NFL Notes: Travis Etienne, Draft, CBA

Travis Etienne 

On Friday, Clemson RB Travis Etienne made the stunning decision to return to school for his senior season, despite being one of the top running back prospects eligible for the 2020 NFL draft.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic spoke with some scouts around the league about Etienne that were shocked by his decision.

“I considered him a lock to come out,” an AFC North pro scout tells Brugler. “Credit to Clemson. It’s the type of culture where kids feel at home.”

Others admitted that some team may have been high on him enough to take him as early as round one, but they had more of a third-round grade on him.

“Would he have gone first round? Maybe,” an NFC East scout said. “Maybe a team looking for speed would’ve pulled the trigger. But the grade we had on him equaled to an early third(-round pick).”

Draft

• Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network reports that scouts are concerned about TCU WR Jalen Reagor‘s route running skills. Beyond that, Pauline mentions that teams are also concerned that he’s an undersized, straight-line pass catcher, which could lead to him slipping in this year’s draft.
• According to Pauline, Memphis RB Patrick Taylor will need to undergo surgery to further correct the foot injury he suffered during last season. Pauline says Taylor could require over six months to recover.
• Louisiana Tech’s Amik Robertson suffered a partial tendon tear, which could cost him a 6-8 week minor rehab.

CBA

• Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, citing a source with knowledge of the dynamics, reports that the “ball [is] at the 30 yard line and going in” regarding an agreement on a new CBA between the NFL and NFLPA.
• Florio’s source did say that it’s “hardly a done deal,” but both parties view the start of the new league year in March as a “meaningful deadline and pressure point.”
• Jeremy Fowler hears the NFL and NFLPA have discussed a quarterback salary cap, due to the ballooning salaries of quarterbacks in recent years.
• Fowler suggests this could result in something like a $170 million for non-quarterback players and $40 million of cap space allotted to the quarterback position.