Sam Darnold

AFC Draft Fallout: Browns, Jackson, Colts

April 30th, 2018 at 8:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns listened to offers for their No. 4 overall pick, but the talks for that spot did not escalate too far. Four teams contacted John Dorsey about potentially moving into that position, Peter King of SI.com reports, noting just one offered a package including a 2019 first-rounder. King estimates the Cardinals were that team. However, Dorsey said the franchise interested in moving up to No. 4 was interested in a quarterback that the Browns GM knew going to be available.

“I’m coming up for one player and one player only, and that’s Baker Mayfield.” the anonymous exec told Dorsey, who relayed this to King. “I knew all along it wasn’t going to happen.”

Mayfield visited the Cardinals before the draft, and while it’s uncertain if they were the team that offered a 2019 first-rounder, their No. 15 draft position being the lowest of the QB-needy teams would make such a proposal logical. Arizona ended up with Josh Rosen, moving up five spots without having to sacrifice a first- or second-round pick to do so.

Here’s more from Cleveland and the rest of the latest draft fallout.

New Browns vice president of football operations Alonzo Highsmith said for months he had Sam Darnold rated ahead of Baker Mayfield in a succession that went Darnold, Mayfield, Rosen, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. But Mayfield’s visit changed the new Cleveland exec’s tune. “From the start of this college football season to the end of the season, I had Darnold No. 1 and Baker No. 2. On our way through everything, you couldn’t tell me Darnold wasn’t the best,” Highsmith said (via Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository). “Then comes the part where you meet them off the field. You watch their workouts. You watch everything. And Baker blew me away. Highly, highly intelligent. Highly competitive. And he had a trait that some of the good ones have. I call it efficacy. That includes the power to effect other people. I thought that of all the quarterbacks I watched, he stood out far and above the other guys. When he walked into a room, you knew he was there.”
Lamar Jackson‘s pre-draft process did not go smoothly, with CBS Sports’ Joel Corry reporting teams had trouble scheduling workouts and meetings with him. The quarterback also experienced difficulties breaking down plays on teams’ whiteboards at the Combine. Corry notes Jackson’s decision to not hire an agent could have cost him some money on his rookie contract, with the Ravens being able to get him at No. 32 after a contingent in their draft room lobbied for him at 16.
Chris Ballard said, via Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star, the Colts‘ decision to make Quenton Nelson this year’s No. 6 overall pick was the easiest draft decision he’d made in 19 years (Twitter link). However, if Bradley Chubb would have remained on the board, Ballard admitted (via Holder, on Twitter) it would have been a much tougher call. Had the Broncos and Bills been able to swing a deal, the Colts would have been faced with that decision. But when the Bills contacted the Colts about a trade for No. 6, Ballard appeared to intimate he was fixated on Nelson.
Fort Hays State defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd will be stationed at defensive end in the Jets‘ 3-4 scheme, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes. Despite weighing 315 pounds, Shepherd will be in line to potentially take Muhammad Wilkerson‘s spot opposite Leonard Williams come training camp.

Extra Points: Jets, Giants, Eagles, Broncos, Chiefs, Vikings

April 29th, 2018 at 7:59pm CST by Micah Powell

With the selection of Sam Darnold at No. 3 in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Jets brought their quarterback room to five. The USC product joined Josh McCown, Teddy Bridgewater, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg. Newsday’s Calvin Watkins, however, notes that number is expected to shrink by the time the team heads to training camp in July.

The two obvious candidates to be moved or released are Petty and Hackenberg. The former has failed to impress in seven starts, and the latter, despite having a cannon for an arm, has yet to make an appearance in his first two seasons.

Even if one of the two make it to training camp, another move is likely to come as keeping four quarterbacks would handicap the team at other positions. In addition to Darnold, it would be hard to see the veteran McCown not making the squad. The journeyman is viewed as invaluable in the locker room and is the perfect candidate to help the young Darnold learn the ropes of the NFL.

Bridgewater, however, is no lock to make the roster. As Watkins notes, the former Vikings signal-caller receives a $5MM base salary if he makes the team. If not, the Jets are only out the $500,000 signing bonus. If he proves he is back to his pre-injury form, New York will have a steal. If not, the team can cut bait with minimal salary implications.

Here’s more from around the league:

The Broncos did not endure a turnover in the scouting department following this weekend’s draft, 9 News’ Mike Klis tweets. In the wake of the annual draft, it is not uncommon for teams to part ways with scouts and personnel department. Team president John Elway, however, decided to bring everyone back.
The Chiefs hired Eagles assistant director of college scouting Michael Bradway to an undisclosed position, Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia tweets. Mosher notes Bradway, who was with the Eagles for seven seasons, joins back up with Chiefs general manager Brett Veach, who also spent time in Philadelphia.
The Giants attempted to trade into the back end of the second round to select Georgia linebacker Lorenzo Carter, the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz writes. Though a deal did not form, New York was still able to pluck the speedy edge rusher when he fell to their third-round pick (No. 66). “What you have to appreciate is his unseen production. If he is flying off the edge, he is creating pressure. Sometimes you are looking at guys that create plays for others.,” general manager Dave Gettleman said.
The Eagles drafted their fewest players since 1989 when it emerged from the draft with only five selections. That is not a spot the team wants to be in again, general manager Howie Roseman told The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Les Bowen. “I think it’s a hard first couple of days for people who put a lot of time and effort into the process, and you see that,” Roseman said. “The last two days, it’s hard. A lot of guys get off the board, so we don’t want to do that again. I think that’s the first takeaway.”
Vikings center Pat Elflein is doing “part work” in spring drills but is not going to be ready for OTAs, the player told Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). Elflein suffered a fractured left ankle in the NFC Championship game on Jan. 21 and underwent surgery the following week. “We’re just not rushing it. I’m just trying to get myself back in shape and get strong and be ready to go.,” Elflein said.

Bills Offered Broncos Two First-Rounders?

April 28th, 2018 at 8:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

When the Browns chose Denzel Ward at No. 4 instead of Bradley Chubb, that nixed a Broncos-Bills trade. And Mike Klis of 9News reports Buffalo was set to give up both its No. 12 and No. 22 picks, in addition to a second-round selection, for the right to move up to No. 5.

Instead, the Broncos passed and chose Chubb, whom Klis notes the team had tied with Saquon Barkley as being the top player in the draft. But the Bills were also willing to part with one of their second-rounders — either No. 53 or No. 56 — in a deal that was going to involve Denver sending Buffalo one of its third-round choices (either No. 71 or No. 99).

So, the Broncos valued the N.C. State-honed pass rusher immensely, passing on additional first- and second-round picks in order to stay put.

The Bills’ package sent to the Buccaneers, for the right to draft Josh Allen at No. 7, included both second-rounders and a seventh-round selection. The offer to the Broncos containing the No. 22 choice — which Buffalo used to trade up and select Tremaine Edmunds — runs counter to a report from earlier on Thursday indicating Brandon Beane wasn’t willing to part with both of his first-round picks. But that report surfaced before the draft began; the events of the opening hour Thursday night could have changed things.

The Colts also called the Broncos about moving up to select Chubb, Klis reports, but John Elway elected to stay put and attempt to load up his team’s edge-rushing contingent. As for what was going to transpire if the Browns took Chubb and the Bills suddenly pulled their offer, the Broncos were likely to select either Quenton Nelson or Roquan Smith, per Klis.

Sam Darnold remained the quarterback Elway preferred, with Klis reporting the Broncos had cooled on Baker Mayfield to the point they wouldn’t have taken him at No. 5. While that didn’t end up mattering, it could be notable if Allen or Josh Rosen end up being long-term answers for their respective teams. The Broncos dropped out of the Kirk Cousins derby and signed Case Keenum to a two-year deal, making it less likely they were going to use their top offseason resource on another quarterback, and were not closely linked to either Allen or Rosen late in the pre-draft process.

Draft Notes: Penny, Chiefs, Jets, Jackson

April 27th, 2018 at 5:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Excepting the Eli Manning-for-Philip Rivers exchange, NFL draft trades rarely unfold like NBA draft-night swaps, with teams making picks and then sending players elsewhere. But the Seahawks indicated such an offer emerged on Thursday night. After they’d made their somewhat surprising Rashaad Penny selection at No. 27, John Schneider said (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times) another team called them to try and acquire the running back. Schneider said that was the first time he’d seen such an offer as an NFL executive. Schneider said he would have authorized a Penny pick at No. 18, which would have been even more interesting since the San Diego State product was viewed as a fringe first-round prospect going into the night, and the Seahawks obviously held onto their new rookie after the surely strange phone call.

Here’s more from the draft world going into Night 2.

Despite talk connecting the Jets to Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, and (to a lesser extent) Josh Rosen before the draft, Sam Darnold was the top quarterback on their board, Manish Mehta of the Daily News tweets. The Jets did not expect Darnold to be on the board at No. 3, hence the franchise’s late maneuvering to secure more face time with its top QB prospect.
The Chiefs made two blockbuster trades this offseason, and the team unloading Marcus Peters for second- and fourth-round draft choices deprives Kansas City of what was probably a top-three player on its roster. The now-Brett Veach-run franchise had discussions of moving up from No. 54 and all the way into the first round, and they’ve been reportedly considering a trade-up sequence in Round 2. Albert Breer of SI.com reports the Chiefs discussed moving into the Eagles‘ No. 32 spot last night before the Ravens did so and that a move north tonight will be with a cornerback acquisition in mind. The Chiefs traded for Kendall Fuller and signed David Amerson, but their defense — the No. 30 DVOA unit with Peters — still has a need at this spot.
Some evaluators think that Lamar Jackson‘s best position in the NFL would be at wide receiver, but don’t tell that to Ravens offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. When asked about his plans for the Louisville product, he said, “[Jackson] is a quarterback. Done.” (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). He also emphasized that Joe Flacco will remain the team’s starter.

Giants Could Still Trade No. 2 Pick

April 26th, 2018 at 4:08pm CST by Zachary Links

A trade of the No. 2 pick is still a possibility for the Giants, sources tell Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). If they keep the No. 2 pick, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and NC State defensive end Bradley Chubb are viewed as the favorites to be selected. However, the potential presence of USC’s Sam Darnold could change things.

The Giants – and those around the Giants – would have better clarity on their plans if they knew what the Browns were planning to do with the No. 1 overall pick. The Browns have left everyone around the NFL guessing and no one knows for sure if they’ll go with Darnold, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, or perhaps even Wyoming’s Josh Allen. At this point, the entire world might find out the identity of the top pick together when commissioner Roger Goodell takes the podium tonight.

On paper, selecting Sam Darnold as Eli Manning’s successor would be a huge win for the G-Men, but they are reportedly less than enamored with this year’s QB crop. If the Giants are willing to pass up a chance to select Barkley or Chubb, they could net a tremendous haul to swap places with a team dead set on landing a QB.

Poll: Who Will Browns Take At No. 1 Overall?

April 26th, 2018 at 1:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

In one of the wilder lead-ups to a draft in many years, the Browns have been connected to several players with their No. 1 overall pick. The quarterback-desperate franchise is almost certain to announce its expected Tyrod Taylor successor tonight, but the buildup to that moment has been a process featuring many twists and turns.

Having bypassed Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson the past two years, the Browns have now been linked to three quarterbacks at No. 1. The latest could be one of the most unique first-overall picks in memory.

The Browns are now strongly connected to Baker Mayfield, the Heisman Trophy winner and a player who did not appear in the top half of the first round of Todd McShay’s first offseason mock draft. But John Dorsey brought on former Redskins GM Scot McCloughan as a consultant before the draft, and the longtime scouting guru has been an outspoken proponent of the polarizing Oklahoma-developed quarterback. The news the Browns will take Mayfield at No. 1 emerged this week, and that rumor is rapidly gaining steam.

However, the Browns’ previous debate was believed to be a two-horse race between Sam Darnold and Josh Allen. Dorsey has a history of selecting big-armed passers or being affiliated with organizations which have done so, most recently pulling the trigger on Patrick Mahomes in his final draft as Chiefs GM. Viewed as a high-ceiling, low-floor prospect, Allen would represent that kind of bold choice. A report earlier this week indicated Cleveland was down to the Wyoming prodigy or the fast-rising Mayfield.

Darnold has gone from a player viewed as arguably the best combination of production and upside to one that may fall out of the top two and be there for the Jets at No. 3. The Jets scheduled a Darnold visit once they began to sense the USC product falling to them was a legitimate possibility.

The Browns have also been linked to Saquon Barkley at No. 1. While Barkley is viewed as the top running back and possibly the No. 1 overall player in this prospect pool, it’s hard to believe the Browns would again bypass their chance at landing a possible franchise quarterback.

They have not been closely tied to Josh Rosen during this pre-draft stretch, and the latest on a trade-down occurrence is that line of thinking could transpire with the Browns’ No. 4 pick rather than their No. 1 choice.

So, which passer will be bound for northeast Ohio? Is the Mayfield surge legitimate or a massive smokescreen operation? Does Allen’s upside, the unearthing of several tweets from his high school days notwithstanding, warrant this kind of an investment? Or should the Browns take the player they’ve been most connected to in Darnold with the top pick? How about a trade-down scenario? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

Draft Rumors: Allen, Cardinals, Broncos

April 26th, 2018 at 12:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Josh Allen‘s camp has been doing damage control on Thursday morning, and it seems to be working thus far. Allen and his representatives have been on the phone with possible destination teams today, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link) these old tweets being unearthed is not believed to be an occurrence that will cause his stock to tumble. Allen has told teams these tweets were either references to a Rick Ross song or to movies and TV shows, with Rapoport adding some were tweets to friends. Teams are hesitant to judge the Wyoming- and central California-developed quarterback based on tweets from high school, per Rapoport (on Twitter).

Here’s the latest from the draft:

Maybe a team representing Allen’s floor, the Cardinals are considering moving up for the right price, Mike Jurecki of ArizonaSports.com tweets. This is the latest out of Arizona, which has been linked to trade-up rumors this week. The Cardinals are in need of a long-term quarterback answer, and it’s possible none of the top four will be there when their No. 15 window opens.
The Browns taking Baker Mayfield at No. 1 would be a surprise and could change the Broncos‘ draft outlook. Of the big four, Mayfield and Sam Darnold are the only ones the Broncos take if they’re still on the board at No. 5, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. If Mayfield does go to the Browns, Darnold would be a consideration for the Giants — if they stick at No. 2 — and the Jets’ interest in the USC passer hasn’t been much of a secret. And it’s possible the Bills could move up to the No. 4 spot as well, so the Broncos could be set to go with a non-QB at No. 5 or trade back with a quarterback-seeking team.
While this offseason produced little to indicate the Browns would go with Mayfield, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein tweets we are hours away from that scenario unfolding. Zierlein tweets Mayfield-to-Cleveland “is happening.” He adds the Giants don’t love any of these quarterbacks, perhaps explaining the massive Saquon Barkley-to-New York buzz. Big Blue has now been connected to a trade-down scenario when it did not look like that would be the case for weeks now.
Derrius Guice indicated a team asked inappropriate questions to him at the Combine, but on Thursday, an investigation concluded that no proof of this emerged, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The questions ranged from if the running back prospect liked men or whether or not his mother was a prostitute. “The investigation did not confirm that any club made the reported inquiries,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. The LSU product is considered a late-first-round prospect.

Browns To Take Allen Or Mayfield?

April 25th, 2018 at 11:10am CST by Zachary Links

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.

NFL Draft Notes: Dolphins, Browns, Jets, Raiders, Bucs

April 23rd, 2018 at 7:39pm CST by Micah Powell

The Dolphins are serious about moving back in the draft if the board operates as the team expects, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald writes.

Beasley says if the quarterbacks the team are targeting all go early, the team would be more than happy to trade back, pick up additional assets and target a linebacker like Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch.

Though the team did not have Vander Esch in for a pre-draft visit, Miami did meet with him at the Combine in February and not having a pre-draft visit did not stop it from selecting Charles Harris in 2017.

Trading back with the hopes of landing the Boise State standout could be a risky proposition. The quick linebacker has been one of the fastest rising names in the days leading up to Thursday’s NFL Draft.

Here’s more concerning the upcoming draft:

The MMQB’s Peter King released his first-round mock draft on Monday and has Sam Darnold pegged as the No. 1 pick to the Browns. King cites his pick on the team’s need to be safe and a source who is “someone I trust, who is very often right and is very well-connected, told me Sunday it’s not [Josh] Allen.”
In the same mock draft, King tabbed Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea to the Dolphins at No. 11. Miami was believed to be one of the teams looking to move up for a quarterback like Baker Mayfield. “I’ve started to think, through what I’ve heard in the pre-draft process, that Miami is more likely to stick with Ryan Tannehill (who has missed the last 19 games with injury) and continue the progress he was making with Adam Gase in the 2016 season.”
Unlike the Browns, who plan to have their drafted quarterback watch from the sidelines in 2018, the Jets are not opposed to having their top pick — should they draft a quarterback — starting from Day One, Jets head coach Todd Bowles tells Newsday’s Calvin Watkins. “It depends on the progress,” Bowles said. “I’m not afraid to play young players at any position. You go in and compete and as you gain confidence in the system, understand what you’re doing and go through training camp.” New York is highly expected to take a signal-caller at No. 3.
The Buccaneers could trade back with a team looking to land a quarterback and pick up a running back or pass rusher with the move, Florida Football Insiders speculates. Though the Broncos and Colts have been heavily linked to trade back, the Bucs also make sense. Should they land in the middle to late in the first round, they could target LSU running back Derrius Guice or UT San Antonio defensive end Marcus Davenport.
The Raiders are looking to upgrade their receiver depth and could target the position in the upcoming draft, Scott Bair of NBC Sports writes. Though it won’t likely look for a receiver at No. 10, several options like Christian Kirk and James Washington could be on the board in the second round.

Jets Engaged In Mayfield-Rosen Debate?

April 21st, 2018 at 4:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

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