Jets Eyeing Round 2 Trade Up
The Jets are looking to make a splash on Friday night. Gang Green is seeking to make a move all the way from the third round into the early second, sources tell Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, in order to pull that off, the Jets would need to give up significant capital in future draft picks.
It’s not clear who the Jets are targeting, but Garafolo (Twitter link) estimates that they’re going for a pass rusher. The Jets have spoken to the Seahawks, who own the No. 37 overall pick, Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter) hears, which would represent a significant jump from No. 68 overall in the third round.
Of course, the Jets had a big opportunity to improve their pass rush with the No. 3 overall pick last night, but they opted for Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams over Kentucky’s Josh Allen, Michigan’s Rashan Gary, and other impact edge players.
Seahawks Trade No. 30 To Giants
The Seahawks have made their second trade of the night. The team is sending the No. 30 pick to the Giants, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). In exchange, Seattle will receive No. 37, No. 132, and No. 142 (via ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter).
So, if you’re counting at home, that means the Seahawks turned the 21st pick into five separate selections. Seattle previously dealt No. 21 to the Packers for No. 30, No. 114, and No. 118.
The Giants have used the pick on Georgia cornerback Deandre Baker. The 2018 Jim Thorpe Award winner was generally regarded as the top cornerback in the class. The 5-foot-11 defensive back had a standout 2018 season with the Bulldogs, compiling 40 tackles, two sacks, nine passes defended, and two picks.
The Giants have added already added a pair of defensive backs this offseason. They acquired safety Jabrill Peppers in the Odell Beckham trade, and they also signed veteran safety Antoine Bethea. Baker will likely slide into one of the starting cornerback spots across from Janoris Jenkins.
This pick marks the Giants’ third selection of the night. The team selected quarterback Daniel Jones with the sixth pick, and they later added defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence with the 17th pick.
Seahawks Trade No. 21 To Packers
The Packers are moving up. ESPN’s Field Yates tweets that Green Bay has acquired pick No. 21 from the Seahawks. In exchange, Seattle will receive No. 30, No. 114, and No. 118.
The Packers will use their new pick to select Maryland safety Darnell Savage. The defensive back was a three-year starter with the Terrapins, including a 2018 campaign where he compiled 38 tackles and four interceptions. Savage also has limited experience returning punts.
Standing at 5-foot-11, Savage is a bit undersized for safety. However, the prospect makes up for his lack of size with blistering speed and an ability to read receivers. In passing situations, Savage should use his ball-hawking ability to break up passes. In running situations, the safety has shown the ability to smother the ball carrier.
Savage will join a young defensive backs corps that includes a pair of 2018 picks in cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson. The rookie should start immediately alongside free agent addition Adrian Amos.
Draft Rumors: Bush, Redskins, Rams
Let’s round up the latest draft rumors in advance of tonight’s main event:
- We heard several days ago that the Falcons were interested in trading into the Top 10, and that they had their sights set on defensive linemen like Christian Wilkins and offensive linemen. Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network confirms that Atlanta is indeed interested in moving up, but his sources say the club’s target is actually linebacker Devin Bush (Twitter link). Per Pelissero, the Falcons would need to leapfrog the Broncos, who hold the No. 10 overall pick, to assure themselves of landing Bush.
- Despite all of the rumors suggesting that the Redskins are interested in making a big trade up into the Top 5, Pro Football Talk says that all of the calls that team president Bruce Allen are making are just an example of Allen being Allen and that Washington doesn’t really have a desire to make a move (Twitter link).
- Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that the Rams, who hold the No. 31 overall pick in tonight’s draft, have received a number of calls from teams wanting to trade into the back end of the first round. First-rounders, of course, can be kept under club control for five years instead of four.
- As Pelissero notes in a separate tweet, the teams that have shown the most interest in trading down from their current first-round slots are the Jets (No.3), Lions (No. 8), Dolphins (No. 13), Seahawks (Nos. 21 & 29), and Rams (No. 31).
- If Kyler Murray should start to fall down the draft board, he may end up having a better financial future in baseball. As Albert Breer of SI.com notes, MLB’s Oakland A’s have offered him a $14MM “sweetener” on top of the $4.6MM bonus he was already due after the club drafted him last year, for a total of $18.66MM. That number would land between the 10th and 11th overall picks in tonight’s NFL draft, so if Murray ends up falling that far, teams are concerned that he would return to the diamond. But Breer still thinks that Murray will be the No. 1 overall pick tonight.
- Breer calls Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons the most interesting prospect in the draft. He is one of the top defensive players in his class, but the troubling video showing him striking a woman in high school, along with his ACL tear, have completely removed him from some teams’ draft boards. But there is still a good chance that he will be selected in the first round tonight.
- The Panthers and Vikings are both very serious about addressing their needs along the offensive line with early draft picks, as Breer notes in a separate piece. Both clubs used a high number of top-30 visits on O-linemen.
- LSU cornerback Andraez “Greedy” Williams is perhaps the most talented corner in the draft, but as Breer notes, he comes with plenty of red flags concerning his toughness, work ethic, and personality. He did not make a single pre-draft visit, and despite his upside, he could slip out of the first round.
Marshawn Lynch Retires From NFL
Marshawn Lynch has retired. Again. 
After returning from his first retirement to play for the Raiders, the running back is not planning to take the field again, league sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.
Lynch, who just turned 33, leaves the game with a legacy as an exciting fan favorite. Beast Mode earned five Pro Bowl nods throughout his career and even secured a 2012 First-Team All-Pro selection when he tallied 1,590 yards and eleven touchdowns. He also led the league in rushing touchdowns on multiple occasions and racked up 1,200 yards or more in each season from 2011 through 2014.
With the Raiders, Lynch was effective, though not super consistent. Lynch rushed for 1,267 yards on 297 carries in his 21 games for Oakland, giving him an average of 4.3 yards per attempt in silver and black. Last year, Lynch lost the bulk of the season to a groin injury and was unable to return down the stretch.
Without Lynch, the Raiders will move forward with a backfield headlined by Isaiah Crowell, Jalen Richard, DeAndre Washington, and Chris Warren. They may also look to bolster the group in the draft.
PFR wishes Lynch the best in retirement.
Seahawks Trade Frank Clark To Chiefs
On Tuesday, the Seahawks agreed to trade Frank Clark to the Chiefs. When finalized, the deal will send Clark and a third-round choice (No. 84 overall) to the Seahawks for their first-round pick (No. 29), third-round pick (No. 92), and the lower of the Chiefs’ 2020 second-rounders. 
The Seahawks originally cuffed Clark with a franchise tag for 2019, but the defensive end said he was unwilling to play under the terms of the one-year tender. Ultimately, Clark got his way with a massive long-term extension. The Chiefs have agreed to sign Clark to a five-year, $105.5MM deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The pact includes $63.5MM guaranteed and gives him a potentially larger total intake than Cowboys standout Demarcus Lawrence. Joel Corry of CBS Sports tweets that the $105.5MM figure is a maximum value, and that the actual contract is a five-year, $104MM pact. The additional $1.5MM stems from $300K incentives that Clark could earn in each year of the deal for posting 11.5 sacks or more.
However, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets that Clark may have been unwilling to ink that same deal with the Seahawks if Seattle had extended it to him. Instead, he was, despite his statements to the contrary, willing to hold out until September and then sign his franchise tender before the regular season started.
In a perfect world, the Seahawks would have liked to keep Clark for the long haul. However, after making Russell Wilson the highest-paid player in NFL history, space was rather limited. But now, as Brady Henderson of ESPN.com tweets, the team can shift its focus to extending Bobby Wagner this offseason, and if the Seahawks can’t get a deal done, they will have enough cap space in 2020 to put the franchise tag on Wagner if it so chooses.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs have made another major change to their defense. After ranking 31st in yards allowed in 2018, they’ve swapped defensive coordinator Bob Sutton for Steve Spagnuolo, moved to a 4-3 scheme, traded Dee Ford, and released Justin Houston and Eric Berry. Now, it’s out with the old and in with the new for KC. The Chiefs have landed one of the game’s best young edge rushers in clark, bringing him to a front seven that also includes new pickups Alex Okafor, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Damien Wilson.
Clark, 26 in June, entered the league as a second-round pick in 2015, but truly broke out as an NFL sophomore with ten sacks in 2016. After a nine-sack effort in 2017, he exploded for 13 sacks last year, his first full season as a starter.
Clearly, the Chiefs are all-in on fixing their defense, but it has come at the expense of draft capital and future flexibility. The Chiefs no longer have a first-round pick for Thursday, nor do they have a ton of wiggle room in future years after locking up Clark through his prime seasons.
Seahawks Want First-, Second-Round Picks For Frank Clark?
The Chiefs completed a tag-and-trade transaction involving an edge defender last month. The 49ers gave them a 2020 second-round pick for Dee Ford. That type of return will not satisfy the Seahawks regarding Frank Clark.
Linked to having Clark on the trade block, the Seahawks do not plan to let their top pass rusher go for cheap. They are believed to want first- and second-round picks to part with the standout defensive end, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Both the Chiefs and Colts are interested.
While it is not certain if they are willing to meet this asking price, the Chiefs have discussed trading for Clark to replace Ford, Breer adds. Clark has been more consistent than Ford, entering 2019 on the heels of three straight nine-plus-sack seasons. He is two years younger than Ford and at 265 pounds fits Steve Spagnuolo‘s 4-3 scheme better. Clark has also only missed two games in his career. But the matter of his $17.1MM franchise tag and his past complicate matters.
Having already released Kareem Hunt and seeing Tyreek Hill in precarious territory because of an ongoing investigation, the Chiefs trading for Clark would be an interesting decision. Clark was kicked off Michigan’s team because of a domestic violence arrest, which ended up producing a guilty plea for the lesser charge of disorderly conduct. The Chiefs do have the draft capital, with three picks in the first two rounds, and feature a big need at defensive end in what is expected to be Patrick Mahomes‘ final year on a rookie contract.
As for the Seahawks’ financial situation, John Schneider said (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, on Twitter) it would be “feasible but very challenging” to keep Clark, Bobby Wagner and Jarran Reed long-term. Wagner and the Seahawks have begun extension talks. A two-year starter at defensive tackle, Reed became extension-eligible this offseason. The franchise just authorized a four-year, $140MM Russell Wilson re-up, further complicating its ability to fortify the defense.
However, if Seattle trades Clark, defensive end becomes a major need. The team already has a deficiency there, given the lack of a reliable edge complement for Clark. But Schneider also indicated he would like the Seahawks — who have traded down in the first round in nearly every draft this decade — to acquire more picks. They hold an NFL-low four now and are without a second-round choice.
Jets Not Interested In Frank Clark?
The Jets have no real interest in Seahawks edge defender Frank Clark, Manish Mehta of the Daily News (on Twitter) hears. On Monday morning, one report indicated that the Jets were in the hunt for Clark, but that’s apparently not the case. 
Mehta hears that the Jets did their due diligence on Clark, as they tend to do with notable players who are available via trade. However, that’s where their research stopped. At this time, the Jets have no interest in the Seahawks standout, despite his significant production in 2018 and the club’s clear need for edge rush help.
The Jets haven’t had a player with double-digit sacks since 2015, but they could have the opportunity to draft the likes of Josh Allen from Kentucky or Nick Bosa from Ohio State if they stand pat at No. 3. Given the depth of this year’s class, they may also be able to get pass rush help even if they move down.
Clark, 26 in June, entered the league as a second-round pick in 2015, but truly broke out as an NFL sophomore with ten sacks in 2016. After a nine-sack effort in 2017, he exploded for 13 sacks last year, his first full season as a starter.
Chiefs, Colts Interested In Frank Clark
The Frank Clark sweepstakes is heating up. The Chiefs and Colts have shown interest in the Seahawks’ edge rusher and a deal could come together early this week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). Rapoport also heard rumblings of the Jets being interested in Clark, but Manish Mehta of the Daily News hears that’s not the case.
A pre-draft deal would make sense for all parties involved and the Seahawks would probably prefer to have their ducks in a row well in advance of Thursday. It’s also still possible that the Seahawks will move forward with Clark, though the franchise-tagged player has indicated that he will not report to training camp without a new deal. The two sides made progress on that front in early March, but it’s not clear if things have advanced since then.
Recently, Cowboys star DeMarcus Lawrence agreed to a new $21MM/year deal, which could embolden Clark’s camp to ask for even more. The Seahawks, ideally, would like to bring Clark back after he registered 13 sacks in 2018, but the opportunity to free up cap space and net a first-round pick for his services could be too good to pass up.
After moving on from Dee Ford and Justin Houston, Clark would make plenty of sense for the Chiefs. However, his off-the-field history could give KC some hesitation given the ongoing Tyreek Hill situation. There’s also the matter of forking over a top-of-the-market deal, which should give the Colts similar pause.
Seahawks ‘Considering’ Frank Clark Trade, Want First Round Pick For Him
Ever since the Seahawks locked up Russell Wilson with his record-setting deal, everybody’s attention has turned toward pass-rusher Frank Clark. The dynamic defensive end was franchise-tagged by Seattle, and is seeking a longterm deal of his own.
The Seahawk have insisted they want to sign Clark to a new deal, and head coach Pete Carroll has said he’ll be with the team in 2019. Despite that trade rumors have continued to swirl, and we heard yesterday that several teams were interested. Seattle is apparently open to the idea, as they are “still considering” trading Clark, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. A source told Schefter that “in return, the Seahawks would want any package to include at least a first-round pick in next week’s NFL draft.”
That’s not an unreasonable ask, but it’s possible no teams will be willing to meet that price. We heard in early March that Clark and the Seahawks were progressing on a new deal, but things appear to have fallen apart since then. Previous reports indicated the Seahawks were reluctant to move Clark, but Schefter’s report makes it sound like they’re much more open to the idea.
The Seahawks have a league-low four picks in the 2019 draft. Trading Clark would be a surefire way to replenish their stockpile and get some extra picks. Seattle’s general manager John Schneider did insist recently that Wilson’s new deal won’t effect negotiations or impact their willingness to spend big money on Clark. It’s possible the Seahawks weren’t happy with the 21MM-AAV deal that DeMarcus Lawrence got from the Cowboys. Now that Lawrence has reset the market, Clark is likely seeking to top that.
When Ian Rapoport of NFL Network said yesterday that several teams were interested, he also said the matter would “definitely” be resolved before the draft. So if Clark is still a member of the team a week from now, you can expect him to be with the Seahawks in 2019. Last season Clark had 13 sacks, three forced fumbles, two passes defended, and an interception.