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2018 NFL Draft Results By Team

April 28th, 2018 at 5:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Listed below are all 256 picks of the 2018 NFL draft, broken down by team. You can find a complete breakdown of the draft results by round right here.

Here are the complete 2018 NFL draft results by team:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

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Poll: Who Will Browns Take At No. 1 Overall?

April 26th, 2018 at 1:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

In one of the wilder lead-ups to a draft in many years, the Browns have been connected to several players with their No. 1 overall pick. The quarterback-desperate franchise is almost certain to announce its expected Tyrod Taylor successor tonight, but the buildup to that moment has been a process featuring many twists and turns.

Having bypassed Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson the past two years, the Browns have now been linked to three quarterbacks at No. 1. The latest could be one of the most unique first-overall picks in memory.

The Browns are now strongly connected to Baker Mayfield, the Heisman Trophy winner and a player who did not appear in the top half of the first round of Todd McShay’s first offseason mock draft. But John Dorsey brought on former Redskins GM Scot McCloughan as a consultant before the draft, and the longtime scouting guru has been an outspoken proponent of the polarizing Oklahoma-developed quarterback. The news the Browns will take Mayfield at No. 1 emerged this week, and that rumor is rapidly gaining steam.

However, the Browns’ previous debate was believed to be a two-horse race between Sam Darnold and Josh Allen. Dorsey has a history of selecting big-armed passers or being affiliated with organizations which have done so, most recently pulling the trigger on Patrick Mahomes in his final draft as Chiefs GM. Viewed as a high-ceiling, low-floor prospect, Allen would represent that kind of bold choice. A report earlier this week indicated Cleveland was down to the Wyoming prodigy or the fast-rising Mayfield.

Darnold has gone from a player viewed as arguably the best combination of production and upside to one that may fall out of the top two and be there for the Jets at No. 3. The Jets scheduled a Darnold visit once they began to sense the USC product falling to them was a legitimate possibility.

The Browns have also been linked to Saquon Barkley at No. 1. While Barkley is viewed as the top running back and possibly the No. 1 overall player in this prospect pool, it’s hard to believe the Browns would again bypass their chance at landing a possible franchise quarterback.

They have not been closely tied to Josh Rosen during this pre-draft stretch, and the latest on a trade-down occurrence is that line of thinking could transpire with the Browns’ No. 4 pick rather than their No. 1 choice.

So, which passer will be bound for northeast Ohio? Is the Mayfield surge legitimate or a massive smokescreen operation? Does Allen’s upside, the unearthing of several tweets from his high school days notwithstanding, warrant this kind of an investment? Or should the Browns take the player they’ve been most connected to in Darnold with the top pick? How about a trade-down scenario? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

Who will the Browns take at No. 1 overall
Sam Darnold 39.31% (693 votes)
Baker Mayfield 34.88% (615 votes)
Saquon Barkley 12.65% (223 votes)
Josh Allen 10.38% (183 votes)
They will trade down 2.78% (49 votes)
Total Votes: 1,763

Community Tailgate: Giants’ Barkley Fit

April 22nd, 2018 at 8:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the draft four days away, the prospect of Saquon Barkley becoming the first running back to go off the board in the top two since Reggie Bush has steadily increased. The Giants/Barkley noise has intensified.

The Giants hold their highest pick since 1981, when they chose Lawrence Taylor at No. 2, and have a quarterback who is set to play his age-37 season in 2018. With all but one QB likely to be available to Big Blue at No. 2, it could be argued — as some in the organization appear to have done — the Giants should not forgo a chance to add a possible Eli Manning successor only to draft this year’s best running back prospect. They have not held a top-five selection since the Manning trade 14 years ago, so it can’t be considered a lock they’ll have this opportunity again soon.

New York also has needs on its offensive line, at cornerback and on its front seven, putting a trade-down decision in play. A Bradley Chubb pick would go about meeting need and value if he is the No. 2 choice, but Barkley may well be the No. 1 prospect on the Giants’ board. And Dave Gettleman, who held key decision-making positions when the Giants used a No. 7 pick on Ron Dayne (2000) and a No. 32 choice on David Wilson (2012), does not look to believe running backs aren’t the commodities they used to be. (At least, he’s not saying so publicly.)

The Giants also need a better answer in the backfield. Jonathan Stewart is nearing the end of his career, and Paul Perkins and Wayne Gallman may be backup types. As a player who’s been rated by some high-profile draft experts as being a better prospect than Ezekiel Elliott, Barkley would surely take care of that and join an offense that would have Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram (and if Dez Bryant gets his way, Dez Bryant) at the skill spots. The Penn State superstar being in that mix could change the equation for the Giants, who ranked 26th in rushing offense and scored just 15.4 points per game (31st in the league) last season. Elliott sure made an impact for the Cowboys as a rookie, but he had a much better offensive line in front of him.

The Jaguars invested a No. 4 overall pick in Leonard Fournette a year ago. He’s Jacksonville’s unquestioned starter going forward, but the Jags saw third-rounders Alvin Kamara and Kareem Hunt have superior rookie seasons. Devonta Freeman was just a fourth-round pick, and Jordan Howard went in the 2016 fifth round. Le’Veon Bell, a second-rounder, is gunning for a No. 1 receiver-level contract And this running back class is viewed as another strong group, and intriguing ball-carriers will be available on Day 2.

ESPN’s Todd McShay was definitive in his stance that Barkley will be a Giant, and the franchise’s interest in him appears to be genuine. PFR readers overwhelmingly believe that’s what will happen. The Giants had one of the 2000s’ best backfield options in Tiki Barber, but they won a Super Bowl the year after he retired and won another four years later when they ranked last in rushing. This franchise has deployed successful backs since Barber, in Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, but Big Blue has shown it hasn’t necessarily needed a top-tier back to thrive in the recent past.

So, should the Giants use their top offseason resource to draft Barkley? Is he worth the team bypassing a possible long-term quarterback option when the running back position has seen its value take numerous hits this century? Or would the Giants be reaching if they took a quarterback who might not play until 2020 over a well-reviewed running back who could have an Elliott-esque effect on their offense this season? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

Poll: Who Will Be First Non-QB Selected?

April 19th, 2018 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Quarterbacks are dominating this year’s draft discussion even more than the NFL’s marquee position’s prospects usually do. With the possibility of four signal-callers going in the top five, it opens the door for a wide variety of scenarios.

But with this many passers projected to go high, teams that either do not need a quarterback (this would include the Browns at No. 4, if they keep their pick) — or franchises on the fence about selecting one in the top five (see: Giants, Broncos) — could find themselves in position to land an impact talent that may not have been available to them in another year.

There doesn’t seem to be a consensus about the top non-QB in this draft, either. Players like Saquon Barkley, Bradley Chubb and Quenton Nelson are high on draft boards. Denzel Ward may be as well, with Roquan Smith having visited teams holding top-10 picks. So, who goes first?

Chubb and Barkley have made the most noise here, with the latest coming out of the Big Apple aligning the Giants with the Penn State running back. Viewed as a superior talent when compared to recent No. 4 overall choices Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette, Barkley has been connected to the Giants at No. 2 and the Browns at No. 4. Although the Browns are not expected to bypass a quarterback at No. 1, Barkley’s name is the one mentioned as a possibility for Cleveland at No. 1 that isn’t a QB. And there may or may not be an issue with a Barkley-to-Cleveland scenario.

Viable running backs are obviously easier to obtain in later rounds than pass-rushing talent, and Chubb has visited the Giants and drawn praise from Hue Jackson as a possible No. 4 overall selection. James Bettcher doesn’t see a problem fitting the N.C. State defensive end into his 3-4 scheme at outside linebacker, and edge rushers are much more valuable commodities than running backs.

Nelson is reportedly a top-three player on the Giants’ board, and Dave Gettleman has not made it a secret he wants an offensive line metamorphosis to take place under his watch. Nelson’s been tabbed a prospect on the Zack Martin tier. Should a quarterback rush occur ahead of them, the Broncos are also in need of a guard. Buzz about a Broncos/Nelson union has emerged, with Ward — the latest high-end cornerback Ohio State has developed — on that level as of late as well.

The Notre Dame-trained blocker being the first non-passer selected would be a massive change of direction. This century, only one team — the 2015 Redskins — took a guard in the top five. And Brandon Scherff was viewed as a tackle prospect at the time. Ward would also represent a major upset as the first position player taken as well, but former Buckeyes teammate Joey Bosa didn’t receive a ton of buzz to go No. 3 to the Chargers two years ago. And this program has produced some high-caliber corners in recent years, as Bradley Roby and Marshon Lattimore have shown.

Who will even make this pick? The Giants have visited with each of the top quarterbacks and have been mentioned as Sam Darnold fans for a while, so it’s not certain they’ll be making this pick. If the Browns take Josh Allen at No. 1 and trade their No. 4 pick to the Bills, the Broncos could be thrust into this role at No. 5.

