HEADLINES

Dante Fowler Jr.

Draft Notes: Eagles, Fowler, 49ers, Parker

April 7th, 2015 at 4:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles have signed three cornerbacks within the last month, adding E.J. Biggers today to go along with Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond, but the team continues to consider options at the position with the draft approaching. As Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com outlines, the team hosted LSU cornerback Jalen Collins, a potential scheme fit, on a pre-draft visit today.

Here are a few more draft-related updates from around the NFL:

  • Although he thinks he’ll probably end up in Jacksonville with the No. 3 overall pick, Dante Fowler Jr. is meeting with a couple NFC teams in the top 10, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network, who tweets that the Florida pass rusher will visit the Buccaneers and Falcons this weekend.
  • The 49ers are meeting with Louisville receiver DeVante Parker, who is expected to be one of the first wideouts to come off the board, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
  • UTC pass rusher Davis Tull, a former wide receiver, has pre-draft visits lined up with the Saints and Falcons, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • Over at The National Football Post, Aaron Wilson passes along updates on a pair of prospects, writing that Northwestern quarterback Trevor Siemian has visited the Broncos and is working out for the Bears, while Bowling Green linebacker Gabe Martin is visiting the Cowboys today.
  • Per Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), the Cowboys “love” Damarious Randall, and consider the Arizona State alum the best safety in this year’s draft class.
  • Rutgers tight end Tyler Kroft has had individual workouts with the Eagles, Jaguars, and Buccaneers, and is scheduled to visit the Bears and Broncos this week, says Dan Duggan of NJ.com.
  • The Patriots had a private workout with Northwestern State defensive tackle Deon Simon last week, a league source tells Christopher Price of WEEI.com.

AFC Notes: Draft, Jags, Titans, Browns

April 7th, 2015 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

While there has been plenty of speculation about the top two picks in this year’s draft – and specifically whether the top two quarterbacks will be picked in those spots – the Jaguars‘ third overall selection hasn’t been discussed nearly as much. In the view of Florida pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr., there won’t be much intrigue or surprise when it comes to that No. 3 pick — Fowler said today that he thinks he fits the Jags’ scheme perfectly, and would be surprised if the team doesn’t draft him (Twitter link via John Oehser of Jaguars.com).

While we wait to see whether Fowler’s prediction turns out to be right, let’s check out a few more items from around the AFC….

  • Fowler is one candidate to be the top defensive player to come off the board later this month, but USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams figures to be in that mix as well. Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean reports (via Twitter) that Williams is making a pre-draft visit to the Titans this week.
  • Andre Holmes is signing his RFA tender with the Raiders, meaning he’ll officially come off the market. Per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the Browns had some interest in Holmes, but nothing materialized there, particularly after the club added Dwayne Bowe.
  • Pointing out that Alex Mack‘s contract has an opt-out clause after the 2015 season, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com wonders if that will affect the Browns‘ draft plans. Fellow lineman Joe Thomas tells Grossi that he thinks Mack will probably opt out next year, even if it’s just to sign a new deal with the Browns.
  • We previously heard that South Carolina running back Mike Davis would visit the Patriots, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (via Twitter) that Davis will also meet with the Colts this week.
  • According to Rapoport (via Twitter), the Patriots are working out linebackers Denzel Perryman (Miami) and Paul Dawson (TCU).
  • Florida running back Matt Jones, who is expected to be a second- or third-day pick, had dinner with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and GM Kevin Colbert, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Wilson provides another draft update, tweeting that the Ravens have a private workout on their schedule for Florida interior offensive lineman Max Garcia.

AFC South Draft Visits: Jags, Titans, Texans

April 6th, 2015 at 8:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The AFC South has been dominated by the Colts in recent seasons, and the other clubs in the division — two of whom own top-three selections — will hope the upcoming draft affords them the opportunity to acquire several top-notch prospects. Here’s the latest from Jacksonville, Tennessee, Houston…

  • Owners of the third overall pick, the Jaguars will visit some of the draft’s top prospects on Tuesday, meeting with USC’s Leonard Williams, Missouri’s Shane Ray, and Nebraska’s Randy Gregory, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • The Jaguars will also meet with another of the league’s top edge rushers tomorrow, as Albert Breer of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that Dante Fowler Jr. will head to Jacksonville following Florida’s Pro Day.
  • Williams and Fowler Jr. aren’t the only defenders meeting with the Jaguars tomorrow — Clemson’s Vic Beasley and Ohio State’s Michael Bennett will both take a visit with Jacksonville on Tuesday as well, tweets Rapoport.
  • Meanwhile, another club with a top-three selection — the Titans — will meet with Ray, Florida State Ronald Darby tomorrow, while Fowler Jr. has a visit scheduled for next week, according to Rapoport (Twitter link).
  • The Texans already signed two veteran quarterbacks this offseason, but UCLA QB Brett Hundley could draw the interest of the club, as Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Hundley will take a visit with Houston tomorrow.

AFC Links: Odrick, Lewis, Dareus, Titans

April 4th, 2015 at 6:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Deploying just seven position players that received positive grades from Pro Football Focus last season, the Jaguars have a steep climb back to contention. The fulcrum of that attempted ascent, however, could reside on their defensive front, with talent returning and incoming.

Two of the aforementioned septet came on the defensive line, Sen’Derrick Marks and Ryan Davis, and high-priced supplement Jared Odrick, who signed a five-year, $42.5MM contract on Day 2 of free agency, will add to this unit in a specific role, writes Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.

Jags defensive line coach Todd Wash expects to plug Odrick at their 4B spot, which is the bigger of the two defensive ends in Jacksonville’s 4-3 scheme, according to O’Halloran. Odrick played defensive tackle in the Dolphins’ 4-3 alignment last season and rated as PFF’s 19th-best interior lineman (subscription required) — two slots behind Marks. Odrick’s last season as a 4-3 end (2012), however, marked his worst as a pro. His previous work as an outside starter in a 3-4 scheme (2011) resulted in a career-best six sacks, half of which came in coverage, per O’Halloran.

Marks and Davis’ success came almost exclusively inside, making the edge a priority. The Jaguars could have their pick of ends Dante Fowler Jr. or Leonard Williams at No. 3 overall, depending on Marcus Mariota‘s potential to go at No. 2, providing a significant starting point in their rebuild.

  • Fowler will reportedly visit Jacksonville this week after his pro day in Gainesville, Fla., reports O’Halloran. The Jags probably won’t use all of their 30 permitted player visits but could exercise 20 of those meetings, O’Halloran reports.
  • Using Dashon Goldson‘s recent trade where the Bucs agreed to pick up the safety’s $4MM signing bonus in 2015 as he suits up for Washington, O’Halloran suggests this method as a way to make Marcedes Lewis a movable commodity for a potential late-round pick. No longer the starting tight end after the Jags signed Julius Thomas, Lewis is slated to count $8.2MM against the cap this year as Thomas accounts for $10.3MM of it — a league-high amount at the position, making the current arrangement unlikely to last.
  • In addition to a report earlier this week regarding Marcell Dareus‘ potential extension with the Bills, ESPN’s Josina Anderson hears the team will address this after the draft, although no offer has been sent yet (Twitter link).
  • The Titans could trade down if they don’t envision Mariota leading their offense or Williams chasing signal-callers, and The Tennesseean’s Jim Wyatt speculates wide-receiving help could arrive in that scenario in the form of Amari Cooper, Kevin White or DeVante Parker. ESPN’s Todd McShay has that trio going off the boardat Nos. 3, 7 and 10, respectively, in his latest mock draft (subscription required). The Titans selected current starter Kendall Wright in the first round in 2012.
  • While listing wideout, running back and starting right tackle as the team’s biggest needs, Wyatt envisions one of the top backs, Todd Gurley or Melvin Gordon, as Titans targets at No. 34.

South Notes: Brees, Fowler, Jags, Bucs

April 3rd, 2015 at 11:55am CST by Luke Adams

In an interview with WWL radio in New Orleans on Thursday, quarterback Drew Brees said he intends to retire with the Saints, and dismissed any speculation about potential trade talks involving him.

“I have a close enough relationship with everybody within the Saints organization that if something was going on, I would have heard about it from them,” Brees said. “If there was any seriousness, you know, reality (to the rumors), that would be discussed. Anything that I hear or get wind of is typically false. False reports.”

Of course, the reports Brees calls “false” never really existed. Some columnists wrote speculative articles about the possibility of quarterback-needy teams checking in on Brees while the Saints were seemingly making everyone available, but at least one report suggested the quarterback was one of the only players the team was not shopping. Nonetheless, GM Mickey Loomis, head coach Sean Payton, and Brees himself have all felt the need to shoot down that speculation.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two South divisions:

  • Asked about upcoming pre-draft meetings, Florida pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr. says he has visits lined up with the Jaguars and Titans, writes Jenny Vrentas of TheMMQB.com. Fowler is considered one of the top pass rushers in the draft, and projects as a potential top-five pick — Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN recently expressed confidence that Fowler will go third overall to Jacksonville.
  • Center Stefen Wisniewski left his visit with the Jaguars without a deal in place, but head coach Gus Bradley said the team will “have more conversations about him,” per Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Bradley also said that, while the team is keeping its options open in regard to adding a fullback, it’s conceivable that Jacksonville starts the season with four tight ends and no fullbacks on its roster.
  • We can add linebacker Larry Dean to the list of free agents to visit the Buccaneers this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Guard Dan Connolly, wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan, and defensive end George Johnson are among the other players who recently paid a visit to Tampa Bay.