2017 June - Pro Football Rumors

Month: January 2025

Titans Sign Eric Decker

June 18th, 2017 at 6:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Titans have agreed to a one-year contract with free agent wide receiver Eric Decker, according to Paul Kuharsky of Midday 180 (Twitter link).

Decker, 30, becomes the latest addition to a Tennessee offense that has already seen numerous upgrades this offseason. The Titans used the fifth overall selection in April’s draft on Western Michigan wideout Corey Davis, and later drafted West Virginia pass-catcher Taywan Taylor in the third round. Third-rounder Jonnu Smith will pair with veteran Delanie Walker at tight end, while other wide receivers on Tennessee’s depth chart include Rishard Matthews, Tajae Sharpe, and Harry Douglas.

The Jets decided in early June that they would either release or trade Decker after his three seasons in New York, and after holding talks with the Ravens about a potential swap, Gang Green cut ties with Decker last week. In addition to the Titans, the Browns also reportedly had some level of interest in Decker. The Broncos, meanwhile, were not interested in a reunion with Decker, while the Eagles — despite finishing second in the Jeremy Maclin sweepstakes — also weren’t in on Decker.

Decker, who currently lives in the Nashville area, was excellent from 2012-15 with Denver and then New York, as he averaged 82 receptions, 1,085 yards, and 10 touchdowns per year during that span. 2016 was a down season for the seven-year pro, however, as Decker appeared in only three games thanks to a shoulder injury that ultimately landed him on injured reserve. Nine catches, 194 yards, and two touchdowns marked the only production for Decker in his final Jets campaign.

Details On Pats S Patrick Chung’s Incentives

June 18th, 2017 at 5:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As Field Yates of ESPN.com reported last week, the Patriots are affording safety Patrick Chung the opportunity to earn an additional $800K in 2017 through newly-formed incentives. Today, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com passed along the details of those incentive opportunities.

Most of Chung’s incentives are based on playing time, as he’ll earn $200K if he plays 65% of New England’s defensive snaps, $400K if he plays 75%, and $500K for 85 percent. Additionally, Chung can bring in $300K if he plays 80% of the club’s defensive snaps and the Patriots win 13 games, and $300K if he sees action on 80% of New England’s defensive plays and the team reaches the Super Bowl.

Based on Chung’s 2016 playtime percentages and the Patriots team performance, all of those incentives will be considered “likely to be earned” because Chung played 96.5% of New England’s defensive snaps a year ago, while the team won 14 games and won the Super Bowl. Chung played more snaps in 2016 than he had in either of the prior two seasons, as he reached only 81% playtime in 2015 and 78% in 2014.

The Patriots have often shown a willingness to restructure veteran contracts without asking for concessions in exchange. Recently, New England added extra incentives to Rob Gronkowski‘s contract that would enable him to become the highest-paid tight end in the NFL. In 2014, the Patriots eased the playtime thresholds on offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer in order him to more quickly reach his incentives.

5 Key Stories: 6/11/17 – 6/18/17

June 18th, 2017 at 3:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Ravens land a wide receiver. After surprisingly not adding a wideout during either free agency or the draft, Baltimore finally signed a pass-catcher last week, agreeing to terms on a two-year deal with former Chief Jeremy Maclin. Because Maclin was released, his addition won’t affect the Ravens’ 2018 compensatory picks. The Eagles were reportedly the runner-up for Maclin’s services, while the Bills and Browns also expressed interest. Maclin will earn $6MM in 2017.

A former No. 2 overall pick is traded. Offensive tackle Greg Robinson, the second selection in the 2014 draft, was dealt from the Rams to the Lions in exchange for a 2018 sixth-round pick, a trade that brings the (to this point) draft bust’s tenure with the Rams to an end. Robinson, selected over other offensive linemen such as Jake Matthews, Taylor Lewan, and Zack Martin, had recently lost his starting job with Los Angeles. Detroit, meanwhile, also signed former Bill Cyrus Kouandjio in an effort to make up for the loss of left tackle Taylor Decker.

