Patriots Rumors: Manziel, Bielema, Clayborn
The Patriots’ drafting of former LSU quarterback Danny Etling in the seventh round of last month’s draft signaled an end to any chance of the team taking a chance on free-agent quarterback Johnny Manziel, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Reiss believes the team did its due diligence in scouting Manziel’s comeback attempt, including attending his workout at the University of San Diego pro day this year. The team even considered holding an additional workout for him outside of the pro day, per Reiss.
The Patriots traditionally carry three quarterbacks and by drafting Etling they’ve reached that number, with Tom Brady as the starter and Brian Hoyer backing him up.
Here’s more from the Patriots:
- Former Arkansas coach Bret Bielema has continued in his role with the Patriots following the conclusion of the draft, per ESPN’s Field Yate, and Yates also reports that he’s expected to be involved in coaching duties as the team begins its rookie minicamp Monday. Brett Bielema was fired as head coach of Arkansas last November after coaching the team for five seasons.
- Adrian Clayborn has playing-time incentives written into his two-year, $10-million contract that are worth up to $1.5 million, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Clayborn can make $300,000 f0r playing up to 55 percent of the team’s snaps, $300,000 for 60 percent, $400,000 for 65 percent and $500,000 for 75 percent. Volin notes, though, that Clayborn never played more than 52 percent of the snaps during his first last three seasons with the Falcons.
- We learned earlier Sunday that Patriots guard Joe Thuney is expected to undergo foot surgery but is expected to be back in time for training camp.
Joe Thuney Expected To Undergo Minor Foot Surgery
Patriots guard Joe Thuney is expected to undergo foot surgery and is likely to miss the team’s entire offseason program but is expected to be ready for training camp, which was first reported by ESPN’s Mike Reiss and confirmed by Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).
Thuney is projected to start at left guard for the Patriots, where he’s started all 16 regular-season games the last two seasons since the Patriots took him in the third round of the 2016 draft. He’s missed just nine snaps since being drafted by the Patriots.
The 25-year-old is one of a select group of returning starters to the Patriots offensive line, with tackles Nate Solder and Cameron Fleming departing in free agency this offseason. The Patriots currently have Marcus Cannon, Ted Karras, Matt Tobin and James Ferentz as guard depth on the roster.
- The Patriots have yet to designate a defensive coordinator following the departure of Matt Patricia to the Lions, though a logical candidate seemed to be linebackers coach Brian Flores. Though he won’t have the designation of defensive coordinator, Flores will take on many responsibilities attached to the position. The Patriots have done in this in the past with assistants like Bill O’Brien, not giving assistants the job title despite performing many of the job’s functions. To his part, Flores is not focusing on his title. “I’ve never been big on titles,” Flores said, to Rich Garven of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. “I’m here to work. I’m here to help this team win any way I can. I think I’ve always said that in some form or fashion.”
Josh McDaniels “Definitely” Wants To Be HC Again
It’s been a hectic offseason for Josh McDaniels. The coach committed to becoming the next head coach of the Colts before changing his mind and returning to New England. The offensive coordinator told Patriots.com (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com) that he was “thankful” for the opportunity to rejoin the coaching staff, but he acknowledged that he still has a desire to be a head coach.
“You know, there’s a lot that goes into those things. It can be very complicated,” McDaniels said. “I’ll say this, I’ve stated again and again that I definitely want to be a head coach again. At the same time, I love being here. This is where my kids were born and raised. And we’ve made a pretty special life here and that’s not an easy thing to leave. So, there’s a lot to consider.
“Certainly, leaving here, I don’t take lightly, ever. I would never take that lightly. It was a difficult process and I’m very happy with the decision that we made and grateful to be here and continue working towards the 2018 season.”
McDaniels’ first head coaching stint was a mixed bag, as he went 11-17 in one-plus seasons with the Broncos. Add in his flip-flopping on the Colts head coaching gig and it may be difficult for the coordinator to secure another offer. Of course, there’s some assumption that McDaniels will eventually take over for Bill Belichick in New England, but the 42-year-old said he hadn’t received any guarantees on a future promotion.
“Nope. Nope. I mean, my role is the same,” McDaniels said. “Look, I think if you’re here, you have an opportunity to work with and for some of the best people in our game. Maybe some of the best people that have ever done those things in our game. So, I feel like it’s a great opportunity to be here in my role.”
Draft Pick Signings: 5/11/2018
Here are the rest of Friday’s draft-pick signings:
- In addition to signing Marcus Davenport, the Saints also inked Florida State offensive tackle Rick Leonard (Round 4, pick 127), Wisconsin safety Natrell Jamerson (Round 5, pick 164), Boston College cornerback Karmin Moore (Round 6, pick 189), Louisiana Tech running back Boston Scott (Round 6, pick 201), and LSU center Will Clapp (Round 7, pick 245), The Advocate’s Nick Underhill tweets.
- The Cardinals continued to ink their draft picks to deals, signing Fordham running back Chase Edmonds (Round 4, pick 134), cornerback Christian Campbell (Round 6, pick 182), and offensive tackle Korey Cunningham (Round 7, pick 254).
- The Giants followed suit, signing UTEP guard Will Hernandez (Round 2, pick 34), Georgia linebacker Lorenzo Carter (Round 3, pick 66) and Richmond quarterback Kyle Lauletta (Round 4, pick 108).
- The Panthers also inked cornerback Rashaan Gaulden (Round 3, pick 85) and linebacker Andre Smith (Round 7, pick 234).
- The Bills added another signing in Weber State cornerback Taron Johnson (Round 4, pick 121).
- The Bengals were also busy, tabbing cornerback Davontae Harris (Round 5, pick 151), defensive end Andrew Brown (Round 5, pick 158), quarterback Logan Woodside (Round 7, pick 249) and guard Rod Taylor (Round 7, pick 252).
- The 49ers signed their fifth pick so far in the offseason, inking Kansas State defensive back D.J. Reed (Round 5, pick 142).
- The Patriots added a slew of draft picks to the ranks, signing linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley (Round 5, pick 143), linebacker Christian Sam (Round 6, pick 178), wide receiver Braxton Berrios (Round 6, pick 210), quarterback Danny Etling (Round 7, pick 219), cornerback Keiron Crossen (Round 7, pick 243), and tight end Ryan Izzo (Round 7, pick 250).
McDaniels To Fill Same Role
- The Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels spurned a head-coaching gig with the Colts to return to New England in 2018. Though head coach Bill Belichick has said he would take his mentorship “to the next level,” McDaniels told the Providence Journal’s Mark Daniels that his role remains the same in 2018. Though his role will stay the same, McDaniels is surely being groomed to take over once the future Hall of Fame coach decides to call it quits.
Patriots Sign Nine UDFAs
The Patriots have signed nine undrafted free agents. Here’s the complete list:
- Darren Andrews, WR (UCLA)
- John Atkins, DL (Georgia)
- Trent Harris, DL (Miami)
- Frank Herron, DB (Maryland)
- Chris Lacy, WR (Oklahoma State)
- A.J. Moore, DB (Mississippi)
- Ralph Webb, RB (Vanderbilt)
- Shane Wimann, TE (Northern Illinois)
Andrews recorded 162 catches for 1,977 yards and 15 touchdowns with the Bruins. Despite his slight frame — 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds — the shifty wideout was a threat on the outside catching passes from first-round signal-caller Josh Rosen.
Webb finished his career with the Commodores as the sixth-ranked rusher in SEC history with 4,128 yards. According to The Tennessean, he became just the third player of the SEC’s top-50 all-time leading rushers, joining Kentucky’s Rafael Little and Tennessee’s Arian Foster, who went on to earn four Pro Bowl selections. He received $70,000 guaranteed — $20,000 signing bonus and $50,000 base salary — and is a solid bet to at least make the practice squad, according to the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin (Twitter link).
Patriots To Cut T Antonio Garcia
Once viewed as a possible heir apparent to Nate Solder at left tackle, Antonio Garcia will be headed to the waiver wire without playing a down as a Patriot.
New England plans to cut the second-year tackle with a non-football injury designation, Field Yates of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Blood-clot issues kept Garcia off the field as a rookie.
The Patriots traded up to take Garcia with the No. 85 overall pick last year. But the Troy product not being able to see the field as a rookie clouded his status, and the New England tackle corps looks different than it did before draft weekend. The defending AFC champions selected Isaiah Wynn in the first round this year and subsequently traded for 49ers starter Trent Brown.
They re-signed LaAdrian Waddle and have Marcus Cannon returning from injury, but there is less clarity beyond Wynn at left tackle. Garcia started for 3 1/2 years at left tackle for the Trojans. He didn’t allow a sack as a senior and became a Day 2 prospect.
Patriots' Thuney Has Surgery
- Patriots left guard Joe Thuney is set to undergo foot surgery, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. Right now, the belief is that the operation will not affect his regular season availability, but it’s a situation to keep an eye on. In theory, the Pats could slide first-round offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn to the interior if they need to fill that hole.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/10/18
Here are Thursday’s minor moves.
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: RB Bronson Hill
Detroit Lions
- Waived: RB Tion Green
Miami Dolphins
- Waived/Injured: CB Tracy Howard
New England Patriots
- Waived: OL Jason King
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Matthew Thomas
Draft Pick Signings: 5/9/18
Today’s draft pick signings:
- The Falcons have agreed to terms with second-round cornerback Isaiah Oliver, fourth-round running back Ito Smith, sixth-round receiver Russell Gage, and sixth-round linebacker Foyesade Olukom. That leaves Atlanta with just two remaining unsigned draft picks, first-round wideout Calvin Ridley and third-round defensive tackle Deadrin Senat. None of the four selections signed by the Falcons today figure to have much of a 2018 role, but given the strength of Atlanta’s roster, the club was able to target future value. Oliver fits the Falcons’ size requirements for a defensive back and could help out down the line, while Smith is a hedge against Atlanta failing to sign Tevin Coleman, who will become a free agent at season’s end.
- Fifth-round offensive lineman Tyrell Crosby has signed his rookie deal with the Lions. Crosby surprisingly fell to Day 3 of the draft after many analysts pegged him as at least a Day 2 selection. Although he played tackle at Oregon, Crosby could shift to guard in Detroit, especially given the presence of incumbent tackles Taylor Decker and Ricky Wagner. Crosby may compete to start at left guard, but with Graham Glasgow likely locking down that position, Crosby is probably looking at reserve duty for 2018.
- The Steelers have inked their first rookie to a contract, as fifth-round rookie running back Jaylen Samuels is now signed. Samuels, a North Carolian State product, was something of a jack-of-all-trades during his collegiate days, and it won’t be surprising if he sees action at fullback, tight end, or receiver during his rookie season in Pittsburgh. Long-term, Samuels could be a candidate to replace Le’Veon Bell, who will once again play under the franchise tag in 2018.
- Fifth-round wideout Justin Watson has singed his rookie pact with the Buccaneers, tweets Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. Watson posted excellent athletic testing results and put up outstanding production at Pennsylvania, but he’s coming from a small school and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com says Watson “doesn’t move with desired suddenness.” Watson likely won’t factor into Tampa Bay’s offense this season, but could carve out a role on special teams.
- The Patriots didn’t land a first-round quarterback as many had projected, but they did pick LSU signal-caller Danny Etling in the seventh round, and he’s now under contract. New England doesn’t figure to keep three quarterbacks on its roster, so Etling will likely (at best) spend the 2018 season on the club’s practice squad. It’s possible he’s just a camp arm.