So, which one of these prospects will hear his name called first? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

Who will be the first non-quarterback taken in this year's draft?
Saquon Barkley 69.99% (1,635 votes)
Bradley Chubb 27.57% (644 votes)
Quenton Nelson 1.50% (35 votes)
Other 0.51% (12 votes)
Denzel Ward 0.43% (10 votes)
Total Votes: 2,336

2019 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker

April 18th, 2018 at 3:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Teams across the NFL have until May 3 to officially pick up their 2019 options on players who are entering the final year of their rookie contracts. These fifth-year options can only be exercised on first-round picks, and the salaries are determined by where players were drafted and what position they play.

If a player has his option exercised, his rookie contract will be extended by one year and he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2020, after the conclusion of the 2019 season. If a player’s option is declined, he’ll be eligible to hit the open market a year earlier. Of course, if a 2015 first-rounder is no longer on his rookie contract, there will be no option to exercise or decline. We explained the intricacies of the fifth-year option in a PFR Glossary post, so you can read up on the specific details there.

Soon, we’ll learn the official salary figures for all 2019 fifth-year options. What we do know is that the option salaries for top 10 picks is equal to the transition tender at the player’s position during his fourth season. So, because the transition tag for quarterbacks this year was $20.922MM, we already know that Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston‘s fifth-year option will be worth that amount.

With next month’s deadline looming, we’ll use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league based on various reports and official announcements. Here are this season’s fifth-year option decisions so far:

1. Jameis Winston, QB, $20.922MM (Buccaneers): Exercised

2. Marcus Mariota, QB, $20.922MM (Titans): Exercised

3. Dante Fowler, DE, $14.2MM (Jaguars): Declined

4. Amari Cooper, WR, $13.924MM (Raiders): Exercised

5. Brandon Scherff, G, $12.525MM (Redskins): Exercised

6. Leonard Williams, DE, $14.2MM (Jets): Exercised

7. Kevin White, WR, $13.924MM (Bears): Declined

8. Vic Beasley, DE, $14.2MM (Falcons): Exercised

9. Ereck Flowers, OT, $12.525MM (Giants): Declined

10. Todd Gurley, RB, $9.630MM (Rams): Exercised

11. Trae Waynes, CB, $9.069MM (Vikings): Exercised

12. Danny Shelton, DT, $7.154MM (Patriots): Declined

13. Andrus Peat, OL, $9.625MM (Saints): Exercised

14. DeVante Parker, WR, $9.387MM (Dolphins): Exercised

15. Melvin Gordon, RB, $5.605MM (Chargers): Exercised

16. Kevin Johnson, CB, $9.069MM (Texans): Exercised

17. Arik Armstead, DE, $9.046MM (49ers): Exercised

18. Marcus Peters, CB, $9.069MM (Rams): Exercised

19. Cameron Erving, OL, $9.625MM (Chiefs): Declined

20. Nelson Agholor, WR, $9.387MM (Eagles): Exercised

21. Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, $9.625MM (Bengals): Declined

22. Bud Dupree, LB, $9.232MM (Steelers): Exercised

23. Shane Ray, LB, $9.232MM (Broncos): Declined

24. D.J. Humphries, OT, $9.625MM (Cardinals): Exercised

25. Shaq Thompson, LB, $9.232MM (Panthers): Exercised

26. Breshad Perriman, WR, $9.387MM (Ravens): Declined

27. Byron Jones, S, $6.26MM (Cowboys): Exercised

28. Laken Tomlinson, G, $9.625MM (49ers): Declined

29. Phillip Dorsett, WR, $9.387MM (Patriots): Declined

30. Damarious Randall, CB, $9.069MM (Browns): Exercised

31. Stephone Anthony, LB, $9.232MM (Dolphins): Declined

32. Malcom Brown, DT, $7.154MM (Patriots): Declined

Poll: Should Broncos Draft A QB At No. 5?

April 15th, 2018 at 9:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Having missed the playoffs the past two seasons largely because of quarterback play, the Broncos face one of the draft’s most interesting decisions. Do they attempt to use their rare top-five real estate to invest in the kind of quarterback not usually available to them, or do they try to help Case Keenum this season with a best-player-available choice?

While the 2016 Eagles and 2017 Bears used a top-five pick on a quarterback despite having authorized a starter-level contract earlier in those years, the Broncos are operating on a different timeline since the cornerstone players on their team are the veterans held over from their Super Bowl team three seasons ago.

It would help the Von Miller-, Chris Harris– and Demaryius Thomas-fronted contingent this season if Keenum’s breakout 2017 was legitimate and not a product of what he was working with in Minnesota. The Broncos receiving improved quarterback play and selecting an instant starter/early contributor at No. 5 overall would help their veteran group. But Keenum’s pre-Minnesota career makes it difficult to judge what the Broncos are getting.

Of the players potentially worthy of this pick, only Quenton Nelson would qualify as filling a dire Denver need, but Bradley Chubb, Saquon Barkley or even Denzel Ward would be an improvement for a team that could use additional talent to help climb back to AFC contention.

However, if Keenum is merely a modest upgrade from Trevor Siemian and Brock Osweiler, thus a placeholder rather than a long-term answer, it may look bad if the Broncos bypassed Josh Rosen or possibly Baker Mayfield because they signed a journeyman quarterback instead. Previously pegged as Rosen fans earlier in this pre-draft process, the Broncos may now have eyes for Mayfield. But so do the Jets, it appears.

Broncos trade-down noise emerged this week, and that would give the franchise better odds at landing multiple 2018 starters in this draft. Denver’s only held a top-five pick twice in the past 35 years (2011 and 1991), and depending on how the Giants proceed at No. 2, the Broncos could have a chance to take the best or second-best non-QB in the draft. That would help a veteran team.

However, being the Bills’ or another team’s vehicle to trade into the top five could as well. Although, it’s possible teams will see the Giants’ pick or the Browns’ No. 4 spot as better trade-up targets rather than the Broncos’ slot. If the pre-draft buzz is an accurate indication, a team considering a trade-up decision may only have Rosen on the board to target by the time the Broncos pick. If just one quarterback is there at 5, Denver’s leverage shrinks.

Keenum’s contract guarantees him $25MM over the next two years. That’s $6MM more than the Bears guaranteed Mike Glennon but $1MM less than the Eagles guaranteed Sam Bradford. That wouldn’t necessarily stand to prohibit another quarterback addition, although the Broncos — with Paxton Lynch, who has made just four starts, still on the roster — would join a short list of teams to have selected a first-round passer twice in three years.

But with the Broncos’ core on the verge of the “aging” label, and the team coming off a 5-11 season, they need to come out of this draft much better than they entered it in order to maximize the latter portions of their championship nucleus’ primes.

So, is the best way to do that to select a quarterback at No. 5? Or is the Broncos’ $18MM-AAV investment in Keenum sufficient enough for them to take the best player available? Should John Elway be hoping a team calls with a viable trade offer? Which is the best route for the Broncos? Take PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

Should the Broncos take a quarterback at No. 5 overall?
Yes 45.61% (884 votes)
No 28.74% (557 votes)
They should trade down 25.64% (497 votes)
Total Votes: 1,938

Checking In On 2018’s Restricted Free Agents

April 9th, 2018 at 11:31am CST by Dallas Robinson

The deadline for NFL restricted free agents to sign offer sheets with rival clubs is April 20, so RFAs have 11 more days to discuss deals with other teams. So far, only two RFAs — defensive lineman Xavier Williams and wide receiver Cameron Meredith — have inked offer sheets. The Cardinals declined to match Williams’ offer from the Chiefs, while the Bears are still mulling the terms of Meredith’s proposal from the Saints.

Other restricted free agents have also drawn varying degrees of interest. Saints wideout Willie Snead has worked out for and met with the Ravens, but hasn’t yet signed an offer sheet (Baltimore also reportedly sent a proposal to Meredith before he inked a deal with New Orleans). Bears cornerback Bryce Callahan, meanwhile, has been linked to the division-rival Vikings, but so far no offer sheet has been proferred.

In total, more than 30 restricted free agents have been tendered this offseason. Let’s take a look at where things stand with those RFAs:

Under Contract

Signed to offer sheet:

Second-round tender ($2.914MM):

Original round / right of first refusal tender ($1.907MM):

Signed extension:

Signed new one-year deal:

Unsigned

Second-round tender ($2.914MM):

Original round / right of first refusal tender ($1.907MM):

PFR Originals: 4/1/18 – 4/8/18

April 8th, 2018 at 4:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

Poll: What Should Giants Do At No. 2?

April 7th, 2018 at 6:29pm CST by Micah Powell

With the Browns likely to take a quarterback with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft later this month, the attention is now firmly on what the Giants will do with the very next pick.

