HEADLINES

2014 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Jaguars Notes: Henne, Draft, Clowney, Shorts

February 4th, 2014 at 10:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Jaguars coach Gus Bradley spoke with Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida-Times Union about free agency, the upcoming draft, and the importance of re-signing quarterback Chad Henne.

“The competition that took place with [Henne] and Blaine Gabbert during OTAs and minicamp and training camp, he didn’t really flinch through the whole process and when he got his opportunity, he took advantage of it and we thought he made really good process,” Bradley said of Henne. “We think, having a year under his belt, he will have a better understanding of the system and we’re really excited as far as what he brought to us leadership wise.”

Here’s more from Bradley’s interview and other notes on the Jaguars..

  • Bradley won’t jump to conclusions over talk that quarterback A.J. McCarron might not throw at the draft combine in Indianapolis, saying that it’s not always a red flag when a player opts out of working out. However, he did admit that there’s a part of him that likes to see an athlete take every opportunity to compete.
  • Bradley mentioned Auburn defensive end Dee Ford and Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr when asked what players stood out at the Senior Bowl and spoke glowingly of Jadeveon Clowney.
  • The Jaguars should pass on tapping a quarterback early in the 2014 draft, writes ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco. DiRocco reasons that defense wins championships and a young QB needs the right pieces around him to succeed – something that Jacksonville doesn’t have at the moment.
  • More from DiRocco, who writes that Jacksonville should wait on extending Cecil Shorts as he enters the final year of his rookie deal.

Texans Leaning Toward Manziel, Bortles?

February 4th, 2014 at 12:18pm CST by Luke Adams

After a disappointing 2013 campaign, the Texans will have the first overall pick in the 2014 draft, and the team currently appears to be eyeing a pair of top college quarterbacks, according to Russ Lande of SportsOnEarth.com. Citing “trusted sources,” Lande reports that the Texans are initially leaning toward selecting either Johnny Manziel or Blake Bortles with the top pick.

We’re still more than three months away from draft night, so teams and players will complete plenty of evaluations and workouts before that point, which could affect players’ stocks significantly. As such, any present-day assessments should be taken with a grain of salt. Still, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle has repeatedly reported that the Texans will draft a quarterback with the No. 1 pick, and Manziel and Bortles represent two out of the consensus top three names at the position — Teddy Bridgewater is the third.

According to Lande, Texans owner Bob McNair prefers Manziel, but new head coach Bill O’Brien isn’t 100% sure that the former Texas A&M signal-caller possesses “the work ethic and intangibles necessary” to lead an NFL franchise.

Assuming the Texans become comfortable with the idea of selecting one of the top QBs in the 2014 draft, former starter Matt Schaub figures to be a cap casualty. Cutting Schaub would clear about $3.6MM in ’14 cap space for the Texans.

AFC Notes: Alex Smith, Broncos, Ravens, Pats

February 4th, 2014 at 11:23am CST by Luke Adams

Alex Smith is eligible for free agency next winter, but the Chiefs intend to keep their quarterback around longer than that. Team chairman Clark Hunt told 810 WHB in Kansas City (link via Adam Teicher of ESPN.com) that when the Chiefs traded for Smith, a long-term extension was part of their plan.

“I don’t think that thinking has changed,” Hunt said. “He came in and did a nice job. We’re glad to have him as a part of the Kansas City Chiefs and we hope it’s longer than a two-year stay.”

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • A number of prospective Denver free agents, including Eric Decker, Shaun Phillips, and Mike Adams, have expressed a preference to remain with the Broncos, but it looks like the team will let its free agents hit the open market, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post. At that point, the Broncos will have a better understanding of its players’ market value, though it may reduce the likelihood of bringing back certain players.
  • Jeff Zrebiec passes along a number of interesting Ravens-related items in his latest piece for the Baltimore Sun. In discussing the team’s draft plans. Zrebiec surmises that the Ravens will likely target either an offensive lineman or a receiving weapon with their first-round pick, though Zrebiec himself thinks it could make sense to draft a playmaking safety.
  • Free agent safety Antoine Bethea won’t be a “slam-dunk signing” for the Colts this winter, as Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star details.
  • Christopher L. Gasper of the Boston Globe believes the Patriots ought to be focusing less on shoring up the bottom third of their roster and more on acquiring impact talent.

