Todd Gurley - Pro Football Rumors

East Notes: E. Manning, Cowboys, Dolphins

April 26th, 2015 at 10:12am CST by Rory Parks

Eli Manning is entering the final year of his contract with the Giants, and there have been no discussions about an extension, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. However, the lack of negotiations has not phased the two-time Super Bowl MVP.

“I haven’t made a big deal about it,” Manning said. “[It] is not something I’m going to argue about or make a fuss about.”

Of course, Manning did receive a six-year, $97.5MM deal from the Giants back in 2010, a contract he is going to play out, so he has reason to be patient as his next contract negotiations approach. One would think that he is in line for one more big payday, even though he will be 35 when he hits unrestricted free agency next winter. New York could put the franchise tag on him if it comes down to it, though it is difficult to imagine Manning finishing his career on anything other than a multi-year deal with Big Blue.

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

Ralph Vacchiano of The New York Daily News believes there is only one direction for the Giants to go with the No. 9 overall pick in the draft: offensive line. Even if an elite wide receiver prospect like Amari Cooper or Kevin White falls to New York, Vacchiano believes the team should resist temptation and grab one of the top offensive linemen like Brandon Scherff or Ereck Flowers.
Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News looks at the top priorities for the Cowboys heading into the draft. He lists cornerback and defensive line as the two positions the team absolutely must address.
For a number of reasons, the Cowboys have been pretty successful in the draft under head coach Jason Garrett. Garrett and assistant director of player personnel Will McClay have a good eye for talent, executive VP Stephen Jones has wielded a “firm and disciplined hand,” and owner Jerry Jones is meddling a little less. As David Moore of The Dallas Morning News writes, the one drawback to success in the draft is that other teams want to poach the successful team’s players, which has happened with the Cowboys this offseason. Running back DeMarco Murray, linebacker Bruce Carter, and special teams ace Dwayne Harris were all part of Garrett’s first draft class and all left in free agency, so the team must now deal with the unique challenge that drafting well presents: not only adding talent to the nucleus of the roster, but replacing lost talent in the most cost-effective manner possible, which includes mining hidden gems in the lower rounds. Dallas must show they are up to that task if they are to repeat as NFC East champions.
John Keim of ESPN.com takes a look at a number of Robert Griffin III-related questions in his latest mailbag, including the ramifications of Washington‘s decision to either exercise or not exercise RGIII’s fifth-year option.
In a couple of Dolphins-related items, James Walker of ESPN.com examines whether Miami would really be willing to roll the dice on Georgia RB Todd Gurley and what the holdup is in exercising Ryan Tannehill‘s fifth-year option.
In Bill Belichick‘s 15 drafts with the Patriots, the team has traded up 17 times and traded down 17 times. As Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald writes, New England is one of two teams holding five of the top 101 picks in this year’s draft, so you can expect more wheeling and dealing from the Pats this week.
Despite the buzz surrounding Marcus Mariota and the disappointment surrounding Geno Smith, Manish Mehta of The New York Daily News believes the Jets should go with the “strategically smart” decision and trade down from their No. 6 overall pick to select Stanford OT Andrus Peat.

AFC Mailbags: Jets, Chiefs, Raiders, Bengals

April 25th, 2015 at 12:36pm CST by Ben Levine

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

Rich Cimini wouldn’t be in favor of the Jets sacrificing a future first-rounder to secure Marcus Mariota at the second pick. However, the writer would be in favor of swapping the team’s first and third rounder to switch spots with Washington.
The Chiefs would presented with a “dilemma” if running back Todd Gurley is available at pick number-eighteen, says Adam Teicher. Gurley would certainly be the best player available at that point in the draft, but the team already has a stud running back in Jamaal Charles.
Meanwhile, among players who could “reasonably be available” for the Chiefs first pick, Teicher points to Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson, Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat, Florida State center Cameron Erving and USC wideout Nelson Agholor could be potential targets.
Bill Williamson suggests the Raiders could target a guard in the middle rounds to pair with Gabe Jackson, sending Khalif Barnes to more of a reserve role.
Following the additions of Pat Sims and Michael Johnson, Coley Harvey has been told that the Bengals have no open spots on the defensive line. However, the writer believes the team could still pursue a rookie lineman if they could get good value at the draft spot.

Martin Mayhew on Ihedigbo, Gurley, Draft

April 25th, 2015 at 11:37am CST by Rob DiRe

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew has the very difficult task of keeping the team in the playoffs despite losing their stud defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley this offseason.

Here are a few topics Mayhew weighs in on as he tries to keep the team competitive with the Packers in the NFC North, and among the top teams in the conference. :

On safety James Ihedigbo skipping spring workouts (via Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press):

These workouts are voluntary. As we talked last year, there was a guy (Suh) who missed last year, and you guys were irate. And I told you then it was voluntary. It’s voluntary now. I look forward to talking with James. I understand what he’s going through. I’ve been through that myself as a player, when I felt like, at a time in my career, that I was underpaid and I had to deal with that. So I have empathy for him and I understand what he’s going through. I look forward to sitting down and talking with him. I have great respect for him as a player, as a man. I’ve got to know him a little bit away from football, and I understand how he feels and I look forward to sitting down and talking with him, at some point.

On Georgia running back Todd Gurley (via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com):

I will sort of equate it to the character situation. Every individual player should be evaluated on his own merits. I wouldn’t just say this guy had an Achilles tear, so he’s off our board. You know, where is he in that process? How long ago was that? How did he perform last year? Who was his surgeon who did his surgery? How is he in the rehab process? Where is he right now? Every single guy is evaluated on his own merits and what his situation is specifically.

On trade activity during the NFL Draft (via Justin Rogers of MLive.com):

I made the point at the league meeting that we’ve never started a draft and finished a draft with the same picks, so I think we’ll have a different number of picks at the end of this draft. Frequently, we’ll be very comfortable that there are going to be a number of players where we are on the board and we’ll stay put, or if we feel like our guys are going ahead of us then we’ll move up. If we feel like there are a number of guys that are behind us that we’d like to have or guys within our range — if we have 10 players and we can go back eight spots and get one of those guys. So, it really varies depending on what’s going on with that particular draft.

On trading picks for veterans in the later rounds of the draft:

I think early on that was something a lot of times that we did because of the difficulty of signing those guys as free agents. I think we’re in a place now where we have a pretty solid core of quality players and we really want to add some youth to that group. I think the draft is the best way to do that.

AFC East Notes: Mariota, Gurley, Patriots

April 25th, 2015 at 10:51am CST by Rob DiRe

There has been a lot of talk about the Jets making a move to go up at get Marcus Mariota, but Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Daily News gives one big reason why the team shouldn’t trade up for the Heisman-trophy winner.

New general manager Mike Maccagnan was hired because of his track record as an evaluator who will build through the draft, and Cannizzaro wants him to trust his abilities and not give up future picks to move up in the draft. If Mariota should fall that would be different, but believes Maccagnan should give himself as many chances as possible to draft players and worry about the franchise quarterback another time without mortgaging multiple picks for one player.

Here are some more notes from around the AFC East:

The Dolphins seem to be very high on Todd Gurley, but that doesn’t mean they are planning on targeting the Georgia running back in the first-round, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. The Dolphins got a great season out of Lamar Miller in 2014, and Gurley’s injury history is a red flag that high in the draft for a team with so many needs.
The Patriots could go a number of ways in the draft, returning a solid roster from their Super Bowl team despite losing a few big names on the defensive side of the ball. Judy Cohen of WEEI.com picks out a player who could come in and help on that side in Arizona State defensive tackle Marcus Hardison. Hardison could be a day two pick, and could even fall to round four it the Patriots wait on him.
Another player Cohen takes a close look at is offensive tackle Ty Sambrailo. He could be a great pick as a swing tackle for the Patriots, with the physical tools to handle either side of the line. He played quarterback and tight end in the eighth grade and high school before moving to the defensive and offensive lines. Sambrailo is expected to be a day two pick.

AFC South Notes: Titans, Gurley, Mariota

April 23rd, 2015 at 8:53pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, we learned that the Titans are going to pick up Kendall Wright‘s fifth-year option. Wright, 25, grabbed a career-low 57 balls last season, though a career-high six of those receptions went for touchdowns and his struggles can be partially blamed on the team’s unstable quarterback situation. More from the AFC South..

