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NFL notebook: Darnold visits Browns' facility

[April 05, 2018] The Cleveland Browns took a close-up look at potential No. 1 overall draft pick Sam Darnold on Wednesday.

According to the franchise, Darnold visited Cleveland's facility in Berea, Ohio, as the team looks to identity which quarterback is the best fit to be selected with the top pick in the 2018 draft.

Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield visited team headquarters on Tuesday, and UCLA's Josh Rosen is reportedly slated to visit Thursday. Wyoming's Josh Allen is expected to visit next week, as is Louisville's Lamar Jackson.

Cleveland took a close look at Darnold at his Pro Day workout in Los Angeles two weeks ago with coach Hue Jackson, offensive coordinator Todd Haley, quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese, general manager John Dorsey and owner Jimmy Haslam in attendance.

--Robert Griffin III is back in the NFL, signing a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens.

"We're excited about it. We felt like we needed a No. 2 QB," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "I'm really feeling like we got a steal. I felt like he really wanted to be a Raven."

Griffin, 28, was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 draft and last played in 2016 during an injury-riddled season with the Cleveland Browns. He will compete for the backup job behind Joe Flacco, replacing unrestricted free agent Ryan Mallett.

--The Philadelphia Eagles signed veteran tight end Richard Rodgers to a one-year deal.

Rodgers, 26, ideally will add depth behind starter Zach Ertz and help fill the void left by the departures of Trey Burton and Brent Celek. Burton signed with the Chicago Bears, and Celek was released.

Rodgers had his best season in 2015 when he started 12 games and had 58 receptions for 510 yards and eight touchdowns -- including a game-winning 61-yard Hail Mary in Week 13 at Detroit. In the past two seasons combined, however, Rodgers has made just seven starts and recorded 42 catches for 431 yards and three scores.

--Eagles punter Donnie Jones requested and will be granted his release from the team's reserve/retired list, according to an NFL Network report.

Jones, 37, announced at the end of February that he planned to retire, but he has since changed his mind and plans to keep playing.

Jones spent the past five of his 14 NFL seasons with the Eagles after stints with the Seahawks, Dolphins, Rams and Texans. He posted a net average of 40 yards or better in four of his five seasons in Philadelphia, with his mark of 40.6 in 2017 tying for 16th in the league.

--New York Jets receiver Quincy Enunwa signed his one-year restricted free agent tender with the club, according to multiple reports.

The tender is valued at $2.91 million.

Enunwa is looking to bounce back from a neck injury that caused him to miss the entire 2017 season. He sustained the injury in the preseason and underwent surgery for a bulging disk.

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--The Detroit Lions agreed to a contract with backup quarterback Matt Cassel, according to NFL Network.

Cassel was released last month by the Tennessee Titans. He joins starter Matthew Stafford and Jake Rudock as quarterbacks on the Detroit roster. The Lions waived quarterback Alek Torgersen on Wednesday.

Cassel, 35, has played in 106 NFL games (81 starts) over the past 13 seasons and has passed for 17,449 yards, 104 touchdowns and 81 interceptions.

--Eagles fans are going to pay more to watch their Super Bowl champs.

Per Philly.com, season tickets will increase an average of $10 per game in 2018. The range of the increase runs from $5 for the least expensive tickets to $25 per game for the most expensive.

Increases in ticket prices aren't anything new; the team did so last season, too. Last season, the Eagles' average ticket price was $98.69, 10th highest in the league, according to gobankingrates.com.

--A comment on an old Instagram post by Julian Edelman led the New England Patriots wide receiver to tip off police and perhaps prevent a tragedy.

Edelman told the New York Times he received a direct message alerting him to a threatening comment, reading "I'm going to shoot my school up watch the news," on one of his posts. His assistant found the comment, and he and Edelman alerted the Boston police.

Boston police traced the IP address and tracked down the user responsible, a 14-year-old boy near Port Huron, Mich. Police there arrested the youth, whom they say had access to two rifles and admitted to the threat aimed at his middle school.

--The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is investigating a group that includes Von Miller after social media posts showed the Denver Broncos star posing with a 9 1/2-foot hammerhead shark during a recent fishing trip.

Photos and videos of Miller with the shark, its head bloodied and lying on the floor of the boat, caught the attention of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The Denver linebacker was part of a guided excursion that was not fishing for sharks during the trip off the coast of Miami. The surprise catch was said to be released after the photo was taken.

"The FWC has received the images and video and is looking into whether or not a violation occurred in this incident," FWC spokesperson Carol Lyn Parrish said in a statement.

--Field Level Media

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