C.J. Mosley (LB) - Pro Football Rumors

Ravens, 49ers Notes: Practice, Mosley, Hyde

August 2nd, 2014 at 2:43pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Ravens and 49ers have been linked together thanks to their head coaches, brother Jim and John Harbaugh, and their epic battle in Super Bowl XLVII. The two franchises were planning on continuing their connection with a joint practice on August 8th, but that scrimmage has been canceled according to the Baltimore Sun. The practice would violate the collective bargaining agreement, which dictates the amount of practices a team can have, and what is considered an “off day” under the agreement.

Here are some other notes from among the two training camps:

The Ravens have listed first-round pick C.J. Mosley as a starting inside linebacker on their most recent depth chart, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Mosley is currently ahead of last year’s second-round pick Arthur Brown, who missed the 2013 season but was expected to be a contributor.
Ravens‘ star Haloti Ngata will shift over on the defensive line into the position vacated by Arthur Jones, according to Wilson (via Twitter). Jones was signed by the Colts this offseason. Wilson also noted that Darian Stewart and Brandon Williams are listed as starters at safety and defensive tackle respectively, although the team drafted Terrence Brooks and Timmy Jernigan, both out of Florida State, to compete at those spots (via Twitter).
49ers‘ defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey tore his bicep, and could potentially miss the entire season, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Twitter). According to the depth chart, Quinton Dial is set to step up in his absence, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Dial was drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, but missed all of last season.
With the 49ers‘ depth chart being announced, Carlos Hyde has emerged as the backup running back in the aftermath of the injuries to Kendall Hunter and LaMichael James, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

AFC North Notes: Shazier, Smith, Hunt, Wilder

June 21st, 2014 at 9:02am CST by Matt Feminis

Steelers first-rounder Ryan Shazier looks like the “real deal,” according to Mike Prisuta of Steelers.com: “The Steelers knew Shazier was fast when they drafted him No. 1 from The Ohio State University. But since arriving on the South Side of Pittsburgh Shazier has gotten Maurkice Pouncey‘s attention with physicality in practice, stunned Bruce Gradkowski with leaping ability on the way to an interception and impressed Ben Roethlisberger as a potential defensive signal-caller someday. Shazier also has been running with the first-team defense since snap one of OTAs. He’ll still have to do it in pads this summer, but he created a consistent buzz this spring.”

Here’s a few more AFC North notes:

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh says veteran inside linebacker Daryl Smith, who re-signed for four years and $16MM, played at a high level last season, writes Garrett Downing on BaltimoreRavens.com. That means first-rounder C.J. Mosley and 2013 second-rounder Arthur Brown will compete for playing time next to Smith.
The Bengals have high expectations for 27-year-old, second-year Estonian defensive end Margus Hunt, writes Geoff Hobson on Bengals.com. A 2013 second-round project, Hunt is a “freakish,” 6-8, 291-pounder who might be ready to contribute at left end.
Bengals running back James Wilder Jr., an undrafted free agent out of Florida State, claims he broke a team conditioning record, but he’s on the outside looking in for now, says ESPN’s Coley Harvey.
Browns All-Pro Joe Haden is the latest to (delicately) express concern over Johnny Manziel’s partying ways (radio interview with 850 AM here), but says nothing Manziel is doing away from the team facility is negatively affecting his work. Haden merely suggests, “Just try to have fun without the whole world knowing.”

AFC Notes: Raiders, Mosley, Gordon

May 30th, 2014 at 9:59pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Raiders are looking to turnaround their fortunes as part of their rebuilding process, and Vic Tafur of SFGate.com has picked out five positions that could be up for grabs this offseason. The team will have competition at tight end, left guard, running back, second receiver, and defensive tackle, according to Tafur. They have a mix of veterans and young players who will be in the mix for those spots, more than one of which will most likely be platooned during the season anyway.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC:

Ravens‘ first-round pick C.J. Mosley has been trying to assimilate to the NFL life, writes Preston Brown of the Baltimore Sun. “The biggest adjustment is adjusting to football all day,” Mosley said. “You’re here at 6 in the morning. Back in college, I was just getting ready for class at 8 or doing a workout or something. But now, it’s all football from 6 to 6.”
Browns‘ star receiver Josh Gordon has added to his infamy this offseason, writes Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Gordon reportedly was pulled over by the police for speeding with four people in the car, one of which was cited for a marijuana-related offense.
Former basketball player Demetrius Harris is looking to land a spot on the Chiefs‘ roster, writes Terez Paylor of KansasCity.com. Harris was a 6’7″ power forward for the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin, and is trying to catch on at tight end in the NFL.

Ravens Sign C.J. Mosley

May 27th, 2014 at 1:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens have locked up their first-round pick, the team confirmed today, announcing in a press release that linebacker C.J. Mosley has signed his rookie deal. As a first-rounder, Mosley will be under contract for four years, with Baltimore holding a club option on his fifth year.

Mosley, who turns 22 next month, was selected 17th overall by the Ravens after playing four years at Alabama. The two-time consensus All-American should receive a signing bonus worth about $4.711MM and a contract with a four-year base value in the neighborhood of $8.788MM, according to Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at Over The Cap.

Now that they’ve secured Mosley, the Ravens have just one more draftee to sign, as our tracker shows. Third-round safety Terrence Brooks is the only Baltimore pick who has yet to reach an agreement with the club.

Pompei’s Latest: McCarron, Browns, Pead

May 15th, 2014 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

In his latest Read Option column for Bleacher Report, Dan Pompei leads off by examining the Bengals‘ selection of A.J. McCarron in last week’s draft. As head coach Marvin Lewis explains, the McCarron pick could allow the team to avoid changing its backup quarterback so frequently.

“Each and every year we have been in that one-year, two-year backup quarterback model,” Lewis said. “We kind of wanted to make sure we got somebody who could fit that role for a longer period of time if that’s what they ended up being, if that’s what their lease on life was…. We had [Ryan] Fitzpatrick here, [Jon] Kitna here, and nobody wants to be the backup. Everybody wants to go somewhere and start. The only way to get a backup quarterback for longer than a year or two is to draft one.”

Of course, things could change quickly in Cincinnati if the team can’t reach a long-team agreement with current starter Andy Dalton, or if McCarron pushes for a starting job of his own after a year or two. Here’s more from Pompei:

The Bengals appear to have gotten good value with the McCarron pick, at the very least. Pompei says he polled 10 front office sources about the Alabama signal-caller prior to the draft, and all 10 gave him at least a third-round grade, including three who said he was a first-rounder.
Although the Browns quickly shot down a report that suggested they were ready to draft Teddy Bridgewater at No. 22 before tearing up the card and replacing him with Johnny Manziel at the very last minute, Pompei hears from another team’s source that the Browns had two cards filled out prior to the pick, and that one was torn up.
Had the Steelers not drafted linebacker Ryan Shazier at No. 15, he likely would have been the Cowboys‘ pick at No. 16. The Cardinals were also trying to trade up and were believed to be targeting Shazier, according to Pompei, though he says the club may also have been interested in grabbing C.J. Mosley or Calvin Pryor. All three players were gone when Arizona’s No. 20 pick rolled around, prompting the Cards to trade down.
The Rams‘ drafting of Tre Mason may signal the end of Isaiah Pead‘s time in St. Louis — the 2012 second-round pick was the subject of some trade talks during the draft, according to Pompei.
While Timmy Jernigan provided a diluted sample at his combine draft test, he took another test within a couple weeks of the combine and passed it, which may have contributed to his not falling too far in the draft, says Pompei. The Florida State defensive tackle went 48th overall to the Ravens.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Shazier, Dennard

May 9th, 2014 at 1:27pm CST by Matt Feminis

Although there was some speculation that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam may have had a hand in the club’s decision to trade up for Johnny Manziel, GM Ray Farmer says that “at no point in the draft did Jimmy try to influence the decisions that were made” (Twitter link via Lindsay Jones of USA Today). Meanwhile, head coach Mike Pettine says Manziel won’t simply be handed the starting job, and that he’ll compete with Brian Hoyer, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter).

Ryan Shazier, drafted 15th overall by the Steelers, “has no holes” according to head coach Mike Tomlin, who was quoted by Ed Bouchette in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
In an additional blog post, Bouchette defended the selection: “Shazier is exactly the kind of player Chuck Noll told Art Rooney Jr. he needed when the Steelers hired him to coach them in 1969 – great athletes with great production. That’s what Shazier has. . .He also has the kind of speed where you could line him up with some of the fastest wide receivers and cornerbacks and he would beat most of them to the tape.”
Sitting at No. 46 in the second round, the Steelers could benefit from an expected run of offensive linemen, says ESPN’s Scott Brown, who lists ten prospects who could be on the Steelers radar, four of which are echoed by Bouchette: Penn State WR Allen Robinson, Indiana WR Cody Latimer, Notre Dame defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt and Minnesota defensive lineman Ra’Shede Hageman.
Also buried in Bouchette’s post were a few tidbits: Shazier is an obvious upgrade over Vince Williams, especially when it comes to speed and range; Shazier might have been preferred over CJ Mosley, in part, because of durability; and anything the team gets out of Sean Spence will be a bonus, as they are “not counting on him at all.”
Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome was looking for a “bonanza” to move off the 17th pick, which he used to select Mosley, whose combination of outstanding tape and special intangibles impressed team brass. The Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec quotes assistant GM Eric DeCosta, who raved about Mosley: “He’s fast, instinctive, tough, smart, talented, a playmaker. People always ask about the best available player and what that means. He was the best available player on our board and he would have been the best available player on our board at 10. He’s a great football player.”
As they did with Alabama product Dre Kirkpatrick two years ago, the Bengals won’t ask Darqueze Dennard to start in his first year, writes Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: Mosley, Texans, Evans, Watkins

