2016 June - Pro Football Rumors

Bears Working Out Tony Moeaki

June 9th, 2016 at 3:00pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears are looking to shore up the tight end position and their auditions today included a familiar name. Chicago is taking a look at a group of TEs, including Tony Moeaki, a source tells Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Undrafted free agent Terenn Houk (BYU) and former Packers tight end Ryan Taylor are also being auditioned by Chicago. The other tight ends in the workout are not known at this point.

Moeaki, 29, appeared in 11 games with the Falcons last season. The veteran first burst on the scene in 2010 when he caught 47 passes for 556 yards and three touchdowns. After losing his 2011 season to a torn ACL, Moeaki rebounded in 2012 to catch 33 passes for 453 yards and one score. The former third-round pick has also had stints with the Bills and Seahawks.

Houk played wide receiver in college, but Biggs says the Bears asked him to add some weight and focus on his blocking after rookie minicamp so that he could transition to wide receiver. Across the last two seasons at BYU, Houk recorded 58 receptions for 731 yards and four touchdowns. Taylor, 28, played for Green Bay from 2011 until fall of 2014 and appeared in 50 games during that span. Taylor hooked on with the Browns and Ravens in 2014, but he has not been in the NFL since.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Roddy White Only Wants To Play For Contender

June 9th, 2016 at 2:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Roddy White is still waiting on a phone call from an NFL team, but that doesn’t mean that he’s desperate for an offer. The wide receiver says that he only wants to play for a team that can win the Super Bowl in 2016.

“When my agent and I went down the list and I saw the teams that really needed wide receivers, I was like, ‘Wow, I really don’t want to go there,’”White told Jeff Schultz of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I knew I couldn’t win with any of those teams. At this point of my career, I don’t want to be dragging my feet in Week 13 just to have an opportunity to be 4-10 next week.”

Of course, everyone’s definition of a contending team varies. For White, he says that there are “maybe six teams” that he would consider signing with for this season. If one of those six teams don’t come calling, he says that he is prepared to retire. He’s also not planning on dragging things out for too long.

“I’ll let it go into the season, maybe Week 4 or 5,” he said. “If it doesn’t happen, I’ll be putting my cleats on a power line, just like Marshawn Lynch.”

White, 34, made four Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro in 2010, when he caught a career-high 110 passes for 1,389 yards and 10 touchdowns. In early March, the Falcons bid farewell to White and, soon after, his agent pointed the finger at offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.

“There is one reason Roddy is no longer with the Falcons and it is Kyle Shanahan,” rep Jonathan Feinsod said. “Kyle forced the Falcons to choose between him or Roddy.”

Here at PFR, we listed White as an honorable mention when ranking the best players still available on the open market.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Browns Sign Patrick Murray

June 9th, 2016 at 1:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns have signed kicker Patrick Murray, according to his agents at Schwartz and Feinsod (Twitter link). Murray was with the Buccaneers until he was waived in May.

Murray spent last season on IR after the Bucs waived him with an injury designation. In his only year of action, 2014, Murray converted 20 of 24 field goals. Murray will now presumably enter into a kicking competition with Travis Coons. Cleveland has been looking into kickers this offseason following a year in which Coons saw four of his kicks blocked. Last month, the Browns claimed kicker Jaden Oberkrom off waivers from the Jaguars only to see the TCU product retire days later.

In other Browns news, former GM Ray Farmer recently opened about what he thinks went wrong with Johnny Manziel. Farmer placed a fair amount of blame on the former Texas A&M star for his actions but also said that the team was not prepared to deal with his level of celebrity.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Breer On RGIII, Miller, Foles, Geno Smith

June 9th, 2016 at 12:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Some would say that RGIII is coming to Cleveland with baggage, but new Browns coach Hue Jackson wouldn’t agree.

“I said this to all the players: Everybody’s slate is clean,” Jackson said, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB. “You always want to give guys the benefit of the doubt coming in, and I have not seen, heard or felt any negativity out of him. That’s the only Robert Griffin I know. He’s been an ideal teammate, a hard worker, he wants to please his coaches and he’s followed directions. That’s all I know.”

Griffin started out red hot with the Redskins before injuries and in-fighting led to his downfall. Eventually, the Redskins found their new franchise quarterback in Kirk Cousins while Griffin was on the outside looking in. Because of the stop-and-start nature of the last few years, Jackson & Co. know that they have a lot of work to do when it comes to the Baylor product.

“I’m not gonna say he’s raw, but he is still developing. And most young quarterbacks are still developing,” Jackson said. “I’d give coach (Mike) Shanahan and his son a lot of credit—he came into the league and they fashioned an offense for him that worked for him. And I’d give him credit too, coming out of the Baylor system, without the traditional footwork you play with, he produced right away. Those guys were able to mesh together a great season, but all that is in his past. It’s about mastering the quarterback position now. Mastery of how to play the position is the key to his success.”

Here’s more from Breer’s column:

Here’s an interesting twist to the Von Miller saga. As previously reported, if Miller opts to sit out the 2016 season, the Broncos will only be able to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on him and will not have the exclusive franchise tag at their disposal. Typically, a team that is able to pry a player away on the non-exclusive tag would have to forfeit two first-round picks to the former team. However, if Miller were to sit out, a union source tells Breer that the compensation price would drop from two first-round picks to a first and a third. I imagine that there are some teams that would at least consider forfeiting two first-round choices to land Miller, regarded as one of the best defensive talents in the game. If the price drops to a first- and third-round choice, I think that market opens up even more. Of course, any team that would sign Miller to an offer sheet would also be giving him a $100MM+ deal with significant guarantees.
The Rams have yet to trade Nick Foles because they believe that his trade value could increase a bit once training camp begins, Breer hears. At that point, rival teams will have injuries under center and other clubs may find that their backups aren’t coming along as planned.
While there is some feeling inside the Jets that they could get by with Geno Smith, many outside of the organization are skeptical. “I think they’ll struggle if [Geno is] the guy,” one rival defensive coach told Breer. “Too inconsistent, stares guys down, average at reading defenses, makes poor decisions. … Fitz is much smarter, more accurate, and a better leader.”
Former Baylor coach Art Briles has been linked to NFL jobs in the past but it seems unlikely that he would be in the mix for a job right now following the program’s recent scandal. However, there are factors beyond those events that could keep Briles from getting a chance in the pros. “The big-picture stuff, he’s good at,” said one AFC scout. “The detail is why his offense would fail in the NFL. His offense at Baylor is not detailed—we’re gonna play tempo, we’re gonna play fast, and we’ll get you with our speed and just out-athlete you because our guys don’t have to think and your guys do.”
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NFC North Notes: Tulloch, Lions, Vikings

June 9th, 2016 at 12:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Linebacker Stephen Tulloch still isn’t sure whether he’ll be a member of the Lions going forward. “My gut is we’ve got to wait and find out. Couple more days. We’ll see,” Tulloch said (Twitter link via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press). The veteran was told in February he wouldn’t be part of the team, but he remains on the team’s roster today. The 31-year-old has spent the last five years with Detroit.

Here’s more from the NFC North:

Charles Johnson has to fight for his spot on the Vikings‘ roster, but he is not to be counted out yet, Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune writes. While there’s something of a logjam at wide receiver, Johnson did show a lot when he became Teddy Bridgewater’s go-to guy late in 2014. Many have noted that the pressure is being turned up on Cordarrelle Patterson after the team selected Laquon Treadwell and Moritz Boehringer in the draft, but Patterson is unlikely to go thanks to his return ability. If Johnson can shine in the coming weeks, Vensel believes that the Vikes will find room for him behind Stefon Diggs, Jarius Wright, Patterson, and the team’s rookies.
Giovani Bernard‘s new contract with the Bengals should bode well for Lions running back Theo Riddick, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. Bernard, who agreed to a three-year, $15.5MM extension, is a more balanced tailback than Riddick, but the Lions back may offer more in the way of pass-catching value. Last season, Riddick caught 80 passes for 697 yards and three scores. Riddick can’t run like Bernard, so he probably won’t match him in terms of money, but the deal does give his agents a decent comp to work off of. Age is also working in the Notre Dame product’s favor as he only just turned 25 in May.
On Wednesday, the Bears placed Manny Ramirez on the reserve/retired list.

Patriots TE Michael Williams Suffers Torn ACL

June 9th, 2016 at 11:26am CST by Zachary Links

Patriots tight end Michael Williams tore his left ACL at Wednesday’s practice and likely will be placed on injured reserve, Jim McBride of The Boston Globe tweets.

Williams, an Alabama product, first came into the league as a 2013 seventh-round choice of the Lions. Unfortunately, he’s no stranger to a lot season as he suffered a hand injury early on in Detroit and was forced to sit out his rookie year. When he returned in 2014, the Lions made the surprising decision to switch him over to offensive tackle. In August of 2015, the Lions shipped Williams to New England and the Pats decided to move him back to tight end.

In his appearances last season, the Patriots also lined Williams up in the backfield and at wide receiver. In total, Williams saw time in 15 regular season games and made nine starts. He was targeted six times and recorded three receptions for 26 yards.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rams Working On Extensions For Fisher, Snead

June 9th, 2016 at 11:03am CST by Zachary Links

Contract extension talks for Rams head coach Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead are expected to pick up over the next couple of months, Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets. The Rams have been in extension talks with both men since late February.

On the surface, news of extension talks are a bit surprising given the Rams’ lack of success under Fisher and Snead. In his four years at the helm of the Rams, Fisher’s teams have compiled a 27-36-1 record and have never gone .500 or better during an individual campaign. The Rams finished 7-9 last season during their St. Louis swan song, which was the third time they’ve won seven games under Fisher. However, after moving halfway across the country, owner Stan Kroenke apparently wants to ensure some stability going forward.

There’s no word yet on possible length or financial compensation for Fisher or Snead. Fisher is currently among the NFL’s highest-paid coaches at $7MM annually and almost certainly tops the league when it comes to dollars-per-win.

Prior to joining the Rams, Fisher experienced success atop the Titans organization, going 142-120 in 17 years and helping lead the club to six playoff appearances and a Super Bowl XXXIV berth to conclude the 1999-2000 season. Of course, the Titans lost that game, 23-16, to Fisher’s present-day employer, the Rams.

Snead, meanwhile, got his start as the pro scout for the upstart Jaguars in 1995. In 1997, he took the same position with the Falcons while also serving as their director of pro/player personnel. Prior to the 2012 season, the Rams hired Snead after parting ways with Billy Devaney.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rams To Sign No. 1 Pick Jared Goff Today

June 9th, 2016 at 9:08am CST by Zachary Links

No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff is expected to sign his four-year contract with the Rams today, according to sources who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deal will be worth about $28MM, as his slot dictates. The Rams, as expected, have waited until June to sign players in their rookie class.

Goff, considered the most polished quarterback prospect in this year’s class by many analysts and observers, threw for nearly 8,700 combined yards and 78 touchdowns during his final two years in college. In 2015, he established new personal bests by completing 64.5% of his passes and throwing for 4,714 yards and 43 TDs.

While some experts the upside of No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz over Goff’s, our Rob DiRe ranked the Cal product as his No. 1 prospect at quarterback, writing that Goff’s “ability to work in a crowded pocket and deliver the football from unorthodox angles” is part of what makes him special.

After drafting a potential franchise running back last year in Todd Gurley, the Rams added another possible franchise player to their backfield in an attempt to fortify an offense that has frequently let down a talented defense in recent years. In their trade up to No. 1, the Rams received a 2016 fourth-round pick (No. 113), and a 2016 sixth-rounder (No. 177) in their deal with the Titans. However, the cost to acquire those three picks was steep — Tennessee got the Rams’ first-rounder this year (No. 15), two 2016 second-round picks (Nos. 43 and 45), a 2016 third-round pick (No. 76), and first- and third-round picks for 2017.

With Goff now in the mix, the Rams will have some decisions to make at the quarterback position. The team currently has Case Keenum, 2015 third-rounder Sean Mannion, and veteran QB Nick Foles on the depth chart. Foles is reportedly unhappy about the Rams taking Goff and coach Jeff Fisher says that Foles probably won’t be in L.A. for long.

Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

Bills Sign Boom Herron

June 9th, 2016 at 8:52am CST by Zachary Links

The Bills announced that they have signed running back Dan Herron. To make room, the Bills released cornerback Julian Whigham.

Herron spent time with Buffalo during the 2015 season when the team was ravaged by injuries in the backfield. Now, he could once again provide some depth as LeSean McCoy deals with a hamstring injury. Last year was a somewhat tumultuous year for Herron, who was waived off the Colts’ injured reserve at the beginning of the season. After working out for the Patriots, Herron latched on with the Bills, appearing in four games and registering 11 rushing attempts. Buffalo cut bait with Herron relatively quickly, but Indianapolis, once again the market for a back, claimed him off waivers in order to secure a reunion with the former Ohio State Buckeye. Herron didn’t play much down the stretch, and was let go during the restricted free agent tender period.

Herron auditioned for the rival Dolphins on Monday, but he left without the team making an offer. Miami planned on keeping Herron on their “just in case” list, but Buffalo was ready to scoop him up immediately.

Whigham was struggling in OTAs, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News tweets. Whigham, a Syracuse product, was originally signed as a UDFA on May 2nd.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: T-Rich, Manziel, Dolphins

June 8th, 2016 at 8:44pm CST by Rory Parks

Trent Richardson may be down to his last chance to continue his NFL career, and he may be firmly on the Ravens‘ roster bubble, but one still has to give him credit for dreaming big. In an interview with Comcast SportsNet, Richardson said he would end his NFL story by “Putting on a yellow jacket. People wrote him off, he came back and did some amazing things. He always had the pedigree. He just had to get back to the guy that we know” (link via Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com). T-Rich, the former No. 3 overall pick of the 2012 draft, has a career average of just 3.3 yards per carry, and he has struggled with injuries and weight throughout the course of his once-promising career. Just 25, Richardson realizes there will probably not be another opportunity for him if he fails to make Baltimore’s roster, but as he fights to carve out a place for himself on the Ravens–who are well-stocked at the running back position–a little self-confidence can’t hurt.

Now for a few more links from the AFC:

Johnny Manziel‘s attorney, Jim Darnell, says his client is preparing as though he will play in the NFL in 2016, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes. Per Fowler, Darnell concedes that a return to the league in 2017 is more realistic, but it would take a confluence of positive outcomes for even that to happen. Manziel’s pending assault charge, for which he has a status hearing on June 24, would have to be resolved in his favor, he would have to weather whatever punishments the league levies upon him, and he would have to find a team willing to gamble on him and his fledgling football abilities.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that the NFL has not yet contacted Dolphins rookie left tackle Laremy Tunsil about the now-infamous bong video that precipitated Tunsil’s fall in April’s draft. As Florio notes, however, the league could come calling any day.
The top of the Dolphins‘ wide receiver depth chart is largely settled, but there is some intrigue among a few of the less-heralded players on the roster, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes. Barring injury, Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills, and Leonte Carroo will be the club’s top four wideouts, but rookie Jakeem Grant, despite being a raw route-runner, has flashed in OTAs, and players like Griff Whalen and Matt Hazel also have their supporters among the Dolphins’ coaching staff.
New Jets left tackle Ryan Clady still has a chip on his shoulder as a result of the unceremonious end to his tenure with the Broncos several months ago, and he is determined to prove he is still the same player he was during his peak years in Denver, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes.
Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida-Times Union takes a look at six returning Jaguars who could be on the roster bubble, a list headlined by Tyson Alualu and Dwayne Gratz.