Peter King On Browns, McCarron, Tannehill
Here’s the latest from Peter King of The MMQB:
- The Browns have four picks in the top 35 of this year’s draft, but coach Hue Jackson is still pushing for the team to acquire A.J. McCarron, King hears. If the team does go for McCarron in March, the plan would be for the team to also draft a rookie quarterback to be groomed behind him. The Browns, of course, nearly landed McCarron before last year’s trade deadline before a paperwork snag tanked the deal. One has to wonder if McCarron would be skeptical about the Browns’ level of commitment to him in such a scenario, particularly after seeing how Mike Glennon‘s arrangement worked out with the Bears. Then again, McCarron might be faced with a similar scenario with any team that shows interest him.
- It has been said that the Dolphins are committed to Ryan Tannehill at quarterback, but King is not convinced after speaking with executives at the combine. Miami is look at QBs at No. 11 overall and several people who spoke with King believe they’ll select a signal caller there. Tannehill has missed the last 19 Dolphins games with back-to-back ACL tears.
- After speaking with several GMs, scouts, and coaches, this is King’s rough consensus for the top ten player’s in the draft: Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, USC quarterback Sam Darnold, North Carolina State edge rusher Bradley Chubb, Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen, Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward, and Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith.
Latest On Jarvis Landry, Ndamukong Suh
Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry is expected to sign his franchise tender shortly, and once that happens, he and the team will continue to work together to facilitate a trade. However, Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports tweets that Miami’s asking price in a Landry trade is still unclear, and he says the earlier rumor that the Bears could trade Jordan Howard to the Dolphins in exchange for Landry — a rumor that was subsequently shot down — sounded like a report that Miami planted in order to generate offers. If that was the case, the strategy did not work, as the trade market remains at a standstill. Robinson suggests (via Twitter) that Landry could return to Miami in 2018, but the team will continue to look for the right trade offer.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that the Dolphins‘ recent agreement to trade for Robert Quinn is further evidence of his belief that the team is looking to move on from Ndamukong Suh (even though the two play different positions on the defensive line). Other reports have indicated that Miami wants Suh back in 2018, but the club could approach the mercurial DT about a restructure to help reduce his massive cap number.
Jarvis Landry To Accept Franchise Tag
Jarvis Landry is about to become one of the highest-paid wideouts in the league. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Dolphins wide receiver will accept the franchise tag, and he described the impending signing as imminent. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets that Landry is expected to sign next week, and he adds that both sides are working toward a trade.
We heard back in February that the Dolphins were going to franchise their top receiver. The deal will lock the wideout into a $16.23MM contract in 2018. The corresponding cap hit would rank fourth among wide receivers, behind only Antonio Brown, Larry Fitzgerald, and Dez Bryant.
Of course, it’s unlikely that Landry will be on Miami’s books in 2018. There were previous reports that the team could be shopping the receiver, and we learned this week that the Dolphins have allowed Landry to “seek and facilitate” a trade. Landry and his agent would presumably be seeking a long-term contract from any interested team, as few teams would have interest in the wideout on his one-year deal. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald previously projected that the Dolphins should expect to receive a third-round pick, a late second-round pick, or a player in return for Landry. We heard that the Bears could be a potential suitor, and there was some buzz around a Landry-for-Jordan Howard swap earlier today (those reports were quickly shot down). The Panthers and Saints reportedly don’t have interest.
After two straight 1,000-yard campaigns, Landry finished the 2017 season with 987 receiving yards. The 25-year-old did compile a league-leading 112 receptions and a career-high nine receiving touchdowns, earning him his third-straight Pro Bowl nod.
Rams To Trade Robert Quinn To Dolphins
The Rams have agreed to another big trade. They are going to ship Robert Quinn to the Dolphins in exchange for a mid-round pick, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (Twitter links).
The Rams discussed dealing the eighth-year edge defender to the Chiefs for Marcus Peters, but the sides settled on a second- and fourth-round pick. Now, it looks like the Rams are getting a trade pick back to help compensate for the mid-rounders they sent for Peters and Sammy Watkins over the past several months.
Miami will send its fourth- and sixth-round picks to Los Angeles for Quinn and a sixth-rounder, Peter Schrager of NFL.com tweets. The Rams had three sixth-round picks in this draft, after collecting the third in the Peters deal, and it’s uncertain which one they will send to the Dolphins. The Dolphins also had two fourth-rounders after the Jay Ajayi trade as well, so it’s also not known which pick they agreed to include in this deal.
Quinn has two years and just more than $25MM remaining on his second NFL contract, and he’ll now return to a 4-3 scheme after spending 2017 in Wade Phillips‘ 3-4. While Quinn bounced back to start 14 games after being limited to fewer than 10 during the two prior years, he has not been the dominant force he was in St. Louis. But he will only be set for his age-28 season in 2018, so the Dolphins are betting the former first-round pick has some quality years left.
The former North Carolina prodigy compiled three straight seasons of 10-plus sacks from 2012-14, with that stretch peaking via 2013’s 19-sack season that placed Quinn on the top All-Pro team. He registered 8.5 sacks last season and has 62.5 for his career to go along with an impressive 21 forced fumbles (seven in that All-Pro slate). A back injury and a concussion limited Quinn to just 17 games during the 2015 and ’16 seasons.
This move is interesting financially for the Dolphins, who are projected to be $8MM-plus over the cap. They have given Jarvis Landry permission to find a trade and don’t look intent on carrying his $16.2MM franchise tag on their books. But Quinn is set for $12MM-plus cap numbers in each of the next two seasons. But none of that money is guaranteed.
With Quinn representing the third-highest cap hold on the Rams’ payroll, this will help a franchise that has multiple marquee UFAs it would like to retain in Watkins and Lamarcus Joyner and a looming extension for probably the best defensive player in football. The Rams entered Friday with $39.9MM in cap space.
Panthers Not Interested In Jarvis Landry
Jarvis Landry is on the block, but the Panthers won’t be among the teams to pursue the Dolphins wide receiver. Carolina is not interested, Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter) hears. Instead, the Panthers are looking for a wide receiver with more speed. 
Landry has done well for himself in the NFL, but he isn’t exactly a track star. At the draft combine four years ago, he ran the 40-yard-dash in 4.77 seconds, which is one reason why he slid to the Dolphins in the backend of the second round. Since then, Landry has tallied 400 receptions for 4,038 yards and 22 touchdowns. That’s not too shabby for a receiver without top-end speed.
The Panthers are out on Landry, but plenty of other teams are expected to explore trading for him. We learned earlier today that the Bears have interest in Landry and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald suggests that the Niners are another team that would make sense. Salguero would also “not discount” the Titans. All three teams have needs at wide receiver and all of those clubs rank in the top ten in available cap space.
The Dolphins applied the franchise tag to Landry in October, holding him in place with a one-year, $16MM+ tender. Any team acquiring Landry is expected to hammer out a cap smoothing multi-year extension with him, but that number will factor heavily in negotiations.
Branden Albert Arrested
Left tackle Branden Albert was arrested on Wednesday in Atlanta, according to TMZ Sports. The two-time Pro Bowler was cuffed for second degree criminal damages and willful obstruction of a law officer, according to jail records. 
Police say that Albert went to a jewelry store with friends and repeatedly tried to access an area that was not open to customers. When asked to leave the area, Albert allegedly “punched a jewelry cabinet which left a very large hole” and threatened to “kill” the owner. Albert went on to push the security guard, who is an off-duty Atlanta police officer, and was tased. The 6’4″, 315-pound lineman pulled the taser prongs from his body and then got physical with the security guard. The guard suffered minor injuries and Albert was arrested shortly thereafter.
