HEADLINES

Carson Wentz

La Canfora’s Latest: Browns, Goff, Titans, Eagles

April 13th, 2016 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, we learned that a high-ranking official told Peter King of TheMMQB.com that he believes the Browns have their sights set on Jared Goff at the No. 2 overall pick, rather than fellow quarterback Carson Wentz. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com thinks the same thing, writing today that Cleveland offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton favors Goff.

According to La Canfora, many Browns scouts prefer Wentz to Goff, so the Browns’ front office and personnel department isn’t unanimous when it comes to a QB preference. But there’s some concern about Wentz’s lack of experience against high-level opposition, and a belief that the analytics favor Goff. So if the Browns do select a signal-caller with the second overall pick, which isn’t guaranteed, La Canfora believes it will be Goff.

La Canfora’s latest piece at CBSSports.com includes plenty of other noteworthy tidbits, so let’s dive in and round them up….

  • The Titans have at least two trade offers on the table for the No. 1 overall pick that they consider “worthy starting points toward an eventual deal,” and La Canfora says rival teams expect GM Jon Robinson to eventually deal the pick. “They’ll market it up to the draft to get the best ransom they can, but they’ll move it,” said one executive for a team that has explored moving up. If the Titans do keep the first overall pick, La Canfora expects Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil to be the choice.
  • The Eagles are “in love” with Ezekiel Elliott, and there’s a chance he’ll be Philadelphia’s pick at No. 8. La Canfora continues to believe the team’s interest in quarterbacks is a smokescreen, but notes that some executives think GM Howie Roseman is set on making a big splash on draft day, which could mean nabbing a QB.
  • Scouts who have talked to La Canfora uniformly prefer Clemson’s Kevin Dodd to his teammate Shaq Lawson, and like Alabama’s Jarran Reed more than A’Shawn Robinson. “I really hope there are people in this league who like Robinson more than Reed,” one top evaluator said of the Crimson Tide duo. “That just makes it easier for us.” Robinson is viewed as a player whose stock is being overstated by mock drafts, as is Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple.
  • Several teams, including the Chiefs, are very high on Louisiana Tech defensive lineman Vernon Butler, who is expected to be a first-round pick, per La Canfora.
  • La Canfora expects TCU’s Josh Doctson to be the first wide receiver to come off the board.
  • The Steelers are doing a lot of homework on cornerbacks, leading La Canfora to believe they’ll probably go in that direction in the first round.

Cole’s Latest: Raiders, Goff, Wentz, 49ers

April 12th, 2016 at 5:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Jason Cole of Bleacher Report released a series of videos today on a handful of noteworthy NFL topics. Let’s dive right in and round up the latest from Cole….

  • The idea of the Raiders potentially moving to Las Vegas is gaining some momentum, a “well-placed” NFL source tells Cole (video link). According to Cole, Raiders owner Mark Davis is scheduled to speak later this month in Las Vegas about the possibility of building a stadium in the city, and Las Vegas decision-makers will have to decide whether to devote tax funds to a stadium.
  • Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News notes (via Twitter) that the Raiders‘ interest in Las Vegas – assuming the funding falls into place – “can’t be overstated,” while Cole suggests that Davis would commit to attempting to relocate the franchise to Vegas if the city is prepared to put up the necessary money.
  • Contrary to a previous report, quarterback prospects Jared Goff and Carson Wentz won’t be visiting the 49ers this week, according to Cole (video link). That doesn’t mean the two top QB prospects won’t eventually make the trip to Santa Clara, but the 49ers have already worked them out individually and have gotten a closer look at them. Cole also hears that GM Trent Baalke really likes Michigan State signal-caller Connor Cook.
  • There’s a “growing sense within the Cowboys‘ organization” that Dallas is seriously considering drafting a quarterback at No. 4, a source tells Cole (video link). Per Cole, some members of the organization prefer to target a defensive player or even a running back (Ezekiel Elliott) at that spot, but there are others who are arguing for a QB since they don’t believe the Cowboys will be drafting this high again for quite some time.

QB Rumors: Cook, Goff, Wentz, Manziel

April 11th, 2016 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

After spending the last week “sniffing around on the situation,” Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com is more convinced than ever that Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook will come off the board earlier than expected in this year’s draft.Connor Cook While other quarterbacks, such as Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, and Paxton Lynch, are being discussed more frequently in media circles, La Canfora suspects that a few NFL teams are hoping Cook flies under the radar.

According to La Canfora, at least one club is considering moving up from the second round to late in the first round to take Cook, if he’s available, and several teams have him rated as the second-best quarterback on their boards.

“We like the kid a lot,” said an executive from one team that has Cook second on its draft board. “We don’t think there is a whole lot separating some of these quarterbacks and Cook is the most ready to play. Goff, look at his tape against Utah, it’s not pretty. And Wentz, there is a lot to like there, but he needs to go somewhere and sit for a year or two and develop.”

Cook will have a busy schedule this week, according to La Canfora, who writes that the QB is visiting the Cowboys, Dolphins, Broncos, and 49ers. Cook will also visit the Jets and Bears, and work out for the Rams. He has previously visited the Ravens and Bills, and met with the Browns.

Here are a few more updates on quarterbacks who are seeking NFL jobs:

  • Jared Goff and Carson Wentz will be in Santa Clara this week to meet with the 49ers, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. San Francisco holds the No. 7 overall pick and is believed to be in the market for a quarterback.
  • In addition to meeting with San Francisco, Goff will visit the Saints, Eagles, and Jets in the coming days, tweets Michael Silver of the NFL Network. Unless Goff slips a little in the draft, at least two of those clubs would likely have to trade up to have a chance to land the Cal QB, so the fact that he’s meeting with those teams is interesting.
  • Wentz and Paxton Lynch, like Goff, will be visiting the Eagles this week, says Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
  • Penn State signal-caller Christian Hackenberg is among the quarterbacks meeting with the Jets this week, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
  • Although Johnny Manziel told TMZ over the weekend that he’s living with Von Miller in Los Angeles, sources tell ESPN that Manziel is actually living with Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon. While it’s entirely possible that Manziel and Gordon are helping one another to stay out of trouble and get back on the field, the arrangement may not look great to potential Manziel suitors, or – in Gordon’s case – to the league office. It probably also didn’t improve Manziel’s odds of landing a job that he told TMZ that he had been out in West Hollywood five or six nights in a row, adding that he doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with “partying.”

King’s Latest: Browns, 49ers, A. Davis, Titans

April 11th, 2016 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

Within his latest Monday Morning Quarterback column, Peter King of TheMMQB.com passes along several noteworthy tidbits, primarily related to the upcoming draft. Let’s dive right in and round up the highlights….

  • King spoke to 10 high-ranking team officials around the league about the draft, and one of them is convinced that the Browns prefer Jared Goff to Carson Wentz, despite the fact that most chatter up until this point has the team favoring Wentz. “It’s definitely Goff. Believe it,” King’s source said.
  • One source tells King that the 49ers “want to trade” veteran offensive tackle Anthony Davis, who hasn’t yet been reinstated, and safety Antoine Bethea, who has the team’s sixth-highest cap hit ($6.025MM). The Davis situation is an interesting one, since there’s a belief that he wants to regain bonus money he forfeited last year when he temporarily “retired” — if the 49ers were to trade him, a new team might be willing to rework his contract. Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap examined that situation earlier this month.
  • One personnel man told King that the Titans have a “definite solid offer” for the No. 1 overall pick, but it would probably have to be sweetened for Tennessee to consider moving down a few spots. “But no team’s going to do three ones, the way Washington did for [Robert Griffin III],” an evaluator said. “No player in this draft is worth that.”
  • The general consensus among execs around the league is that there won’t be much difference between picks from the middle of the first round to the middle of the second. “Eleven to 40 is the same guy,” said one evaluator, while another conveyed a similar sentiment: “To us, 18 to 48 you can get the same player.”
  • Just about everyone remains bullish on the depth at defensive tackle in this year’s draft. One of King’s source offered this observation on the DT class: “The defensive tackle crop’s so good it’ll push some deserving players into the second round. The depth is so good that you’ll get some guys you can use right away in the third and fourth.”

East Notes: Cowboys, Jets, Eagles, Bills

April 8th, 2016 at 6:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey has sat atop the Cowboys’ draft board since February, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net reports. The corner-needy Cowboys have the fourth pick and seem like a good bet to choose Ramsey if he drops to their selection, but they have inquired on moving up to No. 1 via trade and could grab him there. Like Ramsey, North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz – the Cowboys’ top-rated signal-calling prospect, per Pauline – is also a possibility in the first round. The club has mixed feelings on a couple Ohio State standouts – running back Ezekiel Elliott‘s stock is high within the organization, while assistant defensive line coach Leon Lett is bearish on end Joey Bosa.

PFR’s Rob DiRe has one of these four players going to Dallas in his first mock draft of 2016. Click here to find out which of the quartet he currently thinks will end up in a Cowboys uniform.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • The retirement of D’Brickashaw Ferguson leaves the Jets in need at three of football’s most significant positions – left tackle, quarterback and pass rusher – Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes. Ferguson would’ve returned for an 11th season had his $10.375MM salary remained in place, but the Jets wanted to cut that figure in half, according to Mehta, and the 32-year-old wasn’t receptive to the idea. Ferguson also worried about the possibility of the Jets releasing him prior to the season because he didn’t have any interest in signing elsewhere and relocating his family, per Mehta.
  • The Eagles’ reported interest in a first-round quarterback is a smokescreen, opines CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, who believes they could trade down from the eighth overall pick to acquire more selections and ultimately address needs elsewhere. Philadelphia leads the league in real dollars spent since the start of the 2015 league year ($200MM-plus), including deals given to quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel. It’s fair to say the Eagles are in win-now mode, then, and La Canfora doesn’t expect them to eschew immediate help at problem positions in order to add a top-round QB to the mix.
  • With Tyrod Taylor entering a contract year, the Bills look poised to select a quarterback by the second day of the draft, as La Canfora details. The Bills are “enamored” of Ohio State’s Cardale Jones, says La Canfora, who reports that they also like Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg and Stanford’s Kevin Hogan.
  • Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall won his civil trial relating to a 2012 altercation outside a Manhattan nightclub, and won’t be responsible for damages, per attorney Harvey Steinberg (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). The NFL is unlikely to pursue any discipline for Marshall, since he never faced criminal charges and the incident occurred years ago.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

East Rumors: Eagles, Wentz, Bills, Washington

April 8th, 2016 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles have been doing their homework on all of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft, and while there’s some skepticism about whether they’ll actually snag a QB early, at least one analyst believes they’ve got their eye on a particular signal-caller.

“Make no mistake about it, I still think the Eagles first and foremost are trying to find a way to get Carson Wentz,” Lance Zierlein of NFL.com said during an appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia, per Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com. “I know that from people behind the scenes, in the know. That’s who he wants and that’s who he likes. It’s just going to be tough — to move up that far is going to be a challenge.”

Whether or not the Eagles are actually serious about Wentz remains to be seen. Some teams believe Philadelphia’s apparent interest in top quarterbacks – as well as the club’s reported interest in trading up – is a smoke-screen designed to make another team panic and move up for a QB. At the very least though, it’s amusing to consider a scenario that would see the Eagles make a blockbuster trade with the Titans on draft day for a quarterback, given how many observers expected that to happen last year.

Here are a few more updates from out of the NFL’s East divisions:

  • Although news of draft visits and workouts has dominated the NFL news cycle lately, the Bills aren’t done looking at free agents quite yet. Buffalo confirmed today (via Twitter) that safety Colt Anderson and linebacker Lorenzo Alexander are at the team facility for visits, as the club continues to consider additions on defense.
  • Elsewhere in free agency, Washington remains interested in safety Dashon Goldson and defensive lineman Jason Hatcher, two veterans recently released by the team for cap purposes. However, as John Keim of ESPN.com tweets, Washington will likely wait until after the draft before deciding whether to re-sign either player.
  • Baylor’s Xavien Howard is one of a handful of cornerbacks being eyed by the Dolphins, who will bring him in for a visit next week, per Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).
  • Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post provides a pair of Patriots updates, writing that the team conducted a private workout for Toledo wideout Alonzo Russell and will work out Purdue offensive lineman David Hedelin next week (Twitter link). Per Wilson, Hedelin met with a Patriots offensive line coach – presumably Dante Scarnecchia – on Thursday.

Extra Points: Thomas, Mathieu, Browner, Draft

April 6th, 2016 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Broncos continue to reside up against the salary cap, ESPN.com’s Field Yates points out Demaryius Thomas‘ contract can help the Super Bowl champions clear $9.18MM worth of space.

A clause in the seventh-year wide receiver’s five-year, $70MM deal indicates the Broncos can convert any amount of Thomas’ $13MM 2016 salary into a signing bonus, which would then be spread out over the final four seasons of the pact, Yates reports. The Broncos reducing that salary to the veteran minimum of $760K would free up $9.18MM of cap space this year. The team currently resides in cap peril, with barely $1MM in space before signing Jared Crick on Wednesday, as it attempts to work out a Colin Kaepernick trade.

A Thomas restructure would make sense for the Broncos, who have many high-priced contracts on a cap sheet — although, Ryan Clady and Von Miller‘s respective $10.1 and $14.1MM numbers could well be reduced soon, or removed in Clady’s case — that doesn’t include a high-priced quarterback. Denver currently wants Kaepernick at $7MM for 2016 and ’17, but in 2017, the Broncos are as of now set to have $72.36MM of space — second-most in the league.

