Draft Notes: Rams, Texans, Easley, Fleming
The Rams, armed with the second and 13th overall picks in the draft, will head to College Station to work out top Texas A&M prospects Johnny Manziel, Mike Evans, and Jake Matthews, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (via Twitter). ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan notes (via Twitter) that the workouts should happen on Friday, which will also give GM Les Snead, coach Jeff Fisher and company the opportunity to stop tomorrow in Alabama to work out quarterback A.J. McCarron, as Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets. Let’s round up a few more draft notes, including another one on the Rams….
- Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Ohio State are also expected to be among the Rams‘ stops before May 8 as they work out a number of top draft prospects, tweets Mortensen.
- John McClain of the Houston Chronicle believes that if the Texans don’t trade down from No. 1, the team’s choice will come down to Manziel vs. Jadeveon Clowney. If Houston moves down and those players are off the board, Blake Bortles and Khalil Mack might be the club’s top two choices, says McClain.
- Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) has heard from two top scouts who believe Florida’s Dominique Easley will be selected in the first round despite the fact that the defensive lineman is recovering from a torn ACL.
- Adam Caplan (Twitter link) adds the Titans to the list of teams visited by Stanford tackle Cameron Fleming, and the Bengals to the list of clubs that worked him out. As Caplan tweets, Fleming, who had one of the highest Wonderlic scores among this year’s offensive linemen, is projected to come off the board on the second day of the draft.
- Ohio State wideout Corey Brown visited the Browns and worked out for the Patriots and Panthers, tweets Caplan.
- More from Caplan: He tweets that South Dakota edge defender Tyler Starr visited the Patriots and had a private workout with the Colts, and reports (via Twitter) that San Diego State safety Eric Pinkins visited the Dolphins and Seahawks.
Draft Updates: Browns, 49ers, Beckham, Visits
An ideal situation for new Browns head coach Mike Pettine would be to draft a quarterback later than the No. 4 pick, and not have to start that QB in his rookie season, as Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer details.
“That’s been a big part of the discussion in the draft room,” Pettine said. “That’s a position that we know we’re going to need to address, and you talk about where you’re going to do it and the impact that it’s going to have on the rest of the team. Certainly it’s an ideal situation if you can get that quarterback later in the draft and that way you’re drafting a position player at four.”
Here are a few more Wednesday draft-related tidbits:
- The 49ers are “very interested” in LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., a source tells Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). Beckham may not be on the board when San Francisco’s No. 30 pick rolls around, but there was some speculation earlier today that the club may target the Ravens’ pick (17th overall) and consider moving up.
- Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com identifies seven sleepers that may end up doing pretty well for themselves in this year’s draft. Among the players named by La Canfora: East Carolina tight end Justin Jones, Towson cornerback Jordan Love, and McGill offensive tackle Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.
- Arizona State tight end Chris Coyle tells Tyler Lockman of Fox Sports Arizona (Twitter link) that he has heard from about 15 NFL teams, including the Cardinals, Chargers, and Eagles.
- Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter link) adds the Buccaneers, Panthers, and Dolphins to the list of teams that hosted North Dakota offensive lineman Billy Turner for pre-draft visits.
- Fresno State tight end Marcel Jensen has worked out for the Falcons and Colts and met with the Eagles and Patriots, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post, who says Jensen’s stock is on the rise.
- The Titans, who are on the lookout for a new kicker after releasing Rob Bironas last month, recently worked out Washington’s Travis Coons, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
AFC Notes: Martin, Murray, McCarron, Texans
The Dolphins have targeted Notre Dame offensive tackle Zack Martin in the upcoming draft, writes Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. One scout reports that the Dolphins would “fall over themselves” if Michigan tackle Taylor Lewan fell to them, but Lewan is projected to go in the first half of round one — Martin is the prospect that the team realistically covets. However, while the Dolphins select at No. 19, Beasley writes that it is still not a certainty that Martin will make it to Miami’s pick. Mel Kiper, Jr. of ESPN writes that with the Giants, Ravens, and Rams all choosing right ahead of the Dolphins, Martin will be gone in the first 17 picks.
Here are some more notes from around the AFC:
- Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray is still trying to move up on draft boards, and has a lot left to prove after having knee surgery less than five months ago. He “dazzled” at his pro day, and will work out for the Browns on Sunday, writes Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “I’m really excited to show them what I can do,” said Murray. “I’m way ahead of the game right now. There’s no hesitation about anything. Running around, there’s no worries about my leg. I’m full-go and feeling great.”
- Jake Locker is still set to be the Titans quarterback to start 2014, but second year offensive guard Chance Warmack hopes the team looks to draft his college teammate this May, writes Bryan Fischer of NFL.com. Warmack said on the NFL Network that he would like Alabama buddy A.J. McCarron to join him in Tennessee. “I hope we get him. I don’t know what round we can get him in, but I definitely want him in Tennessee,” Warmack said. “He’s a winner. He’s a great guy to be around and he’ll help the locker room. He’s not selfish as a quarterback and he’s going to make the right plays on the field. If he doesn’t start, when he gets drafted by the Tennessee Titans he’ll definitely help.”
- The Texans have narrowed it down to four potential prospects, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). He believes that with the first pick, the team will take either current favorite Jadeveon Clowney of South Carolina, or hometown quarterback Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M. If the Texans elect to trade down, then they will look at Blake Bortles from UCF if Manziel is already gone, or Khalil Mack of Buffalo.
AFC Notes: Browns, Garoppolo, Texans, Watt
Drafting an elite non-quarterback with the fourth overall pick and addressing the QB position with pick No. 26 is one option for the Browns, but as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, it’s not without risk. Since other teams recognize the Browns are very likely to select a signal-caller at some point early in the draft, those clubs could try to trade ahead of the No. 26 spot in order to snatch up one of the QBs Cleveland is considering.
Here’s more from around the AFC, including a note on one possible quarterback target for the Browns:
- Eastern Illinois signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo visited the Texans yesterday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), and then headed to Cleveland to visit the Browns today, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter).
- John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link) thinks Jadeveon Clowney and Johnny Manziel are the Texans‘ most likely targets at No. 1, and adds that the club would have to be “overwhelmed” by an offer to trade down.
- In an entertaining piece for the National Football Post, Joel Corry and Ari Nissim act out a hypothetical contract extension negotiation between the Texans and the agent for defensive star J.J. Watt.
- Minnesota defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman has visited or worked out for the Titans, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Hageman has previously checked in with the Falcons, Cardinals, Colts, and Steelers. The 6-foot-6, 318-pound athlete, one of the most physically impressive defensive linemen in the draft, ran the 40-yard dash in 5.02 seconds.
- Tom Krasovic of U-T San Diego wonders if tall Clemson wide receiver Martavis Bryant would help the Chargers.
- Michael Lombardi of the Patriots worked out Coastal Carolina running back Lorenzo Taliaferro today, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Pauline’s Latest: Dolphins, Donald, Latimer
In past years, we’d be gearing up for the NFL draft to begin in a matter of hours, but with this year’s event pushed back into May, we still have two more weeks of build-up until the big night. Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net is helping to bridge that gap by continuing to pass along noteworthy tidbits on this year’s prospects. Here’s the latest from Pauline, with these notes coming from his latest blog entries unless otherwise indicated:
- The Dolphins like offensive lineman Zack Martin, but don’t expect him to be available when they pick in the first round. Sources tell Pauline that Miami could end up trading down and targeting a player like Nevada’s Joel Bitonio — Alabama’s Cyrus Kouandjio isn’t expected to be a first-round option for the club. Bitonio, meanwhile, is also drawing interest from the Panthers and Buccaneers.
- Pittsburgh defensive lineman Aaron Donald figures to come off the board somewhere between picks No. 6 and 16, according to Pauline, who identifies the Falcons (6th), Giants (12th), Bears (14th), and Cowboys (16th) as potential landing spots.
- At least 23 teams will travel to Bloomington, Indiana tomorrow for Cody Latimer‘s on-campus workout. Pauline hears that the receiver is one of the draft’s fastest risers, and even has a shot to be selected in the first round.
- Fresno State wideout Davante Adams is working out with the Panthers for a second time. Adams has also visited the Lions, Chargers, and Falcons, and worked out for the Titans.
- The Colts brought in Wisconsin safety Dez Southward for a pre-draft visit, according to Pauline.
- The Steelers, Colts, and Eagles are displaying the most interest in Oregon defensive end Taylor Hart.
- Wake Forest linebacker Justin Jackson is paying a visit to the Chiefs today, Pauline reports in a tweet.
- The Jets have reps at Clemson today to work out quarterback Tajh Boyd, running back Roderick McDowell, and linebacker Quandon Christian, tweets Pauline.
- Pauline also reports (via Twitter) that the Packers, Patriots, and Chiefs are at Mississippi State today to work out quarterback Tyler Russell and safety Nickoe Whitley.
AFC North Notes: Ravens, Browns, Steelers
In the latest installment of Over The Cap’s team-by-team breakdown of free agency, Jason Fitzgerald examines the Ravens. While Arthur Jones‘ departure leaves a big hole on defense, losing offensive tackle Eugene Monroe would’ve been a more significant blow to the team, says Fitzgerald, adding that he liked Baltimore’s pickup of Owen Daniels quite a bit. Factoring in the loss of James Ihedigbo to the Lions, Fitzgerald assigns the Ravens a grade of B- for their work over the last several weeks.