Albert got into an offseason spat with the Jaguars last year that included retirement, un-retirement, and ultimately ended with his release. After being traded from the Dolphins, Albert was hoping to have his contract re-worked to include guaranteed money. The Jaguars were not only unwilling to rework his contract, but they also asked that he play guard with Cam Robinson starting at left tackle. Once Albert hit the open market, he didn’t find the kind of lucrative offers that he was expecting. The Seahawks tried to get him on board, but he turned down a contract in October.
With upwards of $50MM in career earnings, it remains to be seen whether Albert will look to play in 2018. If he does want to return to the NFL, he may have to answer for his run-in with the law this week.
Bears Interested In Jarvis Landry
The Dolphins are working in concert with Jarvis Landry to find a suitable trade and already one potential suitor has emerged. The Bears have interest in acquiring the slot receiver, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. 
[RELATED: Dolphins Allow Landry To Seek Trade]
The Bears have a clear need at wide receiver this offseason and they also have the cap space to take on Landry’s one-year, $16.2MM tender. Presumably, the Bears would reach agreement on a long-term extension before acquiring Landry, giving them true value rather than a one-year rental.
Recently, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald‘s reported that the return for Landry will likely be a third-round pick, a late second-round pick, or a player. For what it’s worth, the Bears have seven picks in this year’s draft, but do not own a third-round choice. Their second-round pick is rather high (No. 39 overall) and their next pick doesn’t come until the fourth round (No. 105). Of course, that’s only a minor obstacle for a trade and there are other ways for the Bears to convey the value of a third rounder if that is the mutually agreed upon valuation.
Over the last four years, Landry has hauled in 400 passes for 4,038 yards and 22 touchdowns for Miami.
Dolphins Allow Jarvis Landry To Seek Trade
Reports had already indicated the Dolphins are shopping franchise-tagged wide receiver Jarvis Landry, but they’re now involving the slot weapon in the process. Miami has given Landry and his agent permission to “seek and facilitate” a trade, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Landry has already spoken with two unidentified teams, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com, and he’s expected to sign his tender soon to further move discussions along, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
The Dolphins always seemed likely to allow Landry to speak with other clubs, if for no other reason than to work out a new contract that would be amendable to both him and his new team. Landry is set to earn $16.228MM salary thanks to the franchise tender, which Miami assigned last week. An acquiring club likely wouldn’t want Landry at that expensive one-year cost, and will be expected to negotiate a fresh contract.
Miami’s decision to tag Landry has been widely viewed as a negotiating tactic, and few believe the Dolphins actually want him on their roster at that salary. Other clubs likely realize that lack of leverage on the part of Miami, which would help explain Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald‘s recent report that the return for Landry will likely be a third-round pick, a late second-round pick, or a player.
Landry, 25, is thought to be seeking a $14MM annual salary and $30MM in guarantees, but whether he’ll be able to reach that level of compensation while attempting to discuss both a contract and a trade is unclear. Although he led the league in receptions in 2017, Landry managed only 8.8 yards per catch, which is the lowest average for any 100-catch receiver in NFL history.
Dolphins Interested In Travis Swanson
- Free agent center Travis Swanson has generated the most interest from the Jets and Dolphins, a source tells Howe (Twitter link). Swanson is eligible for free agency for the first time in his career after spending the last four seasons with the Lions. The 2014 third-round pick has 53 appearances with 42 starts to his credit. Jets starting center Wesley Johnson and reserve Jonotthan Harrison are both headed towards free agency in March. The Dolphins have Mike Pouncey as their starter, but they could be looking as Swanson as a reserve option.
Latest On Jarvis Landry
The Dolphins are attempting to trade wide receiver Jarvis Landry after assigning him the franchise tag last week, but the club probably shouldn’t expect a first-round pick for their slot receiver, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes. Instead, fair compensation is likely to be a third-round pick, a low second-rounder, or perhaps a player, multiple sources tell Salguero. Landry can be an effective weapon, but any team that acquires him is either committing to carrying his $16MM+ salary in 2018, or inking him to a new deal, so Miami isn’t likely to get blown away in terms of trade offers. The Dolphins were expected to meet with Landry’s representatives at the combine on Wednesday, so a resolution could be coming soon.