Redskins Send No. 44 Pick To 49ers
The 49ers made a move up into the top half of the second round, dealing with the Redskins for the No. 44 pick.
With the selection, San Francisco added to its receiving corps. Washington slot speedster Dante Pettis will be en route to the Bay Area. The 49ers traded Nos. 59 and 74 to the Redskins for their Nos. 44 and 142 selections.
The 49ers were not enamored with the free agent wide receiver contingent and instead have turned to the college ranks to add to their group, one fronted by Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin.
A 6-foot-1 pass-catcher, Pettis served as a key weapon for four Huskies squads. His best year came in 2016, when the Huskies stormed into the College Football Playoff, when he caught 15 touchdown passes.
Browns, Colts Lead League In Cap Space
The Browns and Colts have the most cap room of any team in the NFL heading into draft, as Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes. Here’s the official rundown of every team’s cap space for 2018 on the eve of draft weekend:
- Browns – $69.5MM
- Colts – $59.8MM
- 49ers – $43.8MM
- Titans – $35.8MM
- Texans -$35.6MM
- Bears – $24.1MM
- Jets – $21.9MM
- Bills – $19.4MM
- Jaguars – $18.6MM
- Cardinals – $18.1MM
- Redskins -$17.1MM
- Bengals – $16.8MM
- Packers – $16.2MM
- Vikings – $15.5MM
- Broncos – $14.6MM
- Patriots – $13.8MM
- Buccaneers – $12.3MM
- Cowboys -$11.9MM
- Chargers – $11.4MM
- Lions – $9.4MM
- Giants -$9.4MM
- Ravens – $8.8MM
- Seahawks – $7.6MM
- Chiefs – $6.7MM
- Saints – $5.7MM
- Panthers – $5.2MM
- Dolphins – $2.9MM
- Eagles – $2.2MM
- Steelers – $2MM
- Raiders – $1.8MM
- Falcons – $1.3MM
- Rams – $264K
Five Safe Draft Picks For Redskins
The Seahawks have proven to be the wild cards of the NFL Draft under general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll. One of their constants, though, has been the move to trade back in the first round to collect a higher volume of picks.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson looks into the team’s history of trading back and wonders if this may be the year it decides to stay put. The Seahawks hold the No. 18 overall pick in the draft.
One reason the team may look to stay at No. 18 is that trading All-Pro safety Earl Thomas, which has been rumored throughout the offseason, would certainly bring back high-value picks. The wealth of quarterbacks set to go in the first round could also lead to a quality player slipping down the draft board.
As it stands, the Seahawks don’t have a pick in the second or third rounds of the upcoming draft. They’ve never had fewer than two picks through the first three rounds under Schneider and Carroll.
Here’s more rumblings from the NFC side in regards to the draft:
- Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer looks into the Eagles’ historically weak draft position this year. The team holds the No. 32 overall pick in the first round and doesn’t have a pick in the second or third round. The team has averaged four selections through the top 125 picks over the last 15 drafts and the last time they picked less than twice in the first three rounds came in 1977. It’s definitely possible that the Eagles could trade down from the No. 32 pick with a team targeting a specific player. They could also use players like Ronald Darby and Mychal Kendricks as trade bait to collect more picks. Lastly, they could bank on their likely compensatory picks for the 2019 draft, due to a large group of players departing in free agency this offseason, and use their current 2019 picks to collect more draft capital.
- Rich Tandlerof NBC Sports Washington examines the five safest picks for the Redskins in the draft. Those players include Washington DT Vita Vea, Auburn RB Kerryon Johnson, Ohio State OL Billy Price, Boise State LB Leighton Vander Esch and Colorado CB Isaiah Oliver. The Redskins currently hold the No. 13 overall pick in the first round.
- Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Video link) believes that the Packers decision to bring in Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds for a visit was not just for show and signaled genuine interest by the team. Silverstein notes that the Packers would likely have to trade up from their No. 14 overall pick to land Edmunds (or Georgia’s Roquan Smith) but Edmunds’ ability to possibly be moved outside could make a potential trade worth their while.
