Josh Allen Caught In Twitter Controversy
Two years ago, Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil slid down the draft board after a video of him smoking from a gas mask bong surfaced on Twitter. This year, it’s possible that another Twitter controversy could affect Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen. Multiple tweets from 2012 and 2013 have been unearthed in which Allen uses racially insensitive language, as detailed by Ryan Young of Yahoo Sports. 
There’s also a questionable tweet from 2013 in which Allen responds to a question asked of him by AskFM. When asked “Why are you so white?,” Allen responds, “If it ain’t white, it ain’t right!” Allen has since told teams that the tweets in question were in reference to TV shows, movies, and songs.
Allen spoke with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith late Wednesday night to apologize for the tweets, saying that he was young and dumb. It remains to be seen how the tweets will affect Allen on draft night, but a team with a top-five draft pick told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that it knew nothing about the tweets and that it had “never heard anything but positives” about the QB.
Allen has been projected to go as high as No. 1 to the Browns in recent days and it was widely expected that he would be selected no later than No. 5. Now, everything appears to be in flux for the talented passer.
Browns To Take Allen Or Mayfield?
For weeks, we have been hearing that the Browns will select either USC quarterback Sam Darnold or Wyoming QB Josh Allen with the top pick. Then, this week, it was reported that Oklahoma signal caller Baker Mayfield is also in the mix. Now, sources say the Browns appear to be down to either Allen or Mayfield as team executives have cooled on Darnold, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes. 
Much has been made about Mayfield’s lack of height, but GM John Dorsey has made it clear that he is not concerned. Dorsey has also indicated that he would not rule out Mayfield over his red flags, which include a public intoxication arrest, grabbing his crotch against Kansas, and planting a flag on the Block O at Ohio State.
“Every young man will make a mistake in his life, I bet you,” he said. “And I think he’s very remorseful of that mistake and I think he’s moved forward from that, and he’s trying to make himself a better person, going through the process.”
Allen, meanwhile, has been praised for his arm strength, but his low completion rate in college underscores his lack of accuracy. If the Browns believe that they can harness his raw skills, then he could be a real consideration for the top choice. However, some would argue that he has the most bust potential of this year’s top four quarterback prospects.
Have the Browns truly drifted away from Darnold? At this point, it is impossible to tell whether the Browns are actually deciding between Mayfield and Allen or if they are simply working to try and drum up a better trade offer. Still, it’s a situation worth monitoring as whispers about Darnold’s lack of polish continue to circulate.
Jets Engaged In Mayfield-Rosen Debate?
Less than a week remains until the rampant Jets quarterback rumor cycle will slow down, after the Kirk Cousins pursuit and the months-long prospect evaluations have kept the Big Apple’s AFC team at the center of many offseason news cycles.
But the identity of Gang Green’s hopeful franchise quarterback remains unknown, and the latest coming out of Jets headquarters centers on two players — with a catch.
New York would likely be quick to take Sam Darnold if the USC-developed passer remained on the board at No. 3. Though they didn’t work him out, the Jets finalized a Darnold visit because of the signs the Browns may pass on him at No. 1, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv reports. But if he goes to either the Browns or Giants, the Jets look to be engaged in an interesting debate.
Although the Jets were the only team to trek to Laramie, Wyo., to work out Josh Allen, the latest noise related to their No. 3 overall pick centers on a Baker Mayfield-or-Josh Rosen decision. Brian Costello of the New York Post describes a “hearty debate” among Jets brass about the merits of the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner or the brash UCLA product who may be the most pro-ready passer in this draft. Both Schwartz and Vacchiano expect Darnold to be the pick if he’s still there at 3, but if he’s gone, these contingency talks could decide the Jets’ future.
Mike Maccagnan was reportedly a Mayfield skeptic earlier the pre-draft process, with Rosen having the early advantage in this head-to-head comparison, but Vacchiano notes the fourth-year GM looks to have warmed up to him. The Jets’ concerns about how Mayfield would handle the New York market look to have diminished as well. All four of the top QB prospects visited the Jets, but they did the most work on Allen.
As we heard earlier this month, the Jets have concerns about Allen’s readiness — mostly based on his accuracy at Wyoming — and may not be especially interested in the 6-foot-5 prodigy. However, a Jets faction “loves” Allen’s skill set. Allen falling past the Browns would create an interesting scenario, because the Giants appear to be zeroing in on Darnold or Saquon Barkley at No. 2. His being there at No. 4 could make the Browns’ second first-round pick valuable for QB-seeking teams, because John Elway — whose Broncos hold the No. 5 selection — has a history of preferring this type of quarterback.
The Jets did not call the Giants about moving to No. 2 instead of No. 3, but Vacchiano reports the NFC’s Big Apple team would have listened to an offer. With the Jets having surrendered three second-round picks to move up to the Colts’ slot, though, Vacchiano notes there is a feeling in the building that the team has already made its big move and is set to stay at No. 3 and pick its favorite quarterback remaining.
Latest On Giants’ No. 2 Pick
As Round 1 looms in six days, Saquon Barkley has surged to the center of the Giants’ radar screen. While that interest is real, per Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv, this shouldn’t be viewed as a surefire pick.
There are some at Giants headquarters who think passing on a possible franchise quarterback “would be nuts,” per Vacchiano, who adds Sam Darnold likely remains the quarterback Big Blue would target (if he’s available). The Giants do not appear to be interested in Baker Mayfield or Josh Allen, and Vacchiano adds the team doesn’t seem to be as sure about this quarterback class as the one 14 years ago that produced their current starter.
Josh Rosen‘s stock may have taken a slight hit compared to where he was at the end of his final UCLA season, but one source informed Vacchiano he should not be ruled out of a New York selection. He was believed by some to be the favorite here early in the pre-draft process. A report earlier this month indicated the Giants were down on Rosen, but we are in peak smokescreen time.
Barkley is likely the No. 1 player on the Giants’ board, Vacchiano notes, adding that the team appears to prefer him to Bradley Chubb and may just view the Penn State sensation as an too much of a talent to pass up, regardless of positional value. ESPN’s Todd McShay has heard immense Barkley praise coming out of New York lately, and PFR readers’ early consensus is Barkley will be Big Apple-bound.
While the Giants are high on Chubb and Quenton Nelson, Vacchiano writes these two are likelier fits if they trade down, pointing to the Notre Dame guard in particular in a trade-down scenario. Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reported Nelson was a top-three player on New York’s board and a target if the team trades down. If the Giants were to move down and target Chubb, they probably wouldn’t be able to drop too far. Any trade-down move, though, may be less likely than the franchise just picking its preferred prospect.
“Why would we (trade down) and pass on either the best quarterback or best player on our board?” one Giants source told Vacchiano.
This is the highest pick the Giants have held since 1981, when they landed Lawrence Taylor, and Dave Gettleman has repeatedly said he would like a “gold jacket” player with his first pick as GM.
Josh Allen Visited Cardinals
With the draft less than a week away, visit season has concluded. But Josh Allen said in a recent interview he’d visited seven teams — one more than previously reported. During an appearance on the Pro Football Talk PM Podcast (via ArizonaSports.com’s Mike Jurecki, on Twitter), Allen revealed he visited the Cardinals.
Allen confirmed his previously reported itinerary of meetings with the Browns, Giants, Jets, Broncos, Dolphins and Bills. Holding the No. 15 selection, the Cardinals pick lowest of any team that hosted the Wyoming passer. However, they lack a long-term answer at quarterback.
The Cardinals also met with Baker Mayfield during the visit window but are not believed to have brought in Josh Rosen, who may be set to be the fourth quarterback chosen in this draft and thus at a juncture where the Cardinals would be in reasonable trade range to acquire him. Allen, conversely, has a decent chance of being the No. 1 overall pick. At this point, it could be assumed it would take more trade ammo to move up to land Allen than it would for Rosen.
Arizona signed Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon in March while also submitting April waiver claims for Brandon Doughty and Alek Torgersen. None of these players figure to be in the long-term starter mix, however.
NFL Draft Rumors: Guice, Redskins, Patriots, Bills, Giants, Darnold
Running back Derrius Guice visited the Redskins at their team facility on Monday, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Redskins have been public about their desire to add a pass-catching running back and Guice, with 18 catches last year at LSU, would fit the bill.
With needs to address on the other side of the ball, many believe that the Redskins will take a defensive player at No. 13 overall. However, the Redskins could probably trade back into the early 20s to take Guice and address their defensive holes later on.
Here’s the latest round of NFL draft news:
- The Patriots hosted UCLA left tackle Kolton Miller on a pre-draft visit, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets.
- Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen met with the Bills on Monday and will travel to the Giants on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Meanwhile, USC QB Sam Darnold met with the Giants on Monday and will meet with the Jets on Tuesday.
- Linebacker Rashaan Evans visited the Bengals on Monday, Rapoport tweets. The Bengals own the No. 21 pick in the draft, which could allow them to snag the Alabama standout.
- Speaking of Alabama, Rapoport also notes that standout defensive lineman Da’Ron Payne met with the Redskins on Monday. Payne has shot up draft boards in recent weeks thanks to his remarkable strength. “He’s the best. He’s the best I’ve seen,”Alabama strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran said earlier this year. “I’ve never seen a guy hit 385 on the power clean every single year. His first year he hit 365 on the power clean and it was like wow, freshman, that’s incredible.”
- USC running back Ronald Jones visited the Patriots on Monday, Rapoport tweets. Within the same tweet, he notes that Stanford safety Justin Reid visited the Panthers before heading off to his Steelers visit.
- Iowa cornerback Josh Jackson took a pre-draft visit to meet with the 49ers on Monday, a league source told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. The 49ers have the ninth pick in the first round and Jackson is projected to come off the board as a middle-to-late first-round pick.
- LSU pass-rusher Arden Key visited the Bears on Monday, Rapoport tweets. He also notes Memphis wide receiver Anthony Miller visited the Redskins on Monday and Tulane cornerback Parry Nickerson visited the Raiders.
Dolphins To Host Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield
Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen will have a Top 30 visit with the Dolphins on Thursday and Friday, Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets. The Dolphins will also meet with Oklahoma signal caller Baker Mayfield on Thursday.
The Broncos, who hold the No. 5 overall pick, recently became the latest team to meet with Allen. Opinions are split on the 6’5″, 230-pounder, but he is almost universally regarded as one of the four best QB prospects in this year’s draft.
Mayfield, also a member of this year’s big four along with Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen, has also proven to be a divisive prospect. The Oklahoma product has been knocked for potential character issues and his lack of size, but his on-field performance has been strong as a whole.
Currently slated to pick at No. 11, the Dolphins and head coach Adam Gase have been heavily linked to this year’s quarterback prospects. Miami, of course, deployed Jay Cutler as its starting signal-caller in 2017 after Ryan Tannehill went down with a knee injury. Tannehill should be available for the upcoming campaign, but the Dolphins still seem interested in adding a potential upgrade.
Broncos Meet With Wyoming QB Josh Allen
The Broncos will meet with Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen on Monday, reports Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). This will mark the third time Denver has visited with Allen following summits at the Senior Bowl and the scouting combine.
Given that the Broncos hold the fifth overall pick, they could look to secure a franchise quarterback even after signing veteran Case Keenum last month. It’s not a given that one of the top four signal-callers will still be on the board at No. 5, but Denver has now met or plans to meet with Allen, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and Baker Mayfield.
In addition to adding Keenum this offseason, the Broncos also traded former starter Trevor Siemian to the Vikings, leaving at least one void on the club’s quarterback depth chart. 2016 first-round pick Paxton Lynch is still on the roster, but he’s failed to produce despite numerous opportunities and doesn’t figure to factor into Denver’s long-term plans. Allen, or another one of the draft’s top signal-callers, would give the Broncos another option given that Keenum’s contract only runs through the 2019 campaign.
Allen is among the most divisive prospects in the 2018 draft, as the 6’5″, 230-pounder offers tantalizing physical tools but is short on results. During his final seasons at Wyoming, Allen completed only 56.3% of his passes for 1,812 yards, 16 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Josh Allen To Visit Jets?
Will Josh Allen visit the Jets at their Florham Park facility, or won’t he? There are conflicting reports on that front, as we heard from Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com earlier this week that Allen would indeed be making the trek to New Jersey, but last night Rich Cimini of ESPN.com suggested that would not be the case.
However, Mehta tweeted this morning that Allen will, in fact, meet with the Jets at Florham Park, so we still do not really know if the two sides will summit again. The Jets did recently go to Wyoming to have a private workout with Allen, so it could be that they have enough intel on the signal-caller to make an informed decision. After all, as of last season, the Jets were believed to have done more work on Allen than any other club.
