Pauline’s Latest: Mariota, Saints, Mannion
Earlier this week, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested that a three-way trade between the Browns, the Eagles, and a team in the top five could be mutually beneficial, with Cleveland landing Sam Bradford, Philadelphia getting Marcus Mariota, and the third team stockpiling extra draft picks.
The piece sounded like informed speculation, but Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net hears that both the Eagles and Chargers have explored the possibility of moving up for Mariota through the Browns, and have had conversations about the idea. A league source tells Pauline that if the Titans decide to deal that No. 2 overall pick, Cleveland is in the best spot, since the Browns hold two top-20 picks, and could either move up for Mariota themselves or get involved in another team’s deal.
Here’s more from Pauline, with the draft just one week away:
- According to Pauline, the Saints (the other team with two first-round picks), will consider trading up if they feel like they have a chance to land pass rusher Vic Beasley, whose potential DC Rob Ryan loves.
- Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion, who recently worked out for the Rams and Cowboys, ranks as the third-best quarterback available on more than a dozen teams’ boards, per Pauline.
- Pauline hears that the Seahawks would “love to grab” wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham if he’s available at No. 63, but the team expects him to come off the board in the first round, or within the first 15 picks of round two.
- Michigan State’s Marcus Rush will be drafted earlier than originally predicted, having “blown teams away” during the interview process, says Pauline, adding that the defensive end could be a fifth-round pick.
- Speaking of Michigan State players, a number of teams view former Spartans outside linebacker Taiwan Jones as a potential “gem,” and grade him as a third-round pick, according to Pauline.
- The Raiders, Chiefs, and Patriots are expressing interest in Villanova offensive lineman Vince Kowalski, who could be a late-round gamble or an undrafted free agent, tweets Pauline.
Minor Moves: Tuesday
Today’s minor moves..
- The Dolphins waived offensive guard Davonte Wallace, according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (on Twitter).
- The Chiefs waived former 2014 Steelers first-round choice Shaquille Richardson, as Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk writes. The cornerback signed with KC in February, but he couldn’t stick with the team through the spring.
- Ravens backup long snapper Patrick Scales signed his $435K exclusive-rights free agent tender, as Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun writes. Scales was signed last season after two long snappers went down with season-ending injuries in Baltimore.
- The Chargers cut linebacker Alvin Scioneaux, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Scioneaux, 24 in May, spent last season on the Bolts’ IR.
- The Lions have released guard Rodney Austin, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). Austin, an Elon University product, was let go after being arrested on two charges of assault, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes. For what it’s worth, Austin’s agent says that the issue will soon be behind his client. “I’m very well aware of what happened and that’s why I know this is not going to be an ongoing issue,” said Mark Magazu. The 26-year-old was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Lions after the 2012 draft.
- Cowboys running back Lance Dunbar and punter Chris Jones signed their restricted free-agent tender offers, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. The Cowboys gave both players the low tender, worth $1.542MM. Still, neither player is a lock to make the team in 2015.
Draft Visits: Perriman, DGB, Clemmings, Jones
Here are the latest updates on a few draft prospects taking some visits and working out for teams this week:
- Breshad Perriman, WR (UCF): Visiting the Titans today, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Second overall is too high for Perriman, but 33rd overall is likely too late to nab him, so Tennessee could be doing its due diligence in the event of a trade.
- Dorial Green-Beckham, WR (Missouri): Visiting the Chiefs today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- T.J. Clemmings, OT (Pittsburgh): Visiting the Saints, Falcons, and Rams this week, and has met with 19 teams since his Pro Day, per Rapoport (Twitter link).
- Byron Jones, CB (UConn): Visiting the Dolphins, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Jones was previously identified as a player on Miami’s radar.
- Anthony Harris, S (Virginia); Marcus Rush, DE (Michigan State): Both players are visiting the Lions today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
- Kyle Emanuel, DE (North Dakota); Eric Rowe, CB (Utah); Doran Grant, CB (Ohio State): All three players visited the Steelers today, tweets ESPN.com’s Scott Brown.
- Daryl Williams, OL (Oklahoma); Tyrus Thompson, OL (Oklahoma); Adam Shead, OL (Oklahoma): All three players worked out for Panthers offensive line coach John Matsko today, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Williams and Thompson previously worked out for Cowboys offensive line coach Frank Pollack.
- Jesse Davis, OL (Idaho): Has a private workout with the Seahawks later this week, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
West Notes: Bennett, Rams, Waynes
Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett is not expected to be in attendance for the Seahawks’ voluntary workouts, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times writes. Bennett denies that he’s seeking a trade out of Seattle but sources have said he would like the team to redo his contract. Bennett is entering the second year of a four-year deal worth $28.5MM signed last spring. When asked if he’s happy with is deal, the veteran replied: “I can’t really say that, but I mean I don’t know anybody that is happy with the amount of money that they’re making. But at this point, I’m just trying to be a good Seahawk.” Here’s more from the AFC and NFC West..
- The Rams will host Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes on Tuesday and South Carolina offensive guard A.J. Cann on Wednesday, according to Nick Wagoner of the Post-Dispatch (on Twitter). The Rams pick at No. 10 and they have the opportunity to jump the Vikings at No. 11, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes (via Twitter).
- Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson says that he hopes to play for another 3-5 years, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter). The Chiefs could create $5.2MM in cap savings by releasing Johnson, but team chairman Clark Hunt recently said that he expects that the veteran will stay put.
- In addition to Justin Houston and Eric Berry, Daniel Sorensen and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif were also absent from Chiefs camp due to academics, Paylor tweets.
- Mississippi State defensive end Preston Smith is in Denver today visiting the Broncos, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link). Smith visited the Vikings in Minnesota earlier in April.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Minor Moves: Monday
Here are today’s minor transactions from across the NFL, with the latest moves added to the top of the page throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening:
- Howard Balzer of the SportsXchange (all Twitter links) passes along word on a number of exclusive rights and restricted free agents who officially signed their contract tenders today. According to Balzer, the following players are now under contract for the 2015 season: Browns linebacker Craig Robertson (second-round RFA), Browns safety Johnson Bademosi (low-end RFA), Steelers fullback Will Johnson (low-end RFA), Giants cornerback Chandler Fenner (ERFA), Ravens cornerback Tramain Jacobs (ERFA), and Chiefs wide receivers Frankie Hammond and Junior Hemingway (ERFAs).
- The Seahawks have re-signed free agent center Lemuel Jeanpierre, according to Balzer (via Twitter). Jeanpierre, who turns 28 next month, started three games at center for Seattle near the end of the 2014 regular season.
Earlier updates:
- The Titans have reached an agreement on a one-year contract with linebacker Kaelin Burnett, the club announced today (Twitter link). Burnett, who started his career with the Raiders, has played in 22 total NFL games, including five last year for the Titans, primarily as a special teamer.
- Wide receiver Kamar Aiken signed his exclusive rights free agent tender with the Ravens today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The move was a mere formality, allowing Aiken to participate in the club’s offseason program.
- Lions wide receiver and kick returner Jeremy Ross also signed his ERFA tender today, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link). Like Aiken, Ross was technically a free agent but wasn’t able to negotiate with any team besides Detroit.
AFC Notes: Jets, Colts, Richardson, Rivers, Charles
The Jets have question marks surrounding their first-round selection in the upcoming NFL Draft, with a number of players making sense for the team. Geno Smith is a question mark at best, therefore Marcus Mariota could be in play if he slips to No. 6, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Cimini also examines the possibility of the team selecting offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, but points the Jets towards a pass rusher or receiver instead.
Here are a few other notes from around the AFC:
- The Colts have a lack of depth along the defense, and could dramatically improve their team through the draft despite picking so late in the first-round. The team could stand to add along the defensive line, safety, and corner with high draft picks, according to Stephen Holder of IndyStar.com.
- Trent Richardson‘s grievance over having the final year of his contract voided by the Colts still looms over the 2015 season, but this is not unusual as the timeline for these proceedings can often take a while, according to Mike Wells of ESPN.com. He writes that he wouldn’t be surprised if the team is forced to pay a portion of his 2015 salary, but doesn’t expect the Colts will be on the hook for the whole thing.
- The Titans’ attempts at acquiring Philip Rivers from the Chargers may all be for show, but the deal makes a lot of sense to many NFL pundits, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean. Wyatt breaks down the possible compensation that would be included in order to make the deal happen, based on a number of different opinions.
- Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles has been one of the consistent, driving forces of the team’s offense for most of the past six years (excluding the torn-ACL season from 2011), and has been outspoken after the offense took a step back in 2014, writes the Associated Press on USAToday.com. He specifically pointed to the offensive line as a part of the team that needs improving. “I definitely want them to address that,” he said. “I’m not a GM, so I can’t do that job. But it was challenging last year playing with guys — some got hurt, some got suspended. So it was hard playing. I never knew how crucial it was to my career that I needed linemen.”
Draft Notes: Winston, Beasley, Gurley, Dawson
Here are the latest draft-related updates from around the NFL:
- The Buccaneers are undaunted by Florida State quarterback’s Jameis Winston’s latest legal problems, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link). Cummings believes Winston will be the Bucs’ choice at No. 1 overall.
- The Raiders worked out Clemson pass rusher Vic Beasley on Friday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Oakland sent a four-man contingent headed by defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. to observe Beasley, who is Clemson’s all-time sacks leader and a candidate to be the Raiders’ first-round pick (fourth overall).
- Beasley might not make it to Oakland’s pick, as the Jaguars – who own No. 3 overall – had defensive line coach Todd Wash follow up with the 22-year-old, Rapoport tweeted. Jacksonville worked out Beasley earlier this month.
- Georgia running back Todd Gurley will visit the Patriots next week, reports Mike Giardi of CSNNE.com. Gurley is a potential fit for the Patriots in the first round, in which they hold the 32nd overall selection.
- TCU linebacker Paul Dawson has visited the 49ers and Chiefs and had a private workout with the Falcons, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. He also met with the Rams and Saints at his Pro Day workout.
Extra Points: L.A., Dolphins, Chiefs, 49ers
Rounding up the latest NFL news as Thursday comes to a close. . .
- Howard Balzer tweets that Rams, Raiders, and Chargers representatives will update their Los Angeles stadium plans next Wednesday and Thursday. Additionally, Balzer reports that a St. Louis task force will meet with league officials and six owners next week to discuss a potential new stadium. The Rams, who have played in St. Louis’ Edward Jones Dome since 1995, are free to break their lease and relocate after next season. The same holds true for the Raiders and Chargers.
- The Dolphins have shown significant interest in cornerbacks and wide receiver prospects this year, and two of their latest pre-draft visitors happen to play those positions. Connecticut corner Byron Jones and Ohio State wideout Devin Smith are both on the team’s radar, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
- The Chiefs had an official visit with Pittsburg State cornerback De’Vante Bausby on Wednesday, reports Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link). Bausby, who was in attendance at KC’s local pro day last week, will likely be a late-round pick in the draft.
- The 49ers will hold their local pro day on Friday. One of the 65 players who will partake is older than all but three members of the 49ers’ roster. That player is Nate Boyer, 34, a former Green Beret and Iraq war veteran who didn’t play organized football until the age of 29. The ex-University of Texas long snapper could land a contract with the 49ers, according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch, who notes that the team has carried two players at the position in recent years.
AFC Notes: Rivers, Titans, J. Houston, Colts
As the NFL draft draws closer, rumors of a trade that would send Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers to the Titans continue to swirl. According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), there is a strong likelihood that Rivers and the 17th overall pick (and perhaps more pieces) will end up heading to Tennessee in exchange for the second overall selection. The Chargers would then draft Oregon signal caller Marcus Mariota to replace Rivers.
Here’s more on Rivers and the rest of the AFC:
- Jason Fitzgerald of the Sporting News writes that now is the time for the Chargers to deal Rivers. Doing so would enable the Bolts to get out from under the high-paying deal Rivers, who is entering a contract year, will get sometime prior to the 2016 campaign and replace him with a much younger player, Mariota, with franchise QB potential. Rivers, 33, is 12 years older than Mariota.
- The Chiefs used the franchise tag to retain linebacker Justin Houston in February after long-term contract negotiations proved unsuccessful, and the sides haven’t resumed discussions since then, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. If Kansas City fails to lock up Houston by July 15, it’ll have to wait until the end of next season to restart talks on a new deal. In the meantime, another team could sign Houston to an offer sheet, but if that happens and the Chiefs don’t match the offer, it would cost Houston’s new club a first-round pick in both 2016 and ’17. The four-year veteran may be worth it, having racked up three straight double-digit-sack seasons and a league-best 22 in 2014.
- Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star took a pre-draft look at the Colts’ projected starting lineup for 2015. Holder notes that the team has potential weaknesses along both lines (center, right guard and right tackle on offense; nose tackle on defense) and at free safety. All could be areas for the Colts to improve via the draft.
- Broncos special teams ace and backup safety David Bruton has started just five a possible 91 games during his career, but Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that the 27-year-old wants to change that in 2015. The Broncos lost free safety Rahim Moore in free agency and are down to Darian Stewart and Bradley Roby at the position. Bruton hopes to be in the mix for the No. 1 job. “I envision myself starting,” said the six-year veteran. “I’m dreaming big this season, especially (in a) contract year.”
- The Browns will visit with Northwestern quarterback Trevor Siemian on Sunday and Monday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Siemian accounted for 12 touchdowns in 2014 (seven passing, five rushing) before suffering a torn ACL in November.
Draft Notes: Rams, Winston, Vikings, Saints
Despite already having a starting-caliber quarterback in Nick Foles, the Rams are doing their due diligence with the position as the NFL draft nears. They worked out Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota for roughly an hour Thursday, tweets the NFL Network’s Albert Breer. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweeted earlier Thursday that, in addition to Mariota, the Rams will work out Florida State’s Jameis Winston, Baylor’s Bryce Petty, Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson and UCLA’s Brett Hundley in the coming days. Mariota and Winston should be long gone by the time the Rams’ first-round selection, the 10th overall pick, rolls around, while the rest are viewed as options in the second round and beyond.
More draft-related news:
- NFL teams were already aware of Jameis Winston’s latest legal troubles before the news broke Thursday and those issues won’t affect his draft status, per Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link).
- The Vikings have done their homework on a pair of safety prospects, Louisville’s James Sample and Central Florida’s Clayton Geathers, reports Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). Both are projected as mid-round picks.
- Although West Virginia defensive end Shaquille Riddick wasn’t among the 323 prospects invited to February’s scouting combine, he has drawn pre-draft interest from the Giants, Cardinals, Eagles, Texans, Saints, Bears and Chiefs, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Riddick told Ulrich that is using the combine snub as motivation. “Wherever I go, I’m going to be a surprise that they’re going to benefit from,” said Riddick. “And whoever doesn’t select me, they’re going to have to worry about me terrorizing their quarterbacks.”
- The Saints will host their local pro day on Friday, according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. Per Woodbery, at least a dozen players will participate. Only those who grew up within a 40-mile radius of New Orleans or attended college within the same distance are eligible to partake.