2015 April - Pro Football Rumors

Draft Notes: Crowder, Gurley, Thompson

April 3rd, 2015 at 5:51pm CST by Zachary Links

A look at the latest draft news..

Duke wide receiver Jamison Crowder worked out for the Texans today, a source told Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
A number of teams think former University of Georgia running back Todd Gurley will be selected before Melvin Gordon if his knee checks out, Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports tweets. While some teams believe Gordon is likely to have a more significant immediate impact, they believe Gurley may be better in the long-term (link).
A respected evaluator told Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter) that he sees Gurley as the best tailback in the draft since Adrian Peterson.
Nine clubs have scheduled workouts or visits with University of Washington outside linebacker/safety Shaq Thompson, Rob Rang of CBSSports.com tweets. The Chargers, Falcons, Browns, Cowboys, Texans, Colts, Vikings, Eagles, and Panthers will all meet with the UW standout.
Possible first-round pick P.J. Williams is set up for a pre-draft visit with the Ravens despite recent legal troubles, write Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The Florida State cornerback was arrested early this morning for driving under the influence.

East Notes: Washington, Hardy, Cowboys

April 3rd, 2015 at 4:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Washington GM Scot McCloughan followed through with his plan when he landed safety Dashon Goldson on Friday, John Keim of ESPN.com writes. Goldson is not a big risk with his $4MM salary and, more importantly, McCloughan knows the type of player Washington received. Here’s more out of the AFC and NFC East..

If the NFL suspends Greg Hardy for more than two games, you can expect an automatic appeal on his behalf from the NFLPA, a source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Hardy has offered a one-game suspension with the thinking that a two-game suspension would be a fair compromise. As for the photos that will come forward, there is one damning photo which shows a bruise on his victim’s face. The rest, according to Cole, do not show evidence of damage inflicted by the Cowboys star.
There has been talk of the Cowboys drafting a quarterback, but Bob Sturm of The Dallas Morning News thinks they already have their developmental arm in Dustin Vaughn. After grabbing Vaughn last year, Sturm isn’t expecting Dallas to address the quarterback position in this year’s draft.
Former Patriots running back Stevan Ridley has visits lined up next week but the feeling is that he’ll land with either the Jets or Dolphins, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).

Minor Moves: Friday

April 3rd, 2015 at 3:21pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here..

The Buccaneers announced (on Twitter) that they have re-signed fullback Jorvorskie Lane. Lane had a tough year in 2014. He was hit with a two-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances in October and his season ended in November after he underwent surgery on his injured right leg. The Bucs did not tender an offer to Lane earlier this year but they have brought him back, presumably at a lower salary.
The Vikings are signing long snapper Kevin McDermott, a source tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). The deal reunites him with his college punter, Jeff Locke. McDermott’s deal is a two-year, minimum salary pact, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter), who adds that he’ll have every opportunity to push Cullen Loeffler aside. McDermott’s deal has no guaranteed money while Loeffler’s has $300K guaranteed (link).

49ers To Sign Nick Bellore

April 3rd, 2015 at 3:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers signed linebacker Nick Bellore, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Bellore spent last season with the Jets. Bellore is known for his special teams acumen, but the Jets moved on from Bellore recently when they inked Jamari Lattimore to a one-year deal. Bellore’s pact will be a two-year contract, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter).

Bellore, 25, has spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Jets. Terms of this deal are not yet known. Bellore played for the $1.431MM restricted free agent tender with the Jets last season and it remains to be seen how his 2015 salary looks in comparison. In 2014, the linebacker tallied a total of 15 sacks. He has played in all 16 games of each season for the Jets, going back to 2011.

Washington Acquires Dashon Goldson

April 3rd, 2015 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

2:55pm: The Bucs announced that the deal is now official, according to Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter).

9:14am: A source tells Pro Football Talk (Twitter link) that the Bucs will pay the $4MM portion of Goldson’s 2015 salary which is fully guaranteed, which makes the deal a very minimal risk and investment for Washington.

9:06am: According to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, who notes that $4MM of Goldson’s salary for 2015 is guaranteed, the safety’s contract was adjusted as part of the trade, though the specific details aren’t immediately clear (Twitter link).

8:50am: After contemplating releasing him, the Buccaneers have found a taker for veteran safety Dashon Goldson, reports Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). According to Stroud, the Bucs have agreed to send Goldson to Washington for a 2016 draft pick. Albert Breer of the NFL Network clarifies (via Twitter) that Washington is giving up a 2016 sixth-rounder in the deal, while Tampa Bay is including a ’16 seventh-rounder along with the safety.

Goldson, 30, signed a massive five-year contract worth $47.5MM with the Bucs prior to the 2013 season, so he still has three years left on that deal. Because there was no signing bonus on that deal, Tampa Bay will avoid carrying any dead money on its cap by trading him. Washington, meanwhile, will take on the safety’s $7.5MM base salary for 2015, along with a $500K workout bonus, for a cap hit totaling $8MM. Goldson has cap numbers of $8MM for 2016 and $7.25MM in 2017.

When Goldson signed that lucrative five-year contract with the Bucs, he was coming off an All-Pro season in San Francisco. However, his production has slipped a little over the last two seasons, as he has battled injuries. In 2014, among 87 qualified safeties, only Ryan Clark performed worse than Goldson, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Goldson’s -14.5 pass coverage grade was dead last among safeties — per PFF, he allowed a 69.7% completion percentage and a 127.2 passer rating on throws into his coverage.

Of course, Clark is the player that Goldson is replacing in Washington, so even if the former Buc doesn’t bounce back in 2015, it could technically be an upgrade for the team. Assuming Goldson looks good in camp, he and free agent signee Jeron Johnson figure to be Washington’s new starting safety duo — if not, the club could release Goldson and turn to an in-house option such as Trent Robinson, or perhaps a draftee. Still, since $4MM of Goldson’s base salary is guaranteed, Washington has some financial incentive to make things work with him.

Current Washington general manager Scot McCloughan was a member of the 49ers’ front office when the team drafted Goldson back in 2007.

West Draft Notes: Rams, Raiders, Chiefs

April 3rd, 2015 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rams are focusing heavily on offensive lineman as they use their 30 allotted pre-draft visits, as Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch observes. According to Thomas (Twitter links), Pittsburgh offensive tackle T.J. Clemmings said on SiriusXM NFL Radio that he’d be visiting the Rams, and Duke guard Laken Tomlinson visited the team earlier this week. Here’s more draft news out of the AFC and NFC West..

Purdue tight end Gabe Holmes, who had a private workout last month with the Cardinals, paid a visit to the Raiders on Thursday, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Holmes projects as a potential late-round pick or undrafted free agent.
After being dismissed from Iowa State last year following charges for fifth-degree theft, disorderly conduct, and criminal mischief, defensive lineman David Irving is visiting the Chiefs, Raiders, and Seahawks, a league source tells Wilson. According to Wilson, Irving previously worked out for the Bears, Patriots, and Giants, as well as the Chiefs, Raiders, and Seahawks.
Miami of Ohio safety Harold Jones-Quartey is scheduled to visit the Chiefs next week, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.

Notable Free Agents Still Available: Offense

April 3rd, 2015 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

It has been 24 days since the 2015 free agent period officially got underway, and most of this year’s big names have come off the board within the last few weeks, if not before free agency formally opened. The remaining players available likely won’t command significant salaries or inspire massive bidding wars, but there are still players on the market capable of helping teams in 2015, including a number of noteworthy veterans.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the most notable names remaining at the offensive positions, featuring the latest updates on those players:

Quarterback: Matt Flynn, Tarvaris Jackson, Michael Vick
The Packers made it a priority to re-sign one of Aaron Rodgers‘ backups (Scott Tolzien), but don’t appear to have interest in bringing back Flynn as well. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, on the other hand, very much wants to lock up his veteran backup, indicating multiple times – including yesterday – that he hopes Seattle can re-sign Jackson. As for Vick, he hasn’t found his way onto the pages of PFR at all in the last few weeks, suggesting there’s little interest in his services.

Running back: Ahmad Bradshaw, Steven Jackson, Chris Johnson, Stevan Ridley, Pierre Thomas
Of this group, Ridley appears to be the most likely to land a new deal quickly. The former Pats back is making the AFC East tour, having visited the Dolphins and Jets this week, and will probably make a decision soon, assuming he has offers on the table. Thomas has reportedly received interest from more than one team, most recently drawing some attention from Washington. However, veterans Bradshaw, Jackson, and Johnson have barely been mentioned at all since we heard that Johnson was shot last month.

Wide receiver: Michael Crabtree, Greg Jennings, Denarius Moore, Hakeem Nicks, Reggie Wayne, Wes Welker
Crabtree is perhaps the most intriguing name still on the board. He appears to have misjudged his market, and is now waiting for the right opportunity to arise, with a visit to Oakland on his schedule. Jennings tweeted last week that he was nearing the end of the free agent process, but perhaps that was just a setup for his April Fool’s gag, in which he pretended to announce his new team — there hasn’t been any word on him since, though he has been linked to the Panthers, Jaguars, and Dolphins. Welker doesn’t seem to be generating any interest from teams, and looks like a candidate for retirement, but that’s not the case for Wayne, who says he has received inquiries from multiple teams. Nicks recently visited the 49ers, while Moore paid a visit to the Bengals.

Tight end: James Casey, Jermaine Gresham, Rob Housler
Casey hit the open market early after being cut by the Eagles, and seemed to be a hot commodity at that point, but that early buzz hasn’t resulted in a deal — we haven’t heard anything on him since February. Gresham would likely be under contract with a team by now if not for an offseason surgery on his back. He figures to find a deal at some point, perhaps from the Raiders, who expressed early interest. Meanwhile, Housler has been linked to the Bengals, Ravens, Browns, and Falcons, but remains unsigned.

