Draft Notes: Seahawks, Ajayi, Bills, Flowers
Some assorted draft notes from around the league…
- The Seahawks made a big push to move up to the No. 100 spot in the fourth round, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).
- A “potential bone-on-bone issue” may be a contributing factor to running back Jay Ajayi falling in the draft, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan. The writer notes that the main concern is regarding the player’s longterm picture, not his immediate impact. He was projected to be a second-round pick by NFL.com.
- Meanwhile, a knee issue had led to FSU offensive lineman Tre Jackson falling in the draft, according to ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner (via Twitter).
- Joe Buscaglia of WKBW says if the Bills ultimately select a quarterback today, the rookie will end up on the practice squad (Twitter link).
- Giants first round pick Ereck Flowers will negotiate his own rookie contract, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (via Twitter).
Giants Acquire 33rd Pick From Titans
The Giants have acquired the 33rd overall pick in the draft from the Titans, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. In return, the Titans will receive the Giants’ second- , fourth-, and seventh-round picks, reports Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link). Those selections are the 40th, 108th, and 245th picks, respectively.
The Giants selected Alabama safety Landon Collins with the 33rd pick. Collins, who totaled 103 tackles and three interceptions for the Crimson Tide in 2014, is expected to improve a Giants defense that finished last season 29th in the NFL.
East Rumors: Jets, Flowers, Giants
The Jets had cursory talks with the Titans about moving up for the No. 2 , but they weren’t exploring the move to try and land Marcus Mariota, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East..
- Brandon Scherff was higher on the Giants‘ board than Ereck Flowers, but they did not expect Scherff to get to No. 9, Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News tweets. Many speculated that the Giants were left scrambling at No. 9 with Scherff off the board, but it sounds like they were never banking on the Iowa standout.
- The Giants did not make any effort to trade up to the Jets‘ No. 6 pick when USC defensive end Leonard Williams fell to the Jets at that spot, Vacchiano tweets.
- Despite a report to the contrary, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter) says the Dolphins have never expressed interest in Evan Mathis of the Eagles.
- More from Salguero (link), who notes that the Dolphins wanted Todd Gurley. According to a team source, they were prepared to move up for him, but didn’t expect him to go as high as he did. “It’s not like we sat on our hands while he went No. 13. He went No. 10,” the source said.
- The Cowboys taking Byron Jones in the first round should create some leverage for a Brandon Carr pay cut and give the Cowboys the upper hand in Orlando Scandrick‘s contract dispute, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets.
Breer’s Latest: Titans, Gurley, Rams, Bears
With the draft less than an hour from getting underway, Albert Breer of the NFL Network took to Twitter to pass along a number of draft-related nuggets. Here are the highights from Breer (all Twitter links):
- The Titans have fielded offers for the No. 2 pick, but haven’t gotten any to their liking yet and are ready to draft Marcus Mariota. The club isn’t very interested in picks below 15th overall as a central part of any trade package.
- Teams like the Browns, Dolphins, and Chargers are eyeing Todd Gurley, and it’s possible one of those clubs – or another suitor – will get anxious and trade up for the Georgia running back, given the interest he’s generating.
- Although Washington, the Jets, and the Rams are all viewed as trade-down candidates in the top 10, St. Louis is a little more flexible than the other two teams, who may not want to drop too far. Washington may target an offensive lineman like Brandon Scherff or Ereck Flowers if Scot McCloughan decides to move down, and those players – or Andrus Peat – could be targets for the Giants and Rams as well.
- There’s a belief that Giants GM Jerry Reese would prefer a pass rusher to an offensive lineman at No. 9, but depending on how the first few picks play out, the value might not match up.
- According to Breer, the run on offensive lineman may happen earlier in the first round than people think, which may motivate one or two teams to trade up. Cameron Erving has a chance to go in the teens. The Panthers and Broncos are among the teams picking late in the first who are seeking offensive linemen.
- Cornerback Trae Waynes is generating buzz and could go as high as seventh overall to the Bears. Dupree and Kevin White are also in the mix at No. 7. The draft range for Amari Cooper appears to be between the third and sixth overall pick, so he likely won’t be available for Chicago at No. 7.
