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Phillip Dorsett

Colts Sign Five Draft Picks

May 6th, 2015 at 9:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts came to terms with five rookies on Wednesday, according to Mike Chappell of Indy Sports Central. Safety Clayton Geathers (round 4), defensive tackle David Parry (round 5), running back Josh Robinson (round 6), linebacker Amarlo Herrera (round 7), and offensive tackle Denzelle Good (round 7), are all officially in the fold in Indianapolis.

Geathers, a UCF product, has football in his blood with five other family members that have made it to the NFL.

“It’s just a blessing to have that family pedigree,” Geathers told Mike Wells of ESPN.com. “Just to learn from them and get advice from them. It’s just a blessing. To continue the Geathers legacy is an honor … Seeing my uncles and cousins, I wanted that same thing. Just work hard. Just to have them around to give me advice, go to games and see how everything works. It was just an honor.”

The only difference between Geathers and the rest of his clan is that he’s the only one that doesn’t play on the defensive line. Clifton Geathers, a defensive end, is still active in the NFL after signing with the Steelers in April.

Today’s deals leave the Colts with just three unsigned rookies: wide receiver Phillip Dorsett (round 1), cornerback D’Joun Smith (round 3), and defensive end Henry Anderson (round 3).

Some Colts Not Happy With Dorsett Pick

May 4th, 2015 at 9:33am CST by Luke Adams

Multiple Colts players aren’t thrilled that the team used its first-round pick on wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, the preference among those players was for the club to take a safety like Landon Collins, or a tackle on either side of the ball.

By selecting Dorsett, general manager Ryan Grigson and the Colts were presumably drafting the best player available on their board. However, the former Miami Hurricane will join a crowded receiving corps in Indianapolis — T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief are still ascending, and Andre Johnson, who should still have plenty left in the tank, was also added to the mix earlier in the offseason.

As Florio observes, the Colts could’ve opted instead to select a wide receiver later in the draft, in which case there’d be less of a presumption that that rookie wideout would see plenty of playing time and plenty of targets. In Dorsett’s case, his pedigree suggests that he’ll see the field early and often.

Of course, Dorsett should contribute in the return game as well, as the Colts signaled when they released veteran return specialist Josh Cribbs less than 24 hours after making their first-round pick. But there are several other holes on the roster the team could have addressed with that No. 29 overall pick, and based on Florio’s report, it sounds like at least a few Colts players would’ve preferred to address those holes.

AFC Links: Collins, Dorsett, Timmons

May 3rd, 2015 at 10:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the highest-regarded undrafted free agents in history, La’el Collins figures to be a premier topic in May as he attempts to begin a now-unorthodox career.

The Titans, however, won’t be among the teams pursuing the ex-LSU lineman that was a surefire first-round pick as recently as earlier this week, according to The Tennesseean’s Jim Wyatt on Twitter. The team remains in need of a right tackle but did add two interior linemen in the draft — guard Jeremiah Poutasi and center Andy Gallik in the third and sixth rounds, respectively.

Here is some additional news from around the AFC.

  • The Colts‘ draft puzzled Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel, with the team adding players in key spots that may not be able to contribute much this season — one with immense expectations. Doyel argues the team did not address needs of defensive tackle and safety early enough, with one of each added on Day 3. Indianapolis ranked 18th in run defense last season. Part-time players last year, Josh Chapman and Montori Hughes, are the Colts’ top two nose tackle options.
  • The crux of Doyel’s argument, first-round pick Phillip Dorsett, could also find himself a key player in the Colts’ offense from the start, writes the Indianapolis Star’s Stephen Holder. Dorsett, CFL import Duron Carter and former All-Pro Andre Johnson add to a loaded wideout corps that was at times slowed by descending veterans Reggie Wayne and Hakeem Nicks last year. Holder wonders if the 34-year-old Johnson will give way to Dorsett in some three-wide sets or when the Colts deploy the two-tight end look they often do.
  • One of now four linebackers with first-round pedigrees in Pittsburgh, Lawrence Timmons is in line for a contract extension come 2016, reports Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The Steelers’ second-highest-paid player and NFL’s best-compensated inside linebacker’s current deal that pays him $12.6MM this season and $11.8MM next year runs through ’16.
  • With just two starters locked in for this season up front, the Broncos are positioning their offensive line youngsters less than three days after acquiring them. Second-round choice Ty Sambrailo will open his career at right tackle, where the Broncos have a glaring need after using three players there last year, while versatile fourth-rounder Max Garcia will begin work behind Louis Vasquez at right guard, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Last year’s third-rounder, Michael Schofield, didn’t suit up for a game as a rookie despite the Broncos’ right tackle issues and is now playing behind Ryan Clady at left tackle.
  • Mel Kiper Jr. envisions Ravens second-round pick Maxx Williams as an offensive rookie of the year candidate, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The ESPN draft veteran also opined Breshad Perriman will be a better player than Torrey Smith.

