NFL Rumors: Latest Draft Buzz on Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston and More

With the 2015 NFL draft class featuring just two must-have quarterbacks and a wealth of talent at skill positions, it's only right that the rumor mill moves at a feverish pace without signs of slowing. 

Don't expect the mill to cease until all the 200-plus picks are in the books, if then.

This is what happens when there is an extended wait for draft day. Teams throw out smokescreens to throw others off their trail. Others examine blockbuster opportunities and weigh various options at each pick.

Things are just getting started in the rumor department, so let's take a look at three of the biggest rumblings making the rounds.

Vikings Want a Corner at No. 11?

For quite a while now the expectation around the Minnesota Vikings has been simple—the front office will take a wideout at No. 11 and call it a day.

Easy, right? Head coach Mike Zimmer has a young franchise quarterback in place by the name of Teddy Bridgewater, and getting him more help to complement the erratic Cordarrelle Patterson makes sense.

Except the defensive-minded guru Zimmer might go defense anyway. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller hears Zimmer and his staff love what they see from Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes: "The Minnesota Vikings are rumored to love cornerback Trae Waynes, and a team scout told me he fits what they want at the position. He's been graded as a first-round player on their board, per the source."

Waynes put on a show at the NFL Scouting Combine, measuring in at 6'0" and 186 pounds before running a 4.31-second 40-yard dash. He was a hot commodity even before his combine performance, though, leading an elite defense with strong coverage skills.

The thing is, folks around the league know Zimmer as a guy who can squeeze the most out of a defense. His pass defense ranked seventh in the league last year. Waynes does seem like a classic Zimmer pick, so it doesn't seem wise to put it past him—stay open to the idea.

The San Diego-Marcus Mariota Connection 

Don't expect to stop hearing about the San Diego Chargers, Philip Rivers and Marcus Mariota in the same breath any time soon. 

It's a lot to digest. Bleacher Report's Jason Cole has the lowdown:

In short, Rivers is on the last year of his contract. Now 33 years old, he might want another big deal and may hope to avoid a potential relocation.

The shoe seems to fit on a blockbuster deal with the Tennessee Titans.

Rivers is no spring chicken, but the Titans can't complain about obtaining a quarterback who just threw for 4,286 yards and 31 touchdowns while completing 66.5 percent of his passes. He's thrown for more than 4,000 yards in six of his last seven seasons and more than 30 touchdowns four times in the same span. 

While Rivers isn't the prospect of the future, there's something to be said for the camaraderie between Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt and Rivers; the two spent 2013 together when Whisenhunt acted as San Diego's offensive coordinator.

Keep in mind this could also be a future-looking transaction if the Titans believe Zach Mettenberger is franchise-quarterback material. Rivers is a pretty solid guy to act as mentor.

As for the Chargers in a potential move, they free up cap space for years to come if the front office doesn't have to deal with re-upping Rivers. They remove the age-injury risk too, although replace it with one of either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota.

Still, if the franchise is intent on moving, what better way to provide a swift kick in the right direction than to bring on an exciting young quarterback of the future to pair with Keenan Allen and others?

Things are far, far from over on this front. It could all be a smokescreen, sure. But smoke equals fire most times, especially when all the ingredients seem to line up in a perfect manner.

Buccaneers Willing to Trade No. 1?

Much of how the 2015 draft unfolds centers on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The consensus over the last few months has been the Buccaneers selecting Winston at No. 1. It's one seeming to hold true despite off-field happenings surrounding the Florida State star, per ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas.

Yet the Buccaneers also seemed to throw a curveball at the globe this past weekend thanks to rumblings that the front office is open to dealing the draft's top pick. Newsday's Bob Glauber shares the details:

"

When asked if they have floated the idea of a potential trade in recent weeks, the Bucs declined to comment through a team spokesman. But one NFL source familiar with the team's thinking said they will consider a trade. 'You don't shut the door on it until you have to,' the source said of the Bucs' thinking, adding that the team appears willing to 'listen to offers.'

"

It makes a lot of sense in the grand scheme of things.

First, keeping the door open on such a maneuver is the only way to go. It makes no sense to slam it shut and not see what's out there unless the organization is so in love with a prospect it could send a representative to the podium right now and make the pick.

Which would be downright silly. There are two teams in the first round with multiple picks—the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints—and both may want to move up to grab quarterbacks of the future.

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Others teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and the Chargers may want to sell the farm and move up, too.

Creating a bidding war for the pick between desperate teams when the state of the quarterback position around the league is in shambles is a great idea. Winston has his obvious red flags and Mariota is far from a sure thing anyway, so why not dangle the pick out there, grab multiple top prospects this year and perhaps next year, too?

Again, it could all be a smokescreen, but logic suggests the only course of action is for the Buccaneers to see how far up they can drive the price.

And every team has a price.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of April 18. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus.