HEADLINES

Kirk Cousins

East Notes: Wilkerson, Washington, Battle

July 5th, 2015 at 11:22am CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at a few notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • Other writers have opined the same thing, but Darryl Slater of NJ.com definitively asserts that Muhammad Wilkerson, despite some speculation to the contrary, will not be holding out of Jets training camp this month.
  • Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com takes a look at five players who may begin the season on the Washington bench but who could crack the starting lineup before the end of the year. He tabs ILB Martrell Spaight and OLB Preston Smith as particularly intriguing players to watch in the Washington front seven.
  • Similarly, John Keim of ESPN.com believes Smith will ultimately overtake Trent Murphy as a full-time starter at outside linebacker. Washington‘s coaching staff loves Smith’s length, his hands, and his versatility, and Smith appears to have a much higher ceiling as a pass rusher.
  • In the same piece, Keim writes that Kirk Cousins still has fans on the Washington coaching staff and among certain players, but even though he showed flashes of strong play last year, the critical turnovers he made and his inability to respond well to those turnovers have compelled the team to hand Robert Griffin III the starting job.
  • Jordan Raanan of NJ.com does not expect the Giants to be interested in any of the players available in the supplemental draft. We heard yesterday that Clemson OT Isaiah Battle may be a good fit for Big Blue, but Raanan thinks otherwise. Although New York may take a flier on Battle in the sixth or seventh round of the supplemental draft, there are likely a number of other teams who will put a much higher value on his talent.
  • Shalise Manza Young of The Boston Globe offers her take on the 10 best moves made in the AFC East this offseason.

NFC Links: Mathieu, Washington, Rams

May 24th, 2015 at 4:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Tyrann Mathieu claims he feels better than ever, and NFL.com’s Conor Orr notes that the Cardinals defensive back is no longer wearing a knee brace or thumb cast. Despite Mathieu being healthy for the first time in his career, the former third-rounder is still tentative about his recovery:

“It just feels good to be free…You try to stay as optimistic as possible, but there is a reality to it, too. It’s kind of hard to keep telling yourself it’s going to be all right, especially when we got into the thick of everything last year, thinking that if I was 100 percent, I’d probably be able to help my team a whole lot more than I’m doing right now.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFC…

Washington GM On Draft, Cousins, Extensions

April 27th, 2015 at 12:43pm CST by Luke Adams

After announcing earlier today that his team had exercised its 2016 option on Robert Griffin III, Washington general manager Scot McCloughan weighed in on a few more topics. Let’s dive right in and round up the highlights from McCloughan’s presser….

  • Picking up Griffin’s option won’t change how the team approaches the draft, tweets Tom Schad of the Washington Times. In other words, if the best player available is a quarterback, Washington will select that QB. However, I’d be very surprised if the club used its fifth overall pick on a signal-caller, even if Marcus Mariota is still on the board.
  • According to McCloughan, Washington’s draft board is just about set, but the team is open to trading pick and acquiring more picks. In fact, McCloughan says he’d “love” to pick up as many as 10 picks — Washington currently has seven (Twitter links via Mike Jones of the Washington Post and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com).
  • If Leonard Williams is still available by the time Washington’s No. 5 overall pick rolls around, “it might bring a trade more into play,” according to McCloughan (link via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). The club feels good about the its defensive front, and there may be other teams interested in moving up for the USC defensive lineman.
  • Per Jones (via Twitter), McCloughan said the team hasn’t received trade offers for Kirk Cousins yet. The GM would be open to listening, but would like to keep Cousins, whom he feels is a good, young quarterback.
  • Washington is having ongoing extension discussions with offensive tackle Trent Williams and outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, but there’s nothing imminent, according to El-Bashir (Twitter link).
  • McCloughan is targeting players with size and strength in the draft, particularly on the offensive line, tweets Jones.

NFC Notes: Bucs, Peterson, Washington

April 19th, 2015 at 12:44pm CST by Rory Parks

We rounded up some AFC links earlier this morning, so let’s have a look at a few notes from the NFC.

  • Although the Glazer family has never meddled in the Buccaneers‘ personnel decisions to the same degree Jerry Jones has meddled with the Cowboys, Tampa Bay’s ownership has a tradition of assuming a powerful role in the team’s football operations at key moments. According to Ira Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune, the Glazers have been very active in deciding what the Bucs should do with their No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft.
  • The Vikings would want at least a second-rounder and a late-round pick for Adrian Peterson, writes Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, who does not expect the team to lower its asking price just to move Peterson.
  • The Lions will likely wait until after the draft to address their left guard spot, and when they do, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com expects the team to add a veteran at the position.
  • John Mullin of CSNChicago.com writes that, with each signing the Bears make, the job security of those already on the roster becomes more uncertain. That is especially true on the defensive side of the ball, where Chicago has added two linebackers and is moving a 2014 defensive end back to outside linebacker. That means the three Game 16 starters of last season, Jonathan Bostic, Christian Jones, and Shea McClellin, are competing for one vacancy.
  • Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wonders if the Rams will select a quarterback in this year’s draft, noting that if they do, they better strike early.
  • Rich Tandler and Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com examine Washington‘s depth chart at quarterback. El-Bashir believes the team will draft a signal-caller, which will leave Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins fighting for one job.
  • John Keim of ESPN.com does not believe Washington will bring back Tyler Polumbus or Brandon Meriweather, and he would not be surprised if the team drafted Marcus Mariota if the former Oregon signal-caller is still available when Washington is on the clock.
  • Dan Graziano of ESPNNewYork.com writes that, in a perfect world, there would be a clear-cut option at pass-rusher for the Giants to select with their No. 9 overall pick. The problem is that most of the premium pass rushers, outside of perhaps Bud Dupree, look more like 3-4 outside linebackers than 4-3 defensive ends. As such, the team may end up with one of this year’s top offensive lineman, like Brandon Scherff or Ereck Flowers.

NFC Mailbags: Cousins, Boykin, Lions, Vikings

April 18th, 2015 at 9:49am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some notes from the NFC…

  • John Keim believes quarterback Kirk Cousins is on Washington‘s roster come the season opener. However, the writer opines that the organization’s long-term quarterback is currently not on the team.
  • Cornerback Brandon Boykin could have some value if the Eagles decided to shop him, says Phil Sheridan. Prior to the draft, the writer believes the team could fetch a fourth or fifth-round pick. Following the draft, when team’s begin to evaluate their biggest holes, the Eagles could potentially get a third-rounder in return.
  • The Lions could seek some veteran help on the offensive line, but Jake Long or Joe Barksdale might be long shots to join the team, writes Michael Rothstein. If neither player proves to be an upgrade over LaAdrian Waddle, Rothstein believes the organization will pass.
  • The Vikings could select a quarterback in one of the middle rounds, but Ben Goessling says the team may have already gotten their developmental signal-caller when they acquired Mike Kafka.

NFC East Rumors: Graham, Cousins, Allen

March 10th, 2015 at 10:57am CST by Zachary Links

The Giants‘ offer to Brandon Graham was only for one year, source tell Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger. The Eagles and Giants were the final two teams in the running for his services. Ultimately, Graham signed a four-year, $26MM deal to stay in Philly. More from the NFC East..

  • In an interview on 106.7 The Fan, Washington president Bruce Allen said nobody has called to inquire about a trade for quarterback Kirk Cousins, Zac Boyer of The Washington Times tweets.
  • Allen also said Washington has “had conversations” with the agents for Ryan Kerrigan and Trent Williams about long-term contract extensions (link).
  • The Giants have “sniffed around” free agent safety Da’Norris Searcy, tweets Nick Powell of NJ.com. Searcy should have no shortage of suitors, having also been linked to the Bears, Colts, Texans, Raiders and Dolphins.
  • A source tells Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star Telegram (on Twitter) not to expect any action from the Cowboys on the first day of free agency. In fact, his exact words were, “y’all are going to get bored waiting on us.“

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Schefter, Caplan On Suh, Bucs, Peterson, QBs

January 29th, 2015 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

While most reporters continue to focus on the Super Bowl, which is now just three days away, NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Adam Caplan turn their attention to the offseason in a pair of stories for ESPN.com today, providing a handful of interesting tidbits about coaches, free agency, and the draft. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights from Schefter and Caplan….

  • Many of Schefter’s sources around the league don’t expect the Lions to assign the franchise tag to Ndamukong Suh, since the price ($26.87MM) would simply be too high for one player. Per Schefter, those who know Suh think that the idea of playing in a big market like New York, Chicago, or Dallas has always appealed to him. The Jets, Giants, Bears, and Cowboys could all certainly use a player like Suh, though you could say that about nearly every team in the NFL.
  • There’s a “real sense” that the Buccaneers have their sights set on Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota as the No. 1 pick in April, says Schefter, though he cautions that many NFL execs and scouts consider Jameis Winston the best QB prospect in the draft. We still have three months until draft night, so plenty can – and will – change in between now and then.
  • While the Vikings seem comfortable with the idea of bringing back Adrian Peterson, the veteran running back may not want to return to Minnesota. According to Schefter, at least six teams have already done background work on Peterson to prepare for the possibility that he becomes available.
  • Multiple executives told Caplan at the Senior Bowl that Washington‘s Kirk Cousins and Mike Glennon of the Buccaneers are viable trade candidates, especially for teams looking for stopgap starters for the 2015 season. One NFC team exec said he thought both Cousins and Glennon would be worth a fourth- or fifth-round pick in a trade.
  • Although former Bills defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is coming off a successful season in Buffalo, he’s no lock to coach anywhere in 2015, says Caplan. We’ve heard all along that Schwartz will be patient when it comes to picking his next job, and Caplan notes that there’s still $6MM left on his deal with the Bills, which gives him the flexibility to take his time.
  • Caplan identifies six free-agents-to-be who may fly under the radar this offseason but could really help a team, including running back Roy Helu, linebacker Dan Skuta, and safety Jeron Johnson.

Cousins Prefers Trade If RGIII Named Starter

December 29th, 2014 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

1:00pm: Addressing today’s report and his earlier comments, Cousins told reporters – including Boyer (Twitter links) – that he wants to clarify his stance. According to Cousins, he’ll “roll with it” if he’s the backup for a fourth consecutive year in 2015, and he’s not making any demands.

Of course, not demanding a trade doesn’t mean Cousins wouldn’t be open to one if there’s an opportunity for more playing time with another club. As I noted below, that appeared to be his stance earlier this year, and it doesn’t seem as if that has changed.

12:02pm: Jay Gruden and his club closed the book on a disastrous 2014 season yesterday after being blown out at home by the Cowboys, and a day later, one of Washington’s quarterbacks is already looking ahead to 2015. Kirk Cousins indicated today to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 (all Twitter links) that if Washington names Robert Griffin III the starting quarterback without an open competition, his preference would be to be traded.

According to Zac Boyer of the Washington Times (Twitter links), Cousins didn’t explicitly say he wants to be traded or that he wants to leave Washington while speaking to a group of reporters, so it’s not clear if the signal-caller made separate comments to Russini or if the two reporters just interpreted them differently. Boyer did acknowledge that Cousins said he wants to be a starting quarterback, so it makes sense that he’d be open to a trade if Washington doesn’t even given him the opportunity to battle for the No. 1 job.

That stance sounds similar to the one Cousins took earlier in the year, when he suggested he’d be open to a deal if it meant he’d have the chance to start for another team. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, the Browns had interest in that point, and could revisit the possibility of a trade with Brian Hoyer facing free agency and question marks surrounding Johnny Manziel.

The Buccaneers and Titans, armed with the top two picks in the draft, could be eyeing a rookie rather than a veteran like Cousins, but given how thin the free agent market is for QBs, several other teams with a potential need at the position could do their due diligence on Cousins.

Of course, before we make a list of potential suitors for Cousins, Washington must decide what it wants to do with him. Even if he enters 2015 as Griffin’s backup, Cousins may be more valuable on Washington’s roster than on the trade market, given the minimal trade return on a player like Ryan Mallett earlier this year. Like Mallett last offseason, Cousins will be just a year away from free agency in 2015, so if he’s not traded, he’ll have an opportunity to reach the open market and explore other opportunities in 2016.

NFC Mailbags: Panthers, Ingram, Bush, Giants

November 29th, 2014 at 10:59am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and that means ESPN’s NFL writers are opening the mailbags and answering reader questions. Let’s take a look at some interesting notes from the NFC…

  • The Panthers could move on from DeAngelo Williams after the season, says David Newton. Meanwhile, Jonathan Stewart, who still has a couple of years left on his contract, is more likely to stick around.
  • Mike Triplett wouldn’t be surprised if the Saints let Mark Ingram walk and opted to utilize their running back depth instead.
  • It would make sense for the Lions to consider trading Reggie Bush if they were to receive a solid offer, writes Michael Rothstein. However, the writer believes Bush still has a place in the team’s offense, and he adds that it would be tough to move a 30-year-old running back.
  • Dan Graziano’s gut tells him that both Giants coach Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese will be safe following the season, but he warns that the final stretch of the season could ultimately determine their fate.
  • John Keim guesses that Washington could expect a third or fourth-rounder in exchange for Robert Griffin III. He expects a “low-rounder at best” for Kirk Cousins.

East Notes: Foles, Cousins, Mayo

October 19th, 2014 at 12:33pm CST by Rory Parks

As the games get underway, let’s take a look at some notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • Although the Eagles are currently sitting pretty with a 5-1 record, Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Nick Foles has been neither very good nor very bad in the team’s first six games, and he wonders “[w]hether [head coach Chip] Kelly is fine with Foles as the long-term guy.”
  • Speaking of NFC East signal-callers, John Keim of ESPN.com writes that the Redskins have not lost confidence in QB Kirk Cousins, but he has to prove that he can handle adversity better.
  • We heard earlier today that the Cowboys may have interest in dealing for Bills RB C.J. Spiller in advance of the October 28 deadline, but Dan Graziano of ESPN.com writes that it makes no sense for the Giants to consider adding Spiller to their backfield.
  • Although Jerod Mayo‘s injury certainly hurts the Patriots on the field, it may actually help Mayo financially, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Volin writes, “Per [Mayo’s] contract…$4.5 million of his $6.25 million base salary is guaranteed for injury only. If he had stayed healthy this year and through the offseason, Mayo would have $0 in guarantees in 2015. But if he can’t fully return from the injury and the Patriots decide to move on, he’ll have recourse to still collect a fat check.”
  • We learned earlier that the Patriots may be targeting offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker help prior to the trade deadline.
  • Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork has a few more notes on new Jets wideout Percy Harvin.
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