Several teams interested in Taylor Mays

Posted by Mike Florio on March 8, 2015, 8:41 PM EDT
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Five years ago, safety Taylor Mays was upset when his former USC coach didn’t make Mays a first-round pick, taking Earl Thomas instead.  Now that Mays is approaching free agency, Pete Carroll likely will pass, again.

Other teams likely won’t.

Mays, traded from the 49ers to the Bengals in 2011, has drawn attention from multiple teams, per a league source.  The Vikings, Raiders, Rams, and Washington are leading the way, but the Bengals have a strong interest in keeping Mays around.

Mays, who appeared in all 16 games last year but with no starts, played for Vikings coach Mike Zimmer while Zimmer was the defensive coordinator in Cincinnati.

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38 responses to “Several teams interested in Taylor Mays”

  7. All these crappy organizations with tons of cap space are just throwing ridiculous amounts of money at mediocre free agents this year. I don’t blame these free agents for chasing money, but at some point they need to account for the fact that some of these organizations are the same crappy organizations they’ve been for years. Take slightly less money and play at a real organization — you’ll be way happier.

  8. LMAO, Mays you thought you were 1st round material?

    Pete was smart to stay away from this guy. Wasted pick.

  9. If Mays wanted to play for his former college coach, he should have played for Chip.

  17. He makes too many mistakes for a five year veteran. He has tremendous athletic ability, but still needs to improve his situational awareness.

    He is a great personality, hard worker, and leader to younger guys, and that might be worth keeping him around – if the price is right.

  19. stealthjunk says: Mar 8, 2015 8:59 PM

    All these crappy organizations with tons of cap space are just throwing ridiculous amounts of money at mediocre free agents this year. I don’t blame these free agents for chasing money, but at some point they need to account for the fact that some of these organizations are the same crappy organizations they’ve been for years. Take slightly less money and play at a real organization — you’ll be way happier.
    =====================

    Kinda like the ridiculous money GB gave to Cobb, a player their own fans call avg at best…….

  21. I’ve always thought that he’d be better playing LB with his size than safety. As said before his coverage skills are weak, might as well try getting him close to the line of scrimmage and pressure the QB.

  24. While working in LA media in 2009, when to a USC practice, was talking with my cameraman on the sideline when what I thought was a lineman zoomed by us. It was Taylor Mays. I can not repeat enough how large Mays is in person, especially for a DB. He is like Laron Landry with the ability to pass a blood test. He might be an outside LB candidate in a good cover two where his speed won’t be the liability it is at safety in the NFL.

  27. as straight cash homie said as well, I too thought Mays would have been a better linebacker. In fact I think he would have been an ideal Middle Linebacker in a Tampa 2 defensive scheme.

  29. Cobb? He took at least 2M less than he would’ve gotten at any number of other places…….just for the privilege of staying in Green Bay.

    If you want to use him as an example, let’s wait to see how much of a discount Adrian Peterson will take to stay in Minnesota.

    Yeah…..let’s wait for that.

  30. Zimmer had turned him into a linebacker/safety hybrid right before he left to go to the Vikings. Mays did well in that role, but our current DC (don’t even get me started) didn’t continue it. I’m sure if Zimmer wants Mays he has a plan for him.

  31. Pete knew exactly what Mays was…….the last man in when other teammates make the initial hit. Soft cover, soft hit.

  33. Was really high on him when he came to Cincinnati and thought he had the physical talent to dominate at safety or an outside linebacker, but after 5 years the NFL, he only has 98 tackles and only 9 last year.

    On HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” whenever you heard him talk, it was about super action comic book figures – really goofy, so maybe he’s a “toys in the attic” case.

    At any rate, his USC coach must have known something as his career has been a backup player the entire time.

  34. Sounds like agent speak. Half a dozen teams lined up to sign and reward a non-starter. Doubt it.

  35. Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane. I really wanted the Redskins to draft this guy to go with Landry after Taylor was killed. In hindsight, I’m glad we didn’t…he’s a shadow of Taylor.

  36. stoptrippn says:
    Mar 8, 2015 11:14 PM
    @realmenstripes. All players make mistakes at all levels. Stop hating on players and embrace goodness. Idiot.

    —–
    I said nothing hateful.

  38. He is limited to Special Teams and Cover 6. He gets lost in coverage. He will play on average 20 plays a game. So what do you pay for this limited use? $1,500,000.00

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