AFC Notes: Pats, Browns, Sam, Chargers
Let’s round up a few Wednesday updates from across the AFC….
- Within his latest piece at Bleacher Report, Mike Freeman writes that the Patriots are considering adding a receiver earlier in the draft and that the Browns “really love” Derek Carr, who is a strong candidate for the club’s second first-round pick.
- The Browns aren’t set on Carr yet though — Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that the club is privately working out Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron today, and Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer adds (via Twitter) that McCarron will also have a formal visit with the Browns next week.
- Five of the six teams that have expressed the most interest in Missouri’s Michael Sam are AFC clubs, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who identifies the Ravens, Patriots, Colts, Browns, Jets, and Falcons as suitors for the edge defender.
- Meanwhile, in a piece for the National Football Post, Wilson reports that Illinois State defensive end Colton Underwood has visited the Chargers and Chiefs, and also worked out for the Patriots.
- After having visited the Cowboys yesterday, Oregon State defensive end Scott Crichton is visiting the Broncos today and the Chargers tomorrow, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- The Chargers are hosting Indiana wideout Cody Latimer and Montana linebacker Brock Coyle today, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter links). Coyle will visit the Seahawks next, Gehlken notes.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk attempts to discern what we can learn from the Alex Mack saga when it comes to future offer sheets for transition players.
AFC Notes: Dolphins, FA Grades, Manziel
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes that, although wide receiver might be the deepest position on the Dolphins‘ roster, and although the team likes the top receivers on its depth chart–Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline, Brandon Gibson, and Rishard Matthews–Miami wants to continue adding to its receiving corps.
The Dolphins were unable to land Nate Burleson, who ultimately signed with the Browns, but they did recently add Damian Williams along with “long shots” Kevin Cone and Mike Rios. More importantly, they have devoted at least three of their 30 official visits to wide receivers who are projected to be taken in the first several rounds of next month’s draft. The team will visit with Ole Miss receiver Donte Moncrief and Clemson wideout Martavis Bryant, along with USC’s Marqise Lee.
As Jackson observes, the attention to receivers is motivated at least in part by the recent surgeries that Hartline, Gibson, and the “intriguing” Armon Binns have undergone. No doubt the Dolphins are also intent on giving quarterback Ryan Tannehill as many explosive weapons as possible by mining the deepest wide receiver draft class in recent memory.
Some more notes from around the AFC:
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com continues his series of offseason evaluations as he takes a look at how AFC West teams fared in free agency. He believes the Raiders‘ offseason looks like an attempt to recreate a Pro Bowl roster from 2009 and gives the team a “D” grade (link), while the Chiefs and Chargers receive similarly disappointing “C-” grades (links here). The Broncos, meanwhile, receive a “B” for their efforts (link), as Fitzgerald respects their bold acquisitions but wonders if Eric Decker and Darrelle Revis would have made more sense than Emmanuel Sanders and Aqib Talib. Since the team is sacrificing its cap health in 2015 anyway, Decker/Revis indubitably looks like the better play on paper.
- Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun provides a similar evaluation of the Ravens‘ offseason, noting that the club has “closed the gap” in the AFC North with its savvy series of re-signings and modest but potentially valuable additions like Steve Smith and Owen Daniels.
- After writing that the Texans would take Johnny Manizel and Blake Bortles in his first two mock drafts, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle has shifted gears and now believes the team will select Jadeveon Clowney with the No. 1 overall pick.
- ESPN Insider Field Yates (subscription required) takes a look at how the Browns and Jaguars have gone about their respective rebuilding processes and evaluates the merits of each approach.
Extra Points: Options, Bucs, Ravens, Panthers
The new CBA could hinder the availability of elite talent on the free agent market, writes John Clayton of ESPN.com. With long-term contract prices exceedingly high, teams will look to use the fifth-year option on many 2011 first-round-picks who would’ve been free agents after the upcoming season. Players like Cam Newton, Von Miller, and A.J. Green will likely have their options picked up by their respective teams, followed by progressive talks towards long-term deals. Compounding the situation is the fact that the top seven picks of the 2010 draft have contracts that do not expire until after the 2015 season. Because teams will have to conserve cap space to hammer out inevitable extensions for star-level players, mediocre free agents may have to be willing to sign for less money than might be expected.
More NFL notes to close out your weekend:
- The Buccaneers plan to draft a quarterback, but in what round is still a question, says Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Johnny Manziel remains a possibility if he slips to pick No. 7, as Bucs coach Lovie Smith noted: “I had time to watch quite a few games, and I had a chance to watch him — a lot. So you add all that up.”
- Boise State offensive lineman Matt Paradis, who worked out for the Patriots on Wednesday, recently visited with the Broncos, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
- The Ravens have improved this offseason, but their offensive line (particularly left guard and right tackle) is still in flux, writes Greg Bedard of the MMQB.com.
- The Panthers receiving corps and offensive line are both listed among Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness’ list of offensive units that took a step back this offseason (via ESPN insider – subscription required). Carolina lost pass-catchers Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell, and Ted Ginn, while their offensive line suffered the retirement of Jordan Gross and is still awaiting the decision of Travelle Wharton.
- On the Over the Cap podcast (audio link), Jason Fitzgerald stated that he believes the Chiefs will extend quarterback Alex Smith this summer. Signing Smith, whose contract expires after the upcoming season, would lower his cap figure and allow the team more cap space, enabling them to negotiate new deals for young players like Justin Houston.
AFC Notes: Finley, Browns, Chiefs, Patriots
An assortment of items from around the AFC:
- The Dolphins have engaged in talks with free agent tight end Jermichael Finley, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Finley, who suffered a bruised spinal cord last season, played under ‘Fins head coach Joe Philbin when both were with the Packers.
- The two players that most interest the Browns at pick No. 4 are Sammy Watkins and Greg Robinson, and the team could trade down if neither is available, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. However, Cabot also cautions that if Cleveland wants a top-flight quarterback, they shouldn’t wait until to pick No. 26 to select one.
- Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star believes the Chiefs should look to trade safety Eric Berry, citing cap flexibility, the need to stockpile draft picks, and the relative ease of finding in-the-box safeties. Dealing Berry, whom Pro Football Focus graded as the third-best safety in the league last season, would save the Chiefs a little over $11MM in cap space over the next two seasons. I don’t see such a trade coming to fruition, as Berry is an excellent player, and the cap room gleaned would only be useful next offseason, since all the name free agents have already signed this offseason.
- Duron Harmon is the leading candidate to take over as the Patriots strong safety now that Steve Gregory has been released, writes Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Harmon, at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, would add an imposing presence to a backfield that has gotten progressively smaller over the past few seasons.
- Joel Corry of the National Football Post looks at what the Jaguars could have done to ensure that the Browns did not match their offer sheet to Alex Mack; among the options, the Jags could have considered guaranteeing all $42MM in the contract, which would have been unprecedented.
- The Raiders’ defensive line should be among the most improved defensive units in the league next season, writes Rick Drummond of Pro Football Focus (via ESPN Insider – subscription required). Oakland added Justin Tuck, Antonio Smith, and LaMarr Woodley, all of whom had excellent PFF grades in 2013.
AFC Mailbag Roundup: Chiefs, Colts, Steelers
We took at a look at the most recent mailbag segments involving NFC teams, so let’s do the same for the AFC:
- Though Johnny Manziel doesn’t figure to be around when the the Chiefs at No. 23, Teddy Bridgewater might be in for a draft-day fall. If he does slip, don’t be surprised if Kansas City pulls the trigger on the young quarterback, writes Terez A. Paylor of ESPN.com. The selection would make sense, as Alex Smith is entering the final year of his contact.
- The oft-criticized Colts offensive line is still in flux, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Wells. Donald Thomas, returning from a torn ACL, is expected to man one guard spot, while Lance Louis and Hugh Thornton will battle for the other guard position. The most intriguing position may be center, where the team seems to want Khaled Holmes to beat out recent addition Phil Costa for the starting role.
- Third-year Steelers safety Robert Golden could be the victim of a roster crunch, says Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Golden played only 51 snaps on defense last season, but excelled on special teams.
- Though Kevin Boothe might be the better player, Khalif Barnes could be the favorite for the Raiders left guard position, writes Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com. Boothe is set to be the backup center, and the need to keep him fresh for that role could mean Barnes will enter the starting lineup.
- ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco doesn’t believe Jaguars will draft a quarterback with the third overall selection, but he does think QB is an option later in the draft. Zach Mettenberger and Jimmy Garoppolo seem to be among the Jags preferred choices.
Draft Notes: Murray, Barr, Mason, Hyde
Georgia quarterback prospect Aaron Murray, recovering from an ACL injury, has drawn significant interest, reports Pro Football Talk, which lists the Browns, Dolphins, Jaguars, Lions, Patriots, Rams and Titans as teams taking an extended look.
In other draft-related news and notes…
- LSU quarterback prospect Zach Mettenberger has a private workout scheduled with the Titans, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- Drafting UCLA pass rusher Anthony Barr is a better option for the Eagles than trading for Dolphins second-year pass rusher Dion Jordan (drafted third overall last year after playing for Chip Kelly at Oregon), according to NJ.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks, who provides a detailed comparison.
- BYU rush linebacker prospect Kyle Van Noy did an interview with Darren Smith of 1090 AM and said the Chargers would be his ideal landing spot.
- A pair of running back prospects, Auburn’s Tre Mason and Wisconsin’s James White, worked out for the Dolphins yesterday, per Omar Kelly of the Sun-Sentinel (via Twitter).
- The Eagles have also shown interest in Mason, according to Shorr-Parks. The team sent running backs coach Duce Staley to Auburn’s pro day
- Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde, Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Liberty cornerback Walt Aikens visited the Bills yesterday, according to the team’s website.
- The 49ers are expected to draft a center to compete with Daniel Kilgore, writes Doug Williams of CSN Bay Area.
- Small-school pass rusher Howard Jones from Shepherd University spent two days meeting with the Cardinals, according to a story by David Fawcett on insidenova.com. Jones is also scheduled for a visit with the Cowboys, though a Chiefs scout advised him he has “got to eat.”
AFC Notes: Mack, Pouncey, Chiefs, Pats, Jets
The Browns’ patient strategy with Alex Mack seems to have worked out for the best, opines Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto, who says the new deal is “expensive, but not outrageous for one of the top centers in the NFL — and a player who has not missed a snap since being drafted…”
In other AFC notes…
- Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey stands to benefit from Mack’s new contract, asserts the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ed Bouchette, who writes Pouncey can justify saying he should be the highest paid center in the NFL. Pouncey has one year remaining on his rookie deal, though contract negotiations have yet to commence, as the 24-year-old lost his 2013 season because of a torn ACL injury.
- The Chiefs had a productive return game last season, but lost Dexter McCluster and Quintin Demps in free agency, meaning they’ll likely draft at least one player with kick return ability, writes ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher, who relays Mel Kiper’s suggestions for prospects who fit the profile.
- The Patriots graded out well in free agency, in the opinion of Jason Fitzgerald at overthecap.com. Fitzgerald credited the Pats, who signed Darrelle Revis to “what was essentially a one year Franchise tender,” calling it a “no-brainer” since there is minimal long-term commitment. In summation, Fitzgerald says, the team “went into free agency without a ton of cap space and came back with two upgrades at cornerback without having to part ways with [Vince Wilfork] or get into future cap headaches by restructuring the contract of Logan Mankins or Jerod Mayo.”
- Fitzgerald was not as complementary of the Jets, however, as they received a C-minus free agency grade. In fairness, despite having ample cap space, the Jets were relatively passive in free agency, opting instead to rely on their 12 draft picks to add depth.
That strategy was the focus of a recent piece by ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini in which he underscored the importance of this year’s draft: “Because of their deliberate approach in free agency — some might say cheap — they have raised the stakes for the upcoming draft. May 8-10 will be the three biggest days of the year for a franchise in Stage 2 of its rebuilding project.”
Cimini also highlighted the stylistic and philosophical difference between GM John Idzik and former GM Mike Tannenbaum:
“Many fans are restless because they are not accustomed to this way of doing business. Under Idzik’s predecessor, Mike Tannenbaum, the Jets owned the New York back pages in March, titillating the fan base with sexy trades and expensive signings.
Tannenbaum knew how to feed the beast, but there was a method to his madness. His research told him they were better off spending the money on proven commodities instead of stockpiling draft choices, figuring the bust rate of draft picks — especially in the late rounds — didn’t validate the risk-reward.”
Idzik, however, patterns his more conservative approach after some of the league’s more successful, draft-driven organizations which emphasize college scouting, player development and re-investment in homegrown talent. Cimini cited one personnel executive who defended Idzik’s approach: “The football offseason is like an event, a circus act, and fans in general want to see something. With John, he takes the air out of the balloon. It’s not exciting, but he does it his way. You have to respect that.”
Ultimately, Idzik has put the onus squarely squarely on himself to hit big in the draft.
Draft Visits: Raiders, Falcons, Bucs, Dolphins
It would be a surprise if Jadeveon Clowney is still on the board when the Raiders pick fifth overall in next month’s draft, but Oakland will nonetheless host the standout defensive end for a visit next week, according to John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game (via Twitter). The team is also hosting Pittsburgh quarterback Tom Savage for a visit today, according to ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez. Savage isn’t a candidate for that No. 5 pick, but he’s drawn plenty of attention lately, and seems to be rising up a few draft boards.