Just a year ago, the team entered the 2017 season as one of the favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LII. With the acquisition of veteran pass catcher Brandon Marshall and the core of its standout defense in tact, the team seemed destined to at least challenge for a playoff spot. That, of course, was not the case. Marshall and Odell Beckham Jr. suffered season-ending injuries, the defense was not what was expected and the team stumbled to an almost unthinkable 3-13 finish.

Down the stretch, the team even benched longtime quarterback Eli Manning to get a look at Geno Smith. That move seemed to mark the end of Manning’s time in New York, but he is now set to return for his 15th season in the Big Apple. Which puts the team in an interesting spot.

With the No. 2 pick in a draft full of quarterback prospects and a 37-year-old signal-caller at the helm, the logical move would be to snap up a Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen or Baker Mayfield with the pick at let them learn behind a two-time Super Bowl winner.

But the team is hoping that last season was an aberration, and with a new general manager in the fold in Dave Gettleman, the Giants could be looking for a quick rebound in 2018. If that is the route, the team could pounce on Penn State running back Saquon Barkley at No. 2, similar to how the Cowboys took Ezekiel Elliott at No. 4 in 2016, and field a formidable offense. 

With the Giants moving to a 3-4 defense in 2018, the team traded longtime defensive end and unlikely scheme fit Jason Pierre-Paul to Tampa Bay in the offseason. That seemed to signal a move toward N.C. State pass rusher and near-unanimous top defensive player in the draft Bradley Chubb being the target. Chubb himself is more suited for the 4-3, however, and might not reach his full potential in the scheme.

New York could also look to protect Manning with Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, heralded by most draft pundits as a can’t-miss prospect. If that route came to fruition, Nelson could be the target if the team decided to trade back with another quarterback-hungry team craving the No. 2 spot.

So, what do you think? Should the Giants go after one of the top quarterbacks, take arguably the top player in the draft in Barkley, add a dynamic defender in Chubb, fortify their offensive line with Nelson or stockpile assets with a trade down? Take PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

What should the Giants do with the No. 2 pick?
Saquon Barkley 31.01% (914 votes)
Trade Down 27.79% (819 votes)
Sam Darnold 10.65% (314 votes)
Josh Rosen 10.49% (309 votes)
Josh Allen 6.99% (206 votes)
Bradley Chubb 6.04% (178 votes)
Quenton Nelson 4.04% (119 votes)
Baker Mayfield 2.17% (64 votes)
Other 0.81% (24 votes)
Total Votes: 2,947

The Fifth-Year Option

April 2nd, 2018 at 12:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be passing along a number of reports relating to the fifth-year option, which a team can exercise on a 2015 first-round pick who is currently in the fourth year of his rookie contract. Last month, the Panthers informally got the party started when word leaked out that they’ll be exercising the 2019 option for linebacker Shaq Thompson.

So what exactly is the fifth-year option? Essentially, it’s a way to extend a player’s rookie contract by an extra year, at the club’s discretion. Players  don’t have any say in whether or not these options are picked up, though players and teams are still free to negotiate longer-term contracts that would render the fifth-year option unnecessary. Otherwise though, the decision is in the hands of the team, and must be made by May 3 in the player’s fourth season. So, barring multiyear extensions, 2015 first-rounders like Marcus Mariota, Amari Cooper, and Marcus Peters will likely see their options exercised within the next month.

For top-10 picks, the amount of each player’s 2019 option has already been determined. The fifth-year salary for a top-10 pick is equal to the transition tender at the player’s position during his fourth season. So, because the transition tag for quarterbacks this year was $20.922MM, we already know that Mariota’s fifth-year option will be worth that amount.

For first-rounders picked outside the top 10, the calculation is a little more complicated. These players’ fifth-year option also relies on the previous year’s salaries at the player’s position, but it’s determined by the average of the third through 25th top salaries at that position. So we could come up with estimates for the 2019 option salary for players like Melvin Gordon, Byron Jones, and Trae Waynes, but they’re not set in stone quite yet.

Fifth-year options are guaranteed for injury only between May 3 and the start of the following league year. As such, they’re not entirely risk-free, but as long as the player remains healthy, a team could exercise his fifth-year option, then cut him before his option year gets underway without being on the hook for his salary. When the league year begins, the player’s fifth-year salary becomes guaranteed for skill and cap purposes, as well as injury.

Note: This is a PFR Glossary entry. Our glossary posts explain specific rules relating to free agency, trades, or other aspects of the NFL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. This post was modified from an early entry by editor emeritus Luke Adams. 

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