HEADLINES

2018 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Extra Points: Bears, Fuller, Seahawks

March 5th, 2018 at 2:49pm CST by Zachary Links

No surprise here, but Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune hears that the Bears are unlikely to use the franchise tag on Kyle Fuller. Multiple sources tell Biggs that they do not expect the franchise tag to be employed, though he is less certain about whether the transition tag could be in play. It also seems unlikely that Fuller would sign a multi-year contract with the Bears before free agency opens, but there is interest on both sides in moving forward together.

Here’s more from around the NFL on a very busy Monday:

  • The Seahawks had open ears at the draft combine last week, sources tell Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Among those drawing interest include defensive tackle Michael Bennett and safety Earl Thomas, two players that have been the subject of trade speculation in recent weeks. Over the weekend, it was reported that the Falcons have discussed a Bennett deal with Seattle. Cornerback Richard Sherman, who has a $13.2MM cap charge in 2018, is also a trade candidate.
  • The Panthers, Jaguars, and Dolphins are heavily interested in free agent quarterback market, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter) hears. The Panthers obviously have a starter in Cam Newton, but they are seeking a quality backup because Newton tends to take a lot of hits. The Jaguars and Dolphins have starters in Blake Bortles and Ryan Tannehill, respectively, but both clubs want veteran backups that can push them. The Dolphins are also exploring the idea of drafting a QB at No. 11 overall.
  • Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson has been the subject of tremendous debate in football circles, particularly due to questions about his ability to play QB at the next level. He may have another problem. Jackson did not do well in interviews and white-board work at the combine, Volin hears (Twitter link) and his decision to go without an agent may be the culprit.
  • The Bills‘ one-year contract with cornerback Vontae Davis includes an unusual wrinkle, as noted by Volin (on Twitter). Davis is slated to receive a roster bonus of nearly $47K for each game he spends on the 46-man active roster. Meanwhile, he’ll receive a lesser bonus of almost $16K per game that he spends on the 53-man roster. It’s unique for a contract to have separate bonuses for appearing on the 53 and the 46 each week, but it’s a creative structure for Buffalo given Davis’ injury history. One has to wonder if other teams could follow a similar blueprint this offseason when signing veterans with health concerns.

NFL Draft Rumors: Griffin, Lions, Jets

March 5th, 2018 at 1:52pm CST by Zachary Links

UCF linebacker Shaquem Griffin did wonders for his draft stock by running a 4.38 second 40-yard-dash, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) reports. Griffin is getting considerable buzz in Indianapolis and one head coach remarked to Rapoport that Griffin may have put himself in consideration as a fourth-round pick. Teams were wary about Griffin’s ability to play at the next level because of his amputated left hand. They’re looking at him in a whole new light now, though Rapoport says that evaluators are now going back to the tape to see if Griffin plays as fast as he looked at the combine. Griffin’s 4.38 was the fastest recorded time for a linebacker at the combine in more than a decade.

Here’s more on the NFL Draft:

  • Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, and Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen are all on the rise after strong showings in the combine, Rapoport reports (on Twitter). Allen was once viewed as a second-tier QB in this year’s draft, behind USC’s Sam Darnold and UCLA’s Josh Rosen. There’s no longer a clear consensus on the order of this year’s top signal callers with talk that Allen and Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield are climbing boards league-wide.
  • We’ve been hearing a lot about Vander Esch’s rise in particular in recent weeks. LVE’s 4.65 second 40-yard-dash was faster than expected and Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com hears that he could go as high as No. 14 when the Packers are called to the podium. Pauline’s understanding is that he won’t get past the Steelers at No. 28 and the Eagles, who pick at No. 32, have already come to the conclusion that he’ll be gone by then.
  • Delaware defensive tackle Bilal Nichols is a name to watch for the Jets and Lions, according to Pauline. Nichols tweaked his hamstring during the 40-yard-dash and was unable to finish the drill, but he should be ready to go before his pro day on March 20.

Peter King On Browns, McCarron, Tannehill

March 5th, 2018 at 11:01am CST by Zachary Links

Here’s the latest from Peter King of The MMQB:

  • The Browns have four picks in the top 35 of this year’s draft, but coach Hue Jackson is still pushing for the team to acquire A.J. McCarron, King hears. If the team does go for McCarron in March, the plan would be for the team to also draft a rookie quarterback to be groomed behind him. The Browns, of course, nearly landed McCarron before last year’s trade deadline before a paperwork snag tanked the deal. One has to wonder if McCarron would be skeptical about the Browns’ level of commitment to him in such a scenario, particularly after seeing how Mike Glennon‘s arrangement worked out with the Bears. Then again, McCarron might be faced with a similar scenario with any team that shows interest him.
  • It has been said that the Dolphins are committed to Ryan Tannehill at quarterback, but King is not convinced after speaking with executives at the combine. Miami is look at QBs at No. 11 overall and several people who spoke with King believe they’ll select a signal caller there. Tannehill has missed the last 19 Dolphins games with back-to-back ACL tears.
  • After speaking with several GMs, scouts, and coaches, this is King’s rough consensus for the top ten player’s in the draft: Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, USC quarterback Sam Darnold, North Carolina State edge rusher Bradley Chubb, Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen, Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward, and Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith.

Browns Open To Saquon Barkley At No. 1

March 4th, 2018 at 2:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Penn State running back Saquon Barkley is “firmly in the mix” to be selected by the Browns with the first overall pick, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Indeed, Barkley would likely be Cleveland’s choice if the draft occurred today, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link).Saquon Barkley (Vertical)

Barkley is fresh off dominating the NFL’s scouting combine, as he ranked in the 96th percentile or greater among halfbacks in the 40-yard dash, bench press, and vertical jump. He also topped 1,000 yards rushing in each of his three seasons with the Nittany Lions, and reached the end zone 43 times over his final two collegiate years.

Selecting Barkley at No. 1 overall would mean the Browns would likely select a quarterback at No. 4, and Cleveland reportedly likes Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield “a lot,” per Garafolo. Of course, if the Browns don’t select Mayfield — or another signal-caller –with the first overall selection, there’s no guarantee their preferred option would be available three picks later. However, given the small three-space gap in their first-round slots, the Browns would be assured of landing one of Mayfield, Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, or Josh Allen at No. 4.

As Rapoport notes, a running back has not been drafted first overall since the Bengals took Ki-Jana Carter — like Barkley, a Penn State alum — in 1995. Running back has become something of a devalued position, especially contractually, but Barkley would be entitled to a $8.2MM annual salary if selected at No. 1. That figure would immediately place Barkley among the top-three highest-paid running backs in the NFL.

Latest On Michigan DT Maurice Hurst

March 4th, 2018 at 9:50am CST by Zachary Links

SUNDAY, 9:50am: Gil Brandt of NFL.com tweets that Hurst has not, in fact, left the combine yet, though he will undergo more tests shortly. Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports reports (via Twitter) that Hurst will be meeting with one of the nation’s top heart specialists from the Cleveland Clinic, and that there should be more clarity on the situation after next week. For what it’s worth (and hopefully that’s a lot), Hurst himself has said he is not concerned about the tests, and he hopes to participate in Michigan’s pro day on March 23 (Twitter link via Kimberly Jones of NFL.com).

SATURDAY, 6:11pm: A potential first-round pick has hit a major roadblock. Michigan defensive tackle Maurice Hurst was found to have a heart condition and has left the draft combine in Indianapolis, league sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) He’ll undergo further testing this week. Maurice Hurst (vertical)

Hurst was cleared to play by medical officials at Michigan, but his condition popped up as a red flag for Saints doctors, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) adds. One source that spoke with Rapoport compared Hurst’s condition to that of former Lions and Saints defensive tackle Nick Fairley. Fairley missed all of the 2017 season due to that issue but is now looking to return to football.

Hurst was on the draft radar last year, but analysts told Albert Breer of The MMQB back in December that he helped his draft stock by staying in school for an extra season. That may be the case, but his entire football future may be in flux.

As a senior, Hurst totaled 59 tackles, including 13 tackles for a loss, and 5.5 sacks. In his final three seasons with the Wolverines, he amassed 13.5 sacks in total.

Lamar Jackson Will Not Play WR, Will Represent Himself

March 4th, 2018 at 8:42am CST by Rory Parks

We heard several days ago that Louisville QB Lamar Jackson was asked to work out as a wider receiver in addition to working out as a quarterback. However, Jackson himself has disputed that report, according to multiple outlets. Per James Palmer of the NFL Network, Jackson said that no one has asked him to play wideout and that he views himself strictly as a quarterback (Twitter link). Doug Kyed of NESN.com (via Twitter) reports that Jackson would not be willing to play a position other than QB, and Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post echoed that sentiment (Twitter link).

Lamar Jackson (vertical)

Nonetheless, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reaffirms the previous report — which was made by NFL.com colleague Peter Schrager — that Jackson was indeed asked to work out as a WR (Twitter link). In a separate tweet, Rapoport downplays the significance of the request, saying that other top prospects, like Georgia RB Sony Michel and NC State DE Bradley Chubb, were asked to work out at wide receiver and linebacker, respectively. Of course, asking a running back to run some wideout drills and asking a defensive end to do LB drills is not exactly the same as asking a quarterback whose future as a signal-caller is somewhat in doubt to do work as a receiver.

All of this comes on the heels of reports that Jackson is choosing to represent himself (with his mother serving as his manager). ESPN’s Josina Anderson says (via Twitter) that Jackson does not believe an agent is necessary with the current rookie pay scale system, and there is certainly some truth to that. But, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, an agent would be helpful in putting to rest the dispute as to whether Jackson has been asked to do work as a wide receiver.

Florio suggests that an agent could call the NFL.com reporters to “unring the bell” and to otherwise do what needs to be done to prevent this “issue” from reflecting poorly on Jackson. After all, the report may have been planted by an agent of another QB who is trying to get his client drafted as high as possible, or even by a team interested in Jackson that is trying to get the Louisville star to drop just far enough in the draft.

In any event, Jackson remains one of the most exciting players in the draft, and regardless of his wide receiver skills, he is currently viewed as a first- or second-round QB prospect.

Latest On Louisville’s Lamar Jackson

March 2nd, 2018 at 2:38pm CST by Zachary Links

Can Louisville’s Lamar Jackson play quarterback in the NFL? Many feel that he can, but not all talent evaluators are convinced. Multiple teams have asked Jackson to work out as a wide receiver, in addition to working out as a QB, according to NFL.com’s Peter Schrager. Lamar Jackson (vertical)

Few can find fault with Jackson’s performance as a quarterback in college. As a sophomore in 2016, Jackson became the first player in school history to win the first Heisman Trophy. In 2017, he finished third in Heisman voting and wound up as the first underclassman to reach 9,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards. Still, questions persist about Jackson’s accuracy, physical build, and mechanics.

Jackson is widely viewed as a first or second-round prospect at the QB position. If no team is willing to gamble a high pick on his ability to play under center, it seems more likely that he’ll be pegged for Day 2 than Day 1.

In recent days, both Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome and Chiefs coach Andy Reid both said that Jackson can hang as an NFL QB.

“Yeah, I’m not much on that,” Reid said when asked about the idea of Jackson playing wideout. “I want to bring him in. Let’s exhaust that other thing that we know he’s good at and see. I’m just saying in general. This is a general statement: Let’s get him in and let him wing it a little bit and see how he does. We’ll be able to fit some things in there I’m sure.”

Traded NFL Draft Picks For 2018

March 2nd, 2018 at 2:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While many 2018 NFL draft picks that get traded won’t be moved until later in the offseason, or during the draft itself, plenty of selections have already changed hands. This list will continue to be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to check back after trades have been consummated for an updated look at which picks are on the move for 2018. If you have any corrections, please contact us.

Here are 2018’s traded draft picks:

Updated 4-8-18 (1:45pm CT)

Round 1

Round 2

  • Browns acquired pick No. 35 from Texans in deal for QB Brock Osweiler.
  • Colts acquired pick No. 37 from Jets in deal for No. 3 pick.
  • Patriots acquired pick No. 43 from 49ers in deal for QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
  • Colts acquired pick No. 49 from Jets in deal for No. 3 pick.
  • Bills acquired pick No. 56 from Rams in deal for WR Sammy Watkins.
  • 49ers acquired pick No. 59 from Saints in deal for RB Alvin Kamara.
  • Browns acquired pick No. 64 from Eagles in deal for 2016 No. 2 pick.

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Complete 2018 NFL Draft Order

March 2nd, 2018 at 1:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The full 2018 NFL draft order can be found below, sorted by round. The list of 256 selections includes all traded draft picks and compensatory picks, and will continue to be updated leading up to the draft if additional deals are made. For an explanation of how traded picks were acquired, check out our complete breakdown.

Here’s the complete 2018 NFL draft order:

Updated 4-8-18 (1:46pm CT)

Round One:

  1. Cleveland Browns
  2. New York Giants
  3. New York Jets (from Indianapolis)
  4. Cleveland Browns (from Houston)
  5. Denver Broncos
  6. Indianapolis Colts (from New York Jets)
  7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  8. Chicago Bears
  9. San Francisco 49ers
  10. Oakland Raiders
  11. Miami Dolphins
  12. Buffalo Bills (from Cincinnati)
  13. Washington Redskins
  14. Green Bay Packers
  15. Arizona Cardinals
  16. Baltimore Ravens
  17. Los Angeles Chargers
  18. Seattle Seahawks
  19. Dallas Cowboys
  20. Detroit Lions
  21. Cincinnati Bengals (from Buffalo)
  22. Buffalo Bills (from Kansas City)
  23. New England Patriots (from Los Angeles Rams)
  24. Carolina Panthers
  25. Tennessee Titans
  26. Atlanta Falcons
  27. New Orleans Saints
  28. Pittsburgh Steelers
  29. Jacksonville Jaguars
  30. Minnesota Vikings
  31. New England Patriots
  32. Philadelphia Eagles

Round Two:

  1. Cleveland Browns
  2. New York Giants
  3. Cleveland Browns (from Houston)
  4. Indianapolis Colts
  5. Indianapolis Colts (from New York Jets)
  6. Tampa Bay Buccaners
  7. Chicago Bears
  8. Denver Broncos
  9. Oakland Raiders
  10. Miami Dolphins
  11. New England Patriots (from San Francisco)
  12. Washington Redskins
  13. Green Bay Packers
  14. Cincinnati Bengals
  15. Arizona Cardinals
  16. Los Angeles Chargers
  17. Indianapolis Colts (from Seattle via New York Jets)
  18. Dallas Cowboys
  19. Detroit Lions
  20. Baltimore Ravens
  21. Buffalo Bills
  22. Kansas City Chiefs
  23. Carolina Panthers
  24. Buffalo Bills (from Los Angeles Rams)
  25. Tennessee Titans
  26. Atlanta Falcons
  27. San Francisco 49ers (from New Orleans)
  28. Pittsburgh Steelers
  29. Jacksonville Jaguars
  30. Minnesota Vikings
  31. New England Patriots
  32. Cleveland Browns (from Philadelphia)

Read more

49ers To Pick 9th, Raiders To Pick 10th

March 2nd, 2018 at 11:37am CST by Zachary Links

The order for the 2018 draft is officially in the books. The 49ers won the coin toss for the rights to the No. 9 pick on Friday afternoon. The Raiders will now pick 10th. Beyond the first round, the Niners, Raiders, and Dolphins will alternate draft order due to their identical records.

The 49ers and Raiders both finished the year with matching 6-10 record and an identical strength of schedule. Typically, conference record is the next tiebreaker, but because the two teams are in different divisions and conferences, the logjam was settled with a coin flip.

The Raiders aren’t the only losers in today’s toss. The Patriots hold the rights to the Niners’ second-round pick thanks to the Jimmy Garoppolo trade and they’ll now pick at No. 43 overall instead of No. 41.

Here is the complete rundown of this year’s draft order:

1. Cleveland Browns (0-16)

2. New York Giants (3-13)

3. Indianapolis Colts (4-12)

4. Cleveland Browns (via the 4-12 Houston Texans)

5. Denver Broncos (5-11)

6. New York Jets (5-11)

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-11)

8. Chicago Bears (5-11)

9.San Francisco 49ers (6-10)

10. Oakland Raiders (6-10)

11. Miami Dolphins (6-10)

12. Cincinnati Bengals (7-9)

13. Washington Redskins (7-9)

14. Green Bay Packers (7-9)

15. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)

16. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)

17. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7)

18. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)

19. Dallas Cowboys (9-7)

20. Detroit Lions (9-7)

21. Buffalo Bills (9-7)

22. Buffalo Bills (via the 10-6 Kansas City Chiefs)

23. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)

24. Carolina Panthers (11-5)

25. Tennessee Titans (9-7)

26. Atlanta Falcons (10-6)

27. New Orleans Saints (11-5)

28. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)

30. Minnesota Vikings (13-3)

31. New England Patriots (13-3)

32. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)

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