South Notes: Jaguars, Reed, Panthers, Falcons
While Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell appears confident that the team has improved its pass rush this offseason, it sounds like head coach Gus Bradley wouldn’t mind adding another pass rusher or two, as Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union details. Caldwell pointed to Malik Jackson, Dante Fowler Jr., and Sen’Derrick Marks as three players capable of getting after the quarterback that essentially weren’t a part of last year’s team (in some cases due to injuries). Bradley, meanwhile, suggests that Jacksonville will keep an eye on pass rushers during and after the draft.
Here’s more from around the NFL’s South divisions:
- In another O’Halloran piece, the Times-Union scribe notes that the Jaguars appear to have offered punter Bryan Anger a multiyear contract before signing Brad Nortman. Anger ultimately signed a one-year deal with Tampa Bay.
- The Panthers met with and worked out Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed this week, and will have him in for a visit next month, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter links). In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Todd McShay has Reed coming off the board at No. 19 to Buffalo, 11 spots before the Panthers’ first pick.
- Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee is working out for the Falcons today, telling Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com that it’s the first workout on his schedule. “From what they told me at the combine, they need a lot of speed on the defensive side of the ball,” Lee said. Interestingly, McShay’s mock draft from today has Atlanta nabbing Lee with the 17th overall pick.
- The Titans are taking a close look at a couple University of Florida prospects, according to Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com, who writes that the team has worked out and met with inside linebacker Antonio Morrison and defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard. Per McCormick, Tennessee has also put Northern Iowa cornerback Deiondre’ Hall through a workout.
- Before his pro day, Campbell defensive tackle Greg Milhouse had a dinner meeting with the Saints, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Head coach Sean Payton said this week that adding to the defensive line is a top priority for New Orleans heading into the draft.
Complete 2016 NFL Draft Order
The full 2016 NFL draft order can be found below, sorted by round. The list of 253 selections includes all traded draft picks and compensatory picks, and will continue to be updated leading up to the draft if additional deals are made. For an explanation of how traded picks were acquired, check out our complete breakdown.
Here’s the complete 2016 NFL draft order:
Eagles Sign Rueben Randle
THURSDAY, 8:30am: Randle’s one-year deal actually only has a base value of $1.025MM, tweets Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer. $500K of that total is fully guaranteed, and the contract can be worth $3MM+ via incentives.
WEDNESDAY, 4:11pm: The Eagles announced that they have signed Rueben Randle to a one-year deal. Agent Vincent Taylor of Elite Loyalty tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) that the deal is worth more than $3MM with $500K guaranteed.
Randle, who will turn 25 in May, was one of the youngest unrestricted free agents on the market this offseason. The receiver put up solid numbers during his last few years in New York, though his up-and-down play was a source of frustration for some fans. He set career highs in 2014 with 71 receptions and 938 yards, then caught a career-best eight touchdowns in 2015, to go along with 57 catches and 797 yards.
The Giants were said to be concerned about Randle’s work ethic and his “desire to be great,” per one report from Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger. That report gained some validity this offseason as the Giants didn’t make much of an effort to re-sign him.
This year’s crop of free agent wide receivers was rather underwhelming on the whole, but Randle came in as our No. 4 player at the position. In front of Randle, we had Marvin Jones, Travis Benjamin, and Rishard Matthews. Randle’s No. 4 ranking put him ahead of players like Anquan Boldin, Jermaine Kearse, Mohamed Sanu, Marques Colston, Brandon LaFell, James Jones, and Andre Johnson.
Before signing with the Eagles, Randle drew some interest from the Rams.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Colts Sign Patrick Robinson
THURSDAY, 7:49am: Rapoport provides more details on Robinson’s new deal with the Colts, tweeting that the three-year pact is worth $14MM, with $6MM in guarantees.
WEDNESDAY, 7:58pm: Robinson’s three-year deal is worth more than $12MM, Rapoport reports (on Twitter).
7:17pm: The Cowboys were set to pay Robinson $13.5MM on a three-year contract, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. Dallas’ offer contained approximately $5.5MM in guaranteed money, according to Hill. Financial terms of Robinson’s Colts accord haven’t emerged.
7:12pm: Robinson released a statement (via Rand Getlin of NFL.com, on Twitter) stating he never agreed to a deal with another team and didn’t authorize Conner to agree to another franchise’s terms.
6:54pm: Patrick Robinson‘s complex free agency journey will end with the cornerback signing with the Colts, Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral.com tweets.
It’s a three-year deal for Robinson, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Paying a visit to both Dallas and Indianapolis, Robinson ultimately opted for the Colts, where he’ll likely join Vontae Davis as a starting cornerback.
Robinson was one of the best corners remaining on the market. The 28-year-old cornerback re-stabilized his career during his one-year stint with the Chargers, starting in 10 games after his career lost some steam with the Saints. When lined up in the slot, Robinson held quarterbacks to the third-worst rating (67.7), per Nathan Jahnke of PFF (on Twitter).
The former first-round pick of the Saints’ finished as Pro Football Focus’ No. 30-ranked corner last season. He and Davis should be an upgrade from the Davis-Greg Toler tandem the Colts deployed for the majority of the past three seasons. Toler, who signed a three-year deal with the Colts in 2013, remains an unrestricted free agent.
The 5-foot-11 Robinson has 10 career interceptions in 43 starts to his credit after joining the then-Super Bowl champion Saints as the No. 32 overall pick in 2010 out of Florida State.
Robinson was reportedly near a deal with the Cowboys before switching agents, with Ron Butler taking over for Kevin Conner. Butler appears to have brokered a Colts accord. The Giants were also interested in Robinson but couldn’t add to the corner’s two-visit week in time to further complicate Robinson’s second free agency venture in two years.
The Cowboys have now visited with three cornerbacks — Robinson, Nolan Carroll and Leon Hall — with the former duo agreeing to sign elsewhere. Hall remains unsigned.
As Chappell points out (via Twitter), Robinson’s interest in coming to the Midwest may have been aided by the Colts hiring Greg Williams, who coached Robinson with the Chargers last season. Robinson spent seven years with the Chargers, many of those years coming under DC John Pagano, before agreeing to join Chuck Pagano‘s staff in January.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images
NFC Rumors: Kelly, Eagles, Randle, Cowboys
Chip Kelly told Philadelphia-area media, including Jeff McLane of Philly.com, he didn’t communicate directly with Howie Roseman last season before being fired by the Eagles. The current 49ers coach said owner Jeffrey Lurie constructed an arrangement where the then-demoted Roseman sent messages to the then-empowered Kelly through player personnel VP Ed Marynowitz.
Kelly also asserted he didn’t control the contracts given to Byron Maxwell and DeMarco Murray, with the three-year Eagles coach telling media Roseman, who has since traded both players, constructed those deals.
“I wasn’t the personnel guy. I was in charge of the 90-man roster,” Kelly said. “But I didn’t negotiate and say this guy gets this amount of money and that guy gets that amount of money. And Ed was the one who ran our personnel department. That really fell on Ed’s shoulders in terms of how he handled everything. And Ed communicated with him all the time.
Here’s some more on the Eagles and news from some additional NFC teams.
- Former Eagles first-round linebacker Marcus Smith will move to defensive end in Jim Schwartz‘s 4-3 scheme, Zach Berman of Philly.com reports. Doug Pederson told media, including Berman, his linebackers right now will consist of Mychal Kendricks on the weak side, Jordan Hicks in the middle and Nigel Bradham on the strong side.
- The Vikings inquired about Rueben Randle early in free agency, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets, but no substantial interest materialized prior to Randle choosing to trek to Philadelphia.
- The Giants, however, had no interest in re-signing Randle, Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger tweets. John Mara said last week the Giants were going to seek receiving help, but the market has been mostly raided in terms of notable first-time free agents. Veterans Roddy White, Marques Colston and Percy Harvin remain unsigned.
- The Cowboys are expected meet with Paxton Lynch again before the draft after doing so in a productive meeting today, NFL.com’s Rand Getlin tweets. Dallas is allotted 30 visits with prospects.
