Is the Paxton Lynch experiment over for the ? By Nicki Jhabvala Denver Post March 30, 2018

The Denver Post’s Nicki Jhabvala answered your questions about the Denver Broncos in a live Lunch Special chat on Thursday. Here are the highlights:

Does really have a chance to be the No. 2 or starting in the future?

Nicki: At this point, anyone has a chance. The odds are longer for Chad Kelly right now because and Vance Joseph have made it clear that Paxton Lynch is the No. 2 and that they aren’t ready to move on from. Which means Kelly is No. 3.

For now.

The Broncos still have the draft and will likely bring in another quarterback, possibly even with their first-round selection. That will obviously change the pecking order in the Broncos’ room; will be the starter for 2018, but behind him is a big unknown.

Kelly has been putting in the time this offseason and appears to be in top shape. He even worked with Phil Simms or a bit. And his body of work in college is proof he has the skills (especially the arm), but the opportunity is limited in Denver. He had no time on the field to prove himself because of his recovery from injuries last year, and with the smallest contract of the quarterbacks on the roster, the Broncos could cut him at minimal cost.

At the very least, the hope for him is the Broncos keep him on the roster to compete in camp so he can try to earn a roster spot.

Is the Paxton Lynch experiment over?

Nicki: Not according to Elway and Joseph, Silas. At the NFL combine in February, Elway told us that, “By now means are we kicking him to the curb.” Joseph echoed that sentiment at the league’s annual meetings this week when he said, “By no means is Paxton done.”

So there you have it.

The Broncos have already invested a lot in Lynch, a former first round pick. And at this point it would cost more to cut him than to keep him. They want to continue to try to develop him so he’s at least a reliable backup to Keenum this year. But he is undoubtedly a factor in their decision-making for the upcoming draft.

Although the Broncos want to continue to help him improve to be a quarterback in this league, and they’re hopeful that the arrival of Keenum will help him to do that, if the Broncos don’t feel confident that Lynch can step in at any point and lead the offense, then they’re going to have to find reinforcement early in the draft.

So just based on the current roster, who’s the third receiving option? Bennie Fowler? Jake Butt?

Nicki: Bennie Fowler is a free agent; the Broncos did not tender him as a restricted free agent, so he’s unrestricted and free to sign with any team. The Broncos have high expectations for tight Jake Butt as a target and red-zone threat, and they hope he can revitalize a group that has kind of lagged for years now in terms of production. For now, the top No. 3 receiving candidate is a player who has yet to play an NFL game or even practice during the regular season.

Carlos Henderson, the Broncos’ third-round pick last year, has the size and skillset to play in the slot or outside, and they need him to contribute immediately. I would imagine the team continues to look for veteran help though. That group is incredibly thin with the exits of Fowler and (), and they’ve lacked a consistent No. 3 receiver years.

They have a pair of all-pros in and , which is more than most teams, but to take advantage of having those two, they need others to step up to try to create one-on- ones with defensive backs. Otherwises defenses will resort to doubling Thomas and Sanders.

This is what Vance Joseph had to say about it at the league’s meetings this week:

“We saw a lot of bracket coverage. We saw a lot of where the safety and corner doubled D.T., the safety and corner double ‘E’ and left those guys one-on-one. We have to find a way to attack those kind of coverages with our tight ends, with our slot and with our back so we can get more one-on-ones outside. Yes, we have to get better there because that is going to allow us to get better on third downs, and even on first and second downs. Our running game was good enough last year where we saw a lot of single- high on first and second down. We have to take advantage of that. Third downs, it was more shell and bracket coverage. Let’s take away your two best guys and force a tight end, the slot or the back to beat us. We didn’t do a good job there. We have to do better there. Obviously having Butt back is going to be big for us. He’s going to be healthy. Heuerman took some steps last year. , he missed last year as a third-round pick. We’re counting on that kid to come in and play for us, especially in the slot. Or even ‘E’ goes to the slot and (Carlos) goes outside. Someone has to go into the slot and win the one-on-ones so we can get fair coverages on third downs.”

Nicki, do you get the feeling that Elway is hedging his bets on the QB situation giving Keenum a two-year contract and keeping Lynch, hoping that one of them proves to be a reliable NFL QB and extending whichever guy works out? Makes me wonder if Elway’s not thinking QB at No. 5 given the investments he’s made at the position.

Nicki: I think it’s a contract that makes sense for both sides. Keenum is coming off one great year at Minnesota, but there’s a looming question or whether he’ll be that player in Denver, or more like the quarterback he was early in his career. So the Broncos signed him to two years, making him the starter this year so they can re-evaluate in 2019 and beyond.

It’s team-friendly deal, too, compared to the money others received in free agency. Kirk Cousins’ deal is fully guaranteed, which is a significant risk considering he’s yet to win a playoff game. Sam Bradford, a quarterback with talent but a concerning injury history, was handed $40 million on a two-year deal with Arizona. And there wasn’t much of a chance the Broncos could have landed Drew Brees.

So of the options on the open market, I think the Broncos made the best move.

And for Keenum, it allows him to essentially double-dip as a free agent. If he plays well, the Broncos could sign him to an extension, or they could go their separate ways and Keenum could get another deal.

But because it’s a shorter-term deal, it inevitably raises the question of the future. I could see the Broncos getting a quarterback at No. 5. The urgency isn’t what it was before they signed Keenum, but they have to consider what happens a year or two down the road.

Again, I think that pick will say more about their confidence level in Lynch than anything else. If they truly believe he could be a starter of the near future, then they don’t need to spend a high pick on reinforcement. But if they question it at all, then they need to protect themselves at the most important position on the field.

How he fits: Su'a Cravens By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com March 30, 2018

When Su'a Cravens went through the pre-draft process two years ago, he was listed as a linebacker. That status reflected part of his responsibilities during his years playing for USC, when he handled linebacker and safety duties.

There was a time when Cravens might have been called a "tweener" -- too light for linebacker, too big for safety. But as the game continues to evolve and defenses need players who exist somewhere between the templates of safety and linebacker, Cravens, a 6-foot-1, 224-pounder, fits the bill.

With Darian Stewart and Justin Simmons sitting atop the depth chart at safety, he likely will not settle into the starting lineup right away, but he has a chance to work into the Broncos' six-defensive back sub package. That could leave him in a competition with fellow 2016 draft pick and second-year veterans Jamal Carter and Dymonte Thomas for playing time.

"I'm anticipating being a strong safety. On third down, when teams get into sub packages, I'm expecting to play dime linebacker and cover tight ends and running backs -- kind of like what I did my rookie year with the Redskins," Cravens told KOA-AM 850. "But predominantly safety and whatever they need to get down in that box and be a run stopper, blitzer and whatever else they need to help aid the defense."

Cravens could be well-suited to work in that sub package, which would likely have him playing at least half of the downs. His size, physicality and coverage ability make him one of the NFL's most unique young defensive backs, and he has the potential to match up well with opposing tight ends.

Few players have Cravens' size and well-rounded skill set, which is one of the reasons why the Broncos acquired him. The fact that Cravens has three years left on his rookie contract -- signed after Washington took him in the second round two years ago -- doesn't hurt, either, as Cravens is young, and possesses plenty of untapped potential.

Cravens' role should evolve and potentially expand as he grows with the Broncos, but for now, he fills a pressing need, as the Broncos struggled to cover tight ends last year.

Six different tight ends scored at Denver's expense last season. Cravens should help change that.

Broncos acquire safety Su'a Cravens in trade with Washington By Ben Swanson DenverBroncos.com March 30, 2018

The Broncos completed a trade with Washington on Wednesday to acquire safety Su'a Cravens in exchange for draft considerations.

The second-year safety was drafted out of USC in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft with the 53rd- overall selection, bringing a unique skill set that allowed him to play a hybrid linebacker-safety role. He recorded an impressive rookie season showing flashes as a playmaker with an , five passes defensed and a sack, but a concussion and an arm injury sidelined him for multiple game.

Heading into his second season, Washington changed defensive coordinators and planned to play Cravens more at safety. But he ended up sitting out the 2017 season after being placed on the club's exempt list. He was reinstated by the league in February.

In acquiring Cravens, the Broncos made several draft-pick exchanges with the Redskins. The two teams swapped fourth- and fifth-round picks in the 2018 NFL Draft, with the Broncos acquiring the 113th and 149th overall picks in exchange for the 109th and 142nd overall picks. Denver also traded this year's 163rd-overall selection in the fifth round and a conditional pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to Washington to complete the trade for Cravens.

Broncos get: S Su’a Cravens 4th-2018 (113) 5th-2018 (149)

Redskins get: 4th-2018 (109) 5th-2018 (142) 5th-2018 (163) Conditional pick-2020

Two-Round 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Broncos take Barkley as QBs go 1-2-3-4 after trade By R.J. White CBSSports.com March 30, 2018

I've mocked the Bills going up to No. 2 to draft a quarterback multiple times, but what if the Giants just refuse to move down? It takes two to tango, and there's nothing that says the Giants have to trade their pick if the Bills are willing to overpay.

In this scenario, the Giants' speculated No. 1 quarterback is available at their pick, so they hang tight and take him. The ripple effect? After a third quarterback goes to the Jets, the Bills make a move to get in front of the Broncos and take a signal-caller of their own.

That's right: four picks, four quarterbacks.

If it's going to happen any year, it's this one, where enough teams need a long-term option at the position to create a market for the four quarterbacks that look like they've set themselves apart from the pack. If the Broncos miss out on those four guys, could they then make it 5-for-5 and take ?

I don't have that happening here; instead, the Broncos end up with the guy many have pegged as the best overall player in the draft: . The ripple effect allows the Colts to get , which should be a welcome surprise after trading out of the No. 3 pick, and the Bears to land a blue-chip offensive lineman at No. 8.

Round 1 1. Cleveland Browns , QB, Wyoming. After 's pro day, where Jimmy Haslam was spotted chatting up Darnold's parents in the stands, everyone pivoted to making Darnold the No. 1 pick. After Allen's pro day, which Haslam also attended, many pivoted to making Allen the No. 1 pick. I'm going to stick with what I have, thinking Allen is the preferred choice for the Browns at this point.

2. New York Giants Sam Darnold, QB, USC. I've previously had the Giants trading down from this pick so the Bills could move up and take a quarterback, but it's starting to sound like the Giants would grab Darnold if he's available. Though that's not an instantly gratifying pick for Giants fans, I believe it's the best course of action for the future of the franchise.

3. New York Jets (from IND) , QB, UCLA. The trade-up for the Jets was all about getting into position for a quarterback, and if they can find a franchise signal-caller here, it's well worth the overpay to move up a couple spots. Walter Football's Charlie Campbell compares Rosen to , a quarterback with which new Jets offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates has plenty of experience. Rosen could be the best fit for the Jets moving forward.

4. (CLE mock trade) , QB, Oklahoma. I wouldn't be shocked if Denver takes Mayfield should he be on the board at No. 5, so here's where the Bills have to target if they're going to get their guy. In this scenario, I have the Bills sacrificing their 2019 first-round pick to move up, and it might take even more than that if they buy the Broncos could be interested in making a deal with the Browns themselves. Throw in Buffalo's fourth-rounder this year and call it an overpay, but the Bills get their franchise QB.

5. Denver Broncos Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State. The Broncos land Case Keenum as their starter at QB, and it's a good thing, as the top four names at the position could be off the board by the time they pick. I like adding as the final piece of the offensive line puzzle, but with the Jared Veldheer trade strengthening the unit at right tackle, I'm going to pivot to the Broncos taking the player many people have as their No. 1 overall prospect this year in Barkley. Sure, the team likes , but Barkley looks like a generational talent, and adding him and a legitimate quarterback in one offseason could put the Broncos back in the playoff hunt.

6. (from NYJ) Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State. The Colts should be jumping for joy if they can get Chubb after trading back to No. 6. The NC State pass rusher is one of the two or three best players in the draft, and he happens to fill a big need for a Colts defense switching to a 4-3 under new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. A front consisting of Chubb, Jabaal Sheard, Henry Anderson and Al Woods could be nasty.