At the very least, New York may not be considering Sam Darnold as strongly as Allen, Baker Mayfield, and Josh Rosen. The Jets are not planning to meet privately with the USC product, either at their facility or elsewhere. They did attend Darnold’s Pro Day, and GM Mike Maccagnan was in attendance when Darnold’s Trojans battled Rosen’s Bruins in November, but they may not view him as highly as the other three top prospects (though they could just believe Darnold will be off the board by the time they are on the clock with the No. 3 overall selection and do not want to waste their time).
And although the Jets do plan to meet with Rosen, there has been more buzz connecting Gang Green to Mayfield and Allen than the UCLA QB. Mayfield is slated to meet with the Giants today and tomorrow before heading off for his visit with the Jets immediately thereafter.
AFC Notes: Browns, Allen, Ravens, Broncos
Quarterbacks have justifiably dominated draft-centric Browns conversations this offseason, but Joe Thomas‘ retirement has left a hole the franchise hasn’t had to worry about since the Romeo Crennel regime. And as of now, the Browns have shifted Shon Coleman from right to left tackle, Terry Pluto of cleveland.com notes. With Chris Hubbard having been signed to play right tackle, the 6-foot-6 Coleman — a 2016 third-round pick who started all 16 games at right tackle last season — Coleman finds himself with either an opportunity to replace a legend or on the verge of being demoted. An anonymous NFL exec, per Pluto, does not believe John Dorsey will go into training camp with Coleman stationed atop the Browns’ depth chart at left tackle. Pro Football Focus preferred Coleman’s pass-blocking work to his ability to open running lanes, bestowing a middling overall grade upon the young blocker, but Coleman’s 14 penalties were the most among tackles last year.
Thomas replacement Spencer Drango, a 2016 fifth-rounder, gave up 11 sacks — most in the league in 2017. The exec floated the idea of the Browns trading down from No. 4 and selecting a tackle, but the team holds the Nos. 33 and 35 overall picks that could be used on a tackle without sacrificing prime first-round real estate.
Here’s the latest from the AFC:
- Contrary to a previous report, the Jets do not have a Josh Allen visit scheduled, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. However, Gang Green brass did trek to Wyoming this week to observe a private workout. The Jets have been linked to Allen for months, and several team officials “love” the 6-foot-5 quarterback’s skill set. Allen has also been connected to the Browns and is among the four passers visiting the Giants next week.
- As he did for Texans owner Bob McNair‘s deposition in his collusion lawsuit, Colin Kaepernick attended those of Ozzie Newsome and John Harbaugh, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets. The Ravens duo’s depositions have been completed. The team was linked to Kaepernick in 2017 but did not end up signing him. Conflicting reports came out over the past several months regarding Harbaugh’s interest in Kaepernick, who led two of Jim Harbaugh‘s best 49ers teams. The Ravens signed Robert Griffin III, who also did not play football in 2017, this week.
- The Broncos cut ties with Britton Colquitt before the 2016 season because his salary was escalating out of the franchise’s comfort zone, but now they’ve landed Marquette King. He will make $2MM per year on average. King also confirmed there was a bit of a revenge measure associated with his signing with perhaps the Raiders’ biggest rivals. “I just wanted to find the best place that I thought I would fit,” King said, via Mike Klis of 9News. “I think there is somewhat of a revenge factor in there, too.” King punted for Dennis Allen– and Jack Del Rio-coached teams from 2012-17, but unlike the former Denver defensive coordinators, new Oakland HC Jon Gruden wasn’t a fan of the punter’s personality. King said the Broncos did not ask him to tame down his antics.
- Expect the Broncos to try and get what they can for incumbent punter Riley Dixon, Klis notes. The Syracuse product selected in the seventh round in 2016 has two years remaining on his rookie deal, but being a punter coming off a down season, it’s possible the Broncos may simply have to waive Dixon. Klis observes a trend in Denver ditching or demoting core members of its 2017 special teams units, which struggled. ST coordinator Brock Olivo was fired after one season, Dixon has now been replaced and ex-UDFAs have been brought in to compete with Brandon McManus and long snapper Casey Kreiter.