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Joe Mixon

Joe Mixon Reaches Civil Settlement

April 21st, 2017 at 6:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Mixon and the woman he punched nearly three years ago agreed to a civil settlement on Friday, Jake Trotter of ESPN.com reports. Terms of the settlement are not available.

The likely draft pick and Amelia Molitor, the victim in the infamous incident in 2014, settled on her accusation of intentional infliction of emotional distress. Trotter reports an Oklahoma judge threw out Molitor’s accusations of negligence and willful and wanton misconduct in her original suit in November of last year.

Mixon and Molitor released a joint statement, revealing they met privately.

“I’m thankful Mia and I were able to talk privately,” Mixon said in the statement. “I was able to apologize to her one-to-one. The way I reacted that night, that’s not me. That’s not the way I was raised. I think she understands that.”

The punch, one that broke four bones in Molitor’s face, resulted in Mixon being suspended from Oklahoma for the 2014 season and has led to Mixon landing as the biggest character risk in this year’s draft. The running back accepted a plea deal after the incident but returned to the Sooners’ football team a year later and put himself in position to be a possible Day 2 draft pick. The incident being caught on tape has caused several teams to remove Mixon from their respective draft boards and has the talented ball-carrier’s stock in a murky place with the draft a week away.

“I greatly appreciate his apology and I think the feelings he expressed were sincere. We both could have handled things differently,” Molitor said in the statement. “I believe if we had a chance to go back to that moment in time, the situation would not have ended the way it did. I’m finished talking about what happened that night with Joe. It’s time to move on from that. I wish Joe the best of luck in his future.”

NFC Notes: Mixon, Eagles, Lions, Stafford

April 20th, 2017 at 9:21pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Thanks to his off-field transgressions, Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon‘s draft stock is reportedly dropping, but the Eagles are among those who have him on their board, writes Jeff McLane of Philly.com. Owner Jeffrey Lurie has given team brass his blessing to consider drafting Mixon, two sources confirmed to McLane. Notably, two of the Eagles’ key decision-makers, vice president of football operations Howie Roseman and VP of player personnel Joe Douglas, spoke highly of Mixon’s abilities on Thursday. “There’s not much he can’t do,” Roseman said. “He’s incredible with the ball in his hands, you can split him out, he’s got really good hands [as a receiver], he can pass-protect, he can make people miss.” Douglas added that “a lot of people think that he is one of the top backs in this draft,” but he noted that “most teams” are considering Mixon’s character issues.

More on Philadelphia and a pair of its NFC foes:

  • Speculatively, Mixon could be a possibility for the Eagles beginning in Round 2. Before debating whether to take him, they’ll have to make a decision in the opening round, where they’re slated to pick 14th. The club has come up with “probably about seven or eight scenarios” for that spot, according to Douglas, and Roseman expects to end up with a star-caliber player with that selection. “One thing I know — when we make a pick at 14, with the way our board looks right now, we’re going to all be high-fiving then, and very excited about that pick,” declared Roseman (via Les Bowen of Philly.com).
  • Entering a contract year, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford could become the highest-paid player in the NFL by next offseason, though Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press argues that he’s not worth it. While Monarrez expects the Lions to cave to Stafford’s demands, he opines that the signal-caller’s age (30 next February) and zero playoff wins are among the reasons the team would be better off letting him test the market than become the league’s richest player in Detroit.
  • Speaking of the Lions, general manager Bob Quinn addressed the strengths of this year’s draft Thursday, saying it’s particularly deep at running back, wide receiver, cornerback, safety and tight end (Twitter link via Tim Twentyman of the team website).
  • Linebacker Sam Acho‘s one-year deal with the Bears is worth $855K, including $130K fully guaranteed, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: Mixon, Lattimore, Peppers

April 18th, 2017 at 5:43pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

It was reportedly likely as of two weeks ago that Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon wouldn’t last beyond the third round of the draft, but now there’s “palpable buzz” that his stock is dropping, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Interestingly, one league source informed Florio that Mixon will go undrafted, which runs counter to the notion that many teams Mixon has met with are willing to forgive him for his sordid past. Mixon was caught on camera punching a woman in the face in 2014, and while he has since expressed remorse, his future NFL employer will undoubtedly face a public relations backlash upon adding him.

More on the upcoming draft:

  • Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore visited the Jets on Tuesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). New York holds the sixth overall pick, with which it could theoretically take Lattimore, but it’s possible concerns over his health will cause him to slide out of the top 10. Should that happen, the Jets may still end up a candidate to draft Lattimore if they succeed in trading down.
  • The Ravens hosted Michigan defender Jabrill Peppers on Tuesday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Peppers expects to serve as a safety in the pros, as do most teams with which he has spoken, but one sees the likely first- or second-rounder as a linebacker and another believes he’s capable of lining up on offense.
  • The Cowboys are in need of pass-rush help, which could come in the form of Missouri defensive end Charles Harris. The club’s attraction to Harris is no secret, reports Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram, though she notes that he might be off the board by the time Dallas is on the clock at No. 28 overall.
  • A couple of NFC West teams are eyeing Connecticut safety Obi Melifonwu, per Wilson (Twitter link). Melifonwu met with the 49ers on Tuesday and will visit the Seahawks on Wednesday. Speculatively, the 6-foot-4, 224-pounder could be a fit for the 49ers early in Round 2 (No. 34 overall) or the Seahawks late in the first (No. 26).

Extra Points: Romo, Lynch, Raiders, Mixon

April 13th, 2017 at 1:38pm CST by Zachary Links

As an undrafted free agent, Tony Romo almost wound up with the Broncos or the Cardinals over the Cowboys.

“I actually wanted to go to Denver a little bit more, I felt like I had a better chance of making the roster,” Romo told Peter King of The MMQB this week. “The money … Arizona, I believe, offered the most, probably around $20,000 or $25,000, which was like being rich at that time. Denver came in and they were like 15 to 20, but they also had Mike Shanahan who I had strong respect for, and obviously the Cowboys came in. It was Mike Shanahan on one side and then Bill Parcells on the other. Sean would call in and then eventually he passed the phone to Jerry [Jones], so you went through the whole gamut.”

While you ponder that, here’s more news from around the NFL:

  • The Raiders are working on short-term deal with heavy incentives for Marshawn Lynch in advance of his reinstatement, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. After that, the Seahawks will either trade him to Oakland or release him to facilitate a deal.
  • 49ers GM John Lynch won’t rule out the possibility of drafting controversial Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon. “I think in terms of our board, we’ve made an effort to be as transparent as possible, but just one thing that I believe is that we’re not going to share some specifics of our board, who’s on it, who’s off it,” Lynch said (via CSNBayArea.com). “So I think that applies to that young man, as well.” The 49ers released cornerback Tramaine Brock after his domestic violence arrest, but that apparently doesn’t equal a complete zero tolerance policy.
  • The Rams extension timing with first-round picks Robert Quinn, Tavon Austin, and Michael Brockers suggests that Aaron Donald will have a new deal by October, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com opines (Twitter link). This week, the Rams exercised Donald’s fifth-year option, but many expect the two sides to hammer out a long-term extension before that kicks in.

Draft Rumors: 49ers, Jets, Fins, Mixon,

April 12th, 2017 at 8:38pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The 49ers are willing to trade the second pick in the draft, which has been the case since at least February. They’ll “listen to anything,” said general manager John Lynch, who revealed that teams have shown interest in acquiring the selection (via Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area). Regardless of whether they trade the choice, the 49ers won’t have top prospects like Texas A&M edge rusher Myles Garrett, Stanford defensive lineman Solomon Thomas or Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey in for pre-draft visits. “I think we know those guys pretty well,” stated Lynch (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com). They did work out Cal quarterback Davis Webb on Tuesday, per Wagoner. Webb is gaining momentum as a potential first-rounder.

More on the draft:

  • The Jets worked out North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky on March 30, but they’ll take another look at the 22-year-old Thursday in the form of a pre-draft visit, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. There are some members of the organization who are quite bullish on Trubisky, Mehta writes. The quarterback-needy Jets, who are set to pick sixth, have also met twice with Texas Tech signal-caller Patrick Mahomes.
  • With their first-rounder, No. 30, the Steelers plan to select the best defensive back available, says Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (video link). That could be Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers, whom GM Kevin Colbert “loves,” according to Kinkhabwala. Head coach Mike Tomlin said last month that the Steelers need DBs capable of playing man coverage, noting that New England quarterback Tom Brady roasted their secondary in January’s AFC championship game.
  • The Dolphins’ previously reported visit with Michigan defensive end Taco Charlton took place Wednesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.The team also hosted Florida linebacker Jarrad Davis, who, like Charlton, is a prospective first-rounder. PFR’s Dallas Robinson currently has Miami taking Charlton at No. 22 overall.
  • Speaking of the Dolphins, they’ll meet with Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Watt this week, and he’ll also visit the Saints, 49ers and Broncos in the coming days, relays Jeremy Bregman of NFL.com. The brother of Texans superstar J.J. Watt may end up coming off the board in Round 1.
  • Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon is “absolutely in play” for the Vikings in Round 2 (No. 48 overall), Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller told Matt Vensel, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand of the Star Tribune. Along with Minnesota, the Saints, Bengals and Raiders have shown the most interest in Mixon, per Miller. The Raiders seem like a curious fit, though, given Mixon’s past and owner Mark Davis’ zero tolerance policy regarding domestic violence.

Draft Notes: Giants, Jaguars, Bears, Jets

April 9th, 2017 at 6:04pm CST by Ben Levine

Due to his ability to block and catch passes, Alabama tight end O.J. Howard is likely on top of the Giants draft board, surmises ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. The organization is also high on Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey.

Meanwhile, after having to deal with the Josh Brown situation last season, Raanan believes there’s little chance that the organization ends up selecting embattled running back Joe Mixon. The writer also has a difficult team envisioning the team taking defensive tackle Malik McDowell or running back Dalvin Cook.

Let’s take a look at some other draft notes from around the NFL…

  • Utah offensive tackle Garett Bolles visited the Jaguars last week, reports Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller (via Twitter). As the reporter notes, offensive line coach Pat Flaherty previously worked out the prospect. The lineman attended Snow College for two years before transferring to the University of Utah last year. During his lone season with the team, Bolles was named to the First Team All-Pac-12.
  • The Bears are set to meet with Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram, reports Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun Times (via Twitter). The senior finished with career-highs across the board in 2016, collecting 65 receptions for 926 yards and eight touchdowns. Engram has been commended for his blocking ability, and his 6-foot-3 frame has led some to compare him to Redskins tight end Jordan Reed.
  • The Jets “really like” Missouri linebacker Charles Harris, writes ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. The junior finished last season with 35 tackles and nine sacks. The writer notes that the linebacker would fit into the team’s scheme as a rush linebacker. Meanwhile, Cimini notes that Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan is “married to his best-player-available philosophy,” which could lead to the organization selecting running back Leonard Fournette or Howard with the sixth-overall pick.

Extra Points: Pats, Browns, Saints, Mixon

April 7th, 2017 at 9:02pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

There have been conflicting reports over the past couple months on whether the Patriots will consider trading backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason. The latest update, via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, indicates the Pats “do not want to deal” Garoppolo, even though he could hit free agency next year. No team has shown more interest in Garoppolo this offseason than the Browns, but they’ve seemingly given up hope on acquiring him, per Rapoport, who adds that the Pats regard the 25-year-old as a franchise-caliber passer. New England already has an all-world option under center in Tom Brady, of course, but the five-time Super Bowl champion is set to play his age-40 season in 2017.

One of Garoppolo’s New England teammates, cornerback Malcolm Butler, has also been a prominent part of trade rumors this offseason. While the Patriots’ intention is to keep Butler, according to owner Robert Kraft, Larry Holder of NOLA.com anticipates that they’ll ultimately deal him to the Saints (video via NFL.com). New Orleans has chased Butler, a restricted free agent, and has reportedly had productive long-term contract discussions with him. The Saints aren’t willing to give up the No. 11 overall pick for Butler, but they could dangle the 32nd selection, which they acquired from the Pats in the Brandin Cooks trade.

More from around the sport:

  • Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon will rack up 15 visits with teams prior to the beginning of the draft on April 27, his agent, Peter Schaffer, told Michael Gehlken of Pro Football Talk. “(This many visits) is clearly not efficient and (consumes) a lot of time,” said Schaffer. “But at the same time, it’s important to have it. It’s a blessing for any player to get considered for the draft. Along with that blessing comes hard work.” Many of the clubs Mixon has met with are willing to forgive him for his checkered past, which jibes with a report that he could go as high as the second round. “Everyone who has brought him in has remarked how remorseful he is about what he did when he was 18 … and that he’s deserving of a second chance,” Schaffer revealed.
  • Former NFLers Greg Hardy, Ahmad Bradshaw, Kellen Winslow, McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Ben Tate and Ricky Stanzi have reported to West Virginia to partake in the Spring League, relays Mike Florio of PFT. The league, which isn’t affiliated with the NFL, will play a six-game season from April 15-26. Its participants won’t receive pay – only lodging and meals during the season – writes Florio. Some pro scouts will be on hand, though, giving the players an opportunity to stand out and earn either a first NFL shot or, in the cases of the aforementioned six, a repeat chance(s).
  • The expectation is that the Ravens will eventually release cornerback Kyle Arrington, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. The Ravens would first like Arrington to pass a physical, notes Zrebiec. Arrington suffered a concussion during the preseason last summer and landed on injured reserve at the end of August. Cutting the 30-year-old would save Baltimore $2.1MM, against just under $667K in dead money.

Draft Visits: McCaffrey, Conley, Mixon, Taco

April 7th, 2017 at 6:02pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, whose stock is so high that he could be a top 10 pick in this year’s draft, will visit the Redskins and Broncos, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Chase Goodbread of NFL.com). Given where they’re slated to select (Washington’s at No. 17, Denver’s 20th), those two teams could have difficulty reeling in McCaffrey, though it would make for an especially interesting story if he ended up with the Broncos. His father, Ed McCaffrey, was a standout receiver in Denver from 1995-2003. While there, he caught passes from quarterback John Elway, who’s now the Broncos’ general manager.

More of the latest high-profile draft visits:

  • Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley has already visited the Titans (along with the previously reported Cowboys and Browns), and will meet with the Bengals and Jets, writes Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com. Conley seems like a shoo-in to go somewhere in the first round, and PFR’s Dallas Robinson currently has him going 11th overall to New Orleans.
  • Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon visited the Buccaneers this week, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com. The potential second- or third-round pick could be a fit for a Tampa Bay team whose incumbent starting running back, Doug Martin, isn’t a lock to remain with the club. Even if Martin doesn’t lose his roster spot, he’ll still miss the first three games of next season as a result of a suspension.
  • Michigan defensive end Taco Charlton visited the Lions on Friday, per Rapoport (Twitter link). As Rapoport further notes (and as was previously reported), the Cowboys and Dolphins are also among the teams interested in Charlton, who’s coming off a 10-sack season with the Wolverines.
  • Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs visited the Steelers on Monday and will also meet with the Chiefs, relays Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Dobbs, who was a two-year starter with the Volunteers, could go as high as the second or third round, according to ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. (via Mike Griffith of SEC Country).
  • Kansas State defensive lineman Jordan Willis visited the 49ers on Wednesday, reports Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Willis figures to go late in the first round or early in the second, which could make him a target for the 49ers at No. 34 overall.

Albert Breer On Sherman, Draft, 49ers

April 6th, 2017 at 11:29am CST by Zachary Links

Seahawks GM John Schneider says that the trade rumors surrounding Richard Sherman are “real,” but the star cornerback isn’t too concerned.

“Very little chance it happens, but both sides are listening,” Sherman told Albert Breer of The MMQB. “I honestly don’t have much more to say about it than what I’ve already said. We have a great relationship, . . . There is a lot of love and respect. There is no bad blood.”

Now that the Patriots are no longer interested in Sherman, it’s possible that the odds of a trade have decreased. Then again, plenty of teams will be interested in adding a high-level talent like him.

Here’s more from Breer:

  • Alabama pass rusher Tim Williams is a Top 10 talent, but Breer would be surprised if he goes in the first round due to his off-field red flags. “He’s up there with the top pure pass rushers,” said one area scout. “The real question is his personality, and the trust factor with teams. The problems aren’t rare, it’s more whether the team can trust the person. Can he work through the problems? Is he smart enough to work through the problems?” Breer notes that problems with previous high-profile pass rushers like Randy Gregory, Aldon Smith, Greg Hardy, and Dion Jordan aren’t helping Williams’ case.Williams admitted at the combine to failing tests in college and has a gun charge in his past.
  • Breer expects new 49ers GM John Lynch to try and deal down to get more picks. He has heard “from a number of people” that the Niners like Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster and LSU running back Leonard Fournette.
  • Because of the perceived depth of the draft and lack of excitement about the top quarterbacks, it’s a mild market in terms of teams looking to move up.
  • Controversial Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon is likely to go in round two or three, Breer hears.

Ravens Rumors: Mangold, Draft, Mixon

April 6th, 2017 at 10:23am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens had a good meeting with center Nick Mangold and are comfortable with his medicals, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. There’s nothing imminent on that front, JLC reports, but a deal could emerge at some point.

Mangold, 33, could be the Ravens’ replacement for Jeremy Zuttah in the middle of the offensive line. Although he missed half of the 2016 season, the veteran has been largely healthy over the course of his NFL career. On Wednesday, GM Ozzie Newsome hinted that the team could be on the verge of adding a free agent soon and that free agent just might be the former Jets standout.

Here’s more out of Baltimore:

  • Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta believes Mike Williams and John Ross both have a grade that could put them in the mix for the No. 16 overall pick (via Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com). DeCosta said that Corey Davis and JuJu Smith-Schuster were also somewhere in that range. The Ravens used their 2015 first-round choice on a wide receiver (Breshad Perriman), but that wouldn’t necessarily preclude the team from going that route again in 2017.
  • DeCosta was diplomatic when asked about Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon as a player, but “you can be that Mixon’s name is nowhere to be found on the team’s draft board,” Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun writes. Naturally, the Ravens are not going to consider Mixon after going through the Ray Rice ordeal a few years ago. Speaking of Rice, he has found a new job.
  • More from Zrebiec, who gets the sense that the Ravens not content with having just seven picks in such a deep draft. Newsome has said that teams have asked about potentially moving up to the Ravens’ No. 16 pick if a certain player is available. Zrebiec notes that in five of the past 12 drafts, Newsome has either moved up, back, or out of the first round entirely.
  • On Thursday morning, we learned that the Ravens are on the verge of re-signing defensive back Lardarius Webb. Webb was a cap casualty earlier in the offseason but the fan favorite has agreed to return at a lower price. Before circling back to Baltimore, Webb also drew interest from the Vikings.
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