Here’s more on pre-draft visits around the NFL:
- The Falcons are hosting Boise State pass rusher Demarcus Lawrence for a pre-draft visit, according to ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure. Agent David Canter recently tweeted that Lawrence has visits to 10 teams scheduled in a two-week span.
- McClure also reports (via Twitter) that Texas A&M tackle Jake Matthews has a visit lined up with the Falcons for the week of April 21.
- Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post passes along updates on a pair of prospects. According to Wilson, Arizona State linebacker Carl Bradford has met with the Jaguars, Dolphins, Chargers, and Falcons, while Marshall offensive tackle Garrett Scott is visiting the Raiders today after having also visited the Chiefs, Dolphins, and Buccaneers.
- Florida State running back Devonta Freeman is among the players visiting the Dolphins today, writes Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, adding that Freeman has also visited the Falcons and Patriots.
- Another Florida State running back, James Wilder Jr., tells Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link) that he worked out for the Buccaneers today.
- We’ve already heard plenty of reports about Kyle Fuller’s pre-draft visits, but Gil Brandt of NFL.com (Twitter link) adds a few more teams to Fuller’s list. According to Brandt, the Virginia Tech cornerback has worked out for the Titans, Buccaneers, and Falcons, and will also do so for the Bills and Rams, among other clubs.
- Ole Miss wideout Donte Moncrief, who previously visited the Steelers, will work out for the Dolphins and Broncos next week, tweets Brandt.
- UCF running back Storm Johnson will visit the 49ers on Monday and the Falcons later this month, says Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter links).
AFC Notes: Titans, Ravens, Draft Visits
Titans edge defender Kamerion Wimbley agreed earlier this week to restructure his contract, and Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com has the breakdown of what Wimbley’s new deal looks like. However, as Fitzgerald details, Wimbley wasn’t the only Titan to rework his contract this week. Tight end Craig Stevens also has a new 2014 cap figure, reducing his overall base salary by $1.7MM in exchange for a $500K guarantee. While Stevens’ 2015 salary remains unchanged, his ’14 cap number is now only about $2.69MM.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- The Ravens haven’t had an above-average, long-term solution at right tackle for a number of years, and Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun believes the team would be wise to address the position with its first-round pick this year. That’s one of a handful of topics Preston addresses in his Ravens notebook, which also touches on the club’s recent tight end and running back signings.
- The Bills are eyeing a pair of offensive line prospects today, hosting Mississippi State’s Charles Siddoway for a pre-draft visit (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com) and having dinner tonight with Texas A&M’s Jake Matthews (Twitter link via Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 AM).
- Having already met with the Steelers, Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard now has visits lined up with the Jets, Bengals, and Rams, as he said today on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).
- Another cornerback, Virginia Tech’s Kyle Fuller, also has a handful of visits scheduled with AFC teams, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Fuller will meet with the Colts, Bengals, Raiders, Jets, Broncos, and Bears, says Wilson.
- The Chargers will work out Troy quarterback Deon Anthony on April 22, reports Wilson at the National Football Post.
- More from Wilson (via Twitter): The Patriots are working out Boise State’s Geraldo Boldewijn, Matt Paradis, and Charles Leno on Wednesday, while Virginia-Lynchburg cornerback Keith Lewis visited the Raiders and has a private workout lined up next week with the Chiefs (Twitter link).
AFC Notes: Manziel, Patriots, Manuel, Draft
Johnny Manziel will be spending the next two days visiting with the Raiders, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. The former Texas A&M quarterback, who met privately with the Patriots last week, is expected to be a top-15 pick in next month’s draft. Though the Raiders acquired veteran signal-caller Matt Schaub last month via trade, the team could still look to add youth at the quarterback position with the No. 5 overall selection. Oakland’s QB depth chart also contains Matt McGloin, who is expected to be the primary backup, and Terrelle Pryor, who will likely be traded or released.
Other news items from the AFC:
- If the Patriots trade up from pick No. 29, it could be to select a receiver like USC’s Marqise Lee or LSU’s Odell Beckham, Jr., writes Doug Kyed of NESN.com.
- Kyed notes within the same piece that running back Chris Johnson, released last week by the Titans, could interest the Patriots, but not at the price that he will likely command.
- Middle Tennessee State offensive guard Josh Walker will have a private workout with the Colts’ offensive line coach, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Walker will also meet with the Saints on April 9.
- The Bills are “all in” on second-year quarterback E.J. Manuel, meaning they will not select one of the “big three” QBs expected to go in the first round of the draft, opines Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com.
- Trading down in the draft makes sense for the Chiefs, says ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher. The Chiefs do not have a second-round pick this year, having sent it to the 49ers in exchange for quarterback Alex Smith.