North Notes: Bengals, Peterson, Ravens

April 23rd, 2015 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

Working out extensions with cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick and guard Kevin Zeitler before May 4 is “a big priority” for the Bengals at the moment, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. Both 2012 first-round draftees are eligible for fifth-year options for 2016, and if Cincinnati is happy enough with both players to want to extend them, I’d imagine the team would exercise those options.

While it’s possible that the Bengals agree to an extension with one or both players within the next week and a half, it seems more likely that a deal would be struck sometime later in the offseason. A year ago, no club extended a former first-round pick before exercising his fifth-year option, but several teams finalized new deals with those players later.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • A reader asked Peter King of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link) if he thinks the Vikings will trade Adrian Peterson before or during the draft. King says his gut feeling is that Minnesota won’t do that. With $45MM due to the 30-year-old running back over the next three years, it’ll be hard to find the right deal. On top of that, the Vikes want a high draft pick to part with AD.
  • Elsewhere at TheMMQB.com, former Packers executive Andrew Brandt is less convinced that the Vikings will hang on to Peterson. As Brandt writes, the key person to smooth tension between a player and his team is usually the agent, but in this case, Ben Dogra has clashed with Vikings management and is doing all he can to get his client on a new team. Brandt views the Cowboys as the best fit for the running back.
  • Miami receiver Phillip Dorsett recently paid a visit to the Ravens, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The team also met with Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson and worked him out, Wilson writes in a separate piece for the Sun.
  • Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review provides a breakdown of the Steelers‘ 29 pre-draft visits, while Lindsay Selengowski of DetroitLions.com lists all 30 prospects the Lions brought in for visits.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Peterson, Johnson, Jaguars

April 19th, 2015 at 10:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings‘ reported asking price of a second-round pick and the inclusion of an additional late-rounder for Adrian Peterson may not be all the team covets here. A first-round pick and a staring-caliber cornerback appears to be the Vikings’ latest demand in order to part with their disgruntled franchise performer, reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.

Signed to the highest-paying contract for any running back and now 30, Peterson’s lack of leverage beyond a serious holdout, which won’t reach an elevated threat level until minicamp-related fines ensue in mid-June, allows his current team to play hardball here.

Let’s look at some of the week’s final news here …

  • Minnesota could look to supplement its backfield as early as the third round in this year’s draft, writes Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Vensel expects Peterson and the Vikings to eventually find common ground. Despite the roster housing elusive ex-quarterback Jerick McKinnon and touchdown-producer Matt Asiata, another back would shuttle in and vie for the No. 2 job in that scenario.
  • The most notable veteran running back remaining in free agency, Chris Johnson is training for a potential audition with a team with a bullet still inside his body, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
  • Miami wide receiver Phillip Dorsett will pay a visit to the Eagles‘ facilities Monday, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Listed as a Day 2 pick in our Rob DiRe’s analysis of this class’ wide receivers, Dorsett ran two sub-4.3-second 40-yard dash times at the Hurricanes’ pro day recently and visited the Titans previously.
  • Also from Wilson: the Browns will meet with West Georgia defensive lineman Tory Slater this week. The former high school wideout-turned-Division II defensive lineman already met with the Falcons, 49ers and Seahawks.
  • Blake Bortles‘ window at establishing himself will include the next two seasons, writes the Florida Times-Union’s Hays Carlyon. The Jaguars‘ No. 3 overall pick in 2014 will halt the team from using the same selection on a quarterback — or drafting one altogether — this year. But the Jags’ coaching staff is watching and discussing the top quarterbacks in the draft should either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota fall past the top two slots and an antsy team eyes a trade into Jacksonville’s slot.
  • OverTheCap’s Zack Moore sees the market for wide receivers becoming more reasonable despite stars like Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas and A.J. Green set for new deals soon. In a lengthy piece, the salary cap website writer examines how this year’s contracts for Randall Cobb and Jeremy Maclin were more team-friendly than recent deals for Larry Fitzgerald, Mike Wallace and Vincent Jackson, and that teams can be more firm in their stances due to a growing influx of cheaper talent ready to contribute in each draft class.
  • Philly.com’s Bob Brookover writes Tim Tebow‘s persistence has little chance to catapult him back onto a 53-man roster come September.

AFC Links: Dolphins, Robinson, Steelers

April 18th, 2015 at 11:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

A quest to bring another receiver to Miami to join Kenny Stills and Jarvis Landry will conclude soon, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The two receiving prospects at the top of the Dolphins‘ list for their No. 14 selection are DeVante Parker and Breshad Perriman, the Nos. 8 and 20 overall talents available in the draft, according to Scouts Inc.

Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong serves as an option for the Fins in a trade-down scenario, notes Jackson, with Sammie Coates (Auburn), Phillip Dorsett (Miami) and Devin Smith (Ohio State) potentially there if the team addresses another need in Round 1. The Dolphins brought in each of the latter trio for visits.

Smith averaged 28.2 yards per reception last season, while Mel Kiper rates Dorsett as one of the class’ safest bets. Jackson also places Dorial Green-Beckham among this contingent who could be on the board for Miami at No. 47, with Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller reporting the Dolphins have “fallen in love” with the boom-or-bust prospect. It’s unlikely the elite-tools prospect falls that far. Our Rob DiRe lists DGB among first-round possibilities in his recent look at the 2015 class’ wideouts.

The Dolphins have worked out late-round hopefuls R.J. Harris and Harold Spears (New Hampshire), and Zach D’Orazio (Akron), per Jackson.

Elsewhere in the AFC as the week winds down …

  • The Steelers‘ depth chart suggests they need cornerback help following Ike Taylor‘s retirement — their third defensive starter to leave the league in two months behind Jason Worilds and Troy Polamalu — but their recent history dictates they may gamble on a late-round prospect, writes Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Kiper has Pittsburgh taking Wake Forest corner Kevin Johnson at No. 22 (subscription required), but the team hasn’t expended its top pick on a corner since Chad Scott in 1997 and hasn’t used a second-rounder at the position since Bryant McFadden in 2005. Steelers GM Kevin Colbert, whose team currently employs Cortez Allen and William Gay atop its figurative offseason depth chart at corner, attributed this drought to the team’s usual draft slot in the late first round coming after the top corners are usually off the board. “In Pittsburgh’s case, for years they didn’t have really good corners,” NFL.com’s Charley Casserly told Adamski. “That defense was won with the front seven.”
  • A running back need persists in Jacksonville after Toby Gerhart‘s three-year pact last spring sputtered from the start, but the Jaguars still have the somewhat surprising contributions from Denard Robinson to evaluate from last year, offers Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Robinson’s work from Week 7 until he broke his foot in December — 582 rushing yards — helped elevate the Jags’ weak rushing attacks the past few years to a passable level: 21st in total ground gains last season.
  • Four-decade NFL coaching veteran Chris Palmer will not have a role in coaching the Bills‘ quarterbacks this year, writes Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News, with new offensive coordinator Greg Roman and QBs coach David Lee handling that. Palmer, 65, whose title is senior offensive assistant, will help coach the wideouts and tight ends this offseason after following Roman from San Francisco to Buffalo.

Wilson’s Latest: Dorsett, Holmes, Waynes

April 16th, 2015 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

With two weeks until the NFL draft gets underway, Aaron Wilson continues to be busy, passing along the latest news on pre-draft visits, workouts, and meetings for the National Football Post and the Baltimore Sun. Wilson has several new updates for us today, so let’s round up his Thursday morning items on a handful of prospects:

  • Phillip Dorsett, WR (Miami): Visiting the Titans today (link).
  • Rob Havenstein, OT (Wisconsin): Has had private workouts for the Bengals, Jaguars, Rams, and Buccaneers (link).
  • Gabe Holmes, TE (Purdue): Visiting the Cardinals today after having previously worked out privately for the team (link).
  • Bobby McCain, CB (Memphis): Visited Colts after having previously worked out privately for the team (link).
  • Joe Okafor, DT (Lamar): Meeting with Eagles today (link)
  • Trae Waynes, CB (Michigan State): Visited the Bears in addition to previously-reported visits with the Jaguars and Vikings (link).

AFC North Notes: Manziel, Reid, Peerman

April 11th, 2015 at 5:33pm CST by Rob DiRe

Earlier today we heard that Johnny Manziel was released from rehab, but he returns to a very different Browns’ team than he left, writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. The offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and receivers coach all changed over, and quarterback Brian Hoyer has been replaced by Josh McCown and Thaddeus Lewis.

Should Manziel win a starting job, he will not have Miles Austin or Jordan Cameron to throw to. Instead, Dwayne Bowe, Brian Hartline, and Rob Housler will be lining up for the Browns on offense.

