NFC Draft Notes: Rams, Panthers, Eagles
While there are never any guarantees in the NFL, it seems very likely that the Rams will select a quarterback in this year’s draft, writes Jim Thomas of The Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. Thomas points to a list of quarterbacks that the team has shown interest in, including Aaron Murray, Connor Shaw, Garrett Gilbert and Derek Carr. Thomas also lists Tajh Boyd, A.J. McCarron and Zach Mettenberger as potential fits. If the Rams do ultimately draft a quarterback, that player will likely be third on the depth chart behind starter Sam Bradford and veteran Shaun Hill.
Let’s explore some more NFL Draft notes from around the NFC…
- While Nick Foles does not necessarily have the skill set for Chip Kelly’s offense, his success in 2013 should guarantee him the job this season. As a result, it would be a surprise if the Eagles selected a quarterback such as Teddy Bridgewater in the first round, said Charles Davis of the NFL Network (via Bo Wulf of PhiladelphiaEagles.com).
- LSU wideout Odell Beckham Jr. told Sirius XM that he will meet with the Eagles this week, writes Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com. Beckham would join a list of receivers who have worked out for the team, including Mike Evans, Kelvin Benjamin, Marqise Lee and Cody Latimer.
- Jonathan Jones of The Charlotte Observer answers readers’ questions pertaining to the Panthers and the draft. Jones lists offensive tackle as the team’s biggest need, followed by cornerback and defensive end. He also says that quarterback isn’t really an option following the Panthers’ signings of Derek Anderson and Joe Webb.
- USC tight end Xavier Grimble met with the Panthers and Falcons, reports Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. The projected mid-round pick struggled through a shoulder injury this past season.
Extra Points: Clausen, Quinn, Ponder
Former second-round pick Jimmy Clausen hasn’t played in an NFL regular-season game since his rookie year in 2010, but having undergone shoulder surgery last September, the 26-year-old feels like he’s healthy and ready to contribute somewhere. Clausen tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today that he’s looking for an opportunity to compete for a No. 2 job, then hopes to work his way up from there.
“I’m still really young,” Clausen said. “I’m going into my fifth year in the league. I feel great. This is probably right now the healthiest I’ve been since my junior year in college, to be honest with you.”
As the former Notre Dame signal-caller continues to look for NFL work, let’s check out a few other Good Friday updates from around the league….
- Although the team has yet to do so, the Rams will exercise Robert Quinn‘s fifth-year option by next month’s deadline, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Quinn, like fellow defense end Muhammad Wilkerson, should be in line for a 2015 salary of $6.969MM.
- Meanwhile, Master Tesfatsion of the Star Tribune takes a look at Christian Ponder‘s potential fifth-year option, which seems unlikely to be picked up by the Vikings.
- Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, Montreal Alouettes GM Jim Popp said newly-signed receiver Chad Johnson simply “wanted to be part of a team again,” and isn’t angling to make an NFL comeback (Twitter link).
- North Dakota State quarterback Brock Jensen worked out for the Packers and could be a fit for the club, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
- Five NFL teams have visited Wyoming to work out quarterback Brett Smith, according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com, who says (via Twitter) that Smith is a likely late-round pick if he’s drafted at all.
Pauline’s Latest: Richburg, Wenning, Moses
With May 8 now less than three weeks away, draft expert Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net is back with his latest round of updates on prospects and pre-draft visits. Here’s a recap of several of the highlights from Pauline’s newest piece:
- Colorado State center Weston Richburg, who has visited the Cardinals and worked out for the Patriots, could be a surprise round one pick, says Pauline, identifying the Packers, Patriots, and Broncos as potential landing spots. The Jaguars, at the start of the second round, could also be in the mix for Richburg.
- Ball State quarterback Keith Wenning is generating significant interest from NFL teams, says Pauline, writing that that Wenning has had eight visits and eight additional workouts. Of the teams mentioned by Pauline as having hosted or worked out the signal-caller, the Rams are the only one we haven’t heard mentioned previously.
- Virginia tackle Morgan Moses has seen his stock rise a little due to the ACL injury suffered by Brandon Thomas — teams eyeing tackles can no longer count on Thomas as a fallback option if they miss out on someone like Moses. According to Pauline, the Panthers may be a possibility late in the first round for Moses, and the tackle is unlikely to get past the Redskins in round two.
- Speaking of Thomas, his ACL surgery means he’ll likely fall to the fourth or fifth round, in Pauline’s view.
- We heard earlier in the week that Cameron Fleming visited the Redskins, and Pauline says Washington is “seriously interested” in the Stanford tackle. Fleming has also worked out for the Panthers, Falcons, and Titans, according to Pauline.
