2016 May - Pro Football Rumors

Draft Signings: Bengals, Broncos, Jags, Chiefs

May 16th, 2016 at 6:21pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ve compiled the latest draft pick signings below:

The Bengals have officially signed second-round pick Tyler Boyd, as Paul Dehner Jr. of The Enquirer tweets. The wideout is also a talented kick returner, having averaged 24.4 yards per return last season.
Broncos fifth-round pick Connor McGovern signed his rookie contract, as Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post tweets. Mike Klis of 9News in Denver tweets that the guard will receive a $263,900 signing bonus.
The Jaguars signed fourth-round defensive tackle Sheldon Day, as Wilson tweets.
The Chiefs have signed their fourth-round pick, cornerback Eric Murray, and fifth-round pick, wideout Ty Hill, tweets Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star.

Jarryd Hayne Retires

May 16th, 2016 at 5:30pm CST by Rory Parks

MONDAY, 5:30pm: The 49ers have officially put Hayne on reserve/retired list, tweets Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group.

SUNDAY, 12:32pm: 49ers running back Jarryd Hayne has announced his retirement from the NFL, according to the team’s official website. Hayne, of course, was born in Australia and put together a very impressive rugby career before announcing in October 2014 that he intended to pursue his dream of playing in the the NFL.

In March of last year, the 49ers signed Hayne to a three-year deal, and he ultimately made the team’s 53-man roster on the heels of a successful preseason that only added to the considerable hype surrounding Hayne. He racked up only eight carries over San Francisco’s first six regular season games, though he did return at least one punt in each of those contests, including a memorable muffed punt in the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Vikings.

The 49ers waived Hayne on October 31, 2015, but he was ultimately re-signed to the club’s practice squad after clearing waivers. He was promoted from the practice squad back to the 53-man roster for the final two weeks of the season, picking up nine carries for 27 yards and five receptions for 20 yards in the team’s penultimate game against the Lions.

He finishes his NFL career with 17 carries for 52 yards and six receptions for 27 yards, to go along with eight punt returns for a total of 76 yards. He will return to the sport he starred in for so long, joining the Fiji Rugby Sevens for the upcoming Olympic Games.

Hayne and the 49ers have both issued formal statements, which can be found at the above link.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Tom Coughlin Hoping To Coach In 2017

May 16th, 2016 at 3:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Giants coach Tom Coughlin is out of football for the 2016 season, but he’s eager to get back into the NFL in 2017, as Peter King of The MMQB writes. While Coughlin’s experience and resume are a positive, he also understands that his age could be a barrier to finding another head coaching opportunity.

“I’ve coached 47 years of my life,” the 70-year-old said. “You take it away, and that’s not an easy thing to duplicate.”

Coughlin, a two-time Super Bowl champ in New York, has been criticized by some players for being too much of a disciplinarian. His temperament could be a turnoff to some clubs, but his age is probably a bigger concern. At his age, Coughlin openly acknowledges that another head coaching stint would probably be a “three- or four-year thing.”

The Giants left the door open for Coughlin to assume a role within the organization after he stepped down as the team’s head coach, but indicated earlier this offseason that he is not interested. Coughlin interviewed for the 49ers’ vacancy this offseason as well as the Eagles’ head coaching job. Late in Philly’s search, however, Coughlin withdrew his name from consideration. Reportedly, Coughlin could have landed the job had he not had a change of heart.

Coughlin has coached in the NFL for 20 of the past 21 seasons, a streak broken only by his 2003 hiatus from the league.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Sammy Watkins Suffers Minor Foot Fracture

May 16th, 2016 at 3:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins suffered a broken small bone in his foot and had a screw inserted, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The star is expected to be ready for training camp, Rapoport adds.

Watkins has been banged up in the past but, for the most part, has pushed himself to stay on the field. After having a perfect attendance record in his rookie season, the wide receiver was forced to sit out three games in 2016. The good news, of course, is that Watkins supposedly won’t miss any regular season time from this injury, provided that there are no further complications or aggravations of the injury.

This is the second bad piece of news for the Bills today. Just hours ago, the team announced that promising first-round pick Shaq Lawson will be forced to undergo shoulder surgery in order to avoid his issue getting worse.

Last season, Watkins hauled in 60 passes for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns in his shortened season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dwight Freeney Still Aiming To Play In 2016

May 16th, 2016 at 2:38pm CST by Zachary Links

Veteran Dwight Freeney says that he still wants to play in 2016, as Peter King of The MMQB writes. Things have been pretty quiet with regards to the 36-year-old this summer so far, but it sounds like he’s still hoping to hook on with a team on a low-end one-year deal.

“I’m still having fun,” Freeney said. “Why stop? I still have the fire to play. My body feels great. I still have more to give.”

