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Isaiah Battle To Enter Supplemental Draft

June 25th, 2015 at 10:05am CST by Luke Adams

The 2015 supplemental draft class has added another entrant, as the Clemson Tigers announced today in a press release that offensive tackle Isaiah Battle will be eligible to be selected. Battle is the fourth player to officially declare for this year’s supplemental draft.

“I have some family matters to address, with a child due this summer, and I feel it is in my best interest to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft,” Battle said in statement. “I want to thank everyone at Clemson, especially Coach [Dabo] Swinney and the assistant coaches, for what they have done for me the last three years. I also want to thank my teammates. They have all had a big impact on my career.”

Battle, who had been penciled in as Clemson’s starting left tackle for the coming season, is perhaps the most intriguing player to declare for the 2015 supplemental draft, and has a realistic chance of being picked late, tweets Matt Miller of Bleacher Report. Earlier this year, Mike Huguenin of NFL.com identified Battle as a candidate to play in next year’s Senior Bowl, writing that the Clemson lineman “remains somewhat raw, [but] is a good athlete who plays with some nastiness.”

As a refresher, the supplemental draft allows clubs to select players who for some reason were unable to enter the standard draft; academic trouble or disciplinary issues are often – but not always – key factors. If a team selects a player in the supplementary draft, it will lose its corresponding pick in the following year’s standard draft. For example, if a club were to select Battle in the sixth round of the supplemental, it will lose its 2016 sixth-rounder as a result.

Most players who enter the supplemental draft ultimately go undrafted, allowing them to become free agents and sign with any team. The last two players to be picked were Terrelle Pryor (third round, 2011) by the Raiders and Josh Gordon (second round, 2012) by the Browns.

West Georgia defensive tackle Dalvon Stuckey, West Georgia defensive end Darrius Caldwell, and North Carolina Central receiver Adrian Wilkins have also declared for the 2015 supplemental draft.

Following Specific Players On PFR

June 25th, 2015 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

As we’ve outlined before, there are a number of different ways to follow Pro Football Rumors via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and RSS. If you don’t want to follow all the site’s updates, you can subscribe to team-specific or transaction-only Facebook, Twitter, and RSS feeds. Although we don’t have Facebook pages or Twitter feeds for specific players, it’s easy to follow all our updates on your favorite player.

If, for instance, you want to keep track of all the latest news and rumors on Russell Wilson as he enters the final year of his contract and considers an extension with the Seahawks, you can visit this page. If you’re interested in keeping tabs on the latest rumors involving Tom Brady‘s suspension appeal, you can find Brady’s page right here. In addition to players, we also maintain archives for certain specific topics. For example, all our posts relating to the city of Los Angeles can be found here.

Every player we’ve written about has his own rumors page, and each of those players also has his own RSS feed, making it even easier to follow the latest updates. Links to RSS feeds for specific players are all located on this page. You can also find links to RSS feeds for various miscellaneous categories there. For instance, if you only want to receive one update every Sunday recapping the week’s notable headlines, you can subscribe to our Week in Review RSS feed, right here.

AFC Notes: Browns, Mariota, Gordon

June 24th, 2015 at 9:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post looked at five big issues facing the Broncos in 2015. Chief among them, he says, is Peyton Manning‘s age. No quarterback has won the Super Bowl at age 39 and only five have played a full season at his age. This season he has a better ground game than before, but it remains to be seen if he can succeed with the schemes of Denver’s new regime. Here’s more from the AFC..

  • Prior to the draft, there was buzz that the Browns could make a play for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. Recently, the No. 2 overall pick, now property of the Titans, confirmed that there was no conversation between him and Cleveland. “There was a lot of scenarios,” Mariota said, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. “I never had any contact with the Browns. Um, so, yeah.” Cabot wonders if the Browns will come to regret that.
  • A Browns official has corresponded with suspended wide receiver Josh Gordon this offseason, according to a source who spoke with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Gordon is serving a one-year suspension for multiple violation of the league’s substance abuse policy, but it would seem that Cleveland hasn’t totally washed its hands of him. Despite all his problems, Gordon stands as one of the most naturally talented wide receivers in the NFL. In 2013, Gordon hauled in 87 catches for 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns.
  • Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union took his best stab at predicting the Jaguars‘ initial 53-man roster. At running back, he believes that Corey Grant will edge Storm Johnson, who saw significant playing time in 2014, and NFL notable Bernard Pierce. Ultimately, he feels that Jacksonville won’t keep a fullback, but it also won’t hold on to five tailbacks.