7. , S, State. The Buccaneers are in a perfect spot to help their secondary with this pick by selecting either , slot corner/safety or James. I think the Florida State safety is the best option for the Bucs, as he'll be able to give them what T.J. Ward couldn't at the strong safety position. James could quickly develop into an All-Pro caliber player.

8. Chicago Bears Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame. The board falls in what may be the best-case scenario for the Bears, with Nelson plugging one of the team's biggest needs. Chicago surprisingly declined Josh Sitton's option, making guard one of their key needs that has yet to be addressed this offseason. There's some speculation he could handle tackle as well, and the Bears could use an upgrade on the right side at that position. Worst case, they'll have a locked-in interior lineman with All-Pro upside.

9. Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama. The 49ers still need help in the secondary after adding Richard Sherman, who is coming off a major injury himself. Enter Fitzpatrick, who could slide in at slot corner with Sherman and Ahkello Witherspoon on the boundaries, or at free safety if San Francisco decides it wants to move to corner. Either way, the Alabama product is a talent you want on your defense.

10. Oakland Raiders Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State. The Raiders are seeing massive turnover at the cornerback position with David Amerson, Sean Smith and T.J. Carrie out the door. Rashaan Melvin was a nice pickup, but is nothing more than depth. Enter Ward, an elite cover corner who has everything but prototypical size. He'll be an excellent slot corner and should excel in Oakland, where Melvin and Gareon Conley can match up with bigger receivers.

11. , LB, Georgia. The Dolphins have been showing interest in Smith, one of the draft's top linebackers. He'd be the long-term stud the team needs next to Raekwon McMillan, and the Dolphins could make him the immediate starter at WILL and look to trade Kiko Alonso to another team where he'd be a better fit. They can also think about getting out from Alonso's deal next offseason if nothing else.

12. Cleveland Browns (BUF mock trade) , DT, Washington. The Browns move down and miss out on one of the top non-QBs in the draft in a trade with Buffalo that nets them an extra first-round pick next year. Here they grab Vea, a defensive tackle who will give them the size they had with but more pass-rush ability than the former first-rounder ever had.

13. Washington Redskins , G, Georgia. The Redskins should be looking to upgrade the interior of their offensive line with an early pick in this draft, and this is about the range where we expect Wynn to come off the board. He doesn't really have the size to stick at tackle, but he's an excellent blocker who will immediately solidify the left side of the team's offensive line, as long as Trent Williams can stay healthy.

14. , DE, UTSA. Davenport rushed with his hand off the ground at UTSA, so playing outside linebacker in Green Bay's base set wouldn't be completely foreign to him. His best fit in the NFL might be as a down lineman rushing off the edge, but with NFL defenses playing nickel more than their base sets nowadays, he'd have ample opportunity to do just that even with a 3-4 team. His massive upside is well worth selecting him in the top half of the first round.

15. Arizona Cardinals Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville. Jackson isn't everyone's cup of tea, but the Cardinals have an offensive coordinator in Mike McCoy who can build the offense to the dynamic prospect's strengths. Jackson isn't ever going to be the best passer in the league, but good luck defending a running game that features David Johnson and the threat of the QB running at any time. The Cardinals would ideally trade up for one of the top four QBs, but with so many holes on the roster, they can't afford to sacrifice picks.

16. , LB, Virginia Tech. The Ravens get a great value here in Edmunds, who doesn't turn 20 until after the draft and has as much upside as any prospect this year. He's scheme versatile and should be an interesting chess piece for the Ravens' defense, someone who can line up next to C.J. Mosley inside or potentially be groomed to take over for Terrell Suggs down the road.

17. Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama. The Chargers address the interior of their defensive line after allowing 4.9 yards per carry in 2017. With Corey Liuget suspended to start the year and taking up way too much cap space in 2019 ($10.25 million, with a $1.5 million dead cap hit), Payne comes in to not only provide improvement against the run, but team with and Melvin Ingram to give the team a fierce pass rush on third down.

18. (SEA mock trade) , G, UTEP. The Seahawks have some rebuilding to do, but they have zero picks on Day 2. The Vikings don't have many needs, but one glaring one is guard. They can certainly sacrifice their second-rounder to move up and get one of the top-tier guards behind Nelson, and Hernandez and Isaiah Wynn are unlikely to make it to No. 30 with guard-needy teams like the Cowboys, Lions, Panthers and the Seahawks themselves ahead of Minnesota.

19. , LB, Boise State. The Cowboys addressed their receiver need by signing , so even though is on the board, I have them passing on the position. Dallas has shown plenty of interest in Vander Esch in the run up to the draft, and he'd be an excellent replacement for Anthony Hitchens who could slot in as the long-term heir to Sean Lee as a three-down tackling machine.

20. Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa. The Lions re-signed Nevin Lawson and brought in Deshawn Shead, but neither should prevent them from selecting a potential starter at the position across from Darius Slay should the right opportunity present itself. gets a ballhawk with this pick who led the nation in last year.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (from BUF) Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame. The Bengals took a step toward addressing their offensive line woes by acquiring left tackle Cordy Glenn from the Bills and moving down to this pick. They should keep adding talent to the position with McGlinchey, who is a fit at either tackle spot. He'll slot in at right tackle initially but could move to the left side if Glenn can't stay healthy. Either way, drafting the Notre Dame standout puts the Bengals halfway to fixing their line issues.

22. Buffalo Bills Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU. The Bills traded up for a quarterback earlier in this mock, but with the key piece going out being their 2019 first-round pick, they still have all their picks on the first two days of the draft with which to address their many needs. Here they go with possibly the best receiver in this draft in Sutton, a big-bodied receiver who would fit in perfectly with the type of receivers Brandon Beane's old franchise used to acquire in Carolina. With Kelvin Benjamin not under contract long-term and dealing with off-field issues, Sutton gives the team's new franchise QB a No. 1 target with which to grow.

23. Los Angeles Rams , ILB, Alabama. The Rams threw a lot of resources at upgrading their secondary and defensive line while dealing away linebackers Robert Quinn and Alec Ogletree this offseason. That makes both rush linebacker and inside linebacker a need for the team heading into the draft. Evans is the last blue-chip linebacker available, and he's a better fit for Wade Phillips's 3-4 than Ogletree or Mark Barron.

24. Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama. The Panthers brought in Torrey Smith and Jarius Wright to help at the receiver position, but neither can be mistaken for a No. 1 option. But Ridley, who had a terrible combine and could slip further than some expect, would give a potentially excellent No. 1 receiver, pushing back to the No. 2 role and leaving Smith, Wright and Curtis Samuel as strong depth options.

25. Tennessee Titans Harold Landry, OLB, Boston College. Landry is an athletic freak as an edge rusher, but he'll likely be better served not playing a large role as a rookie while he adjusts to the NFL and potentially bulks up. That should be just fine for the Titans, who will have a huge need at edge rusher next offseason with Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan slated to reach free agency. Landry can be a subpackage player in Year 1 and eventually take over one of those starting spots in 2019.

26. Atlanta Falcons , DT, Florida. The Falcons don't have many needs, but one spot they could be targeting in the first round is defensive tackle, with Dontari Poe only signing a one-year deal last offseason. Bryan has earned some J.J. Watt comparisons despite the lack of stats at the collegiate level, and he put up similar numbers to Watt at the combine. Defensive tackle is one of the Falcons' few needs, and they'll be fortunate if Bryan makes it to them.

27. D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland. The Saints should be looking at receiver, tight end and defensive end with this pick, if Sean Payton is to be believed, unless an unbelievable value presents itself. With that not being the case, they go with Moore, who should step in and be a fantastic weapon out of the slot immediately.

28. Derrius Guice, RB, LSU. If the Steelers don't get Le'Veon Bell signed to a long-term deal by the draft, it's possible they pivot to selecting Guice, a player in whom they've shown plenty of interest in the run up to the draft. It would be fascinating to see if the Steelers could turn around and trade Bell after selecting Guice; could they get the Eagles to send over a or plus a pick for the talented back? Could you even begin to imagine Bell on that offense?

29. Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State. signed an extension that doesn't necessarily lock him into being the Jaguars' long-term option at the position. With value not on the board at other potential positions worth targeting, the Jaguars grab Rudolph with the hope they can develop him into a guy who can raise the ceiling on the offense higher than Bortles has shown capable.

30. Cleveland Browns (SEA/MIN mock trade) Connor Williams, OT, Texas. The Seahawks move down again, picking up No. 35 and 114 and giving them two seconds (including the one received from Minnesota in a previous mock trade), two fourths and four fifths to address several issues and move around a bit more on Day 2 and 3. The Browns move up to snag a potential Joe Thomas replacement at left tackle before the Patriots and Eagles have the chance to take him.

31. , OT, UCLA. There weren't many players that had a better combine than Miller, who set a record for offensive linemen with a 10-foot-1 broad jump while also running a 4.95 40 at 310 pounds. Coupled with the expected fall of Orlando Brown after his woeful showing, Miller could earn a ticket to the first round in the draft. With the Patriots unable to retain , Miller gives them a potential blindside blocker for .

32. Justin Reid, FS, Stanford. With two potential tackle options coming off the board right before their pick, the Eagles pivot to taking Reid, a safety they've reportedly had a lot of interest in. Corey Graham is a free agent, so Reid can come in and immediately fill the third safety role for the Philadelphia defense while giving them a long-term plan when Malcolm Jenkins or Rodney McLeod get too old or expensive to keep.

Round 2 33. Cleveland Browns Ronnie Harrison, SS, Alabama. The Browns have strengthened the rest of their secondary, but Harrison gives them a great player to pair with Damarious Randall at safety, shifting to a more fluid role.

34. New York Giants , CB, Louisville. The Giants get great value with this first-round talent to address an area of need.

35. (CLE mock trade) Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn. The Seahawks finally make a pick after trading down twice, taking Richard Sherman's replacement in Davis.

36. Indianapolis Colts Mike Hughes, CB, UCF. The Colts will need to find a cornerback in the second round, and Hughes is the best available. He also has experience in zone, which helps in the team's new scheme.

37. Indianapolis Colts (from NYJ) Billy Price, G/C, Ohio State. Price injured his pec at the combine and had surgery to repair it, but he should be fine for the start of the season. He should immediately plug into a guard slot for Indy.

38. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado. The Bucs boosted the secondary earlier with a safety, and here they find a long-term starter at corner in Oliver.

39. Chicago Bears Arden Key, OLB, LSU. Key has the talent of a top-10 pick, but he struggled in 2017 and brings off-field red flags. Even so, expect a team to gamble on his upside on Day 2.

40. Denver Broncos Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State. The Broncos add another playmaker on offense with their second pick in Goedert, who will give Case Keenum a quality passing-game option at tight end from the jump.

41. Oakland Raiders Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma. Brown's stock tanked after a woeful combine performance, but he improved his numbers at his pro day. The Raiders have a massive need at right tackle.

42. Miami Dolphins Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State. The Dolphins met with Gesicki at the Senior Bowl, and he'd be an excellent passing-game weapon after blowing the doors off the combine.

43. New England Patriots (from SF) Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State. The Patriots signed Adrian Clayborn in free agency but can't pass up this great value in Hubbard, who might fill a Rob Ninkovich-type role with New England.

44. Washington Redskins James Daniels, C, Iowa. Washington lands a plug-and-play center to replace Long, who didn't have the ceiling of the Iowa pivot anyway. Along with Wynn in the first round, this team should feel confident about its O-line upgrades.

45. Green Bay Packers Donte Jackson, CB, LSU. The Packers will need to find a cornerback early in the draft, and Jackson gives them elite speed at the position to pair with Kevin King.

46. Cincinnati Bengals Martinas Rankin, C, Mississippi State. The Bengals keep attacking their offensive line issues by taking Rankin, who should be a great fit at center in the NFL.

47. Arizona Cardinals Jamarco Jones, OT, Ohio State. The Cardinals must upgrade their tackle situation, and Jones is the best option on the board.

48. Los Angeles Chargers Uchenna Nwosu, LB, USC. The Chargers added help at defensive tackle earlier, and here they take a talented USC 'backer who could also give them even more pass rush from the position.

49. Indianapolis Colts (from NYJ/SEA) , LB, South Carolina State. The Colts have a major need for linebackers who can play in the new 4-3 scheme, and I'd be shocked if they didn't use a second-round pick to get one. Pencil in Leonard at WILL.

50. Dallas Cowboys Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan. This would be great value for the Cowboys after Hurst went through a medical issue at the combine.

51. Detroit Lions , RB, Georgia. The Lions signed LeGarrette Blount, but that shouldn't prevent them from drafting a potential long-term answer at the position.

52. Baltimore Ravens , TE, South Carolina. The Ravens land a good all-around tight end to address a position that's been an issue for years.

53. Buffalo Bills , C, Arkansas. The Bills find their replacement for Eric Wood with Ragnow, who brings physicality and leadership at the pivot.

54. Lorenzo Carter, OLB, Georgia. The Chiefs use their first pick on an upgrade for their edge rusher who should eventually develop into a three-down starter.

55. Carolina Panthers Jessie Bates, FS, Wake Forest. The Panthers added Da'Norris Searcy to help at strong safety, but with Mike Adams 37 years old, Bates gives them a long-term option at free safety.

56. Buffalo Bills (from LAR) , ILB, Iowa. The Bills grab a linebacker who has great instincts and mental toughness, even if he'll be seen as undersized by many.

57. Tennessee Titans Rasheem Green, DE, USC. Finding another 3-4 DE isn't the biggest need for the Titans with DaQuan Jones re-signed, but Green is an excellent rotational option at the position who could dominate as an interior rusher on passing downs.

58. Atlanta Falcons Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M. The Falcons get great value here in Kirk, who can take over the slot from Mohamed Sanu once the team moves on from his contract.

59. San Francisco 49ers (from NO) , G, Auburn. The 49ers have issues at guard, where former first-round picks (by the Lions) and Josh Garnett (by the previous regime in San Francisco) have struggled.

60. Pittsburgh Steelers , ILB, Texas. Jefferson would fit better in a 4-3, but with the Steelers needing to find help inside in their 3-4 scheme, he's too talented to pass up.

61. Jacksonville Jaguars Ronald Jones II, RB, USC. The Jaguars went big at running back in last year's draft, and here they get a nice complement who can be lethal in small doses at a great value.

62. Seattle Seahawks (MIN mock trade) , OT, Oregon. The Seahawks find a potential starter at right tackle in Crosby, and if he pans out, it would go a long way toward solving Seattle's line issues.

63. New England Patriots Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech. The Patriots find a potential heir to Vince Wilfork with this pick, just in case Danny Shelton doesn't pan out.

64. Cleveland Browns (from PHI) James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State. The Browns brought in Jarvis Landry but he's on the franchise tag and Josh Gordon is one strike from never playing again. Washington helps fortify the position.

Legal Sports Gambling is Coming, and the NFL Is Getting Ready to Capitalize (Of Course It Is) By Albert Breer MMQB March 30, 2018

It’s 2021, and Browns quarterback Sam Darnold runs on the field, his offense given the ball at its own 25-yard line after Pittsburgh drove for a . As everyone does after the other team scores in the post-kickoff NFL, Cleveland has 75 yards to navigate and endless possibilities for how this will go, and a few for how it’ll end.

You’re sitting in Section 137 at FirstEnergy Stadium, a long throw away from the line of scrimmage, and what’s in your hand makes you feel even closer. Right there, on your phone, is the Browns Bets app presented by Caesars. You scroll down and see 3-to-1 odds on Cleveland getting a field goal out of the possession, 7-2 odds that the Browns will score a touchdown, and 3-2 odds they’ll wind up punting it away.

You put $50 on the field goal. Then, you throw down $75 on 5-1 odds that veteran kicker Zane Gonzalez will score the game’s next points. And so you settle in, having bet $125 to win $600.

This is how the NFL sees the future.

And this week, here at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes, the process formally began of pulling the perfect sport for gambling—football—out of the shadows and into the brave, new, modern world of gaming. Owners and team executives have been quietly looking forward to this for years now. But it wasn’t until Monday that the formal discussion began.

They’re all taking baby steps for now. The gambling session, run by league EVP of business operations Eric Grubman, was to inform the owners on what’s out there, and what the NFL is doing to prepare for the new reality that just about everyone believes is inevitable.

“We’re so early on in this process. I don’t have a clear understanding as to where we’re going to go,” Giants co-owner John Mara said during a break the other day. “But we’re having discussions that we’ve never had before.”

The timing’s not a coincidence either. The Supreme Court is expected to rule soon, maybe next week, on whether or not to legalize sports betting in New Jersey. If it goes through, the floodgates could open nationwide. The NFL knows it has to be ready.

In this week’s Game Plan, we’ll cover everything from the league meeting—looking again at the new targeting-like rule; the Odell Beckham situation; the rebuild-on-the-fly in Miami; the coaches’ continued effort to flip the offseason work rules upside down; and what exactly to make of the Panthers sale.

We’re starting with a topic that many of the owners assembled here disagree on, but everyone knows is, as one league source put it, “a big f---ing deal.” Whether they regard it that way because of old integrity- of-the-game concerns or new business opportunities, there is no question that it was as compelling a topic as any the league put on the table this week.

“It’s a very complicated issue,” Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt told me. “We don’t know what the supreme court is going to do. They could kick it back to the states, and that’ll create another process. One thing that was raised to us is you might have some state laws that conflict with federal laws, which will make it really complicated. What the league is trying to do in preparation for it is figure out how to maintain the integrity of the game, because that’s the most important thing on many, many fronts.

“And so they’re beginning their work on that. Obviously, there’s legalized betting that goes on in Europe in the Premier League, and other soccer leagues, so there are models they’re trying to learn from.”

So with all this in mind, here are five things I learned about where the league intends to go:

• In-game prop betting is where it’s at. The Buccaneers (Manchester United) and Rams (Arsenal) were able to help the other 30 teams here this week, based on the in-stadium betting that goes on with their Premier League clubs. And it’s clear that traditional betting on games and odds doesn’t have near the upside for NFL teams as in-game props, like the one I cooked up above.

Not only is there great opportunity to turn a profit here, there’s also the reality that this sort of action is tailor-made for a younger generation that is less willing to sit there and just watch a game, with nothing else going on, for three hours.

• Foreign doors are open. There’s some dispute over whether in-game action would help the league globalize the game. I met skepticism at the notion that it would prompt anyone to start watching a sport he or she hadn’t watched before. That said, for the same reasons it could help the league appeal to young people domestically, it probably wouldn’t hurt in keeping the eSports generation abroad engaged.

“It has a chance to elevate interest in the sport, especially in markets where our game is on at the wrong time of day,” said Hunt. “If there’s increased sports betting, I think that could be one indirect positive for the league.”

• Watch the NBA. It was explained to me, by several owners, that going in and trying to monetize traditional betting on a point spread would be a low-margin business for the NFL. So while the NBA made waves by saying it’ll seek 1 percent of all basketball-related bets, its football counterpart is more likely to play it conservative there.

If the NBA succeeds? Well, then the NFL will play copycat. Really, as a couple owners I talked to see it, there’s no reason for the NFL to take the lead in this area, just as it didn’t see the need to be the first to put down stakes in Las Vegas. Let someone else do it first, then decide. If the league needs to go, it can use information from within its sport, like the NBA plans to leverage a favorable deal.

• Sponsorships. As the league’s rules read now, NFL teams can’t use the word “casino” in any deal, and can’t have a deal with any casino that has a sports book. Taking the rules off the books would create massive opportunities for teams, and proof, again, lies overseas with the soccer heavyweights of Europe who have partnered with online gambling companies and casinos.

What’s more, teams in the Premier League haven’t run into the integrity-of-the-game problems that have for decades scared NFL owners and teams from doing such deals.

• TV ratings. This goes back to the younger crowd that’s less likely to sit captive for three hours to watch sports. It works in the living room like it does in the stadium. That audience wants an interactive experience, and this gives it to them.

The theme for this set of meetings was, as set by the commissioner’s office, The Game, The Fans, The Media. The league clearly sees now, and it’s illustrated through those words, the need to modernize and focus on finding new ways to reach new people who aren’t as automatic to jump on board with pro football as they once might have been.

So in a way, legalized sports gambling could be coming along at just the right time. The way wagering lends itself perfectly to the NFL has forever been a driving force in the overwhelming popularity of the game. And for forever, the NFL has had to be a spectator.

Now it seems that could be coming to an end. And the NFL could have a powerful new lever to pull in the effort push its business forward.

“Our fans are involved, NFL fans are,” said Cowboys COO Stephen Jones. “And any time there’s a business opportunity out there, you have to educate yourself on it before you make decisions on whether we need to be a part of it. We certainly want our football fans to have the best experience. So if it’s something that we see as a positive for our fans, a positive for the league, and there’s no unintended consequences to it, then we’ll go further down the road.”

They’re just starting to set the course.

FIRST AND 10 1. Odell Beckham drew headlines this week, but the Giants star might not be the first playmaker out there I’d make a call on right now. Couldn’t hurt for teams to check where the Patriots are with Rob Gronkowski. New England doesn’t know for sure that the All-Pro tight end is coming back in 2018, and my sense is getting him back could require giving him a raise. Has reached the point where he’s ready to deal Gronk? I’d look into it.

2. Speaking of Belichick, he brought up an interesting concern in the meeting room, while fighting against the institution of the so-called Josh McDaniels Rule, which would’ve allowed assistants in the playoffs to sign deals to become head coaches in new places. The Patriots coach was worried that if an assistant signs a deal to be someone else’s head coach, there’d be nothing stopping him from beginning to recruit looming free agents.

3. That said, I’m all for the rule. It works fine in college. We saw it with Tennessee’s new head coach () serving as Alabama’s defensive coordinator in the playoffs. It’s simple. Have the new head coach name an acting head coach, and then tell that coach he can’t communicate with his new team until after his old team is eliminated.

4. The Jets already have workouts with UCLA’s Josh Rosen and Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield under their belts. I’m told they’re working out Wyoming’s Josh Allen early this week. Not on the books? A workout for USC’s Sam Darnold, which is a pretty good sign of how strong the feeling is in league circles that Darnold’s going to be gone quickly.

5. Why would the Jaguars trade for Cody Kessler, rather than just wait for him to be cut? Quarterback economics. He’s due $2.0 million over the next two years. For that reason, and because Kessler has starting experience, there’s a good chance he wouldn’t get to the Jags on waivers. Conversely, last year’s Jacksonville backup, Chad Henne, will make $6.7 million over the next two years there, and $4.5 million in 2018.

6. How Su’a Cravens’ change of scenery to Denver will affect him will be interesting. The question with Cravens has never had much to do with athletic ability. It’s more about how much the young strong safety loves football. The perception scouts had when he was coming out of USC was that he was more into the idea of being a star than a football player, and the Redskins certainly saw that in his two years there. We’ll find out if the time away has done anything to light a fire under him.

7. One significant rule change that flew under the radar—the ability for teams to trade players off injured reserve, with the players’ new team able to designate that player to return. It certainly could result in banged up players pushing to be dealt if their teams have already designated others to return, or have a number of players they’d need to decide between activating.

8. If I were Colin Kaepernick, I’d copycat what did, and find a pro day to go throw. It was a clever move by Manziel’s camp, and the former Heisman winner got a ton of exposure he never would have otherwise. Being able to go throw for and shake hands with on-the-ground scouts would help Kaepernick’s cause. What might make sense? Boise State’s pro day is next week, and the Broncos have a first-round prospect (Leighton Vander Esch) to draw a good NFL crowd. Plus, Boise’s QB, , is returning to school. So …

9. The underrated hole the Rams will need to fill through all their offseason movement is the one left by Alec Ogletree, the leader. He was inconsistent as a player, but a major piece in a great locker room last year. L.A. will have a lot of big personalities on defense in 2018. If things go a little sideways? They’ll need someone like Ogletree. We’ll see if they can fill those shoes.

10. Word is the Texans and are making a lot of progress on a mega-extension. That one will set the floor for what Raiders edge rusher gets, and who knows what it will do to Rams DT ’s earning power.

FOUR DOWNS 1. What can the Giants get for Odell Beckham? We wrote earlier in the week that New York should think about dealing the mercurial fifth-year phenom. And since the Giants haven’t completely shot the notion out of the sky, I figured it’d be interesting to ask around about what he might be worth. The consensus: A first-round pick and something else, which is an immense return for a player that only has one year left on his contract and a full file of problems from his early years in the league.

Five years ago, it’d be hard for the Giants to find that deal, but with the aggression teams have operated (hello, Rams) this offseason, I’m not ruling anything out. And as I see it, we’ll have some clues soon. The Giants drew their line in the sand this week three times over. First, GM Dave Gettleman declined to say a trade was out of the question. Second, it got out that the asking price was two first-round picks. Third, new coach Pat Shurmur said at Tuesday’s coaches breakfast that he expects Beckham to report for the team’s offseason program April 9. That now becomes the key date.

NFL The Odell Beckham Mess Puts the New Giants Regime to the Test The only thing that’ll shut down speculation completely is a long-term deal, and I don’t see the Giants giving Beckham one before they see him in the building and with the new program. Should Beckham decide not to show up, and if he decides to actually carry a stay-away/holdout through the whole spring and into the summer (a big if, because of the associated fines) in order to get paid, then Shurmur and Gettleman won’t get to see how he fits into what they’re trying to build. In that circumstance, of course, it would be either pay the guy somewhat blindly, or trade him. And based on how Beckham’s handled himself over the past year-plus—remember, players pay close pay attention to who a team pays—it’d likely be tough to go through with a new contract. So yes, this is complicated. And April 9 is less than two weeks away.

2. Targeting? There’s been lots of debate over the impact that the targeting rule will have on the NFL. You’ve heard players asking a lot of questions, some of them very valid, on how it’ll be officiated, and the challenges it’ll present for those playing a professional sport that moves in short bursts at warp speed. So what’s interesting is that the reaction I got from coaches was sort of the opposite: Nothing’s changed. The point made by the half-dozen coaches I spoke with was that no one is coaching anyone to lead with their helmet anymore anyway, and the rules were already set up to punish those kinds of hits.

“I don’t think it’ll be that hard,” said Vikings coach Mike Zimmer. “I don’t think targeting is right word either, it’s more about lowering your head. I don’t think it’ll be hard to teach. It’s a dangerous play and they’re trying to get it out. … There might be more flags. You look at [Ryan] Shazier, they’re going to understand, this is dangerous for them and dangerous for the other guy. They’ll adjust.”

Eagles coach Doug Pederson, who played for over a decade in the league, chalked up player grousing to age, saying that he understands why players have a hard time understanding. “When you’re young, you don’t think about that stuff,” Pederson said. “And that’s why some of the old coaches in the room, I appreciate the stuff they’re talking about because they’ve been there, done that. They start looking at life after football, what it’s going to look llike. We have to make sure we’re educating the young players about that in this whole process.”

So in the end, I think we’ll probably have around a dozen ejections next season, but most players and teams won’t have to change much of what they do. This initiative has been moving towards this for quite some time. And while this change does broaden what can be penalized, it simplifies the guidelines for players. Just don’t use your helmet as a weapon.

NFL NFL’s New Targeting Rule Expected To Be Only a Minor Adjustment for Teams 3. Dolphins’ changes a year in the making. There were a lot of boilerplate answers that came out of the annual coaches breakfast, as usual. Which is probably why what Miami coach said really stuck out to me after the hour-long session shut down Tuesday morning. He was asked if he was hoping the culture in South Florida would improve after he and football czar Mike Tannenbaum flipped the leadership of the team over a three-week span.

“I’m not hoping,” he responded. “I know it’s going to be different. You have some alpha dogs who are not going to accept a lot of the bulls--- that has gone on. … I think you guys will notice it when we get going. There’s something about a lot of these guys we brought in.”

So what was the problem last year? The Dolphins of 2017 were presented with a lot of strange circumstances. And when things went sideways, the brass felt like the roster lacked the infrastructure to straighten much of anything out. There was the day Ryan Tannehill went down. There was the infamous video of line coach Chris Foerster, complete with cocaine and an escort. There was linebacker ’ strange disappearance. And that was all before Columbus Day. The problems metastasized because the staff lacked the foot soldiers in the locker room to keep everyone on board.

So (who had a reputation for being worried about himself and not much else), Jarvis Landry (who was unpredictable day-to-day) and Jay Ayaji (traded in midseason and seen as another me- first guy) are gone, and in their place are players like , Albert Wilson, Robert Quinn, Josh Sitton and Frank Gore, guys the Dolphins had solid background on and felt like they could count on. Was it a little expensive? Sure. Did some good talent walk out the door? Yup. But Miami feels strongly that if things go haywire in the fall, it’ll be in a better spot to manage that now, with guys who won’t stand for the, as Gase put it, bulls--- that last year’s Dolphins did.

4. Panthers sale drama. My belief is that if all bids were equal, the league would be preparing Steelers minority owner and hedge fund manager Dave Tepper to be voted into their club as the new Panthers owner in May. He’s already vetted, and widely respected, and those who know him think he’d be a tremendous asset not just on the club level, but the league level too. He’s also worth $11 billion, so he could just write a check—no financing needed—for the team, and have enough capital left to keep investing back into it. So what gives?

As we detailed the other day, Tepper has not been the most aggressive bidder, and I think I now have a more clear understanding of why. Tepper didn’t get rich by making shaky investments. He’s brilliant, and very analytical from a business standpoint. His bid was never going to be crazy. And my sense is that he may not be willing to go much past $2 billion, at least at this point. Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is believed to be seeking in the range of $2.6 billion. So the guy most believe to be the best bidder may not wind up being the high bidder, and that could leave credit card mogul and South Carolina native Ben Navarro, who’s come under scrutiny for his business practices and is being vetted by the league now, as the favorite. Or maybe it’ll open the door for a darkhorse like Canadian steel magnate Alan Kestenbaum, who is visiting the Panthers’ offices this week. Either way, this process hasn’t been as clean as most owners would’ve liked.

LESSON OF THE WEEK One of the interesting stories emerging from last year’s annual meeting was a group of coaches banding together to challenge the league’s work rules—and making an attempt to get more time with players during months between the playoffs and the draft.

Carolina’s Ron Rivera, New Orleans’ Sean Payton, Baltimore’s and Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis were the four making the pitch in Arizona to the NFL’s management council in March 2017. And so my lesson this is something I learned a year later: It seems now that their voices are being heard. That’s a tremendously positive development for all coaches. In 2011, as the owners and players neared a new collective bargaining agreement, the NFL’s football operations people in general, and the coaches in particular, were tossed under an 18-wheeler. The players wanted more time off in the offseason, and the owners’ reaction went pretty much like this: You mean we get to turn the lights off for another five weeks?

There was no one in the room to advocate for player development, or warn about the damage that losing that time could do, and so that part of the CBA, cutting offseason programs down from 14 to nine weeks and limiting contact and time in the summer and fall, was swiftly pushed through. Seven years later, the affect it’s had is clear, which is why the coaches mobilized last spring.

While change can’t come until a new CBA is negotiated, unless the players agree to amend parts of the existing CBA, work towards it is well underway.

“[NFL SVP of labor relations] Peter Ruocco’s led the charge on that in terms of gathering ideas, listening to the coaches, and giving us a voice,” Harbaugh said. “It’s good for the game. It’s really important. We want to have a safe game, an exciting game. We want to be able to protect our quarterbacks and do all those things. And if we want to present the NFL in a real positive way, we need time with our players.

“And the players recognize that too. As far as I can see, I’ve never heard a player say he doesn’t want to get better with the coaches on a voluntary basis. Hopefully, there’ll be some smart negotiations in this next CBA, and we’ll get that cleaned up.”

Harbaugh mentioned that the league sent out worksheets during the year to all 32 staffs to get feedback, and get better results on the field, and in developing players. Through the process, the league had it confirmed that more needs to be done with quarterbacks and offensive linemen in particular. Both sides have tried to look at ideas where players would have freedom to work, and teams wouldn’t abuse it.

Lewis acknowledged that part of the issue coaches have is self-inflicted. “People take it too far, and that’s why we are where we are,“ the Bengals coach said. “You have to be responsible as the head coach to keep it to what’s allowed, what’s reasonable.” So what is reasonable? As Lewis sees it, finding a way to let players drive how much they work.

“You see it in a guy as he moves into his second season, not having the opportunity to work on his craft,” Lewis said. “They could be getting coaching that could further their career. And they’re not necessarily looking for a coach when they’re doing these things outside. Hell, we don’t want to be around them. They need time away. But there are some guys who might say, ‘Hey, can I come tomorrow at 1 o’clock?’”

There are other ideas, too. Payton, for example, has advocated for fixing the schedule in camp to make sure every team gets the same amount of practices. Right now, the earlier a team has its first preseason game, the more practices it gets, creating an inequity. But the general idea here is consistent. Coaches know what works and what doesn’t, because they’re on the ground. It makes sense that the league would tap into that.

“We’ve had discussions, looking ahead, on what are the things ahead,” Payton said. “And we’re constantly, as coaches and GMs, saying, ‘Hey, we can do this better.’”

And while they may have to wait a few more years to get the change they’ve wanted all along, it sure looks like they’re well on their way there. NFL continues to fail to secure Wonderlic scores By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk March 30, 2018

The NFL is good at plenty of things. The NFL is not good at plenty of other things. The NFL is very bad at keeping Wonderlic scores secret.

Every year, someone from one of the NFL teams (or from the league office) leaks Wonderlic scores, to someone. With nearly a month to go until the 2018 draft, the leaks have commenced regarding his year’s incoming class of players.

I’ve had a complicated relationship with the Wonderlic test. At one point in the ever-evolving life cycle of PFT, I aspired to get the Wonderlic scores, to report them, and to shine the brightest light on the players who, based on the scores, weren’t the brightest bulbs.

But then at some point I realized some things about the Wonderlic. First, plenty of players don’t know about the test. Second, plenty don’t care. Third, the scores don’t mean squat when it comes to assessing football scores. Fourth, the NFL should apply the highest level of secrecy and confidentiality to these numbers, out of respect to the players who are voluntarily submitting to these tests as part of an extended job interview that culminates not in the players picking their first NFL destinations but in their first NFL destinations picking them.

Contrast the league’s chronic inability to secure the Wonderlic scores with the league’s impressive ability to safeguard every PSI test taken in the three football seasons since the dawning of #Deflategate. Has even a single measurement taken ever made its way out of the league’s clutches?

We’ll continue to not post Wonderlic scores. And we’ll continue to advise players to refuse to submit to the test, until the NFL can treat this data the same way the NFL treats PSI measurements that, if leaked, would demonstrate for all that the prosecution of the Patriots was far stupider than any stupidity that ever could be inferred based on the outcome of a Wonderlic exam.

Broncos “counting on” Carlos Henderson after lost rookie season By Josh Alper Pro Football Talk March 30, 2018

There was some speculation that the Broncos might part ways with Emmanuel Sanders and/or Demaryius Thomas this offseason, but both veteran wide receivers remain on the roster.

That doesn’t mean the Broncos have everything they want at the position. Finding a consistent third option has been among the team’s offensive issues over the last couple of seasons, which is why they drafted Carlos Henderson in the third round of last year’s draft.

Henderson didn’t provide any help, however, because he missed the entire regular season with a torn ligament in his thumb. Coach Vance Joseph said this week that the team is looking for Henderson to hit the ground running this year.

“We’re counting on that kid to come in and play for us, especially in the slot,” Joseph said, via the Denver Post. “Or even [Sanders] goes to the slot and [Henderson] goes outside. Someone has to go into the slot and win the one-on-ones so we can get fair coverages on third downs.”

The Broncos are short on other options to join Sanders and Thomas in the lineup, so they may go back to the well in this year’s draft to increase their chances of hitting on the right offensive mix.