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Breshad Perriman, Four Others On Ravens’ Radar

April 11th, 2015 at 1:51pm CST by Rob DiRe

With less than three weeks left before the NFL Draft, the Ravens are doing their due diligence on some potential mid-to-late round prospects and one possible first-round option, and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun has been keeping tabs on who they have met with and who is left on their visit list.

Picking 26th overall in the first round, and with a need at receiver following the loss of Torrey Smith, the Ravens will bring in burner Breshad Perriman of the University of Central Florida. Perriman has a chance to be off the board somewhere in the top 15 picks, and in the PFR Mock Draft 1.0 the Chiefs scooped him up before the Ravens get to the podium. In that mock, the team settles for another receiver at No. 26.

Here are a few other prospects set to meet with or work out for the Ravens:

  • Mississippi State linebacker Benardrick McKinney is on the team’s visit list. McKinney has drawn interest from a number of teams and has been projected to come off the board towards the end of the first round or the beginning of the second.
  • The team expects Towson cornerback Tye Smith to attend the local prospect day. Smith has good size and speed that translates to the NFL despite coming from a small-conference school, and projects as a late-round pick.
  • Oklahoma State linebacker Josh Furman will also attend the local prospect day, working out for the Ravens as a safety. Furman graduated from local Old Mill High School, as a standout two-way player on a state championship team. He played in 32 games at Michigan before transferring to Oklahoma State.
  • The Ravens have already met with Boise State running back Jay Ajayi, who is considered to be one of the better runners in the draft. Ajayi has been projected as a potential second-round pick, and could be in play for the Ravens after meeting with the team last week.

Extra Points: Manziel, Mack, Vick, Kaepernick

April 11th, 2015 at 12:16pm CST by Ben Levine

Quarterback Johnny Manziel has been released from his rehab program, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter on Twitter). The 22-year-old is expected to rejoin the Browns on April 20th.

The 22-year-old entered a drug and alcohol treatment facility in late February following a tumultuous rookie season. After being selected 22nd overall in last year’s draft, Manziel disappointed during his first campaign, compiling only 175 passing yards and a pair of interceptions before succumbing to injury.

Newly-signed quarterback Josh McCown figures to be the sophomore’s main competition for the Browns’ starting gig.

Let’s take a look at some more assorted notes from around the NFL…

  • Following Mike Pouncey‘s extension with the Dolphins, Joel Corry of the National Football Post says (on Twitter) there is an increased likelihood that Browns center Alex Mack will void the final three years of his contract in 2016 (worth $24MM). Pouncey’s new deal was for five years and $52.15MM.
  • Meanwhile, Corry implies that the Dolphins will potentially lead the league in 2016 salary commitments, especially after they exercise Ryan Tannehill‘s $16.155M option.
  • Quarterback Michael Vick still intends to play next season, and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reports that the veteran is hoping interest will pick up following the draft. The 34-year-old will specifically be eying teams that miss out on their quarterback targets.
  • Colin Kaepernick has been working this offseason to transform his game and his body. It’s clearly worked, as teammate Vernon Davis almost didn’t recognize his quarterback. “When I saw him yesterday, I didn’t even know that was Colin. No, seriously,” the 49ers tight end told Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. “He was working on his dropback and I was like, ‘Who is that?’… You guys are in for a treat. He looks like a totally different guy.”

NFC Mailbags: Rams, Saints, Packers, Bucs

April 11th, 2015 at 11:28am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening the mailbags to answer questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some notes out of the NFC…

  • If the Rams were to select a quarterback in the upcoming draft, Nick Wagoner would expect either Austin Davis or Case Keenum to not make the roster.
  • When focusing on Washington‘s positions of need in the draft, John Keim points to an edge rusher, defensive lineman, receiver or quarterback. Meanwhile, he eliminates a running back, tight end and inside linebacker from consideration for the team’s first-round pick.
  • Despite the Saints signing veterans Brandon Browner and Kyle Wilson, Mike Triplett says the team shouldn’t hesitate to select top cornerback prospect Trae Waynes if the Michigan State product is available.
  • Rob Demovsky believes it’s a 50-50 chance the Packers will match the Raiders‘ offer sheet to safety Sean Richardson. The $2.55MM could ultimately prove to be too pricey to retain the backup safety.
  • The Panthers should begin exploring an extension for cornerback Josh Norman, according to David Newton. “Big corners with that type of ability — and attitude — are rare and don’t come cheaply,” the writer explained.
  • Pat Yasinskas writes that the best value the Buccaneers could get for quarterback Mike Glennon is a third-round pick, but he clarifies that a fourth or fifth-rounder is much more realistic.

Draft Notes: Rams, Jets, 49ers

April 11th, 2015 at 10:25am CST by Ben Levine

When the Rams swapped quarterback Sam Bradford for Nick Foles, it was expected that the former Eagles signal-caller wouldn’t be the organization’s longterm answer at the position. So, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the Rams will work out both Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota next week, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (on Twitter).

Of course, the workouts aren’t a guarantee that the organization will select a quarterback. As Breer points out, the Rams brought in Johnny Manziel twice last year, but they ultimately decided against drafting the rookie.

Let’s take a look at where more of the draft’s top prospects will be visiting…

  • Besides the top two prospects, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says (via Twitter) the Rams have “shown varying degrees of interest” in quarterbacks Garrett Grayson, Brett Hundley, and Sean Mannion.
  • Despite canceling their private workout with the quarterback, the Jets will bring in Jameis Winston for a visit, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Following the prospects impressive Pro Day, the organization decided they didn’t need to see much more.
  • The Jets will bring in Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty for a pre-draft visit, reports Mehta (via Twitter). The former Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year won a pair of Big 12 Championships during his tenure with the Bears.
  • Virginia outside linebacker Eli Harold will visit the Jets, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. Harold, who finished last season with seven sacks and 14.5 tackles for a loss, is project to be a late-first/early-second round pick.
  • LSU cornerback Jalen Collins will pay a visit to the 49ers next week, according to Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). The reporter notes that Collins has about ten pre-draft visits scheduled, including workouts with the Vikings and Panthers.

Jason Campbell Considering Retirement

April 11th, 2015 at 8:41am CST by Ben Levine

Veteran quarterback Jason Campbell is reportedly leaning towards retirement, reports Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. According to the writer, the 33-year-old has rejected “multiple opportunities to sign a contract” for next season, including apparent offers from the Ravens and Bengals.

The former first-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career with Washington, tossing 55 touchdowns to only 38 interceptions. The team’s acquisition of Donovan McNabb made Campbell expendable, and he was shipped to the Raiders prior to the 2010 season. Since then, the veteran has bounced around to the Bears, Browns and Bengals.

Serving as Andy Dalton‘s backup last season, Campbell completed 11 of 19 pass attempts for 74 yards. His last starting gig came in Cleveland in 2013, when he threw for 2,015 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions in nine games. Throughout his ten-year career, Campbell had thrown for 16,771 yards, 87 touchdowns and 60 interceptions.

Extra Points: Hardy, Winston, Eagles, Saints

April 10th, 2015 at 10:38pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Some tidbits from around the NFL as Friday evening comes to a close…

  • The Cowboys and newly signed defensive end Greg Hardy continue to await the NFL’s decision regarding the star pass rusher’s forthcoming suspension for domestic violence issues. Hardy will likely sit four to six games with the possibility of the amount being cut in half after appeal, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Tim Cowlishaw.
  • Despite his overwhelming success on the field, Florida State quarterback and potential No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston had some concerning moments away from the gridiron during his time with the Seminoles. Because of that, David Cornwell – one of Winston’s advisors – cautions that Winston doesn’t yet have everything it takes to be an NFL player. “Jameis is ready to be an NFL player on the field. He’s not ready to be an NFL player off the field,” Cornwell said Friday, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “The idea that, standing alone, he’s ready to get into this shark-invested pool, it’s crazy.”
  • Although the Eagles acquired quarterback Sam Bradford earlier this offseason, they continue to be linked to one of the draft’s top two QBs, Marcus Mariota, largely because of his time at Oregon with Chip Kelly. The Eagles won’t be able to land Mariota with the 20th overall pick, and ESPN’s Ron Jaworski believes Mariota is a prospect for whom moving up in the draft is justifiable. “You have to mortage your future,” Jaworski said on Philly Sports Talk, according to CSNPhilly.com. “I know [Kelly] says he’s not going to, but what mortgage means is you get something now and you pay later.”  If Kelly ultimately does trade up for Mariota, it would likely mean moving into the top five – which would carry a steep cost for the Eagles.
  • Larry Holder of NOLA.com took a look at some under-the-radar Saints issues heading into the 2015 season, with the status of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan being one area of interest. After overseeing the second-worst defense in the league in 2014, Ryan’s job is far from secure going forward, according to Holder – who believes newly hired assistant Dennis Allen could take over if head coach Sean Payton elects to make an in-season change.

AFC Notes: Pats, Gregory, Bolts, Steelers, Jets

April 10th, 2015 at 9:28pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler went from a little-known name to a Super Bowl hero when his late-game interception of the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson helped New England earn its fourth championship in February. Now, with the departure of star corner Darrelle Revis, Butler will have a chance to make a full-season impact in 2015. One of Butler’s teammates, linebacker Chandler Jones, believes he’s up to the task.

“I know you guys only heard of Malcolm Butler during the whole Super Bowl thing and that big play, but Malcolm has been making plays for us the whole season in practice, and he’s been getting good looks for us,” Jones said, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “So I’m excited for him to step up as one of the impact players as well.”

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Nebraska pass rusher Randy Gregory will visit the Chargers on Saturday, and Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that the team has to weigh the risk and reward of drafting the 22-year-old. Gregory is already in the NFL’s substance-abuse program for a failed drug test at the combine, but he is worth the Chargers’ first-round pick (17th overall) based on talent alone. Gregory says his past issues are behind him and he is “focused” on his dream to play in the NFL. The Chargers will have an opportunity to gauge his sincerity this weekend.
  • Gregory will visit the Steelers next week, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
  • The Jets will visit with Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty early next week, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Petty could be a target for the Jets in the second round (37th overall).
  • In the unlikely event Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers hits the trading block, Bills general manager Doug Whaley will do everything in his power to land the five-time Pro Bowler, according to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW (Twitter link).

West Notes: D. Washington, 49ers, Raiders

April 10th, 2015 at 8:07pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Daryl Washington emerged as a standout linebacker with the Cardinals during the first four years of his career, racking up a pair of 100-tackle seasons, 18 sacks and a Pro Bowl invitation in 2012. However, the NFL suspended him four games in 2013 for violating its substance abuse policy. He then violated the same policy again and the league hit him with a much harsher penalty last May in the form of a year-plus suspension. That suspension caused Washington to miss all of the 2014 campaign. What’s more, the league hasn’t yet disciplined Washington for a domestic violence arrest last spring, when he pleaded guilty to assaulting the mother of his child.

Now, hoping to put his off-field issues in the past, Washington plans to apply for reinstatement to the league in the coming weeks, writes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. The 28-year-old’s status should be determined in the next two months, per Somers, who reports that the Cardinals are conducting business as if Washington won’t be with them in 2015. The Cardinals paid Washington a $10MM roster bonus last year to keep him around, with half of that prorated total being sent to the defender in February 2014. Washington, whose $8MM per season makes him the league’s sixth-highest-paid ILB, has $15MM worth of dead money remaining on a contract that runs through the 2017 campaign.

Here’s more from the league’s two West-based divisions:

  • Despite the departure of longtime 49er and eight-time 1,000-yard rusher Frank Gore, quarterback Colin Kaepernick is confident the team’s running game will be fine going forward. “We have Kendall (Hunter) coming back, who a lot of people forget about,” Kaepernick said, per Cam Inman of the Mercury News. “Carlos (Hyde) had a great rookie year for us, and we’ll probably be using him a lot more this year. We’ve brought Reggie (Bush) in, who’s another great weapon on offense.” Kaepernick is also a fan of newly signed Jarryd Hayne, a former Australian league ruby star who could make an impact in San Francisco’s backfield. “A phenomenal athlete, just a natural,” the QB said. “ It doesn’t seem like there’s much of a learning curve for him.”
  • Raiders linebacker Sio Moore is on track to return for training camp, writes ESPN’s Bill Williamson. Moore, who is recovering from hip surgery, played 11 games in 2014 and totaled 90 tackles and three sacks as a second-year man.
  • The Raiders will meet with South Florida wide receiver Breshad Perriman and Miles College cornerback Travis Lee before the draft, Williamson reports. Perriman is someone Oakland could have an eye on in the second round, with the 35th overall pick.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Draft Notes: Parker, Holliman, Roberts, Bucs

April 10th, 2015 at 6:36pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Let’s take a look at the latest regarding a handful of prospects as the 2015 NFL Draft draws nearer:

  • Louisville wide receiver DeVante Parker has pre-draft visits lined up with the Patriots, Ravens, Jets, Saints, Rams, Titans, 49ers and Panthers, according to Sports Illustrated’s Robert Klemko (Twitter link). In a mock draft posted earlier today, our own Rob Dire has the highly touted Parker going 11th overall to the Vikings.
  • Safety Gerod Holliman, Parker’s teammate at Louisville, tweeted that his workout with the Dolphins was a “success.”
  • Marshall cornerback Darryl Roberts visited the Chiefs this week, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post and Baltimore Sun. Roberts previously had private workouts with the 49ers and Packers.
  • Stony Brook receiver Adrian Coxson is scheduled to visit the Packers, reports Wilson (via Twitter).
  • The Buccaneers are expected to take a quarterback – either Florida State’s Jameis Winston or Oregon’s Marcus Mariota – with the first overall pick, but Wilson tweets that a a lesser-known QB, West Georgia’s Austin Trainor, impressed the team at its local prospect day. Trainor was the only signal caller in attendance.
  • In other Bucs news, South Florida kicker Marvin Kloss had a “strong workout” for the team Friday, per Wilson. Kloss hit 9 of 10 field goals, including a 55-yarder, and three of his four kickoffs went for touchbacks.

49ers Notes: Smith, Bowman, Davis, Draft

April 10th, 2015 at 6:00pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The 49ers’ defense has already lost a pair of standouts, linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, to retirement this offseason. Defensive linemen Justin Smith is mulling his own future and could end up taking the same path as his two ex-teammates. Head coach Jim Tomsula hasn’t gotten word on Smith’s plans for 2015 and isn’t pressing the 14-year veteran for an answer, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com.

“We all want Justin Smith to come back and play football. You know? But he’s earned the right to make that decision and take the time that he needs,” Tomsula said Friday, per Maiocco.

If Smith does retire, Tomsula says the 49ers have in-house replacements lined up. “For four years –- you see the D-linemen we’ve brought in –- we’ve been making preparations.”

Nevertheless, losing Smith would seem to be another notable blow to San Francisco’s defense. In 2014, his age-35 season, Smith totaled five sacks (giving him 87 for his career) and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him the NFL’s 11th-best 3-4 defensive end out of 47 qualifiers.

Here’s more on the 49ers:

  • Star linebacker NaVorro Bowman missed all of last season after tearing his ACL and MCL in the 2013 NFC championship game, but he’s nearing a comeback. Tomsula said the three-time First-Team All-Pro should be ready to go for the team’s upcoming on-field activities, writes Cam Inman of the Mercury News. “When we can get on the field, Bow is going out on the field,” said Tomsula. “I haven’t gotten into the specifics on how much. Obviously we’re not going to throw somebody out there and go 100 reps. My understanding is, yes, he’s moving great.”
  • Tight end Vernon Davis skipped 49ers offseason activities last year because of unhappiness with his contract and subsequently produced one of the worst seasons of his nine-year career. Now, with one year left on his deal, Davis is in attendance at the team’s voluntary workout program, according to Maiocco. “I’m here this year because I want to get better,” said Davis, who stated that Willis’ retirement “put everything in perspective for a lot of guys around here.”
  • The 49ers are one of eight teams that Louisville wide receiver DeVante Parker is scheduled to visit with prior to the upcoming draft, tweets Sports Illustrated’s Robert Klemko. In a mock draft posted earlier today, our own Rob DiRe has Parker going 11th overall to Minnesota. The 49ers have the 15th pick.
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