Marcus Mariota - Pro Football Rumors

NFC East Notes: Mariota, Giants, Eagles, Cowboys

March 28th, 2015 at 3:08pm CST by Rob DiRe

Washington has been insistent that they are committed to Robert Griffin III as their franchise quarterback, but that does not mean they aren’t doing diligence on the top passers in the draft. The team plans to host Marcus Mariota for a pre-draft visit, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post.

“If we think it’s worth the risk to hit the ‘reset button,’ if he’s that good of a football player, if we decide in the building that he’s that good of a football player and that we should do that, then we should do that, you know?,” said head coach Jay Gruden said. “But we’ll see. It has not been determined yet, obviously. We still have some time to determine whether or not we want to go in that direction.”

It is uncertain if Mariota would even be available for the team at the fifth selection.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC East:

Building off reports that Washington will have Mariota for a visit, John Keim of ESPN offers some thoughts on the connection between player and team. He writes that it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the team is at least having him in for a visit, as he is projected to go in the range of their selection, and the teams are allotted 30 visits. He also notes that there are real concerns over Griffin’s standing within the organization, as well as concerns about Mariota’s NFL projection.
While Washington has expressed some interest in Mariota, Ross Jones of Fox Sports highlights three players who make more sense for the team. He picks pass rushers Randy Gregory and Shane Ray as options, as well as offensive tackle Brandon Scherff.
The Giants have a need at safety after losing Antrel Rolle to the Bears, but may be able to fill that hole on the second day of the draft, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Citing Mel Kiper of ESPN, Raanan picks out a few safeties who could be available when the Giants come to the podium in rounds two and three, including Byron Jones of Connecticut and Eric Rowe of Utah.
The Eagles have been engaged in trade talks with the Dolphins, who are reportedly interested in a member of their defensive backfield, writes Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com. While the specific player is not known, Shorr-Parks surmises it is either Brandon Boykin, Earl Wolff, or Jerome Couplin.
The Cowboys are known for having one of the top offensive lines in the league, but that wouldn’t preclude them to adding to a strength in the draft, and Bob Sturm of the Dallas Morning News has profiled a number of offensive linemen that could be of interest to the team.

Draft Notes: Mariota, Cowboys, Ravens, Giants

March 28th, 2015 at 9:42am CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted draft notes on this Saturday morning…

Marcus Mariota is scheduled to meet with the Chargers in mid-April, reports NFL.com’s Albert Breer (via Twitter). The writer notes that Washington is also trying to set up a visit with the prospect.
The group over at CSNChicago.com analyzed the draft stock of prospect Gerod Hollimon, and the group concluded that the former Louisville safety would be a fit for the Bears. Despite the team’s addition of Antrel Rolle, the prospect’s “ballhawking” and “good coverage skills” are sorely need in Chicago.
Cowboys representatives were on hand at TCU’s Pro Day on Friday to watch linebacker Paul Dawson workout, writes Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News. Despite the player’s disappointing performance at the league’s scouting combine, scouts were much more impressed this time around, Sabin reports.
Louisville wideout DeVante Parker is set to meet with the Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. The projected first-round pick is also scheduled to meet with the Titans and Dolphins. Despite missing seven games this past season, Parker still finished with 43 catches for 855 yards and five touchdowns.
The Giants attended LSU’s Pro Day on Friday, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The writer points to offensive lineman La’el Collins as a realistic target for the G-Men, and he also includes cornerback Jalen Collins, linebacker Kwon Alexander and defensive end Danielle Hunter among the school’s top prospects. The Giants have selected numerous LSU alumni in recent years, including wideout Odell Beckham last season.

Draft Notes: Gregory, Mariota, Flowers, Collins

March 27th, 2015 at 5:41pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

News broke earlier this week that Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory failed a drug test at last month’s combine, but there’s still no shortage of interest in the highly touted 22-year-old as the NFL draft approaches. According to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.Net (Twitter link), almost a half-dozen new teams have scheduled visits with Gregory since finding out about his failed drug test. Pauline names the Chargers and Steelers as a couple of clubs that will meet with Gregory, whom draft experts regard as a first-round talent.

Here’s more on several draft prospects and the teams interested in their services:

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes that Jets brass will head to Oregon on Saturday to work out quarterback Marcus Mariota. Representing the Jets will be general manager Mike Maccagnan, head coach Todd Bowles, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo, director of college scouting Rex Hogan and director of player personnel Brian Heimerdinger. The Jets have the sixth overall selection in the draft and are in need of a franchise quarterback, but it’s not expected that Mariota will fall to their pick.
Miami’s Ereck Flowers, who might be the first offensive tackle taken in this year’s draft, will visit the Buccaneers and Panthers, per Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com. Campbell writes that “all four NFC South teams are showing significant interest” in Flowers, who will also powwow with the Browns, Colts and Chargers.
Michael DiRocco of ESPN tweets that LSU cornerback Jalen Collins will meet with the Jaguars.
The Dolphins will host Michigan linebacker Jake Ryan on April 2, according to ESPN’s James Walker.
Former Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham will visit the Titans sometime in April, Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com reports.
Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the Browns will meet with Indiana center Collin Rahrig prior to his Pro Day workout.

La Canfora’s Latest: Mariota, AP, Dolphins

March 26th, 2015 at 3:12pm CST by Luke Adams

After spending four days at this week’s league meetings in Arizona, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com came away with some additional insight and information on a number of key storylines around the NFL, including Marcus Mariota‘s potential landing spot and the Adrian Peterson situation in Minnesota. Let’s round up some of the highlights from La Canfora’s latest column….

After speaking to a number of team executives around the NFL, La Canfora gets the “strong sense” that Mariota won’t make it past the second overall pick. That doesn’t necessarily mean Mariota will be a Titan, but if a team wants to move up to snag him, a trade with Tennessee at No. 2 is more likely than a move to No. 5 or 6. “He’s going second overall,” said one GM who has an eye on the Mariota market. “I don’t know to which team, but he’s going second overall.”
Ben Dogra, Peterson’s agent, was “ever-present” at this week’s meetings, and his mission to get his client off the Vikings‘ roster “remains at full throttle,” according to La Canfora. While head coach Mike Zimmer indicated yesterday that the team had no plans to trade its star running back, Dogra will continue to do whatever he can to accommodate an exodus from Minnesota for Peterson, and has told people he’s confident a deal can get done before the draft.
As La Canfora notes, and as I alluded to yesterday in the wake of Zimmer’s comments, the Vikings aren’t budging, and they have no reason to — the team is unlikely to get a whole lot in return for a 30-year-old running back who sat out most of last year, won’t be reinstated until April 15 at the earliest, and has three years and $45MM left on his deal.
Several people told La Canfora this week that Mike Tannenbaum is “clearly calling the shots” for the Dolphins, with GM Dennis Hickey playing a reduced role.
Many people in the know believe that the Saints will ultimately end up with Tom Benson‘s wife Gayle rather than his grandchildren, as a legal battle for the franchise continues to play out.

Bucs Notes: Winston, Mariota, Glennon

March 25th, 2015 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The Buccaneers are coming off a 2-14 season, but all eyes will be on Lovie Smith and company over the next weeks, as the 2015 NFL draft nears, since Tampa Bay holds the first overall pick. With most observers, reporters, and fans believing the Bucs will snag Jameis Winston, that pick may be lacking a little intrigue, but speaking to the media today, Smith didn’t fully commit to the Florida State quarterback. Here’s what the Bucs head coach had to say about Winston and a handful of other topics:

Smith said today that he’s never done so much research on a player as the Bucs have done on Winston, tweets John Kryk of the Toronto Sun. The team has also done plenty of work on Marcus Mariota, but has spent more time on Winston, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. Bucs ownership has given the OK to both players (link via ESPN.com).
Odds are good that either Winston or Mariota will be Tampa Bay’s pick at No. 1, but Smith belives “you have to keep your options open.” According to the head coach, the Bucs would be “very comfortable” selecting one of the quarterbacks, but there’s no rush to make the decision yet, and Smith points out that “there are mega-deals that have come up” in past drafts (all Twitter links via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times).
More from Smith on having the first overall pick, via Stroud (Twitter link): “We realize how important that position is and very seldom do you get a chance to have your pick of the litter like that.”
Putting a bow on the No. 1 pick talk, Smith indicated that it wouldn’t be an erroneous assumption to forecast Winston as the first overall pick, tweets Stroud. However, the team continues to go through the research process.
With the Bucs preparing to draft a quarterback, one signal-caller on their roster has drawn trade interest. According to Smith, teams have inquired on a potential Mike Glennon deal (Twitter link via Stroud). I’d imagine that’s something the Bucs will consider as the draft nears if they’re comfortable with Winston (or Mariota). For now though, Glennon and Seth Lobato are the only QBs on the roster, so the team may have to sign a veteran if Glennon is dealt, and there aren’t many still on the market.
Asked about how much longer veteran guard Logan Mankins wants to continue playing, Smith replied, “Forever. He’ll tell you forever.” So it doesn’t sound as if retirement is imminent for the former Patriot (Twitter link via Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald).

Saints Notes: Evans, Spencer, Jordan, Draft

March 25th, 2015 at 10:49am CST by Luke Adams

Although he was the last head coach to arrive at the NFC coaches’ breakfast in Phoenix this morning, Sean Payton of the Saints may have dropped more noteworthy tidbits for reporters in Arizona than any other NFC coach. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights, via Larry Holder, Nick Underhill, Ian Rapoport, and Mike Garafolo (all links go to Twitter)….

The Saints explored the possibility of trading both Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs, since it wasn’t feasible to keep both high-priced guards. With Grubbs having been sent to Kansas City, Evans is poised to stick around, but his contract may still be addressed and modified, per Payton.
There were “four or five teams” talking to the Saints about a potential Jimmy Graham trade, including the Dolphins. Asked about whether last year’s positional battle or contract negotiations involving Graham played a part in the team’s decision to trade the tight end, Payton replied, “Zero. None.” The head coach added that he has spoken to Drew Brees about the deal, and the quarterback handled it fine.
Payton confirmed that free agent DE/OLB Anthony Spencer visited the Saints on Monday, but said there’s nothing to announce at this point.
Payton likes this year’s draft class for wide receivers, and believes the team will take at least one or two defensive linemen or edge defenders in the draft. Adding a tight end, either in free agency or the draft, is also a priority.
General manager Mickey Loomis has begun discussions on a potential long-term contract extension for defensive Cameron Jordan.
Payton believes there’s a good chance Travaris Cadet would have re-signed with the Saints if the club hadn’t added C.J. Spiller in free agency. The head coach added that he had dinner in Los Angeles with Reggie Bush to discuss a potential reunion before signing Spiller, since the team expected Spiller to “end up somewhere else at a higher number.”
Asked about finding a successor for Brees, Payton said he thinks the veteran quarterback has “a lot of good football left,” but he’s open to drafting a QB if there’s value to be had. However, Payton dismissed the idea of trading up for Marcus Mariota, saying that “won’t happen.”
Prior to releasing him, the Saints wanted Curtis Lofton to make some adjustments and improvements to his game, and to take a pay cut, but it didn’t pan out.

Washington Open To Drafting QB At No. 5?

March 24th, 2015 at 8:28pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Washington head coach Jay Gruden has already named Robert Griffin III his starting quarterback for the 2015 season, announcing at the combine that despite a disappointing showing last season, RG3 would be the club’s signal-caller going forward. But there continue to be whispers that the club won’t shy away from selecting a quarterback in next month’s draft, and today GM Scot McCloughan didn’t do a lot to dispel those rumors, saying that competition is critical at any position.

“No one will be handed a job from my standpoint,” McCloughan said, according to John Keim of ESPN.com. “You have to earn it. That’s what the NFL is about. I don’t have any ties with any of the players. I didn’t draft them. So I’m coming in — prove it to me. Prove to me you deserve to be on the field. That’s the way it should be in the NFL.”

As Keim alludes to in the above piece, John Clayton of ESPN reported last month that Washington would take Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota if he fell to the No. 5 overall pick. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) agrees, citing a team source when saying that the team will consider Mariota with the fifth pick, but they won’t trade up to get him. Cole adds that Washington is ready to move on from RG3, and that the club’s interest in the Heisman winner is “real.”

Meanwhile, don’t be surprised if Washington is “open for business” when the draft begins, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (link via Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com). If Mariota is off the board, it would certainly make some sense for the club to trade down and acquire more draft picks to patch holes on its roster.

South Notes: Titans, Spencer, Saints, Panthers

March 24th, 2015 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

With the Buccaneers viewed as very likely to draft Jameis Winston first overall next month, the Titans‘ pick at No. 2 is a big one, since it’s not clear whether Tennessee will opt for quarterback Marcus Mariota or select a defender.

Asked today about the Mariota possibility, Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt told reporters, including Jim Corbett of USA Today (Twitter link) that “if he comes to us at No. 2, he’s definitely going to be the Day One starter.” As Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports tweets, Whisenhunt later clarified that he meant if his team were to draft a quarterback second overall, it would be with the expectation that the player would start immediately.

Whisenhunt’s comments don’t necessarily signal that Tennessee is leaning toward the Oregon signal-caller, but the door certainly doesn’t seem closed on that outcome either. Here are a few more notes from around the NFL’s two South divisions:

The latest report on the possibility of a Titans sale has led to the latest round of denials from the organization. This time, it’s interim president Steve Underwood saying that ownership is committed to the team, and doesn’t intend to field offers on the franchise, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. Per Wyatt, Tommy Smith‘s replacement also made it clear that he has confidence in Whisenhunt and GM Ruston Webster.
Former Cowboys DE/OLB Anthony Spencer is visiting New Orleans to meet with the Saints, per Kristian Garic of WWL 870 (via Twitter). Spencer, who has spent all eight years of his NFL career with Dallas, hasn’t started a game since his Pro Bowl season in 2012, but has a history with Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said today that linebacker Thomas Davis will be next in line for a contract extension, and also suggested that wide receiver Greg Jennings and cornerback Alan Ball are still in play for Carolina — both players have drawn interest from other teams as well, and are taking their time to make decisions.
Texans head coach Bill O’Brien identified safety and offensive line as two spots at which he wants to improve his team’s depth, adding that he’d like to upgrade the club’s return game as well (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).

AFC East Notes: McCoy, Bills, Milliner, Jets

March 24th, 2015 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

All 16 AFC coaches spoke to reporters today in Arizona, including the four head coaches for AFC East clubs. Asked repeatedly about the departure of Darrelle Revis, Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn’t offer much insight, repeatedly answering, “It’s NFL free agency” (Twitter link via Albert Breer of the NFL Network). Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin also didn’t share too many interesting tidbits.

However, new head coaches Rex Ryan (Bills) and Todd Bowles (Jets) were at least a little more forthcoming. Here are a few highlights from their conversations with the media, with all links going to the Twitter accounts of reporters in attendance:

Rex Ryan:

It was the Eagles who initiated the LeSean McCoy trade talks, calling the Bills about a potential deal — 30 minutes later, it was essentially done, according to Ryan, who says he and other Buffalo decision-makers were “stunned” that the star running back was available.
Since joining the Bills, McCoy has been a “chief recruiter” for bringing in free agents, playing a notable role in the signing of fullback Jerome Felton.
Ryan praised his team’s backfield depth, mentioning Fred Jackson and Anthony Dixon multiple times without referring to Bryce Brown. Asked about Brown, Ryan joked, “I’m not going to learn his name until he holds onto the football.”
Recognizing that this could be his last shot at a head coaching job, Ryan said he wanted to land in the right spot, and he feels like Buffalo is that spot because of the team’s ownership. Ryan isn’t sure whether he would’ve taken another head coaching position if Doug Marrone hadn’t opted out of his deal with the Bills. According to Ryan, he was expecting to hear from the Bears after the Jets fired him, but he never did.

Todd Bowles:

The Jets had eight cornerbacks on their list of free agent targets and were hoping to sign two of them. In the end, the team landed three: Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and Buster Skrine.
While the secondary has been fortified, Bowles says the Jets’ defense still isn’t complete, mentioning the draft as a spot to address it. Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com interprets that to mean the team will be targeting a pass rusher early.
The Jets will do their “due diligence” on both Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, working out both players. The club figures to take the best player available with the sixth overall pick though — Bowles also jokingly suggested that he’d be open to trading the pick for multiple first-rounders.
With newly-acquired quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick not expected to be healthy, Geno Smith will head into the spring as the Jets’ No. 1 guy and will get the starter reps.
Bowles “definitely” expects Dee Milliner to be a Jet in 2015, suggesting the team doesn’t intend to trade the young cornerback.

Draft Notes: Bucs, Mariota, Browns, Steelers

March 23rd, 2015 at 8:05pm CST by Ben Levine

The Buccaneers could take many different routes with the first-overall pick in this year’s draft, and head coach Lovie Smith indicated as much on Monday. Appearing on the NFL Network, Smith said his team could surprise the league by not selecting either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com):

“I can see why people would assume we’re gonna take a quarterback. There are two excellent quarterbacks that are available at the top and when you get a chance to draft someone like that, most of the time, people do. But there are other good players in the draft also. I think it’s a deep draft for defensive line. Like last year, there are a lot of great receivers that are coming out. I think, just overall, the amount of athletes coming into each incoming class, it’s pretty deep for players that can make an immediate impact.”

As Florio points out, Smith could be hinting that he’s willing to trade the pick.

Let’s take a look at some more assorted draft notes from around the league…

ESPN.com’s Eric Williams tweets that the Chargers will schedule a workout with Mariota.
Meanwhile, Browns general manager Ray Farmer told reporters that his team will also conduct a private workout with Mariota (via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). Farmer indicated that he’s talked with other teams about moving up or down the draft board.
The Dolphins will work out Colorado State quarterback Garrett Grayson, according to ESPN.com’s James Walker. Grayson is projected to be drafted in the second round or later.
Maryland wideout Stefon Diggs is scheduled to visit the 49ers in April, reports Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Diggs finished last season with 62 catches for 792 yards and five touchdowns.
Indiana running back Tevin Coleman will be busy in the coming weeks, as he has workouts scheduled with the Panthers, Cardinals, Chargers and Ravens, according to Wilson. The Heisman candidate previously met with the Lions.
After talking to Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin, Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says he’d be “stunned” if Pittsburgh didn’t take a cornerback in the first round (Twitter link).