Amari Cooper - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Dez, Johnson, Cooper, Draft Visits

April 17th, 2015 at 10:03pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The recent falling out between Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant and longtime mentor David Wells makes it unlikely Bryant will stay in Dallas long term, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). The Cowboys view Wells as crucial to keeping Bryant out of trouble off the field, and if Wells isn’t going to continue on as part of Bryant’s life, Cole doesn’t expect the team to risk giving the wideout a long-term deal. Bryant, on whom the Cowboys placed the franchise tag earlier this offseason, is scheduled to become a free agent next year.

Rounding up the rest of the latest NFL news as Friday comes to a close:

Colts receiver Andre Johnson spent the first 12 years of his career with the Texans and caught over 1,000 passes before the team released him in March. Despite subsequently signing with AFC South rival Indianapolis, Johnson doesn’t harbor ill will against his old team. “It wasn’t about circling (game) dates or nothing against the Texans. I had 12 great years [in Houston],” Johnson said Friday, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. “I have nothing bad against the Texans.”
The Giants could draft a receiver with the ninth overall pick, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (Twitter link), who believes Amari Cooper of Alabama tops their wideout big board. However, Raanan tweets that it’s unlikely Cooper will fall to the Giants.
Speaking of Cooper, multiple teams rate him as the best player in the draft, per Peter King of TheMMQB.com (Twitter).
University of Kentucky edge rusher Bud Dupree visited the Rams on Friday, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter).
Sacramento State wide receiver DeAndre Carter will visit the Patriots on Monday, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter).
Washington visited with University of Pittsburgh linebacker Todd Thomas on Friday, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.Net.
The Colts on Friday hosted a pair of safety prospects – Northwestern’s Ibraheim Campbell and Samford’s Jaquiski Tartt – per Pauline (Twitter).

AFC Notes: Browns, Cooper, Agholor, Titans

April 16th, 2015 at 1:05pm CST by Luke Adams

While he likely won’t be around by the time the No. 12 overall pick rolls around, Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper paid a pre-draft visit to the Browns, tweets Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. The Browns, of course, hold the 12th and 19th overall picks, so they have plenty of options at their disposal, including trading up or down, and they could certainly use some receiving help.

Here are a few more draft-related items from across the AFC:

USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor, who previously worked out for the Eagles twice, has also visited the Bills and has a workout lined up with the Patriots, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). With his draft stock reportedly on the rise, Agholor’s previously-reported workout with the Panthers happened today.
Michigan State running back Jeremy Langford, a potential mid-round selection, recently visited the Broncos, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. As Klis observes, Denver may be looking to develop a change-of-pace alternative, with Ronnie Hillman entering the final year of his contract. Klis notes in a second story that the Broncos also recently met with wide receivers Tre McBride (William & Mary) and Keith Mumphery (Michigan State).
The Steelers hosted a pair of prospects today, conducting their previously-reported visit with Nebraska pass rusher Randy Gregory and also taking a look at former Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner, tweets Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Gardner figures to play wide receiver at the NFL level.
After visiting the Steelers today, Gregory is on to Tennessee to meet with the Titans, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport tweets that the Titans are also hosting Louisville wideout DeVante Parker. Neither Gregory nor Parker seems like a viable candidate to go second overall, though they’ll probably be long gone by the second round, so it looks like Tennessee is preparing for a number of different scenarios.

Draft Notes: Titans, Fowler, QBs, Darby

April 15th, 2015 at 10:40am CST by Luke Adams

Clemson edge rusher Vic Beasley and Alabama wideout Amari Cooper, two probable top-10 picks, are making visits to Tennessee today to meet with the Titans, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter links). I don’t expect either player to go as high as No. 2 overall, but there’s certainly no guarantee that the Titans will keep that pick, so it makes sense that they’re exploring their options. As Wyatt notes (via Twitter), the club is taking a look at several top pass rushers, having also hosted Shane Ray and Dante Fowler Jr. on previously-reported visits.

Here are a few more draft updates from around the NFL:

Speaking of Fowler, the Florida pass rusher will be in Washington today to meet with the team that holds the fifth overall pick, tweets John Keim of ESPN.com.
Despite recent buzz surrounding Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston is still the strong favorite to go first overall in this month’s draft, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora suggests that the No. 2 pick is still worth keeping a close eye on though, since Mariota will likely be selected in that spot — the Rams, Chargers, Eagles, and Browns are among the teams with at least some level of interest in nabbing the Oregon QB, and they’d all likely have to move up to do so.
Armed with two first-round picks, the Browns are considering all their options, and brought in Arizona State wide receiver Jaelen Strong for a pre-draft visit on Monday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post adds the Panthers to the list of teams Florida State cornerback Ronald Darby has visited. Darby has also met with the Saints and Jets, and worked out for the Buccaneers.
The Dolphins, who figure to target linebackers at some point in this year’s draft, will host top ILB prospect Benardrick McKinney of Mississippi State this Friday, writes Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

AFC Mailbags: Texans, Chiefs, Jets, Jags, Colts

April 11th, 2015 at 9:50pm CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN.com’s NFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the AFC…

The Texans have historically made trades during the draft, so Tania Ganguli believes it’s a possibility the organization could move up this year. However, considering the depth at the position, she doesn’t think the Texans should trade up for a wideout.
Adam Teicher writes that “cornerback is a spot to watch” for the Chiefs during the first round. While the organization would be “delighted” with Michigan State’s Trae Waynes, Teicher says Wake Forest’s Kevin Johnson or LSU’s Jalen Collins are more realistic targets.
Despite the team’s acquisition of Brandon Marshall, Rich Cimini says it would be hard for the Jets to pass on Alabama’s Amari Cooper if the receiver’s available at the sixth pick.
Chad Henne is entering the final year of his contract, and Michael DiRocco could envision the Jaguars re-signing the veteran quarterback following the 2015 season. The 29-year-old has compiled 27 touchdowns to 26 interceptions in his three seasons in Jacksonville.
Mike Wells says it’s “highly unlikely” that Ahmad Bradshaw returns to the Colts. The 29-year-old certainly provided a spark during his tenure in Indy, but he only managed to play 13 games between the two seasons. Futhermore, the addition of Frank Gore would leave Bradshaw without a clear role.

Draft Updates: Mariota, White, Falcons, Jags

April 9th, 2015 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The previously-reported visits for top draft prospects Marcus Mariota, Leonard Williams, and Dante Fowler Jr. are all happening today for the Titans, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Although the Titans are getting a closer look at Mariota, another team in the top five apparently won’t get an opportunity to do so. Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that Washington had planned to bring in Mariota for a visit, but the two sides couldn’t work out a time, so that trip is now off.

The news may not mean anything significant, but Charles Robinson notes in his latest piece for Yahoo! Sports that sources around the league are skeptical that Washington is truly interested in selecting Mariota with the No. 5 overall pick. “They’re trying to create leverage to get someone to [trade] up,” said one AFC personnel source.

With a report today suggesting that the Browns have real interest in moving up for Mariota, the Oregon quarterback is certainly generating the most draft buzz this week, but we have plenty of updates on other prospects as well. Here’s the latest:

Within Robinson’s previously-linked piece, he notes that Buccaneers ownership will ultimately make the final call on whether or not to draft Jameis Winston, adding that there have been some internal questions about the community relations impact of selecting Winston.
Kevin White, arguably the top receiving prospect in this year’s class, said today that he’s setting up visits with the Jets, Bears, Rams, and Giants, per Ross Tucker of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).
The Falcons are hosting a pair of top-tier pass rushers today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that Clemson’s Vic Beasley and Kentucky’s Bud Dupree are in town.
Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union provides a full list of the 20 prospects that visited the Jaguars this week. While we’ve passed along many of those names already, there are also plenty of new ones: Javorius “Buck” Allen (RB, USC), T.J. Yeldon (RB, Alabama), Amari Cooper (WR, Alabama), Rashad Greene (WR, FSU), DeAndre Smelter (WR, Georgia Tech), Cedric Ogbuehi (T, Texas A&M), Andrus Peat (T, Stanford), Eli Harold (DE, Virginia), Arik Armstead (DL, Oregon), Landon Collins (S, Alabama), and Trae Waynes (CB, Michigan State).
In addition to visiting the Eagles, UCF wide receiver Breshad Perriman met with the Raiders, Colts, and Steelers this week, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
Washington cornerback Marcus Peters, Stanford cornerback Alex Carter, and Virginia linebacker Max Valles made visits to Pittsburgh to meet with the Steelers today, tweets Scott Brown of ESPN.com.
The Giants, Steelers, and Texans have hosted visits for Ohio State cornerback Doran Grant, who has also worked out for the Cowboys, Raiders, and Buccaneers, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.

Draft Visits: Titans, Jags, Steelers, 49ers

April 8th, 2015 at 12:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Having hosted receiver Kevin White for a visit already, the Titans are scheduled to meet with Alabama wideout Amari Cooper next week, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). While the two players are considered the top two prospects at their position, it would still be a surprise to see either player go as high as No. 2 to Tennessee, so perhaps the team is doing due diligence in case it trades down. Of course, I’d argue that the Titans have multiple positions that are bigger holes than wide receiver, but there’s no harm in exploring every potential option.

Here are more updates on upcoming draft visits, as well as some that have already happened:

Another top-five team keeping its options open is Jacksonville, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the Jaguars have hosted Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon and Georgia’s Todd Gurley for pre-draft visits. Third overall is almost certainly too high to draft a running back, so the Jags could be doing their homework in case they make a draft-day trade.
Rapoport also passes along an update on wide receiver DeVante Parker, tweeting that the former Louisville Cardinal has visits with the Jets, Titans, and Bears on his schedule. Parker has also visited the Jaguars and is meeting with the Vikings today.
Virginia edge rusher Eli Harold, Ole Miss cornerback Senquez Golson, Utah defensive end Nate Orchard, and Auburn tight end C.J. Uzomah all visited the Steelers today, tweets Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Speaking of Harold, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link), the Virginia product has visited or worked out for 14 teams, including the Bears, Jaguars, Saints, and Jets.
The 49ers and Steelers will host Auburn receiver Sammie Coates for visits next week, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Coates has also visited the Browns and, as previously reported, the Dolphins.
Per Wilson (via Twitter), USC tight end Randall Telfer has visited the Eagles, will visit the Patriots, and has a private meeting lined up with the Falcons.
Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports (via Twitter) that that Sacramento State wide receiver DeAndre Carter worked out for the Cardinals this week, and will attend local pro days for the Raiders and 49ers next week.

49ers Looking To Trade Up For Amari Cooper

April 2nd, 2015 at 6:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers are looking to trade up from pick No. 15 to land Alabama star Amari Cooper, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link).

GM Trent Baalke has fallen in love with Cooper, particularly because he is polished, well-rounded, and seems ready to contribute almost immediately. Cooper can play any of the three receiver positions for the 49ers, which would give them a number of options in 2015. San Francisco has Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith in the fold, but Cooper could be the team’s offseason replacement for Michael Crabtree.

The 49ers, Miller says, have already started asking around about where Cooper is expected to land and they are trying to figure out what it would take to get in that range. In Miller’s view, the Niners would have to get up to No. 6 if he makes it past the Raiders at No. 4 because the Bears (No. 7) would love to pair Cooper with Alshon Jeffery in the wake of dealing Brandon Marshall.

Realistically, that would leave Washington (No. 5) and the Jets (No. 6) as possible trading partners for Baalke & Co. Even though it would cost them quite a bit, Miller notes that Baalke has historically shown that he knows how to manipulate a draft board and he has been willing to deal from a surplus of picks in the past to get the guy he wants.

Draft Visits: Jets, M. Davis, Orchard, Raiders

April 2nd, 2015 at 12:09pm CST by Luke Adams

It would be a little surprising to see the Jets take a receiver with the sixth overall pick after signing Eric Decker and trading for Brandon Marshall during the last two offseasons, but the team is bringing in wideout Amari Cooper today for a pre-draft visit, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). With Cooper viewed as a near lock to be selected in the top 10, it’s more likely the Jets are doing due diligence and keeping their options open rather than making the Alabama product a priority.

Here are some details on several more pre-draft visits around the NFL:

We heard yesterday that South Carolina running back Mike Davis has a visit lined up with the Patriots, but New England is far from the only team eyeing him. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Davis also has workouts or visits scheduled with the Buccaneers, Seahawks, Browns, and Falcons.
Utah defensive end Nate Orchard, a projected second-round pick, confirmed that he met with the Browns, dining with defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil and outside linebackers coach Brian Fleury, per Kevin Jones of ClevelandBrowns.com.
According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (all Twitter links), the Raiders are taking a look at a handful of prospects today, working out South Dakota offensive lineman Matt Huffer, and hosting New Hampshire center Mike Coccia and Texas Southern defensive back Tray Walker.
Northwestern safety Ibraheim Campbell, a potential second-day pick, has worked out for the Buccaneers, Browns, and Texans, and has workouts on deck with the Bears and Eagles, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
Delaware State defensive end Rodney Gunter, who had 57 tackles and seven sacks in his senior season, visited the Chiefs, a league source tells Wilson.
The Broncos are hosting New Hampshire tight end Harold Spears for a pre-draft visit, according to Wilson.

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.

NFC East Links: Romo, Peterson, Gregory

February 14th, 2015 at 3:12pm CST by Rob DiRe

It will be a big offseason for some NFC East teams, as the division has seen a lot of turnover the past few years. With all four teams competitive, it wouldn’t be totally surprising to see the Cowboys going from first to worst or Washington to achieve the reverse. While both teams are setting themselves up for successful 2015 seasons, here are some links from around the NFC East:

Cowboys‘ starting quarterback Tony Romo turns 35 this April, and there may be some concerns about the signal-caller’s age, writes Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPN.com. Taylor notes that since Jim Plunkett won Super Bowl XVIII, only two quarterbacks have led their team’s to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at age 35 or older. John Elway did it twice during the twilight of his career, and Tom Brady just a few weeks ago. Brady’s remarkable performance gives Taylor hope for Romo, showing that in the right offense and with the right coach, quarterbacks can continue to achieve into their late thirties. Romo has the benefit of a great offensive line and a consistent running game, and after being asked to throw the ball fewer than 30 times per game for the first time in his NFL career, the Cowboys might have the recipe for success with the old passer at the helm.
Dallas has big decisions to make regarding Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray, and those two have both been story lines followed closely at PFR. ESPN’s NFL Front Office takes a look at the conversations that could be going on in the Cowboys‘ headquarters. They note that giving Bryant a long-term extension is a general manager’s nightmare but a coach’s dream. The group also writes that re-signing Murray would be nice, but Adrian Peterson would be the home run choice.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. put together his second mock draft of the offseason this week, projecting Nebraska pass rusher Randy Gregory to be selected by Washington fifth overall. With Mariota currently falling to sixth, the best case scenario could be another quarterback-needy team moving heaven and earth to jump ahead of the Jets to select him, giving Washington leverage to make a big trade to move down in the draft, writes John Keim of ESPN.com. Keim also notes that while the team has needs at safety, corner, and along the offensive line, none currently look to be worthy of a top-five pick. If Washington targets wide receiver Amari Cooper, the team would have to hope he falls past Oakland at fourth overall.