Checking In On The Cornerback Market
As the league has grown increasingly pass-happy, and as the rules have evolved in a way that favors quarterbacks and wideouts, the importance of the cornerback position has never been higher. Over the course of the offseason, we ranked the best available free agents at each position, and five of our top ten corners remain unsigned. Of course, after the initial wave of free agency is over, teams generally turn their attention to the draft and will circle back to the free agent pool if necessary over the summer months.
The group of cornerbacks still available is headlined by Darrelle Revis, whose performance fell off a cliff last season and who was released by the Jets earlier this year. Almost three weeks ago, we heard that two unidentified teams were interested in Revis, but neither club was willing to pay him more than the $6MM he’s earning from the Jets. Because Revis’ deal with New York contained offset language, if he signs for $6MM or less, his new club would essentially be getting his services for free, which certainly would not sit well with the prideful Revis. The two teams that expressed interest in Revis were not optimistic that they would sign him, but it’s difficult to imagine Revis sitting out 2017 entirely. He’s bound to get a job somewhere, and perhaps he will ultimately return to the Patriots, as was speculated back in March.
The next player on our list, Brandon Flowers, was let go by the Chargers several days before the start of free agency in a cost-cutting move. Flowers, 31, signed a four-year deal with the Bolts prior to the 2015 season, a deal that included $20.5MM in guaranteed money. That contract was a reward for his strong 2014 campaign in San Diego, when he collected 52 tackles, 10 passes defended, and three interceptions. He did not reach that level of play in the following two seasons, though he played in only six games last year due to a concussion. He has always been a fundamentally-sound corner, so even if he has lost a step or two, he could still be a useful part of someone’s DB rotation. The Steelers checked in on him soon after his release, and the two sides could reconvene in the coming months.
Like all of the players in this post, Alterraun Verner did not reach the end of his last contract before becoming a free agent. The Bucs released Verner in February, and immediately thereafter, Verner himself said that four or five teams had reached out to him. That may be true, but there have been no independent reports of interest in Verner since his release. The UCLA product has been quite durable during his seven-year career, but he saw his playing time wane dramatically over the past two seasons. He started just three games in 2016, tying a career low, and only appeared in 22.8% of Tampa Bay’s defensive plays. Still just 28, Verner will not command the same type of money he did when he inked a four-year, $25.5MM pact with the Bucs in 2014, but he never seemed to play to his potential in Tampa Bay, and it’s possible that a change of scenery could reinvigorate him.
There have been no reports of interest in former Packer Sam Shields since he was released by Green Bay earlier this year. Sadly, Shields suffered his second concussion in a nine-month span during the Packers’ Week 1 contest in 2016, and he never made it back to the field last season. He is only 29 and is immensely talented, but it does not appear as if the league has much confidence in his ability to rebound from his concussion issues. He previously stated that he has no intention of retiring, so hopefully he can convince someone to take a chance on his upside, even if it’s on a one-year pact for the veteran minimum.
Tramon Williams is the oldest of this group of corners, and at age 34, it’s fair to wonder what he has left in the tank He played in only 12 games (seven starts) for the Browns last season, and he finished 2016 with 36 tackles, five passes defended, and one interception – his lowest totals since 2007. Plus, Pro Football Focus’ metrics graded him as just the 73rd-best corner out of 111 qualified players. He was very good for a very long time for the Packers, but while he may be able to hang on for another year or two, his playing career appears just about over.
6 Possible Fits For Victor Cruz
Victor Cruz is starting to generate some interest months after the Giants ended his lengthy New York tenure in February. But the slot receiver is far removed from his best seasons, ones that occurred before multiple leg injuries sidetracked his career.
But there’s still a market for the 30-year-old wideout, probably on a short-term arrangement to see what the former Pro Bowler has left. Cruz met with the Panthers before the draft, but they went in another direction. The 2012 Pro Bowler also went on visits to discuss a potential role with the Jaguars and Bears last week, and the Ravens expressed interest as well.
Here are some of the fits for Cruz as he attempts to re-establish himself on another team following the down years that marred the second half of his Giants tenure:
- Ravens — Baltimore lost both Steve Smith and Kamar Aiken and has done little to help its receiving corps this offseason. The Ravens did not draft a wideout despite a depth chart that’s headlined by 2016 street free agent Mike Wallace and injury risk Breshad Perriman. Cruz would stand to be a far more proven inside complement for this team compared to what is currently on the roster. A rumored Cruz/Ravens summit hasn’t occurred yet, but the Ravens are believed to be targeting veteran UFAs that would likely serve niche roles this season.
- Raiders — Oakland made some flashy additions to an offense that was already among the league’s best. Marshawn Lynch, Jared Cook and Cordarrelle Patterson will see plenty of time for the rejuvenated team, but the Raiders still don’t have a surefire No. 3 wide receiver. Former UDFA Seth Roberts did not build on his promising spurts in 2015, and Patterson has made his name as a kick returner. The former first-round pick hasn’t been a consistent receiving threat. The Raiders are targeting extensions for Derek Carr, Gabe Jackson and Khalil Mack, but a low-end Cruz pact — likely for one year — wouldn’t stand to impede those pursuits much.
- Browns — If Cruz visited the Bears, he’s not dead set on playing for a team in position to contend now. The Browns look to have made a mistake by cutting Taylor Gabriel last summer, and they don’t have much beyond Kenny Britt and Corey Coleman despite a sizable wideout corps acquired in last year’s draft. Cruz doesn’t fit a rebuilding team, but Cleveland has young quarterbacks Cody Kessler and DeShone Kizer. A better target to help over the middle would stand to aid in these passers’ development. Cruz did haul in 39 passes for 586 yards last season; that’s over 300 more than any current Browns WR3 candidate did.
