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West Notes: Chargers, Chiefs, 49ers, Cooper

April 5th, 2015 at 4:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’ve already posted one set of items from the West, but there’s more news from the two divisions. Let’s dive in…

  • The Chargers were somewhat active in free agency, re-signing cornerback Brandon Flowers and tackle King Dunlap while adding guard Orlando Franklin and receivers Stevie Johnson and Jacoby Jones. But San Diego general manager Tom Telesco doesn’t believe external additions are the best way to build a roster. “You can’t makeover your team in free agency,” Telesco told Chargers.com (video link). “That’s been proven not to work. Very few impact players actually get to free agency. They are either re-signed by the original club, or they’re franchise tagged. That all being said, you can add some complementary pieces here and there, and we were able to do that.”
  • Stony Brook receiver Adrian Coxson has a visit with the Chiefs on Monday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Coxson has also been invited to the local workout days hosted by the Giants and Jets.
  • A report last week indicated that the 49ers would look to trade up in the draft to select Alabama receiver Amari Cooper, but Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com views that scenario as unlikely. San Francisco also wanted to move up to get Odell Beckham Jr. last year, but 49ers GM Trent Baalke thought the cost was too prohibitive. This year, with even more holes on the roster, Maiocco doesn’t think the club can afford to sacrifice a haul of draft picks to acquire one player.

West Notes: LA, Chargers, Broncos, Cardinals

April 5th, 2015 at 8:54am CST by Dallas Robinson

With several NFL teams (including the Chargers) interested in moving to Los Angeles, Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union-Tribune looks at the concept of relocation fees, the money that a club will have to pay to the league in exchange for changing cities. Per Canepa, the owners haven’t formalized the price tag of moving just yet, but he hears that it could be anywhere from $250MM to $500MM. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explains, commissioner Roger Goodell has the “discretion to adjust the transfer free based on the NFL’s interest in encouraging the move or discouraging the move,” so if the league is in favor of a team moving to LA, the fee could conceivably be (relatively) modest.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the West divisions:

  • In an in-depth piece on teams’ departures effect on cities, Jonathan Horn of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports cities that lose teams pay more to bring football back than keeping their existing franchises. Houston, which lost the Oilers after the 1996 season, topped the list in paying $519MM to spawn the Texans. St. Louis, Baltimore, Cleveland and Houston averaged just more than $225MM in costs for their respective new stadiums. So while a club like the Chargers could vacate its home city, its conceivable that San Diego fans could yearn for an NFL return in due time.
  • The Broncos made it a priority to bring in players who were familiar with new head coach Gary Kubiak‘s offensive scheme, a strategy that is especially evident along the offensive line, writes Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. Center Gino Gradkowski and guard Shelley Smith, acquired via trade and free agency respectively, each have a history with both Kubiak and offensive coordinator Rick Dennison.
  • With this year’s draft less than four weeks away, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com examines who could be available to the Cardinals with the 24th pick, noting that the club could be in a position to take the best player available. Weinfuss points to Stanford tackle Andrus Peat and Kentucky edge rusher Bud Dupree as logical candidates for Arizona.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Draft Notes: White, Bears, Browns, Ravens

April 4th, 2015 at 1:50pm CST by Ben Levine

West Virginia wideout Kevin White is expected to be an early first-round pick in the upcoming draft, but the speedster hasn’t received much interest from NFL clubs. Earlier this week, the player told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com that he hadn’t heard from any teams since the Scouting Combine:

“Until they call or I have a set workout schedule, I’m just going to continue to do what I have to do and wherever I do go, if I have a workout or prior workout, I’ll enjoy it and try to make the most out of it.”

White finally got a call late this week, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the receiver will meet with the Titans. For the time being, that’s White only scheduled visit.

Let’s take a look at some more draft notes from around the league, with updates added to the top:

  • Toledo linebacker Junior Sylvestre visited with the Chiefs Friday, writes Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
  • The Patriots had UConn wide receiver Geremy Davis in for a private workout yesterday, writes Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter).
  • The Eagles have a need at safety, and Alabama’s Landon Collins has been a popular target in mock drafts. However, he might not make it to the Eagles’ pick at No. 20, and might not be a fit for Chip Kelly anyway, writes Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com. Mosher picks out a number of safeties the team could target later in the draft, including Michigan State’s Kurtis Drummond and Northwestern’s Ibraheim Campbell.

Earlier Updates:

Draft Notes: Crowder, Gurley, Thompson

April 3rd, 2015 at 5:51pm CST by Zachary Links

A look at the latest draft news..

  • Duke wide receiver Jamison Crowder worked out for the Texans today, a source told Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
  • A number of teams think former University of Georgia running back Todd Gurley will be selected before Melvin Gordon if his knee checks out, Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports tweets. While some teams believe Gordon is likely to have a more significant immediate impact, they believe Gurley may be better in the long-term (link).
  • A respected evaluator told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter) that he sees Gurley as the best tailback in the draft since Adrian Peterson.
  • Nine clubs have scheduled workouts or visits with University of Washington outside linebacker/safety Shaq Thompson, Rob Rang of CBSSports.com tweets. The Chargers, Falcons, Browns, Cowboys, Texans, Colts, Vikings, Eagles, and Panthers will all meet with the UW standout.
  • Possible first-round pick P.J. Williams is set up for a pre-draft visit with the Ravens despite recent legal troubles, write Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The Florida State cornerback was arrested early this morning for driving under the influence.

AFC Notes: Ridley, Jets, Bills, Dolphins

April 2nd, 2015 at 9:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Stevan Ridley‘s Thursday visit with the Jets went long, leaving him to stay in the New York area overnight, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. There’s no word of a deal yet, but Ridley clearly has interest in joining Gang Green. Here’s more from the AFC..

  • In today’s mailbag, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News writes that he doesn’t see the Bills trading for Evan Mathis. While the Eagles are looking to trade the veteran guard, his age and salary would probably be prohibitive for them. On top of that, the Eagles are clearly eager to move him, and that means he could be a free agent before long. The Bills could have interest in Mathis as a free agent, but it’s still not clear how aggressive they’d be in that situation.
  • The Dolphins worked out former Buccaneers linebacker Ka’Lial Glaud, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (via Twitter). Glaud took part in the NFL’s veteran combine.
  • The Raiders should consider an extension for left tackle Donald Penn, Bill Williamson of ESPN.com opines. Penn signed a two-year, $9.6MM deal with Oakland last year and is entering the final year of his deal. Penn showed no signs of wearing down in 2014 and put together a nice bounce-back year for himself.
  • Chargers GM Tom Telesco‘s recent moves in free agency made sense, but he didn’t add an impact player to the defensive front, Tom Krasovic of U-T San Diego writes. Signing Pernell McPhee, for instance, would’ve generated potential upgrades throughout the defense. Ultimately, the Bears took the gamble on the former backup and Krasovic wishes that it was the Bolts who rolled the dice on him.

Minor Moves: Tuesday

March 31st, 2015 at 4:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:

  • The Cardinals have signed quarterback Chandler Harnish, the team announced today, per Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Harnish, who was cut by the Colts prior to the 2014 regular season, spent some time with the Vikings throughout the year. He figures to help shoulder the load during Arizona’s offseason workouts with Carson Palmer still on the mend.
  • The Jaguars have waived fullback Bradie Ewing, leaving the team without a fullback on its roster, tweets Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. Jacksonville’s primary fullback in 2014, Will Ta’ufo’ou, didn’t receive a contract tender from the team earlier in the month, making him an unrestricted free agent. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Toby Gerhart could see some time at the position in 2015.
  • Former Arena League guard Michael Huey has signed with the Chargers, per Field Yates and Eric Williams of ESPN.com (via Twitter). San Diego also removed a pair of players from its roster, cutting center Jeff Baca and defensive lineman Chas Alecxih.

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.

Extra Points: Falcons, Ridley, Chargers, Magee

March 27th, 2015 at 8:53am CST by Luke Adams

Having reportedly been informed at the NFL’s meetings in Arizona this week that they’ll face “severe” discipline for piping in artificial crowd noise at home games, the Falcons are bracing for the loss of a draft pick, writes D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Appearing on 680 The Fan this morning, general manager Thomas Dimitroff indicated that as the Falcons prepare for the draft, they’re taking into consideration scenarios in which they lose an early- or mid-round draft pick. Depending on the penalty, Dimitroff and the Falcons would even consider the possibility of trading the eighth overall pick to help recoup the loss.

As we wait to see what kind of penalty the Falcons will face for their violation of league rules, let’s check in on a few other items from around the league….

  • Mark Dominik of ESPN told Alex Marvez of SiriusXM (on Twitter) that he expects running back Stevan Ridley to sign in the next week, but he doesn’t see him inking another deal with the Patriots. Ridley could become the second running back to leave New England this offseason, with Shane Vereen having landed with the Giants.
  • Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com passes along the latest details on the city of San Diego’s efforts to keep the Chargers and to facilitate talks for a new NFL stadium.
  • Despite the fact that he’s elected to join the Red Sox at spring training after being cut by the Buccaneers, linebacker Brandon Magee isn’t planning on changing career paths permanently, agent Blake Baratz tells Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk. “While he does attend spring training for a few weeks up until the beginning of the NFL off-season program, he is 100% fully committed to playing in the NFL,” Baratz said of his client.
  • Although the NFL’s efforts to expand the game internationally have primarily focused on London thus far, the team is eyeing other international markets, including Mexico, Canada, and China, as Albert Breer of the NFL Network details.
  • With the 2015 NFL draft just five weeks away, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap takes an in-depth look at how the “rookie pool” works, providing specific cap figures for each of the league’s 32 teams.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC West Notes: Wisniewski, Bolts, Del Rio

March 26th, 2015 at 5:56pm CST by Zachary Links

The food safety manager who blew the whistle on health violations at the Chiefs‘ Arrowhead Stadium and the Royals’ Kauffman Stadium was fired by Aramark, as Paula Lavigne of ESPN.com writes. After Jon Costa told ESPN’s “Outside The Lines” about the health violations, the city came in and inspected the Royals’ and Chiefs’ stadiums and found violations at 20 out of 26 stands, including 37 critical violations. You can read Lavingne’s story for more detail, but we suggest that you do so after dinner. Here’s a look at the AFC West..

  • Asked about whether the Raiders would consider re-signing Stefen Wisniewski as a guard to play alongside new center Rodney Hudson, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that “that ship has sailed,” indicating Wisniewski won’t be back in Oakland.
  • According to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (via Twitter), “a lot of very smart people” believe the Chargers will try to trade up to No. 2 in next month’s draft. The Chargers have said they have no plans to trade Philip Rivers, and such a move would likely require Rivers to be involved, so it seems unlikely at this point. Still, it’s worth keeping an eye on — Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com wrote earlier today that he expects Marcus Mariota to be drafted second overall, either by the Titans or a team trading up.
  • Bears coach John Fox has nothing but high praise for new Raiders coach Jack Del Rio, as Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com writes. “I had a tremendous staff in Denver, and Jack was a huge part of that,” Fox said. “More often than not we had a top five defense. I plucked him from the Baltimore Ravens back when he was a linebackers coach and gave him his first coordinator job back in Carolina. At that time we were No. 31 in total defense, and that was only because there were 31 teams. We jumped all the way to second with Jack at the helm. I’ve worked with him a lot, and Jack’s a tremendous coach and a tremendous person. I wish him nothing but the best in Oakland.”

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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