HEADLINES

Preston Brown

Minor Moves: Urban, Brown, Gaffney, Jaguars

May 17th, 2014 at 4:40pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Ravens have signed fourth-round draft pick Brent Urban to a rookie contract, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The four-year contract is worth $2.53MM with a signing bonus of just over $300,000. That leaves only first-round pick C.J. Mosley and third-round pick Terrence Brooks left unsigned.

Here are some other minor moves from across the NFL:

  • The Bills have signed third-round pick Preston Brown, according to Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk. Brown, a linebacker out of Louisville, impressed the Bills’ front office. “He plays hard; you see him all over the field,” director of player personnel Jim Monos said. “He plays on the other side of the ball and has good tackles for loss. He can go side to side. He’s probably better against the run than the pass right now, but he can do both. He’s a very good athlete.” The team expects him to compete for a job at middle linebacker.
  • The Panthers have signed sixth-round pick Tyler Gaffney, reports Wilson (via Twitter). Gaffney, a running back out of Stanford, is the first Panthers’ draft pick to sign his rookie contract.
  • The Jaguars have signed two rookies invited to workout during rookie camp, reports Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com (via Twitter). They signed running back Beau Blankenship from Ohio and safety Jerome Junior of UConn. To make room for the new signings, the team released punter Chad Zinchini and kicker Jeff Budzien.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Abram, Dolphins, Pats

May 2nd, 2014 at 11:08am CST by Luke Adams

A number of investors and groups have already expressed some interest in purchasing the Bills, and John Wawrow of The Associated Press adds another name to that ever-growing list. According to Wawrow, two people familiar with discussions confirmed that New York City developer Howard Milstein has interest in purchasing the franchise and keeping it in western New York.

Milstein perhaps wouldn’t be the strongest candidate among the list of prospective buyers, since he has a spotty history in sports ownership. Wawrow writes that Milstein’s previous ownership of the NHL’s New York Islanders was “filled with controversy” and adds that the developer previously tried to purchase the Redskins, but withdrew his bid after he failed to get support from a majority of NFL owners. Both of those incidents happened over a decade ago, however, so it remains to be seen how significantly they’d impact a potential run at the Bills now.

Here’s more from around the AFC East:

  • ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak doesn’t think the Bills should part with their 2015 first-rounder to move up in this year’s draft, since that pick should be earmarked for a quarterback.
  • Running back has been a position of strength for the Bills in recent years, but both C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson are entering contract years, meaning the team will have to plan ahead for 2015 and beyond. Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News examines the situation, and talks to Spiller about approaching free agency.
  • The Dolphins and Patriots are among the teams that have worked out Florida State fullback Chad Abram, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. According to Wilson, Abram, a “versatile fullback and a bruising lead blocker,” has also has workouts with the Falcons and Chiefs.
  • A source tells Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that the Dolphins sent linebackers coach Mark Duffner to Louisville earlier this week to work out Preston Brown, who has piqued the team’s interest. Within Jackson’s piece, he also passes along several tidbits from draft guru Mike Mayock that relate to the Dolphins.

AFC Notes: Bills, Browns, Draft, Jaguars

April 29th, 2014 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

A new report from John Kryk of the Toronto Sun suggests that an overlooked clause in the Bills’ non-relocation agreement with Erie County and the state of New York expressly prohibits the sale of the franchise to anyone who intends to relocate the team prior to 2023. However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk and Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz (via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak) report that the newly-discovered clause probably doesn’t change much for the team, since a new ownership group could say it won’t sell the franchise, then change course by 2020.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • The Browns are hoping to avoid another Alex Mack situation by reaching an agreement on a long-term extension with tight end Jordan Cameron before he hits free agency, but so far those talks haven’t progressed a whole lot, says Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com.
  • Free agent linebacker Zac Diles, who was with the Titans last season, is participating in the Browns‘ minicamp on a tryout basis, tweets Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal. Meanwhile, as we heard yesterday, Vince Young and Tyler Thigpen are also in attendance, and the Browns figure to sign one of the two QBs after the minicamp, tweets Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
  • Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post reports that Cincinnati tight end Blake Annen visited the Texans, while Kryk tweets that McGill offensive tackle Laurent Duvernay-Tardif didn’t make it to previously-planned visits with the Browns and Colts due to scheduling issues. Both Annen and Duvernay-Tardif worked out for the Eagles.
  • The Jaguars are eyeing mid-to-late-round linebackers, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, who says (via Twitter) that Louisville’s Preston Brown worked out for the club.

NFC Notes: Giants, Jackson, Visits

April 12th, 2014 at 5:00pm CST by Rob DiRe

It has been difficult to predict which way the Giants will go during the draft in May, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Mock drafts have the Giants looking at a number of different positions, from defensive tackle to offensive tackle, from receiver to cornerback. Aaron Donald of Pittsburgh and Eric Ebron of North Carolina are the most common choices, with three mock drafts selecting them out of a dozen. Mike Evans of Texas A&M and Taylor Lewan of Michigan each appear on two mocks, with Oklahoma State’s Justin Gilbert and Notre Dame’s Zack Martin rounding out.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • Reports stated that DeSean Jackson was more trouble than he was worth to the Eagles, but LeSean McCoy stuck up for his former teammate, writes Les Bowen of Philly.com. “Playing against him is really going to be different,” said McCoy. “It’s some big shoes to fill. DeSean’s by far one of the biggest playmakers in the game, and the biggest deep threat there is in the game. Some big shoes to fill, for sure.“
  • Preston Brown of Louisville will visit the Vikings on Wednesday and Thursday, reports Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Brown said he grew up in Cincinnati watching Mike Zimmer coordinated defenses.
  • Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin is set to visit with the 49ers, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Colvin tore his ACL at the senior bowl in January, which will hurt his draft stock, but the 49ers have 11 draft picks and could take a chance on the rehabbing corner.

NFC North Rumors: Flynn, Pryor, Lee, Brown

April 10th, 2014 at 9:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Packers have long been interested in a reunion with quarterback Matt Flynn, but things remain at a standstill, writes Weston Hodkiewicz of Press-Gazette Media. While a signing could still take place, General Manager Ted Thompson doesn’t like eating up cap room on backup quarterbacks and he’s also not swayed by Green Bay being one of only four NFL teams with fewer than three quarterbacks on their offseason roster. Here’s more out of the NFC North..

  • Louisville safety Calvin Pryor made a recent pre-draft visit to the Bears, a source with direct knowledge of the situation tells Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. Pryor and Alabama’s Ha Ha Clinton-Dix are widely considered the two best safeties in this year’s draft.
  • USC standout wide receiver Marqise Lee has visited with the Lions, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year has also visited with the Ravens and Jets and will meet with the Panthers and Saints in the future.
  • Louisville’s Preston Brown will attend the Vikings‘ top 30 event next week, a league source tells Ben Goessling of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The linebacker met with the Bills yesterday.

Extra Points: Carr, Johnson, Bailey, Bills

April 9th, 2014 at 2:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Although multiple reports have suggested that free agent signal-caller David Carr would like to end up on the team that drafts his brother Derek Carr, perhaps serving as Derek’s backup, that’s not necessarily the case, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Schefter tweets that the two brothers’ destinations aren’t related, and that David intends to sign with a club prior to draft day.

As the elder Carr continues to search for a new home, let’s round up a handful of updates from around the NFL….

  • Free agent running back Chris Johnson could theoretically try out for teams in private, without those workouts needing to be reported, but he doesn’t intend to do so, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. As Florio notes, it’s possible that Johnson could reach an agreement with a new team without even visiting that club, since the veteran is a known commodity at this point.
  • All NFL 32 teams were in attendance at LSU’s Pro Day today, including several general managers and head coaches, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
  • The details of Champ Bailey‘s two-year contract with the Saints have surfaced, and Joel Corry of CBSSports.com provides the breakdown (Twitter links): The base value is $3.75MM, though it can be worth up to $6.75MM with incentives and escalators. It’s guaranteed for $500K and includes a $250K roster bonus if Bailey is on the team for six games in 2014.
  • The Bills announced today that Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews and Louisville linebacker Preston Brown were in town to meet with the team.
  • Top cornerback prospect Justin Gilbert of Oklahoma State will visit the Titans on Friday, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter).
  • Boise State wide receiver Geraldo Boldewijn, who was in New England today for a private workout, will visit the Cardinals on April 15, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The Cards are also hosting Memphis safety Lonnie Ballentine today, tweets James Walker of ESPN.com.
  • The Packers will host Washington State offensive lineman John Fullington for an official pre-draft visit next week, tweets agent Collin Roberts.

AFC Notes: Jets, Steelers, Dalton, Dolphins

March 25th, 2014 at 10:35am CST by Luke Adams

New York head coach Rex Ryan indicated today that the Jets aren’t done adding players at wide receiver. However, as Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post tweets, that doesn’t necessarily mean the club will add another impact player.

“[It] might be a sixth-round pick and not the move you want, but we’re not done,” Ryan said.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • The Steelers, who have been linked to Maurice Jones-Drew and LeGarrette Blount, will likely have a deal with an experienced running back by the end of the week, tweets Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Head coach Mike Tomlin said this morning in Orlando that the team expected to add running back depth in the not-so-distant future.
  • Asked multiple times this morning about Andy Dalton, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis was unequivocal in his support of the quarterback, suggesting he’d like to see Dalton locked up sooner rather than later, writes Paul Dehner Jr. of Cincinnati.com. In Lewis’ view, leaving the situation hanging over Dalton when camp opens could create an unnecessary distraction.
  • Speaking to reporters, including James Walker of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey said today that Miami has spoken to the agent for free agent tight end Dustin Keller.
  • The Broncos haven’t closed the door on the possibility of bringing back running back Knowshon Moreno or defensive end Shaun Phillips, according to GM John Elway (link via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com).
  • Jaguars owner Shad Khan supported his club’s decision to spread out its free agent spending among multiple positions and players this offseason rather than focusing on a couple significant expenditures. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union has the details and quotes from Khan.
  • Linebacker remains an area of focus for the Titans, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, who says (via Twitter) the team is conducting a private workout with Louisville’s Preston Brown today. Kentucky linebacker Avery Williamson is also scheduled to have a pre-draft visit with the Titans, tweets Wyatt.