Connor Cook To Work Out For Rams
Cook will have a busy schedule this week, according to La Canfora, who writes that the QB is visiting the Cowboys, Dolphins, Broncos, and 49ers. Cook will also visit the Jets and Bears, and work out for the Rams. He has previously visited the Ravens and Bills, and met with the Browns.
DB Kevin Byard To Visit Rams
- After a busy few days last week, Middle Tennessee State defensive back Kevin Byard will be on the move again this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Byard will be visiting the Cardinals today and the Rams tomorrow, followed by the Saints and Bengals.
Donte Whitner Visiting Rams
Eight days after being released by the Browns, free agent safety Donte Whitner will take his first reported visit, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that Whitner has landed in Los Angeles for a meeting with the Rams.
Following the Raiders signing of Reggie Nelson last week, Whitner represents the clear best option on the safety market, so it makes sense that the Rams are showing interest as they seek to replace Rodney McLeod, who signed with the Eagles on the first day of free agency. Whitner wouldn’t be a perfect proxy for McLeod, as the two are very different players — Whitner is more of an “in-the-box” safety who plays close to the line of scrimmage, while McLeod was a rangy free safety who manned center field.
Still, talent is talent, and Whitner is still a productive player as he enters his age-31 season. In 2015, he started 14 games in Cleveland, defensing four passes, forcing one fumble, and posting 1.5 sacks. Whitner also graded out well via the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus, which rated him as the league’s No. 24 safety among 89 qualifiers.
Even after re-signing many of their own free agents, the Rams still have roughly $12.3MM in cap space remaining, so it shouldn’t be a problem to fit Whitner onto the books. Whitner averaged cap hits of $5.5MM over his first two years with the Browns, and he should be able to earn a similar figure — or perhaps a tad less — if he signs with Los Angeles.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rams Likely To Move On From Nick Foles
With a potential Colin Kaepernick trade to the Broncos on hold for now, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders whether Rams signal-caller Nick Foles could be a fit in Denver. Per Florio, a source with knowledge of the Rams’ quarterback dynamics has already predicted that Foles likely will be gone by the start of training camp, and that he definitely will not be on the team before Week One.
Of course, the Broncos are not as strapped for cap space now that they have traded Ryan Clady, and as Florio points out, Denver may not have inquired into Foles simply because he played so poorly in 2015. As far as the Rams are concerned, Florio believes they will “squat” on Foles unless and until they draft a quarterback later this month, at which time the two sides will likely part ways.
Rams Have "Serious Interest" in Mackensie Alexander
- Clemson cornerback Mackensie Alexander is visiting with the 49ers today and will visit with the Rams on Monday, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that the Rams have “serious interest” in the prospect.
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Michael Thomas A Potential Fit For Rams
- While Washington may be down on Robinson and Reed, it has a high opinion of Ohio State receiver Michael Thomas, reportedly the top wideout on its board. In addition to Washington, Thomas is drawing interest from the Cowboys, Rams and Saints, per Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
Rams Interested In Sterling Shepard, Jatavis Brown
- Oklahoma wideout Sterling Shepard has worked out for the Panthers and Texans, he told SiriusXM NFL Radio, and added that he’ll work out for the Rams next week (Twitter link).
- Akron linebacker Jatavis Brown didn’t get an invitation to February’s combine, but he’s drawing plenty of pre-draft interest. Brown has visited with 10 teams, including the Steelers (previously reported), Rams and Chargers, per Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter link). The Chiefs are also among those clubs, as Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star reported earlier this week.
Benny Cunningham Signs RFA Tender
- Rams running back and return man Benny Cunningham has signed his restricted free agent tender and will return to the club on a one-year deal, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Cunningham, who has caught 71 balls out of the backfield for the Rams over the last two seasons, visited the Patriots early in free agency, but will ultimately make the move to Los Angeles on a $1.671MM salary.
Vonn Bell To Visit Rams
- Ohio State safety Vonn Bell has a visit with the Rams on tap for early next week, per Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
Rams To Meet With German WR
The Browns are set to meet with Stanford QB Kevin Hogan, according to Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com (via Twitter). This is a potentially intriguing development, as Cleveland has been expected to take one of this year’s top quarterback prospects with the No. 2 overall pick despite having signed Robert Griffin III late last month. Hogan is considered more of a mid-round talent, but he certainly has his fans in the scouting community after setting a Stanford school record for victories (36). The Browns may just be doing their due diligence, but if they pass on a quarterback with the No. 2 overall selection with the intention of picking up a signal-caller like Hogan or Christian Hackenberg later in the draft, it could have major ramifications for the teams picking immediately behind Cleveland in the first round.
More of the latest draft-related news…
- German wide receiver Moritz Boehringer will host a private workout for teams Friday, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Boehringer, who could go as high as the fourth round, has already met with Minnesota officials. He also has visits scheduled with the Bears, Rams, Panthers, Chiefs and Broncos, per Andy Fenelon of NFL.com.
- The Bears look poised to draft a quarterback this year, writes John Mullin of CSNChicago.com, as the team dedicated a sizable amount of its interview time at the February combine to signal-callers. “It’s a good position in the draft,” general manager Ryan Pace said last month. “We’ve gotta be smart.” Other than entrenched starter Jay Cutler, the Bears’ in-house options under center include 2014 sixth-round pick David Fales and Matt Blanchard – who signed a reserve/futures contract in January.
- The Buccaneers invited Western Kentucky tight end Tyler Higbee to their pro day, but the 6-foot-6, 250-pounder is only doing private workouts and top-30 visits, tweets Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. Higbee hauled in 38 passes, averaged 14.8 yards per catch, and racked up eight touchdowns last season.
- Former Georgia Tech and Florida linebacker Anthony Harrell will attend the Buccaneers’ local workout on April 15, Auman reports (on Twitter).
Rory Parks contributed to this post.