- Bloomsburg guard Brian Clarke is visiting the Chargers and has a private workout lined up with the Giants, tweets Pauline.
NFC West Rumors: 49ers, Kaepernick, Rams
This morning’s round of rumors relating to NFC West clubs heavily involves the 49ers, with a specific focus on a couple San Francisco players dealing with off-field issues. Let’s dive in and check out the latest….
- The 49ers aren’t expected to pick up Aldon Smith‘s fifth-year option for 2015, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Smith’s play on the field makes him worthy of such an investment, but given his off-field issues and what we’ve heard recently about his future in San Francisco (or lack thereof), it’s not surprising that the club would be reluctant to extend his rookie contract by a year.
- Negotiations with Colin Kaepernick on a long-term extension have been tabled by the 49ers for the moment, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. San Francisco still hopes to get something done with its quarterback before the 2014 season begins, but the club is waiting for more clarity on an investigation being conducted by the Miami PD into an incident involving Kaepernick.
- It’s a big day for the Rams and Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins, tweets Rapoport, noting that the team is sending a contingent to Clemson today for a private workout with Watkins. The Texans aren’t believed to be considering drafting a receiver at No. 1, but the Rams could use a wideout, meaning Watkins – the best one on the board – could be in play at No. 2.
- The Seahawks will be conducting a private workout with Boise State defensive end Demarcus Lawrence, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Caplan adds the Redskins and Steelers to the list of teams who will host Lawrence for a visit, and says the Saints will also be privately working him out (Twitter link).
West Notes: Fuller, Rams, 49ers, Chiefs
Let’s round up the latest draft items related to teams in the NFC and AFC West….
- Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller will visit the Rams next week, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). A report last Friday indicated that Fuller would be working out for St. Louis at some point.
- Thomas adds in another tweet that the Rams will also host Missouri Western TE/FB Reggie Jordan for a local visit next Friday.
- The 49ers hosted Miami offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson for a visit this week, and Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com suggests that it may have been to gain more information about a prospect with possible character concerns. Henderson was suspended three times in college for violating team rules.
- UTEP edge defender James Davidson has a visit on the docket with the Chiefs, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who refers to Davidson as a potential sleeper.
Extra Points: Easley, Murray, Lions, Visits
Defensive tackle Dominique Easley, who tore his ACL in September, held a personal Pro Day to attempt to prove his health to NFL teams today, and Jeff Barlis of ESPN.com (Twitter links) reports that at least 17 clubs were in attendance. According to Barlis (via Twitter), Easley feels like his knee is at “about 80%” and that he’ll be fully prepared for summer mini-camps. In his ESPN.com piece on Easley’s performance, Barlis adds that the former Florida Gator will visit NFL clubs for seven straight days starting on Sunday.
Here are a few more notes from around the NFL, including one additional update on Easley:
- Easley is drawing “heavy interest” from the Seahawks, Bears, Patriots, and 49ers in particular, and looks like a second-round pick, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net.
- Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links) adds the Lions, Chiefs, Dolphins, and Rams to the list of teams who have met or will meet with Georgia signal-caller Aaron Murray.
- In addition to tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz, whose visit was previously reported, the Lions are also hosting USC receiver Marqise Lee and Mississippi State defensive end Denico Autry today, says Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
- Jason Fitzgerald’s evaluatons of each team’s free agent periods continued today at OverTheCap.com with pieces on the Redskins, who received a C grade, and the Eagles, who got an impressive grade of B+.
- Towson running back Terrance West, who has had private meetings with the Cardinals and Dolphins, will visit the 49ers, Falcons, and Bills next week, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- The Steelers hosted Minnesota defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman, UMass tight end Rob Blanchflower, and Rice cornerback Phillip Gaines for pre-draft visits today, tweets Bob Labriola of Steelers.com.
NFC Rumors: McCoy, Rams, Falcons, Packers
Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is excited to see the Tampa 2 return to Tampa Bay, Rick Stroud and Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times write. “It’s definitely going to be different,” McCoy said. “We’re playing the old-school, traditional Tampa 2 defense, and all we’ve been watching is old Chicago tape when (new Bucs coach Lovie Smith) was there. When (the Bucs) were in their prime, from 1996 to 2002, we’ve been watching all that tape because that’s when the Tampa 2 was really thriving and took over the league. I’m excited about it.” More on McCoy and other notes out of the NFC..
- McCoy is entering the last year of his deal with the Buccaneers but has no intention of holding out if he doesn’t have a new deal by training camp, he told reporters today (Twitter link via Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune). Between his base salary and workout bonus, McCoy is slated to earn more than $13MM this season before his contract voids, according to Over The Cap.
- North Dakota State offensive tackle Billy Turner started a two-day visit with the Rams today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter).
- Sacramento State punter Justin Weldon punted for the Falcons today with Oklahoma wide receiver Jalen Saunders catching punts, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- The Packers are unlikely to draft of tackle but there’s plenty of talent out there if they change their mind, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. For now, it appears David Bakhtiari will stay at left tackle with Bryan Bulaga returning to right tackle.
Pre-Draft Visits: Ravens, Barr, Ellington
Towson running back Terrance West met with the Ravens today, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. West will visit the Vikings tomorrow and the Seahawks on Wednesday.
Here are some other notes on pre-draft visits from around the NFL:
- Morgan State guard Karim Barton also visited the Ravens as a local prospect, reported Wilson (via Twitter).
- Linebacker Anthony Barr of UCLA will be getting busy, with multiple visits scheduled over the next two weeks, reports Ross Jones of FoxSports.com (via Twitter). Among his scheduled visits are the Cowboys, Vikings, Steelers, Falcons and Eagles.
- Receiver Bruce Ellington of South Carolina is visiting a few teams this week, including the Rams, Cardinals, and Patriots, and has already worked out for the Falcons, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 and and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The cousin of Cardinals’ running back Andre Ellington is the fourth receiver to visit the Rams, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch (via Twitter).
Extra Points: CJ2K, Bradford, Pryor, Vikings
After Chris Johnson was released by the Titans, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that the veteran running back was likely to find a new team last week. However, Johnson remains on the market. Now Florio writes that if CJ2K is going to a find a new home before the draft, he expects it to happen within the next few days. As Florio writes, most NFL teams will be focusing almost exclusively on the draft in the coming weeks, so if a club is going to engage in negotiations for the former 2,000-yard rusher, that team would probably prefer to get it done sooner rather than later.
As we wait to see if Florio’s latest prediction works out, let’s round up several more items from around the NFL….
- Although he makes it clear that he’s not reporting that the Rams are shopping or even considering dealing quarterback Sam Bradford, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com makes a case for why the club should do exactly that, speaking to a few executives around the league to attempt to gauge Bradford’s current value.
- Louisville safety Calvin Pryor, who has previously visited the Titans and Bears, is meeting with the Saints today and has visits lined up later in the week with the Bengals and Jets, reports Gil Brandt of NFL.com (via Twitter). Considered one of the top two safeties in this year’s draft class, Pryor is viewed as a likely first-round pick.
- The Vikings have a big day of pre-draft visits lined up for Thursday, and linebackers Khalil Mack and Anthony Barr will be among the players in attendance, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- Barr will also be visiting the Eagles next week, a source tells Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com.
- Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post passes along updates on a couple prospects, reporting that North Dakota State offensive tackle Billy Turner is visiting the Cowboys today and the Rams and Vikings later, and writing that Tennessee State offensive lineman Kadeem Edwards has met with the Dolphins, Titans, Colts, and Panthers.
- The Falcons hosted Montana linebacker Jordan Tripp for a pre-draft visit today, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
NFC Draft Notes: Ellington, Falcons, Saints
A trio of NFC teams have shown interest in South Carolina wide receiver Bruce Ellington, the cousin of Cardinals running back Andre Ellington. The former Gamecock will be meeting with the Rams and Cards this week, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com chimes in (via Twitter) to add that Ellington has already worked out for the Falcons, while both Garafolo and Rapoport mention the Patriots‘ interest in the player. Ellington had 775 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 2013.
Let’s dive into some more draft notes from around the NFC…
- Portland State running back D.J. Adams and Tennessee-Chattanooga cornerback Kadeem Wise are among the players scheduled to work out at the Falcons’ local prospect day tomorrow, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
- The Saints are “definitely interested” in former Alabama wideout Kevin Norwood, tweets Larry Holder of NOLA.com.
- In one of his articles, Holder projects the Saints‘ draft and has the team selecting wide receiver Marqise Lee with its first-round pick. Other notable Saints selections in Holder’s draft include defensive end Jeremiah Attaochu and cornerback Pierre Desir.
- Despite tearing his ACL at Senior Bowl practice, Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin has been busy with pre-draft visits, meeting with the Eagles, Saints, and 49ers, according to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (via Twitter).
- Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com and Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee provide the details on several prospects scheduled to visit with the 49ers, including receivers Martavis Bryant and Albert Wilson, Louisville linebacker Preston Brown, and Boise State defensive end Demarcus Lawrence.
- The Cowboys have interest in Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray, and plan to attend his Pro Day this week, tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com.
- The Bears recently brought in Wisconsin running back James White for a workout, reports Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com (via Twitter).
Ben Levine contributed to this post.