NFC East Notes: Williams, Giants, Redskins
Longtime Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams paid a two-day free agent visit to the Giants this week, but boarded his flight out of New York yesterday without a deal in place, writes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune. “Had a good visit and gonna see what happens!” Williams said in a text message to Craig.
The Giants have already been one of the NFL’s most active teams in free agency, and they still have a little money left over for non-minimum-salary additions. If New York is able to lock up the run-stopping Williams – and perhaps a veteran quarterback as insurance for Eli Manning – it could be the cherry on top of a pretty impressive few weeks for the club.
Here’s more from around the NFC East:
- While the Giants have been extremely active in free agency and have improved their roster, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com questions the cost of doing so, and gives the club a C+ grade for its work. Fitzgerald also continues his free agency evaluations by looking at the Cowboys, who received a C grade.
- West Virginia running back Charles Sims is expected to visit the Redskins today, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who adds that Sims is coming off a “great set of practices” during Senior Bowl week.
- Mike Jones of the Washington Post fields several Redskins-related questions from readers in his latest mailbag, discussing the team’s draft priorities and salary cap situation, among other topics.
AFC South Notes: Manziel, Jaguars, Robinson
In an interview with Chris Russo on SiriusXM earlier today, Jaguars coach Gus Bradley was complimentary of several top draft prospects, including the controversial Johnny Manziel, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union writes. “You know me — I love spirit. We drafted guys last year like Ace Sanders and Denard Robinson and Jonathan Cyprien, guys who have a lot of energy and spirit,” Bradley said. “And when I went to see Johnny work out and watched his tape, he plays with that same sense of spirit and he showed it off at his Pro Day. To talk to him and visit with him one-on-one, he’s very passionate about the game, very competitive and very unique.”
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The Texans, who continue to consider all possible options for the No. 1 pick, will host Auburn tackle Greg Robinson for a pre-draft visit next week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (via Twitter). We mentioned Robinson as an outside possibility for Houston when we asked this morning what the team should do with the first overall pick.
- Washington State safety Deone Bucannon visited the Colts for the past two days and began a two-day visit with the Patriots today, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. After that, it’s the Eagles, Jets, and Giants for the hard-hitting All-American.
- Liberty cornerback Walt Aikens is set to visit the Jaguars, tweets O’Halloran. Aikens visited with the Bills late last week.
- The Texans are referring to the newly-signed Ricardo Mathews as a nose tackle and not a defensive end, notes James Palmer of CSNHouston.com (via Twitter).
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Josh Freeman Visiting Giants
TUESDAY, 1:01pm: It now appears that Flynn’s visit with the Giants may not be on the docket, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter links). There are a number of possible explanations for that — perhaps the Giants are close to an agreement with Freeman, or Flynn is close to signing with another team. It also could just be a matter of a visit coming at a later date.
MONDAY, 11:36am: Flynn is expected to work out for the Giants tomorrow as well, tweets Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network. Both free agent QBs will arrive in town today, and Caplan tweets that he gets the sense New York wants to add a veteran prior to training camp.
11:09am: Freeman’s visit with the Giants is scheduled for Tuesday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter).
FRIDAY, 11:15am: According to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News, Freeman may work out for the Giants, though nothing has officially been set up yet. Vacchiano adds (via Twitter) that the team has also reached out to Flynn.
8:40am: Free agent quarterback Josh Freeman will work out for the Giants next week, perhaps as early as Tuesday, a source tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). With most potential backup signal-callers off the market, Freeman represents one of the more noteworthy names still available, along with Matt Flynn and Rex Grossman.
Freeman, 26, recently visited the Bears. However, even if Chicago saw a fit with the former Buccaneer, the team has yet to strike a deal to bring him aboard, so the QB’s free agency tour will continue. The Giants re-signed Curtis Painter a month ago and still have Ryan Nassib under contract to back up Eli Manning, but Manning opted this week to undergo surgery on a troublesome left ankle. Although the longtime Giants starter is expected to recover from that procedure in plenty of time for the season, it seems the club may be considering further insurance policies, just in case.
Freeman was Tampa Bay’s full-time starting quarterback from 2010 to 2012, but saw the wheels come off last year and was cut by the team. Freeman joined the Vikings and performed poorly in his lone start, though Mike Freeman says (via Twitter) that general managers feel like the former first-round pick was “thrown to [the] wolves” in Minnesota.
South Notes: Falcons, Bucs, Saints, Titans
ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure reported last Friday that Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews has a visit scheduled with the Falcons for the week of April 21, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets today that Matthews has already worked out for Atlanta. Considering the Falcons are very much in the market for help on the line on both sides of the ball, Matthews is certainly a player worth keeping an eye on for that No. 6 overall pick next month, and he seems to be drawing plenty of interest from the club.
Here’s more on the Falcons and a couple other South teams:
- The Falcons are hosting East Carolina tight end Justin Jones for a pre-draft visit today and Auburn edge defender Dee Ford later in the week. Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post and D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution have the respective details.
- Wilson also tweets that Utah State cornerback Nevin Lawson is visiting the Falcons today and tomorrow.
- Former Gators receiver and kick returner Solomon Patton is working out for the Buccaneers today, according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter).
- The Buccaneers and Saints are among the teams hosting sleeper Purdue tackle Kevin Pamphile for visits, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net. According to Pauline, Pamphile is also visiting the Patriots, Dolphins, Cardinals, and Giants.
- The Titans had Eastern Illinois signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo in for a pre-draft visit yesterday, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
NFC Notes: Lions, Williams, Aldon Smith
The Lions‘ brass held a town hall meeting for season ticket holders on Monday, and there were a few highlights. For instances, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes that team president Tom Lewand is optimistic that a new deal for defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will get done, although there is nothing new on that front just yet.
Vice President of Player Personnel Sheldon White also spoke at the meeting. Referencing the Lions’ late-game meltdowns in 2013, White said the team will be looking for “closers” in this year’s draft (Twitter link). And special teams coordinator John Bonamego said that finding a kicker is his “top priority” from a scouting standpoint (Twitter link) and that the team will compare Giorgio Tavecchio and John Potter with the players available in the draft to determine the best fit in that regard (Twitter link).
More notes from the NFC to close out the night:
- Mark Craig of the Star Tribune tweets that free agent defensive tackle Kevin Williams visited with the Giants Monday night and that the visit will continue on Tuesday. As our Luke Adams recently wrote, Williams still offers solid value as a veteran run-stopper.
- NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that it would be hard to imagine the 49ers picking up Aldon Smith‘s option by the May 3 deadline, given that the team will not have “enough answers” regarding his latest off-field incident by that time. Instead, he believes the team will go year-to-year with Smith (Twitter link).
- After meeting with the Titans, Colts, and Redskins, Louisville DE Marcus Smith will have his final pre-draft visit with the Eagles next week, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports.
- Oklahoma State CB Justin Gilbert is visiting the Saints, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Four Teams Interested In Sidney Rice
8:17pm: Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer confirms (via Twitter) that the Panthers will make a run at Rice “if the price is right.” Echoing those sentiments, Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer writes that there are several hurdles standing in the way of a Rice-to-Carolina deal. Aside from Rice’s troubling injury history, Jones points out that the Panthers are only $1.57MM under the salary cap and will need roughly $4.5MM to sign their draft picks (the team is still exploring restructures with players already on the roster to clear some cap room). As such, Rice would be a fit in Carolina “only at a discount.”
3:25pm: Despite the Giants being identified as a club with interest in Rice, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com suggests (via Twitter) they’re “extreme long shots” to land the receiver.
2:45pm: Following a visit with Dr. James Andrews, free agent receiver Sidney Rice has received clearance to resume football activities, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Rice himself confirmed that news, via Twitter, later this afternoon. Now that the veteran receiver has been medically cleared, his market could develop quickly. Florio reports that the Seahawks have interest in bringing back Rice, but that at least three other NFC teams – the Saints, Giants, and Panthers – are also in the mix.
Rice, 27, has missed time with injuries in many of his NFL seasons, including 2013. He started all 16 games for the Seahawks in 2012, but finished the season with fairly modest numbers — 50 receptions, 748 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. While he may never again match the Pro Bowl numbers he posted in 2009 (83 catches, 1,312 yards), if he stays healthy and finds the right fit, the former second-round pick could still have a positive impact for an NFL team.
The Saints were identified last month as a likely suitor for Rice, and the Seahawks have reportedly had interest all along in bringing their former receiver back at a reduced rate. The Jets were also previously linked to Rice, but it seems as if they’re not seriously in the hunt at this point, perhaps because they’re focusing on the draft to further fortify their receiving corps.
NFC Mailbags: Saints, Giants, Eagles, Cards
Let’s have a look at some of the highlights from the mailbags of NFC writers:
- Mike Triplett of ESPN.com writes that the Saints are likely to draft a receiver in the first three rounds, given the combination of the team’s need for a dynamic young receiver and the depth of quality options available. However, if the Saints really like LSU WR Odell Beckham, Jr., whom they just saw at the LSU pro day last week, they will probably need to trade up from their No. 27 overall selection.
- In the wake of Eli Manning‘s ankle surgery Thursday, Giants fans are wondering if the team’s reaching out to veteran free agents like Josh Freeman and Matt Flynn is cause to worry about Manning’s health. ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano says there is no reason to worry at this point, and that there is a real possibility that all the team is doing is seeing whether players like Freeman and Flynn represent an upgrade at backup quarterback over Curtis Painter.
- Bill Williamson of ESPN.com believes TCU CB Jason Verrett is a perfect fit for the 49ers with the No. 30 overall pick
- Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com sees a great deal of talent among defensive linemen projected to go in the top half of the first round of the draft, but the Bears have also brought in top safety prospects Deone Bucannon and Calvin Pryor for visits. Wright believes the decision between a defensive back and a defensive lineman will ultimately come down to what player still available the Bears have ranked highest on their board at the time of the pick.
- Speaking of safeties, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com believes the Eagles will definitely consider Bucannon or Northern Illinois product Jimmie Ward, they just won’t consider them in the first round.
- ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss believes the Cardinals would do well to draft LSU QB Zach Mettenberger and groom him behind incumbent starter Carson Palmer.
NFC Notes: Giants, Jackson, Visits
It has been difficult to predict which way the Giants will go during the draft in May, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Mock drafts have the Giants looking at a number of different positions, from defensive tackle to offensive tackle, from receiver to cornerback. Aaron Donald of Pittsburgh and Eric Ebron of North Carolina are the most common choices, with three mock drafts selecting them out of a dozen. Mike Evans of Texas A&M and Taylor Lewan of Michigan each appear on two mocks, with Oklahoma State’s Justin Gilbert and Notre Dame’s Zack Martin rounding out.
Here are some other notes from around the NFC:
- Reports stated that DeSean Jackson was more trouble than he was worth to the Eagles, but LeSean McCoy stuck up for his former teammate, writes Les Bowen of Philly.com. “Playing against him is really going to be different,” said McCoy. “It’s some big shoes to fill. DeSean’s by far one of the biggest playmakers in the game, and the biggest deep threat there is in the game. Some big shoes to fill, for sure.“
- Preston Brown of Louisville will visit the Vikings on Wednesday and Thursday, reports Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Brown said he grew up in Cincinnati watching Mike Zimmer coordinated defenses.
- Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin is set to visit with the 49ers, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Colvin tore his ACL at the senior bowl in January, which will hurt his draft stock, but the 49ers have 11 draft picks and could take a chance on the rehabbing corner.
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.
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.