2020 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Bucs, Titans Talk With QB James Morgan

April 22nd, 2020 at 10:30am CST by Zachary Links

Add the Buccaneers and Titans to the list of teams with Florida International quarterback James Morgan on the radar (Twitter link via Mike Wells of ESPN.com). His market could be heating up as a whole host of teams have chatted with him in recent days.

As previously reported, the Jets, Patriots, Packers, Bears, Raiders, Giants, Bills, and Dolphins have also checked in with the young passer. The Colts, per Wells, have had multiple video meetings with him.

Morgan hasn’t gotten the same kind of hype as other QBs in this class. In all likelihood, he’ll be available well after Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jake Fromm, and other big names have been spoken for. Still, Morgan’s stock has been steadily rising, thanks in part to strong showings at the combine and the East-West Shrine Game. He might not be the complete package, but he offers one of the strongest arms in the draft, plus football IQ and leadership qualities.

After an up and down run at Bowling Green, Morgan transferred to FIU in 2018. In his first season in the state of Florida, he earned Conference USA Newcomer of the Year honors by completing over 65% of his passes for 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Last year wasn’t quite as strong, but he’s still well liked by evaluators.

Bengals Still Won’t Consider Trading No. 1 Pick

April 22nd, 2020 at 10:16am CST by Zachary Links

The Bengals got a few calls from teams looking to move up, but they’re not even going through the motions. One Bengals source told Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that they “could just turn our ringers off on our phones” when it comes to trades for the No. 1 pick.

It’s no surprise. The Bengals are locked in on LSU star Joe Burrow as their quarterback of the future. They’ve been burning up bandwidth and using as much of their allotted time as possible to get familiar with him, go over the playbook, and strategize for their future together.

Other teams near the top of the order are at least giving thought to trading down. Giants GM Dave Gettleman could very well move the No. 4 pick, even though it’s not in his nature. The Lions are also willing to listen on offers for the No. 3 pick, though they’re high on cornerback Jeff Okudah, defensive tackle Derrick Brown, and Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons. Okudah is very unlikely to be available past No. 10 and there’s no telling where Brown or Simmons could land. The Redskins, supposedly, are willing to listen on offers for the No. 2 pick, but they’re probably still keyed in on Ohio State pass rusher Chase Young.

Nothing is certain in this year’s NFL Draft, but Burrow-to-the-Bengals seems like a done deal.

Redskins Receive “Complete” Offer For No. 2 Pick

April 22nd, 2020 at 9:36am CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins are still fielding calls on the No. 2 pick and one team has laid out a “complete deal” for Ron Rivera & Co., Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets.

Meanwhile, one GM in the Top 7 has tried multiple times to get Chase Young on the phone for a 1-on-1, Anderson hears (Twitter link). It’s not clear whether that meeting actually took place, but it’s an indication that at least one club thinks they’ll have a chance to pry the pick away from Washington.

Young is widely viewed as the top talent in this year’s class, but most teams haven’t bothered to reach out to team. He’s an elite edge rusher, a potential generational talent, and he’s been thought to be a mortal lock for the Redskins at No. 2. Still, the Redskins are willing to hear other teams out.

According to the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus, Young’s performance has been positively off the charts. His 2019 score slotted him ahead of Josh Allen (Kentucky, 2018), Nick Bosa (Ohio State, 2017), Myles Garrett (Texas A&M, 2015), and every other collegiate edge rusher dating back to 2014. Last year, Young notched 17 sacks in 2019, the most of any player in the FBS – and that was with two missed games.

Panthers Willing To Trade Back From No. 7

April 22nd, 2020 at 8:20am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers are “open to sliding back a few spots” in the NFL Draft, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (Twitter link). They currently sit at No. 7, a prime opportunity to strengthen their stockpile if another team looks to move up for a quarterback, cornerback, or tackle.

The Panthers are looking to fill a number of holes on defense – cornerback, linebacker, interior defensive line, and safety are all on the to-do list, though not necessarily in that order. At No. 7, they should be in range for Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown and they could have the chance to take Clemson linebacker/safety Isaiah Simmons. Then, with their next seven choices (two picks in Round 5), they could fill out the rest.

Or, they can charge a king’s ransom to a team desperate for big-time help. Thanks to the Teddy Bridgewater signing, they don’t have to dedicate their top pick to a quarterback.

The Panthers aren’t the only Top 10 team willing to make a move. The Cardinals – who sit one spot below Carolina at No. 8 – could be swayed.

Cardinals Looking To Trade Down From No. 8?

April 22nd, 2020 at 7:55am CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals have expressed interest in trading down from the No. 8 overall pick, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. This jibes with the speculation we’ve heard in recent weeks and it would make lots of sense for a team without a second-round pick.

The Cardinals sent their second-rounder to the Texans in the DeAndre Hopkins trade – a mere bucket of shells for one of the game’s most talented wide receivers. Meanwhile, they’re looking to address needs including offensive tackle, linebacker, and edge between now and the start of the season.

The No. 8 pick could be perfect for the Falcons, who are working feverishly to move up the board for a prime defender. There, GM Thomas Dimitroff might be able to land Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah or Florida’s C.J. Henderson, this year’s top cornerbacks. Or, if Clemson’s Isaiah Henderson slips, the Falcons could tap him to bolster their edge rush and safety depth all in one shot. That choice could also be prime territory for a QB-needy team.

Vikings Getting Calls On No. 22, No. 25 Picks

April 21st, 2020 at 2:39pm CST by Zachary Links

No surprise here, but the Vikings have received trade interest in advance of the draft. With pick Nos. 22 and 25 in hand, GM Rick Spielman tells reporters that he’s gotten calls from teams trying to move up, as well as teams looking to trade back (Twitter link via Josina Anderson of ESPN.com).

Based on what we’ve been hearing lately, the Vikings are more likely to trade down than make a leap up the board. The consensus in the NFL is that there’s a clear drop off at cornerback beyond this year’s top two of Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah and Florida’s C.J. Henderson and they’re both very unlikely to be available at No. 22. After that, the next tier offers plenty of promise and upside, but not necessarily anyone worth reaching for. Instead, the Vikings could trade back into Day 2, where they should have an opportunity to select corners like Utah’s Jaylon Johnson, LSU’s Kristian Fulton, or Alabama’s Trevon Diggs (Stefon Diggs‘ brother).

Then again, the Vikings already have a strong stockpile heading into this weekend. Spielman has a dozen picks to work with, including an extra third-round choice by way of the compensatory formula. If a stud player slips, he has the flexibility to change course and make a move up the board.

Poll: What Will Giants Do At No. 4?

April 21st, 2020 at 2:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the variance in this draft’s top three picks may be low, the Giants could go in a number of directions at No. 4 overall. They have been connected to several different strategies.

Picking in the top six for the third straight year (after never landing there from 2005-17), Big Blue has needs at a few places. The Giants could use help on the offensive line and at outside linebacker and safety. Based on the organization’s history and Dave Gettleman‘s impossible-sounding track record featuring zero trade-down maneuvers in seven drafts as either the Panthers or Giants GM, the Giants would be expected to hold their pick at No. 4. But noise about the team moving down has emerged.

Gettleman said this week he is seriously entertaining the prospect of moving down — something he did not strongly consider the past two years when the Giants took Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones. The Giants may be going as far as planting a seed about Justin Herbert interest. Gettleman was believed to be higher on Herbert than Jones last year. But with only two teams in the past 38 drafts using back-to-back first-round picks on quarterbacks — the 1982-83 Baltimore Colts and the Cardinals in the past two years — teams do not appear to be buying this.

With Chase Young a lock to be off the board by No. 4 and the Giants not expected to take a cornerback that high, they may be down to tackle or Clemson do-everything defender Isaiah Simmons. The Giants have not gotten what they paid for in Nate Solder and signed stopgap right tackle Cameron Fleming. The latter, however, could be used as a swing man — as he was in New England and Dallas — to open the door for a rookie to start at right tackle.

Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs has been linked to the Giants for several weeks. However, Georgia’s Andrew Thomas, massive Louisville blocker Mekhi Becton and Alabama’s Jedrick Wills loom as possibilities as well.

The Giants are evaluating Simmons’ fit. He played everywhere from off-ball linebacker to safety to edge rusher to slot cornerback at Clemson. That kind of rare versatility prompted ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold to label him the draft’s top prospect.

While Simmons could help the Giants in multiple areas, Gettleman has preached offensive line development since arriving in December 2017. They also would be in a better position to address their edge rusher need with more picks, hence the greater interest in trading down.

So where what will the Giants end up doing at No. 4 overall? Vote in PFR’s latest poll (link for app users) and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Falcons Prepared To Make “Huge Leap”

April 21st, 2020 at 12:43pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons are working feverishly to move up the board. They continue to be “the team to watch when it comes to moving up in the NFL Draft,” Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The Falcons currently hold the No. 16 overall pick, but they’ve been pressing to vault into the Top 10. They have multiple needs on the defensive side – including the pass rush and the interior defensive line – but their top priority is likely at cornerback. With that in mind, Rapoport echoes what we’ve been hearing for a while: Thomas Dimitroff is looking for a high-end cover man with eyes on Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah and Florida’s C.J. Henderson.

Most have projected Okudah to be the first cornerback off the board on Thursday, though not everyone agrees that he is the very best CB in this year’s class. More and more executives seem to be pointing towards Henderson as the best at the position. Recently, Peter King of NBC Sports heard that 40% of NFL teams have Henderson slotted as the CB1, with Okudah somewhere below him.

If the Falcons want to guarantee that they’ll get either player, they may have to move all the way up to No. 3 via trade with the Lions. Okudah has long been connected to Detroit, while Henderson has been flirting with the Top 10 boundary. But, as always, nothing is certain – anonymous sources love to run misdirection this time of year and there’s zero guarantee that Henderson would be available for Atlanta at, say, No. 8.

For what it’s worth, Falcons coach Dan Quinn has told reporters that he sees Kendall Sheffield as a potential CB1 (via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution).

“In our league and division there are certainly some guys that you want to match up on if you need to,” Quinn said. “He’s definitely somebody with the speed and short-space quickness to do that. I definitely think he has a shot to do that, based on his speed and that I just think he’s going to continue to grow. Yeah, we’re very excited about him.”

John Lynch On Draft, Trades, Staley

April 20th, 2020 at 8:30pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

With the draft approaching, 49ers general manager John Lynch conducted a teleconference with the local media Monday where he revealed several interesting nuggets. When asked about a report from earlier today that he was shopping veterans Kwon Alexander, Dee Ford, Jaquiski Tartt, and Marquise Goodwin, Lynch denied the first three but acknowledged the fourth.

“Marquise is the one guy out of that group that you mentioned where there’s active discussions going on,” Lynch said, via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports. “The other guys, we love and are really looking forward to playing with moving forward.” It hasn’t been any secret they’ve been looking to trade Goodwin, and we heard last month they’d likely have to end up cutting him. However Lynch claimed there has been legit interest, saying a Goodwin deal “came close a couple of times” this offseason. Goodwin had a career year with San Francisco in 2017 with 962 yards, but injuries sapped his effectiveness and in 2019 he had only 186.

Also late last month we heard longtime left tackle Joe Staley wasn’t necessarily committed to playing in 2020, although Lynch assuaged some of those fears. “We’ve heard nothing that would lead us to believe that Joe is not going to play. So we’re encouraged with that. We’ll see where that goes,” he said. While that still is far from ironclad, it looks like Staley returning for a 14th season is a good bet.

The 49ers hold the 13th and 31st picks in the draft, and there has been speculation they’ll look to trade down since they currently don’t have any selections in the second, third, or fourth-rounds. Lynch confirmed he has talked to teams about potentially trading both picks, per a Maiocco tweet.

However, he said he’d stand pat at 13 if the team could land a “difference maker.” Lynch said that he and head coach Kyle Shanahan have so far identified six players they’d draft with the 13th pick before opting to trade down, Matt Barrows of The Athletic tweets.

Technical Issues During NFL’s Draft Rehearsal

April 20th, 2020 at 2:34pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL did a dry run in advance of its first “fully virtual” draft and experienced some snags. In fact, there was a technical glitch right from the get-go during the Bengals’ simulated No. 1 pick, according to one source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

Meanwhile, multiple coaches and GMs told Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that bandwidth issues were also causing problems. This does not bode well for the NFL’s attempt at a fully virtual draft this weekend.

The major issue of the virtual draft appears to have occurred near the beginning. After what appears to be a notable hiccup, the mock draft went smoothly, per John Elway (via The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala, on Twitter).

The COVID-19 pandemic induced the league to commit to a virtual selection event, and Roger Goodell put the kibosh on criticisms of this decision. GMs, head coaches and other execs will be stationed separately across the country. The NFL initially had stipulated that teams could assemble war rooms of up to 10 staffers — so long as they followed social distancing guidelines. However, the league quickly pivoted to the fully virtual format.

While the league plans to be flexible with issues that may crop up beginning Thursday night, it is not a good sign the trial run produced them so early. Teams have 10 minutes to make picks in the first round. The NFL opted not to extend that clock.

2020 NFL Draft News & Rumors