Marcus Mariota Rumors: Thursday
Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota are the consensus top two quarterbacks in this year’s draft class, and while Winston is considered by many to be the more NFL-ready QB, it’s Mariota who is dominating headlines as the first round nears. With Winston viewed as a near-lock to come off the board first overall to the Buccaneers, the big question heading into tonight is which team will end up with Mariota, either at No. 2 or a little later.
Here’s the latest on Mariota and that No. 2 overall pick:
- Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) identifies the Eagles and Browns as the top two contenders for Mariota and the No. 2 pick, suggesting that Philadelphia is willing to put Sam Bradford, Mychal Kendricks, and Fletcher Cox on the table in trade talks. According to Cole, the Titans want a 2016 first-round pick in any deal, and are looking to somehow come away with a potential franchise quarterback, since that would raise the value of an organization that may be sold within the next couple years.
- If the Eagles want to get from No. 20 to No. 2, they may need to go through the Browns at No. 12, sending Bradford to Cleveland, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. I don’t think the Browns would give up the No. 12 pick for Bradford straight up, and it would still take quite a bit to move from No. 12 to No. 2.
- Despite the obstacles, the Eagles continue to make a serious bid for the second overall pick, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
- While there are no offers currently on the table that would make the Titans bite, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) fully expects those offers to improve over the next few hours.
- Earlier today, the Rams, Jets, and Bears were also mentioned as teams that have spoken to Tennessee about the No. 2 overall pick.
Browns Could Move Up Or Down
While the Browns have had talks with the Titans about moving up to land Marcus Mariota, they’ve also talked with teams about moving back from No. 19, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Cleveland is keeping their options wide open heading into tonight’s draft, Rapoport adds.
Earlier today, Browns head coach Mike Pettine told NFL Network’s Andrea Kremer that “opinions on Marcus Mariota in this building are varied.” Of course, opinions were split on Johnny Manziel too, but that didn’t stop the Browns from drafting him last year. Cabot also reported that the Browns do not want to surrender their first-rounder in 2016 in order to land the Oregon quarterback. That could be fueling their openness to moving back in the draft rather than forward.
First-Round Rumors: Titans, Mariota, Rams
The Titans‘ No. 2 overall pick appears to be the hottest trade chip on the market today, and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter link) hears that the club has spoken to the Rams and the Jets, in addition to the Browns and Eagles. According to ESPN’s Bob Holtzman, the Titans are “open for business” when it comes to trading the second overall pick, but the team is using the Robert Griffin III trade as a point of reference, which would mean getting three first-rounders for the No. 2 pick.
Multiple reporters, including Jay Glazer of Fox Sports and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links), are suggesting that the Titans’ asking price is massive. Rapoport points out that Tennessee is seeking such a huge return that it’s making rival teams think the Titans just want to draft Marcus Mariota and be done with it.
As we wait to see what the Titans will do with their pick, let’s check in on a few more first-round rumors…
- Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (on Twitter) hears from multiple sources that UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks is in the mix for the Cardinals in round one.
- The Rams‘ discussions with the Titans haven’t amounted to anything “meaningful” at this point, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Meanwhile, Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that the Rams may be looking at bailing out of the top 10 and picking up more picks. The Jets and Washington have also been cited as potential trade-down candidates in the top 10.
- Browns coach Mike Pettine told NFL Network’s Andrea Kremer that “opinions on Marcus Mariota in this building are varied,” according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer (via Twitter). Cabot notes (link) that opinions on Johnny Manziel inside the building were varied too, but that didn’t stop the Browns from drafting him in 2014. She also hears that the Browns do not want to surrender their first-rounder in 2016 to land the Oregon quarterback (link).
- A big problem for the Browns in any potential trade involving Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford is that he may not negotiate a long-term deal anytime soon with the Browns, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. Bradford may prefer to be dealt to the Titans and, presumably, would be more open to a long-term deal there.
- In the event that the Browns acquire Sam Bradford or another quarterback, the Cowboys will not be interested in trading for Johnny Manziel to replace Brandon Weeden, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets.