Georgia running back Todd Gurley was one of the 30 pre-draft visit for the Titans, Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean tweets. Recently, sources from five different teams told Albert Breer of NFL.com that Gurley has a great shot to be ready by Week 1 of the NFL season. The Rams are said to be among the teams that are fond of him and it has been speculated that they could trade back from No. 10 with an eye on grabbing him.
Wyatt wouldn’t be surprised if the Titans have a change in mindset regarding Marcus Mariota and select him at No. 2 if he’s available. While sticking with Zach Mettenberger and building around him is an option, the Titans may have no choice but to take Mariota if they view him as a franchise quarterback. Wyatt also feels that the Titans should keep their ears open on a Philip Rivers trade in the event that the Chargers would also be willing to part with the No. 17 selection.
Colts GM Ryan Grigson is building to win both now and later, Mike Chappell of FOX 59 writes. This offseason, the Colts invested heavily in four players that are undoubtedly past their primes: Andre Johnson, Frank Gore, Trent Cole, and Todd Herremans. Meanwhile, most of the team’s core – including stars Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton – are youngsters still building towards their primes. The Colts will look to infuse even more young talent in the upcoming draft.

Draft Notes: Thompson, Winston, Gurley

April 22nd, 2015 at 8:23pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re just days away from the 2015 draft! Here’s the latest news from around the league..

Shaq Thompson told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter) that he has drawn the most interest from the Panthers, who both worked him out and brought him in for a visit. Thompson, one of the best athletes in this year’s draft class, could be a strong option for the Panthers to groom as an outside linebacker behind Thomas Davis.
Sources from five different teams tell Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter) that Georgia running back Todd Gurley has a great shot to be ready by Week 1 of the NFL season. Right now, his medicals from Indianapolis indicate that he’ll be back at some point during training camp, though how his situation is handled will depend on the team that drafts him (link).
Former Florida State star quarterback Jameis Winston said he received free food from Publix, which led to his shoplifting citation last year and could be a violation of NCAA rules, as Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times writes. One GM told Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that Winston’s story checks out. “Our investigators found several Publix employees who corroborated what Winston said. Winston told this story to our team and I believe others. We were able to determine that he was telling the truth. I won’t get into more detail than that,” the GM said.
Miami offensive tackle Ereck Flowers is visiting the Rams today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). Flowers is projected to be a first round pick with some pegging him as a candidate for St. Louis at No. 10 overall.

NFC West Notes: Wilson, Rams, Cardinals

April 22nd, 2015 at 5:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson still loves baseball but isn’t planning on leaving football, Terry Blount of ESPN.com writes. “I didn’t say I was going to leave the NFL,” Wilson told ESPN Radio. “I love playing the game of football, to be one of 32 men [starting NFL quarterbacks] in the world who get to do what I do. It’s a special thing and I’ve been able to play in two Super Bowls and I’m only 26 years old. That’s been a blessing…It was my dad’s dream for me to play two sports, so I’ve never killed the dream and probably never will. It’s something that I think about all the time.”

Wilson recently raised the notion of pursuing a career in MLB in an interview with HBO’s Bryant Gumbel. Seattle reportedly has viewed his flirtation with baseball as nothing more than a negotiating ploy. Here’s more from the NFC West..

The Rams already have six running backs on the roster, including presumptive starter Tre Mason, but it’s probably a good bet that they take a running back before the draft is through, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com writes. Some within the Rams organization believe Todd Gurley is the best running back prospect to come out in years, and though No. 10 is probably too high for him given his injury history, he might be in play in a possible trade-down scenario.
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians termed this year’s quarterback class after Winston and Mariota “average at best,” Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com tweets. Arians went on to say that the Cardinals probably won’t draft a quarterback to push Logan Thomas, though he won’t rule it out, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets.
When asked about his team’s needs, Arians said, “We could go play with this team right now,” Urban tweets.

AFC Notes: S. Brown, Texans, Pats, Titans

April 22nd, 2015 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent safety Stevie Brown, who is said to be close to deciding on where to sign, visited the Texans yesterday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Houston already signed one free agent safety this offseason, adding Rahim Moore, so we’ll see if the club makes a play for Brown, who may prefer the Giants if everything is equal.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Georgia running back Todd Gurley is in New England today to meet with the Patriots, reports Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Gurley is widely considered a strong bet to come off the board in the first round, so he may not last until the Pats’ pick at the very end of the first.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk doesn’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that the Titans would draft a wide receiver with the second overall pick next Thursday.
The Broncos are hosting Florida offensive lineman D.J. Humphries and Oklahoma defensive tackle Jordan Phillips on pre-draft visits today, writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post.
Offensive lineman Chris Hairston got a $25K bonus on his new minimum salary deal with the Chargers, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
Taiwan Jones, who started his career with the Raiders as a running back before moving to cornerback in 2013, will return to running back this year, according to Oakland’s official site. Whether he’s listed on the offensive or defensive side of the ball, Jones contributes primarily as a special teamer.
Intriguing Hobart guard Ali Marpet is visiting the Browns today, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.

Extra Points: Manziel, Rivers, Parker, Kendricks

April 18th, 2015 at 5:04pm CST by Rob DiRe

Ben Levine parsed through both AFC and NFC mailbags earlier this morning, but as a few more ESPN mailbags have come available throughout the day, let’s take a look at a few more notes from around the NFL:

With Johnny Manziel out of rehab, one could wonder if the Browns are evaluating him before the draft in case the potential of a trade arises. Tony Grossi notes that NFL rules dictate only strength and conditioning coaches can be on the field and in the weight room, and no footballs are allowed during that time, so the Browns would not be able to evaluate Manziel that closely.
Grossi also examines various trade options for the Browns, such as moving down from both No. 12 and No. 19 for more picks, or using those picks to acquire Sam Bradford and Robert Griffin III, dismissing all as positive options for the club.
With the idea that the Titans could add Philip Rivers, Paul Kuharsky admits that the veteran passer would likely help the team turn their fortunes around faster than anyone they could select at No.2.
Kuharsky also explains how the Titans would likely be given the opportunity to discuss a contract extension with Rivers prior to a trade, or that a mention of parameters would be though of as a “ballpark” figure would be brought up by the team and his agent.
The Dolphins weakest position is at linebacker, which is worrisome because it is not a deep position group in the draft. However, James Walker still believes the team must target a wide receiver in round one, and highlights DeVante Parker as the team’s best option.
If Parker is not available, Walker doesn’t recommend the Dolphins reach for the next receiver. Instead, he picks Todd Gurley as an option based on being the best player available.
Given a projected first three picks of Eric Kendricks, Carl Davis, and Rob Havenstein, Derek Newton thinks the Panthers would be extremely well set up with that haul. Newton also points to cornerback Quinten Rollins as a potential third-round pick.
In the best Panthers question of the day, Newton is asked who would win in a pickup game between 11 Cam Newtons and 11 Luke Kuechlys. Newton correctly chooses the team of Kuechlys. I can’t imagine five Newtons successfully blocking against five Kuechlys.

Extra Points: Wilson, Saints, Gurley

April 18th, 2015 at 12:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Appearing on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson discussed his passion for baseball. The host cited Wilson’s subpar minor league numbers (.227 average, five home runs, 26 RBI), but the former Super Bowl champion believes he could still make it to the majors (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com):

“I wouldn’t be worried about the statistics of it. I know I can play in the big leagues. With the work ethic and all that, I think I definitely could for sure. And that’s why the Texas Rangers got my rights. And they want me to play. Jon Daniels, the G.M., wants me to play. We were talking about it the other day.”

Wilson also discussed N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien’s refusal to let the quarterback play baseball, forcing the player to transfer to Wisconsin:

“I’ll never forget it. I’ll never forget the times that people have told me that I couldn’t do something.”

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

Mike Golic Jr.‘s contract with the Saints is for one year at the league minimum ($435K), according to Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com (via Twitter). The writer notes that the organization’s cap space will not affected by the signing.
Georgia running back Todd Gurley had his injured ACL examined, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says (via Twitter) the player’s knee “checked out fine.”
UConn cornerback Byron Jones has visited the 49ers, Bills, Bears, Cowboys, Cardinals and Eagles, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan. The reporter notes that Jones is expected to also meet with the Dolphins.