NFL Player News

The Jets have been doing their due dilligence in scouting college quarterbacks leading into the draft, but current starter Geno Smith plans on maintaining that position. He claims he's not even thinking about potential competition.

"You have to expect anything," he told the New York Daily News. "I believe this is my team. I go out there and I work hard and I try to lead the guys the best way that I can. ... I don't listen to the outside noise. I don't think it's important at all. I don't think it motivates me. I'm motivated by the fact that we need to win."

So is new coach Todd Bowles, who wants his quarterback taking that mental approach.

"If you look at what we draft instead of worrying about what you can do, you're going to lose your spot," Bowles said.

The interest in college quarterbacks, however, is based on Smith's inability so far to help the Jets become a consistent winner. He performed better down the stretch last year, however, completing 66 percent of his passes for 1,001 yards and six touchdowns with just two interceptions in his last four games combined. The Jets won two of those games.

The Browns believe they have a good chance to trade for Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford before the start of Thursday's NFL Draft, a source told Peter King of Sports Illustrated on Wednesday.

Philadelphia acquired Bradford and a 2015 fifth-round pick from the Rams in exchange for quarterback Nick Foles, a 2015 fourth-round pick and a 2016 second-round pick back in March. Bradford missed all of last season due to his second torn ACL in as many years.

St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher confirmed to reporters after the deal that the Browns tried to trade for Bradford before the Rams and Eagles agreed to a trade.

Soon after the trade was completed, Philadelphia coach Chip Kelly dispelled the notion that he will trade up for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, reiterating that Sam Bradford and Mark Sanchez are his quarterbacks for 2015.

"We didn't bring Sam in here to be a [trading] chip," Kelly said back in March.

The Eagles and the Titans are expected to deliberate at some point before the draft on Thursday. If Kelly sends Bradford to Cleveland, then all signs would point toward the Eagles making a run to acquire the No. 2 overall pick of the draft for Mariota.

A team has traded up for a quarterback in Round 1 in 11 of the past 12 drafts, per Chris Sprow of ESPN.

The Dolphins have reportedly exercised their fifth-yer team option on quarterback Ryan Tannehill, locking him up through the 2016 season, according to Pro Football Talk.

Tannehill will earn $15 million in 2016 based on the contract clause for Miami to pick up his option. Tannehill threw for a career-high 4,045 yards with 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2014.

Dolphins executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum said the club has yet to decide if it will extend quarterback Ryan Tannehill, according to the Palm Beach Post. 

The Dolphins could decide to pick up Tannehill's fifth-year option and wait on an extension. The deadline for doing so is May 3. Doing that would cost the Dolphins $15 million for the 2016 season. 

Previously, NFL.com reported that the Dolphins were hopeful that they could strike a long-term deal with Tannehill before Week 1 of the 2015 season. 

In 2014, Tannehill threw for 4,045 yards with 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

The Dolphins are on the clock with quarterback Ryan Tannehill, according to ESPN.com. The team has until May 3 to decide whether they want to exercise their fifth-year option on Tannehill through the 2016 season, worth approximately $15 million.

The team is expected to pick up the option if they cannot reach a long-term extension with him. Tannehill had his best season in 2014, throwing for 4,045 yards with 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider has expressed caution in regard to the slow pace of contract negotiations with quarterback Russell Wilson.

"Every negotiation is unique in and of itself and this is no different," Schneider told radio station KIRO. "He's our quarterback. We'd love him to be our quarterback. But the thing is we need to keep as many players together as we possibly can. What I can tell you is that this is the ultimate team sport. We have a track record of rewarding our players that we recognize as core players."

Schneider added that the Seahawks need to "make smart decisions" in working to maintain their winning ways for a long time.

Contract talks between the Seahawks and standout quarterback Russell Wilson are progressing slowly at best, multiple sources have told Pro Football Talk.

Wilson is under contract through 2015, but is considered underpaid in relation to other top-level players at his position. He not only led the team to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, but he is coming off a season in which he threw for 20 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.

The Dolphins don't just want quarterback Ryan Tannehill on the field for Week 1, they want him locked up on a long-term contract, according to NFL.com.

If a new deal cannot be struck, the team can still exercise his fifth-year option that will keep Tannehill in Miami through the 2016 season for about $16 million. But the Dolphins are hoping they are not forced to make that a reality.

Tannehill performed well enough in 2014 to motivate the front office to work on a new contract. He set a franchise record for completions with 392 while tossing 27 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. He racked up 4,045 yards in the process.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has not ruled out playing baseball in addition to his football career, per NFL.com.

"You never want to kill the dream of playing two sports," Wilson said. "I would honestly play two sports."

His latest statement regarding playing two sports was made to Bryant Gumbel in an interview that will air on the HBO series Real Sports.

Jets quarterback Geno Smith spent nearly two months this offseason training with former major-league pitcher Tom House, according to ESPN. House said he had Smith focus on four basic metrics: Biomechanical, functional strength, nutrition and a mental/emotional profile.

"I think he left incrementally better in all four metrics," House said.

House described Smith as a hard worker that is "not afraid to put in the time." House said they challenged Smith and "he met the challenge perfectly."

"He's really good," said House, who has also worked with Tom Brady and Drew Brees. "None of them are perfect -- Nolan Ryan and Greg Maddux weren't perfect when they came to me -- but we try to train for perfection."

Smith spoke highly of his time with House, who said he made "incremental changes in (Smith's) delivery and incremental changes in his conditioning."

"This should make him a more consistent performer for a longer time," House said.