2014 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

AFC North Notes: Sanders, Cap, Weeden, Draft

February 20th, 2014 at 7:02pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Steelers are prepared to let receiver Emmanuel Sanders test free agency, and do not expect to retain him, according to Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Steelers GM Kevin Colbert expounded on Sanders’ value, and noted “where he goes in free agency and what his market is we don’t know at this point, but he certainly performed for us last year, and we’ll see where it is in the future.”

Sanders had a nice season as a complementary receiver to Antonio Brown, catching 67 passes for 670 yards and six touchdowns. However, the Steelers don’t have much cap room with which to work, and they believe Markus Wheaton is ready to step into the number-two role. Our own Luke Adams put Sanders in the second tier of free agent receivers, and speculated that the Patriots could be interested in his services (as they were last season when they signed to him to an offer sheet, which the Steelers then matched), while we have also learned that the Jets covet Sanders.

Other news from the AFC North:

The increased salary cap might benefit the Steelers even more than other teams, writes Brown in a separate article. With the team looking to shed salary in any way possible, the slight bump will be very beneficial. The Steelers will look to clear cap space by releasing several players as well as restructuring contracts, perhaps including that of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
The new salary cap could also be a boon to the Bengals, as they look to re-sign two key free agents. With the 5% increase, the team might be able to retain both defensive end Michael Johnson and offensive tackle Anthony Collins, reports Cole Harvey of ESPN.com.
A decision on much-maligned Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden will be coming soon, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The 30-year-old Weeden is widely expected to be released, though it was rumored that he has requested a trade. Whether the Browns could garner even a late-round pick for him remains to be seen.
Browns GM Ray Farmer knows what he wants in quarterback, and needs to find out if any of the top QBs in the draft fit the bill, writes ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon. “I truly believe that a guy being able to accurately throw the football, make quick decisions and process and throw from what I call a quote-unquote crowded pocket,” said Farmer. “Guys who can play in those instances [have] critical factors in my mind of what the quarterback needs to be able to demonstrate he can do.”
The Ravens could look to add either a wide receiver or an offensive tackle in the first round of the draft, and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun goes over some of the available options.

Schneider On Tag, Bennett, DBs, Draft

February 20th, 2014 at 6:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks are unlikely to use the franchise tag on defensive end Michael Bennett, writes Todd Dybas of the News Tribune. Bennett, who was part of a formidable defensive line featuring Cliff Avril, Brandon Mebane, and Red Bryant, is a free agent after playing the 2013 season under a one-year, $4.8MM contract. Bennett has indicated he will not give the Super Bowl champions a discount in negotiations, which is understandable given his soft market after the 2012 season. That year, he finished with nine sacks and was rated the seventh-best 4-3 defensive end in football by Pro Football Focus, yet still was only able to garner the one-year deal with Seattle. Seahawks general manager John Schneider insisted Bennett will remain a priority. “He had a great season,” said Schneider. “Proved to be versatile. Is a great guy, a fun guy to be around. Hopefully we can get something worked out.”

A few more notes on the Seahawks, courtesy of Dybas’ piece:

The Seahawks not only won’t use the franchise tag on Bennett, but they probably will not utilize it all.
Schneider wouldn’t give any details on the status of coach Pete Carroll’s contract, which has one year remaining. Schneider, somewhat cryptically, stated Carroll is “doing great,” and refused to give any updates regarding tweaks in the head coach’s deal.
The Seahawks will try to keep the “Legion of Boom” intact, but extending both cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Earl Thomas might be tricky. “We have days ahead that are going to be hard because they are going to be tough decisions,” said Schneider. “If you want to be a championship-caliber football team, you have to make those tough decisions. You can’t keep everybody. It’s actually a sad thing.” We previously noted that Thomas is likely to be the higher priority of the two.
Regarding the draft, Schneider noted his aversion to need-based selections: “We’re not going to have this player, so we have to draft this position? I think that’s where you get in trouble. Any of the draft rooms I’ve ever been in, the biggest mistakes you make are when you [draft based on position scarcity].”
Seattle’s draft meetings began the Wednesday following their Super Bowl victory, with more work being required than usual due to the large amount of declaring underclassmen.

Raiders Notes: Jennings, McFadden, Houston, Draft

February 20th, 2014 at 5:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Raiders have an important offseason ahead of them, as general manager Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen try to turn the franchise around. Here are some notes from Oakland:

Allen identified running back Rashad Jennings as an important piece for the Raiders to re-sign this offseason, while failing to mention fellow ball-carrier Darren McFadden, also a free agent, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. McFadden struggled with in 2013 not only with his usual array of injuries, but with ineffectiveness. Jennings picked up the slack on his way to rushing for 733 yards and six touchdowns. We learned this morning that McFadden’s representatives will speak with Raiders management at the combine on Saturday.
In addition to Jennings, defensive end Lamarr Houston and offensive tackle Jared Veldheer are offseason priorities, writes Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. Allen noted that the trio’s mindset will be key during negotiations. “They want to be here, and we want them here,” said the Raiders coach. “And I think when you add those two elements together, usually you’re able to get something done.”
In a separate piece, Bair reports the Raiders are leaning towards taking a quarterback with the fifth overall selection in the draft. Allen did note that the Raiders won’t pick a signal caller just for the sake of doing so, saying that “when you try to force a quarterback, it really sets your franchise back.” But if a QB the team likes is available at No. 5, will the Raiders take him? “Oh, sure, yeah. If they’re at the same page, if we were drafting tomorrow, probably,” said Allen, which is about as much “certainty” as a coach will offer at draft time.
Continuing on the quarterback theme, Allen said former Texas A&M star Johnny Manziel will be a “fun guy to…evaluate,” according to Paul Sheridan of ESPN.com.

Jets Notes: Sanchez, Smith, Pace, Cromartie

February 20th, 2014 at 4:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Jets head coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik both spoke to the media today in Indianapolis. Here are some of the highlights:

Ryan and Idzik sidestepped questions about whether or not Mark Sanchez will be back with the Jets in 2014. However, Izdik indicated that he believes Sanchez still can be a starting-caliber NFL quarterback, according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (Twitter link).
The Jets didn’t commit to Geno Smith as the starting quarterback in 2014, but Ryan was much more effusive in his praise for Smith than Sanchez, notes Brian Costello of the New York Post.
Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News passes along a few of Ryan’s and Izdik’s noncommittal quotes on Sanchez’s future, including the head coach insisting that he wants all of his players to return, and the GM maintaining that Sanchez is making “very good progress” in shoulder rehab.
Within Mehta’s piece, Ryan also expressed a desire to bring re-sign free agent linebacker Calvin Pace and suggested that it would be hard to replace Antonio Cromartie if the team decided to make the veteran defensive back a cap casualty.
Izdik didn’t shoot down the idea that the club could consider drafting a quarterback in the first round, tweets Hubbuch.
The Jets likely won’t make any of their veteran cuts until they absolutely have to, according to Izdik (Twitter link via Hubbuch).

Panthers Rumors: Gross, Hardy, Draft

February 20th, 2014 at 4:14pm CST by Luke Adams

With the combine now underway in Indianapolis, we’ve covered a significant number of the NFL’s 32 teams in at least one of our Thursday posts, but we’ve yet to mention the Panthers at all today. Let’s remedy that, and check out what GM Dave Gettleman had to say about the team’s offseason during his media availability….

Offensive tackle Jordan Gross has had two lengthy conversations with Gettleman since the season ended, but remains undecided on whether or not he’ll continue his playing career, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Gettleman, who will speak to Gross again when he returns from an Idaho ski trip within the next few days, said that the veteran lineman has “earned the right” to take his time to make a decision on his future, though if he decides to return to Carolina, there will be salary cap ramifications for the team to consider.
Within the same piece, Person writes that the future of longtime Panthers receiver Steve Smith is “part of the evaluation process,” according to Gettleman. The GM hasn’t had any conversations with Smith about the possibility of retirement.
Asked about free-agent-to-be Greg Hardy, Gettleman pointed to the Panthers’ cap constraints and suggested that the team will be very careful about committing big money to its standout defensive end, either on a long-term deal or via the franchise tag. Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer has the GM’s quotes.
Person got the impression from listening to Gettleman that the Panthers will be more inclined to sign one-year contracts than multiyear deals going forward (Twitter link).
Gettleman warned against tying the Panthers to a specific player or position in mock drafts, telling reporters, including Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), that the club will take the best player available in May.

Extra Points: Fox, Monroe, Cowboys, Cap

February 20th, 2014 at 3:28pm CST by Luke Adams

There will be plenty of meetings between teams and player agents this week, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) that clubs will also have the opportunity to touch base with their coaches’ agents. The Broncos have a meeting scheduled this weekend with agent Bob LaMonte to discuss a new deal for head coach John Fox, according to Rapoport. Here’s more from around the league, as updates from the Indianapolis combine dominate the NFL news wire:

Speaking to Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times, offensive tackle Eugene Monroe confirmed that he and the Ravens have entered discussions about a new contract, and said those talks in and of themselves are a positive sign. Although Monroe cautioned that it’s still early, the free-agent-to-be said it would be “awesome” to continue as a Raven.
While the Cowboys are expected to explore extensions for wide receiver Dez Bryant and offensive tackle Tyron Smith this offseason, those talks haven’t gotten underway yet, according to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com.
In the wake of the new $130MM salary cap projection put forth by Adam Schefter this morning, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com has adjusted his estimates for 2014’s restricted free agent tenders and franchise tags.
New Browns GM Ray Farmer told reporters, including Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland, that he’s looking forward to meeting with quarterback prospect Johnny Manziel.
While he likely won’t have much say in the decision, Jarrett Bush tells Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link) that he’d be “shocked” if the Packers don’t re-sign fellow defensive back Sam Shields.
The Seahawks aren’t expected to use the franchise tag this year, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
In a piece for the National Football Post, Joel Corry identifies 10 players who are candidates to restructure their contracts this offseason.

Combine Updates: Boldin, Jags, Dolphins

February 20th, 2014 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

“It’s not just me who wants Anquan Boldin back,” 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh said today of the team’s No. 1 receiver in 2013, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Suggesting that the San Francisco decision-makers are unanimous in wanting to re-sign Boldin, Harbaugh added that negotiations are heading in a “positive direction.” The Niners coach wasn’t the only one providing noteworthy quotes this afternoon at the combine. Here are several more notable updates from Indianapolis:

The Jaguars intend to meet with the top three quarterback prospects – Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, and Blake Bortles – this weekend, according to GM Dave Caldwell (Twitter link via Ryan O’Hallaran of the Florida Times-Union). However, Caldwell also suggested it would be beneficial for the team to trade down from No. 3 overall, since the draft is so deep (Twitter link via Hays Carlyon of the Times-Union).
Asked if he expected prospective free agent Chad Henne to hit the open market, Caldwell replied, “I don’t think so,” suggesting that the Jaguars could reach an agreement with their incumbent starter prior to March 11 (Twitter link via O’Hallaran).
Broncos head coach John Fox is comfortable with the idea of moving forward with running Montee Ball if Knowshon Moreno leaves Denver in free agency, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post.
Responding to a report that suggested the Dolphins might bench Ryan Tannehill for Matt Moore at some point in 2014, new Miami GM Dennis Hickey expressed confidence in Tannehill. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald has that quote and several more from Hickey, who insisted that free agents will be attracted to the organization despite the recent controversy surrounding the team.
The Bears head into the 2014 season carrying three punters on their roster, meaning veteran Adam Podlesh will have to fight for the job, according to GM Phil Emery. Drew Butler and Tress Way will also be in the mix, as Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago details.
Projected first-round tight end Eric Ebron confirmed to reporters, including Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times (Twitter link), that the Ravens and Packers are among the teams with whom he’ll interview today. Tight end Jace Amaro will also meet with the Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), while ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky writes that Wisconsin offensive lineman Ryan Groy met with the Packers.

Vikings Notes: Free Agents, Freeman, Draft

February 20th, 2014 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities reported this morning (via Twitter) that the Vikings will meet with representatives for multiple free agents tomorrow in Indianapolis, including quarterback Matt Cassel and defensive end Everson Griffen. However, speaking to local reporters today at the combine, GM Rick Spielman said he’ll actually meet with Cassel’s agent today, and added that the Vikings will meet with the reps for all their free agents this weekend (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports). Here are a few more updates from Spielman, via Pelissero (all links go to Twitter):

The Vikings don’t anticipate using their franchise tag, which isn’t a big surprise — none of the team’s free agents are strong candidates to be franchised.
Minnesota “definitely” wants and needs to add a young quarterback, according to Spielman. The team’s preferred setup would be to head into camp with a young QB, a veteran (perhaps Cassel), and Christian Ponder.
Spielman didn’t close the door on re-signing Josh Freeman, though Pelissero would be “shocked” if the former Buccaneer returns to Minnesota.
The Vikings would be interested in trading down from No. 8 overall, since they feel like there’s good depth at the quarterback position in this year’s draft class. According to Spielman, the team has eight or nine private workouts lined up with quarterbacks in advance of the draft.
Minnesota will look to address its holes on defense in both free agency and the draft, says Spielman.

Combine Updates: Bucs, Titans, Bears, Lions

February 20th, 2014 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

The 2014 scouting combine is underway in Indianapolis, and NFL head coaches and general managers have begun speaking to reporters both in scheduled press conferences and in smaller side interviews. There have been several tidbits worth passing along from those sessions, so let’s dive right in and round up a few highlights….

While Lovie Smith said he likes Mike Glennon, the Buccaneers head coach also expressed a belief that there could be a potential franchise quarterback available with the No. 7 pick in the draft, as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times details. If that’s the case, it sounds like the Bucs will strongly consider drafting a signal-caller in the first round.
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert didn’t reveal much about his team’s offseason plans, but was enthusiastic in discussing 2014’s draft class. While he cautioned that it’s an immature group due to all the underclassmen in the mix, Colbert said it’s the best class he has even seen, according to Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link). As Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star notes (via Twitter), that’s very high praise coming from Colbert, who has been preparing for drafts for the last 30 years.
Colbert’s comments on wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders suggested to the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe that the Steelers intend to let Sanders hit the open market.
Asked about running back Chris Johnson, a potential cap casualty, Titans GM Ruston Webster said that the club can be as patient as it wants to be in making a decision on Johnson, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Webster also confirmed that the Titans have spoken to cornerback Alterraun Verner‘s agent about a new contract, adding that “we’ll continue to talk” (Twitter link via Wyatt).
The Bears would like to re-sign free agent defensive lineman Henry Melton, GM Phil Emery indicated to reporters, including Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com (Twitter link). However, it’s clear that it will come down to Melton’s price tag. Emery also echoed coach Marc Trestman‘s views on Chris Conte, suggesting that he hopes the safety comes in and wins a starting job (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune). “I’d like to be talking to him about an extension,” Emery said of Conte.
Lions head coach Jim Caldwell said “never say never” when it comes to re-signing recently released safety Louis Delmas, but didn’t sound optimistic about the possibility, says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Caldwell added that acquiring a wide receiver to complement Calvin Johnson will be one of the club’s top priorities this offseason, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link).
The Cardinals would like to re-sign linebacker Karlos Dansby but have always been prepared to move on, GM Steve Keim said today, according to Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com (Twitter link).

Bears Notes: Garza, McCown, Williams, Conte

February 20th, 2014 at 9:47am CST by Luke Adams

While he didn’t draw quite the crowd of reporters that Dolphins coach Joe Philbin did before him, Bears head coach Marc Trestman shared a handful of interesting tidbits this morning in his conversation with reporters. Here are some highlights:

Trestman indicated that the team’s focus this offseason will be on improving its defense, and that it will be a “defensive-orientated draft” for Chicago in May (Twitter link via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago).
Trestman said that the Bears want to bring back center Roberto Garza, who should finish his career in Chicago, in the head coach’s opinion (Twitter links via Brad Biggs and Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune). The team will also do everything it can to retain free agent quarterback Josh McCown and would like to re-sign linebacker D.J. Williams, according to Trestman (Twitter links via Adam Johns of the Chicago Sun-Times and Biggs).
Asked if safety Chris Conte will be a Bear in 2014 after a subpar season in 2013, Trestman said yes, according to Campbell (Twitter link). Conte ranked 82nd among 86 safeties using Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required).

2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors