Patriots have a busy week. Bill Belichick & Co. were very active during the past seven days, and their most notable move was signing Bills restricted free agent Mike Gillislee to an offer sheet with the intention of adding him to an already crowded backfield. Buffalo has until Monday to match the Patriots’ terms. Meanwhile, fellow RFA Malcolm Butler officially signed his tender, meaning he can now be traded (the Pats may want to wrap up any swap by draft day). Elsewhere on the roster, New England extended running back James White, had wide receiver Danny Amendola take a paycut, and waived guard Tre’ Jackson.
Browns still thinking at No. 1. While most observers expect Cleveland to use the first overall pick on Texas A&M edge rusher Myles Garrett, the Browns are reportedly open to spending the No. 1 selection on UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky. That could be due to franchise owner Jimmy Haslam, who is apparently pressing the team’s decision-makers to land a signal-caller. Another option for the Browns could include trading up from the No. 12 pick into the No. 5 or No. 6 range with the hope of landing Trubisky. Cleveland doesn’t expect to trade for a veteran quarterback such as Jimmy Garoppolo or A.J. McCarron, however.
Reuben Foster fails drug test. Once expected to be a surefire top-10 pick, Foster has had a nightmare of a predaft process. During the combine, Foster got into a dust-up with a hospital worker, though his camp has brushed it off as little more than a miscommunication. There are also question marks about the Alabama linebacker’s surgically-repaired shoulder and his upbringing. Finally, Foster failed a drug test at the combine, but has chalked up the failure to a diluted sample. Based on talent alone, Foster should still be an early draft choice, but numerous issues could push him down the board.
Veteran backs nearing resolutions? The Raiders want to complete a Marshawn Lynch trade before the draft begins on Thursday, but the two sides need to agree on a restructured contact before any deal will be consummated. Lynch is due $9MM in 2017, but Oakland waits him to play for roughly a third of that total. Free agent Adrian Peterson, meanwhile, is reportedly willing to play for $5MM or less in the “right situation.” The Giants are among the clubs keeping tabs on both Peterson and fellow FA LeGarrette Blount.
Panthers extend Kawann Short. Carolina locked up Short, one of its more talented defenders, to a five-year, $80MM deal that makes him the fifth-highest-paid interior defender in the league on an annual basis. Short, 28, will reportedly secure $35MM in full guarantees which includes a $20MM signing bonus. In 2016, Short played on nearly three-quarters of the Panthers’ defensive snaps, posting six sacks and grading as the league’s No. 3 interior defender, per Pro Football Focus.
Photos courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Somebody please show Haslam the UFA QB’s for next year and the QB prospects for the draft… if Browns in no way should draft a QB unless it’s at 33 or 52.. which on espn kiper had one QB going in the first round… to the Browns