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Giants Claim Logan Thomas

June 18th, 2016 at 10:10am CST by Zachary Links

SATURDAY, 10:10am: The Giants have announced the deal on Twitter.

FRIDAY, 2:56pm: The Giants have claimed quarterback Logan Thomas off waivers from the Dolphins, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. To make room for Thomas, the Giants waived fellow QB B.J. Daniels, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter link).

Thomas, whom Miami dropped from its roster earlier this week, will now join his third NFL organization since the Cardinals selected him in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. The former Virginia Tech standout has thrown just nine passes during his pro career and completed only one of those attempts. He made it count, though, connecting on an 81-yard touchdown against the Broncos in October 2014.

Thomas, 24, is now the third quarterback on the Giants’ roster, as Roster Resource shows, joining Eli Manning and Ryan Nassib.

Extra Points: Monroe, Arians, Jets, Tebow, Pats

June 17th, 2016 at 8:04pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent offensive tackle Eugene Monroe will likely begin visiting prospective employers next week, reports Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). With training camp still a good distance away, Monroe will take his time before signing somewhere, adds Fowler. Since the Ravens released him Wednesday, Monroe has reportedly drawn interest from the Giants, Seahawks and 49ers. In addition to those three clubs, PFR’s Dallas Robinson analyzed five others that could sign the 29-year-old.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians told Andrea Kremer of HBO that he felt “betrayed” when the Steelers let him go after the 2011 season, ending his five-year stint as their offensive coordinator (via Jeremy Cluff of the Arizona Republic). “I had admired Mike Tomlin so much. And I really thought he was a coach who really cared about his people. And for him to do this, well, I felt very disillusioned,” said Arians, who accused Tomlin of reneging on a promise to renew his contract. Arians believes the perception that he was too close with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger – with whom he won a Super Bowl – contributed to his demise in Pittsburgh. The 63-year-old also told Kremer he was “legitimately retired” after his tenure with the Steelers concluded, but Colts head coach Chuck Pagano then hired him as Indianapolis’ O-coordinator. Arians ended up as Indy’s head coach for 12 games, leading the team to a 9-3 record as Pagano battled leukemia. That success paved the way for Arians to land in Arizona, where he has helped the Cardinals to a sterling 34-17 regular-season mark and three straight playoff appearances.
  • With both quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson at loggerheads with the Jets over money, the team is on track to open training camp July 27 in less-than-ideal fashion, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Cimini doesn’t expect Fitzpatrick – who’s still a free agent – to re-sign with the club by then, while the Jets and Wilkerson are too far apart on his next contract to hammer out a long-term agreement by the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players. Wilkerson will lose $900K per week if he holds out into the regular season, notes Cimini, so the likelihood is the Pro Bowler will ultimately sign his $15.7MM franchise tender this summer and play out the year under that.
  • Free agent Tim Tebow could take another crack at making an NFL roster as a quarterback, he told Larry King (via Mark Fischer of the New York Daily News). “You pursue what’s on your heart, you pursue what you’re passionate about and for me in the game of football, is the position of quarterback,” said the 28-year-old. Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, was one of the Eagles’ final cuts last summer. He hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2012, when he was a backup signal-caller with the Jets.
  • Longtime front office executive Michael Lombardi is leaving the Patriots, reports Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. No reason has been given for Lombardi’s exit, but the former NFL Network analyst could be headed to HBO to join Bill Simmons’ new venture, according to Reiss. Lombardi, whom the Pats hired in 2013 as an assistant to their coaching staff, was previously the general manager in Cleveland.

NFC Notes: Seahawks, Eagles, Redskins

June 17th, 2016 at 7:01pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Seahawks are making an effort to extend contract-year wide receiver Doug Baldwin, head coach Pete Carroll said Thursday (via Jayson Jenks of The Seattle Times). “The intent is to get him signed and secured for a good while. So we’ll see if we can get that done,” said Carroll, who added that the two sides are “meeting on it right now, so we’re working at it.” It stands to reason that Baldwin – coming off a career season that saw him total personal bests in nearly all major categories – could look for a deal along the lines of the extensions the Jaguars’ Allen Hurns and the Chargers’ Keenan Allen signed earlier this month. Hurns and Allen agreed to four-year pacts worth upward of $40MM apiece, including over $20MM in guarantees each.

More from Seattle and two other NFC cities:

  • Since last season ended, the Eagles have focused more on their long-term future than immediately trying to improve on their 7-9 output in 2015, writes Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As a result, owner Jeffrey Lurie and the front office are ready to accept another lean year, according to Ford. That wouldn’t be an optimal outcome, but Ford opines that patience is in order for the Eagles’ fan base. “We knew that we had to get a little uncomfortable for this season and next season, really, to build something that hopefully lasts and gives us a chance at being a really good team again for a long period of time,” executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman said. Roseman made a slew of future-minded moves during the offseason – including trading up in the draft to select quarterback Carson Wentz second overall and doling out extensions to several cornerstone players.
  • In other Seahawks news, Carroll stated Thursday that he expects tight end Jimmy Graham and running back Thomas Rawls to be ready for the regular season. “They would have to incur some issues that we can’t foresee right now for that not to happen,” he told the team’s website. Graham suffered a torn patellar tendon in Week 12 after posting disappointing numbers (48 catches, two touchdowns), while Rawls’ stellar rookie year ended in Week 14 on account of a broken ankle. With Marshawn Lynch having retired, the Seahawks are counting on Rawls to once again look the part of a star back. The former undrafted free agent from Central Michigan rushed for 830 yards on a tremendous 5.6 per-carry average and combined for five touchdowns in 2015.
  • After tearing his Achilles last August and missing the entire 2015 season, Redskins linebacker Junior Galette is on track to return for the start of training camp. “I’m definitely going to be out there with them. I just can’t overcompensate like I did last year,” Galette told Mike Jones of the Washington Post, implying that he came back too soon from a torn pectoral muscle and set himself up for the Achilles injury. Galette, a double-digit-sack defender for the Saints in both 2013 and ’14, re-signed with the Redskins on an inexpensive one-year deal during the winter.

Settlement Reached In Saints Ownership Spat

June 17th, 2016 at 5:54pm CST by Zachary Links

5:54pm: The settlement still requires NFL approval, tweets CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. That means at least 24 owners must sign off on it.

2:45pm: The Saints announced that a settlement has been reached in the dispute between owner Tom Benson and his estranged heirs. Terms of the settlement are confidential and therefore unknown at this time. Tom Benson (vertical)

The agreement means that it will be “business as usual” for the Saints as well as other key Benson properties, including the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans, a local television station, and a cluster of car dealerships. The settlement comes on the heels of a court decision in June which ruled that Benson, despite the protests of the heirs he was feuding with, is mentally competent and fit to run his businesses.

Years ago, the Saints owner designated granddaughter Rita Benson LeBlanc as his handpicked successor. Then, in January 2016, he announced that he decided to instead transfer ownership of the city’s two major pro sports franchises to his wife, Gayle, when he dies. Meanwhile, LeBlanc’s offices at the teams’ Metairie headquarters were vacated and her company-issued Mercedes-Benz and cell phone was seized. LeBlanc, who was less than thrilled by all of this, filed a lawsuit claiming Benson is mentally incompetent and being manipulated by his wife.

Now, the 88-year-old will presumably remain at the helm of his sports franchises and, down the line, they will be owned and operated by his current spouse.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Raiders Sign Calhoun, Lock Up Draft Class

June 17th, 2016 at 5:44pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Raiders have announced the signing of third-round pick Shilique Calhoun, the final member of their 2016 draft class to officially join the organization. Calhoun, the 75th overall selection, had a highly productive three-year run along the defensive line at Michigan State, where he piled up 44 tackles for loss and 27 sacks. He’ll now join an Oakland team that spent the meat of the offseason making a concerted effort to improve its defense through both free agency and the draft. Along with Calhoun, the Raiders added first-round safety Karl Joseph and second-round defensive linemen Jihad Ward via the draft. Prior to that, they doled out significant money to veteran linebackers Bruce Irvin and Aldon Smith, cornerback Sean Smith and safety Reggie Nelson.

Here’s the complete list of drafted rookies secured by the Raiders:

Packers Sign Kenny Clark, Wrap Up Draft Class

June 17th, 2016 at 5:29pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Packers have locked up first-round pick Kenny Clark, the last member of their seven-player 2016 draft class to sign, reports Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.

Kenny Clark

Clark, a 6-foot-3, 314-pounder from UCLA, became the 27th selection in the draft after racking up 73 tackles and 5.5 sacks en route to third-team All-America honors last season. During his three-year career with the Bruins, Clark amassed 159 tackles (20 for loss) and 6.5 sacks.

According to figures from Over the Cap, Clark is in line for a four-year deal worth up to $9.36MM, including a signing bonus in excess of $5MM. His pact also includes the customary fifth-year option for first-round picks. Now that Clark has put pen to paper, the Chargers’ Joey Bosa, the Jets’ Derron Lee, the Texans’ Will Fuller and the 49ers’ Joshua Garnett are the only first-rounders who haven’t signed their rookie deals.

Here is the complete rundown of the Packers’ 2016 rookie class:

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

North Notes: Bengals, Steelers, Lions

June 17th, 2016 at 5:10pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Bengals’ Andrew Whitworth showed he had plenty left in the tank last season, his 10th in the NFL and seventh with 16 starts, when he made his second Pro Bowl and finished as Pro Football Focus’ fourth-ranked offensive tackle (77 qualifiers). Nevertheless, the 34-year-old isn’t sure yet if he wants to play beyond the upcoming campaign. “As you get older, it takes a lot more focus to play. A lot of mental drain,” he told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “You have to rehab correctly. You have to stay in and get treatments. You have to keep your body in shape. There are so many more things now. When you were young you could run through a brick wall and bounce back no matter what you did.”

More from the league’s North divisions:

  • The Steelers and star running back Le’Veon Bell aren’t discussing a new deal “right now,” he told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, because the 24-year-old isn’t willing to delve into extension talks until his surgically repaired knee is 100 percent. Bell – who’s entering a contract year – missed seven games last season because of a torn MCL and PCL, though he now feels “great.”
  • Al Golden is happy with his decision to jump to the NFL as the Lions‘ tight ends coach, but that doesn’t mean that the former University of Miami head coach is done with college football, as he tells Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I think I have too much experience and just because I started young as a head coach, sometimes people look at it like, ‘Well, he’s already been a head coach,’” Golden said. “But I’m not 57. I’m 46, so I started young as a head coach and I’ve got a world of experience and I think this is just the next chapter for me so we’ll see where it goes. It’s too early to start thinking about that, but I know I’m skilled in that aspect of it. I’ve been a defensive coordinator, I’ve been a special teams coordinator, I’ve coached five or six different positions and now I’m coaching on the offense in the NFL”
  • Cornerback Darius Slay‘s contract situation puts the Lions in a familiar position, writes The Associated Press. For the third straight season, the Lions have a top defensive player entering a contract year, with Slay joining linebacker DeAndre Levy (2015) and tackle Ndamukong Suh (2014). Levy signed a four-year extension before last season, of course, and Suh played out his contract year and then departed in free agency. Slay hopes to follow Levy’s path and stay in Detroit for the long haul, the corner said earlier this week.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Breer On Cowboys, Hardy, Jordan, Manning

June 17th, 2016 at 4:40pm CST by Zachary Links

Last year, the Cowboys added Greg Hardy on a one-year, incentive laden deal. That bold move gave Dallas one of the most feared defensive linemen in the NFL, but also gave them one of the league’s biggest headaches and PR nightmares. Still, after dealing with Hardy’s down year and bad attitude, Jerry Jones says that he isn’t necessarily changing his approach going forward. Greg Hardy

“We’ve taken risks,” Jones told The MMQB’s Albert Breer. “It was a huge risk to take (Charles) Haley back (in the ’90s). Haley was a cancer on the Niners, and that’s why they gave him to us for next to nothing. Dez (Bryant) was a risk. Dez was a Top 5 pick that fell because he was a risk. And in the end, you win on some, you lose on some. That’s a little piece of how you succeed in business. You have to take chances.”

The Cowboys, of course, have publicly ruled out a Hardy reunion. Despite all of his baggage, PFR’s Dallas Robinson ranked Hardy as one of the best defensive free agents to remain on the board at this juncture of the offseason. There has been very little talk about Hardy lately, but we recently ran down some teams that could at least consider signing the defensive end.

Here’s more from Breer’s column:

  • Defensive end Dion Jordan insists that he’s drug-free as he looks to return to the Dolphins, but people who were around him over his first two years tell Breer that they’d first be looking to see what condition his shoulder is in. Prior to being taken No. 3 overall in the 2013 draft, Jordan’s shoulder was flagged, so it has been an issue for some time. If things work out well, however, Breer feels that Jordan could be a big part of the team’s future on the defensive line. Cameron Wake is 34 and Mario Williams is 31, so the team will need a youth injection in the coming years.
  • Word has it that Peyton Manning will wind up in a John Elway-type executive role at some point in the next few years. Because Manning is hoping to work in someone’s front office, Breer hears that he could be more willing to help the NFL’s investigation into the allegations levied against him in the Al Jazeera report last December. Manning said that he would sue Al Jazeera for what he deemed to be false claims against him, but he recently decided against taking action.
  • Breer believes that Von Miller and Eric Berry will wind up getting multi-year deals done with their respective teams. Unsurprisingly, he does not see a deal happening for Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/17/16

June 17th, 2016 at 4:14pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are today’s minor transactions from around the NFL. We’ll make sure to keep this updated as more moves come in…

  • The Bills have signed offensive tackle Justin Renfrow and waived/injured safety Phillip Thomas, per Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News (Twitter links). Renfrow, who tried out for the Bills during their minicamp, will now join his fifth NFL team since going undrafted from Miami in 2014. The Bills are the third organization for Thomas, who was the Redskins’ fourth-round pick in 2013. Thomas’ only action in the league came when he appeared in eight games (four starts) as a member of the 2014 Redskins.
  • The Lions have waived wideout Corey Washington from the injured reserve, tweets ESPN’s Michael Rothstein. The former undrafted free agent out of Newberry College tweaked his hamstring during OTAs, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). The 24-year-old has five career catches for 52 yards and one touchdown.
  • The Jets have signed receiver Kyle Williams, tweets Brian Costello of the New York Post. To make room on the roster, the team cut wideout Quenton Bundrage. Williams, who auditioned for the Jets during minicamp, has 47 career catches, although he hasn’t seen the field since the 2013 season. The 27-year-old ruptured his achilles last season while playing for the Broncos, although he stuck around long enough to win a Super Bowl ring. Bundrage was an undrafted rookie out of Iowa State.

East Notes: Jets, Gilmore, Giants, Redskins

June 17th, 2016 at 12:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Geno Smith is the Jets current starting quarterback, although the team would clearly prefer Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. Second-round pick Christian Hackenberg is the future at the position. So, where does that leave Bryce Petty?

As Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes, the team shouldn’t be giving up on the sophomore signal-caller. While the Jets have considered keeping four quarterbacks for 2016, Petty’s roster spot is no guarantee, and the writer doesn’t believe the organization should give up on the project so quickly.

For what it’s worth, Petty is ready for the challenge.

“You like competition,” Petty said. “So it’s one of those deals like, ‘Okay, they did draft a guy. Now it’s my chance to prove that they took the right guy the year before. … They made a good choice when they drafted me.”

Let’s check out some other notes from the NFL’s East divisions…

  • The Jets willingness to play hard ball with Fitzpatrick and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson leads to the perception that the team is “not as committed to winning as they ought to be,” writes Steve Serby of the New York Post. The writer believes the real fear is that this sentiment will leak into the locker room, which could make for a toxic environment.
  • The Bills don’t intend to pay Stephon Gilmore “Josh Norman cornerback money,” writes Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. If the defensive back is seeking a contract that nears Norman’s five-year, $75MM, the team will presumably let Gilmore walk following the season. On the flip side, the Bills may be willing to pay the former first-rounder $12.5MM a year.
  • The Giants are a natural fit for former Ravens offensive lineman Eugene Monroe, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The team has an obvious hole on the offensive line, and Monroe’s track record proves that the organization shouldn’t be wary of the veteran’s presence.
  • Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan has only held his position for 17 months, but the executive has already done an admirable job of turning around the organization. As Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports writes, the offseason acquisition of Josh Norman was McCloughan’s biggest move yet, and the GM is confident that the signing will ultimately prove to be worth it.
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