the bench, along with the recently re-signed Pierre Desir.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/9/18
Here are today’s minor moves.
Detroit Lions
- Signed RFA tender: WR T.J. Jones
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on Reserve/Retired list: WR Rodney Adams
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: TE Tim Wright
Oakland Raiders
- Signed ERFA tender: LB Shilique Calhoun
- Signed ERFA tender: LB James Cowser
- Signed ERFA tender: S Erik Harris
- Signed ERFA tender: OL Denver Kirkland
- Signed ERFA tender: K Giorgio Tavecchio
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: OL Joseph Cheek
- Signed: OL Larson Graham
- Signed: OL Parker Collins
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: LB Victor Ochi
Washington Redskins
- Waived: QB Stephen Morris