- NFL.com’s Michael Silver says that the Jaguars are a team to keep an eye on as they could move their high second round choice to get back into the back third of the first round.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Pompei On Flowers, Mariota, Cooper
Ereck Flowers could be the surprise player to go in the top ten, Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report tweets. The reason for that? The murky La’el Collins situation could vault him up the board. Here’s more draft news from Pompei..
- The Titans have been doing a lot of talking, but as of this point the chances are very good they will stay put and take Marcus Mariota at No. 2 (link).
- The Rams are a wildcard. They could move up for Amari Cooper and, if they don’t, they could drop back (link).
- Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff is hot with the Giants, Rams, Jets, Washington, and others potentially in play (link). If there’s a trade up made beyond the top five, it could be for him, Pompei reasons.
- The Jets and Washington are the most likely trade-down candidates (link).
- Meanwhile, the Falcons, Rams, Browns, and Eagles are the most likely to trade up (link).
Extra Points: Hardy, Randle, Jordan
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith firmly believes there is precedent for getting Greg Hardy‘s suspension reduced, Charean Williams of the Star Telegram writes. “In the last three years, we’ve had the league overturned three times in [the Saints’] Bounty, [Adrian] Peterson and Ray Rice,” Smith said as he gears up to defend the Cowboys star. “To me, it’s never a question about whether I’m confident or not. We start with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and if they continue to seek to impose penalties that are inconsistent with that agreement or inconsistent of the law of the case that has been developed under that agreement, this is what unions do. We fight that.” More from around the NFL..
- Cowboys running back Joseph Randle won’t face domestic violence charges for his incident in Wichita, according to Drew Davidson of the Star Telegram tweets. There was a “lack of evidence” cited by the DA’s office in the case. More from around the NFL..
- Dolphins defensive end Dion Jordan issued a statement through the NFLPA regarding his suspension. “I’m very disappointed that I will not be playing in the NFL in the 2015 season,” the statement read. “Because of past positive tests and my status in the drug program, the consequence of dilute (not positive) tests is severe. I deeply regret putting myself in this position, and I apologize to my teammates and the Dolphins organization. I will use the time away from playing to finish my college degree. I will stay in excellent physical shape and look forward to returning to the NFL as soon as possible. I’m deeply grateful to my family and friends for their continued support.”
- Before the Seahawks traded for tight end Jimmy Graham, they had trade discussions with the Bears about Martellus Bennett, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Alex Boone, who held out last offseason for a new contract, will skip all of the 49ers‘ voluntary activities in the final year of his contract, a source close to the guard tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Boone, who will earn $3.4MM in 2015, has not taken part in the 49ers’ offseason program, and he was not on the field Tuesday and Wednesday for the start of the team’s voluntary three-day minicamp at the team’s practice facility.
- The Titans have gotten calls from multiple teams inquiring about what it will take to deal for the No. 2 overall pick, league sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Meanwhile, one team executive tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that the Titans have been asking for three first round picks to part with the No. 2 choice. The executive laughed hard when passing that info along, he adds.
Titans To Sign Hakeem Nicks
WEDNESDAY, 5:23pm: It’s a one-year, $1.4MM deal with $100K fully guaranteed, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter).
FRIDAY, 12:46pm: It’s a one-year deal for Nicks, according to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
12:04pm: Teams with interest in free agent wide receiver Hakeem Nicks have been informed that he’ll be signing with the Titans, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link). Nicks had visited Tennessee to meet with the Titans earlier this month.
Nicks, 27, first reached unrestricted free agency in March 2014, and signed a modest one-year contract with the Colts after spending the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Giants. While fellow 2009 first-round wideout Jeremy Maclin parlayed a one-year, prove-it deal in 2014 into a huge, long-term contract, Nicks was unable to do the same in Indianapolis.
After receiving 100 or more targets in each of his previous four seasons in New York, Nicks saw a career-low 68 passes thrown his way in 2014, as Andrew Luck and the Colts relied more on T.Y. Hilton, Reggie Wayne, and Coby Fleener in the passing game. Nicks finished the season with 405 yards and three touchdowns on 38 receptions, and visited the 49ers before catching on with the Titans.
While Nicks has a pair of 1,000-yard seasons under his belt, his mediocre recent production suggests that his signing shouldn’t affect the Titans’ draft plans significantly. There has been some recent speculation that the Titans could draft a wideout in the first round, particularly if the team trades down. A roster lacking star power could particularly benefit from selecting a player like Amari Cooper or Kevin White.
Still, having added Nicks and Harry Douglas to go along with presumed starting receivers Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter, Tennessee probably has other positions more in need of fortification.
Browns Make Titans Offer For No. 2 Pick?
5:04pm: Browns GM Ray Farmer tells NFL Media’s Andrea Kremer that he spoke to Webster, but specific compensation for the No. 2 pick wasn’t discussed.
“Things remain fluid and you always have to listen,” Farmer said. “When you get needy, you get desperate. We aren’t either.”
11:59am: In his full report on the trade talks between the Browns and Titans, McManamon writes that the Browns’ offer to the Titans “includes” the team’s first-round picks, which implies there may be more to it. However, he adds that another source close to the Browns says there have been “no substantive talks” yet with the Titans.
Presumably, McManamon is confident in enough in his first source to believe that there’s something to the story — it sounds to me like the two sides have definitely discussed a potential deal, even if nothing is imminent at this point.
11:53am: In an effort to move up to land Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, the Browns have offered their two first-round picks – 12th and 19th overall – to the Titans for the No. 2 overall pick, according to Pat McManamon of ESPN.com (Twitter link). However, fellow ESPN.com reporter Paul Kuharsky (Twitter link) hears from a Titans source that the Browns have not made an offer for that second overall pick.
Throughout the draft process, the Browns have been viewed as a candidate to shake up the first round, since they hold two top-20 picks. However, it would be a surprise if the 12th and 19th overall picks were all it took to move up to No. 2 to snag Mariota, so even if the Browns have made those picks available for the Titans, I’d expect further discussions to take place.
Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net reported last week that the Titans had asked the Browns for their second-round pick in addition to the Nos. 12 and 19 selections, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it took a little more than that to sway Tennessee — John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game tweeted today that the Titans would want both 2015 first-rounders, a 2015 second-rounder, and a 2016 first-rounder.
Additionally, Titans general manager Ruston Webster said yesterday that he has first-round grades on 16 or 17 players in this class, so that No. 19 selection may not appeal as strongly to Tennessee as it would to other clubs.
With the Eagles, Jets, and Chargers all still being linked to Mariota and the No. 2 pick as well, it would be a surprise if the Bucs moved the pick before they’re on the clock tomorrow night, even if there are currently offers on the table.
King’s Latest: Bucs, Mariota, Cowboys, Pats
Before answering readers’ questions in his weekly mailbag this week, Peter King of TheMMQB.com passed along a number of the latest draft rumors he’s hearing with the first round just one day away. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights….
- The Buccaneers have yet to receive a trade offer that “would come close” to making them decide to move down from No. 1.
- The Titans, Buccaneers, and Jaguars have all inquired with teams picking late in the first round about moving up from the second round, says King. The three teams have the first, second, and fourth picks, respectively, in round two.
- One GM told King that while the Titans still look like the favorites to end up with Marcus Mariota, he wouldn’t be shocked if Cleveland “trades the farm” to land the Oregon quarterback. The thinking is that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is sick of the merry-go-round at the position, and would like to land a “squeaky-clean” signal-caller to lead the franchise.
- The Cowboys would love to see running back Melvin Gordon fall to them at No. 27, but two other names to watch are linebackers Eric Kendricks (UCLA) and Benardrick McKinney (Mississippi State).
- One team considering drafting a tackle in the first round is debating whether or not LSU’s La’el Collins will be on its draft board on Thursday night. While King acknowledges that this may be unfair, he explains the club’s thinking: “How can you draft a guy who’s being sought in connection with the death of a woman, even if police are saying now he isn’t a suspect? He needs to be exonerated by Thursday.”
- The Patriots like USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor, who looks like a logical target for the club if he’s still available at No. 32.
- With the 21st overall pick, the Bengals are considering Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, who had ACL surgery in January. King views this is a sign that teams are willing to wait on a prospect who wouldn’t be healthy enough to contribute immediately if they think he can be a premier player in the long term.
Draft Rumors: Collins, Bucs, Gurley, Titans
We heard yesterday that police are looking to question La’el Collins following the shooting death of a pregnant woman last week, though the LSU offensive lineman isn’t considered a suspect. Jim Boren, the attorney for Collins, tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that he has been in constant contact with the lead detective in the case, and spoke to the district attorney yesterday.
“We took the investigation seriously,” Boren said on Tuesday. “We’ve tried to rule him out as a suspect. We’re going to provide that information to the police, and ultimately [Collins] will sit down and talk to them. But the timing is poor.”
Indeed, even if Collins is officially ruled out as a suspect by police, which appears likely, it’s not clear if that will happen before the draft gets underway tomorrow night, and teams figure to approach the lineman with extra caution.
As we wait to see how the ongoing investigation affects Collins, let’s round up a few more Wednesday draft rumors from around the league….
- According to Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht, trade inquiries involving the No. 1 overall pick are on the rise this week, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Still, I think Tampa Bay would have to be blown away to move out of that first overall spot.
- One team has Georgia running back Todd Gurley at No. 1 overall on its draft board, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, adding that it’s safe to say that’s not the consensus around the NFL. In fact, scouts who have spoken to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report don’t believe Gurley will be a top-10 pick, as has been rumored.
- Within Freeman’s piece, the BR scribe notes that the Jets are still very much in the hunt for Marcus Mariota, though he’s skeptical that New York will offer enough to move the Titans out of the No. 2 spot.
- Speaking of those Titans, Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network (Twitter links) hears that Tennessee isn’t just taking trade calls — the club is making them as well. So far, things haven’t gotten serious, but trade talks involving that second overall pick could heat up today and tomorrow, says Darlington.
- Amidst reports that Shane Ray could slide out of the first round, and perhaps much further than that, one NFL executive tells Alex Marvez of Fox Sports (Twitter link) that the Missouri pass rusher “isn’t going to fall very far” following his citation for marijuana possession.
- Northwestern quarterback Trevor Siemian appears to be a popular target, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who writes that Siemian has received calls from 11 teams in the past two days. Those teams are the Broncos, Jets, Jaguars, Raiders, Vikings, Packers, Browns, Bills, Seahawks, Rams, and Dolphins.
Titans Notes: Draft, Mettenberger, Lewan
Here’s the latest on the Titans, who hold the No. 2 overall pick in this week’s draft..
- Titans GM Ruston Webster said he’s getting calls about the No.2 pick, though none of the talks are serious right now, Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean tweets. The GM explained (link) that he likes the No. 2 spot and, like many execs, isn’t wowed by the depth of the first round. He feels that there are about 16 or 17 players who are really worthy of being deemed first-round talent.
- The GM says that he won’t trade Zach Mettenberger even if they draft a quarterback in the first round, Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (on Twitter). He later said that if you think a player is a franchise quarterback, it supersedes everything else (link via Wyatt). If Webster is sold on whichever quarterback falls to him at No. 2, it sounds like he’ll happily stand pat and pull the trigger.
- Webster said he’s excited about the 33rd overall pick and there could be action there too, Wyatt tweets.
- Webster says he’d like to come out of this draft with a right tackle to complement Taylor Lewan long-term, according to John Glennon of The Tennessean (on Twitter). This draft doesn’t necessarily boast a lot of great tackles, so it might be a challenge for him to find that.
- Even though he feels that the Titans have improved depth at wide receiver with the additions of Harry Douglas and Hakeem Nicks, Webster says he might still grab a WR in the draft, McCormick tweets.