AFC Links: Collins, Dorsett, Timmons
One of the highest-regarded undrafted free agents in history, La’el Collins figures to be a premier topic in May as he attempts to begin a now-unorthodox career.
The Titans, however, won’t be among the teams pursuing the ex-LSU lineman that was a surefire first-round pick as recently as earlier this week, according to The Tennesseean’s Jim Wyatt on Twitter. The team remains in need of a right tackle but did add two interior linemen in the draft — guard Jeremiah Poutasi and center Andy Gallik in the third and sixth rounds, respectively.
Here is some additional news from around the AFC.
- The Colts‘ draft puzzled Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel, with the team adding players in key spots that may not be able to contribute much this season — one with immense expectations. Doyel argues the team did not address needs of defensive tackle and safety early enough, with one of each added on Day 3. Indianapolis ranked 18th in run defense last season. Part-time players last year, Josh Chapman and Montori Hughes, are the Colts’ top two nose tackle options.
- The crux of Doyel’s argument, first-round pick Phillip Dorsett, could also find himself a key player in the Colts’ offense from the start, writes the Indianapolis Star’s Stephen Holder. Dorsett, CFL import Duron Carter and former All-Pro Andre Johnson add to a loaded wideout corps that was at times slowed by descending veterans Reggie Wayne and Hakeem Nicks last year. Holder wonders if the 34-year-old Johnson will give way to Dorsett in some three-wide sets or when the Colts deploy the two-tight end look they often do.
- One of now four linebackers with first-round pedigrees in Pittsburgh, Lawrence Timmons is in line for a contract extension come 2016, reports Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The Steelers’ second-highest-paid player and NFL’s best-compensated inside linebacker’s current deal that pays him $12.6MM this season and $11.8MM next year runs through ’16.
- With just two starters locked in for this season up front, the Broncos are positioning their offensive line youngsters less than three days after acquiring them. Second-round choice Ty Sambrailo will open his career at right tackle, where the Broncos have a glaring need after using three players there last year, while versatile fourth-rounder Max Garcia will begin work behind Louis Vasquez at right guard, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Last year’s third-rounder, Michael Schofield, didn’t suit up for a game as a rookie despite the Broncos’ right tackle issues and is now playing behind Ryan Clady at left tackle.
- Mel Kiper Jr. envisions Ravens second-round pick Maxx Williams as an offensive rookie of the year candidate, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The ESPN draft veteran also opined Breshad Perriman will be a better player than Torrey Smith.
Steelers Reach Agreements With 12 UDFAs
The Steelers have agreed to deals with 12 undrafted free agents, writes Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk. Here are the names:
- Cameron Clear, TE, Texas A&M
- Nigel Crawford-Kinney, DT, Saint Augustine
- Dominique Davis, DE, Liberty
- Miles Dieffenbach, OG, Penn State
- Reese Dismukes, OG, Auburn
- B.J. Finney, C, Kansas State
- Tyler Murphy, QB/WR, Boston College ($4,500 bonus, per Aaron Wilson)
- Brandon Prate, DE, Illinois State ($1k bonus, per Wilson)
- Collin Rahrig, OG, Indiana
- Eli Rogers, WR, Louisville
- Ross Scheuerman, RB, Lafayette
- Kevin Whimpey, OT, Utah State
AFC Notes: Steelers, Ravens, Chargers
Before drafting Mississippi cornerback Senquez Golson with the 56th overall pick, the Steelers tried to move up and take Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams, tweets Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review. The Steelers were unable to pull it off, however, and Williams ended up going 55th to the AFC North rival Ravens, who traded up to get ahead of Pittsburgh. Not surprisingly, that displeased the Steelers, according to Kaboly.
While the Steelers may not have been happy to see their division rivals land Williams, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) doesn’t think they were going to take the tight end themselves in that spot — according to La Canfora, Pittsburgh was “locked in” on Golson at No. 56.
Here are a few more draft-related leftovers from day two, from around the AFC…
- Speaking of the Ravens, they’re eyeing some of the draft’s remaining cornerbacks, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter).
- The Chargers had discussions with multiple teams about moving down in the second round, but they decided to stay put because they wanted Miami linebacker Denzel Perryman, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. The Bolts took Perryman 48th overall.
- Broncos general manager John Elway didn’t consider taking a quarterback in the third round, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post. The Broncos instead used the 92nd overall pick on Ohio State tight end Jeff Heuerman.
- Discussing the teams’ day two draft picks, Texans GM Rick Smith said linebacker Benardrick McKinney was the highest-rated player on the club’s board when the second round began, and added that Jaelen Strong‘s injured wrist was medically cleared by the Texans’ staff prior to the draft (Twitter links via Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle).
