NFL Off Season News /Rumors And Discussion

[NewYorkKnight]

The Giants believe fifth-rounder Paul Perkins is a "complete" running back.

The first month following the draft is a time teams say great things about the selections they made, but some are notable. Perkins may not be a superb athlete after running 4.54 with a 32-inch vertical and 10-foot-4 broad jump, but the 5'10/208 runner was a fundamentally-sound three-down back at UCLA. In college, Perkins displayed quickness and tough inside running. Rashad Jennings is 31, Shane Vereen is a scatback, and the Giants have nothing behind them. Perkins has a case to be a late first-rounder in Dynasty rookie drafts.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Titans signed TE Delanie Walker to a two-year, $14.7 million extension through 2018.

The deal includes $8.2 million guaranteed. Walker was owed $4.28 million in the final year of his contract. The new deal locks him up through 2019 (his age-35 season). Walker is coming off career highs in catches (94) and yards (1,088) in his first season with Marcus Mariota. He'll return as the top possession target in Tennessee's offense, but could take a step back with the additions of Rishard Matthews, DeMarco Murray, and Derrick Henry. The Titans anticipate a second-year leap from Dorial Green-Beckham, while Kendall Wright returns healthy.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Broncos GM John Elway said first-round QB Paxton Lynch will be ready to start "quicker" than most people think.

A raw prospect with great physical tools, Lynch was viewed as a high-upside quarterback who would likely need a year or two to adapt to the NFL game. Elway clearly disagrees about that timeline, but ultimately it might not matter. With just mistake-prone Mark Sanchez ahead of him on the depth chart, it is likely the Broncos turn to Lynch at some point this season -- whether he is ready or not.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Chargers signed G/C Matt Slauson to a two-year contract.

Slauson also visited Buffalo following his Bears release. He'll take over at center for the Chargers after grading as a top-20 guard at PFF last season. Slauson's signing blocks third-round pick Max Tuerk and will push Chris Watt into a swing role on the interior line. Tuerk tore his ACL last season at USC, but remains the Chargers' center of the future. From left to right, San Diego's line is shaping up as LT King Dunlap, LG Orlando Franklin, C Slauson, RG D.J. Fluker, and RT Joe Barksdale. It'll be a solid unit if the members stay healthy, which they failed to do last season. Slauson is a very good pickup.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Dolphins signed DE Cameron Wake to a two-year, $15 million extension.

Wake was set to make $8.4 million in the final year of his contract. His new deal comes with $10 million guaranteed, but reduces Wake's 2016 cap charge. Extending Wake suggests Miami is confident he'll make a full recovery from his torn Achilles' tendon. 34-year-old Wake is now signed through 2017.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat's Grant Cohn believes the 49ers are internally pulling for Blaine Gabbert to beat out Colin Kaepernick for the team's starting quarterback job.

Cohn notes the 49ers aren't even publishing pictures of Kaepernick on their website, which Cohn believes is "symbolic" and indicative of the 49ers wanting Kaepernick to "fade into the background, drop off the edge." Cohn believes the 49ers' front office and team are "tired of" Kaepernick and "want Gabbert to be the starting quarterback and the face of the franchise." Cohn goes so far as to suggest the 49ers hope to demote Kaepernick to third string in order to avoid paying his per-game roster bonuses. Although it's still very early in the offseason, Gabbert looks like the tentative favorite to start under new coach Chip Kelly.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

The Seahawks have given third-round pick C.J. Prosise reps with the wide receivers at rookie camp.

It's not because Prosise is converting back to his early-college position, but more a testament to his versatility. Coach Pete Carroll said Prosise "looked totally comfortable" at wideout and has "tremendous range in ability." Prosise averaged 6.6 yards per carry in his final year at Notre Dame and is ready to make a pass-catching impact in the NFL. He'll have a role right off the bat.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Sam Bradford will report to the Eagles' facility on Monday, ending his two-week holdout.

Look at that. Bradford decides to show up to work. After stomping his feet and throwing a temper tantrum about the Eagles using the No. 2 overall pick on Carson Wentz, Bradford pouted at home for a couple weeks because he wasn't being handed the starting job. Maybe he took a long, hard look in the mirror and realized he hasn't done a thing to be handed an NFL starting gig. Now, Bradford and Wentz can get on with this summer quarterback competition.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Peyton Manning showed up to the Dolphins' facility earlier this spring to work with Ryan Tannehill and help teach him coach Adam Gase's offense.

It was apparently entirely Manning's idea and a solid gesture on his end after retiring just three months ago. "It was really cool just to be able to sit and pick his brain about things he's done in this offense and football things in general: snap counts, things you like, the way you want guys to run routes, little details about the game," Tannehill said. "At that time, we weren't able to meet with the coaches or anything, so I didn’t really have a great handle yet." The future Hall of Famer and former MVP isn't a bad resource for Tannehill to have in his pocket.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

TMZ Sports reports Rams SS T.J. McDonald was arrested for DUI early Tuesday morning.

McDonald allegedly crashed into a parked car and waited for police to arrive to the scene where he was then taken into custody. McDonald wasn't arrested for alcohol abuse, but it's believed he was on some sort of medication that had him acting out of the ordinary. He was later released on his own recognizance. McDonald is now subject to a suspension.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

ESPN Browns reporter Pat McManamon believes the club's draft moves seem to "indicate the team is moving on" from suspended WR Josh Gordon.

The Sashi Brown-Paul DePodesta-Hue Jackson regime has preached character since taking over, and owner Dee Haslam said in a radio interview this week that the Browns made it a point to focus on high-character players in the draft. Cleveland selected four wide receivers, including first-rounder Corey Coleman. Gordon recently had his reinstatement delayed because of questionable drug-test results. McManamon thinks it's "tough to see" the Browns bringing Gordon back, which would mean they'd either waive or try to trade him.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports Julian Edelman underwent a second surgery on his previously broken foot, but is "on track" to return for training camp.

It was reported in February that Edelman wouldn't need a second procedure after breaking his foot in Week 10. He returned for the playoffs, but was nowhere near 100 percent. Edelman is in a "big boot." Foot injuries aren't anything to take lightly, but Edelman is one of the tougher -- even if more injury-prone -- players in the league. As of now, expect him to be ready well in advance of Week 1. But we're not going to rule out any setbacks.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler says "there's no reason to believe" Le'Veon Bell (MCL, PCL) won't be ready for Week 1.

The Steelers have yet to a put timetable on Bell's return, but he was cleared for cutting in March and underwent blood-flow restriction therapy last month. He's expected to miss OTAs and won't be ready until training camp at the earliest. Bell has avoided setbacks to this point, but PCL injuries can be difficult to recover from. Bell will be 10 months removed from surgery for Week 1.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Free agent Jason Campbell wants to return this season.

"Want to officially let the world know I’m ready to play again." Campbell tweeted. Campbell had free-agent interest from Cincinnati and Baltimore last year and turned down an in-season offer from the Colts. He was a solid backup pre-retirement, but the number of interested teams should be limited. Campbell spent the first five years of his career in Washington and has ties to Browns HC Hue Jackson.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Brock Osweiler says he’s struggled to pick up the Texans’ offense.

"It’s like you speak Spanish your whole life and then all of a sudden, they tell you to go learn French and do it in front of 70,000 people," Osweiler said. "There’s some carryover from my previous years. It’s not like I’m a complete rookie with no base, but obviously there’s a lot of new things." Osweiler is in the early stages of comprehending Bill O’Brien’s scheme. We suspect this is an overblown story so early in the offseason. The Texans are fully invested in Osweiler after giving him $37 million guaranteed on a four-year, $72 million deal.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Cowboys VP Stephen Jones attributed Dez Bryant's rash of lower-leg injuries to being "not in his best shape."

Bryant has blamed the repeated foot and ankle problems on rushing back from initial injuries. Jones believes they were a result of Dez's brief offseason holdout, which was settled two full weeks before training camp. "I think one of the tough things about last year for Dez, with the contract dispute, he wasn't around, and consequently probably wasn't in his best shape going into the season," Jones said. "If he can get his rehab done and get himself in top condition I think we'll see the same Dez we saw two years ago." Jones is clearly calling out Dez's conditioning, perhaps as a motivational tactic. According to the Dallas Morning News, Dez is expected to be cleared for football activities "in early June."

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Agent Tom Condon admitted on the Rich Eisen Show that Sam Bradford's camp requested a trade out of Philadelphia with a "goal" of "plac(ing) Bradford in Denver."

It's a good look into the dealings between an agent and teams. "We thought we had a chance to go to a really good team and be there for a long time," Condon explained. "And that opportunity was there and actually the attempt was made. When the Broncos contacted the Eagles and talked about the trade, they couldn't agree on the price and so they drafted somebody in the first round (Paxton Lynch). ... So our next best option is to go back and prepare for the season." Bradford's camp ultimately caved, and he is now seen as having thrown a temper tantrum. It remains difficult to empathize with a league-average or worse player to whom the Eagles committed an $11 million signing bonus just ten weeks ago.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

The New York Daily News' Ralph Vacchiano does not expect fifth-round RB Paul Perkins to make "much of an impact" as a rookie.

Vacchiano believes Rashad Jennings will be the "likely workhorse" with Shane Vereen as the passing-down specialist and Andre Williams working in short-yardage situations. It is likely Jennings enters the season in the lead role after a quietly effective 2015, but he is 31 and has a long injury history. Williams has proven time and again he isn't an NFL runner. We'd bet on Perkins being involved this season. How involved will likely depend on Jennings' health.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

The New York Daily News' Ralph Vacchiano believes Rashad Jennings is the "likely workhorse" in the Giants' backfield.

Vacchiano sees Jennings handling the majority of the carries after seeing just 48 percent last season. Jennings is the favorite for the lead role entering training camp, but he is 31 with a checkered injury past. It is far from a given he is able to stay healthy and hold off fifth-round RB Paul Perkins all season. Vacchiano also thinks Andre Williams will remain the secondary back over Perkins. Considering Williams is one of the worst running backs in the league, we have a difficult time believing that one.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

The Miami Herald's Adam Beasley expects the Dolphins to "ride with the hot hand" at running back.

Third-round pick Kenyan Drake is viewed more as a complementary back than a lead guy by most, but Beasley believes coach Adam Gase will give both Drake and Jay Ajayi their own possessions early in games before sticking with the "hot hand." While that could be Gase's intention today, Drake was never used as a lead back in college (233 career carries) and did not look comfortable as an inside runner. Ajayi does not have much NFL experience, but he was a workhorse in college and is better suited for an early-down role. Gase called Ajayi his "starter" during the draft, and that will likely continue to be the case all season.