Draft Updates: Clowney, Bortles, Robinson
With no throws to make or brooms to evade, Jadeveon Clowney‘s Pro Day may not have had the fanfare of Johnny Manziel‘s event at Texas A&M, but plenty of coaches and executives showed up to watch Clowney at South Carolina today. Following his Pro Day, Clowney will make visits to work out for the Rams and Falcons, he confirmed today, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
Here’s more on May’s draft and the 2014 class of prospects:
- The Browns are conducting their private workout with Blake Bortles today, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
- Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson is visiting the Rams in St. Louis today, tweets Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
- Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link) hears from several sources that Clemson cornerback Bashaud Breeland, who had dinner with GM Trent Baalke following his Pro Day, is drawing “heavy interest” from the 49ers.
- The Panthers worked out Wyoming defensive back Marqueston Huff today and will do the same for Wyoming wideout Robert Herron and quarterback Brett Smith on Thursday, says Gil Brandt of NFL.com (Twitter links).
- According to Brandt (via Twitter), Ball State quarterback Keith Wenning has nine workouts lined up with nine NFL teams, including the Jaguars, Browns, and Patriots.
- Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (all Twitter links) passes along details on three prospects visiting the Titans: Auburn running back Tre Mason, who left Nashville today; West Virginia running back Charles Sims, who will visit later this week; and UCLA edge defender Anthony Barr, who will be in town next Tuesday.
- The Bills hosted Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby, Baylor running back Lache Seastrunk, and Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier today, according to the team.
AFC Rumors: Dolphins, Jets, Clowney, Texans
As they continue attempting to fortify their offensive line, the Dolphins are hosting 25-year-old free agent Jason Fox for a visit, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. According to Salguero, if the team were to sign Fox, who reportedly worked out for the Chiefs earlier this week, the former Lion would be viewed as a depth piece with a chance to earn a larger role, not the Dolphins’ starter at right tackle.
Here’s more on another free agent paying a visit to Miami, as well as a few other notes from around the AFC:
- The Dolphins will also host free agent wideout Lestar Jean for a visit and workout, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Jean met with the Panthers last month, but left Carolina without a deal.
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) still expects the Titans to release Chris Johnson this week. If and when that happens, look for the Jets to “pounce” on the veteran running back, says La Canfora.
- Asked about Jadeveon Clowney at South Carolina’s Pro Day today, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien confirmed that his club met with Clowney last night, tweets James Palmer of CSNHouston.com. However, according to O’Brien, the Texans’ No. 1 pick is still “wide open” (Twitter link via Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle).
- Before he signed with the Raiders, Maurice Jones-Drew was strongly considering the Patriots and Steelers as well, as he said today on Mad Dog Sports Radio (Twitter link).
- In a pair of tweets, Aaron Wilson provides details on Dimitri Patterson‘s one-year, $3MM deal with the Jets, which includes a $1MM signing bonus, and C.J. Wilson‘s one-year, minimum-salary benefit contract with the Raiders.
Draft Notes: Bridgewater, Amaro, Steelers
Word broke on Tuesday that Johnny Manziel would be visiting the Patriots today, a few days after the club met with Blake Bortles in Orlando. It shouldn’t be too surprising then that Teddy Bridgewater is also visiting the team, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As we noted yesterday, the Pats are likely just doing due diligence on the top players in this year’s quarterback class, but those meetings are still worth keeping an eye on.
Here’s more on pre-draft visits, with May 8 just over five weeks away:
- Texas Tech tight end Jace Amaro, who is said to be drawing interest from the Jets, is working out for the Falcons today, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- The Steelers are hosting a pair of defenders today, in Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard and Notre Dame defensive end Stephon Tuitt, tweets Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
- Washington State safety Deone Bucannon visited the Lions today, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
- Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post passes along word of a pair of visits, reporting that Sam Houston State running back Timothy Flanders will meet with the Saints, while Middle Tennessee State cornerback Sammy Seamster has a visit on tap with the Chiefs.
Johnny Manziel To Visit Patriots
Texas A&M product and top quarterback prospect Johnny Manziel is in Foxboro and will meet with the Patriots tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport adds that Manziel’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, would not confirm the visit, though Alex Marvez of FOX Sports tweeted that the meeting will indeed take place.
This is probably nothing more than thorough due diligence on New England’s part. Nonetheless, the NFL Network’s Albert Breer tweets that the visit is “interesting” in that it comes on the heels of the team’s meeting with UCF quarterback Blake Bortles in Orlando last week. Bortles, like Manziel, is expected to be taken early in the first round of this year’s draft, and although the Patriots may be looking for a quarterback to groom given Tom Brady‘s age and the fact that Ryan Mallett will be a free agent at season’s end, it is highly unlikely that they would spend their first-round pick on such a quarterback at this point. For that matter, it is highly unlikely that Bortles or Manziel would even fall to New England, who hold the 29th overall pick in the draft.
Nonetheless, it is sure to be an intriguing visit, and we will keep you posted if anything of note should come of it.
AFC Notes: Chiefs, Patriots, Bills, Blount
Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio today, Danieal Manning said signing with the Cowboys “would be fun,” since he grew up rooting for them. However, the free agent safety added that a team’s direction and opportunity to win will be determining factors in his decision on where to sign (Twitter links). That’s not to say that Dallas should be ruled out as a suitor, but it makes sense that Manning’s first two visits are to a pair of AFC playoff teams. Last night, we heard about his scheduled meeting with the Bengals, and today during his SiriusXM appearance, he confirmed that a visit to the Chiefs is also on tap (Twitter link).
Here’s more from around the AFC as the league’s free agent period enters its fourth week:
- Mike Reiss (Twitter link) passes along word from ESPN.com colleague John Clayton that free agent defensive end Will Smith is visiting the Patriots today. Smith, who was cut by the Saints earlier this offseason, indicated shortly after his release that he’d be open to playing in a 4-3 or 3-4 defense.
- Speaking to WBEN in Buffalo, billionaire Donald Trump confirmed that he has been approached about the possibility of joining an investment group in a bid to buy the Bills. Suggesting that he’ll “take a look” at the possibility, Trump stressed that he wants to see the franchise remain in Buffalo, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com details.
- LeGarrette Blount’s new two-year deal with the Steelers includes a $150K incentive for reaching 800 yards rushing in 2014, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Patriots Re-Sign Ryan Wendell
TUESDAY, 9:50am: The initial NFLPA records for Wendell’s contract had a misprint, adding an extra zero to his annual roster bonuses, according to Field Yates of ESPN Boston. Rather than receiving annual $2MM roster bonuses, Wendell is eligible for annual $200K roster bonus, says Yates. As such, the two-year deal is actually worth significantly less than initially reported — it has a base value of $3.25MM ($850K guaranteed) and can be worth up to $4.55MM with incentives.
FRIDAY, 2:18pm: The Patriots have re-signed center Ryan Wendell, according to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com (via Twitter). Field Yates of ESPN Boston, citing NFL records, tweets that it’s a two-year, $6.85MM contract.
Wendell, 28, has started every one of the Patriots’ regular season contests over the last two seasons, and figures to enter 2014 as the team’s center. As I noted when I examined the free agent market for centers last month, Wendell had a poor 2013 season following a very good 2012. The Fresno State product ranked as the league’s worst pass-blocking center in ’13, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), and received a negative pass-blocking score from PFF in ’12 as well, even though he ranked fourth overall among centers.
While Wendell’s poor pass-blocking grades may be a cause for concern for Tom Brady and New England’s passing attack, it appears the team is confident enough in the veteran center to commit to him as the starter in 2014 and perhaps 2015.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links), the deal includes an $850K signing bonus, base salaries of $1MM in both seasons, roster bonuses worth $2MM in both years, and up to $1.3MM in playing-time incentives for 2015.
DeSean Jackson Updates: Monday
With most of this year’s notable free agents off the board, DeSean Jackson‘s release breathed some new life into the free agent market, and rumors swirled around Jackson and his potential landing spots for much of the weekend. Yesterday, we asked which club would eventually land the standout receiver, and you made the Raiders your pick, with the Redskins not too far behind. Do today’s updates and rumors reflect that result? Let’s dive in and round up the latest….
- ESPN’s Ed Werder jumps into the fray, saying there is no deal between the Redskins and Jackson, noting that he will continue meeting with the Redskins tomorrow as well as keep talking with other interested teams (Twitter link).
- A source close to Jackson says it’s a “done deal” between the Redskins and the receiver, tweets Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com also chimes in, saying that while the two parties had a good meeting, Jackson has more visits lined up tomorrow, and a number of teams are still competing for the playmaker (via Twitter).
Earlier updates:
- Werder, who reported earlier (as we note below) that two mystery teams are believed to be deep in negotiations with Jackson, adds the Jets and Panthers to the list of clubs expected to be involved, and says the Patriots, Saints, and Packers are out (Twitter link).
- Jackson will visit the Redskins today, and the trip is expected to extend through Tuesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who adds that the Raiders and Bills are also in the hunt.
- Peter King of TheMMQB.com thinks Redskins owner Dan Snyder and GM Bruce Allen will “put on the hard sell” to sign the former Eagle. King adds that Allen could include details in the team’s contract offer that would provide Washington some insurance in the event of any off-field incidents.
- On the other hand, Mark Maske and Mike Jones of the Washington Post write that the Redskins may not be willing to be break the bank for Jackson. The Post duo hears that while the team is “all-in” in its pursuit of the receiver, it has to be at the right price.
- According to ESPN’s Ed Werder (Twitter link), two teams who have yet to be publicly identified as having interest in Jackson are deep in talks with the receiver.
- Among the teams not expected to pursue Jackson: The Lions, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, and the Browns, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
Extra Points: Manning, Draft, Bush, Carr
Some assorted notes to close out the evening:
- The Bengals will meet with safety Danieal Manning on Tuesday and Wednesday, tweets Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston. Manning was released by the Texans earlier today.
- NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock has updated his position rankings for draft prospects, and the most notable change is his moving Johnny Manziel up to the No. 1 quarterback slot, followed by Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater. One wonders if this might be an overreaction to a good Pro Day (Manziel) versus a poor one (Bridgewater).
- Running back Michael Bush will visit with the Patriots, who recently lost LeGarrette Blount to the Steelers, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- On a related note, Tom Curran of CSNNE.com wonders if the Patriots let Blount get away too easily, citing both his low cost and the fact that Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen are in the last year of their respective contracts.
- Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr says his private workout with the Browns “went exactly how [he] wanted it to,” writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. Grossi also tweets that Carr dined with the Browns general manager Ray Farmer and the Cleveland offensive staff on Sunday night. Carr could be an option for the Browns at pick No. 26.
- Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby told Sirius XM NFL that he has visits set up with the Chargers, Steelers, Titans, Bills, and Jets, as well as three additional teams (Twitter link).
AFC East Notes: Jets, Pats, Bills, Dolphins
Let’s take a look at a handful of rumblings from the AFC East…
- Receiver Jacoby Ford and offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger both visited the Jets today, tweets Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News confirmed the news on Twitter.
- The Patriots worked out Eastern Washington defensive end Anthony Larry, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net. As Pauline points out, Larry’s ability to play linebacker and rush the passer is similar to current Patriot Rob Ninkovich, who recently turned 30-years-old.
- The Patriots are still in need of a defensive end and a defensive tackle, opines Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Considering the team’s depth, the Patriots can think in the long-term, which Reiss believes is the “ideal scenario.”
- With rumors swirling regarding DeSean Jackson‘s eventual destination, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com evaluates whether a deal would work out for the Bills. Rodak focuses on positives (like the similarities between Chip Kelly‘s system in Philadelphia and Bills offensive coordinator Nate Hackett‘s system in Buffalo) and the obvious negatives (the potential price tag and behavioral issues).
- The Dolphins have become a fan of “show me” contracts, and ESPN.com’s James Walker looks at the team’s current batch of players on one-year deals. This includes Louis Delmas, Knowshon Moreno and Cortland Finnegan.
AFC Notes: Pats, Dolphins, Zuttah, Titans
DeSean Jackson‘s release was the latest reminder that trades are tricky to work out in the NFL, even when it’s simply a matter of trying to swap a player for a draft pick. Player-for-player deals are even more difficult to finalize, but Field Yates of ESPN.com (Insider-only link) has five suggestions for trades he thinks would benefit both sides, and four of them don’t include any picks. Among Yates’ suggestions: Ryan Mathews from the Chargers to the Titans for offensive tackle Michael Roos, and defensive lineman Jared Odrick from the Dolphins to the Patriots for offensive lineman Marcus Cannon.
Here’s more from around the AFC:
- While it won’t have a real effect on teams’ cap situations for 2014, about $105MM in leaguewide deferred payments on bonus money are due today and tomorrow, tweets Brian McIntyre. As Yates writes in another ESPN.com piece, the Patriots are among the teams with a handful of payments owed, including $2.5MM each to offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer and cornerback Kyle Arrington.
- Dolphins owner Stephen Ross says he plans to speak to Dan Marino about a possible job within the organization, though he’s not sure yet what sort of role it would be, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
- When the Ravens acquired Jeremy Zuttah in a trade last week, the team also worked out a five-year extension with the veteran center. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun now has the details on Zuttah’s new contract, tweeting that it’s worth $18MM with $6.5MM guaranteed. That includes a $3.5MM signing bonus, a $1MM guaranteed 2014 base salary, and $2MM of his $3MM 2015 base salary in guaranteed money. Wilson adds in a second tweet that the deal also includes playing-time and Pro Bowl escalators, and provides the full breakdown of annual base salaries and cap figures in two final tweets.
- The base salaries on Shaun Phillips‘ two-year deal with the Titans are $1.5MM (2014) and $2.55MM (2015), tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
- The Titans are hosting several players for pre-draft visits today, says Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (all Twitter links). According to Wyatt, the players visiting the Titans include tight end A.C. Leonard, offensive linemen Kadeem Edwards and Demetrius Rhaney, and defensive back David Van Dyke of Tennessee State, as well as former Vanderbilt kicker Carey Spear, cornerback Andre Hal, and safety Kenny Ladler.
- Nearly three weeks after the free agent period began, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com resets the Browns’ roster, examining which positions still might be areas of need.