Pittsburgh Steelers: Malik Willis Could Make Quarterback Case for Steelers at Combine
This year's draft class is not considered particularly strong at quarterback, but the Steelers are beginning a new era at the position following Ben Roethlisberger's retirement.
Malik Willis of Liberty is one quarterback the Steelers will be scouting at the NFL Combine this week, and NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah loves Willis' potential. In his most recent mock draft, Jeremiah predicted the Steelers will take Willis at No. 20.
"There is risk in involved with any of these quarterbacks but he's the one with the most upside," Jeremiah said during a conference call last week.
Jeremiah predicted Kenny Pickett of the University of Pittsburgh would be the first quarterback off the board, going No. 18 to the New Orleans Saints. But Willis has the strongest arm in the draft and his throwing impressed Jeremiah at the Senior Bowl.
"He's got a huge arm," Jeremiah said. "He's not real tall … but he's built. He's a powerfully built guy who can drive the ball. At the Senior Bowl when it was raining and everyone else was struggling, he didn't have any issues whatsoever. This guy can really power the football. He can make all the throws, he can create and you can use the designed run game with him."
The Steelers have said Mason Rudolph would be the starter if the season began today, but it remains to be seen if Pittsburgh will pursue a veteran quarterback this offseason. The Combine will help the Steelers determine if a drafting a quarterback early in this year's draft class is the better option.
Cleveland Browns: Re-Signing David Njoku Reportedly a Priority
Browns tight end David Njoku has played himself into an enviable position with free agency starting March 16.
The Browns also have tight end Austin Hooper on their depth chart, but they want Njoku back and are prepared to pay him "double-digit millions" to keep him from leaving, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
Cleveland struggled offensively last season but Njoku led the team in touchdown catches (four) and had 36 catches for 475 yards.
The Browns and Njoku's representatives will likely continue negotiations during the Combine, but if he doesn't return, replacing him will add to Cleveland's offseason to-do list. Wide receiver Jarvis Landry said over the weekend that he wants to return and issued a series of tweets saying that he wasn't nearly 100 percent last season.
However, Landry is a potential cap casualty and his future in Cleveland, along with Njoku's, remains uncertain.
Cincinnati Bengals: Logan Wilson Expected to Make Full Recovery After Shoulder Surgery
Logan Wilson played well for the Bengals and was reportedly playing with an injury.
The second-year inside linebacker underwent surgery last week to repair a torn labrum suffered in Week 13, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported.
Wilson was in his native Wyoming over the weekend wearing a sling.
There was no drop-off in Wilson's performance after his injury. He had 39 tackles and an interception during the postseason, continuing to be a defensive leader for the Bengals. During the season, Wilson led the Bengals with 100 tackles and also had four interceptions.
He is expected to make a full recovery in time for next season as part of the young nucleus that has turned Cincinnati into an NFL heavyweight.
