September 3rd, 2017 at 11:55am CST by Dallas Robinson
The Panthers have claimed quarterback Brad Kaaya off waivers from the Lions, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link).
Kaaya, 21, had been in the first-round discussion as recently as 2015, but a poor 2016 campaign at Miami caused him to fall to Round 6. Detroit waived him yesterday, opting to go forward with only Jake Rudock behind starter Matthew Stafford.
Carolina only has two signal-callers — Cam Newton and Derek Anderson — on its current roster. Kaaya could either serve as the club’s third quarterback, or the Panthers could attempt to sneak him through waivers again with the intention of placing him on their practice squad.
September 2nd, 2017 at 12:32pm CST by Sam Robinson
The Lions informed rookie quarterback Brad Kaaya he did not make their 53-man roster, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Detroit drafted Kaaya in the sixth round out of Miami, bringing him in to develop behind Matthew Stafford and Jake Rudock. But Kaaya’s Lions progression might end early. The former Hurricanes standout will be placed on waivers and could be a Lions practice squad option if he makes it through, but that’s not a given.
Kaaya loomed as a possible Day 2 or early-Day 3 pick during the pre-draft process, but he fell to the sixth round. This cut comes shortly after reports circulated Rudock was generating trade interest, but it appears the Lions will stick with the second-year backup — a 2016 sixth-round pick.
The Lions are planning a position switch for a recent draft pick. Additions of D.J. Hayden, Teez Tabor and fifth-round pick Jamal Agnew at cornerback led the Lions to ask their 2015 third-rounder — Alex Carter — to relocate to safety, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports. This would stand to give Carter a better chance to make the roster and attempt to launch a career that hasn’t taken off yet. The former Stanford performer has only played in one NFL game in two years. A 2015 ankle injury put Carter on IR, and the team didn’t see enough from him in 2016 to activate him for more than one contest.
At safety, Detroit has starters Glover Quin — who is in a contract year — and Tavon Wilson, with backups Miles Killebrew and Don Carey behind them. It’s a thinner situation than cornerback looks, as Roster Resource details, but Meinke notes Carter is no lock to make the team. More is expected of Killebrew, a 2016 fourth-round selection, in Year 2, and Carey is a constant on special teams. Jim Caldwell identified Carter’s frame, at 6-foot and 205 pounds, as a reason for the move.
Here’s more out of the Motor City.
The Chiefs made one of the more surprising moves of the offseason by making Jeremy Maclin an old-school, June 2 cut. Maclin immediately vaults to the top of the UFA wide receiver contingent, and the Lions could still be in need of a third reliable wideout after Anquan Boldin‘s contract expired. Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com weighs the fit for Maclin in Detroit, noting the salary would have to be right. Maclin just saw the Chiefs move on from a five-year, $55MM contract. That said, Maclin, at 29, probably profiles as a player who will want a role more substantial than as a No. 3 behind Golden Tate and Marvin Jones. Tate earns $6.2MM per year, and Jones averages $8MM annually. A Maclin commitment may be untenable. Boldin fits that description better, but the sides haven’t talked a deal in a while.
June 1 passing means the Lions do, however, gain $5.99MM in cap space after the funds from DeAndre Levy‘s release became available, as Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap notes. The Lions now possess $8.638MM in cap space. Levy’s deal will saddle the team with $4.8MM in 2017 dead money.
Third-round wide receiver Kenny Golladay remains the only Lions draft choice unsigned. This is due to the CBA’s cloudier language regarding third-round picks, with Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press noting third-rounders’ base salaries in Years 2-4 of their contracts can fluctuate compared to players chosen in every other round of the draft. Golladay, though, is working out with the team and expected to be signed by training camp.
Jarrad Davis signed a fully guaranteed rookie deal worth $10.969MM, Birkett reports. Davis receives a $6.117MM signing bonus. Tabor, assigned to travel from Florida to the Motor City a round after Davis, saw the Lions fully guarantee the base salaries in his first two seasons. Tabor’s signing bonus came in at $1.647MM, per Birkett. Both ex-Gators will have $465K base salaries as rookies.
Sixth-round quarterback Brad Kaaya signed for four years and $2.523MM after being a one-time Day 2 prospect, Birkett reports, with a $123K signing bonus. None of the Lions’ draft choices received any additional bonuses beyond their signing bonus.
