NFL Notes: Joe Mixon, Mitch Trubisky, Cardinals, Patriots

Joe Mixon

According to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com, Oklahoma RB Joe Mixon is going to be drafted, despite punching a female student a few years ago.

“It needs to be the right market, a team that can handle the onslaught, the right PR staff, because you’ll have to weather the storm,” an one area scout tells Breer. “But the guy the Chiefs drafted (Tyreek Hill), Joe Mixon isn’t half the douchebag that guy was. … You’d have to search to find people that don’t like him. Maybe the parking-lot attendant. Everyone there loves him. And I believe them.”

Breer mentions that it will take owner approval for a team to select him, but he can see Mixon being a day-two selection.

Even so, Ian Rapoport reports that many teams already view Mixon as being “undraftable.”

Mitch Trubisky

An AFC scout tells Albert Breer that UNC QB Mitch Trubisky will end up being a “Top 2 or 3 pick” in the coming months.

“You’re gonna see the ascension of the Carolina quarterback,” the scout said. “He’s the guy, a Top 2 or 3 pick. He’s the guy. … A lot of teams like him up there.”

An AFC executive added that he would be “shocked” if Trubisky isn’t the first quarterback drafted.

“I’ll be shocked if Trubisky’s not the first one off the board,” said our AFC exec.

Cardinals

• Albert Breer reports that the league-wide feeling as of late in December was that Cardinals QB Carson Palmer, WR Larry Fitzgerald and HC Bruce Arians were tied together.
• All of them are returning for the 2017 season, but Breer says it’s possible that this will be it for all of them.
• Breer mentions that one name he heard connected to the Cardinals’ job had Arians retired was Sean McVay, who is now the Rams’ head coach. With this in mind, Breer believes Arizona would likely target a young offensive mind as their next head coach.

Patriots

• Albert Breer can’t see the Patriots franchising LB Dont’a Hightower, given that it would run them $15 million fully guaranteed for the 2017 season.