Freeney has said that he would like to return to the Cardinals for this upcoming season, though he is also very open to playing for another contender if that doesn’t pan out. The veteran turned out to be a heck of a value for Arizona after he recorded eight sacks in 11 games at a modest salary of $970K. That sack total was his highest since his age-31 season in 2011 with the Colts. Impressively, Freeney set that watermark without having started a single game.

Over the course of 14 years in the NFL, Freeney has earned seven Pro Bowl selections and three First-Team All-Pro nods. He spent many of those years as a key member of the Colts’ defense where he clashed frequently with Bill Belichick‘s Patriots. Despite that history, the veteran says he would not rule out a union with New England if they called.

“Well,” Freeney said, “That’s hard to fathom. But I’m not against Bill. I understand the dynamic involved, but at the end of the day, this is a business. My first allegiance right now is to Arizona, if they’re interested. But if it happened that I ended up in New England, I can tell you, both sides would win.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC East Notes: Cousins, Giants, JPP, Harrison

May 16th, 2016 at 11:07am CST by Zachary Links

Washington general manager Scot McCloughan says that quarterback Kirk Cousins will be here “a long time,” as John Keim of ESPN.com writes. Of course, as of today, Cousins is still slated to play under the franchise tag for the 2016 season. For his part, Cousins acknowledged that extension talks will likely heat up as the July 15th deadline approaches, Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com tweets.

Washington can’t afford to lose Cousins and they also can’t really afford to franchise tag him for a second time at ~$24MM in 2017. If the team were to do that, more than 25% of their cap space would be dedicated to Cousins and pricey new addition Josh Norman.

While we wait to see how that plays out, here’s a look at the NFC East:

The Giants will likely move Jason Pierre-Paul around the defensive line this year, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com writes. JPP, who was re-signed this offseason on a one-year, $10MM+ deal, likely can’t line up as a full-time starter at right defensive end spot due to the state of his right hand. The two-time Pro Bowler could be moved inside to play defensive tackle on passing downs while seeking the bulk of his time at left defensive end. On the opposite bookend, the Giants will trot out free agent acquisition Olivier Vernon.
More from Graziano, who writes that run-stuffer Damon Harrison will team with Johnathan Hankins on early downs. While Snacks’ $9.5MM/year salary might seem high for a two-down player, the Giants firmly believe that he will benefit them on third downs by lengthening the distance their opponent has to go with his work on first and second downs. Giants opponents converted 47% of third-down opportunities in 2016, the highest figure in the league, so Big Blue needs Harrison to help set the tone.
Jordan Reed’s contract extension lets other Washington players know that they will get paid if they work hard and produce, Tarik El-Bashir of CSN Mid-Atlantic writes. Reed, a third-round pick in the 2013 draft, inked a five-year, $48.4MM deal that includes $22MM in guarantees. Reed set career highs in games played (14), receptions (87), receiving yards (952), and touchdowns (11) in 2015. “It’s a great message to send to the rest of the guys, man,” coach Jay Gruden said. “You work hard, you produce, good things will happen, and it did for Jordan. He’s a great kid and obviously we have high aspirations for him.”

Dolphins Sign Jason Jones

May 16th, 2016 at 10:40am CST by Dallas Robinson

MONDAY: 10:40am: It’s a done deal, according to Jones’ agent (Twitter link).

SUNDAY: 6:08pm: The Dolphins have agreed to terms with free agent defensive end Jason Jones, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Jones will sign a one-year deal with Miami on Monday, reports Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Jones, who turns 30 years old in 10 days, had to wait quite awhile to find a new home, as he’ll sign with the Dolphins roughly two months after the start of the free agent period. By waiting until today to sign Jones, Miami was probably aiming to protect any 2017 compensatory picks it might be entitled to, as any free agent signed after May 12 does not factor into the compensatory formula.

The Dolphins first hosted Jones for a visit way back on March 10, and then took another meeting with him in mid-April. Between those two visits, Jones also garnered interest from both the Steelers and Cowboys, but Miami had reportedly kept in touch with him throughout the past several months. Jones ranked as PFR’s No. 13 edge defender heading into free agency, and was one of just three of our top-15 edge players — along with Greg Hardy and O’Brien Schofield — who had yet to find a job.

Jones had spent time with both the Seahawks and Titans before landing with the Lions prior to the 2013 season. After a injury-shortened 2013 during which he appeared in only three contests, Jones started 31 games over the past two years with Detroit, racking up 9.5 sacks over that span. Pro Football Focus ranked Jones as the No. 43 edge defender in the NFL last year, among 110 qualifiers.