Jaguars May Draft Multiple Quarterbacks

January 31st, 2014 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jaguars, who currently hold the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, have been viewed as a near-lock to pick a quarterback, if not with that No. 3 pick than with another early selection. Team owner Shad Khan confirmed as much today, telling Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link) that “everybody knows we’re going to draft a quarterback — maybe two.”

With the third pick in hand, the Jags are in good position to land one of the quarterbacks at or near the top of every team’s draft board, if they so choose. The Texans are believed to be eyeing QBs with the first overall pick, and while the Rams would likely target other positions at No. 2, St. Louis could also trade the pick to a team in need of a signal-caller. Even if multiple QBs come off the board before Jacksonville’s pick though, there are generally considered to be three names in the first tier: Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, and Blake Bortles.

Breaking down Khan’s comments, Hays Carlyon of the Times-Union likens the Jags’ potential approach in 2014 to the Redskins’ 2012 draft, which saw Washington select Robert Griffin III in the first round and Kirk Cousins in the fourth. However, as Carlyon points out, the team could also select a player like Jadeveon Clowney at No. 3, pick a quarterback in round two, then insure that pick by drafting another QB in the middle rounds. With eight selections in the first five rounds of the draft, Jacksonville has the flexibility to add a pair of QBs while still bringing aboard plenty of talent at other positions.

Chad Henne, who finished the season as the Jags’ starter under center, may not be out of the picture yet either. General manager David Caldwell has told Henne’s agent that the team will reach out prior to the free agent period to discuss the possibility of a new contract, tweets O’Halloran.

AFC Notes: MJD, Harvin, Sanchez, Texans

January 31st, 2014 at 10:29am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars are allowing Maurice Jones-Drew to hit the open market this offseason and the tailback says he has no problem with that, writes Ryan O’Hallaran of the Florida Times-Union.

“I’m fine with it,” Jones-Drew said. “I kind of figured that because we didn’t talk throughout the year. That’s part of the business. There’s no hard feelings. I gave everything I could to the organization. I appreciate them giving me that opportunity. Wherever I go next year, they’ll have a person ready to play at a high level.”

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Before Percy Harvin was sent to the Seahawks by the Vikings a year ago, there was some talk of a possible trade to the Patriots, the receiver confirmed to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “It flew around for a little bit, but I never really dug into it to see how much interest there was,” Harvin said. “I was working out and waiting for my agent to do all that work.”
  • Should the Jets roll on with Mark Sanchez under center or find themselves a new quarterback? Many ex-Jets were asked that question along radio row this week and the consensus seems to be that they should look elsewhere, writes ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini. Former Jets linebacker Bart Scott thinks the Jets should go make a run at Matt Schaub, who could be cut loose by the Texans.
  • Speaking of Schaub, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle continues to report that the Texans intend to take a quarterback with the first overall pick in this year’s draft (Twitter link).
  • One of John Elway‘s best moves may have come years after he retired when he traded Tim Tebow and made way for Peyton Manning, writes Nancy Armour of USA Today. It’s safe to say things worked out pretty well for the Broncos as Manning will lead them in Sunday’s Super Bowl while Tebow is out of professional football.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Falcons GM On Clowney, Draft, Trading Up

January 30th, 2014 at 10:31pm CST by Zachary Links

It wasn’t a great year for the Falcons, but general manager Thomas Dimitroff is willing to look on the bright side on things. In a chat with Jeff Schultz and Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Dimitroff said that going 4-12 allowed the club to experiment with some different looks, something they wouldn’t have been able to do if they went, say, 13-3. Here’s more on the Falcons from radio row..

  • There’s speculation that some teams are down on former South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, but the Falcons aren’t one of them. “I’ll just say what everybody in the country knows: Jadeveon Clowney is a top notch talent and he’s going to make a team happy and he’s going to be a legitimate difference-maker in this game. The people with the top two picks know that,” the GM said.
  • Could the Falcons, picking at No. 6, trade up to get Clowney? Dimitroff didn’t close the door on that possibility but it doesn’t sound all that likely as he talked up the talent in the top ten and said he wouldn’t be “disappointed” picking anywhere in that range. It is worth noting, however, that there are two former Atlanta execs running teams at No. 2 (Les Snead with the Rams) and No. 4 (Dave Caldwell with the Jaguars).
  • The GM was candid about his desire to bolster up the club’s offensive and defensive lines. “We need to focus on getting more gritty and rugged in certain areas. That’s going to be more important for us. This is a warrior game and we have to come to the line of scrimmage with the proper mentality. … We realize we need to ramp up our ruggedness, not only on the field but off the field, in the locker room,” said Dimitroff.

Pompei On Bradley, Licht, Babin

January 25th, 2014 at 9:34am CST by Matt Feminis

A dearth of elite talent in Mobile has created a potpourri of non-traditional headlines. In his latest missive, Bleacher Report’s Dan Pompei explains that Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley has been the “star of the Senior Bowl.” Contained in the NFL Confidential section are the following notes:

  • Despite Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith having final say on personnel matters, ownership made the final call on the hiring of GM Jason Licht. It is believed the Dolphins were also sold on Licht.
  • Jason Babin is expected to be cut by the Jaguars. At 33, Babin might be relegated to a situational pass-rushing role for his next team.
  • One GM calls the 2014 Senior Bowl rosters the worst he’s ever seen, explaining that many of the players expected to be drafted highly are underclassmen. Additionally, several of the most highly regarded seniors opted not to attend the All-Star game. The GM refers to the exhibition as a “second-round game,” saying 15-18 players could come off the board on the draft’s second day.

Jaguars Open To Trading No. 3 Pick

January 24th, 2014 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jaguars are open to the idea of trading the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, GM David Caldwell said at Senior Bowl practices this week, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the Jags would be exploring ways to move down, since Caldwell also left the door open for the possibility of moving up to No. 1 or No. 2.

“I don’t think where we’re standing right now that we’re dead set on going in any one direction, whether it’s trading up, trading back, staying where we are and picking,” Caldwell said while attending Senior Bowl practices. “There’s going to be a lot of options there with the third pick.”

The Jaguars need a quarterback and could strongly consider Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, or Johnny Manziel at No. 3, depending on which QBs are still on the board. However, QB isn’t Jacksonville’s only need, so the team could also go the best player available route with that third overall pick, and opt for someone like defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, as ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper predicted in his first mock draft.

It’s still too early to know which prospects’ stocks will rise or fall, and which other teams might be looking to move up or down in the draft, but it sounds as if Caldwell and the Jags will weigh all their options between now and May 8th.

NFC East Links: Avant, Eagles, Cowboys

January 23rd, 2014 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Here’s the latest out of the NFC East:

  • Coming off his least productive season since 2008, Jason Avant still believes he has plenty left in the tank, as he tells Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com. However, the Eagles will have to make a decision in the coming weeks on what to do with Avant, who is scheduled to receive a $1MM roster bonus in March, on top of his $2.25MM base salary.
  • The Eagles figure to be targeting safeties again in the 2014 draft, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, detailing a number of possible options for the team.
  • Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones indicated that the team is open to drafting a quarterback in May, according to Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com.
  • On the heels of kicker Dan Bailey inking a seven-year contract with the Cowboys, Watkins explores a few candidates for the next Dallas player to receive a long-term extension, starting with Dez Bryant.

102 Underclassmen Enter NFL Draft

January 20th, 2014 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

98 underclassmen who met the NFL’s three-year eligibility rule and formally applied to enter the draft have been granted special eligibility, the league announced on Sunday. In addition to those 98, another four players who are underclassmen in terms of eligibility, including top QB prospect Teddy Bridgewater, will be eligible for the draft because they have already graduated, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes.

The number of underclassmen entering the draft represents a new record, and is a significant increase from the previous record of 73 in 2013. It’s the sixth straight year that the number of early entrants has risen, which can be partially attributed to the league’s new rookie wage scale. As Florio points out, the limits on salaries for draft picks under the new CBA means that there’s added incentive to get to the NFL early to put in time toward a second contract.

In addition to Bridgewater, underclassmen like Johnny Manziel, Jadeveon Clowney, and Blake Bortles also declared their intent for the draft, and are expected to be top-10 picks. According to Jason Cole of the National Football Post, NFL executives expect about half the players selected in the first round to be early entrants.

The full list of underclassmen entering the draft can be found at NFL.com.