Saints lose a key offensive piece. The Lions aren’t the club that could be without its blindside protector for some time, as Saints left tackle Terron Armstead is down for 4-6 months after suffering a torn labrum in practice. Armstead missed nine games in 2016, so New Orleans is used to getting by without him, but his absence will undoubtedly be felt. Former first-round pick Andrus Peat, who’s recently lined up at guard, is a candidate to take over at tackle, as is 2017 No. 32 overall selection Ryan Ramczyk.

Chargers lock up their franchise player. Roughly a month before the deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term extensions, Los Angeles inked defensive end Melvin Ingram to a four-year, $66MM deal.Ingram, who’s managed 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons, will transition from outside linebacker to end in new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley‘s scheme. With Ingram under contract, Kirk Cousins, Le’Veon Bell, and Trumaine Johnson are the only franchise players who don’t have extensions in place.

Eric Decker officially hits the market. The Jets released Decker last week after failing to find a trade partner, and Decker has now garnered interest from several clubs. Decker, who lives near Nashville, met with the Titans and has also reportedly been linked to the Browns. Meanwhile, the Broncos are not interested in a reunion with Decker, and the Eagles aren’t pursuing him, either.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/18/15

June 18th, 2017 at 2:12pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Green Bay Packers

Waived with injury settlement: WR Antwan Goodley

Jacksonville Jaguars

Waived: CB Jeremy Cutrer (Twitter link via Mike Kaye of First Coast News)

AFC Notes: Patriots, Luck, Henne

June 18th, 2017 at 12:16pm CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots‘ best chance to replace the bruising and punishing running of LeGarrette Blount, who was a key part of the team’s success over the past few seasons, could come from a surprising source. In his first attempt to predict the Patriots’ 53-man roster, Jim McBride of the Boston Globe says that UDFA LeShun Daniels, Jr. might be the best-equipped of New England’s stacked running back group to fill Blount’s void. McBride does not believe Daniels will make the team out of camp, writing that he is more likely a practice squad candidate at the moment, but the future is bright for the 6-foot, 225-pounder, who excelled in his senior season at Iowa.

Now for more from the AFC:

Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell was kept on the sideline during spring practices, but Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says there is nothing to worry about. Mitchell has a more extensive injury history than many second-year players, and New England is handling his workload accordingly to ensure they can keep him healthy for the long haul.
We heard earlier this week that Andrew Luck may not be ready for training camp, leading some to wonder if he is also in danger of missing the start of the regular season. Kevin Bowen of Colts.com, however, does not believe that’s the case. Bowen says that if the team was really concerned about Luck’s availability for Week 1, the team would have brought in a veteran QB to compete with backup Scott Tolzien.
Alex Marvez of NFL.com tweets that Chargers linebacker Nick Dzubnar is completely healed from the ACL tear that prematurely ended his 2016 season. Dzubnar has primarily served as a special teams contributor during his first two years in the league, but he has performed very well in that role.
Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union takes his first crack at predicting the Jaguars‘ 53-man roster, and there do not seem to be any major surprises there. One point of intrigue is the quarterback position, as O’Halloran speculates that second-year signal-caller Brandon Allen, who was good enough in camp and the preseason last year to convince Jacksonville to keep a third QB for the first time since 2013, could unseat longtime backup Chad Henne.
Earlier today we took a look at a few notes on the Steelers and Browns.

Community Tailgate: Jets’ Long-Term QB Solution?

June 18th, 2017 at 10:00am CST by Rory Parks

As Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reported several days ago, Jets quarterback Christian Hackenberg exceeded expectations in minicamp and has narrowed the gap between himself and presumptive starter Josh McCown. Gang Green, of course, is in full tank mode, and the team wants to give Hackenberg a chance to show what he can do in 2017, even if McCown ultimately opens the season as the starting signal-caller.

That does not mean, however, that the Jets are married to their Hack for the long haul. As Cimini wrote this morning, New York’s rebuilding plan is centered around its selecting a quarterback from the allegedly QB-rich 2018 draft. Players like USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen, and Wyoming’s Josh Allen are generating the most buzz at the moment, though all are underclassmen and may choose to stay in college in 2018. Nonetheless, assuming (as most do) that the Jets will be bad enough in 2017 to have an early pick in next year’s draft, they could have their choice of elite quarterback prospects.

From a prospect standpoint, Hackenberg does not have the same upside as the above-mentioned collegiate passers, so there is plenty of doubt as to whether he can be a legitimate long-term starter in the league. Further complicating matters, as Brian Costello of the New York Post opines, is that it will be difficult to truly evaluate Hackenberg this year because of the fact that he really has no proven pass catcher to throw the ball to now that the team has cut ties with Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. Costello, like Cimini, believes Hackenberg showed significant improvement this spring, but if he struggles in 2017, it will be hard to argue that he was given a fair shake.

But now we want you to weigh in on this matter. How do you see the Jets’ long-term quarterback situation shaping up? Do you think Hackenberg will seize control of the job, thereby allowing the team to pursue other options in the 2018 draft (which was mentioned as a distinct possibility several weeks ago)? Or do you think Hackenberg will struggle to produce or just not play well enough to convince the Jets that he is the answer under center?

Or maybe you see an entirely different scenario unfolding. Maybe you see the world through green-and-white glasses and think McCown will keep the team in contention this year, which would be a pleasant surprise for Jets fans but which would not help them in their search for a long-term solution at quarterback. Or do you think Bryce Petty will emerge from the shadows and throw his hat in the ring? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

North Notes: Golson, Browns, Lions

June 18th, 2017 at 9:09am CST by Rory Parks

In the past few drafts, the Steelers have made a concerted effort to bolster their defensive backfield, an area that has been something of a weakness in the second half of the Ben Roethlisberger era. The team selected a cornerback on the first or second day of the last three drafts (Cam Sutton in 2017, Artie Burns in 2016, and Senquez Golson in 2015), and safety Sean Davis was selected in the second round of the 2016 draft. Pittsburgh’s secondary was improved last season, but after it was gashed by the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, the Steelers’ coaching staff plans to implement more man coverage in 2017, as Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. Dulac says the team is confident that Sutton and Burns can handle those concepts, but the staff is openly pessimistic about Golson, who has not played in a preseason or regular-season game in his two years in the league due to injuries. Golson, who is at least healthy enough to practice at the moment, seems to be on the verge of losing his roster spot altogether, and he may need to prove his worth on special teams just to make the club.

Now for more from the North:

Kenny Britt and Corey Coleman sit squarely atop the Browns‘ wide receiver depth chart, but the No. 3 job is wide open, and there are a number of second-years players who could fill that role. However, Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com says the team hopes Ricardo Louis, last year’s fourth-round selection, can be the guy. Though Louis appeared in all 16 games for the club last season, he caught just 18 passes for 205 yards, but given the big-play potential he flashed at Auburn, Cleveland will give him every opportunity to earn a key role this summer.
Speaking of Coleman, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says he will be eased into the grind of training camp, and he may not be a full-go from the first day of camp. The same is true of 2017 No. 1 overall selection Myles Garrett, who suffered a left lateral foot sprain in minicamp.
Lions safety Miles Killebrew, a fourth-round selection in 2016, was a fixture in the team’s dime package last season, but as Kyle Meinke of MLive.com writes, Killebrew could be in for a much bigger role in 2017. The Southern Utah product is currently listed as the third safety on the depth chart behind Glover Quin and Tavon Wilson, but Meinke believes Killebrew could push Wilson for the starting strong safety job with a solid training camp. As we learned yesterday, the Lions and Quin are discussing a new contract.
Jake Rudock lost the Lions‘ backup quarterback competition to Dan Orlovsky last season because of Orlovsky’s experience and knowledge of the team’s offense, but now Rudock himself is the player with the experience advantage. As Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com writes, Rudock’s grasp of OC Jim Bob Cooter’s scheme is miles ahead of rookie Brad Kaaya‘s, thereby making Rudock almost a lock for the backup job.