Here’s more from around the AFC North:
- As our fifth-year option tracker shows, no decision has been announced or reported yet on the Browns‘ 2015 option for defensive tackle Phil Taylor. Speaking to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal, Taylor suggested he’s not sure what the team plans to do with that option, but he hopes it gets picked up: “I would love to be here, but that’s not up to me. So we’re going to wait and see what [the front office] is going to do about it.”
- South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw is visiting the Browns today and tomorrow, and will work out for the club on Saturday, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Wilson also links several other clubs to Shaw, writing that the signal-caller has met or worked out with the Falcons, Titans, Patriots, and Buccaneers, and interviewed with the Seahawks, Packers, Raiders, and Jaguars.
- The Steelers are hosting Boise State edge defender Demarcus Lawrence and Georgia Southern running back Jerick McKinnon for pre-draft visits today, tweets ESPN.com’s Scott Brown.
- Cumberlands running back Terrance Cobb is visiting the Bengals today, tweets Aaron Wilson.
Recent Signings Facing Former Teams In 2014
The 2014 NFL schedule has been released, and it gives us an interesting chance to see some players face their former teammates for the first time. Some of these players were traded or otherwise unwanted by their former teams, and others spurned their hometown fans for greener pastures elsewhere. In all cases, there are some fans or players who must be licking their chops to finally treat these players in their new colors as enemies for the first time.
The following players will get the chance to play against their former teams in 2014:
- Matt Schaub will either get a chance to show up his replacement in Week 2, or possibly hope to avoid getting tormented by Jadeveon Clowney when the Texans visit the Raiders on September 14th (4:25 EST, CBS).
- DeSean Jackson would love a chance to show the world the Eagles made a mistake, and he will return to Philadelphia for Week 3 on September 21st (1:00 EST, FOX). Jackson will get a second chance on Saturday, December 20th (4:30 EST, NFL Network/CBS).
- Branden Albert got see Tamba Hali and Justin Houston in practice for years. He will get them in a game for the first time when the Dolphins host the Chiefs on September 21st (4:25 EST, CBS).
- Julius Peppers can wreak some havoc in a new system in his former stadium when the Packers visit the Bears on September 28th (1:00 EST, FOX). Peppers will get a second chance in Green Bay on November 9th in primetime (8:30 EST, NBC).
- Steve Smith told the fans to “Put your goggles on cause there’s going to be blood and guts everywhere,” when he signed with the Ravens. Well have your goggles ready for Week 4, when the Ravens host the Panthers on September 28th (1:00 EST, CBS).
- Alex Smith didn’t get to see Jim Harbaugh last year, but will finally get his shot to go after his former coach when the Chiefs travel to face the 49ers on October 5th (1:00 EST, CBS).
- Eric Decker will get to watch Peyton Manning and the Broncos’ offense churn on without him when the Broncos play the Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 12th (1:00 EST, CBS).
- Brandon Spikes will have to be prepared for the Patriots after a contentious offseason, as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have been known to pick on players before. The Bills host the Patriots on October 12th (1:00 EST, CBS) and travel to New England on December 28th (1:00 EST, CBS).
- Darrelle Revis will get to feast on a passing offense that struggled in 2013, and will likely invite Eric Decker to Revis Island when the Patriots host the Jets on Thursday Night Football on October 16th (8:25 EST, CBS/NFL Network). Revis will then get to return to a stadium filled with jeering fans on December 21st (1:00 EST, CBS).
- Jared Veldheer seemingly couldn’t leave Oakland quick enough, and the Raiders will host his Cardinals on October 19th (4:25 EST, FOX).
- Jason Hatcher had a career season with the Cowboys in 2013, and now returns to a 3-4 defense hoping to build upon his great season against his former team when the Redskins head to Dallas for Monday Night Football on October 27th (8:30 EST, ESPN). His second meeting with the Cowboys will be in Week 17, when the Redskins host their rivals on December 28th (1:00 EST, FOX).
- Aqib Talib took the money to switch from the AFC runner up to the AFC champion, and he will take part in his third Brady-Manning matchup, his first as a Bronco, on November 2nd (4:25 EST, CBS).
- Hakeem Nicks looked like he hated playing with the Giants in 2013, and this is his chance at revenge after feeling mistreated by the Giants organization and fans when the Colts visit MetLife Stadium for Monday Night Football on November 3rd (8:30 EST, ESPN).
- Jared Allen gets to tee off against the Vikings offensive line he has been practicing against for the past six years, and for the first time since 2007 will finally get to share the field with Adrian Peterson on November 16th when the Bears host the Vikings (1:00 EST, FOX). Allen will head back to Minnesota on December 28th (1:00, FOX).
- Lovie Smith gets his shot to beat the team that fired him, and will bring former Bear Josh McCown with him to move the football against a no longer feared Bears defense on November 9th (1:00 EST, FOX).
- Mike Pettine left the Bills to coach the Browns, and will have to return to Buffalo on November 30th (1:00 EST, CBS).
- Michael Johnson left the Bengals to be the featured pass rusher for the Buccaneers, and he will get his chance to beat Andrew Whitworth and the Bengals offensive line to get a hit on Andy Dalton on November 30th (1:00 EST, CBS).
- Rodger Saffold can show the Raiders exactly how healthy he is after the team signed him to a huge money deal and subsequently failed him on his physical, voiding the deal. The Rams host the Raiders on November 30th (1:00 EST, CBS).
- Henry Melton got hurt after receiving the franchise tag by the Bears, and will get a chance to prove he is still an effective player when the Cowboys visit the Bears for Thursday Night Football on December 4th (8:25 EST, NFL Network).
- Chris Johnson will get to face the Titans for the first time, as he tries to show the team he still has some miles left on his tires when the Jets go to Tennessee on December 14th (4:05 EST, CBS).
Draft Notes: Ebron, Ford, McGill, Bridgewater
North Carolina’s Eric Ebron took to Twitter to announce that he’ll be traveling to New York, Florida, and Tennessee this week. The Jets would be a logical destination for the athletic tight end, though he may not last until pick No. 18. Of course, he could also pay the Giants a visit he’s in town and Florida could mean stops with the Buccaneers, Dolphins, or Jaguars. Ebron could certainly be in play for the Titans at No. 11 and they’ve been said to have interest in recent weeks. A look at tonight’s draft news..
- Auburn standout Dee Ford, who visited the Falcons today, has already paid a visit to the Texans, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Ford is a classic hybrid pass rusher as a 3-4 outside linebacker who could potentially play defensive end in a 4-3 scheme if he bulks up.
- Utah cornerback Keith McGill is visiting the Jets today, a source tells Seth Walder of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
- Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter) hears that the Dolphins like Tennessee right tackle Ju’Wuan James. The 6’6″ 312 pound lineman is likely a second round type.
- When all is said and done, the talk about Teddy Bridgewater plummeting in the draft might be much ado about nothing, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Extra Points: Orton, Roos, Savage
Today marked the first day of voluntary offseason workouts for the Cowboys, and backup QB Kyle Orton was absent, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Given conflicting reports earlier this offseason concerning whether Orton wanted to retire from the game, Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com writes that it is a “strange absence.”
However, Watkins points to earlier statements made by Orton’s agent, David Dunn, who said retirement was not an option for his client. And, as Williams points out, these are voluntary workouts, and the Cowboys remain hopeful that Orton will return (Twitter link). Nonetheless, this will be an interesting story to keep an eye on in the coming days, much more interesting than most stories involving backup signal-callers.
Now for some some quick notes from around the league to close out the evening:
- In the midst of their respective legal concerns, 49ers stars Colin Kaepernick and Aldon Smith were present for the team’s first day of offseason workouts, according to Cam Inman of InsideBayArea.com.
- Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean tweets that there have been no extension talks between the Titans and LT Michael Roos, who is entering the final year of his contract.
- The Bears are open to drafting a QB that head coach Marc Trestman can groom behind Jay Cutler and current backup Jordan Palmer, writes Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times.
- Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net tweets that the Patriots are “very high” on Pittsburgh QB Tom Savage and that some refer to him as “Tom #2.”
NFC Notes: Clayborn, Falcons, Vikings, Lions
Although a number of teams exercised fifth-year options on 2011 first-rounders today, one player who doesn’t appear likely to have his option picked up is Adrian Clayborn of the Buccaneers, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. A source tells Florio that the Bucs aren’t expected to exercise the defensive end’s option, and also aren’t considering trading him to another team that would pick up the option. As such, it looks like the former 20th overall pick will be eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2014 season.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Jadeveon Clowney‘s visit with the Falcons will happen on Wednesday, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com. Meanwhile, running back Carlos Hyde will pay a visit to Atlanta on Wednesday as well, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter). Hyde has also visited the Titans and Patriots, adds Pelissero (via Twitter).
- Kurt Coleman‘s new one-year contract with the Vikings is worth $900K, but none of that total is guaranteed, says Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.
- The Vikings hosted North Carolina defensive end Kareem Martin for a pre-draft visit last week, a source tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Tomasson’s source suggests that Martin, who figures to be a second- or third-round pick, would be a nice fit in Minnesota.
- USC center Marcus Martin and Nebraska cornerback Stanley Jean-Baptiste both visited the Lions today, and Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com has details on the pair of prospects.
- The Seahawks also hosted a couple of prospects today — Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post says Washington State safety Deone Bucannon has a two-day visit with the club, while Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net tweets that Fresno State wideout Davante Adams was also in Seattle.