- Josh Cribbs became expendable for the Colts when the team drafted Phillip Dorsett in the first round, and Indianapolis released Cribbs earlier today. According to GM Ryan Grigson, the club wanted to give the veteran returner a chance to find “greener pastures,” tweets Mike Chappell of RTV6.
Top Teams In Round Two Taking Calls
3:54pm: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) adds the Seahawks and Falcons to the list of teams that may want to move up to the early part of the second round.
3:36pm: There were only two trades completed during the first round of the NFL draft last night, but it sounds like the action could pick up tonight when the second round gets underway. According to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter), both the Titans and Buccaneers, picking 33rd and 34th respectively, have fielded calls for their picks. Breer adds that clubs interested in moving up may be targeting wide receivers and/or offensive linemen.
Meanwhile, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link) confirms that the Titans and other teams at the top of the second round are indeed receiving trade inquiries. According to Schefter, one team with interest in moving up is the Steelers.
It’s not clear which player the Steelers would be targeting if they were to move up in the second round, but Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets that the team has its eye on a particular cornerback, and may have to move up to land him. If Pittsburgh doesn’t get that player, the team may wait until the third round to take a corner, according to Dulac.
There’s no shortage of teams that may have interest in moving up in the second round. Earlier today, Marc Sessler of NFL.com identified the Cowboys, Browns, Cardinals, Lions, and Saints as candidates to trade up; other clubs that have an excess of picks and may not want to use them all include the Colts, Texans, 49ers, Chiefs, and Broncos.
Draft Rumors: K. Johnson, Hundley, Peters
The latest draft notes…
- The ceiling for Wake Forest corner Kevin Johnson is the Dolphins at pick No. 14, while his floor is the Steelers with the 22nd pick, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
- With the Browns considered likely to select a quarterback at some point in the draft, Pat McManamon of ESPN.com tweets that the club showed “absolutely zero interest” in UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley.
- The Saints have been trying to trade up for a pass rusher, and might have Vic Beasley in mind, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
- Marcus Peters is not on the Cowboys’ draft board, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Draft Rumors: Collins, Gregory, DGB, Spain
There’s “some suspicion” that LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins may go undrafted all three days this weekend, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Even though Collins is not considered a suspect in a Louisiana police investigation, the case involves a shooting death and NFL investigators haven’t been able to uncover much info on it, so teams figure to play it safe until they know more. In an effort to buy time to clear his name, Collins asked for permission to withdraw from his draft and be eligible for the supplemental draft instead, but the league denied that request.
Here’s more on the draft:
- A personnel man whose team has a top-10 pick tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) that his team is preparing to draft Nebraska edge rusher Randy Gregory tonight. “We’re not going to let him get past us,” Getlin’s source said. That sounds like it could be a smoke screen, given all the negative reports swirling around Gregory this week. Still, according to Getlin, this personnel man believes Gregory may be the most talented player in the draft, likening him to Derrick Brooks and Jason Taylor (Twitter links).
- A source close to Dorial Green-Beckham‘s camp tells Danny Parkins of 610 AM in Kansas City (Twitter link) that the Chiefs, Cowboys, Bengals, Texans, and 49ers have shown “a lot” of interest in the young wideout within the last 36 hours.
- West Virginia offensive lineman Quinton Spain, who received a fourth-round grade from some teams, worked out for the Jets, Steelers, Bengals, Titans, Falcons, and Buccaneers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
- Albert Breer of the NFL Network identifies six teams he believes can control this year’s draft.
Steelers Re-Sign Robert Golden
The Steelers have re-signed safety Robert Golden, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun, who tweets that the restricted free agent signed his tender to remain with the team. Because Golden was tendered at the lowest level by Pittsburgh, he’ll be in line for a $1.542MM salary in 2015.
Golden, 24, has played all but one regular season game for the Steelers since joining the club in 2012, but has yet to see significant action on defense. In those three seasons, Golden has played just 107 defensive snaps, contributing more regularly on special teams — he has 17 tackles in kick and punt coverage over the last two years.
Despite Golden’s limited contributions – and the team’s limited cap flexibility – the Steelers saw enough out of the Arizona product that they were willing to tender him a one-year contract offer. With Troy Polamalu no longer in the mix in Pittsburgh’s secondary, it’s possible Golden will see his role expanded for the 2015 season.
Assuming he earns the necessary service time this coming season, Golden will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2016.
AFC North Notes: Flacco, Steelers, Browns
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is upbeat about new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. Although Trestman and Bears quarterback Jay Cutler were not successful together (especially in 2014), Flacco believes that he’ll get along just fine with his OC. “Everybody likes Marc, I think he’s a bright guy,” Flacco said Saturday night. “I think he’s running the meetings well. I think he’s doing some really good things. We’re evolving a little bit. I think he’s going to be a good fit.”
Antonio Brown Seeking New Contract
APRIL 27, 10:41am: A week after it was reported that Brown wouldn’t attend the Steelers’ offseason program, he is in attendance today, according to photos posted by the team’s official Twitter account. As Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com note (Twitter links), the wideout is still seeking a new contract, but has decided to take a different approach to the negotiations by reporting to workouts.
APRIL 20, 10:07am: Antonio Brown was arguably the league’s best wide receiver in 2014, leading the NFL in both receptions (129) and receiving yards (1,698). Now, it appears the Steelers wideout is looking for a new contract that better reflects that production.
According to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, Brown won’t attend Pittsburgh’s offseason workout, and is mulling possibly holding out for minicamp and training camp as well, as he seeks a new deal. Garafolo adds that the receiver and his camp have approached the team about redoing his contract.
Brown, a former sixth-round pick, signed his first big, long-term contract in 2012, agreeing to a five-year, $41.7MM pact. That deal pays him over $8MM per year, but that annual average value is outside the top 10 at his position, and places him behind players like Victor Cruz and Pierre Garcon.
Presumably, Brown would want a bump in salary to at least the $11MM per year range, which is what this year’s top free agent wideout, Jeremy Maclin, received. Of course, Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas were kept off the free agent market with franchise tags that will pay them salaries worth $12.823MM in 2015, so perhaps Brown will be seeking an annual salary closer to that neighborhood.
Although 2014 was the first time Brown led the league in either catches or receptions, his first All-Pro season certainly didn’t come out of nowhere. In 2013, the 26-year-old racked up 110 catches and 1,499 yards, placing him second in the NFL in both categories.
While the Steelers don’t have a ton of cap space available this year, a new deal for Brown could reduce his $9.788MM cap number, so that shouldn’t be an issue. However, the team should be wary of adding too significantly to the later years of Brown’s deal — he’s already slated for cap hits of $12MM+ in 2016 and nearly $11MM in 2017, and a new signing bonus would increase those figures if his future salaries aren’t reduced.
North Notes: Browns, A. Brown, Vikings
The Browns have drafted a quarterback in the first round in two of the past three seasons, and by the time their first pick in this week’s draft rolls around–they hold the N0. 12 overall selection–the top two quarterbacks in the class, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, will be long gone. After those two signal-callers, the general consensus is that the drop-off to the next tier of QBs is pretty steep.
But Cleveland needs a quarterback. They’ve needed one since they rejoined the league in 1999. Which is why, despite their recent investments at the quarterback position, investments that can only be classified as abject failures at this point, they may consider moving up in the draft to nab Mariota. Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that the Browns’ interest in Mariota is “very real,” but whether they decide to pull the trigger and trade up would of course depend on the price. Trading up to the No. 2 overall pick–which they may have to do, since the Titans, who currently hold that selection, are reportedly more interested in Mariota than many originally believed–would probably be too cost-prohibitive.
But if Mariota slides past Tennessee, than the Browns may be tempted. In addition to the No. 12 overall pick, they also hold the No. 19 selection, so they have the ammunition to move up. Given the team’s series of missteps at quarterback, such a move would certainly make Browns fans nervous, but until Cleveland gets a franchise player under center, they will continue to stare up at the other three teams in their division. Despite his shortcomings, Mariota has the chance to be that player if the system, and the price, is right.
Now for some more notes from the league’s north divisions:
- Antonio Brown, who is coming off a magnificent 2014 campaign, is reportedly trying to renegotiate his current contract with the Steelers. But as Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes, Pittsburgh holds all the cards at the moment. Brown would suffer significant fines, signing bonus give-backs, and lost wages if he were to hold out beyond voluntary workouts and OTAs this spring, and the Steelers simply do not renegotiate this early in a player’s contract (Brown still has three years left on his current deal).
- Matt Vensel of The Star Tribune looks at a few key positions the Vikings might target in the first round of the 2015 draft and makes an argument for each. Ultimately, he concludes that trading back might represent the team’s best option.
- Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press says all signs point to the Vikings selecting Michigan State corner Trae Waynes in Thursday’s first round.
- Although Matt Forte‘s decision to skip the opening phase of the Bears‘ offseason program was reported, Martellus Bennett‘s decision to do the same thing went unannounced. Bennett is coming off a career year, but the average annual salary of his current deal ($5.1MM) puts him fairly low on the list of the league’s highest-paid tight ends. As ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson writes, the team has a three-day voluntary minicamp scheduled for Tuesday through Thursday of the coming week, and the Bears will have a better idea of Forte’s and Bennett’s offseason intentions at that time.
- Kyle Meinke of MLive.com ranks the Lions‘ pre-draft needs, with the guard position topping the list.