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Jameis Winston

NFC South Notes: Falcons, Winston, Parker, Tillman

April 11th, 2015 at 4:53pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Falcons have visited the University of Miami to get a closer look at some of the draft’s most intriguing prospects. The team will workout Phillip Dorsett, Duke Johnson, Clive Walford, Ladarius Gunter, and Ereck Flowers, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). He also writes the team will meet with Denzel Perryman, who will not be working out for the team.

The team also worked out defensive lineman Anthony Chickillo while in Coral Gables, according to Ledbetter (via Twitter).

Here are a few more notes from around the NFC South:

  • The Buccaneers are expected to take Jameis Winston with the first-overall pick, and if there were any doubts about how the fans would react, those were put to rest Thursday. Winston’s appearance on a video board during the team’s Q&A session in front of fans drew a roar of applause, the loudest of the night according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.
  • The Saints will host Louisville receiver DeVante Parker for a pre-draft visit, according to Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. Terrell outlines some of Parker’s strengths and weaknesses, noting that Parker will likely be drafted in the early-to-mid first round. The Saints select 13th overall, but after drafting Brandin Cooks last year, might look elsewhere early in the draft.
  • The Panthers attempted to bolster their secondary by signing cornerback Charles Tillman. Tillman’s one-year contract is worth $1.75MM, which includes a $350,000 signing bonus, $150,000 roster bonus, and $15,625 in per gamer roster bonuses, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Wilson adds that the Tillman deal is expected to include incentives to increase the total value (via Twitter).

AFC East Notes: Winston, Peters, Williams

April 11th, 2015 at 3:38pm CST by Rob DiRe

Many reports and mock drafts have the Jets chasing a quarterback in round one, either by waiting to select Marcus Mariota at No. 6 or by trading up with the Titans to ensure they get their quarterback at No. 2.

However, projected first-overall pick Jameis Winston will visit the Jets prior to the draft according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. They were originally planning on meeting with Winston following his Pro Day, but decided it would be unnecessary after a thorough exhibition of his talents.

Something must have changed between his Pro Day and now, as the visit is back on. It is still unlikely Winston would fall to the Jets at No. 6, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes if the Buccaneers are actually planning to pass on the Heisman Trophy winner, they might look to trade the pick. In that case, the Jets could consider moving all the way up to No. 1 for Winston.

Here are a few other notes from around the AFC East:

  • The Jets have shown interest in Washington cornerback Marcus Peters, according to Mehta (via Twitter). Peters will visit with the Jets before the draft, but it’s unlikely the team would target him with the sixth overall pick. The corner has had some off the field troubles, but is still widely regarded as a first-round talent.
  • The Patriots have been linked to two separate Williams in the NFL Draft, the first of which is tight end Maxx Williams from Minnesota. Nik Beimler of WEEI.com gives a draft profile of Williams, noting the Patriots could target him with the last pick of the first round to pair with Rob Gronkowski. Williams is expected to be the first tight end off the board.
  • The other Williams is P.J. Williams, the cornerback out of Florida State. Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com looks at whether or not the team would take a chance on the troubled defensive back, who was arrested earlier this month with a DUI. Although the team would be wary, Curran could see them taking a chance on Williams.

Draft Notes: Rams, Jets, 49ers

April 11th, 2015 at 10:25am CST by Ben Levine

When the Rams swapped quarterback Sam Bradford for Nick Foles, it was expected that the former Eagles signal-caller wouldn’t be the organization’s longterm answer at the position. So, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the Rams will work out both Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota next week, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (on Twitter).

Of course, the workouts aren’t a guarantee that the organization will select a quarterback. As Breer points out, the Rams brought in Johnny Manziel twice last year, but they ultimately decided against drafting the rookie.

Let’s take a look at where more of the draft’s top prospects will be visiting…

  • Besides the top two prospects, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says (via Twitter) the Rams have “shown varying degrees of interest” in quarterbacks Garrett Grayson, Brett Hundley, and Sean Mannion.
  • Despite canceling their private workout with the quarterback, the Jets will bring in Jameis Winston for a visit, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Following the prospects impressive Pro Day, the organization decided they didn’t need to see much more.
  • The Jets will bring in Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty for a pre-draft visit, reports Mehta (via Twitter). The former Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year won a pair of Big 12 Championships during his tenure with the Bears.
  • Virginia outside linebacker Eli Harold will visit the Jets, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. Harold, who finished last season with seven sacks and 14.5 tackles for a loss, is project to be a late-first/early-second round pick.
  • LSU cornerback Jalen Collins will pay a visit to the 49ers next week, according to Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). The reporter notes that Collins has about ten pre-draft visits scheduled, including workouts with the Vikings and Panthers.

Extra Points: Hardy, Winston, Eagles, Saints

April 10th, 2015 at 10:38pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Some tidbits from around the NFL as Friday evening comes to a close…

  • The Cowboys and newly signed defensive end Greg Hardy continue to await the NFL’s decision regarding the star pass rusher’s forthcoming suspension for domestic violence issues. Hardy will likely sit four to six games with the possibility of the amount being cut in half after appeal, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Tim Cowlishaw.
  • Despite his overwhelming success on the field, Florida State quarterback and potential No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston had some concerning moments away from the gridiron during his time with the Seminoles. Because of that, David Cornwell – one of Winston’s advisors – cautions that Winston doesn’t yet have everything it takes to be an NFL player. “Jameis is ready to be an NFL player on the field. He’s not ready to be an NFL player off the field,” Cornwell said Friday, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “The idea that, standing alone, he’s ready to get into this shark-invested pool, it’s crazy.”
  • Although the Eagles acquired quarterback Sam Bradford earlier this offseason, they continue to be linked to one of the draft’s top two QBs, Marcus Mariota, largely because of his time at Oregon with Chip Kelly. The Eagles won’t be able to land Mariota with the 20th overall pick, and ESPN’s Ron Jaworski believes Mariota is a prospect for whom moving up in the draft is justifiable. “You have to mortage your future,” Jaworski said on Philly Sports Talk, according to CSNPhilly.com. “I know [Kelly] says he’s not going to, but what mortgage means is you get something now and you pay later.”  If Kelly ultimately does trade up for Mariota, it would likely mean moving into the top five – which would carry a steep cost for the Eagles.
  • Larry Holder of NOLA.com took a look at some under-the-radar Saints issues heading into the 2015 season, with the status of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan being one area of interest. After overseeing the second-worst defense in the league in 2014, Ryan’s job is far from secure going forward, according to Holder – who believes newly hired assistant Dennis Allen could take over if head coach Sean Payton elects to make an in-season change.

South Notes: Winston, Titans, David, Draft

April 9th, 2015 at 6:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston is expected to be selected by the Buccaneers with the draft’s first overall pick, but the Titans, owners of the No. 2 pick, are covering all their bases. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), Winston will be in Nashville on Monday to meet with Titans. Tennessee met with Oregon QB Marcus Mariota today, so the club is certainly exploring every avenue when it comes to signal-callers.

Let’s take a look at more from the South divisions…

  • One of the top outside linebackers in the NFL, Lavonte David isn’t tied to a fifth-year option given that he was selected in the second round. Now that David is entering the final year of his rookie deal, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht says extending the star OLB will be a top priority for the club following the draft (Twitter link via Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune).
  • Licht also allowed that the Buccaneers will probably look to select offensive lineman in the draft, noting that scheme fit will be a key concern, per Cummings (on Twitter).
  • Like the Bucs, the Panthers are in need of offensive line help, and Carolina native D.J. Humphries could be available at the end of the first round. The Florida product seems excited about the possibility of returning home, telling reporters, including David Newton of ESPN.com, that “being in Charlotte would be awesome.”
  • Given that the Titans already re-signed Derrick Morgan and brought in Brian Orakpo, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com examines whether it makes sense for the club to target an edge rusher in the draft.

