Patriots Reach Deals With Five Draftees
1:32pm: Patriots third-round offensive lineman Joe Thuney has also signed his rookie deal, as Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets. For Thuney, it’ll be a four-year deal worth $3.54MM with a signing bonus of $773K. The offensive lineman out of North Carolina State drew interest from clubs thanks to his versatility — he started all along the O-Line in college.
1:28pm: The Patriots aren’t wasting any time locking up their 2016 draft class, having already reached deals with four of their draftees from last weekend, including top pick Cyrus Jones, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
Fourth-round receiver Malcolm Mitchell, sixth-round offensive lineman Ted Karras, and seventh-round wideout Devin Lucien have also agreed to terms with New England, according to reports from ESPN’s Adam Caplan, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald, and ESPN’s Mike Reiss, respectively (all Twitter links).
The rookie contracts for the four draft picks who have reached agreements with the Pats will look like this, per Over The Cap:
- 2-60: Cyrus Jones, DB (Alabama): $4.007MM total value, $1.114MM signing bonus
- 4-112: Malcolm Mitchell, WR (Georgia): $2.918MM total value, $578K signing bonus
- 6-221: Ted Karras, OL (Illinois): $2.17MM total value, $100K signing bonus
- 7-225: Devin Lucien, WR (Arizona State): $2.425MM total value, $85K signing bonus
With four draftees having agreed to terms, the Pats still have more than half of their nine-man draft class to lock up, including two third-round picks — quarterback Jacoby Brissett and defensive tackle Vincent Valentine.
Although contracts for third-rounders can sometimes be trickier to negotiate than deals for later-round picks, Brissett appears to be proceeding without any formal representation. Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald notes (via Twitter) that the signal-caller is being advised by Abe Elam, but doesn’t officially have an agent.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Patriots Facing Numbers Crunch
The Patriots have 30 players on expiring deals this year, as CSNNE.com’s Tom E. Curran writes. That group includes notables such as linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins, defensive ends Rob Ninkovich and Jabaal Sheard, defensive backs Logan Ryan, Duron Harmon and Malcolm Butler (restricted free agent), and special teams ace Matthew Slater. Ultimately, it all adds up to a complex puzzle for Bill Belichick & Co. as they look to retain their best players.
Latest On Tom Brady, Suspension
The NFLPA and Tom Brady‘s legal team have been granted an extension and will now have until May 23rd to appeal the latest pro-NFL ruling on Brady’s Deflategate suspension, Mark Maske of the Associated Press tweets. Unsurprisingly, the NFL objected to the two week extension, as Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal tweets. 
[RELATED: Patriots To Decline Jonathan Cooper’s Option]
Brady‘s four-game suspension related to the Patriots’ Deflategate incident, which was initially overturned in court last year, was been reinstated by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit late last month. In the immediate aftermath, it was reported that Brady was prepared to continue his fight and Pats owner Robert Kraft was quick to stand alongside him. Meanwhile, the NFL does not see any need to reignite settlement talks. Ultimately, this dispute being Brady and the league office will be settled by the justice system.
If Brady’s four-game suspension is ultimately upheld, he won’t be eligible to return to regular-season action until Sunday, October 9th in Cleveland. The Patriots would be without their starting quarterback for games against the Cardinals, Dolphins, Texans, and Bills in that scenario. Understudy Jimmy Garoppolo would likely step into the starting role in New England if Brady is forced to miss the first month of the coming season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Pats Release Melvin, Vaughters
- The Patriots released cornerback Rashaan Melvin and linebacker James Vaughters, according to Christopher Price of WEEI (on Twitter).
Patriots To Decline Jonathan Cooper’s Option
The Patriots will decline Jonathan Cooper‘s option for 2017, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The Patriots acquired the offensive lineman (and a second-round choice) from Arizona in the Chandler Jones trade. 
[RELATED: Follow Pro Football Rumors On Instagram]
After missing his rookie season due to a broken fibula, the 26-year-old started just 11 games for the Cardinals in the past two years, failing to carve out a long-term role in Arizona. However, he still has plenty of talent, and could play either guard or center on the Patriots’ line. The Pats were not expected to exercise their option on the No. 7 selection in the 2013 draft, but he could conceivably still be a part of the team’s plans if he plays well next season. Cooper’s option would have paid him in excess of $10MM but, right now, he’s probably worth one-third of that.
The Patriots received the No. 61 pick in this year’s draft in the Jones deal and wound up trading that selection to the Saints for pick Nos. 78 and 112. With that pick, the Saints took Ohio State safety Vonn Bell. New England, meanwhile, took N.C. State offensive lineman Joe Thuney and Georgia wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Ravens Believed Pats Wanted Keenan Reynolds
- In non-Cowboys news, King writes that the Ravens had what they considered “reliable information” that the Patriots would try to draft Navy’s Keenan Reynolds in the sixth round. Baltimore beat New England to the punch by nabbing Reynolds with the 182nd overall selection.
Draft Updates: Cowboys, Tunsil, Pats, Jets, Saints
The Cowboys’ later-round selections have featured some interesting near-misses. Dallas has been linked to multiple players it did not end up selecting, including new Browns edge-rusher Emmanuel Ogbah, whom Cleveland chose in Round 2. The team also eyed Clemson defensive end Kevin Dodd, Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com reports.
Even its own pick brought uncertainty after a report surfaced Friday that the team nearly unloaded its second-round pick to the Bears before taking Notre Dame injured star Jaylon Smith. Perhaps these pass-rushers going off the board contributed to the urge to wanting to trade down.
We heard Friday night the Cowboys are not going to re-sign Greg Hardy. This, coupled with the looming suspensions of Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory have left the team thin at defensive end despite signing former Eagles edge presence Cedric Thornton in free agency. It took Dallas until the fourth round to address this spot, when it took Charles Tapper from Oklahoma.
Here’s the latest from the draft.
- The Saints traded up for the 120th pick, but according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), they didn’t get their selection in on time. This allowed the Vikings to jump the Saints, with Minnesota selecting offensive lineman Willie Beavers. New Orleans presumably still got their target in defensive tackle David Onyemata.
- The Dolphins believe it was the former financial advisor of rookie Laremy Tunsil who released the incriminating gas mask video, tweets Andrew Abrasion of The Palm Beach Post. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the video caused Tunsil to drop from the sixth overall pick to No. 13.
- Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan told Dom Cosentino of NJ.com that the team isn’t working to acquire another quarterback, including Nick Foles (Twitter link).
- Pauline also notes the Patriots‘ collection of second- or third-round quarterback choices in the Tom Brady era could have included Wisconsin passer Joel Stave instead of the player they actually selected, Jacoby Brissett, in the third round. While neither was considered a top prospect, Brissett was mentioned as a mid- or late-round pick before the lesser-regarded Stave — a 6-foot-5 former Badger, who remains on the board. Stave threw for just 11 TDs last season for the run-oriented Badgers.
- The Steelers are considering a trade to get into the fifth round, Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets.
Ben Levine contributed to this report
Patriots Trade No. 147 Selection To Seahawks
Having just traded up with the Dolphins to acquire the No. 147 selection, the Patriots have now sent that pick to the Seahawks. Sending Miami picks Nos. 196, 204, and 250, New England will now receive No. 225 this year and picks up Seattle’s fourth-round choice in 2017, Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com tweets.
With the pick, the Seahawks chose Maryland defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson.
Jefferson is the second defensive tackle Seattle has selected during draft weekend, with the Seahawks bolstering their front in Round 2 in the form of Alabama interior cog Jarran Reed, a player whom some draft experts tabbed as a first-round talent.
The Seahawks boast some depth inside, but haven’t invested highly in the position. They re-signed Ahtyba Rubin to a three-year deal earlier this offseason and added Sealver Siliga from the Patriots. 2013 third-rounder Jordan Hill rounds out the group that’s been bolstered this weekend. It’s the only position on the Seahawks’ defense that hasn’t received a significant financial commitment, with defensive end, inside and outside linebacker, corner and safety housing players on lucrative second contracts.
Patriots Acquire 147th Pick From Dolphins
A pair of division rivals are involved in today’s latest trade. According to the NFL Network (on Twitter), the Patriots have acquired the 147th pick from the Dolphins. In exchange, Miami will receive picks No. 196, 204, and 250.
Draft Rumors: Browns, Pats, Rams, Bears
With the draft set to kick off in less than 3o minutes, let’s take a quick look at some draft rumors from around the NFL…
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that multiple teams are talking with the Browns about acquiring the first pick of the fourth round. Schefter believes these inquiring teams are targeting a quarterback with the pick.
- Entering the day with five sixth-round picks, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe says it’s “likely to quite likely” that the Patriots move up to the fourth or fifth round (Twitter link).
- With only five picks in this year’s draft, the Rams have been focusing in on potential undrafted free agents, tweets ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.
- Chargers general manager Tom Telesco is expected to use his fourth-round pick for the first time, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The team’s last fourth-round pick was Ladarius Green in 2012.
- The Bears will have seven selections on Saturday, and Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune writes that the organization is optimistic about their gameplan. “There’s a lot of good players in the draft tomorrow,” said general manager Ryan Pace. “And now we’ve got a lot of swings at those players.”