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2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors

AFC Rumors: Dolphins, Jets, Clowney, Texans

April 2nd, 2014 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

As they continue attempting to fortify their offensive line, the Dolphins are hosting 25-year-old free agent Jason Fox for a visit, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. According to Salguero, if the team were to sign Fox, who reportedly worked out for the Chiefs earlier this week, the former Lion would be viewed as a depth piece with a chance to earn a larger role, not the Dolphins’ starter at right tackle.

Here’s more on another free agent paying a visit to Miami, as well as a few other notes from around the AFC:

  • The Dolphins will also host free agent wideout Lestar Jean for a visit and workout, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Jean met with the Panthers last month, but left Carolina without a deal.
  • Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) still expects the Titans to release Chris Johnson this week. If and when that happens, look for the Jets to “pounce” on the veteran running back, says La Canfora.
  • Asked about Jadeveon Clowney at South Carolina’s Pro Day today, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien confirmed that his club met with Clowney last night, tweets James Palmer of CSNHouston.com. However, according to O’Brien, the Texans’ No. 1 pick is still “wide open” (Twitter link via Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle).
  • Before he signed with the Raiders, Maurice Jones-Drew was strongly considering the Patriots and Steelers as well, as he said today on Mad Dog Sports Radio (Twitter link).
  • In a pair of tweets, Aaron Wilson provides details on Dimitri Patterson‘s one-year, $3MM deal with the Jets, which includes a $1MM signing bonus, and C.J. Wilson‘s one-year, minimum-salary benefit contract with the Raiders.

Titans Notes: Nwaneri, Olsen, FAs, Carr

April 2nd, 2014 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

Let’s take a quick look at a few updates relating to 2013’s AFC South runner-up…

Draft Notes: Bridgewater, Amaro, Steelers

April 2nd, 2014 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

Word broke on Tuesday that Johnny Manziel would be visiting the Patriots today, a few days after the club met with Blake Bortles in Orlando. It shouldn’t be too surprising then that Teddy Bridgewater is also visiting the team, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As we noted yesterday, the Pats are likely just doing due diligence on the top players in this year’s quarterback class, but those meetings are still worth keeping an eye on.

Here’s more on pre-draft visits, with May 8 just over five weeks away:

  • Texas Tech tight end Jace Amaro, who is said to be drawing interest from the Jets, is working out for the Falcons today, says Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • The Steelers are hosting a pair of defenders today, in Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard and Notre Dame defensive end Stephon Tuitt, tweets Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
  • Washington State safety Deone Bucannon visited the Lions today, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter).
  • Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post passes along word of a pair of visits, reporting that Sam Houston State running back Timothy Flanders will meet with the Saints, while Middle Tennessee State cornerback Sammy Seamster has a visit on tap with the Chiefs.

Johnny Manziel To Visit Patriots

April 1st, 2014 at 6:56pm CST by Rory Parks

Texas A&M product and top quarterback prospect Johnny Manziel is in Foxboro and will meet with the Patriots tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport adds that Manziel’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, would not confirm the visit, though Alex Marvez of FOX Sports tweeted that the meeting will indeed take place.

This is probably nothing more than thorough due diligence on New England’s part. Nonetheless, the NFL Network’s Albert Breer tweets that the visit is “interesting” in that it comes on the heels of the team’s meeting with UCF quarterback Blake Bortles in Orlando last week. Bortles, like Manziel, is expected to be taken early in the first round of this year’s draft, and although the Patriots may be looking for a quarterback to groom given Tom Brady‘s age and the fact that Ryan Mallett will be a free agent at season’s end, it is highly unlikely that they would spend their first-round pick on such a quarterback at this point. For that matter, it is highly unlikely that Bortles or Manziel would even fall to New England, who hold the 29th overall pick in the draft.

Nonetheless, it is sure to be an intriguing visit, and we will keep you posted if anything of note should come of it.