- Jaguars — The obvious connection to Tom Coughlin makes this avenue somewhat viable, and the parties getting together for a meeting makes Jacksonville a candidate. It’s just more difficult to see where Cruz would play than some of these other teams. The Jags already have starters Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, and Marqise Lee put together his best season in 2016. While Robinson and Lee are UFAs after the season, Cruz as of now does not profile as a player that would command a multiyear deal and factor into longer-term planning.
- Lions — Detroit has two locked-in starters in Marvin Jones and Golden Tate, and the franchise selected 6-foot-4 wideout Kenny Golladay in Round 3. The Lions, though, could still use another veteran here, especially if Ameer Abdullah‘s injury history continues to force passing-down specialist Theo Riddick — himself a season-ending injury casualty last season — into the backfield. That said, the Lions are a candidate to re-sign Anquan Boldin, which would negate this path.
- Bears — Also an interesting match despite the visit, Chicago has lost some marquee receiving weapons in recent years. Brandon Marshall made another franchise regret a trade in 2015, and Alshon Jeffery‘s defection to the Eagles leaves the Bears in transition mode here. Kevin White‘s rampant injury struggles don’t make the former top-10 pick a safe bet either, leaving Cameron Meredith as their de facto WR1. But the Bears signed both Kendall Wright and Markus Wheaton. While neither can match Cruz at his best, and both did not thrive in their contract years, but Chicago adding both may make the ex-Giant superfluous and create some interesting debates on which wideouts to shuttle to special teams.
Which of these teams do you think would be the best fit for the would-be eighth-year veteran? Who did we leave off that you think would make for a logical destination? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
PFR Originals: 5/7/17 – 5/14/17
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- With the news that Saints center Max Unger could be questionable for the start of the 2017 campaign, Zach Links examined 10 centers New Orleans could consider. Subsequent reports have indicated Unger could return at some point during the preseason, but that doesn’t mean the Saints wouldn’t ponder adding more depth at the pivot. Free agent Nick Mangold, the Eagles’ Jason Kelce, and the Browns’ Cameron Erving all stand out as potential options for the Saints.
- The Patriots used a May 9 tender on free agent running back LeGarrette Blount, which could complicate his market over the next few months. With that in mind, Ben Levine asked PFR readers where Blount will sign. Thus far, a plurality of respondents (35%) believes Blount will end up back with the Patriots.
10 Centers The Saints Could Pursue
Saints center Max Unger went under the knife to help fix an issue with his foot, and that surgery will cause him to miss the start of the season. With no exact timetable in place for his return, the Saints will likely consider out-of-house options to help fill the void.
With some help from PFR’s Dallas Robinson, here are centers that New Orleans could look into acquiring:
- Nick Mangold (free agent): Mangold remains on the open market and he stands as the most obvious choice for the Saints to consider. The Saints would be hard-pressed to find anyone with a resume as impressive as Mangold’s and the seven-time Pro Bowler probably wouldn’t cost all that much at this stage of the offseason. At the same time, there’s a reason why he is still available here in May and word of clubs asking him to change positions isn’t exactly encouraging.
- Jason Kelce (Eagles): Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com was quick to connect the dots on Monday morning after word of Unger’s injury broke. The Eagles reportedly have had Kelce on the trading block for some time now and the Saints would now be a logical landing spot for him. The Eagles beat writer suggests that a Kelce deal could see running back Mark Ingram going to Philly, but I personally have a hard time seeing that happen. If the Saints are unable to meet the Eagles’ asking price for Kelce, however, they might be able to swing a deal for another interesting option on their roster.
- Stefen Wisniewski (Eagles): If the Eagles were to trade Kelce, Wisniewski or guard Isaac Seumalo would be the top candidates to step into the starting role. However, Wisniewski himself would make lots of sense as a stopgap for the Saints. Wisniewski was a starter for five straight years with the Raiders and Jaguars before landing with the Eagles as a reserve. In addition to that starting experience, he also offers experience at guard, so he could be used at multiple spots once Unger returns to action. Pro Football Focus ranked him 39th among 72 eligible guards last season with strong marks for his pass blocking skills.
- Joe Hawley (Buccaneers): The Buccaneers are moving Ali Marpet to center and he could very well wind up as the starter. There’s also Evan Dietrich-Smith and guard/tackle Ken Pamphile to consider for the No. 1 job and that could make Hawley expendable. The 28-year-old (29 in October) has been the Bucs’ primary center for the last two years, but he could be on the outside looking in after camp concludes. This offseason, he re-signed with the team on a two-year, $5.5MM deal with just $1MM guaranteed. It’s an affordable deal that the Saints could easily wiggle out of next year, if need be. Alternatively, the Bucs may want to dangle Dietrich-Smith in New Orleans’ direction.
- Tim Barnes (49ers): Barnes just showed up in San Francisco, but indications are that the Niners will use Jeremy Zuttah as their starting center in 2o17. Before getting cut this offseason, Barnes spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons as the Rams’ starter. Another Niner, Daniel Kilgore, could have appeal for the Saints.
- Cameron Erving (Browns): The Browns are planning to move Erving to right tackle now that J.C. Tretter is in town, but perhaps the Saints would be interested in seeing what he can do in the middle. Then again, he was shifted to right tackle last year after performing poorly in 12 games at center.
- Matt Slauson (Chargers): Slauson isn’t guaranteed to start this year thanks to the presence of Max Tuerk, Forrest Lamp, and Dan Feeney. All three players are rookies (Tuerk didn’t play in 2016 thanks to his knee injury) but the team is high on each of them. In theory, Slauson could be shifted over to guard with Tuerk starting in the middle, but it’s also possible that Feeney starts at right guard over him. Slauson would be a valuable swing reserve for Los Angeles, but the Bolts might also be willing to trade him thanks to their glut of O-Line options.
- Joe Berger (Vikings): Vikings coach Mike Zimmer sees third round rookie Pat Elflein as a center, and that could potentially make Berger expendable. Berger, 35 later this month, has started 68 games over the course of his career. He graded out as the 12th best guard in the entire NFL last season, according to PFF. He earned an even stronger overall score in 2015 when he primarily played in the middle. Berger still has plenty in the tank, so it would be harder to pry him away than some of the other names on this list.
PFR Originals: 4/30/17 – 5/7/17
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- The Giants and Lions are reportedly interested in free agent running back LeGarrette Blount, but other NFL clubs could conceivably be eyeing the 30-year-old power back. Zach Links ran down the list of potential fits for Blount, an inventory that includes teams such as the Ravens and Dolphins.
- Blount has yet to find a new home, but other veteran running backs such as Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch, and Jamaal Charles have, as they’ve landed with the Saints, Raiders, and Broncos, respectively. With that in mind, Sam Robinson asked PFR readers which runner will have the most significant impact in 2017. Thus far, Lynch is leading the voting at more than 60%.
- The deadline for teams to pick up the fifth-year options for players selected in the first round of the 2014 is May 3, but all 32 NFL clubs made their decisions with a day left on the clock. 23 of 32 players had their options exercised, five saw the options declined, and three weren’t eligible given that they’d already been released by their original clubs. I rounded up all the decisions and salaries on 2018 fifth-year options.
Poll: Which Recent Veteran RB Addition Will Make Biggest Impact?
The Broncos giving Jamaal Charles an opportunity represented a key step for the high-profile free agent running backs. After a complicated offseason for just about every big-name back in search of a new home, the 30-plus contingent of this group found new homes in quick succession.
LeGarrette Blount still needs a new employer, but after the Charles/Adrian Peterson/Marshawn Lynch troika agreed to terms, the 30-year-old’s price range will presumably narrow. With Peterson, Lynch and Charles each being attached to accords worth around $3MM AAV for 2017, with various incentives looming as critical deal points, the 30-year-old Blount may follow suit soon now that the market has essentially been set.
But it’s certainly going to be a change of pace for each of the trio that’s already signed. Each will transition from being his team’s clear-cut No. 1 running back to a cog in backfields that aren’t as certain to be geared around these players.
The Vikings, Seahawks and Chiefs received top-of-the-line production from these three dynamos during the first half of this decade, but the Saints, Raiders and Broncos, respectively, will expect less of them in 2017. How much less is the key question.
Lynch appears to have the clearest road to a steady role, with Oakland prioritizing the 31-year-old recently unretired back instead of diverting resources to a younger ball-carrier in a loaded draft. He’s also going to have a chance to run behind a high-end Raiders offensive front. But Beast Mode has not played a full season since 2014 and will be more than 18 months removed from his last NFL game by the time he suits up in Week 1.
Oakland also has multiple change-of-pace backs in DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard that boasted per-carry averages well north of 5.0 as rookies. Lynch steamrolled his way to four Pro Bowls in Seattle and averaged 4.7 yards per tote in 2014 but struggled a year later to a 3.8-per-handoff average. While the Seahawks’ embattled offensive line can be singled out as a key reason for this production dip for Lynch, Thomas Rawls (5.6 ypc in ’15) looked better by comparison in the pair’s lone season together. The Raiders will deploy a much better array of blockers than did the ’15 Seahawks, but by eschewing younger investments at this young man’s position this offseason, they’re still gambling Lynch can operate at close to his Seahawks form. The Raiders are pleased by Lynch’s condition thus far, at least.
Peterson figures to team with Mark Ingram in New Orleans, but with Ingram being used frequently in the Saints’ passing game the past two seasons, the former Vikings All-Pro’s role will be interesting to observe. Peterson has functioned best as a pure runner since returning from his ACL tear in 2012. While the 32-year-old UFA addition might still be a better ground operator than Ingram when healthy, he struggled behind a porous Vikes offensive line in 2016. Averaging a ghastly 1.9 yards per carry during a season that saw Peterson tear his meniscus, the future Hall of Famer will have to prove he can make another comeback but do so at an age where most running backs are out of the game.
That said, Peterson offered maybe the greatest comeback season for a skill-position player in memory in compiling that 2,097-yard slate five years ago. He then won the 2015 rushing title after the near-season-long 2014 suspension. Drew Brees‘ explosive offense, which ranked No. 1 last season, will help divert defenses from concentrating on stopping Peterson the way Minnesota opponents could for years. Alvin Kamara‘s potential place in this backfield could be a big factor as well, but the Tennessee rookie may carve into the team’s extensive passing-down work instead of exclusively cutting into Peterson’s handoff count.
Charles may bring the highest variance of the acclaimed trio. The Chiefs’ all-time rushing leader will easily be the most accomplished running back on the Broncos’ roster, but he’s obviously missed extensive time the past two years due to knee injuries and is a threat to not make it back at all. Mike Klis of 9News reported Charles was “90 percent” healthy on his signing day. As a result, the NFL’s all-time yards-per-carry king received the smallest financial commitment, at $1MM base value, comparatively. However, at 30 — and with nearly 1,000 fewer career carries (1,332) than Peterson (2,418) and Lynch (2,144) — Charles is the youngest of the three and has a skill set his Bronco mates don’t.
He of a 70-catch season in 2013, the two-time first-team All-Pro has a clear avenue toward the Broncos’ passing-down responsibilities — with the obvious health caveat representing the only barrier. C.J. Anderson is also coming off a severe knee injury. The fifth-year player remains expected to start, but the between-the-tackles grinder hasn’t shown himself to be the type of back Charles has when healthy. The Broncos don’t have an upper-echelon offensive line, but Charles hasn’t been afforded that luxury much in his career and has never finished a season averaging fewer than 5.0 yards per rush. While he surmounted a 2011 ACL tear to re-emerge with dominant 2012 and ’13 campaigns, the veteran now has to do that at an older age and with a more extensive medical history.
There are a lot of moving parts to these stalwarts’ situations, but each certainly has upside. Who do you think will make the biggest impact for his new team this season? Will Charles’ open-field skills make him a bigger weapon than his run-centric peers? Or will Lynch’s comeback tour succeed behind an offensive line featuring three Pro Bowlers? Will Peterson capitalize on Brees and Co.’s setup and prove everyone wrong again? Take PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section about what should be an interesting year for the running back position.
Top 8 Fits For RB LeGarrette Blount
In the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen veteran running backs Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, and Marshawn Lynch find new homes. However, LeGarrette Blount is still without a job. 
The Lions and Giants are known to be in on Blount, but we can’t help but wonder if there could be other potential fits out there for the player who I consider to be the best running back currently on the market. The PFR staff huddled up on Wednesday to run down possible landing spots for the power back:
- Giants – The Giants have been connected to Blount for some time now and the interest is said to be mutual. The Giants are looking for a bruising running back to complement Paul Perkins and Blount, presumably, wants to join a potential contender, so it’s a solid match. Eli Manning‘s 2016 struggles are well documented, but a well-balanced offense would help him find Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall as much as possible.
- Lions – On paper, the Lions should have had a strong running game with Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick leading the way. Unfortunately, injuries cost both players significant time last year and rookie Dwayne Washington didn’t set the world on fire when given the opportunity. Zach Zenner had some flashes of brilliance, but the lesson learned here is that you can never have enough depth. Blount would be a great counter balance to Abdullah’s speed and Riddick’s reception focused game and he could be called on as the No. 1 guy if the injury bug strikes again.
- Packers – Running back was a clear need for the Packers heading into the draft, but they did not select a top RB from this year’s deep pool of talent. Now, they need running backs even more after releasing Christine Michael and Don Jackson earlier this week. WR-turned-RB Ty Montgomery figures to be the lead guy in Green Bay, but the Packers could use some experience behind him. It’s not clear if the Packers have reached out to Blount’s reps yet, but they should.
- Ravens – You might have missed it in the midst of the free agency frenzy, but the league suspended Kenneth Dixon for the first four games of the season after a PED policy violation. The Ravens can use free agent pickup Danny Woodhead as their lead back in the opening month, but it would make sense to add some depth along with Javorius Allen, Lorenzo Taliaferro, and Terrance West, particularly since Woodhead missed the majority of last season.
- Dolphins – The Dolphins aren’t an obvious fit, but it’s possible that they could be in the market for a running back if Damien Williams continues to stay away from the team. The downside here is that Jay Ajayi is the clear No. 1 guy and Blount would have to fight Kenyan Drake for carries. In a scenario where Miami signs Blount and Williams is eventually brought back into the fold, there would be even less work to go around.
- Chiefs – After moving on from Charles, the Chiefs might want to add some veteran help to a depth chart featuring Spencer Ware, Charcandrick West, and rookie Kareem Hunt. C.J. Spiller currently projects as the RB4, but he hasn’t been able to stick with a team in some time.
- Redskins – The Redskins are shopping Matt Jones and that could free up a spot for someone like Blount. The Redskins have four other backs in Rob Kelley, Chris Thompson, Keith Marshall, and Mack Brown, but there are no superstars in the bunch.
- Eagles – Ryan Mathews is scheduled to carry a $5MM cap number in 2017 and the Eagles can wipe $4MM of that off of the books by cutting him. Releasing the speedy but aging Darren Sproles would also yield $4MM in savings with zero dead money. At this stage of the offseason, Blount would represent a much cheaper option than either guy. Beyond Sproles and Mathews, there’s not much experience between Wendell Smallwood, Byron Marshall, Terrell Watson, and fourth-round pick Donnel Pumphrey.
Connor Byrne and Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Fifth-Year Option Decisions For 2018
The deadline for teams to pick up the fifth-year options for players selected in the first round of the 2014 is May 3, but all 32 NFL clubs have made their decisions with a day left on the clock. 23 of 32 players had their options exercised, five saw the options declined, and three weren’t eligible given that they’d already been released by their original clubs.
Of course, just because a player has his option exercised or declined, that doesn’t necessarily dictate his future earnings. These fifth-year options are only guaranteed for injury only for now, so assuming a player stays healthy, his team could still release him by March 2018 without being on the hook for any ’18 salary, even if his option was exercised today. Conversely, a player who had his option declined could have a bounce-back year and do well on the open market next March.
As we wait to see how the latest round of option decisions looks a year from now, let’s recap the action. Here’s a full breakdown of the fifth-year option decisions for 2018:
Exercised:
- Jadeveon Clowney, DE, $13.846MM (Texans): Exercised
- Blake Bortles, QB, (Jaguars), $19.053MM: Exercised
- Khalil Mack, DE (Raiders), $13.846MM: Exercised
- Jake Matthews, T (Falcons), $12.496MM: Exercised
- Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers), $13.258MM: Exercised
- Anthony Barr, LB (Vikings), $12.306MM: Exercised
- Eric Ebron, TE (Lions), $5.194MM: Exercised
- Taylor Lewan, T (Titans), $9.341MM: Exercised
- Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants), $8.459MM: Exercised
- Aaron Donald, DT (Rams), $6.892MM: Exercised
- Ryan Shazier, LB (Steelers), $8.718MM: Exercised
- Zack Martin, G (Cowboys), $9.341MM: Exercised
- C.J. Mosley, LB (Ravens), $8.718MM: Exercised
- Ja’Wuan James, T (Dolphins), $9.341MM: Exercised
- Brandin Cooks, WR (Patriots), $8.459MM: Exercised
- Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S (Packers), $5.597MM: Exercised
- Dee Ford, LB (Chiefs), $8.718MM: Exercised
- Darqueze Dennard, CB (Bengals), $8.526MM: Exercised
- Jason Verrett, CB (Chargers), $8.526MM: Exercised
- Deone Bucannon, LB (Cardinals), $8.718MM: Exercised
- Kelvin Benjamin, WR (Panthers), $8.459MM: Exercised
- Jimmie Ward, CB (49ers), $8.526MM: Exercised
- Bradley Roby, CB (Broncos), $8.526MM: Exercised
Not exercised:
- Greg Robinson, OL (Rams), $12.496MM: Declined
- Sammy Watkins, WR (Bills), $13.258MM: Declined
- Justin Gilbert, CB (Browns): Not applicable due to release
- Kyle Fuller, CB, (Bears), $8.526MM: Declined
- Calvin Pryor, S (Jets), $5.597MM: Declined
- Johnny Manziel, QB (Browns): Not applicable due to release
- Marcus Smith, DE (Eagles), $8.625MM: Declined
- Dominique Easley, DT (Rams): Not applicable due to release
- Teddy Bridgewater, QB (Vikings), $12.198MM: Declined
PFR Originals: 4/23/17 – 4/30/17
The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:
- The 2017 NFL Draft is in the books! We kept track of each and every selection, both by round and by team. Make sure to bookmark those pages for a record of which prospects landed where.
- Heading into the draft, Zach Links and I conducted a 2017 live mock draft, basing our picks on what we would do were we in charge of each club. Things didn’t quite turn out the same way in the actual draft, but it was still a fun exercise.
- The Browns, unsurprisingly, owned the most 2017 draft capital after amassing a number of picks over the past calendar year, while the Patriots owned the least following draft pick trades that brought in veterans. Here’s a full list of how much draft capital each club had entering the draft.
- Teams have until May 3 to exercise or decline their 2018 fifth-year options of 2014 first-round picks. Follow along with PFR’s 2018 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker.
2017 NFL Draft Results By Round
Listed below are all 253 picks of the 2017 NFL draft, broken down by round, and featuring trades.
Here are the complete 2017 NFL draft results:
Round One:
- Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, LB (Texas A&M)
- Chicago Bears (from San Francisco): Mitch Trubisky, QB (North Carolina)
- San Francisco 49ers (from Chicago): Solomon Thomas, DT (Stanford)
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Fournette, RB (LSU)
- Tennessee Titans (from Los Angeles Rams): Corey Davis, WR (Western Michigan)
- New York Jets: Jamal Adams, S (LSU)
- Los Angeles Chargers: Mike Williams, WR (Clemson)
- Carolina Panthers: Christian McCaffrey, RB (Stanford)
- Cincinnati Bengals: John Ross, WR (Washington)
- Kansas City Chiefs (from Buffalo): Patrick Mahomes, QB (Texas Tech)
- New Orleans Saints: Marshon Lattimore, CB (Ohio State)
- Houston Texans (from Philadelphia via Cleveland): Deshaun Watson, QB (Clemson)
- Arizona Cardinals: Haason Reddick, LB (Temple)
- Philadelphia Eagles (from Minnesota): Derek Barnett, DE (Tennessee)
- Indianapolis Colts: Malik Hooker, S (Ohio State)
- Baltimore Ravens: Marlon Humphrey, CB (Alabama)
- Washington Redskins: Jonathan Allen, DL (Alabama)
- Tennessee Titans: Adoree’ Jackson, CB (USC)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: O.J. Howard, TE (Alabama)
- Denver Broncos: Garett Bolles, T (Utah)
- Detroit Lions: Jarrad Davis, LB (Florida)
- Miami Dolphins: Charles Harris, DE (Missouri)
- New York Giants: Evan Engram, TE (Mississippi)
- Oakland Raiders: Gareon Conley, CB (Ohio State)
- Cleveland Browns (from Houston): Jabrill Peppers, S (Michigan)
- Atlanta Falcons (from Seattle): Takkarist McKinley, DE (UCLA)
- Buffalo Bills (from Kansas City): Tre’Davious White, CB (LSU)
- Dallas Cowboys: Taco Charlton, DE (Michigan)
- Cleveland Browns (from Green Bay): David Njoku, TE (Miami)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: T.J. Watt, LB (Wisconsin)
- San Francisco 49ers (from Atlanta via Seattle): Reuben Foster, LB (Alabama)
- New Orleans Saints (from Patriots): Ryan Ramczyk, T (Wisconsin)
Round Two:
- Green Bay Packers (from Cleveland): Kevin King, CB (Washington)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (from San Francisco via Seattle): Cam Robinson, T (Alabama)
- Seattle Seahawks (from Jacksonville): Malik McDowell, DT (Michigan State)
- Arizona Cardinals (from Chicago): Budda Baker, S (Washington)
- Buffalo Bills (from Los Angeles Rams): Zay Jones, WR (East Carolina)
- Los Angeles Chargers: Forrest Lamp, OL (Western Kentucky)
- New York Jets: Marcus Maye, S (Florida)
- Carolina Panthers: Curtis Samuel, RB (Ohio State)
- Minnesota Vikings (from Cincinnati): Dalvin Cook, RB (Florida State)
- New Orleans Saints: Marcus Williams, S (Utah)
- Philadelphia Eagles: Sidney Jones, CB (Washington)
- Los Angeles Rams (from Buffalo Bills): Gerald Everett, TE (South Alabama)
- Chicago Bears (from Arizona): Adam Shaheen, TE (Ashland)
- Indianapolis Colts: Quincy Wilson, CB (Florida)
- Baltimore Ravens: Tyus Bowser, LB (Houston)
- Cincinnati Bengals (from Minnesota); Joe Mixon, RB (Oklahoma)
- Washington Redskins: Ryan Anderson, LB (Alabama)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Justin Evans, S (Texas A&M)
- Denver Broncos: DeMarcus Walker, DE (Florida State)
- Cleveland Browns (from Tennessee): DeShone Kizer, QB (Notre Dame)
- Detroit Lions: Teez Tabor, CB (Florida)
- Miami Dolphins: Raekwon McMillan, LB (Ohio State)
- New York Giants: Dalvin Tomlinson, DT (Alabama)
- Oakland Raiders: Obi Melifonwu, S (UConn)
- Houston Texans: Zach Cunningham, LB (Vanderbilt)
- Seattle Seahawks: Ethan Pocic, OL (LSU)
- Kansas City Chiefs: Tanoh Kpassagnon, DL (Villanova)
- Dallas Cowboys: Chidobe Awuzie, CB (Colorado)
- Green Bay Packers: Josh Jones, S (North Carolina State)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR (USC)
- Buffalo Bills (from Atlanta): Dion Dawkins, OL (Temple)
- Carolina Panthers (from New England): Taylor Moton, OL (Western Michigan)
Round Three:
- Cleveland Browns: Larry Ogunjobi, DT (Charlotte)
- San Francisco 49ers: Ahkello Witherspoon, CB (Colorado)
- New Orleans Saints (from Chicago via San Francisco): Alvin Kamara, RB (Tennessee)
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Dawuane Smoot, DL (Illinois)
- Los Angeles Rams: Cooper Kupp, WR (Eastern Washington)
- Minnesota Vikings (from New York Jets): Pat Elflein, OL (Ohio State)
- Los Angeles Chargers: Dan Feeney, OL (Indiana)
- Tennesee Titans (from Carolina via New England): Taywan Taylor, WR (Western Kentucky)
- Cincinnati Bengals: Jordan Willis, DE (Kansas State)
- Baltimore Ravens (from Philadelphia): Chris Wormley, DT (Michigan)
- Atlanta Falcons (from Buffalo): Duke Riley, LB (LSU)
- New Orleans Saints: Alex Anzalone, LB (Florida)
- Carolina Panthers (from Arizona): Daeshon Hall, DL (Texas A&M)
- Baltimore Ravens: Tim Williams, LB (Alabama)
- New York Jets (from Minnesota): ArDarius Stewart, WR (Alabama)
- Indianapolis Colts: Tarell Basham, DE (Ohio)
- Washington Redskins: Fabian Moreau, CB (UCLA)
- Denver Broncos: Carlos Henderson, WR (Louisiana Tech)
- New England Patriots (from Tennessee): Derek Rivers, DE (Youngstown State)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chris Godwin, WR (Penn State)
- New England Patriots (from Detroit): Antonio Garcia, OL (Troy)
- Kansas City Chiefs (from Miami via Minnesota): Kareem Hunt, RB (Toledo)
- New York Giants: Davis Webb, QB (California)
- Oakland Raiders: Eddie Vanderdoes, DT (UCLA)
- Houston Texans: D’Onta Foreman, RB (Texas)
- Seattle Seahawks: Shaquill Griffin, CB (UCF)
- Los Angles Rams (from Kansas City via Buffalo): John Johnson, S (Boston College)
- Dallas Cowboys: Jourdan Lewis, CB (Michigan)
- Green Bay Packers: Montravius Adams, DT (Auburn)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Cameron Sutton, CB (Tennessee)
- Seattle Seahawks (from Atlanta): Delano Hill, S (Michigan)
- Detroit Lions (from New England): Kenny Golladay, WR (Northern Illinois)
- Miami Dolphins (compensatory): Cordrea Tankersley, CB (Clemson)
- Arizona Cardinals (from Carolina) (compensatory): Chad Williams, WR (Grambling State)
- Philadelphia Eagles (from Baltimore) (compensatory): Rasul Douglas, CB (West Virginia)
- Tennessee Titans (from Los Angeles Rams) (compensatory): Jonnu Smith, TE (FIU)
- Denver Broncos (compensatory): Brendan Langley, CB (Lamar)
- Seattle Seahawks (compensatory): Nazair Jones, DL (North Carolina)
- New Orleans Saints (from Cleveland via New England) (compensatory): Trey Hendrickson, DE (Florida Atlantic)
- San Francisco 49ers (from Kansas City via Minnesota) (compensatory): C.J. Beathard, QB (Iowa)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (compensatory): James Conner, RB (Pittsburgh)
- Seattle Seahawks (compensatory): Amara Darboh, WR (Michigan)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from New York Jets) (compensatory): Kendell Beckwith, LB (LSU)
Round Four:
- Green Bay Packers (from Cleveland): Vince Biegel, LB (Wisconsin)
- Minnesota Vikings (from San Francisco): Jaleel Johnson, DT (Iowa)
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Dede Westbrook, WR (Oklahoma)
- Seattle Seahawks (from Chicago via San Francisco): Tedric Thompson, S (Colorado)
- Chicago Bears (from Los Angeles Rams): Eddie Jackson, S (Alabama)
- Los Angeles Chargers: Rayshawn Jenkins, S (Miami)
- Washington Redskins (from New York Jets): Samaje Perine, RB (Oklahoma)
- Arizona Cardinals (from Carolina): Dorian Johnson, OL (Pittsburgh)
- Cincinnati Bengals: Carl Lawson, DE (Auburn)
- Los Angles Rams (from Buffalo via Chicago): Josh Reynolds, WR (Texas A&M)
New England Patriots(from New Orleans) — lost due to NFL discipline (Deflategate) - Philadelphia Eagles: Mack Hollins, WR (North Carolina)
- Chicago Bears (from Arizona): Tarik Cohen, RB (North Carolina A&T)
- Minnesota Vikings: Ben Gedeon, LB, Michigan
- San Francisco 49ers (from Indianapolis): Joe Williams, RB (Utah)
- Baltimore Ravens: Nico Siragusa, OL (San Diego State)
- Washington Redskins: Montae Nicholson, S (Michigan State)
- Detroit Lions (from Tennessee via New England): Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB (Tennessee)
- Los Angeles Rams (from Tampa Bay via New York Jets): Samson Ebukam, LB (Eastern Washington)
- Cleveland Browns (from Denver): Howard Wilson, CB (Houston)
- Detroit Lions: Michael Roberts, TE (Toledo)
- Cincinnati Bengals (from Miami via Minnesota): Josh Malone, WR (Tennessee)
- Oakland Raiders: David Sharpe, OL (Florida)
- Houston Texans: Julien Davenport, OL (Bucknell)
- New England Patriots (from Seattle): Deatrich Wise, DL (Arkansas)
- Philadelphia Eagles (from Kansas City via Minnesota): Donnel Pumphrey, RB (San Diego State)
- Dallas Cowboys: Ryan Switzer, WR (North Carolina)
- Green Bay Packers: Jamaal Williams, RB (BYU)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Joshua Dobbs, QB (Tennessee)
- Atlanta Falcons: Sean Harlow, OL (Oregon State)
- Indianapolis Colts (from New England): Zach Banner, OL (USC)
- Cincinnati Bengals (compensatory): Ryan Glasgow, DT (Michigan)
- Kansas City Chiefs (from Cleveland via Philadelphia and Minnesota) (compensatory): Jehu Chesson, WR (Michigan)
- New York Giants — downgraded due to NFL discipline (walkie-talkies): Wayne Gallman, RB (Clemson)
- New York Jets (from Los Angeles Rams) (compensatory): Chad Hansen, WR (California)
- Houston Texans (from Cleveland) (compensatory): Carlos Watkins, DL (Clemson)
- Indianapolis Colts (from San Francisco) (compensatory): Marlon Mack, RB (USF)
- Indianapolis Colts (compensatory): Grover Stewart, DL (Albany State)
Round Five:
- Denver Broncos (from Cleveland): Jake Butt, TE (Michigan)
- San Francisco 49ers: George Kittle, TE (Iowa)
- Chicago Bears: Jordan Morgan, OL (Kutztown)
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Blair Brown, LB (Ohio)
- Atlanta Falcons (from Los Angeles Rams via Buffalo): Damontae Kazee, CB (San Diego State)
- New York Jets: Jordan Leggett, TE (Clemson)
- Los Angeles Chargers: Desmond King, DB (Iowa)
- Carolina Panthers: Corn Elder, CB (Miami)
- Cincinnati Bengals: Jake Elliott, K (Memphis)
- Washington Redskins (from New Orleans): Jeremy Sprinkle, TE (Arkansas)
- Tennessee Titans (from Philadelphia): Jayon Brown, LB (UCLA)
- Atlanta Falcons (from Buffalo): Brian Hill, RB (Wyoming)
- Arizona Cardinals: Will Holden, OL (Vanderbilt)
- Indianapolis Colts: Nate Hairston, CB (Temple)
- Baltimore Ravens: Jermaine Eluemunor, OL (Texas A&M)
- Cleveland Browns (from Minnesota via New York Jets): Roderick Johnson, OL (Florida State)
- Indianapolis Colts (from Washington via San Francisco): Anthony Walker, LB (Northwestern)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jeremy McNichols, RB (Boise State)
- Buffalo Bills (from Denver via New England): Matt Milano, LB (Boston College)
- Miami Dolphins (from Tennessee via Philadelphia): Isaac Asiata, OL (Utah)
- Detroit Lions: Jamal Agnew, DB (San Diego)
- Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami): Shelton Gibson, WR (West Virginia)
- New York Giants: Avery Moss, DE (Youngstown State)
- Oakland Raiders: Marquel Lee, LB (Wake Forest)
- Houston Texans: Treston Decoud, S (Oregon State)
Seattle Seahawks— lost due to NFL discpline (offseason contact policy) - Minnesota Vikings (from Kansas City): Rodney Adams, WR (USF)
- Buffalo Bills (from Dallas): Nathan Peterman, QB (Pittsburgh)
- Denver Broncos (from Green Bay): Isaiah McKenzie, WR, (Georgia)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Brian Allen, CB (Utah)
- Atlanta Falcons: Eric Saubert, TE (Drake)
- Green Bay Packers (from New England via Cleveland and Denver): DeAngelo Yancey, WR (Purdue)
- Cincinnati Bengals (compensatory): J.J. Dielman, OL (Utah)
- San Francisco 49ers (from Denver) (compensatory): Trent Taylor, WR (Louisiana Tech)
- Miami Dolphins (compensatory): Davon Godchaux, DT (LSU)
- Arizona Cardinals (compensatory): T.J. Logan, RB (North Carolina)
- Minnesota Vikings (from Kansas City) (compensatory): Danny Isidora, OL (Miami)
- New York Jets (from Cleveland) (compensatory): Dylan Donahue, LB (West Georgia)
- Green Bay Packers (compensatory): Aaron Jones, RB (UTEP)
