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2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors

AFC South Notes: Colts, Richardson, Draft

February 23rd, 2014 at 2:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Colts GM Ryan Grigson wants the team’s offensive line play to improve, according to Mike Wells of ESPN.com. Although the unit did give up nine fewer sacks than in 2012, injuries abounded and the interior line play was inconsistent. Grigson, who recently sounded lukewarm on the status of center Samson Satele, may have to look to the draft for improvements, as the center/guard free agent market is not all that strong save for Alex Mack. Advanced metrics differ on the play of the Colts’ offensive line — Pro Football Focus rated them as the 24th best unit, while Football Outsiders marked them as middle of the pack in run-blocking, but excellent in pass protection.

  • Improved offensive line play could be the first step in getting more from running back Trent Richardson, and the Colts expect progress from him in 2014, writes Craig Kelly of Colts.com.
  • Within the same piece, Grigson says “don’t rule anything out” when it comes to trading back into the first round of the draft. The Colts traded their 2014 first-round-pick for Richardson.
  • Texans GM Rick Smith is a believer in the “best player available” strategy it terms of drafting players, writes Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com. “I think the risk is if you take a player that is not reflective of the value,” said Smith. “Because what you ultimately do is you miss on another player you should have been taking that has that value. That’s why we don’t rank our board with any type of consideration for need because when you do that, you make mistakes.” However, Smith did allow that quarterback is by far the most important position on the field, followed by pass-rusher.
  • The Jaguars would likely want a first-rounder and either a second- or third-round-pick in exchange for moving out of the third overall draft position, writes ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco as part of a mailbag segment. He also notes the Jags will use free agency to bolster their offensive and defensive lines, but will not spend big on marquee names.
  • In his mailbag, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com argues that the Titans will likely draft a running back in the fourth round or later, ostensibly to pair with Shonn Greene. Fellow ball-carrier Chris Johnson is expected to be released.

NFC Notes: Clowney, Lions, Vikings, Niners

February 23rd, 2014 at 1:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney would like to be a member of the Falcons — but only if they trade up to get him, writes ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure. The star Gamecock is widely expected to be selected in the top five picks of the draft, and he realizes this would make it challenge for him to get to Atlanta. “…I hope I don’t fall to No. 6,” said Clowney, hoping for a Falcons draft position swap. “I like Atlanta – a lot. They’re pretty good. They’ve got some guys from South Carolina on the team, also. And it’s close to home.” The Falcons are in dire need of pass rush help, and we learned Friday that they are not averse to attempting to move higher in the draft.

Some other notes from around the NFC:

Seferian-Jenkins Has Fractured Foot

February 22nd, 2014 at 9:50pm CST by Peter Sowards

Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, considered to be a first-round prospect by most draft prognosticators, has a stress fracture in his foot and will not be back to full strength for six to eight weeks, according to Todd Dybas of the Tacoma News Tribune (via Twitter).

It’s unclear when the 21-year old from Fox Island, Washington suffered the injury. Tight ends did their on-field work today at the NFL Scouting Combine, but Seferian-Jenkins was not among the participants.

SI.com’s Doug Farrar listed Seferian-Jenkins as one of his first-day combine sliders due to a “last minute medical issue” that forced the 6’6″ athlete to bow out. Farrar mention’s the DUI Seferian-Jenkins received in March 2013 as another issue, as well as his decreased production from 2012 to this past season.

Ravens Rumors: Pitta, Monroe, Jones, Draft

February 21st, 2014 at 4:43pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ve passed along a couple Ravens updates from the combine already today, but Aaron Wilson’s latest piece for the Baltimore Sun includes so many notable nuggets on the team that we’ll need a new post to round them all up. Let’s dive in….

  • The Ravens are in discussions with tight end Dennis Pitta and offensive tackle Eugene Monroe about new contracts, and coach John Harbaugh is optimistic about locking up both players. “To my knowledge, both of those guys really want to be here and we really want them here,” Harbaugh said. “That’s a good formula for working things out.”
  • If the Ravens tag Pitta as their franchise player, he’s expected to file a grievance to try to get the wide receiver tag, a source tells Wilson.
  • Harbaugh didn’t close the door on the possibility of bringing back both Monroe and Michael Oher, though a previous report suggested Oher is unlikely to return if Monroe re-signs.
  • Defensive tackle Arthur Jones is expected to receive heavy interest on the open market, and may be too expensive for the Ravens, as Harbaugh acknowledges: “It’s probably the one contract that he’ll have a chance to sign, a real big one. Guys that sign two big contracts, that’s very unusual. Three almost never happens, so you never feel bad about a guy getting an opportunity. You never want to lose a good player. But from a personal standpoint, you have to feel good about that. Whether we can match that or not, that’s all in the math.”
  • The Ravens will meet with Boston College running back Andre Williams, who also has meetings scheduled with the Jaguars, Bills, and Bengals, tweets Wilson.
  • Arizona running back Ka’Deem Carey also met with the Ravens, as well as the Steelers, at the combine, tweets Wilson.

Rams Notes: Saffold, Bradford, Williams

February 21st, 2014 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are a few Friday updates on the Rams:

  • The offensive line will be a priority for the Rams this offseason, though GM Les Snead expects there to be more clarity in a few weeks once some contract situations are sorted out and injuries continue to heal. Meanwhile, coach Jeff Fisher says he would have “no reservations” about taking an offensive lineman in the first round, says Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
  • Fisher and Snead both emphasized the importance of re-signing free agent guard Rodger Saffold, according to Wagoner (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic hears that the Cardinals would have interest in Saffold if he and the Rams don’t reach an agreement before March 11.
  • Snead says the Rams talked to Sam Bradford‘s camp last spring about a contract extension, tweets Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Wagoner adds (via Twitter) that Snead suggested those discussions are “ongoing and active.”
  • Free agent offensive lineman Chris Williams and the Rams have mutual interest in working out a new agreement, according to Fisher (Twitter link via Wagoner).
  • Auburn tackle Greg Robinson said he met with the Rams for a formal interview on Thursday night, tweets Wagoner.

Combine Updates: Orakpo, Talib, Welker

February 21st, 2014 at 3:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Redskins GM Bruce Allen is a big fan of Brian Orakpo and will to talk to his agent this weekend, but there’s no guarantee that the free agent linebacker will be back in 2014, writes the Washington Times’ Zac Boyer.

“We like Brian,” Allen said. “There’s no doubt we like Brian, as well as a number of other players. If we were just one player short, that would be an easy question, but we have several [needs] that we’re looking to fill.”

Orakpo, 27, is considered among the best pass rushers available and is expected to command an average salary in the neighborhood of $10MM per season. Here’s more from the second day of the 2014 combine:

  • The Patriots are set to meet with Aqib Talib in Indianapolis to discuss a new deal, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. As Howe notes, it’s a buyer’s market at the cornerback position with Alterraun Verner, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Charles Tillman, Vontae Davis and Brent Grimes also set to become available.
  • Broncos GM John Elway expects wide receiver Wes Welker to be back with the team in 2014 for the final year of his contract, tweets Howe.
  • Ken Harris, Jared Allen‘s agent, tells Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) that he had a “constructive” meeting with the Vikings on Thursday.
  • Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff said he anticipates getting two to three compensatory draft picks, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
  • In Ron Rivera’s view, the Panthers don’t have a successor to Steve Smith on their roster, which is something the head coach believes the club could address this offseason, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • According to GM Martin Mayhew, the Lions have no plans to try to re-sign wide receiver Nate Burleson or safety Louis Delmas, who were released earlier this month. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has the details.
  • Johnny Manziel wants to endear himself to NFL GMs, so naturally, he decided to refer to himself in third person at the combine today when talking to reporters. “Johnny Manziel is a small-town kid. People make me out to be a Hollywood type,” the quarterback said, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Bengals, Ravens

February 21st, 2014 at 2:26pm CST by Luke Adams

After checking in on the AFC West, let’s head North and round up the latest on the Browns, Bengals, and Ravens….

  • The possibility of a reunion between Browns head coach Mike Pettine and safety Jairus Byrd is real, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. However, the Bills could complicate things by hitting Byrd with the franchise tag.
  • Bengals coach Marvin Lewis says he’s hoping to get a deal done with free agent defensive end Michael Johnson, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com (Twitter links). In reference to quarterback Andy Dalton, Lewis said, “I’m sure we’ll sit down about contract at some point.”
  • The Giants worked out an extension with coach Tom Coughlin to avoid lame duck status in 2014, but the Bengals have yet to take that measure with Marvin Lewis. The coach says he has no problem with that, Hobson writes.
  • With Ray Rice facing charges and a potential suspension following his arrest in a domestic incident, Ravens coach John Harbaugh was asked if there were scenarios in which the running back wouldn’t return to the team next season. “Not that I’m aware of,” Harbaugh replied, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. “I haven’t seen anything that would remotely make me think that.”
  • Running back prospect Terrence West told reporters that he has about eight meetings scheduled with teams tonight. The Ravens are one of those clubs, tweets Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Falcons Rumors: Draft, Babineaux, Gonzalez

February 21st, 2014 at 11:27am CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff spoke to reporters about the club’s strategy heading into the draft and overall gameplan for the offseason. Here’s a look at the highlights..

  • Dimitroff reiterated his openness to trading up in the draft, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The Falcons currently own the No. 6 overall pick in the draft. It’s purely speculation, but a move to trade up could be an effort to get in the mix for South Carolina standout defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
  • The Falcons’ current focus is on free agents before looking in-house to restructure any deals, tweets D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Julio Jones and Roddy White are among Atlanta’s extension candidates.
  • Dimitroff added that the club has yet to extend any offers to any of their own free agents, tweets McClure. Atlanta’s free agents include defensive tackles Jonathan Babineaux and Corey Peters, cornerback Dominique Franks, tight end Chase Coffman, and offensive lineman Joe Hawley.
  • Dimitroff was asked if he’s still trying to lure tight end Tony Gonzalez back for one more year – he smiled and said “no,” tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.

Extra Points: Wheeler, Grimes, Chargers, Gore

February 21st, 2014 at 10:47am CST by Luke Adams

There have been some rumblings at the combine that the Dolphins could cut linebacker Philip Wheeler, according to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle, who adds (via Twitter) that the Raiders would be “very interested” in bringing Wheeler back to Oakland if he were available. Still, I’d be pretty surprised if Miami decided to part ways with Wheeler. With several years of prorated bonus money still left on his deal, the Dolphins wouldn’t create any cap savings by releasing the 29-year-old this offseason.

As the Dolphins weigh that decision, let’s check out a handful of other updates from across the NFL….

  • Cornerback Brent Grimes had been viewed as a candidate to be designated as the Dolphins’ franchise player this offseason. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com now hears that tagging Grimes may not be a realistic solution for Miami at a cost of about $11.3MM (Twitter link).
  • Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com provides a few of the notable quotes from Chargers GM Tom Telesco during his Thurday sesssion with reporters. Telesco acknowledged that the team isn’t exactly “flush with cap space,” suggesting there will be some tough decisions to make in the next several weeks.
  • In his comments to the media today, there were no indications that GM Trent Baalke and the 49ers will ask Frank Gore to take a pay cut for 2014, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
  • After spending big in free agency a year ago, the Colts plan to be more judicious with their spending this offseason, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
  • According to ESPN.com’s David Newton, the time may be right for the Panthers to draft a QB to back up Cam Newton.
  • The Ravens met with a pair of top-five OT draft prospects – Zack Martin and Taylor Lewan – at the combine, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • In an interview with Rob Maaddi of The Associated Press, former All-Pro receiver Terrell Owens suggested he still thinks he’s capable of playing in the NFL at age 40. In spite of T.O.’s confidence, I wouldn’t expect to see him sign with an NFL team anytime soon.

NFC East Notes: Orakpo, Eagles, Cowboys

February 21st, 2014 at 8:25am CST by Luke Adams

As we look forward to another busy day at the combine in Indianapolis, let’s check in on a few Friday morning updates on all four NFC East squads:

  • Redskins general manager Bruce Allen confirmed that the club will meet with the agent for free agent linebacker Brian Orakpo this weekend, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post.
  • Although the Eagles will have to make offseason decisions on about a third of the players on their roster, GM Howie Roseman was fairly noncommittal when asked about those decisions, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer details.
  • In the last couple offseasons, the Eagles have made modest free agent expenditures, but the team is still willing to spend big on the right player, says Roseman (link via Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “I think unique situations call for unique action,” Roseman said. “If there is a unique player in free agency that is hard to find other than top of draft and fits all the criteria that we outlined, some publicly and some privately, you have to look at it. We still view ourselves as aggressive and risk-takers. Sometimes you have to take risks to get better.”
  • With Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper facing free agency and Jason Avant‘s contract making him a potential cap casualty, Roseman sounds like he’s “willing to shuffle the [Eagles‘] deck at wide receiver,” writes Phil Sheridan of ESPN.com.
  • The odds are very slim that the Cowboys will draft quarterback Johnny Manziel, but they’ll meet with him at the combine today, writes Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  • The Giants are well-positioned to get Eli Manning some help on offense in this year’s draft, according to Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News, who suggests a few offensive linemen and pass-catchers the team may target at the combine.
  • Earlier this morning, we heard that the Redskins have no plans to trade Kirk Cousins.
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