Johnny Manziel - Pro Football Rumors

Draft Notes: Manziel, Barr, Bucannon, Webster

March 27th, 2014 at 5:50pm CST by Ben Levine

As mentioned earlier today, the Browns were one of only two teams that weren’t in attendance for Texas A&M’s (or, realistically, Johnny Manziel‘s) Pro Day. This is interesting, considering the team has the No. 4 pick in this year’s draft and has been seeking a franchise quarterback for a very long time. Among those that believe the team will snag a quarterback in the first round is Brown’s wide receiver Josh Gordon. The All-Pro talent said that he was “pretty sure” that his team would select a quarterback, but Gordon did not initially mention Johnny Football. According to Pat McManamon of ESPN.com, the receiver instead brought up former UCF quarterback Blake Bortles or Louisville junior Teddy Bridgewater. Of course, Gordon eventually added Manziel to his list, saying the former Heisman winner would “seem to be the top guy on (his) list right now.”

A couple of other notes regarding some NFL prospects…

Former UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr will meet with the Cowboys, Falcons, Titans and Vikings, according to Ross Jones of FoxSports.com. The meeting with the Falcons is scheduled for this Saturday.
All-American safety Deone Bucannon will visit the Ravens today and tomorrow, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The former Washington State Cougar would fit in nicely with a secondary that just lost veteran James Ihedigbo to the Lions.
Bloomsburg defender Larry Webster has a busy week ahead of him, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter). Webster has a visit and workout scheduled with the Lions, a workout scheduled with the Panthers, and visits set up with the Cardinals and Buccaneers.

Draft Notes: Manziel, Fiedorowicz, Lee, Latimer

March 27th, 2014 at 1:39pm CST by Luke Adams

While plenty of schools have held their Pro Days within the last few weeks, none have included more media members or notable guests than Texas A&M’s, which was attended by former president George H.W. Bush, among others. Johnny Manziel, Mike Evans, and the Aggies also attracted interest from most NFL teams, with representatives from 30 clubs showing up to check out the A&M prospects — only the Bears and Browns weren’t in attendance, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link).

According to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter links), GMs for the Jets, Texans, Vikings, Rams, Steelers, Jaguars, Bills, and Lions, along with head coaches for the Texans, Vikings, Jaguars, Steelers, Lions, Buccaneers, Eagles, and Raiders were in attendance today.

Meanwhile, Manziel will meet privately with the Texans, Jaguars, Bucs, and Raiders today, as well as the Vikings tomorrow, says Breer (Twitter links). And although the Browns didn’t show up today, they have a private workout lined up with the young quarterback, according to Williams (via Twitter).

Here’s more on the 2014 draft class:

Iowa tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz is scheduled to work out privately for the Cowboys and Texans on Friday, and also has plans to visit the Bucs, Lions, Falcons, and Patriots in the next few weeks, writes Jeff Arnold at ChicagoFootball.com. The Packers and Panthers have also expressed interest in Fiedorowicz, according to the tight end.
The Ravens are hosting USC wide receiver Marqise Lee for a visit this week, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Albany offensive tackle Kadeem Williams worked out for the Bucs and Chargers, and moved well in positional drills, a source tells Wilson (Twitter link).
Indiana receiver Cody Latimer has visits lined up with the Panthers, Raiders, Eagles, Bills, and Lions, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter links).
Boston College quarterback Chase Rettig will work out for the Falcons tomorrow, tweets Pauline.
The Dolphins are scheduled to work out a pair of Monmouth players, tight end Mike McLafferty and cornerback Tevrin Brandon, according to Pauline (Twitter link).
Syracuse cornerback Keon Lyn has visits scheduled with the Dolphins, Lions, and Raiders, says Pauline (via Twitter).

Extra Points: Allen, Jackson, Clowney, Spencer

March 26th, 2014 at 9:06pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets kept an eye on the Jared Allen situation but never made a firm offer before the defensive end signed with the Bears, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Meanwhile, Rapoport adds (link) that the Raiders actually offered more money than the Bears. Oakland was willing to give Allen a deal worth $9MM per year, but he believed Chicago was the best fit for him. What made Chicago such a good fit for the Pro Bowler? Rapoport says he chose the Bears in part because he has a great deal of faith in Jay Cutler‘s ability to win championships (link). Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL..

In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Field Yates explores the trade market for Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, identifying the Jets, Raiders, Browns, and Panthers as trade partners that could make sense.
Texans ownership, coach Bill O’Brien, and General Manager Rick Smith will be meeting and dining with Jadeveon Clowney the night before his South Carolina pro day next week, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
Anthony Spencer remains on the Cowboys radar, but there’s no rush on the part of Dallas or any other club to sign him as the defensive end fights his way back from microfracture surgery on his knee, writes David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. Spencer’s representative Jordan Woy says his client, who underwent the surgery last fall and missed the final 13 games of the Cowboys season, is “structurally” sound and now working on his strength and conditioning.
Bernie Miklasz of the Post-Dispatch likes the Rams‘ signing of Shaun Hill as their veteran backup quarterback for 2014. Hill, he writes, has been one of the better backup QBs in the NFL since getting his first opportunity to start in a relief role for the 49ers in 2007 and now he’ll be reunited in St. Louis with Frank Cignetti, who was the QB coach with SF during Hill’s time there.
San Jose State cornerback Bené Benwikere, who had 14 interceptions over four seasons, penned a journal entry for USA Today Sports and disclosed that he’s set to work out for the Panthers on April 1st.
Scouts Walter Juliff and Chris Hall and quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson are expected to be the Cowboys‘ representatives at Johnny Manziel‘s pro day, tweets Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram.

AFC Notes: Browns, Veldheer, Manziel

March 25th, 2014 at 10:14pm CST by Zachary Links

Browns coach Mike Pettine stops short of saying that the club has to draft a starting-caliber cornerback in this year’s draft, but he admits it’s something he badly wants, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. Buster Skrine started opposite Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden last season and did a decent job, but still struggled at times.

Raiders General Manager Reggie McKenzie told Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle that he’s quite upset about losing left tackle Jared Veldheer to the Cardinals. “Losing Veldheer was a blow to me. He didn’t want to come back. It wasn’t about finances. The kid didn’t want to play for the Raiders anymore, and I struggled with that,” the GM said.
The Raiders‘ traveling trio of Dennis Allen, Greg Olson, and John DeFilippo will visit Johnny Manziel‘s pro day on Thursday, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Both GM Dennis Hickey and Joe Philbin stressed that the Dolphins continue to view Mike Pouncey as a good player, teammate, and leader despite his involvement in the harassment that motivated Jonathan Martin to leave the team in October, writes Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel. Meanwhile, no one has offered assurances that Pouncey will be with Miami beyond 2014.
The Dolphins are eager to turn the page on a traumatic 2013 season, writes Chris Perkins of the Sun Sentinel.

Browns GM Talks Haden, QBs, FAs, Mack

March 24th, 2014 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing at the NFL’s owner meetings in Orlando, Browns GM Ray Farmer answered several questions from reporters today, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal and Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Here’s a round-up of some of the highlights, with Twitter links via Ulrich and Cabot:

After cornerback Joe Haden fueled speculation by tweeting “It’s a crazy business” last night, Farmer insisted that the team has no interest in trading Haden, and would like to keep him in Cleveland for a long time.
Farmer defended the team’s decision not to attend the Pro Days of top quarterback prospects like Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, and Johnny Manziel by arguing that those days are “scripted” and saying that the Browns’ absence keeps teams guessing about Cleveland’s intentions. The general manager added that he’s “not leaning in any direction” with the No. 4 pick in the draft.
Farmer believes Cleveland will have opportunities to trade up or down in the draft, and confirmed that discussions about those possibilities are already underway.
Asked if the Browns have interest in Mark Sanchez, Farmer said the team would be interested in “anyone who can help us win,” though he didn’t say whether Sanchez was one such player. For now, the GM says he’s comfortable with Brian Hoyer, and that Hoyer’s competition could come from anywhere, including a player in the draft.
Farmer confirmed that the Browns had interest in Matt Schaub before Houston sent him to the Raiders.
According to Ulrich, Farmer paused for a few seconds when asked where the Browns stood with offensive lineman Paul McQuistan and defensive end Alex Carrington, before replying, “We’ll see.” Both free agents visited the team last week.
Cleveland investigated many options for a No. 2 wide receiver and No. 2 cornerback in free agency, but nothing worked out, according to Farmer.
The Browns are still focused on working out a long-term deal with Alex Mack, who received the transition tag from the club this offseason.

Extra Points: Raiders, Bears, Draft

March 23rd, 2014 at 4:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

A few links from around the league:

The Raiders acquired several veteran players this offseason, including quarterback Matt Schaub, offensive tackle Donald Penn, and defensive linemen Justin Tuck and LaMarr Woodley, but head coach Dennis Allen is adamant that the team was primarily interested in the players’ ability, writes Scott Blair of CSNBayArea.com. “We’re not bringing in mascots or hood ornaments or whatever,” said Allen. “…A lot of people ask me about veteran leadership. Let’s not confuse things here. I want guys that can play. We’re not bringing in guys just for leadership. We went out and got guys to can still be productive and also fill a leadership role.”
The Bears hope that Marquess Wilson will take hold of the No. 3 receiver role vacated by Earl Bennett after his release, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Head coach Marc Trestman hopes that Wilson, a 2013 seventh-round-pick, can round into form as Alshon Jeffery did last season: “I think he showed that we can work with him and develop him. He’s got the football intelligence that we’re looking for and the ability to be flexible within the offense. He was consistent.”
At the National Football Post, former Bears general manager Jerry Angelo writes about what type of NFL systems and schemes would be fits for Johnny Manziel and Jadeveon Clowney,
The Ravens scouted several offensive lineman at the Tennessee State pro day, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

