Ohio State DE Sam Hubbard reportedly needs to have stellar workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine to stay as a first-round draft pick consideration, according to sources. Hubbard is coming off a disappointing season at Ohio State, looking stiff and slow last year, according to DraftAnalyst.com’s Tony Pauline.

The Baltimore Ravens like Oklahoma OT Orlando Brown Jr., and one league source said Brown is the type of blocker the team likes as a big-bodied player with length.

The Green Bay Packers have made progress in contract extension talks with QB Aaron Rodgers, according to team president Mark Murphy.

New York Giants impending free-agent RB Orleans Darkwa is a player the Giants may try to re-sign before the start of free agency, in the opinion of ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan.

Footballguys View: Darkwa should go back to being depth even if the Giants re-sign him. They have 2017 fourth-rounder Wayne Gallman on the rise and could draft Saquon Barkley at #2, or add another back later from this ultra-talented class.

Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the team is not sure if they will exercise S Byron Jones’ fifth-year option.

Footballguys View: Jones is athletically off the charts and his play is coming along. New defensive passing game coordinator Kris Richard got a lot out of less athletically gifted defensive backs in Seattle, so the Cowboys should decide to commit to Jones for at least one more year.

Dallas Cowboys impending free-agent DE DeMarcus Lawrence’s agent is scheduled to meet with the Cowboys at the NFL Scouting Combine, according to executive vice president Stephen Jones.

Footballguys View: Lawrence should get the franchise tag, coming off of a season that was by far the best of his career and at times game-changing. If the Cowboys somehow let him get to free agency, he should get something like the deal Olivier Vernon got from the Giants – five years/85 million dollars.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have started their due diligence on Boise State LB Leighton Vander Esch.

Southern California QB Sam Darnold will have a private workout with the Cleveland Browns before the 2018 NFL Draft. The Browns plan to have private workouts with all of the top quarterback prospects.

New England Patriots impending free-agent RB Dion Lewis said he hopes to re-sign with the Patriots this offseason but will do what is best for him and his family.

Buffalo Bills impending free-agent LB Preston Brown said he is open to signing with the New England Patriots this offseason.