Bucs Sign 12 UDFAs, Cut Three Players
TUESDAY, 4:56pm: Undrafted Texas A&M linebacker Steven Jenkins has also signed with the Buccaneers, the team announced today in a press release.
MONDAY, 2:52pm: The Buccaneers have announced 11 undrafted free agent signings, and Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune passes along the names in a series of tweets. To clear room on the 90-man roster, the club has also cut three players, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link): Tight end Steve Maneri, tight end and fullback Josh Baker, and cornerback Bobby Felder. None of the three players played for the Bucs last season.
Here’s the full list of the Bucs’ UDFA additions:
- Josh Allen, C Louisiana-Monroe ($5K bonus, per Pat Yasinskas)
- Nate Askew, LB, Texas A&M ($7.5K bonus)
- Aaron Burks, WR, Boise State ($5K bonus)
- Euclid Cummings, DT, Georgia Tech ($10K bonus)
- Keith Lewis, CB, Virginia-Lynchburg ($3K bonus)
- Andrew Miller, G, Virginia Tech ($5K bonus)
- Matt Patchan, OT, Boston College ($14.85K bonus)
- Solomon Patton, WR, Florida ($9K bonus)
- Brett Smith, QB, Wyoming ($3K bonus)
- Chaz Sutton, DE, South Carolina ($15K bonus)
- Mycal Swaim, S, Eastern Michigan ($3K bonus)
NFC South Notes: Panthers, Saints, Bucs
The offseason losses outweighed the gains for the Panthers, and Carolina’s draft picks must grow up fast for the team to repeat as division champs, writes Charlotte Observer columnist Scott Fowler.
After losing Jordan Gross, Steve Smith, Captain Munnerlyn, Ted Ginn and Mike Mitchell, coach Ron Rivera and general manager Dave Gettleman hope first-round pick Kelvin Benjamin and a host of others can fill the large void.
“Status quo is not good enough,” Rivera said. “We’re not going to stand around and be just as good.
“We want to be better.”
More from the Panthers and the rest of the NFC South:
- With the picks of North Carolina safety Tre Boston and San Jose State cornerback Bene’ Benwikere in the fourth and fifth rounds Saturday, the Panthers added depth to the secondary rather than taking a chance on a developmental offensive tackle to replace Jordan Gross, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
- The Observer put together an early two-deep depth chart for the Panthers, slotting in Byron Bell, Amini Silatolu, Ryan Kalil, Chris Scott and Nate Chandler as the team’s starting offensive line from left to right.
- A recap of Times-Picayune reporter Larry Holder’s pick-by-pick analysis of the Saints‘ draft, passed along by NOLA.com’s Christopher Dabe.
- Dabe aggregated a smattering of reviews of the Saints‘ draft, with most analysts giving general manager Micky Loomis a B or a C.
- Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith believes his team has done all it can to be the the team that makes a leap, writes Tampa Bay Times columnist Gary Shelton.
Lovie Smith: Glennon Is Bucs’ QB Of Future
May 10: The Buccaneers have turned down trade requests from at least six teams looking to acquire Glennon, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. The team says they had no intentions of moving the former third-round pick.
“There’s a lot of interest and we want to keep Mike,” said general manager Jason Licht. “(They were) just feeling it out. I know that Mike has a very good reputation throughout the league as far as his developmental future.”
The team used all six of its picks on offensive players, but none at the quarterback position, leaving the team’s depth chart in tact with McCown as the starter and Glennon as both the backup and the “quarterback of the future”.
May 8: Mike Glennon has been viewed as a trade candidate for much of the offseason, but that might not be the case. Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith says that Glennon is the team’s quarterback of the future, according to ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas.
“It’s what’s best for us,” Smith said. “Just talking about our quarterback position, our quarterback position is as strong as any quarterback position I’ve had when I’ve been a head coach. You know how much I like Josh McCown as our starter. I love Mike Glennon. Mike Glennon is our quarterback of the future here. So why would you want to add a third quarterback to the mix? We needed other positions. Forget just the quarterback position, we thought this was the best available player for us. It was an easy decision for us.”