Here are a few other notes from around the AFC North:

  • While the Browns have a long way to go to improve at quarterback and on offense, Tom Reed of Cleveland.com writes that improving at punt returner will be an easy way to help the offense. Last year the team struggled to to find a player who could even successfully field punts, and eventually put Jim Leonhard back there giving up the hope of a big play return. With electric players like Tyler Lockette, Jamison Crowder, and Nelson Agholor likely to be available on day two or three in the draft, they could provide value as a returner while they work their way onto the field as receivers.
  • Prairie View quarterback Jerry Lovelocke will work out for the Ravens at their local prospect day on April 21st, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. He could be in consideration during the later rounds of the draft or as a rookie free agent.
  • Jah Reid‘s one-year deal with the Ravens is worth $745,000 and includes another $400,000 in playing time incentives that are not likely to be earned, according to Wilson (via Twitter).
  • With A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, and Mohamed Sanu all entering the final years of their respective contracts, the Bengals should be looking for a receiver early in the 2015 NFL Draft. Paul Dehner Jr. of Cincinnati.com has outlined a number of top prospects that could be intriguing to the team, and picks out Devin Smith, Phillip Dorsett, and Tyler Lockette as logical fits if they are available in the second round.
  • Running back Cedric Peerman re-signed with the Bengals on Thursday with a two-year deal worth $2.13MM, according to Wilson (via Twitter). He will earn $745,000 and $885,000 in salaries over the next two seasons, plus an annual workout bonus of $50,000 and $300,000 in an unlikely to be earned rushing yards incentive foreach season (via Twitter). Wilson also passes along his salary-cap figures for the next two seasons (via Twitter).

NFC South Notes: Falcons, Winston, Parker, Tillman

April 11th, 2015 at 4:53pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Falcons have visited the University of Miami to get a closer look at some of the draft’s most intriguing prospects. The team will workout Phillip Dorsett, Duke Johnson, Clive Walford, Ladarius Gunter, and Ereck Flowers, according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). He also writes the team will meet with Denzel Perryman, who will not be working out for the team.

The team also worked out defensive lineman Anthony Chickillo while in Coral Gables, according to Ledbetter (via Twitter).

Here are a few more notes from around the NFC South:

  • The Buccaneers are expected to take Jameis Winston with the first-overall pick, and if there were any doubts about how the fans would react, those were put to rest Thursday. Winston’s appearance on a video board during the team’s Q&A session in front of fans drew a roar of applause, the loudest of the night according to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.
  • The Saints will host Louisville receiver DeVante Parker for a pre-draft visit, according to Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. Terrell outlines some of Parker’s strengths and weaknesses, noting that Parker will likely be drafted in the early-to-mid first round. The Saints select 13th overall, but after drafting Brandin Cooks last year, might look elsewhere early in the draft.
  • The Panthers attempted to bolster their secondary by signing cornerback Charles Tillman. Tillman’s one-year contract is worth $1.75MM, which includes a $350,000 signing bonus, $150,000 roster bonus, and $15,625 in per gamer roster bonuses, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Wilson adds that the Tillman deal is expected to include incentives to increase the total value (via Twitter).

NFC Notes: Rams, Kaepernick, Draft, Boykin

April 1st, 2015 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s check in on a few Wednesday items from around the NFC….

  • Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper, Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat, and Louisville offensive tackle Jamon Brown are among the prospects paying pre-draft visits to the Rams today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (all Twitter links).
  • Colin Kaepernick‘s long-term outlook in San Francisco isn’t entirely clear yet, but for the foreseeable future, he’s the 49ers‘ starting quarterback, and that became even more certain today — as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com details, Kaepernick’s $10.4MM salary for 2015 became fully guaranteed when the calendar turned to April.
  • The son of former Detroit wide receiver Brett Perriman visited his father’s old team today, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com, who writes that the Lions hosted Central Florida wideout Breshad Perriman for a pre-draft visit. The younger Perriman is one of the fastest players in this year’s draft class.
  • Another speedy receiving prospect, Miami’s Phillip Dorsett, said today that he has visits lined up with the Falcons and Panthers, per James Walker of ESPN.com.
  • Prior to his Pro Day today, Towson cornerback Tye Smith had a dinner meeting with the Saints, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Smith is expected to be a late-round pick or an undrafted free agent.
  • Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com provides the details on wide receiver Jarrett Boykin‘s one-year deal with the Panthers, tweeting that it’s a minimum salary pact with a $20K bonus.
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