- Kansas City Chiefs (from New England) (compensatory): Ukeme Eligwe, LB (Georgia Southern)
- Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami) (compensatory): Nathan Gerry, S (Nebraska)
Round Six:
- Cleveland Browns: Caleb Brantley, DL (Florida)
- Baltimore Ravens (from San Francisco): Chuck Clark, S (Virginia Tech)
- Seattle Seahawks (from Jacksonville): Mike Tyson, S (Cincinnati)
- New York Jets (from Chicago via Houston and Cleveland): Elijah McGuire, RB (Louisiana-Lafayette)
- Los Angeles Rams: Tanzel Smart, DT (Tulane)
- Los Angeles Chargers: Sam Tevi, T (Utah)
- Dallas Cowboys (from New York Jets): Xavier Woods, S (Louisiana Tech)
- Carolina Panthers: Alex Armah, FB (West Georgia)
- Cincinnati Bengals: Jordan Evans, LB (Oklahoma)
- Miami Dolphins (from Philadelphia): Vincent Taylor, DT (Oklahoma State)
- Buffalo Bills: Tanner Vallejo, LB (Boise State)
- New Orleans Saints: Al-Quadin Muhammad, DE (Miami)
- New York Jets (from Arizona via Chicago and Los Angeles Rams): Jeremy Clark, CB (Michigan)
- San Francisco 49ers (from Baltimore): D.J. Jones, DT (Ole Miss)
- Washington Redskins (from Minnesota): Chase Roullier, C (Wyoming)
- New York Giants (from Indianapolis via New England and Tennessee): Adam Bisnowaty, T (Pittsburgh)
- Minnesota Vikings (from Washington): Bucky Hodges, TE (Virginia)
- San Francisco 49ers (from Denver): Pita Taumoepenu, DE (Utah)
- Denver Broncos (from Tennessee): DeAngelo Henderson, RB (Coastal Carolina)
- New York Jets (from Tampa Bay): Derrick Jones, CB (Mississippi)
- Detroit Lions: Jeremiah Ledbetter, DT (Arkansas)
- Los Angeles Rams (from Miami): Sam Rogers, FB (Virginia Tech)
- Cincinnati Bengals (from New York Giants via Tennessee): Brandon Wilson, S (Houston)
- Arizona Cardinals (from Oakland): Johnathan Ford, S (Auburn)
- Washington Redskins (from Houston): Robert Davis, WR (Georgia State)
- Seattle Seahawks: Justin Senior, T (Mississippi State)
Kansas City Chiefs— lost pick due to NFL discipline (tampering) - New England Patriots (from Dallas): Conor McDermott, T (UCLA)
- Green Bay Packers: Kofi Amichia, T (USF)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Colin Holba, LS (Louisville)
- Philadelphia Eagles (from Atlanta via Tennessee): Elijah Qualls, DT (Washington)
- Detroit Lions (from New England): Brad Kaaya, QB (Miami)
- Dallas Cowboys (from Kansas City via New England) (compensatory): Marquez White, CB (Florida State)
- Tennessee Titans (from Cincinnati) (compensatory): Corey Levin, OL (Chattanooga)
- Kansas City Chiefs (compensatory): Leon McQuay III, S (USC)
Round Seven:
- Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland via San Francisco): Stacy Coley, WR (Miami)
- Minnesota Vikings (from San Francisco via Washington): Ifeadi Odenigbo, DE (Northwestern)
- Oakland Raiders (from Chicago via Arizona): Shalom Luani, DB (Washington State)
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Jalen Myrick, CB (Minnesota)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Los Angeles Rams via Miami): Steve Tu’ikolovatu, DT (USC)
- Cleveland Browns (from New York Jets): Zane Gonzalez, K (Arizona State)
- Los Angeles Chargers: Isaac Rochell, DT (Notre Dame)
- Seattle Seahawks (from Carolina): David Moore, WR (East Central Oklahoma)
- Tennessee Titans (from Cincinnati): Josh Carraway, LB (TCU)
- Dallas Cowboys (from Buffalo): Joey Ivie, DT (Florida)
- San Francisco 49ers (from New Orleans): Adrian Colbert, CB (Miami)
- Washington Redskins (from Philadelphia via Minnesota): Josh Harvey-Clemons, S (Louisville)
- Oakland Raiders (from Arizona): Jylan Ware, T (Alabama State)
- Minnesota Vikings: Elijah Lee, LB (Kansas State)
- Carolina Panthers (from Indianapolis via Cleveland): Harrison Butker, K (Georgia Tech)
- Los Angeles Rams (from Baltimore): Ejuan Price, DE (Pittsburgh)
- Washington Redskins: Joshua Holsey, S (Auburn)
- Tennessee Titans: Brad Seaton, T (Villanova)
- Miami Dolphins (from Tampa Bay): Isaiah Ford, WR (Virginia Tech)
- Green Bay Packers (from Denver): Devante Mays, RB (Utah State)
- Dallas Cowboys (from Detroit via New England): Noah Brown, WR (Ohio State)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (from Miami): Marquez Williams, FB (Miami)
- Tennessee Titans (from New York Giants): Khalfani Muhammad, RB (California)
- Oakland Raiders: Elijah Hood, RB (North Carolina)
- Houston Texans: Kyle Fuller, C (Baylor)
- Oakland Raiders (from Seattle): Treyvon Hester, DT (Toledo)
- Minnesota Vikings (from Kansas City): Jack Tocho, CB (North Carolina State)
- Dallas Cowboys: Jordan Carrell, DE (Colorado)
- Green Bay Packers: Malachi Dupre, WR (LSU)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Keion Adams, LB (Western Michigan)
- Seattle Seahawks (from Atlanta): Chris Carson, RB (Oklahoma)
- Detroit Lions (from New England): Pat O’Connor, DE (Eastern Michigan)
- Cincinnati Bengals (compensatory): Mason Schreck, TE (Buffalo)
- Cleveland Browns (from Denver) (compensatory): Matthew Dayes, RB (North Carolina State)
- Denver Broncos (compensatory): Chad Kelly, QB (Mississippi)