NFL Rumors

NFL Notes: Kirk Cousins, Draft, Patriots

February 10, 2018

Kirk Cousins

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if Kirk Cousins could be the first quarterback to get his compensation tied to the growth of the NFL salary cap

We’ve several quarterbacks establish themselves as the highest-paid player in recent years only to have those contracts slip behind others a few years into the agreement.

Florio mentions that Cousins is likely best positioned of any player to actually pull this off.

We have him featured in our Top 100 – 2018 NFL Free Agents list.

Draft

Matt Miller of B/R mentions that there’s a rumor going around that the top four picks in the 2018 draft are available for trade.
According to Miller, the Browns wouldn’t trade both their No. 1 and No. 4 overall picks, but they will take calls on moving one of them.
Miller adds that the Giants (No. 2) and Colts (No. 3) will also consider trading down if the right opportunity presents itself.
Had the Browns been able to acquire Alex Smith from the Chiefs, Miller says they would have “aggressively shopped” the No. 1 overall pick.
Regarding the Broncos, Miller reports that Denver likes QB Case Keenum and signing him to a contract would allow them to use the No. 5 overall pick on a different position.
An NFL director of player personnel tells Miller that there’s “no way” Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson busts: “If you want to call him the best player in this class, no one can argue with you, and there’s no way he’ll bust. As safe as they come.”
An NFC team director of college scouting tells Lance Zierlein of NFL.com that Arizona State RB Kalen Ballage is a candidate to blow up at the Combine in the coming weeks: “Mark this down. Nobody will be talking about him until he gets to the Combine, where he will lift well, run well and jump out of the stadium. Then, he’ll be the hot name.“

Patriots

Mike Reiss believes the return of OC Josh McDaniels may actually make it more like that HC Bill Belichick sticks around than retires.
Reiss expects the Patriots to keep dialogue open with free agent RB Dion Lewis and remain competitive in terms of re-signing him.
As for veteran OLB James Harrison, Reiss doesn’t think re-signing him with be a priority for the Patriots and they may instead try to get younger at edge rusher.