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Marcus Mariota

NFC Notes: Bucs, Peterson, Washington

April 19th, 2015 at 12:44pm CST by Rory Parks

We rounded up some AFC links earlier this morning, so let’s have a look at a few notes from the NFC.

  • Although the Glazer family has never meddled in the Buccaneers‘ personnel decisions to the same degree Jerry Jones has meddled with the Cowboys, Tampa Bay’s ownership has a tradition of assuming a powerful role in the team’s football operations at key moments. According to Ira Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune, the Glazers have been very active in deciding what the Bucs should do with their No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft.
  • The Vikings would want at least a second-rounder and a late-round pick for Adrian Peterson, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, who does not expect the team to lower its asking price just to move Peterson.
  • The Lions will likely wait until after the draft to address their left guard spot, and when they do, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com expects the team to add a veteran at the position.
  • John Mullin of CSNChicago.com writes that, with each signing the Bears make, the job security of those already on the roster becomes more uncertain. That is especially true on the defensive side of the ball, where Chicago has added two linebackers and is moving a 2014 defensive end back to outside linebacker. That means the three Game 16 starters of last season, Jonathan Bostic, Christian Jones, and Shea McClellin, are competing for one vacancy.
  • Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wonders if the Rams will select a quarterback in this year’s draft, noting that if they do, they better strike early.
  • Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com examine Washington‘s depth chart at quarterback. El-Bashir believes the team will draft a signal-caller, which will leave Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins fighting for one job.
  • John Keim of ESPN.com does not believe Washington will bring back Tyler Polumbus or Brandon Meriweather, and he would not be surprised if the team drafted Marcus Mariota if the former Oregon signal-caller is still available when Washington is on the clock.
  • Dan Graziano of ESPNNewYork.com writes that, in a perfect world, there would be a clear-cut option at pass-rusher for the Giants to select with their No. 9 overall pick. The problem is that most of the premium pass rushers, outside of perhaps Bud Dupree, look more like 3-4 outside linebackers than 4-3 defensive ends. As such, the team may end up with one of this year’s top offensive lineman, like Brandon Scherff or Ereck Flowers.

AFC Notes: Hightower, Broncos, Titans

April 19th, 2015 at 8:54am CST by Rory Parks

In addition to putting the finishing touches on their big board, the Patriots have a number of personnel decisions to make before draft day, writes Karen Guregian of The Boston Herald. Specifically, New England needs to decide whether to pick up the fifth-year options on linebacker Dont’a Hightower and defensive end Chandler Jones (the deadline for teams to exercise that option is May 3, one day after the conclusion of the draft).

The fifth-year option would prevent both players from becoming free agents after the 2015 season, so on the surface it appears like an easy decision. And for Hightower, Guregian believes it is. She says not only should the Patriots exercise the option, they should lock Hightower up long-term. Guregian points to Hightower’s critical role in the team’s Super Bowl run last season, which included establishing himself as a playmaker, a leader, and a play-caller in Jerod Mayo‘s absence.

Although Jones represents something of a more difficult decision, as injuries and his struggles against the run tip the scales towards the one-year option rather than a multi-year extension, Guregian writes that Hightower, along with Jamie Collins, are the future of the New England’s defense and should be treated accordingly.

Let’s take a look at a few more notes from the AFC:

  • The Dolphins will have an official visit with LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins next week, writes Omar Kelly of The Sun-Sentinel. One league source pegs Collins as the frontrunner for Miami’s first-round pick, No. 14 overall, if he is still available when the Dolphins are on the clock.
  • Mike Klis of The Denver Post expects the Broncos to trade up from their No. 28 overall pick, noting that the team has 10 picks but is in win-now mode and does not have 10 available roster spots.
  • In the wake of the persistent Philip Rivers-to-Tennessee rumors, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe offers his two cents, asserting his belief that a trade will not happen. For one, although Rivers is by no means a young man relative to other professional athletes, his durability and consistent level of play suggest it is far to soon to worry about his performance taking a sudden downturn. Furthermore, Marcus Mariota, who the Chargers would presumably draft to replace Rivers, is by no means a surefire prospect, which suggests San Diego should stay put at the No. 17 overall pick in the draft and continue to roll with Rivers.
  • Similarly, Volin believes the Titans‘ statements regarding how much they like second-year quarterback Zach Mettenberger are not a ruse. Given the stalled progress of passers like Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick, Volin believes Tennessee did not make those statements in an effort to disguise their desire to draft Mariota.