They’d have more room for a higher Thomas cap number with contracts like Clady’s and DeMarcus Ware‘s off their balance sheet after the 2016 league year. The Dolphins put a similar clause in Ndamukong Suh‘s deal last year.

Here’s the latest from around the league.

  • Rehabbing from the torn ACL he sustained in Week 15, Tyrann Mathieu said he would prefer to stay with the Cardinals long-term but acknowledges the negotiation could be tricky, with the versatile defensive back wanting a top-end contract but at a time when he’s coming off a second knee surgery, Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com writes in an expansive piece. “They have concerns, which is understandable,” Mathieu told Prisco. “I’ve had two knee surgeries. At the same time, they know who I am as a teammate, as a football player, what I mean to the community and what I can do on the football field. The easiest thing is to pay me as a safety. But if [Patrick Peterson‘s] guy goes down, I have to check Pat’s guy. For me, it’s about me being compensated for everything I do.” In late February, we heard the contract-year safety and the Cardinals were discussing an extension, but nothing has emerged from those talks as of yet.
  • Vernon Davis can earn up to $4.5MM in 2016 if he meets all the incentives of his Washington contract, Mike Jones of the Washington Post reports. Davis’ deal is officially a one-year, $1.66MM pact, but the 12th-year tight end meeting those as-of-now unspecified performance incentives could more than double that.
  • Brandon Browner posted on his Instagram account (via Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com) that he played through a torn MCL last season with the Saints. The recently released cornerback said he tore the ligament in the Saints’ first preseason game. This would help explain a steep decline that resulted in Pro Football Focus bestowing by far its worst full-time cornerback grade on Browner in 2015.
  • Paxton Lynch has a Cowboys visit lined up for Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, and will trek to San Diego for a Chargers meeting soon after. The 49ers also sent multiple representatives to observe the Memphis prospect at his pro day Wednesday, per Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
  • The Bills received good value on a nontraditional quarterback accord last season and still employ Tyrod Taylor but are taking a wide-ranging glance of this year’s quarterback crop. Bills reps ate dinner with Lynch and plan to visit with Connor Cook, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The team also already met with Christian Hackenberg, per Albert Breer of NFL.com, and has done plenty of research on Jared Goff.
  • Lynch had multiple work-related meals Wednesday, with the Saints meeting with the first-round prospect over lunch, Rapoport tweets. Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld will also visit the Saints soon.
  • The Cowboys met with Carson Wentz on Wednesday, according to the team’s website. The North Dakota State prospect also worked extensively with Cowboys coaches at the Senior Bowl.
  • Germain Ifedi has a busy schedule upcoming after performing for teams at Texas A&M’s pro day Wednesday. The Aggies’ latest tackle prospect has a slew of visits and workouts booked, WalterFootball.com’s Tony Pauline reports. Ifedi’s visit itinerary features summits with the Lions, Panthers, Bears and Texans after having already met with the Titans and Dolphins. The Cardinals, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Panthers, Texans and Falcons have scheduled workouts with Ifedi.
  • Veteran quarterback Seth Lobato is working out for the Panthers, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this report

Cowboys Rumors: Hardy, Goff, Wentz

April 4th, 2016 at 7:02pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest out of Dallas:

  • Free agent defensive end Greg Hardy sat down for an interview with Adam Schefter of ESPN (video link) and claimed that he never put his hands on his alleged domestic assault victim. Hardy had another solid season as a pass rusher in 2015, recording six sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception in 12 games for the Cowboys. However, he remains on the open market thanks to his reputation for being difficult in the locker room and the PR backlash that his signing would bring for a team.
  • The Cowboys will bring in quarterbacks Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch, Christian Hackenberg, Connor Cook, and Jacoby Brissett for visits, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. Hackenberg, Cook, and Brissett could be had later in the draft while Goff, Wentz, and Lynch are likely first round picks.
  • Laquon Treadwell will visit with the Cowboys tomorrow, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter).
  • Shaq Lawson‘s long anticipated visit to the Cowboys took place on Monday, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
  • Alabama running back Derrick Henry will visit the Cowboys this week, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
  • Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter links) has the details on Joe Looney‘s two-year contract with Dallas. The interior lineman will get $1.675MM with a $100K signing bonus and salaries of $775K and $800K. He’ll also get a $250K play time incentive in 2016 and a $500K playtime incentive in 2017.
  • Jack Crawford‘s one-year deal will pay him $1.1MM but he can earn up to $1.6MM through incentives, Clarence Hill of The Star-Telegram tweets.

Draft Notes: Browns, Seahawks, Saints

April 2nd, 2016 at 12:22pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted draft notes from around the NFL…

  • Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook had an official visit with the Browns, reports Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com. The writer notes that Cook could be an option towards the end of the first round. This follows news that the organization was planning on hosting Carson Wentz, who the team could theoretically select with the second-overall pick.
  • Alabama running back Derrick Henry is set to meet with the Seahawks, reports Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. “I have my own path. (Marshawn Lynch) did a great job; unbelievable job with the Seahawks,” Henry said. “But you know, I wanna have my own path and do my own thing.”
  • If teams are seeking help at defensive tackle, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah believes they won’t have to spend a first-rounder to secure one. “A lot of it has been said out there, but it’s one of the best defensive tackle drafts I can remember,” Jeremiah said (via Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com). “I started in 2003 in scouting, and I can’t remember this much depth of talent at that position.”
  • Meanwhile, while Ole Miss wideout Laquon Treadwell could be a logical pick for the Saints with the 12th pick, Jeremiah believes the team would be better off holding out. “We’ve been so spoiled the last two years with the depth of talent, I don’t think we quite have that this year in terms of that top-end talent (at receiver),” Jeremiah said. “But I do think in the middle rounds there is a lot of value to be found there.”

Draft Rumors: QBs, Ramsey, Treadwell, Browns

March 29th, 2016 at 6:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jalen Ramsey would prefer to play cornerback despite excelling at both secondary positions at Florida State, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union reports.

His preference for the higher-paying position, though, comes with the obvious caveat of being willing to play safety as well, possibly expressing malleability to increase his chances of being taken in the top three picks.

One AFC scout in attendance said, “Take your pick; either one” regarding Ramsey’s NFL fit. “He has the range; he’s got some length to him, and he has the ball skills,” the scout told O’Halloran regarding Ramsey’s ability to slot at free safety. “He has a lot of things going for him.”

Four GMs — the Titans‘ Jon Robinson, the Steelers‘ Kevin Colbert, the Buccaneers‘ Jason Licht and the Bills‘ Doug Whaley — attended the pro day, while Mike Mularkey and Mike Tomlin were on hand as well.

Here’s the latest about this year’s crop of top prospects.

  • The 49ers and Browns are slated to work out Jared Goff, Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reports (on Twitter). Both Hue Jackson and Chip Kelly were in attendance at the Cal quarterback’s pro day March 18.
  • San Francisco also has a workout scheduled with Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports. The 49ers are expected to meet with Carson Wentz as well soon, as are the Browns, per Barrows. Cook is rated by most as the No. 4 quarterback on the board and could fall to the second round, while Wentz is expected to be chosen in the top 10. Colin Kaepernick‘s $11.9MM salary in 2016 becomes guaranteed if he’s still on the 49ers’ roster by 3 p.m., Thursday.
  • The Eagles plan to work out Wentz on Thursday, ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. Philadelphia’s brass observed Goff during a private workout on Monday. While these two passers have become the consensus top two quarterback prospects, Caplan hears from several NFL coaches and executives that Goff is better equipped to come in and contribute immediately (Twitter link).
  • Caplan also reports that one NFL offensive coordinator would sit Memphis’ Paxton Lynch, who hovers a bit below Goff and Wentz on experts’ draft boards as of now, for two seasons while the lanky talent learns the pro game (Twitter link).
  • Laquon Treadwell‘s 4.63-second 40-yard dash clocking at Ole Miss’ pro day didn’t necessarily shock scouts in attendance but caused some concerns about the first-round prospect’s long-term viability, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report hears (video link). The scouts Cole spoke with don’t believe the Ole Miss early-entry talent’s ability to get open effectively in the next four or five years will be affected by his lack of straight-line speed, but there are worries about whether Treadwell can have a long, successful career. The scouts expressed concern that once the rangy receiver loses some of his already-mediocre speed his route-running and body-positioning prowess won’t be enough to compensate.
  • The Browns are bringing in Treadwell for a visit Thursday, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports. Despite his lack of top-end speed, Treadwell is still expected to come off the board by the middle of the first round, which would be in the Browns’ range only if they traded down from their No. 2 overall slot or up from No. 32, Ulrich writes.
  • Temple wide receiver Robby Anderson visited the Browns today, Ulrich reports. Jackson told media at the owners’ meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., receiver is a position is an area the Browns “need to address, obviously,” as Josh Gordon‘s status for 2016 is still unknown. “I’ve gone on record before saying I like to have bigger, faster guys play the position,” Jackson told media. “We have some very talented guys right now. They’re slight in stature, but they’re tough, and I’m looking forward to working with them and see if there’s more that we can gain from them. But at the same time, I still think it’s an area that we need to get better. And we will.”
Load More Posts