East Notes: Bryant, Jackson, Bills

June 24th, 2015 at 7:24pm CST by Zachary Links

There’s a lot of talk about Cowboys rookies Randy Gregory and La’el Collins, but Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News feels that fourth round linebacker Damien Wilson could be a real sleeper in this year’s class. With the health history of Sean Lee and Rolando McClain, he could get a chance to make an impact too. Here’s more from the East divisions..

  • Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News feels that Dez Bryant showed how much his Cowboys teammates and football mean to him when he showed up at Valley Ranch in the midst of his holdout. Of course, not everyone felt the same way and the wide receiver was criticized for many for what they perceived as a misstep in negotiating tactics. Bryant has averaged approximately 91 receptions, 1,312 receiving yards, and 14 touchdowns over the last three seasons and is looking for a contract that reflects that.
  • Speculation that the Bills could cut Fred Jackson has died down a bit, but the running back isn’t ready to take that for granted, as Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com writes. “We’ll see what happens with me getting cut or not,” the 34-year-old told WGR. “I’ll go out and do whatever I can to make sure that doesn’t happen. We’ve got to compete every year. This year is no different than any other year. I’ve got to go out and compete for my job.” The acquisition of LeSean McCoy has led some to believe that the veteran’s time is up in Buffalo, but Jackson doesn’t seem to think that his presence hurts his odds.
  • Recently, fans have asked John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter) if he believes Washington will add another tight end. He believes that the team will do so, though he’s not sure which player it’ll be or when that addition will happen.

West Notes: Chargers, Raiders, 49ers

June 24th, 2015 at 5:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Rams running back Tre Mason admits that he wasn’t thrilled to learn about the Rams’ selection of Todd Gurley in this year’s draft.

“I was in shock, really, because I thought I did a good job last year,’’ said Mason, according to Joe Lyons of the Post-Dispatch. “At that time, with a pick like that, it’s a replacement.’’

Mason, who tied for the team lead in touchdowns last season as a rookie, eventually shook that off and focused on doing the best that he can, regardless of who else is there at his position. Of course, it’s not a given that Gurley will be healthy, so the opportunities could still be there for Mason in 2015. Here’s more out of the West divisions..

  • The city of Carson, California held a town hall meeting on Monday night to discuss the proposed stadium that would house both the Chargers and the Raiders. However, Carmen Policy, the man by the two teams to spearhead the effort, was not present for it, and neither were the Raiders, as Carson mayor Albert Robles told XTRA 1360 in San Diego. “My understanding is that Carmen was supposed to be there, but he missed his flight and was not able to make it,” Robles said (transcription via Mike Florio of PFT). “And it was supposed to be his presentation, and I tried to wing it as best as I could. But Mr. Policy did apologize, he did convey his regrets, he said that he would make up for it.” The Raiders’ absence is particularly interesting as the team is considering a financial plan that could make a new stadium in Oakland viable for them.
  • If the Chargers are leaving town, then owner Dean Spanos owes it to the city of San Diego to come clean, Nick Canepa of U-T San Diego writes. While it would be tough for local Bolts fans to hear that their team is skipping town, that bit of honesty would at least end the figurative torture for SD residents. Canepa wonders if Spanos’ silence goes beyond a PR ploy. He suspects that the owner could simply be using stall tactics to find out of the league will be ready to put a team (or teams) in Los Angeles in 2016.
  • Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com assessed the 49ers‘ offseason and gave them a less-than-stellar grade of a C-minus. Things obviously haven’t gone San Francisco’s way this offseason with Anthony Davis, Justin Smith, Chris Borland, and Patrick Willis all retiring. On top of that, NaVorro Bowman is attempting to come back from knee surgery and Ahmad Brooks could be on his way out if charges are pressed against him. And, while it hasn’t gotten as much attention as the mass retirements, SF also took a risk by trading away punter Andy Lee, who is an all-time great at his position. On a positive note, Gutierrez gives the Niners credit for adding deep threat receiver Torrey Smith on a five-year, $40MM pact ($22MM guaranteed).

Community Tailgate: 6/24/15

June 24th, 2015 at 4:48pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re still a few months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This month, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning has been a subject of debate among NFL fans for over a decade, and while that argument typically relates to their on-field résumés and legacies, the two quarterbacks are battling it out again this week, as a Manning trade rumor threatens to overtake Brady’s suspension appeal as the NFL’s hot topic du jour.

After a report surfaced that the Broncos and Texans discussed a potential Manning deal this offseason, sources from both sides came out and shot down the report, with the Broncos’ denials sounding particularly emphatic. We may never hear the full story on just how extensive the conversations between the two teams were, assuming they happened at all, but for the purposes of today’s discussion, we’re not interested in the specifics — we’re curious about the general idea of the Broncos trading Manning.

As Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes, the Broncos may find themselves at a crossroads soon, with their window for a championship potentially closing. Head coach John Fox, offensive coordinator Adam Gase, and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio all left Denver this offseason; Eric Decker, Julius Thomas, and Wes Welker are no longer Broncos; Ryan Clady is out for the 2015 season with a torn ACL; and – perhaps most importantly – while Manning had another excellent season in 2014, he didn’t look like quite the same quarterback that shattered records in 2013.

The initial report on Manning yesterday, from 94.1 FM Denver/96.9 FM Boulder radio host Benjamin Allbright, suggested that certain members of the Broncos organization wanted to get the Brock Osweiler era underway in Denver. That may or may not be true, but what do you think? Would it have been in the Broncos’ best interests to move on from Manning this offseason? Assuming the team could’ve gotten at least a modest trade haul for the future Hall of Famer, would it have made sense for Denver to see what Osweiler can do, rather than clinging to the hopes of making one last run with Manning?

Jump into the comment section below to voice your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Broncos Deny Manning/Texans Trade Talk

June 24th, 2015 at 4:26pm CST by Zachary Links

4:26pm: Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that they rumors regarding Manning are similar to the ones that were surrounding 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick not long ago. The Texans were doing their due diligence on quarterbacks and called around the league. One of those QBs, it seems, was Manning.

12:52pm: A top-level Broncos source continues to insist that the club never made a call regarding a Manning trade, and never considered moving the quarterback, says Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter links). Could the Texans have made the call then? Maybe, tweets Klis.

As a point of comparison, Klis notes (via Twitter) that the Seahawks called the Broncos last year asking if they’d take Percy Harvin for Julius Thomas, and Denver immediately dismissed the idea. The 9News scribe hints that this could have been a similar scenario.

WEDNESDAY, 10:47am: Despite the slew of denials from the Broncos and Texans, a source tells SportsRadio 610 in Houston that the two teams had “very preliminary” talks about Manning before the five-time MVP signed his reworked deal with Denver (link via CBS Houston).

Generally, when separate outlets from separate cities are reporting a story like this one, it didn’t just materialize out of thin air (no pun intended). So I wouldn’t be surprised if the Broncos and Texans briefly discussed the possibility early in the offseason. However, it sounds like those talks might have happened almost in passing – if they happened at all – and never got close to becoming serious.

TUESDAY, 8:57pm: Multiple Broncos officials who spoke with Troy Renck of The Denver Post (on Twitter) denied the rumor “in [the] strongest terms.”

8:26pm: Elway told Mike Klis of 9NEWS (on Twitter) that the rumored trade proposal is “not true.”

8:00pm: John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter) spoke with three Texans sources who all said the story is not true.

7:32pm: If those talks ever took place, then it’s news to agent Tom Condon. “Neither the Texans, the Broncos, or Peyton Manning ever talked to me about a trade anywhere,” Condon told PFT (on Twitter).

The Texans, meanwhile, declined to comment (link).

7:18pm: Broncos PR man Patrick Smyth took to Twitter to deny a report that the Broncos attempted to trade quarterback Peyton Manning to the Texans.

Earlier this evening, 94.1 FM Denver/96.9 FM Boulder radio host Benjamin Allbright (Twitter links) reported that Denver tried to trade Manning this offseason to Houston. “Certain elements” of the Broncos organization, he said, wanted to jump start the Brock Osweiler era in Denver. Allbright said that he was unable to get on-the-record confirmation anyone in either organization, but Smyth offered up a rather strong comment on the report.

“Here’s one for the record – The speculation is false, and your report is inaccurate,” Smyth tweeted.

Manning, 39, had another excellent season for the Broncos in 2014, putting up 4,727 passing yards to go along with 39 touchdown passes. However, he was hampered by injuries late in the season and struggled down the stretch, particularly in the team’s divisional playoff loss to the Colts, in which he totaled just 211 passing yards on 46 attempts.

Given the way the season ended, plus the fact that head coach John Fox and offensive coordinator Adam Gase both found new jobs, there was some doubt that Manning would return for another year. However, John Elway, Gary Kubiak, and the Broncos maintained all along that they’d welcome back the former MVP. In March, Manning announced that he’d return for the 2015 campaign and Denver was outwardly happy to have him back in the fold.

In early March, Manning agreed to a deal that reduces his base salary for the coming year from $19MM to $15MM. That extra $4MM will still be available to the future Hall-of-Famer via incentives, but he’d have to reach the Super Bowl to earn any of it — he’ll reportedly receive $2MM if the Broncos win the AFC, and another $2MM if they win the Super Bowl.

