2016 June - Pro Football Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/24/16

June 24th, 2016 at 8:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

The Browns announced that they have signed outside linebacker Joe Schobert, a fourth-round draft pick. As shown on our running list, third-round defensive end Carl Nassib stands as Cleveland’s only unsigned draft choice from this year’s class of 14 picks. According to Over the Cap, Schobert, a Wisconsin product, is in line for a four-year deal worth roughly $2.974MM, including a signing bonus of about $634K.
The Rams have waived wide receiver J.J. Worton, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Tribune (Twitter link). Worton was an undrafted free agent out of UCF, and signed with Los Angeles at the beginning of May. The club has also waived linebacker Matthew Wells, per Jenna Laine of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Wells originally inked a futures deal back in January.

Latest On Johnny Manziel

June 24th, 2016 at 8:05pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Nearly every mention of former Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel on PFR in recent months has been negative, and the latest update, sadly, is no different. Manziel’s father spoke with Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Facebook link) about his son’s life off-the-field, and voiced his concerns for the former Heisman winner.

“He’s a druggie. It’s not a secret that he’s a druggie. I don’t know what to say other than my son is a druggie and he needs help. He just hasn’t seeked it yet,” said Paul Manziel. “Hopefully he doesn’t die before he comes to his senses. That’s about all you can say. I don’t know what else to say. I hate to say it but I hope he goes to jail. I mean, that would be the best place for him. So we’ll see.”

Paul Manziel’s comments come on the heels of another incident involving his son — Manziel’s lawyer accidentally texted the Associated Press and revealed details about his client’s domestic violence case, not only admitting that a plea deal was the target, but mistakenly disclosing non-flattering aspects of Manziel’s life. “Heaven help us if one of the conditions [of a plea bargain] is to pee in a bottle,” wrote Manziel’s attorney, suggesting that his client wouldn’t be able to pass a drug test. The accidental text also described a receipt for more than $1K in drug paraphernalia that may have been purchased by Manziel, though that remains unconfirmed.

Manziel’s rep recently said that his client is still preparing to play in the NFL in 2016, but admitted that a 2017 return was more likely. But at this point, a return to the league at any point seems like a stretch — if Manziel can’t go more than a few weeks without an incident or negative press, no club is going to risk the backlash of signing him.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ra’Zahn Howard To Enter Supplemental Draft

June 24th, 2016 at 7:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Purdue defensive tackle Ra’Zahn Howard will enter the 2016 supplemental draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who also reports that Howard will hold a pro day in New Jersey on July 8. While no exact date has been set for this years’ supplemental draft, the event has taken place on the second Thursday of July in past years, so July 14 looks like an option.

Howard, who stands 6’3″ and 310 pounds, was suspended for academic reasons in January and had actually announced last month that he would transfer from Purdue, according to Gold and Black. Clearly, he’s changed his mind about attending another school, and he’ll now attempt to make it in the NFL after appearing in 24 games — posting 47 tackles and three sacks — during three years in West Lafayette. According to Hammer and Nails, SB Nation’s Purdue blog, Howard was massive defensive tackle who essentially “took up space” in the middle of the Boilermakers’ line.

The supplemental draft allows 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. If a team selects a player in the supplementary draft, it will lose its corresponding pick in the following year’s standard draft. For example, if a club were to select a player in the fourth round of the supplemental, it will lose its 2017 fourth-rounder as a result.

Most players who enter the supplemental draft ultimately go undrafted, allowing them to become free agents and sign with any team. That has been the case over the last two years, as supplemental draft day came and went without any selections. The last two players to be picked were Isaiah Battle (Rams, 2015), Terrelle Pryor (Raiders, 2011) by the Raiders, and Josh Gordon (Browns, 2012).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pigskin Links: Raiders, QBs, Miller, Fantasy

June 24th, 2016 at 5:48pm 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:

Wayniac Nation has some very early predictions for the 2016 Raiders.
Last Word On Sports sized up the NFC’s quarterbacks by division.
Bear Down Blog wonders if Von Miller could find his way to the Bears.
NFL Spin Zone ran down five undervalued players in fantasy football.
NFL Draft Report rated the QBs in the 2017 draft.

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.

Saints Place Kyle Wilson On IR

June 24th, 2016 at 4:41pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints announced that they have placed cornerback Kyle Wilson on injured reserve, ending his season before it could even begin. The nature of the injury is not yet known. In a related move, the team has signed defensive tackle C.J. Wilson.

Kyle Wilson, a former first-round pick, spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Jets before heading to New Orleans for the 2015 season. While he didn’t live up to expectations in the Big Apple, Wilson played well as the Saints’ third cornerback last season, picking up 27 tackles and an interception. Pro Football Focus ranked him 47th out of 111 qualified players at the position. In March, the Saints re-signed him to a one-year, minimum salary deal.

As the Saints’ depth chart on Roster Resource shows, New Orleans doesn’t have much in the way of depth at cornerback. Aside from Wilson, the Saints will draw from a group of Delvin Breaux, P.J. Williams, Brian Dixon, Damian Swann, Keenan Lewis, Brandon Dixon, and Tony Carter. Of course, not all of those players will make the 53-man roster.

C.J. Wilson, meanwhile, is a 29-year-old defensive lineman with 78 career games under his belt, with most of that time coming as a rotational option with Packers from 2010-2013. He played in 12 contests in 2016 (eight with the Lions, four with the Raiders), and picked up nine total tackles to go along with one sack.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Broncos, Von Miller

June 24th, 2016 at 3:39pm CST by Zachary Links

Von Miller went dancing with the stars, but will he be running with the Broncos in 2016? Right now, it doesn’t sound like much progress has been made in contract talks between the two sides. Miller and the Broncos have not engaged in contract negotiations since early June, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

Early June was right around the time when Miller turned down a six-year, $114.5MM deal from Denver. In theory, the total value of that deal would have edged out the free agent contract signed by Ndamukong Suh, but Miller’s camp balked at the cash flow of the deal and the relatively paltry $39.8MM guaranteed in the first two years. The Broncos were said to have pulled the offer from Miller (which doesn’t mean much) while the outside linebacker claims that he will hold out if he does not get a suitable offer rather than play under the $14MM+ one-year franchise tender.

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. Furthermore, because of the holdout, the compensation for a team signing Miller would drop from two first-round picks to a first and a third. No team is eager to surrender a first- and third-round pick, of course, but that’s an easier pill to swallow and a price that at least a few teams should be willing to pay.

In a Twitter poll on Thursday, 31% of PFR readers said that Miller would be the first of four high-profile franchise-tagged players to sign a long term deal. Chiefs safety Eric Berry (29%) was a close second, followed by Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins and Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (20% each).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFL To Interview Players Named In PED Doc

June 24th, 2016 at 2:40pm CST by Zachary Links

2:41pm: The players in question are and have been willing to submit to interviews, but things have been delayed due to the bureaucratic differences between the two sides on the scope of the interviews and other factors relevant to the process, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT. The NFLPA is concerned about the precedent that these interviews could set, given the credibility issues that have been raised about the documentary. Going forward, the union is concerned that something as arbitrary as accusations of drug use via social media could lead to league examination, which is the type of thing the NFLPA does not want to invite.

12:09pm: The NFL has informed the NFLPA that league officials will show up on the first day of training camp to interview three players named in the Al-Jazeera America documentary linking them to performance enhancing drugs, according to USA Today’s Tom Pelissero.

Packers linebackers Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews and Steelers linebacker James Harrison are all scheduled for interviews the day camps open. For Peppers and Matthews, that means interviews on July 26th. The Steelers, meanwhile, open camp on July 29th. Former Packers linebacker Mike Neal is currently without a team, but he’ll be interviewed on or before July 22nd, per the letter.

Conspicuously absent from the notice, however, is any mention of former Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. However, a source tells Pelissero that the investigation into Manning’s involvement is ongoing.

Since Manning is no longer an active player, he cannot be forced to speak to the league about the accusations though, by the same token, he is free to discuss anything he wants with the league without being hindered by the NFLPA. However, Manning is reportedly hoping to hold a front office position at some point, and that could motivate him to discuss things with the NFL.

Neal, meanwhile, still wants to play football and he believes that the documentary has “heavily, heavily, heavily, heavily, heavily” influenced his extended free agency.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC East Notes: Patriots, Gronk, Cannon, Jets

June 24th, 2016 at 1:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Of all of the Patriots‘ team-friendly deals, their pact with Rob Gronkowski stands as their best contract, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap writes. Gronk is currently in the middle of a six-year, $54MM deal with just $13.2MM guaranteed. That contract looks better and better for the Patriots as the star tight end continues to dominate and lesser tight ends cash in elsewhere. The Pats extended Gronk under the old Collective Bargaining Agreement in which you could lengthen a rookie’s deal after just his second season in the NFL. The Patriots realized that they had a star in the making in the University of Arizona product and pounced at a time when he was willing to trade in upside for security. Now, the Patriots have Gronkowski at a below-market price as they control him until the age of 30.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

More from Fitzgerald, who writes that the Patriots‘ worst contract is the one belonging to offensive tackle Marcus Cannon. The 28-year-old is a versatile player, but Fitzgerald doesn’t understand why New England felt the need to give him a two-year, $8.5MM deal with $3.2MM guaranteed. On the plus side, the Pats only guaranteed Cannon’s signing bonus, so they can cut him after one year and move on, if necessary.
Guard Brian Winters has to prove a lot this season if he wants to have a future with the Jets beyond 2016, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. Winters, who was ranked just No. 62 among qualified guards last year by Pro Football Focus, is slated to open the year as the starting right guard without any real competition pushing him for the job. However, this is the final year of his rookie deal and his return is far from guaranteed if he does not excel.
Earlier today, we learned that the Dolphins still have two veteran safeties on speed dial in case things go south with Reshad Jones again.
On Tuesday, Bills ownership spoke out about the league’s push for a new stadium and Marcell Dareus offered up some contract advice for teammate Stephon Gilmore.

NFC East Notes: Foster, Redskins, Giants

June 24th, 2016 at 11:41am CST by Zachary Links

Rich Tandler of RealRedskins.com pondered whether the Redskins should look into signing free agent running back Arian Foster. The tailback is reportedly expected to be healthy in time for training camp and three teams have expressed interest in him this offseason, though it’s unclear if the Redskins are among those teams.

Currently, the Redskins have Matt Jones, Chris Thompson, rookie Keith Marshall, Mack Brown, Kelsey Young, and Rob Kelley on their running back depth chart, as shown on Roster Resource. Tandler believes that the Redskins should do their due diligence when it comes to Foster, though he expresses concern about the veteran’s price tag. Personally, however, I don’t see Foster’s asking price being all that high given the injury issues which limited him to four games in 2015 and just 25 games across the last three seasons.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Is the Giants‘ defense something to be feared again now that free agent acquisitions like defensive end Olivier Vernon, nose tackle Damon Harrison, and cornerback Janoris Jenkins are in the fold? ESPN.com’s Todd Archer argues that while the defense is certainly improved, the unit as a whole is not as fearsome as it was in 2007 or 2011. Vernon’s sack total is cause for concern, he feels, and he also says that Jenkins takes too many chances at cornerback. Ultimately, though, he approves of the Harrison signing since he can help shut down the run.
Kyshoen Jarrett‘s status with the Redskins appears to be as murky as ever. Recently, Jay Gruden dodged questions about the former Virginia Tech standout’s long-term future with the team, and that makes it seem like he’s a longshot to contribute in 2016, CSNMidAtlantic.com’s Tarik El-Bashir writes. As a result, El-Bashir doesn’t project Jarrett to make the 53-man roster. Instead, he sees Washington going into 2016 with Will Blackmon, David Bruton, Su’a Cravens (who may play more at linebacker), DeAngelo Hall, and Duke Ihenacho at the safety spots.
Will the Redskins and Kirk Cousins hammer out an extension before July 15th? Click here for the latest.

Shaun Suisham Cut By Steelers, Will Retire

June 24th, 2016 at 10:06am CST by Zachary Links

10:06am: It sounds as though Suisham is retiring following his release today. In a statement to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link), Suisham reflected on his career and discussed life after football:

“Unfortunately, the injury I sustained in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game last preseason was catastrophic and has proven to be critical to continuing my career. My journey in the NFL has come to a crossroads. I was raised in Wallaceburg, Ontario, as a hockey player and have been on an improbable 16-year journey as a kicker, competing at the highest level. The absolute nature of my position has given me the opportunity to test my resolve, and I have grown both professionally and as a man. Undoubtedly, I will miss the challenge of game day and the preparation that is required. Change is hard, but I’m comfortable with where I am in life as a husband and father.”

9:20am: The Steelers announced that they have released kicker Shaun Suisham with a failed physical designation. According to the team’s announcement, Suisham suffered a setback in his recovery from an ACL tear.

“Unfortunately Shaun incurred a setback in his recovery from knee surgery that won’t allow him to compete in a timely manner,” Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement. “Shaun has played a significant role in our success during his time in Pittsburgh. He has been the consummate professional on the field and in our community. We wish he and his family all the best in the future.”

Suisham recently admitted that he wasn’t sure if he would be ready for training camp at the end of July.

“Any sort of a battle is not an issue with me right now because I am not healthy,” Suisham said. “I will continue to work to get there, but I don’t know when that will be. I don’t have a time frame. Hopefully, it is for training camp.”

Suisham signed a four-year, $12.5MM extension in 2014, making him one of the top 10 highest-paid kickers in the NFL. Now, by releasing him, the Steelers will save $2.4MM against the cap. Chris Boswell, who appears to have won the kicker battle that never really got underway, makes the NFL minimum $525K.

Suisham spent the 2015 season on IR and Boswell sank 29 of 32 field goal tries while he was sidelined. Even though Boswell did enough in the eyes of many to win the kicking job for 2016, the Steelers still wanted to give Suisham every opportunity to try and claim the role for the coming year. Unfortunately, the 34-year-old was not able to heal up in time.

Over the course of his ten-year career (excluding his lost 2015 campaign), Suisham has suited up for the Cowboys, Redskins, and Steelers. In his last five years with Pittsburgh, Suisham has nailed 84.1% of his field goal attempts and 99.3% of his extra point tries.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.