2016 May - Pro Football Rumors

Month: September 2024

Ryan Bros. On Bills, Saints, Pats, M. Williams

May 27th, 2016 at 8:00pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Jenny Vrentas of The MMQB.com had a rather entertaining interview with Bills head coach Rex Ryan and brother Rob Ryan, who’s in his first year as the team’s assistant head coach/defense. Their discussion is certainly worth a full read, but we’ll round up some of the highlights from the braggadocious bros.

Rex Ryan on Rob Ryan:

“Nobody grinds the way Rob does. Bill Belichick hired Rob for one reason: He knew he was a freaking great football coach, and he could grind. That’s it. If you are going to be with Bill Belichick, you better be a grinder.”

“He sleeps here half the week, in his office, in the offseason. Honest to God.”

“I brought in a real football coach. Not a 9-to-5er, a real football coach whose life and passion is the NFL. The name Ryan means something. If you are a fan of the Buffalo Bills, thank your lucky stars he is here, and myself. To me, that’s what we added to this team. When we talk about “all in,” we’re going to do everything we can in our power to help our players succeed. And that’s why we made some of the changes that we made.”

Rob Ryan on why he joined the Bills’ staff:

“I am used to picking my spots, but this time, I had one choice. When I was fired by the Saints, I came here to look at it. Rex loves this team, he brags about this team, so I wanted to be around it. After I did that, for one week, I was like, Damn, I’ve got to be here. I don’t care who was going to offer me a job. I wanted to be a part of this. Rex brought me in, because of nepotism … (pause) … and I’m glad he did.”

“To be the best defensive coach in football, I’ve got to learn from the best, so I came here. It’s been how many years since we’ve been together? He’s not learning anything, but I am. Look at some of his protégés. Bob Sutton is doing a fantastic job in Kansas City. Chuck Pagano was with Rex. He spun off a ton of great coaches, and it is going to be fun to be a part of that.”

Rob Ryan on his nearly three-year tenure as the Saints’ defensive coordinator:

“I need to be in a multiple system. I was hired to be in a multiple system in New Orleans, and I did a damn good job and got fired for it.”

“I have coordinated in college and in the pros. And the biggest history of improvement ever in the league, I coordinated that defense [the 2013 Saints]. The defenses I have taken over were ranked, like, 31st. Oh, “my numbers aren’t too good.” You take over the 31st group and see how you do. And you’re given about two years to do it. There are two years that don’t have my signature on them, and it’s the last two years in New Orleans. And that’s just the truth.”

[Note: Saints head coach Sean Payton responded by shooting down the notion that the team’s defense didn’t have Ryan’s fingerprints on it.]

“All of a sudden, we let some good players go; we changed the system after we finished fourth in the league in defense.”

“The biggest mistake I think I made in New Orleans was sitting on my hands and collecting a paycheck, instead of going in, knowing it was wrong and fixing it. When we wanted to change the philosophy of the defense, I should have.”

“They signed players; they signed a free-agent free safety [Jairus Byrd in 2014], and said, we are going to keep him in the middle of the field like the goalpost. Well, that’s great. He’s not going to make one play back there, and now we have changed the entire defense for one signing, and it ruined us. He’s a great kid. But the truth of the matter is, you let an All-Pro safety walk, Malcolm Jenkins, and lost your two best leaders on the team, him and Roman Harper. We changed the entire style of play. It was strange. But hey, I did the best job I could. And it wasn’t good enough. They should have fired me. They probably should have fired everybody that made that decision to go in that direction. Now I’m going to move my whole family over here to Buffalo for a reason: to go kick everybody’s ass, including theirs.”

“But at the end of the day, the last two years in New Orleans were a waste of time for me.”

Rex Ryan on the Bills’ 2015 defense, which dropped to 19th from fourth under Jim Schwartz the previous season, and whether a rebound is on the way:

“I screwed up, and that’s totally on me. So if people lost a little faith in it, or whatever, I can understand. I should be doubted, because I made a mistake in judgment. But just go back and look at the history. You are going to get the real deal this year, and we’ll see how it goes. I know how it has gone my whole career.”

