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Ravens Rumors: Draft, Trades, Rice, Blount

April 30th, 2014 at 12:08pm CST by Luke Adams

With just eight days left until draft night, the Ravens held their pre-draft presser today, and a number of the team’s beat reporters were on hand to pass along some of the more interesting comments from GM Ozzie Newsome and other members of Baltimore’s staff. Let’s check out a few of the highlights (all links go to Twitter)….

  • Newsome indicated that the Ravens have gotten some calls from teams interested in trading up to the No. 17 spot currently occupied by Baltimore. A number of writers, including Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), have since speculated that the 49ers, who have been trade partners with the Ravens in the past, would be a prime candidate to move up, perhaps to snag a wide receiver.
  • On the other hand, there aren’t many scenarios where the Ravens trade up from No. 17, in Newsome’s view. The only way it would happen is if the team sees one or two players dropping that it couldn’t pass up.
  • The team will deal with Ray Rice‘s legal situation “when the time comes,” according to Newsome. However, Baltimore was already planning to add another running back or two even before Rice was arrested. The GM added that the Ravens talked to LeGarrette Blount last month, though no formal offer was made.
  • Newsome reiterated that “you can’t have enough corners,” indicating that the Ravens will probably draft at least one.
  • The Ravens have graded out about 180 draftable players, which is significantly more than usual, and should mean the club does well with undrafted free agents, according to assistant GM Eric DeCosta.
  • Newsome alluded to a point Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com made in a column yesterday, suggesting that the Ravens’ ability to secure compensatory picks gives them opportunities to make moves like the acquisition of Eugene Monroe last season.
  • The Ravens like this year’s receiving class enough that they’d be comfortable picking a wideout in any of the draft’s seven rounds, says Newsome.

Outstanding Fifth-Year Option Decisions

April 30th, 2014 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

As our fifth-year option tracker shows, plenty of teams have been proactive about making their decisions on 2015 options for 2011 first-rounders well in advance of this year’s May 3 deadline. However, there are still a number of players requiring resolution on their contract situations before this weekend.

Here are the 16 players whose fifth-year options have been formally exercised so far:

While no official announcement has necessarily been made, reports from beat writers – or from general managers themselves – have strongly suggested these four players will not have their options picked up:

Meanwhile, the following two players are no longer even on their rookie contracts, meaning the fifth-year option doesn’t apply to them:

That leaves us with 10 players who we’re still waiting on for official resolution. Let’s dive in and examine them one by one….

  • Von Miller (LB, Broncos), $9.754MM: There’s no drama about Denver’s decision on Miller. His option will be exercised — it’s simply a matter of when, not if.
  • Aldon Smith (LB, 49ers), $9.754MM: Smith represents perhaps the most intriguing case of any of 2011’s first-rounders. On the field, he’s developed into one of the NFL’s best edge defenders, but the 24-year-old has had a number of off-field issues and incidents. We heard earlier in the month, that the Niners were likely to decline Smith’s fifth-year option to send a message, but it doesn’t appear the team has officially made its decision yet.
  • Blaine Gabbert (QB, 49ers), $14.666MM: The lack of reports so far on Gabbert’s option may simply be a result of the lack of a intrigue in this decision. The 49ers won’t be exercising this option.
  • Christian Ponder (QB, Vikings), $9.686MM: While Ponder appears likely to enter the 2014 season as a backup, Minnesota’s decision isn’t quite as easy as San Francisco’s on Gabbert. I don’t expect the Vikings to exercise the option, but Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune and cap expert Joel Corry did a good job last week of explaining why the decision isn’t cut-and-dried.
  • Ryan Kerrigan (LB, Redskins), $7.038MM: Kerrigan has been one of Washington’s most productive defenders over the last couple years, and recent comments by GM Bruce Allen seemed to signal this option would be exercised.
  • Prince Amukamara (CB, Giants), $6.898MM: As of last Tuesday, the Giants were reportedly still undecided on this decision, which could go either way. For what it’s worth, Amukamara indicated that he may feel somewhat slighted if the club turns down his option.
  • Phil Taylor (DT, Browns), $5.477MM: Taylor, who said last week he’d like the Browns to exercise his option, has been solid during his three NFL seasons, but is more of a situational player than an every-down difference-maker. Cleveland has some flexibility and make figure that rolling the dice on Taylor’s relatively inexpensive option is worth the risk, but this is another decision that remains up in the air.
  • James Carpenter (OL, Seahawks), $7.438MM: A report from earlier this week suggested the Seahawks are leaning toward declining Carpenter’s option.
  • Jonathan Baldwin (WR, 49ers), $6.776MM: Baldwin’s rookie contract was already reworked to reduce his salary, so it’s very unlikely that San Francisco will see this option as a worthy investment.
  • Derek Sherrod (OL, Packers), $7.438MM: Plagued by injuries so far in his NFL career, Sherrod hasn’t seen significant action for the Packers, and the team won’t be inclined to keep him under control at such a high salary.

