2019 April - Pro Football Rumors

Draft Notes: Simmons, 49ers, Patriots, Jets

April 11th, 2019 at 9:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Linked to both Antonio Brown and Odell Beckham Jr. this offseason, which involved extensive talks about a deal for the latter Pro Bowl wide receiver, the 49ers are shifting their focus to draft-eligible wideouts. They have been closely tied to Nick Bosa with their No. 2 overall pick, but at No. 36, wide receivers appear to be on San Francisco’s radar. Receiver prospects N’Keal Harry and Deebo Samuel intrigue the 49ers, with Matt Miller of Bleacher Report indicating on his Stick to Football podcast (via NBC Sports Bay Area) that the team is zeroing in on one of these two — with the Arizona State product perhaps grading slightly higher than the South Carolina alum — with their second-round pick. Both players have met with the 49ers, with Samuel working with Kyle Shanahan‘s staff at the Senior Bowl. The 49ers cut Pierre Garcon this offseason and have Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis sitting as the top wideouts on the roster. That may change by Day 2 of the draft.

Here is the latest from the draft world:

Jeffery Simmons‘ pre-draft tour continues to take shape. The Mississippi State-developed defensive lineman traveled to Indianapolis for his Combine recheck, due to the ACL tear he suffered while preparing for the draft, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets positive reviews emerged regarding Simmons’ recovery. Following the Indianapolis trip, Simmons has visits with the Cardinals and Dolphins lined up, Rapoport adds. Simmons’ Browns meeting has already occurred, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. Simmons, who finished with 18 tackles for loss last season, is expected to miss the 2019 season but was viewed as a surefire first-round pick prior to his knee injury.
Three pass-catching prospects visited the Patriots on Thursday. Samuel joined wideout A.J. Brown and tight end Noah Fant on the visit, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). Having lost Rob Gronkowski and with Julian Edelman entering his age-33 season, the Patriots are in need of aerial weaponry aid. New England has added Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Bruce Ellington and Maurice Harris this offseason. There will certainly be more additions to Tom Brady‘s receiving corps, through the draft and/or trades.
Is D.K. Metcalf‘s stock slipping? The other Ole Miss wide receiver prospect wowed those in attendance at the Combine but never surpassed 650 yards in a season with the Rebels. While he has been mocked in the first round consistently, Albert Breer of SI.com surveyed some teams who would not use a first-round pick on the physical specimen. Metcalf ranks as the No. 19 overall prospect (and No. 2 wideout) on Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com’s big board. Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN’s latest mock (Insider link) has Metcalf going to the Packers at No. 12.
While pass rusher looks like the Jets‘ biggest need, the team appears to believe cornerback resides higher in its deficiency queue than the offensive line, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes. The Jets made a bigger splash on their offensive front this offseason, in acquiring Kelechi Osemele, but did not make big bids for UFA centers. The Jets graded as Football Outsiders’ worst line, per the adjusted line yards metric, last season. New York lost Buster Skrine and has not made an effort to bring back Morris Claiborne. And buyer’s remorse may be setting in on the Jets’ Trumaine Johnson signing, pointing to Gang Green being in on corners come draft weekend.
The 49ers will host defensive end prospect Brian Burns in the coming days, the Florida State-honed prospect said during an appearance on Chris Simms Unbuttoned (via NBC Sports Bay Area) the 49ers are on his visit list. It would appear Burns, projected as a first-rounder, would be a 49ers option only if they traded out of their No. 2 overall slot.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/11/19

April 11th, 2019 at 8:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Thursday’s minor moves. More Alliance of American football alums are finding NFL homes.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Claimed off waivers from Cowboys: G Parker Ehinger

Minnesota Vikings

Waived: CB Jalen Myrick

New York Giants

Signed: DB Henre’ Toliver (AAF)

San Francisco 49ers

Signed: OL Daniel Brunskill

Washington Redskins

Signed: LB DeMarquis Gates (AAF)

Redskins To Host Kyler Murray

April 11th, 2019 at 6:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kyler Murray will make another pre-draft trip to the Eastern Time Zone. Visiting the Giants on Thursday, Murray is scheduled to meet with the Redskins next week, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets.

A Washington powwow is obviously interesting, given the franchise’s need at the position and its draft pick. Holding the No. 15 overall selection, the Redskins would have to trade up for Murray. The Cardinals have been widely rumored as the team that will draft the Heisman Trophy winner, but if they were to pass, Murray lasting too much longer would be surprising.

Like the Giants, the Redskins are fully examining the crop of likely first-round passers. They have already met with Drew Lock, Daniel Jones and Dwayne Haskins. Murray has visited the Raiders, Cardinals and Giants.

Redskins executive VP Doug Williams said last month he did not foresee his team trading up to draft a quarterback, though teams are obviously not always truthful about their intentions at this time of the year, but said the team will be very interested in selecting one it likes — if he is there at 15. The Redskins have been the team most linked to Josh Rosen, but that noise appears to be quieting.

Washington’s quarterback depth chart, as of now, consists of Case Keenum and Colt McCoy. Alex Smith is out until at least 2020, and a return to football is certainly not guaranteed.

49ers To Meet With DT Tyeler Davison

April 11th, 2019 at 5:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

A former fifth-round pick who became a frequent starter with the Saints, Tyeler Davison continues to draw interest from other NFC teams.

After paying a visit to the Falcons earlier this week, the free agent defensive tackle will meet with the 49ers on Friday, Herbie Teope of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

While not one of New Orleans’ higher-profile defenders, Davison started 48 of the 61 games he played over the course of his rookie contract. He registered two sacks last season. The Saints signed both Malcom Brown and Mario Edwards this offseason.

The 49ers have three first-round picks who do their best work as interior pass rushers, with DeForest Buckner, Arik Armstead and Solomon Thomas on their roster. The team is lighter on pure defensive tackles, however, employing just three at the moment. Third-year player D.J. Jones and waiver claim Sheldon Day represent the non-Buckner inside defenders on San Francisco’s roster, so Davieson would be a nose upgrade, were he to sign.

Earl Thomas Committed To Chiefs Deal Prior To Ravens Offer

April 11th, 2019 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Well known to have pursued Earl Thomas, the Chiefs were incredibly close to having one of the highest-profile safety tandems in recent NFL history.

Thomas committed to sign with the Chiefs the night before he agreed to terms with the Ravens, the new Baltimore defender said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Podcast this week (video link). Thomas provided details on what was a one-year Kansas City offer.

“I had committed there on a one-year deal worth like $12MM,” Thomas said, “and the next morning I woke up, my agents called me and told me I had a better offer with the Ravens, so I definitely took that offer real quick.”

Having recently seen money become available after C.J. Mosley accepted a monster Jets offer, the Ravens swooped in with a four-year, $55MM Thomas proposal. Thomas said he was on the phone with Andy Reid the night before he agreed to the Ravens’ terms and indicated his family was packing up for a flight to Missouri. While more low-key, with no agreement having been widely reported, Thomas’ free agency appears to have unfolded in a fairly similar fashion as Anthony Barr‘s.

“The Chiefs actually were about to send me a private jet and me and the family were packing up, getting ready to go, get on the jet, go to Kansas City, and I woke up the next morning and my agents told me that Baltimore really wanted me and they offered me a megadeal, and I took that,” Thomas said.

The Chiefs opened free agency by authorizing a $14MM-AAV deal for Tyrann Mathieu. They were clearly quite close to pairing him with Thomas. Eric Berry was still on Kansas City’s roster at that point, but the team released its three-time All-Pro safety hours after the Ravens pried Thomas away. Before going down with a season-ending injury, Thomas was rumored as a Chiefs trade target as well. It is not known if Thomas gave the Chiefs a chance to match the Ravens’ offer, though they certainly could have given that the subsequent Ravens agreement occurred before the new league year began.

Thomas added that the Cowboys, who offered a second-round pick for him last year, did not seriously pursue him in free agency. The Cowboys did not come forward with the kind of money the Ravens or Chiefs did, per Thomas.

Kansas City has made some major changes to its defense, cutting Berry and Justin Houston and trading Dee Ford. Lower-profile defensive ends Alex Okafor and Emmanuel Ogbah have since signed, joining Mathieu, Damien Wilson and Bashaud Breeland as notable K.C. offseason defensive additions. But a Chiefs team that ranked 31st against the pass (though 12th in pass-defense DVOA) still could use some help in the secondary.

Kyler Murray Visiting Giants

April 11th, 2019 at 4:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants have not exactly been pegged as Kyler Murray fans, but the franchise in need of a long-term quarterback option is nonetheless hosting the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

While Murray is now widely expected to be the Cardinals’ No. 1 overall pick, he has met with other teams. Not many, however. He did work out for the Raiders earlier this month.

The former top-10 MLB draft choice has rocketed into the 2019 quarterback equation, but the Giants have been known to prefer traditional passers. Murray’s 5-foot-10 frame may have given the Giants pause, and were he to somehow slip to No. 6, the team reportedly would prefer Dwayne Haskins over the more athletic passer. Of course, this is probably moot anyway, with Murray almost certainly set to be off the board by the time the Giants go on the clock.

Big Blue has met with Haskins, Drew Lock and Daniel Jones. Murray rounds out the quartet of quarterbacks expected to be taken in the first round. The Giants, however, are in need at several defensive spots and have been linked to preferring a pass rusher with their No. 6 overall pick. Jones at No. 17 surfaced as a possible scenario, however. The Giants, who have also discussed a Josh Rosen trade, remain one of this draft’s most interesting teams.

Jets To Sign Ty Montgomery

April 11th, 2019 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Former Packers and Ravens running back Ty Montgomery will join the Jets’ new-look backfield. The Jets are signing Montgomery to a one-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Montgomery visited the Jets on Thursday, following Spencer Ware in doing so. The team evidently prefers Montgomery, who was scheduled to visit the Dolphins on Friday, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson (on Twitter).

The converted wide receiver is expected to be Le’Veon Bell‘s backup, Schefter writes, supplanting Eli McGuire and Trenton Cannon. While Montgomery has been prone to injuries, he will come to New York with fresh legs. While Bell has more than 1,200 career carries, Montgomery has logged 192.

While the 26-year-old Montgomery does not profile as a true RB2, the Jets’ backfield does gain some obvious pass-catching ability. He caught 44 passes for 348 yards in 2016, when the Packers moved him to running back because of injuries. Montgomery played in 15 games that season, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. The position change stuck, despite Montgomery keeping his wide receiver jersey number.

The former third-round pick fell out of favor with Green Bay last season, a fumbled kick return at the root of that ending. But the midseason castoff did average 5.5 yards per tote in Baltimore — albeit on 15 carries. McGuire posted 3.0 yards per handoff last year.

Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette Arrested

April 11th, 2019 at 2:37pm CST by Zachary Links

Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette was arrested on Thursday. Fournette was pulled over for speeding and later cuffed for driving on a suspended license, as Justin Barney of News 4 writes.

“The Jacksonville Jaguars are aware of the situation involving running back Leonard Fournette and are continuing to gather more information,” the Jags said in a statement. “No further comment will be provided at this time.”

Fournette topped 1,000 rushing yards during his rookie campaign in 2017, but still failed to manage four yards per carry. Last season, he was set back by injuries. In total, he appeared in only eight games in 2018, rushing for 439 yards and five touchdowns. On an efficiency basis, Fournette ranked just 32nd among running backs in Football Outsiders‘ DVOA and 26th in success rate.

It’s yet another roadblock for the Jaguars and their starting running back. Last year, the Jaguars moved to void Fournette’s guarantees after a brawl with the Bills resulted in a one-game suspension. Then, in Week 17, Fournette irked team brass by sitting on the bench instead of standing on the sideline.

Former Jets WR ArDarius Stewart Arrested

April 11th, 2019 at 1:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Jets wide receiver ArDarius Stewart was arrested for carrying a pistol without a permit, as Michael Casagrande of AL.com writes. The former Jets third-round pick is a free agent, but this incident could hurt his market.

Stewart never took off in New York, despite appearing in 15 games as a rookie in 2017. Last season, the Jets cut him loose after he was hit with a two-game ban for a performance-enhancing drug. In his lone Jets season, Stewart had just six receptions for 82 yards.

As a junior at Alabama, Stewart hauled in 54 passes for 864 yards and eight touchdowns, but he has yet to replicate that production at the pro level. Last year, Stewart spent time on the Raiders’ and Redskins’ practice squads, but never earned a promotion to the 53-man roster.

Cardinals Notes: Rosen, Murray, Draft

April 11th, 2019 at 1:11pm CST by Zachary Links

Amidst trade rumors, Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen seems to have the support of his teammates, as ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss writes.

“He handled himself like a quarterback, like any other quarterback would,” outside linebacker Chandler Jones said of Rosen after the start of the team’s offseason program. “He was a leader. I was impressed with how he spoke to the huddle. I wasn’t in the huddle all the time. Being in practice, you heard what he’s saying and he was good at grabbing everyone’s attention. He was a leader, for sure.”

For now, Chosen Rosen appears to be in a holding pattern. Rumors continue to swirl about the Cardinals’ interest in QB Kyler Murray at No. 1 overall, but Arizona seems content with holding on to the UCLA product for the time being.

Meanwhile, his trade market remains murky. The Redskins – once thought to be a leading suitor for Rosen – appear to have cooled on him.

Agents typically don’t accompany their clients on pre-draft visits, but Kyler Murray was joined by Erik Burkhardt on his trip to meet with the Cardinals, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Murray did not take Burkhardt into the building with him on Wednesday, but Burkhardt was on hand to discuss other business with team brass while in town. Burkhardt, as you probably know by now, represents both Murray and Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
Arizona State wide receiver N’Keal Harry will conduct his only private workout of the pre-draft period with the Cardinals.