2016 April - Pro Football Rumors

AFC East Notes: Tunsil, Dolphins, Jets, Bills

April 29th, 2016 at 9:03am CST by Zachary Links

Laremy Tunsil contends that the video of him smoking from a gas-mask bong was from two years ago. If it is found that the video was more recent than that, then Tunsil could wind up in the NFL’s Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes. Dolphins GM Chris Grier also told reporters that the video was “two years old.”

Here’s more on Tunsil and other news out of the AFC East:

Several GMs told Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (on Twitter) that the big issue with the Tunsil video was timing and the fear of the unknown. Had Tunsil’s video come out sooner than ~13 minutes before the draft, teams would have had enough time to appropriately investigate things.
In addition to the infamous video, Tunsil’s Instagram account was also hacked with a screenshot of a text that appeared to show a request for money from Ole Miss assistant athletic director John Miller for rent money. When asked by a reporter if he took money from a coach while at Ole Miss, Tunsil answered, “I’d have to say yeah,” (via ESPN.com). Tunsil was suspended for the first seven games of last season for accepting improper benefits, including loaner cars and an interest-free loan.
The Jets tried to trade up for Tunsil during his slide last night but the asking price was too steep, Manish Mehta of the Daily News tweets.
The Jets never seriously considered drafting Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch last night, Mehta tweets. The Jets considered him to be more of a third or fourth-round type of player. Lynch, of course, went to the Broncos at No. 26.
Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson says that he doesn’t need shoulder surgery but at least six teams told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that they believe he will need shoulder surgery at some point.

Cowboys Rumors: Lynch, Elliott, Trade Talks

April 29th, 2016 at 12:30am CST by Luke Adams

It was an interesting evening for the Cowboys, who used their fourth overall pick to make Ezekiel Elliott the first running back to come off the board in the top five since Trent Richardson in 2012. The team also made a run at trading back into the first round for Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, as owner Jerry Jones confirmed tonight. Here’s more on those efforts, along with a few more Cowboys updates:

The Cowboys offered their second- and third-round picks to the Seahawks for the No. 26 pick in an effort to nab Lynch, per Todd Archer and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It seems odd that the Seahawks wouldn’t have accepted that offer, since I’d think the 34th and 67th overall picks would have been a little more appealing than the 31st and 94th they got from Denver.
According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com and Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter links), the Cowboys made a strong effort to land Lynch, and Jerry Jones suggested that, in hindsight, the club might have been willing to match or exceed Denver’s offer. So perhaps Dallas would have been open to offering its second- and third-rounders, but never officially put that proposal on the table. It’s also possible that the Cowboys formally offered their second- and third-round picks, but wanted more in return than just the Seahawks’ first-rounder — or maybe Seattle simply didn’t want to move down an extra three spots and risk missing out on its top target(s).
The Cowboys considered sending their No. 4 overall pick to the Ravens for the No. 6 pick and a fourth-rounder, tweets Adam Schefter. However, talks broke down due to the fact that Baltimore would have been moving up for Elliott, and the Cowboys didn’t want to miss out on the running back, tweets Clarence Hill.
Elliott was the top-rated player on the Cowboys’ board and was the club’s top-graded running back in several years, according to executive VP Stephen Jones (Twitter link via Ed Werder).
Before the draft got underway, the Cowboys re-signed guard Ronald Leary to his RFA tender, and exercised the 2017 option for center Travis Frederick. According to Stephen Jones, the Cowboys would consider trading Leary during the draft to allow him to start somewhere. Jones also indicated the club wants to lock up Frederick to a longer-term deal (Twitter links via Clarence Hill).

Extra Points: Broncos, Lynch, Bills, Lawson

April 28th, 2016 at 11:11pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The first round of the 2016 draft ended when the Seahawks selected offensive lineman Germain Ifedi, but there are still quite a few interesting options left on the board — which isn’t surprising given the depth of this draft class.

The most high-profile name is UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, who was projected as a top-five pick but wasn’t chosen, presumably because of health concerns. A cadre of defensive tackles, including Chris Jones, Jarran Reed, A’Shawn Robinson, Andrew Billings, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Kevin Dodd are still left, as is linebacker Reggie Ragland and cornerback Mackensie Alexander. On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Connor Cook, running back Derrick Henry, wide receiver Sterling Shepard, tight end Hunter Henry, and offensive lineman Cody Whitehair are still available.

More from the draft, as we look forward to rounds two and three on Friday…

The Broncos talked to every team starting with the Falcons at No. 17 about a move up to draft Paxton Lynch, John Elway tells Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. Elway adds that Denver will continue to look at other quarterback options, and might still bring in a veteran QB.
The Cowboys spent more time with Lynch than any other team club did, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Dallas was considering trading back up into the first round, per reports, but stopped their efforts once Lynch was drafted by Denver.
Although a report tonight indicated that new Bills edge rusher Shaq Lawson would require shoulder surgery at some point, Lawson says that report is false, according to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter link). Such a procedure would reportedly force Lawson out of action for four-to-six months.
GM Dave Gettleman said the Panthers received seven calls from teams interested in acquiring the No. 30 pick, but he was comfortable staying put and drafting defensive tackle Vernon Butler (Twitter link via Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer).
Chargers GM Tom Telesco said his team may have the opportunity to trade down in the second round on Friday, tweets Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The team holds the fourth pick of the second round (No. 35 overall).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Broncos Will Not Pursue Colin Kaepernick

April 28th, 2016 at 10:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Those sick of the lengthy Colin Kaepernick/Broncos saga can breathe a sign of relief tonight. After trading up to select Paxton Lynch in tonight’s draft, GM John Elway confirmed to Mike Klis of 9NEWS (Twitter link) that the team will no longer pursue the 49ers quarterback.

The Broncos and 49ers have been discussing a Kaepernick deal for most of the offseason to date. A deal seemed to be close earlier this month, but the proposed swap was blown up when No. 7 refused to take the severe pay cut being requested by Denver.

As of three weeks ago, the Broncos were reportedly hoping to push his $11.9MM number down to $7MM and have Kaepernick also take pay cuts in the other years of his deal. However, Kaepernick’s camp was committed to either keeping the salaries intact or changing the contract to allow him to hit free agency next offseason, when his controlling team could cut him before his salary becomes guaranteed for 2017.

Now that Kaepernick’s leading suitor has pulled out of the chase, the Niners must turn their attention to other QB-needy teams or try and smooth things over with Kaepernick. The Jets, at one point in time, were connected to Kaepernick and it’s conceivable that they could get some dialogue going as talks with Ryan Fitzpatrick remain at a standstill. However, some reports have indicated that the Jets aren’t all that interested in Kaepernick, despite his apparent interest in them.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

49ers Acquire No. 28 Pick

April 28th, 2016 at 10:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

10:35pm: The 49ers also picked up an extra seventh-round pick (No. 249), tweets Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group.

10:16pm: The 49ers have acquired the No. 28 pick from the Chiefs, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link) reports San Francisco will ship a second-round pick (No. 37), a fourth-round pick (No. 105), and a sixth-round pick (No. 178) to Kansas City, and use the pick to select guard Joshua Garnett, per Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (Twitter link).

Kansas City was reportedly trying to trade up at one point, perhaps with its eye on Paxton Lynch. Once Lynch went to the Broncos, however, it seems that the Chiefs changed course and decided to trade back and acquire more picks. Garnett will be plugged in as an immediate starter on a San Francisco offensive line that has become porous in recent years.

Chiefs, Cardinals, Titans, Cowboys Trying To Trade up

April 28th, 2016 at 10:12pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chiefs, Cardinals, Titans, and Cowboys all have interest in trading up, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Kansas City and Arizona would be moving up, while Tennessee and Dallas would be trading back into the first round, having already selected once.

The Chiefs, Cardinals, and Cowboys could all conceivably have interest in acquiring a quarterback. Paxton Lynch just went off the board at No. 26, but Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg have been rumored as first-round options. Indeed, a sorce tells Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star Telegram (Twitter link) that Dallas “was” trying to trade up, and Ed Werder of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that the Cowboys’ target was Lynch.

Jets Unlikely To Trade Muhammad Wilkerson

April 28th, 2016 at 10:11pm CST by Dallas Robinson

It doesn’t appear that Jets franchise player Muhammad Wilkerson will be traded, as general manager Mike Maccagnan essentially confirmed tonight. “I would not envision that happening,” said Maccagnan (Twitter links via Brian Costello of the New York Post and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News).

Wilkerson, 26, enjoyed his best season as a pro in 2015, racking up a career-high 12 sacks and forcing three fumbles, to go along with 64 tackles. Arguably the best defensive player for the Jets last season, Wilkerson also earned his first Pro Bowl berth. However, he broke his leg during New York’s regular-season finale, and while that injury isn’t expected to sideline him at all next season, it may have been a strike against his trade value.

After being franchised, Wilkerson is currently projected to earn a $15.701MM base salary in 2016. The Jets are comfortable enough with that sum for this season, but they are not looking to pay him that kind of salary on a long-term deal.

Wilkerson, who has not yet signed his franchise tender, is not expected to participate in the Jets’ voluntary offseason program. Even though he followed the same path as Josh Norman in that regard, GM Mike Maccagnan recently told reporters that he will not rescind Wilkerson’s franchise tag.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Broncos Acquire No. 26 Pick From Seahawks

April 28th, 2016 at 9:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Broncos have acquired the No. 26 pick from the Seahawks, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). Denver will send the 31st pick and a 2016 third-rounder (No. 94) to Seattle, per Broncos PR man Patrick Smyth (Twitter link). The Broncos will use the pick to draft Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, tweets Mike Klis of 9NEWS.

Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) reported just prior to the trade that Denver was looking to move up with its eye on a quarterback, and now they’ve acquired Lynch, who was widely viewed as the third-best QB in the draft. He’ll head to the Mile High City and presumably compete with Mark Sanchez for the starting quarterback gig.

The Broncos, of course, have been linked to a multitude of veteran QB options, including Colin Kaepernick, Sam Bradford, Brian Hoyer, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, with Lynch in the organization, it’s probably safe to say that any efforts to land an outside quarterback option will cease.

Texans Acquire No. 21 Pick From Washington

April 28th, 2016 at 9:29pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Texans have acquired the No. 21 pick from Houston, according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter links). Houston will sacrifice a 2017 sixth-rounder to move from No. 22 to No. 21, adds Farmer. The Texans will use the pick to draft Notre Dame wide receiver Will Fuller, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Because the Texans moved up just one spot, it’s fair to wonder if another club in the 20s — like the Vikings or the Bengals — was also trying to move up in the hopes of selecting Fuller. Fuller is a speed threat, so he could be a nice compliment in a Houston offense that already has a great-route runner in DeAndre Hopkins and a veteran slot option in Cecil Shorts.

The Texans have added several new elements to their offense over the past few months, including quarterback Brock Osweiler, running back Lamar Miller, and offensive lineman Jeff Allen.

Draft Rumors: Lawson, Tunsil, Cravens, Fins

April 28th, 2016 at 9:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

New Bills edge rusher Shaq Lawson will need to undergo shoulder surgery at some point, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The operation will knock Lawson out of action for four-to-six months, so Lawson will likely wait until after the season to undergo the surgery.

More draft rumors…

Washington is hearing interest from clubs who want to move up to No. 21, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link). The club hasn’t heard yet heard an offer that will entice them to move back.
A report earlier tonight suggested that the Cowboys could trade back into the first round while targeting a quarterback, but David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link) hears that’s unlikely. Dallas will likely stay in place at No. 34 and take a defensive player.
Laremy Tunsil was the No. 2 player on the Dolphins‘ board, general manager Chris Grier tells Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (Twitter links). Grier also says the video that caused Tunsil to slip down the board is two years old. Meanwhile, Tunsil’s stepfather — who is currently suing the former Ole Miss tackle — has denied to TMZ that he hacked his son’s account or leaked the video.
The Falcons drafted one safety/linebacker at No. 17 in Keanu Neal, but they apparently considered another hybrid-type player in Su’a Cravens, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.