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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.”

Draft Rumors: Treadwell, Bengals, Lawson

March 24th, 2016 at 6:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Mississippi receiver Laquon Treadwell says the Bengals, Browns, Bears, and Cowboys have shown interest in him, Mike Florio of PFT writes. The first-round prospect also identified “New York” as a team with interest, but it’s not clear if that’s in reference to the Jets or Giants. San Francisco, which owns the No. 7 pick in the draft, has been said to have interest in Treadwell.

Here’s the latest news on the 2016 NFL Draft:

  • Clemson DE Shaq Lawson has (or has had) visits/workouts with the Cowboys and 49ers, per Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter links). The Jets, Titans, Saints, Panthers, and Browns have also linked up with Lawson, per previous reports. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) opines that Lawson is a top 10 talent.
  • Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com was on hand for Carson Wentz‘s pro day and he felt that it was “a very good workout, but not a great workout.” Pauline feels that Wentz is usually high off the mark when he misses, forcing receivers to get airborne in order to make a reception. However, Wentz is getting “sensational” marks when it comes to his personal character.
  • Wentz’s teammate at North Dakota State, offensive lineman Joseph Haeg, is being viewed as a top 100 pick, per Pauline. Haeg is seen mostly as a right tackle or guard, but some feel that he can play any offensive line position that isn’t center.
  • Georgia outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins has (or has had) workouts and/or visits with the Vikings and Colts, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter). It was previously reported that Oakland, New England, and New Orleans have all checked out Jenkins.
  • Florida safety Keanu Neal has been invited to Chicago for the NFL Draft, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter). Neal had a 38-inch vertical leap and an 11-foot broad jump at the NFL Draft Combine and has intrigued teams with his athleticism. Some evaluators see Neal sneaking into the first round. Atlanta has interest in Neal, who was recruited to Florida by coach Dan Quinn when he was the Gators’ defensive coordinator.
  • Baylor wide receiver Corey Coleman has workouts and/or visits set with the 49ers, Bengals, Lions, Bears, Panthers, and Browns, Getlin tweets.
  • USC linebacker/safety Su’a Cravens will visit/work out for the Falcons, Panthers, Colts, Bills, Patriots, Saints, and Chargers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
  • UMass QB Blake Frohnapfel spent time with the Lions and Chargers on Thursday, according to Pauline.
  • Alabama offensive lineman Dominick Jackson, who Pauline opines is one of the more versatile and underrated guard/tackle prospects in the draft, worked out for the Buccaneers this week.
  • Campbell defensive tackle Greg Milhouse has official visits set up with the Giants and Lions, per Pauline.
  • Nebraska offensive lineman Zach Sterup has an official visit set up with the Giants, Pauline writes.

AFC North Rumors: Schwartz, Browns, Steelers

March 24th, 2016 at 1:45pm CST by Luke Adams

It has already been an eventful day in the AFC North, where the Browns have officially signed Robert Griffin III to a two-year contract and ex-Browns linebacker Karlos Dansby is paying a visit to the division-rival Bengals. Those aren’t the only items of note worth passing along from out of the division today though, so let’s dive in and round up the latest…

  • Veteran free agent guard Geoff Schwartz is visiting the Steelers today, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com. Pittsburgh currently has a strong trio of Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, and David DeCastro penciled in for its three interior line spots, so it’s not clear what sort of role the Steelers would have in mind for Schwartz if he signs with them.
  • Newly-signed Browns quarterback RGIII told reporters, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), that it wouldn’t bother him “at all” if Cleveland drafts a QB early, adding that he’d “take the guy under my wing.” One potential target for the Browns is North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com notes (via Twitter) that Hue Jackson, Pep Hamilton, and Andrew Berry were all at Wentz’s pro day on Thursday.
  • The Steelers had a noteworthy contingent at the University of Houston’s pro day, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (all Twitter links), who reports that GM Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin were in attendance. Pittsburgh is believed to be eyeing cornerback William Jackson III, who had a dinner meeting on Wednesday night with Colbert and Tomlin, according to Wilson.
  • Asked about the possibility of extending head coach Marvin Lewis‘ contract beyond the 2016 season, Bengals owner Mike Brown was somewhat noncommittal. “He’s going to be our coach this year. That’s in the bank,” Brown said, per Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “Where it goes, we’ll see how it plays out.” Of course, that doesn’t mean Lewis’ job is in jeopardy by any means, but if he doesn’t get a new deal in the coming months, it’s a situation worth watching.

Draft Rumors: Wentz, 49ers, Chargers, Titans

March 23rd, 2016 at 7:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here’s the latest on the incoming prospect pool and the interested teams.

  • Hue Jackson will attend Carson Wentz‘s pro day Thursday but won’t trek to Memphis to observe Paxton Lynch‘s due to the Browns being in “training mode” by the time Lynch throws for scouts April 6, according to ESPNCleveland.com’s Tony Grossi (on Twitter).
  • The 49ers have used some of their 30 permitted visits on several top prospects, including cornerbacks Eli Apple and Mackensie Alexander, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports. Ole Miss first-round prospects Laquon Treadwell and Robert Nkemdiche are also among players the 49ers, who hold the No. 7 pick, has met with or plans to.
  • Toledo wide receiver Alonzo Russell will work out for the Cowboys after previously meeting with the Packers, Aaron Wilson of National Football Post reports. Russell totaled 13 touchdowns and more than 1,300 receiving yards during his junior and senior seasons.
  • Ex-Alabama cornerback/kick returner Cyrus Jones has a full itinerary, with visits with the Ravens, Eagles, Bills and Saints lined up, Wilson reports (on Twitter). Jones also has private workouts with the Buccaneers and Panthers scheduled, per Wilson.
  • Mississippi State tight end Darrion Hutcherson will visit the Chargers, per Wilson. The 6-foot-6, 260-pound Hutcherson played in 26 games for the Bulldogs, logging just six starts.
  • The Chargers are also set to meet with former Buffalo tackle John Kling, Wilson tweets. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound Bulls lineman played right and left tackle in his five years at the university.
  • The Titans plan to host Ohio State safety Vonn Bell on a workout, Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com tweets. The 5-11, 205-pound early-entry safety made six interceptions as a sophomore in 2014 after joining the Buckeyes in 2013 as a five-star recruit.
  • Former Minnesota linebacker De’Vondre Campbell will visit the nearby professional franchise, with the Vikings summit on April 5-6, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. A fifth-year senior, Campbell recorded 92 tackles for the Gophers while also registering a team-high four sacks last season.
  • The Colts are hosting former Arkansas linebacker Myke Tavarres, who transferred to Incarnate Word, on an April 7 visit, Wilson tweets.
  • The Buccaneers are set to host North Carolina Central defensive back Ryan Smith on a visit, Wilson reports (on Twitter).

Browns Notes: RGIII, Draft, Thomas, WRs

March 22nd, 2016 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

New Browns head coach Hue Jackson was one of the AFC coaches who spoke to reporters over breakfast in Boca Raton, Florida on Tuesday morning. Let’s dive in and round up a few of the highlights from that conversation….

  • Jackson liked the way Robert Griffin III handled some “tough” questions during his visit to Cleveland, tweets Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post. The head coach added that he spoke to RGIII about the possibility of taking a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick, suggesting that “the cream always rises to the top” (Twitter link via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). In other words, the team could draft a quarterback early even if it signs Griffin, resulting in a competition for the starting job.
  • Jackson plans to spend extra time with five or six quarterback prospects prior to the draft, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. According to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), Jackson has already spent a good deal of time with Jared Goff, and will attend Carson Wentz‘s pro day on Thursday.
  • Echoing what Browns executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown said on Monday, Jackson stressed that veteran offensive lineman Joe Thomas “is not going anywhere,” calling him the best left tackle in the NFL (Twitter link via Cabot).
  • Jackson identified wide receiver as an area the Browns need to address, indicating that he wants to add bigger, stronger, and faster players at the position (Twitter link via Ulrich).

Draft Rumors: QBs, Treadwell, Nkemdiche

February 28th, 2016 at 9:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

If the Browns take the fast-rising Carson Wentz at No. 2, a longtime personnel executive informs Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com there’s a possibility three quarterbacks go off the board in the first seven picks.

This source believes Jared Goff falling to No. 4 would entice the Cowboys to select him and that the 49ers would be tempted to take Paxton Lynch at No. 7 to give a highly touted quarterback the chance to learn Chip Kelly‘s system from Day 1 as opposed to the veterans who were installed in Kelly’s offense in Philadelphia either after playing in Andy Reid‘s or another team’s attack.

Here’s the latest coming out of the prospect pool as the Combine winds down.

  • The notion Laquon Treadwell‘s more of a possession receiver has emerged at the Combine, Robinson reports. Some league personnel are wondering if the Ole Miss first-round prospect’s future is more of a No. 2 wideout and red zone-type threat than a high-ceiling No. 1 that teams take in the top half of the first round, where the early-entry receiver’s expected to be drafted.
  • Robert Nkemdiche‘s character concerns have caused the one-time No. 1 recruit in the country to be taken off of multiple teams’ draft boards. But Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net reports (on Twitter) the Ole Miss defensive lineman already has 15 visits arranged.
  • Teams will be concerned of potential nerve damage lingering for former potential No. 1 overall pick Jaylon Smith, Sal Maiorana of USA Today notes. But the Bills could be in play for the Notre Dame prospect if he falls to No. 19, with the team lacking a game-changing linebacker. Although Buffalo’s past taking a player not expected to contribute that season — Willis McGahee in 2003 — doesn’t apply too much here, Todd Gurley proved such a gamble can pay off.
  • Although Joey Bosa‘s Combine numbers were eerily similar to J.J. Watt‘s, the 20-year-old prospect underwhelmed with a 4.86 40-yard dash time. But the Browns are considering Bosa with their No. 2 pick, along with Wentz and Goff, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Bosa, who met with the Browns, was expected to run faster considering he’ll likely have to play linebacker in a 3-4 defense.

Cole’s Latest: Kaepernick, Jenkins, Wallace

February 28th, 2016 at 3:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A report earlier today indicated that the Texans are not expected to trade for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and Jason Cole of Bleaher Report (Twitter link) confirms that information, relaying that he was “told strongly” that Houston will not be dealing for Kaepernick. However, the Texans could have interest in Kaepernick if he is released by San Francisco.

Here’s more from Cole:

  • Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins has fired his agent, according to Cole (video link), after Jenkins found Los Angeles’ latest offer of five years and $45MM unacceptable. Jenkins must now wait five days to hire a new agent, during which point the Rams cannot negotiate with him. As Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News writes, Los Angeles can still the place the franchise/transition tag on Jenkins in advance of Tuesday’s deadline (though the latest reports have the Rams leaning towards using the tag on fellow corner Trumaine Johnson). Jenkins, per Cole, is expected to hire the Schwartz and Feinsod agency for representation.
  • Vikings GM Rick Spielman is set to meet with the agent for receiver Mike Wallace at the combine in the hopes of convincing Wallace to accept a paycut, Cole reports (video link). Wallace is scheduled to count $11.5MM against the cap in 2016, and Minnesota can clear out all that money by releasing him.
  • There is mutual interest between the Dolphins and free agent offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz “down the line,” tweets Cole. The Giants released Schwartz earlier this month, so he’s free to sign with any club immediately.
  • North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz drew rave reviews at the combine, according to Cole (video link), and while he looks like the favorite to be the first quarterback off the board in April’s draft, Cal’s Jared Goff is still in the running, as well.
  • Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan had offseason surgery on his lower back, per Cole (video link), but the operation was considered minor by both club and player. Jordan should be ready for New Orleans’ offseason program.

Extra Points: Kaepernick, Draft, Flacco

February 27th, 2016 at 9:52pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Concern is growing at the scouting combine regarding injured Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith, who is recovering from a torn ACL and MCL he suffered in January. Multiple NFL teams have failed Smith at the physical, while three have already declared they won’t draft him, according to Jeff Legwold and Adam Schefter of ESPN. This comes on the heels of a Friday report stating that Smith might miss all of next season.

Prior to his injury, the expectation was that Smith would be an early first-round pick, but some clubs now believe he’ll be a Day 3 selection, per Tony Pauline of WalterFootball.com. Smith took out an insurance policy on himself last summer, so he’ll collect a tax-free $700k if he doesn’t go in the first round and another $100k with each missed pick thereafter, tweets ESPN’s Darren Rovell. Thanks to his insurance policy, Smith could make as much as $5MM if his draft stock plummets, per Rovell.

And now for some notes on QBs:

  • The fact that Colin Kaepernick wants out of San Francisco leaves the 49ers with little to no leverage in trade talks, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Potential Kaepernick suitors could now be inclined to wait until a possible release by April 1, when his $12MM salary becomes guaranteed, rather than give anything up for him. If cut, Kaepernick would likely make less per year on his next deal, but his desire to get away from the 49ers outranks his motivation to cash in, per Barrows.
  • The Ravens and Joe Flacco‘s agent, Joe Linta, have made “significant progress” in their talks to rework the quarterback’s contract and are expected to have further discussions Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Caplan reports (link via Jamison Hemsley of ESPN.com).
  • North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz has been the most impressive signal-caller at the combine, three NFL head coaches told Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole (Twitter link).
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