- Washington safety Kyshoen Jarrett‘s status is uncertain for this season, with Jay Gruden telling media — including JP Finlay of CSNMidAtlantic.com — he’s “very concerned” about the lack of strength in Jarrett’s shoulder presently. A key backup and part-time starter as a rookie last season, Jarrett was injured in Week 17 against the Cowboys.
Zach Links contributed to this report
AFC Notes: Bills, Titans, McCarron, Ferguson
Roger Goodell and other league brass see it as “imperative” the Bills build a new stadium, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports. A source told Carucci the league hierarchy regards Ralph Wilson Stadium, which opened in 1973, as one of the three worst in the league, along with the Raiders’ and Chargers’ venues.
“I don’t think it’s urgent like it has to happen tomorrow,” Giants owner John Mara told media. “But I think, for the long-term best interests of that franchise, they need to be in a new building. They still have great fan support. But there’s a growing disparity in income between the top quartile teams and the bottom quartile teams, and that’s something we have to be conscious of. And a new stadium would help them a great deal.”
The franchise recently spent upwards of $130MM to renovate the stadium, but a source told Carucci the league wasn’t behind that renovation and doesn’t see it as a major upgrade.
Here’s some more from the AFC.
- Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News is unimpressed with the way the Jets have treated veteran tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson this offseason. It’s not clear yet whether Ferguson is in the Jets’ plans for 2016, given the team’s lack of cap flexibility and the lineman’s $14MM+ cap hit, and Mehta believes the lack of communication with one of the team’s most respected veterans “has been embarrassing.”
- Although Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk recently suggested that the team’s ownership structure uncertainties would soon be resolved, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the NFL remains unsatisfied with the efforts to “address issues with the hierarchy.” According to that source, there’s still a very real possibility of a forced sale. Titans president Steve Underwood dismissed that idea, telling Florio, “Anonymous sources related to Titans ownership are always unreliable and misinformed.”
- With several teams in need of quarterback help, Bengals owner Mike Brown won’t rule out an A.J. McCarron trade, according to Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. While Marvin Lewis seemed to close the door on the Bengals moving their backup quarterback, Brown said any player’s available for the right deal. The owner, however, said he doesn’t foresee a trade materializing right now. McCarron completed 66.4% of his passes last season, throwing six touchdown passes compared to two interceptions in three starts in relief of Andy Dalton.
- Picking at No. 13, the Dolphins are very interested in Vernon Hargraves III, a Florida spokesperson told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. With the exception of newly acquired Byron Maxwell, Miami’s cornerback contingent consists of second-, third- or fourth-year players, with Jamar Taylor heading the group.
Zach Links contributed to this report
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/23/16
Here are today’s minor moves from around the NFL.
- The Seahawks signed long-snapper Drew Ferris, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets. Ferris participated in a Jets rookie minicamp in 2015 after playing at Florida in college. Ferris will vie for the Seattle long-snapping job with Andrew East, Condotta reports, after the team released veteran snapper Clint Gresham.
- Austin Pasztor signed his RFA tender to stay with the Browns, Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk reports. Pasztor will make $1.67MM after the Browns tagged him with the low-end tender. The 26-year-old lineman has 23 starts to his credit in four seasons in Jacksonville and Cleveland.
Broncos Re-Sign Jordan Norwood
The Broncos will bring back slot receiver and part-time return man Jordan Norwood on a one-year deal, the veteran wideout announced on his Twitter page (via Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post).
Norwood will re-join a crowded stable of Broncos backup targets, one that also includes Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler. The Super Bowl champions don’t have much statistical proficiency behind Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, but the Broncos opted to use as many as six receivers regularly under Gary Kubiak last season.
Norwood visited the Jets and Lions during free agency but opted to remain in Denver. The Broncos possessed just $1.65MM in cap space — second-fewest in the league — prior to signing the experienced backup target for an undisclosed amount.
Prior to setting a Super Bowl record with a 61-yard punt return, Norwood saw extensive action in the slot for the Broncos last season, starting five games after missing 2013 and 2014 due to injuries. Norwood caught 22 passes for 207 yards and no scores last season, with the 22 receptions ranking third among Denver receivers.
A former UDFA, Norwood could fill Denver’s return specialist vacancies created by the UFA statuses of Andre Caldwell and Omar Bolden. A soon-to-be-30-year-old receiver, Norwood returned six punts for 51 yards during the regular season.
Prior to joining the Broncos, Norwood spent time with the Eagles and Browns, starting four games with the latter in 2011. Norwood has missed three entire seasons — 2010, 2013 and 2014 — but appears to have an opportunity to contribute for the defending champions, who now have five receivers under contract.
Draft Rumors: Wentz, 49ers, Chargers, Titans
Here’s the latest on the incoming prospect pool and the interested teams.
- Hue Jackson will attend Carson Wentz‘s pro day Thursday but won’t trek to Memphis to observe Paxton Lynch‘s due to the Browns being in “training mode” by the time Lynch throws for scouts April 6, according to ESPNCleveland.com’s Tony Grossi (on Twitter).
- The 49ers have used some of their 30 permitted visits on several top prospects, including cornerbacks Eli Apple and Mackensie Alexander, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports. Ole Miss first-round prospects Laquon Treadwell and Robert Nkemdiche are also among players the 49ers, who hold the No. 7 pick, has met with or plans to.
- Toledo wide receiver Alonzo Russell will work out for the Cowboys after previously meeting with the Packers, Aaron Wilson of National Football Post reports. Russell totaled 13 touchdowns and more than 1,300 receiving yards during his junior and senior seasons.
- Ex-Alabama cornerback/kick returner Cyrus Jones has a full itinerary, with visits with the Ravens, Eagles, Bills and Saints lined up, Wilson reports (on Twitter). Jones also has private workouts with the Buccaneers and Panthers scheduled, per Wilson.
- Mississippi State tight end Darrion Hutcherson will visit the Chargers, per Wilson. The 6-foot-6, 260-pound Hutcherson played in 26 games for the Bulldogs, logging just six starts.
- The Chargers are also set to meet with former Buffalo tackle John Kling, Wilson tweets. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound Bulls lineman played right and left tackle in his five years at the university.
- The Titans plan to host Ohio State safety Vonn Bell on a workout, Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com tweets. The 5-11, 205-pound early-entry safety made six interceptions as a sophomore in 2014 after joining the Buckeyes in 2013 as a five-star recruit.
- Former Minnesota linebacker De’Vondre Campbell will visit the nearby professional franchise, with the Vikings summit on April 5-6, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. A fifth-year senior, Campbell recorded 92 tackles for the Gophers while also registering a team-high four sacks last season.
- The Colts are hosting former Arkansas linebacker Myke Tavarres, who transferred to Incarnate Word, on an April 7 visit, Wilson tweets.
- The Buccaneers are set to host North Carolina Central defensive back Ryan Smith on a visit, Wilson reports (on Twitter).
Talks On Roger Goodell’s Discipline Role Encounter Big Setback
Thought to be progressing, the prospect of Roger Goodell stepping back from his role in disciplinary measures doesn’t look strong at this point. The league and NFLPA have taken a “massive step back” in stripping the commissioner of these powers, according to Jim Trotter of ESPN.com.
In an email ESPN obtained from DeMaurice Smith to the union executive committee, the NFLPA executive director said the NFL communicated a “dramatic change of course” in terms of moving in a different disciplinary direction for the league this week.
The NFLPA’s three points of contention have been the use of the Commissioner Exempt List, neutral arbitration and delegation of commissioner authority, per Trotter, and the players’ association viewed those as intertwined. But Smith said in the email the league doesn’t view neutral arbitration as being part of this discussion, and this discrepancy appears to be one of the talking points that have set back the negotiations.
Smith’s email brings up talks the sides had in October 2015 regarding the use of a panel a three former judges to serve as a disciplinary council of sorts, but the league’s change of course the league looks to have nixed that idea. It goes on to say the NFL wants to “dictate and narrowly limit the scope of these collective bargaining negotiations,” which is a sticking point for the union.
Smith closes with a statement that illustrates the sides’ disconnect over this matter.
“It is very important to know that the NFL’s current proposal does little to address the NFL’s legal and ethical failings regarding the PCP [Personal Conduct Policy] that have occurred during the past year.”
Goodell’s constantly scrutinized authority over the disciplinary aspect of the league doesn’t look to be diminishing any time soon.
Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images