Tom Brady Updates: Wednesday

June 24th, 2015 at 3:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The appeal hearing for Tom Brady‘s four-game suspension lasted over 10 hours yesterday, but things eventually wrapped up, and another session won’t be necessary. While the hearing came to an end on Tuesday, we probably shouldn’t expect a ruling until July, as arbitrators typically take at least a couple weeks to announce their decisions on appeals.

Still, we have plenty of reactions and updates on Brady’s appeal to pass along, so let’s dive in and round up the latest….

  • The post-hearing briefs in the Brady appeal are due late next week, sources tell Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link). That will give Goodell even more information to consider, so his ruling won’t come until some time after that.
  • As expected, the reviews on Brady’s Tuesday performance from NFL sources weren’t quite as glowing as the one’s from Brady’s side, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio cites a league source who says that the Super Bowl MVP simply reiterated that he wasn’t involved and didn’t have knowledge of any tampering with the footballs. When pressed on certain issues, Brady’s answers were “regarded by some in the room as not entirely credible,” says Florio.
  • Within the same PFT piece, Florio suggests that it’s unlikely Brady will be completely exonerated, and notes that the NFLPA’s defense for Brady hinged in large part on attacking the science in the Wells report.

Earlier updates:

  • Sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that Brady came off as “very genuine, earnest, and persuasive” during his testimony on Tuesday. According to Schefter, the Patriots quarterback every issue raised in the Ted Wells report, with one source calling it “an A+ performance.” I have to imagine Schefter’s sources are on the NFLPA’s camp rather than from the NFL side.
  • Within Schefter’s piece, NFLPA rep Jeffrey Kessler indicated that Brady and the union put forth a “very compelling case,” adding that no timetable for a decision was provided.
  • The transcript of Tuesday’s hearing won’t be released, though that could change if Brady and the NFLPA file a lawsuit against the NFL challenging the outcome of the appeal, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
  • Florio has two more pieces up on the DeflateGate saga, pointing out that the NFL only seems to come out to contradict erroneous reports when it benefits the league to do so, and suggesting that the NFL ought to study the inflation level of its footballs during the coming season to accumulate more scientific data on the subject.
  • Given all the gray area and lack of hard evidence in the case, Jarrett Bell of USA Today believes DeflateGate will end up being no more than a footnote to Brady’s legacy.

NFC Notes: Morris, Benson, Haslett

June 24th, 2015 at 3:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The addition of third-round rookie Matt Jones clouds the future of running back Alfred Morris in Washington, writes John Keim of ESPN.com, noting that a source said in the spring that the odds of Morris signing an extension before the season were about 50/50. According to Keim, however, the team still has room to make a deal happen for Morris, who is worth keeping even if he’s not elite.

Here are a few more Wednesday notes from around the NFC:

  • The attorney for Tom Benson‘s heirs announced today that his clients are filing an appeal after the Saints owner was declared mentally competent last week, tweets Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. The battle among the Benson family over ownership for the NFL franchise – along with the NBA’s Pelicans – has been ongoing for several months.
  • Former Saints head coach Jim Haslett, who spent the last several year in D.C. as Washington‘s defensive coordinator, has joined the Penn State staff as a consultant, tweets Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports. Haslett was replaced by Joe Barry in Washington following the 2014 season.
  • Former NFL running back Herschel Walker recently declared that he could still play in the league at age 53. While Walker’s comments weren’t taken all that seriously, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn was asked if his team would have room for the former Georgia back and replied in the affirmative, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution details. “He’s one of my all-time favorite players. Yeah, we have room for him,” Quinn said. “For him, the legacy he left at Georgia. … He’d definitely fit in great from a competitive standpoint.” In spite of Quinn’s response, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for the Falcons to offer Walker a spot on their 90-man roster.

Minor Moves: Wednesday

June 24th, 2015 at 1:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are the latest minor transactions from around the NFL:

  • Several days after parting ways with Terrelle Pryor, the Bengals have filled his spot on their 90-man roster by signing former Ball State signal-caller Keith Wenning, the team announced today (via Twitter). Wenning, selected by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, looked poised to compete for the No. 2 job in Baltimore behind Joe Flacco this year before the team signed Matt Schaub. Wenning was cut by the Ravens last month.
  • The Bills announced on Tuesday that they have released defensive end Bryan Johnson. Johnson, a product of West Texas A&M, originally joined Buffalo as an undrafted free agent following the 2014 draft. After spending most of last season on the Bills’ taxi squad, Johnson may have been cut to make room for offensive lineman Wayne Hunter, tweets Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

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