Cowboys Working On Monday Visits For Melton, Weeden - Nick Eatman, DallasCowboys.com
The Cowboys will host both Henry Melton and Brandon Weeden at Valley Ranch today. Eatman notes that more than anything, the Cowboys need a couple of arms to get them through OTAs and mini-camps as Romo recovers from his back surgery, hence the interest in another backup QB.
Source: Henry Melton Is In Dallas This Morning; "Talks Are Heating Up" - Blogging The Boys
To use a popular free agency euphemism, the Seahawks "let him leave the building without signing a contract", which now opens the door for the Cowboys to agree to a contract with Melton. However, such a contract is unlikely to come cheap, as both the Vikings and Seahawks likely remain in the mix for his services, and the Dallas Morning News is reporting that "talks are heating up with several teams".
No shortage of suitors for free-agent DT Henry Melton, including Cowboys | Brandon George, DMN
George lists the Vikings, Seahawks and Cowboys as potential suitors for Melton, but omits the Titans, where Melton was also reported to have a visit lined up some time this week.
DE Jared Allen slated to meet with Cowboys after club visits with DT Henry Melton | David Moore, DMN
The Cowboys are expected to meet with Jared Allen early this week. The club's primary target, Henry Melton, is visiting today, and Moore writes that the team's ability - or inability - to land Melton will impact its pursuit of Allen.
Anthony Spencer Visiting Giants - Blogging The Boys
Cowboys free agent defensive end Anthony Spencer is scheduled to visit the New York Giants. Spencer already took a trip to the Washington Redskins and now will follow that up with a trip to another of the Cowboys' NFC East rivals. Dallas has expressed an interest in keeping Spencer but are obviously content to see what the market holds before jumping in.
Giants to take a look at Cowboys DE Anthony Spencer | New York Post
The New York Post also announces Spencer's visit, and focus on some of the questions that need to be answered by Spencer:
The Giants will need to do some thorough physical workups for Spencer, 30, who played in only one game in 2013 for the Cowboys before undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee. That type of procedure often leaves players in a diminished state. Spencer, hit with the franchise tag by the Cowboys in back-to-back years, was coming off his best season when he had 11 sacks in 14 games in 2012. Spencer’s seven years with the Cowboys was spent as a 3-4 defensive end and how his skills translate to a 4-3 end is part of the evaluation process.
2014 NFL Draft: The free agent signings likely to impact the draft - CBSSports.com
Rob Rang takes a look at how free agency may have impacted the draft priorities of different teams. The Cowboys do not warrant a mention in this article, but in the hunt for Aaron Donald, Rang has an interesting observation about the Bears:
Given the Bears' toothless defense a year ago and the explosive offenses of the NFC North it seemed obvious just a few days ago that Chicago would be focusing on defensive linemen with the No. 14 overall pick. The addition of Lamarr Houston and Willie Young -- two gifted and young defensive linemen just now beginning to realize their potential -- could shift Chicago's attention to the back seven.
Aaron Donald 2014 NFL Draft scouting report - SBNation.com
And while we're o the topic of Aaron Donald, the draft's most athletic interior lineman gets the five-star treatment from Mocking The Draft's Dan Kadar, who is very impressed with Donald's combination of speed and technique and concludes his profile as follows:
"While teams that run a two-gap defense may not think as highly of Donald, the teams that like him will absolutely love his game. Donald's athleticism is unique to the position. He can often beat opposing linemen with his foot quickness and hand use. While he's a star on the inside, he showed a few times at Pittsburgh that he's capable of lining up at end and being disruptive."
Broncos may pursue Brandon LaFell, Miles Austin - The Denver Post
Miles Austin reunited with DeMarcus Ware? The Broncos are looking for a replacement for Eric Decker, and Miles Austin is one of the names that popped up.
Dallas gets pre-draft visit from ASU defensive lineman - Blogging The Boys
DE/DT Davon Coleman has a visit with the Dallas Cowboys on Apr. 16, making him the second confirmed pre-draft visitor to Valley Ranch after North Dakota OT Billy Turner. Coleman is currently ranked 843rd on the CBSSports big board (Hat tip to Dr-P)