While Glennon showed that he can be a capable QB last season, he’s not exactly Aaron Rodgers and this year’s draft is chock full of talented signal callers. Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report recently wrote that the asking price for Glennon could be a second-round choice, but at this point it looks like the 6’7″ QB will be staying put.
Things can always change, of course, and the Bucs may have a change of heart depending on who is available when they pick next at No. 38. At the time of this writing Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr are among the QBs still on the board.
Buccaneers Acquire No. 149 Pick From Bills
The Buccaneers have traded back into round five, moving up to the Bills spot at No. 149, reports John Kryk of the Toronto Sun (via Twitter). The Buccaneers used that selection to take offensive tackle Kevin Pamphile of Purdue (via Twitter). The Bills received pick No. 221 and a 2015 fifth-rounder in exchange for No. 149, reports Mike Rodak of ESPN (via Twitter).
Extra Points: Evans, Broncos, Texans, Raiders
Mike Evans‘ hoops background helped him round out his football skills, writes Pat Yasinkas of ESPN.com. “It helps a lot,’’ the Buccaneers‘ first round choice said. “You see me go up for catches and treat it like a rebound. Boxing guys out and using my God-given talent, my big body. Boxing guys out for tough catches. The transition was easy because I had a lot of great coaches and a lot of great people around me to help me get here.’’ Evans could have been bound for the pages of Hoops Rumors, but instead, he’s here with us on PFR. Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL as we get set for Day 2..
- The Broncos will try again to trade up from No. 63 in round two, tweets Mike Klis of the Denver Post. They tried earlier but couldn’t find a partner to trade up from No. 31 in round one.
- Texans coach Bill O’Brien told Steve Wyche of NFL Network (on Twitter) that the Texans will stay at No. 33 unless they’re “blown away” by a trade.
- The Raiders will likely take Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr if he’s available at No. 36, writes Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Sulia link). That could be easier said than done: the Texans could use a QB and they have the No. 33 pick.
- Trading back would have been a gamble for the Packers, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Thompson wouldn’t say whether the Browns called to offer up their No. 26 and No. 83 – the package the Browns gave the Eagles to move up and tap Johnny Manziel – but such a move would have put them in jeopardy of missing out on Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
- Many have panned the Jaguars‘ pick of quarterback Blake Bortles as a safe selection, but GM David Caldwell isn’t worried about that type of criticism, tweets Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. “We’re not about big splashes at all. We just want to go about our business.” For what it’s worth, Bortles may not be a sexy pick, but he was a pretty big surprise. Few analysts had Jacksonville taking the UCF product at No. 3 and the pick helped shake things up for the rest of the first round.
- The Browns‘ top pick from last night, cornerback Justin Gilbert, has been overshadowed by fellow first rounder Johnny Manziel. One might think the Oklahoma State star is upset by the lack of attention, but that’s not the case at all. Gilbert told reporters at today’s introductory presser, including Pat McManamon of FOX Sports Ohio (on Twitter), that he’s happy to have Manziel alongside him “’cause it takes the pressure” off of him.
- Maiocco (on Twitter) wonders if Brandon Lloyd is rethinking his decision to attempt a comeback with the 49ers in lieu of their Stevie Johnson deal.
- The Bills just paid Johnson $1.75MM in a roster bonus, so the 49ers will only owe the WR $3.6MM in 2014, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
NFC Notes: Bridgewater, Cowboys, Falcons
The Vikings ended the first night of the draft with a bang by trading into the first round to snag Teddy Bridgewater, and in his presser with reporters, GM Rick Spielman confirmed that the fifth-year option was a consideration in the trade-up for Bridgewater, tweets Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune. Here’s more on that pick, along with a few more draft-night leftovers….
- The Vikings had a private workout with Bridgewater in Florida and it seems that was what ultimately sold them. Spielman told reporters, including Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that Bridgewater looked “totally different” than he did at his Pro Day and his performance in the workout matched his game tape. Meanwhile, the quarterback himself said Minnesota showed more pre-draft interest in him than any other team, according to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (via Twitter).
- According to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, his team was targeting four players at No. 16 — Anthony Barr, Aaron Donald, Ryan Shazier, and Zack Martin (Twitter link via Matt Mosley of ESPN 103.3). The first three players were off the board, but the Cowboys grabbed Martin.
- The Falcons made an effort to pick up a second first-round pick, and made calls to try to land a pick in the early 20s, according to GM Thomas Dimitroff (Twitter links via ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure). Dimitroff didn’t specify a target, but D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets that the club was eyeing Shazier and Dee Ford.
- Looking ahead to the second round, Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (on Twitter) says that guards Xavier Su’a-Filo and Trai Turner are guys to keep an eye on for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is in serious need of an offensive guard.
Draft Rumors: Panthers, Moses, Jets, Cowboys
Don’t look for the Buccaneers to go after a quarterback early in this draft. Coach Lovie Smith tells Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune (on Twitter) that Mike Glennon is the team’s QB of the future. The latest out of Radio City Music Hall..
- Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter) heard from a league source today that the Panthers are not interested in Morgan Moses.
- The Jets are sending out signals that they have interest in a quarterback in the first couple rounds, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Mehta adds that he would be surprised if that happens and we’re inclined to agree, seeing as how they have Michael Vick and Geno Smith under contract.
- David Moore of The Dallas Morning News (on Twitter) hears the Cowboys have targeted three defensive players at No. 16. If they’re all gone, Moore says to look for them to go offense.
- Peter King of Sports Illustrated (on Twitter) doesn’t believe any team was ever close to dealing for the Texans‘ No. 1 overall pick.
QB Rumors: Manziel, Bortles, Vikings, Browns
It seems as if Jay Glazer of Fox Sports has spent a good chunk of this week ruling out potential destinations for Johnny Manziel. After reporting on Tuesday that the Browns wouldn’t pick Manziel at No. 4 and the Raiders would pass at No. 5, Glazer says today (via Twitter) that the Buccaneers won’t draft the Texas A&M signal-caller at No. 7.
Here are a few more QB-related notes, as the start of the 2014 draft inches closer….
- There are mixed reports on which quarterback is No. 1 on the Cowboys‘ draft board. After ESPN.com’s Todd McShay and Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) suggested earlier today that Manziel is the team’s top choice, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported (via Twitter) that Manziel is actually behind another QB on Dallas’ board, while Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) and David Moore of the Dallas Morning News said the Cowboys’ top signal-caller is Blake Bortles.
- Assuming Manziel is still on the board at No. 8, he remains a possibility for the Vikings, according to Rapoport, who tweets that the team’s owners are flying in for a late pre-draft meeting to make a final decision on Minnesota’s first-round pick. Albert Breer of the NFL Network adds (via Twitter) that the club also likes Teddy Bridgewater, though probably not at eighth overall.
- If the Vikings do select a quarterback with a top-10 pick, it would be a first for the franchise, writes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.
- According to Sal Paolantonio of ESPN (via Pro Football Talk), the Browns commissioned a $100K study of quarterbacks, in an effort to better understand the qualities necessary to succeed at the position. The study, which was started under former team president Joe Banner and was only recently completed, concluded that Bridgewater is the top signal-caller in this year’s class.
NFC Notes: Bucs, Rams, Bears, Cowboys, Giants, Eagles
While most of the Derek Carr chatter has centered around the Raiders’ rumored interest, ESPN’s Pat Yasinkas speculates the Buccaneers could also be eying Carr, whose older brother David was coached by Bucs offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford. Additionally, two tweets from NFL Network’s Albert Breer say Bucs second-year quarterback Mike Glennon could be a trade candidate “if things break a certain way”. It’s not that the team doesn’t like Glennon, tweets Breer. However, Carr’s mobility would make him a better system fit.
News and rumors and coming fast and furious as the draft approaches. Here’s some more NFC nuggets:
- Via Twitter, Josina Anderson relays a couple tidbits of information from Rams GM Les Snead, who says they’re still in the “flirting stage” with teams calling about the No. 2 pick. Snead also thinks Johnny Manziel might be the only quarterback teams are willing to trade up for: “That seems to be the way it’s going. So when you are in that position, you need to get to know that human being just like you are going to draft him. Like if you are going to trade your piece of real estate, it helps to know the commodity they are coming after.”
- The Bears have just nine players who they drafted before 2013, details the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs, who says the team has been “marginally competitive” thanks primarily to trades and free agency. General manager Phil Emery has to turn around the team’s poor draft record in order to achieve long-term stability, however.
- Three compensatory picks in the seventh round will enable the Cowboys to target priority free agents, says ESPNDallas.com’s Todd Archer, who quotes executive VP Stephen Jones: “The seventh-round picks historically are throw-ins [in trades]. I don’t know if the league has caught up to what value a seventh-round pick is, in terms of the quote-unquote ‘charts’ that are out there. If you look at what a seventh-round pick can bring you…I see it as a great opportunity for us to take six players that can help our football team.”
- The Giants would “seriously consider” drafting Johnny Manziel at No. 12, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com.
- Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix wants to be an Eagle, and he’s made that clear to Eagles director of player personnel Ed Marynowitz, a former Alabama recruiter, says Jeff Mosher at CSNPhilly.com.
Draft Rumors: Mosley, Texans, Evans, Watkins
If you want to move up to the No. 1 overall pick, it’s going to cost you big time. When a team with a Top 10 pick contacted the Texans to ask what it would cost them to move up, FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer (video link) says Houston responded that they wanted the Robert Griffin III package. Two years ago, the Redskins gave up three first-round picks and a second-round pick to get their franchise quarterback. Of course, a team in the top five won’t have to give up as much as a team towards the back end of the top ten, so that’s not a flat asking price for everyone. The latest draft news from around the NFL..
- Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley told Bob Glauber of Newsday that he thinks he’ll go somewhere in the top half of the first round and maybe even be one of the first ten players off the board on Thursday night. “I heard top 10, I talked to my agent, I heard eight through 17,” Mosley said. “But at the end of the day, you never know. Teams trade up, they pretty much know who they’re going to pick, but they’re just looking to try to get the upper hand on other teams. I’m just going to go in with my family and my friends, just have fun and be happy wherever I get drafted.”
- Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter) wouldn’t be surprised to see Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans go in the top five. The expectation is that if Sammy Watkins out of Clemson goes before him, Evans doesn’t last much longer.
- Johnny Manziel is still the guy generating most conversation among execs, tweets Albert Breer of NFL Network (on Twitter). The perception around the NFL is the Buccaneers, Rams, and Vikings could all be in play for the polarizing Texas A&M star.
- Don Banks of Sports Illustrated hears that Manziel’s family doesn’t want him to go to the Texans for fear that he won’t be able to distance himself from his “Johnny Football” persona. On top of that, he hears Manziel himself doesn’t want to play for the Jaguars.
- Manziel’s agent Erik Burkhardt told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk that any talk of the QB not wanting to play for the Jaguars is untrue.
- Concordia defensive end Zach Moore tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link) that he had private workouts with the Patriots, Dolphins, Panthers, and Falcons. We had previously heard that Moore visited the Chargers, Cardinals, and Raiders.
- The Jets and Eagles have some interest in Syracuse defensive tackle Jay Bromley, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
- The Broncos are more than open to moving up tomorrow night, tweets Rapoport.