2014 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

AFC South Notes: Jaguars, Carr, Bucannon

May 3rd, 2014 at 3:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

A lot of talk has been made about what the Jaguars are going to do in the first round. A team with so many holes and needs is in a unique position to take the best player available or trade down in the draft. The team’s biggest need is arguably quarterback, and general manager David Caldwell has some interesting thoughts about some of those top prospects, specifically Texas A&M star Johnny Manziel, writes Daniel Lago of BlackAndTeal.com.

“Johnny would probably be the one guy you could plug in there sooner rather than later,” Caldwell said. “Just because his style of play isn’t going to change much from Year 1 to Year 2.”

Caldwell also noted the team would not have to drastically change their playbook to accommodate Manziel’s unique skill set.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC South:

While he either really likes Manziel or just wants to help find a trade partner looking to move up for the star quarterback, Caldwell also had good things to say about Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater. Lago notes that while most teams have downgraded Bridgewater due to poor workouts, the Jaguars remain relatively high on him. Although, the team would still be considered unlikely to select him with the third-overall pick.
The Jaguars are not the only team in the division looking for a quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft. It has been made clear that the Texans are going to bring in a signal caller in the first two rounds, but the Titans have shown a lot of interest in improving the position as well. Paul Kuharskey of ESPN.com pegs the Titans as having major interest in Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr, and could either move down in the first round or up in the second round to acquire his talents.
The Colts do not come to the podium until the 59th overall selection late in the second round, but that doesn’t stop those draftniks from trying to figure out who they will select. Mike Chappell of IndyStar.com wrote that the team would be ecstatic if safety Deone Bucannon of Washington State was still available that late in Day 2 of the Draft. Chappell writes that it would help ease the blow of losing Antoine Bethea.

Redskins’ Draft Notes: Borland, Linemen, Hughes

May 3rd, 2014 at 2:48pm CST by Rob DiRe

ESPN’s Todd McShay had a conference call last week in which he spoke about the Redskins’ position in the draft. Without a first-round selection, McShay and his colleague Mel Kiper Jr. gave the team Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland with the second pick of round two in their three-round mock draft. John Keim of ESPN.com is not sold that Borland is the best fit or the best value at that spot in the draft, even for a team in such need of help rushing the passer.

Here are more notes about the Redskins’ draft plans:

While the team does need help rushing the passer, Keim writes that interior pass rushers should not be overlooks when considering the age of the defensive line. Keim notes that Jason Hatcher, Barry Cofield, Stephen Bowen and Kedric Golston will all be over 30 years old this season.
In a separate mailbag, Keim addresses the idea that the Redskins need to use the draft to bolster the offensive line. While the line is far from perfect, Keim notes that especially a team with so few draft picks, drafting specifically for need could be crippling. The team addressed the offensive line in free agency, and using later round picks will not significantly improve the team this season.
The Redskins met with Indiana wide receiver Kofi Hughes, one of four teams to meet with him according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun-Times. Hughes was a productive player in college, totaling 13 touchdowns and nearly 2,000 yards in his collegiate career.

Ravens’ Draft Notes: Clinton-Dix, Ward, Bucannon

May 3rd, 2014 at 1:46pm CST by Rob DiRe

It is no secret that the Ravens have a tremendous need at safety despite drafting Matt Elam in the first round last year. The team is widely expected to select a safety and an offensive tackle in the first two rounds of the draft in some order, despite a history of taking the best player available. ESPN’s Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. put together a three-round mock draft, and Kiper handed the Ravens Washington State safety Deone Bucannon in round two. Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com loved this pick, noting that Bucannon could become the best safety in the draft and would start immediately next to Elam.

Here are some other rumors surrounding the Ravens’ draft:

McShay gave the Ravens offensive tackle Morgan Moses out of Virginia in the first round, a pick that scared Hensley due to the similarities seen with Bryant McKinnie.
The safety the Ravens bring in could very well rely on what round they feel comfortable devoting a pick to the position, explains Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times in a series of tweets. The only way they take one in the first round is if Ha Ha Clinton Dix of Alabama falls to them (via Twitter), but even then they are not in love with the value (via Twitter).
The team would be much more excited to land Jimmie Ward of Northern Illinois, likely in the second round, with one member saying he has Ed Reed-like playmaking potential (via Twitter). If they can afford to wait for the third round, look for Terrence Brooks of Florida State to be the target, according to Zenitz (via Twitter). One of the Ravens’ scouts said Brooks has the best speed and acceleration of any safety in the draft (via Twitter).

