2015 July - Pro Football Rumors

Texans Waive Brandon Ivory

July 2nd, 2015 at 1:40pm CST by Rob DiRe

THURSDAY, 1:40pm: The Texans have cut Ivory, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

WEDNESDAY, 8:45pm: ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio believes Ivory is as good as gone. The writer notes that keeping the defensive lineman “could mean paying him while he’s on mandatory leave pending the resolution of the charges,” another incentive for parting ways with the undrafted rookie.

6:15pm: Former Alabama defensive lineman Brandon Ivory, who hooked on with the Texans as an undrafted free agent in May, was arrested on a first degree burglary charge, reports Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Ivory was charged with two counts of first-degree burglary and placed in Tuscaloosa County Jail, according to Brian Smith of the Houston Chronicle. His bail was set at $120,000.

The press release from the Tuscaloosa Police Department describes how the victims were inside their residence when the door was kicked in and two suspects armed with an assault rifle and a knife, respectively, demanded items, according to Alex Byington of the Times Daily (via Twitter). Ivory and Nicholas Gerald Gibson III were arrested and charged.

For the record, Ivory’s agent believes his client is innocent and will be cleared of all charges (via Twitter).

Ivory’s current employer, the Texans, released a statement, according to Smith.

“The Houston Texans are aware of the police report regarding DT Brandon Ivory in Tuscaloosa, Ala. At this time, we will have no further comment until we gather all of the relevant facts.”

Considering Ivory is an undrafted free agent with limited upside, it’s doubtful the Texans will keep him on the team unless these charges are dropped quickly and without further embarrassment to the organization or the NFL.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Three More Players Enter Supplemental Draft

July 2nd, 2015 at 12:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Houston defensive end Eric Eiland, UConn tight end Sean McQuillan, and Kansas defensive back Kevin Short have joined the list of players eligible to be selected in next week’s supplemental draft, according to NFL VP of football communications Michael Signora (via Twitter). Signora also confirms that the draft will take place on July 9.

The supplemental draft allows NFL clubs to select players who for some reason were unable to enter the standard draft; academic trouble or disciplinary issues are often – but not always – key factors. McQuillan was charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct in April, while Short left the Jayhawks back in September for personal reasons.

As for Eiland, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net reported in February that the Cougars defensive end was “very likely” to enter the supplemental draft — he intended to enter April’s draft, but didn’t fill out the required paperwork.

The three new additions to the supplemental draft pool join Clemson offensive tackle Isaiah Battle, West Georgia defensive tackle Dalvon Stuckey, West Georgia defensive end Darrius Caldwell, and North Carolina Central receiver Adrian Wilkins. Battle has a good chance to be picked, with the Falcons among the teams reportedly eyeing him.

While Battle may come off the board next Thursday, the majority of players who enter the supplemental draft go undrafted, which allows them to become free agents and sign with any team. The last two players to be selected in the supplemental draft were Terrelle Pryor (third round, 2011) by the Raiders and Josh Gordon (second round, 2012) by the Browns.

Russell Wilson Notes: Thursday

July 2nd, 2015 at 10:33am CST by Luke Adams

Even during these few weeks of relative inaction in the NFL calendar, the Russell Wilson contract situation continues to dominate headlines. Here are Thursday’s updates and links on a possible extension for the Seahawks quarterback:

Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, typically negotiates baseball contracts, and as he tells Jon Santucci of TCPalm.com, there aren’t as many stats and metrics to measure a player’s true value in the NFL. “It’s so different in football,” Rodgers said. “In baseball, you can dive into analytics. In baseball, there are so many numbers that really define the player to the minutest detail. In football, it’s a little simpler. I don’t have to argue statistics with the Seattle Seahawks on the value of Russell Wilson. In football, the most important stat to me has always been ‘Does he win?’ It’s hard to argue that Russell Wilson doesn’t win.”
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, no one can argue that Wilson has been a winner so far in his NFL career, but it’s unclear whether he’ll continue to pile up victories if and when he accounts for a much larger chunk of the Seahawks’ salary cap. In that scenario, the team will have less cap room to use on the other players who have contributed to making Seattle a winning franchise in recent years, according to Florio, who suggests that Wilson will probably have to leave the Seahawks if he wants to truly maximize his earning potential.
After informally polling NFL contract negotiators and agents this week, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com writes that Wilson could probably earn annual salaries of around $30MM if there was no salary cap in the NFL.

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July 2nd, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

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Extra Points: Panthers, Steelers, NFLPA

July 1st, 2015 at 9:29pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL as we wrap up this Wednesday evening…

Panthers defensive end Frank Alexander missed the majority of last season after being suspended 14 games for twice violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Considering Greg Hardy‘s absence from the team, head coach Ron Rivera said Alexander could have had a big season. “Last year would’ve been a big year for Frank, especially with the situation and circumstances that we had. He could’ve emerged,” Rivera told Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “So now he’s kind of back at square one as far as that’s concerned. He’s going to have to compete like everybody else.”
The Steelers have the most Super Bowls in NFL history with six, and now they want to bring the game to the city of Pittsburgh. The organization submitted their application to host the Super Bowl in 2023, following the stadium expansion that will bring capacity up to 67,000, according to the Associated Press. “The application is an early step in the bidding process, and we will continue to meet with representatives of the Mayor’s Office, County Executive’s Office, VisitPittsburgh, Allegheny Conference as well as other community leaders to review the requirements with the hopes of submitting our bid to host Super Bowl LVII in 2023,” team president Art Rooney II said in a statement.
ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio reports that former NFL receiver Richard Goodman is suing the NFL Players Association, accusing them of “negligence, gross negligence, and breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the regulation of agent Richard Burnoski.” Goodman says his former agent, Burnoski, essentially stole $25K, and the receiver blames the NFLPA for recommending the agent in the first place.
Former running back Jamal Anderson estimates that 60-percent of NFL players smoke marijuana. Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman believes the NFL and the union have a “wink-wink type deal” that would prevent tougher marijuana testing. The current CBA calls for players to be tested once a year during training camp, as long as they haven’t previously tested positive. “If you tested the players during the season every week,” one assistant coach told Florio, “we wouldn’t be able to field a league. We’d have to merge with the CFL.”
While MLB fans celebrate Bobby Bonilla’s annual payday from the Mets, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reveals a funky contract from the NFL (via Twitter): every January, the Falcons have to pay 1985 number-two pick Bill Fralic $150K.

Rob DiRe contributed to this post.

West Notes: Wilson, 49ers, Raiders, Thomas

July 1st, 2015 at 8:13pm CST by Ben Levine

As the NFL world awaits the outcome of the Seahawks/Russell Wilson extension negotiations, the quarterback sat down with ESPN.com’s Marty Smith to discuss the offseason.

Among the topics of discussion, of course, was Wilson’s contract situation. As he previously stated, the former Super Bowl champion isn’t concerned about money:

“Ultimately, it comes down to the play. Let my play speak for itself and let the rest take care of itself. Continue to love the game for what it is and continue to fight no matter how much I’m getting paid, whether it’s $25 million or $1.5 million. I’ll be ready to go.”

Wilson also seemed to squash any doubt about his relationship with the Seahawks, saying the two sides don’t have “a bad relationship by any means.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFL’s western divisions…

ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner compares the 49ers signing of head coach Jim Tomsula to the Rams 2006 signing of Scott Linehan. The Rams had opted for a completely different personality following the firing of Mike Martz, and Wagoner believes the 49ers are doing the same thing following the firing of Jim Harbaugh. Linehan ended up coaching two-plus seasons in St.Louis, compiling an 11-25 record.
Hope for a Raiders stadium in Oakland is “dim,” according to ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson (via Twitter). Meanwhile, the writer says the proposal for a stadium in Carson “continues to have steam.”
In an interview on Broncos.com, 9 News’ Mike Klis says Broncos wideout Demaryius Thomas will play for the team in week one, but how he gets there remains a mystery. Klis believes that a contract will be finalized prior to the July 15th deadline, but he also notes that the franchise tag isn’t necessarily a bad deal for Thomas.

NFC Notes: Ihenacho, Washington, Brinkley

July 1st, 2015 at 6:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Washington safety Duke Ihenacho has been watching NBA free agency going crazy, and took to Twitter to express his opinions about minimum contracts for NFL players. Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post captured his tweets, where Ihenacho writes that NFL players have the highest risk of injury and brain trauma, and that the NFL is the richest league, and therefore the minimum salary for players should be $1MM.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

Washington D.C. wants their NFL franchise to return to the District, but they are unlikely to get support from the Obama administration as long as the team still bears a racial epitaph for their name and logo, writes Jonathan O’Connell of the Washington Post. The National Park Service owns the land beneath Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, and they are unlikely to accommodate the construction of a new stadium, according to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.
Former Vikings linebacker Jasper Brinkley decided to sign a two-year deal with the Cowboys this offseason, and the top reason for choosing Dallas is the opportunity to play for defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, writes Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I played in Minnesota for five years and I remember when he was in Chicago, just thinking about those defenses and the guys with the takeaways, a lot of takeaways,” Brinkley said. “You think about Charles Tillman, you think about Brian Urlacher, you think about Lance Briggs, you think about Tim Jennings, all those guys.”
Even though Deone Bucannon was a first round pick of the Cardinals in 2014, Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) doesn’t see the Washington State product having a great career at safety. The draft expert feels that Bucannon should stay at linebacker, where he played the bulk of last season. In 16 games, the Washington State product racked up 86 tackles, 2.0 sacks, and three pass deflections.
Former Buccaneers linebacker Brandon Magee has been swinging the bat for the Boston Red Sox Class A affiliate, but he told Pro Football Talk that if an NFL team called him, he would give up baseball to try out, reports Mike Florio. Magee was released from the Buccaneers in March, and had also spent time with the Browns.
The Bears hired John Fox in the hope that he could quickly turn the organization around, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. The turnaround starts with the attitude of every player on the roster, and the veterans are already buying in. “You go out and get John Fox and Vic Fangio and Adam Gase — you’re sending a message to every player in that locker room that we’re not messing around,” said Jared Allen. “We want to win. We want to win now. We certainly have the talent to win. So, get your heads right and let’s go play ball.”

Community Tailgate: Could Brett Favre Still Play?

July 1st, 2015 at 4:55pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re still more than two months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. Earlier this summer, we 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 weekday, 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 talking about a player who has been rumored to unretire more often than an over-the-hill boxer. Yes, of course, we’re talking about the Wrangler jean-wearing gunslinger himself – Brett Favre.

The first wave of retirement talk started for Favre in 2005 after he had a rather lackluster season under center. No. 4 had many years at the top of the quarterback heap but in ’05 he found himself atop the leaderboard for interceptions with a staggering 29. Favre not only came back for 2006 – he came back for the 2007 season after waffling and in 2008 he bolted for the Jets after previously indicating that he would hang ’em up. Of course, Favre told the Jets that he would retire only to hook on with the Vikings soon after. The veteran quarterback went on to play in Minnesota for two years and retired, but the injury-ravaged Rams came calling for him late in the 2013 season. Favre, then 44, said he was flattered, but ultimately declined.

Favre, now 45, made headlines this week when he told Sports Illustrated’s Greg Bishop he’s still capable of playing.

“I could make all the throws I made before, I just couldn’t throw it near as far, but that never matters anyway,” said Favre.

Despite the confidence he has in his abilities, the 11-time Pro Bowler went on to say that he’s “not trying to start some he’s-coming-out-of-retirement deal.” And, let’s face it, the last iteration of Favre that we saw was rather forgettable, threw 11 touchdowns against 19 interceptions in 13 games for Minnesota in 2010.

It doesn’t sound like we should expect Favre to come back for the umpteenth time, but one has to wonder if he really does have the ability to play at a high level as he nears his 46th birthday. After all, if Hershel Walker could compete in mixed martial arts in his late 40s, anything is possible, right?

Do you think Favre could still play in the NFL today? Let us know in the comment section below!

Rams Not Interested In Evan Mathis

July 1st, 2015 at 4:03pm CST by Zachary Links

Despite buzz around the league to the contrary, a Rams source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) that St. Louis has no interest in offensive lineman Evan Mathis. Instead, the Rams would prefer to allow their young players – including their young offensive line – to grow together.

Mathis, released by the Eagles earlier this offseason, is considered one of the league’s best interior linemen. In 2014, despite playing just 608 offensive snaps, the former third-round pick ranked as the league’s best left guard, performing particularly well as a run blocker, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required). PFF had previously graded Mathis as the NFL’s No. 1 guard in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

The Rams on the other hand have struggle blocking between the tackles, and haven’t been so great on the outside either. Last year’s No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson was settling in at guard before the injury to Jake Long forced him to accelerate his transition to left tackle. Rodger Saffold will likely start next to him on the left side, and is the best guard on the roster. Right guard is up for grabs, and the team moved on from center Scott Wells so will be looking at a first-time starter there as well.

It would be tough to argue that Mathis wouldn’t be able to improve the Rams’ roster short-term, and he could be especially useful as St. Louis believes it could have an opportunity to make a move in the NFC West with both the Cardinals and 49ers struggling to keep pace with the Seahawks for division supremacy.

However, Mathis will turn 34 years old during the season, and most teams are probably hesitant to give him a long-term contract. Even if he gets the Rams closer to a playoff berth this year, for a team with a young core Mathis doesn’t necessarily fit the mold. Of course, the Rams’ competitiveness in 2015 all depends on the performance of his former teammate Nick Foles.

St. Louis has a number of young bodies they can throw out there to try to solidify the offensive line. Although they may not have interest right now, injuries and poor performance from their rookies in training camp could change minds in that front office. With the right circumstances and price, Mathis could find himself fitting in with the team later this summer if he doesn’t find a landing spot before then.

Dolphins Notes: Favre, Hazel, Ajayi

July 1st, 2015 at 3:07pm CST by Zachary Links

A look at some items out of Miami..

In 2011, NFL Network’s Jeff Darlington (on Twitter) told Brett Favre that a Dolphins decision maker was potentially interested in signing him. The veteran gunslinger, he tweets, looked “like the devil on his shoulder was awoken.” Favre, 45, has been out of the NFL since retiring in 2011 but he told Sports Illustrated’s Greg Bishop he’s still capable of playing. “I could make all the throws I made before, I just couldn’t throw it near as far, but that never matters anyway,” said Favre. Despite the confidence he has in his abilities, Favre stated that he’s “not trying to start some he’s-coming-out-of-retirement deal.”
Wide receiver Matt Hazel has gone above and beyond this offseason to prove himself to Dolphins coaches. Still, he finds himself on the roster bubble, as James Walker of ESPN.com writes. The ESPN scribe gives Hazel, a second-year receiver, a 55% chance of making the roster. Miami is rather deep at receiver at this point, with first-round pick DeVante Parker, veteran Greg Jennings, Kenny Stills, and Jarvis Landry all locks for the roster and Rishard Matthews likely to make the cut. Hazel is presently the current favorite if Miami rolls with six WRs, but there’s no guarantee that they will.
Omar Kelly and Chris Perkins of the Sun Sentinel (video link) addressed a wide range of Dolphins topics, including identifying some of the team’s diamonds in the rough. Perkins views fifth-round pick Jay Ajayi as one such player.