Of the 15 quarterbacks selected in last year’s draft, seven ended up starting at least one regular-season game in 2016. The Rams’ Jared Goff and the Eagles’ Carson Wentz comprised the top two picks of the draft, but it was Cowboys fourth-round signal-caller Dak Prescott, the 135th overall choice, who ultimately emerged as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and the face of a 13-3 team.
When the Cowboys drafted Prescott, there was little expectation he’d garner significant playing time right away, let alone thrive from the get-go, with Tony Romo on the roster. But debilitating summer injuries to Romo and backup Kellen Moore opened the door for Prescott, who’s now firmly entrenched under center in Dallas. Romo, realizing he wasn’t going to start again for the Cowboys, is now working for CBS.
While it’s hard to imagine any rookie quarterback from this year’s 10-man class bursting on the scene in Prescott-like fashion, it stands to reason at least some will get opportunities to do so. Like last year, three passers went in the first round of the 2017 draft, though immediate playing time isn’t a guarantee for any. For now, Mitch Trubisky (No. 2 overall, Bears), Patrick Mahomes (No. 10, Chiefs) and Deshaun Watson (No. 12, Texans) are in understudy roles.
Trubisky, a one-year starter at North Carolina for whom Chicago somewhat controversially traded up a spot to select, reportedly won’t see the field as a rookie unless free agent investment Mike Glennon flops. Considering Glennon previously held a starting job in Tampa Bay but didn’t do enough to keep it, he very well could struggle enough for Trubisky to grab the reins in 2017.
Watson might also take the helm sooner than later, as the ex-Clemson national championship winner whom the Texans traded up 13 spots to draft is behind a veteran, Tom Savage, who’s almost completely untested. Given that the Texans have sullied quality rosters with subpar quarterbacks in recent seasons, it could behoove them to plug in Watson if Savage, he of two career starts and zero touchdown passes, looks like another Brock Osweiler this year.
An early path to playing time appears less clear for Mahomes, even though Kansas City paid a high price to go up 17 places to secure him. At the moment, the ex-Texas Tech gunslinger looks like a good bet to red shirt 2017 behind Alex Smith as the Chiefs take at least one more kick at the Super Bowl can with the steady (albeit non-elite) veteran at the helm.
Perhaps more than any other QB in this year’s class, Browns second-rounder DeShone Kizer stands out as someone who looks destined to amass playing time as a rookie. The 52nd pick and former Notre Dame dual threat has impressed in the very early going in Cleveland. Moreover, his main competitors for the Browns’ open starting job, Osweiler and Cody Kessler, aren’t exactly Otto Graham and Bernie Kosar.
As Prescott and 2012 third-rounder Russell Wilson have shown in the past half-decade, a quarterback doesn’t necessarily have to come off the board at the top of the draft to star right away. That’s surely heartening to the Giants’ Davis Webb (third round, No. 87), the 49ers’ C.J. Beathard (third round, No. 104), the Steelers’ Joshua Dobbs(fourth round, No. 135), the Bills’ Nathan Peterman (fifth round, No. 171), the Lions’ Brad Kaaya (sixth round, No. 215) and the Broncos’ Chad Kelly (seventh round, No. 253). Barring injuries, though, Webb, Dobbs and Kaaya have virtually no chance to earn starting roles at any point in 2017, as each is behind an established veteran. On the other hand, there’s no Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger or Matthew Stafford on any of the rosters of the 49ers, Bills and Broncos, which could give Beathard, Peterman and Kelly a glimmer of hope. Still, for various reasons, all three look like major long shots to break out as rookies. Then again, the same could’ve been said about Prescott 12 months ago.
As far as draft picks go, Northern Illinois wide receiver Kenny Golladayis the only player that has yet to put pen to paper. The reason for the delay is not known, but third round picks often take longer to sign than other picks as things are less rigid in those slots.
Davis was said to be a target of the Dolphins at No. 22, so it’s a good thing that the Lions were up at No. 21. Davis impressed scouts at his Pro Day when he posted a 4.56 40-yard dash and 38.5 inch vertical jump. As shown on Roster Resource, Davis may be in for a starting role in 2017.
Tabor fell to the Lions at No. 53 but some draft analysts, like NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, felt that he should have gone much higher. The Florida product suffered a hamstring injury during his workout with Detroit and was unable to audition for other teams, so that might explain why he was still available. Then again, we’ve seen “pretend injuries” before, so it’s possible there was a wink-wink deal between Tabor’s team and the Lions.
Kaaya was said to have one of the highest football IQs of any quarterback in this year’s class. It remains to be seen whether he has the arm to make it as an NFL quarterback, but the Lions believe that he can be a solid backup QB, at minimum.
According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter), Valoaga got $22K guaranteed ($12K bonus, $10K base) to sign with Detroit. Typically, UDFAs get around $5K, so that’s a sign that Valoaga had at least a few teams interested in adding him to the 90-man roster.
The Texans believe their visit with Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes on Sunday and Monday went “extremely well,” sources told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Mahomes agrees, telling Chase Goodbread of NFL.com: “I feel like a lot of coaches like me, but especially coach O’Brien. I think my personality and how real I am, those are things beyond what I can do on the field that he likes. It seemed like the way I was answering questions, I think he knew that I knew what was going on. You can tell when coaches have a confidence in you.” O’Brien reportedly “absolutely loves” Mahomes, though there has been skepticism about the idea of the Texans using their first-round pick (No. 25) on the local gunslinger. If they do pass on a QB there, drafting a signal-caller later would seem likely. That could be Miami’s Brad Kaaya, whom the Texans met with Wednesday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Kaaya is a mid-round-caliber prospect.
More draft-related news and rumblings:
Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizerworked out for the Cardinals on Wednesday, according to Dianna Russini of ESPN (Twitter link). Arizona was already familiar with Kizer before Wednesday, having met with him April 10. The Cardinals own the 13th pick, with which they could take Kizer, though questions about his attitude and maturity might force him out of the first round. With veteran starter Carson Palmerset to take each Wednesday off during the upcoming season, Kizer or any other QB the Cardinals select will be in position to helm the first-team offense once a week in practice.
With the Kizer workout in the rearview, the Cardinals will turn their attention to a meeting with Temple linebacker Haason Reddick, tweets Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910. Like Kizer, Reddick is a prospective first-rounder. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com regards Reddick as the 20th-best player in this year’s class, noting he’s “a three-down linebacker with the versatility to play inside or outside depending on the scheme or game plan.”
The Dolphins “love” both Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett and Western Kentucky guard Forrest Lamp, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Either could be possibilities for the Dolphins at No. 22 overall, though Salguero urges Miami to take Barnett if he’s still on the board, arguing that defensive end is a much more pressing need for the club than guard.
The Jaguars hosted Alabama offensive tackle Cam Robinsonfor a two-day visit earlier this month, and the team took another look at him Wednesday in the form of a workout, relays Rapoport (on Twitter). While Robinson will probably go in the first round, this is not a strong tackle class; thus, it seems unlikely the Jags would spend the fourth overall choice on him.
There’s reportedly a chance LSU running backLeonard Fournette will go No. 1 overall to the Browns in this month’s draft, but Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com doesn’t expect that to happen. The odds of coming off the board with the top pick continue to favor Texas A&M edge defender Myles Garrett, though Cleveland could give some consideration to North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky, notes Cabot. The Browns do have another first-rounder, No. 12 overall, and they’d have interest in taking Fournette there, Cabot writes. However, it doesn’t seem as if Fournette will still be available then.
Garrett, meanwhile, informed Sam Alipour of ESPN The Magazine that he wants the Browns to draft him, vowing to get revenge if they don’t. On why he should be the first choice this year, Garrett offered: “Because I’ll be a difference maker from day one. And I’m not gonna be in any trouble. I’m just gonna make plays and bring a good atmosphere to your organization. And I’m gonna start winning and winning now. And because if you don’t draft me No. 1, I will punish your team for the next 10 to 12 years. I’ll knock your QB out of the game every time we play you, and I’ll have to kick the hell out of No. 1, whoever it is.”
More of the latest draft-related news:
Buffalo continues to show interest in potential first-round quarterbacks. The Doug Whaley-led Bills, who are reportedly “in love” with Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, met with Trubisky on Sunday. Before doing that, the Bills worked out Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer on Saturday, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Team brass, including owner Terry Pegula, also had dinner with Kizer.
University of Washington cornerback Kevin King will visit the Eagles, Raiders, Browns and Ravens this week, reports FOX Sports’ Charles Davis (on Twitter). King, a prospective first-rounder, received an invitation to the draft, adds Davis.
University of Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya met with Dolphins head coach Adam Gase last week, relays Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The Dolphins are unlikely to end up with the projected mid-rounder, though, as they probably won’t consider selecting a signal-caller until late in the draft, per Jackson.
The Jets did not make a real effort to re-sign Geno Smith, as NJ.com’s Connor Hughes writes. When asked whether he had any contact with the quarterback during free agency, coach Todd Bowles replied, “No. I would have been happy to have him back. But things don’t work out like that all the time.” Smith will now look for a fresh start with the other tenant of the Meadowlands.
More from the East Coast:
With Smith on hand, the Big Blue QB depth chart could get crowded as the team is open to taking a signal-caller early in the draft. The Giants had scouts at the pro days for Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and Miami’s Brad Kaaya, tweets James Kratch of NJ.com. Kaaya had an encouraging showing at his pro day, per Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). He would seemingly be a more realistic target for the Giants than Watson, who could be off the board when the Giants’ first-round pick (No. 23) comes up. Kaaya might have to wait until Day 3 to come off the board.
The Cowboys had two big-time defensive end prospects, Michigan’s Taco Charlton and UCLA’s Takkarist McKinley, in for visits, according to the Dallas Morning News. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com ranks both players among his top 25, though McKinley could be on the shelf until late in the summer after undergoing shoulder surgery. Dallas is also looking at Washington cornerback Kevin King, whom it worked out, relays Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). King has the makings of a Day 1 pick, so he could be a possibility for the Cowboys at No. 28.
Eagles defensive back Ron Brooks took a pay cut Friday, reports Field Yates of ESPN (via Twitter). He’s now slated to make $1MM in 2017, down from the $1.85MM he had been scheduled to collect. The Eagles also changed 2018 into an option season for Brooks, whom they signed to a three-year, $6MM deal last March. Brooks missed most of last season with a ruptured quad, appearing in six games and picking up five starts.
Defensive end Chris Long‘s two-year contract with the Eagles is worth $4.5MM plus incentives, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (Twitter link).
January 27th, 2017 at 7:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson
At least one NFL scout believes that Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya made a “huge mistake” by declaring for the 2017 draft, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. In fact, nearly every source at the Senior Bowl thinks that Kaaya will still be on the board on Day 3 of the draft, when Rounds 4-7 take place. The Bears, for one, have already been linked to Kaaya, whom some scouts have called the smartest of this year’s QB crop.
Here’s more on the draft:
Several NFL teams are moving Iowa defensive back Desmond King from their cornerback boards to their safety lists, per Pauline. King, whom Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com (Insider link) ranks as the sixth-best CB available, has teams worried due to his lack of speed, which could be negated by shifting to the back end. King manged 14 interceptions and 33 passes defensed during his four-year run with the Hawkeyes.
Clubs are split on North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky due to his lack of starting experience, Pauline writes in a separate article. Trubisky started only 13 games, all in 2016, before deciding to enter the draft, but is still likely to become a first-round selection. The Jets are reportedly high on the Tar Heel signal-caller, but Pauline said that enthusiasm has been somewhat “tempered,” though New York is still among the cadre of teams that will consider Trubisky.
Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon did not receive a first-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board as he previously stated, and in fact, did not receive a grade at all as Oklahoma did not submit his name to the committee, reports Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Mixon, of course, was caught on video striking a woman during an altercation in a restaurant, and some evaluators believe he may now go undrafted. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, however, hears Mixon could be selected as high as the second round.
Miller passes on quite a few more notes in his must-read Scouting Notebook, including the fact that Florida’s Quincy Wilson has surpassed Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore on many cornerback boards, and that scout are infatuated with the depth of this year’s running back class.
Miami quarterback Brad Kaaya will enter the NFL Draft, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Kaaya has long been expected to go pro this year and take advantage of a weak QB crop. Reportedly, the Bears are among the teams that are fond of him and some say he has the highest football IQ of any QB in this year’s class.
Wisconsin standout T.J. Watt announced that he is NFL-bound. After tallying 63 tackles and 11.5 sacks in 14 games, Watt stands as one of the very best outside linebackers in this year’s class. The younger brother of Texans superstar J.J. Watt is expected to go within the first two rounds.
Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley declared for the draft this week. It has been long expected that the fourth-year junior would forego his final year on campus to go pro. Conley is one of the best cornerbacks available this year and projects as a late first-round or early second-round pick.
Stanford defensive lineman Solomon Thomas announced that he is declaring for the NFL Draft. Thomas could potentially be a first round pick, but he is in competition with an uncommonly stacked defensive end class.
