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Darqueze Dennard

AFC North Notes: Ravens, Dennard, Vick

November 23rd, 2015 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

With Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco out for the rest of the 2015 season due to an ACL injury, veteran backup Matt Schaub will get an opportunity to add an extra $1MM to his season’s earnings. As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com explains (via Twitter), Schaub’s deal includes a $500K incentive for playing 5% of Baltimore’s offensive snaps, and another $500K if he reaches 10%. With six games still left on the schedule, Schaub should have no trouble hitting those benchmarks unless he suffers an injury of his own.

Here’s more on the Ravens and a couple of their AFC North rivals:

  • In the view of Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com, losing Flacco makes the Ravens the favorite to land the first overall pick for the 2016 draft. Currently, Baltimore is 3-7, a game ahead of the Browns, Titans, and Chargers, who have two wins apiece, so I’m not sure I’d call the Ravens the frontrunner for that first overall pick. Still, it certainly looks like the team is on track for its highest selection since 2000, when Jamal Lewis went fifth overall. The Ravens have never had a top-three pick.
  • The Bengals are fearing the worst for second-year cornerback Darqueze Dennard, who was injured in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. According to Rapoport, Dennard dislocated his shoulder, and will undergo an MRI today to see if he suffered a tear as well. There’s a chance he’ll land on the injured reserve list later this week.
  • Steelers quarterback Michael Vick said today that he’d like to play for another season, and wouldn’t mind returning to Pittsburgh in 2016, even if Landry Jones is the No. 2 quarterback heading into the summer (Twitter link via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). In previous offseason, Vick has prioritized an opportunity at a starting job, so this would be a much different approach to free agency for him.

Bengals Sign Darqueze Dennard

June 12th, 2014 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bengals have finished signing their 2014 draft picks, announcing today that first-round cornerback Darqueze Dennard has signed his rookie contract with the club (Twitter link). On the heels of Mike Evans‘ signing with the Bucs earlier today, Dennard becomes the 22nd first-rounder to put pen to paper, meaning there are just 10 still unsigned.

Dennard, 22, was a unanimous All-American selection during his final year at Michigan State, earning All Big-Ten honors and also collecting the Jim Thorpe Award as the top defensive back in college football. Cincinnati nabbed him last month with the 24th overall pick in the draft, making him the third cornerback to come off the board, behind Justin Gilbert and Kyle Fuller.

As the No. 24 pick, Dennard is in line for a signing bonus worth a little over $4.12MM, according to Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com. The total value of Dennard’s four-year contract, which also includes a team option for year five, falls just short of $8MM.

Be sure to check out our tracker to see which draft picks still have yet to sign their contracts.

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.

Mailbags & More: Cowboys, Lions, Rams, Jets

May 4th, 2014 at 8:47am CST by Rory Parks

Let’s have a look at some mailbags and related links to kick off this Sunday morning:

  • The Cowboys will have some contractual decisions to make regarding a few of their top offensive weapons, writes ESPNDallas.com’s Todd Archer in his latest mailbag. Although they have picked up the fifth-year option on Tyron Smith, thereby locking him up through 2015, they still would like to get a long-term deal done. Extension talks could take place this summer.
  • As for Dez Bryant, who is entering the final year of his contract, the Cowboys want him to stay and Bryant does not want to leave, so Archer predicts that something will get done. However, he does think that a lot of the money in any potential deal will be in the base salaries, which would give Dallas some protection. And although DeMarco Murray has been terrific, the market for running backs has stagnated and the Cowboys would be wise to approach him with a modest deal now to see if he would bite.
  • Finally, Archer believes that if the Cowboys are unable to land Zack Martin or another top tackle in the draft, they will try to extend Doug Free. If they do manage to snag a highly-rated tackle, they will be willing to set Free free.
  • ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein investigates the possibilities of the Lions‘ trading back from their No. 10 overall pick and the possibility of an Ndamukong Suh trade.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press is going all out in his pre-draft coverage of the Lions this week, taking a look at Detroit’s options at defensive back, the most likely candidates for the team’s first round pick, and he puts up another mock draft.
  • Chris McCosky of The Detroit News makes a case for the Lions to draft Zack Martin with their first-round choice.
  • Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com had a two-hour chat with fans on Friday regarding the most important draft-related topics facing the Rams.
  • Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains why Clemson WR Sammy Watkins would be an intriguing fit for the Rams.
  • Seth Walder of the New York Daily News looks at three players the Jets could target in the first-round: Odell Beckham, Jr., Brandin Cooks, and Darqueze Dennard.
  • Kimberly A. Smith of Newsday examines the importance of this draft for Jets GM John Idzik, who has 12 picks to work with and a healthy salary cap situation.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com looks at Rex Ryan’s influence in the Jets‘ draft room, the possibility they may trade up in the draft, and several other draft-related issues.

Draft Notes: Jets, Patriots, Donald, Savage

April 20th, 2014 at 2:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A few notes as we get ever closer to the 2014 NFL Draft:

  • A trio of receivers will meet with the Jets in the upcoming days, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The team will meet with Marqise Lee today and Monday, Odell Beckham on Monday and Tuesday, and Brandin Cooks later in the week.
  • Also in the market for defensive backfield help, the Jets will meet with two cornerbacks (according to Mehta on Twitter): Jason Verrett tomorrow and Darqueze Dennard on Friday.
  • The Patriots worked out Northern Arizona cornerback Anders Battle in early March, reports Zuri Berry of Boston.com. Battle, who has now earned his first mention in the pages of PFR, accrued 57 tackles and two interceptions last season, and reportedly ran a 4.57 40-yard-dash at his Pro Day.
  • Two Pittsburgh Panthers have turned down invitations to the draft proceedings at Radio City Music Hall. Jerry DiPaola of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that defensive tackle Aaron Donald rejected the offer due to personal reasons, while the Pitt Football Twitter account noted that quarterback Tom Savage turned down the invitation (without citing a reason). I would guess that Savage realizes he likely will not be a first-round pick and does not want to become a spectacle for the cameras.

AFC Draft Notes: Texans, Broncos, Jets

April 17th, 2014 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

Within his latest Read Option feature on Bleacher Report, Dan Pompei focuses on what the Texans will do with the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, which gets underway three weeks from today. It’s a question we explored ourselves earlier in the week, asking you in a poll what Houston ought to do with the pick. As we noted, selecting a quarterback or a defender like Jadeveon Clowney or Khalil Mack seem like the best options for the Texans if they keep the pick. However, more than 30% of you suggested the club’s best move would be to trade the pick, and Pompei seems to agree, writing that moving down would provide “multiple solutions” for the Texans, who “wouldn’t necessarily have to exact a ransom in return.”

Here’s more on the draft from around the AFC:

  • We heard yesterday that Miami quarterback Stephen Morris was drawing interest from the Dolphins, and Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that Morris has a workout lined up with the Broncos as well.
  • Noting (via Twitter) that the Jets‘ visits with wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Darqueze Dennard are scheduled for next week, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News provides an updated list of all of the team’s pre-draft visitors.
  • The Ravens, who are considering drafting a safety in next month’s draft, brought in Northern Illinois’ Jimmie Ward for a visit, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Craig Kelley of Colts.com provides a rundown of the 20 prospects with local ties the Colts worked out earlier this week.

North Notes: Vikings, Browns, Bears, Lions

April 15th, 2014 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

After working out for the Vikings on the weekend, Teddy Bridgewater visited with the team yesterday and is still there today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), who notes that the Vikes are taking an extended look at the Louisville signal-caller. Bridgewater could very well still be on the board when Minnesota picks at No. 8.

Here’s more from out of the NFC and AFC North divisions:

  • The Vikings and tight end Kyle Rudolph are said to have mutual interest in working out a long-term agreement to keep Rudolph in Minnesota, but the team has yet to approach the 24-year-old about an extension yet, as he tells Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
  • Johnny Manziel‘s previously reported workout for the Browns is scheduled for this weekend, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
  • After meeting with the Texans today, Blake Bortles will have finished with his pre-draft visits and workouts, with the exception of a visit with the Browns next week, according to Caplan (Twitter links).
  • Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix will meet with the Bears this week, tweets Rapoport, adding that Clinton-Dix has also met with the Panthers and Falcons, among other teams. The Bears, meanwhile, have their eye on safeties, having already hosted Calvin Pryor.
  • Rapoport passes along word of a couple more pre-draft visits, tweeting that Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard visited the Bengals today and yesterday, while Minnesota safety Brock Vereen visited the Steelers last week. The brother of Patriots running back Shane Vereen will also meet with the Vikings this week, says Rapoport (via Twitter).
  • The Lions announced pre-draft visits for Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller, Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and Boston College kicker Nate Freese, as Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com details.
  • Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune takes a look at Notre Dame defensive tackle Louis Nix, who recently visited the Bears.
  • Matthew Mulligan‘s one-year deal with the Bears is a minimum salary benefit contract, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Chris Pressley‘s one-year pact with the Browns falls into the same category, Wilson adds (via Twitter).

AFC Notes: Jets, Titans, Raiders

April 13th, 2014 at 7:27pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jets haven’t selected an offensive player in the first round since Mark Sanchez in 2009, but Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com doesn’t think its farfetched for the team to select a defender for the fifth-straight year. While the team has a need at wide receiver, Cimini believes cornerback should be the priority. The writer suggests Darqueze Dennard as a possible fit.

Let’s take a look at more notes from Cimini and fellow AFC writers…

  • If the Jets do select a wide receiver, Cimini doesn’t think that signals the end of the line for Stephen Hill. Cimini does acknowledge that the team’s patience is wearing thin on the former second-round pick, though.
  • The Titans could go a number of different ways in the draft, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com mentioned in a recent mailbag. The only positions Kuharsky can’t see the team selecting with their first pick would be quarterback or running back.
  • Continuing with the draft, Kuharsky believes the Titans will draft a receiver at some point after the first round. Additionally, a Titans deal to move up in the first round would be “huge surprise” to the writer.
  • If the Raiders could have traded Terrelle Pryor for fair value, a deal would have already happened, says Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com. Gutierrez points out the team’s clear desire to have more of a traditional pocket passer, making Pryor expendable.
  • In the same article, Gutierrez expresses his belief that if Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack and Sammy Watkins are off the board by the time it gets to the Raiders at pick number-five, the team should trade down. As an alternative, the team could select an offensive lineman like Jake Matthews or Greg Robinson.

AFC Notes: Titans, Ravens, Draft Visits

April 8th, 2014 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Titans edge defender Kamerion Wimbley agreed earlier this week to restructure his contract, and Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com has the breakdown of what Wimbley’s new deal looks like. However, as Fitzgerald details, Wimbley wasn’t the only Titan to rework his contract this week. Tight end Craig Stevens also has a new 2014 cap figure, reducing his overall base salary by $1.7MM in exchange for a $500K guarantee. While Stevens’ 2015 salary remains unchanged, his ’14 cap number is now only about $2.69MM.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • The Ravens haven’t had an above-average, long-term solution at right tackle for a number of years, and Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun believes the team would be wise to address the position with its first-round pick this year. That’s one of a handful of topics Preston addresses in his Ravens notebook, which also touches on the club’s recent tight end and running back signings.
  • The Bills are eyeing a pair of offensive line prospects today, hosting Mississippi State’s Charles Siddoway for a pre-draft visit (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com) and having dinner tonight with Texas A&M’s Jake Matthews (Twitter link via Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 AM).
  • Having already met with the Steelers, Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard now has visits lined up with the Jets, Bengals, and Rams, as he said today on SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).
  • Another cornerback, Virginia Tech’s Kyle Fuller, also has a handful of visits scheduled with AFC teams, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Fuller will meet with the Colts, Bengals, Raiders, Jets, Broncos, and Bears, says Wilson.
  • The Chargers will work out Troy quarterback Deon Anthony on April 22, reports Wilson at the National Football Post.
  • More from Wilson (via Twitter): The Patriots are working out Boise State’s Geraldo Boldewijn, Matt Paradis, and Charles Leno on Wednesday, while Virginia-Lynchburg cornerback Keith Lewis visited the Raiders and has a private workout lined up next week with the Chiefs (Twitter link).

Draft Notes: Manziel, Matthews, Mettenberger

April 7th, 2014 at 7:31pm CST by Ben Levine

As the NFL Draft quickly approaches, Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review takes a look at five players the Steelers could draft in the first round. The list includes receivers Mike Evans and Kelvin Benjamin, cornerbacks Darqueze Dennard and Justin Gilbert and defensive lineman Louis Nix. Robinson also brings up Pittsburgh defensive lineman Aaron Donald, but believes that the defender is not a good fit for the Steelers. Pittsburgh has the 15th pick in the first-round of this year’s draft.

Here are some more prospect notes…

  • Johnny Manziel will begin meeting with the Jaguars tomorrow, reports Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Manziel spent that last two days with the Raiders.
  • Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews will visit with the Bills tomorrow, tweets Joe Buscaglia of WGR Sports Radio.
  • While the team will meet with the quarterback, the Titans have no intention of working out Zach Mettenberger, according to Jim Wyatt of Tennessean (via Twitter).
  • University of Tennessee offensive lineman Ja’Wuan James is scheduled to visit the Titans this week, tweets Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com.
  • Running back De’Anthony Thomas will visit with the Bears, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets.
  • Scouts for the Bills and Saints were at Terrance West‘s pro day, Wilson tweets. The Bengals also met with the Towson running back (via Twitter). West ran for 2295 yards last season.
  • Center Bryan Stork will visit the Saints this week, according to Larry Holder of NOLA.com (via Twitter). The Florida State alumni won the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s best center.
  • Former Boise State defensive tackle Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe met with the Chargers, reports Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (via Twitter). According to Gehlken, the Amsterdam-native is relatively new to the sport.
  • Eagles coach Bob Bicknell worked out Rutgers receivers Quron Pratt and Brandon Coleman, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net.
  • The Dolphins hosted offensive tackle Garrett Scott, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. The team has already added linemen Shelley Smith, Branden Albert and Jason Fox during free agency.
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