Packers Acquire No. 147 Pick From Patriots
The Packers have moved up to No. 147, finding a trade partner with the Patriots, reports Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
The Packers have used that pick to select UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter).
Hundley will slide in as a developmental backup for Aaron Rodgers. The UCLA passer was once thought of as a future superstar, but failed to developed despite impressive statistics in college. The Packers aren’t remotely looking to move on from their All-Pro passer, but Hundley does provide tremendous upside if he can improve his accuracy and decision making in the NFL.
The Packers could come away with a high-end backup in Hundley, who – if he develops properly – could be traded to a quarterback-needy team in a few years for a nice pick, while providing some injury insurance for Rodgers in the meantime. The 32-year-old Rodgers isn’t expected to retire anytime soon, but Hundley may be ready to be a Pro-Bowl talent at quarterback by the end of his rookie deal if he can overcome some of the weaknesses in his game.
In return for pick No. 147, the Patriots will receive a fifth rounder (No. 166) and a seventh rounder (No. 247) from Green Bay, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (via Twitter).
AFC Quotes: Belichick, Newsome, Telesco
Following the second day of the draft, the league’s coaches and general managers took time to explain their logic to reporters. We already took a look at some of the notable soundbites out of the NFC, so let’s now shift our focus to the other conference…
Patriots coach Bill Belichick on the team’s selection of safety Jordan Richards in the second round (via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com):
“[Richard is a]strong tackler, a pretty instinctive guy, and certainly able to play on the punt team, kickoff return, kickoff coverage and punt return — could be a matchup guy outside or maybe a hold-up guy in the box. I’m sure he’ll be able to contribute in the kicking game.”
Belichick on his team’s trade with the Browns:
“At the start of the day, we had a little bit of spacing there [with our picks] — top of the fourth, bottom of the fourth, no fifth, but top of the sixth, top of the seventh, bottom of the seventh. Now we have three picks in the fourth round, and we’ve kind of filled in that fifth round.”
Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome on the team’s decision to move up and select tight end Maxx Williams (via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley):
“We get to a point where we feel it’s time to go get a player, we wait through three or four picks and then I get a little antsy. When you’ve got ammunition, you just go and get the player. It wouldn’t have mattered who was picking at that spot for us to move up and get the guy.”
Chargers general manager Tom Telesco on his team’s draft philosophy (via Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com):
“Jim Irsay, the owner for the Colts, almost every year of the draft used to always say, ‘You don’t control the draft. The draft controls you.’ And that’s a lot of times what happens. There may be a certain way you want to go. But if there’s not a player you have evaluated in that spot, there’s nothing you can do about it. So you’ve got to stick with your board… These players fit the characteristics we’re looking for. I think they make us a better football team, and we’re happy to have these guys. They’re going to have pretty good careers here.”
Browns Acquire No. 96 Pick From Pats
The No. 96 overall pick is the last pick of the day that can be traded, and the Patriots have indeed traded it, sending to the Browns. Cleveland used the selection to take Washington State defensive tackle Xavier Cooper. The night’s last three picks – including New England’s No. 97 selection – are compensatory selections, which can’t be dealt.
According to the NFL Network, the Patriots receive a fourth-round pick (No. 111), a fifth-round pick (147), and a sixth-round pick (202) in exchange for No. 96 and a seventh-rounder (No. 219).
AFC Draft Notes: Pats, Browns, Chargers, Titans
The Patriots have had a number of successful drafts during Bill Belichick‘s tenure, but Malcom Brown is confident he’ll be regarded as one of the best picks in team history.
Following the Patriots’ selection of the hulking defensive lineman last night, the University of Texas standout expressed his confidence to reporters (including Phil Perry of CSNNE.com):
“Ya’ll about to get the best player ya’ll have ever drafted so just be ready for when I touch the field.”
Of course, that may be a bit of an overstatement, especially since the team stole future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady in the sixth round. However, Brady made similar comments following the 2000 draft (also via Perry):
“I’m the best decision this organization has ever made.”
Let’s take a look at some more draft notes out of the AFC…
- Browns GM Ray Farmer denied trying to move up to the No. 2 pick for quarterback Marcus Mariota, as Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. “No, no, no,” Farmer said. “Again, I’ve tried to tell people without telling them specifically, but the answer is no. There were no conversations of trading.”
- The Chargers traded up to No. 15 because Melvin Gordon was the last of seven “impact players” left on their board, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego writes.
- Meanwhile, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco told reporters (including Michael Gehlken of UTSanDiego.com) that he’s open to trading down either Friday or Saturday.
- ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini examines some possible targets for the Jets on the second day of the draft. Among the possibilities are Virginia outside linebacker Eli Harold and Ohio State wideout Devin Smith.
- The Titans like Dorial Green-Beckham, and Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com says he wouldn’t be “shocked” if the team selects the wideout with the 33rd pick (via Twitter).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Pats Keep Pick, Draft Malcom Brown
10:05pm: Despite reports that the Patriots had traded the No. 32 pick to the Texans, New England has kept the pick and drafted Texas defensive lineman Malcom Brown, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link). Brown was considered by some as the best prospect left on the board.
The Patriots have a history of trading down, so it’s a little surprising that they did keep the pick. Brown will add another dimension to their offensive line, however, joining 2014 first-rounder Dominique Easley to attempt to make up for the loss of Vince Wilfork.
9:50pm: The Texans have acquired the No. 32 pick from the Patriots, according to Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe (Twitter links).
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).
Pats Exercise Option On Chandler Jones
The Patriots have exercised their fifth-year option on defensive end Chandler Jones, according to Will Brinson of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Brinson adds that the team has also picked up its option on Dont’a Hightower, which was reported yesterday.
Jones, 25, missed six regular season games last season with a hip injury, but was productive as usual during his time on the field, recording 51 tackles, six sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles. In 2013, the only season in which he has played all 16 contests, Jones racked up 11.5 sacks.
As the 21st overall pick and a defensive end, Jones will be in line for a $7.799MM salary for the 2016 campaign before being eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2017. That salary doesn’t become fully guaranteed until the start of the ’16 league year, and the cap figure could always be adjusted if the Patriots work out something longer-term with Jones.
For all of this year’s fifth-year option decisions, which are due by Sunday, be sure to check out our tracker.
East Notes: Mayo, Kendricks, Jets
A look at the AFC and NFC East..
- Jerod Mayo‘s reworked three-year deal with the Patriots calls for $4.5MM guaranteed with a $3MM bonus, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). He has a $1.5MM guaranteed base salary in 2015 and a chance to earn $1.8MM through incentives. Mayo (link) has $11.4MM 2016 cap figure under the new pact with a $3.25MM base and a $4MM roster bonus (due first day of league year) in his option year.
- Mychael Kendricks plans to be back in Philly with the Eagles in a few weeks, assuming he still plays there, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News tweets.
- The Jets have been more active than any other team, calling around about potentially trading up and down as they explore all options, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
- The Jets worked out defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick today, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
Pats To Pick Up Dont’a Hightower’s Option
The Patriots will keep Dont’a Hightower around for another season by exercising his fifth-year option, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets. The Pats had until May 3rd to make that determination, but it sounds like they won’t be pushing it to the limit.
The decision on Hightower has been widely expected considering his critical role in the team’s Super Bowl run last season, which included establishing himself as a playmaker, a leader, and a play-caller in Jerod Mayo‘s absence. Mayo, of course, recently reworked his deal with the Patriots in order to help their financial situation.
The Pats have had Hightower’s contract in mind for some time and owner Robert Kraft cited his deal as one of the reasons why he didn’t outbid the Jets for Darrelle Revis this offseason.
Draft Rumors: Gregory, Falcons, Bills, Saints
While Randy Gregory‘s failed drug test at the combine might not be enough to push him too far down draft boards on its own, there’s concern about the pass rusher’s ability to “handle the mental rigors of professional football,” according to Ian Rapoport and Albert Breer of NFL.com. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, the NFL.com report is quite vague and short on specifics, but Rapoport and Breer suggest that multiple teams have removed Gregory from their draft boards entirely. According to the duo, Gregory’s issues might be manageable, but not fixable, which makes it crucial that he lands in the right situation.
“It all depends on the organization, and what they have in place for him,” said one NFC personnel executive. “There are quite a few players that have issues. It’s where you place football character over the things he can’t control. That’s the big thing to me.”
Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports indicated earlier today that he wouldn’t touch Gregory, alluding to the Nebraska defender’s “other issues” (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that those “issues” are a combination of mental health concerns and recreational drug use.
With players like Josh Gordon and Dion Jordan set to serve season-long suspensions, it makes sense that teams would be wary of a player like Gregory, who could potentially run into similar off-field trouble. It’ll be interesting to see which club eventually takes a chance on a player who has top-10 talent, and when exactly that happens.
Here are a few more draft updates:
- As rumors swirl suggesting that the Falcons could trade up from No. 8 for a top pass rusher, Rapoport tweets that most of the teams he has spoken to believe Atlanta will actually trade back and select an offensive lineman.
- According to Rapoport (via Twitter), Bills owner Terry Pegula initially planned to make the trip to Texas this week for the club’s meeting with Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty. It ultimately didn’t work out, but it could be a sign that Buffalo is serious about Petty.
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com identifies the Rams, Saints, Bengals, Cowboys, Colts, Patriots, and Seahawks as teams that may be willing to roll the dice on some of the prospects in this year’s draft class who have red flags related to character and/or off-field incidents.
- While the Saints earned a mention in La Canfora’s list, GM Mickey Loomis did say today that some players will be off New Orleans’ draft board because of character issues, tweets Brett Martel of The Associated Press. Still, Loomis noted that in many cases he’s more concerned about a player’s judgment than the incident itself, and said it’s important to be careful about labeling a player based on one incident (Twitter links).
- Loomis also said today that the Saints are unlikely to trade picks, but will listen to opportunities to move up or down. The overarching goal for the draft, according to the GM, is to make the team better “right now” (Twitter links via Martel).
- Penn State tight end Jesse James, a probable mid-round pick, worked out for the Ravens, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.