NFL Notes: Restricted Free Agents, Officiating, Draft, & Eagles

Restricted Free Agents

• Adam Caplan points out that today is the final day for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets with other teams.
• As of now, four players received offer sheets from other teams with DE Benson Mayowa (Cowboys) and WR Chris Hogan (Patriots) being the only players to change teams, according to Caplan.

Officiating

The NFL and CFL announced the formation of the NFL-CFL Officiating Development Program on Friday. Starting in 2015, a group of NFL officials will work as part of CFL crews during preseason and regular-season games in June and July, prior to starting their NFL season at the league’s annual officiating clinic in late July.

“Any time our newer officials can get more reps on the field, during practices or games, that will make them better officials,” said NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino.  “The collaboration with the CFL will certainly benefit us as we prepare for the 2016 season and we look forward to welcoming our CFL officiating counterparts to our development program later this spring.”

Draft

• According to Jimmy Kempski, the Eagles believe the Rams are taking Cal QB Jared Goff with the No. 1 overall pick.
• Matt Miller reports that the Raiders sent a group to work out UCLA LB Myles Jack on Thursday.
• Miller wouldn’t rule out the possibility of the Bears taking Clemson edge rusher Shaq Lawson.
• Miller can see the Browns trying to trade back again in round, but admits that UCLA LB Myles Jack makes a lot of sense for them.
• Miller is hearing a lot about Oregon DL DeForest Buckner to the Chargers at No. 3 overall.
• The Patriots have shown “steady interest” in South Florida DE Eric Lee. Texans LBs coach Mike Vrabel is working Lee out on Friday. (Aaron Wilson)
• Wisconsin FB Derek Watt visited with the Texans. (Aaron Wilson)
• Arizona State WR Devin Lucien visited with the Bengals. (Aaron Wilson)
• Cal WR Kenny Lawler has worked out for the Saints, Falcons, Cowboys, Eagles and Colts. (Aaron Wilson)

Eagles

ESPN analyst Jon Gruden believes the Eagles may have too many quarterbacks on their roster to give them all the kind of reps they’ll need.

“The problem right now I see in Philadelphia is they have too many quarterbacks to be friendly with,” said Gruden. via Jeff McLane of Philly.com. “How are they going to distribute any reps and get anybody ready when you got Sam Bradford making $18 million, you’ve got Chase Daniel who’s a backup making $7 million, and now you have the No. 2 pick in the draft? I don’t know how you’re going to get these guys reps and get them ready, but Doug Pederson will have to answer that.”

“When you look at the amount of reps you can have with your team, that number is substantially less than it was five years ago with this new collective bargaining agreement,” Gruden said. “You’ve got a new head coach who’s running a new offensive system – he better get it in there quickly, because the games are about to start – so who’s going to get the reps and who’s going to get the leftovers?

“You don’t have time to get three guys reps. You just don’t. If you do, you’re not running a real sophisticated offense. It’s hard to get one guy to go today, let alone two. So there could be a trade. I don’t want to start any rumors in Philadelphia, but if they do draft a quarterback with all they have invested in him, I’m sure they’ll want to get him as many reps as possible, and that’s going to make somebody I think unhappy and perhaps expendable.”