Draft Visits: Bradford, Vereen, Shembo, Tripp
2014’s period of pre-draft visits for prospects and NFL teams came to an end yesterday. Players will no longer be permitted to visit clubs between now and the draft on May 8, though teams are still allowed to work out players. Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post and Adam Caplan of ESPN.com have some details on some players who made visits prior to yesterday’s deadline, so let’s round up the highlights….
- Arizona State outside linebacker Carl Bradford worked out for the Falcons and visited the Steelers, 49ers, and Chargers, reports Wilson. The Jaguars and Dolphins were among the other clubs to meet with Bradford, who is viewed as a potential second-round target.
- The Giants hosted Richmond wide receiver Ben Edwards for a visit, according to Wilson. Edwards, who caught more than 200 passes during his college career, had his Pro Day attended by 20 NFL teams. Wilson adds that Minnesota safety Brock Vereen also visited the Giants.
- Notre Dame outside linebacker Prince Shembo visited the Packers and also privately worked out for the Patriots, Jaguars, and Falcons, league sources tell Wilson.
- Wilson also has the latest on Florida cornerback Jaylen Watkins, the brother of Sammy Watkins. According to Wilson, the former Gators DB has visited the Redskins, Falcons, and Eagles, and worked out for the Panthers and Patriots. Watkins met with the Colts and Lions as well.
- In addition to his previously reported visits with the Falcons and Eagles, Montana linebacker Jordan Tripp also had workouts for the Patriots and Panthers, tweets Caplan.
- In a separate tweet, Caplan adds North Carolina State defensive back Dontae Johnson to the list of prospects who visited the Eagles.
Draft Notes: Whaley, Bills, Linebackers
If the Bills want to draft Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins or Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews — who each have visited with Buffalo — they’ll likely have to trade up from the No. 9 slot to do so. And judging by comments made by general manager Doug Whaley, it’s a definite possibility.
“If we think this guy is going to get us over the hump and get us into the playoffs, which is our stated goal, why not make the deal?” Whaley said on radio station WGR-AM, according to Jason Butt of National Football Post.
The Bills are likely more than just a player away from making the playoffs in the AFC, but that won’t stop its GM from being aggressive in the upcoming NFL Draft.
More draft notes from around the league on a Sunday night…
- Brent Sobleski of USA Today Sports ranked the top 10 linebackers in the draft, slotting Alabama’s C.J. Mosley, Ohio State’s Ryan Shazier and Wisconsin’s Chris Borland at the top.
- Ranking the top 5 tackles was Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune‘s assignment, who likes Nevada’s Joel Bitonio as the No. 5 tackle behind the consensus top-4.
- Indiana wide receiver Cody Latimer, who recently had a pre-draft visit with the 49ers, also visited with the Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Latimer is one of the fastest rising prospects in the draft and projected to be a first-round pick.
- Heading to the Browns in Jeff Schudel of The Morning Journal‘s latest mock draft are Sammy Watkins and Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr at the No. 4 and No. 26 spots, respectively.
NFC Notes: Finley, Redskins, Latimer, Bears
Free agent tight end Jermichael Finley is scheduled to undergo a X-ray tomorrow, and if all goes well, MRI and CAT scans, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). Finley, who is recovering from a spinal injury, will continue this process until he is fully medically cleared. The 27-year-old has drawn interest from the Seahawks and the Dolphins, but he will need to prove he is able to play before any team would be willing to sign him.
More news from around the NFC:
- New Redskins head coach Jay Gruden worked with multiple tight end sets when he was the Bengals’ offensive coordinator, and Rich Tandler of RealRedskins.com examines whether Gruden may want to pair another TE with incumbent Jordan Reed in Washington.
- The 49ers had a pre-draft visit with four of their past five first-round selections, so the fact that that the team met with Cody Latimer, who is now projected as a late first-round-pick, could signal legitimate interest, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
- Two years after fielding one of the worst offensive lines in the league, the Bears head into 2014 with excellent depth at the position, opines Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. The Bears, who added four new lineman before last season, re-signed backup Eben Britton and brought in veteran center Brian De La Puente on a cheap, one-year deal.
- Tommy Lawlor of PhiladelphiaEagles.com does a deep dive and profiles some lesser-known names in the draft at positions of need for the Eagles, with defensive back and receiver being among them.
Sunday Morning Notes: Ravens, Suh, Visits
Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore wonders if the Ravens should be wary of Alabama defensive players in the draft, including top prospects like Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and C.J. Mosley. Baltimore GM Ozzie Newsome is an Alabama alumnus and has close ties with the school, ties that may have contributed to the Ravens’ selections of players like Jarret Johnson, Terrence Cody, and Courtney Upshaw.
Although Johnson was a standout performer in Baltimore, Cody has largely been a disappointment, and after a promising rookie season, Upshaw fell off in 2013. That’s not to mention, of course, non-Raven Alabama products like Kareem Jackson and Mark Barron who have failed to live up to expectations. As ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper, Jr. observed, Alabama defenders play in an elite system with top-flight coaching and consequently “come into the league thinking they pretty much are as coached as they can be and basically they’ve hit the ceiling.”
Will the trend of Crimson Tide defensive standouts who fizzle in the NFL deter Newsome from drafting players like Clinton-Dix and Mosley if he feels they represent the best fit for his club? Given Newsome’s skill and reputation, probably not. But it is another storyline to consider as the first round of the draft unfolds in a couple of weeks.
Now for some more early morning notes:
- Notre Dame offensive tackle Zack Martin has been generating a lot of buzz in recent weeks, and we recently heard that Martin is expected to be off the board within the first 17 picks. Now, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah tweets that he would not be surprised if Martin went in the top 10, with Buffalo (No. 9 overall) being a potential landing spot.
- As our own Luke Adams wrote several days ago, although the Lions might be willing to trade Ndamukong Suh, any such deal would be riddled with obstacles. As such, Suh seems likely to stay put in Detroit for at least 2014, but if he were to be traded, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk names the Jaguars and Raiders as the likeliest candidates.
- Although the Falcons have shown a great deal of interest in Jadeveon Clowney and visited with the top prospect last week, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution believes that interest is a “smokescreen” to drive up the price for teams like Detroit that might want to move up in the draft. Ledbetter writes that Atlanta has too many holes to mortgage the future to move up for Clowney as they did for Julio Jones several years ago.
- Stanford DE Ben Gardner visited with the 49ers and Raiders this weekend, according to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
- The Bengals worked out Tusculum QB Bo Cordell, who also threw for the Eagles, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today.
NFC Notes: Saints, Benjamin, Thompson
The Saints are in win now mode, with stalwarts of the offense like Drew Brees and Marques Colston not getting any younger and new star Jimmy Graham on a one-year deal, and they could make a big move to trade up in the draft, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. It is not a certainty, and he believes the Saints would not move up for a specific position, but if one prospect catches their eye and the value is right, the team would definitely consider making a move.
Here are some more notes from around the NFC:
- The Saints have seen receivers leave the team for years, this offseason has been particularly rough. Lance Moore left to sign the Steelers, Devery Henderson is a free agent, and Darren Sproles was traded to the Eagles. They will look to add a pass catcher in the draft, but could look for either a bigger receiver or a smaller, quicker slot type player, writes Triplett. While replacing Sproles with a smaller, faster player is an immediate need, finding a bigger more physical player is important as well as an eventual replacement for Colston. The team can select whichever type of receiver presents itself during the draft.
- While on the subject of big, physical receivers, Florida State wideout Kelvin Benjamin took a visit to the 49ers, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. The 49ers have been rumored to be considering trading up for Texas A&M’s Mike Evans, who is also a large and explosive receiver who could handle the taller cornerbacks of teams like the Seahawks. Benjamin could be a possible back up plan if they are not able to find a trade partner that would allow them a shot at Evans.
- The Packers have tremendous needs at safety and tight end, but Tim Silverstein of the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal-Sentinel does not expect the team to target those positions in round one of the upcoming draft. He notes that in Ted Thompson’s years as general manager, he has never taken either a safety or a tight end in the first round. Also, if the history of Thompson is expanded to include his mentor Ron Wolf, that is almost 20 years without ever drafting a first-round safety, and only one tight end. That one exception was Bubba Franks in 2000, who did not justify the pick.
NFC Notes: Eagles, Giants, Packers, Saints
In an attempt to narrow down the wide range of players the Eagles could select at No. 22, Philly.com’s Jeff McLane focuses on 11 prospects who could pique the team’s interest and be available. Three receivers top the list.
In other NFC news and notes. . .
- We know the Giants are “livid” at Will Hill over his most recent transgression, but in a mailbag piece, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano writes the team doesn’t know whether Hill will be suspended (because he can appeal), doesn’t know how long the suspension will be or if he’ll be released. “As for a replacement,” writes Graziano, “Stevie Brown was slated to be a starting safety for the Giants this time last year, and assuming he’s fully recovered from his ACL surgery in time for the season, they’d just make him the starter opposite Antrel Rolle.”
- “The most important Giants player on the defensive side of the ball is Jason Pierre-Paul,” opines Paul Schwartz in the New York Post. “And no one is a close second.” After a breakout season in 2011 with 16.5 sacks, Pierre-Paul “got derailed by physical issues and, perhaps, motivational lapses.” The 25-year-old pass rusher is making his optimism for the upcoming season known, however, saying he’s healthy, in better shape (reportedly a lean 270) and ready for a leadership role. Perhaps most important, he’s motivated entering the final year of his rookie deal knowing he stands to make a fortune if he shows improved production, consistency, durability and stability.
- Free agent defensive linemen Ryan Pickett and Johnny Jolly, who started 16 and eight games, respectively, for the Packers last season, remain on the team’s radar. However, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky describes their situation as a “holding pattern,” saying the Packers “will wait to see what comes of the draft and then reassess their needs.”
- “The last time the Saints promoted two less-experienced starters into their starting o-line (Zach Strief and Brian De La Puente in 2011), they wound up setting the NFL record for yards gained in a season,” writes ESPN’s Mike Triplett. Three years later, the team is preparing for another pair of second-year players to step into starting roles: left tackle Terron Armstead and center Tim Lelito.
- The 49ers have done their homework on San Jose State quarterback prospect David Fales, seeing him live during the season and working him out at the team’s pro day for local prospects. Head coach Jim Harbaugh thinks Fales is a top-five QB in the draft, according to ESPN’s Bill Williamson.
Minor Moves: 49ers, Rams, Lions, Broncos
Here are Friday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, including a pair of free agents accepting their contract tenders, two other minor signings, and a roster cut….
- Demarcus Dobbs, who received a $1.431MM restricted free agent tender from the 49ers, has accepted and signed it, the club announced today in a press release. Dobbs will compete for playing time on the defensive line, and may also contribute on special teams and even on offense, where he has played some tight end.
- Rams center Tim Barnes, who started the last four games of the 2013 season, has signed his exclusive rights free agent tender, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Barnes will be in line for a $570K salary in 2014.
- The Lions have signed center Sherman Carter and wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt to contracts after bringing the players to camp for tryouts earlier this week, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Carter was on the 49ers’ roster last summer, while Roosevelt has some previous NFL regular-season experience with the Bills.
- The Broncos have cut offensive tackle Mike Farrell, according to Mike Klis of The Denver Post (on Twitter). Farrell, who signed a futures contract with Denver at the end of the 2013 regular season, will have to pass through waivers before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
49ers Rumors: Kaepernick, Draft, Evans
Earlier this afternoon, we recapped several comments 49ers general manager Trent Baalke made about linebacker Aldon Smith and running back LaMichael James, who have both been in the news lately. In Smith’s case, Baalke reinforced the idea that, despite the linebacker’s off-court issues, the team hopes to work things out and keep him around long-term, though the GM didn’t commit to picking up Smith’s fifth-year option. As for James, Baalke dismissed the idea that San Francisco is looking to trade the running back.
Here are a few more Niners notes based on Baalke’s discussion with the media today:
- Colin Kaepernick was named in a report of a “suspicious incident” incident in Miami by police, but Baalke indicated that shouldn’t have a real impact on the Niners’ desire to work out a long-term deal with the quarterback, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com details. “Nothing’s changed,” Baalke said. “But at the same token, negotiations of these kind, they’re long. They can be drawn out. They can be very tedious. Like all of these, it takes a lot of work to get theses types of deals done. We’re going to work diligently like we said we would. But when that gets done, is there a goal, a timeline? I can’t say that there is.”
- Baalke also indicated that the Niners have the “ammunition” to move up in the draft if the right situation arises (Twitter link). Even if San Francisco doesn’t want to use James as a trade chip, the team could rely on its collection of draft picks to help facilitate a deal — six of the first 100 picks in the draft belong to the Niners.
- If the 49ers do decide to trade up in the first round, wide receiver Mike Evans may be a target. According to Evan Silva of Rotoworld (Twitter link), Chris Mortensen said today on ESPN that the “buzz inside league circles that you keep hearing” suggests Evans is drawing interest from the Niners.
Latest On 49ers, Aldon Smith
This afternoon, 49ers GM Trent Baalke told reporters, including Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter), that he hopes Aldon Smith is with the team in “2016 and 2017 and 2018.” In the wake of Smith’s airport incident, many have wondered if the 49ers want to stay the course with the talented but troubled defensive force.
Baalke went on to say, “We’re a family. You don’t just open a door and toss people out of it,” tweets Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. However, he stopped short of saying that he’ll pick up Smith’s option for 2015, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group (on Twitter). The GM added that he has no plans to trade running back LaMichael James.
Even though Baalke threw his support behind Smith today, it’s hard to get a read on what the team will do with Smith’s fifth-year option. Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News wrote earlier this month that he got the sense from club officials that Smith would not play for San Francisco in 2014. Meanwhile, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com wrote last week that the 49ers were not expected to trigger the option.
Meanwhile, the 49ers were said to be shopping James in an effort to move up in the draft. For his part, James hasn’t asked for a trade, but he would welcome the opportunity to see more playing time elsewhere. As it stands, James could be behind Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, and possible Marcus Lattimore on San Francisco’s depth chart.
Draft Visits: Falcons, Bryant, Martin, Jets
Teams only have until Sunday to bring in draft prospects for pre-draft visits, so even though workouts are still permitted after that date, plenty of clubs are hosting players this week. Here’s a round-up of several of the latest reports on these visits:
- According to reports from ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (Twitter link), Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), the Falcons have worked out Vanderbilt receiver Jordan Matthews and Connecticut linebacker Yawin Smallwood, and are heading to Columbia, South Carolina tomorrow to work out wideout Bruce Ellington.
- Florida State linebacker Telvin Smith has visited the Broncos, Eagles, and Panthers, as well as worked out privately for the Panthers, Falcons, Patriots, and Buccaneers, according to Wilson.
- Martavis Bryant has been extremely busy over the last few weeks, with a combined total of 22 visits and private workouts, writes Wilson at the National Football Post. According to Wilson, the Buccaneers are one team that has hosted and privately worked out the Clemson wide receiver.
- Wilson, who has been busy lately himself, also passes along updates on two more prospects: USC center Marcus Martin has met with the Chargers, Panthers, Saints, and Eagles, while Kansas State safety Ty Zimmerman is visiting the Bengals.
- Florida State wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin is among the players visiting the Jets today, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). We heard last night about several other prospects the Jets are hosting this week, including Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
- Cornerback Justin Gilbert‘s previously reported visit with the Lions is happening today, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
- McGill offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is projected to be the first overall pick in the CFL draft, but he’s also drawing plenty of interest from NFL teams. As Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com details, the 49ers are the latest club to host the Canadian prospect for a visit.