Zach Mettenberger - Pro Football Rumors

AFC North Rumors: Big Ben, Ravens, Browns

May 7th, 2014 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

Although Ben Roethlisberger heads into the 2014 season with two years left on his contract, he expects his career to extend well beyond his current deal, as he told 93.7 The Fan on Tuesday (link via ESPN.com’s Scott Brown).

“I feel like I’m in great shape,” Roethlisberger said. “I think I can get five, six, seven more years out of this arm and these legs.”

Roethlisberger turned 32 in March, so another seven seasons would have him pushing 40, but the Steelers at least appear interested in locking him up beyond the 2015 campaign. We heard last month that extension talks between the two sides have been ongoing for a while, and that discussions could pick up later this summer when Pittsburgh picks up some post-June 1 cap space.

Here’s more from around the AFC North:

The Ravens, who may be targeting a quarterback at some point in this week’s draft, have done their due diligence on LSU signal-caller Zach Mettenberger, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. That means the team is likely aware of a back condition called Spondylolsis, which several teams have medically flagged Mettenberger for, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. While LSU trainer Jack Marucci said it was a non-issue for the QB during his senior season, it would represent a long-term concern for Mettenberger’s NFL suitors.
Virginia offensive tackle Morgan Moses had 13 private workouts or official visits leading up to the draft, including a visit to Baltimore to meet with the Ravens, writes Wilson at the Sun. According to Wilson, the Saints were among the other teams to host Moses for a pre-draft visit.
The best approach for the Browns with their No. 4 pick on Thursday may be to trade down, says Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com, making the case for why a move back would make sense for the club.

Ten Players Failed Combine Drug Test

May 5th, 2014 at 5:46pm CST by Rob DiRe

Ten players were flagged for their drug test at the scouting combine, reports Jay Glazer of Fox Sports (via Twitter). Among the biggest names that were reported by Glazer were Timmy Jernigan of Florida State University, Zach Mettenberger, and Anthony Johnson, both of Louisiana State University.

It was announced earlier today that Seantrel Henderson of Miami also was flagged on his drug test.

Jernigan was considered a possible first-round pick at times during the draft process, and still was thought of as a possible late-first, early-second round pick. This news could push him further down day two and possibly into a day three pick.

Mettenberger was one of the fastest rising quarterback prospects in the draft. He was coming off an ACL injury, but his workouts were reportedly impressive and he was beginning to challenge other quarterbacks in the second tier that could have possibly found themselves being selected at the beginning of the second round. If a team was sold on him, there was a chance someone would trade into the back end of the first round to select him.

Johnson was a projected mid-round pick. The defensive tackle was a huge load at LSU, taking on blocks in the middle of the defense.

Mettenberger’s physical therapist chalks up the failed test to a diluted urine sample due to efforts to combat dehydration, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Jernigan and his representatives have declined to comment, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter).

AFC North Roundup: Browns, Savage, Bengals

May 5th, 2014 at 11:16am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Browns are interested in trading up in the latter half of Thursday’s draft, from the 26th pick to the 18-22 range, and the Dolphins, who hold the 18th pick, could be a match, reports Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). Cleveland, which also holds the fourth overall selection, could be looking to move up and add a franchise quarterback, while Miami could try to move down, acquire more picks, and then supplement their offensive line.

More news from the AFC North awaits:

While Pittsburgh quarterback Tom Savage didn’t privately meet with or workout for the Ravens, he did speak with the team a few times, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
Savage was the only quarterback to visit with the Bengals in Cincinnati, but the team also privately worked out Logan Thomas, and met with A.J. McCarron and Zach Mettenberger, according to the NFL Network’s Albert Breer (via Twitter).
Paul Dehner, Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer believes that the Bengals purported interest in Teddy Bridgewater is merely a smoke screen, and that Cincinnati hopes a team with a quarterback need will offer to trade for the 24th pick.
The Ravens could look to draft a defensive lineman to replace the departed Arthur Jones, writes Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times. Zenitz posits Ra’Shede Hageman and Stephon Tuitt as two possible fits for Baltimore.
Much of the Ravens’ draft history is based on talented players falling to them, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com, pointing to Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, and Haloti Ngata as prospects whom Baltimore was lucky to acquire. But that likely won’t happen this year, as potential Ravens targets Taylor Lewan, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, and Eric Ebron probably won’t fall to the 17th pick.
The Steelers could use a nose tackle, but due to the limited playing time available to the position in the modern NFL, probably shouldn’t take one at pick No. 15, says Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Sulia link).
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert says the team won’t trade up in the first round, tweets Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter) has more from Colbert, who says the Steelers would take an outside linebacker in the first round if a “great player” was available, despite the presence of 2013 first-rounder Jarvis Jones.

AFC Notes: Jags, Bridgewater, Claiborne

April 27th, 2014 at 11:51am CST by Rory Parks

The 2013 NFL draft was a curious one in several respects, with its most notable quirk being the lack of top-tier talent at the quarterback position. For twelve years, at least four QBs were taken in the first round of the draft, but in 2013, only one was selected (E.J. Manuel). The tradition of a quarterback-heavy first round figures to return in full force this season, with a bevy of signal-callers projected to be drafted early.

However, quarterbacks that might be taken on Day 2 or Day 3 of the draft offer skill-sets that in many respects are equally as intriguing as their Day 1 counterparts, and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union wonders if the Jaguars would be better served selecting one of the “second-tier” QBs instead of targeting one of the players expected to go in the first round. Specifically, O’Halloran names SEC products Zach Mettenberger, Aaron Murray, and A.J. McCarron as possible solutions to Jacksonville’s quarterback woes. Such a selection would allow the Jags to land a truly elite talent with their No. 3 overall pick, rather than play the lottery with high-ceiling but concerning talents like Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, and Teddy Bridgewater.

Now for more from the AFC:

Speaking of Bridgewater, his quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator at Louisville, Sam Watson, believes the young QB is a “slam dunk” despite his oft-criticized Pro Day performance, writes Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. As Ulrich notes, the Browns, who are expected to take a quarterback with one of their two first-round choices (Nos. 4 and 26 overall) might be inclined to agree.
The Browns, however, are also interested in Aaron Murray, who visited with Cleveland on Wednesday and will work out for the team today, writes Jason Butt of the National Football Post.
ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini writes that if the Jets are unable to land a CB in the first round of the draft, they may be in the market for a veteran corner, possibly via trade. Although the Cowboys’ Morris Claiborne has been discussed as a trade possibility, the cap charge Dallas would have to absorb if they dealt Claiborne ($9.6MM) would probably make such a trade untenable.
In the same piece, Cimini writes that the Jets were interested in WR Julian Edelman before he re-signed with New England, and Rex Ryan was very intrigued with the possibility of stealing Edelman away from New York’s division rival.
ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss believes that, with the above-mentioned run on quarterbacks that is expected to take place in the first round of this year’s draft, a top-15 or even top-10 talent could fall to the Patriots at No. 29.
In the same piece, Reiss adds that Patriots VP of Player Personnel Nick Caserio is scheduled to meet with Illinois TE Evan Wilson early this week.

AFC Draft Notes: Texans, Chargers, Titans

April 14th, 2014 at 1:30pm CST by Ben Levine

We explored some NFC draft notes earlier today. Now, let’s take a look around the AFC…

The Texans will be hosting the top quarterback prospects this week, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. In addition to Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater, the Texans will also be bringing in defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
Having already visited the Chargers, as well as the Patriots, Middle Tennessee State defensive lineman Jimmy Staten will have a private workout with San Diego today, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
The Titans will privately work out LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger later this month, tweets Wyatt. In a separate tweet, Wyatt adds that the team will also be working out Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray.
Mike Klis of the Denver Post identifies middle linebacker, cornerback, and the interior offensive line as three areas the Broncos should be looking to address in the draft.
Williams & Mary safety Jerome Couplin participated in the Ravens‘ local prospect day, reports Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
Northern Illinois defensive tackle Ken Bishop will visit the Jaguars on Thursday, tweets Wilson.
The Bills will bring in an unconventional prospect for a workout. The team reportedly has interest in Canisius basketball player Chris Manhertz, according to WKBW-TV in Buffalo. The 6’6″ senior has never played football, writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Pre-Draft Visits: Jaguars, Beckham, Raiders

April 9th, 2014 at 5:50pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jaguars have been bringing in a number of notable prospects, including some of the draft’s top quarterbacks. Tomorrow they will add Alabama’s A.J. McCarron, LSU’s Zach Mettenberger, Fresno State’s Derek Carr, and UCF’s Blake Bortles, reports Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter).

Here are some other visits from across the NFL:

LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has a visit scheduled with the Bills for Thursday, reports Sirius NFL XM Radio (via Twitter). Beckham met with the 49ers and Steelers earlier this week.
Clemson defensive back Bashaud Breeland met with the Raiders on Tuesday, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Breeland has played both safety and cornerback, and has already met with the Bills.
Nevada offensive lineman Joel Bitonio had his visit with the Rams today, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch (via Twitter). Thomas writes that Bitonio could be drafted somewhere as high as the late first round.

NFC Notes: Cardinals, Finley, Garoppolo

April 8th, 2014 at 8:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agency has hit a lull for the Cardinals but it isn’t over yet, writes Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Last year was Steve Keim‘s first as a GM, and he learned the value of patience with free agency. Keim signed four players who became starters after this date a year ago, Somers notes. Here’s more out of the NFC..

Josina Anderson of ESPN (Twitter link) spoke with Packers free agent tight end Jermichael Finley who says he’s expecting to get an X-ray on his neck Thursday and an MRI within two weeks. The plan is to exchange the feedback on his latest films with interested teams.
The Buccaneers visited with Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo today, tweets Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune.
Standout quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is scheduled to travel and make his visit with the Vikings on April 14th and 15th, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN.com.
Texas Christian cornerback Jason Verrett, a potential first-rounder, is slated to visit with the Cardinals tomorrow and Thursday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport adds that the Verrett is doing well post-shoulder surgery.
LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger met/will meet with the Raiders and Patriots today and will meet with the Vikings tomorrow, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. Mettenberger will throw tomorrow too.

NFC North Notes: Watkins, Lions, Bears, Vikes

April 8th, 2014 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lions, who already have the NFL’s top receiver in Calvin Johnson, have been frequently linked to the draft’s No. 1 wideout over the last several weeks and months, and today the team finally hosted Clemson’s Sammy Watkins on an official pre-draft visit, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Watkins is expected to be off the board by the time the Lions’ No. 10 pick arrives, so if the club really wants to land him, a trade will probably be required. Today’s visit could go a long way toward the Lions deciding whether or not to pursue such a move.

Here are several more items on the Lions and a couple of their NFC North rivals:

Birkett adds (via Twitter) that the Lions are also setting up a visit for Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller, who has several other meetings on his schedule, as we heard earlier in the afternoon.
New Detroit backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky is hoping to alleviate the concerns of Lions fans who aren’t happy to see him back on the roster after his last stint with the team included an 0-16 season. “I get the fears maybe with obviously fans and whatnot,” Orlovsky said, according to Birkett. “But the organization knows what they’re doing, and I know I’m a good player, and I certainly hope to just be part of changing some of that past, whether it’s directly or indirectly.”
Veteran defensive back Aaron Ross had a tryout with the Lions today, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
The Bears‘ workout with Josh Freeman was reported yesterday, as were the auditions for running backs Nate Eachus, Javon Ringer, and Phillip Tanner but those weren’t the only players to work out for the team. As Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post details, the club also auditioned quarterback Adam Weber and tight end Matthew Mulligan.
If veteran long snapper Patrick Mannelly doesn’t re-sign with the Bears, he’ll likely retire, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
The Vikings will meet privately with quarterback Zach Mettenberger following his Pro Day, a source tells Master Tesfatsion of the Star Tribune (Twitter link). The club was said last week to have real interest in the LSU signal-caller.
Cassius Vaughn‘s one-year pact with the Lions is a minimum salary benefit contract with no signing bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson.

Draft Notes: Manziel, Matthews, Mettenberger

April 7th, 2014 at 7:31pm CST by Ben Levine

As the NFL Draft quickly approaches, Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review takes a look at five players the Steelers could draft in the first round. The list includes receivers Mike Evans and Kelvin Benjamin, cornerbacks Darqueze Dennard and Justin Gilbert and defensive lineman Louis Nix. Robinson also brings up Pittsburgh defensive lineman Aaron Donald, but believes that the defender is not a good fit for the Steelers. Pittsburgh has the 15th pick in the first-round of this year’s draft.

Here are some more prospect notes…

Johnny Manziel will begin meeting with the Jaguars tomorrow, reports Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Manziel spent that last two days with the Raiders.
Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews will visit with the Bills tomorrow, tweets Joe Buscaglia of WGR Sports Radio.
While the team will meet with the quarterback, the Titans have no intention of working out Zach Mettenberger, according to Jim Wyatt of Tennessean (via Twitter).
University of Tennessee offensive lineman Ja’Wuan James is scheduled to visit the Titans this week, tweets Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com.
Running back De’Anthony Thomas will visit with the Bears, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun tweets.
Scouts for the Bills and Saints were at Terrance West‘s pro day, Wilson tweets. The Bengals also met with the Towson running back (via Twitter). West ran for 2295 yards last season.
Center Bryan Stork will visit the Saints this week, according to Larry Holder of NOLA.com (via Twitter). The Florida State alumni won the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s best center.
Former Boise State defensive tackle Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe met with the Chargers, reports Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego (via Twitter). According to Gehlken, the Amsterdam-native is relatively new to the sport.
Eagles coach Bob Bicknell worked out Rutgers receivers Quron Pratt and Brandon Coleman, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net.
The Dolphins hosted offensive tackle Garrett Scott, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. The team has already added linemen Shelley Smith, Branden Albert and Jason Fox during free agency.

AFC Notes: Titans, Wimbley, McClain

April 4th, 2014 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt had high praise for quarterbacks Jake Locker and Charlie Whitehurst, but suggested that their presence wouldn’t stop the team from considering signal-callers in this year’s draft, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.

“You always have to be prepared because you never know what can happen. If there is an opportunity in this draft where you have a guy you think is really good, then you have to look at it,” Whisenhunt said. “But more importantly you have to look at two or three years down the road. It is about finding out about these guys. And then, if you don’t have them on your team, you know about them. And if something happens down the road you’ll have an important piece.”

Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Zach Mettenberger are among the young QBs who have drawn some interest from Tennessee leading up to the draft. Here’s more on the Titans and a few other AFC clubs:

The Titans have asked defensive end Kamerion Wimbley to take a pay cut, reports Wyatt (via Twitter). The Tennessean scribe has suggested for much of the offseason that Wimbley would be a fit for the team’s new defense, but not at his current $6MM base salary (and $7.8MM cap number). If the veteran isn’t interested in accepting a pay cut, the team may release him, tweets Wyatt.
Two AFC East teams, the Bills and Jets, will host LSU receiver Odell Beckham for pre-draft visits next week, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com.
Speaking to Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times, former Ravens linebacker Rolando McClain says he’s preparing as if he’s going to return to the NFL in 2014.