- The Panthers, Browns, Eagles, Bengals, Lions, Titans, Saints and Jets are among the teams with the most interest in Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley, writes Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Conley should go somewhere between ninth and 18th overall, per La Canfora, whom one NFL decision-maker told: “Conley has always been a first-round corner, and I understand why he is the top guy on some boards. He may not be as flashy as some of the other corners, and maybe the upside isn’t quite as high, but neither is the risk. This is a clean player who started for two years and who made big plays in big games. There is a lot to like.”
- The Saints hosted Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham today, and have been showing “a lot of interest” in the Commodore defender during the predraft process, according to Nick Underhill of the Advocate (Twitter link). New Orleans already added veteran off-ball linebackers A.J. Klein and Manti Te’o to a second-level group that also includes Craig Robertson, Dannell Ellerbe, and Stephone Anthony. Earlier this year, a scout told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report that Cunningham “needs to gain strength” and “make more tackles.”
Things might be looking up for Adrian Peterson. The veteran running back impressed the Patriots in his recent workout as he looked fast and explosive, Ed Werder of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link). Werder adds that the Saints might look to sign him before the draft, if the two sides can agree on money. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) says a deal is not expected to come together in the next couple of weeks.
The Saints were the third club to host Peterson this offseason, following meetings with Seahawks and Patriots. The Saints reportedly did not put Peterson through a workout, but it sounds like they have real interest in signing him anyway. Adding Peterson before the draft would allow the Saints to put even more focus on building the defense and would give them a strong 1-2 combo with Mark Ingram.
The Saints can only spend so much for Peterson, but at this point, the running back probably can’t do much better than a one-year deal with a modest base salary. At least with the Saints, Peterson can see a realistic path to contention, even though they’re coming off of a challenging 2016.
Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
- Speaking of the Dolphins, they’ll meet with Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Watt this week, and he’ll also visit the Saints, 49ers and Broncos in the coming days, relays Jeremy Bregman of NFL.com. The brother of Texans superstar J.J. Watt may end up coming off the board in Round 1.
- Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon is “absolutely in play” for the Vikings in Round 2 (No. 48 overall), Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller told Matt Vensel, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand of the Star Tribune. Along with Minnesota, the Saints, Bengals and Raiders have shown the most interest in Mixon, per Miller. The Raiders seem like a curious fit, though, given Mixon’s past and owner Mark Davis’ zero tolerance policy regarding domestic violence.
- When free agent running back Adrian Peterson visited the Patriots earlier this month, they put him through a workout. That wasn’t the case with the Saints, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). Peterson’s meeting with the Saints reportedly “went well,” and it seems each side has interest in working out an agreement.
- The Saints hosted UCLA defensive end Takkarist McKinley on Monday, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Even though he’s amid a monthslong recovery from shoulder surgery, McKinley could go in the opening round, where New Orleans has two selections (Nos. 11 and 32). McKinley’s coming off a 10-sack season, one-third of the Saints’ 27th-ranked total from 2016.
The Saints’ meeting with free agent running back Adrian Peterson has concluded, and while no contract has yet been reached, the two parties plan to keep in contact, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who adds the visit “went well.”
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New Orleans is the third club to host Peterson this offseason, joining the Seahawks and the Patriots, but the veteran back still hasn’t landed a new contract. Peterson, 32, is one of only four PFR Top 50 free agents that remains unsigned, and he’s the best running back left on the market. It’s unclear if price point is the key factor in Peterson’s unending availability, but Peterson himself has rejected the notion that he’s seeking $8MM per year.
The Saints, at first glance, don’t stand out as a logical suitor for Peterson. Quarterback Drew Brees leads a wide-open offense that finished second in the NFL in pass attempts last season, while Peterson’s main demerits remain his pass protection skills, his receiving ability, and his capacity to play in the shotgun.
At present, New Orleans has four running backs on it roster: Mark Ingram, Travaris Cadet, Daniel Lasco, and Marcus Murphy.
The Titans hosted Temple linebacker Haason Reddick on Monday, per Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Reddick, something of a swiss-army knife who can play either inside or outside ‘backer, would become yet another piece on a rapidly improving Tennessee front seven. The Titans already boast Wesley Woodyard, Avery Williamson, Brian Orakpo, and Derrick Morgan in the second level. Reddick probably won’t be in consideration for the Titans at pick No. 5, but could be in play at No. 18. The Saints have also expressed interest in Reddick, tweets Miller, and the club “likes him a lot.” New Orleans feels Reddick would be a solid fit in their 4-3 scheme.
Mitch Trubisky is likely to become the first quarterback off the board in the draft later this month, but ordering the rest of the class is exceedingly difficult, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Scouts consider the second-tier of signal-callers to be comprised of Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes, but it’s unclear which prospect will be selected first among that pair. Davis Webb, meanwhile, is picking up more steam as a potential first-round pick, while “attitude and maturity” questions could force DeShone Kizer out of the first round.
The Chargers are putting in “ample work” on this year’s quarterback class, and are perhaps more likely to select a passer at No. 7 than many observers believe, per La Canfora. Both head coach Anthony Lynn and owner Dean Spanos have intimated their openness to drafting a quarterback in 2017, and Los Angeles is reportedly “serious” about finding a long-term successor to Philip Rivers. So far, the Chargers have been linked to Kizer, Webb, and Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs.
Like Los Angeles, the Saints and Cardinals may also try to secure replacements for Drew Brees and Carson Palmer, respectively. New Orleans will select a quarterback on Day 1 “in all likelihood,” writes La Canfora, and could use either pick No. 11 or No. 32 to draft a passer. For what it’s worth, I sent Kizer to the Saints at the end of the first round in PFR’s first 2017 mock draft.
Arizona, meanwhile, is attempting to “gauge internally” the price of trading up from No. 13 in order to draft a quarterback, reports La Canfora. Cardinals brass met with Trubisky on Monday, as team owner Michael Bidwill, general manager Steve Keim, and head coach Bruce Arians dined with the UNC signal-caller in Phoenix, tweets Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910. Arians voiced concerns about Trubisky last month: “The growth potential is obviously there,” said Arians. “The question is why wasn’t all that talent starting for the last three years? That’s always bugging me.”
Finally, the Texans “are drafting a quarterback high,” declares La Canfora, and Mahomes is unlikely to fall past Houston at No. 25. Clearly, the Texans are in need of talent under center, as the only quarterbacks currently on the roster are Tom Savage and Brandon Weeden. Veteran passers such as Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick aren’t expected to interest the Texans, so a draft pick will probably be added to the squad.
James Laurinaitis is calling it a career. The linebacker announced via social media that he will retire instead of seeking an NFL home for the 2017 season. 
“The thing I’m going to miss the most is the locker room,” Laurinaitis wrote. “The conversations and relationships I built with all that I’ve battled with will be my favorite memories. Players, coaches, equipment staff, medical staff, community outreach, marketing, you name it, the people I’ve met through this game is what I’ll take with me. I’ve been blessed way more through football than I could’ve ever imagined.”
Laurinaitis was with the Rams for the first seven years of his career but the team left him behind before playing its first game in Los Angeles. Prior to the 2016 season, Laurinaitis hooked on with the Saints, but things did not go according to plan. After six games, the 30-year-old was placed on IR just as rookie Sheldon Rankins was designated for return from IR. The move meant that Laurinaitis could not take the field for the Saints again in 2016.
As a courtesy, New Orleans granted him his release, but he was unable to find work. Late-season auditions with the Lions and Chiefs did not result in an offer from either squad.
Laurinaitis will be best remembered for his many years as a starter in St. Louis. From 2009 through 2015, he was first string in every possible regular season game. The former second round pick had 16.5 career sacks and 870 total tackles.
There’s a slightly better chance cornerback Malcolm Butler will be a member of the Saints than the Patriots in 2017, says Albert Breer of The MMQB (video link). If New England does trade Butler, it could happen during the week leading up to the draft, notes Breer. Butler, a restricted free agent, is facing an April 21 deadline to sign an offer sheet with someone. Once that passes, he won’t be allowed to negotiate a contract with anyone other than the Patriots. While the Saints have discussed a contract with Butler, they aren’t going to tender him an offer sheet because they’d risk losing the 11th pick in the draft. But the Saints also own the 32nd choice, which they acquired from the Pats in the Brandin Cooks trade, and could send that back to them in a Butler deal.