2014 July - Pro Football Rumors

AFC East Notes: Vick, Wilkerson, Idzik, Pats

July 23rd, 2014 at 7:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Michael Vick has said repeatedly that he expects Geno Smith to be the Jets‘ starting quarterback in 2014, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to wind down his career, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. “I still feel like I’m a premier quarterback in this league,” Vick said today after reporting to training camp. Vick, entering his 12th season, acknowledged this situation feels different because he’s entering camp as the presumed backup. Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said recently that Smith will get 70- to 75-percent of the first-team reps, a clear indication that it’s Smith’s job to lose. Here’s more on the Jets and other notes from the AFC East..

The honeymoon is over for Jets GM John Idzik, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Idzik is only entering year two with Gang Green but his predecessors, Terry Bradway in 2001 and Mike Tannenbaum in 2006, reached the postseason in their first seasons as GMs. Cimini notes that Idzik has been around long enough to put his stamp on the team as there are only seven starters that can be considered true holdovers from the previous administration: D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold, Muhammad Wilkerson, David Harris, Damon Harrison, Quinton Coples, and Demario Davis.
Muhammad Wilkerson said he never considered holding out because he sees himself as the leader of the Jets, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. The defensive lineman will earn just $1.2MM this season and has been pushing for a new deal.
Tight end Nate Byham‘s deal with the Patriots is for one year, $645K and includes no bonuses, tweets MIke Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. He’s expected to compete for a backup spot in a role similar to the one Matthew Mulligan used to occupy. Byham has 11 career catches for 83 yards and one touchdown but has a reputation as a solid blocker. Interestingly enough, the stats from Pro Football Focus don’t grade him as a tremendous run-blocker.

Jerry Jones: Kyle Orton Doesn’t Plan To Retire

July 23rd, 2014 at 6:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Kyle Orton won’t be playing for the Cowboys in 2014, but he’s not necessarily done with the NFL. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters, including Marc Sessler of NFL.com, that the backup veteran quarterback has no intentions to call it quits and want to keep playing in 2014, just not for Dallas.

Jones explained that Tony Romo‘s former backup planned to report for camp in order to force the team’s hand, but wasn’t going to actually suit up in games for the Cowboys.

“Once he gave an indication that he was not going to retire and come back with all the other aspects of not having participated in the spring work that we did…then it was decision time on our part.” Jones said. “You need to be out there, you need to be on the field, you need to be doing your best every play, or somebody else can step up there. That’s all alive and well in this decision. But it’s important to understand that we were paying Kyle a lot of money. That money can go toward paying (someone) that can help us win in our judgment more than having that much invested in him, his position of backup quarterback.”

Orton, 31, had strongly indicated throughout the offseason that his preference was to end his playing career, but the Cowboys hoped he’d either return or formally retire so that they could recoup some of his bonus money. Ultimately, Orton won the stare down with Dallas and was granted his release. While he won’t get his base salary of $3.25MM, he did manage to keep his entire signing bonus. The Cowboys are down a backup QB, but they have a little additional cap flexibility this year, which could help facilitate extensions for Dez Bryant or Tyron Smith.

Orton, who has spent time with the Bears, Broncos, Chiefs, and Cowboys has more than 15,000 career passing yards to go along with 83 touchdowns in 75 total contests (70 starts). It sounds like he’ll look to add to that total in 2014.

Minor Moves: Seahawks, Saints, Panthers

July 23rd, 2014 at 6:42pm CST by Zachary Links

We rounded up the NFL’s minor moves this afternoon and we’ll round up the latest here..

The Seahawks are set to sign wide receiver Morrell Presley, who was with them earlier this offseason, tweets Jayson Jenks of the Seattle Times.
Saints outside linebacker Cheta Ozougwu has cleared waivers and been placed on New Orleans’ IR, according to MIke Triplett of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
In addition to Fernando Velasco, the Panthers have added another former Titans lineman in Kevin Matthews, tweets Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean. Matthews recently tried out for Miami but didn’t catch on there.
Defensive tackle Chris Whaley, who suffered a knee injury, has cleared waivers and reverted back to the Cowboys IR where he can rehab for the season, tweets Todd Archer of ESPN.com.
The Browns claimed offensive tackle Abasi Salimu off waivers from the Rams, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. The Browns also waived former Duke wide receiver Conner Vernon, according to Caplan (Twitter link). Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (on Twitter) adds that defensive back Royce Adams and linebacker Brandon Magee have also been cut by Cleveland.
LInebacker Darrin Kitchens (leg contusion) cleared waivers today and is now on the Bills’ injured reserve list, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
The Packers cut linebacker Shaun Lewis, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
The Cowboys cut Jarrod Pughsley from the injured reserve today with an injury settlement, according to Wilson (Twitter link).
The Panthers cut former University of Miami center Jared Wheeler, Wilson tweets. Wheeler was one of nine UDFAs signed by the Panthers back on May 12th.
The Broncos signed former Indiana kicker Mitch Ewald, Wilson tweets.

Browns Sign Justin Gilbert

July 23rd, 2014 at 6:20pm CST by Luke Adams

6:20pm: The Browns confirmed the signing via Twitter.

12:40pm: First-round cornerback Justin Gilbert has agreed to terms on his rookie contract with the Browns, reports Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Once Gilbert officially puts pen to paper, Cleveland will have locked up its entire 2014 draft class, just in time for its rookies to report to camp.

Gilbert, who played his college ball at Oklahoma State, was selected eight overall by the Browns in May after the team traded down from No. 4 and then back up from No. 9. The first cornerback off the board in the ’14 draft, the 22-year-old won the 2013 College Football Performance Award as the nation’s top defensive back.

As Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com show, Gilbert should be in line for a signing bonus worth in excess of $7.65MM, while the overall value of his four-year deal will be around $12.834MM. The reason for the holdup on an agreement isn’t yet known, but it may have something to do with the two sides haggling over offset language in the contract.

With Gilbert now locked up, Tennessee’s Taylor Lewan is the only 2014 draftee who has yet to reach an agreement with his NFL team.

Texans Sign Tyson Clabo

July 23rd, 2014 at 5:55pm CST by Ben Levine

5:55pm: It’s a two-year, $2.4MM deal for Clabo, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

1:12pm: The Texans have signed veteran offensive tackle Tyson Clabo, according to agent Chad Speck (via Twitter). ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets that Clabo has signed a two-year-deal. The eight-year veteran met with Houston last week after having previously been linked to the Cardinals. As Brian McIntyre points out on Twitter, Clabo previously played for Texans offensive line coach Paul Dunn in Atlanta. He will also be reunited with former Miami assistant general manager Brian Gaine.

The former Pro-Bowler played with the Dolphins last season after spending seven season with the Falcons. According to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), 2013 was arguably the worst season of the veteran’s career. However, Clabo consistently ranked among the league’s best tackles during his time in Atlanta.

Regardless, the 32-year-old will provide some depth to the Texans’ offensive line. Head coach Bill O’Brien has already declared Derek Newton the starting right tackle, but that might change with Clabo in the mix.

Sidney Rice To Retire

July 23rd, 2014 at 5:00pm CST by Ben Levine

5:00pm: Rice has officially announced his retirement and discussed his decision on Seahawks.com:

“I was just thinking about things I’ve been through in the last few years,” he said. “I’ve hit the ground a number of times. I have quite a few injuries. It’s something I’ve always battled through and came back from.

“But I just figure at this point I have the rest of my life ahead of me and I want to be able to function and do things later down the road.”

Rice also talked about his future, including opening additional Wingstop restaurants.

“I’m sort of a job creator right now,” he said. “What got me into the wings? It’s my favorite food. In Minnesota there was no Wingstop. So me and Adrian Peterson, every time we’d have an away game, we’d hop in the car and try to find a Wingstop. So we always talked about opening one.”

Even with all of his future endeavors, the veteran still plans on spending time with his former teammates.

“I’m going to be around,” he said. “I love it. The state has grown on me, the people. The best fans you could ever hope for. So I’ll be around as much as possible in the locker room with those guys.

“It’s not something I don’t care about anymore. It’s just being able to enjoy life down the road as much as I can. But I want to help those guys as much as possible, and while they’re playing help them prepare for their future as much as I can.”

2:55pm: Former Pro Bowl receiver Sidney Rice will retire, a league source tells ProFootballTalk.com (via Twitter). The source says the 27-year-old’s concussion history was a factor in the decision (via Twitter). The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta confirms the report on Twitter.

Rice was played on injured reserve during the 2011 season after sustaining a pair of concussions in a three-week span. He also dealt with concussion issues last season.

The veteran was also recovering from an ACL injury he sustained halfway through the 2013 season. He missed the rest of the season and watched on the sideline as the Seahawks won the Super Bowl. The team released Rice in late February, but the player returned on a one-year contract less than two months later.

The wideout never lived up to the five-year, $41MM he signed prior to the 2011 season. His best season came with the Vikings and Brett Favre in 2009 when he had 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns. He finished last season with 15 catches for 231 yards and three scores.

Panthers Sign Fernando Velasco

July 23rd, 2014 at 4:54pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers have signed veteran offensive lineman Fernando Velasco, according to Bill Voth of the Black and Blue Review. Current Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson welcomed (and ultimately reported the signing of) his former Georgia teammate by posting a picture to Instagram.

Velasco spent 2013 with the Steelers, filling in for injured center Maurkice Pouncey. The 29-year-old was solid with Pittsburgh, as Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him as the team’s fourth-best lineman. The lineman also spent four seasons with the Titans, where he consistently ranked among the team’s best linemen.

While the Panthers lack some depth at left tackle, the team instead added some depth up the middle. Velasco will back up starter Ryan Kalil, and he should also be able to adequately spot both guards positions.

Ace Sanders Suspended Four Games

July 23rd, 2014 at 4:30pm CST by Zachary Links

WEDNESDAY, 4:30pm: The Florida Times-Union’s Ryan O’Halloran reports (via Twitter) that the NFL has announced that Sanders will be suspended for four games. Coach Gus Bradley spoke about the suspension of Jaguars.com Live (via John Oehser of Jaguars.com)…

“It is unfortunate,” he said. “You hate to lose a player of Ace’s caliber for a period of time. He’s a great teammate, and players really respect him. He’s very talented.

“We’ve talked to Ace and said, ‘When you come back from all of this we’re going to welcome you with open arms and, ‘Let’s get back to work.’ We’ve talked to our guys about, ‘You’ve got to get your world right, then the man becomes right.’

“That’s what he’s doing now. He’s getting himself right.”

TUESDAY, 6:36pm: In a conference call with reporters earlier this evening, Jaguars wide receiver Ace Sanders said that he is facing a four-game suspension and won’t be around for the majority of training camp, according to Mark Long of The Associated Press.

“I made some mistakes I do regret. I’m still dealing with it and trying to be a better person,” Sanders said, according to Long (on Twitter).

This is another tough blow for a Jaguars team that will most likely be without star Justin Blackmon for the 2014 season. Sanders had 51 receptions for Jacksonville in his rookie season, second only to Cecil Shorts‘ 66 catches and ahead of the soft-handed Maurice Jones-Drew. Sanders is undoubtedly bummed about missing one-quarter of the 2014 season, but football probably isn’t the first thing on his mind at the moment. The wide receiver said that he has been down a “tough road” and will seek counseling for his problems.

Minor Moves: Packers, Jaguars, Chargers

July 23rd, 2014 at 3:39pm CST by Ben Levine

It’s been a busy Wednesday in the NFL, with a handful of veteran signings (including Jason Babin), a confirmed suspension and a retirement. Let’s take a look at some of the more under-the-radar moves from this afternoon…

The Packers have signed linebacker Korey Jones, the player’s agent told Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). The former Wyoming player spent 2013 with the BC Lions of the CFL after a brief stint with the Cardinals.
The Jaguars have announced the signing of rookie defensive back Deion Belue. The team subsequently waived rookie running back Beau Blankenship. Belue, a former standout for Alabama, has already spent time on the Dolphins and Steelers rosters. Blankenship had a 15-touchdown season for Ohio University in 2012 and was signed by the Jaguars in May.
The Cardinals announced that they have cut rookie wide receiver Kelsey Pope. The former Samford Bulldog broke multiple Southern Conference receiving records during his collegiate career.
The Chargers have waived (failed physical) former second-round pick Jonas Mouton, the team announced. The linebacker made three appearances in three seasons with the team.
The Vikings have waived defensive end Spencer Nealy and signed tight end Michael Higgins, the team announced on Twitter. Nealy, a former undrafted rookie, is suspended for the first four games of the 2014 season. Higgins previously spent time with the Saints.
The Patriots have released wide receiver Tyler McDonald and re-signed wideout Greg Orton, reports the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe (via Twitter). McDonald, a former Maine Black Bear, was signed by New England less than a week ago. Orton spent last season on the Patriots practice squad.

Lane Johnson Suspended Four Games

July 23rd, 2014 at 1:35pm CST by Ben Levine

JULY 23, 1:35 pm: The Eagles have announced that Johnson has been suspended for the first four games of the 2014 season. The team released a statement:

“We’re very disappointed to learn of his suspension. We have spoken to Lane about the details of the suspension. He understood what he did wrong and took full responsibility. The key for him, however, is to learn from that mistake and move forward with his preparation for the 2014 season.”

Johnson also addressed the suspension:

“In April while training, I mistakenly and foolishly put a prescribed medication in my body to help with a medical issue. I mistakenly failed to clear it with Eagles trainers and check the NFL list of banned substances. I am extremely sorry for this mistake and I will learn from it and be smarter in the future.

“I would like to sincerely apologize to Mr. Lurie, Howie Roseman, Coach Kelly and his staff, my teammates and our amazing Philadelphia Eagles fans. This will be very hard on me to not be battling with my teammates for four games – but I will be ready and better than ever when I return.”

JUNE 30, 3:50pm: McLane has confirmed the report. Citing NFL sources, the reporter tweets that Johnson has indeed tested positive and faces a four-game ban.

3:12pm: An NFL spokesperson would not confirm the reports, tweets Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer:

“Our office has no such information on him at this time.”

2:37pm: Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and will be suspended for the first four games of the 2014 season, sources tell Paul Domowitch of Philly.com (via Twitter). However, there has been no comment from the league spokesman, tweets NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal.

Johnson struggled at times as a rookie, but showed promise towards the end of the season. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him as the 46th-best tackle (about middle-of-the-road), but they also ranked him among the ten worst pass blockers. He did rank positively in run blocking, where he finished tenth among tackles.

The Eagles were expected to return their same offensive line as 2013, but those plans would obviously change if Johnson is suspended. Allen Barbre, who signed an extension with the Eagles this past offseason, would likely take Johnson’s place at right tackle. As Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com notes, it was Barbre who filled in for an injured Jason Peters last season.

Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com guesses that a four-game suspension would likely cost Johnson $934K in salary and forfeiture (via Twitter). He adds that a suspension could also void his guarantees (via Twitter).

If Johnson is indeed suspended, he would be joining teammate Jake Knott, who was suspended in April for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances.