2015 June - Pro Football Rumors

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Amukamara, Giants

June 18th, 2015 at 9:04am CST by Zachary Links

Kenrick Ellis, 27, is in the midst of his first minicamp with the Giants after spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Jets. He’s already noticing some differences in the two teams, including their quarterback situation.

“It’s a different feeling, man,’’ Ellis told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. “I notice in practice having a franchise quarterback of Eli Manning’s caliber is a lot different in practice than when I was with the Jets. Those guys are good quarterbacks, but having a franchise, Super Bowl-winning quarterback, practice is a lot different. The feel of it is a lot different. The way it’s run is different, and it’s a beautiful thing. I really like it.’’

Here’s more from the NFC East..

Ever since DeMarco Murray signed with the Eagles, the Cowboys‘ running back situation has become a popular topic of discussion. While many have been waiting for the Cowboys to upgrade over their current stable of backs, owner Jerry Jones says that he’s “very comfortable” with the group he has, Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News writes. If the season started tomorrow, the Cowboys would likely split carries between Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar. Based on Jones’ comments, Machota gathers that if the Cowboys were to add a veteran back, it probably wouldn’t happen until at least late August.
Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara is entering his walk year but he’s not overly concerned about his next deal, as Steve Serby of the New York Post writes. The 26-year-old also knows that he’s not exactly “indispensable” for the Giants since he has yet to be approached about a new contract.
With safety Antrel Rolle out of the picture, the Giants are now left with a young and inexperienced group of defensive backs, as Tom Canavan of The Associated Press writes.

AFC North Notes: Bell, Steelers, Ravens

June 17th, 2015 at 8:43pm CST by Zachary Links

For the past two years, veteran defensive end Chris Canty has lined up with the Ravens‘ starting defense. He anticipates continuing that in 2015. “I’ve been a starter in this league for a decade, I don’t really see that changing,” Canty said, according to Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. “That’s what I foresee. Things change. It’s a very fluid situation, but that’s what I have in mind for my role being on this football team on our defensive unit.” Canty, a 10-year veteran, signed a two-year deal worth $4.65MM with Baltimore back in March. Here’s more from the AFC North..

The three-game suspension for Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell was announced more than two months ago, but Bell says his appeal has yet to be heard, and he’s not sure when it will be, tweets Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In most cases, an appeal hearing takes place within a few weeks of the appeal being filed, so I’m not sure why there’s such a delay for Bell’s case.
Ravens guard Kelechi Osemele says that he feels good about his body of work as he enters his contract year, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. The former second-round draft pick is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, when his four-year rookie deal expires. “I feel really good about what I’ve shown,” said Osemele. “Obviously, it helps to come in here and win a Super Bowl. That’s always a good thing, but, on top of that, I’ve had great teammates and a great coaching staff behind me.” Wilson hears that no deal is imminent for Osemele or teammate Marshal Yanda.
After restructuring his deal earlier this offseason, cornerback Lardarius Webb is passionate about taking on a special teams role as the Ravens‘ primary punt returner, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun writes. However, it remains to be seen whether Baltimore will greenlight that given his injury history. Webb’s new deal takes him through 2017 but his base pay in 2016 and 2017 is non-guaranteed.

East Notes: Hunter, Bills, Giants

June 17th, 2015 at 7:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant took to Twitter to further present his side of the story in his contract dispute.

“$13MM is cool, but where is my security?” Bryant tweeted.

Recently, Bryant suggested that he is prepared to sit out regular season games if an extension isn’t in place. However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones indicated that he’s not taking that threat seriously. Here’s more from the East divisions..

Former Jets offensive lineman Wayne Hunter had a tryout for the Bills at the team’s minicamp today, per Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter). It’s been a couple years since we’ve heard from Hunter, who started all 16 games at right tackle for the Jets in 2011, and last appeared in the NFL in 2012.
Ereck Flowers is one of just six first-round draft picks without a signed NFL contract, but the Giants’ rookie left tackle isn’t worried, as Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes. Flowers’ situation is unique in that he does not have an agent, so he is effectively represented by himself and his family. When asked if he might be a possible training camp holdout, Flowers said “I don’t see it getting to that point.’’
When asked if he had any indication from the league when a ruling might be coming down, Jones said that he hasn’t. “No, I don’t. We don’t want to expect anything from a time standpoint. We don’t want to expect anything cause we need to have the league and Greg and us to have a full opportunity to have a thorough consideration,” the Cowboys owner said, according to Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram. Hardy’s suspension was the subject of today’s Community Tailgate here at PFR.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Minor Moves: Wednesday

June 17th, 2015 at 7:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves from around the NFL, with any additional transactions added to the top of the list throughout the evening:

Bills defensive back Deon Broomfield has reverted to the reserve-injured list after being waived-injured and going unclaimed, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Broomfield was waived on Tuesday to make room for defensive tackle Andre Fluellen.
The Raiders cut former Michigan receiver Jeremy Gallon from IR, Wilson tweets. Gallon joined Oakland on a reserve deal in December.
Having been waived yesterday with an injured designation after suffering a torn ACL, tight end Zach Sudfeld went unclaimed and reverted to the Jets‘ injured reserve list today, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.

Earlier updates:

The Panthers have signed former Chiefs guard Ricky Henry, waiving center Ronald Patrick to create room, the team announced today (via Twitter). Henry spent the 2014 season on Kansas City’s practice squad before signing a futures contract with the team and being waived last month.
The Steelers have also made a minor change on their offensive line, signing interior lineman Collin Rahrig and waiving tackle Micah Hatchie with an injured designation, per Burt Lauten (Twitter link). Rahrig initially tried out for Pittsburgh after the draft in May.
Back-of-the-roster players often find themselves being frequently signed and waived during the regular season, as teams shuffle their regular season rosters, but that back and forth is happening for running back Rasheed Williams during the offseason. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter), the Lions cut Williams again today. It’s the second time Williams has been let go by the club since first being signed as an undrafted free agent last month.

NFC Notes: Gurley, Carr, J. Jones, Bears

June 17th, 2015 at 7:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Former agent Jimmy Halsell passes along an interesting note on Todd Gurley‘s rookie contract with the Rams, observing that the running back will get his full 2015 and 2016 salaries even if he’s on the non-football injury list due to his knee (Twitter link). Gurley’s ACL injury occurred when he was still at Georgia, so based on the NFL’s definition, it would be considered a non-football injury, and teams can opt not to pay full salaries when placing players on the NFI list.

Here’s more from across the NFC:

Brandon Carr won’t be released late in the offseason like Evan Mathis was, as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said today that the cornerback will be with the team for the 2015 season. However, as Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets, the club is still working on lowering Carr’s cap number ($12.717MM).
Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones told reporters today, including D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, that he doesn’t intend to hold out at all as he seeks a new contract.
A pair of former second-round picks, running back Daniel Thomas and defensive back Sherrod Martin, are trying out for the Bears at the team’s minicamp, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Thomas has been busy over the last few weeks, working out for the Lions and Cowboys as well.
The Panthers promoted director of football operations Brandon Beane to assistant general manager, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Beane was briefly Carolina’s interim GM before Dave Gettleman took over the job in 2012.

Eagles, Sam Bradford Discussing Extension

June 17th, 2015 at 5:55pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles and quarterback Sam Bradford have begun discussing a contract extension, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, Breer adds that the talks have been preliminary and no real progress has been made yet. The two sides, he says, have talked “a few” times.

Bradford, 27, came to the Eagles in an offseason deal that saw Nick Foles shipped out to St. Louis. Interestingly enough, we also received word this week that Foles and the Rams have begun talks on a fresh contract.

Bradford has battled injuries over the past two seasons, including an ACL injury that forced him to miss the entire 2014 season. In his last full season, the former first-overall pick threw for 3,702 yards, 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. During that 2012 campaign, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Bradford 21st among 38 quarterback candidates.

Recently, PFR’s Dallas Robinson looked at Bradford as a possible extension candidate. Within the piece, he reasoned that a short-term extension makes the most sense for both sides. At 27, another three years on Bradford’s current deal would result in him hitting the open market at 31, when he could net another big deal.

The Eagles will likely have reservations about a long-term pact with Bradford due to his injury history. Bradford’s medical file includes two torn ACLs in his five-year career and he’s played in only 49 out of a possible 80 games since entering the league. By the same token, rumors of the Eagles offering him up in trade talks shortly after acquiring him could give Bradford pause about joining up with them for the long run.

Community Tailgate: 6/17/15

June 17th, 2015 at 4:01pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re still a few months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This week, we’ve launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every day, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Today, we’ll be discussing Greg Hardy‘s suspension. The defensive end is currently slated to sit out the first ten games of the season and any day now we should learn about the resolution to his appeal. After all, arbitrator Harold Henderson heard Hardy’s case all the way back on May 28th and decisions rarely take a full month to come down.

You might remember Henderson as the same arbitrator that heard Adrian Peterson‘s appeal in late 2014. At the time, the player’s union was less than thrilled about his appointment.

“A long-time NFL Executive and current legal consultant cannot, by definition, be a neutral arbitrator,” the union said in a statement.

While a court eventually wound up siding with No. 28, Henderson initially held up Peterson’s indefinite suspension in December. The choice of arbitrator alone is enough to make one wonder if Hardy has much of a chance at reducing his suspension. The circumstances of Hardy’s incident, as outlined by the NFL’s letter to him, make the odds seem even more slim.

“First, he used physical force against her which caused her to land in a bathtub,” Commissioner Goodell wrote. “Second, he used physical force against her which caused her to land on a futon that was covered with at least four semi-automatic rifles. Third, he used physical force against her by placing his hands around Ms. Holder’s neck and applying enough pressure to leave visible marks. And fourth, he used physical force to shove Ms. Holder against a wall in his apartment’s entry hallway. The net effect of these acts was that [Nicole Holder] was severely traumatized and sustained a range of injuries, including bruises and scratches on her neck, shoulders, upper chest, back, arms and feet,”

The Cowboys reportedly anticipated a four-game suspension and, at maximum, a six-game suspension for their new star defensive end. The NFLPA, meanwhile, was reportedly getting ready to battle it out with the league if Hardy was suspended for anything more than two games. Hardy’s transgressions were undeniably ugly, but after sitting out all but one game in 2014, the union figured that Hardy had more or less served his time.

Ultimately, how do you think Henderson will see it? Will Hardy have his 10-game suspension reduced? Head to the comments section below to place your bets and voice your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.

John Moffitt Comes Out Of Retirement

June 17th, 2015 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

3:58pm: The Broncos have officially cut Moffitt, who is subject to waivers, tweets Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports. As Garafolo observes, Moffitt will have to go unclaimed before he becomes a free agent.

11:04am: Back in November 2013, offensive lineman John Moffitt announced that he was moving on from football after spending parts of three seasons with the Seahawks and Broncos. Almost two years later, he’s ready to return to the NFL, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, who reports that Moffitt officially came out of retirement today (TwitLonger link).

A third-round pick by the Seahawks in the 2011 draft, Moffitt appeared in 17 regular season contests for the club in his first two NFL seasons, starting 15 of those games. However, the former Wisconsin Badger was traded to the Broncos after a deal with the Browns fell through, and ended his career shortly thereafter. According to Glazer, Moffitt had drug issues, but has since gone through rehab and “cleaned up his life.”

While the Broncos still hold Moffitt’s rights, the team is releasing him, tweets Glazer. Once the 28-year-old becomes a free agent, he’ll have the opportunity to sign with any team, and he’ll certainly be a younger, cheaper alternative – albeit one with less upside – to fellow free agent guard Evan Mathis.

With Moffitt spending a year and a half away from the NFL, it’s worth noting that recently-retired 49ers offensive lineman Anthony Davis could take a similar path. When Davis announced that he was stepping away from the NFL, he suggested it may just be for a year or two, rather than permanently.

Latest On Cowboys, Dez Bryant

June 17th, 2015 at 2:26pm CST by Luke Adams

With contract negotiations between Dez Bryant and the Cowboys producing plenty of rumors and speculation but little progress, the star receiver took to Twitter today to weigh in on the situation. “$13MM is cool, but where is my security?” Bryant tweeted, pointing out that he had been waiting five years for the opportunity to negotiate a long-term deal.

Not long after Bryant published his tweet, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke to reporters about the issue himself, as Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News details. According to Jones, he has spoken to Bryant within the last two weeks, and while he’s not sure if the wideout will be at the team’s training camp, the Cowboys “would like nothing more than to have long-term security with Dez.” Jones wants Bryant to be a Cowboy “for life,” tweets Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com.

While Jones may have said all the right things, the apparent impasse between the two sides has arrived as a result of the team not meeting Bryant’s asking price, and the Pro Bowler attempted to regain some leverage recently by suggesting he was prepared to sit out regular season games if an extension isn’t in place. Jones didn’t seem to put much stock in that though, saying today that he has “no doubt” Bryant will be on the field for Dallas’ Week 1 game against the Giants.

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, Jones’ response is a polite way of saying that he and the Cowboys believe Bryant is bluffing, and it doesn’t appear it has changed the team’s stance at all. Because he has yet to sign his one-year franchise tender, Bryant can’t be fined for missing this week’s minicamp, or August’s training camp. However, once he starts missing regular season contests, he’ll lose nearly $753K per week. It appears the Cowboys aren’t buying that their No. 1 receiver would be willing to simply forfeit those pay checks.

The Cowboys and Bryant have until July 15 to reach a multiyear contract agreement.

NFC South Notes: Colston, Dotson, Green

June 17th, 2015 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

While longtime Saints like Jimmy Graham, Ben Grubbs, Curtis Lofton, and Pierre Thomas were traded or released by New Orleans this offseason, wide receiver Marques Colston was able to work out an agreement to stay with the team on a reworked contract. As Colston tells Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, staying with the Saints was more important than trying to max out his value.

“At this point in my career, it’s not necessarily about maximizing every penny of every contract,” Colston said. “For me it came down to, ‘What’s my priority?’ I probably could have went somewhere else and maybe got a little bit more money. But the priority for me was to come back to an organization that I really enjoy playing for. I enjoy coming to work every day and being in this locker room.”

Colston, who added that he didn’t want to leave a “Hall of Fame quarterback” in Drew Brees, is on track to earn $3.8MM in 2015 than the $7MM he was originally set to make. Here’s more from around the NFC South, as we check in with all four teams:

“I didn’t want to lose any money,” Demar Dotson answered simply, when asked why he chose to end his holdout and attend the Buccaneers‘ minicamp this week (link via the Tampa Tribune). The veteran right tackle had been seeking a new contract, but staying away from team activities didn’t appear to improve his leverage, since the Bucs broke off negotiations while he was absent.
Reserve offensive lineman Tyronne Green tore his Achilles tendon during a practice and will undergo surgery, sidelining him for the 2015 season, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera told the media today (Twitter link). Green wasn’t necessarily guaranteed a regular season roster spot, but his injury should open the door for another lineman to earn a place among Carolina’s final 53.
Wide receiver Carlton Mitchell, who played his college ball at South Carolina and spent time with the Browns after being selected in the sixth round of the 2010 draft, has a tryout today with the Falcons, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.