2016 April - Pro Football Rumors

Draft Rumors: Day 2, Ragland, Ravens, Cowboys

April 29th, 2016 at 4:07pm CST by Zachary Links

The consensus from evaluators is that there are more talented players still available today than they had anticipated, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. That means that we could see a lot of trade activity take place early on in the second round. Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that the Browns, Titans, and Cowboys, who hold the first three picks of the second round, are all getting phone calls about possible trades.

Here are a few more draft updates and rumors, with the second round less than two hours from getting underway:

Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter link) surveyed 11 teams about linebacker Reggie Ragland‘s enlarged aorta and none of those clubs expressed concern. Ragland, he adds, is still expected to come off the board early on in tonight’s proceedings.
Reports last night suggested that the Ravens and Cowboys discussed a trade involving the fourth and sixth overall picks, but Dallas balked because Baltimore would have selected running back Ezekiel Elliott. Per Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link), the Ravens actually wanted to move up for defensive back Jalen Ramsey. However, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets that the Cowboys believed the Ravens were eyeing Elliott, and didn’t want to miss out on both Elliott and Ramsey by sliding down two spots.
Agent Jimmy Sexton helped to stop Laremy Tunsil‘s slide on Thursday night by having his client call into war rooms and talk to team decision makers, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. In those conversations, Tunsil owned the past drug use shown in the video.
Here’s a fun fact from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter): Chip Kelly’s NFL teams have used 11 of their 23 picks on Pac-12 players, the most picks from a single conference by any head coach in that time. The 49ers, of course, used their two first-round picks last night on Oregon’s DeForest Buckner and Stanford guard Joshua Garnett.
The Cardinals, Panthers, Falcons, and Seahawks are keeping their eyes peeled today for a backup quarterback, Ian Rapoport tweets.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC Rumors: Broncos, Wilkerson, Ravens, Fins

April 29th, 2016 at 3:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Having traded up on Thursday night to nab Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, the Broncos may now be in a better position to negotiate a long-term deal with star pass rusher Von Miller, suggests Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).

Lynch’s rookie contract will likely call for cap hits that range from about $1.7MM in 2016 to $3MM by his fourth year in 2019, meaning Denver may not have much money tied up in the quarterback position for the next few years. While a Broncos source who spoke to Cole cautioned that the team still needs to make sure it has room to extend players like wideout Emmanuel Sanders and linebacker Brandon Marshall, there’s some optimism between the team and Miller’s camp that a long-term pact can eventually be reached.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

The Jets have in fact fielded calls on Muhammad Wilkerson in recent weeks, but no serious suitors emerged, according to sources who spoke with Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. On Thursday night, GM Mike Maccagnan confirmed that a Wilkerson deal is now unlikely.
Kevin Byrne of BaltimoreRavens.com takes a behind-the-scenes look at the Ravens‘ process last night as their No. 6 pick approached, including how the Laremy Tunsil video affected the team’s decision. Meanwhile, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald examines the thinking of the team that did take Tunsil, at No. 13: the Dolphins.
The NFL’s stance on having a franchise in Las Vegas is “evolving,” per commissioner Roger Goodell, but Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) hears that the league still wouldn’t want a team like the Raiders to have any part-owners who have a stake in a Vegas casino.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com explores the Browns‘ day-one draft decisions, noting that plenty of execs around the league are skeptical about the team’s approach and the selection of Baylor wideout Corey Coleman.
Houston defensive tackle Tomme Mark got calls from the Chargers and Raiders and has drawn interest from Texans as a late-rounder or a priority free agent, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

West Rumors: 49ers, Davis, Tunsil, Broncos

April 29th, 2016 at 2:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the West divisions:

Anthony Davis’ hammered the 49ers on Twitter this week but general manager Trent Baalke says he’s not losing sleep over what transpired. “There’s no decision to be made,” Baalke said when asked if the team has made a decision about his status (via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com). “Right now, he’s not in the National Football League. He’s retired. So there’s no reason to even speculate on what we’re going to do or what we might do. “He’s got to be reinstated into the league and that’s a process that takes some time. He doesn’t put in and a day later he’s reinstated. There’s a process that he has to go through.”
Baltimore says that the Laremy Tunsil video didn’t affect their draft decision, but 49ers GM Trent Baalke admits that it was a factor. “Well, I think every team is aware of the video,” Baalke said (via Maiocco). “We factor in everything. So whether you get that information late in the process or you get it early in the process, it’s all factored in.” After nabbing a defensive lineman at No. 7, the 49ers could target an offensive tackle with their next pick.
Broncos GM John Elway told Peter King of TheMMQB.com that he’s happy about the way his quarterback search turned out. “Do I have any regrets about this whole thing?” Elway said. “No. We’re thrilled to have ended up where we are, with Paxton. If you had said to me, ‘Here are your four options,’ and you named the four we just went through, this is the one we’d take. We think Paxton [Lynch], long-term, is a perfect fit for our offense.” Elway also indicated that he’s comfortable with having Mark Sanchez start the season while Lynch makes his transition to the next level.
Elway also told King that the Eagles were asking “way too much” for Sam Bradford when the Broncos reached out to the Eagles.

Myles Jack Does Not Need Microfracture Surgery

April 29th, 2016 at 2:28pm CST by Zachary Links

Linebacker Myles Jack went undrafted in the first round due to concerns over his injured knee. As we approach the second round, teams might now have enough peace of mind to pull the trigger on the highly-talented UCLA product. Dr. James Andrews told Jack today that he does not need micro-fracture surgery, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Dr. Andrews, one of the nation’s foremost surgeons for athletes, also examined Jack back in December.

Jack missed most of the 2015 campaign thanks to a torn meniscus in his knee. In recent weeks, there were whispers that Jack required further surgery that could keep him off the field for part of the 2016 season. Now, it appears that will not be the case.

“[The degenerative problems are] there, but it’s nothing extreme. Down the line, possibly I could have microfracture surgery – potentially,” Jack told a reporter on Wednesday, possibly causing some alarm amongst NFL decision-makers. “Who knows what will happen? Nobody knows how long anybody is going to play in this league. To play three years in this league would be above average.”

The Cowboys are one team near the top of the draft that will apparently not consider Jack, but other teams will surely look to land the linebacker who was considered to be a top-15 player just one month ago. A Jaguars source told Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that the team will not trade up to get Jack, but they might be willing to draft him at some point.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cowboys Looking To Trade Up To Browns At No. 32?

April 29th, 2016 at 2:05pm CST by Zachary Links

2:05pm: The Cowboys are now unlikely to move up from pick No. 34, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. Owner Jerry Jones feels that there are still multiple players on the board with first-round grades.

11:19am: The Cowboys are looking to trade up to grab the Browns’ No. 32 pick, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The likely target is a pass-rusher, he adds.

It is not immediately clear as to who Dallas is looking to select. One player we know that Dallas will not select is UCLA linebacker Myles Jack. Jack has not been removed from the Cowboys’ board, sources tell David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, but they have determined that the risk of taking Jack with the third pick of the second round is too high to warrant his selection at No. 34 if he’s still available.

“Since we’re third, we want to be a little cautious about where we show our interest here,” owner Jerry Jones said late Thursday evening when asked specifically about Jack.

If a pass rusher is what the Cowboys are after, then they could select from a group that includes Clemson’s Kevin Dodd and Oklahoma State’s Emmanuel Ogbah. Kamalei Correa (Boise State) and Jihad Ward (Illinois) are also still on the board heading into Day 2.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Texans Wanted Karl Joseph

April 29th, 2016 at 1:55pm CST by Zachary Links

The Texans were extremely high on West Virginia safety Karl Joseph and wanted to find a way to grab him last night, according to sources who spoke with Mike Florio of PFT. However, the Raiders beat Houston to the punch when they selected Joseph with the No. 14 overall pick. Ultimately, the Texans wound up moving from No. 22 to No. 21 and selecting Notre Dame wide receiver Will Fuller.

Leading up to the draft, it was widely reported that Joseph would be taken in the first round, despite a torn ACL he suffered in 2015. Joseph had strong grades from talent evaluators, but few expected the WVU product to go so high in the draft. When the Raiders snagged the safety at No. 14, they likely disappointed a handful of other teams in addition to the Texans.

Joseph may miss the first few weeks of the 2016 season as he rehabs from his injury, but the Raiders certainly won’t mind waiting. In 2014, Joseph’s last full season, the safety racked up 82 total tackles, 4.0 tackles for a loss, one interception, three pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.

If the Texans are still thinking safety, players like Vonn Bell (Ohio State), T.J. Green (Clemson), and Darian Thompson (Boise State) could be considerations in Day 2 of the draft.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ravens Not Expected To Cut Eugene Monroe

April 29th, 2016 at 1:31pm CST by Zachary Links

One might think that the Ravens’ drafting of Ronnie Stanley could spell the end of Eugene Monroe in Baltimore, but that is apparently not the case. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Monroe is likely to stay put since he could be a starter on the interior line and also provide general depth along the offensive line.

Monroe is currently recovering from the shoulder injury which landed him on IR last season. The 29-year-old is making good progress in rehabilitating that injury, according to recent comments made by GM Ozzie Newsome. For much of the offseason, there has been speculation about the veteran’s future in Baltimore. Monroe has missed 15 of 32 games since joining the team and is set to carry a hefty $8.7MM cap number in 2016.

The Ravens’ offensive line was drastically altered on the first day of free agency when Kelechi Osemele shook hands with the Raiders on a five-year deal that could be worth as much as $60MM. Baltimore lost one long-time starter in the 6’5″ Osemele, but it sounds like they’re planning on keeping another O-Line notable in Monroe, despite his difficulty in staying healthy.

After 2016, Monroe’s contract calls for him to carry an $8.95MM cap number in 2017 and 2018.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Rumors: Ravens, Tunsil, Jack, Panthers

April 29th, 2016 at 12:28pm CST by Zachary Links

Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome claims that the team preferred Ronnie Stanley over Laremy Tunsil, even before the leak of Tunsil’s now infamous video.

“The thing that I’m so proud of, . . . our scouts get a lot of information,” Newsome said, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun. “When things happen, a lot of the times we’re not surprised. We took the best player, the player that was rated the highest on the board at that point. I cannot neglect the importance of the work that our scouts do in the fall and in the spring getting information for us.”

More draft rumors from around the NFL:

The Panthers had UCLA linebacker Myles Jack on their draft board when they selected at No. 30, but the knee injury kept them from taking him, as David Newton of ESPN.com writes. “Very frankly, the kid came out and said he is going to need microfracture (surgery),” GM Dave Gettleman said. Earlier today we learned that the Cowboys are not considering Jack with their early second round selection.
At least one team strongly considered drafting Jack late in the first round, Alex Marvez of FOX Sports tweets. However, that team couldn’t get over the knee issue and the risk factor involved with taking the UCLA linebacker so early.
The Browns didn’t attempt to trade up late in first round last night for Memphis QB Paxton Lynch, a source familiar with the situation told Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (on Twitter).

Chiefs Tried To Trade Up For Laquon Treadwell

April 29th, 2016 at 10:23am CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs tried to trade up to get wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter). After the Ole Miss product went to the Vikings at No. 23, the Chiefs traded out of the first round.

It appears that the Chiefs were fixated on taking Treadwell with the No. 28 pick and when he was gone, they were content with converting that selection into a second-round pick (No. 37), a fourth-round pick (No. 105), a sixth-round pick (No. 178), and a seventh-round pick (No. 249) from the 49ers. At the time of the deal, some speculated that the Chiefs were trading out because they had missed out on Paxton Lynch, who went to the Broncos at No. 26.

The first round also saw fellow wide receivers Corey Coleman (Browns), Wil Fuller (Texans), Josh Doctson (Washington), and Treadwell come off the board. If the Chiefs are still thinking wide receiver, they could look into the likes of Ohio State’s Michael Thomas (widely regarded as the best WR left), Oklahoma’s Sterling Shepard, South Carolina’s Pharoh Cooper, Colorado State’s Rashard Higgins, and PIttsburgh product Tyler Boyd.

Treadwell, was widely projected as a top-15 pick before a slow 40-yard dash time and other concerns about his game hurt his draft stock.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC East Notes: Giants, Apple, Cowboys

April 29th, 2016 at 9:48am CST by Zachary Links

Some saw Eli Apple as a reach at No. 10 for the Giants, but team scouting director Marc Ross does not agree with that assessment.

“We’ve heard it before,” Ross said, according to Steve Serby of the New York Post. “We’ve taken other players that [were called] a reach. Nobody knows. If you get a dime for every expert, I could retire. Come on. Experts? People analyze. People have opinions. What’s it based on? Nobody has seen the tape. Nobody goes to practice. Nobody puts in the work like the scouts do. It’s easy to second-guess and pick and say get everybody’s pick right and tell them what they should do, but you’ve just got to put in the work and trust what you do.”

The Giants were widely linked to Michigan State tackle Jack Conklin and Georgia linebacker Leonard Floyd, but those players came off the board at No. 8 and No. 9, respectively.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

The Cowboys had the same draft grade for Ezekiel Elliott and Jalen Ramsey, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The Cowboys regarded Paxton Lynch as the quarterback in the top 3 who required the most time to develop but had higher ceiling than Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets.
When asked if he was surprised by Sam Bradford‘s reaction to the Eagles‘ trading up for Wentz, Eagles GM Howie Roseman said, “Some of this is agent driven,” (On WIP, Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer).