Source: USA TODAY

NEW YORK — We’re close to getting answers about the 2013 NFL draft. For now, only questions remain as the draft opens with Thursday’s first round.

What’s happening at the top of the draft? Who’s crashing the first-round party? Who’s sliding out? Is this group of quarterbacks really the least impressive in recent years? And what about these health issues that are popping up as a big story line in Round 1?

These are some of the most pressing questions that have been asked over the last few months, weeks and days. We take a look at 10 of them and give you the latest answers.

1. Who will be the No. 1 overall pick?

Usually, we have our answer by now. Or at least a good feel for it. The consensus is the Kansas City Chiefs will select Texas A&M tackle Luke Joeckel, though there’s been some chatter Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher, another tackle, could jump him. The Chiefs have also let it be known they’re willing to move out of the top spot for the right price and, just to make sure all smokescreens had been fanned, advertised their workout with West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith on their website. Those who know general manager John Dorsey’s thinking on personnel matters think he’ll grab one of those. We’ll play the percentages and say it’ll be Joeckel.

2. Will Manti Te’o slip out of the first round?

No way. We’re not buying it. Te’o had the chance to meet with a bunch of teams at the combine, on his pro day and at private visits to clubs. Jerry Reese (New York Giants), Martin Mayhew (Detroit Lions) and Jeff Ireland (Miami Dolphins) are GMs who all spoke highly of Te’o after he visited. Let’s just say the sense is the catfishing incident didn’t do anything more to Te’o's draft stock than his subpar performance in Notre Dame’s national title loss to Alabama. A team is going to take Te’o in the first round, even if it’s as late as the Baltimore Ravens at No. 32.

3. Who will land Geno Smith?

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ new regime isn’t sold on Blaine Gabbert, but is Smith really worth taking at No. 2 overall? Probably not. But there’s been plenty of talk about serious trading at the top of this draft as teams get into position to grab the top offensive tackles. So wouldn’t it make sense for the Jaguars to slide back, collect an extra pick or two, stay in front of the Buffalo Bills (No. 8 overall) and grab Smith? Don’t discount that possibility.

4. What about Ryan Nassib?

It seems the mock drafters have him going to the Bills (and his college coach at Syracuse in Doug Marrone) or not going in the first round at all. The belief was Nassib wouldn’t wow the scouts but would win over the coaches later in the process as he sat down for meetings with them. That’s exactly what happened, and there’s a lot of chatter Nassib could be taken late in the first round by one of those top quarterback-needy teams (including the Bills) after a trade-up from early in the second round.

5. Who has made a late charge into the first round?

That would be SMU defensive end Margus Hunt. The Estonia native is a monster at 6-8, 277 pounds, so he’ll come with the warning label that he’ll have to play with low leverage to ensure he doesn’t get driven back. But that’s fine by plenty of teams, especially with coaching staffs who think his technique is just fine and will only get better. Hunt could come off the board as soon as No. 24 overall to the Indianapolis Colts.

6. When will Tyrann Mathieu be selected?

The third round is usually a good place for teams to start taking fliers on guys with good talent offset by a load of baggage. That’s where the Denver Broncos selected Maurice Clarett in a move that didn’t work out so well. It’s also where the New York Giants took Mario Manningham in a move that helped get them a Super Bowl title. Mathieu’s being on the smaller side (5-9) should prevent him from going in the first two rounds. But late Friday, listen for his name — despite the party flyer he tweeted that boasted he’d be taken in the first round.

7. Are D.J. Hayden’s health issues scaring teams?

Apparently not. The Houston cornerback, who nearly died after severing a vein during practice last year, made quite the statement at his pro day (a 40-yard dash timed in the high 4.3s/low 4.4s) and again at a workout this week. Hayden is still getting his body back to full strength, but many teams’ medical and training staffs have no doubt he’ll get there. He’ll be a first-round pick. Same with Utah DT Star Lotulelei, who might not get back into the top five, as he was originally projected, but won’t fall far after being cleared by a heart specialist following an abnormal test at the scouting combine.

8. What about Dee Milliner’s shoulder?

There’s concern about that one after he had surgery to repair a torn labrum. But that’s a common injury in the NFL and, if repaired and rehabbed properly, isn’t a long-term issue. Maybe Milliner slides to the back end of the top 10, but a tumble any further than that isn’t realistic, particularly with all of the teams up there that need cornerback help. (Psst! We’re looking at you, the Darrelle Revis-less New York Jets, at No. 9.)

9. Is the streak of 49 years with a running back chosen in the first round in jeopardy?

Very much so. This could be the first draft since 1963 without a running back going in the first round. Alabama’s Eddie Lacy is the best hope to keep it going, but many think he’s destined for the second round. And why not? With the short shelf life of running backs and the ability to grab them all over the draft, why use a first-round pick on a ballcarrier, especially when there’s no standout back in the bunch?

Of course not. Nearly every team in front of the Niners at No. 31 overall is expecting them to slide up, using some of those 13 picks to make it happen. In fact, most teams in that bracket would be shocked if they didn’t do just that. The Niners need safety help after losing Dashon Goldson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers via free agency. There are safeties to be had in the first round — Kenny Vaccaro (Texas), Eric Reid (LSU), Matt Elam (Florida) and Johnathan Cyprien (Florida International) — but the 49ers might have to be aggressive to go up and get the one they want. They have the ammo to do so.

***

Follow Mike Garafolo on Twitter @mikegarafolo

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

NEW YORK — Jarvis Jones wishes his 40-yard dash could’ve been better than 4.9 seconds. Don’t get that part wrong.

That said, the former Georgia linebacker is still expecting his name to be called sooner rather than later in the first round of this week’s NFL draft because, while straight-line speed is important, it’s not everything in football.

Each year, there are players whose film says one thing while the workout numbers say something else.

“I’m one of those guys,” Jones told USA TODAY Sports while making a promotional appearance in Manhattan for Subway. “Brandon Spikes ran a 4.95 and he’s a good player. Terrell Suggs was one of those guys and he’s causing sacks. It doesn’t matter, man. I feel that way. Once you’re on the field, it’s all about pursuit and angles.

“If I’m a student of the game, if I know what you’re doing before you do it, it doesn’t matter how fast you are.”

Asked if he’s a student of the game, Jones grinned and replied, “I’m trying to be.”

Jones is also trying to present himself as a good pass rusher and overall player worthy of going in the top 10 to 15 picks in the draft after recording 14½ sacks last season. But over the past weeks and months, he’s heard plenty of chatter about why he might slide out of that range.

The workout numbers only added to the questions about his ability to fight through double teams and the concerns about his medical history. Jones left USC when doctors there refused to clear him after diagnosing him with spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spine). Jones then headed to Georgia, where he didn’t miss a game over the past two years with a neck or back issue. Jones did miss two games last season, though those absences were due to shoulder, ankle and groin injuries.

Recently, teams received a letter from Charlotte-based surgeon Craig Brigham, who cleared Jones to play in the NFL without any restrictions and stated he believed Jones’ previous spinal issues were possibly due to a concussion of the spine or a stinger that has since cleared up.

Jones was shaken by Monday’s news that Brigham, who was to appear in court at the start of a civil suit brought by former NFL cornerback Samari Rolle, was found dead. According to a statement from OrthoCarolina, where Brigham practiced, Brigham’s death is believed to be of natural causes and related to previous health issues.

“It’s sad,” Jones said. “I was going to send him a jersey of whatever team drafted me.”

Brigham’s death was the latest frustrating development for Jones in what was supposed to be a joyous time in his life. Tuesday’s playful promotional appearance was a nice break from the stress of the draft process for him. He got to unveil a bust of his head made of Subway’s Smokehouse BBQ chicken (complete with raisins for his dreadlocks).

But after posing with the bust and serving up a few sandwiches, he got serious again while discussing the hits his draft stock has taken.

“I make plays everywhere,” Jones said. “You watch my film, you’ll see me making plays. I chased down (Jordan) Reed in the Florida game and knocked the ball out.”

He did just that by forcing a turnover that perhaps saved a touchdown and preserved a 17-9 victory.

“I chased down (Marcus) Lattimore,” Jones said, though he was fuzzy on the details of when that happened. “If you watch my film, I’m making plays from the other side of the ball. I’m on the left side and the guy’s running on the right side and I chase him down.

“At the end of the day, if you don’t have game speed, you could run a 4.1 and it doesn’t matter.”

And the spinal issues?

“I’m cleared. I’ve been cleared for a while,” he said. “All the teams saw me. Nobody was worried about it.”

Jones insists he’s not worried, either.

“I look at it as something totally different, something I can’t control, something I’m definitely not going to stress about,” he said. “Wherever I go, that’s where I go. There’s nothing I can do about it, I can’t change it. I’m just willing to sacrifice everything to be great. That’s all I’m worried about.”

Follow Mike Garafolo on Twitter@MikeGarafolo

***

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

Decatur (Ala.) police say Rolando McClain’s arrest for disorderly conduct was a result of his ignoring orders to stop walking after yelling, “F— the police!” at officers who had ordered a crowd at a park to disperse.

A Decatur police press release sent to USA TODAY Sports on Monday states the Baltimore Ravens’ linebacker, who has been arrested three times in his hometown of Decatur since December 2011, was one of 700 people at Pines Park on Sunday evening, where officers responded to a report of a fight.

There is no indication McClain was involved in the fight, though police say he was shouting his exclamation toward the rest of the crowd as he walked past officers.

McClain, who posted bond and was released Sunday, was cut by the Oakland Raiders after a series of off-field incidents. He signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens earlier this month, though this recent arrest could mean a swift dismissal for him.

McClain’s agent Pat Dye was not immediately available for comment.

According to the release, McClain ignored two orders to stop walking, saying, “You told me to walk, and I’m walking.” The officer then grabbed McClain’s arm, according to police, and told him he was under arrest for disorderly conduct.

“The man yanked his arms away from the officers as other individuals in his group moved in and tried to prevent the officers from arresting him. At this point, the officers recognized the man as Rolando McClain,” the release reads.

“McClain continued to struggle with the officers as the officers had to contend with his friends as well as him. Members of the crowd stepped forward and tried to get McClain and his friends to calm down and let the police do their job.”

According to the release, one of the arresting officers suffered a minor cut when McClain yanked his arm away as the officer was trying to handcuff him.

McClain was out on bond related to his arrest on January for providing a false name when he was pulled over for a window-tint violation. The Decatur prosecutor’s office hasn’t yet decided whether to ask the bonds from the previous arrest to be revoked.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

Rolando McClain is apparently about to find out just how little patience the Baltimore Ravens are going to have for his off-field shenanigans.

McClain has been arrested again in his hometown of Decatur, Ala., this time for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, Decatur police confirmed to USA TODAY Sports early Monday morning. McClain has posted bond and was released.

TV station WHNT in Decatur reported the former Alabama Crimson Tide star was part of a crowd that had gathered in a park and allegedly refused to leave when told by police to do so. According to the report, McClain allegedly began cursing at the officers.

This is the third arrest for McClain since December 2011, when he was taken into custody and eventually charged with assault, reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm – charges that were later dismissed when his accuser decided not to pursue the case.

This January, McClain was arrested in Decatur once again after writing a false name and an obscenity on a traffic ticket.

The Oakland Raiders released McClain last month, and he became the Ravens’ problem when he signed a one-year contract worth $700,000 earlier this month. The deal included no guaranteed money.

“It’s a move that can’t go wrong,” McClain told the Madison (Ala.) Weekly News before officially signing his deal.

Well, it just might have for McClain.

The former No. 8 overall pick could be out of Baltimore before even suiting up for a practice. General manager Ozzie Newsome and head coach John Harbaugh aren’t the types to put up with off-field distractions, particularly in this case because they knew McClain arrived with serious baggage in tow.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

All-pro cornerback Darrelle Revis agreed to a six-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccanneers worth $96 million, completing the long-rumored trade by the New York Jets on Sunday, according to a person with knowledge of the contract.

The deal is for $13 million per season in base salary and $3 million in bonuses — $16 million per season, every season, with the cash and salary-cap value identical, the person said.

The person requested anonymity because terms of the deal have not been made public by the player or the team.

With the new contract, Revis’ matches Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams’ $16 million average salary as the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL.

Revis’ agents tweeted Sunday afternoon that the two sides had reached an agreement, but they did not announce the contract’s terms. Shortly after, the Jets announced what the team had received in return, with the draft just four days away.

For Revis — their best player, but also a guy who has been chronically unhappy with his pay check — the Jets received the Bucs’ first-round pick on Thursday and a third- or fourth-round pick next year.

A fourth-round selection in 2014 becomes a third-rounder if Revis is on the Bucs’ roster on the third day of the league year.

With the framework of a trade in place, Revis arrived in Tampa on Sunday for a physical with the Buccaneers, and he was greeted at the airport by head coach Greg Schiano.

In a short time, the two sides had agreed on a new long-term contract — the reason the Jets had wanted to trade him in the first place — pending a physical. With a roster filled with holes and Revis indicating he wanted to renegotiate, the Jets unloaded him, hoping to use the picks to fill some needs as they build for the future under new general manager John Idzik.

Revis traveled to Tampa when the teams had reached an agreement on compensation.

With the worst-kept secret in NFL history dragging on for weeks, the NFL apparently had bet on the trade being completed: When it announced its 2013 schedule on Thursday night, it scheduled the Jets to host the Buccaneers in Week 1, clearly with an eye toward Revis’ making his return to MetLife Stadium to play his first regular-season game against the Jets.

The league is getting its wish, and the lead-up to that game begins now. Revis should not expect a warm welcome from Jets fans, who likely will be angry at the star, who, while playing well, spent his time with the Jets holding out, trying to squeeze the team for more money and/or seemingly trying to orchestrate a trade.

By trading Revis, the Jets will take a $12 million hit against the salary cap. However, he will not count against the cap in 2014, as he would have if he’d left as a free agent following this upcoming season.

Before spending draft picks and investing millions in Revis, Tampa wanted to see if Revis’ left ACL, which he tore last September, was healthy well ahead of their being on the clock on Thursday. Revis was cleared by surgeon Russ Warren last week to begin running with no restrictions. Jets general manager John Idzik said a few days later the team was “pleased” with what it had seen so far from Revis.

The Buccaneers, who traded away cornerback Aqib Talib to the New England Patriots last year, have made the decision to pursue Revis sight unseen. It is difficult to imagine their doctors and trainers will see something different than the Jets’ staff or Warren.

So much for not “actively” shopping Revis, as Jets coach Rex Ryan had claimed. Ryan now faces a huge season for his future with the Jets and has lost the best cornerback in the NFL when healthy.

The move also won’t bode well for owner Woody Johnson’s approval rating with his fan base, though it’s obviously being made with the long-term interests of the team in mind, not just the 2013 season.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

The New York Giants’ “risk” in allowing Victor Cruz to hit the open market appears to have paid off.

The deadline for teams to extend offer sheets to players who received tenders as restricted free agents has passed and no word of an offer is apparent. Teams had until 11:59 p.m ET Friday to do so.

That means the Giants basically now are bidding against themselves for Cruz, who has yet to sign the tender offer of one year for $2.879 million.

Of course, this latest development doesn’t mean the posturing is done. Cruz, who hasn’t made an appearance during offseason workouts, still wants a long-term deal and doesn’t seem interested in signing his tender. The Giants would like to give Cruz that deal as well, but the team’s offers of more than $7 million per season haven’t been enough for him to accept.

Giants president John Mara knew he and upper management were taking a “risk” in giving another team a chance to make Cruz an offer, though the Giants would’ve had the right to match or receive a first-round pick as compensation. Now, if Cruz doesn’t sign his tender by June 17, the team can lower its offer to a 10 percent raise over what Cruz made last season when his base salary was $540,000.

Such a move would seemingly only anger Cruz, who has been silent over the past few months and hasn’t spoken publicly about his contract at all.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Eli Manning got some work in with Victor Cruz last week during workouts at Duke University. Since then, Cruz hasn’t made an appearance at the New York Giants’ facility.

For Manning, that’s not his business and he won’t make it his, either.

“No, I’m not going to pry him. He’s got to do what’s in the best interest of him,” Manning said Thursday. “That’s usually staying away and putting pressure (on a team) to try to get the deal done.”

Cruz could partake in workouts, if he chose. He’s technically not under contract, but he’s been given a tender as a restricted free agent, so the Giants retain his rights.

Cruz could sign a participation agreement allowing him to take part in the workouts without signing an actual contract. Giants running back Andre Brown chose to sign a participation agreement and has been in the building this week.

Cruz, who has made a few appearances at the Giants’ facility this offseason, has decided to stay away from the workouts that began on Monday.

“Guys have choices. Andre chose to come, Victor chose not to come,” general manager Jerry Reese said. “Victor’s not here, he’s a free agent, he’s exercising all of his options and we’ll see how it goes.”

Reese said there was “nothing to report” on negotiations right now.

According to a person informed of the progress of talks, Cruz is seeking more than the going rate for slot receivers this year, which is the $6 million per-season rate Wes Welker received from the Denver Broncos. The person, who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the talks were to remain private, said the Giants have offered more than $7 million per season.

The key for the Giants is keeping Cruz’s contract in check because they’ll soon have to pay wide receiver Hakeem Nicks. As a prototypical No. 1 wide receiver, Nicks has his eyes on a contract in the realm of what the Miami Dolphins gave Mike Wallace ($12 million per season), according to a person briefed on those talks who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks weren’t to be discussed publicly.

The person said Nicks and the Giants aren’t close to an agreement. Meanwhile, it remains clear the Giants and Cruz remain apart as well, with Friday the final day another team could sign Cruz to an offer sheet.

“Obviously, he’s a big part of what we were doing the past few years. He did a nice job, just like Nicks did a nice job, just like a lot of players did a nice job,” Reese said. “It’s all about the team for us. Victor was a nice piece for what we were doing, and we’ll see where it goes with respect to his contract.”

Manning said he doesn’t expect Cruz to be at the Giants’ facility until a deal has been struck. Cruz was paid a base salary of $540,000 in 2012 when he caught 86 passes and had 10 touchdowns. This year’s tender would pay him $2.879 million, if he signs it.

If. Not when.

“I don’t assume anything,” said Reese, who claimed the Cruz situation won’t affect the team’s approach to next week’s draft. “I can tell you this: When we get ready to play, when the season starts, we’ll have good players out there. I’m not sure if Victor will be there or not. I don’t assume anything.”

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.