NFL Notes: Draft, 49ers, Browns & Redskins

Draft

• Aaron Wilson reports the Lions have invited Michigan LB James Ross invited to their local prospect day.
• Wilson also reports that Cincinnati CB Leviticus Payne was invited to the Bengals‘ and Lions‘ local prospect workout days.

49ers

• Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee points out that releasing QB Colin Kaepernick could trigger a grievance in his contract, since he is still recovering from injuries he sustained last season.
• Additionally, Barrows does not think the 49ers would release Kaepernick because they don’t have another quarterback on the roster that could compete with QB Blaine Gabbert for the starting job.
• Barrows reasons that if the 49ers do not select a quarterback with their first-round pick, they could trade back into the first-round to draft Michigan State QB Connor Cook, given that they are expected to have 22 total draft picks within the next two years.
• According to Barrows, the 49ers are set to have private sessions with North Dakota State QB Carson Wentz and California QB Jared Goff.

Browns 

• According to Tony Grossi, the Browns current plan is to have second-year OL Cameron Erving start at center for them in 2016.

Redskins

Redskins HC Jay Gruden said the team may sign a free agent running back at some point after the NFL Draft.

“I think there’s a lot of reasons for that,” said Gruden, via Rich Tandler of CSN Mid-Atlantic. “You don’t want to go crazy signing a bunch of backs and then draft one and have to cut them anyway. So I think we want to find out exactly where we stand after the draft.”

Tandler points out that the Redskins would likely wait until after May 10 to sign a free agent, since they are currently in line to gain a compensatory pick and signing a player could prevent them from gaining a selection.

Although, Tandler does not think the compensatory pick formula would prevent the Redskins from signing a player that they are completely sold on, unless they are confident he will still be available after May 10.