AFC Mailbags: Raiders, Bengals, Jags, Colts

May 3rd, 2014 at 12:04pm CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at some NFC mailbags earlier, so let’s take a look at some tidbits from ESPN’s AFC writers…

The Raiders like Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald, but selecting him fifth overall may be “too rich for the Raiders blood”, says Paul Gutierrez. If the team was to trade back a couple of slots, Gutierrez thinks Donald would be a likely pick.
If Jadeveon Clowney, Sammy Watkins and Khalil Mack are all off the board by the time the Raiders pick, Gutierrez believes the team should seriously consider trading down.
Gutierrez suggests trading Denarius Moore for a fifth-round pick if the Raiders select Watkins.
The Bengals are not likely to trade up, writes Coley Harvey. The team historically hasn’t been active in draft trades and Harvey says the team has little incentive to make a trade this year.
The Jaguars are “definitely” looking at the 2015 Draft for quarterbacks, but Michael DiRocco would be surprised if the team doesn’t select a passer this season.
Safety is a bigger priority for the Colts than an offensive lineman, writes Mike Wells.

NFC North Links: Bears, Vikings, Packers

May 3rd, 2014 at 9:46am CST by Ben Levine

It seems likely that the Bears will bring in a quarterback for some camp competition, and that player could come from the draft, writes ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright. The writer thinks the team would only select a quarterback in the first two rounds, and he bases that off of quotes from team GM Phil Emery.

Emery has studied “developmental quarterbacks” since the 2006 Draft (Jay Cutler‘s year) and discovered that “developmental theory doesn’t hold a whole lot of water.” The research showed that since that draft, there hasn’t been a long-term starting quarterback selected later than the third-round (the 2012 draft is considered a “blip on the radar”).

Emery elaborated on his findings:

“So, to get a high-quality quarterback, you’ve got to draft them high. Most of the starters in this league come from the first and second round. So that’s where you need to take a quarterback. So when you talk about quarterback every year, they have to be somebody you truly believe will beat out the second and third quarterback that you perceive on your roster. And if not, history shows that you shouldn’t make that pick.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFC North…

The previous Bears regime did not value safeties, but that could change under Emery, Wright mentions in the same article. Considering the increasing importance of the position and the relative lack of depth on the squad, it wouldn’t shock Wright if the team selected a safety in the first round.
It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, but the Vikings have declined the fifth-year option on quarterback Christian Ponder, confirms FoxSports’s Alex Marvez (via Twitter).
The fifth-year option is a “key benefit” in selecting a player in the first round, and that is why the Vikings may be inclined to select a quarterback earlier than later, writes ESPN.com’s Ben Goessling.
It would be tough for the Packers to pass up Calvin Pryor if he’s sitting there at the 21st pick, writes ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. Of course, as the writer points out, it’s unlikely the safety would fall that far.
In the same article, Demovsky expresses his belief that the Packers will select a tight end early in this year’s draft. Wide receiver could also be an option in the later rounds. The team lost receiver James Jones this offseason and likely won’t bring back tight end Jermichael Finley.

Extra Points: Lions, 49ers, Dalton, Draft

May 2nd, 2014 at 10:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Longtime Lions scout Silas McKinnie is retiring after next week’s draft, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The retirement of McKinnie, who has been with the team as a regional and personnel scout since 2003, leaves the Lions with two vacancies in their front office. In January, Lions assistant director of pro personnel Miller McCalmon stepped down after five seasons with the team and 35 years in the NFL. Here’s more from around the league:

While there has been a lot of attention placed on troubled defensive talent Aldon Smith, 49ers teammate NaVorro Bowman is an example of a player who turned things around despite off-the-field incidents in the past, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.
One NFL team exec spoke with CBSSports.com’s Joel Corry (on Twitter) about an interesting trade idea that won’t happen: a swap between the Bengals and Vikings centered on quarterback Andy Dalton and the Vikings pick at No. 8. Minnesota is said to be looking hard at quarterback options with their top pick, including UCF’s Blake Bortles.
After talking to four GMs, Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports says (via Twitter) the consensus top five draft picks seem to be Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack, Sammy Watkins, Greg Robinson, and Jake Matthews, in some order.
Eastern Washington edge rusher Anthony Larry had private workouts with the Patriots and Eagles, and has also drawn interest from the Packers, Seahawks, Chargers, Ravens, and Browns, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Larry won’t come off the board early, but he’ll either be a Day 3 pick or a priority free agent, according to Wilson.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC Notes: Colts, Raiders, Chiefs, Draft

May 2nd, 2014 at 9:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Colts GM Ryan Grigson is keeping his options open at center, writes Mike Wells of ESPN.com. The Colts released last season’s starting center, Samson Satele, in March and Phil Costa suddenly retired last month, leaving Khaled Holmes, the likely starter, and Thomas Austin as the centers on the roster. Guard Donald Thomas, who was signed a year ago, can also play some center but has question marks after suffering a torn tendon in his quad and a torn bicep last season.

Here are a few more Friday evening items from around the AFC:

The Raiders haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver in eight seasons, so it only makes sense for Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com to run down the most intriguing wide receiver options for the club in the upcoming draft. The list starts with (who else?) Sammy Watkins, but also highlights Mississippi’s Donte Moncrief, Penn State’s Allen Robinson, Indiana’s Cody Latimer, Florida State’s Kelvin Benjamin, and Fresno State’s Davante Adams as solid options outside of the first round.
Count the Chiefs as a sleeper team to potentially draft a quarterback in the first three rounds next week, tweets Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com. Of course, unless Kansas City makes a trade, the club won’t have a second-round pick.
Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter) gets the sense that the Chiefs will focus on offensive lineman, cornerbacks, wide receivers, and outside linebackers in the first round. However, studs who fall at other positions like tight end and – as Mortensen suggests – quarterback could be in play.
Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post reports that Nebraska wide receiver Quincy Enunwa visited the Raiders and Steelers, and also writes that Stony Brook wideout Malcolm Eugene worked out for the Raiders, Colts, and Jets.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Texans Owner Talks No. 1 Pick, QBs, Clowney

May 2nd, 2014 at 8:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Texans GM Rick Smith hasn’t been overly forthcoming when discussing his team’s approach to the first overall pick in next week’s draft, though it sounds as if he and his staff at least have a specific target in mind if the club doesn’t trade down. Owner Bob McNair divulged a few more details in a conversation with Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston, providing a couple interesting quotes on the top quarterbacks in this year’s class and on Jadeveon Clowney, who McNair calls “obviously the best player” available.

Let’s dive in and check out a few of McNair’s more noteworthy comments….

On what the team will do with the first overall pick:

“Really at this point we don’t know and we really won’t know until right up at the time we have to make a decision because people are talking to us about the possibility of trading down and it’s a question of what people offer, whether their offer is such that it’s worthwhile to trade down.”

On trading down from No. 1:

“If somebody wants you to drop down and they give you two or three more picks that would let you get two or three more quality players, are you a stronger team dropping down a little bit, getting these additional picks and getting more depth? …. I think that we’re going to greatly strengthen our team as a result of the draft. We’ve got 11 picks now in the draft and it’s a deep draft. So we’re going to get some good players regardless as to what we do. If we trade down and pick up two or three more players, we’d have 13 or 14 [picks]. So you’re going to see some significant strengthening of our team as a result of this draft.”

On the top quarterback prospects:

“You got three quarterbacks and all of them have some holes in their resumé…. You drop down and there’s another group close behind [the top three], not exactly where they are, and maybe one of those quarterbacks will become better than one of these other three…. There are no slam dunks. There are no Andrew Lucks out there, no Peyton Mannings. If there were it would be an easy decision, but that’s not the case.”

On Clowney:

“He’s obviously the best player in the draft, but he’s a defensive end. He’s not a quarterback. If he’s a quarterback and the best player it’s easy, but that’s not the case. So can that defensive player have a greater impact on the success of your team than one of these quarterbacks? It’s not a sure thing that he is.”

On doing what’s in the best interest of the team:

“We did that in ’06 when public opinion was that we should pick [Reggie] Bush. We said then that we’re going to do what’s in the best interest of the team and ultimately public opinion will recognize that if we’re correct. In ’06 it was easier because you had a top defensive player (Mario Williams) versus a running back and an outstanding running back is not as valuable as an outstanding quarterback. That was I think an easier decision for us and I think we made the right decision. I think it proved out. I think that’s an indication of how we go about doing our business.”

East Rumors: Giants, Dolphins, Misi, Redskins

May 2nd, 2014 at 7:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants‘ roster is still a work in progress, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. GM Jerry Reese has signed more free agents than anyone else in the NFL, but he says there’s still more heavy lifting to be done.

“We had a lot of work to do in free agency, so we worked hard in free agency, and after that, I actually liked the couple of weeks’ extra time to get ready for the draft,” Reese said. “The draft stands alone. We try to take the best players we can in the draft. In free agency, you try to fill some holes.”

Here’s the latest from the AFC and NFC East:

The Dolphins hoped to move Koa Misi over to inside linebacker, but Misi now says he doesn’t want to, a source tells Andrew Abramson and Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post. The move could have a ripple effect on Miami’s draft plans. If the Dolphins aren’t confident with Dannell Ellerbe in the middle, that could make it more likely they draft an inside linebacker like Alabama’s C.J. Mosley, or possibly target a linebacker like Wisconsin’s Chris Borland later in the draft.
James Walker of ESPN.com has the highlights from Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey‘s pre-draft news conference earlier today. When asked if it’s better to have more picks or higher picks in this year’s draft, Hickey said “I always like more picks. I always want more picks.” Hickey went on to say that he’s open to trading up and down next week (Twitter link) and has been in contact with other GMs regarding that.
John Kelm of ESPN.com looks at Washington State safety Deone Bucannon as a draft candidate for the Redskins. Kelm is high on Bucannon, who figures to be a second round pick and is regarded by some as the fourth-best safety in the draft.

Draft Updates: WRs, Martin, Gilbert, Savage

May 2nd, 2014 at 1:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to make a minor change to the CBA related to rookie contracts, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, once a player is drafted, he will automatically be deemed to have received a four-year contract offer worth the minimum salary. Previously, clubs were required to submit written notice of that tender offer before or immediately after the draft, so the change will remove a simple piece of bookkeeping, simplifying the draft process.

Here are a few more draft-related items, with less than a week remaining until the first round gets underway:

In a separate PFT piece, Florio reads between the lines of recent comments by the Browns‘ and Raiders‘ general managers, and suggests that perhaps those teams are trying to push another club to jump up ahead of them to grab a wide receiver like Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com isn’t so sure there will be a big run on wide receivers in the first round, tweeting that he has heard from many teams that intend to wait until the second or third to snag a wideout.
USC center Marcus Martin has been added to the list of players attending the draft next week, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today, noting that Martin worked out for the Saints this week.
Within a profile of SMU quarterback Garrett Gilbert, Pelissero adds the Bengals, Panthers, and Buccaneers to the list of clubs who had Gilbert in for a pre-draft visit.
Pittsburgh quarterback Tom Savage has been one of the draft’s notable risers in recent weeks, so Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com explores why that has been the case.
More than ever, NFL franchises are investing time and effort into making sure they identify potential character flaws that could dissuade them from drafting a prospect, as Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report details. Teams’ approaches include everything from psychological testing to combing through all of a player’s tweets.
Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post has a few updates on prospects, writing that N.C. State tight end Asa Watson (Ben Watson‘s brother) has visited the Giants, and tweeting that a couple of NFL head coaches have called Old Dominion offensive lineman Jack Lowney within the last few days. Wilson also reports that Rutgers wide receiver Quron Pratt visited the Patriots and Dolphins and worked out for the Jets and Giants.
The Jets worked out Adams State kicker David Van Voris today, according to Wilson (via Twitter).

2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors