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NFC Notes: Rams, Kaepernick, Draft, Boykin

April 1st, 2015 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s check in on a few Wednesday items from around the NFC….

  • Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper, Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat, and Louisville offensive tackle Jamon Brown are among the prospects paying pre-draft visits to the Rams today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (all Twitter links).
  • Colin Kaepernick‘s long-term outlook in San Francisco isn’t entirely clear yet, but for the foreseeable future, he’s the 49ers‘ starting quarterback, and that became even more certain today — as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com details, Kaepernick’s $10.4MM salary for 2015 became fully guaranteed when the calendar turned to April.
  • The son of former Detroit wide receiver Brett Perriman visited his father’s old team today, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com, who writes that the Lions hosted Central Florida wideout Breshad Perriman for a pre-draft visit. The younger Perriman is one of the fastest players in this year’s draft class.
  • Another speedy receiving prospect, Miami’s Phillip Dorsett, said today that he has visits lined up with the Falcons and Panthers, per James Walker of ESPN.com.
  • Prior to his Pro Day today, Towson cornerback Tye Smith had a dinner meeting with the Saints, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Smith is expected to be a late-round pick or an undrafted free agent.
  • Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com provides the details on wide receiver Jarrett Boykin‘s one-year deal with the Panthers, tweeting that it’s a minimum salary pact with a $20K bonus.

Draft Notes: Lions, Goldman, Holliman

March 30th, 2015 at 10:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions hosted Texas A&M offensive lineman Cedric Ogbuehi for a pre-draft visit at their training facility, Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com writes. Ogbuehi was an All-SEC performer last season, but he tore his ACL in the team’s bowl game against West Virginia. Even though he could have jumped ship early and been a first-round pick in the 2014 draft, he says that he doesn’t regret his decision to return to campus for his senior year. Here’s more draft news..

  • Florida State defensive tackle Eddie Goldman has pre-draft visits with the Browns, 49ers, Colts, Lions, Panthers, and Patriots, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). In his junior year with the Seminoles, Goldman recorded four sacks to go along with 51 tackles and a forced fumble.
  • The Lions canceled a meeting with safety Gerod Holliman, according to Miller (on Twitter). The Louisville star already met with the Bucs and will meet with the Dolphins prior to the draft.
  • Of the presumptive seventh-round cornerbacks, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) would rather take a gamble on De’Vante Bausby than most of the players he’s competing with at his position.

North Notes: Browns, J. Smith, J. Allen, Lions

March 29th, 2015 at 9:02pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While the Browns are content to use Josh McCown as their starting quarterback in 2015, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes the club will continue to search for other options at the position. Cabot thinks Cleveland will attempt to trade up in the draft for Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, and also doesn’t rule out the Browns making another run at Sam Bradford on draft day.

Here’s more from the North divisions:

  • Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith is perhaps the best 2016 free agent CB, writes ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley, who argues that Baltimore will either sign Smith to an extension, or use the franchise tag on him. Hensley adds that the starting point for negotiations on a long-term deal would probably be the contract between the Eagles and Byron Maxwell (six years, $63MM).
  • In an interesting discussion with Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune, Jared Allen discusses the Bears’ dismal 2014 season, his hopes for an improved 2015, and his transition to 3-4 linebacker. Perhaps most notably, Allen reveals that the Broncos were on his shortlist of intriguing teams when he hit free agency last offseason in large part due to John Fox, who of course is now in Chicago.
  • The Lions lost one of the league’s best players in Ndamukong Suh to free agency, but improvement by younger defenders such as linebacker Kyle Van Noy and defensive end Larry Webster could keep Detroit’s defense among the NFL’s top units, opines Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.

Sunday Roundup: Panthers, Thomas, Levy

March 29th, 2015 at 12:46pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some notes from around the league on this Sunday afternoon:

  • David Newton of ESPN.com passes along a couple of Panthers items. He believes an extension for Cam Newton will get done before the season begins, but both sides will wait until Russell Wilson signs his new deal before really moving forward. The ESPN scribe also expects an extension for Thomas Davis to happen at some point, but there is no real rush to get it done immediately.
  • Although the Broncos have to seriously consider taking a quarterback with one of their ten draft picks, Mike Kiszla of The Denver Post does not see any of this year’s crops of signal-callers outside of Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota as a legitimate heir to Peyton Manning.
  • Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes that Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians plans to give second-year quarterback Logan Thomas “a ton of work” this offseason. Most of Thomas’ reps will come with the second unit, but given that Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton are coming off injury, there should be opportunities with the first team as well.
  • Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com believes the Bears will look to the draft for a wide receiver to complement Alshon Jeffery, and they will only turn to the free agent pool if they are unable to adequately address their needs with a rookie or two.
  • Now that Ndamukong Suh is gone, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com believes DeAndre Levy might be the player to build around as the cornerstone of the Lions‘ defense.
  • If Jimmy Smith were to hit the open market next offseason, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com believes he would be the best cornerback in the free agent class. But Hensley thinks the Ravens will either lock Smith up with a long-term extension or else put the franchise tag on him, as he is too valuable for the team to let go. Byron Maxwell‘s new six-year deal with the Eagles, which includes $25.5MM guaranteed and has an AAV of $10.5MM, would be a good benchmark for a Smith extension.
  • David Moore of The Dallas Morning News says it is unlikely that Adrian Peterson will end up with the Cowboys, but given the unpredictability of owner Jerry Jones, it is too soon to dismiss the possibility altogether.

Extra Points: FAs, Bishop, Browns, Jennings

March 28th, 2015 at 11:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Free agency’s impact portion’s conclusion opens the door to early examinations of a star-studded — as of now, before new contracts are signed and franchise tags are applied — 2016 class. USA Today looks at a contingent that includes Eli Manning, Dez Bryant, Von Miller, A.J. Green and Marcell Dareus, among many other top-caliber performers.

The crop is high on pass-catchers and pass-rushers. Demaryius Thomas, particularly if the Broncos cannot get a deal done for Miller this offseason, becomes an interesting name, with Julio Jones and T.Y. Hilton joining Bryant and Green as No. 1 receiving options. Of the aforementioned wideouts, Thomas, who could be franchised for a second straight season, probably has the best chance of reaching the market, with Peyton Manning‘s waning career tied inextricably to his.

Aldon Smith, Justin Houston and Jason Pierre-Paul headline the edge-pursing group, with the disgruntled Houston likely facing a lengthy staredown with the Chiefs and Smith’s off-field issues potentially holding up his future with the 49ers.

With Russell Wilson‘s mega-contract forthcoming with the Seahawks, middle linebacker Bobby Wagner could become an intriguing name in next year’s class.

On to some additional news from Saturday night …

  • Former Packers longtime second-level cog Desmond Bishop will visit the 49ers on Monday, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com on Twitter. Reeling from retirements and injuries, the 49ers, who signed the 30-year-old San Francisco native in December after now-retired Chris Borland suffered a season-ending malady, have a need at the position. Bishop’s played both middle and outside linebacker in his eight-year career. The 49ers are also bringing in Lance Briggs for a visit Monday, as we noted earlier.
  • The Browns are facing a future that may not include Alex Mack after the 2015 season, with the transition-tagged center having an opt-out clause in the contract he signed with the Jaguars before the Browns matched it last spring. Cleveland is likely to select a center or an interior lineman with versatility high in the draft, writes ESPNCleveland’s Tony Grossi. The All-Pro center cannot be traded in an NBA-style expiring-contract scenario since a no-trade clause resides in Mack’s contract to prevent such a move.
  • Johnny Manziel and Connor Shaw are going to be the Browns‘ quarterback options this season, Grossi said, with the focus of adding a franchise-caliber signal-caller on the agenda for next offseason. Although the Browns may add a lower-tier prospect in the draft, Grossi noted the team won’t target Sam Bradford in a last-minute trade centered on the No. 19 pick they attempted to send to the Rams for him, instead preferring to use the two first-round picks as supplementary pieces.
  • Miami (Ohio) University cornerback Quinten Rollins will visit the Browns, Cowboys, Lions and Panthers, Yahoo Sports’ Rand Getlin notes on Twitter. The 2014 MAC defensive player of the year (after a seven-interception season) despite playing just one year of college football has visits with 10 teams scheduled.
  • Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union took a detailed look at Greg Jennings‘ 2014 film and points out the potential fit for the Jaguars. Jettisoned after two unremarkable Vikings years, the 31-year-old Jennings would be an upgrade in Jacksonville, which houses Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee — two of Pro Football Focus’ least-favorite receivers; subscription required — and a talented but coming-off-injury Allen Robinson as its top-3 targets.
  • In a chat with readers, Dallas Morning News reporter Rainer Sabin does not expect the Cowboys to draft a quarterback this year and believes the team will replenish its lacking defense with the No. 27 overall pick, unless they feel the need to use the valuable slot to replace DeMarco Murray.

NFC North Mailbags: Mathis, Long, Blalock

March 28th, 2015 at 6:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here’s some of the chatter from the Saturday mailbags on the NFC North.

  • Evan Mathis could be in play for the Vikings if the Eagles release him as they’ve indicated they might, writes ESPN’s Ben Goessling. Although not willing to part with draft choices for the All-Pro guard, the Vikings are reportedly eyeing more interior help and could move for a soon-to-be-released player. Mathis has connections to Mike Zimmer and offensive line coach Jeff Davidson from his time with the Bengals and Panthers, respectively.
  • Stefen Wisniewski, conversely, is not on the Vikings’ radar due in part to the torn labrum he suffered last season, reports Goessling.
  • The Bears view Kyle Long as a candidate to move to tackle due to his athleticism, writes ESPN’s Michael C. Wright. Long started 31 games at right guard the past two years and Bears 2014 starters Jermon Bushrod and Jordan Mills were lower-tier tackles last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
  • Wright notes the Bears won’t go out of their way to take a quarterback or wide receiver at No. 7 despite the loss of Brandon Marshall or uncertainty surrounding Jay Cutler.
  • The Packers going after a cornerback in the first round to replace the departed Tramon Williams and Davon House is probably one of their top options, offers ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. Green Bay, which hasn’t drafted a corner in Round 1 since Ahmad Carroll in 2004, could look at Wake Forest’s Kevin Johnson at No. 30 if he’s still on the board, per Demovsky.
  • Wes Welker may have been a fall-back option had Randall Cobb opted to sign elsewhere, but the veteran slot target is not on the Packers’ radar now. Young backups Jeff Janis and Jared Abbrederis remain in the team’s developmental plans.
  • Like the Vikings, the Lions are also expected to add talent at guard, reports ESPN’s Mike Rothstein. Retaining 32-year-old Rob Sims or signing longtime Falcons starter Justin Blalock, also 32, are the Lions’ most likely routes in this pursuit, opines Rothstein. After a free agency period more notable for who they lost than who they’ve acquired, the Lions have just more than $5MM worth of cap space heading into the draft.
  • The only two starting lineup locks up front in Detroit are Larry Warford at right guard and Travis Swanson at center, notes Rothstein. Former tight end Michael Williams, who resided on the practice squad last season, could make a move toward the swing tackle spot.

FA Notes: Moss, Copeland, Lloyd, Bishop

March 28th, 2015 at 12:48pm CST by Ben Levine

As we heard yesterday, Washington coach Jay Gruden wouldn’t hesitate in bringing back veteran wideout Santana Moss. The 35-year-old has played in Washington for the past ten seasons, and he finished last season with ten catches for 116 yards. If he returns, Moss can expect to continue to contribute at a reduced role, considering the presence of fellow receivers DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, and Andre Roberts. Still, Gruden appreciates the veteran’s role on the field and in the locker room:

“You know what? I could always play with Santana,” Gruden told Mike Jones of the Washington Post. “Santana’s a great person. He’s great in the locker room for us. He knows all the positions. I know he’s going to be in great shape, and I would not hesitate one bit to call him.”

“We’ve talked about everybody. It’s just about when, how. We don’t want — we’ll wait until the draft to see what we have as far as numbers at every position and go from there. You know, that’s something that we know where Santana is, and he knows where we are, and something may work out down the road.”

Some more assorted notes from around the NFL…

  • As we previously heard, linebacker Brandon Copeland has received interest from multiple teams following his performance at the Veteran Combine. “My phone’s been ringing,” he told Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. “It’s been pretty good so far. I’m not going to say what teams, but four teams have offered me contracts so far. It was definitely successful for me to go to the veteran combine.” Among the teams showing interest in Copeland are the Lions, Eagles, Bengals, Chiefs, Colts, Giants and Titans.
  • Meanwhile, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that the 49ers are not among the estimated 13 teams to have shown some level of interest in Copeland.
  • ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez says the 49ers haven’t had any conversations with wideout Brandon Lloyd. He notes that the team previously has little interest in bringing back linebacker Desmond Bishop, but he acknowledges that the mindset may have changed following the roster overhaul.
  • Some have drawn comparisons between the Texans signing of Ed Reed last offseason and their addition of free agent Vince Wilfork this year. Texans owner Bob McNair recognizes the difference, however. “I think the difference is when you have someone at a position where they have to be able to run, then age is more of a consideration,” McNair told ESPN.com’s Tania Ganguli. “We thought Ed was in good shape and was going to be able to come down and play and he was a big disappointment. At nose tackle, you don’t have to run that much. He’s got to be strong. So there’s some positions you can play for more years and you aren’t taking as much risk.

North Notes: Steelers, Cutler, Patterson

March 25th, 2015 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The NFL has informed the Steelers that the seventh-round compensatory pick the team received will actually be a sixth-rounder (Twitter link). The league initially miscommunicated the pick, which will now be the 212nd selection rather than the 252nd (Twitter link). Conversely, the Broncos‘ sixth-round compensatory pick (No. 208) will be bumped down to a seventh-rounder (No. 250), according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter). We’ll update our list of draft picks by round and by team this afternoon to reflect the change.

Let’s check in on a few more items from around the NFL’s two North divisions….

  • According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (all Twitter links), Bears decision-makers, including new head coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace, discussed Jay Cutler‘s contract as the guarantee date for more of the QB’s salary neared earlier this offseason. After meeting with Cutler, the Bears’ brass left convinced that he’s their guy going forward.
  • If there was any doubt about the Vikings‘ commitment to wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, head coach Mike Zimmer cleared things up on Tuesday, as Chris Wesseling of NFL.com details. According to Zimmer, there’s “no chance whatsoever” that the team will trade Patterson this year.
  • Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams will visit the Ravens prior to next month’s draft, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • The Lions aren’t pursuing tampering charges against the Dolphins in regard to Miami’s pursuit of Ndamukong Suh prior to the start of this month’s free agent period, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Of course, just because Detroit isn’t pushing for it, that doesn’t mean the league isn’t looking into a potential violation by the Dolphins and other teams who reportedly reached agreements with free agents prior to March 10.

Extra Points: Carr, Cowboys, Green, Spikes

March 24th, 2015 at 10:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s round up some assorted items from around the NFL…

  • Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said the club isn’t certain it will ask cornerback Brandon Carr to take a pay cut, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star Telegram (Twitter link). Jones adds that Dallas has accounted for Carr’s salary in its books, and discussions are still ongoing. For his part, Carr has indicated that he is not amenable to a pay reduction.
  • Florida offensive lineman Chaz Green will have a full schedule, as he has visits set up with the Buccaneers, Panthers, Falcons, Texans, Cowboys, Bills, Saints, and Chargers, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net.
  • The Vikings’ signing of Casey Matthews probably signals the end of their interest in Brandon Spikes, says Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter link). Minnesota was only “lukewarm” on Spikes as it was, and Wolfson hears that Spikes is asking for to much money.
  • Western Oregon receiver Tyrell Williams already had a workout with the Patriots, and he also has a private workout with the Lions lined up, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
  • In his review of free agency, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap analyzes the 10 worst contracts handed out during the offseason, listing Ndamukong Suh and Byron Maxwell‘s deals Nos. one and two, respectively.
  • Also at Over the Cap, Bryce Johnston uses his expected contract value metric to determine which contracts are the most likely to be “one-and-done,” with Tramon Williams (Browns) and Andre Johnson (Colts) topping the list.

NFC North Notes: Peterson, Williams, Guion

March 24th, 2015 at 5:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As if Adrian Peterson‘s agent stating that it’s not in the running back’s best interests to play for the Vikings doesn’t paint a clear enough picture, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) reports that Peterson definitely wants out Minnesota, preferring to move on and play for a different organization. Per Cole, the three most likely destinations for Peterson are the Cardinals, Colts, and Cowboys — however, the Vikings know of Peterson’s desire to land in Dallas, and have no intention of helping him attain that goal. Vikings GM Rick Spielman has already stated that the club will not release Peterson, so a trade seems to be his only way out of Minnesota.

Here’s more from the NFC North…

  • Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams has a meeting lined up with his hometown NFL club, as Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets that Williams will visit with the Vikings. Williams is expected to be the first tight end selected in next month’s draft.
  • Free agent defensive tackle Letroy Guion won’t face any charges resulting from his February arrest, and his case is now considered closed, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. However, the 27-year-old could still face discipline from the league, as Demovsky adds in a second piece. The Packers have expressed interest in re-signing Guion, who started all 16 games for them last season.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press explains how the Lions acquired Haloti Ngata from the Ravens earlier this month, noting that Detroit’s personnel department began looking at game film of Ngata immediately after Ndamukong Suh signed with the Dolphins.
  • The Lions are working on setting up a visit with Arkansas guard Cameron Jefferson, per Birkett (Twitter link).
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