Marcus Mariota - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Peterson, Jimbo, Mariota, Draft

April 7th, 2015 at 10:28pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is not expected to face any further discipline when he comes off the commissioner’s exempt list, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. For Peterson, being clear of any more punishment was a key goal of today’s meeting with league officials in New York, per Rapoport. Peterson is eligible to be reinstated next Wednesday.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

Appearing on Pro Football Talk Live, Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher told Mike Florio that he’s received interest from NFL teams in the past, allowing that he “would never say never” to a pro opportunity. With a NCAA title under his belt, and a history of developing quarterbacks, it’s unsurprising that NFL clubs would inquire as to Fisher’s availability.
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, having already worked out for the Titans privately, will meet with Tennessee again on Thursday, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link).
The Dolphins are assessing collegiate linebackers, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, going as far as to send linebackers coach Mark Duffner to spend private time with Clemson’s Stephon Anthony. Miami has also met with Georgia’s Ramik Wilson and Anthony’s teammate, Vic Beasley, and have had several conversations with Utah State’s Zach Vigil, a potential late-round pick, says Jackson.
Purdue tight end Gabe Holmes, who has already drawn interest from the Cardinals and Raiders, will work out for the Dolphins on Friday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Searching for a replacement for Mike Iupati, the 49ers have scheduled an official visit for Utah guard Jeremiah Poutasi which will take place later this month, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
Both the city and county of San Diego independently voted to pay the cost of hiring consultants with stadium experience as they look for a new home for the Chargers, according to David Garrick of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

NFC Notes: Staley, Draft, Cowboys, Lions

April 6th, 2015 at 9:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers converted Joe Staley‘s option bonus to a signing bonus, affecting his cap number for 2015, as CBSSports.com’s Joel Corry (Twitter links) explains. Staley’s cap number has gone from $6.4MM to $7.6MM after his $6MM option bonus was converted. San Francisco, meanwhile, will get a salary cap credit of $1.2MM in 2016. The accounting move won’t result in a salary increase for the offensive tackle. Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap explicates the transaction.

Here’s more the NFC…

The Buccaneers‘ private workout with Oregon QB Marcus Mariota is set for tomorrow in Eugene, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets.
The Cowboys have filled most their 30 allowed spots for draft visits, writes Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, who reports the following players have headed or will head to Valley Ranch in the coming days: running backs T.J. Yeldon, Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon, Tevin Coleman, Jay Ajayi, and Ameer Adbullah; defensive lineman Bud Dupree and Danielle Hunter; linebacker Benardrick McKinney; and defensive backs Josh Shaw and Damarious Randall.
The Cowboys will also take a look at a defensive lineman tomorrow, as they’ll meet with UCLA DE Owa Odighizuma, per Rapoport (Twitter link), who adds that the former Bruin will also visit with the Saints. Odighizuma has already visited the Eagles.
Dallas will be flush with prospects on Tuesday, as the Cowboys will also visit with both versatile Washington product Shaq Thompson and UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks, according to Rapoport (Twitter link).
Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com takes an overview of the Lions’ roster, noting that while linebacker is a deep position group, Detroit could afford to spend draft resources on the interior of both the offensive and defensive lines.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Sunday Roundup: Manziel, Broncos, Cowboys

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

Some notes from around the NFL:

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

Bucs Notes: Carter, QBs, Clemmings

March 29th, 2015 at 11:33am CST by Rory Parks

After their splashy acquisitions largely failed to live up to expectations in the past several seasons, the Buccaneers took a different approach to the offseason this year. Rather than swinging for the fences, as they did with players like Anthony Collins and Michael Johnson, Tampa Bay instead focused on solid players who might not have come with a big price tag, but who nonetheless have a familiarity with the Tampa 2 scheme and who can serve as capable building blocks for the team’s roster.

As Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune writes, new acquisitions Henry Melton, Chris Conte, Bruce Carter, and Sterling Moore all either played under head coach Lovie Smith in Chicago or are otherwise familiar with the Tampa 2 system. The Bucs hope that Carter in particular can become the driving force behind a rejuvenated defense, as he provides the coverage ability and play-making potential from the inside linebacker position that is often necessary for a Tampa 2 unit to thrive.

Let’s take a look at a few more notes from Tampa Bay:

Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com offers a few predictions regarding the 2015 draft. He notes that the Bucs have done “an enormous amount of homework” on Jameis Winston, but they will not take Winston with the first overall pick unless they feel his off-field issues are completely behind him. Yasinskas says Marcus Mariota is still in play, and he would be a nice alternative if the club still has reservations about Winston.
In the same piece, Yasinskas notes that Tampa Bay almost has to take an offensive lineman or defensive end with its second pick in the draft after it takes a signal-caller with its first overall choice. The needs at those positions are simply too great to ignore, Yasinskas believes. He thinks the Bucs will still sign a free agent offensive lineman and add another in the early rounds of the draft.
Gil Brandt of NFL.com tweets that Mariota will work out for the Bucs next Tuesday, April 7, one week after Winston’s pro day.
As Yasinskas pointed out, the Bucs may not draft Winston if they are not convinced his non-football problems are a thing of the past. But Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times writes that Smith is a big believer in giving second chances to players who have had off-field problems, and he would therefore not shy away from Winston. In the past year, the Bucs have strongly considered acquiring Richie Incognito, Greg Hardy, and Adrian Peterson, and when Smith was head coach of the Bears, he drafted Cedric Benson with the fourth overall pick in the 2005 draft and stood by Tank Johnson following Johnson’s legal troubles in 2006.
Joe Kania of Buccaneers.com tweets that the Bucs are one of the teams with whom Pittsburgh OT T.J. Clemmings has had a private workout.

AFC Notes: Mariota, Clowney, Jaguars

March 28th, 2015 at 7:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Probably the most-discussed prospect during this year’s pre-NFL draft cycle, Marcus Mariota has drawn the interest from numerous teams who think they have a chance to either select him in the top 10 or move up to No. 2 to make the pick.

At No. 6, the Jets are doing their research. GM Mike Maccagnan and five additional “decision-makers” flew to Eugene, Ore., to work out the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.

New coach Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey joined the Jets’ contingent. Bowles noted earlier this week Geno Smith remains the Jets’ starter, but the former second-round pick has played wildly inconsistent football in two seasons.

Elsewhere around the AFC …

Last year’s No. 1 pick and the most-hyped defender to come out of college this decade, Jadeveon Clowney is making “terrific progress” on his recovery from microfracture surgery, the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain reports. Clowney, who told McClain he couldn’t put weight on his right leg until around seven weeks transpired after his Dec. 2014 surgery, hopes to be back on the field by Texans training camp. But the microfracture procedure is one of the worst to undergo if the goal is a quick recovery, although Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce emerged to make an impact less than 12 months after an October 2013 procedure.
The Jaguars are “almost certain” to take Florida defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. at No. 3 overall, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. opined to the Florida Times-Union‘s Hays Carlyon. As for the Jags’ second-round pick at No. 36: Kiper noted running backs Todd Gurley and Tevin Coleman (Indiana) before mentioning Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, a former projected first-rounder who sustained a torn ACL in the Liberty Bowl, as a possible wild-card choice, per the Times-Union. Ogbuehi played guard alongside 2013 Jags No. 2 overall selection Luke Joeckel with the Aggies in 2012. Kiper cites the Jaguars’ myriad additions in free agency providing flexibility in Round 2.
The former coaches of the Jags’ marquee free agent signings, Julius Thomas, Davon House, Jermey Parnell and Dan Skuta, offered positive stances about their fits in Jacksonville, reports the Florida Times-Union’s Ryan O’Halloran.
After helping the Ravens save more than $2MM in 2015 cap space, Lardarius Webb hopes to finish his career in Baltimore, reports the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson. The longtime Ravens corner can earn up to $18MM over the next three years thanks to $500K playing-time incentives in each of those prospective seasons. “Doing the restructure, I’m glad it helps the team financially to make more moves to make the team better,” Webb told Wilson. “It’s not easy losing great players like Torrey Smith, Haloti Ngata and Pernell McPhee, but this happens every year.”

NFC East Notes: Mariota, Giants, Eagles, Cowboys

March 28th, 2015 at 3:08pm CST by Rob DiRe

Washington has been insistent that they are committed to Robert Griffin III as their franchise quarterback, but that does not mean they aren’t doing diligence on the top passers in the draft. The team plans to host Marcus Mariota for a pre-draft visit, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post.

“If we think it’s worth the risk to hit the ‘reset button,’ if he’s that good of a football player, if we decide in the building that he’s that good of a football player and that we should do that, then we should do that, you know?,” said head coach Jay Gruden said. “But we’ll see. It has not been determined yet, obviously. We still have some time to determine whether or not we want to go in that direction.”

It is uncertain if Mariota would even be available for the team at the fifth selection.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC East:

Building off reports that Washington will have Mariota for a visit, John Keim of ESPN offers some thoughts on the connection between player and team. He writes that it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the team is at least having him in for a visit, as he is projected to go in the range of their selection, and the teams are allotted 30 visits. He also notes that there are real concerns over Griffin’s standing within the organization, as well as concerns about Mariota’s NFL projection.
While Washington has expressed some interest in Mariota, Ross Jones of Fox Sports highlights three players who make more sense for the team. He picks pass rushers Randy Gregory and Shane Ray as options, as well as offensive tackle Brandon Scherff.
The Giants have a need at safety after losing Antrel Rolle to the Bears, but may be able to fill that hole on the second day of the draft, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Citing Mel Kiper of ESPN, Raanan picks out a few safeties who could be available when the Giants come to the podium in rounds two and three, including Byron Jones of Connecticut and Eric Rowe of Utah.
The Eagles have been engaged in trade talks with the Dolphins, who are reportedly interested in a member of their defensive backfield, writes Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com. While the specific player is not known, Shorr-Parks surmises it is either Brandon Boykin, Earl Wolff, or Jerome Couplin.
The Cowboys are known for having one of the top offensive lines in the league, but that wouldn’t preclude them to adding to a strength in the draft, and Bob Sturm of the Dallas Morning News has profiled a number of offensive linemen that could be of interest to the team.

Draft Notes: Mariota, Cowboys, Ravens, Giants

March 28th, 2015 at 9:42am CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted draft notes on this Saturday morning…

Marcus Mariota is scheduled to meet with the Chargers in mid-April, reports NFL.com’s Albert Breer (via Twitter). The writer notes that Washington is also trying to set up a visit with the prospect.
The group over at CSNChicago.com analyzed the draft stock of prospect Gerod Hollimon, and the group concluded that the former Louisville safety would be a fit for the Bears. Despite the team’s addition of Antrel Rolle, the prospect’s “ballhawking” and “good coverage skills” are sorely need in Chicago.
Cowboys representatives were on hand at TCU’s Pro Day on Friday to watch linebacker Paul Dawson workout, writes Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News. Despite the player’s disappointing performance at the league’s scouting combine, scouts were much more impressed this time around, Sabin reports.
Louisville wideout DeVante Parker is set to meet with the Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. The projected first-round pick is also scheduled to meet with the Titans and Dolphins. Despite missing seven games this past season, Parker still finished with 43 catches for 855 yards and five touchdowns.
The Giants attended LSU’s Pro Day on Friday, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The writer points to offensive lineman La’el Collins as a realistic target for the G-Men, and he also includes cornerback Jalen Collins, linebacker Kwon Alexander and defensive end Danielle Hunter among the school’s top prospects. The Giants have selected numerous LSU alumni in recent years, including wideout Odell Beckham last season.

Draft Notes: Gregory, Mariota, Flowers, Collins

March 27th, 2015 at 5:41pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

News broke earlier this week that Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory failed a drug test at last month’s combine, but there’s still no shortage of interest in the highly touted 22-year-old as the NFL draft approaches. According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.Net (Twitter link), almost a half-dozen new teams have scheduled visits with Gregory since finding out about his failed drug test. Pauline names the Chargers and Steelers as a couple of clubs that will meet with Gregory, whom draft experts regard as a first-round talent.

Here’s more on several draft prospects and the teams interested in their services:

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes that Jets brass will head to Oregon on Saturday to work out quarterback Marcus Mariota. Representing the Jets will be general manager Mike Maccagnan, head coach Todd Bowles, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo, director of college scouting Rex Hogan and director of player personnel Brian Heimerdinger. The Jets have the sixth overall selection in the draft and are in need of a franchise quarterback, but it’s not expected that Mariota will fall to their pick.
Miami’s Ereck Flowers, who might be the first offensive tackle taken in this year’s draft, will visit the Buccaneers and Panthers, per Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com. Campbell writes that “all four NFC South teams are showing significant interest” in Flowers, who will also powwow with the Browns, Colts and Chargers.
Michael DiRocco of ESPN tweets that LSU cornerback Jalen Collins will meet with the Jaguars.
The Dolphins will host Michigan linebacker Jake Ryan on April 2, according to ESPN’s James Walker.
Former Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham will visit the Titans sometime in April, Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com reports.
Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the Browns will meet with Indiana center Collin Rahrig prior to his Pro Day workout.

La Canfora’s Latest: Mariota, AP, Dolphins

March 26th, 2015 at 3:12pm CST by Luke Adams

After spending four days at this week’s league meetings in Arizona, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com came away with some additional insight and information on a number of key storylines around the NFL, including Marcus Mariota‘s potential landing spot and the Adrian Peterson situation in Minnesota. Let’s round up some of the highlights from La Canfora’s latest column….

After speaking to a number of team executives around the NFL, La Canfora gets the “strong sense” that Mariota won’t make it past the second overall pick. That doesn’t necessarily mean Mariota will be a Titan, but if a team wants to move up to snag him, a trade with Tennessee at No. 2 is more likely than a move to No. 5 or 6. “He’s going second overall,” said one GM who has an eye on the Mariota market. “I don’t know to which team, but he’s going second overall.”
Ben Dogra, Peterson’s agent, was “ever-present” at this week’s meetings, and his mission to get his client off the Vikings‘ roster “remains at full throttle,” according to La Canfora. While head coach Mike Zimmer indicated yesterday that the team had no plans to trade its star running back, Dogra will continue to do whatever he can to accommodate an exodus from Minnesota for Peterson, and has told people he’s confident a deal can get done before the draft.
As La Canfora notes, and as I alluded to yesterday in the wake of Zimmer’s comments, the Vikings aren’t budging, and they have no reason to — the team is unlikely to get a whole lot in return for a 30-year-old running back who sat out most of last year, won’t be reinstated until April 15 at the earliest, and has three years and $45MM left on his deal.
Several people told La Canfora this week that Mike Tannenbaum is “clearly calling the shots” for the Dolphins, with GM Dennis Hickey playing a reduced role.
Many people in the know believe that the Saints will ultimately end up with Tom Benson‘s wife Gayle rather than his grandchildren, as a legal battle for the franchise continues to play out.

Bucs Notes: Winston, Mariota, Glennon

March 25th, 2015 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The Buccaneers are coming off a 2-14 season, but all eyes will be on Lovie Smith and company over the next weeks, as the 2015 NFL draft nears, since Tampa Bay holds the first overall pick. With most observers, reporters, and fans believing the Bucs will snag Jameis Winston, that pick may be lacking a little intrigue, but speaking to the media today, Smith didn’t fully commit to the Florida State quarterback. Here’s what the Bucs head coach had to say about Winston and a handful of other topics:

Smith said today that he’s never done so much research on a player as the Bucs have done on Winston, tweets John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. The team has also done plenty of work on Marcus Mariota, but has spent more time on Winston, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. Bucs ownership has given the OK to both players (link via ESPN.com).
Odds are good that either Winston or Mariota will be Tampa Bay’s pick at No. 1, but Smith belives “you have to keep your options open.” According to the head coach, the Bucs would be “very comfortable” selecting one of the quarterbacks, but there’s no rush to make the decision yet, and Smith points out that “there are mega-deals that have come up” in past drafts (all Twitter links via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).
More from Smith on having the first overall pick, via Stroud (Twitter link): “We realize how important that position is and very seldom do you get a chance to have your pick of the litter like that.”
Putting a bow on the No. 1 pick talk, Smith indicated that it wouldn’t be an erroneous assumption to forecast Winston as the first overall pick, tweets Stroud. However, the team continues to go through the research process.
With the Bucs preparing to draft a quarterback, one signal-caller on their roster has drawn trade interest. According to Smith, teams have inquired on a potential Mike Glennon deal (Twitter link via Stroud). I’d imagine that’s something the Bucs will consider as the draft nears if they’re comfortable with Winston (or Mariota). For now though, Glennon and Seth Lobato are the only QBs on the roster, so the team may have to sign a veteran if Glennon is dealt, and there aren’t many still on the market.
Asked about how much longer veteran guard Logan Mankins wants to continue playing, Smith replied, “Forever. He’ll tell you forever.” So it doesn’t sound as if retirement is imminent for the former Patriot (Twitter link via Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald).