Extra Points: Winston, Gregory, Suh
Potential No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston‘s off-field troubles persist, with the former Heisman Trophy winner being sued over a sexual assault allegation, according to the Tampa Bay Times’ Matt Baker on Twitter.
The suit was filed by the same woman who accused Winston of rape in December 2012, citing claims of sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment and “intentional infliction of emotional distress arising out of forcible rape,” Baker reports.
Attorneys for the woman filed a civil suit against Florida State in January. The Tallahassee Police Department did not charge Winston.
Here are some additional news items from around the league on Thursday.
- Randy Gregory will visit the Titans on Friday, reports the Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt on Twitter. The Titans have already worked out pass-rushers Vic Beasley, Dante Fowler Jr., and Shane Ray.
- The Lions hosted Florida offensive lineman D.J. Humphries and all-purpose runner, receiver and returner Marcus Murphy of Missouri on pre-draft visits, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Humphries is viewed as a probable first-round pick, while Murphy may be a late-rounder or an undrafted free agent.
- Utah offensive lineman Jeremiah Poutasi has drawn interest from at least 15 NFL teams, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. According to Caplan (via Twitter) that Poutasi has visits with the Buccaneers, Colts, Eagles, and others, and workouts with the Panthers, Chargers, Raiders, Giants, Titans, and 49ers. Caplan adds (via Twitter) that most clubs project the Utah product as a right tackle or left guard in the NFL.
- Colorado State-Pueblo pass-rusher Darius Allen‘s been busy in his quest for an NFL shot, despite hailing from a Division II school. The outside linebacker/defensive end has visited the Cardinals and Colts and worked out for the Seahawks and Cowboys in addition to doing so for the aforementioned franchises, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
- Western Carolina safety Ace Clark has been invited to participate in the Ravens‘ local pro day on Tuesday, Wilson reports.
- Also from Wilson: Purdue running back Raheem Mostert had a private workout for the Chiefs (Twitter link).
- CBS Sports’ Joel Corry examined how the recent mega-contracts for Ben Roethlisberger and Ndamukong Suh will affect the upcoming quarterback market, including the 2012 draft class. The former agent said agents of yet-to-be extended quarterbacks will use the Suh extension to their advantage, given that the new Dolphins defensive tackle is being paid like a high-level signal-caller. Suh’s $59MM fully guaranteed cash is far more than top-market QBs Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees received in their recent extensions.
- Hoping for clarity heading into the draft on suspended wideout Justin Blackmon, the Jaguars received none from the NFL, according to Ryan O’Halloran from the Florida Times-Union on Twitter. The league office reportedly gave the NFL Players Association no timetable. Blackmon’s been suspended since November 2013.
Luke Adams contributed to this report
Carson Stadium Project Takes Step Forward
The Carson stadium project took a big step forward today, as the Los Angeles County Registrar’s office has certified the signatures obtained in support of the project, according to Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times. The Carson proposal is the brainchild of the Chargers and Raiders, who are planning a shared, $1.7 billion stadium in Carson–which is on the edge of Los Angeles–if both teams are unable to get new stadiums in their current cities.
Of course, Rams owner Stan Kroenke is hoping to build an 80,000-seat stadium in Inglewood, roughly 10 miles from downtown LA, and we heard just a few weeks ago that Kroenke, whose proposal was approved by the Inglewood City Council back in February, was farther along in the process than the Carson group. However, the verification of signatures in support of the Carson project is an important milestone, as ESPN’s Adam Caplan notes. Caplan writes, “The proposal will go to the City Council, which could vote as soon as Tuesday to schedule an election or consider the plan without sending it to local voters.”
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reiterates, there will not be two stadiums in Los Angeles; either the Carson project or the Inglewood project will win out (assuming, of course, that all teams currently in the mix to move to LA do not stay put, which is looking increasingly unlikely). Meanwhile, Florio writes that the project that would keep the Chargers in San Diego is lagging far behind both LA proposals, as it “lacks a stadium design, specific funding sources, or support from the Chargers.” The Carson government is capitalizing on that lack of progress, and in so doing, it might have gained a little ground on Kroenke.
Draft Notes: Strong, Peters, Beasley, Fowler
Teams are in full swing in preparing for the 2015 NFL Draft, meeting with prospects and hosting workouts to fill out final draft boards. Here we will keep up with which prospects are garnering interest in a jam-packed notes post, with any updates added to the top:
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that Louisville tackle Jamon Brown will visit the Broncos, Lions, and Washington, and has private workouts scheduled with the Bengals and Bills.
- Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Rams have visited with LSU tackle La’el Collins and Louisville WR DeVante Parker (Twitter links). In a separate piece, Thomas offers a little more detail on Parker and provides a complete list of all the pre-draft visits that the Rams have hosted.
- Kevin White visited with the Giants today, tweets Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Raanan adds that the team is doing its due diligence just in case the wideout should fall to New York, which holds the No. 9 overall pick.
Earlier Updates
- Jaelen Strong definitely has a wrist injury, but he contradicts the report that he will need surgery, according to Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).
- In addition to Strong, Todd Gurley, Cedric Ogbuehi, and Tevin Coleman will be having Combine rechecks this weekend, writes Rapoport (via Twitter).
- The Seahawks will meet with University of Louisiana at Lafayette defensive tackle Christian Ringo, according to Rapoport (via Twitter). The team will also host Michigan defensive end Frank Clark (via Twitter). Clark had recently visited the Saints in New Orleans.
- In addition to Kendricks, the Falcons will work out UCLA defensive end Owa Odighizuwa, according to Chase Goodread of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- Western Oregon wide receiver Tyrell Williams will visit the Chargers on Monday, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). The Division II star has already met with the Patriots, Lions, and Cardinals.
- Minnesota defensive tackle Cam Botticelli has a number of team’s interested in his services, writes Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (via Twitter). The Texans, Eagles, Lions, Seahawks, and Buccaneers have looked into him.
- University of Cincinnati quarterback Munchie Legaux worked out for the Bengals at their local prospect day, according to the Associated Press in USA Today. Legaux will also have the opportunity to work out for the Saints later this week.
- The Saints will also host Tulane running back Dante Butler at their local prospect day on Friday, reports Tammy Nunez of NOLA.com.
- Arizona State wide receiver Jaelen Strong has a fractured bone in his wrist, which should require surgery, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). He will be among players that will get combine rechecks this weekend, and the injury could affect his draft stock (via Twitter).
- Potential first-round cornerback Marcus Peters met with the 49ers yesterday and the Falcons today, according to Rapoport (via Twitter). Peters will visit with the Raiders tomorrow.
- Pass rusher Vic Beasley has met or will meet with at least six teams drafting in the top ten, writes Rapoport (via Twitter). He will meet with the Titans today, and visit the Jets and Washington sometime next week.
- Florida pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr. will visit with Washington as well, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post. The visit might be for naught, as most believe Fowler is going to land in Jacksonville on draft day. The Jaguars select third overall.
- Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat visited with the Broncos, who are need of help along the offensive line after losing Orlando Franklin in free agency, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Peat might not last that long, but could provide immediate impact for a team trying to return to the Super Bowl.
- Cardinals running backs coach Stump Mitchell attended Tevin Coleman’s workout at Indiana, writes Josh Weinfuss of ESPN (via Twitter). The Lions already had Coleman in for a workout earlier in the process, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Tony Paulie of DraftInsider.net adds that the Cowboys and Patriots have expressed interest in the Indiana tailback (via Twitter).
- The Rams have scheduled a workout with Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty in Waco, according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com (via Twitter). Brandt notes the team has indicated that it will select a quarterback at some point in the draft.
- The Lions also hosted Kansas State receiver Tyler Lockett for a visit, the sixth receiver the team has brought in according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
- The 49ers have expressed interest in a number of LSU players, including linebacker Kwon Alexander, running back Terrence Magee, and cornerback Jalen Collins, writes Eric Branch of SFGate.com.
- Ohio State speedster Devin Smith told SiruiusXM NFL Radio he had a visit with the 49ers, saying he got a “really good vibe from the coaches and staff,” and that the visit “went really well,” (via Twitter).
- UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks met with Saints’ assistant coaches Joe Vitt and Rob Ryan during his visit with the team earlier this week, writes Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com.
- Texas linebacker Jordan Hicks worked out for the Bengals at their local prospect day, and could be a player the team keeps an eye on in the middle rounds of the draft, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com.
- Florida State defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. has visited with the Patriots, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter). Edwards will visit with the Texans and Seahawks as well, although Garafolo believes Seattle will need to trade up from No. 63 to draft him.
- Old Dominion basketball player Richard Ross has drawn interest from NFL teams who believe he could be next in line of basketball players making the transition to tight end. The Vikings are among the teams interested in Ross, sending tight ends coach Kevin Stefanski to the school for a private workout, writes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.
- The Browns have conducted a private workout for quarterback Garrett Grayson at Colorado State, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). Assuming they don’t trade up in the draft, the Browns figure to miss out on at least the top two QBs in this draft class, meaning a player like Grayson probably represents a more realistic target.
- Washington State wide receiver Vince Mayle has visited the 49ers, Chargers, Giants, Jets, Dolphins, Seahawks, and Washington, and is on his way to visit the Colts today, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter links).
- South Florida cornerback Chris Dunkley has visits lined up with a number of NFL teams, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Dunkley says by the end of the process he will have met with the 49ers, Chargers, Falcons, Dolphins, Patriots, Bills, Lions, and Ravens.
- Coastal Carolina interior offensive lineman Chad Hamilton will work out privately for the Falcons on Thursday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Hamilton previously had a private workout for the Texans.
- Wilson also reported that Western Kentucky tight end Mitchell Henry met with the Chargers for a private workout. Mitchell will meet with an NFC team this week. Additionally, Wilson reports that Marshall cornerback Darryl Roberts has had workouts for the Colts, Eagles, Chiefs, 49ers, and Packers.
- University of Washington pass rusher Andrew Hudson met with the Browns, Buccaneers, and Washington this week, as part of his pre-draft visits, writes Brett Tessler of Tessler Sports (via Twitter).
- Utah guard Junior Salt, BYU wide receiver Jordan Leslie, and San Diego State University linebacker Derek Largent are among the players the Dolphins are targeting as late-round picks or priority free agents, reports Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).
Rob DiRe and Rory Parks contributed to this post.
Contract Details: Crabtree, Ridley, Casey
The details for a few of the more notable recent free agent signings are in, so let’s take a look at some specifics, starting with the newest wide receiver in Oakland….
- Michael Crabtree, WR (Raiders): One year, $3.2MM base value. $1.4MM base salary. $1.3Mm signing bonus. $250K workout bonus. $250K in per-game roster bonuses. $1.8MM in not-likely-to-be-earned incentives — $400K for Pro Bowl and $1.4MM based on catches or receiving yards. Lowest incentive threshold is $400K for 70 catches or 900 yards. Can max out at $1.4MM by exceeding 100 catches or 1,400 yards (three Twitter links via Joel Corry of CBSSports.com).
- Stevan Ridley, RB (Jets): One year, $1.25MM base value. $750K base salary. $80K signing bonus. $50K workout bonus. $20K first-game roster bonus. $350K in per-game roster bonuses. Has injury waiver, which voids if he’s on 53-man roster in Week 1 (Twitter links via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
- James Casey, TE (Broncos): One year, $1.25MM base value. $750K base salary. $500K roster bonus. Has injury waiver, split salary (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Joe Mays, LB (Jets): One year, minimum salary benefit. $870K base salary. $20K first-game roster bonus. $60K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- John Kuhn, FB (Packers): One year, minimum salary benefit. $870K base salary. $25K workout bonus. $25K Pro Bowl incentive (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Zackary Bowman, CB (Dolphins): One year, minimum salary benefit. $745K base salary. $80K signing bonus. Has injury waiver (Twitter link via Wilson).
Extra Points: LeSean, Rivers, Raiders, Steelers
The Eagles originally wanted draft picks from the Bills in exchange for LeSean McCoy, writes Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com in a profile of new Buffalo head coach Rex Ryan. But because the Bills lack a 2015 first-rounder, general manager Doug Whaley told Philadelphia to look over Buffalo’s roster, at which the Eagles decided on linebacker Kiko Alonso. The entire piece is worth a read, as it includes interesting notes about Ryan’s hiring and, of course, grade-A quotes from Ryan himself.
Let’s take a look at more from around the league…
- The Chargers have the option of using the franchise tag on Philip Rivers for the 2016 season, but they’re concerned he may simply retire instead of playing for the team, especially if it relocates to Los Angeles, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). If Rivers is going to walk away from football rather than play for San Diego, the Chargers feel they must get some sort of compensation for him, adds Rapoport.
- NFL officials will meet with representatives of Oakland and Alameda County on Wednesday to discuss the status of an East Bay stadium proposal for the Raiders, per Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. NFL executive Eric Grubman will lead the discussions for the league, and report the results to the NFL’s Los Angeles committee on April 22.
- The recent retirements of Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor have helped the Steelers’ dire cap situation, writes David Steele of the Sporting News, who examines the costs of paying a franchise quarterback like Ben Roethlisberger market value.
- Because the league continually fails to conceal the results of draft prospects’ Wonderlic tests (Jameis Winston‘s score was reported earlier), players should simply refuse to take the exam, argues Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Chargers Notes: Los Angeles, Draft, D. Smith
NFL executive Eric Grubman says the league is considering moving up the deadlines in place for relocation to Los Angeles, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link). Accelerating the current timeframe, which runs from January 1 to February 15, makes sense, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, because a shorter window would limit distractions for the applying team. Altering the deadline would seem to make it more likely that the Chargers (or Rams or Raiders) will eventually move to L.A.
Here’s more from San Diego…
- Grubman said a club interested in relocating simply needs to “engage in a good faith effort” to remain in their home city, tweets Gehlken. “It doesn’t need to exhaust all possibilities,” Grubman added, before noting that in his opinion, the Chargers have done enough to justify relocating (link).
- Adam Day, the chairman of the stadium task force in San Diego, said his group is “on target” to present a stadium funding plan to the city’s mayor by its May 21 deadline, per Gehlken (Twitter link).
- Fresno State safety Derron Smith has worked out for the Chargers, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter links), who adds that Smith has also had workouts with the Bengals, Jaguars, and Raiders, while also meeting with the Colts.
- Earlier today, we learned that the Chargers worked out quarterback prospects Marcus Mariota and Brett Hundley.
Draft Notes: Winston, Gurley, Gordon
The Jets, who hold the sixth overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, are in need of a franchise quarterback and have already worked out Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, one of the top two signal callers available. They’d also like to visit with Florida State’s Jameis Winston, who joins Mariota as a likely top five pick, but that meeting may not happen. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Winston was unable to meet with the Jets when they wanted him to and the sides are now having difficulty finding a time.
Here’s the rest of the latest draft news:
- The Browns, who are in search of a running back, have already visited with Georgia’s Todd Gurley, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan, and will next meet with Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon. ESPN’s Josina Anderson tweets that Gordon will be in Cleveland for a visit Thursday that could last through Friday. Both Gordon and Gurley are potential first-round picks. The Browns hold the 12th and 19th overall selections.
- Having worked out Mariota, the Chargers will next head to Los Angeles to do the same with UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link).
- The receiver-needy Panthers will meet with Central Florida’s Breshad Perriman tonight and tomorrow, per Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). They’ll also work out USC’s Nelson Agholor, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
- The Broncos will visit with Texas A&M offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi next Tuesday, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Klis believes Ogbuehi could be a second-round target for the Broncos.
- Mississippi State running back Josh Robinson recently visited with the Colts, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
- San Jose State’s Akeem King, a former wide receiver who converted to safety, is drawing interest as a cornerback, tweets Matt Barrow of the Sacramento Bee. The Raiders, Falcons, Saints and Seahawks are all eyeing King.
- The Falcons worked out Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah, according to Ross Jones of FoxSports.com (Twitter link).
- Cincinnati linebacker Jeff Luc will meet with both the Jets and Patriots prior to the draft, tweets Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller.
AFC Notes: Chargers, Bills, Dolphins, Jets
The Chargers appear to be contemplating the post-Philip Rivers era in San Diego, as they take a closer look at Oregon signal-caller Marcus Mariota today. After working out Mariota, the team’s brass will head to Los Angeles to put UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley through a workout of his own, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
GM Tom Telesco and head coach Mike McCoy have repeatedly stated they want Rivers to retire as a Charger, so there may be no need to identify his successor quite yet. But Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune believes this offseason is the prime time for San Diego to trade Rivers in a deal to snag Mariota, arguing that all the factors in play point to it being a win-win move for the franchise and for the veteran quarterback, who is entering the final year of his contract.
We still have a little more than two weeks until the draft gets underway, so it will be interesting to see if the Rivers trade rumors pick up steam or die down as April 30 approaches. In the meantime, here are a few more notes from across the AFC:
- Free agent wide receiver Brad Smith is paying a visit to Buffalo to meet with the Bills, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com details. Smith played for Rex Ryan on the Jets, but it’s not clear if there’s a spot for him on Ryan’s new club, with players like Percy Harvin, Marcus Easley, and Marcus Thigpen already in the mix as potentially versatile offensive weapons, returners, or special-teamers.
- Given where we’ve seen running backs drafted in the last couple years, it would be surprise to see one go as high as No. 14 overall this year. Nonetheless, the Dolphins, who hold that pick, are hosting Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon for a visit next week, per Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter).
- Outside pass rushers Bud Dupree and Shane Ray will be visiting the Jets, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter links). Although there has been plenty of chatter linking Mariota to New York, the team is in a good spot at No. 6 to add a top pass rushing prospect.
- The Steelers hosted Washington State defensive tackle Xavier Cooper, Ohio State tight end Jeff Heuerman, and UAB tight end Kennard Backman on pre-draft visits today, tweets ESPN.com’s Scott Brown. Cooper met with the Saints in New Orleans yesterday, but we haven’t heard much to date about the tight ends.
- Florida State cornerback Ronald Darby is visiting the Colts today, according to Rapoport (via Twitter).
- On the heels of the Raiders‘ agreement with free agent wide receiver Michael Crabtree, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com shares a few initial thoughts on the deal, outlining why the former Niner is worth the risk on a one-year investment.
Michael Crabtree Signs With Raiders
11:07pm: The Raiders made Crabtree’s accord official late Monday night, via Twitter.
10:42pm: Crabtree’s deal is for one year and worth $3MM, with another $2MM available via incentives, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter. Excluding the potential incentives, this contract represents Crabtree’s lowest base salary since his second season.
7:20pm: Michael Crabtree‘s time in the Bay Area will continue after the wideout reportedly reached an agreement with the Raiders, according to CSNBayArea.com’s Fallon Smith (via Twitter).
ESPN’s Adam Caplan also noted the deal was imminent.
Three wideout-needy teams — the Raiders, Ravens and Dolphins — made a late pursuit for the seventh-year receiver who enjoyed an inconsistent tenure with the 49ers, but the Raiders won out for the 27-year-old’s services. This marks a strange circle for these two parties, with the Raiders opting to take the faster but lower-regarded Darrius Heyward-Bey in the 2009 draft over Crabtree, who was viewed as that class’ top receiver at the time.
Crabtree’s asking price reportedly came way down from a $9MM-per-year request. The Raiders carry just more than $22MM worth of cap space after the Packers matched Sean Richardson‘s offer sheet earlier today.
Assuming he’s healthy, Crabtree will shoot to the top of a Raiders receiving corps that also houses James Jones and Andre Holmes. Crabtree caught 68 passes for 698 yards last season as he drifted down Colin Kaepernick‘s receiving hierarchy. But he’s shown the capability of being a go-to receiver as recently as 2012, when he piled up 1,105 receiving yards and scored a career-high nine touchdowns. The 6-foot-2 former top-10 pick in 2009 tore his Achilles the following spring, limiting him to five regular-season games in 2013.
Caplan adds this signing shouldn’t deter the Raiders from also bolstering the position early in the draft (Twitter link). They’ve been linked to Amari Cooper and Kevin White at No. 4 overall in the major mock drafts.
Marking the latest longtime 49er to depart after Frank Gore and Patrick Willis, Crabtree’s signing will count as a loss in the compensatory formula for 2016 draft choices. The 49ers lost two of their top four receivers from 2014, with Steve Johnson also not returning, but will deploy the former Ravens’ starting wideouts in Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith this season.
Raiders, Dolphins, Ravens Eyeing Crabtree
6:54pm: The Raiders have emerged as the frontrunners to land Crabtree, report ESPN’s Adam Caplan and Bill Williamson, via Twitter. The pair expect an agreement as soon as tonight.
1:59pm: More than a month into 2015’s NFL free agent period, former Niners receiver Michael Crabtree is arguably the biggest name still on the board. While it doesn’t appear Crabtree is on the verge of a deal, he’s drawing the most interest from three teams, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, who identifies the Raiders, Dolphins, and Ravens as the wideout’s top suitors.
None of those three clubs is a surprise contestant in the Crabtree sweepstakes. The former first-round pick has already paid a visit to two of those three suitors, having traveled to Oakland and Miami. As for Baltimore, our Rory Parks detailed yesterday how the Ravens are very much in the market for receiving help, so it makes sense that the team would be considering the top free agent at the position.
In 2014, Crabtree appeared in all 16 games for the 49ers, hauling in 68 catches for 698 yards and four scores. While San Francisco was undoubtedly delighted to see Crabtree play a full season after missing the bulk of 2013, those numbers didn’t match his best production in 2012, when he had 85 grabs for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns. I’d bet that the 27-year-old is seeking a deal that pays him for something closer to that 2012 production than his modest 2014 numbers, though perhaps his asking price has come down over the last few weeks.
According to Maiocco, the Niners have kept the door open for a possible return for Crabtree, but he appears set on getting a fresh start somewhere else.