NFL Notes: Lions, Packers, Panthers, Saints, & Vikings

Lions

• ESPN’s Michael Rothstein considers defensive tackle and offensive line to be the Lions two biggest needs.
• Rothstein suggests that the Lions could pass on taking a running back in the first three rounds of the draft and instead go with some combination of cornerback, defensive tackle and offensive line.
• Rothstein doesn’t rule out the Lions trading back in the draft if they can locate a trade partner.
• Rothstein expects the Lions to come away from the draft with another cornerback and mentions Utah DB Eric Rowe as an intriguing name for Detroit at No. 23 overall.

Packers

Rob Demovsky spoke to an NFL executive this week about the Packers possibly making the Raiders’ offer sheet for S Sean Richardson. The executive put the odds at “50-50.”

For what it’s worth, the Packers would free up $1.542 million in available cap space if they allowed Richardson to sign with the Raiders.

• Demovsky mentions that the Packers taking UCLA LB Eric Kendricks or Clemson LB Stephone Anthony at No. 30 overall would be too high.

Panthers

• David Newton of ESPN believes the Panthers would probably get the best available at No. 25 overall by targeting a defensive lineman.
• Newton mentions that the Panthers should consider signing CB Josh Norman to a contract extension given how well he performed last year.
• Newton considers Georgia RB Todd Gurley to be a steal if falls to No. 25 overall.
• Newton expects the Panthers to to draft a safety and mentions that they may have a hard time passing on Alabama’s Landon Collins if he were to be available to them.

Saints

• Mike Triplett considers cornerback to among the Saints’ top three or four needs and he wouldn’t hesitate to take Michigan State CB Trae Waynes at No. 13 overall if it were up to him.
• Triplett doesn’t rule out the possibility that the Saints could take an offensive line prospect at No. 13 overall, even though he admits that it’s not among their top roster needs.
• Triplett considers pass rusher and inside linebacker to be more pressing needs for the Saints.
• Triplett wouldn’t be shocked if New Orleans took a defensive end like Oregon’s Arik Armstead, UCLA’s Owamagbe Odighizuwa or Mississippi State’s Preston Smith, or a DT like Washington’s Danny Shelton or Texas’ Malcom Brown with one of their first-round picks.

Vikings

• Ben Goessling expects the Vikings to get a home game to kick off the season on September 13 followed by road games the next two weeks given that the Gophers are at home.
• Goessling can see the Vikings finishing the year on the road Green Bay.
• According to Goessling, it’s clear that the Vikings have no plans to give RB Adrian Peterson away for peanuts, but it would be just as surprising to see a team offer Minnesota a blockbuster package of picks/players for the veteran running back.
• Goessling believes the Vikings could still target help at guard and suggests  Iowa’s Brandon Scherff, Pittsburgh’s T.J. Clemmings and LSU’s La’el Collins as draft prospects who could play guard at the next level.
• However, Goessling has heard that the Vikings could look for a guard in the free agent market that ends up being released in the coming months.