Tackle: Joe Barksdale, Byron Bell, Anthony Collins, Ryan Harris, Jake Long
Since they were released, Bell, Collins, and Long haven’t been the subject of many rumors, though we know the Panthers won’t re-sign Bell and the Rams haven’t ruled out bringing back Long. Things have also been quiet on the Harris front, with the last update coming on the first day of free agency, when we learned that the Chiefs were open to a reunion. Barksdale is the top option among this group, and I’d expect him to sign relatively soon. As our Dallas Robinson noted in his look at Barksdale’s free agent stock, the tackle’s asking price has come down since free agency began. The Titans and Rams are in the mix.

Interior offensive line: Justin Blalock, Dan Connolly, Brian De La Puente, Roberto Garza, Stefen Wisniewski
Blalock has drawn interest from the Lions, Rams, and Titans since being released by Atlanta, and took a visit to Detroit, but no deal appears to be imminent. De La Puente and Garza are a pair of veteran centers who can still be productive, but it’s not clear yet what teams might be interested — to be fair, Garza was only released yesterday, so it’s no surprise that a market hasn’t developed yet. Connolly paid a visit to the Bucs yesterday, and has reportedly received interest from the Seahawks, Bears, and Dolphins in addition to his longtime team, the Patriots. Wisniewski, who was on our top 50 free agents list, has seen his market develop slowly after he underwent shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, but he did visit the Patriots and Jaguars this week after meeting with the Seahawks and Bucs earlier in free agency.

South Notes: Brees, Fowler, Jags, Bucs

April 3rd, 2015 at 11:55am CST by Luke Adams

In an interview with WWL radio in New Orleans on Thursday, quarterback Drew Brees said he intends to retire with the Saints, and dismissed any speculation about potential trade talks involving him.

“I have a close enough relationship with everybody within the Saints organization that if something was going on, I would have heard about it from them,” Brees said. “If there was any seriousness, you know, reality (to the rumors), that would be discussed. Anything that I hear or get wind of is typically false. False reports.”

Of course, the reports Brees calls “false” never really existed. Some columnists wrote speculative articles about the possibility of quarterback-needy teams checking in on Brees while the Saints were seemingly making everyone available, but at least one report suggested the quarterback was one of the only players the team was not shopping. Nonetheless, GM Mickey Loomis, head coach Sean Payton, and Brees himself have all felt the need to shoot down that speculation.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two South divisions:

Asked about upcoming pre-draft meetings, Florida pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr. says he has visits lined up with the Jaguars and Titans, writes Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com. Fowler is considered one of the top pass rushers in the draft, and projects as a potential top-five pick — Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN recently expressed confidence that Fowler will go third overall to Jacksonville.
Center Stefen Wisniewski left his visit with the Jaguars without a deal in place, but head coach Gus Bradley said the team will “have more conversations about him,” per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Bradley also said that, while the team is keeping its options open in regard to adding a fullback, it’s conceivable that Jacksonville starts the season with four tight ends and no fullbacks on its roster.
We can add linebacker Larry Dean to the list of free agents to visit the Buccaneers this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Guard Dan Connolly, wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan, and defensive end George Johnson are among the other players who recently paid a visit to Tampa Bay.

P.J. Williams Arrested For DUI

April 3rd, 2015 at 11:06am CST by Luke Adams

Florida State draft prospect P.J. Williams was arrested early this morning in Leon County for driving under the influence, according to Albert Breer and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Williams is considered a top-five cornerback in this year’s draft.

Williams, 21, earned Defensive MVP honors in the BCS Championship game a year ago as a sophomore, logging seven tackles and an interception. He built on that performance in his junior year with the Seminoles, recording 60 tackles to go along with an interception, a forced fumble, and a sack. While he projects as a possible first-round pick based on his talent, this isn’t the first time Williams has run into trouble off the field.

Last October, Williams was involved in an early-morning car accident and fled the scene of the incident, leaving his wrecked vehicle in the street. Williams, who had been driving with a suspended license, received only a pair of traffic tickets rather than being charged with a hit and run. Police did not test him for alcohol.

Williams’ arrest today for DUI automatically places him in the NFL’s substance abuse program, and figures to hurt his draft stock. With teams becoming increasingly wary of players with off-field question marks, the young cornerback is extremely unlikely to be selected in the first round, and it figures to require a leap of faith for a team to even make him a second-day selection.

Lions Sign Josh Wilson

April 3rd, 2015 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Lions have added another cornerback to their roster, announcing today that they’ve signed Josh Wilson, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. Per Twentyman, it’s a one-year deal for Wilson.

Wilson, 30, has spent time in Seattle, Baltimore, Washington, and Atlanta since entering the league in 2007 as a second-round pick by the Seahawks. Although he has 85 career starts to his name, Wilson played primarily in nickel and dime packages for the Falcons in 2014, recording 27 tackles and an interception in his 458 defensive snaps.

In Detroit, Wilson will provide depth in a secondary that will bring back starting cornerbacks Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis for the 2015 season. Cassius Vaughn, who saw the third-most snaps among Lions cornerbacks a year ago, remains unsigned, so Wilson figures to compete for that nickel job this summer.