Draft Rumors: Texans, Pats, Bears
The latest draft rumors from around the NFL:
- Texas A&M cornerback Brandon Williams worked out privately for Texans coach Bill O’Brien and also visited the Steelers, Patriots, and Bears, Wilson tweets. Williams bench pressed 225 pounds 18 times at the NFL scouting combine and is said to be turning heads with his athleticism. Wilson writes that the A&M product, who had 34 tackles and seven passes defended in 2015, is drawing third/fourth round grades from scouts.
- Michigan linebacker James Ross is drawing interest from the Colts, Raiders, Ravens, and Lions, Wilson tweets.
- Temple wide receiver Robby Anderson had visited the Packers, Browns, Bengals, Chiefs, and Raiders, Wilson tweets. Anderson caught a career-high 70 passes for 939 yards on his way to an all-conference selection in 2015. The 6’3″, 190-pound receiver ran a 4.28 second 40-yard-dash at his Pro Day.
- The Buccaneers and Chargers worked out Iowa State receiver Quenton Bundrage, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (on Twitter). Bundrage, who posted a 4.5 second 40-yard-dash time, finished his senior year with 41 receptions, 548 yards, and one touchdown as a senior. He missed the 2014 season with a knee injury.
- Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton is drawing late interest from the Texans, Vikings, and Cardinals, Wilson tweets.
Chiefs Interested In Michigan Tech DL
- Michigan Tech defensive lineman Tanner Agen is drawing interest from the Chiefs, Packers, and 49ers, Wilson tweets.
Chiefs Sign Mike Williams
4:45pm: The Chiefs announced that the deal is now official.
3:24pm: The Chiefs are adding a free agent to their wide receiving corps today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that former Buccaneers and Bills wideout Mike Williams is signing a one-year deal in Kansas City.
Williams, a fourth-round pick out of Syracuse in 2010, got off to a great start in Tampa Bay, racking up 964 yards and 11 touchdowns on 65 receptions in his rookie season for the Buccaneers. Although he was productive for the next two seasons, earning a lucrative, long-term extension in July 2013, Williams’ time in Tampa Bay came to an abrupt end shortly after he signed that contract, in large part due to a multitude of off-the-field issues.
Williams signed with the Bills for the 2014 season, but was cut by Buffalo after catching just eight balls for 142 yards and a touchdown in nine games. The 28-year-old (29 next month) was unable to catch on with an NFL team for the 2015 campaign, serving a three-game suspension to open the season. So he may face an uphill battle as he attempts to secure a spot on the Chiefs’ 53-man roster in 2016.
Terms of Williams’ new contract aren’t yet known, but a minimum salary deal seems very likely. The veteran receiver worked out for the Bengals and Patriots this offseason before agreeing to sign with the Chiefs.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Chiefs Waiting Until Last Minute On Eric Fisher's Fifth-Year Option
With fifth-year option decisions due Tuesday, May 3, the Chiefs are procrastinating — at least publicly — on their choice on whether or not to pick up Eric Fisher‘s.
“I know a lot of guys have been exercising these options on players right now,” Chiefs GM John Dorsey said (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). “I do things a little bit different. I think what I do is, I’m, at times, compartmentalizing a little bit too much. So really, the task at hand, for me, is to make sure we nail this draft. And I think when we get to Monday, we’ll deal with Monday.”
Fisher would be due a guaranteed-against-injury $11.9MM in 2017 if the Chiefs pick up their left tackle’s option. The No. 1 overall pick in 2013, Fisher improved last season after an unremarkable initial two years. But at $11.9MM, he’d stand to be the fourth-highest-paid tackle in 2017 — behind only Tyron Smith, Trent Williams and Anthony Castonzo. And by waiting until the draft is over, the Chiefs appear to be keeping their options open regarding their blind-side protector’s future, considering he hasn’t yet shown himself worthy of a cornerstone-type contract similar to the ones the aforementioned players received.
Justin Houston Expected To Play In 2016
After undergoing a procedure on his ACL earlier in the offseason, star pass rusher Justin Houston had an uncertain outlook for the 2016 season. However, Chiefs general manager John Dorsey said today that the team fully expects to have Houston back in 2016, telling reporters that “our doctors have reassured us that Justin will be playing this season” (Twitter links via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star).
Houston underwent postseason arthroscopic surgery on his knee, at which point his ACL was found to be “intact but not functioning.” While a separate procedure ensured that Houston’s ACL is now repaired, the original diagnosis suggested a recovery timetable of 6-12 months following the February surgery. When the club announced the news last month, head coach Andy Reid said he hoped Houston would be able to play in 2016.
While Dorsey sounded confident today that Houston will be back on the field in 2016, it’s not clear whether the club expects to have him for all 16 regular season games. Asked exactly when the 27-year-old would be back, the GM was noncommittal: “When is a good [question]. Not being a medical expert, I really can’t definitively tell you that answer” (link via Adam Teicher of ESPN.com).
Even if Houston only takes six months to recover, that would mean he’d return sometime in August — if he misses a portion of training camp and the preseason, it may take him a little extra time to get up to speed for the regular season. Still, it sounds like positive news for the Chiefs, whose pass rush would be significantly impacted by the loss of Houston for an extended period of time.
One of the league’s top outside linebackers, Houston inked a six-year, $101MM extension with the Chiefs less than a year ago, but was hampered by injuries in the first season of his new deal. After leading the NFL with 22 sacks in 2014, Houston still played very well in 2015, but totaled just 7.5 sacks in 11 games. The outside linebacker also showed some versatility by grabbing a pair of interceptions, including one for a touchdown.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sorensen And Williams Sign Tenders
- The Chiefs have re-signed safety Daniel Sorensen and defensive end Nick Williams, each of whom signed his exclusive-rights tender, per Howard Balzer of USA Today (Twitter link).
Chiefs’ Appeal Of Tampering Penalty Denied
4:27pm: Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt has issued a statement in response to the NFL’s ruling on the Chiefs’ appeal. It reads as follows:
“We appreciate the opportunity to make our appeal on this matter, and we acknowledge the minor reduction in fines imposed. However, we continue to believe that the facts of this case combined with the league’s inconsistent enforcement of its tampering policies do not warrant the most severe penalty for player-related tampering in league history.
“Having exhausted our options under the appeal process, we are turning the page on this issue and look forward to continuing our preparations for the 2016 season.”
4:18pm: The Chiefs’ appeal of the penalties handed down by the NFL for their tampering violation has been denied, says Adam Teicher of ESPN.com (Twitter links). According to Teicher, the fine levied against the Chiefs has been reduced from $250K to $200K, and Andy Reid‘s fine was also reduced, from $75K to $60K, but the rest of the penalties facing the team remain unchanged.
The NFL announced on the first day of the 2016 league year that it had fined the Chiefs $250K and taken away two draft picks from the franchise – including a 2016 third-rounder – as penalties for tampering with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin prior to last year’s free agent period. As expected, Kansas City will move forward without those lost draft picks.
Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweeted when the Chiefs initially filed their appeal that he had heard the league had gathered “pretty strong information” on the situation, making it unlikely that the penalties would be overturned.
The NFL alleged that the Chiefs were in direct contact with Maclin during the time leading up to 2015 free agency. Teams are only permitted to talk to player agents – not players themselves – during the legal tampering period, and can’t discuss free agents at all prior to that.
In addition to being docked a 2016 third-round pick, the Chiefs also lost a 2017 sixth-rounder as a result of the league’s ruling.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Should The Chiefs Deal Jamaal Charles For Mid-Round Pick?
- Rehabbing from his second torn ACL in five years, Jamaal Charles carries about the only contract that the Chiefs can shed in the next two years that will save them big money. Kansas City extending both Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware also secures the team’s backups who filled in for Charles last season, and Adam Teicher of ESPN.com wonders if now is the best time to trade the 29-year-old Charles. Teicher argues the two-time All-Pro’s value will never be higher going forward, with the dynamic ball-carrier turning 30 in December, and the fact the Chiefs don’t have a third-round pick this year in light of the Jeremy Maclin tampering penalties makes a trade worth discussing. Possessing close to the least amount of cap space currently and, along with scant projected space in 2017, the Chiefs are committed to most of their high-priced talent for the next two years. But Charles has two nonguaranteed years left — at $5.3MM and $7MM, respectively.
Chiefs Interested In Bowling Green WR Ryan Burbring
- The Buccaneers, Cardinals, Chargers and Chiefs are all interested in Bowling Green receiver/returner Ryan Burbring, per Wilson (on Twitter).
Stephen Weatherly Visited Chiefs
- Vanderbilt linebacker Stephen Weatherly has worked out for the Panthers, Patriots, Colts, and Cardinals, and has visited the Panthers, Broncos, Saints, Raiders, Chiefs, and Vikings. Meanwhile, Maryland linebacker Yannick Ngakoue worked out for the Texans, Cowboys, Saints, Colts, Titans, Ravens, Dolphins, and Patriots, in addition to making several previously-reported visits. Pauline believes both players may come off the board earlier than expected.
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