Quotable: Jimmy Garoppolo visits Jets, Cowboys would reportedly draft Johnny Manziel
We have all the quarterback draft drama you can handle! On top of that, Tyrann Mathieu isn’t expected to be ready in time for the start of Cardinals training camp and Jimmy Graham is a no-show at Saints workouts.
Stacy Revere
- Bruce Arians on Tyrann Mathieu
Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians doesn't think Tyrann Mathieu is going to be ready for the start of training camp, but the star safety voiced a different opinion to AZCentral.com.
“Like I said, when my team takes the field, I want to take the field, too,” said Mathieu, who tore two ligaments in his knee last December. “I don’t know if I’ll be pushing it but it’s what I want. I’ll be shooting for that.”
Mathieu is running and backpedaling, but has yet to graduate past linear movement. He has not begun cutting or making quick movements yet.
"This is interesting: quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is visiting the Jets today."
This is interesting indeed. Jimmy Garoppolo, the highly-touted quarterback prospect out of Eastern Illinois, met Wednesday with the New York Jets, who already have a crowded backfield with Geno Smith and the recently-signed Michael Vick. Garoppolo is projected by many to go in the second round. While this can be brushed off as due diligence, it is intriguing that the Jets are even looking at quarterbacks prospects of this caliber. Would they consider grabbing Garoppolo in the first three rounds, despite just having taken Smith in the second round a year ago?
It seems unlikely, given that the team likely wants to give Smith a chance to develop. Grabbing another signal caller that early would be seen as an indictment against Smith and inflame the quarterback controversy in New York. Of course, the Jets have never been shy about quarterback controversies.
“Jerry Jones was raving about [Manziel] this weekend ... in front of Romo.”
Speaking of draft-incited quarterback controversies, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is reportedly prepared to take Johnny Manziel if the Texas A&M star is still around at No. 16. Both Jones and his brother, Steven, have consistently praised Manziel since his combine appearance and seem inclined to take him despite the presence of Tony Romo on the roster. And as Werder reported on Wednesday, they're not keeping it a secret from their current franchise quarterback.
This may be a moot point, considering the likelihood of Manziel falling to No. 16, much less out of the top 10, is close to nil. But Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk believes that if Manziel slides past the Vikings at No. 8, Dallas would attempt to trade up to snag him.
“In 20 of 25 drafts, Jerry Jones has made a move with a first-round pick,” writes Florio. “This year, moving up for Manziel could give the Cowboys the kind of offseason shakeup they surely covet.”
“I think that everyone knows that the first game of the season, Jimmy will be there and be ready to go. That’s all you really want at the end of the day.”
- Zach Strief on Jimmy Graham
As expected, New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham is skipping his team's offseason workout program while he continues to haggle over a new contract. His coach and teammates don't seem overly concerned about his early absence.
“I think it’s pretty normal,” Sean Payton told the Times-Picayune in reference to his star. “Everything the first week was pretty much as expected.”
Graham and the Saints have until July 15 to reach an agreement on a long-term contract. After that date, Graham would play the 2014 season under the franchise tag New Orleans placed on him in early March.
Offensive tackle Zach Strief said Graham has no need to rush back.
“(Does it affect the team) right now? No,” Strief said. “He might not workout when I workout. I may never see the guy. Not right now. Obviously when you get into training camp, that’s when you would start noticing it.”
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