“This was the first time in my life I have ever come into a situation where the defense got worse. And so that was odd. That was different. No excuses. But I’ll stand by my record; I’ll stand by everything I have ever done in this league statistically. Put the numbers up. Do you want to look at one year, or a 15-year window? I specifically said I probably shouldn’t have tried to combine systems last year. I should have just gone for it, this is it, blunt-force trauma, and bring in some players that knew the system and can help run it.”

Rex Ryan on defensive end Mario Williams, who was unhappy in Ryan’s scheme last season and got his release in March:

“Now look, with some of the comments [he made], do I wish him well? Not really. But, he’s on Miami. If he would have gone somewhere else, maybe. He’s a good kid, but I am used to some mean motherf—ers that play out there. The Terrell Suggs, Jarrett Johnsons of the world. I screwed them, too; I had them drop [into coverage], too. Not one of them bitched. Von Miller [dropped into coverage] in the Super Bowl. Why? Because that’s what’s asked of him; that’s what his job is. Your job is to play. Coaches spend a hell of a lot more time studying tape and everything else. They are trying to put the team in the best position to be successful, not an individual.”

Rob Ryan on the AFC East rival Patriots:

“But I know one thing, we are going to beat them. We are together, we’re going to beat the best. It’s two against one. [Belichick] one on one against any coach in the league, that guy is pretty damn good. And he’s also got his best buddy Tom Brady with him. He trained him, and he single-handedly made him great as well.”

“Bring Belichick on. We got him.”

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Lions, Lynch, Saints, Cowboys

May 27th, 2016 at 6:58pm CST by Zachary Links

As Lions OTAs continue, the shadow of Calvin Johnson looms large. How long did it take quarterback Matthew Stafford to get used to life without Megatron?

“Apparently, a lot quicker than you guys,” he said to reporters (link via The Associated Press).

The Lions signed Marvin Jones in free agency and he’ll likely be their No. 2 option at wide receiver behind Golden Tate. They Lions also picked up Jeremy Kerley in the offseason to add some depth to the position and possibly take the role of punt returner off Tate’s plate. The Lions still have plenty of passing options – including tight ends Eric Ebron and Brandon Pettigrew – but it remains to be seen whether they can collectively fill the void left by Johnson’s retirement.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/27/16

May 27th, 2016 at 5:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

The Ravens have signed sixth-round wide receiver/return man Keenan Reynolds, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Earlier today, United States Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter gave Reynolds permission to defer his obligations with the Navy to play in the NFL in 2016. Reynolds had a stellar four-year playing career at Navy, where he served as a dual-threat quarterback and accounted for 119 touchdowns (88 rushing, 31 passing).
The Browns announced the signing of fourth-round defensive back Derrick Kindred. Kindred played in 50 games during his time at TCU, including 30 starts. In that span, Kindred recorded 235 tackles, 15 passes defensed, eight interceptions, four fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles. With Kindred in the fold, the Browns have now signed eight of their 14 draft picks.

Knowshon Moreno Interested In Signing With Broncos, Dolphins

May 27th, 2016 at 4:57pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent running back Knowshon Moreno is eyeing an NFL return and would like to sign with with either the Broncos or Dolphins, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post. Moreno spent the first five seasons of his career in Denver before inking a free agent contract with the Dolphins in 2014. After suiting up for just three games with the Dolphins, Moreno suffered a season-ending ACL tear – the second torn ACL of his career – and sat out the 2015 campaign to enable his ailing knees to heal. Moreno insists he’s healthy now, though.

“I plan on coming back,” he told TMZ. “I feel good. I feel healthy. I’m fully recovered. So I’m just doing the things I have to right now, just staying in shape and seeing where that goes.”

While the soon-to-be 29-year-old is interested in another go-around with the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos, who took him in the first round of the 2009 draft, it’s unknown if the feeling is mutual. As noted by Jhabvala, the Broncos re-signed rushers C.J. Anderson (four-year deal) and Ronnie Hillman (one-year contract) earlier in the offseason, and Kapri Bibbs, Juwan Thompson and fourth-round rookie Devontae Booker round out their depth chart.

The Dolphins also have a crowded backfield, but after striking out on trying to land high-profile options (Anderson included) earlier in the offseason, they lack an established No. 1 rusher. As of now, second-year man Jay Ajayi looks poised to serve as their go-to ball carrier. Ajayi racked up just 187 yards on 49 carries as a rookie, however, and his production tailed off significantly after a strong two-game showing to begin his career. Miami did invest a third-rounder in Alabama’s Kenyan Drake, though, and Daniel Thomas and Isaiah Pead are among its veteran choices. Moreno has enjoyed a better career than both, and the ex-Georgia Bulldog says he has plenty more to offer.

“I still have a lot in the tank. Probably too much in the tank. I need to let it out. I’m really excited to get back. I just want to get back to a team atmosphere, helping a team and, most of all, just competing,” he told TMZ.

During the first six years of his career, Moreno missed 33 of a possible 96 regular-season games, but he did fare well when healthy. In Moreno’s most productive season, 2013, he amassed 1,038 yards on 241 carries (4.3 YPC, the same as his career mark), chipped in an impressive 60 catches and added 13 touchdowns (10 rushing, three receiving). Cumulatively, Moreno has rushed for 3,616 yards, hauled in 158 passes and piled up 36 scores (27 rushing, nine receiving).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Broncos GM John Elway On Sanchez, Lynch

May 27th, 2016 at 3:50pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos are the defending champions, but they’re not the odds-on favorites in Las Vegas to repeat. This offseason, the Broncos saw future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning retire and while promising backup Brock Osweiler left via free agency. As if finding a new solution at quarterback wasn’t enough of a challenge for GM John Elway, the team also had to deal with the departure of defensive end Malik Jackson, who inked a six-year deal worth up to $90MM with Jacksonville.

After an eventful winter and spring, Elway sat down with Jason Cole of Bleacher Report to discuss the tough decisions that he made and the challenges ahead for Denver. Here are some of the highlights:

On the challenge of finding a new quarterback

Elway: There are challenges every year. That’s why this year in free agency and all that, there are challenges every year trying to keep things together. So that’s always a challenge. Was it a big surprise that we were in that situation? Yeah, because I thought…we drafted Brock [Osweiler] when we got Peyton [Manning] because we didn’t know exactly what Peyton was going to be. But also, if [Manning] wasn’t in good shape, we were going to a guy who was going to be here for a long, long time. Now, that didn’t work out, so it was a matter of, you have to fix the issue. There are going to be issues every year.

On taking his time in the QB search

Elway: Well, the first thing we did is we got Mark [Sanchez] and I feel good about Mark. So by getting Mark—and we’re a lot higher on him than a lot of people are—so once we landed Mark and he was here, we felt better about the situation. It was a matter of bringing somebody in for competition. But of the guys who were out there at the time, there were no difference-makers. So why would I overpay for a guy who wasn’t going to be a difference-maker?

On the athleticism of rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch

Elway: He’s very consistent with the way he throws it, the release, all that stuff. Very consistent and athletic. He can move around.

On Mark Sanchez and whether he fits the Broncos’ offense

Elway: I feel good about Mark. I think he’s got a chance. If a guy is talented who can move around and do different things…he’s had success in the playoffs. He’s been to the AFC Championship Game. He has won playoff games. Those are all things that you wonder about guys who haven’t done it and you don’t know how they will react when they get there. He’s proven he can do that. Has Mark ever been in the perfect situation to prove what he can do? A lot of times, quarterbacks don’t get in the right systems that fit them. That’s a big part of this. So I think this is the type of offense that will benefit Mark and knowing what they did in New York and what they did in Philadelphia. He moved all around. You get him with the right coach in the right system and good people around him and you have a little chance.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Navy Permits Keenan Reynolds To Play In 2016

May 27th, 2016 at 1:57pm CST by Zachary Links

United States Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter has cleared Ravens rookie and Navy product Keenan Reynolds to play in the NFL in 2016, the Ravens announced on Friday. Reynolds, who was listed as a return specialist in addition to wide receiver, issued the following statement:

“It is a blessing to hear the news from Defense Secretary Carter today,” Reynolds said. “I am truly excited to proudly serve my country while having the ability fulfill my dream of playing for the best organization in the NFL. I would like to thank the Navy for allowing me to represent them while taking advantage of this unique opportunity. I would also like to thank Mr. Bisciotti and the Ravens organization for believing in me and giving me this chance.”

Reynolds is obligated to serve in the military as per his agreement with the United States Naval Academy, but he has received special clearance to defer his service. The Navy likely sees tremendous upside in the good PR that will come from Reynolds playing in the NFL.

Leading up to the draft, the Patriots were heavily connected to Reynolds. The Ravens reportedly had what they considered “reliable information” that the Patriots would try to draft Reynolds in the sixth round. With that in mind, Baltimore beat New England to the punch by nabbing Reynolds with the 182nd overall selection. New England has shown an affinity for Navy alums in the past and Reynolds’ ability to be used as a wide receiver, kick returner, or even a quarterback appealed to coach Bill Belichick.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Roseman, Redskins

May 27th, 2016 at 12:35pm CST by Zachary Links

This week, Eagles executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman sat down with Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (audio link) to discuss a wide range of topics, including the year he spent effectively squeezed out of the Eagles’ front office.

“When we restructured last year and I was put in a different role for the 2015 season, one of the things I asked Jeffrey [Lurie] was, if it was OK, I had always envisioned if I wasn’t going to be doing the same thing that I would do what a coach does when he takes a year away from it and they go visit the programs that they respect and appreciate and talk about all the things that take up their time — player personnel and analytics and sports science and relationships and team building — all the things that we spend our time on,” said Roseman (transcript via Philadelphia Magazine). “What an unbelievable experience. You think about it and you go, well, that year must have been tremendously hard and difficult, and I look back at it and it may have been one of the best years of my life because of the perspective.”

Roseman was pushed out of the picture by former coach Chip Kelly, but Kelly is out and he is now back at the helm.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Redskins defensive end Chris Baker is entering the final year of his contract and he hopes to work out an extension before the start of the season, Master Tesfatsion of The Washington Post writes. “It’s pretty important,” Baker said. “I’d love to get some financial security and be here for years to come, but I’ve just got to let that take care of itself and just continue to do what I’ve always done – work hard and just let the business take care of business.” Baker probably stands as the Redskins’ top defensive lineman and he’ll be their top in-house priority once Kirk Cousins‘ situation is settled.
Recently, the Giants tried to claim quarterback Zach Mettenberger off waivers from the Titans. backing up Eli Manning. Had the Giants successfully claimed him, Mettenberger would have competed with B.J. Daniels for the No. 3 spot on the team’s depth chart behind starter Eli Manning and No. 2 QB Ryan Nassib.
Cowboys offensive lineman Ronald Leary wants a trade, but Dallas doesn’t want to give him away for cheap.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pigskin Links: Offsets, Wilson, Falcons

May 27th, 2016 at 11:05am CST by Zachary Links

Here at Pro Football Rumors, we deliver up-to-the-minute news on NFL transactions and high-quality original analysis. Each week, we also feature some of the best blog articles from around the web in our regular feature, Pigskin Links.

We’re looking for interesting reads on all things football from blogs of all sizes. While PFR is dedicated to player movement, Pigskin Links is open to pieces on all areas of the game. If you would like to suggest your blog post (or someone else’s) for Pigskin Links, send us an email with the link and a brief synopsis at PigskinLinks@gmail.com.

Here’s this week’s look around the football blogosphere:

Not A Scout says NFL teams shouldn’t argue over offset language.
Wayniac Nation wonders who the NFL’s top QB is.
Falcon Eye View previews Atlanta’s defense in 2016.
NFL Spin Zone gave some early postseason predictions.
NFL Girl UK praised Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll.
Cup Of Joe In The D set the over/under on wins for every team.
NFL Draft Report has an extensive rundown of the 2016 first round class.

Got a great football blog post that you want to see featured in next week’s Pigskin Links? Email it to Zach or tweet it to him: @ZachLinks.

Panthers, Kawann Short Pause Contract Talks

May 27th, 2016 at 9:36am CST by Zachary Links

Contract talks between the Panthers and defensive tackle Kawann Short “temporarily are on hold,” according to ESPN.com’s David Newton. The two sides have been discussing a new deal since May and even though talks have cooled down, Newton still expects a deal to get done between June and the start of the 2016 season. For his part, Short isn’t sweating the potential extension.

“If it happens, it happens, but we haven’t focused on that,” Short said of a new deal. “I’ve still got a lot I need to do. I’ve put myself in the position, but at the same time, I’m not where I want to be. We’re not rushing the issue.”

Short led the Panthers with 11 sacks last season and Carolina knows that the bidding for Short will get out of hand if he reaches the open market after the 2016 season . At present, the Panthers have roughly $30MM in cap room which will allow them to give Short a deal that reflects his place as one of the league’s best defensive tackles.

Short, 27, enjoyed a breakout season in 2015, earning his first Pro Bowl nod and starting all 16 of the Panthers’ games for the first time. The Purdue product racked up 11 sacks to go along with 55 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a pair of fumble recoveries. He also added two more sacks and a forced fumble in the postseason.

As PFR’s Dallas Robinson observed in his preview of the Panthers’ offseason, the negotiations between Short’s camp and the team will be interesting. On one hand, the Pro Bowl defender has really only produced at an elite level for one season. However, there’s no reason to think Short’s reps won’t make the case that their client deserves to be paid like Marcell Dareus or Gerald McCoy — those players inked long-term pacts worth $95MM+, making them the highest-paid 4-3 defensive tackles in the NFL not named Ndamukong Suh.

If the two sides cannot agree on a brand new deal, Short will likely receive the franchise tag from the Panthers. This year, the franchise salary for a defensive tackle was $13.615MM and that number is expected to go a little bit higher in 2017.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Cowboys, Ronald Leary

May 27th, 2016 at 8:42am CST by Zachary Links

Ronald Leary has requested a trade from the Cowboys, but Dallas isn’t in a hurry to send him elsewhere. On Thursday, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones explained that he’d only trade the offensive lineman if he can get a decent return.

“We told Ron that he could certainly look around, but we’re not in the business of letting go of good football players for little or nothing,” Jones said (link via Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News). “We got calls during the draft asking to trade for some of our running backs. We just don’t have that interest. Ron’s a big part of this football team. We know it’s disappointing when you’ve been starting and you’re not. We’d hoped that he would look at it as ‘let’s come in here and compete.'”

Jones went on to say that the Cowboys expect Leary “to come in here at some point.” Leary, of course, is abstaining from voluntary OTAs but Jones hopes he’s “getting in shape wherever he is right now.”

Leary started at left guard for the Cowboys in 2013 and 2014. In 2015, he started the season in the same role but undrafted rookie La’el Collins – who was graded as a first-round talent before his infamous draft day slide – eventually took the job from him. The Cowboys are planning to start Collins at left guard once again in 2016, but they want all of the help they can get on the offensive line with Tony Romo returning from injury and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott leading the team’s running back committee.

Leary was on the field for only 137 pass snaps and 84 run snaps in 2015, according to the stats compiled by Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Although he did not qualify to be ranked based on that limited sample size, Leary was given an overall grade of 72.2, which would have placed him among the top 30 guards in the NFL last season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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