2020 NFL Draft Capital By Team
Every NFL team automatically gets seven draft picks per season, but thanks to lots of trades and the compensatory pick process, many clubs end up with more (or less) than their original seven selections. After running down the NFL Draft round-by-round, let’s take a look at how much draft capital each club has amassed:
Updated: 4-16-20 (6:00pm CT)
14 picks
- Miami Dolphins
12 picks
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Minnesota Vikings
- New England Patriots
10 picks
- Denver Broncos
- Green Bay Packers
- New York Giants
9 picks
- Baltimore Ravens
- Detroit Lions
8 picks
- Carolina Panthers
- New York Jets
- Philadelphia Eagles
7 picks
- Buffalo Bills
- Chicago Bears
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Dallas Cowboys
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- San Francisco 49ers
- Washington Redskins
6 picks
- Arizona Cardinals
- Atlanta Falcons
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tennessee Titans
5 picks
- Kansas City Chiefs
- New Orleans Saints
AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Patriots, Draft
Want to know the Dolphins‘ plans for the NFL Draft next week? You’ll have to wait, because general manager Chris Grier says his lips are sealed (Twitter link via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald):
“We’ve spent a lot of time going through, spent a lot of time with the players. We’re going to do what’s best for the Miami Dolphins..My wife and kids are worse than you guys [asking who we’ll take].”
Grier claims there are “about eight or nine players” the Dolphins could select at No. 5 overall, but we’d wager that the list is much shorter than that. Based on what we’ve been hearing, the ‘Fins are most likely looking at quarterbacks, though no one is sure whether their preferred QB is Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon’s Justin Herbert.
Here’s the latest from the AFC East:
- It’s no secret that the Patriots are in the market for a QB and the feeling is that Bill Belichick will either find his next passer in the first round or in the middle rounds, with no real in between, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Meanwhile, one NFL GM tells Peter King of NBC Sports that the Pats “love” Herbert, though they’re not in love enough to vault way up from No. 23 to get him.
- So, what is Belichick looking for as the Patriots try to replace Tom Brady? Recently, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah (Twitter link) unearthed scouting material from BB’s Browns days where he said the No. 1 trait is someone that makes “good decisions.” Arm strength, to BB, is secondary – he values accuracy over “a guy with a cannon.” Those descriptions fit Brady and they’ll likely be prerequisites for the Patriots’ QB of the future. Beyond Tua and Herbert, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe sees Jake Fromm as a solid fit.
- Earlier this year, the Patriots exercised their option on Jason McCourty, which helped bring brother Devin McCourty back to New England. If the Patriots didn’t hold on to Jason, Devin would have left for the Dolphins, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears.
Latest On Dolphins, Justin Herbert
The Dolphins held a predraft video meeting with Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, who reports no NFL team has done as much work on Herbert as the Dolphins. Herbert is fully expected to come off the board in Round 1 of next week’s draft, but it’s unclear if Miami will be comfortable taking him with the fifth overall selection. Per Jackson, the Dolphins’ questions about Herbert are twofold: he’s more of an introvert than an extrovert, and he is occasionally inaccurate.
Miami also conducted a video conference with LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, per Jackson, who indicates the Dolphins could consider Edwards-Helaire with pick Nos. 39 or 56 in the second round. While the Dolphins already signed veteran Jordan Howard this offseaon, Edwards-Helaire, who caught 55 passes in 2019, would add another dimension to Miami’s backfield.
- Speaking of the Dolphins, former NFL executive Gil Brandt says it would not not be a surprise for Miami to take a non-quarterback with the fifth overall pick (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY). While the Dolphins have seemingly spent the past year-plus acquiring draft capital in order to land a quarterback, it’s possible that they could go in a different direction. If Miami opts for another position at No. 5, offensive tackle could speculatively be a target area.
2020 NFL Cap Room By Team
The biggest names in NFL free agency might be off the board, but there are still plenty of noteworthy players on the board and high-profile cuts on the way. And, while some teams did their spending early, others are still sitting on lots of cash.
The latest cap figures from OverTheCap show that several teams are poised to pounce in the latter waves of free agency, starting with the Browns. The numbers also show that teams like the Rams still have work to do in order to sign their upcoming draft class. Also, the Eagles’ 2020 figure doesn’t quite tell the whole story – thanks to high-priced multi-year deals including Darius Slay’s new contract, they’re already overcommitted on dollars for 2021.
Here’s the complete rundown for all 32 teams, in descending order of cap space:
- Browns – $40.2MM
- Lions – $29.5MM
- Eagles – $27.1MM
- Colts – $24MM
- Dolphins – $23.9MM
- Redskins – $23.8MM
- Chargers – $22.3MM
- Titans – $21.5MM
- Bills – $20.9MM
- Texans – $18.6MM
- Broncos – $17.5MM
- Giants – $17.1MM
- Jets – $15.5MM
- Jaguars – $14.6MM
- Cowboys – $13.6MM
- Buccaneers – $13.5MM
- 49ers – $13.4MM
- Seahawks – $12.6MM
- Vikings – $12.3MM
- Ravens – $11.3MM
- Packers – $11.08MM
- Bears – $11.03MM
- Panthers – $9.4MM
- Raiders – $8.8MM
- Bengals – $7.3MM
- Steelers – $7.2MM
- Cardinals – $7MM
- Saints – $5.3MM
- Chiefs – $2.9MM
- Falcons – $2.4MM
- Patriots – $1.2MM
- Rams – (-$5.3MM)
Dolphins Favoring Herbert Over Tua?
Connected to the 2020 quarterback class for over a year, the Dolphins may have a major decision to make in Round 1. They may well have to choose between Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert at No. 5 or be prepared to trade up for one of them.
Less than two weeks away from the draft, Herbert may be pulling ahead. At this juncture, 90% of the pre-draft intel on the Dolphins’ QB hierarchy points to them going with Herbert over Tagovailoa, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report notes.
This is peak smokescreen time. But teams do not have the same tools to throw competition off the scent — pro day attendance, pre-draft visits, workouts — and one scout told Miller he believes the Dolphins are trying to execute such an operation to drive down the Tua market.
Miami holds the No. 5 overall pick. Tagovailoa was viewed as this draft’s No. 1 pick for much of 2019, but his hip injury and list of previous maladies have created the possibility he will be available at No. 5. Though, Herbert would seem to have a much better chance of dropping to 5. The Dolphins going in that direction would allow them to hold onto their bounty of draft picks rather than trading some to move up.
Tua proceeded through a voluntary medical recheck recently, but former NFL GM Michael Lombardi said a team failed the ex-Alabama standout on a physical. Multiple teams have, per Miller, who notes the concern around the league is the southpaw’s ability to have a long career. Tagovailoa suffered multiple high ankle sprains, a knee sprain and, per Lombardi and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, a broken wrist during his college run. Tagovailoa’s agent, as could be expected, said medical concerns around his client are overblown (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Cameron Wolfe).
Still, Tagovailoa’s upside is seen as greater than Herbert’s. Miller slots Tua sixth on his big board and Herbert 27th. Scouts Inc. has the Alabama alum seventh and the four-year Oregon starter 26th. Jordan Love comes in ahead of Herbert, per Scouts Inc. The Dolphins have also been connected to the Utah State product as well. But reports of their Herbert interest began to emerge before the 6-foot-6 talent fared well at the Combine.
If the Dolphins do pass on Tua, Miller adds the “overwhelming expectation” would be for the Chargers to pounce.
Patriots, Saints, Packers, Others Doing Homework On Jordan Love
Although the rules leading up to the virtual draft make it more difficult to determine teams’ interest in prospects, franchises are doing their homework in different ways. And several teams are doing extensive research on Jordan Love.
The Utah State-developed quarterback prospect has drawn interest from teams with varying levels of quarterback needs. Among the teams doing homework on Love: the Saints, Patriots and Packers, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. The Dolphins, Chargers and Redskins are also examining the intriguing passer.
With Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert expected to be the first three quarterbacks drafted, that places Love in an interesting spot. Following the Bengals, Dolphins and Bolts in the top six, there are not many teams with an immediate quarterback need. The Patriots, though, do qualify. Picking at No. 23, the Pats have not used a first-round pick on a quarterback since Drew Bledsoe 27 years ago and last picked one in Round 2 in 2014 (Jimmy Garoppolo). The Pats are believed to be prepared to give Jarrett Stidham a genuine shot to succeed Tom Brady, but it certainly would not surprise if they either drafted a quarterback early or signed one of the high-profile free agents.
Some scouts view Love as the draft’s best pure thrower, but Fowler adds others see him as a Day 2 pick. He finished last season with a 20-17 TD-INT ratio, well off the prolific pace he set as a sophomore (32-6) in 2018. Texas Tech coach Matt Wells — the former Utah State head coach — said seven NFL HCs have contacted him about Love in the past five days, per Fowler.
The Saints and Packers have been previously linked to the 6-foot-4 passer and have spoken with him leading up to the draft. New Orleans placed a first-round tender on Taysom Hill, but the former UDFA has 13 career pass attempts and will soon turn 30. The Packers have Aaron Rodgers under contract through 2023, and the 36-year-old star has indicated he wants to play into his 40s.
The Dolphins got in a meeting with Love before the NFL nixed the in-person components of the pre-draft process due to COVID-19. While Miami has been most closely connected to Tagovailoa, the organization has been mentioned as being interested in Love going back to February. In addition to their No. 5 overall pick, the Dolphins hold picks 18 and 26 in this draft.
Dolphins LB Vince Biegel Signs RFA Tender
Vince Biegel will play next season under the RFA tender. The restricted free agent linebacker signed his deal with the Dolphins today (per the team’s Twitter account). Biegel will earn around $2.13MM next season.
We heard back in January that the two sides were working on a long-term, and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets that that was indeed the case. However, the two sides couldn’t agree to terms, resulting in today’s transaction. Biegel was initially tendered at his original-round level by the Dolphins back in March.
The 2017 fourth-round pick spent his first two professional seasons in a backup role for the Packers and Saints. Prior to the start of the 2019 regular season, he was traded to Miami for Kiko Alonso, and he proceeded to have the best season of his career. The 26-year-old established career-highs across the board, finishing with 59 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and one interception in 15 games (10 starts).
Biegel isn’t the first restricted free agent to sign his tender with the Dolphins. Last week, punter Matt Haack inked his new deal with Miami.
FIU QB James Morgan Drawing Interest
FIU quarterback James Morgan is starting to generate some buzz as we get closer to draft day, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. Morgan made his way onto our site for the first time today, when we wrote that the Patriots have shown some interest, and New England is not the only team sniffing around.
Per Wilson, a number of clubs are closely vetting Morgan, though COVID-19 restrictions obviously mean that he can’t visit teams or work out privately for them. Wilson’s sources say that in addition to the Patriots, the Packers, Bears, Colts, Raiders, Giants, Bills, Jets, and Dolphins are among the teams intrigued by Morgan.
It is not surprising to see most of the teams on that list. New England, of course, is in the market for a collegiate passer after watching Tom Brady sign with the Buccaneers, and the Dolphins have long been connected to this year’s top rookie QBs. The Raiders, Bears, and Colts have varying degrees of long-term uncertainty at the quarterback position, and the Packers had planned to host the best QB prospects before pre-draft visits were cancelled (Morgan is actually a Green Bay native, and the Packers may be starting to prepare for life without Aaron Rodgers).
Meanwhile, all three New York outfits seem to have a long-term solution under center already, although none of their incumbents are sure things at the moment. And given that Morgan is a mid- to late-round prospect, it couldn’t hurt for those teams to at least have a look.
Morgan performed well at this year’s scouting combine and at the East-West Shrine Game, and a Southeast Area NFL scout said Morgan has one of the three strongest arms in the draft, along with the intelligence and leadership qualities that teams covet. After an uneven tenure at Bowling Green, Morgan transferred to FIU in 2018 and earned Conference USA Newcomer of the Year honors by completing over 65% of his passes for 26 TDs and seven interceptions.
His 2019 effort was not quite as strong, but he has put together enough quality tape to start rising up draft boards.
Dolphins Prefer Herbert Over Tua?
While the expectation is still that Burrow is the pick, there is “a lot of buzz in scouting circles that the Bengals will at least listen to calls” on potential trades for the top choice, Miller writes. Since there’s no one ahead of them, it wouldn’t make all that much sense for the Bengals to be playing games if they weren’t actually planning to listen to inquiries. As of a couple of weeks ago we had heard that the Dolphins were still interested in trading for the first pick and selecting Burrow.
- Speaking of the Dolphins, if they aren’t able to pull off the shocking trade up for Burrow, their situation is pretty up in the air. Although there has been a ton of talk over the last year linking Miami to Alabama signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa, multiple sources told Miller the team isn’t “convinced Tua is the best option and could instead target Oregon’s Justin Herbert.” In fact, the “buzz around the league is that Herbert has the most fans in the Dolphins’ draft room,” Miller writes. This echoes what Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald wrote back in February, when he reported that Miami had an “increasingly positive” view of Herbert and that the Dolphins were concerned about Tagovailoa’s hip as well as his long-term durability.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/2/20
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed exclusive rights tender: T Justin Murray
Buffalo Bills
- Signed exclusive rights tender: WR Robert Foster, CB Levi Wallace
Miami Dolphins
- Signed original round RFA tender: P Matt Haack