Draft Notes: Manziel, Evans, Matthews

March 5th, 2014 at 6:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns didn’t meet with Johnny Manziel at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he wasn’t the only quarterback that the club didn’t talk to, according to Vic Carucci of ClevelandBrowns.com (via Mary Kay Cabot of the Northeast Ohio Media Group). Cleveland also passed on the chance to talk to the likes of Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater, Central Florida’s Blake Bortles, and Fresno State’s Derek Carr. That doesn’t mean the team won’t meet with the top QBs, however. The Browns plan to spend quality time with the quarterbacks when they bring them to Berea, Ohio for visits and future private workouts. More draft news..

Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans has met with the Patriots and 49ers in the last 24 hours, tweets Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.
Tackle Jake Matthews met has met with the Browns and Rams, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). Matthews, widely expected to be one of the first tackles off the board in this year’s draft, has also met with the Falcons.
Alabama State running back Isaiah Crowell confirmed that he has spoken to the Raiders, Browns, and the Ravens, according to a report from BamaStateSports.com (hat tip to NFL.com).

Browns Notes: Manziel, Mack, Ward

March 3rd, 2014 at 10:51pm CST by Peter Sowards

At first glance, a headline of “Browns didn’t interview Johnny Manziel at NFL Combine” figures to draw the ire of Cleveland fans. The team needs a franchise quarterback, and Manziel projects to be a top-5 selection (The Browns own the No. 4 and No. 26 picks).

“We didn’t speak to him at the combine,” Browns coach Mike Pettine said Monday at the Cleveland Auto Show, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “I didn’t personally. He was not part of the formal interviews.”

However, as Cabot points out, the Browns still have ample time to bring Manziel in for an individual workout and interview, as well as the Texas A&M pro day on March 5.

It’s possible — and likely — that the Browns used their allotment of 60 combine interviews to speak with players whom they don’t plan on bringing in for private meetings.

AFC Notes: Broncos, Browns, Raiders, Jaguars

March 2nd, 2014 at 6:06pm CST by Ben Levine

A couple of notes from around the AFC on this Sunday evening…

D’Qwell Jackson flew to Denver to meet with the Broncos today, tweets Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It was reported last week that Jackson would also meet with the Titans.
The Browns will not cut or restructure the contract of defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin, Cabot writes in another article. There were rumblings that Rubin might be a cap casualty only a couple of days ago.
The Raiders like Derek Carr more than Johnny Manziel, writes Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. As Farmer points out, the team is known to make unconventional picks, so Manziel would “seem like a natural fit for them.”
Justin Forsett and Jason Babin could potentially be cut by the Jaguars, Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com writes.
In the same article, DiRocco says that the Jaguars’ cap room means they can get involved with free agents like Alex Mack or Brian Orakpo.

AFC Notes: Jets, Raiders, Colts, Texans

February 24th, 2014 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Local beat writer Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News doesn’t view the Jets as a likely candidate to sign Michael Vick, but it seems that isn’t the consensus perception around the NFL. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), the Jets are considered a “legitimate possible landing spot” for Vick, based on conversations he has had at the combine this week. I expect the Jets to look a tier or two below Vick if they pursue a free agent quarterback, and would be surprised if a reunion between Vick and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg actually materialized, but it sounds like we shouldn’t rule out the possibility.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Raiders owner Mark Davis and the team’s brass met with Johnny Manziel this weekend and came away “very impressed,” tweets Eddie Borsilli of SiriusXM NFL Radio. Oakland is expected to strongly consider drafting a quarterback with the No. 5 overall pick in May.
The Colts aren’t expected to splurge in free agency this offseason, but they could take an approach that would allow them to spend in future years, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star, who suggests the possibility of signing shorter contracts, or frontloading deals.
The Ravens conducted a formal interview with Minnesota defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman at the combine, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Mike Rodak of ESPN.com examines the Bills‘ options at kicker, where it’s no certainty that Dan Carpenter will return.
Jadeveon Clowney isn’t an ideal fit for the Texans, even if the team decides not to take a quarterback, in the view of the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain. McClain’s colleague Jerome Solomon thinks the club’s interest in Clowney should be a moot point, suggesting in a separate Houston Chronicle column that Houston needs to draft a QB with the first overall pick.