HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Darnell Savage To Be First-Round Pick?

April 25th, 2019 at 12:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Maryland safety Darnell Savage, a virtual unknown just weeks ago, has emerged as a possible first rounder, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. He’s visited the Panthers, Seahawks, Rams, Steelers, Eagles, and six other clubs, and at least one of those clubs has him in consideration for the Top 32.

Savage put himself on the map as a junior with 59 tackles, eight pass breakups, and three interceptions. He delivered yet again last year with four picks, two pass breakups, and 52 tackles (5.5 tackles for loss). He really impressed in workouts, however, and evaluators now see him in a whole different light.

At 5’11 and 198 pounds, Savage lacks ideal size for the next level. However, he has some scouts thinking that his football IQ and innate instincts will make him a success story in the NFL. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com has heard comparisons between Savage and Raiders safety Lamarcus Joyner, which is pretty high praise for the Maryland product.

Eagles To Re-Sign Tim Jernigan

April 25th, 2019 at 11:30am CST by Zachary Links

Timmy Jernigan is back with the Eagles. After the Eagles declined Jernigan’s option in March, the defensive tackle agreed to return on a new one-year deal, according to James Palmer of NFL.com (on Twitter). 

Jernigan signed a four-year, $48MM extension with the Eagles late in the 2017 season. Ultimately, that deal only lasted for one year. This time around, both sides will have their options open after just one campaign.

By declining Jernigan’s option, the Eagles saved $7MM with $6MM left over in dead money. Jernigan’s latest deal will give him a smaller base salary, but he’ll have the opportunity to cash in next March if he can reestablish himself.

The Ravens traded Jernigan to the Eagles in 2017, and he performed well enough for the eventual Super Bowl champions to ink him to a high-end extension. Unfortunately, he played just 100 snaps last season, suiting up for just three regular-season games.

49ers Shopping Solomon Thomas

April 25th, 2019 at 11:06am CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers are shopping Solomon Thomas, according to Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter). This comes as a bit of a shock considering that Thomas was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 draft. 

Thomas, still only 23, hasn’t lived up to his draft billing thus far. As a rookie, Thomas managed three sacks and 41 tackles, but last year he registered only one sack with 31 total stops.

Thomas showed improvement from Year One to Year Two, according to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus, but still didn’t perform at the level you’d expect from a No. 3 overall pick. He earned a 64.0 overall grade from PFF, putting him in a three-way tie as the No. 63 ranked edge defender in the NFL last year. That’s lightyears behind where new pickup Dee Ford (No. 11) and Arik Armstead (No. 26) placed.

Thomas’ rookie deal calls for him to earn paltry base salaries of $645K and $735K in each of the next two seasons. Next year, the 49ers (or whichever team may acquire him) can pick up his pricey fifth-year option for the 2021 season. At this rate, Thomas doesn’t seem on track for that, but he could turn things around with a strong showing in ’19.

Latest On Raiders’ NFL Draft Plans

April 25th, 2019 at 10:46am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have kept their draft plans shrouded in secrecy, to the point where they dismissed their core scouts in order to keep a lid on things. With hours to go before the draft, we may have some insight into their strategy, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano (on Twitter).

If the Raiders stay put at No. 4, Graziano does not expect the Raiders to select a quarterback, despite the rumblings we’ve heard as of late. If Alabama defensive end Quinnen Williams is available, which seems increasingly unlikely, Graziano thinks he’ll be the pick, or the Raiders could opt for Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver as a Plan B.

If the Raiders move up, Graziano hears they’ll target Nick Bosa. They could conceivably land this year’s consensus top talent by sliding up to the Niners’ No. 2 overall choice if SF is eyeing Josh Allen, as has been rumored.

Should the Raiders could choose to keep all three of their first-round picks, they could surprise by using the No. 24 or No. 27 on Marquise Brown, Graziano hears. That would be a stunner after the Raiders added Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams in the offseason, but crazier things have happened on draft day.

No Charges Filed Against Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill

April 25th, 2019 at 10:12am CST by Zachary Links

The Johnson County District Attorney’s offense has declined to file charges in the investigation involving Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, DA Stephen Howe announced on Wednesday. However, Howe is far from convinced that there was no wrongdoing. 

“We believe the a crime has occurred,” Howe said, before adding, “The evidence does not conclusively establish who commit the crime.”

On Thursday, Hill issued a statement through his attorneys, though he did not speak specifically to the case:

“I love and support my family above anything. My son’s health and happiness is my number one priority. I want to thank the Kansas City Chiefs, my attorneys, my agent and my union for supporting me through this. My focus remains on working hard to be the best person for my family and our community I can be and the best player to help our team win.”

Authorities say Hill’s three-year old son suffered injuries, including a broken arm, at Hill’s home. At one time, authorities were also looking into Hill’s involvement in another incident where officers were called to Hill’s home to investigate a different instance of “child abuse or neglect.” Hill’s name was listed on that police report, though the “report was closed three days later when prosecution was declined.” 

All of the accusations are troubling, especially in light of Hill’s pre-NFL history with domestic violence. And, given the way the NFL has operated in recent years, Hill is certainly not out of the woods when it comes to league discipline.

So far, Howe says his office has not spoken to the league or the Chiefs about Hill’s case.

Josh Rosen Is Unaware Of Cardinals’ Plans

April 25th, 2019 at 9:53am CST by Rory Parks

If the Cardinals select quarterback Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick tonight, as most expect, then Josh Rosen will almost certainly be traded, either during the draft or after. His trade market has been fluctuating quite a bit recently, but Arizona will likely be able to get a decent return from some team that misses out on a collegiate signal-caller over the next several days.

But as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, Rosen himself remains in the dark. The team has given him no indication one way or another as to what it intends to do tonight, which would create a rather uncomfortable situation if Murray is not the pick.

If the Cardinals don’t take Murray, they will have to do a lot of work to mend fences and repair their relationship with a player that just one year ago was deemed their franchise quarterback. The same will hold true if they draft Murray and, for one reason or another, keep Rosen on the roster. Rosen has already admitted that he is frustrated by the situation, which is certainly understandable.

All of that makes it more likely, in Florio’s view, that the Cardinals will indeed take Murray tonight and will trade Rosen in the very near future. Rosen just doesn’t know that yet.

Draft Rumors: Bush, Redskins, Rams

April 25th, 2019 at 9:04am CST by Rory Parks

Let’s round up the latest draft rumors in advance of tonight’s main event:

  • We heard several days ago that the Falcons were interested in trading into the Top 10, and that they had their sights set on defensive linemen like Christian Wilkins and offensive linemen. Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network confirms that Atlanta is indeed interested in moving up, but his sources say the club’s target is actually linebacker Devin Bush (Twitter link). Per Pelissero, the Falcons would need to leapfrog the Broncos, who hold the No. 10 overall pick, to assure themselves of landing Bush.
  • Despite all of the rumors suggesting that the Redskins are interested in making a big trade up into the Top 5, Pro Football Talk says that all of the calls that team president Bruce Allen are making are just an example of Allen being Allen and that Washington doesn’t really have a desire to make a move (Twitter link).
  • Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that the Rams, who hold the No. 31 overall pick in tonight’s draft, have received a number of calls from teams wanting to trade into the back end of the first round. First-rounders, of course, can be kept under club control for five years instead of four.
  • As Pelissero notes in a separate tweet, the teams that have shown the most interest in trading down from their current first-round slots are the Jets (No.3), Lions (No. 8), Dolphins (No. 13), Seahawks (Nos. 21 & 29), and Rams (No. 31).
  • If Kyler Murray should start to fall down the draft board, he may end up having a better financial future in baseball. As Albert Breer of SI.com notes, MLB’s Oakland A’s have offered him a $14MM “sweetener” on top of the $4.6MM bonus he was already due after the club drafted him last year, for a total of $18.66MM. That number would land between the 10th and 11th overall picks in tonight’s NFL draft, so if Murray ends up falling that far, teams are concerned that he would return to the diamond. But Breer still thinks that Murray will be the No. 1 overall pick tonight.
  • Breer calls Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons the most interesting prospect in the draft. He is one of the top defensive players in his class, but the troubling video showing him striking a woman in high school, along with his ACL tear, have completely removed him from some teams’ draft boards. But there is still a good chance that he will be selected in the first round tonight.
  • The Panthers and Vikings are both very serious about addressing their needs along the offensive line with early draft picks, as Breer notes in a separate piece. Both clubs used a high number of top-30 visits on O-linemen.
  • LSU cornerback Andraez “Greedy” Williams is perhaps the most talented corner in the draft, but as Breer notes, he comes with plenty of red flags concerning his toughness, work ethic, and personality. He did not make a single pre-draft visit, and despite his upside, he could slip out of the first round.

Benjamin Watson Interested In Patriots?

April 25th, 2019 at 8:59am CST by Zachary Links

If Benjamin Watson returns to the NFL, he could join up with a contender that is badly in need of a tight end. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Watson comes back and signs with the Patriots, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com says (on Twitter). 

[RELATED: Ben Watson Considering Comeback]

The Patriots lost one of the game’s very best tight ends when Rob Gronkowski retired earlier this offseason. Rumors continue to swirl about Gronk making a comeback of his own, but for now, the Patriots are moving forward with the belief that Gronk is gone for good.

Watson is 38 years old, but there’s reason to believe he can still be productive if he gets back on the gridiron. In 2017, his lone season with the Ravens, Watson compiled 61 catches for 522 yards and four touchdowns. Last year’s Saints return did not produce a gaudy stat line, but he still managed 35 grabs for 400 yards and two scores.

Only a few tight ends, including Antonio Gates last season, have played past their 38th birthdays. No pure tight end, discounting long snappers, has suited up past his 39th. Watson turns 39 in December.

Contract Details: Roethlisberger, Hageman

April 24th, 2019 at 9:54pm CST by Ben Levine

A look at the details on recent deals from around the NFL:

LB Azeem Victor Suspended 10 Games

April 24th, 2019 at 9:36pm CST by Ben Levine

Azeem Victor‘s chances of joining a NFL team took a hit yesterday. Veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer reports (via Twitter) that the free agent linebacker has been suspended for the first 10 games of the 2019 season.

The length of the punishment implies that Victor was suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The 10-game ban also indicates that this isn’t the linebacker’s first violation.

The 23-year-old had a standout career at Washington, although his senior season ended prematurely after he was suspended following a DUI charge. The off-the-field issue may have resulted in Victor dropping in the draft, as the linebacker was ultimately selected by the Raiders in the sixth round of the 2018 draft.

The defender ended up bouncing around the NFL during his rookie campaign. Victor spent the entire preseason with the Raiders before being released in early September. He subsequently had stints on both the Buccaneers and Seahawks practice squads. Earlier this year, the linebacker joined Orlando’s AAF team, but he was waived by the team in mid-March.

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