Florida WR Antonio Callaway Reportedly Tests Positive For Marijuana
Former Florida wide receiver Antonio Callaway tested positive for marijuana at the Scouting Combine, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Callaway’s new agent, Malki Kawa, has said the positive test was due to a diluted sample. 
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) added that Callaway said he was over-hydrated at the combine and that he will address the positive test with teams.
In terms of talent, Callaway is one of the top receivers slated to be available in this week’s draft. But this is far from his first off-the-field incident that might keep teams from picking him until Day 3 of the draft, if at all. While at Florida, he was cleared of a sexual assault allegation but didn’t do himself any favors at his Title IX hearing, saying he was too “stoned” to have intercourse.
Callaway was also charged with two third-degree felonies for his involvement in a credit card scam while at Florida. He was suspended from Florida’s team for all of last season. NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reported on Friday that Callaway had already been completely taken off the draft board of three teams.
Pelissero also reported that Florida had privately told teams in the Southeast to steer clear of Callaway, as he needed to get as far away from South Florida as possible. Some NFL teams still believe he can turn things around and have a positive impact on the field, though.
“He’s not a bad kid, either. He’s just been around a lot of trouble,” an AFC scout told Pelissero. “And he admits to the fact that trouble finds him. He just hangs with the wrong people. It’s a shame, because he’s ridiculously talented.”
Rob Gronkowski To Play In 2018
Five-time Pro Bowler Rob Gronkowski announced Tuesday (on Instagram) that he’ll be returning to the Patriots for the 2018 season after sitting down with Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
“I met with coach today and informed him I will be back for the 2018 season with the Pats,” Gronkowski said in a caption for his post. “I have been working out, staying in shape and feel great. Looking forward to another championship run.
There had been rumors nearly the entire offseason that the four-time All-Pro tight end might call it a career after eight seasons and two Super Bowl titles. The 28-year-old’s decision to not take part in the team’s voluntary workouts this offseason certainly didn’t quell those rumors.
There had been reports that Belichick lashed out at Gronkowski in front of teammates because of his participation at Tom Brady‘s Sports Therapy Center and with Brady’s trainer, Alex Guerrero. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reported earlier this month that Gronkowski was looking for a raise on his current deal and that the retirement rumors and his decision to not attend the workouts could’ve been him angling for a new contract. Gronkowski is under contract through the 2019 season.
Injuries have also limited Gronkowski of late, as he’s been held to just 22 games over the last two seasons. He hasn’t played a full 16 regular-season games since his sophomore campaign in 2011.
When on the field, though, his play has been unquestioned. He’s hauled in 10-plus touchdowns in five of his eight seasons and already holds several NFL records, including most postseason receiving touchdowns for a tight end (12), the most single-season receiving yards from a tight end (1,327, 2011) and most single-season touchdowns from a tight end (18, 2011).
The Patriots have lost several key pieces of their receiving corps from last year’s Super Bowl run in wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Danny Amendola. They did add wide receiver Jordan Matthews in free agency and also acquired wide receiver/return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson from the Raiders.
Dolphins Pick Up DeVante Parker’s Option
The Dolphins are picking up Devante Parker’s fifth year option for 2019, a league source tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (on Twitter). The additional year on the wide receiver’s deal is guaranteed for injury only. 
[RELATED: PFR’s 2019 Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Parker has been held back by foot, hamstring, and ankle injuries during his three-year NFL career, so this is not exactly a no-risk proposition for the Dolphins. Parker has yet to break out in the way Miami hoped he would when he was drafted No. 14 overall in 2015, but they believe that he still has serious potential.
At one point in time, the Dolphins were concerned about their ability to lock both Parker and Jarvis Landry up in the long-term. Much has changed. Landry has since been sent to the Browns in a sign-and-trade and Parker is not a candidate for a big money extension at this time.
Last season, Parker missed three games and totaled just 670 yards and one touchdown off of 57 catches. His 2016 season was his best showing to date as he had 56 grabs for 744 yards and four scores.
Parker is now set to earn $9.387MM in 2019.
Rams Pick Up Options For Gurley, Peters
Some fifth-year option decisions are easier than others. On Tuesday, the Rams finalized a couple of no-brainer calls. The Rams will exercise their fifth-year options on running back Todd Gurley and cornerback Marcus Peters, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). 
Gurley, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2015 draft, set new career highs in 2017 as he ran for 1,305 yards with a league-leading 13 rushing touchdowns. He also set new personal watermarks with 64 catches and 788 yards with six receiving TDs. The decision to keep him under contract for 2019 was an easy one, but the eventual discussions on a new long-term deal could be tricky. The Rams will have to address the contracts of several other key players – including Peters and defensive tackle Aaron Donald – and Gurley will command a whopping asking price, particularly if Steelers star Le’Veon Bell secures the mammoth contract he is seeking.
The Rams acquired Peters in February from the Chiefs in February in exchange for second- and fourth-round draft picks. Peters is one of the most talented young cornerbacks in the NFL, but a personality clash led to his exit from KC. The Rams, presumably, will want to see how Peters meshes with the coaching staff before discussing a long-term contract. For now, the Rams have Peters under contract through 2019 with the option to bail for any non-injury reason.
As shown on PFR’s 2019 fifth-year option tracker, Gurley is set to earn $9.630MM in 2019 while Peters is slated to make $9.069MM.
Giants HC: OBJ To Remain With Team
Despite trade chatter throughout the offseason, Odell Beckham Jr. isn’t going anywhere, according to Pat Shurmur. He will “absolutely” be a part of the team in 2018, the Giants head coach says (Twitter link via Kim Jones of NFL.com). Shurmur added that the has been in frequent contact with the wide receiver. 
Shurmur’s comments jibe with the latest we’ve heard on OBJ. Teams no longer believe that the Giants are looking to move the superstar receiver before or during the draft, despite concerns from the club about his off-the-field decisions. It appears the Giants are willing to move forward with Beckham Jr., though they’ll have to address his contract situation as he enters his walk year.
Beckham is reportedly pushing for a $100MM+ contract and the Giants will likely have to break the $90MM barrier to lock him up for the long term. However, the Giants can still control Beckham through the 2020 season via consecutive franchise tags. In theory, the Giants could even control OBJ through 2021 with three straight franchise tags, though the cost of a third tag would likely be prohibitive.
Beckham followed through on his plan to report to the Giants for offseason activities, which is perhaps a productive first step towards getting the contract he’s after. The new regime in New York will be watching Beckham closely as they consider his future with the club beyond 2018.
Browns Considering Baker Mayfield?
For weeks, we’ve heard that the Browns will select either USC’s Sam Darnold or Wyoming’s Josh Allen with the No. 1 overall pick. Reportedly, it’s more than a two-horse race. Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield is “definitely” in Cleveland’s conversation to become the top choice, an NFL executive tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
It’s a little hard to parse out what news is real this time of year. But, taken at face value, it sounds like there could be a split of opinions within the Cleveland front office. None of this year’s quarterback prospects are considered to be slam dunks, so it’s possible that the Browns are wavering on which signal caller to take.
It’s also possible that the Browns are working to give the impression that they could take Mayfield or even one of this year’s non-QBs at No. 1 overall. If the Browns can give at least one team the impression they are going to select Mayfield, it could open the door to a trade-down scenario for Cleveland. The Jets, for example, are said to be high on Mayfield, and it is conceivable that they could make another move up in this year’s draft order to land him. The Bills, armed with the Nos. 12 and 22 picks in the first round, are also in the market for a QB but are likely out of range for this year’s top four signal callers.
Publicly, GM John Dorsey has indicated that he is not concerned about Mayfield’s lack of size, which has been the main knock on him from evaluators.
“The only thing I care about is, do guys win?” Dorsey said. “Does he have accuracy? Does he have a strong arm? Can he throw the ball in the red zone in tight windows? Can he drive the ball? At the end of the game, does he win? That’s what I look for.”
Chargers Plan To Exercise Melvin Gordon Fifth-Year Option
Though nothing is official, the Chargers intend to exercise the fifth-year option on running back Melvin Gordon, general manager Tom Telesco told reporters at his pre-draft press conference, ESPN’s Eric D. Williams writes.
“I think right now the plan is to exercise the option,” Telesco said. “But right now we’re just focused on the draft.”
As a running back drafted at No. 15 in 2015, Gordon would be scheduled to make $5.605MM in 2019. Though Gordon has been inconsistent throughout his three-year career, that number is still a solid bargain for the Chargers.
Gordon has rushed for 2,743 yards and 18 touchdowns in his career. He is coming off a career-high 1,105 yards on the ground and he also added 58 grabs for 476 yards and four touchdowns. In 2016, Gordon rebounded from a difficult rookie campaign to earn his only Pro Bowl selection.
Tom Brady’s Agent Says He’ll Play In 2018
Tom Brady reportedly hasn’t told the Patriots that he’ll play for them in 2018, but his agent says there’s no real uncertainty. Don Yee expects Brady to return to the field, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes. 
[RELATED: Patriots Host Louisville QB Lamar Jackson On Top 30 Visit]
“Tom’s intentions have not changed,” Yee said Monday. “He’s consistently said he’ll play beyond this contract and into his mid-40s, or until he feels he isn’t playing at a championship level. I understand the constant speculation, but this is one point he’s been firm about.”
Last week, multiple sources told Schefter that Brady’s status was up in the air. One source said there was a “75% chance” of Brady coming back, which means a 25% chance that he would not be back. Since then, word has surfaced that Brady wants to continue playing, but he would like a new contract from the team. Yee admitted that Brady, “like every player,” pays attention to his financials, but he continues to train every day.
“He customizes his preparation to each season in order to maximize his performance,” Yee said. “His training methods are always evolving and getting better. The year he missed the first four games — that month of training on his own was particularly efficient.”
In all likelihood, it sounds like Brady will continue to play into his age-41 season and intends to keep going well beyond 2018. The Patriots may need to address his contract, however, in order to keep their star player happy. As it stands, Brady is set to carry below-market cap numbers of $22MM in each of the next two seasons.
Willie Snead To Join Ravens
Willie Snead is officially a member of the Ravens. The Saints informed the wide receiver on Monday morning that they will not be matching his offer sheet (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). 
The Saints used the low level tender on Snead this offseason, which tagged him with only a one-year, $1.907MM placeholder. The move came as something of a surprise, but the Saints did not want to pay him upwards of $2.9MM via the second round tender after a forgettable 2017.
Right at the deadline for restricted free agents, the Ravens inked Snead to a two-year, $7MM offer sheet with another $3.4MM in incentives. After the Saints signed an RFA wide receiver of their own in Cameron Meredith, there was no real scenario in which they would have matched.
The Ravens upgraded their wide receiver stable by adding Michael Crabtree and John Brown in March. They were expected to target a WR3 type in the draft this weekend, but the addition of Snead will allow them to prioritize other areas of need.
Snead virtually disappeared from the Saints’ offense last year, but he averaged 70 catches for 940 yards and four touchdowns between 2015 and 2016. He won’t turn 26 until October, so the Ravens see serious potential in the former UDFA.
Steelers Exercise Bud Dupree’s Option
The Steelers have exercised the fifth-year option on linebacker Bud Dupree, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Dupree’s option was considered likely to be exercised, but it was not a slam dunk decision. 
[RELATED: PFR’s 2019 Fifth-Year Option Tracker]
Dupree, 25, had a career highs in sacks (6) and total tackles (40) last season. However, he missed more than half of 2016 with a groin injury and was inconsistent as a rookie. They now believe the former 2015 first-round pick is on track for a solid career, so they’ll extend his deal through 2019 with a salary of $9.2MM+ in the final year.
Dupree is slated to return as the Steelers’ starting left outside linebacker with T.J. Watt on the opposite side and Vince Williams and offseason pickup Jonathan Bostic in the middle. The Steelers could target an ILB in the draft to start ahead of Bostic, but Dupree’s spot is secure.
For what it’s worth, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus have never been high on the Kentucky product. Last year, his 49.0 overall score ranked him as the eighth-worst qualified edge defender in the NFL.