NFC Notes: Bucs, Brown, Washington

April 18th, 2015 at 6:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Linked heavily to Jameis Winston since locking up the No. 1 pick and recently reported to be undeterred by the quarterback’s latest legal issues, the Buccaneers may be backing off that stance slightly. There now could be two draft slots available for teams desperate for signal-calling help, reports Bob Glauber of Newsday.

Although the Bucs, who haven’t held the No. 1 draft choice since taking Vinny Testaverde at that position in 1987, are expected to take either Winston or Marcus Mariota, they are willing to listen to offers for the selection, sources told Glauber. The possibility of stockpiling picks and either selecting a second-tier quarterback later or further determining Mike Glennon‘s legitimacy are contingency plans.

The Browns and Chargers are the most likely teams to pull the trigger on a trade, reports Glauber, with the Jets and Eagles now backing off their pursuits due to Gang Green only possessing six selections and the Eagles unwilling to pay what it would cost to vault from No. 20 to a top-two slot. Glauber notes the Eagles are prepared to go into the season with Sam Bradford as their starter.

A team hasn’t traded a No. 1 pick during the draft since the Eli Manning–Philip Rivers exchange 11 years ago, and the Falcons trading up in 2001 representing the last time a franchise that didn’t finish with the worst record the previous season made the No. 1 overall selection.

Some other notes from around the NFC.

  • The Mariota-to-Philadelphia rumor has indeed lost steam, according to Dave Spadaro of PhiladelphiaEagles.com, with the prospect of the Eagles adding picks by trading down gaining it. The Eagles own seven picks as of now and traded out of their first-round window last year.
  • Despite being one of several teams in the late derby to add Stevie Brown, the Giants are still considered “one of the favorites” to re-sign him, reports Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com. The Giants’ offer, however, may not top the market that includes the Cowboys, Falcons, Titans and Raiders. But the 27-year-old former seventh-round pick would be a crucial land for Big Blue, as they are in need of two starting safeties. Little-known commodities Nat Berhe and Cooper Taylor are their incumbents at strong safety, increasing the likelihood of a high draft choice coming to help the Giants on the back end. Although converted corners Chykie Brown, Bennett Jackson and Josh Gordy may provide competition at the free safety position, Brown would immediately surge to the top spot there if he re-signs, reports Ranaan.
  • Roy Helu‘s exit to Oakland leaves Washington without a proven backup to Alfred Morris. More importantly, Helu (47 receptions, 477 yards last season) was the team’s only proven third-down back. Chris Thompson is now the favorite to assume that role despite seeing backfield action in just two games in 2014, report Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. Tandler, however, adds that Washington’s coaching staff grew impatient with the 2013 fifth-rounder out of Florida State due to injury struggles and expects this position to be addressed in the draft. Alabama’s T.J. Yeldon, Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah and Missouri’s Marcus Murphy are among those who would fit here, reports El-Bashir, with Pierre Thomas and his 327 career catches still sitting in free agency.

AFC Mailbags: Ravens, Rivers, Carr, Jags

April 18th, 2015 at 10:41am CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN.com’s NFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus over to the AFC…

  • The current group of Ravens tight ends have a combined one NFL start, and Jamison Hensley believes the draft will present an opportunity for the team to acquire a veteran. The writer suggests Brandon Pettigrew (Lions) or Marcedes Lewis (Jaguars) as potential targets.
  • Considering Rich Cimini can’t envision Marcus Mariota dropping to pick number six, he doesn’t think a Philip Rivers trade will work out between the Jets and the Chargers. However, if Mariota were to be available, the writer says the Jets would need to get a long-term commitment from Rivers before pulling the trigger.
  • Bill Williamson would be “stunned” if the Raiders drafted Marcus Mariota and traded Derek Carr. The team’s coaching staff is counting on Carr to be part of the future of the organization, so a shift in philosophy would be a “major storyline.”
  • Besides an edge rusher, wideout Amari Cooper would be the only other player the Jaguars would consider with the third pick, opines Mike DiRocco.

AFC Notes: Rivers, Titans, J. Houston, Colts

April 16th, 2015 at 8:35pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

As the NFL draft draws closer, rumors of a trade that would send Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers to the Titans continue to swirl. According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), there is a strong likelihood that Rivers and the 17th overall pick (and perhaps more pieces) will end up heading to Tennessee in exchange for the second overall selection. The Chargers would then draft Oregon signal caller Marcus Mariota to replace Rivers.

Here’s more on Rivers and the rest of the AFC:

  • Jason Fitzgerald of the Sporting News writes that now is the time for the Chargers to deal Rivers. Doing so would enable the Bolts to get out from under the high-paying deal Rivers, who is entering a contract year, will get sometime prior to the 2016 campaign and replace him with a much younger player, Mariota, with franchise QB potential. Rivers, 33, is 12 years older than Mariota.
  • The Chiefs used the franchise tag to retain linebacker Justin Houston in February after long-term contract negotiations proved unsuccessful, and the sides haven’t resumed discussions since then, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. If Kansas City fails to lock up Houston by July 15, it’ll have to wait until the end of next season to restart talks on a new deal. In the meantime, another team could sign Houston to an offer sheet, but if that happens and the Chiefs don’t match the offer, it would cost Houston’s new club a first-round pick in both 2016 and ’17. The four-year veteran may be worth it, having racked up three straight double-digit-sack seasons and a league-best 22 in 2014.
  • Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star took a pre-draft look at the Colts’ projected starting lineup for 2015. Holder notes that the team has potential weaknesses along both lines (center, right guard and right tackle on offense; nose tackle on defense) and at free safety. All could be areas for the Colts to improve via the draft.
  • Broncos special teams ace and backup safety David Bruton has started just five a possible 91 games during his career, but Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that the 27-year-old wants to change that in 2015. The Broncos lost free safety Rahim Moore in free agency and are down to Darian Stewart and Bradley Roby at the position. Bruton hopes to be in the mix for the No. 1 job. “I envision myself starting,” said the six-year veteran. “I’m dreaming big this season, especially (in a) contract year.”
  • The Browns will visit with Northwestern quarterback Trevor Siemian on Sunday and Monday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Siemian accounted for 12 touchdowns in 2014 (seven passing, five rushing) before suffering a torn ACL in November.

Draft Notes: Rams, Winston, Vikings, Saints

April 16th, 2015 at 7:09pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Despite already having a starting-caliber quarterback in Nick Foles, the Rams are doing their due diligence with the position as the NFL draft nears. They worked out Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota for roughly an hour Thursday, tweets the NFL Network’s Albert Breer. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweeted earlier Thursday that, in addition to Mariota, the Rams will work out Florida State’s Jameis Winston, Baylor’s Bryce Petty, Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson and UCLA’s Brett Hundley in the coming days. Mariota and Winston should be long gone by the time the Rams’ first-round selection, the 10th overall pick, rolls around, while the rest are viewed as options in the second round and beyond.

More draft-related news:

  • NFL teams were already aware of Jameis Winston’s latest legal troubles before the news broke Thursday and those issues won’t affect his draft status, per Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link).
  • The Vikings have done their homework on a pair of safety prospects, Louisville’s James Sample and Central Florida’s Clayton Geathers, reports Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). Both are projected as mid-round picks.
  • Although West Virginia defensive end Shaquille Riddick wasn’t among the 323 prospects invited to February’s scouting combine, he has drawn pre-draft interest from the Giants, Cardinals, Eagles, Texans, Saints, Bears and Chiefs, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Riddick told Ulrich that is using the combine snub as motivation. “Wherever I go, I’m going to be a surprise that they’re going to benefit from,” said Riddick. “And whoever doesn’t select me, they’re going to have to worry about me terrorizing their quarterbacks.”
  • The Saints will host their local pro day on Friday, according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. Per Woodbery, at least a dozen players will participate. Only those who grew up within a 40-mile radius of New Orleans or attended college within the same distance are eligible to partake.

West Notes: Wilson, McGrath, Rams, Broncos

April 16th, 2015 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

Asked on KIRO 97.3 FM about contract negotiations with quarterback Russell Wilson, whose rookie contract expires after the 2015 season, Seahawks general manager John Schneider predictably didn’t offer up many details. As Terry Blount of ESPN.com details, Schneider alluded to the challenges of balancing the roster and the salary cap as he expressed how much the club wants to keep Wilson in the mix for years to come.

“Every negotiation is unique in and of itself and this is no different,” Schneider said. “He’s our quarterback. We’d love him to be our quarterback. But the thing is we need to keep as many of these guys together as we possibly can. What I can tell you is that this is the ultimate team sport. We have a track record of rewarding our players that we recognize as core players.”

Yesterday, we heard that the Seahawks and Wilson had begun extension discussions, but hadn’t made much progress. As we wait to see if the two sides move forward on a new deal, let’s check in on a few more notes out of the NFL’s two West divisions….

  • Former Chiefs tight end Sean McGrath, who retired last summer, has decided to make an NFL comeback, his agent tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link). However, he won’t return to Kansas City — the team reinstated him from the reserve/retired list yesterday, then immediately waived him.
  • The Rams‘ private workout with quarterback Marcus Mariota is happening today, and Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that head coach Jeff Fisher, GM Les Snead, executive VP of football operations Kevin Demoff, offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti, and quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke will all be in Eugene to meet with the Oregon signal-caller.
  • Per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, the Seahawks have hosted Tennessee State guard Robert Myers for a pre-draft visit, and are also hosting West Georgia defensive lineman Tory Slater. Slater previously visited the Falcons as well.
  • Pittsburgh tackle T.J. Clemmings visited the Broncos earlier this week, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, who adds that the club also held a private workout for Colorado State offensive lineman Ty Sambrailo.

Draft Notes: Titans, Fowler, QBs, Darby

April 15th, 2015 at 10:40am CST by Luke Adams

Clemson edge rusher Vic Beasley and Alabama wideout Amari Cooper, two probable top-10 picks, are making visits to Tennessee today to meet with the Titans, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter links). I don’t expect either player to go as high as No. 2 overall, but there’s certainly no guarantee that the Titans will keep that pick, so it makes sense that they’re exploring their options. As Wyatt notes (via Twitter), the club is taking a look at several top pass rushers, having also hosted Shane Ray and Dante Fowler Jr. on previously-reported visits.

Here are a few more draft updates from around the NFL:

  • Speaking of Fowler, the Florida pass rusher will be in Washington today to meet with the team that holds the fifth overall pick, tweets John Keim of ESPN.com.
  • Despite recent buzz surrounding Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston is still the strong favorite to go first overall in this month’s draft, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora suggests that the No. 2 pick is still worth keeping a close eye on though, since Mariota will likely be selected in that spot — the Rams, Chargers, Eagles, and Browns are among the teams with at least some level of interest in nabbing the Oregon QB, and they’d all likely have to move up to do so.
  • Armed with two first-round picks, the Browns are considering all their options, and brought in Arizona State wide receiver Jaelen Strong for a pre-draft visit on Monday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post adds the Panthers to the list of teams Florida State cornerback Ronald Darby has visited. Darby has also met with the Saints and Jets, and worked out for the Buccaneers.
  • The Dolphins, who figure to target linebackers at some point in this year’s draft, will host top ILB prospect Benardrick McKinney of Mississippi State this Friday, writes Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Draft Notes: Winston, Gurley, Gordon

April 14th, 2015 at 3:53pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Jets, who hold the sixth overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, are in need of a franchise quarterback and have already worked out Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, one of the top two signal callers available. They’d also like to visit with Florida State’s Jameis Winston, who joins Mariota as a likely top five pick, but that meeting may not happen. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Winston was unable to meet with the Jets when they wanted him to and the sides are now having difficulty finding a time.

Here’s the rest of the latest draft news:

  • The Browns, who are in search of a running back, have already visited with Georgia’s Todd Gurley, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan, and will next meet with Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon. ESPN’s Josina Anderson tweets that Gordon will be in Cleveland for a visit Thursday that could last through Friday. Both Gordon and Gurley are potential first-round picks. The Browns hold the 12th and 19th overall selections.
  • Having worked out Mariota, the Chargers will next head to Los Angeles to do the same with UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link).
  • The receiver-needy Panthers will meet with Central Florida’s Breshad Perriman tonight and tomorrow, per Pro Football Talk (Twitter link). They’ll also work out USC’s Nelson Agholor, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • The Broncos will visit with Texas A&M offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi next Tuesday, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Klis believes Ogbuehi could be a second-round target for the Broncos.
  • Mississippi State running back Josh Robinson recently visited with the Colts, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
  • San Jose State’s Akeem King, a former wide receiver who converted to safety, is drawing interest as a cornerback, tweets Matt Barrow of the Sacramento Bee. The Raiders, Falcons, Saints and Seahawks are all eyeing King.
  • The Falcons worked out Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah, according to Ross Jones of FoxSports.com (Twitter link).
  • Cincinnati linebacker Jeff Luc will meet with both the Jets and Patriots prior to the draft, tweets Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller.

AFC Notes: Chargers, Bills, Dolphins, Jets

April 14th, 2015 at 12:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chargers appear to be contemplating the post-Philip Rivers era in San Diego, as they take a closer look at Oregon signal-caller Marcus Mariota today. After working out Mariota, the team’s brass will head to Los Angeles to put UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley through a workout of his own, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

GM Tom Telesco and head coach Mike McCoy have repeatedly stated they want Rivers to retire as a Charger, so there may be no need to identify his successor quite yet. But Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune believes this offseason is the prime time for San Diego to trade Rivers in a deal to snag Mariota, arguing that all the factors in play point to it being a win-win move for the franchise and for the veteran quarterback, who is entering the final year of his contract.

We still have a little more than two weeks until the draft gets underway, so it will be interesting to see if the Rivers trade rumors pick up steam or die down as April 30 approaches. In the meantime, here are a few more notes from across the AFC:

  • Free agent wide receiver Brad Smith is paying a visit to Buffalo to meet with the Bills, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com details. Smith played for Rex Ryan on the Jets, but it’s not clear if there’s a spot for him on Ryan’s new club, with players like Percy Harvin, Marcus Easley, and Marcus Thigpen already in the mix as potentially versatile offensive weapons, returners, or special-teamers.
  • Given where we’ve seen running backs drafted in the last couple years, it would be surprise to see one go as high as No. 14 overall this year. Nonetheless, the Dolphins, who hold that pick, are hosting Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon for a visit next week, per Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter).
  • Outside pass rushers Bud Dupree and Shane Ray will be visiting the Jets, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter links). Although there has been plenty of chatter linking Mariota to New York, the team is in a good spot at No. 6 to add a top pass rushing prospect.
  • The Steelers hosted Washington State defensive tackle Xavier Cooper, Ohio State tight end Jeff Heuerman, and UAB tight end Kennard Backman on pre-draft visits today, tweets ESPN.com’s Scott Brown. Cooper met with the Saints in New Orleans yesterday, but we haven’t heard much to date about the tight ends.
  • Florida State cornerback Ronald Darby is visiting the Colts today, according to Rapoport (via Twitter).
  • On the heels of the Raiders‘ agreement with free agent wide receiver Michael Crabtree, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com shares a few initial thoughts on the deal, outlining why the former Niner is worth the risk on a one-year investment.
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