NFC Notes: Fairley, Packers, Lane, Lions

June 17th, 2017 at 8:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nick Fairley‘s heart issue has stalled his career to the point the Saints are preparing for this season as if the recently re-signed defensive tackle won’t play, Larry Holder of NOLA.com reports. Last we heard, the 29-year-old defender was getting a third opinion on the condition. Fairley signed a four-year, $28MM deal to stay in New Orleans in March. But if he’s not going to play this season, Holder notes the Saints are going to be at a loss. They used 2016 fourth-rounder David Onyemata alongside Sheldon Rankins on the first-string defense during minicamp, but Holder notes the starting nose tackle will probably be Tyeler Davison, a 2015 fifth-rounder who started 15 games last season. Davison is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

Here’s the latest from around the NFC.

Davante Adams has shot to the top of the Packers‘ 2018 UFA contingent after a breakout 2016 season, one that also includes Morgan Burnett, center Corey Linsley and guard Lane Taylor, Rob Reischel writes for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. This could mean Randall Cobb faces a pivotal season, with Reischel noting the Packers could elect to prioritize an Adams deal and move on from Cobb despite his young age. The slot target will only be 27 this season, but Cobb recorded a modest (for him) 60-catch, 610-yard season. He’s signed through 2018 and has cap numbers of $12.6MM and $12.7MM this season and next, respectively.
The Seahawks have a pair of cornerbacks that have suffered severe injuries in recent years, but while DeShawn Shead rehabs, Jeremy Lane looks like the starter opposite Richard Sherman. Pete Carroll said Shead is recovering well from the ACL and meniscus tears sustained in January, but with the re-signed player unlikely to be ready for Week 1, the team may be turning to Lane. “He’s physically as fit as he’s been in a long time,” Carroll said, via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “Remember, he had a really difficult offseason a couple years back (following knee and arm injuries in Super Bowl XLIX) and it’s taken him almost a couple years to overcome all of that, and he’s back to full form.” The Seahawks drafted Shaquil Griffin in the third round and moved rookie sixth-rounder Mike Tyson from safety to corner, but those first-year talents look to enter camp as depth pieces behind Lane.
Once Taylor Decker suffered a shoulder injury that will keep him out up to six months, the Lions gave first-team left tackle reps to Joe Dahl. The second-year player worked as a guard in six games last season. But after the additions of Greg Robinson and Cyrus Kouandjio, Dahl seems on his way back to guard, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes. Neither Robinson nor Kouandjio participated in Detroit’s minicamp, but Jim Caldwell confirmed they will compete for the now-vacant left tackle job come training camp. A fifth-round pick last year, Dahl would then be in line to compete for a guard spot with Graham Glasgow and Laken Tomlinson opposite T.J. Lang.

Adrian Peterson On Injury, FA, Comeback

June 17th, 2017 at 8:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Adrian Peterson averaged just 1.9 yards per carry during an injury-marred season that featured just 37 totes, but that per-handoff figure was by far a career-low mark. That said, Vikings staffers did not believe Peterson lost much physically before the torn meniscus shelved him for months, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. However, they saw avoiding future injury at an advanced age and adjusting to a new offense as potential impediments to a bounce-back tenure in New Orleans.

A string of prominent Saints lavished praise upon the 32-year-old with praise during the team’s minicamp this week. As for Peterson himself, he detailed what kind of damage he did to his meniscus and why he feels confident he can return to previous levels.

“It’s knowing what I was able to do on the field before I got injured, knowing that the meniscus was completely healed. I tore 90 percent of it, and it was no longer a factor (during his Saints work thus far),” Peterson said, via Breer, from Saints minicamp. “And then it was getting into my regimen—nothing had changed. I was still explosive, fast, working with all the young guys, I didn’t have no doubt at all.”

But after the abbreviated season and an untenable 2017 salary, the Vikings cut Peterson. And although he also visited the Seahawks and Patriots and was connected to other teams, the four-time All-Pro was unemployed for 47 days before catching on with the Saints. The future Hall of Fame running back, though, knew that long stay as a free agent was a possibility.

“Yeah, it was different,” Peterson told Breer about his sudden status change in the NFL after 10 seasons being the unquestioned Minnesota starter. “But I knew coming off the meniscus tear, it could happen. If I came out and led the league in rushing (last season), I’d have been off the market. That wasn’t the situation I was in. So in my mind — this is the situation, this is the position you’re in. It’s not what you envisioned going into the offseason, but this is where you’re at. So how are you gonna handle it?

Peterson joined a backfield that as of now has Mark Ingram atop the depth chart and one that now has rookie Alvin Kamara installed as the passing-down back. Peterson famously returned from a torn ACL to post the second-most rushing yards in a season in NFL history, in 2012. He points out that he led the league in rushing yards just two years ago as evidence he can still function at a high level.

“Outside sources that doubt because of age? I led the league when I was 30, and it was the same thing then,” Peterson said. “‘He’s going downhill.’ I played with a mediocre offensive line and still led the league at 30. I just look at things different. If I started buying into what everyone was saying, I probably would’ve retired three or four years ago.”

AFC East Rumors: Jets, Glenn, Dolphins

June 17th, 2017 at 6:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Josh McCown–Christian Hackenberg battle for this season’s quarterback job looks closer than expected exiting minicamp, the Jets‘ focus could be on the 2018 crop of passers. As of now viewed as a better quarterback draft class than 2017’s, the 2018 contingent is where the Jets are expected to look for their next starter here, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Hackenberg’s development is the caveat here, Cimini writes, with the former Penn State starter still tentatively the quarterback of the future entering this season. Noting the Jets could have upwards of $80MM in cap space in 2018, Cimini doesn’t hear Gang Green planning for a monster offer to Jimmy Garoppolo or Kirk Cousins — should those players become available.

This draft-based thinking follows an Albert Breer TheMMQB.com report that indicated many in the league are under the impression the Jets are positioning themselves to make a run for the No. 1 pick and use this as a developmental year. Tanking, essentially. Specifically, Breer wrote that owner Woody Johnson, and not the football staff, has his eyes on the No. 1 pick and a potential franchise quarterback. USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen and Wyoming’s Josh Allen are the early prizes, but Breer cautions in planning too far ahead, noting Mitch Trubisky and Patrick Mahomes were not thought to be first-round picks a year ago.

Here’s more from the AFC East.

New Bills HC Sean McDermott expects Cordy Glenn to be ready for training camp, but the cornerstone left tackle spent all three minicamp practices in a walking boot, Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports. Glenn suffered a high ankle sprain during training camp last year and missed five regular-season games. This ankle problem intervened last season and has plagued the sixth-year left tackle for many months now. The Bills drafted Dion Dawkins in the second round and re-signed right tackle Jordan Mills, so they have a bit more depth this year on the edge.
The NFL is investigating an alleged incident that took place between Jets linebacker Darron Lee and his girlfriend at a music festival earlier this month. Todd Bowles described it as an argument between Lee and his girlfriend, and Cimini (Twitter link) doesn’t expect a suspension to come for the second-year inside linebacker. Lee was a part-time starter last season, but now that David Harris is off the roster, Cimini expects the ex-Ohio State standout to be a locked-in starter.
DeVante Parker has drawn immense praise from the Dolphins this offseason. OC Clyde Christensen said he expects the third-year wideout to have a “gigantic year.” Breer wonders where Jarvis Landry fits into this equation, especially if Parker follows through on this offseason promise. Miami re-signed deep threat Kenny Stills to a four-year, $32MM deal. Parker would be on course to surpass that should he progress, but the 24-year-old wideout is under team control through 2019 — provided the Fins pick up his fifth-year option next May. Landry is entering a contract year and confirmed the team and his camp are discussing an extension, but the slot dynamo said those talks aren’t in the serious stage yet. Landry does not plan to hold out, but with the 24-year-old wideout having been the Fins’ most reliable receiver over the past three years, this wideout contract puzzle is a situation worth monitoring.
The veteran purge the Jets have orchestrated this summer could conceivably include Buster Skrine, but Cimini doesn’t expect the cornerback to be cut (Twitter link). Skrine is signed through 2018, and it would cost the Jets $5MM in dead money to cut him. That number drops to $2MM next year. He’s owed $8.5MM in each of the next two years. New York, which has created significant cap space this offseason, has Morris Claiborne and Marcus Williams signed through this season. Skrine is the only notable Jets corner signed beyond 2017.

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