2016 April - Pro Football Rumors

Draft Rumors: Jets, Falcons, Giants, Jack

April 28th, 2016 at 8:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jets are trying to move up from the No. 20 pick, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). RapSheet doesn’t provide any more details, but it’s easy to speculate that New York might be targeting a quarterback like Paxton Lynch.

Dolphins Select Laremy Tunsil With No. 13 Pick

April 28th, 2016 at 8:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Laremy Tunsil‘s draft day slide has ended. The Dolphins have used the 13th overall pick to select the Ole Miss offensive tackle, drafting Tunsil after a social media snafu earlier tonight threatened to send Tunsil down draft boards.

Tunsil, of course, was once projected to be the first overall selection when the Titans still held that pick. After Tennesee traded out, Tunsil was still thought to be a top-6 pick (at worst), but after a video posted earlier tonight showed him smoking out a bong, it was anyone’s guess as to where he would land. The Ravens reportedly passed on Tunsil in favor of Ronnie Stanley after seeing the video (a decision that cost Tunsil about $8MM, tweets Joel Corry of CBSSports.com), while another GM voiced his concern: “It’s bad.”

Reporting on NFL Network, Ian Rapoport said that the video is several — potentially up to five — years old, and adds that Tunsil never failed a drug test while at Ole Miss. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) is skeptical of that story, noting that while Tunsil was in high school five years ago, the video shows an Ole Miss flag in the background.

“Somebody hacked my Twitter account,” said Tunsil at the draft tonight. “It was a mistake. It happened years ago.” Tunsil is being sued by his stepfather, but he said he wasn’t sure if it was his stepfather who hacked the account.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Rumors: Bosa, Tunsil, Jack, Chargers

April 28th, 2016 at 8:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers had been intending to draft Joey Bosa “for months”, a source tells Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com (Twitter links), who adds that San Diego was extremely happy when the Eagles traded up to No.2, since that deal meant that Bosa would likely slip to pick No. 3. Chargers general manager Tom Telesco spoke with Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer for over an hour on Monday night, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), which may have helped the Chargers solidify their pick.

Here’s more draft news as the first round action continues…

The Ravens drafted Ronnie Stanley at No. 6, but they originally had another offensive tackle in mind. According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link), Baltimore was prepared to select Laremy Tunsil, but a video posted earlier tonight of Tunsil smoking out of a bong “scared them off.”
Before selecting running back Elliott, the Cowboys considered trading out of the No. 4 pick, tweets Schefter. According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link), Dallas was discussing a pick swap with the Ravens before drafting Ezekiel Elliott. Baltimore, per Moore, wanted Jalen Ramsey, who ultimately went fifth overall.
The Dolphins are a potential suitor for linebacker Myles Jack, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who says he’s heard “over and over” that Jack could be a target for Miami. Jack’s health, specifically a 2015 knee injury, could force him to tumble down the draft board, but the Dolphins could be ready to catch him at No. 13.

Titans Acquire No. 8 Pick From Browns

April 28th, 2016 at 8:25pm CST by Luke Adams

8:25pm: The Browns have announced the exact terms of the trade: Cleveland will acquire a 2016 first-rounder (No. 15), a 2016 third-rounder (No. 76), and a 2017 third-rounder, while the Titans picked up the No. 8 pick, and a 2016 sixth-rounder (No. 176).

8:03pm: After trading down from No. 2 to No. 8 earlier this month, the Browns have once again moved down in the first round. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter), the Browns and Titans have agreed to a trade, with Tennessee moving up to No. 8. Tennessee will select Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin, reports Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (Twitter link).

The Titans will send the No. 15 pick, a 2016 third-rounder, and a 2017 third-rounder to Cleveland in exchange for the eighth pick, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. The Browns, meanwhile, will also send a sixth-rounder to Tennessee, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).

The deal makes sense on a number of levels, as the Titans had been rumored to be exploring a trade up to acquire an offensive tackle, while the Browns had reportedly been looking to move down an acquire more draft capital. The trade, interestingly, is comprised of the two clubs who originally owned the first and second overall selections.

Eagles Will Not Trade Sam Bradford

April 28th, 2016 at 8:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles selected Carson Wentz with the No. 2 pick earlier tonight, but he’s not the only quarterback on the Philadelphia roster in the news. Sam Bradford, unhappy with the drafting of Wentz, has requested a trade, but according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link), Eagles de facto GM Howie Roseman and head coach Doug Pederson say the club will not honor that request.

After rumors surfaced last week that Bradford would ask for at trade, news broke Monday that the veteran quarterback had officially requested to be dealt out of Philadelphia. The Broncos reportedly inquired on Bradford, who has not been attending voluntary Eagles workouts, but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported earlier today that Denver was moving on, as the Broncos don’t believe that Philadelphia is likely to trade Bradford to any team — that sentiment, it appears, has been borne out.

Bradford agreed to a two-year deal worth $35MM in March that includes $22MM in guarantees. But because of the structure of the contract, any team that acquired Bradford would only be on the hook for his $7MM base salary in 2016, before becoming responsible for his $17MM cap charge in 2017. I explored a few potential fits for Bradford earlier this week, identifying the Broncos, Jets, and Bills as landing spots.

If he isn’t dealt, Bradford is likely to open the 2016 season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback, giving Wentz more time to develop. Of course, while the statement from Philadelphia management sounds official, it’s hard to completely rule out posturing — until Bradford is under center in Week 1, his status with the Eagles figures to be a hot topic.

Bears Acquire No. 9 Pick From Buccaneers

April 28th, 2016 at 8:13pm CST by Luke Adams

After the first seven teams in the draft tonight made their own picks, the next two have been traded. The Buccaneers have sent the No. 9 overall pick to the Bears, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).

Per Jenna Laine (Twitter link), Tampa Bay gets a fourth-round pick (No. 106) from Chicago, in addition to the Bears’ first-round pick (No. 11). The Bears will use the ninth overall pick to select Georgia outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, tweets Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

Floyd has been rising up draft boards in recent weeks — indeed, perhaps no player has accrued more buzz over the past few days. Many teams around the top-1o were rumored to be in on Floyd, including the Buccaneers, Bears, and Giants, so it makes sense that Chicago would aim to move ahead of New York. With the Bears, Floyd figures to team with Pernell McPhee in getting after opposing quarterbacks. He’ll join Jerrell Freeman, Danny Trevathan, and Akiem Hicks as part of a remade Chicago defense.

The Buccaneers, meanwhile, will get a bit of a financial windfall by moving back to No. 11. As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com notes (via Twitter), the fifth-year option for picks made outside of the top 10 is equal to the average of the third through 25th-highest salaries at a given position. Had Tampa stayed at No. 9, a fifth-year option would have been equal to the transition tag figure, always a higher number.

Laremy Tunsil Video To Affect Stock?

April 28th, 2016 at 7:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

7:58pm: Tunsil could end up falling quite a ways down the board, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). A source tells Cole that Tunsil’s account was hacked, but Tunsil is not denying that it was him smoking in the video.

7:38pm: Minutes before the draft began, a video was posted on Laremy Tunsil‘s verified Twitter account that showed the Ole Miss tackle smoking from a bong. The post was quickly deleted (but can still be viewed on NFLDraftDiamonds.com), and Tunsil’s entire account has now been deactivated.

As Tom Pelissero of USA Today notes (Twitter link), it’s been an eventful few days for Tunsil, who was sued by his stepfather earlier in the week. None of the press is positive news, and Pelissero adds that NFL clubs are aware of the video and have viewed it. Said one general manager to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (Twitter link): “It’s bad.”

Tunsil, of course, was once thought to be the favorite to be selected first overall. But once the Titans traded out of No. 1, Tunsil’s landing spot became less clear. The Chargers, thought to be a potential destination, just drafted Joey Bosa, but the Jaguars, Ravens, 49ers, Browns, and Giants are among the clubs in the top-1o who could be interested. It’s too early to say exactly how this video will affect Tunsil’s status, especially given the timing, but it’s a situation worth monitoring.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eagles Select Carson Wentz With No. 2 Pick

April 28th, 2016 at 7:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles sent a ransom of picks to the Browns to acquire the No. 2 overall pick, but they’ve landed the quarterback they wanted. Philadelphia has selected North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz, locking in its signal-caller of the future.

The 23-year-old Wentz becomes the first FCS quarterback to be drafted in the first round since the Ravens picked Joe Flacco in 2008. But Wentz has the size (6’6″, 235 pounds), arm strength, and numbers to back up the selection. In his two seasons as NDSU’s starter, Wentz threw for more than 4,700 yards and 42 touchdowns against only 14 interceptions, while helping the Bison win two FCS titles.

Wentz and Cal’s Jared Goff were considered the top two quarterbacks available in this year’s class, and while Goff is thought to be bit more polished, Wentz’s upside might be unmatched. PFR’s Rob DiRe ranked Wentz as the No. 2 QB on the board, noting that Wentz’s size and mobility wowed scouts, he may need some time to develop.

With the Eagles, Wentz should be in a position to get that developmental time. Philadelphia re-signed Sam Bradford to a two-year deal with an eye towards making him a bridge quarterback, but Bradford, upset by the Eagles’ plans to draft Wentz, has now requested a trade. Even if Bradford is shipped out, Philadelphia still has the option of starting experienced backup Chase Daniel until Wentz is deemed pro-ready.

The Eagles will also receive a 2017 fourth-round pick from the Browns, while Cleveland acquired a bevy of compensation. The Browns will receive the No. 8 pick, a 2016 third-round pick, and a 2016 fourth-round pick, a 2017 first-round pick, and a 2018 second-round pick.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rams Select Jared Goff With No. 1 Pick

April 28th, 2016 at 7:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rams officially have a new face of the franchise. After sending a boatload of picks to Tennessee in exchange for the right to move up from No. 15 to No. 1, the Rams used that first overall pick to select California quarterback Jared Goff, who the franchise views as its long-term answer at quarterback as it makes the move to Los Angeles.

Goff, considered the most polished quarterback prospect in this year’s class by many analysts and observers, threw for nearly 8,700 combined yards and 78 touchdowns during his final two years in college. In 2015, he established new personal bests by completing 64.5% of his passes and throwing for 4,714 yards and 43 TDs.

While some experts prefer Carson Wentz‘s upside to Goff’s, our Rob DiRe ranked the Cal product as his No. 1 prospect at quarterback, writing that Goff’s “ability to work in a crowded pocket and deliver the football from unorthodox angles” is part of what makes him special.

After drafting a potential franchise running back last year in Todd Gurley, the Rams have now added another possible franchise player to their backfield in an attempt to fortify an offense that has frequently let down a talented defense in recent years. Having traded up to land Goff, Los Angeles now won’t make another pick until Saturday, when the fourth round gets underway, barring any additional trades.

Along with the No. 1 overall selection, the Rams received a 2016 fourth-round pick (No. 113), and a 2016 sixth-rounder (No. 177) in their deal with the Titans. However, the cost to acquire those three picks was steep — Tennessee got the Rams’ first-rounder this year (No. 15), two 2016 second-round picks (Nos. 43 and 45), a 2016 third-round pick (No. 76), and first- and third-round picks for 2017.

With Goff now in the mix, the Rams will have some decisions to make at the quarterback position, which is getting crowded. The team appears likely to keep Case Keenum, who received and signed a first-round RFA tender, and 2015 third-rounder Sean Mannion, which would make veteran QB Nick Foles the odd man out. Foles has reportedly drawn trade interest from “four or five” teams.

Browns, Cowboys To Explore Adding Extra First-Round Pick?

April 28th, 2016 at 6:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

6:55pm: If the Cowboys take Ezekiel Elliott at No. 4, Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that they won’t move back into the first round for a quarterback. Rather, Dallas could target a defensive lineman.

6:41pm: Both the Browns and the Cowboys could consider trading into the back end of the first round, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who speculates that a quarterback — such as Memphis’ Paxton Lynch — could be the target of both clubs.

Both Cleveland and Dallas had been rumored to be in the market for quarterbacks earlier in the draft process (especially when the Browns still held the No. 2 overall pick), but with the Rams and Philadelphia all but certain to select Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, there might not be another QB option who either club is willing to take at either No. 4 (Cowboys) or No. 8 (Browns). But if either team is able to move up from the beginning of the second round — where Cleveland currently holds pick No. 32 and Dallas has pick No. 34 — it might leap at the chance to secure a signal-caller.

One added benefit, of course, would be obtaining a fifth-year option on whatever player (quarterback or no) the Browns or Cowboys might select at the end of the first round. Fifth-year options only pertain to first-round picks, so for Cleveland, moving up just one spot might be critical, as a fifth-year option would enable the team to control its draftee through the 2020 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.