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Draft Rumors: Elliott, Cowboys, Saints, Titans

April 28th, 2016 at 6:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The idea of selecting running back Ezekiel Elliott is “gaining steam” inside the Cowboys organization, reports David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote earlier tonight that Dallas is “struggling” with their decision on Elliott, while the Ravens are also a contender to draft Elliott at pick No. 6.

Here’s the latest with the draft only about 30 minutes away…

  • While a report earlier tonight indicated that we could see quite a few first-round trades, Saints head coach Sean Payton feels differently, telling Larry Holder of NOLA.com (Twitter link) that he doesn’t believe there will be many deals tonight, at least in the top half of the first round. New Orleans is comfortable picking where it is (No. 12), per Payton.
  • Though the Chargers are reportedly open to trading out of the No. 3 pick, general manager Tom Telesco tells Britt McHenry of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that while he’s taken calls, “nothing of significant interest” has caught his ear as of yet.
  • The Dolphins and Titans are still trying to move back into the top-10 picks, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), who adds that Miami has its eye on Elliott, while Tennessee would like to pick up an offensive tackle. Meanwhile, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com used two separate draft value charts to calculate what it would take for the Titans to trade up to various locales on the board.

Latest On Raiders, Las Vegas

April 28th, 2016 at 5:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After attending a meeting of the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee, Raiders owner Mark Davis sounded more convinced than ever that he can move his club to Las Vegas. “Together we can turn the Silver State into the Silver-and-Black State,” said Davis, according to Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com.Mark Davis (vertical)

As Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com details, a $200MM loan from the NFL will help comprise the $500MM the Raiders will put forth towards a stadium effort. The Sands Corporation will pledge another $150MM, so in total, private money will account for $650MM of the $1.4 billion needed to fund a stadium. The rest of the project, which would take three years to complete, would be paid for by tourism taxes, according to Gutierrez.

“We’re not using Las Vegas as a bargaining chip,” Davis said. “This is real.” Of course, the Raiders would still need the approval of the league to move, but Davis doesn’t foresee that to be an issue. “If we give them an offer they can’t refuse, and that’s what we’re talking about now, I don’t see a problem,” said the Raiders owner.

The Raiders also issued a statement on the matter, but unsurprisingly, didn’t make any earth-shattering comments. “The Raiders would like to thank the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee and Mayor Goodman for their time today as we continue to explore options for a permanent stadium solution,” reads the statement. “We appreciate the support and passion of Raiders fans everywhere.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Draft Rumors: Elliott, Ravens, Browns, Cowboys

April 28th, 2016 at 5:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cowboys are currently “struggling” with the decision of whether or not to draft running back Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Owner Jerry Jones is believed to prefer Elliott, while presumably some other members of the front office would rather go in another direction.

Dallas isn’t the only team at the top of the draft considering taking Elliott, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that the Ravens would “strongly consider” the Ohio State back if he’s on the board at No. 6.

In just a matter of hours, we should find out exactly how serious teams like Dallas and Baltimore are about taking a running back in the top six. With some other clubs, including the Dolphins, said to be coveting Elliott, it’s possible that teams are overstating their interest in the ex-Buckeye in an attempt to get another club to trade up for him. And it sounds like there will be no shortage of trades tonight, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).

As we wait to see where Elliott lands, let’s round up some other draft updates from around the NFL:

  • The Browns have spoken to teams about the possibility of moving down from No. 8, but they’ve also had conversations about moving up from the second round into the late-first, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who wonders if Cleveland might be eyeing a particular quarterback. Earlier this evening, a Browns source told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that there was “nothing new” on the trade front for the club.
  • Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears the Cowboys aren’t likely to move down from No. 4 tonight. Two GMs whose teams are picking in the top 10 tell Werder they haven’t heard from Dallas about a possible trade.
  • Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link) has heard that the Ravens are “hot on” Eastern Kentucky edge defender Noah Spence, though the team won’t take him as high as No. 6. It will be interesting to see if Baltimore likes Spence enough to consider trading up for him if he’s on the board near the end of the first round.
  • Having spoken to multiple general managers and other NFL sources, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report has updates on where a few prospects are expected to be selected in the draft. Cole suggests Georgia pass rusher Leonard Floyd could go in the top 10 (video link), Clemson edge defender Shaq Lawson should go between No. 7 and No. 19 (Twitter link), and Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith appears likely to be a day two pick (Twitter link). Cole also hears that Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch may not be selected quite as high as expected in the first round (video link).
  • Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com has published his first and only mock draft of 2016, sprinkling plenty of interesting draft tidbits throughout his look at the first 31 picks.

Pauline’s Latest: OTs, Steelers, Packers, Bucs

April 28th, 2016 at 5:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

League insiders believe that as many as six offensive tackles could be selected in the first round of tonight’s draft, according to Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com. Laremy Tunsil, Ronnie Stanley, Jack Conklin, and Taylor Decker are the obvious names, but Jason Spriggs, Le’Raven Clark, and Germain Ifedi are also candidates to go off the board tonight. The clubs that have put the most research into offensive tackles, per Pauline? The Colts, Packers, Seahawks, Broncos, Panthers, and Steelers.

Let’s check out the latest draft rumors, all courtesy of Pauline:

  • Among the teams hoping to trade down tonight are the Falcons, Colts, Vikings, and Jets, according to Pauline. On the other side of the coin, the Cardinals, Panthers, and Broncos may like to trade up. Denver, presumably, would be targeting a quarterback in a trade-up scenario.
  • The Steelers will consider a cornerback at pick No. 25, but they’ll also look at offensive tackles, writes Pauline. Pittsburgh returns Alejandro Villanueva at tackle, and signed Ryan Harris this offseason, but an upgrade wouldn’t be out of the question.
  • The Packers might also like to find a new left tackle, says Pauline, as Green Bay would like to transition incumbent David Bakhtiari to left guard.
  • If pass rusher Noah Spence is still available at the end of the first round, a club might trade back up in order to draft him, per Pauline. The Buccaneers are one team to watch in such a situation.

Nick Foles Drawing Trade Interest

April 28th, 2016 at 5:04pm CST by Luke Adams

APRIL 28, 5:04pm: As expected, Foles will likely be the odd man out after the Rams draft a quarterback tonight, says Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (Twitter links). The club is hoping to trade him rather than release him — a source tells Wagoner that “four or five” teams have reached out about Foles, but some of those clubs may want to see how the draft plays out before making any decisions.

APRIL 25, 2:44pm: While one of the two quarterbacks involved in 2015’s Rams/Eagles trade asks out of Philadelphia, trade rumors are also beginning to swirl around the other signal-caller who was a part of that deal. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Nick Foles of the Rams has drawn interest from several teams, and will be worth keeping an eye on this week.Nick Foles (Vertical)

As is the case in Philadelphia, where Sam Bradford isn’t thrilled with the idea of sharing the quarterback room with both Chase Daniel and the No. 2 overall pick in the draft (likely Carson Wentz), the Rams may have one too many QBs on their roster if they don’t make a move. Los Angeles currently holds the No. 1 pick in the draft, and is expected to use it on Jared Goff, who would join Foles, Case Keenum, and 2015 third-rounder Sean Mannion on the team’s QB depth chart.

While it’s possible that Keenum or Mannion could become the expendable quarterback in Los Angeles, it makes more sense that the team would move on from Foles. GM Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher have talked up Keenum all offseason, and the fact that the club placed a first-round tender on him shows that he’s valued in L.A. Meanwhile, Mannion is more of a developmental signal-caller at this point in his career, and likely wouldn’t be able to step into a situation where he’d be counted on to play at all in 2016.

Foles, on the other hand, has plenty of starting experience, and could be a good fit as a backup elsewhere. Because the Rams have already paid his guaranteed $6MM roster bonus for the 2016 season, Foles would also come at a very affordable rate for any team interested in acquiring him — only his $1.75MM base salary for ’16 would count against a new team’s cap. Of course, his new team would also take on the rest of his contract, including a non-guaranteed $10.75MM base salary for 2017.

With a number of teams – including perhaps the Cowboys, Bears, and Steelers – in the market for a veteran backup under center, the Rams could land a day-three pick for Foles if they’re willing to move forward with Keenum, Mannion, and their first overall pick. Given how many selections the Rams surrendered to move up from No. 15 to No. 1, getting back a pick, even a late-rounder, would make sense for the club.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/28/16

April 28th, 2016 at 4:21pm CST by Zachary Links

While we prepare for the start of the 2016 NFL draft, teams around the league are still tweaking their rosters. Here are today’s minor moves:

  • The Ravens have officially re-signed guard/tackle De’Ondre Wesley, the team announced (Twitter link). Wesley had been an exclusive rights free agent, so he wasn’t going anywhere after being tendered by Baltimore.
  • The Dolphins announced today (via Twitter) that they’ve cut defensive back Damarr Aultman, wide receivers Tyler Davis and Robert Herron, defensive tackle Robert Thomas, and linebacker Terrell Manning. Of those players, only Manning – as a vested veteran – will immediately hit the open market, while the rest will have to pass through waivers.
  • The Seahawks have signed defensive end Tavaris Barnes, per Mike Kaye of First Coast News (on Twitter). Former Oregon tight end Brandon Williams also inked a one-year pact with the Seahawks, according to his agent Angelo Wright (Twitter link).
  • Having made two additions to their roster, the Seahawks also removed a player, according to Dov Kleiman of RantSports, who tweets that quarterback Phillip Sims has been waived. Seattle had signed Sims to a reserve/futures contract back in January.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Latest On Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jets

April 28th, 2016 at 3:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick remains unsigned, and with the veteran free agent and the Jets still engaged in a stand-off, Fitzpatrick has told people he would “rather not play football” than accept the Jets’ current offer, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.Ryan Fitzpatrick

Although Schefter’s report makes it sound as though Fitzpatrick would consider sitting out the 2016 season if he doesn’t get a satisfactory contract offer, Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link) spoke to a source who says that’s not the case. According to Costello’s source, Fitzpatrick definitely wants to play.

Per the ESPN.com report, the Jets’ offer to Fitzpatrick remains in the $7-8MM-per-year range, while the veteran signal-caller is believed to be seeking upwards of twice that amount. At least one report has suggested that the Jets’ offer to Fitzpatrick is similar to the deal the Eagles gave Chase Daniel, which was worth $21MM over three years, but included another $15MM in incentives. However, it sounds as if Fitzpatrick wants New York to increase the base value of its offer, rather than counting on incentives that may not be met.

An 11-year veteran, Fitzpatrick is coming off the best season of his NFL career. The former seventh-round pick established new career highs by throwing for 3,905 yards and 31 touchdowns, and led the Jets to a 10-6 record, just narrowly missing a playoff berth.

With the Jets and Fitzpatrick apparently not making any progress, the club continues to mull its fallback options as the draft approaches. Although Fitzpatrick is the priority, the Jets recently brought in Brian Hoyer for a visit, and could use the draft to address the quarterback position. We should have a better idea in another 48 to 72 hours about where the team’s quarterback situation stands.

Cowboys Exercise Option On Travis Frederick

April 28th, 2016 at 3:33pm CST by Zachary Links

APRIL 28: The Cowboys have formally exercised Frederick’s 2017 option, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com, who adds that the team would like to lock up the standout center to a long-term contract at some point.

APRIL 21: The Cowboys will exercise their fifth-year option on center Travis Frederick in the next few days, sources tell David Moore of The Dallas Morning News. The move has been expected and does not come as a surprise. Travis Frederick (vertical)

[RELATED: 2017 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker]

Frederick has started every game at center since the Cowboys took him in the first round of the 2013 draft. Once Dallas locks him down through the 2017 season with the option, they’ll likely start discussing a long-term pact with him.

Frederick’s rookie deal was a four-year, $6.87MM contract, as prescribed by his draft slot. This year, he’ll make $1.34MM before jumping up to $8.821MM in 2017. Dallas will presumably try to smooth out that cap hit in ’17 while giving him more long-term security on a multi-year pact.

The Cowboys have until May 2nd to exercise the option, but they feel that they don’t need to take their time to deliberate. The center, who has started 48 consecutive games, has earned two Pro Bowl nods and has been named second team All-Pro in each of the last two seasons.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Blackmon, Chargers, Cowboys

April 28th, 2016 at 3:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Justin Blackmon has pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor DUI stemming from a December arrest in Oklahoma, as TMZ writes. This incident marks Blackmon’s second DUI in three years. The former Jaguars wide receiver – who technically remains on the team’s roster, on the reserve-suspended list – was banned indefinitely in 2013 for repeated violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

Here are a few more pre-draft odds and ends from around the NFL:

  • One source tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter) that the Chargers will not be taking Notre dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley at No. 3. That pick remains shrouded in mystery though, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that “no one knows” who San Diego will draft.
  • There continues to be a lot of buzz that the Cowboys will move down in the draft from No. 4, tweets Troy Renck of The Denver Post.
  • According to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), $7MM of Josh Norman‘s new $15MM signing bonus with Washington will be deferred until May 1st, 2017. That doesn’t impact the cap hits on Norman’s deal — it simply affects his payment schedule.
  • As Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk details, no NFL draft since 1999 has seen five quarterbacks selected in the first round, but if there are teams particularly high on players like Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg, there’s a chance it could happen tonight.
  • Dan Pompei of Bleacher Report takes an interesting look at how teams really make their draft picks, examining the role of team owners, general managers, coaches, and scouts in the process.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

2016 NFL Draft Primer

April 28th, 2016 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

After weeks of anticipation – or months, if your favorite team was eliminated early from 2015 playoff contention – the 2016 NFL draft finally gets underway tonight in Chicago. Pro Football Rumors will have you covered for the entire three-day event, passing along all 253 picks, along with all the trades, news, and rumors that come along with the draft.

While ESPN and NFL Network reporters typically don’t scoop teams’ draft picks before they’re announced on the TV broadcast, writers from other outlets have been known to report picks a few minutes before they’re officially announced. If and when that happens this year, we won’t be “spoiling” picks ahead of time on our social media accounts, so if you want to be kept in suspense until commissioner Roger Goodell makes his announcements, you’re safe to follow us on Twitter or Facebook without having to worry that those surprises will be ruined.

However, if a trusted reporter does get word of a pick before it happens, we’ll be passing it along on our site. So if teams’ picks are being reported ahead of time, and you want to know them immediately rather than waiting for an announcement from Goodell, be sure to refresh ProFootballRumors.com early and often tonight. Our post recapping the first-round results will be updated with teams’ picks as soon as they’re reported, even if that happens before they’re formally announced on ESPN.

With that in mind, here’s some info to get you prepared for the 2016 draft:

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