NFL Draft Rumors: Patriots, Key, 49ers
After losing Nate Solder in free agency, the Patriots are on the lookout for offensive tackle help. With that in mind, the Patriots hosted Texas tackle Connor Williams on a visit on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Thanks to the Brandin Cooks trade earlier this offseason, the Pats are armed with two picks late in the first round. Williams could be available when the Pats are called to the podium at No. 23, though the league-wide need for tackles could result in the 6’6″ lineman going higher.
Here’s the latest batch of NFL draft news:
- LSU outside linebacker/defensive end Arden Key worked out for the 49ers on Wednesday and will move on to the Raiders on Thursday, Rapoport tweets.
- South Dakota State tight end Dallas Goedert, who could be the first tight end to come off of the board, visited the Dolphins on Wednesday, Rapoport tweets. Miami is reportedly high on him, but he has also met with the Seahawks, Chargers, and Lions, according to Rapoport. As previously reported, the Vikings met with Goedert last week.
- Cornerback Isaiah Oliver has had workouts/visits with the Eagles, Falcons, Bears, Texans, 49ers, Cardinals, Panthers, Patriots, Saints, Broncos, and Cowboys, sources tell Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Miller personally believes that he would be a great fit for Arizona. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah has Oliver ranked as the 36th best prospect in this year’s draft and it would be no surprise to see him go in the first round.
- Georgia running back Nick Chubb will visit with the Buccaneers on Wednesday, according to Josh Norris of NBC Sports (on Twitter). Chubb has been lauded for his power and ability to run on the inside and figures to be a second round pick.
- The Lions hosted Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson for a visit on Tuesday, Rapoport tweets. Johnson was recently bumped from Jeremiah’s top 50 but should still garner consideration in the second round.
Saints To Sign Cameron Meredith
The Bears have chosen to not match Cameron Meredith‘s offer sheet with the Saints, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Meredith will now join Drew Brees & Co. in New Orleans on a two-year deal.
The Saints inked the restricted free agent to an offer sheet late last week, which triggered a five-day window for the Bears to match. Because Meredith was tendered at the lowest level, the Bears will not receive draft pick compensation.
The Bears, apparently, were skittish about Meredith’s medical situation. The receiver is coming off of a torn ACL and MCL, so there is a bit of risk in the signing for the Saints. However, if he is healthy, this will likely prove to be a brilliant value add for New Orleans.
The Saints now project to start Mike Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr., and Meredith at wide receiver. With Mark Ingram in the backfield, tight end stands as the Saints’ last major need at a skill position. Currently, the Saints have Josh Hill, Coby Fleener, Benjamin Watson, and Michael Hoomanawanui in their TE group. None of those players offer the same upside as, say, Jimmy Graham, whom the Saints tried to sign in March.
The presence of Saints wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson played a big role in Meredith’s relocation to Louisiana. Johnson worked with Meredith in Chicago and fought for him to make the Bears’ final cut in the summer of 2016. Meredith rewarded his confidence by catching 66 passes for 888 yards in just ten starts.
Meredith will now play on a two-year $9.6MM deal with $5.4MM guaranteed. With incentives, the deal could be worth as much as $12.6MM.
[RELATED: Saints Depth Chart]
Saints Host Lamar Jackson
The Saints hosted former Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson for a visit on Tuesday, sources tell Nick Underhill of The Advocate. The Jackson meeting counts for one of the Saints’ “Top 30” visits.
Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi attended Louisville’s pro day recently and apparently came away impressed by the mobile QB. The Saints are obviously well set at the QB position, but they could consider Jackson as an future heir to Drew Brees.
“I like him. I like him. He’s athletic. He’s got a magic smile to him. He’s a leader,” head coach Sean Payton recently said. “With Lamar, you feel it in the room, and you can tell he can lead. … He’s a special guy. You just have to be around him, interview him, and you can see why he was successful.”
Jackson offers a radically different skill set than Brees, but that doesn’t seem to bother the Saints.
“The trick for a team that takes a quarterback at any point to become or to compete to become a starter, one of our jobs is to look closely at what are the things that player does best,” Payton said. “If he’s your quarterback, you start looking closely at what he did well at Louisville, and you build that way. We’re never wanting to just take any of these players … and enter the game and view them just as Drew entered the game. They’re different athletes.”
Contract Details: Meredith, Matthews, Smith
Here’s a look at the details of some recent free agent deals:
- Cameron Meredith‘s two-year, $9.6MM Saints offer sheet can be worth up to $12.6MM, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports. There are $5.4MM in total guarantees. The Bears have not determined if they will match or not.
- Jordan Matthews‘ rough year with the Bills may have cost him. The former productive Eagles slot receiver signed with the Patriots for one year and $1MM, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. While $700K is available via incentives, this is a team-friendly deal — one that only includes $170K guaranteed.
- Bennie Logan‘s Titans deal is for one year and worth $4MM in base value, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Incentives can escalate Logan’s haul to $5MM.
- The Chargers‘ Geno Smith contract is worth $1MM over one year, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets. This comes with a $200K signing bonus.
Saints Host OT Austin Howard On Visit
The Saints hosted right tackle Austin Howard for a free agent visit on Friday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Howard has been on the block ever since the Ravens elected not to pick up his option for 2018. 
Howard joined the Ravens on a three-year, $16.5MM free agent deal in March of 2017 after spending the previous three seasons with the Raiders. He’s not a superstar, but he did start in every game for the Ravens at right tackle in 2017. He graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 36 offensive tackle last season, which puts him squarely in the category of a starting caliber outside lineman.
At a time when most teams are scrambling for answers at tackle, the Saints are pretty well set on both sides with left tackle Terron Armstead and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk in the starting lineup. The Saints lost Zach Strief to retirement and saw Senio Kelemete sign with the Texans, but Jermon Bushrod was re-signed for depth. Despite his starting experience, Howard would serve as the top backup and Ramcyzk in New Orleans.
Saints Sign Cam Meredith To Offer Sheet
The Saints are signing Bears restricted free agent wide receiver Cameron Meredith to an offer sheet, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The Bears will have an opportunity to match, but they will not receive draft compensation if they decline to do so. 
The offer sheet is a two-year deal worth $9.6MM ($5.4MM guaranteed), plus incentives, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Considering that the Bears declined to use the second-round tender – a one-year, $2.914MM placeholder – it seems unlikely that the Bears will match.
The Saints have a clear need for WR help given their lack of quality options behind starters Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn Jr. The Saints tendered Willie Snead at the original round level, but he is coming off of a down season and can’t be relied upon even if he is retained. Meredith could replace Snead as the Saints’ slot receiver and provide support alongside Tommylee Lewis, Austin Carr, and Paul Turner.
Meredith, 26 in September, is coming off a torn ACL which cost him all of the 2017 season. In 2016, he caught 66 passes for 888 yards in just ten starts.
NFL Draft Rumors: Jackson, Patriots, Rudolph
Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson may have erred by opting to go through the NFL draft process without an agent, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com writes. Jackson will avoid paying a portion of his rookie deal to a representative, but in an effort to save some cash, he could be hurting his draft position, which would negate the savings on the standard 1.5% fee.
Reportedly, Jackson struggled in breaking down X’s and O’s on the white board in meetings with teams and his Wonderlic score was poor. Some say the Wonderlic is meaningless, but some execs still use it as part of their evaluation process and an agent would have had him prepped for the test and other aspects of team interviews. An agent would also help to push the narrative that Jackson should be considered above some of this year’s top quarterbacks, including USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, and Wyoming’s Josh Allen.
Ultimately, Jackson’s decision will look like a smart one if he winds up going in the top half of the first round, Corry argues. But, based on what we’ve heard so far, that doesn’t seem likely. It’s notable that the Texans, who are already armed with a star QB in Deshaun Watson and don’t pick until the third round, recently had a private workout with Jackson.
Here’s more NFL draft news:
- South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst will visit the Panthers on Friday Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Carolina owns the No. 24 overall pick and they could use that selection to give themselves a potent tight end with receiving ability. Greg Olsen will start for the Panthers this season, but he is 33 and entering a contract year. In the past, Olsen has fought for a revamped deal, so it’s conceivable that he will look to push the market next March. Even if Olsen is retained beyond 2018, the Panthers need to consider the future of the tight end position.
- The Patriots, who now own two first-round picks, recently had a private workout with Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph, Rapoport tweets. Rudolph hasn’t garnered as much attention as this year’s top four QBs, but he is a potential first-rounder. Rapoport hears that he has been extremely busy with meetings and workouts, a possible sign that his stock is climbing.
- Rudolph will also have a top 30 visit with the Bills this weekend, according to Rapoport (on Twitter). The Bills own picks at 12 and 22, so he could be in the mix for one of those spots. Rudolph has also met with or had workouts for the Chargers, Saints, Giants, Steelers, and Bengals.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/5/18
Today’s minor moves:
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: RB George Atkinson
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: WR Tavarres King
New Orleans Saints
- Re-signed: LB Michael Mauti
Saints Re-Sign FB Zach Line
The Saints have re-signed Zach Line, according to Nick Underhill of The Advocate (on Twitter). The fullback returns on a new two-year deal. 
Line had a limited market this offseason since most teams in the NFL do not employ a fullback. The ones that do – like the Raiders and Cowboys – have already found their FB solutions elsewhere.
Last year, Line joined the Saints after John Kuhn landed on IR. He saw time on 168 snaps on offense plus 126 on special teams in 12 games. Line graded out as the third-best fullback in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus, placing behind only Patrick Ricard (Ravens) and James Develin (Patriots).
NFL Draft Rumors: Vander Esch, Steelers, Bills
The latest NFL Draft news:
- Linked to Leighton Vander Esch for several weeks this offseason, the Steelers met with the Boise State outside linebacker on Monday night, Tony Pauline of Draft Analyst reports. Pittsburgh has used first-round picks on either inside or outside ‘backers in four of its past five drafts. Three of those players remain on the team, but only two will be able to play this season. Ryan Shazier has been declared out as he attempts to recover from his frightening spine injury. Pauline wrote in March that Vander Esch won’t get past Pittsburgh at No. 28.
- Next up for Vander Esch met the Cowboys on Wednesday morning, James Palmer of NFL.com tweets. After that, he has the Cardinals and every team picking between No. 12 to No. 24, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Aside from the aforementioned clubs, the teams picking from No. 12-24 are the Bills (twice), Redskins, Packers, Ravens, Chargers, Seahawks, Lions, Bengals, Bills, Patriots, and Panthers.
- LSU pass-rusher Arden Key met with the Saints and Lions before his pro day on Wednesday and will visit with the Bengals on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Due to injuries, key only started in eight games last year, but he still finished out with 33 tackles, 5.5 for loss, four sacks, and a forced fumble. He is widely projected to be a first round pick later this month.