May 7th, 2014 at 8:22pm CST by Zachary Links

If you want to move up to the No. 1 overall pick, it’s going to cost you big time. When a team with a Top 10 pick contacted the Texans to ask what it would cost them to move up, FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer (video link) says Houston responded that they wanted the Robert Griffin III package. Two years ago, the Redskins gave up three first-round picks and a second-round pick to get their franchise quarterback. Of course, a team in the top five won’t have to give up as much as a team towards the back end of the top ten, so that’s not a flat asking price for everyone. The latest draft news from around the NFL..

Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley told Bob Glauber of Newsday that he thinks he’ll go somewhere in the top half of the first round and maybe even be one of the first ten players off the board on Thursday night. “I heard top 10, I talked to my agent, I heard eight through 17,” Mosley said. “But at the end of the day, you never know. Teams trade up, they pretty much know who they’re going to pick, but they’re just looking to try to get the upper hand on other teams. I’m just going to go in with my family and my friends, just have fun and be happy wherever I get drafted.”
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (on Twitter) wouldn’t be surprised to see Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans go in the top five. The expectation is that if Sammy Watkins out of Clemson goes before him, Evans doesn’t last much longer.
Johnny Manziel is still the guy generating most conversation among execs, tweets Albert Breer of NFL Network (on Twitter). The perception around the NFL is the Buccaneers, Rams, and Vikings could all be in play for the polarizing Texas A&M star.
Don Banks of Sports Illustrated hears that Manziel’s family doesn’t want him to go to the Texans for fear that he won’t be able to distance himself from his “Johnny Football” persona. On top of that, he hears Manziel himself doesn’t want to play for the Jaguars.
Manziel’s agent Erik Burkhardt told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk that any talk of the QB not wanting to play for the Jaguars is untrue.
Concordia defensive end Zach Moore tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link) that he had private workouts with the Patriots, Dolphins, Panthers, and Falcons. We had previously heard that Moore visited the Chargers, Cardinals, and Raiders.
The Jets and Eagles have some interest in Syracuse defensive tackle Jay Bromley, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
The Broncos are more than open to moving up tomorrow night, tweets Rapoport.

More Draft Rumors: La Canfora, Bryant

May 5th, 2014 at 9:58pm CST by Rory Parks

As the draft season has evolved, more and more pundits have come to believe that Jadeveon Clowney will be the first player taken in the draft. CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora lends his support to that theory, adding that although the Texans would love to trade down from their No. 1 overall pick, they will find it hard to do so. If they do manage to find a trade partner, the most likely scenario, La Canfora writes, is a team like the Falcons moving up to take Clowney. Of course, someone like Greg Robinson could be the target in such a move, but Clowney is still the top prize in this year’s class.

La Canfora goes on to describe in detail the options available to the teams holding the first five picks in the draft. For instance, he notes that the Rams are “wheeler-dealers” and have been entertaining calls for the No. 2 overall selection, although those conversations have not intensified as of yet. La Canfora believes that, if the Rams stay put and Clowney is somehow still on the board, they will go with Clowney. If Clowney has been taken, then Robinson would be the answer, though Jake Matthews would get some consideration as well. If, however, the Rams do find a trade partner and move down in the draft, then the Johnny Manziel-to-St. Louis rumors that have already been circulating in full force would gain even more traction.

Now let’s continue to clean out the draft notebook:

Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta says that there are three elite prospects in the draft: Clowney, Robinson, and Khalil Mack, according to Jim Corbett of USA Today Sports. There has been enough chatter surrounding each of those players to at least keep them in the conversation surrounding the first overall pick.
Like a lot of wide receivers in this year’s class, Clemson’s Martavis Bryant, despite being a first-round talent, will probably end up being a Day 2 selection, tweets Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. Marvez cites Bryant’s college coach, Dabo Sweeney, who adds that Bryant would have benefited from one more year at Clemson.
As we learned yesterday, it is more difficult to draft a wide receiver than almost any other position. The 49ers know that better than anybody, writes Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Since 1990, the 49ers have drafted 10 wideouts in the first three rounds of the draft, and only three of those players logged more than 78 career receptions. San Fransisco is, as Branch notes, expected to dip its toe into the pool of early-round receivers yet again this year, and GM Trent Baalke acknowledges the difficulty of the task.
NFL.com’s Albert Breer tweets that Odell Beckham, Jr. and Ryan Shazier are two players who could go a little higher than expected. We learned earlier tonight that at least one team above the Jets’ No. 18 overall pick loves Beckham, and Shazier has put himself alongside C.J. Mosley as the second-best LB in the draft outside of Mack.
Unfortunately for Mosley, middle linebackers are becoming more and more of an afterthought, write Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.

Sunday Roundup: Texans, Cowboys, Panthers

May 4th, 2014 at 1:03pm CST by Rory Parks

We wrote last week about the dilemma quarterback-needy teams will face in the first-round of the draft, and Ben Volin of the Boston Globe provides a specific example of how overvaluation of the quarterback position can lead to disastrous results. Volin describes how Charlie Casserly, former GM of the Texans, over-inflated the value of David Carr in 2002 because he believed the team needed to hit the ground running with a solid, if unspectacular, signal-caller.

Like this year’s crop of top QBs, those in 2002 had some intriguing upside along with equally troubling drawbacks. As the NFL Network’s Mike Mayock has stated about the 2014 class, “the more tape I watch…the more questions I have.” Will current Houston GM Rick Smith take the highest-rated prospect in the draft–Jadeveon Clowney–and avoid the temptation that having an unsettled quarterback situation creates (as Casserly now admits he should have done with Julius Peppers, the top prospect in the 2002 class)? Or do Smith and his staff believe strongly enough in one of the top QBs to pull the trigger?

As we delve into some more draft notes from around the league, it is worth noting this little nugget that Volin passes along from a current NFL executive: “Isn’t it ironic that every team that perceivably needs a quarterback this year signed one in free agency?”

And now onto those notes:

Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that the Broncos figure to devote their greatest attention to inside linebacker and cornerback in the draft. Klis tweets that if QBs start to fall, he expects Denver to try and trade up to grab a top player at one of those positions. One such trade-up target might be Alabama’s C.J. Mosley. Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post writes that Denver’s defense would be dominant with Mosley on-board.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that he would not be surprised if the Cowboys took a WR with their No. 16 overall selection to pair with Dez Bryant.
Commenting on the depth of this year’s WR class and the history of players drafted at that position, Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer writes that the Panthers, who are in need of a receiver, are just as likely to find a long-term contributor later on in the draft as they are at the top of the draft.
Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes that what the Giants do in the first round of the draft–i.e. whether or not they take an offensive tackle–will demonstrate how they feel about the status of Will Beatty, who is coming off a terrible season and a fractured right leg.
Brian Costello of the New York Post writes that the Jets will not rule out drafting a QB.
ESPN.com’s Field Yates (subscription required) explains why he believes the Buccaneers should take Texas A&M receiver Mike Evans with the No. 7 overall pick.

NFC Draft Notes: Eagles, Vikings, Giants

May 3rd, 2014 at 10:12pm CST by Peter Sowards

Eagles coach Chip Kelly is on record saying how much he loves Johnny Manziel. Kelly recruited Manziel while at Oregon, but Manziel spurned Kelly’s best efforts and ended up at Texas A&M.

Is a possible reunion in order?

Andrew Kulp of The 700 Level pegs Johnny Football as the best fit for the Eagles at No. 22, citing Kelly’s affinity for the free-wheeling Texan. It’s highly unlikely that Manziel slips that far, but it sure would make for must-see TV every Sunday.

More draft notes from the NFC…

The Vikings select Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley in Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press’ latest mock draft. Vikings brass could be skittish after the Christian Ponder pick didn’t work out so well, Tomasson writes.
A strong relationship between head coach and general manager is key to a team’s success in the draft room, and it appears that the Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman of the Vikings are in the process of building one, reports Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
The Giants will need to get as close as they can to batting 1.000 in the upcoming draft, says Tom Rock of newsday.com. After building a reputation as a draft savant — leading to two Super Bowls — general manager Jerry Reese has not had the same success in recent years.
Three players that the Giants could target at No. 12, according to the New York Daily News’ Ebenezer Samuel: North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron, Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans and Notre Dame offensive lineman Zack Martin.
If the Seahawks want to stay on top of the league, they’ll have to do more of the same — draft well. But, as The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta writes, it’s become even more important to hit on late-round picks now that key players like safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas are earning second contracts and eating up prime real estate on the salary cap.
The Bucs may have to take Manziel if he’s on the board at No. 7, writes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. If not, Stroud thinks the team could take a QB in the second or third round, possibly offering 2013 third-round pick Mike Glennon in a trade.
The Panthers worked out Fresno State cornerback L.J. Jones, reports Aaron Wilson of National Football Post. Jones is projected as a late-round pick after being named as an All-Mountain West-Conference honorable-mention.
You can try your hand as Ted Thompson and play GM of the Packers with an online roster builder tool launched by Press-Gazette Media, spending up to $133MM and cutting the roster down to 53 players.