Daniel Jones - Pro Football Rumors

AFC West Notes: Chargers, Stick, Broncos

April 29th, 2019 at 11:30am CST by Zachary Links

On Saturday, the Chargers drafted their first quarterback since 2013 when they tapped North Dakota State University quarterback Easton Stick. Stick, who rushed for 2,523 yards and 41 TDs, was pegged by some as a Taysom Hill type who could be deployed more as a trick play type than a traditional QB, but the Bolts say that’s not how they plan on using him.

“He’s going to play quarterback for us. We have running backs,” head coach Anthony Lynn said (via the Associated Press). “We don’t a need a quarterback that can run all over the place, but he can certainly create when he has to.”

Of course, as a fifth-round pick, nothing is guaranteed for the mobile signal caller. Stick will look to stick on the Chargers’ roster by proving himself between now and the start of the season in September.

Here’s more from the AFC West:

Giants GM Dave Gettleman raised eyebrows everywhere when he selected Duke quarterback Daniel Jones No. 6 overall. After the draft, he defended the pick by saying that two teams were prepared to select Jones before the Giants’ next pick at No. 17. So far, it has been hard to identify who these two teams might be, and Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter) confirms that the Broncos were not one of them. The Broncos, he hears, ruled out taking any QB at No. 10 overall and, furthermore, had Drew Lock as their top-ranked QB – not Jones.
The Raiders provided the draft’s other major first round surprise when they tapped Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell at No. 4 overall. Many feel that the Raiders reached for the defensive end, but that’s not how defensive coordinator Paul Guenther sees it. “It wasn’t about his 40-time or his three-cone drill or any of that [BS], it was about the whole package,” the DC said (via The Athletic). “There just aren’t a lot of guys like this. Some guys are great standing up, but you have to get down and dirty in the NFL. They are not just going to let you run up the field all day, you know what I am saying? Then you hear him talk and you’re like, ‘Damn, this guy is a pro.’”
Over the weekend, longtime Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski announced his retirement from the NFL.

Giants GM Dave Gettleman Defends Drafting Daniel Jones At No. 6

April 28th, 2019 at 11:02am CST by Rory Parks

Giants GM Dave Gettleman has already dealt with plenty of criticism for selecting Duke QB Daniel Jones with the No. 6 overall pick of this year’s draft. We heard on Friday that Gettleman may have been concerned that the Redskins — who held the No. 15 overall pick — were going to nab Jones, which forced him to take the former Blue Devil at No. 6 rather than wait until the Giants were on the clock again at No. 17.

And as Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv tweets, Gettleman says he knows for a fact that at least two teams would have taken Jones between pick nos. 6 and 17. Those two teams, according to Vacchiano’s sources, are the Redskins and Broncos.

However, ESPN’s Dianna Russini tweets that the Redskins were never going to draft Jones, and Russini says the Broncos were not interested in Jones either. Mike Klis of 9News tweets that Denver was not going to take any QB with its No. 10 overall selection, and that Drew Lock was the team’s top-rated quarterback. Klis says the Broncos were considering a trade into the back end of the first round to take Lock, but Jones was not on the radar at No. 10.

Of course, other clubs, like the Bengals (No. 11) or Dolphins (No. 13), could have been in the market for Jones in the first round, but it appears that the top two purported threats to Gettleman’s favorite QB weren’t threats at all.

If Jones ultimately is successful with Big Blue, this will all become an amusing footnote to the story of his career. But if he’s not, Gettleman will have a major blemish on his run as the team’s GM.

Redskins’ Daniel Jones Interest Prompted Giants’ Pick?

April 26th, 2019 at 4:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

At this time Thursday, a divide was believed to have existed among Redskins brass as to whether Dwayne Haskins or Daniel Jones was the right quarterback in which to invest. This may have played into the Giants’ thinking.

The Giants chose Jones at No. 6, prompted plenty of scrutiny. New York took the Duke-developed passer earlier than most expected because of concerns Washington or another team would swoop in before the team’s No. 17 overall pick, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv reports.

While teams between Nos. 6 and 17 worried the Giants, they also feared the Redskins would trade in front of them — with either the Jets or the Raiders — at 6 to select Jones, per Vacchiano. Potential Bengals and Dolphins interest in Jones also influenced the Giants to act quicker than expected on a quarterback.

The Giants are still planning to start Eli Manning in 2019, and Dave Gettleman said the longtime starter may keep his job into next season. While Manning’s contract expires after 2019, he has said he plans to play in 2020. The Giants have also indicated they would not mind having him back next season. But Jones is now the heir apparent, and having chosen him at No. 6 overall, the Giants are still in need of an edge rusher entering Day 2 of the draft.

New York left Josh Allen on the board to take Jones and took defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence at No. 17. An outside linebacker likely resides as the Giants’ top need as of Friday afternoon.

Eli Manning To Start For Giants

April 26th, 2019 at 12:12pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants shocked the world on Thursday night by drafting Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the No. 6 overall pick. Despite the significant investment in the position, GM Dave Gettleman says that Eli Manning is still on course to be the team’s starter in 2019 (via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com).

In fact, it could be a long time before Jones sees the field. After the draft, Gettleman was asked about his plans for Jones and indicated that the team will take an ultra-patient approach to his development.

“Maybe we’re going the Green Bay model,” Gettleman said. “Where [Aaron] Rodgers sat for three years. Who knows? You can never have too many good players at one position.”

When pressed further, Gettleman gave a puzzling response.

“Who knows?” the GM said. “I might go out to my car and get hit. … You don’t know. We drafted a quarterback that we believe is a franchise quarterback.”

Manning has at least some assurance that he’ll be the Giants’ starter in 2019, but there’s not much guaranteed beyond that. The veteran is entering the final year of his deal and the two sides have not engaged in serious contract talks this offseason. Meanwhile, Manning plays on playing in 2020, whether it’s with the Giants or another team.

Giants Select QB Daniel Jones

April 25th, 2019 at 8:03pm CST by Ben Levine

The Giants have apparently found Eli Manning‘s successor. The team has selected Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the sixth-overall pick. Connor Hughes of The Athletic was first with the news (via Twitter).

The Giants had been connected to seemingly every quarterback prospect leading up to the draft. There were reports last week that the front office was focused on Ohio State signal-caller Dwayne Haskins, although there were persisting whispers that the interest was merely a smokescreen. The team was also reportedly eyeing Missouri’s Drew Lock. There was even talk that the Giants could bypass quarterbacks at No. 6 and No. 17, acquire a late first-rounder, and opt for West Virginia’s Will Grier or North Carolina State’s Ryan Finley. The Giants were also connected to Cardinals quarterback Josh Allen. Ultimately, Jones proved to be their guy.

Jones was a three-year starter at Duke, and he saw his draft stock improve after a solid 2018 campaign. The quarterback finished the season having completed 60.5% of his passes for 2,674 yards, 22 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in 2018. There was apparently conflicting opinions on Jones heading into the draft, with one scout referring to him as a “pedestrian talent” while another lauded his “fairly high ceiling.”

Either way, Jones might not be required to take over the Giants offense come the start of next season. After all, the team is still rostering Manning, with the veteran recently stating that he plans on playing through at least the 2020 season. In 2018, the 38-year-old raised his completion rate to a career-high 66% and his 7.5 yards-per-attempt average was considerably higher than it was in the previous two seasons. He also dropped his interceptions total (11) to the lowest its been during his 14 seasons a full-time starter.

Considering the draft capital the team just invested into the position, it isn’t unrealistic to alternatively envision Manning playing elsewhere next season. If the Giants decide they immediately want to pair Jones with reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Saquon Barkley and former second-rounder Sterling Shepard, it may be in their best interest to shop Manning.

For what it’s worth, Jones has a connection to Manning via Duke coach David Cutcliff, who led both Eli and Peyton Manning in college. Jones also attended the Manning Passing Academy multiple times.

Draft Notes: Steelers, Jets, Giants, Dolphins

April 25th, 2019 at 2:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the more traditional NFL franchises, in terms of offseason aggression, the Steelers appear to recognize the urgency their recent defensive struggles have created. They are making calls about a possible trade-up from their No. 20 spot, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Steelers boast big needs at cornerback and linebacker. It is believed the Steelers will be able to land a corner, perhaps the first corner to go in this draft, at 20. But if Pittsburgh wants to make a big move for a linebacker, it will likely need to acquire a top-10 pick. Devin White is viewed at this point as a top-10 lock, and the Broncos have been the team most connected to Devin Bush at No. 10.

Here is the latest from the draft world, hours away from the 2019 event:

The Jets have been a highly motivated seller at No. 3, and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes (on Twitter) the team almost certainly will have a market to move back. Three GMs informed Mehta the Jets will be able to trade back, if they so choose, despite a sense existing as recently as Wednesday Gang Green would not be successful in moving its pick. This is, however, contingent on Nick Bosa being gone at No. 2, with Mehta adding the Jets would likely select the Ohio State-developed edge rusher if he were available.
There may be another seller in the AFC East. Earlier on Thursday, the Dolphins were viewed as a trade-down candidate. Teams are now hearing, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (video link), Miami is quite motivated to move back from No. 13. The Dolphins are receiving calls about their pick, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). This would make sense, given where the Dolphins are in their rebuilding process. However, they have done extensive work on both Dwayne Haskins and Daniel Jones, per Pelissero. But with Miami being mentioned as a candidate to wait until the higher-profile 2020 quarterback class to land its passer, Pelissero adds the Dolphins could pass on both Haskins and Jones even if they were available at 13.
John Elway also mentioned the probable 2020 QB class this offseason, and it appears likely his team will not select a signal-caller at No. 10. The Broncos have been connected to quarterback at 10, but it doesn’t seem like that will be the move, James Palmer of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Instead, it seems more likely that the Broncos will target inside linebacker, defensive line, and tight end help in the draft.
More consistently linked to QBs than either the Dolphins or Broncos, the Giants have a major decision between their top short- or long-term need at No. 6. Viewed as possibly having executed a Haskins smokescreen operation, the Giants may prefer Jones or Drew Lock over him. While Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv notes they “love” both Jones and Lock, neither may be in play at No. 6. Instead, Big Blue may be gambling it can land one of them at No. 17. This would point to the Giants selecting a pass rusher with their initial first-round pick tonight.

Redskins Split On NFL Draft QBs

April 25th, 2019 at 12:56pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins are not only in disagreement about whether to select a quarterback with their top pick – they’re also not sure about which quarterback to select, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. Team president Bruce Allen and owner Dan Snyder are fixated on Dwayne Haskins, but there is a case being made in the building for Duke quarterback Daniel Jones, according to Russini’s sources.

It would be troubling, to say the least, if the Redskins are indeed deeply fractured on which quarterback to take with just hours to go before the start of the NFL Draft. Picking at No. 15 overall, the Redskins need to quickly decide whether it’s Haskins or Jones that they want. Right now, it seems doubtful that Haskins will be available with the No. 15 choice, so Washington will probably have to move up into the top 10 if they want a shot at the Ohio State standout.

Jones, meanwhile, could potentially be had at No. 15, but nothing is guaranteed in the draft, particularly when it comes to QBs.

For now, the Redskins are set to go into 2019 with Case Keenum as their QB. Alex Smith, of course, is sidelined after his gruesome leg injury from last year and Colt McCoy is also working his way back from a broken leg of his own.

Draft Notes: Jones, Brown, Bills, Raiders

April 19th, 2019 at 7:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Beyond Kyler Murray‘s long-rumored Cardinals fit, landing spots for this draft’s other top quarterbacks are difficult to determine. But Daniel Jones, despite not exactly having impressive college statistics, has gained more steam as a first-round pick. One team has the Duke prospect as the top quarterback on its board, according to Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson (on Twitter). The Giants are believed to be high on him. So are the Patriots. While one scout wondered (via Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com) if the former Blue Devils signal-caller would slip to the third round had he not played under David Cutcliffe, who coached both Manning brothers when they were college passers, another scout and a former GM said (via NBC Sports Washington’s Ben Standig) they each would take Jones over Drew Lock. It certainly looks Jones will land in the first round next week.

Here is the latest from the 2019 draft talent pool:

Another first-round hopeful, Marquise Brown, also looks like a lock to hear his name called Thursday. The Oklahoma-honed speedster may be the only guaranteed wideout to go off the board in Round 1, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report notes, after speaking with NFL staffers. Said execs then place Ole Miss alums D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown as possible first-rounders, per Miller. That would stand to make the second round potentially filled with receiver investments. The 49ers have some names in mind.
On the subject of the 49ers, they visited with tight end Noah Fant recently, per Sirius XM Radio’s Alex Marvez (on Twitter). This profiles as an interesting use of a visit, with the 49ers closely connected to Nick Bosa at No. 2 and not needing a tight end. But San Francisco did do well with its past Iowa investment at this position, with George Kittle breaking out in a major way in 2018.
Despite Rashan Gary‘s past as a top-10 national recruit and his Combine performance, another report has indicated his stock has dipped a bit. After a Thursday report pointed to the Michigan defensive lineman dropping, Miller adds teams are concerned about how little his athleticism translated to production (9.5 sacks in three seasons). Additionally, Miller doubles down on the medical concerns surrounding Gary. Some scouts believe there will be issues on that front, potentially with Gary’s shoulder, which was a trouble spot during his Wolverines run.
Ed Oliver‘s stock has risen a bit in the days leading up to the draft, and the Bills are in play for the interior defender at No. 9, Miller writes, adding Buffalo wants to add a bona fide interior pass-rushing presence to complement the space-eating defensive tackles it currently employs.
The Raiders ditched their scouting staff going into the draft and are expected to overhaul the department under new GM Mike Mayock. On draft weekend, Oakland’s non-Mayock/Jon Gruden staffers involved in the three-day event will be assistant director of player personnel Trey Scott and director of football administration Tom Delaney, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Delaney has been with the Raiders dating back to the first Gruden era; Scott rose to his current position under Reggie McKenzie‘s watch two years ago.

Draft Rumors: QBs, Gary, Pats, Giants, Lions

April 18th, 2019 at 3:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kyler Murray-to-Arizona still looks to be in the cards (no pun intended), but the Nos. 2-4 quarterback landing spots — and the order in which they will be drafted — remain murky. While Dwayne Haskins‘ reported slide has led to some predicting Drew Lock would benefit, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes the Missouri product has a “very real chance” of being the fourth quarterback selected and/or falling out of the first round. Connected to Lock prior to their Joe Flacco trade, the Broncos would be intrigued by the prospect of nabbing Lock in Round 2, per JLC, who tabs Denver as more likely to address a bigger immediate need in the first round. The Broncos visited with Lock during the process, as did several other teams with some degree of a need at quarterback.

Here is the latest from the draft world, continuing with some of this year’s passing prospects:

If Lock’s floor may be more open-ended, La Canfora tabs the Redskins being Haskins’. Washington has done work on the Ohio State alum, along with the other high-profile QBs in this draft. The Raiders have also been “super impressed” by the 2018 breakout star, but they have been reported as being unlikely to use one of their three first-round picks on a quarterback.
The other quarterback mentioned as a first-round possibility, Daniel Jones has intrigued the Patriots, per JLC. New England holds pick No. 32 but has a draft-high 12 picks (including six in the first three rounds) and has plenty of ammo to move up. The Pats hosted Jones on a visit last week. New England has not taken a first-round quarterback since Drew Bledsoe 26 years ago, but NFL.com’s Gil Brandt would not be surprised if this happened (Twitter link).
Both the Giants and Panthers have done plenty of work on Will Grier, La Canfora adds. The West Virginia passer profiles as someone who could be available in Round 2. New York holds pick No. 37, Carolina No. 47. This is the latest we’ve heard on the Panthers’ interest in Grier. Although Carolina brass has reportedly not done more research than usual on quarterbacks in preparing for this draft, Cam Newton has not resumed throwing and is going through extensive shoulder rehab in a second offseason in three years.
Linked to safeties for two offseasons now, the Cowboys brought in six for pre-draft visits. Stephen Jones mentioned (via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams) the position as having the least amount of resources put into it of any on the Cowboys’ roster. After bypassing this need in last year’s draft, Dallas will be a team to monitor on this front.
It does not appear the Lions will be making a move up in the first round. Bob Quinn could foresee his team trading down but does not believe (via the Detroit News’ Justin Rogers) he has enough draft capital — one pick in each of the first five rounds — to vault up from No. 8. Detroit has been mentioned as a stealth quarterback seeker, but trading up for one does not appear to be in the cards.
Lastly, another member of this year’s stellar defensive line class may not check out medically. Some teams have red flags on Rashan Gary, La Canfora notes. While the Michigan lineman is still expected to go in the first round, he may be available a bit later than expected. Should this report of health concerns related to Gary be accurate, he would join Mississippi State products Montez Sweat (who had a heart issue at the Combine) and Jeffery Simmons (pre-Combine ACL tear) as standout pass rushers who have encountered medical issues.

Draft Notes: Packers, Dillard, White, Fins

April 15th, 2019 at 1:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Midway through a rather notable offseason, given the recent behind-the-curtain look at their previous power structure, the Packers are investigating some high-end quarterback prospects. They are obviously set at sports’ marquee position, but with Aaron Rodgers set to turn 36 by season’s end, Green Bay is at a similar point compared to when it last made a major quarterback investment. The Packers will host Drew Lock on a visit Tuesday, Terez Paylor of Yahoo.com reports (on Twitter). They also tried to set up a summit with Daniel Jones, but the parties’ schedules did not line up, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (via Twitter). The Packers took Rodgers when Brett Favre was 36 and sat him for three years. While Green Bay pulling the trigger on a passer would be rather surprising, especially given Rodgers’ contract status, the team does have two first-round picks this year.

Here is the latest from the draft world, staying on the subject of quarterbacks:

Lock will also meet with the Chargers, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com (on Twitter). Teams have ramped up their signal-caller-related preparation, in the event Kyler Murray does not go No. 1, according to Robinson, who notes some teams believe this year’s passers could slide a bit should Murray not be the Cardinals’ choice atop the draft. Some modest steam picked up on this notion earlier Monday.
The Dolphins, who already met with Jones, will head to the Duke campus to work out the former Blue Devil starter, Rapoport reports (on Twitter). Teams only have a few more days to host prospects on “30” visits but can still work them out after that deadline passes. Miami will also host Michigan linebacker Devin Bush and Florida tackle Jawaan Taylor, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Devin White‘s stock has risen during the pre-draft process, to the point he may be the rare off-ball linebacker to be picked in the top five. One of the teams holding such a selection, the Raiders, brought in White for a visit, Rapoport tweets. The Buccaneers, who hold pick No. 5, have been closely connected to the LSU ‘backer. The Raiders have the No. 4 overall pick. Oakland, which also holds the Nos. 24 and 27 selections, will meet with tight end Noah Fant, on Monday as well, Rapoport tweets. The Raiders lost their starting tight end of the past two seasons, Jared Cook, in free agency.
For weeks, the Jets have been viewed as a team that would love to trade down. They are meeting with a prospect Tuesday that would support the fact this is a consideration. Ed Oliver will visit the Jets, per Schefter (on Twitter). While the defensive tackle is a surefire first-round talent, he has not been mocked as a player who would be a consideration at No. 3 overall.
The Titans are visiting with defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, per Rapoport (on Twitter). This is the Notre Dame-developed defender’s second known visit, the first having come with the Saints recently. Tillery remains in rehab after surgery to repair a torn shoulder labrum.
Not much has surfaced about which teams are researching an Andre Dillard pick. That has changed. The Washington State tackle prospect is visiting the Falcons on Monday and will meet with the Chargers later this week, Schefter tweets. Additionally, Schefter adds the first-round offensive line hopeful has already visited or worked out for a host of teams — the Giants, Jets, Dolphins, Ravens, Titans, Panthers, Vikings, Jaguars, Bills, Texans, Bengals, Packers, Redskins.