We recently rounded up the latest reports concerning Sam Bradford‘s status with the Eagles, so let’s dive into some more notes from the league’s east divisions, starting with more out of Philadelphia:
- The Eagles were the only team to avoid drafting an offensive lineman in the 2014 and 2015 drafts, but Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer expects that to change in 2016. Head coach Doug Pederson has spoken highly of this draft’s class of offensive linemen, and although the team could address its deficiencies along the O-line in free agency, Philadelphia is likely to use at least one of its nine draft choices on a guard or a tackle who could begin his career on the interior of the line.
- Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com examines the risks involved for Washington if the team were to offer a long-term deal to Kirk Cousins. Fitzgerald does not believe Washington should go higher than $15MM per year for Cousins, and he says that if the two sides cannot come to an agreement on a multi-year deal, the team should place the transition tag on its quarterback.
- Former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum is now the Dolphins‘ executive vice president of football operations, and former Jets head coach Rex Ryan is now the Bills‘ head coach. As Brian Costello of The New York Post writes, that situation may be creating some additional leverage for impending Jets free agents like Damon Harrison who have ties to Ryan and Tannenbaum and who might have a landing spot in Buffalo or Miami if they do not get paid by New York.
- The Jets‘ plan remains to continue negotiating with Ryan Fitzpatrick, and the team is not interested in trading for Colin Kaepernick, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
- The Patriots are looking hard at running backs, both in the draft and in free agency, per Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. New England is typically loathe to spend more than $1MM on a running back, but Volin believes the team may splurge a bit on a veteran this year, considering how badly the Pats were handicapped by the lack of a running game in their loss to Denver in the AFC Championship Game.
- However, the Patriots will not dramatically alter their usual low-key approach to the offseason just because they do not have a first-round pick, according to Christopher Price of WEEI.com.