HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Broncos Looking To Swap Picks With Giants?

April 26th, 2018 at 6:56pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been sounding like the Giants are content to stay at No. 2, but could the team end up trading back? NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Giants may have a suitor in the Broncos, who are exploring a deal to move up three spots from No. 5. Rapoport notes that a quarterback could be Denver’s target.

When it comes to the Broncos, this is the opposite of what we’ve been hearing. Reports have indicated that Denver could be looking to move back from the fifth pick, and a number of teams have been listed as potential suitors. Another report indicated that the Broncos were only interested in selecting Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold with the selection. The Broncos may fear that those two quarterbacks will be snagged by the Browns and Jets, necessitating a trade. In another tweet, Rapoport says the Broncos could be eyeing Darnold, although general manager John Elway has spent more time with Josh Allen than any other quarterback prospect.

We heard earlier today that the Giants could still deal the second-overall pick. Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and NC State defensive end Bradley Chubb are considered the favorites to be selected by New York, but the lack of clarity out of Cleveland has complicated their game plan.

Draft Rumors: Ravens, Seahawks, 49ers, Pats

April 26th, 2018 at 6:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s dive into some last-minute draft rumors as we anticipate the start of the first round…

  • Should the Ravens go on the clock and Mike McGlinchey is off the board, it looks like they will strongly consider UCLA’s Kolton Miller. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets the Ravens are focused on Miller as a McGlinchey contingency plan at No. 16. These two are viewed by many as the top tackles in this year’s draft. Although Baltimore needs a right tackle after cutting Austin Howard, this serves as one of the possible Lamar Jackson destinations. Assuming the top four QB prospects are gone by this point in the draft, it could open up the trade market for the picks in the latter teens with the 2016 Heisman winner still available.
  • Albert Breer of SI.com writes that there are several teams interested in moving down, including the 49ers (No. 9), Seahawks (No. 18), Lions (No. 20), Titans (No. 25), and Eagles (No. 32). Seattle would have particular interest in trading their pick if safety Derwin James or any of the top pass-rushers are off the board. Meanwhile, Breer notes that San Francisco could benefit if a quarterback-needy team wants to trade up.
  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets that he keeps hearing Miami defensive lineman Chad Thomas being connected to the Patriots. Thomas didn’t earn a spot on NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah’s top-50 list, and he’s ultimately projected to be a third- or fourth-round pick. The senior was plenty productive in 2017, compiling 41 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks.

Draft Notes: Ravens, Seahawks, Saints, Browns

April 26th, 2018 at 4:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s take a look at some assorted notes as we get ready for the start of the draft…

  • There are a number of teams currently picking in the twenties that would be interested in moving up to the teens, reports Jason La Canfora (via Twitter). Interestingly, those teams may have some suitors, as the reporter notes that the Ravens and Seahawks are among the teams interested in trading back.
  • Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland told Josh Katzenstein of The Times-Picayune that running back Saquon Barkley is the top player on their draft board (Twitter link). “He’s rare,” Ireland gushed. “He’s unique.” Of course, barring some crazy development, the Saints are unlikely to have an opportunity to select Barkley, as they’re only armed with one pick in the first two rounds. Plus, the team is already rostering several talented running backs, including Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram.
  • There could end up being a flurry of trades if the Browns select Baker Mayfield with the first-overall pick, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter video). All of the potential scenarios have seemingly stalled trade talks, although Rapoport notes that the Browns (No. 4), Broncos (No. 5), and Colts (No. 6) are among the teams who’d consider moving down. The Bills could be among the teams looking to trade into the top-six range, and the Broncos could ultimately choose to keep their pick if someone like Josh Allen falls into their lap.
  • Rapoport also notes (via Twitter) that several prospects are expected to be selected earlier than initially thought: Maryland wideout D.J. Moore, UTSA defensive end Marcus Davenport, and Louisville Jaire Alexander. Davenport and Alexander both landed in the top-20 of Daniel Jeremiah’s rankings, while Moore was listed 37th.

Latest On Josh Allen

April 26th, 2018 at 4:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

While it’s not quite blowing up like the Laremy Tunsil bong incident two years ago, the draft status of Josh Allen has become a key storyline in light of the unearthing of controversial tweets from the quarterback’s high school days.

Some league insiders believe this discovery will be a factor regarding Allen’s introduction to NFL life, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. As for where the Wyoming-honed passer lands, a source informed Florio that if Allen tumbles past the Nos. 5-6 territory, then the passer and CAA (his representation) should start getting nervous.

Allen’s attempted to get in front of this story Thursday, indicating he thought he’d gone through his Twitter account last year. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported this account was vetted in January.

“I had even typed in keywords to see if anything I had tweeted popped up that I needed to clean up, but nothing like these came up or I just missed them,” Allen said, via Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com. “My agency went over any past social media, and these didn’t come up after I did the search.”

While this is not exactly the same situation that Riley Cooper found himself in years ago, with Allen being in high school when these tweets containing racially insensitive language were sent, it’s become a key component on a big day in the 6-foot-5 quarterback’s life.

“If I could go back in time, I would never have done this in a heartbeat,” Allen said. “At the time, I obviously didn’t know how harmful it was and now has become. I hope you know and others know I’m not the type of person I was at 14 and 15 that I tweeted so recklessly. … I don’t want that to be the impression of who I am because that is not me. I apologize for what I did.”

Allen said some of these tweets could have been sent by friends, with the Firebaugh, Calif., native telling Mortensen he and his friends occasionally took each other’s phones and sent tweets. One NFL team said with a top-five pick told Schefter its brass didn’t know about the tweets and had heard “nothing but positives” on Allen, who said no teams have reached out to him about them. However, a report earlier today indicated Allen and his camp had contacted teams with high draft picks about this controversy.

“That’s my plan — to show the type of person I am now,” Allen said, via Mortensen. “Whatever team picks me, they are going to get that from me. I will set the record straight for any team, any teammate, the media, and I think once they meet me and they’re around me, see how I act and how I think, that it’s not going to be a problem at all.”

Dolphins Looking To Move Up In First Round?

April 26th, 2018 at 4:25pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins could be eyeing a quarterback in the first round. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets that the organization would consider trading up tonight if a quarterback slides down the board. Regardless of what happens, the Dolphins have told starter Ryan Tannehill that he’ll be their starter in 2018.

The Dolphins are currently slotted in at the No. 11 spot of the first round, and they’re also armed with four additional picks before the end of the fourth round. Unless they’re willing to sacrifice a 2019 first-rounder, it’s unlikely they’d have the draft capital to move into the top-five. However, they do have enough picks to conceivably move up several spots.

Tannehill is only 29-years-old, so the Dolphins realistically shouldn’t be in any rush to find a replacement. Of course, the team might not be overly thrilled with the 2012 first-rounder’s future prospects, especially after he missed the entire 2017 campaign after tearing his ACL. Tannehill played 13 games during the 2016 season, completing 67.1-percent of his passes for 2,995 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

Giants Could Still Trade No. 2 Pick

April 26th, 2018 at 4:08pm CST by Zachary Links

A trade of the No. 2 pick is still a possibility for the Giants, sources tell Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). If they keep the No. 2 pick, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and NC State defensive end Bradley Chubb are viewed as the favorites to be selected. However, the potential presence of USC’s Sam Darnold could change things.

The Giants – and those around the Giants – would have better clarity on their plans if they knew what the Browns were planning to do with the No. 1 overall pick. The Browns have left everyone around the NFL guessing and no one knows for sure if they’ll go with Darnold, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, or perhaps even Wyoming’s Josh Allen. At this point, the entire world might find out the identity of the top pick together when commissioner Roger Goodell takes the podium tonight.

On paper, selecting Sam Darnold as Eli Manning’s successor would be a huge win for the G-Men, but they are reportedly less than enamored with this year’s QB crop. If the Giants are willing to pass up a chance to select Barkley or Chubb, they could net a tremendous haul to swap places with a team dead set on landing a QB.

Cardinals No Longer Trying To Trade Up?

April 26th, 2018 at 4:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Multiple reports have emerged this week about the Cardinals trying to trade up to acquire a quarterback. Well, either those efforts have proven fruitless before the draft actually begins, or the team may now believe it can land one of the top signal-callers at No. 15.

With three hours to go until the Browns’ clock starts, the current view is the Cards are not going to be making a move north from No. 15, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes.

With the Browns and Jets essentially locked into drafting quarterbacks, two will be unavailable for the Cardinals at No. 15. And it’s not out of the question for the Giants and Broncos to select one, which could make the Browns’ No. 4 pick valuable for teams seeking to trade up — this would be where the Cardinals, Bills and Dolphins come into play. With the Bills and Dolphins picking ahead of the Cards, they could be in precarious territory regarding a quarterback pick.

The Cardinals saw both the Chiefs and Texans trade in front of them last year to draft Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, respectively, and Arizona endured a rough year at QB. The Cards now have Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon but are in need of a longer-term answer.

Perhaps the franchise’s efforts to make a move will ramp back up once the draft starts, but for now, it looks like it’s quieter on this front.

Raiders Waive DL Darius Latham

April 26th, 2018 at 3:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

A UDFA signed in 2016, Darius Latham is headed back to the waiver wire. The Raiders made the decision to cut the third-year defensive lineman hours before the draft, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

Latham made a bigger impression for the 2016 Raiders, playing in 14 games and starting two, than he did last season. Oakland saw the young defender receive a four-game suspension, and Latham ended up playing in just three contests last year. He made 17 tackles as a rookie and has yet to record a sack.

The Raiders signed two UFA defensive linemen in Tank Carradine and Armonty Bryant during Jon Gruden’s first free agency period back at the helm, and the team is expected to pursue help on its interior this weekend.

Pro Football Focus assigned Latham a 77.7 grade last season, indicating some promise may exist for the 23-year-old, but he played only 56 defensive snaps. The Raiders also waived Latham once last season before placing him on their practice squad.

2018 NFL Draft Primer

April 26th, 2018 at 2:52pm CST by Zachary Links

After weeks of anticipation – or months, if your favorite team was eliminated early from playoff contention – the 2018 NFL draft finally gets underway tonight in Dallas. Pro Football Rumors will have you covered for the entire three-day event, passing along all 256 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 2018 draft:

Steelers Listening To Martavis Bryant Offers

April 26th, 2018 at 2:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers may not be actively shopping Martavis Bryant, but they’re listening to offers on the contract-year wide receiver, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com reports.

Bryant did not appear to be content with his situation last season, and trade buzz followed the deep threat for weeks leading up to the 2017 deadline. But Pittsburgh kept him in the fold, and as of February, the franchise wasn’t planning on trading him despite fielding calls on him.

Part of the holdup regarding a Bryant trade is the Steelers’ timeline and the teams that might impede them from reaching their goal. The Patriots and Ravens are teams that could need a receiver like Bryant, but Graziano notes the Steelers do not want to ship a talented player to rival franchises. They believe Bryant can help them in 2018, even if he may now be the fourth option in their offense, and will need a good offer to part with him.

Kevin Colbert discussed Bryant with other teams at the Combine, but nothing emerged from those reported discussions. So as of now, the two-time defending AFC North champions are set at wide receiver as they attempt to make good on their Super Bowl window — one largely dependent on the skill-position crew they’ve assembled. But with Pittsburgh needing more help on the defensive side of the ball, it would be understandable if the team listened on Bryant if it meant draft compensation to address bigger issues.

 

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