Extra Points: Landry, Thompson, Texans
Let’s have a look at some notes from around the league on this relatively slow news day:
- Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post takes a look at some of the most significant pro day workouts from this past week. LSU and Penn State were the major programs to host pro days, but smaller schools McNeese State and Bloomsburg also boast several draftable prospects.
- LSU WR Jarvis Landry will be an intriguing player to watch at next month’s draft. He carried a first-round grade into the combine, but performed poorly there, and though he showed improvement at his pro day this week, it won’t be enough to get him back in the first round. Gabriel expects him to be taken in the third or fourth round, but does note that Landry’s game tape is phenomenal and there are plenty of other top-flight receivers who have had mediocre workout numbers.
- BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy has had a number of official visits already, and he recently met with the Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Van Noy has received first- and second-round grades from draft analysts.
- In a separate piece, Wilson writes that the felony and misdemeanor drug charges that Ravens WR Deonte Thompson was facing have been dropped by Florida prosecutors. Thompson may be crowded out of the Ravens roster this year, as the team added to its receiving corps this offseason and expects to add at least one more receiver in the draft, but at least he no longer has legal troubles hanging over his head.
- Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, noting that the Patriots have a penchant for drafting highly-talented players whose stock has taken a hit for medical reasons, wonders if Clemson guard Brandon Thomas, who carried a second-round grade before tearing his ACL in a pre-draft workout last week, might be a target in the middle to late rounds of this year’s draft.
- The Patriots are still in the mix for free agent OLB/DE Will Smith, according to Christopher Price of WEEI.com.
- John McClain of the Houston Chronicle gives an excellent description of the dilemma the Texans, picking first overall for the third time in their young history, face in the 2014 draft.
Draft Day Trades: Redskins, Rams, Pats
As we have heard throughout the offseason, the depth of this year’s draft class will make teams more inclined to trade down in the draft rather than trade up. However, as the 2014 draft draws ever closer, and as more prospects get the opportunity to show off their skills at various pro days and official visits, some of those prospects may start to shine a little brighter in the eyes of certain clubs.
When that happens, we start to hear rumors that some teams may be willing to trade up, to sacrifice a pick or two (or three or four) in a deep draft in order to land the player they covet, just as the Falcons did to take Julio Jones in 2011 and the Broncos did to nab Tim Tebow one year earlier. Here are some quick notes regarding draft-day trades:
- The Redskins, who are without a first-round pick in this year’s draft, do hold an early second-rounder, No. 34 overall. Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com believes the reversing fortunes of two young signal-callers may allow Washington to add to its satchel of picks. LSU QB Zach Mettenberger‘s stock is on the rise while Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater‘s is on the decline, and both players might be available after the first round closes on May 8. Quarterback-needy teams that filled a different position in the first round may be looking to land one of those two players in the early stages of the second, which would put the Redskins in a prime position to swing a deal.
- The Jaguars have 11 total picks in the draft, including the N0. 3 overall selection, but GM Dave Caldwell has indicated he wants to add more, according to Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union. The Rams, who have the No. 2 overall pick, may want to trade down as well; the Falcons have expressed interest in making a deal with St. Louis, and it was recently reported the Lions might be willing to trade up to land Clemson WR Sammy Watkins.
- As Stellino notes, the Rams and Jaguars could switch spots in the first round, giving Jacksonville the opportunity to land Texas A&M tackle Jake Matthews, who has been linked to the Rams in various mock drafts. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union reported that the Jaguars are interested in Matthews, but perhaps not with the No. 3 (or No. 2) overall pick. They would be more inclined to draft the seasoned tackle if they traded back a few spots.
- Although his willingness to trade back in the draft is the aspect of Patriots head coach Bill Belichick‘s draft strategy that is discussed the most, he has had just as much success moving up, writes Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald. She notes that the Pats seem to be in “go-for-it mode,” so they may stand pat and make a selection with their No. 29 overall pick, or even consider moving up. However, given the depth of this year’s class, she believes the chances New England drops back is “fairly strong.” Guregian cites NFL Media senior analyst Gil Brandt, who believes there is not much difference between picks 25 and 40.
East Rumors: McClain, Herron, Cowboys, Pats
Earlier today, Terrell McClain joined SiriusXM NFL Radio to discuss signing with the Cowboys and explained that Rod Marinelli had a lot to do with his choice (transcript courtesy of The Dallas Morning News). “It factored in a lot. He actually came down to my pro day and actually did the drills at my pro day three years ago when I was coming out of college, so I had a chance to talk to him. He was telling me all about himself. He’s a great guy, a great coach and I’m really fortunate to be able to be coached by him the next three years,” McClain said. The latest from the AFC and NFC East..
- In his latest draft diary entry for USA Today, Wyoming receiver Robert Herron discussed his visit to New Orleans and disclosed that he’ll visit with the Dolphins in the near future. The Rams have also reached out to Herron, who had 72 catches for 937 yards and a team-high nine touchdowns in 2013.
- The Cowboys are willing to invest resources in developing a quarterback, just not draft picks, writes Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News. Dallas has drafted the fewest quarterbacks of any team since 2000 and we shouldn’t expect them to break that cycle this year. The Cowboys are looking to resurrect the career of signal caller Brandon Weeden in an effort to solidify things behind top signal caller Tony Romo.
- Arjuna Ramgopal of WEEI.com looks at Charles Sims of West Virginia as a prospect who could potentially be a target of the Patriots. The 6’0″, 214 pound tailback has shown that he is a strong, quick back with good speed burst and great field vision. As it stands, Sims projects to come off the board in Round 3 or 4.
AFC Notes: Bengals, Brooks, Amaro
The Bengals have a very crowded depth chart at the wide receiver position, which could take them out of the running to jump on a very strong receiving class when they select with the 24th pick of the NFL Draft, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. While the team wants to put Andy Dalton in the best position to succeed, using a valuable pick at the position would be tough considering the team already has A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Dane Sanzenbacher, Brandon Tate, Ryan Whalen, and Cobi Hamilton.
Here are some other notes from around the NFL:
- The Ravens have a great need at safety, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. While the team could target Northern Illinois’ Jimmie Ward, Hensley writes that Florida State safety Terrence Brooks could be a fallback plan. Brooks, a former corner, has the range to play centerfield.
- The Patriots need to find a second tight end to pair with Rob Gronkowski, and Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com thinks that the draft could be a place to fill that hole. Curran picks out Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro as a possible option, as Amaro was a top flight receiving option in 2013.
- The Titans have been looking for linebacker help this offseason, and Will Lomas of MusicCityMiracles.com writes that the team should look at James Harrison. Although the pass rusher is 35 years old, he can still be effective in the run defense on a limited snap count.
AFC East Notes: Bridgewater, Decker, Patriots
As Louisville quarterback Terry Bridgewater continue’s to see his stock fall, teams in the mid-to-late first round have to be seriously considering the possibility of him being on the board when they draft. Once thought to be the potential top pick, GangGreenNation.com asks if the Jets should consider taking Bridgewater should he be on the board when they come up to the podium.
While the Jets have Geno Smith and Michael Vick in the fold, Bridgewater could represent the long-term solution at quarterback that some fans and pundits hope Smith can still become. It also increases the trade value of the pick should the Jets decide to move down in the draft, as teams moving up to take a quarterback are often willing to overpay in a trade.
Here are some other notes from the AFC East:
- GangGreenNation.com also notes the despite the Jets’ improvement the quarterback situation should experience, that adding Eric Decker would not adequately fix the depth chart at receiver. They note that while Decker is an upgrade, he is not the elite type receiver that would be able to change the offense. Also, the belief that Stephen hill will be the second receiver would give pause, as he has not proven himself as a viable option in his first two seasons.
- In a series of tweets, Albert Breer of the NFL Network discusses the Patriots’ offseason. He notes that the team has made a focused effort to be good in 2014, although the team says they are all in for the Super Bowl every year. Breer notes that Nate Solder and Devin McCourty are the top priorities going forward, and that interior line play and backup tight end will be priorities in the draft.
- The Dolphins are set at running back after signing Knowshon Moreno, and they will not pursue free agent Chris Johnson, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. However, the team has a backlog at the position, and while Lamar Miller is safe, Daniel Thomas and Mike Gillislee will fight for a roster spot.
Draft Notes: Murray, Barr, Mason, Hyde
Georgia quarterback prospect Aaron Murray, recovering from an ACL injury, has drawn significant interest, reports Pro Football Talk, which lists the Browns, Dolphins, Jaguars, Lions, Patriots, Rams and Titans as teams taking an extended look.
In other draft-related news and notes…
- LSU quarterback prospect Zach Mettenberger has a private workout scheduled with the Titans, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
- Drafting UCLA pass rusher Anthony Barr is a better option for the Eagles than trading for Dolphins second-year pass rusher Dion Jordan (drafted third overall last year after playing for Chip Kelly at Oregon), according to NJ.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks, who provides a detailed comparison.
