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Draft Notes: Bucs, Mariota, Browns, Steelers

March 23rd, 2015 at 8:05pm CST by Ben Levine

The Buccaneers could take many different routes with the first-overall pick in this year’s draft, and head coach Lovie Smith indicated as much on Monday. Appearing on the NFL Network, Smith said his team could surprise the league by not selecting either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com):

“I can see why people would assume we’re gonna take a quarterback. There are two excellent quarterbacks that are available at the top and when you get a chance to draft someone like that, most of the time, people do. But there are other good players in the draft also. I think it’s a deep draft for defensive line. Like last year, there are a lot of great receivers that are coming out. I think, just overall, the amount of athletes coming into each incoming class, it’s pretty deep for players that can make an immediate impact.”

As Florio points out, Smith could be hinting that he’s willing to trade the pick.

Let’s take a look at some more assorted draft notes from around the league…

  • ESPN.com’s Eric Williams tweets that the Chargers will schedule a workout with Mariota.
  • Meanwhile, Browns general manager Ray Farmer told reporters that his team will also conduct a private workout with Mariota (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). Farmer indicated that he’s talked with other teams about moving up or down the draft board.
  • The Dolphins will work out Colorado State quarterback Garrett Grayson, according to ESPN.com’s James Walker. Grayson is projected to be drafted in the second round or later.
  • Maryland wideout Stefon Diggs is scheduled to visit the 49ers in April, reports Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Diggs finished last season with 62 catches for 792 yards and five touchdowns.
  • Indiana running back Tevin Coleman will be busy in the coming weeks, as he has workouts scheduled with the Panthers, Cardinals, Chargers and Ravens, according to Wilson. The Heisman candidate previously met with the Lions.
  • After talking to Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin, Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says he’d be “stunned” if Pittsburgh didn’t take a cornerback in the first round (Twitter link).

Draft Notes: Winston, Borland, Visits

March 18th, 2015 at 9:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted draft notes from around the league…

  • Jameis Winston‘s decision to skip out on the NFL draft may have been based on pressure from the league. According to Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole, the NFL may have been fearing “protests” regarding Winston’s selection in the draft, with the league advising the prospect to keep a “low profile.”
  • Following the surprise retirement of Chris Borland, Cole says teams are becoming cautious of players who are “too smart for football.” Specifically, players who have future careers outside of football may be less desirable than players who are “desperate” to become professional athletes.
  • Georgia running back Todd Gurley told reporters that he’s set to meet with the Panthers after having already met with the Lions, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Gurley revealed that he’s also meeting with five other teams.
  • Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon is scheduled to meet with the Ravens, according to Yahoo’s Rand Getlin (via Twitter).
  • Meanwhile, Getlin reports (on Twitter) that Duke wideout Jamison Crowder is gaining some interest, as the player has workouts planned with the Patriots, Buccaneers, Panthers and Texans.
  • Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes told ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein that he’s set to meet with the Vikings and Jaguars in April (Twitter link). Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that the defensive back also has private workouts scheduled with the Titans and Panthers.
  • According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.com (via Twitter), Boise State running back Jay Ajayi had dinner with the Chargers brass on Tuesday night.
  • The Jets have scheduled a one-on-one meeting with Missouri defensive end Shane Ray, according to Pauline (on Twitter).
  • Purdue tight end Gabe Holmes had a private workout today with the Cardinals, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The session went well, as Wilson says Holmes “caught everything.”
  • Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty has visits set up with the Cowboys, Chargers and Rams, according to Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez (via Twitter).

King’s Latest: Peterson, Hardy, Winston

March 16th, 2015 at 9:30am CST by Luke Adams

After publishing a Wednesday Morning Quarterback last week to recap a crazy first day of NFL free agency, Peter King of TheMMQB.com returns to his usual Monday Morning Quarterback piece this week, and the latest installment includes several noteworthy tidbits from around the league. Let’s round up the highlights….

  • Addressing a report about the Cardinals‘ possible interest in Adrian Peterson, King cites a “reliable Cardinals source” who indicates Arizona hasn’t had any contact with the Vikings about Peterson. “There is no way we could live with those numbers,” the source said, referring to the three years and $45MM left on the running back’s contract. “We just got Larry Fitzgerald’s contract under control. No way we’d add that salary.”
  • One general manager tells King that Greg Hardy is on his club’s free agent list, “but pretty far down.” Many teams believe the veteran defensive end will be suspended by the league for the first six games of the 2015 season.
  • Jameis Winston isn’t currently planning to attend the 2015 NFL draft in Chicago, preferring to spend it with family and friends down south, says King.
  • King thinks a team like the Falcons or Buccaneers would be a nice fit for free agent pass rusher Dwight Freeney.
  • The Jets likely would have blown any rival offer for Darrelle Revis out of the water, so even if the Patriots had been willing to get into the neighborhood of New York’s five-year, $70MM proposal, the Jets probably would’ve just upped the ante.
  • The Cowboys started out at a $5MM-per-year price tag for DeMarco Murray, and were willing to stretch that to $6MM annually, but never considered matching the Eagles‘ final offer, which got up to $8MM+.

King’s Latest: Peterson, Cowboys, Forsett

March 11th, 2015 at 8:38am CST by Luke Adams

Following a wild Tuesday in the NFL, Peter King of TheMMQB.com introduced a one-time-only Wednesday Morning Quarterback column to reflect on yesterday’s highlights from around the NFL. The piece included a handful of interesting tidbits worth passing along, so let’s dive in….

  • King hears that running back Adrian Peterson hasn’t changed his mind about wanting out of Minnesota, and notes that if a team like the Jaguars or Raiders ends up landing DeMarco Murray, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys could be willing to move a draft pick for the Vikings star.
  • Speaking of Murray and the Cowboys, LeSean McCoy‘s lucrative new contract with the Bills is having a “chilling effect” on Dallas’ efforts to re-sign the NFL’s leading rusher, says King.
  • The Ravens would very much like to re-sign Justin Forsett, but are expected to bow out if the bidding gets too high.
  • Seahawks GM John Schneider only had first-round grades on 16 players in this year’s draft class, so when he parted with the No. 31 overall pick in yesterday’s Jimmy Graham trade, he essentially viewed that pick as a second-rounder.
  • The league appears to be concerned, but “not fuming,” over all the contract agreements that were leaked before the start of the free agent period. We heard yesterday that the league had asked teams to hang onto their phone records, but King doesn’t believe we’ll see much more than “an angry finger-wag” at teams and their general managers.
  • Jameis Winston met with commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL officials last Thursday, in a meeting that was instigated by the young quarterback and his camp, writes King. The purpose of the sit-down was to allow Winston to tell his own story about his history of off-field incidents, and to get the lay of the land for his future in the NFL. “He went out of his way to make a good impression, and to show that he understood what was going to be expected of him in the NFL,” one league official told King.

NFC South Notes: Ingram, Hardy, Winston

March 3rd, 2015 at 8:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Saints coach Sean Payton is making no secret of the fact that he wants to retain running back Mark Ingram, as Nick Underhill of The Advocate writes. “I spoke with him [on Monday],” Payton told Jennifer Hale of FOX Sports during Monday night’s broadcast of the Pelicans-Mavs game. “The good thing about Mark is that we’re real close with his agent. We work a lot with Joel [Segal]. Mickey will talk with him quite a bit. Obviously he’s someone that we want to keep. Hopefully we can do that.” Here’s more from the NFC South..

  • With his unrestricted free agency looming, Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy is scheduled to meet with NFL officials on Wednesday to discuss his domestic violence case, a league source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Although formal charges against Hardy were dropped, the NFL has been conducting its own investigation into the alleged incident, and may still issue a suspension.
  • League officials have requested that Hardy give them all relevant information from his domestic violence case, including photos showing the crime scene and the injuries to his former girlfriend, as Christine Brennan of USA Today writes.
  • Florida State star Jameis Winston is in Tampa today to visit with the Buccaneers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The visit will be “Glazer-centric” and involve a lot of conversation between the quarterback and the team’s owners. The meeting might be unprecedented as potential No. 1 picks never visit with the team holding the top pick this early, Schefter adds (link). Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter) adds that it is a one day visit for Winston and not a three-day trip as previously reported.
  • Tight end Niles Paul will be on the Falcons‘ radar, Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com writes. Paul has played in offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s scheme and would represent a solid addition at tight end without breaking the bank like Julius Thomas would. Former teammate Rex Grossman offered nothing but praise for Paul, who turns 26 in August. “He’s as tough as s—,” Grossman said of Paul. “He’s like the one guy in the locker room you do not want to pick a fight with. He’s just a tough wide receiver/tight end who shows up on special teams all the time.”

Tuesday Roundup: Cassel, Winston, Peterson

February 24th, 2015 at 8:38pm CST by Rory Parks

Vikings GM Rick Spielman said that nothing definitive has been decided about bringing Matt Cassel back to the team, but Spielman was complimentary of his veteran signal-caller when discussing him earlier this week. “We went through our process, we evaluated all of our players,” Spielman said, according to Brian Hall of FOXSportsNorth.com. “We looked at everything from what they bring to our football team, in the locker room, off the field, what they bring to us on the field. But we also have to look at where they’re at from a standpoint of their contract, where we’re at from a cap standpoint…Matt’s done a great job. Came in and has won some games when he had to play. He’s a great locker-room guy. Matt has a lot of value to us.” Cassel is signed for the 2015 season at a salary of $4.15MM, and he’ll count $4.75MM against the cap.

Now for some more links from around the league on this Tuesday evening:

  • Tahir Whitehead filled in capably for Stephen Tulloch when Tulloch went out last season, and that leaves the Lions with an interesting choice this offseason, as Kyle Meinke of MLive.com writes. Detroit could continue to roll with Whitehead at middle linebacker and carve out some space by parting ways with Tulloch. The 30-year-old is slated to count $5.8MM against the cap next season. Whitehead, meanwhile, costs just $713K.
  • The consensus around the league is that the Buccaneers will draft Jameis Winston with the No. 1 overall pick, according to a tweet from the NFL Network (citing its own Ian Rapoport).
  • The Colts are in dire need of a running back, and Mike Wells of ESPN.com writes that the team will be closely monitoring the Adrian Peterson situation. If Peterson and the Vikings part ways, Indianapolis GM Ryan Grigson, a noted risk-taker, may pull the trigger.
  • Falcons defensive end Osi Umenyiora has no plans to retire, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Umenyiora, 33, will become a free agent on March 10, and he said he would like to play at least one more season. If he could choose, Umenyiora stated that he would like to finish his career where it started: with the Giants.
  • Packers fullback John Kuhn is one of the last members of a dying breed, but the impending free agent reaffirmed his importance to the Green Bay offense in 2014, earning first team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career. As Weston Hodkiewicz of PackersNews.com writes, there is mutual interest in Kuhn’s return to the Packers.
  • Former Australian rugby star Jarryd Hayne, who has garnered interest from at least a dozen teams, is expected to sign with a club this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (writing for the National Football Post).
  • Bill Williamson of ESPN.com believes middle linebacker Nate Irving could be a fit with the Raiders if the impending free agent is not re-signed by the Broncos.
  • Parys Haralson, who signed a one-year deal with the Saints in February, hopes to end his career in New Orleans, writes Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune.
  • Jason Fitzerald of OverTheCap.com provides the Panthers‘ salary cap outlook for the 2015 season.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

 

Combine Pressers: Bears, Bucs, Titans, Bills

February 18th, 2015 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we rounded up the noteworthy comments made by a handful of head coaches and general managers who spoke to reporters today in Indianapolis at the NFL’s scouting combine. Wednesday’s press conferences will continue through to about 3:30pm central time, and we’ll keep providing recaps of the highlights from those sessions. Here’s the latest:

Bears head coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace:

  • Asked about whether he has decided to proceed with Jay Cutler as the team’s quarterback, Fox replied, “We’re not up against a deadline. … We’ll keep you posted.” Fox later continued: “I don’t think there’s any question there’s ability and talent there but there’s a lot more that goes into it.”
  • In addition to dancing around questions about Cutler, Fox was also noncommittal when asked about Brandon Marshall.
  • Like Fox, Pace didn’t put his full support behind either Cutler or Marshall — the new GM didn’t call Cutler the team’s starting QB, and said the team would “take our time” with evaluations. As for Marshall, Pace suggested football needs to be the wideout’s top priority, in reference to Marshall’s 2014 gig with “Inside the NFL.”
  • The Bears head coach confirmed that he met with Josh McCown today and that the club has interest in him. “He’s the right kind of guy… that you want on your football team,” Fox said of the former Buccaneer. Pace also had praise for McCown, suggesting he’s capable of being a starter or backup for an NFL team.
  • Fox also confirmed that the Bears will be switching to a 3-4 defense under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Defensive ends like Jared Allen and Willie Young are expected to get a look at the outside linebacker position in the new system.
  • Fox and his staff are still evaluating players like Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs, so there’s no decision on whether to bring them back, but they’ve been “great Bears,” says the head coach. Pace added that the decisions on Tillman and Briggs will be big ones for the team.

Buccaneers GM Jason Licht:

  • The Bucs are leaning toward keeping the first overall pick, but are open to all options and aren’t closing any doors, according to Licht. As for who the Bucs will select with that No. 1 pick? “We have a favorite, but we want to let the process play out,” said the GM, adding that it would be an “insult” to say it’s 50-50 between Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota based on the team’s research and draft meetings to date.
  • For what it’s worth, Lovie Smith said earlier today that the Bucs would be comfortable making Winston the “face of the franchise,” and previous reports have indicated that Tampa Bay prefers the Florida State signal-caller. Licht said today the Bucs will have “several meetings” with both Winston and Mariota.
  • Veteran guard Logan Mankins is part of the solution in Tampa Bay, not part of the problem, according to Licht, who says Mankins has a future with the team.
  • While Licht reiterated the team’s support for Mike Glennon, he said he remains open-minded about discussing trades and moving players in general.

Titans GM Ruston Webster and head coach Ken Whisenhunt:

  • The Titans like Zach Mettenberger but haven’t yet committed to him as the 2015 starter, and will fully consider Jameis Winston and/or Marcus Mariota with the No. 2 overall pick, according to Webster.
  • Although the QBs are receiving most of the attention at the top of the draft, Webster said today that there are several other players the Titans feel are worthy of the second overall pick. The lines of communication are also open for Tennessee in terms of trading the selection to another team. Whisenhunt added that a “defensive difference-maker” would be an option for the club at No. 2.
  • The general manager expects the club to try to fill some holes through free agency, but cautioned that the most effective way to build a strong roster is through the draft.
  • While the Titans will work through their defensive coaching roles this spring, Whisenhunt said today that new senior assistant Dick LeBeau will have control of the unit, and that defensive coordinator Ray Horton is comfortable with LeBeau’s hiring and his role.

Bills head coach Rex Ryan:

Combine Pressers: Steelers, Bucs, Broncos, 49ers

February 18th, 2015 at 9:59am CST by Luke Adams

48 head coaches or general managers are scheduled to speak today, tomorrow, and Friday at the NFL’s scouting combine in Indianapolis, with the Eagles, Saints, and Patriots the only teams not represented on this year’s schedule. Those mini-pressers are already underway, so let’s round up a few of the notable comments made by the men who have spoken to the media so far. All links go to the Twitter accounts of various NFL reporters in attendance….

Steelers GM Kevin Colbert:

  • Contract talks between Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers are “progressing,” according to Colbert. With Big Ben heading into the final year of his current deal, the two sides are expected to work out a new agreement at some point during the offseason, and the GM is very confident it can be done within a traditional cap structure.
  • Despite the fact that LeGarrette Blount ultimately played a major role for the Super Bowl champion Patriots, Colbert said today that he and his club have no regrets about parting ways with the running back during the season.
  • While Colbert said he’d love to bring back free-agent-to-be Jason Worilds, he didn’t convey a ton of confidence that something will get done, telling reporters, “Maybe he comes back, maybe he moves on.” Per Colbert, the outside linebacker may need to test the open market to gauge his value.

Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith:

  • Calling Josh McCown a “lifelong friend,” Smith said he thought it was in both the team’s and the quarterback’s interests to part ways earlier this month.
  • The Buccaneers’ new coaches like Mike Glennon, so the plan right now is to move forward with Glennon at quarterback — he’s the only signal-caller on the roster at the moment, but Smith thinks he has the potential to be a solid NFL starter.
  • While Glennon may be atop the Tampa Bay depth chart by default for now, Smith also addressed the idea of selecting a quarterback with the first overall pick in April. According to the head coach, the Bucs aren’t put off by Jameis Winston‘s off-field issues, and would be comfortable with the idea of making him the face of their franchise. The vetting process for both Winston and Marcus Mariota is ongoing, and Smith says the team has already “talked to a lot of people” about both prospects.
  • Asked about Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs, two potential free agents whom used to play for Smith in Chicago, the head coach said he’s not sure how much interest they’ll generate, but he believes they can still be positive contributors.

Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak:

  • Although Kubiak said he has received no assurances that Peyton Manning will be back with the Broncos, all indications are pointing toward him returning. The new Denver head coach talked about adjusting his offense to suit Manning’s skills, which strongly suggest he expects to be coaching the future Hall-of-Famer.
  • According to Kubiak, he had a “good conversation” with Wes Welker, who says he’s feeling good and wants to play in 2015. Of course, the receiver doesn’t have a contract yet, so there’s no guarantee he’ll continue playing for the Broncos. Denver would “love to have him back” though, says Kubiak.
  • Kubiak expects the transition from a 4-3 defense under Jack Del Rio to a 3-4 scheme under Wade Phillips to go fairly smoothly.

49ers GM Trent Baalke:

  • Baalke intends to meet with veteran defensive end Justin Smith after the combine to determine whether or not Smith wants to return for a 15th NFL season in 2015.
  • Asked about wide receiver prospects at the combine and in the draft, Baalke said, “It’s no mystery, we’re looking for guys who can run.”
  • Baalke declined to comment on Jim Harbaugh‘s recent suggestion that the former head coach’s departure from the 49ers was the team’s decision and not his own. “He’s moved on and we’ve moved on,” the GM said.
  • According to the Niners GM, the team’s head coaching job was offered to “one person and one person only” (Jim Tomsula), meaning the club never officially offered the position to Adam Gase. Baalke did confirm that the Niners made an effort to retain defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, but that was dependent on who became the head coach.

Extra Points: Mariota, Titans, Fairley

February 17th, 2015 at 10:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Marcus Mariota has informed teams that he will throw Sunday at the combine even though the other quarterbacks will go on Saturday, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Jameis Winston is also throwing at the combine, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), though it’s not immediately clear if he’ll also buck the trend and throw on Sunday. Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • Titans GM Ruston Webster recently said a lot of good things about quarterback Zach Mettenberger and Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com wonders if he should instead be sending smoke screens when it comes to the No. 2 pick in the draft. With potentially quarterback hungry teams like the Jets, Browns, Texans, and Eagles further down in the draft, they could potentially use that kind of talk to get a massive haul for Mariota
  • Defensive tackle Nick Fairley told SiriusXM NFL Radio (audio link) that he is still waiting on a phone call from the Lions. The hosts of “The SiriusXM Blitz” also asked Fairley if he thought that the Lions’ lack of a long-term offer would hurt his marketability. Fairley doesn’t see that being the case.
  • The Vikings haven’t approached linebacker Chad Greenway about restructuring his contract, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com writes. The linebacker said at the end of the season he was open to reworking his deal if it helped keep him in Minnesota for the final year of his contract, and Greenway reiterated on Tuesday that he’s still willing to do that. But for the moment, he said, “We’re still under contract. We’ll just see what they say.”
  • At long last, the Browns formally announced that Kevin O’Connell has been hired as the team’s quarterbacks coach. “Kevin has already shown a knack for individual teaching at a high level,” head coach Mike Pettine said. “Our experience being around him makes us confident he will easily transition into being an extremely valuable member of our staff.”

Extra Points: Giants, Revis, Bears, Browns

February 15th, 2015 at 10:58pm CST by Rob DiRe

As this Sunday comes to an end, here is a roundup of some stories from around the NFL:

  • As the window to use the franchise tag opens up, the Giants will have to make a decision on whether to place that on defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. The tag number is estimated to be $14.6MM, a large number for a player who has been inconsistent over his career.
  • The Patriots and star cornerback Darrelle Revis are in a “staring contest” over a long-term contract, according to Tom Curran of CSNNE.com. The Patriots need to work out a contract as soon as possible to open up cap space to re-sign their other free agents.
  • Most teams have a number one position of need as the NFL draft approaches, but the Bears and general manager Ryan Pace have a different goal: to improve the draft class in general, writes John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. The team has drafted poorly in recent years, and the top priority for the new administration is to reverse that trend.
  • The Browns were very high on Marcus Mariota, and the team could consider moving up in the draft to take the Heisman-winning quarterback, writes Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. With the 12th and 19th picks in this draft, they could have the ammunition to move up and draft their third quarterback in the first round since 2012.
  • The NFL combine will give the Titans a chance to interview both Jameis Winston and Mariota and begin to decide their future at quarterback, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean. With the second overall pick, they could have a chance at either player, or they could elect to take one of the top pass rushers and move forward with Zach Mettenberger under center.
  • Rookie Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon played well before being shut down due to injury last season, but is recovering well and should be back in time for offseason workouts, writes Matt Vensel of StarTribune.com.
  • Michigan attorney Jim Acho has received two written endorsements from player reps nominating him to become the next NFLPA executive director, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Acho only needs one more in order to officially be included on the ballot.
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