Marcus Mariota - Pro Football Rumors

Pauline’s Latest: Mariota, Saints, Mannion

April 23rd, 2015 at 12:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested that a three-way trade between the Browns, the Eagles, and a team in the top five could be mutually beneficial, with Cleveland landing Sam Bradford, Philadelphia getting Marcus Mariota, and the third team stockpiling extra draft picks.

The piece sounded like informed speculation, but Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net hears that both the Eagles and Chargers have explored the possibility of moving up for Mariota through the Browns, and have had conversations about the idea. A league source tells Pauline that if the Titans decide to deal that No. 2 overall pick, Cleveland is in the best spot, since the Browns hold two top-20 picks, and could either move up for Mariota themselves or get involved in another team’s deal.

Here’s more from Pauline, with the draft just one week away:

According to Pauline, the Saints (the other team with two first-round picks), will consider trading up if they feel like they have a chance to land pass rusher Vic Beasley, whose potential DC Rob Ryan loves.
Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion, who recently worked out for the Rams and Cowboys, ranks as the third-best quarterback available on more than a dozen teams’ boards, per Pauline.
Pauline hears that the Seahawks would “love to grab” wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham if he’s available at No. 63, but the team expects him to come off the board in the first round, or within the first 15 picks of round two.
Michigan State’s Marcus Rush will be drafted earlier than originally predicted, having “blown teams away” during the interview process, says Pauline, adding that the defensive end could be a fifth-round pick.
Speaking of Michigan State players, a number of teams view former Spartans outside linebacker Taiwan Jones as a potential “gem,” and grade him as a third-round pick, according to Pauline.
The Raiders, Chiefs, and Patriots are expressing interest in Villanova offensive lineman Vince Kowalski, who could be a late-round gamble or an undrafted free agent, tweets Pauline.

Chargers GM On Rivers, Mariota, Stadium

April 22nd, 2015 at 2:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Minutes ago, Chargers GM Tom Telesco addressed reporters and took questions on a wide range of topics, including the uncertainty surrounding quarterback Philip Rivers. Here’s a look at the highlights with all links going to Twitter..

Telesco says that Rivers is the Chargers’ quarterback and his “intent” is to keep it that way, tweets Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego. That statement probably won’t stop the chatter, and neither will this one: “I figure at least half of you are here for a Philip Rivers update. … There really is no update,” the GM said (link).
Still, Telesco told reporters (including Gehlken) that he’d be as honest as possible about Rivers and other matters, explaining, “I’m Cathlolic. I tell the truth.“
The GM dodged a question about whether he’s spoken to the Titans about Rivers (via Gehlken).
Telesco said the Chargers are evaluating Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota because “it’s what we do,” Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean tweets.
Like Rivers, Telesco said he wants safety Eric Weddle with the Chargers long-term, Eric Williams of ESPN.com tweets. Weddle, of course, is absent from camp as he pushes for a contract extension. Even though the interest is mutual, the two sides probably won’t hammer out a new deal in the next eight days. “Right now, we’re focused on the draft,” Telesco said (via Gehlken).
When asked about Weddle’s no-show, Telesco emphasized that they are voluntary (via Williams).
Telesco said the stadium issue has not affected day-to-day football operations, but he’s not naive about what is going on, Williams tweets.
Telesco says he’s pleased with what the organization has got done so far this offseason (via Williams).

NFC Notes: Saints, Wilson, Winston

April 21st, 2015 at 7:35pm CST by Zachary Links

Heading into the draft, Don Banks of Sports Illustrated (video link) says the Saints will probably continue their pattern of making surprising moves this offseason. New Orleans will hope that a top talent like Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory will fall to the No. 13 pick after his positive drug test, but they could instead trade up for him or settle for Kentucky linebacker Bud Dupree. More from the NFC..

The Seahawks feel that Russell Wilson‘s stated interest in transitioning to baseball is nothing more than a bargaining ploy for a new contract, sources tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Wilson hasn’t played minor league ball in four years, never got beyond Single-A, and didn’t demonstrate a whole lot of power. Cole hears that Wilson would be looking at a three- or four-year path before he could even approach the majors, which would be around age 29 or 30. Wilson’s MLB rights are owned by the Texas Rangers.
On a conference call, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. told reporters, including Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter), that it’s “not etched in stone” that Jameis Winston will go No. 1 to the Buccaneers with Marcus Mariota going No. 2 in the draft.
The Cowboys have to use their first pick on a defensive lineman, Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News opines. Even beyond Ndamukong Suh, defensive linemen Jared Odrick, Pernell McPhee, Dan Williams, and Stephen Paea all signed contracts this offseason that placed them among the top 25 deals in free agency. Dallas, he argues, will find it much cheaper to find an impact defensive lineman in the draft rather than on the open market.

Browns Notes: Pettine, Manziel, Mariota

April 21st, 2015 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Browns traded down, then up, then up again during the first round of last year’s draft, and if the right opportunity arises, the team likely won’t hesitate to move up again this year. Head coach Mike Pettine told reporters today, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), that the Browns showed last year they were willing to move, and he’s sure GM Ray Farmer‘s phone will ring again this time around.

Field Yates of ESPN.com (Insider-only link) agrees that the Browns, armed with a pair of first-round picks, are in a good spot to trade up if they want to, listing them among the teams most likely to make a deal during the first round next Thursday.

We’ve got a few more Browns-related notes to pass along, so let’s round them up, with all links going to Ulrich’s Twitter account…

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported earlier this month that the Browns have “90%” moved on from Johnny Manziel in their minds, but Pettine said today that the young signal-caller is still very much in the team’s plans. Pettine quipped that the report was “90% inaccurate,” adding that it could be filed in the “ridiculous category.”
When asked if he was willing to trade up in the draft for Oregon star Marcus Mariota, Pettine said, “Sure. Why not?” with a smile, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets.
Pettine said that there were a handful of guys absent from workouts, but they all reached out to him and he was well aware of it ahead of time, Ulrich tweets.
The head coach is optimistic that something will get worked out with free safety Tashaun Gipson, Ulrich tweets. “[You] never want the business side to affect the football side. We’re very optimistic we’ll get that worked out,” the coach said. Gipson has yet to report to Cleveland’s voluntary program. The safety received a second-round RFA tender from the Browns in March and was less-than-thrilled about that.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Pauline’s Latest: Mariota, Browns, Rams

April 20th, 2015 at 11:26am CST by Luke Adams

With just 10 days left until the 2015 NFL draft gets underway, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net has plenty of updates for us this morning, including news on visits, workouts, and possible risers and fallers. Here’s Pauline’s latest:

According to Pauline, trade rumors involving teams looking to move up for Marcus Mariota should “pick up intensity” in the next week or so. Pauline hears the Browns may be the frontrunners for the Oregon quarterback, but the Titans asked Cleveland for a second-round pick in addition to the 12th and 19th picks, and the Browns balked. Cleveland may be willing to part with its two first-rounders to move up to No. 2, but wouldn’t want to give up its second-rounder too.
The Rams love Mississippi State linebacker Benardrick McKinney, but No. 10 would be too high for him. Per Pauline, many around the league believe that St. Louis could trade down in the first round or trade up from the second round in order to try to land McKinney.
McKinney has also been linked to the Broncos, who are eyeing TCU linebacker Paul Dawson as well.
A number of teams have red-flagged Boise State running back Jay Ajayi over a knee injury, according to Pauline.
The domestic violence charges against Frank Clark were reduced – the Michigan defensive end accepted a plea deal – and now Pauline says Clark will likely be drafted higher than most expect, likely within the top 125 picks.
A pair of Utah offensive linemen, Junior Salt and Jeremiah Poutasi, are working out today for the Panthers, per Pauline (via Twitter).
The Patriots worked out UConn defensive lineman B.J. McBryde last week, tweets Pauline.
The Jaguars hosted Monmouth wide receiver/tight end Neal Sterling for a pre-draft visit last week, according to Pauline (via Twitter).

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.

AFC Notes: Hightower, Broncos, Titans

April 19th, 2015 at 8:54am CST by Rory Parks

In addition to putting the finishing touches on their big board, the Patriots have a number of personnel decisions to make before draft day, writes Karen Guregian of The Boston Herald. Specifically, New England needs to decide whether to pick up the fifth-year options on linebacker Dont’a Hightower and defensive end Chandler Jones (the deadline for teams to exercise that option is May 3, one day after the conclusion of the draft).

The fifth-year option would prevent both players from becoming free agents after the 2015 season, so on the surface it appears like an easy decision. And for Hightower, Guregian believes it is. She says not only should the Patriots exercise the option, they should lock Hightower up long-term. Guregian points to Hightower’s critical role in the team’s Super Bowl run last season, which included establishing himself as a playmaker, a leader, and a play-caller in Jerod Mayo‘s absence.

Although Jones represents something of a more difficult decision, as injuries and his struggles against the run tip the scales towards the one-year option rather than a multi-year extension, Guregian writes that Hightower, along with Jamie Collins, are the future of the New England’s defense and should be treated accordingly.

Let’s take a look at a few more notes from the AFC:

The Dolphins will have an official visit with LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins next week, writes Omar Kelly of The Sun-Sentinel. One league source pegs Collins as the frontrunner for Miami’s first-round pick, No. 14 overall, if he is still available when the Dolphins are on the clock.
Mike Klis of The Denver Post expects the Broncos to trade up from their No. 28 overall pick, noting that the team has 10 picks but is in win-now mode and does not have 10 available roster spots.
In the wake of the persistent Philip Rivers-to-Tennessee rumors, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe offers his two cents, asserting his belief that a trade will not happen. For one, although Rivers is by no means a young man relative to other professional athletes, his durability and consistent level of play suggest it is far to soon to worry about his performance taking a sudden downturn. Furthermore, Marcus Mariota, who the Chargers would presumably draft to replace Rivers, is by no means a surefire prospect, which suggests San Diego should stay put at the No. 17 overall pick in the draft and continue to roll with Rivers.
Similarly, Volin believes the Titans‘ statements regarding how much they like second-year quarterback Zach Mettenberger are not a ruse. Given the stalled progress of passers like Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick, Volin believes Tennessee did not make those statements in an effort to disguise their desire to draft Mariota.

NFC Notes: Bucs, Brown, Washington

April 18th, 2015 at 6:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Linked heavily to Jameis Winston since locking up the No. 1 pick and recently reported to be undeterred by the quarterback’s latest legal issues, the Buccaneers may be backing off that stance slightly. There now could be two draft slots available for teams desperate for signal-calling help, reports Bob Glauber of Newsday.

Although the Bucs, who haven’t held the No. 1 draft choice since taking Vinny Testaverde at that position in 1987, are expected to take either Winston or Marcus Mariota, they are willing to listen to offers for the selection, sources told Glauber. The possibility of stockpiling picks and either selecting a second-tier quarterback later or further determining Mike Glennon‘s legitimacy are contingency plans.

The Browns and Chargers are the most likely teams to pull the trigger on a trade, reports Glauber, with the Jets and Eagles now backing off their pursuits due to Gang Green only possessing six selections and the Eagles unwilling to pay what it would cost to vault from No. 20 to a top-two slot. Glauber notes the Eagles are prepared to go into the season with Sam Bradford as their starter.

A team hasn’t traded a No. 1 pick during the draft since the Eli Manning–Philip Rivers exchange 11 years ago, and the Falcons trading up in 2001 representing the last time a franchise that didn’t finish with the worst record the previous season made the No. 1 overall selection.

Some other notes from around the NFC.

The Mariota-to-Philadelphia rumor has indeed lost steam, according to Dave Spadaro of PhiladelphiaEagles.com, with the prospect of the Eagles adding picks by trading down gaining it. The Eagles own seven picks as of now and traded out of their first-round window last year.
Despite being one of several teams in the late derby to add Stevie Brown, the Giants are still considered “one of the favorites” to re-sign him, reports Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com. The Giants’ offer, however, may not top the market that includes the Cowboys, Falcons, Titans and Raiders. But the 27-year-old former seventh-round pick would be a crucial land for Big Blue, as they are in need of two starting safeties. Little-known commodities Nat Berhe and Cooper Taylor are their incumbents at strong safety, increasing the likelihood of a high draft choice coming to help the Giants on the back end. Although converted corners Chykie Brown, Bennett Jackson and Josh Gordy may provide competition at the free safety position, Brown would immediately surge to the top spot there if he re-signs, reports Ranaan.
Roy Helu‘s exit to Oakland leaves Washington without a proven backup to Alfred Morris. More importantly, Helu (47 receptions, 477 yards last season) was the team’s only proven third-down back. Chris Thompson is now the favorite to assume that role despite seeing backfield action in just two games in 2014, report Tarik El-Bashir and Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com. Tandler, however, adds that Washington’s coaching staff grew impatient with the 2013 fifth-rounder out of Florida State due to injury struggles and expects this position to be addressed in the draft. Alabama’s T.J. Yeldon, Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah and Missouri’s Marcus Murphy are among those who would fit here, reports El-Bashir, with Pierre Thomas and his 327 career catches still sitting in free agency.

AFC Mailbags: Ravens, Rivers, Carr, Jags

April 18th, 2015 at 10:41am CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN.com’s NFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus over to the AFC…

The current group of Ravens tight ends have a combined one NFL start, and Jamison Hensley believes the draft will present an opportunity for the team to acquire a veteran. The writer suggests Brandon Pettigrew (Lions) or Marcedes Lewis (Jaguars) as potential targets.
Considering Rich Cimini can’t envision Marcus Mariota dropping to pick number six, he doesn’t think a Philip Rivers trade will work out between the Jets and the Chargers. However, if Mariota were to be available, the writer says the Jets would need to get a long-term commitment from Rivers before pulling the trigger.
Bill Williamson would be “stunned” if the Raiders drafted Marcus Mariota and traded Derek Carr. The team’s coaching staff is counting on Carr to be part of the future of the organization, so a shift in philosophy would be a “major storyline.”
Besides an edge rusher, wideout Amari Cooper would be the only other player the Jaguars would consider with the third pick, opines Mike DiRocco.

AFC Notes: Rivers, Titans, J. Houston, Colts

April 16th, 2015 at 8:35pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

As the NFL draft draws closer, rumors of a trade that would send Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers to the Titans continue to swirl. According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), there is a strong likelihood that Rivers and the 17th overall pick (and perhaps more pieces) will end up heading to Tennessee in exchange for the second overall selection. The Chargers would then draft Oregon signal caller Marcus Mariota to replace Rivers.

Here’s more on Rivers and the rest of the AFC:

Jason Fitzgerald of the Sporting News writes that now is the time for the Chargers to deal Rivers. Doing so would enable the Bolts to get out from under the high-paying deal Rivers, who is entering a contract year, will get sometime prior to the 2016 campaign and replace him with a much younger player, Mariota, with franchise QB potential. Rivers, 33, is 12 years older than Mariota.
The Chiefs used the franchise tag to retain linebacker Justin Houston in February after long-term contract negotiations proved unsuccessful, and the sides haven’t resumed discussions since then, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. If Kansas City fails to lock up Houston by July 15, it’ll have to wait until the end of next season to restart talks on a new deal. In the meantime, another team could sign Houston to an offer sheet, but if that happens and the Chiefs don’t match the offer, it would cost Houston’s new club a first-round pick in both 2016 and ’17. The four-year veteran may be worth it, having racked up three straight double-digit-sack seasons and a league-best 22 in 2014.
Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star took a pre-draft look at the Colts’ projected starting lineup for 2015. Holder notes that the team has potential weaknesses along both lines (center, right guard and right tackle on offense; nose tackle on defense) and at free safety. All could be areas for the Colts to improve via the draft.
Broncos special teams ace and backup safety David Bruton has started just five a possible 91 games during his career, but Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that the 27-year-old wants to change that in 2015. The Broncos lost free safety Rahim Moore in free agency and are down to Darian Stewart and Bradley Roby at the position. Bruton hopes to be in the mix for the No. 1 job. “I envision myself starting,” said the six-year veteran. “I’m dreaming big this season, especially (in a) contract year.”
The Browns will visit with Northwestern quarterback Trevor Siemian on Sunday and Monday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Siemian accounted for 12 touchdowns in 2014 (seven passing, five rushing) before suffering a torn ACL in November.