- BYU rush linebacker prospect Kyle Van Noy did an interview with Darren Smith of 1090 AM and said the Chargers would be his ideal landing spot.
- A pair of running back prospects, Auburn’s Tre Mason and Wisconsin’s James White, worked out for the Dolphins yesterday, per Omar Kelly of the Sun-Sentinel (via Twitter).
- The Eagles have also shown interest in Mason, according to Shorr-Parks. The team sent running backs coach Duce Staley to Auburn’s pro day
- Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde, Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Liberty cornerback Walt Aikens visited the Bills yesterday, according to the team’s website.
- The 49ers are expected to draft a center to compete with Daniel Kilgore, writes Doug Williams of CSN Bay Area.
- Small-school pass rusher Howard Jones from Shepherd University spent two days meeting with the Cardinals, according to a story by David Fawcett on insidenova.com. Jones is also scheduled for a visit with the Cowboys, though a Chiefs scout advised him he has “got to eat.”
AFC Notes: Mack, Pouncey, Chiefs, Pats, Jets
The Browns’ patient strategy with Alex Mack seems to have worked out for the best, opines Cleveland.com’s Terry Pluto, who says the new deal is “expensive, but not outrageous for one of the top centers in the NFL — and a player who has not missed a snap since being drafted…”
In other AFC notes…
- Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey stands to benefit from Mack’s new contract, asserts the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ed Bouchette, who writes Pouncey can justify saying he should be the highest paid center in the NFL. Pouncey has one year remaining on his rookie deal, though contract negotiations have yet to commence, as the 24-year-old lost his 2013 season because of a torn ACL injury.
- The Chiefs had a productive return game last season, but lost Dexter McCluster and Quintin Demps in free agency, meaning they’ll likely draft at least one player with kick return ability, writes ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher, who relays Mel Kiper’s suggestions for prospects who fit the profile.
- The Patriots graded out well in free agency, in the opinion of Jason Fitzgerald at overthecap.com. Fitzgerald credited the Pats, who signed Darrelle Revis to “what was essentially a one year Franchise tender,” calling it a “no-brainer” since there is minimal long-term commitment. In summation, Fitzgerald says, the team “went into free agency without a ton of cap space and came back with two upgrades at cornerback without having to part ways with [Vince Wilfork] or get into future cap headaches by restructuring the contract of Logan Mankins or Jerod Mayo.”
- Fitzgerald was not as complementary of the Jets, however, as they received a C-minus free agency grade. In fairness, despite having ample cap space, the Jets were relatively passive in free agency, opting instead to rely on their 12 draft picks to add depth.
That strategy was the focus of a recent piece by ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini in which he underscored the importance of this year’s draft: “Because of their deliberate approach in free agency — some might say cheap — they have raised the stakes for the upcoming draft. May 8-10 will be the three biggest days of the year for a franchise in Stage 2 of its rebuilding project.”
Cimini also highlighted the stylistic and philosophical difference between GM John Idzik and former GM Mike Tannenbaum:
“Many fans are restless because they are not accustomed to this way of doing business. Under Idzik’s predecessor, Mike Tannenbaum, the Jets owned the New York back pages in March, titillating the fan base with sexy trades and expensive signings.
Tannenbaum knew how to feed the beast, but there was a method to his madness. His research told him they were better off spending the money on proven commodities instead of stockpiling draft choices, figuring the bust rate of draft picks — especially in the late rounds — didn’t validate the risk-reward.”
Idzik, however, patterns his more conservative approach after some of the league’s more successful, draft-driven organizations which emphasize college scouting, player development and re-investment in homegrown talent. Cimini cited one personnel executive who defended Idzik’s approach: “The football offseason is like an event, a circus act, and fans in general want to see something. With John, he takes the air out of the balloon. It’s not exciting, but he does it his way. You have to respect that.”
Ultimately, Idzik has put the onus squarely squarely on himself to hit big in the draft.
East Notes: Revis, Roberts, Bills, Giants, Jets
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap wonders what the Patriots‘ offseason might have looked like if Darrelle Revis hadn’t become available. Of course, the Pats have never been the type of team to commit major money and years to a cornerback. However, with Revis willing to sign was it essentially a one-year deal with a franchise tender, New England was able to add a top flight talent on a low-risk move. All things considered, the Pats didn’t have a ton of room to work with this winter and came away with two major upgrades for their secondary in Revis and Brandon Browner and Fitzgerald gives them the appropriate credit. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East..
- Andre Roberts thought he was going to step into the No. 2 receiver role for the Redskins when he signed with them this offseason, but the arrival of DeSean Jackson has put that into serious doubt, writes ESPN.com’s John Keim. The 26-year-old was frustrated by his role after four seasons with the Cardinals but he might be facing more of the same in D.C. with Jackson and Pierre Garcon in the fold.
- The Bills hosted Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde, Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and Liberty cornerback Walt Aikens today, writes Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com.
- In addition to the Buccaneers, former Boston College and Florida lineman Matt Patchan told Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter) that he has already worked out for the Patriots. Patchan’s next trip is to the 49ers on Monday.
- Albany State offensive tackle Kadeem Williams met with Giants coach Tom Coughlin after his workout today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. His next workout will be with the Meadlowlands’ other tenants, the Jets. Williams worked out for the Buccaneers and Chargers in late March.
- Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News doesn’t expect nose tackle Josh Brent to be back with the Cowboys in 2014, but he says that the possiblity is not completely closed. If the Cowboys don’t get what they want in the draft and still find themselves thin at the defensive line, it could still be in the cards. Brent, of course, hasn’t been on the field since 2012 following the tragic car accident that claimed Jerry Brown.
NFC South Notes: Panthers, Graham, Saints
There’s a lot of talk about the moves that the Panthers have made after parting ways with Steve Smith, but the receiver himself isn’t losing sleep over it. “What I think about what’s going on is I concern myself with what’s going on in Baltimore and I no longer concern myself with what’s going on with the Carolina Panthers,” Smith said, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. “But I concern myself with what’s going on in Charlotte, N.C. “I do my football camp here. But I no longer have the luxury to be a part of that [team], so I don’t concern myself with it. Not that I’m upset. Not that I’m mad. It’s just the fact of the business.” Panthers GM Dave Gettleman brought in Jerricho Cotchery, Tiquan Underwood, and Jason Avant in an effort to replace the team’s all-time leading receiver and it remains to be seen how that will pan out. More out of the NFC South..
- Albert Breer of NFL Network (on Twitter) gets the sense that a deal for Saints tight end Jimmy Graham will get done but, as is often the case, not until closer to the deadline in July.
- Breer adds (link) that he believes that after the roster purge, the Saints could still bring back some of the vets like Robert Meachem, Jonathan Goodwin, and Jabari Greer between now and training camp. Meachem, 29, had 16 catches for 324 yards and two touchdowns in his 2013 return to New Orleans.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) adds the Saints to the list of teams hosting Boise State pass rusher Demarcus Lawrence for visits. The Patriots, Jets, and Cowboys will also get a good look at the 6’3″, 245-pound prospect. We heard earlier today that the Falcons were one of 10 teams Lawrence was scheduled to visit.
Pauline’s Latest: Pryor, Evans, Gaines, Pats
Here’s the latest draft buzz from Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net:
- Sources close to the club say that Louisville safety Calvin Pryor will be a priority for the Lions if he drops to the second day of the draft. I imagine that’d be the case for most teams, considering Pryor is widely considered one of the top two or three defensive backs in the draft.
- There’s a consensus that Texas A&M wideout Mike Evans will be a top-10 pick, and the team that lands him may ultimately trade up or down to do it. Pauline identifies the Rams, Eagles, and Ravens as possible landing spots for Evans. Philadelphia could also be in the mix for receivers like Brandin Cooks or Marqise Lee.
- Rice cornerback Phillip Gaines had dinner with the Jaguars last month and has worked out for the Bengals and Buccaneers. Gaines also has trips lined up with the Giants, Cardinals, and Dolphins.
- The Patriots recently worked out Virginia Tech’s Logan Thomas and D.J. Coles, and Pauline suggests that there’s a belief New England will draft a quarterback this year, since the team expects to lose Ryan Mallett a year from now. As for Coles, the Pats had the receiver do plenty of tight end work during position drills.
- Prior to tearing his ACL during a workout with the Saints, offensive lineman Brandon Thomas had official visits set up with the Raiders, Cowboys, Dolphins, and Panthers. He was also scheduled to work out for the Buccaneers and Giants. The workouts are obviously off the table now, but it’s not clear which of the visits will still happen, if any, says Pauline.
- Towson running back Terrance West was impressive during his Pro Day and appeared to solidify himself as a fourth-round pick, according to Pauline.