2016 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Jets Notes: Fitzpatrick, Hoyer, Wilkerson

April 22nd, 2016 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

As they have insisted for the last month and a half, the Jets said again today that re-signing Ryan Fitzpatrick remains their top priority when it comes to adding a quarterback to the roster. As Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets, general manager Mike Maccagnan said that the team’s visit with Brian Hoyer was “due diligence,” and that the club’s focus is Fitzpatrick.

Although the Jets want to bring back Fitzpatrick, the team won’t alter its draft plans based on whether or not the veteran is back under contract by next Thursday, according to Maccagnan (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). The Jets GM said today that he’d consider selecting a QB “at any point in the draft” (Twitter link via Brian Costello of the New York Post).

Let’s round up a few more Jets-related items…

Maccagnan said today that the Jets aren’t actively shopping Muhammad Wilkerson. However as Cimini points out (via Twitter), this may simply be an issue of semantics. Cimini and Mehta (Twitter link) both believe Gang Green would like to trade Wilkerson.
One scenario that’s not in play for Wilkerson? His franchise tag won’t be rescinded like Josh Norman‘s was in Carolina, Maccagnan said today (Twitter link via Mehta).
Maccagnan acknowledged that he and the Jets did inquire about the No. 1 overall pick in the draft before the Titans sent it to Los Angeles (Twitter link via Costello).
The Jets have a solid starting duo at wide receiver, in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, but the team uses plenty of four-wideout packages, and may explore adding to its receiving corps at some point during the draft, writes Cimini in an ESPN.com piece.

Draft Notes: Jack, Raiders, Dolphins, Conklin

April 22nd, 2016 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Many teams believe that reported concerns about Myles Jack‘s knee issues have been overblown, but just in case he slips out of the top 10 as a result of those concerns, the Raiders are doing their homework on the linebacker. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweets that Oakland sent a contingent to UCLA on Thursday to work out Jack.

Here are several more draft updates from around the NFL:

The Dolphins have genuine interest in Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin as a possible target at No. 13, a source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald indicated that Miami hasn’t ruled out the idea of drafting a tackle early and playing him at guard to start his NFL career, but I’d be surprised if the Fins actually went in that direction.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that the Steelers and Colts are among the teams that have been doing most due diligence on West Virginia safety Karl Joseph. Joseph, who is coming off a major knee injury, is viewed as a probable day two pick.
Cal wide receiver Kenny Lawler has worked out for the Saints, Falcons, Cowboys, Eagles, and Colts in the weeks leading up to the draft, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Lawler is also believed to have met with the Titans and Jets last month.
The Patriots have displayed “steady interest” in South Florida defensive end Eric Lee, according to Aaron Wilson, who says Lee is working out for Texans linebackers coach Mike Vrabel today (Twitter links).

Dolphins Rumors: Draft, CBs, Jason Jones

April 22nd, 2016 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

Landing a cornerback – and perhaps more than one – is the Dolphins’ top priority in this year’s draft, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a lock to take one with the No. 13 pick, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

According to Jackson, if Miami opts for the best player available in the first round, and that player is a non-cornerback, there’s a belief the team could still land a quality CB at No. 42 and/or No. 73. Jackson mentions Miami’s Artie Burns, Baylor’s Xavien Howard, and Virginia Tech’s Kendall Fuller as a few potential targets.

Here’s more on the Dolphins from Jackson, including several notes on their possible draft plans:

If running back Ezekiel Elliott or linebacker Myles Jack slip to No. 13, the Dolphins would have interest in both players. The team recently sent a contingent to Los Angeles for a private workout with UCLA’s Jack.
Some Dolphins scouting and front office people are resistant to the idea of drafting Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III if he’s on the board at No. 13, since the team would prefer a big, physical cornerback.
Miami is intrigued by Houston’s William Jackson III and Ohio State’s Eli Apple, but they may not be great value at No. 13, so trading down might be a consideration. Dolphins VP Mike Tannenbaum said today that there have been preliminary conversations about the No. 13 pick, tweets James Walker of ESPN.com.
The Dolphins have discussed the possibility of taking one of the top offensive tackles in the first round and moving him to guard – at least temporarily – but that seems to be an unlikely outcome.
On special teams, the Dolphins are keeping an eye out for help in the return game and potential competition for kicker Andrew Franks. Special teams coach Darren Rizzi has privately worked out multiple kicker prospects, including Nick Rose of Texas and Daniel Sobolewski of Albright.
The Dolphins continue to have conversations with free agent defensive end Jason Jones, and there’s mutual interest between the two sides in working something out.

Draft Rumors: Goff, Wentz, Cardale, Dixon

April 21st, 2016 at 9:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Rams have completed their predraft visits with Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). After trading up the No. 1 overall pick, there’s no doubt Los Angeles will select a quarterback, but there’s still a little mystery as to which one. Goff seems to be the favorite, but with the Rams meeting with both he and Wentz this week, we aren’t likely to know definitely unless the club announces their pick ahead of next Thursday:

Here’s the latest on the draft (one week away!):

Goff and Wentz are two of several quarterbacks expected to be taken in the first round, but Ohio State’s Cardale Jones is one of the more interesting options that figures to be available on Day 2 or 3. As Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes, Jones has attracted the attention of both the Cardinals and the Chargers — each club will make the trek to Columbus to meet with the signal-caller. Arizona and its downfield passing attack, particularly, would mesh well with Jones’ skill-set.
Louisiana Tech running back Kenneth Dixon has had a pre-draft visit with the 49ers, a source tells Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. In 2012, Dixon’s 27 rushing touchdowns led the nation and set an NCAA record for freshmen. The powerful back is expected to be a mid-round pick at the end of this month.
Southern Utah safety Miles Killebrew had a private workout with Buccaneers secondary coach Brett Maxie, according to Jenna Laine (Twitter link). Killebrew has had a busy schedule, as he’s had workouts with the Patriots, Cardinals, Titans, Panthers, and Browns, per Laine (Twitter link).
Auburn wide receiver Ricardo Louis visited the Texans this week, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Louis is considered a pass-catcher, but per Wilson, he has done defensive back drills for some clubs.

North Notes: Steelers, Stafford, Nkemdiche

April 21st, 2016 at 8:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Though the Steelers were reported as an early suitor for free agent Josh Norman, the match never made sense, writes Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (and notably, new reports have indicated that Pittsburgh is not, in fact, in the running for Norman). The Steelers have less than $4MM available in cap space, and given that Norman is said to be targeting an annual salary north of $14MM, the numbers were never going to add up.

Let’s take a trip around the NFL’s two North divisions…

Lions GM Bob Quinn admitted that DT Robert Nkemdiche is a red flag player, but said that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t select a player like that (Twitter link via Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com). Quinn also made it clear at today’s presser that the team has no interest in trading Matthew Stafford, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com tweets.
Free agent tight end Chase Ford said he hasn’t heard from the Vikings, the club with whom he spent 2013-14, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). Ford has had a busy six months or so — the Ravens signed him in November, but then waived him earlier this month after offering him an RFA tender. The Browns claimed Ford, but similarly waived him just a week later.
Using the concept of surplus value, Brian Burke of ESPN.com declares the Browns the winner of last week’s draft pick trade with the Eagles.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC South Notes: Falcons, Saints, Buccaneers

April 21st, 2016 at 7:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Falcons currently the hold the No. 17 pick in the first round, but they are open to trading down, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com detail. GM Thomas Dimitroff has been aggressive in moving up the draft board in past years, but with this draft class being extremely deep, a move down is more enticing.

“We’ve looked at all the different scenarios, of course, and having few picks this year gives us an opportunity,” Dimitroff said of the Falcons’ strategy. “We think the draft has some really good strength from No. 15 on — obviously, as well as at the front of the draft. But we think there’s some good opportunities all the way through into the third round. So, it does present options to potentially move back.”

Here’s the latest out of the NFC South…

Rutgers wide receiver Leonte Carroo is visiting the Saints today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. PFR’s Rob DiRe projected Carroo to come off the board at the end of the second round in the first edition of PFR’s Mock Draft.
Former Florida safety Keanu Neal says the Falcons would be the ideal fit for him, as McClure writes in a separate piece. “For me, schematically, yes,” Neal said. “I feel like that’s a great fit for me and my style of play. The coaching staff is authentic. I can tell they really care about each other and the program. I feel like [secondary coach] Marquand Manuel can really help me out as a person and a player. And Coach [Dan] Quinn, he’s a tremendous head coach. Getting under him, getting under his wing and learning will skyrocket my career.”
Offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann worked out for the Buccaneers today, tweets Wilson. The 24-year-old Hauptmann, a Florida International product, has spent time with the Browns, Patriots, and Seahawks, but has just one career NFL game to his name.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Panthers Rumors: Norman, Draft, Tackles

April 21st, 2016 at 4:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, Panthers GM Dave Gettleman spoke to reporters about Josh Norman and other issues concerning the team. Here are the highlights:

Gettleman says no doors have been shut on a Norman return, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. However, one has to imagine that a multi-year deal between the two sides is now something of a longshot. Even if the Panthers wanted to jump back into the mix, they‘d be vying with at least ten other NFL teams.
Gettleman says the Norman decision will not impact the Panthers’ draft strategy (via Panthers on Twitter). “We’re going to take the best player available,” the GM said.
Gettleman praised the professionalism of Norman and his agent throughout the process (Twitter link via Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer).
Gettleman says he sees four or five first-round offensive tackles in the draft (Twitter link via Person).
When asked about his surprising decision on Norman, Gettleman said, “You might say Dave’s cavalier about this and yada, yada, yada. But bottom line we don’t play until Sept. 8,” (Twitter link via Person).
Gettleman says having the option of a fifth-year option on a first round pick makes it hard to consider trading out of the first round (link via Newton).

Draft Rumors: Jackson, Buckner, Chargers

April 21st, 2016 at 3:02pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL GMs have yet to get the results of combine drug tests, but there are already rumors swirling about failed tests for prospects, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets. Among the rumors is that a likely first-round pick has flunked his test.

While we wait to see if a top prospect has hurt his stock, let’s take a look at the latest NFL Draft rumors:

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) is becoming more and more convinced that William Jackson III will be the second cornerback to come off the board in the draft, following Jalen Ramsey. Reading between the lines, that could indicate a drop on draft boards for Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III.
Deforest Buckner told Justin Hopkins of 247 Sports (Twitter link) that he is hearing from the Chargers, Cowboys, Jaguars, and Titans “pretty regularly.” The Chargers, Cowboys, and Jaguars all had previously reported workouts with Buckner, but the addition of the Titans is new.
Clemson inside linebacker B.J. Goodson is visiting the Colts and Giants this week, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Goodson, who has also visited with the Jets, has had 15 total visits and private workouts. Goodson had 108 tackles last season with 14 tackles for losses and 5.5 sacks.
Louisiana Tech Kenneth Dixon spent Wednesday with the Texans, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He has also had pre-draft visits with the Ravens and Patriots, Rapoport adds. As previously reported, Dixon also met with San Francisco.
Northwestern fullback Dan Vitale is drawing the most interest from the Buccaneers, Patriots, and Bears, freelance reporter Jenna Laine tweets. Vitale has drawn interest because of his ability to play fullback, H-back, and tight end.

Giants GM On Draft, JPP, Cruz, Right Tackle

April 21st, 2016 at 11:35am CST by Zachary Links

Moments ago, Giants GM Jerry Reese told reporters that the team had a “medical meeting” Wednesday night to discuss draft prospects with medical concerns, as ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano writes.

“If our doctors say the risk is too high, we won’t take them,” the GM explained.

Here’s more from Reese’s presser:

Reese said that the Giants are “open to moving up [and] open to moving back” in the NFL Draft, as Paul Schwartz of the New York Post tweets.
Reese says he expects Jason Pierre-Paul to be able to play better this year as he gets used to condition of his hand, Graziano tweets.
When asked about the safety position, the GM said, “We’ll see,” (Twitter link via Graziano). The team is hoping a young guy steps up to fill the role.
When asked about the Giants’ running backs, Reese said, “I think we have five guys that can play in this league,” (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News). The Giants have Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams, Shane Vereen, Orleans Darkwa, and Bobby Rainey at running back.
When asked about free-agent Josh Norman, Reese gave his standard non-answer, as Vacchiano tweets. “We investigate everything,” the GM said.
When questioned about the Giants’ right tackle situation, Reese said: “Sometimes the answer is on your roster” (link via Vacchiano). The Giants currently have Marshall Newhouse and Bobby Hart at right tackle with Ereck Flowers at left tackle.
Reese says that anything Victor Cruz gives them is a “bonus,” Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger tweets. He added that the plan is to ‘take it easy with him.’
When asked about how much he pays attention to the ages of players in the draft, Reese said, “We’re conscious of players’ ages, but how many play more than four, five years?” (Twitter link via Graziano).

Browns’ Sashi Brown On RGIII, Draft

April 21st, 2016 at 9:53am CST by Zachary Links

Minutes ago, Browns executive Sashi Brown addressed reporters and covered a wide range of topics, including the team’s quarterback position. Here are the highlights:

Many have assumed that Robert Griffin III is the Browns‘ de facto starting quarterback, but exec Sashi Brown says that’s not the case, as Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer tweets. “Robert is not even our starting quarterback. He’s got to earn the spot,” Brown said. If RGIII does not have the job locked up, that means the door could be open for Connor Shaw, Austin Davis, and Josh McCown.
There has been speculation that the Browns could trade down again, but Brown said that the team “really” likes the No. 8 spot, as Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald tweets. Brown mentioned the possibility of taking a defensive end, cornerback, or linebacker but did not mention wide receiver.
Moving back up from No. 8 is “possible” but “not likely,” says Brown (Twitter link via Albert Breer of NFL.com).
Brown says that he was “tempted to stay on the clock” at No. 2 but the team could not pass up the extra picks (Twitter link via Cabot).
Some believe that the Browns only wanted Jared Goff at No. 2, but Brown says that’s not the case (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal). Brown seems to imply that the team would have been comfortable taking Carson Wentz at No. 2, but there’s no way for us to know if that’s really the case.
The Browns did not consider a move up to No. 1, per Brown (Twitter link via Cabot).
While the team sees good quarterbacks in the second tier of this year’s class, Brown believes it is hard to find a franchise QB anywhere (Twitter link via Ulrich).
Brown would like to have some young talent at wide receiver (Twitter link via Ulrich). The team talked to some free agent WRs, but they did not wind up signing them.

2016 NFL Draft News & Rumors