 

NFC Notes: Soliai, Seahawks, Vikings, Lions

April 1st, 2014 at 4:23pm CST by Luke Adams

New Falcons defensive tackle Paul Soliai signed one of the more unexpectedly lucrative long-term deals of the offseason last month, agreeing to a five-year, $33MM contract with Atlanta. Agent David Canter was responsible for negotiating that deal, and he walked ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure through the process that led to he, Soliai, and the team agreeing to that figure.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Although the Seahawks haven’t retained notable players like Golden Tate, Red Bryant, and Chris Clemons this offseason, GM John Schneider tells ESPN 710 Seattle that he’s pleased with the team’s free agent period, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times outlines.
  • Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link) hears from multiple sources that the Vikings are “heavily leaning” toward LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger in the second round of May’s draft, with a preference for a linebacker like Khalil Mack in the first round.
  • The Lions continue to pursue defensive upgrades, with the team focused on improving at cornerback and finding a “flamethrower” at outside linebacker. Chris McCosky of the Detroit News has the details on the team’s secondary search, while Kyle Meineke of MLive.com passes along head coach Jim Caldwell‘s quotes on the need for an outside pass-rusher.
  • Former Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan made a pre-draft visit with the Lions today, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). Twentyman adds in a second tweet that Lewan will meet with the Rams next, while Gil Brandt of NFL.com says (via Twitter) the Michigan tackle worked out for the Falcons yesterday.
  • According to Brandt (via Twitter), former Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy worked out for the Panthers today and will do the same for the Falcons tomorrow.
  • The 49ers are eyeing safeties in next month’s draft, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

AFC Draft Notes: Jets, Texans, Ravens

April 1st, 2014 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

April is typically draft month for the NFL, but that’s not the case in 2014 — we’ve still got another five-plus weeks until this year’s three-day event gets underway on May 8. Still, that doesn’t mean there aren’t several rumors and reports floating around about teams’ potential draft plans. Here are a few of the latest items on AFC clubs:

  • The Jets are intrigued by Texas Tech tight end Jace Amaro, a team source tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Amaro is scheduled to visit the Jets in the coming weeks, and Mehta suggests the tight end could be on the board when the club picks in the second round.
  • It’s no surprise that the Texans‘ signing of Ryan Fitzpatrick wouldn’t affect the possibility of the team drafting a quarterback next month. However, it’s a little surprising that, even with Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum, and T.J. Yates on board, head coach Bill O’Brien suggested the Texans could add multiple QBs in the draft (Twitter link via official Texans account).
  • Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, Florida State wideout Kelvin Benjamin, Utah cornerback Keith McGill, and Cal linebacker Khairi Fortt are making official pre-draft visits with the Ravens today, league sources tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Despite the fact that the Dolphins signed Knowshon Moreno and like Lamar Miller, the club has interest in adding another running back in the draft, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who says it could happen in the fourth or fifth round.
  • A pair of teams announced pre-draft visits, as the Bills host Indiana wide receiver Cody Latimer and Notre Dame tight end Troy Niklas, while Ole Miss receiver Donte Moncrief and Baylor running back Lache Seastrunk visit the Steelers (Twitter link).

Extra Points: Manning, Draft, Bush, Carr

March 31st, 2014 at 10:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Some assorted notes to close out the evening:

  • The Bengals will meet with safety Danieal Manning on Tuesday and Wednesday, tweets Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston. Manning was released by the Texans earlier today.
  • NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock has updated his position rankings for draft prospects, and the most notable change is his moving Johnny Manziel up to the No. 1 quarterback slot, followed by Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater. One wonders if this might be an overreaction to a good Pro Day (Manziel) versus a poor one (Bridgewater).
  • Running back Michael Bush will visit with the Patriots, who recently lost LeGarrette Blount to the Steelers, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • On a related note, Tom Curran of CSNNE.com wonders if the Patriots let Blount get away too easily, citing both his low cost and the fact that Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen are in the last year of their respective contracts.
  • Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr says his private workout with the Browns “went exactly how [he] wanted it to,” writes Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. Grossi also tweets that Carr dined with the Browns general manager Ray Farmer and the Cleveland offensive staff on Sunday night. Carr could be an option for the Browns at pick No. 26.
  • Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby told Sirius XM NFL that he has visits set up with the Chargers, Steelers, Titans, Bills, and Jets, as well as three additional teams (Twitter link).

NFC Notes: Moore, Panthers, Bailey, Rams

March 31st, 2014 at 9:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

We’ve taken a turn around the NFC North and the NFC East, so let’s cover the news items in the rest of the NFC:

  • Receiver Marlon Moore, formerly of the Dolphins and 49ers, will have a tryout with the Buccaneers, tweets Howard Balzer. Moore is more of a special teams contributor than an offensive weapon.
  • Sam Houston State running back Timothy Flanders will visit with the Saints, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter).
  • The Panthers, who could still use help at receiver and on the offensive line, will “keep their eye out for free agent bargains,” but are mostly preparing for the draft, says Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
  • The 49ers have several cornerbacks who have had run-ins with the law, including the recently-arrested Chris Culliver, and veteran Champ Bailey could be a valuable addition to replace some of the leadership lost with the departures of Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown, writes Matt Barrows the Sacramento Bee.
  • Another NFC West team looking to add to its secondary is the Rams, opines ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner. “It would have been nice [to add a veteran], but honestly that market got priced out of what we were looking for,” said head coach Jeff Fisher. Wagoner expects the team to add a cornerback at some point in the draft.

NFC East Notes: Manning, Eagles, Doughty

March 31st, 2014 at 9:12pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest from the NFC East:

  • Recently-released safety Danieal Manning grew up in the Dallas area, and has always fantasized about playing for the Cowboys, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com lists safety, defensive end, interior offensive line, and receiver as areas where the Cowboys could look to add depth through free agency. Archer lists Thomas DeCoud, Robert Ayers, Kyle Cook, and Nate Burleson as players who could potentially help at those respective positions. The Cowboys have about $6.4MM in cap space with which to work.
  • In separate pieces, Zach Berman of Philly.com and Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com make much the same point: the Eagles need to find a way to continue to beat man coverage following the departure of DeSean Jackson. Opposing defenses primarily employed man coverage because it was the simplest to way to combat the Eagles fast-paced offensive attack. Jeremy Maclin will now become the focal point in the receiving game, but the team is expected to add a receiver from what is regarded as a loaded wideout class. Florida State’s Kelvin Benjamin, at 6’4″ and 240 pounds, is the type of physical receiver who could take on opposing defensive backs.
  • NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock disputes the notion that the Eagles need a receiver, and thinks they should draft their highest-rated defensive player left on the board (via Bryan Fischer of NFL.com).
  • The “door is not closed” between safety Reed Doughty and the Redskins, but he is not a priority in Washington, tweets Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington, also noting that several other teams have inquired on Doughty.
  • New Redskins safety Ryan Clark will act as a mentor to young defensive backs Phillip Thomas and Bacarri Rambo, and try to fill the leadership void left by the retiring London Fletcher, writes John Keim of ESPN.com. But Clark was signed due to his ability, as well, as Keim notes (in a nice turn of phrase highlighting the Redskins ineptitude on defense last season): “[W]hile Pittsburgh let [Clark] walk because he’d lost a step, the Redskins have been seeking a safety who had any steps to begin with. They weren’t losing steps; they never had any.”

NFC North Notes: Lions, Manziel, Perry, Allen

March 31st, 2014 at 8:27pm CST by Dallas Robinson

In the wake of Shaun Hill‘s signing with the Rams, the Lions are still in the market for a backup quarterback, and the team is set to investigate all possible avenues for a solution, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The Lions initially posited that they were in the market for a veteran to solidify the QB depth chart behind starter Matthew Stafford, but after failing to retain Hill, and missing out on another target in Luke McCown (who re-signed with the Saints), Detroit’s decision-makers may be changing their tune. “We keep looking and we could certainly address it a number of different ways, and all options are open at this time,” said new head coach Jim Caldwell.

One such route may be the draft, where the Lions could look to add a developmental quarterback in a later round. Another option would be to promote No. 3 quarterback Kellen Moore to the backup role. Moore, who has never taken an NFL snap, has reportedly “taken great strides,” according to Lions general manager Martin Mayhew. A veteran addition may still be in the works, as Birkett notes that Dan Orlovsky, a former Lion, could be of interest to the team.

Other notes from the NFC North:

  • Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says “some flags” came up after a recent meeting with quarterback Johnny Manziel, according to an interview with 104.9 The Horn (via the Minneapolis Star Tribune). Zimmer cites several off-the-field worries, mostly regarding dedication and Manziel’s willingness to “eat, breath, and sleep football.” The Vikings are expected to strongly consider drafting a quarterback with the eighth overall selection in May’s draft.
  • The Packers are still determining where to play third-year defender Nick Perry, writes ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. Most of Perry’s success has come when rushing the passer from the right side; this presents a problem, however, as All-Pro Clay Matthews occupies the right outside linebacker position. Perry, like new signee Julius Peppers, could see more work in the “elephant” role, a position in defensive coordinator Dom Capers’ scheme that combines the responsibilities of a defensive lineman and a rush linebacker.
  • New Bears defensive end Jared Allen says that the team’s aging players on defense will add valuable experience, and not cost the team wins, writes John Mullin of CSNChicago. While Allen notes that he is excited to play with veterans like Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, and Tim Jennings, it is important to remember that these are the same players who contributed to the Bears’ 25th overall defensive rating by DVOA.
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