NFL Notes: Gary Barnidge, Bills, Browns, Ravens

Gary Barnidge

• Jeremy Fowler reports that free agent TE Gary Barnidge has two other visits lined up for next week. Unfortunately, Fowler doesn’t say who these teams are.
• Barnidge will meet with the Bills on Wednesday. (NFLTR)

Bills

• Bills invited Oregon State OL Gavin Andrews to their rookie minicamp. (Aaron Wilson)
• Arkansas State OT Jemar Clark was also invited to the Bills’ rookie minicamp. (Aaron Wilson)

Browns

• Browns executive vice president Sashi Brown mentioned during a radio interview with 92.3 The Fan that they had “none, zero” discussions with the Redskins about trading for QB Kirk Cousins on draft day while adding “nor have we ever.” (Keith Britton)

Ravens

Ravens assistant GM Eric DeCosta tells Jason La Canfora that they were surprised to see so many offensive players taken in the early part of round one.

“We looked at this draft as historically a very strong defensive draft,” DeCosta said. “We never really saw the scenario where teams would be so bullish about offensive players early on … Because this was such a strong defensive draft, the team that needed offense figured out they’d better draft them early … We didn’t necessarily foresee that, but that’s what ended up happening.

“As we kind of looked at this draft we had some players we really liked and we kind of felt at 16 there would be a couple of receivers we could choose from — not that they would have been picked there — but we were very surprised to see those receivers go as early as they did.”

In regards to their decision to pass on Alabama TE O.J. Howard and instead grab CB Marlon Humphrey, Decosta explained it was really about how they wanted to construct their team from a positional standpoint.

“O.J. Howard was one of best players in the draft, no doubt about that,” DeCosta said. “What every team is faced with is the idea of how they’re going to build their team most effectively. I think for us in terms of positional strength and positional need, and in terms of positional importance in football, I feel like the foundational positions are left tackle, quarterback, corner, pass rusher. And the idea that we can get a very good corner in this draft was very important to us, and that’s not any kind of indication of O.J. Howard’s ability.“