NFL Notes: Quarterbacks Class, Draft, Browns, Eagles, Raiders, Ravens

Quarterbacks Class

Tom Pelissero of USA Today writes that several scouts and people around the 2017 Senior Bowl believe this draft class is, indeed, a weak class at quarterback.

“It’s probably not a good year to say, ‘We’ve got to have one,’ ” said Senior Bowl executive Phil Savage. “You never know, but there’s questions with more guys this year.”

Savage went on to say that this year’s quarterbacks are viewed as a “work-in-progress“.

“It’s a work-in-progress quarterback class,” Savage said. “I think it’s probably just OK. That doesn’t mean that you can’t find one.”

According to Pelissero, several scouts and personnel executives named North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky as this year’s best quarterback. However, some scouts are reluctant to give him a high grade since he only started 13 games during college.

Other scouts also believe that Clemson QB DeShaun Watson is the only other first-round talent available, but he still needs to work on his mechanics.

Pelissero notes that none of this year’s top quarterbacks in Trubisky, Watson, Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer, or Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes played in a pro-style offense or took snaps under center.

Draft

• Stanford HC David Shaw said he believes RB Christian McCaffery and DL Solomon Thomas are first-round picks. (Jason Cole)
• Shaw expects Thomas to be a top-10 pick and to run a 4.6 forty-yard dash time at the NFL Combine.

Browns

Browns DC Gregg Williams said the team will be “aggressive” in acquiring players this offseason.

“One of the things [Browns owner] Jimmy Haslam and [head coach] Hue Jackson and I talked about when we sat and talked about this going into this venture together is we were going to be aggressive not only in scheme but in personnel too,” Williams said, via Zac Jackson of ProFootballTalk. “We have to do a good job in everything from coaching to playing to acquiring personnel and I’d be shocked if we weren’t aggressive in doing that.”

Eagles

According to Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com, the Eagles have spoken to three more players at the 2017 Senior Bowl:

• USC OT Zach Banner
• Michigan DT Ryan Glasgow
• Illinois LB Carroll Phillips

Raiders

• The Raiders proposed stadium lease agreement to the Las Vegas Stadium Authority on Thursday that calls for the team to pay an annual rent of just $1. (Richard N. Velotta)
• Stadium Authority board members and legal counsel are expected to review the Raiders’ proposal in February.
• Raiders president Marc Badain said the team has had initial meetings with developers and architects towards the stadium’s construction.

Ravens

• The Ravens promoted Craig Ver Steeg from senior offensive assistant to assistant QBs coach. (Jeff Zrebeic)
• Additionally, the Ravens promoted Chris Hewitt to DBs coach, while Mike MacDonald has been named a secondary assistant. Baltimore also promoted Drew Wilkins to assistant DL coach after serving as a defensive assistant. (Jeff Zrebeic)