- The Falcons may decide to move up from No. 8 for an impact defender like Leonard Williams, but if they stay where they are, Bud Dupree could be their man.
- Either Sean Mannion or Bryce Petty figures to be the third quarterback off the board, and it’s not likely to happen in the first round.
- According to Breer, teams believe Shane Ray will slip but will be picked in the first round, whereas Randy Gregory isn’t viewed as a first-round pick.
Pompei On Flowers, Mariota, Cooper
Ereck Flowers could be the surprise player to go in the top ten, Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report tweets. The reason for that? The murky La’el Collins situation could vault him up the board. Here’s more draft news from Pompei..
- The Titans have been doing a lot of talking, but as of this point the chances are very good they will stay put and take Marcus Mariota at No. 2 (link).
- The Rams are a wildcard. They could move up for Amari Cooper and, if they don’t, they could drop back (link).
- Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff is hot with the Giants, Rams, Jets, Washington, and others potentially in play (link). If there’s a trade up made beyond the top five, it could be for him, Pompei reasons.
- The Jets and Washington are the most likely trade-down candidates (link).
- Meanwhile, the Falcons, Rams, Browns, and Eagles are the most likely to trade up (link).
Minor Moves: Wednesday
Today’s minor moves..
- The Bengals cut linebacker L.J. Fort, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). Cincy first signed Fort on a reserve deal in January. Fort is listed as a linebacker but last year the Seahawks were experimenting with him as a fullback in practice.
- Ravens running back Fitzgerald Toussaint signed his exclusive-rights tender, Wilson tweets. Toussaint was a training camp standout for Baltimore and many expected him to be the star of the Baltimore backfield following Ray Rice‘s suspension.
- The Giants placed Troy Kropog on reserve-physically unable to perform list, Wilson tweets. Kropog, 29 in July, signed a reserve/futures contract with the Giants in January.
- The Buccaneers cut defensive back Jocquel Skinner, Wilson tweets. The safety signed a reserves deal with the Bucs in January. Skinner previously spent time with the Giants before being cut with an injury settlement last summer.
- The Packers cut Travis Dekker from the reserve-military list and cut Aleric Mullins from the reserve-did not report list, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
NFC Notes: Packers, Peterson, Ratliff, 49ers
With Tramon Williams (Browns) and Davon House (Jaguars) both departing in free agency, there’s a void at outside cornerback for the Packers. The odds-on replacement right now is Casey Hayward, but Green Bay will have options to choose from in the first and second round, Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes.
Here’s more from across the NFC:
- Vikings general manager Rick Spielman has made no secret of the fact that he’d like to get some deals done on draft day. As Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes, the GM has a history of doing that.
- Of course, Adrian Peterson is the Vikings‘ most notable potential trade chip, and according to Mike Leslie of WFAA (Twitter link), the running back said yesterday that “it would be nice” to play in Dallas. However, Peterson acknowledged that the decision is out of is hands, and neither the Vikings nor the Cowboys seem inclined to work out a deal that would send the former MVP to his home state.
- Bears defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff, who has a $50K workout bonus for 2015 in his contract, won’t be present at the team’s voluntary minicamp this week, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
- Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) hears that the 49ers don’t value inside linebackers in the first or second round, so someone like Denzel Perryman probably isn’t a fit for them.
- With this year’s draft just a day away, it’s important to remember that scouts don’t always get it right, and Darren Sproles is proof of that. The Eagles running back was overlooked by many teams in 2005, causing him to drop to No. 130 overall, as Vaughn Johnson of Philly.com writes.
- Tom Rock of Newsday looked at five safeties the Giants could target in the draft, including Landon Collins of Alabama and Arizona State’s Damarious Randall.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Miller’s Latest: Cooper, Browns, Gurley
Matt Miller of Bleacher Report reported yesterday that while there are NFL teams interested in drafting Dorial Green-Beckham in the first round on Thursday, ownership has squashed those plans. In fact, a source from one team drafting in the top 15 tells Miller that ownership responded with a flat-out “no” when the topic of DGB in the first round was broached.
Miller has many more items in his latest piece at Bleacher Report, so let’s dive in and check out the highlights….
- Raiders sources tell Miller that coaches in Oakland have “fallen in love” with Amari Cooper. The Alabama wideout, who has also been linked to the Jaguars at No. 3, could be the surprise pick over Leonard Williams if he’s available at No. 4.
- The Browns like Marcus Mariota a lot, and Miller continues to hear that the team has interest in trading up to land him. Miller also hears that Cleveland has spoken to the Giants – drafting ninth overall – about a possible deal.
- Browns sources don’t expect safety Tashaun Gipson to be on the roster in 2016. According to Miller, the belief is that he’ll price himself out of Cleveland’s range. Gipson is currently forgoing the Browns’ voluntary workouts, having not yet signed his RFA tender.
- Todd Gurley‘s knee is looking better than anticipated, with one team source telling Miller the running back could play in Week 1 of the NFL season.
- The Eagles are being connected to UCF wideout Breshad Perriman, according to several GMs who spoke to Miller.
- Miller asked four different teams about Nebraska pass rusher Randy Gregory, and while none of those four clubs expect him to be selected within the top 10, they all believe he’s still a first-round player.
- Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead has been the popular pick for the 49ers in mock drafts, and Miller hears that Armstead is indeed a Niners target at No. 15 if the club doesn’t trade up or down.
- Chronic knee problems have resulted in a pair of guards – Florida State’s Tre‘ Jackson and Alabama’s Arie Kouandjio – failing physicals during the pre-draft process, sources tell Miller. Both players’ stocks figure to take a significant hit as a result of injury concerns.
Minor Moves: Monday
Today’s minor moves..
- The Giants have waived running back Michael Cox, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post tweets. Cox, 26, joined the Giants in 2013 as a seventh-round draft pick out of Massachusetts. In his year and a half with in New York, Cox had 26 rush attempts for 76 yards, five receptions for 21 yards, and has occasionally handled kick returns for the club as well.
- The Bills announced that they have released defensive back Jonte Green. Green was drafted by the Lions in the sixth round of the 2012 draft. The New Mexico State product played 24 games with seven starts over the 2012 and 2013 seasons with the Lions and totaled 38 tackles, one sack, seven passes defensed and one interception. He played in 37 games at New Mexico State and ended his career with 218 tackles, 32 passes defensed and two interceptions.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Kelly, Cruz
Eli Manning is hopeful that Victor Cruz will be able to return, Tom Rock of Newsday writes. “You just hope he’ll be able to come back,” Manning said. “You see some of the plays, the catches and the stops real quick, making that first guy miss, some of the cuts, and you hope he’ll be able to do those things again. I think you hope for the best and he can make a full recovery. But we’re going to be smart with him, make sure he comes back on his own time, and when he’s ready get in there and be right back in the mix.” The good news is that the Giants aren’t desperate for a No. 1 wide receiver heading into the draft thanks to the emergence of Odell Beckham Jr. Here’s more news out of the NFC East..
- Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (on Twitter) hears that Washington cornerback Marcus Peters or Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson may be too good to pass up if either are available for the Cowboys in the first round.
- Some teams are going for the best available player, but in the Eagles‘ draft strategy, players must fit their system, Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “What Seattle is looking for is different than what San Francisco is looking for,” coach Chip Kelly said in March. “I think the teams that do it the best are getting players that fit their system.” This year, Alabama’s Landon Collins is viewed by many draft analysts as the top safety in the draft but he might not be an ideal fit because he’s more of an in-the-box safety and the Eagles require their safeties to cover like a cornerback.
- In today’s mailbag, a reader asks Todd Archer of ESPN.com whether the Cowboys will go defensive back or defensive lineman in the first round. Archer believes that Dallas’ preference is to go with a cornerback at No. 27 because there likely won’t be a pass rusher worth the pick at that spot. Randy Gregory is a name to watch, he says, if he falls that far. Personally, I don’t see the embattled Nebraska star staying on the board that long.
- The Eagles could choose from several offensive lineman at No. 20, Berman writes. Of course, that group includes Oregon standout Jake Fisher, and not just because Kelly recruited him to the Ducks.
- One league executive told Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel that this year’s draft class doesn’t feature any quality kickers. “There’s no draftable kickers. The combine was probably the worst display of kicking talent I’ve ever seen. It was, like, ‘Are you kidding me? You can’t develop a kicker?,‘” the unnamed exec told McGinn.