Miami’s defensive line will look quite a bit different in 2016 than in did in 2015 — while star tackle Ndamukong Suh is still around, the Dolphins will now field new additions Jones, Mario Williams, and Andre Branch at defensive end, where the club lost Olivier Vernon and Derrick Shelby to free agency. Fellow end Cameron Wake, meanwhile, recently agreed to an extension through the 2017 season. Additionally, former No. 3 overall pick Dion Jordan is reportedly working towards reinstatement from suspension, and could factor into Miami’s 2016 plans.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ravens Sign Josh Johnson, Vlad Ducasse

May 16th, 2016 at 10:16am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens have signed quarterback Josh Johnson and guard Vlad Ducasse, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.

Johnson, who turned 30 on Sunday, was on and off of the Colts’ roster early in 2015 while Andrew Luck was sidelined. In October, Johnson signed on with the Bills to help provide some insurance behind Tyrod Taylor and E.J. Manuel. Johnson did not see the field in Buffalo, however. In his six NFL seasons, Johnson has started only five games. It remains to be seen whether he’ll be on the roster in Baltimore by September, but he can certainly provide another arm in practice while Joe Flacco recovers from a torn ACL.

Ducasse spent the first four seasons of his career with the Jets before joining the Vikings in 2014 and signing on with the Bears in 2015. Selected out of UMass in the second round of the 2010 draft, Ducasse never lived up to his draft pedigree, starting just five games during his time with New York. He topped that number in ’14 alone, starting six contests in Minnesota while playing at both guard positions. In 2015, he appeared in 15 games and started 11 of those contests.

In 2014, Ducasse played in 13 games, totaling 417 snaps, but graded as the league’s No. 61 guard among 78 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus. Last year, PFF rated Ducasse as the 47th best guard in the NFL out of 81 qualified players.

The Ravens also announced that they have signed rookie free agent Sam Brown, a defensive back from Missouri Western State.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Panthers Cut Brandon Boykin

May 16th, 2016 at 8:36am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have released cornerback Brandon Boykin, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Boykin signed with Carolina in March and received an $80K signing bonus for his two months of employment. As a vested veteran, Boykin is not subject to waivers and is free to sign with any team.

Boykin, 25, was one of the more intriguing cornerbacks to linger on the free agent market in late March. After a visit to Carolina, the two sides shook hands on a low-guarantee, one-year deal. Two months later, he’s once again a free agent.

In 2015, Boykin joined the Steelers, having been sent to Pittsburgh by the Eagles in a trade for a fifth-round pick. However, Boykin played primarily on special teams until the final few weeks of the season — he logged 252 of his 274 regular-season defensive snaps in the Steelers’ last five games.

Despite not seeing significant playing time in Pittsburgh, Boykin ranked as a top-40 cornerback in 2015 (out of 111 qualified players), per Pro Football Focus. The Georgia product has always shown flashes of upside, particularly in his six-interception 2013 campaign, but has never really gotten the opportunity to be a full-time player — he has just seven career starts. He’ll now look elsewhere for his chance to shine.

While Boykin didn’t earn a spot on PFR’s top 50 free agent list, we placed him sixth among free agent cornerbacks when we broke down 2016’s top defensive free agents, placing him ahead of veterans like Leon Hall and Patrick Robinson due to his relative youth and upside.

In addition to Boykin, the Panthers have also waived cornerback Ras-I Dowling and wide receiver Jenson Stoshak , as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. In related news, the team has inked the following tryout players (per David Newton of ESPN.com): tight end Braxton Deaver, running back Jalen Simmons, wide receiver Miles Shuler, offensive tackle Jordan Rigsbee, linebacker Jared Barber, and cornerback Shaquille Richardson.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Titans Waive Zach Mettenberger

May 16th, 2016 at 8:34am CST by Zachary Links

The Titans have waived quarterback Zach Mettenberger, according to Jim Wyatt of Titans Online (via Twitter).

Mettenberger was once viewed as the team’s potential signal caller of the future, but that was before Marcus Mariota came into the picture. When the Titans used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft to tab the Oregon standout, Mettenberger’s future in Tennessee became murky. Now, he’s free to pursue a starting job elsewhere.

Mettenberger, 24, was a sixth-round pick of the Titans in the 2014 draft. In his rookie season, Mettenberger saw time in seven games (six starts) and threw for eight touchdowns with seven interceptions. Not long ago, Mettenberger probably would have fetched a lower-round draft pick in a trade. However, the Titans likely shopped the QB around in recent days without finding a taker.

With Mettenberger out of the picture, the Titans now have quarterbacks Matt Cassel and Alex Tanney behind Mariota.

In addition to Mettenberger, the Titans have waived defensive end Iosia Iosia, tight end Kevin Greene, and wide receiver Rashon Ceaser (link). The Titans have signed four rookies from their tryouts (link): fullback Sam Bergen, wide receiver Ben Roberts, defensive end Mike Smith, and cornerback Bennett Okotcha.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.