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NFC East Rumors: DGB, Harris, Eagles

April 19th, 2015 at 9:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are some rumors coming out of the NFC East on Sunday night.

  • First-round talent Dorial Green-Beckham declined a pre-draft visit with the Cowboys, according to Ross Jones of FoxSports.com (via Twitter). No reason was given for this decision.
  • While the never-ending spree of Adrian Peterson-replacing-DeMarco Murray-in-Dallas rumors will persist for at least another 10 days, Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News writes Murray won’t be the toughest Cowboy to replace this season. On the surface, it appeared the Giants handed a typo-worthy check to pry return man Dwayne Harris from the Cowboys, but the five-year, $17.5MM deal goes a long way to fix Big Blue’s special teams while depleting the Cowboys’, notes Gosselin.
  • The Eagles won’t likely trade up in the draft, and if they do it would probably be for Marcus Mariota, but Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com picks out two other potential prospects that he could imagine the team making a move to grab, in cornerback Trae Waynes and receiver DeVante Parker.
  • In light of Sunday’s news that Tim Tebow intends to sign with the Eagles, ESPN Jets reporter Rich Cimini (via Twitter) passes along the polarizing quarterback’s QBR in the final five minutes of fourth quarters. Cherry-picking, indeed, but Tebow’s 80.7 crunch-time figure crafted largely in the middle portion of the 2011 season nearly doubles Sam Bradford‘s 46.8 mark.

Rob DiRe contributed to this report

AFC Notes: Jets, Colts, Richardson, Rivers, Charles

April 19th, 2015 at 7:53pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jets have question marks surrounding their first-round selection in the upcoming NFL Draft, with a number of players making sense for the team. Geno Smith is a question mark at best, therefore Marcus Mariota could be in play if he slips to No. 6, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Cimini also examines the possibility of the team selecting offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, but points the Jets towards a pass rusher or receiver instead.

Here are a few other notes from around the AFC:

  • The Colts have a lack of depth along the defense, and could dramatically improve their team through the draft despite picking so late in the first-round. The team could stand to add along the defensive line, safety, and corner with high draft picks, according to Stephen Holder of IndyStar.com.
  • Trent Richardson‘s grievance over having the final year of his contract voided by the Colts still looms over the 2015 season, but this is not unusual as the timeline for these proceedings can often take a while, according to Mike Wells of ESPN.com. He writes that he wouldn’t be surprised if the team is forced to pay a portion of his 2015 salary, but doesn’t expect the Colts will be on the hook for the whole thing.
  • The Titans’ attempts at acquiring Philip Rivers from the Chargers may all be for show, but the deal makes a lot of sense to many NFL pundits, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean. Wyatt breaks down the possible compensation that would be included in order to make the deal happen, based on a number of different opinions.
  • Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles has been one of the consistent, driving forces of the team’s offense for most of the past six years (excluding the torn-ACL season from 2011), and has been outspoken after the offense took a step back in 2014, writes the Associated Press on USAToday.com. He specifically pointed to the offensive line as a part of the team that needs improving. “I definitely want them to address that,” he said. “I’m not a GM, so I can’t do that job. But it was challenging last year playing with guys — some got hurt, some got suspended. So it was hard playing. I never knew how crucial it was to my career that I needed linemen.”

North Notes: Peterson, Browns, Flacco

April 19th, 2015 at 4:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Voluntary workouts for the Vikings begin tomorrow, but a source tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that embattled running back Adrian Peterson is not expected to attend. Don’t read too much into the recently-reinstated Peterson’s planned no-show, adds Tomasson, as Peterson’s appearance at voluntary events has always been “sporadic.” Minnesota’s first mandatory session doesn’t come until June 16.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • Penn State offensive lineman Donovan Smith, a projected Day Two selection, will visit the Browns, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN. Smith, who played left tackle in college, would shift to the right side (or guard) in Cleveland.
  • If the Browns don’t trade up for Marcus Mariota, ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon thinks the club might not select a quarterbck at all. While he allows that his opinion is just a guess, McManamon adds that Josh McCown, Johnny Manziel, Thad Lewis, and Connor Shaw could hold the fort until a franchise QB is chosen, perhaps in next year’s draft.
  • Joe Flacco might never earn the “elite” label, but he’s given the Ravens stability at the quarterback position, something a lot of clubs are still searching for, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Justin Blalock

April 19th, 2015 at 3:12pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With Michael Crabtree and Stefen Wisniewski finding new homes last week, only one free agent on PFR‘s Top 50 list — tackle Justin BlalockJoe Barksdale — remains unsigned. Barksdale (whom I profiled last month) might be the biggest name left on the free agent market, but there are other steady options available, including those who, like Barskdale, play along the offensive line. One such player is guard Justin Blalock, who didn’t earn a spot on our Top 50 list, but did garner a honorable mention.

Blalock was released by the Falcons — his only NFL team for all eight of his pro seasons — in late February, a few weeks before the start of free agency. As PFR’s Luke Adams noted at the time, the transaction was a bit of a surprise, given that Blalock had been a productive contributor during his time in Atlanta. However, he was set to count nearly $8MM against the salary cap in 2015, which would have been the third-highest figure on the club. Additionally, there were concerns that Blalock, a successful guard in a power scheme, wouldn’t be a fit for new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan‘s zone-blocking concepts.

The 31-year-old Blalock has generated a fair amount of interest since his release, and given that he’s been linked to teams with severe offensive line issues, it’s a tad stunning that he hasn’t found a new home yet. The Rams immediately displayed interest in Blalock, and were reportedly set to meet with him at some point (though it’s unclear if that meeting ever took place). Blalock did take a visit with the Lions, while the Buccaneers also showed some level of intrigue.

The level of interest engendered by Blalock shouldn’t come as a surprise, because he’s certainly been a good player throughout his career. His rookie season notwithstanding — he had the dubious honor of being ranked as the league’s worst guard in 2007 — according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Blalock has been remarkably reliable, topping out with a No. 12 finish in 2010 before settling in as a top-30 guard since. The former second-round pick has also been incredibly durable, as he’s missed just two games during his eight-year career.

Blalock should be able to latch on with a new team soon, and it’s conceivable that one of the clubs mentioned above could still sign him. St. Louis, in particular, has a gaping hole at right guard, where Barrett Jones is currently projected to start, as does Tennessee, where career backup Byron Stingily is atop the depth chart. The Patriots, Chargers, and (if they don’t want to rely on Chris Williams) Bills are clubs that both have a vacancy at guard and run a man-blocking scheme.

Outside of the Rams, I think the Lions could present the best fit for Blalock. They’ve already shown interest in him, and they currently a hole at left guard, pending the outcome of their talks with their owner free agent guard, Rob Sims. Detroit general manager Martin Mayhew indicated last month that the team was in negotiations with Sims, but nothing has come of those discussions as of yet. Blalock was the better player in 2014 (Sims was PFF’s No. 40 guard), and while Blalock earned more last year, I’d bet the two will ultimately earn similar money in 2015.

Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com pointed to Blalock as a option for the Lions earlier this month, so it could be that Detroit is waiting for either Blalock or Sims to accept an offer that’s already on the table. Responding to a Twitter question today, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com argued that the club’s most pressing need was at left guard as opposed to right tackle — at RT, says Twetyman, the Lions at least have LaAdrian Waddle, who has some experience, while the team has no such option at left guard. An addition of Blalock would give Detroit a line of (left-to-right) Riley Reiff, Blalock, Travis Swanson, Larry Warford, and Waddle, a solid (if uninspiring) group.

Left guard isn’t a highly-paid position, and Blalock won’t be able top Geoff Schwartz‘s $4.2MM AAV from last offseason. While he plays a different position, Wisniewski recently received $2.5MM from the Jaguars, and while he’s probably a better player than Blalock, he’s also recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, lowering his value. I’d guess that Blalock will ultimately come in around $2-3MM, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Lions or the Rams were the club that signed the Texas alum.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

PFR Originals: 4/12/15 – 4/19/15

April 19th, 2015 at 2:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original content produced by the PFR during the past week:

Stevie Brown Narrowing Down Offers

April 19th, 2015 at 2:08pm CST by Rob DiRe

SUNDAY, 2:08pm: The Titans have not offered Brown a contract and aren’t “currently in the mix” for him, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.

SATURDAY, 2:40pm: Safety Stevie Brown is reportedly narrowing down his free agent choices, currently mulling over five or six offers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). Some of the teams that have expressed interest in the 27-year old former seventh-round pick include the Cowboys, Falcons, Titans, and Raiders, writes Schefter.

The Giants are also interested in keeping Brown in New York. He is expected to come to a decision soon.

Brown began his career with the Raiders and Colts, before coming to the Giants in 2012 where he picked off eight passes to go along with 76 tackles in his breakout campaign.

The Dallas Morning News originally ran with the story as reported by Schefter, before updating the story to contradict the report. According to a source, the Cowboys have not had any interest in Brown.

Week In Review: 4/12/15 – 4/19/15

April 19th, 2015 at 1:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The headlines from the past week at PFR:

Key News:

Signed/Re-Signed:

Retired:

NFC Notes: Bucs, Peterson, Washington

April 19th, 2015 at 12:44pm CST by Rory Parks

We rounded up some AFC links earlier this morning, so let’s have a look at a few notes from the NFC.

  • Although the Glazer family has never meddled in the Buccaneers‘ personnel decisions to the same degree Jerry Jones has meddled with the Cowboys, Tampa Bay’s ownership has a tradition of assuming a powerful role in the team’s football operations at key moments. According to Ira Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune, the Glazers have been very active in deciding what the Bucs should do with their No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft.
  • The Vikings would want at least a second-rounder and a late-round pick for Adrian Peterson, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, who does not expect the team to lower its asking price just to move Peterson.
  • The Lions will likely wait until after the draft to address their left guard spot, and when they do, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com expects the team to add a veteran at the position.
  • John Mullin of CSNChicago.com writes that, with each signing the Bears make, the job security of those already on the roster becomes more uncertain. That is especially true on the defensive side of the ball, where Chicago has added two linebackers and is moving a 2014 defensive end back to outside linebacker. That means the three Game 16 starters of last season, Jonathan Bostic, Christian Jones, and Shea McClellin, are competing for one vacancy.
  • Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wonders if the Rams will select a quarterback in this year’s draft, noting that if they do, they better strike early.
  • Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com examine Washington‘s depth chart at quarterback. El-Bashir believes the team will draft a signal-caller, which will leave Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins fighting for one job.
  • John Keim of ESPN.com does not believe Washington will bring back Tyler Polumbus or Brandon Meriweather, and he would not be surprised if the team drafted Marcus Mariota if the former Oregon signal-caller is still available when Washington is on the clock.
  • Dan Graziano of ESPNNewYork.com writes that, in a perfect world, there would be a clear-cut option at pass-rusher for the Giants to select with their No. 9 overall pick. The problem is that most of the premium pass rushers, outside of perhaps Bud Dupree, look more like 3-4 outside linebackers than 4-3 defensive ends. As such, the team may end up with one of this year’s top offensive lineman, like Brandon Scherff or Ereck Flowers.

Draft Notes: Sunday

April 19th, 2015 at 11:51am CST by Rory Parks

As we inch ever closer to the draft, we will continue to round up rumors on various prospects and the teams they visit. We will update this post throughout the day as more notes roll in:

Rivers Rumors Just A “Mating Dance”?

April 19th, 2015 at 10:36am CST by Rory Parks

One prominent NFL scribe has already offered his take on the Philip Rivers-to-Tennessee rumors this morning, and now Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk provides his opinion on the matter. Expanding on a piece he wrote earlier this month, Florio points out that all of the chatter surrounding the Chargers’ alleged desire to trade Rivers, whose contract expires at the end of the year, is largely just a “mating dance” between two parties who actually have mutual interest in extending their relationship beyond 2015.

For his part, Rivers knows that his value to the team–which is already quite high given his durability and the caliber of his play–could potentially increase dramatically should the team move to Los Angeles, as the Chargers will be hungry to make a good first impression in the nation’s No. 2 market. The Chargers know he is right, but that does not mean they want to pay Rivers any more than fair market value for a quarterback of his age and abilities.

Furthermore, outside of the Titans, no real suitors for Rivers have emerged over the past month or so. And there’s not much chance that one will. As Florio writes, if the Chargers were intent on trading up to the No. 2 overall selection, it would have happened by now. The fact that these rumors have been swirling for over a month without any substantial progress being made–like the parameters of a new contract between Rivers and the Titans–suggest that these rumblings are mostly predicated on contract leverage.

After all, it is hard to believe that the Chargers would want to start anew with an unproven rookie when Rivers may well have four or five good years left, and it is equally hard to believe that Rivers would want to go to a team that, even with him under center, would be unlikely to compete for a playoff spot. Any team trading for Rivers without a multi-year deal in place would be getting a one-year rental, and those teams that would want to make a deal for Rivers are generally not destinations that he would be willing to commit to long-term. So as the tango continues, it looks more and more like Rivers will be staying put; the only question is what it will cost the Chargers to keep him in San Diego (or LA).

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