Draft Rumors: Stanley, Nkemdiche, Cowboys, Bills, Bucs, Bills
Ronnie Stanley of Notre Dame is considered by most as a top 10 lock, but not all teams agree, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net writes (for PhiladelphiaEagles.com). Some scouts are worried about the left tackle’s athleticism and others just see him as flat out overrated, and that’s causing his stock to drop. It’s possible then that Stanley will go from the top 10 to somewhere in the middle of the first round.
Here are the latest draft rumors from around the NFL:
- Ole Miss defensive end Robert Nkemdiche will meet with the Jaguars on Wednesday and the Ravens on Thursday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Nkemdiche met with Arizona on Monday and will check in with Oakland today.
- Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins is visiting the Bills, Buccaneers, and Cowboys this week, as Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. Garafolo wonders if Dallas might be considering a trade back from No. 4 to take Rankins.
- Indiana left tackle Jason Spriggs is gaining momentum and “several personnel people believe he’s a lock to be selected in the bottom third of round one,” Pauline writes.
- Rees Odhiambo will take visits with the Buccaneers, Seahawks, and Dolphins and has a workout with the Saints, per Rapoport (on Twitter).
- Former Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock has worked out for Patriots, Lions, Ravens and Vikings, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. He’s also scheduled to meet with the Dolphins this week.
- Middle Tennessee State defensive back Kevin Byard will work out for the Panthers on Tuesday, visit the Falcons on Wednesday, visit the Chiefs on Thursday, and visit the Packers on Friday, as Wilson tweets.
- Texas-El Paso defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris will visit the Raiders and Chiefs and work out for the Bears and Vikings, Wilson tweets.
- Southern Mississippi offensive lineman Norman Price is generating some buzz as of late, Pauline writes.
- Western Kentucky cornerback Prince Charles Iworah is vaulting up draft boards and could land in the fourth round, Pauline writes.
West Rumors: 49ers, Raiders, Las Vegas
The 49ers spoke with the Titans about moving up to the No. 1 pick in the draft, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Still, the 49ers are trying to assess exactly what a move from No. 7 to No. 1 would cost them and they’re also unsure of whether they really need to move up in the draft. San Francisco is believed to be targeting a quarterback and it’s possible that either Jared Goff or Carson Wentz will be there at No. 7.
Here’s more from the West divisions:
- More and more NFL owners are warming up to the idea of the Raiders playing in Las Vegas, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Meanwhile, owner Mark Davis is intrigued by the idea of moving to Vegas, but he’s unsure if fans will continue to fly in for games year after year. When asked about the possibility of the Raiders moving to Las Vegas in March, commissioner Roger Goodell didn’t close the door on the possibility of having an NFL franchise there.
- Indiana defensive tackle Darius Latham has an official visit with the Cardinals, Wilson tweets.
- Marshall safety D.J. Hunter has a private workout scheduled with the 49ers, a league source tells Wilson (on Twitter).
- Clemson safety T.J. Green announced (on Twitter) that he is in Arizona to meet with the Cardinals today.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Chargers Sign Jeff Cumberland
7:04pm: The Chargers formally announced the deal.
6:10pm: The Chargers are expected to sign tight end Jeff Cumberland, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Cumberland also drew interest from the Patriots before signing with San Diego. 
Cumberland, 29 in May, was released by the Jets prior to the start of free agency in an effort to free up cap space. As a vested veteran, Cumberland immediately became a free agent upon his release and did not have to go through waivers. The tight end caught a total of 78 passes for the Jets from 2012 to 2014, starting 38 games for the team during that stretch and racking up 10 touchdowns. However, he saw his number called a whole lot less in 2015, as Ryan Fitzpatrick didn’t use his tight ends much. Cumberland had just five receptions on 14 targets in 2015.
Now, Cumberland will likely serve as a run-blocking complement to star tight end Antonio Gates. The Chargers currently have five tight ends under contract with Gates, Cumberland, Sean McGrath, Tim Semisch, and Asante Cleveland.
In other Chargers news, the Bolts and the city of San Diego are reportedly butting heads over where the team’s new stadium should be situated.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Cowboys Rumors: Hardy, Goff, Wentz
The latest out of Dallas:
- Free agent defensive end Greg Hardy sat down for an interview with Adam Schefter of ESPN (video link) and claimed that he never put his hands on his alleged domestic assault victim. Hardy had another solid season as a pass rusher in 2015, recording six sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception in 12 games for the Cowboys. However, he remains on the open market thanks to his reputation for being difficult in the locker room and the PR backlash that his signing would bring for a team.
- The Cowboys will bring in quarterbacks Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch, Christian Hackenberg, Connor Cook, and Jacoby Brissett for visits, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. Hackenberg, Cook, and Brissett could be had later in the draft while Goff, Wentz, and Lynch are likely first round picks.
- Laquon Treadwell will visit with the Cowboys tomorrow, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter).
- Shaq Lawson‘s long anticipated visit to the Cowboys took place on Monday, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
- Alabama running back Derrick Henry will visit the Cowboys this week, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
- Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter links) has the details on Joe Looney‘s two-year contract with Dallas. The interior lineman will get $1.675MM with a $100K signing bonus and salaries of $775K and $800K. He’ll also get a $250K play time incentive in 2016 and a $500K playtime incentive in 2017.
- Jack Crawford‘s one-year deal will pay him $1.1MM but he can earn up to $1.6MM through incentives, Clarence Hill of The Star-Telegram tweets.
Raiders, Aldon Smith Reach Agreement
5:25pm: Smith’s two-year deal carries a base value of $11MM with a max value of $19.5MM, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Smith can boost the value of his deal through sack and Pro Bowl incentives. Smith won’t earn the full amount of that deal due to his suspension, but he’s still slated for a nice payday when he does get back to football.
2:17pm: It’s a two-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
12:58pm: The Raiders and free agent outside linebacker Aldon Smith have an agreement in place, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). According to Schefter, Smith was spotted at the team’s facility today, attempting to put the finishing touches on a deal.
Although the Raiders and Smith can finalize a contract now, the veteran pass rusher will be ineligible to return to the field to begin the 2016 season. Last November, the NFL hit Smith with a suspension of at least one calendar year, meaning he can’t be reinstated until November 2016 at the earliest.
In nine games for the Raiders last season, Smith racked up 28 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and three pass deflections. When healthy and on the field, Smith can be one of the league’s most effective pass rushers, as he exhibited during his first two years in the NFL. As a part-time player in his rookie season, the linebacker recorded 14 sacks, and he piled up another 19.5 as a starter in 2012, en route to a spot on the All-Pro first team.
However, Smith’s off-field issues limited his production in 2013 and 2014 — he missed nearly half the Niners’ games over that span after entering a rehabilitation facility in 2013 and serving a nine-game suspension in 2014. The Jaguars, Buccaneers, and Rams also made contract offers to Smith prior to the 2015 season and reportedly offered more money, but Smith chose to sign with Oakland partially because of its proximity to his Bay Area home. Given his proclivity for the Bay Area, it’s not a surprise to see him re-up with Oakland.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Patriots Sign Terrance Knighton
APRIL 4th, 4:58pm: The Pats formally announced the Knighton deal, as Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets.
MARCH 31st, 5:54pm: It’s a one-year, $4.5MM deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
5:04pm: Pot Roast has reached his verdict. Terrance Knighton has been deciding between offers from Washington and the Patriots this week and he has decided to join New England, according to Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Knighton, who started his career in Jacksonville, spent two seasons in Denver before heading to Washington for the 2015 campaign. The 29-year-old has been very durable in his first seven NFL seasons, appearing in 108 total regular-season games, including 96 starts.
A nose tackle, in Washington’s 3-4 scheme, Pot Roast logged 29 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 2015. Although he didn’t have quite the same impact last year that he did during his final season as a Bronco, Knighton ranked in the top half of Pro Football Focus’ list of qualified interior defenders, placing 58th out of 123 players. Predictably, PFF assigned Knighton a much better grade as a run defender than as a pass rusher.
Last offseason, Pot Roast was expected to net a sizable deal but wound up having to settle for a one-year, $4MM pact from Washington. The six-year veteran was an integral part of a Broncos team that had the league’s second-best run defense in 2014, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Knighton 12th among 81 qualifying D-tackles. He’ll now try to get back to his 2014 form in New England.
The Patriots don’t run a 3-4 base, so he won’t be playing quite the same role that he did in D.C. Still, New England is in need of big bodies up front, having lost Akiem Hicks and Sealver Siliga in free agency earlier this month.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/4/16
Here are today’s minor moves from around the league:
- The Giants have agreed to sign offensive lineman Ryan Seymour, as Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News tweets. Seymour, a veteran of five NFL teams over three seasons, was non-tendered by New Orleans in March.
Earlier Updates:
- The Lions have agreed to sign former Cincinnati defensive end Wallace Gilberry, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The one-year deal is worth up to $1.75MM.
- The Cowboys will re-sign defensive lineman Jack Crawford, as David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets. It’s a one-year deal, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes.
- The Jaguars announced that they have claimed tackle Tanner Hawkinson off waivers from the Eagles. Hawkinson, a 2013 fifth-round pick of Cincinnati, did any snaps last year for Philadelphia despite being active for two contests.
- The 49ers announced on Monday that offensive lineman Jordan Devey has signed a one-year exclusive rights tender. The Niners acquired Devey from New England in August of last year and he went on to appear in 15 games with nine starts.
- The Panthers have signed punter Michael Palardy, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- Former Pittsburgh H-back Will Johnson has agreed to sign with the Giants on a two-year deal, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler writes. Johnson can line up as a tight end, fullback, or running back and is also a special teams contributor. Johnson was reportedly looking to sign with a team that would give him more carries, so it’s possible that he will be a bigger part of the offense in New York than he was in Pittsburgh.
- The Lions have signed veteran tight end Matthew Mulligan, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
Patriots Sign TE Clay Harbor
APRIL 4th: The Pats formally announced the signing, as Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets.
MARCH 30th: The Patriots have agreed to sign tight end Clay Harbor, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Harbor visited the Patriots at the start of free agency and while we haven’t heard much in the last three weeks, it appears the two sides have finally reached agreement on a deal. 
After averaging 25 receptions per season from 2012 to 2014, Harbor caught 14 balls for 149 yards and a touchdown in 2015 for the Jaguars, primarily serving as a blocker. Pats coach Bill Belichick “spoke at length” last season about how Harbor was used, calling him a FB/TE hybrid, so his interest in the 28-year-old (29 in July) did not come as a huge surprise.
With major depth at the tight end position, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Harbor get a chunk of his playing time at fullback. On the tight end depth chart, Harbor figures to be slated behind star Rob Gronkowski and new acquisition Martellus Bennett. The Patriots also have 6’6″ Michael Williams in the fold.
In other Patriots news, New England could be on the verge of signing defensive lineman Terrance Knighton. The Pats also inked cornerback E.J. Biggers on Tuesday.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Reggie Nelson Visiting Raiders
Free agent safety Reggie Nelson is on his way to visit the Raiders, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Nelson will meet with Oakland later today and tomorrow. 
Nelson placed No. 41 on our Top 50 NFL Free Agents List and stands as one of the best available players of the offseason. The tenth-year veteran had 77 tackles and a league-leading 8 interceptions last year for Cincinnati. Still, while he had a strong 2015, his earning power is somewhat limited as he enters his age-33 season.
We haven’t heard much about Nelson since the opening of free agency when the Vikings, Buccaneers, and Washington were all connected to him. Surprisingly, the Bengals did not make much of an effort to retain Nelson after offering him a two-year deal in early March. Here at PFR, we had Nelson ranked as the offseason’s No. 5 free agent safety behind George Iloka, Eric Weddle, Rodney McLeod, Tashaun Gipson. All four of those players signed lucrative deals last month.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bills Sign Corey White
The Bills announced the signing of defensive back Corey White. White visited Buffalo earlier today along with linebacker Zach Brown, who has also officially inked his deal with the Bills. In related news, the Bills have also officially signed wide receiver Leonard Hankerson. 
From 2012 through 2014, White started 19 games with New Orleans, including 9 in 2014. The former fifth-round pick of the Saints started off the 2015 season with the Cowboys but was released in November. There were conflicting reports surrounding White’s exit from the team – one report indicted that White was cut for locker room reasons while another report asserted that he was released solely for football reasons. White, 26 in May, hooked on with the Cardinals in December of last year, taking the roster spot of Robert Nelson Jr.
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