East Rumors: Jets, Flowers, Giants
The Jets had cursory talks with the Titans about moving up for the No. 2 , but they weren’t exploring the move to try and land Marcus Mariota, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East..
- Brandon Scherff was higher on the Giants‘ board than Ereck Flowers, but they did not expect Scherff to get to No. 9, Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News tweets. Many speculated that the Giants were left scrambling at No. 9 with Scherff off the board, but it sounds like they were never banking on the Iowa standout.
- The Giants did not make any effort to trade up to the Jets‘ No. 6 pick when USC defensive end Leonard Williams fell to the Jets at that spot, Vacchiano tweets.
- Despite a report to the contrary, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter) says the Dolphins have never expressed interest in Evan Mathis of the Eagles.
- More from Salguero (link), who notes that the Dolphins wanted Todd Gurley. According to a team source, they were prepared to move up for him, but didn’t expect him to go as high as he did. “It’s not like we sat on our hands while he went No. 13. He went No. 10,” the source said.
- The Cowboys taking Byron Jones in the first round should create some leverage for a Brandon Carr pay cut and give the Cowboys the upper hand in Orlando Scandrick‘s contract dispute, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com tweets.
Eagles Rumors: Bradford, Kelly, Mariota
Chip Kelly did not trade up for Marcus Mariota, but he did manage to make himself one of the most talked about people last night. The latest from Philly..
- The Eagles are backpedaling publicly, but they were offering up Sam Bradford to the Titans and Buccaneers “like he was a slice of pizza,” Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report tweets.
- The Titans communicated to the Eagles last night that they’d have to top the Robert Griffin III deal to get Mariota, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets. Despite denials from both Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt and Kelly, Breer hears (link) that one concept discussed would have had the Eagles sending first-round picks in ’15, ’16, and ’17, plus a second-round pick, but that still wasn’t enough. He adds that players were not seriously discussed in those talks.
- After the Eagles tried to trade Bradford and failed, the quarterback now has the upper hand in contract talks, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.
King On Rivers, Eagles, Mariota
Philip Rivers was never in serious play for the Titans, Peter King of The MMQB writes. The Chargers made it clear they were not trading him from the get-go and that proved to be the truth. Here’s the latest from King..
- The Eagles never offered players as part of a package to obtain Marcus Mariota. In fact, King says that Chip Kelly never offered the widely rumored packages of either three first-round picks or two first-round picks and Sam Bradford, in an attempt to obtain the No. 2 pick from the Titans. The Titans basically scared off suitors because they continually told teams they wanted to take Mariota and that would it would take a king’s ransom to obtain the pick. [It should be noted that King’s report doesn’t address the mammoth offer reportedly made to the Bucs for the No. 1 pick. Kelly has denied that story but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter) stands by it.]
- The Bears expressed some interest in moving up from No. 7 to No. 2 to pick Mariota, but the Bears weren’t all that desperate for him and the Titans had no interest in Jay Cutler.
- Ken Whisenhunt, meanwhile, told King that he always wanted Mariota and any talk to the contrary was untrue. “I said it all along—he excited me. I really wanted him. In the end, it wasn’t a difficult decision to stay at two and pick Marcus,” the coach said.
- King gets the sense that if Kelly had gone crazy and offered three ones and a couple of starting defensive players, the Titans brass would have had to sit down and consider it. However, that still probably wouldn’t have gotten it done as the Titans really wanted their quarterback of the future.
- The Mariota pick might have been made possible in part by a conversation between Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Whisenhunt in which the ex-Eagles coach explained how he was glad that he took Donovan McNabb in 1999 rather than trading that pick to Mike Ditka‘s Saints, who were gunning for Ricky Williams.
Draft Rumors: DGB, Ray, Bradford, Falcons
Troubled receiver Dorial Green-Beckham received a lot of interest from teams in the middle of round one, but none selected him, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link), who suggests that in 2014 (before the NFL dealt with numerous high-profile off-the-field incidents) DGB would have been selected already.
More from the draft…
- Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff says he’s not opposed to trading back into the first round, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
- Another NFC GM — Rick Spielman of the Vikings — doesn’t think his club will be able to get back into Round One, given that they didn’t acquire any extra ammunition by trading back from No. 11 (Twitter link via Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune).
- The Broncos thought they needed to move ahead of the Ravens to get Shane Ray, justifying their trade with the Lions, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- Browns GM Ray Farmer says he never officially made an offer for the No. 2 pick, tweets Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
- Eagles head coach Chip Kelly says he’s still interested in an extension with Sam Bradford (Twitter link via Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News), and added that he offered no players to either the Titans or the Buccaneers (Twitter link via Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com).
Extra Points: Mariota, Welker, Forte, Gurley
The Titans will not trade Marcus Mariota after selecting him second overall, GM Ruston Webster said, per Paul Kuharksy of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Moreover, he’ll be the Week 1 starter, says head coach Ken Whisenhunt (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean). Additionally, despite reports that Zach Mettenberger wants to be traded, Webster says he think the incumbent QB will come to embrace his new backup role, adding that Mettenberger won’t be traded (link).
- Free agent receiver Wes Welker has been cleared to play by a top concussion expert, according to Mike Klis of 9 News, who writes that Dr. Stanley Herring (a member of the NFL’s Head, Neck, and Spine Committee) has given Welker the green light. The 33-year-old Welker indicated in February that he intends to play in 2015 despite a myriad of health concerns.
- Despite the fact that he wasn’t present at voluntary workouts, Bears running back Matt Forte doesn’t intend to stage a training camp holdout as he angles for a new contract, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. Though Forte admits he wants an extension, and says he and GM Ryan Pace discussed such a deal earlier this offseason, Forte realizes he has little to no leverage in the situation.
- Todd Gurley was the No. 1 player on the Rams’ board, so choosing him at No. 10 was an easy call, per Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link).
- The Eagles apparently aren’t interested in players with character concerns, as neither Marcus Peters nor Dorial Green-Beckham is on their board, reports Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
Details On Eagles’ Proposed Trade Package
According to multiple reports, the Eagles have been most aggressive in their efforts to move up to the top of the draft to land quarterback Marcus Mariota, having had discussions with both the Titans at No. 2 and the Buccaneers at No. 1. Now, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com has details on what Chip Kelly and the Eagles are offering to move up from No. 20.
According to Rapoport (via Twitter), Philadelphia’s proposed package would include two first-round picks (including this year’s), a third-round pick, defensive lineman Fletcher Cox, cornerback Brandon Boykin, linebacker Mychal Kendricks, and more. Rapoport adds that Sam Bradford has also been included in the Eagles’ offers (Twitter link).
Rapoport’s report on the Eagles’ proposal backs up Jason La Canfora’s tweet that Philadelphia’s offer is “substantial.” According to La Canfora, the Browns remain willing to include both their first-round picks in an offer to the Titans, but Cleveland likely won’t come close to trumping the Eagles’ offer (Twitter links).
For now, at least, the Titans and Buccaneers both appear inclined to stay put.
Bucs Committed To Drafting Winston; Deal Unlikely
5:50pm: The Buccaneers are committed to drafting Winston with the first overall pick at this point, and don’t feel they’ll receive enough value to make a trade worthwhile, tweets Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.
5:35pm: Within the past hour, the Bucs have been receiving calls about trading the first overall pick, including one from the Eagles, but nothing is happening on that front at the moment, per Werder (all Twitter links). Werder adds that NFL sources who are most familiar with Tampa Bay’s coaching staff and management team are convinced that the club won’t give up its chance to draft Winston.
4:56pm: While a number of teams have spoken to the Titans about the No. 2 overall pick and Marcus Mariota, it’s “pretty clear” that the Eagles are the team most aggressively pursuing that selection, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Meanwhile, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report tweets that the Titans aren’t the only team at the top of the draft getting calls about their pick — the Buccaneers are also receiving inquiries about the first overall pick.
If the Titans aren’t budging off of No. 2, it makes sense that the Eagles would contact the Bucs about the first overall pick — Tampa Bay might not want quite as massive a haul as Tennessee, and perhaps talking to both teams could give Philadelphia some leverage in trade discussions. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, there are indeed rumblings that the Eagles could set their sights on that first overall pick, though it’s not clear what combination of picks and players the Bucs might want for it.
Although the Eagles still could make a last-ditch effort for that first overall pick, Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) has been assured twice by his “most trusted” Bucs source that, as of 45 minutes ago, the team isn’t discussing a deal with Philadelphia. However, Werder adds (via Twitter) that GM Jason Licht‘s colleagues have told him he’ll be surprised how many offers come in late, so Tampa Bay isn’t locking in that No. 1 pick quite yet.
I doubt the Eagles will put an offer on the table that makes the Bucs part with the first overall pick, but if the club has any lingering doubts about Jameis Winston‘s off-field behavior, the idea of loading up on draft picks and/or established NFL veterans could have some appeal. At this point though, a deal appears very unlikely.
Marcus Mariota Rumors: Thursday
Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota are the consensus top two quarterbacks in this year’s draft class, and while Winston is considered by many to be the more NFL-ready QB, it’s Mariota who is dominating headlines as the first round nears. With Winston viewed as a near-lock to come off the board first overall to the Buccaneers, the big question heading into tonight is which team will end up with Mariota, either at No. 2 or a little later.
Here’s the latest on Mariota and that No. 2 overall pick:
- Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) identifies the Eagles and Browns as the top two contenders for Mariota and the No. 2 pick, suggesting that Philadelphia is willing to put Sam Bradford, Mychal Kendricks, and Fletcher Cox on the table in trade talks. According to Cole, the Titans want a 2016 first-round pick in any deal, and are looking to somehow come away with a potential franchise quarterback, since that would raise the value of an organization that may be sold within the next couple years.
- If the Eagles want to get from No. 20 to No. 2, they may need to go through the Browns at No. 12, sending Bradford to Cleveland, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. I don’t think the Browns would give up the No. 12 pick for Bradford straight up, and it would still take quite a bit to move from No. 12 to No. 2.
- Despite the obstacles, the Eagles continue to make a serious bid for the second overall pick, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
- While there are no offers currently on the table that would make the Titans bite, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) fully expects those offers to improve over the next few hours.
- Earlier today, the Rams, Jets, and Bears were also mentioned as teams that have spoken to Tennessee about the No. 2 overall pick.
First-Round Rumors: Titans, Mariota, Rams
The Titans‘ No. 2 overall pick appears to be the hottest trade chip on the market today, and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter link) hears that the club has spoken to the Rams and the Jets, in addition to the Browns and Eagles. According to ESPN’s Bob Holtzman, the Titans are “open for business” when it comes to trading the second overall pick, but the team is using the Robert Griffin III trade as a point of reference, which would mean getting three first-rounders for the No. 2 pick.
Multiple reporters, including Jay Glazer of Fox Sports and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links), are suggesting that the Titans’ asking price is massive. Rapoport points out that Tennessee is seeking such a huge return that it’s making rival teams think the Titans just want to draft Marcus Mariota and be done with it.
As we wait to see what the Titans will do with their pick, let’s check in on a few more first-round rumors…
- Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (on Twitter) hears from multiple sources that UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks is in the mix for the Cardinals in round one.
- The Rams‘ discussions with the Titans haven’t amounted to anything “meaningful” at this point, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Meanwhile, Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that the Rams may be looking at bailing out of the top 10 and picking up more picks. The Jets and Washington have also been cited as potential trade-down candidates in the top 10.
- Browns coach Mike Pettine told NFL Network’s Andrea Kremer that “opinions on Marcus Mariota in this building are varied,” according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (via Twitter). Cabot notes (link) that opinions on Johnny Manziel inside the building were varied too, but that didn’t stop the Browns from drafting him in 2014. She also hears that the Browns do not want to surrender their first-rounder in 2016 to land the Oregon quarterback (link).
- A big problem for the Browns in any potential trade involving Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford is that he may not negotiate a long-term deal anytime soon with the Browns, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. Bradford may prefer to be dealt to the Titans and, presumably, would be more open to a long-term deal there.
- In the event that the Browns acquire Sam Bradford or another quarterback, the Cowboys will not be interested in trading for Johnny Manziel to replace Brandon Weeden, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets.
- NFL.com’s Michael Silver says that the Jaguars are a team to keep an eye on as they could move their high second round choice to get back into the back third of the first round.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Pompei On Flowers, Mariota, Cooper
Ereck Flowers could be the surprise player to go in the top ten, Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report tweets. The reason for that? The murky La’el Collins situation could vault him up the board. Here’s more draft news from Pompei..
- The Titans have been doing a lot of talking, but as of this point the chances are very good they will stay put and take Marcus Mariota at No. 2 (link).
- The Rams are a wildcard. They could move up for Amari Cooper and, if they don’t, they could drop back (link).
- Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff is hot with the Giants, Rams, Jets, Washington, and others potentially in play (link). If there’s a trade up made beyond the top five, it could be for him, Pompei reasons.
- The Jets and Washington are the most likely trade-down candidates (link).
- Meanwhile, the Falcons, Rams, Browns, and Eagles are the most likely to trade up (link).