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Teddy Bridgewater

NFC Notes: Bucs, Vikings, Redskins, Seahawks

April 11th, 2014 at 4:55pm CST by Luke Adams

A total of 26 local prospects from 11 schools worked out for the Buccaneers today, tweets Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com. Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times identifies a handful of them in a series of Twitter links, including Florida offensive lineman Jon Halapio, Boston College offensive lineman Matt Patchan, USF defensive end Ryne Giddins, USF defensive back Fidel Montgomery, Toledo receiver Bernard Reedy, and Rutgers safety Jeremy Deering.

  • The Vikings will work out Teddy Bridgewater on Saturday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
  • It was reported yesterday that the Redskins brought in free agent receivers Austin Collie and Anthony Armstrong for visits, and Mike Jones of the Washington Post adds another name to that list, tweeting that the club also worked out Brian Hernandez. Hernandez has signed with the Eagles and Redskins, though he has never appeared in a regular-season NFL game.
  • Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun provides the breakdown on Jeron Johnson’s reworked deal with the Seahawks (via Twitter). Rather than earning a $2.187MM base salary in 2014, Johnson will now have a $1MM base, a $250K signing bonus, up to $250K in per-game roster bonuses, and up to $500K in playing-time incentives. As John Clayton reported yesterday, the one-year pact can be worth up to $2MM in total.
  • Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com discusses whether the Cowboys will add a quarterback in this year’s draft or wait another year to address the situation.

Pompei’s Latest: Chris Johnson, Draft, Bills

April 10th, 2014 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas suffered a torn ACL during a pre-draft workout with the Saints, and the injury could result in him missing his rookie season and dropping precipitously in the draft. It could also inspire agents to rethink whether they’ll allow their clients to work out for teams before the draft, as Dan Pompei writes in his latest Bleacher Report column.

“Why should we do it?” said one agent. “They have seen maybe 30 games on tape. They have seen them at the Senior Bowl. They have seen them at the combine. Why do they have to see them again and risk something like this happening?”

Here are a few more notes from Pompei’s piece:

  • There hasn’t been a ton of activity on Chris Johnson since he hit the free agent market, in part because NFL teams and the running back himself appear to be divided on his market value.
  • All three teams picking in the top three of the draft have indicated an openness to trade down, according to Pompei, who says the Jaguars have put out feelers about the No. 3 pick.
  • While all of the quarterbacks at the top of the draft board have some question marks, Blake Bortles seems to inspire more confidence around the league than the alternatives, which could make him the first QB off the board next month, says Pompei.
  • On the other hand, Teddy Bridgewater has seen his stock slide a little since an underwhelming Pro Day, with one scouting director ranking him behind Derek Carr. However, Bridgewater is viewed as perhaps the best fit for the Texans, who hold the first overall pick.
  • People around the NFL expect a Jon Bon Jovi-led group to make a push to buy the Bills. That group could include Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment executives Larry Tanenbaum and Tim Leiweke.

NFC Notes: Cardinals, Finley, Garoppolo

April 8th, 2014 at 8:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agency has hit a lull for the Cardinals but it isn’t over yet, writes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Last year was Steve Keim‘s first as a GM, and he learned the value of patience with free agency. Keim signed four players who became starters after this date a year ago, Somers notes. Here’s more out of the NFC..

  • Josina Anderson of ESPN (Twitter link) spoke with Packers free agent tight end Jermichael Finley who says he’s expecting to get an X-ray on his neck Thursday and an MRI within two weeks. The plan is to exchange the feedback on his latest films with interested teams.
  • The Buccaneers visited with Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo today, tweets Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune.
  • Standout quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is scheduled to travel and make his visit with the Vikings on April 14th and 15th, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com.
  • Texas Christian cornerback Jason Verrett, a potential first-rounder, is slated to visit with the Cardinals tomorrow and Thursday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport adds that the Verrett is doing well post-shoulder surgery.
  • LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger met/will meet with the Raiders and Patriots today and will meet with the Vikings tomorrow, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. Mettenberger will throw tomorrow too.

Jaguars To Host Bridgewater, Carr, Others

April 8th, 2014 at 8:44am CST by Luke Adams

8:44am: Rapoport and Schefter pass along word of a few more pre-draft visits for the Jaguars, with Rapoport tweeting that linebacker Anthony Barr will be in town tomorrow, while Schefter reports (via Twitter) that quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater and Jimmy Garoppolo are also on the schedule.

8:37am: As we noted last night, one of 2014’s top quarterback prospects, Johnny Manziel, is set to pay the Jaguars a visit this week, but he won’t be the only notable prospect in town over the next couple days. Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com reports that quarterback Derek Carr will also meet with the Jags, while Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that linebacker Khalil Mack will visit the team, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says (via Twitter) offensive tackle Greg Robinson will also be in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars hold the No. 3 overall pick in next month’s draft and appear to be considering a variety of players and positions. Manziel and Robinson are perhaps the more likely members of this group to be top-three picks, but Mack is viewed as the best linebacker available, and Carr is, at worst, considered the best signal-caller available outside of the top three of Manziel, Blake Bortles, and Teddy Bridgewater.

Schefter adds that Mack will travel on to St. Louis to meet with the Rams following his visit with the Jaguars.

Draft Notes: Bridgewater, Amaro, Steelers

April 2nd, 2014 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

Word broke on Tuesday that Johnny Manziel would be visiting the Patriots today, a few days after the club met with Blake Bortles in Orlando. It shouldn’t be too surprising then that Teddy Bridgewater is also visiting the team, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As we noted yesterday, the Pats are likely just doing due diligence on the top players in this year’s quarterback class, but those meetings are still worth keeping an eye on.

Here’s more on pre-draft visits, with May 8 just over five weeks away:

  • Texas Tech tight end Jace Amaro, who is said to be drawing interest from the Jets, is working out for the Falcons today, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • The Steelers are hosting a pair of defenders today, in Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard and Notre Dame defensive end Stephon Tuitt, tweets Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
  • Washington State safety Deone Bucannon visited the Lions today, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
  • Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post passes along word of a pair of visits, reporting that Sam Houston State running back Timothy Flanders will meet with the Saints, while Middle Tennessee State cornerback Sammy Seamster has a visit on tap with the Chiefs.

Extra Points: Manning, Draft, Bush, Carr

March 31st, 2014 at 10:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Some assorted notes to close out the evening:

  • The Bengals will meet with safety Danieal Manning on Tuesday and Wednesday, tweets Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston. Manning was released by the Texans earlier today.
  • NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock has updated his position rankings for draft prospects, and the most notable change is his moving Johnny Manziel up to the No. 1 quarterback slot, followed by Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater. One wonders if this might be an overreaction to a good Pro Day (Manziel) versus a poor one (Bridgewater).
  • Running back Michael Bush will visit with the Patriots, who recently lost LeGarrette Blount to the Steelers, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • On a related note, Tom Curran of CSNNE.com wonders if the Patriots let Blount get away too easily, citing both his low cost and the fact that Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen are in the last year of their respective contracts.
  • Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr says his private workout with the Browns “went exactly how [he] wanted it to,” writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. Grossi also tweets that Carr dined with the Browns general manager Ray Farmer and the Cleveland offensive staff on Sunday night. Carr could be an option for the Browns at pick No. 26.
  • Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby told Sirius XM NFL that he has visits set up with the Chargers, Steelers, Titans, Bills, and Jets, as well as three additional teams (Twitter link).

Browns GM Talks Haden, QBs, FAs, Mack

March 24th, 2014 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing at the NFL’s owner meetings in Orlando, Browns GM Ray Farmer answered several questions from reporters today, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal and Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Here’s a round-up of some of the highlights, with Twitter links via Ulrich and Cabot:

  • After cornerback Joe Haden fueled speculation by tweeting “It’s a crazy business” last night, Farmer insisted that the team has no interest in trading Haden, and would like to keep him in Cleveland for a long time.
  • Farmer defended the team’s decision not to attend the Pro Days of top quarterback prospects like Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, and Johnny Manziel by arguing that those days are “scripted” and saying that the Browns’ absence keeps teams guessing about Cleveland’s intentions. The general manager added that he’s “not leaning in any direction” with the No. 4 pick in the draft.
  • Farmer believes Cleveland will have opportunities to trade up or down in the draft, and confirmed that discussions about those possibilities are already underway.
  • Asked if the Browns have interest in Mark Sanchez, Farmer said the team would be interested in “anyone who can help us win,” though he didn’t say whether Sanchez was one such player. For now, the GM says he’s comfortable with Brian Hoyer, and that Hoyer’s competition could come from anywhere, including a player in the draft.
  • Farmer confirmed that the Browns had interest in Matt Schaub before Houston sent him to the Raiders.
  • According to Ulrich, Farmer paused for a few seconds when asked where the Browns stood with offensive lineman Paul McQuistan and defensive end Alex Carrington, before replying, “We’ll see.” Both free agents visited the team last week.
  • Cleveland investigated many options for a No. 2 wide receiver and No. 2 cornerback in free agency, but nothing worked out, according to Farmer.
  • The Browns are still focused on working out a long-term deal with Alex Mack, who received the transition tag from the club this offseason.

Extra Points: Cason, Allen, Mariani, Hester

March 18th, 2014 at 9:18pm CST by Zachary Links

Three candidates have emerged to succeed Domonique Foxworth as NFLPA president, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Saints tight end Ben Watson, free-agent tackle Eric Winston, and free-agent safety Ryan Clark will make their speeches Wednesday before the 32 team representatives vote for a new president. More from around the NFL..

  • In addition to cornerback Terrell Thomas, who was in for a visit today, the Panthers are also looking at corner Antoine Cason, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. Garafolo figures that Carolina could sign one or both cornerbacks to boost their secondary.
  • Defensive end Jared Allen is unlikely to sign with the Cowboys after visiting today, a source tells Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Dallas became less likely for the veteran when the Cowboys agreed to sign fellow defensive lineman Henry Melton earlier this evening.
  • The Chargers worked out former Titans wide receiver/kick returner/punter Marc Mariani, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Mariani has struggled to stay healthy in the past. The 26-year-old missed the entire 2012 season after snapping the tibula and fibula in his left leg and spent the entire 2013 season on Tennessee’s injured reserve after suffering a shoulder injury in training camp.
  • Top draft prospect Teddy Bridgewater met with the Texans, Jaguars, and Raiders after his pro-day workout at Louisville, tweets Brian Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
  • In a conference call with reporters, Chiefs GM John Dorsey said contract extension talks with Alex Smith are ongoing, tweets Herbie Teope of the Associated Press. Dorsey did not offer a timetable for a resolution with his starting quarterback. On the call, Dorsey went on to discuss the club’s near deal with wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders who wound up signing with the Broncos, writes Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star.
  • Rex Ryan and Jets GM John Idzik were at Florida State Pro Day to check out 6’5″, 240-pound wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin today, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
  • Safety Craig Steltz‘s one-year deal with the Bears is for the veteran’s minimum of $730K, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com (on Twitter). Steltz can also earn another $65K in roster bonuses.
  • A source close to free agent return man Devin Hester tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN (on Twitter) that the former Bears standout is still in Atlanta and very much in the picture for the Falcons.

Visit Updates: Manningham, Britt, Bridgewater

March 16th, 2014 at 4:13pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Several notes on player visits:

  • Receiver Mario Manningham will meet the Giants on Monday, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN. Manningham played for the Giants from 2008-2011 before signing with the 49ers.
  • Receiver Kenny Britt will meet with the Redskins after he visits the Patriots, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. We noted earlier today that Washington was attempting to schedule a visit with the free agent.
  • Linebacker Will Herring visited the Cowboys on Saturday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. A previous deal between the two parties fell through.
  • The Chiefs met with offensive tackle J’Marcus Webb, according to ESPN’s Adam Caplan (Twitter link).
  • Caplan also tweets that fullback Erik Lorig met the Saints, who do not have a fullback on the roster after non-tendering Jed Collins.
  • Linebacker Rob Jackson will meet with the Raiders, per Mike Jones of the Washington Post (via Twitter).
  • Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater met with the Vikings staff, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Draft Notes: Manziel, Evans, Matthews

March 5th, 2014 at 6:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns didn’t meet with Johnny Manziel at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he wasn’t the only quarterback that the club didn’t talk to, according to Vic Carucci of ClevelandBrowns.com (via Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group). Cleveland also passed on the chance to talk to the likes of Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater, Central Florida’s Blake Bortles, and Fresno State’s Derek Carr. That doesn’t mean the team won’t meet with the top QBs, however. The Browns plan to spend quality time with the quarterbacks when they bring them to Berea, Ohio for visits and future private workouts. More draft news..

  • Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans has met with the Patriots and 49ers in the last 24 hours, tweets Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
  • Tackle Jake Matthews met has met with the Browns and Rams, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). Matthews, widely expected to be one of the first tackles off the board in this year’s draft, has also met with the Falcons.
  • Alabama State running back Isaiah Crowell confirmed that he has spoken to the Raiders, Browns, and the Ravens, according to a report from BamaStateSports.com (hat tip to NFL.com).
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