NFL Notes: Draft, Free Agents, Peyton Manning, Buccaneers, Falcons, Packers & Saints

Draft

• Greg Cosell believes that DE/OLB Randy Gregory is “probably” a better prospect than Jadeveon Clowney. (via Paul Kuharsky)

Free Agents

Jason La Canfora of CBS provided some notes and rumors regarding free agents.

• La Canfora believes Bills DE Jerry Hughes could reach $9M a year, with guys like OLB Brandon Graham and OLB Jason Worilds possibly coming in around the $7.5M range.  Regardless of price, each of these three players is likely to switch teams this offseason.
• The Jets have interest in QB Ryan Mallett, and will make a pitch for him if he does not return to Houston.
• The offensive staff in Cleveland does not appear to be high on QB Brian Hoyer, and has not made any attempt to bring the free agent back to the Browns. La Canfora adds “it would take a quick reversal by the team to anticipate the hometown kid stays with the Browns in 2015.”

Peyton Manning

• Jason La Canfora casts some doubt on Peyton Manning‘s return to Denver next season, stating that it is “hardly a unanimous notion within the organization” that Manning is worth $19 million in 2015 considering all of the questions surrounding him.
• La Canfora suspects that Manning returns, but with a re-worked contract.

Buccaneers

• Pat Yasinskas of ESPN makes the case that the Buccaneers should keep RB Doug Martin, even if the coaching staff is intent on increasing RB Charles Sims‘ role in the offense.
• Yasinskas adds that good teams need multiple backs, and that running backs Bobby Rainey and Mike James are “special-teams players who can fill in at running back in a pinch.”

Falcons

Noel LaMontagne, the agent for Falcons free agent TE Bear Pascoe, said that it appears as though his client will test the open market this offseason.

“We had a great conversation with the Falcons and it looks like at this point Bear is going to explore some other options for next year and the Falcons are going to do the same,” said LaMontagne, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “The front office and Bear both were really appreciative of everything over the last year, but with coaching changes, there will always be other changes, so Bear is going to see what else is out there for the future.”

Packers

• The Packers have not told WR Jarrett Boykin if they intend to offer him a restricted free agent tender. (Rob Demovsky)
• If they do, which seems unlikely, it  “almost certainly would be” the lowest tender, which was $1.431 million last year. (Rob Demovsky)

Saints

Jason La Canfora summarized what would amount to an ideal offseason for the cash-strapped Saints.

He noted that the team could reach their goal of shedding $20 million from the cap by parting ways with G Ben Grubbs, DL Brodrick Bunkley and LB David Hawthorne.

Conversely, WR Marques Colston, G Jahri Evans, and LB Curtis Lofton would remain with the team after accepting a pay cut.