Redskins Not Expected To Bring Back Bashaud Breeland
The Eagles and reigning Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles just agreed to a reworked contract that gives Foles a $2MM raise for 2018, plus a whole host of incentives. The deal also includes a mutual option for 2019, though if Foles were to decline the option, he would have to give back the $2MM he just received.
Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com examines why Philadelphia, which is tight against the cap this year and will be again in 2019, made the move. The reworked deal probably had little to nothing to do with the Eagles’ wanting to reward Foles for his postseason heroics, so Shorr-Parks speculates that Foles and his camp could have put some pressure on the team, and he also suggests the new contract may come with a lower cap hit.
The chances that the Eagles exercise the 2019 option are very slim, as Foles would be owed a $20MM salary under that scenario. But, if the two sides want to continue their relationship beyond 2018, this gesture will certainly buy the Eagles some goodwill when it comes time to negotiate again. It also guarantees that Philadelphia, which already had the best QB insurance policy in the game, will keep that policy perfectly content this season, and even if Carson Wentz cannot stay healthy, the team has given itself a chance to deploy a capable signal-caller for at least the next two years.
Now let’s take a quick swing around a few other east division clubs:
- Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com says the Giants could look to trade offensive tackle Ereck Flowers during the draft, though that will probably be a difficult trick to pull off. Raanan also says Big Blue has done a lot of pre-draft work on punters this year, and he believes the team could bring in a UDFA punter to compete with Riley Dixon. Dixon was recently acquired from Denver for a conditional seventh-round pick, so if he does not make the club, the Giants will likely not need to surrender the pick.
- Former Redskins cornerback Bashaud Breeland was set to sign a three-year, $24MM pact with the Panthers last month, but Carolina scuttled the deal due to a “non-football incident” in which Breeland cut his foot. The foot became infected, and at the time, it was reported that Breeland was a few months away from being able to pass a physical. He will surely garner some interest this summer once he is healed, but JP Finlay of NBCSports.com says Washington is not expected to bring Breeland back into the fold. Indeed, Breeland himself indicated on Instagram that the Redskins never had interest in retaining his services.
- The Patriots are in the unique position of having three fifth-year options to either exercise or decline before May 3, and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says the team will almost certainly exercise those options on defensive tackles Danny Shelton and Malcom Brown (at a little over $7MM apiece). However, the team is unsurprisingly not expected to exercise the $9.387MM option for receiver Phillip Dorsett.
- The Cowboys are expected to exercise Byron Jones‘ fifth-year option.
NFC East Notes: Redskins, Lauvao, Giants
Rich Tandler of NBC Sports Washington wonders whether the Redskins‘ starting left guard for 2018 might already be on their roster.
At the moment, Arie Kouandjio looks to be the team’s projected starter at the position. He was Washington’s fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft and was cut prior to last season, only to be signed to the team’s practice squad mid-season, appearing in eight games (six starts). He allowed three sacks in those eight appearances, though.
Along with Kouandjio, the team re-signed guard Tony Bergstrom, 31, last week. He appeared in nine games at center for the Redskins last season, starting three.
The answer at left guard for the Redskins in 2018 may ultimately be decided through the draft, though. Tandler notes that the team has been linked to Ohio State center Billy Price in the second round. Veteran guard Alex Boone is also still unsigned.
Here’s more from around the NFC East:
- The Redskins have also been in contact with free-agent guard Shawn Lauvao, according to ESPN’s John Keim. Injuries limited Lauvao to nine starts at left guard for Washington last season. The 30-year-old started 14 games at the position for the Redskins in 2016.
- Ryan Dunleavy of NJ Advanced Media looks into the possibility of the Giants picking someone other than Sam Darnold or Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 overall pick of the upcoming draft. Dunleavy notes that reports have indicated that the team is deciding between the two, depending on whom the Browns go with at No. 1. North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb or Notre Dame Guard Quenton Nelson could also be options. Dunleavy points out the draft is light on pass-rushers and Giants general manager Dave Gettleman didn’t seem to be scared off by the idea of taking a guard that high. “Is it ever too early to take a great player? You know my philosophy: Big men allow you to compete and you have to build your lines. I’m going to build this team from the inside out,” Gettleman said to Dunleavy.
- Paul Schwartz of the New York Post opines that Mason Rudolph could be an enticing option for the Giants in the second round. He also doesn’t expect the team to take a kicker late in the draft. Aldrick Rosas — an undrafted rookie last season who 18 of 25 field goals and 20 of 23 extra points — is currently projected to start at the position.
Reskins Host Three Prospects
Dez Bryant wants to sign with the Giants after being released by the division-rival Cowboys last week, but a current New York wideout isn’t on board with that idea. In a now-deleted Instagram story, Giants receiver Brandon Marshall said there was “no room” for Bryant on Big Blue’s roster, as Jaclyn Hendricks of the New York Post writes. Marshall, for his part, bombed during his first campaign in New York, as an ankle injury limited him to just five games and 18 receptions. Viewed as a possible cap casualty heading into the offseason, Marshall has surprisingly stuck on the Giants’ roster to this point. New York could still release Marshall at any point, however, and doing so would save the club in excess of $5MM in cap space.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- The Redskins were busy hosting draft prospects over the past two days, as Georgia running back Sony Michel, Ohio State center Billy Price, and Washington defensive lineman Vita Vea all visited the nation’s capital on Tuesday/Wednesday, according to John Keim of ESPN.com (all Twitter links). Michel would join a running back depth chart that already includes Chris Thompson, Samaje Perine, and Rob Kelley, while Price could start at either guard or center in lieu of Arie Kouandjio or Chase Roullier, respectively. Vea, meanwhile, would help fill a gap at defensive tackle that the Redskins have already attempted to fill this offseason by showing interest in free agents such as Johnathan Hankins and Bennie Logan.
- Southern Methodist wideout Courtland Sutton met with the Cowboys on Wednesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Dallas has a gaping need at receiver after cutting Bryant, as their roster is currently littered by second- and third-tier pass-catchers. Allen Hurns, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Deonte Thompson, and Ryan Switzer front the Cowboys’ WR depth chart, but Sutton — who is viewed as either a first- or second-round selection — could give Dallas a potential No. 1 wideout. The 6’4″, 215-pound Sutton posted at least 1,000 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns in each of the past two seasons.
- The Eagles hosted running backs Derrius Guice (LSU) and Rashaad Penny (San Diego State) on Tuesday, reports Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Guice is widely considered 2018’s second-best running back prospect behind Penn State’s Saquon Barkley, and there’s no guarantee he’ll still be on the board when Philadelphia picks at the end of round one. While the Eagles lost LeGarrette Blount to the Lions during the free agent period, they still have Jay Ajayi, Corey Clement, Wendell Smallwood, and Donnel Pumphrey on their roster.
Redskins OL Ty Nsekhe Signs RFA Tender
Redskins tackle Ty Nsekhe has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). Nsekhe will now be paid $2.914MM for the 2018 campaign.
Nsekhe got a late start to his NFL career, as he spent time in the Arena Football League before finally settling in as a reserve for Washington at age-30 in 2015. He’s appeared in 40 games and made 11 starts over the past three seasons, and he’s been effective when asked to step into the lineup. In 2017, Nsekhe saw a career-high 43.4% playtime on offense, and he’ll revert to a backup role behind fellow tackles Trent Williams and Morgan Moses.
Nsekhe was one of 14 NFL restricted free agents to be tendered at the second-round level. There was no rush for Nsekhe to ink his tender, as RFAs have until April 20 to work out offer sheets with other clubs. However, it was unlikely that any NFL team would have been willing to sacrifice a second-round pick in order to land Nsekhe.
NFL Draft Rumors: Nelson, 49ers, Eagles
Good news for Wisconsin product Nick Nelson. The surgery to fix the cornerback’s torn meniscus was successful and he did not need a full repair, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Because it was not a full repair, he is expected to recover in six weeks rather than 3-4 months and should be ready for training camp. Nelson was projected to come off the board no later than the third round before the injury and he should be in consideration for rounds 2 and 3 once again after the operation.
Here’s a look at the latest NFL Draft news:
- The 49ers met with Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith on Tuesday, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. Smith had 137 tackles and 6.5 sacks last season and could be a replacement for Reuben Foster, who is embroiled in serious legal trouble stemming from a domestic violence arrest.
- Iowa center James Daniels, who is widely regarded as the top center in this year’s draft, visited with the Eagles this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. On Tuesday, he’ll meet with Bears before traveling to the 49ers on Wednesday. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com says that Daniels is one of the best center prospects he’s seen in the last five years and has him ranked as the 23rd best prospect overall in this year’s draft.
- South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst, met with the Lions on Tuesday, Rapoport tweets. If the Lions select Hurst in the first round, that will make three first round tight ends for them in the last ten years, following Brandon Pettigrew (2009) and Eric Ebron (2014).
- Louisville cornerback Jaire Alexander visited the Eagles and Dolphins this week, Rapoport tweets. Alexander is widely projected to be a first round pick and may be the second CB to come off the board after Ohio State’s Denzel Ward.
- Teams like Alabama defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne, but the belief that he is a two-down defender and not an adept pass-rusher may keep him out of the Top 10, Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com hears.
- Speaking of Payne, he visited the Redskins on Monday, a source tells ESPN.com’s John Keim (on Twitter). Washington owns the No. 13 overall pick in the draft.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/16/2018
Here are today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Re-signed: LB Zaire Anderson
- Re-signed: DE Shelby Harris
- Re-signed: LB Joseph Jones
- Re-signed: WR Jordan Taylor
- Re-signed: OT Elijah Wilkinson
Houston Texans
- Signed original round RFA tender: OL Greg Mancz
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed original round RFA tender: LB Matt Longacre
Washington Redskins
- Re-signed: OT Tony Bergstrom
NFL Draft Rumors: Guice, Redskins, Patriots, Bills, Giants, Darnold
Running back Derrius Guice visited the Redskins at their team facility on Monday, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Redskins have been public about their desire to add a pass-catching running back and Guice, with 18 catches last year at LSU, would fit the bill.
With needs to address on the other side of the ball, many believe that the Redskins will take a defensive player at No. 13 overall. However, the Redskins could probably trade back into the early 20s to take Guice and address their defensive holes later on.
Here’s the latest round of NFL draft news:
- The Patriots hosted UCLA left tackle Kolton Miller on a pre-draft visit, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe tweets.
- Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen met with the Bills on Monday and will travel to the Giants on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Meanwhile, USC QB Sam Darnold met with the Giants on Monday and will meet with the Jets on Tuesday.
- Linebacker Rashaan Evans visited the Bengals on Monday, Rapoport tweets. The Bengals own the No. 21 pick in the draft, which could allow them to snag the Alabama standout.
- Speaking of Alabama, Rapoport also notes that standout defensive lineman Da’Ron Payne met with the Redskins on Monday. Payne has shot up draft boards in recent weeks thanks to his remarkable strength. “He’s the best. He’s the best I’ve seen,”Alabama strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran said earlier this year. “I’ve never seen a guy hit 385 on the power clean every single year. His first year he hit 365 on the power clean and it was like wow, freshman, that’s incredible.”
- USC running back Ronald Jones visited the Patriots on Monday, Rapoport tweets. Within the same tweet, he notes that Stanford safety Justin Reid visited the Panthers before heading off to his Steelers visit.
- Iowa cornerback Josh Jackson took a pre-draft visit to meet with the 49ers on Monday, a league source told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. The 49ers have the ninth pick in the first round and Jackson is projected to come off the board as a middle-to-late first-round pick.
- LSU pass-rusher Arden Key visited the Bears on Monday, Rapoport tweets. He also notes Memphis wide receiver Anthony Miller visited the Redskins on Monday and Tulane cornerback Parry Nickerson visited the Raiders.