Draft Rumors: K. Johnson, Hundley, Peters
The latest draft notes…
- The ceiling for Wake Forest corner Kevin Johnson is the Dolphins at pick No. 14, while his floor is the Steelers with the 22nd pick, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
- With the Browns considered likely to select a quarterback at some point in the draft, Pat McManamon of ESPN.com tweets that the club showed “absolutely zero interest” in UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley.
- The Saints have been trying to trade up for a pass rusher, and might have Vic Beasley in mind, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- Marcus Peters is not on the Cowboys’ draft board, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
East Rumors: Scherff, Fowler Jr., Agholor, Pats
The latest from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- Washington could prefer offensive lineman Brandon Scherff to edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr., per Dianna Marie Russini (Twitter link), who adds that the club could move back to target a defensive lineman like Danny Shelton.
- USC receiver Nelson Agholor is a “good bet” to be the fourth receiver selected, and he’s been connected to the Dolphins, Chiefs, and Texans recently, tweets Albert Breer of NFL.com.
- Admitting that the Patriots’ draft strategy is uncertain as of now, owner Robert Kraft said that this draft features solid options in the middle rounds, meaning New England could trade down (Twitter links via Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald).
Latest On Todd Gurley
With the draft about to begin, let’s check out the latest on perhaps the top running back available, Georgia’s Todd Gurley…
- Dolphins sources have provided hints that they want to select Gurley, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). No source has said this outright, per Salguero, but reading between the lines, it sounds like Miami wants Gurley.
- Though Salguero (via Twitter) suggests that the Chargers could look to move ahead of the Dolphins for Gurley, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union Tribune says (Twitter link) that San Diego could prioritize offensive line help over adding an RB.
- Another team could be in on Gurley, as the 49ers could be surprise contender to draft the running back, per Dianne Marie Russini of NBC 4 (Twitter link).
- Earlier tonight, we heard that in addition to the Dolphins and Chargers, the Browns could aim to trade up for Gurley.
Breer’s Latest: Titans, Gurley, Rams, Bears
With the draft less than an hour from getting underway, Albert Breer of the NFL Network took to Twitter to pass along a number of draft-related nuggets. Here are the highights from Breer (all Twitter links):
- The Titans have fielded offers for the No. 2 pick, but haven’t gotten any to their liking yet and are ready to draft Marcus Mariota. The club isn’t very interested in picks below 15th overall as a central part of any trade package.
- Teams like the Browns, Dolphins, and Chargers are eyeing Todd Gurley, and it’s possible one of those clubs – or another suitor – will get anxious and trade up for the Georgia running back, given the interest he’s generating.
- Although Washington, the Jets, and the Rams are all viewed as trade-down candidates in the top 10, St. Louis is a little more flexible than the other two teams, who may not want to drop too far. Washington may target an offensive lineman like Brandon Scherff or Ereck Flowers if Scot McCloughan decides to move down, and those players – or Andrus Peat – could be targets for the Giants and Rams as well.
- There’s a belief that Giants GM Jerry Reese would prefer a pass rusher to an offensive lineman at No. 9, but depending on how the first few picks play out, the value might not match up.
- According to Breer, the run on offensive lineman may happen earlier in the first round than people think, which may motivate one or two teams to trade up. Cameron Erving has a chance to go in the teens. The Panthers and Broncos are among the teams picking late in the first who are seeking offensive linemen.
- Cornerback Trae Waynes is generating buzz and could go as high as seventh overall to the Bears. Dupree and Kevin White are also in the mix at No. 7. The draft range for Amari Cooper appears to be between the third and sixth overall pick, so he likely won’t be available for Chicago at No. 7.
- The Falcons may decide to move up from No. 8 for an impact defender like Leonard Williams, but if they stay where they are, Bud Dupree could be their man.
- Either Sean Mannion or Bryce Petty figures to be the third quarterback off the board, and it’s not likely to happen in the first round.
- According to Breer, teams believe Shane Ray will slip but will be picked in the first round, whereas Randy Gregory isn’t viewed as a first-round pick.
Draft Rumors: Gurley, Saints, K. Johnson
Three teams who pick in the top ten are considering Georgia running back Todd Gurley, according to Todd McShay of ESPN (Twitter link). The Dolphins are also known to be in on Gurley, but it sounds like he may not last that long.
Here are some more rumors as we approach the start of the draft:
- A “high-level” Saints source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) that the club doesn’t intend to take a quarterback in the first round. Previous reports had indicated that New Orleans would be interested in Baylor QB Bryce Petty at No. 31.
- Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson is expected to be off the board by the time the Ravens pick at No. 26, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who notes that the Dolphins, at pick No. 13, could consider Johnson.
- It’s possible that we see a run on offensive tackles near the end of the first round, which could cause the Broncos to consider trading up. However, Denver won’t give up a second-rounder to do so, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post.
- The Lions recently called Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi to double-check his contact information, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). That might not mean much on its face, but at least we know Ogbuehi, who is recovering from an ACL injury, is still on Detroit’s board.
- The Rams have received calls from teams interested in moving up to the tenth pick, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Dolphins Pick Up Ryan Tannehill’s Option
THURSDAY, 3:06pm: The Dolphins have officially exercised their option on Tannehill, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
WEDNESDAY, 7:59pm: The Dolphins will exercise the 2016 option on quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s contract, a league source tells Mike Florio of PFT. Tannehill was the No. 8 overall pick in the draft three years ago.
The Dolphins quarterback is now slated to earn $16.155MM in the fifth year of his contract. The Dolphins have been said to be interested in hammering out an extension and that, of course, could still happen. As Florio notes, the $16.1MM salary for ’16 sets the floor, the question now is what the ceiling will be for one of the league’s better young quarterbacks.
Florio has heard from people in football that they believe the Dolphins will make a very-good, but not great offer. Tannehill, who previously blinked in a contract snag as a rookie, is widely expected to play it safe and take the guaranteed dollars rather than go for a jackpot.
Tannehill, 27 in July, threw for a career high 4,045 yards in 2014, completing 392 out of 590 passes on the year. He threw for 27 touchdowns, a career high, with a career best 12 interceptions on the year.
Dolphins Looking To Move Up
Dolphins are laying the groundwork for a trade that would vault them up the draft board in round one, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Years ago, Mike Tannenbaum authored a trade to move up and select cornerback Darrelle Revis when he was the GM of the Jets. Now the head decision maker in Miami, Rapoport hears that he could once again be making a play for a defensive back.
In a class where the defensive backs at the top are thought to be underwhelming, it’s not immediately clear who Tannenbaum could have his eyes on. Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes is regarded by most as the best cornerback in this class and likely the only one with a shot at going in the top ten. The Dolphins are just a bit outside of that at No. 14, so he could be their target. Kevin Johnson (Wake Forest) and Marcus Peters (Washington) also figure to go in the top half of the draft, so it’s conceivable that Miami could be looking to pounce on one of them.
Michael Brockers Drawing Trade Interest
1:40pm: The Cardinals did not inquire about Brockers and the Rams wouldn’t trade him in the division anyway, a source tells Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic (on Twitter).
12:17pm: A report earlier this week indicated that the Rams were exercising their 2016 option on defensive tackle Michael Brockers, but apparently teams around the league aren’t convinced that St. Louis will hang onto Brockers for the long term. According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link), the Cowboys, Texans, and Cardinals have been calling the Rams trying to strike a deal for Brockers, and the Dolphins have also expressed interest.
Brokers, 24, has played well for St. Louis since being drafted 14th overall by the team in 2012, though his sack total slipped in 2014. After recording 46 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2013, Brockers totaled just 32 tackles and 2.0 sacks last year.
The presence of 2014 first-round pick Aaron Donald may have limited Brockers’ impact last season, and he may see his playing time reduced a little this coming season after the Rams signed former Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley in free agency. I imagine Brockers will still see plenty of action on running downs, but the idea of having Donald, Fairley, Robert Quinn, and Chris Long getting after the quarterback on passing downs must be tantalizing for the Rams.
Last month’s addition of Fairley to go along with Donald is likely what’s spurring teams to call the Rams about Brockers. St. Louis is already spending a good chunk of money on its defensive line, so the idea of paying Brockers $6.146MM (his option salary) for 2016 may be a little off-putting.
Nonetheless, Rams COO and EVP of football operations Kevin Demoff said yesterday that there’s a better chance of Adam Wainwright pitching again for the Cardinals this year than there is of the Rams trading Brockers (Twitter link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Wainwright, of course, recently tore his Achilles and will miss the rest of the MLB season. Still, it’s worth noting that the Rams adamantly denied that Sam Bradford was going anywhere, just weeks before he was dealt to Philadelphia.
Extra Points: Hardy, Randle, Jordan
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith firmly believes there is precedent for getting Greg Hardy‘s suspension reduced, Charean Williams of the Star Telegram writes. “In the last three years, we’ve had the league overturned three times in [the Saints’] Bounty, [Adrian] Peterson and Ray Rice,” Smith said as he gears up to defend the Cowboys star. “To me, it’s never a question about whether I’m confident or not. We start with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and if they continue to seek to impose penalties that are inconsistent with that agreement or inconsistent of the law of the case that has been developed under that agreement, this is what unions do. We fight that.” More from around the NFL..
- Cowboys running back Joseph Randle won’t face domestic violence charges for his incident in Wichita, according to Drew Davidson of the Star Telegram tweets. There was a “lack of evidence” cited by the DA’s office in the case. More from around the NFL..
- Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan issued a statement through the NFLPA regarding his suspension. “I’m very disappointed that I will not be playing in the NFL in the 2015 season,” the statement read. “Because of past positive tests and my status in the drug program, the consequence of dilute (not positive) tests is severe. I deeply regret putting myself in this position, and I apologize to my teammates and the Dolphins organization. I will use the time away from playing to finish my college degree. I will stay in excellent physical shape and look forward to returning to the NFL as soon as possible. I’m deeply grateful to my family and friends for their continued support.”
- Before the Seahawks traded for tight end Jimmy Graham, they had trade discussions with the Bears about Martellus Bennett, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Alex Boone, who held out last offseason for a new contract, will skip all of the 49ers‘ voluntary activities in the final year of his contract, a source close to the guard tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Boone, who will earn $3.4MM in 2015, has not taken part in the 49ers’ offseason program, and he was not on the field Tuesday and Wednesday for the start of the team’s voluntary three-day minicamp at the team’s practice facility.
- The Titans have gotten calls from multiple teams inquiring about what it will take to deal for the No. 2 overall pick, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Meanwhile, one team executive tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that the Titans have been asking for three first round picks to part with the No. 2 choice. The executive laughed hard when passing that info along, he adds.
NFC South Notes: Winston, Bucs, Saints
Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that the Buccaneers will not inform the player they’re picking of their decision until they’re on the clock Thursday night. Get ready for some nail biting from this year’s top two prospects. Here’s more from the NFC South..
- There’s a rumor that Buccaneers players have been told that Jameis Winston will be the pick, but Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) hears that’s false based on conversations with four Tampa Bay players.
- The Saints worked out quarterback Garrett Grayson on Monday, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). Today was the final allowable day for workouts of draft prospects. The Saints have been previously linked to Grayson.
- Texas A&M corner Deshazor Everett worked out for the Buccaneers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The speedster also auditioned for the Chargers, Bengals, Dolphins, and Jets.