Draft Updates: Mariota, White, Falcons, Jags

April 9th, 2015 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The previously-reported visits for top draft prospects Marcus Mariota, Leonard Williams, and Dante Fowler Jr. are all happening today for the Titans, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Although the Titans are getting a closer look at Mariota, another team in the top five apparently won’t get an opportunity to do so. Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that Washington had planned to bring in Mariota for a visit, but the two sides couldn’t work out a time, so that trip is now off.

The news may not mean anything significant, but Charles Robinson notes in his latest piece for Yahoo! Sports that sources around the league are skeptical that Washington is truly interested in selecting Mariota with the No. 5 overall pick. “They’re trying to create leverage to get someone to [trade] up,” said one AFC personnel source.

With a report today suggesting that the Browns have real interest in moving up for Mariota, the Oregon quarterback is certainly generating the most draft buzz this week, but we have plenty of updates on other prospects as well. Here’s the latest:

  • Within Robinson’s previously-linked piece, he notes that Buccaneers ownership will ultimately make the final call on whether or not to draft Jameis Winston, adding that there have been some internal questions about the community relations impact of selecting Winston.
  • Kevin White, arguably the top receiving prospect in this year’s class, said today that he’s setting up visits with the Jets, Bears, Rams, and Giants, per Ross Tucker of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).
  • The Falcons are hosting a pair of top-tier pass rushers today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Clemson’s Vic Beasley and Kentucky’s Bud Dupree are in town.
  • Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union provides a full list of the 20 prospects that visited the Jaguars this week. While we’ve passed along many of those names already, there are also plenty of new ones: Javorius “Buck” Allen (RB, USC), T.J. Yeldon (RB, Alabama), Amari Cooper (WR, Alabama), Rashad Greene (WR, FSU), DeAndre Smelter (WR, Georgia Tech), Cedric Ogbuehi (T, Texas A&M), Andrus Peat (T, Stanford), Eli Harold (DE, Virginia), Arik Armstead (DL, Oregon), Landon Collins (S, Alabama), and Trae Waynes (CB, Michigan State).
  • In addition to visiting the Eagles, UCF wide receiver Breshad Perriman met with the Raiders, Colts, and Steelers this week, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
  • Washington cornerback Marcus Peters, Stanford cornerback Alex Carter, and Virginia linebacker Max Valles made visits to Pittsburgh to meet with the Steelers today, tweets Scott Brown of ESPN.com.
  • The Giants, Steelers, and Texans have hosted visits for Ohio State cornerback Doran Grant, who has also worked out for the Cowboys, Raiders, and Buccaneers, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.

Buccaneers Notes: Mariota, Winston, Draft

April 8th, 2015 at 5:27pm CST by Ben Levine

The Buccaneers have been busy the past couple of days, as they traveled to Oregon on Tuesday to work out quarterback Marcus Mariota before flying to Tallahassee, Florida to meet with Jameis Winston this afternoon. Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole provided some insight into the organization’s thinking, and he suggests an explanation for why the team may ultimately pass on Winston for Mariota:

“What the Buccaneers are attempting to do in this situation is to get as close a live look as they possibly can… to make sure that they have it as fresh in their minds what these two players look like, how they handle themselves, [and] how they conduct themselves. While the Buccaneers are still overwhelmingly expected to take Jameis Winston with the number one overall pick, there is some thinking and consideration about Marcus Mariota, and ultimately, whether off-field issues regarding Winston will eventually push the Buccaneers to take Mariota instead of Winston.”

Let’s take a look at some more draft notes out of Tampa…

  • Albert Breer of the NFL Network believes there’s a sense of support for Mariota within the Buccaneers organization (Twitter link).
  • Defensive end/linebacker Nate Orchard will meet with the Buccaneers, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The former Utah standout, who recorded 18.5 sacks this past season, previously met with the Bills and Steelers.
  • Defensive end Andrew Hudson will also meet with the Bucs, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). The former Washington Husky recorded 12.5 sacks as a senior.

South Notes: Lewis, Wisniewski, Winston

April 6th, 2015 at 5:33pm CST by Zachary Links

Former kicker Lawrence Tynes has filed a lawsuit against the Buccaneers stemming from his contraction of MRSA at the team’s facilities a couple of years ago, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (via Twitter). Tynes’ lawsuit alleges Bucs’ handling of the MRSA situation “ended his career and cost him over $20 million in expected future earnings” (link).

  • The Jaguars could create demand for Marcedes Lewis by converting some of his $6.65MM base salary into a bonus, Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union writes. He adds that such a move would appear to be the best route for the Jaguars to acquire an extra late-round pick. Last month it was reported that the tight end was drawing trade interest. At the time, Jaguars GM David Caldwell told reporters that Lewis would “have to compete to be” with the Jaguars in 2015. Lewis, 31 in May, played in only eight games last season after suffering a high ankle sprain in September.
  • If the Titans signed Stefen Wisniewski, he’d compete with Brian Schwenke for the starting center job, and Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter) posits that he could find a more clear-cut starting job elsewhere.
  • The Buccaneers need to win quickly and that’s why Jameis Winston will likely be their No. 1 pick over Marcus Mariota, Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com writes. The Bucs have talked to more than 75 of Winston’s acquaintances while doing their homework. Before all is said and done, the ESPN.com scribe says that number could be closer to 100.

Sunday Roundup: Manziel, Broncos, Cowboys

April 5th, 2015 at 10:13pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Some notes from around the NFL:

  • This offseason has been one to forget for Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel, who has spent time in rehab and seen his future in Cleveland come into question since his rookie year ended. The latest blow comes from one of the Browns’ most respected players, offensive tackle Joe Thomas. The eight-time Pro Bowler said that Manziel “lost a lot of trust last year by the way he handled himself,” according to Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com (via Twitter).
  • With the hiring of Gary Kubiak as their head coach, the Broncos’ offense will feature a fullback for the first time since 2012, writes Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. “My thing is that to be really effective in the running game, you have to run the fullback,” said general manager John Elway, per Renck. “We will have people in the fullback position.” As of now, the leading candidates for the job are Juwan Thompson and Joe Don Duncan.
  • The Dallas Morning News’ Bob Sturm profiled Utah defensive back Eric Rowe. Sturm sees Rowe a potential fit for the Cowboys in the upcoming draft, possibly as early as the first round. The Cowboys hold the 27th overall pick.
  • The Colts, Buccaneers, Packers and 49ers are the only four teams in the league with fewer than three quarterbacks, according to Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk. The Bucs are the sole member of the group without an established starter, which is likely to change in the draft. Tampa has the No. 1 overall pick, with which it could select either Florida State’s Jameis Winston or Oregon’s Marcus Mariota. The other three squads are also candidates to draft QBs, albeit not in the first round.

NFC South Notes: Winston, Underwood, Wilson

April 3rd, 2015 at 9:42pm CST by Rob DiRe

No one from the Buccaneers, the NFL, or any other NFL team has reached out to Jameis Winston‘s rape accuser for background information, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Given the climate of the NFL in the wake of the scandals surrounding Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, and Greg Hardy, Cole expected teams to reach out to the alleged victim. Winston, meanwhile, could still face civil action from that accuser and a second accuser could come forward with a civil suit and/or testify for the first alleged victim in her case.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC South:

  • Former Buccaneers receiver Tiquan Underwood signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The speedy wide receiver also previously spent time with the Patriots and Jaguars.
  • In today’s mailbag, Katherine Terrell of the The Times-Picayune writes that she isn’t so sure that the Saints‘ locker room leadership situation has really improved this offseason. The Saints didn’t necessarily ship out “problem children” and they also lost the likes of Pierre Thomas and Curtis Lofton.
  • The Saints signed former Jets cornerback Kyle Wilson to a one-year deal earlier this week, and it will pay him $825,000, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). The contract includes an $80,000 signing bonus.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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