NFL Notes: Browns, Falcons, Lions, & Titans

Browns

• Mike Mayock believes the Browns should still draft a quarterback at No. 2 overall because they cannot afford to miss out on a franchise caliber quarterback.
• While the the Browns recently signed Robert Griffin III, Mayock doesn’t think would prevent them from drafting a quarterback with their first-round pick and points out that the Seahawks signed QB Matt Flynn to a considerable contract and still drafted QB Russell Wilson.

Falcons

• According to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Falcons feel they will be able to sign a veteran safety before training camp if they do not like the safeties they have on their roster up to that point.
• Ledbetter believes free agent DE O’Brien Schofield may have to “crawl” back to the Falcons if there ends up being not much of a market for him.
• As for other free agents, Lebetter suggests the Falcons could either sign OL Ted Larsen or a guard, then refrain from adding players until after the NFL Draft.

Lions

Lions QB Matthew Stafford recently mentioned that Calvin Johnson‘s decision to walk away from the NFL didn’t come as a complete surprise to him, as he had gotten worn down over the years.

“Not to say that I expected it, but I wasn’t shocked,” Stafford said, via the Detroit Free Press. “I’ve known Calvin for seven years and know the effort and the attitude that he plays with, and it takes a toll on people. And he was catching quite a few passes and getting hit quite a bunch, and so it takes a toll. And he’s a guy that from an offensive standpoint was touching the ball or carrying the ball just as much as anybody. So I knew the NFL was kind of wearing on him and I just told him, when he told me he was done, I just told him, ‘I’m happy for you if you’re happy.’ And that’s what you want. He’s a guy that gave everything to the game and you want him to be able to walk out on his own terms and feel like he did the right thing.”

Titans

Titans second-year WR Dorial Green-Beckham believes he can be a No. 1 receiver and help their offense take the next step.

“I see myself as being that No. 1 receiver, because I know that I can help this offense. I know that I can do big things,” Green-Beckham said, via TitanInsider. “That’s my motivation, to go out in the off-season and work hard and try to become that No. 1 receiver and go out there and just dominate. That’s my motivation right now.”

HC Mike Mularkey previously mentioned Green-Beckham’s role will depend a lot on the kind of shape he’s in.

Green-Beckham says he’s taking Mularkey’s comments as a challenge.

“I feel like them saying that is them giving a challenge to me and saying to me that working in the off-season and (they’re) using that to get my head into motivation,” Green-Beckham said. “That motivates me that I can become one of the big guys in this offense and on this team. I want to try to do that for myself also. I use that as motivation every time I go and work out. That’s what I’m trying to become is the person they want me to become.”