HEADLINES

Bradley Chubb

NFC Notes: Rodgers, Giants, Falcons, Saints

March 25th, 2018 at 9:13pm CST by Micah Powell

With the quarterback carousel of the 2018 offseason winding down, it is now time for team’s with entrenched signal-callers to review their current deals. At the forefront of that list is Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The two sides have been long expected to come to an agreement on a new deal this offseason and Packers president Mark Murphy still expects a new deal to get done this offseason, Chris Roth of WBAY-TV in Green Bay tweets.

It only made sense for Rodgers to wait for Kirk Cousins to set the bar, and he did that when he inked a three-year, $84MM deal with the Vikings earlier this month. Currently, Rodgers’ 2013 extension — which runs through 2019 — pays him $22MM annually. He can expect that number to inch close to an annual salary of $30MM.

Before missing nine games in 2017 with a collarbone injury, Rodgers had played in all 16 games in three consecutive seasons. During that time, the Packers great earned three Pro Bowl selections, a First Team All-Pro nod and claimed league MVP honors in 2014.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • The Giants trade of defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul does not mean the team is dead set on taking his replacement with Bradley Chubb at the No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft, SportsNet New York’s Ralph Vacchiano writes. He says the move was simply the team dumping JPP’s contract, and the team is happy to move forward with Olivier Vernon, Kareem Martin and Josh Mauro. That being said, the team could still nab the N.C. State standout if it is not sold on a quarterback or wary of taking a running back in Saquon Barkley.
  • The Falcons could be bringing back safety Kemal Ishmael, ESPN’s Vaughn McClure heads (Twitter link). The versatile hybrid safety has spent five seasons with the Falcons, starting 20 of his 65 career games. In 2017, Ishmael logged one sack and 24 tackles in 16 games.
  • Among several other spots, the Saints can also stand to improve their wide receiver corps, The Times-Picayune’s Larry Holder writes. The team is locked into Michael Thomas as the No. 1 of the future, but the Saints could also bring in a veteran like Jordan Matthews or address the position in the draft, according to Holder. The writer also mentions running back, tight end, fullback and defensive tackle as positions that need to be improved upon.

NFL Draft Rumors: Darnold, Giants, Chubb

March 22nd, 2018 at 2:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Wednesday’s rainy weather in Southern California isn’t ideal for local residents, but it may have done a favor for quarterback Sam Darnold at USC’s pro day, as Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweets. The early word from Darnold’s audition indicates that he looked “very, very good” despite the conditions. That could be a major plus for Darnold as he looks to separate himself from other top quarterbacks like Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, Wyoming’s Josh Allen, and UCLA’s Josh Rosen. Rosen also threw in inclement weather at UCLA’s pro day earlier this month and threw well, despite heavy gusts of wind.

Here’s more NFL Draft news:

  • The Giants already had a private workout with North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb and he’ll visit the facility in a few weeks, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Giants need a defensive end after trading Jason Pierre-Paul to the Buccaneers, opening up the possibility of taking Chubb at No. 2 overall.
  • The Texans hosted a private workout yesterday for Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, Rapoport tweets. Jackson, is expected to come off the board in the first two rounds, would not be an obvious fit for Houston, but they want to be “prepared for any and all scenarios on draft week,” Rapoport says. However, if Jackson falls, he could be an interesting insurance policy for them in the unlikely event that Deshaun Watson is not ready for the start of the season.
  • During the University of San Diego’s pro day, former Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel auditioned for the NFL scouts in attendance and reportedly put on a good show.

NFL Draft Rumors: Chubb, Bucs, Steelers

March 20th, 2018 at 12:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Long considered to be a top-three pick, Bradley Chubb might be sliding down mock drafts after the Jets traded with the Colts to get to No. 3 in the upcoming NFL Draft. The move, which could signal a run on quarterbacks early in the draft, isn’t slowing down the N.C. State pass rusher, however.

According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who spoke with Chubb’s agent, the top defensive end in the rookie class already has meetings scheduled with five teams between Sunday night and Monday before his pro day. All of those teams currently are slated to pick in the top seven spots in the draft.

Florio also spoke with longtime assistant coach Jim Washburn, who praised the defensive end as a potential perennial double-digit sack producer if he ends up in the right system. “If I was the team in need I would be very, very careful on passing on him,” Washburn said.

The flurry of moves could push down one of the top talents in the draft past the top five and to a team like the Buccaneers at pick No. 7. The move would be a steal for Tampa Bay, who is already locked in to Jameis Winston as the team’s franchise quarterback and ranked dead last in the NFL in sacks a year ago.

Regardless where he goes, Chubb is slated to be an impact performer from the moment he steps on the field.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Earlier in the week, the Steelers signed linebacker Jon Bostic to a two-year deal to potentially replace Ryan Shazier, who is recovering from a devastating injury in 2017. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, however, tweets the former Colts linebacker is merely just a seat warmer for whoever the team drafts in the first two rounds. One of those players who could be available is Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch, who Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller projected to Pittsburgh in his latest mock draft. On Vander Esch, Miller writes: “Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch is a 6’4″, 256-pound linebacker with good speed (4.65 in the 40) who possesses the ability to take on tailbacks in run support, the speed to pursue on the edge and the instincts to cover pass-catchers over the middle.”
  • The Browns signed one of this year’s top free agent running backs in Carlos Hyde, but they have not ruled out selecting Penn State star Saquon Barkley.

Peter King On Browns, McCarron, Tannehill

March 5th, 2018 at 11:01am CST by Zachary Links

Here’s the latest from Peter King of The MMQB:

  • The Browns have four picks in the top 35 of this year’s draft, but coach Hue Jackson is still pushing for the team to acquire A.J. McCarron, King hears. If the team does go for McCarron in March, the plan would be for the team to also draft a rookie quarterback to be groomed behind him. The Browns, of course, nearly landed McCarron before last year’s trade deadline before a paperwork snag tanked the deal. One has to wonder if McCarron would be skeptical about the Browns’ level of commitment to him in such a scenario, particularly after seeing how Mike Glennon‘s arrangement worked out with the Bears. Then again, McCarron might be faced with a similar scenario with any team that shows interest him.
  • It has been said that the Dolphins are committed to Ryan Tannehill at quarterback, but King is not convinced after speaking with executives at the combine. Miami is look at QBs at No. 11 overall and several people who spoke with King believe they’ll select a signal caller there. Tannehill has missed the last 19 Dolphins games with back-to-back ACL tears.
  • After speaking with several GMs, scouts, and coaches, this is King’s rough consensus for the top ten player’s in the draft: Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, USC quarterback Sam Darnold, North Carolina State edge rusher Bradley Chubb, Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen, Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward, and Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith.

NFL Draft Notes: Mayfield, Lamar, Barkley

December 14th, 2017 at 8:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While there’s still plenty of time for evaluation before the 2018 draft gets underway in April, it would be a “surprise” if Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield isn’t selected in the first round, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. Mayfield, this year’s Heisman winner, completed 71% of his passes this season for 4,340 yards, 41 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Per Breer, there are character questions about Mayfield, and his height (6’1″) could also present concerns. But Todd McShay of ESPN.com placed Mayfield in the first round of his first 2018 mock draft, and new Browns general manager John Dorsey — who will certainly be in the quarterback market next year — recently sang Mayfield’s praises.

Here’s more on next year’s NFL draft, all courtesy of Breer:

  • Mayfield may be a locked-in first round, but last year’s Heisman — Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson — isn’t likely to be selected on Day 1, reports Breer. Some evaluators have openly wondered if Jackson will play wide receiver in the NFL, but he simply may need time to develop at the next level. Indeed, Breer says there are still questions about Jackson’s “instincts and anticipation,” as well as those who believe Jackson is “more thrower than passer.” Jackson has topped 3,400 yards passing and 1,400 yards rushing in each of the past two seasons.
  • While the 2018 running back class may not compare to that of 2017 (which included Alvin Kamara, Leonard Fournette, Kareem Hunt, and many others), Penn State’s Saquon Barkley is still viewed as an elite prospect, per Breer. While Barkley faded down the stretch, one AFC executive tells Breer “to the people that matter, nothing’s changed” in regards to Barkley’s draft stock. Barkley posted at least 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons as a Nittany Lion, and scored 34 touchdowns over the past two years.
  • Running backs might not be plentiful in 2018, but next year’s class is loaded with offensive line talent. Notre Dame’s Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey, plus Texas’ Connor Williams, are all potential top-15 picks, per Breer. That’s quite a contrast to 2017, when only two offensive lineman were selected in the first round (with Garett Bolles being the first off the board at No. 20).
  • Although Courtland Sutton (SMU) perhaps isn’t as well-known as Alabama’s Calvin Ridley or Oklahoma State’s James Washington, he has a chance to become the first wide receiver selected, according to Breer. Sutton, who is expected to stand 6’4″, 230 pounds at the combine, could even be a top-10 pick. From 2016-17, Sutton averaged 68 receptions, 1,132 yards, and 11 touchdowns.
  • Analysts believe Mayfield, North Carolina State edge rusher Bradley Chubb, and Michigan defensive lineman Maurice Hurst all helped their draft stock by staying in school for an extra season, says Breer. What does one evaluator like about Chubb, who has posted 10 sacks in consecutive seasons? “Everything.”