Dustin Keller Visiting Patriots

April 30th, 2014 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

While most teams focus on next week’s draft, there are still plenty of free agents looking for jobs, and the Patriots are hosting one for a visit today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Schefter reports (via Twitter) that former Jets and Dolphins tight end Dustin Keller is visiting New England.

Keller, 29, set career highs in 2011 with 65 receptions and 815 receiving yards, but has seen his last two seasons derailed due to injuries. Before the 2013 regular season got underway, the veteran tight end suffered a significant knee injury, tearing his ACL, MCL, and PCL, and missed the entire season as a result. However, Keller’s agent recently told Jordan Raanan of NJ.com that his client is “good to go” and will be ready to play in 2014.

Assuming Keller is indeed healthy – and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that a physical on his knee “went very well” – he looks like a good fit for a Patriots offense that relies heavily on its tight ends. Rob Gronkowski is also on the comeback trail after a similar knee injury, but even if he’s back to 100% for the start of the season, New England will want to add another tight end to its roster. The club could also prioritize the position in the draft.

NFC Notes: Packers, Falcons, Bucs, Eagles

April 30th, 2014 at 9:31am CST by Luke Adams

The Packers re-signed Sam Shields earlier in the offseason, ensuring that the 26-year-old remains under contract with the team through the 2017 season and that cornerback won’t be an immediate area of need. Still, as Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes, GM Ted Thompson has demonstrated repeatedly that he places significant value on the position, so despite the presence of Shields and Tramon Williams, the Packers still may be eyeing cornerbacks in next week’s draft.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • It was a given that the Falcons would pick up Julio Jones‘ fifth-year option, as they did yesterday, but the next step for the club will be locking up the receiver to a longer-term contract, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Head coach Mike Smith recently said he expects Jones to be a Falcon for “a long, long time.”
  • Based on comments by head coach Lovie Smith, it doesn’t sound like the Buccaneers will be drafting a quarterback with the No. 7 pick, writes Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. A report last week suggested Johnny Manziel was on the short list of players Tampa Bay is “heavily considering” with that pick.
  • Appearing on SportsRadio 94-WIP in Philadelphia, Eagles GM Howie Roseman confirmed that he expects his club to land at least one wide receiver in next week’s draft (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer).
  • The Eagles recently met with Eastern Washington edge rusher Anthony Larry, BYU safety Daniel Sorensen, and UMass tight end Rob Blanchflower, says Jimmy Kempski of Philly.com.

Prospect Profile Series

April 30th, 2014 at 8:38am CST by Luke Adams

Leading up to the 2014 draft, Pro Football Rumors is taking a closer look at some of the top prospects in this year’s draft class in Prospect Profile pieces. We’re evaluating a number of players’ stocks, breaking down their pros and cons, and forecasting where they may land in next week’s draft.

We’ve got another handful of Prospect Profile posts on the way, but for now, you can catch up on the ones we’ve published so far. This list will continue to be updated up until draft night, and can be found at any time on the right-hand sidebar under “PFR Features.”

Extra Points: Pouncey, Vikings, Jags, Panthers

April 29th, 2014 at 9:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel wonders if a contract extension for Mike Pouncey would make sense for the Dolphins. Miami used its fifth-year option on the Pro Bowl center this afternoon, meaning that he’s in line to earn $7.438MM in 2015. While the Dolphins’ offensive line has undergone a significant overhaul this offseason, including the addition of tackle Branden Albert, Pouncey represents one of the few holdovers. Tonight’s look around the league..

  • What should the Vikings do with the No. 8 pick in the draft? There’s a lot of talk of the team targeting a quarterback like UCF’s Blake Bortles, but longtime NFL signal caller Rich Gannon says they should focus elsewhere, writes Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap looks at the Jaguars‘ work in free agency. Jacksonville’s biggest signing was guard Zane Beadles, a move that is somewhat questionable since his success could be a product of playing with Peyton Manning. Overall, Fitzgerald gives the Jags a B grade for a free agent class that could provide some strong upside at reasonable costs.
  • Panthers GM Dave Gettleman, like many execs around this time of year, is keeping his cards close to his vest, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
  • Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) feels the 49ers will stay at No. 30 or trade up, but doesn’t see them trading down.
  • The Jaguars are likely to seek linebacker help late in the draft, writes Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union.

West Notes: Thomas, 49ers, Moore, Raiders

April 29th, 2014 at 8:24pm CST by Zachary Links

No matter how much money you have, nobody likes getting hit with a speeding ticket. On his way to a press conference to announce his lucrative new four-year extension with the Seahawks that will make him the highest paid safety in football, Thomas nearly got nabbed for doing 30 mph in a 25 mph zone. While he could have used his celebrity status to skirt the situation, he opted not to, writes the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta. “I didn’t try to bulldog him and say ‘My name is Earl Thomas,’ because then he’d be like, ‘Man, this dude is cocky,’ and give me a ticket,’’ Thomas said. “But he let me off. That’s the moral of the story.” Here’s more out of the AFC and NFC West..

  • Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee looks at pass rushers that might fit the 49ers in the upcoming draft. San Francisco hopes that Aldon Smith will be with the club for the long haul, but in the short-term, there’s no way of knowing where he’ll stand. General manager Trent Baalke on Friday said that the team was ready to count on Corey Lemonier, who is expected to improve upon a promising rookie campaign, as well as veteran Dan Skuta, but that doesn’t mean the Niners won’t look into reinforcements in the draft.
  • Defensive end Zach Moore of Division II Concordia University is picking up late interest, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (on Twitter). Moore has had nine visits and 14 workouts in total and checked in with the Cardinals, Chargers, and Raiders last week. Moore has the opportunity to be the first player drafted out of the small school in Minnesota.
  • Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com looks at middle linebackers that the Raiders may consider in the upcoming draft.

NFC North Notes: Lions, Finley, Bortles

April 29th, 2014 at 7:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Eastern Michigan’s Donald Coleman is hoping to hook on with the Lions or another NFL club, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “When you don’t win very much, sometimes they don’t look at you as hard because they see the losing record and then they say, ‘Well, maybe they don’t have the type of players.’ But that’s nothing I can do,” said the strong safety. “I can just try and get in front of people and when I get in front of them like (Saturday), I have to show that I can play and that I have the ability to play the next level, and that’s all I’m trying to do.” Here’s more out of the NFC North..

  • Packers free agent tight end Jermichael Finley will soon undergo tests on his neck in the hopes of being medically cleared, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Finley is one of the more noteworthy offensive players still available, but he’s coming off spinal surgery, meaning teams may be reluctant to sign him until he’s further along in his recovery.
  • While things are subject to change and there tend to be a lot of smoke screens this time of year, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter) hears from some that the sense is Blake Bortles is the top quarterback target for the Vikings. That’s not a surprising piece of news as many regard the Central Florida star as this year’s best signal caller. Recently, I profiled the 6’4″ QB who could go as high as No. 1.
  • A reader asks Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) if he could see the Lions and Raiders swapping draft picks in a deal to send Ndamukong Suh to Oakland. Tafur sees such a deal as less than likely for multiple reasons.

NFC East Notes: RGIII, Orton, Eagles

April 29th, 2014 at 5:39pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest out of the NFC East..

  • During an interview with SportsTalk 570’s Andy Pollin, new head coach Jay Gruden said the Redskins can expect to see the read option, but that he didn’t intend to have Robert Griffin III using it all that frequently. “We’ll have sprinkles here and there,” Gruden said (link via Mike Jones of the Washington Post). “It’s not going to be a major part. I want to make sure that we have other things that we can do besides the read option, because it takes a toll. You have to practice it a lot to be very good at it. It kind of takes away from the defense’s ability a little bit, it takes away from other plays that you need to work on, your protection schemes, your running game, all that stuff. It just takes away from that. So we want to make sure that we work on the core running game that we have, the core drop-back passes we have. And then once we get going, we get those implemented, maybe sprinkle in some read option.”
  • Although Kyle Orton didn’t attend the Cowboys’ voluntary workouts, costing himself $75K in the process, executive vice president Stephen Jones fully expects the veteran quarterback to rejoin the team eventually. “We expect Kyle, when mandatory practice starts and mandatory things begin, we fully expect Kyle to be there,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas (link via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer).
  • Former Howard cornerback Ademola Olatunji had a good workout for the Eagles yesterday and picked up interest from another unnamed team, according to agent Howard Shatsky (via Twitter).

Minor Moves: Redskins, Ravens

April 29th, 2014 at 4:54pm CST by Luke Adams

We’ll round up today’s minor transactions right here, including signings and cuts of players who haven’t seen much or any NFL action, and players accepting and signing contract tenders from their respective teams. Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

  • The Redskins have cut defensive end Brandon Moore, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Moore, a former Texas Longhorn, spent most of the 2013 season on the Chargers’ practice squad before signing a futures/reserve deal with the Chiefs for 2014. The 21-year-old was cut by Kansas City and snapped up on waivers by Washington last month, but was recently hit with a four-game suspension for 2014 for violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
  • Safety Omar Brown has signed his exclusive rights free agent tender from the Ravens, the team announced today (via Twitter). Brown, who appeared briefly in just one game for Baltimore in 2013, will be in line for a $570K salary.
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