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NFL notebook: Pats mulled move for Mayfield, agent says

[May 02, 2018] If the Cleveland Browns didn't select Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 pick, the 2018 NFL Draft could have received a major shake-up courtesy of the New England Patriots.

Mayfield's agent, Jack Mills, said in an appearance on "The Business of Sports with Andrew Brandt" podcast that the Patriots had enough interest in the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner to consider trading up to the New York Giants' No. 2 pick in order take the quarterback.

The Giants went on to select Penn State running back Saquon Barkley at No. 2. General manager Dave Gettleman said he had no interest in trading the pick but revealed Monday during an interview with WFAN that he received "one very reasonable offer" for the pick from an unnamed team.

Mills said Mayfield wouldn't have slipped past No. 3, as the New York Jets were "the bottom line." The Jets selected USC quarterback Sam Darnold with the No. 3 pick.

--Russ Brandon, president of the NFL's Buffalo Bills and NHL's Buffalo Sabres, resigned from his post abruptly.

Terry and Kim Pegula, who own Pegula Sports and Entertainment, which runs both teams, released a statement accepting Brandon's resignation. Kim will take over as president of the Bills and Sabres effective immediately while Terry continues to oversee team operations.

Brandon's resignation comes after the company conducted an internal investigation into his workplace behavior and allegations of personal misconduct, according to a report from The Buffalo News. Brandon served as president of the Bills since 2013 and filled the same role for the Sabres since 2015, after the Pegulas bought the team. He had been with the Bills since 1997.

--Retired quarterback Tony Romo believes his former favorite target, Dez Bryant, can bring a positive impact to a number of NFL teams.

Romo, who retired before last season and joined CBS in a game analyst role, disagrees with Bryant -- released prior to the 2018 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys -- still being out of work.

Meanwhile, one Cowboys executive seemingly disagreed with the team's former star QB. In a radio interview on ESPN 105.3, Dallas assistant director of player personnel Will McClay said the decision to dump Bryant was made completely based on his fading production, not on the receiver's animated personality.

--Oakland Raiders guard Vadal Alexander is suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2018 season for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances, the league announced.

Alexander will be eligible to return to the Raiders' roster on Oct. 1, one day following a game against the Cleveland Browns. He is eligible to participate in offseason workouts and preseason practices and games.

Alexander, 24, has played in 24 games (nine starts) over the past two seasons for Oakland. Alexander was a seventh-round draft choice out of LSU in 2016.

--The Minnesota Vikings' 39-year-old cornerback Terence Newman told reporters on a conference call that he intends to hang up his cleats after this season -- his 16th in the NFL.

Newman, who re-signed with the Vikings on Monday, turns 40 in September and will be the oldest defensive player in the NFL now that James Harrison has retired. Newman has played in 221 regular-season games, and his 42 career interceptions are the most of any player currently on an NFL roster. Unsigned DeAngelo Hall has 43.

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Newman has five interceptions in three seasons with the Vikings. The two-time Pro Bowler also has played for the Dallas Cowboys (2003-11) and Cincinnati Bengals (2012-14).

--Former Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett will sign with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent, according to a report from Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

Barrett reportedly had an invite to try out for the Indianapolis Colts and drew interest from other teams before choosing the Saints. With New Orleans, Barrett would compete for a backup job behind Drew Brees with veteran Tom Savage and 2017 undrafted QB Taysom Hill.

Barrett, 23, wasn't among the 13 quarterbacks taken during last week's draft despite a standout career at Ohio State. Barrett threw for school records of 9,434 yards and 104 touchdowns (a Big Ten record) in his four seasons with the Buckeyes. Barrett passed Brees (12,692) for the most career offensive yards in Big Ten history with 12,697.

--The Indianapolis Colts waived fourth-year running back Matt Jones.

Jones, 25, signed with the Colts last offseason following two years with the Washington Redskins, but he carried only five times for 14 yards in limited duty in five games behind Frank Gore, Marlon Mack and Robert Turbin.

Gore is now with the Miami Dolphins, but Jones' fate in Indianapolis was seemingly sealed with the Colts selecting Nyheim Hines (fourth round) and Jordan Wilkins (fifth) in the 2018 NFL Draft to compete with Mack, Turbin and second-year back Josh Ferguson.

--Kickoffs will not be eliminated by the NFL in 2018, but the committee for player safety is planning to recommend modifications for adoption ahead of the regular season.

NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent said at the league's player-safety summit that major adjustments are being weighed, but eliminating kickoffs is not on the table.

Among the options would be adjustments to alignment and formation requirements aimed at making kickoffs and returns a less dangerous play. Owners are expected to vote on any proposal May 21-23, when the league meeting takes place in Atlanta.

--When the 2018 NFL Draft came and went with no trade involving embattled offensive tackle Erik Flowers, it became more likely the New York Giants would hold onto the former first-round pick.

Then Flowers shared a post of his agreement to join Drew Rosenhaus and Rosenhaus Sports. Flowers had been using his father as his agent and manager. Joining Rosenhaus could be an exit strategy for Flowers, who is hopeful of finding a new team. Flowers is training in Miami and did not report for the start of offseason workouts under first-year coach Pat Shurmur.

Releasing Flowers appears to be a painless option for the Giants. He's owed $4.57 million, but the deal is not guaranteed, meaning no cap charge for the Giants if he's released. The Giants must decide whether to pick up Flowers' fifth-year option worth $12.5 million, but that seems highly unlikely.

--Field Level Media

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