NFL Notes: Jon Gruden, NFL Draft, Owners Meeting, Bills, & Jaguars

Jon Gruden

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the “current thinking” is that Raiders owner Mark Davis wanted to draft rookie QB Derek Carr because he believes it will help him lure Jon Gruden back to Oakland.

Florio mentions that Davis is under the belief that Carr is Gruden’s favorite quarterback in this year’s draft class.

Meanwhile, Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network pointed out something rather interesting on his podcast, which is that coaches who have met with Gruden while he’s preparing for Monday Night Football have told him that Gruden doesn’t appear to be just gathering information to help him in the booth. Instead, the coaches have walked away thinking that it was more of an interview.

Jeremiah believes Gruden returning to the NFL, and possibly Oakland, is definitely a possibility.

NFL Draft

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the 2015 NFL draft will be held from April 30-May 2. However, the league has yet to decide if it will be held in Los Angeles or in Chicago.

Owners Meeting

ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that NFL owners will be discussing how teams should be financially responsible for players who are banned while being paid full salaries during next week’s Owners Meeting.

According to Werder, it’s possible that the owners could discuss a model that would have all teams share the financial burden paying suspended players like Vikings RB Adrian Peterson and Panthers DE Greg Hardy.

Both Peterson and Hardy are being paid their weekly game checks over $700,000, despite the fact that they are not eligible to play.

Bills

• Rookie WR Sammy Watkins mentioned that Kyle Orton “reads it quicker” and the “ball is coming out faster” than it did with E.J. Manuel.

“We just had a different approach to practice. [Orton] demands what he wants out of us,” Watkins said, via Mike Rodak of ESPN. “He’s more of a veteran guy. The way he talked, the way he handles business, the way he looks at plays and breaks down defenses, it’s kind of different than EJ.

“He reads it quicker, the ball is coming out faster. That’s just some things that we have to adjust to.“

Jaguars

• Suspended WR Justin Blackmon has voluntarily entered a 90-day treatment facility.

“He’s healing and taking time for himself,” HC Gus Bradley said, via ESPN.com. “The great thing is he has chosen this for himself. It’s awesome to hear about.“