2016 August - Pro Football Rumors

Month: November 2024

6 Key Stories: 8/7/16 – 8/14/16

August 14th, 2016 at 3:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Buffalo’s units head in different directions. The news was all positive on the offensive ball for the Bills last week, as wide receiver Sammy Watkins came off the PUP list while the club signed quarterback Tyrod Taylor to a unique six-year extension that can be worth $90MM. On defense, however, the roster is unraveling: first-round rookie Shaq Lawson is already expected to miss the start of the season, and now second-rounder Reggie Ragland is out for the year with a torn ACL. Lawson’s projected replacement, IK Enemkpali, suffered his own torn ACL last night and will now miss 2016, as well. To replace some of that production, Buffalo agreed to sign veteran linebackers Brandon Spikes (link) and David Hawthorne (link) last week.

The Eagles face an offensive line crisis. Right tackle Lane Johnson, perhaps Philadelphia’s best offensive lineman, is facing a 10-game suspension for violating the league’s PED policy, and though Johnson disputes the ban, he ultimately expects it to stick. The Eagles have internal replacement options in Dennis Kelly and Matt Tobin, but they’ve also placed a call to former Giants tackle Will Beatty, who’s been sitting on the free agent market since being released this spring. The Jaguars, meanwhile, are also interested in Beatty, and have in fact offered him a contract.

Trading season could begin shortly. Deals don’t come together in the NFL as often as they do in MLB, but we could still see some action between clubs as final cutdowns approach. The Eagles, for one, would like to acquire a linebacker, likely to act as depth inside behind starter Jordan Hicks and provide insurance against a Nigel Bradham suspension. The Jaguars, meanwhile, would like to trade from surplus, as they feel they have enough talent at tight end and along their defensive line to ship off some players in exchange for draft picks. Finally, a number of teams around the league appear to be making calls in the hopes of landing a reserve tight end.

The Browns clarify their QB depth chart. Head coach Hue Jackson named Robert Griffin III his starting quarterback, a move that was long expected but is now official. Given that Austin Davis just signed an extension last fall, and the fact that Cleveland invested a third-round pick in Cody Kessler, veteran signal-caller Josh McCown would look to be the odd man out. The Cowboys look to be an obvious suitor, but Cleveland reportedly wants a fourth-rounder in exchange for McCown, while Dallas is only willing to give up a sixth-round pick.

Joey Bosa still not in Chargers camp. At last check, San Diego had not spoken with Bosa and his camp since July 28, and the fear is that the relationship between the two sides is irreparably damaged, as the No. 3 overall pick feels disrespected by the club. The deadline for San Diego to trade Bosa has officially passed, but that doesn’t mean much for negotiations, which don’t appear to be nearing any sort of conclusion. The dispute between Bosa and the Chargers is over offset language and signing bonus payout, and unless one side unexpectedly blinks, the stalemate doesn’t appear close to ending.

Ladarius Green faces serious health concerns. The Steelers signed Green away from the Chargers to add an extra dimension to their passing game, but it’s looking as though he won’t contribute much — if at all — this season as he continues to deal with headaches that are thought to be related to his concussion history. Reports have even indicated that Green is contemplating retirement if the issue does not subside. And while Green’s well-being is the primary concern, there is also a financial component to the situation, as Pittsburgh could look to recoup some money from Green if it turns out he wasn’t forthcoming about his medical concerns.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Cowboys Sign Travis Frederick To Extension

August 14th, 2016 at 3:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cowboys have signed Travis Frederick to an extension that will make him the highest-paid center in the NFL, the club announced. It’s a six-year, $54.6MM deal that includes $18.2MM fully guaranteed, and Frederick can earn $28MM in the first three seasons.

Frederick has started 48 consecutive games to begin his career after entering the league as a first-round pick in 2013. The centerpiece of the NFL’s best offensive line, Frederick has earned a Pro Bowl nod and been named a second-team All Pro in each of the last two seasons. In 2016, Frederick graded as the league’s best center, according to Pro Football Focus, outperforming players such as Joe Berger, Matt Slauson, and Rodney Hudson.

The 25-year-old Frederick had been slated to earn only $1.34MM in base salary during the upcoming season before his pay jumped in 2017 thanks to Dallas exercising his fifth-year option. His new annual average, however, means that Frederick will earn $9.1MM per season, which will place him slightly above Alex Mack, who will earn $9MM annually under the terms of his new Falcons contract. Frederick ranks second in terms of guaranteed money among centers, with his $18.2MM placing him behind Mack ($20MM).

The Cowboys now have several key members of their offensive line locked up for years to come, as Frederick joins Tyron Smith — who is signed through 2023 — as players that Dallas has extended in recent years. Left guard La’el Collins and right guard Zack Martin, meanwhile, are both eligible to negotiate new deals at the end of the 2016 season.

Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter link) first reported the deal and the fact that Frederick would become the league’s highest-paid center. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) reported the terms. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

PFR Originals: 8/7/16 – 8/14/16

August 14th, 2016 at 2:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The original analysis and content produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

In PFR’s new series The Beat, Zach Links is conducting interviews with beat writers, columnists, and TV personalities about the team that they cover. Zach spoke with two writers last week:
- Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times discussed the Seahawks, Marshawn Lynch, Pete Carroll and John Schneider‘s dual extensions, Michael Bennett‘s contract, and Doug Baldwin‘s long-term deal.
- Justin Rogers of the Detroit News chatted about the Lions, Marvin Jones, Anquan Boldin, Taylor Decker, Jim Caldwell‘s hot seat, and Ezekiel Ansah‘s contract status.
PFR has continued to go over each team’s rookie class with the assistance of scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas, who has served as a consultant to NFL teams for multiple decades. Dave covered four clubs last week:
- Chicago Bears
- Green Bay Packers
- New York Giants
- Philadelphia Eagles
In the latest entry in our Offseason in Review series, PFR examined the Dolphins‘ moves over the last few months, which included rescinding the franchise tag on Olivier Vernon, drafting offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, and signing veterans such as Mario Williams, Arian Foster, Isa Abdul-Quddus, and, just last week, Chris Culliver.
Zach rounded up the best of the football blogs in the latest edition of Pigskin Links.

Breer’s Latest: Bengals, Berry, Bell, Brees, Jets

August 14th, 2016 at 2:03pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bengals lost their Wild Card contest against the Steelers in a devastating fashion, with late-game penalties by cornerback Adam Jones and linebacker Vontaze Burfict allowing Pittsburgh to kick a game-winning field goal. Instead of dwelling on the loss, head coach Marvin Lewis says Cincinnati has quickly moved on, as he tells Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. “Last year ended, we covered that the first week of the offseason program,” said Lewis. “And there’s been no mention of how the season ended since then.” Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, meanwhile, has been pressing his players during practice sessions, telling them: “If you lose it here, you’re gonna lose it in a game.”

Let’s take a look at the other highlights from Breer’s Inside the NFL Notebook:

Eric Berry has yet to report to Chiefs camp and is set to miss most or all of the preseason as he expresses his displeasure with the franchise tag, and Breer talks to several evaluators about why Kansas City is reluctant to hand Berry a long-term extension. “I understand franchising him now and seeing if he gets back to the form he held before,” said one offensive coach. “I think he’s still a top-five safety in the league and the arrow could be pointing up.” Other decision-makers had different opinions. “I think, at this point, he’s solid, not spectacular,” said one AFC executive. For what it’s worth, Chiefs general manager John Dorsey recently expressed optimism that Berry will be present before Week 1.
Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell is still facing a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, but he looks healthy coming off a major knee injury, according to Breer, who adds that Bell still has a shot at to join Adrian Peterson as backs who earn more than $10MM annually. Peterson dominates the running back market at $14MM, while LeSean McCoy, Jonathan Stewart, and Doug Martin all make between $7-8MM.
Though he’s now 37 years old and entering a contract year, Saints quarterback Drew Brees tells Breer that he sees no end in sight. “I don’t think about the end. I don’t,” said Brees. “I do have a great sense of urgency for each year, though, because I understand no matter what your contract says, you’re really on a year-to-year basis. That goes for everybody. You gotta prove it every year.” Brees is set to count a league-high $30MM against New Orleans’ cap before becoming a free agent next spring.
The Jets and general manager Mike Maccagnan have made a concerted effort to strengthen the middle of their roster this year, as Breer writes, choosing to add depth rather than target stars. The club has to execute that strategy through the draft, and Breer reports that third-round linebacker Jordan Jenkins, fourth-round cornerback Juston Burris, fifth-round tackle Brandon Shell and undrafted receiver Jalin Marshall “have all flashed ability.”

IK Enemkpali Tears ACL, Out For Season

August 14th, 2016 at 1:09pm CST by Rory Parks

1:09pm: Enemkpali has indeed torn his ACL and will be out for the season, Rapoport tweets.

9:32am: The Bills’ defense received yet another blow yesterday, when outside linebacker IK Enemkpali suffered what head coach Rex Ryan called a “major injury” during Buffalo’s first preseason contest against the Colts (Twitter link via Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Enemkpali likely tore his ACL and will be out for the season, though an impending MRI will be needed to confirm.

Enemkpali, of course, made headlines for all the wrong reasons last season as a member of the Jets, when he punched then-teammate Geno Smith in the face and broke his jaw, which prompted Gang Green to waive Enemkpali. The former sixth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech was immediately claimed by the Bills–Ryan, of course, was the Jets’ head coach when Enemkpali was drafted–and appeared in 11 games for Buffalo in 2015.

As Roster Resource shows, Enemkpali at least figured to be an important piece of the team’s OLB rotation, and may have even landed a starting gig to open the season. After all, Enemkpali did impress during spring workouts, and he garnered some reps with the first-team defense. Ryan indicated that the Bills could look to sign a free agent OLB to replace Enemkpali, as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com writes, though of course the pickings are pretty slim at this point in the year.

The news concerning Enemkpali is especially unwelcome in light of the Bills’ recent spate of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Just a few days ago, the team learned that inside linebacker Reggie Ragland, this year’s second-round pick, would miss the entirety of his rookie season with a torn ACL, and that prized first-round selection Shaq Lawson would not be able to suit up until at least Week 6.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

North Notes: Packers, Rudock, R. Hall

August 14th, 2016 at 12:36pm CST by Rory Parks

Packers WR Jeff Janis broke his right hand on Wednesday, and although a serious injury is a less-than-ideal way to solve a roster crunch, Janis’ misfortune could help resolve Green Bay’s logjam at wide receiver, as Tom Silverstein of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. Head coach Mike McCarthy all but ruled out having seven wide receivers on his 53-man roster early in camp, and if the Packers were to put Janis on IR, they could keep all six of their other drafted receivers: Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Ty Montgomery, Jared Abbrederis, and Trevor Davis. Of course, Green Bay could put Janis on the Injured Reserve-Designated to Return list, which means that the club could keep those other six wideouts, and if Janis is needed later on, he could be brought back for the second half of the season. Today, McCarthy said that Janis, at the very least, will not practice with the team this week (Twitter link via Silverstein).

Now let’s take a look at some more notes from around the league:

Last season, the Packers‘ third running back spot was split between two small school products, and Bob McGinn of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes that another small school back, Brandon Burks, has a real shot at landing that job in 2016. Burks, a Troy product whom the Packers signed as a UDFA this year, was terrific as a runner, receiver, and pass blocker in Green Bay’s preseason win over Cleveland on Friday night, and he offers a nice change-of-pace to Eddie Lacy and James Starks.
The top four spots on the Lions’ wide receiver depth chart are fairly well-settled, but after Marvin Jones, Golden Tate, Anquan Boldin, and T.J. Jones, Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press writes that there are still no clear favorites for the final one or two WR openings on the roster.
Lions rookie signal-caller Jake Rudock looked as good as anyone could have reasonably expected during his professional debut against Pittsburgh on Friday night, and Carlos Monarrez of The Detroit Free Press wonders if the Michigan product could ascend the depth chart to become Matthew Stafford‘s primary backup this year. At the very least, continued strong performances from Rudock could convince the Lions to carry three QBs on the roster.
Browns WR Rannell Hall, whom the club plucked off of Tampa Bay’s practice squad last December, will be out for the season after suffering a fractured fibula in Friday night’s loss to Green Bay, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Hall was certainly on the roster bubble, but he would have been eligible for the practice squad and would have at least had an outside chance at a roster spot given Cleveland’s fairly thin receiving corps.
Earlier today, we learned that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is insisting that Ladarius Green‘s absence is related to his ankle issues, not his headaches, and that Tomlin will not confirm reports that Green is experiencing lingering headaches and is considering retirement.

Jags GM Dave Caldwell On Rookies, LTs, WRs

August 14th, 2016 at 11:16am CST by Rory Parks

Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell met with Alex Marvez and Mark Dominik of SiriusXM NFL Radio yesterday, and the interview produced some interesting tidbits. Here’s some of what Caldwell had to say (via Hays Carlyon of The Florida Times-Union):

On the front office’s thought process when it came to selecting Jalen Ramsey:

“I don’t think there was a lot of [debate], it was pretty unanimous. Jalen, we wanted to come out with an impact defensive player in the top five. This was the year we wanted to start focusing on crafting this defense and building it from the ground up. He’s a rare athlete. You see him on the field being as big as he is, how he moves and how explosive he is. You don’t find guys like that that come along every year. Once every couple years, you get a player of that ability.”

On what compelled the team to take a risk on Myles Jack in the second round:

“We said, let’s take a guy that we know a lot about who is excellent talent. We have to take some risk. We have to close that talent gap and we won’t do it by being very conservative. Let’s take a risk on a guy that we know is a great worker, very diligent and he’s going to take care of his body. Doctors are wrong too, just like scouts. It’s a matter of opinion. The risk was worth the reward at that point in time.”

On how third-rounder Yannick Ngakoue will fit in:

“He and [Dante Fowler, Jr.] will split time at that Leo position. In nickel, they’ll both play the ends. Both are athletic enough with their versatility they can drop into coverage and take tight ends man to man. You need more than one pass rusher. We don’t have a lot of experience here, but we feel like we have a pretty good skill set in those young guys.”

On the left tackle battle between Luke Joeckel and Kelvin Beachum:

“Luke’s probably had his best camp since we’ve been here. I think it’s maturity in his growth and physical maturity. So, it’s going to be a good battle over these next couple of weeks to see where that ends up. I expect [Joeckel] to play some left guard in the preseason. When we get Kelvin back, he did individual today, we’ll slowly bring him along.”

On the wide receiver depth chart:

“Our three spots are a little in flux, because there is no true three. If we go slot, we have Rashad Greene and Bryan Walters that are really good slot receivers. Marqise Lee can take the top off but he’s outside so then you bring one of [Allen Robinson or Allen Hurns] inside. All from our three-to-five spots, I think those guys are going to play quite a bit. Rashad is a dynamic punt returner, so that will be his focus and Bryan Walters does a really nice job on special teams too.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Ladarius Green Mulling Retirement?

August 14th, 2016 at 10:45am CST by Connor J. Byrne

SUNDAY, August 14: Head coach Mike Tomlin insists that it is Green’s ankle problems, and not his headaches, that have kept him on the PUP list, as Chris Adamski of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes. Tomlin would not confirm reports that Green is experiencing lingering headaches and is considering retirement. Said Tomlin, “He’s on PUP because of his ankle. We stated that. He’s rehabbing nice. He’s gotten better in that area, but he’s not ready to go. I’m not going to respond to reports from unnamed sources.” It may be that Tomlin is engaging in a little misdirection here, as the reports concerning Green’s headaches appear to be well-substantiated.

THURSDAY, August 11: Thanks to the headaches that have kept him sidelined this summer, Steelers tight end Ladarius Green is considering retirement, a source suggested to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Retiring would be a costly decision for Green, notes Florio, who writes that the 26-year-old would have to return the $4.75MM signing bonus the Steelers gave the ex-Charger upon inking him to a four-year, $20MM deal in free agency.

Even if Green doesn’t walk away from football, he isn’t a lock to make the Steelers. In fact, the source informed Florio that they might cut him. If that happens, there’s a chance the Steelers could still pursue his signing bonus. Pittsburgh would likely cite the case of free agent defensive end Jonathan Fanene, whom the Patriots handed a $3.85MM signing bonus in 2013 before eventually cutting him on account of a knee injury that they argued came from a condition he failed to disclose. New England didn’t recoup the entire bonus from Fanene, but it did recover $1.35MM.

Green suffered two apparent concussions in as many weeks last September and then complained of headaches, but he told Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review in March that those were merely misdiagnosed sinus issues. Green, who also missed a game in 2014 because of a concussion, went on to indicate to Kaboly that those troubles were behind him. However, Green clearly has an unfortunate history of head injuries, and if the Steelers don’t feel he was honest about his headaches when they signed him (if he was dealing with them at the time), they’ll have a case to take back at least some of the $4.75MM bonus.

Putting finances aside, not having a healthy Green would be a blow to a Pittsburgh team that is still counting on him to serve as its No. 1 tight end. As Roster Resource shows, Pittsburgh’s primary non-Green options are 2015 fifth-round pick Jesse James and 2014 undrafted free agent Xavier Grimble. James has eight career receptions, while Grimble hasn’t yet appeared in an NFL game.

The Steelers brought in Green to replace the retired Heath Miller, who amassed 592 catches – including 60 last season- in his 11-year career. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound Green wasn’t quite that prolific in San Diego, where he lost targets to fellow tight end Antonio Gates, but he set multiple career highs last season and, if he regains health, has a chance to break out in the Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger-led passing attack.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rams Expected To Extend Fisher, Snead

August 14th, 2016 at 10:23am CST by Dallas Robinson

SUNDAY, August 14: Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter links) adds a little more to this report, basically confirming that Kroenke is largely concerned with front office stability during this otherwise tumultuous time in franchise history. Cole says that there will be no “major changes” to the team’s brass until the Rams are ready to move into their new Inglewood stadium in 2019. That way, if Snead and Fisher continue to disappoint, the club can recharge its fanbase with a new stadium and a new staff.

SATURDAY, August 13: The Rams are expected to reach extensions with both general manager Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher before the season begins, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Deals with both decision-makers can be categorized as “likely,” Schefter adds.

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, Tennessee lost that game to Fisher’s present-day employer, the Rams.

Snead, meanwhile, got his start as a 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.

Jaguars, Eagles Interested In Will Beatty

August 13th, 2016 at 8:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The market for free agent offensive tackle Will Beatty has apparently intensified, as the former Giants lineman worked out for the Jaguars yesterday and now has an offer in hand from the club, according to Tom Rock of Newsday (Twitter links). The Eagles have also reached out to express interest in Beatty as they wait for a decision in the Lane Johnson suspension saga, per Rock.

According to Football Outsiders‘ metrics, Jacksonville’s offensive line was below-average in 2016, as they ranked 16th in run-blocking and 25th in the pass game, but the club has already added one intriguing free agent option this year, agreeing to terms with former Steelers left tackle Kelvin Beachum. The Jaguars signed Beachum to a unique deal that includes an option bonus that will lock in four additional seasons onto what is technically a one-year contract. Beachum is fully expected to win Jacksonville’s left tackle job, pushing former No. 2 overall pick to Luke Joeckel to guard, and with 2015 free agent addition Jermey Parnell on the right side, Beatty would appear to be relegated to swing tackle duty.

The Eagles, meanwhile, are faced with the possibility of losing one of their best offensive lineman for most of the season, as Johnson is currently waiting to hear back on his appeal of his 10-game PED ban (although he expects the suspension to stick). If Johnson’s appeal does indeed fail, Philadelphia’s in-house options at the moment are Dennis Kelly and Matt Tobin, neither of whom head coach Doug Pederson sounded enthused about yesterday.

Beatty, 31, missed the entire 2015 campaign after tearing his pectoral, and was released by New York following the season. Given that recent injury, it’s no wonder that clubs have been slow to call, but Beatty missed only one game in the three seasons prior to 2015, and Rock reports that he’s now fully healthy. PFR ranked Beatty as the seventh-best offensive free agent still on the board earlier this year; since that time, five of the six players listed ahead of Beatty have found new deals.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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