HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Ryan Clady Tears ACL, Out For Year

May 29th, 2015 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 11:27am: The Broncos didn’t wait long to determine that Clady’s season is officially over, placing him on injured reserve today, per Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link). The veteran tackle is on the books for a $9.5MM base salary in 2016, which doesn’t include any guarantees, so it’s possible that he’ll have to take a pay cut to remain with Denver next year, depending on how his recovery goes.

THURSDAY, 2:25pm: Speaking to reporters today, head coach Gary Kubiak said that the team won’t officially rule Clady out for the 2015 season quite yet, and that the short-term IR list could be an option. With Clady out, the initial plan is to leave Clark at right tackle, with Sambrailo and Schofield in the mix on the left side (Twitter links via Lindsay Jones of USA Today).

1:25pm: The man responsible for protecting Peyton Manning‘s blind side may miss the entire 2015 season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Schefter reports that Ryan Clady, Denver’s starting left tackle, tore his ACL during practice on Wednesday and will likely be sidelined for the year.

Clady, 28, has manned the left tackle spot for the Broncos since being drafted in the first round by the team in 2008. The veteran tackle has earned four Pro Bowl berths and two All-Pro nods, starting every game for Denver in every season except 2013, when he went down in September with a season-ending Lisfranc injury — Clady’s ACL tear figures to be his second season-ending injury in the last three years.

According to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required), Clady didn’t rank among the league’s top tackles in 2014, with his -2.8 grade putting him in about the middle of the pack. Still, he logged 1,084 offensive snaps and allowed Peyton Manning to be sacked just twice, making him a steady and reliable presence on the Broncos’ offensive line.

With Clady out of action, the Broncos will be forced to find a replacement at yet another spot on their line, after making several changes to the group already this offseason. Orlando Franklin signed with the division-rival Chargers as a free agent, and Manuel Ramirez was sent to Detroit in a draft-day trade. Free agent signee Shelley Smith and trade acquisition Gino Gradkowski are expected to get the first opportunities to step into the starting lineup, though now another new starter will have to step up as well.

Right tackle Chris Clark shifted over to the left side when Clady went down two years ago, and could be asked to do so again in 2015. Michael Schofield, a 2014 third-round pick, and Ty Sambrailo, 2015’s second-rounder, are candidates to compete for playing time at either left or right tackle.

NFC Links: Ngata, Nelson, Guion, Panthers

May 29th, 2015 at 10:01am CST by Ben Levine

Following nine years in Baltimore, Haloti Ngata is now adjusting to a 3-4 scheme in Detroit. The veteran understands the learning curve, but the former Ravens standout is excited to start his career with the Lions nonetheless.

“It’s definitely difficult,” Ngata told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “You’re going to, when you get fatigued, you get back to your old technique, your old ways of doing things. I saw it on film (Tuesday) — I just kind of seen some of my technique going back to what I used to do in Baltimore. So just knowing that once I’m fatigued, I’ve got to still focus, understand what my technique is, what they want me to do on the defense and try to attack all the time.”

Let’s take a look at more notes out of the NFC…

  • Packers wideout Jordy Nelson has been tight-lipped in regards to his apparent offseason hip surgery. As ESPNWisconsin’s Jason Wilde notes, the Pro Bowler isn’t focused on the injury, and he’s instead looking forward to a productive season. “Obviously, if it didn’t bother me, I probably wouldn’t have had the surgery. But nothing major,” Nelson said. “I had an opportunity to get some things cleaned up. We did it, and I think it was a good move and feel good about where we’re at moving forward.”
  • Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion still hasn’t heard from the NFL regarding punishment for his offseason arrest, reports ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. The writer notes that Green Bay is “bracing for the possibility” that the former fifth-rounder will be out for some time.
  • ESPN.com’s David Newton believes the Panthers want one player to step up and replace Greg Hardy‘s production, as opposed to the platoon used most of last season. Ron Rivera seems to have his eyes on one candidate: Frank Alexander. “Frank’s doing a nice job,” Rivera said. “He’s showing that he’s hungry. He’s got a lot to prove personally. He feels that way and [is] working that way. This is his make-or-break season.”
  • Michael Oher joined the Panthers on a two-year deal, and the former first-rounder is thrilled with his decision. “It seemed like they wanted me,” Oher told Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. “I got the (same) feeling going into my rookie year of not wanting to let guys down and guys with a winning culture. For me, it’s about getting back to the basics and fundamentals of doing everything right. Looking myself in the mirror knowing what I have to do and getting better from within.”

QB Notes: Tebow, Winston, McCown, Rivers

May 29th, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Ben Levine

After being away from the game for the past two years, Eagles quarterback Tim Tebow is thrilled about his new opportunity. The former Heisman winner is behind Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez and Matt Barkley on the team’s depth chart, but the competition is far from Tebow’s mind.

“I think sometimes when things are taken away, then you don’t realize how much fun it is to come out here and play this game,” Tebow told Nate Davis of USA Today. “You can’t play it forever, so I’m going to enjoy it.”

Coach Chip Kelly had been thrilled with the 27-year-old’s performance in OTAs.

“I think he’s improved,” Kelly said. “He’s had a lot of time the last two years working at his game. (We) wanted to have a fourth quarterback here.”

Let’s check out some more notes regarding some of the league’s signal callers…

  • First-overall pick Jameis Winston is impressing the Buccaneers coaching staff during OTAs. “We have to kind of tell him when to leave,” head coach Lovie Smith told ESPN.com’s Pat Yasinskas. “For him, there’s been a lot of individual work, but having a chance this week to go against our best defense and things like that [has been good]. We have a long ways to go. But we like where he is right now.”
  • Browns quarterback Josh McCown has been “virtually anointed” the starting gig without a “hint” of competition, opines Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com. While teammates and coaches have supported sophomore Johnny Manziel, Grossi says the former first-rounder is struggling after a rough offseason.
  • Meanwhile, McCown says he wouldn’t have even considered visiting other teams (including the Bills and the Bears) if he had been aware of the talent on the Browns offensive line. “After being with them, 5-6 weeks, it’s like, had I known it was this good I wouldn’t even needed to take a visit (to Buffalo and Chicago),” McCown told Grossi.
  • Considering Ben Roethlisberger‘s recent extension, Jason Fitzgerald (writing for the Sporting News) believes Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers‘ next contract could surpass the total of Aaron Rodgers‘ extension. Rivers has previously been paid more than Roethlisberger, who came close to topping Rodgers’ contract’s average annual value.

Broncos Sign Ryan Harris

May 29th, 2015 at 8:25am CST by Luke Adams

FRIDAY, 8:25am: The Broncos have officially announced the Harris signing (via Twitter).

THURSDAY, 2:42pm: In the wake of news of Ryan Clady‘s torn ACL, the Broncos have moved quickly to secure some veteran depth, agreeing to terms with free agent tackle Ryan Harris, according to Adam Schefter and Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Mike Klis of the Denver Post tweeted earlier this afternoon that the club would likely show interest in Harris.

Harris, who turned 30 earlier this offseason, was originally selected by the Broncos in the third round of the 2007 draft, and spent several seasons with the team before joining Gary Kubiak‘s Texans. So he has plenty of history with the Broncos’ organization and coaching staff. Most recently, Harris spent the 2014 season in Kansas City, where he started 15 games for the Chiefs.

Despite the fact that he hadn’t been a regular starter since 2010, Harris played reasonably well at right tackle for the Chiefs last season, ranking 38th out of 84 qualified tackles, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). PFF graded Harris slightly better as a run blocker than a pass blocker in his 980 offensive snaps.

In Denver, Harris will join a group of offensive tackles competing for playing time on both the right and left sides of the line. With Clady sidelined, neither position is set in stone, and Harris figures to be in the mix along with Chris Clark, Michael Schofield, and Ty Sambrailo, among others.

Details of Harris’ contract have yet to be reported, but given how quickly it came together, and how late in the offseason it is, I’d expect a one-year, minimum salary pact.

Extra Points: Rice, Manning, Rams, Vick

May 28th, 2015 at 9:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Rex Ryan learned a lot in his time with the Jets, including the important of partnering with a franchise that shares his vision, Albert Breer of NFL.com writes. “I’ve had six years of experience,” the Bills coach said. “So am I gonna be better now? Of course. You’re not gonna be worse by having experience. The other thing is understanding what’s important, because the second time, I was lucky — I got to choose where to go. The thing about that was, go to an organization where you see the direction, and it’s the same direction (you believe in).” Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith told Sal Paolantonio of ESPN that he believes that former Ravens running back Ray Rice is being blackballed from the game. “This, unfortunately, is a league that has a history of blackballing players. I find it hard to believe that a player of Mr. Rice’s caliber hasn’t at least gotten one offer from a team to come work out,” Smith said (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). While Smith is suggesting some kind of collusion against the troubled Rutgers product, it seems very possible that all 32 teams have independently decided that Rice is simply not worth the trouble.
  • Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders doesn’t think that this will be Peyton Manning‘s last year in the NFL, Mike Klis of 9NEWS writes. “I think he’s got a lot left in the tank,” Sanders said Wednesday. “He’s wearing a glove and his spiral is back. He’s throwing a good ball. You can tell that the glove is helping him. He didn’t wear it this early last year. His arm is not a problem. His ball is accurate. I don’t see anything that says this is his last year.”
  • Missouri lawmakers are challenging the authority of Gov. Jay Nixon and other officials to build a new stadium for the Rams, as Marie French of The Associated Press writes. “I want nothing more than for the Rams to stay,” said Rep. Rob Vescovo. “But I don’t think the governor has the authority to bury us under the additional debt without proper vetting.” The lawsuit filed by Vescovo and his associates asks the court to stop any further action by the governor and the authority immediately.
  • Even after a forgettable season with the Jets, Michael Vick believes that he has more left in the tank, Ed Miller of The Virginian-Pilot writes. “I still feel like I can help a football team win a couple of games,” the soon-to-be 35-year-old said Wednesday. Vick reiterated his desire to play for three more years and pointed to last year’s performances against the Chiefs and Steelers as evidence that he’s still got it.
  • Eleven teams are showing interest in West Georgia pass rusher Darrius Caldwell, Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets. We learned on Wednesday that Caldwell is entering his name in the supplemental draft.

NFC South Notes: Brees, Jordan, Panthers

May 28th, 2015 at 8:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Many were surprised by the Saints‘ offseason trade of star tight end Jimmy Graham, but quarterback Drew Brees has learned to roll with the punches over the years, Evan Woodbery of The Times-Picayune writes. “I love Jimmy and I miss Jimmy, as a player and a person, but life goes on and I like the players that we have,” Brees said. Brees singled out Ben Watson, Josh Hill and third-string tight end Orson Charles as capable replacements for Graham, who is now with the Seahawks. Here’s more from the NFC South..

  • Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan played coy when asked about the status of his contract on Thursday, as Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune writes. Jordan did confirm that there have been contract talks for more than a year, but wouldn’t say much more. Jordan is currently playing on his fifth-year option.
  • Last week we learned that the Saints let two area scouts go. Today, Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter) found out that college scouts Brian Adams and Ryan Hollern are the scouts who were fired.
  • The Panthers believe that their offseason additions will help to free things up for wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, The Associated Press writes. The Panthers brought back veteran Ted Ginn Jr. and drafted Devin Funchess from Michigan in the second round this offseason to help beef up a passing game that finished 19th in the league last season. Benjamin, a rising NFL sophomore, impressed as a rookie in 2014.

Giants Host Jake Long On Visit

May 28th, 2015 at 8:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agent tackle Jake Long visited the Giants on Thursday, according to sources that spoke with Dan Graziano of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Long could be a consideration for the Giants in the wake of Will Beatty‘s injury.

Long, 30, saw time in just seven games for the Rams last season thanks to a torn ACL. The former No. 1 overall pick had been in St. Louis for the past two seasons after spending the first five years of his career with the Dolphins. There was some talk that Long could play on the right side with 2014 No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson taking his place on the left, but that never came to fruition.

Long has torn his ACL in each of the prior two seasons, playing in just 22 games during that timeframe. Last season, Pro Football Focus as (subscription required) ranked him as just the No. 36 tackle out of 84 qualified players. In 2013, however, Long graded out as the seventh-best tackle in the league with a strong 22.5 overall score, based on PFF’s advanced metrics.

NFC East Notes: Kelly, Hardy, Barkley

May 28th, 2015 at 7:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier this offseason, former Eagles running back LeSean McCoy accused Chip Kelly of racial bias, stating that he got rid of “the good black players.” Safety Malcolm Jenkins, still with the team, doesn’t see it that way, as John Gonzalez of CSNPhilly.com writes.

“Chip has been very, very transparent on what he’s evaluating us on,” Jenkins said. “That’s not only what we do on the field, but what we do in our assessments and how disciplined we are with our nutrition and all the sports science stuff. I haven’t seen him make a move outside of those parameters. I don’t think anybody in the locker room now thinks we have an issue with race. I don’t see that being a problem in the future. I don’t think there’s any need for Chip to address it.”

Here’s more from the NFC East..

  • Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant has not signed his franchise-tag tender but he did take part in a portion of Thursday’s OTAs, Todd Archer of ESPN.com writes. Unless Bryant signs the tender, he is not obligated to show up for the minicamp, but it sounds like he wanted to get on the same page with his teammates. When and if Bryant signs his tender, he’ll be guaranteed a $12.823MM salary. The deadline to hammer out a long-term pact is July 15th.
  • Greg Hardy‘s arbitration appeal of his 10-game suspension before arbitrator Harold Henderson has wrapped, according to Andrew Brandt (via Twitter). No date has been given for a decision on the Cowboys defensive end just yet.
  • Matt Barkley‘s name was thrown about in trade rumors a bit this offseason, but if you ask the quarterback, there was nothing to them, as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. “I had intel on what was going on, and there was nothing going to happen,” said Barkley, who shares an agent with coach Chip Kelly.
  • Kelly told reporters that Walter Thurmond was the first Eagles cornerback to get a crack at the safety position since he has experience as a nickel back and always seems to be around the ball, according to the Eagles’ Twitter account.
  • The Eagles have moved quarterback G.J. Kinne over to wide receiver, according to the team’s official Twitter page.

Vikings Did Not Ask Peterson To Take Pay Cut

May 28th, 2015 at 7:00pm CST by Zachary Links

7:00pm: Peterson took to Twitter again to clarify his remarks. “This is not against the Vikings. I am just frustrated that our union did not get guaranteed contracts for its players,” AD tweeted.

6:27pm: A source close to Peterson told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter) that the running back was arguing for guaranteed contracts and not attacking the Vikings. According to the source (link), he was “referring to guys like [Greg] Jennings and other players [who are] cut [or] released if they do not take a pay cut.”

5:44pm: Someone close to Adrian Peterson told Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune (on Twitter) that the Vikings haven’t brought up the idea of a pay cut with the running back. Peterson took to Twitter to rant a bit today and some got the impression that Minnesota was seeking a salary adjustment.

“Question for the people, is a contract two sided or one?,” Peterson rhetorically asked his followers. “Ok great two sided! Well why [is it that] when one party decides … we [want] you to take a pay cut now or better yet flat out release you, there’s never no talk about honoring a contract?”

Peterson is entering his age-30 season and is slated to be the NFL’s highest paid running back. He’s scheduled to earn a great deal of money over the next three years, but Peterson is ostensibly perturbed because none of that money is guaranteed. As Luke Adams of PFR wrote earlier today, it’s hard to empathize with Peterson when you take everything into account.

On Wednesday, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report heard from a league source that Peterson is unlikely to skip the entirety of the Vikings’ voluntary workouts. If AD shows up for work next week, he can still collect on his $250K workout bonus, so it would behoove him to do so. Later that day, Peterson released a statement to try and clarify his position.

“The reason I’m not attending OTAs has nothing to do with wanting to be traded. It’s about securing my future with the Vikings. It’s business, not personal and I understand that firsthand. Go Vikings.”

Minor Moves: Thursday

May 28th, 2015 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, including the latest mid-to-late-round draft pick signings:

  • As first tweeted by agent Mike McCartney, third-round tight end Tyler Kroft has signed his rookie contract with the Bengals. Per Over The Cap, Kroft’s four-year pact will be worth about $2.928MM, including a $648K signing bonus. First-round offensive lineman Cedric Ogbuehi is now the only Cincinnati draftee who remains unsigned.
  • The Cowboys have also signed all their draft picks besides their first-rounder. According to Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (Twitter link), the club locked up fourth-round linebacker Damien Wilson today, signing him to a four-year deal that features a signing bonus worth about $466K.
  • The Jets have cut quarterback Matt Simms, the club announced today in a press release. Given the presence of Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith, and Bryce Petty, there wasn’t much chance that Simms would make the Jets’ regular season roster. According to Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link), Simms asked New York to release him and the team obliged.
  • Former Oklahoma defensive back Julian Wilson, who signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent, was waived/injured by the team today after breaking his leg earlier this month, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. He’ll land on the injured reserve list, assuming he clears waivers.
  • The Buccaneers made a slight change to the back of their 90-man roster today, signing kicker Brandon Bogotay and waiving center Ben Gottschalk, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com (Twitter link).
  • Washington has added a pair of cornerbacks to its roster, signing Trey Wolfe and Tajh Hasson, per a team release. Hasson went undrafted this year out of UNLV, while Wolfe spent some time on Washington’s taxi squad in 2014.
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