2017 June - Pro Football Rumors

Month: January 2025

Texans To Host Aaron Williams On Visit

June 12th, 2017 at 11:17am CST by Zachary Links

Things could be picking up for former Bills safety Aaron Williams. The veteran will meet with the Texans on Thursday, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).

Williams was cut loose by Buffalo around the start of free agency following a season in which he suffered a painful neck injury. Since then, he has had only one visit – his May 3 powwow with the Jaguars. At this point, Wilson hears that Williams is fully healthy, so it might not take long for a deal to materialize if Houston likes what it sees.

Williams has only played in ten games total over the last two seasons thanks to neck issues. However, he has been a starter for the bulk of his career and he has seven interceptions to his credit in the NFL. The Texans are thin at the safety position, so it makes sense for them to at least kick the tires on Williams.

For Williams, a deal with the Texans would represent a homecoming. Williams played his high school ball at McNeil in Austin and went to college at the University of Texas.

Odell Beckham Jr. Reports To Giants

June 12th, 2017 at 8:58am CST by Zachary Links

ODB is in the house. The Giants welcomed Odell Beckham Jr. to the team facility today for his scheduled physical, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. The receiver also posted a video on Instagram declaring that he is “back” and ready to go.

Tuesday marks the start of mandatory minicamp and there was little fear that Beckham Jr. would extend his holdout into that phase of the offseason. His participation in team activities before that point, however, could be taken as a sign of good vibes between the two sides. There are conflicting reports on whether Beckham Jr. was staying away from the team to gain leverage for a new deal, but if that is indeed the case, then it doesn’t sound like the receiver is necessarily mad at the team.

The Giants don’t have a ton of incentive to give Beckham Jr. a new contract this offseason. For now, he’s slated to play out 2017 for a below-market $1.8MM salary. Then, the Giants control Beckham through a fifth-year option for $8.5MM, a rate that is still quite affordable for a player of his caliber. It would make sense for the Giants to open up talks with Beckham next offseason, though the team could still control him for years beyond 2018 with the franchise tag.

In 2016, Beckham earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl nod with 101 receptions for 1,367 yards and ten touchdowns.

Jeremy Maclin To Choose Team Today

June 12th, 2017 at 8:28am CST by Zachary Links

The Bills and Ravens are expecting to hear from Jeremy Maclin today on his big free agent decision, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Maclin visited both teams last week and reportedly enjoyed his time in both cities.

Soon after the Chiefs released the wide receiver, running back LeSean McCoy started playing recruiter for the Bills. The Ravens also quickly scheduled a free agent visit with Maclin. The Eagles and Browns were said to have some degree of interest, but for one reason or another, the 29-year-old only met with Buffalo and Baltimore.

Maclin would make a great deal of sense for both teams. The Bills can’t rely on star Sammy Watkins to stay healthy and the cast of receivers following him leaves much to be desired. The Ravens could also use reinforcements for Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman since they did not address the position in the draft.

The Ravens may have a leg up on Maclin thanks to the Marty Mornhinweg connection. Mornhinweg, the Ravens’ offensive coordinator, coached Maclin from 2009 through 2012 in Philadelphia. On the other hand, PFR readers seem to think that the Bills are in the catbird seat. In a recent poll, the Bills were voted as Maclin’s most likely destination with 34% of the vote. The Ravens, at 26%, came in second.

Once Maclin decides on his team, that should start the ball rolling for Eric Decker, Rapoport tweets. The Jets will either trade or release the 30-year-old and there have been some discussions with the Ravens.

West Rumors: Leary, Ingram, 49ers

June 11th, 2017 at 8:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

The AFC West produced by far the biggest news this weekend, with the Chargers and Melvin Ingram agreeing to a four-year, $66MM extension that comes with $42MM guaranteed. Here’s more coming out of the Western divisions, as seven of the divisions’ eight teams are scheduled to hold their mandatory minicamps from Tuesday-Thursday.

The agreement between Ingram and the Chargers is not yet official, but only a Monday trip to Chargers park in San Diego and a pending physical remain before Ingram signs the contract and becomes the third-richest defender in the AFC West, Dan Woike of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. This will clear a path for Ingram to participate in minicamp. Von Miller‘s six-year, $114MM pact and Justin Houston‘s six-year, $101MM agreement surpass Ingram’s. But the gap between Ingram and the division’s fourth-highest-paid defender (per AAV), Eric Berry, is significant. The AFC West figures to soon house four top-tier defensive contracts once the Raiders extend Khalil Mack at a price that could well surpass Miller’s agreement.
Ronald Leary became by far the highest-paid guard in Broncos history after signing a four-year, $36MM deal. Leary agreed to the Broncos’ offer just before free agency opened, but other teams may have had concerns about the now-29-year-old blocker. An anonymous NFL evaluator said, via Mike Sando of ESPN.com (Insider link), teams were nervous about “knee issues” associated with the sixth-year player. Leary was diagnosed with a degenerative knee condition prior to his NFL career and underwent knee surgery while at Memphis. This ended up affecting Leary’s draft status in 2012, when he went undrafted, but the interior lineman proved to be a quality performer during lengthy starting stays in Dallas — the latest of which earned him the Denver deal.
The 49ers quickly cut bait on wide receiver K.D. Cannon coming out of their rookie minicamp and filled his roster spot with a Georgia Southern wideout named B.J. Johnson. The coaching staff was so impressed by the 6-foot-1 tryout player they gave him a roster spot, and it turned out to be Cannon’s. While Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com notes questions about the urgency Cannon exhibited during the workouts emerged, new 49ers wide receivers coach Mike LaFleur said the swap was more related to Johnson’s performance that weekend. “Nothing happened with K.D. Cannon,” LaFleur said. “It had nothing do with K.D. It was more of a testament to what B.J. showed.” Cannon, who finished his Baylor career No. 3 in receiving yardage in program history, caught on with the Jets.
It’s “very possible” Derek Carr could become the NFL’s first $25MM-per-year player.
The Cardinals don’t want Jeremy Maclin, but they still have their eye on some free agents, per Steve Keim. Arizona was one of the few teams that opted to conduct its minicamp this week, so the Cards don’t have another team activity until training camp.

Jets’ Lorenzo Mauldin Accused Of Attacking Man At Nightclub

June 11th, 2017 at 6:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

A man is accusing Jets outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin of attacking him at a New York-area nightclub earlier this year, according to Larry Celona, Paul Schwartz and Bruce Golding of the New York Post.

The alleged attack occurred on the morning of April 2, and the man, 22-year-old Jean Lopez, has filed a lawsuit against Mauldin and another man he attests was responsible for the attack. The suit alleges Mauldin attacked Lopez after the victim spilled champagne on the linebacker. Lopez, whom the Post reports stands 5-foot-7 and 145 pounds, underwent facial surgery to repair multiple fractures. The 24-year-old Mauldin, who was a third-round Jets pick in 2015, is 6-4 and weighs 259 pounds.

The Jets are aware of the situation, the Post reports. Mauldin has started four games for the Jets during his two-season tenure.

Lopez’s lawyer, Glenn Race, said Mauldin punched Lopez “without provocation.” Lopez said he was punched twice during the attack. No charges were filed at the time after Lopez couldn’t identify the attacker, the Post reports, adding that Mauldin’s lawyer said this suit is “without merit.”

“Another individual struck the plaintiff,” defense attorney Mitchell Schuster told the Post, “and that will be borne out by the witnesses and other parties involved. We have a very strong case and I look forward to pursuing it. Lorenzo’s anxious to being exonerated. He was not involved.”

Seahawks Notes: Lacy, Joeckel, Fant

June 11th, 2017 at 6:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Eddie Lacy‘s next weight test will come on Monday, Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com reports, noting that the Seahawks running back must be at or below 250 pounds to earn a $55K bonus. Lacy made his May weight requirement, at or under 255 pounds, and collected the $55K bonus after the scale read 253 pounds. The goal remains for the fifth-year running back to be at 245 during the season. Lacy has come a long way from earlier this year, when the former Packers ball carrier reportedly weighed 267 pounds during one UFA visit. Guaranteed $2.865MM, Lacy can collect up to $2.685MM through incentives — the weight program being part of that package. This latest weight date coincides with Seattle’s minicamp, which begins Tuesday.

Here’s more from the Pacific Northwest.

We didn’t hear much about other suitors for Luke Joeckel prior to the former No. 2 overall pick reaching a one-year agreement with the Seahawks, but an anonymous executive confirmed — via Mike Sando of ESPN.com (Insider link) — the tackle/guard generated some interest despite an underwhelming Jaguars tenure and an injury-marred contract year. “We were all in it for Joeckel, too,” the exec said. “Joeckel had a market.” The Seahawks gave Joeckel an $8MM deal featuring $7MM in full guarantees. The latter number may well have come from Seattle having to beat out competition for the 25-year-old lineman.
The Seahawks may be evolving on Joeckel’s position. In April, Pete Carroll said Joeckel would begin at left tackle. Now, he’s playing more left guard after unconventional NFLer George Fant has convinced the Seahawks he’s a viable option to stay at left tackle, per Kapadia. Fant, who went from eighth grade to his rookie NFL season without playing football, has gained more than 20 pounds this year. Kapadia reports the former Western Kentucky basketball player is up to 320 after suiting up at 296 last season. Joeckel is still receiving looks at tackle and guard, but Kapadia notes guard will probably be where he plays.
Seattle also followed through with the move of shifting Mark Glowinski from left to right guard and Germain Ifedi to right tackle, per Kapadia, who identifies Glowinski as being more comfortable on the right side. The third-year player started 16 games at left guard last season but played some right guard as a rookie.
John Schneider has not used the franchise tag option to retain a player since his first year as Seahawks GM, when he tagged Olindo Mare in 2010, but Jimmy Graham is due to be a free agent in 2018 and has been tagged before. The tight end’s bounce-back 2016 season shows he could have value for a third NFL contract, and Roy Cummings of FanRag Sports writes that it wouldn’t be costly for the team to use the tag on Graham next year. Graham will make $10MM in 2017 after earning $9MM last season. The tight end tag number came in at $9.78MM this year, so a Graham tag in advance of his age-32 season in 2018 would not cost the Hawks much more than they’re already paying him. Seattle is projected to possess $34MM-plus in cap space next year, but this is without contracts for Kam Chancellor or Justin Britt on the books.

Chargers, Melvin Ingram Agree On Extension

June 11th, 2017 at 4:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Chargers have joined the list of teams who opted to avoid procrastinating with their franchise-tagged player this summer. Melvin Ingram and the Bolts came to an agreement on a four-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

It’s a $66MM contract for Ingram, per Schefter (on Twitter). He adds that $42MM of Ingram’s deal is guaranteed. The Chargers announced the agreement.

The 28-year-old Ingram played five seasons in San Diego, 2016 on a fifth-year option, before being franchise-tagged earlier this year. The Chargers join the Cardinals and Giants as teams that avoided any midsummer tag edge defender drama with and will proceed with an Ingram/Joey Bosa tandem long-term. Ingram registered eight sacks last season and now has 18.5 over the past two years. He’s forced eight fumbles since the 2015 season, establishing himself as one of the game’s best edge players.

Ingram had not signed his tender and did not show for the Bolts’ OTA sessions, but he will be at minicamp and report as one of the wealthiest defenders in football. In terms of total value, Ingram’s deal places him just behind Olivier Vernon‘s Giants pact worth $85MM among 4-3 defensive ends. On a per-year basis, Ingram’s $16.5MM figure also slots him second behind Vernon at his new position. Ingram’s deal matches Chandler Jones‘ AAV figure, only Jones signed a five-year Cardinals contract. Among edge rushers, only Von Miller, Vernon and Justin Houston presently make more than Ingram.

The Bolts are converting from the 3-4 look they’ve used throughout Ingram’s tenure to a 4-3 base set. The position change clearly did not alter the franchise’s view of Ingram, who now comes in behind only Philip Rivers on the team’s salary hierarchy. Los Angeles entered Sunday with just over $12MM in cap space.

Ingram’s next Pro Bowl will be his first, but the former first-round pick has shined despite an injury-limited start to his career. The former South Carolina defender missed 19 games combined between the 2013 and ’14 seasons, with a torn ACL and hip malady sidelining him during that time, but rebounded to play in 16 during each of the past two years. Pro Football Focus slotted Ingram as its No. 6 edge defender last season. The site rated Bosa as its No. 5 edge player, illustrating what kind of duo the Bolts now have locked up through the 2020 season.

This marks a far less volatile process compared to the franchise’s dealings with its previous franchise player. The Bolts tagged Vincent Jackson in 2011 after he skipped most of the 2010 season due to a contract stalemate. Jackson never signed a long-term Bolts pact, relocating to Tampa Bay in 2012.

This agreement leaves Le’Veon Bell, Trumaine Johnson and Kirk Cousins as unsigned players among the 2017 franchise-tagged contingent. Bell is the only one remaining to have not signed his tender. Ingram joins Pierre-Paul, Jones and Kawann Short as tagged performers who have signed extensions. So, 2017’s July 15 drama will not match that of the past two years.

PFR Originals: 6/4/17 – 6/11/17

June 11th, 2017 at 4:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff:

Jeremy Maclin being an interesting free agent — a wide receiver in his prime on the market in June after three seasons as a No. 1 target — I asked readers where the 29-year-old wideout will play this season. So far, the Bills are the slight consensus choice to be Maclin’s third team. But readers clearly believe a sleeper team could be out there, with “other” currently leading the Ravens — the other team with which Maclin met this week — for the No. 2 spot so far.
Joining Maclin as an available wideout in his prime, and one that also posted a 1,000-yard season as recently as 2015 before injuries intervened last season, Eric Decker is soon to become an ex-New York Jet. PFR’s Rory Parks discussed the 30-year-old pass-catcher’s status in our latest Community Tailgate. Two years remain on Decker’s contract, should the Jets find a trade taker.

5 Key Stories: 6/4/17 – 6/11/17

June 11th, 2017 at 3:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Eric Decker‘s Jets tenure to end. Three seasons into the wide receiver’s five-year contract, the Jets are planning to move on from Decker — either by trade or release. The 30-year-old wideout missed most of last season due to hip and shoulder injuries but has been cleared to return to action, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Ravens have expressed interest. They also met with UFA Jeremy Maclin for two days this week, indicating the team’s desire for pass-catching help. Baltimore’s cap situation (less than $7MM in space) could be an issue, though. It’s possible the Jets wait until Maclin signs before moving on from Decker, however. Either way, two years after Gang Green saw both of its starting wideouts catch at least 12 touchdown passes, both Decker and Brandon Marshall will be gone. The Jets are in full-scale rebuilding mode, with just about every veteran the 2016 team employed no longer in the picture.

Taylor Decker‘s 2017 season could be shortened. After a standout rookie season, the Lions left tackle’s sophomore slate could be delayed. The 6-foot-7 edge blocker suffered a serious shoulder injury during OTAs and underwent surgery. After a four- to six-month recovery timetable emerged, Decker could be a candidate for the Reserve/PUP list. That would shelve him for the first six weeks of the Lions’ season. Decker played in all 17 Detroit games last season.

Odell Beckham Jr. contract rumors escalate. Heading into his fourth season, Beckham is still set to make less than $2MM in base salary despite turning in one of the best three-year stretches to open a career in NFL history. The former first-round pick, though, is under Giants control for two more years after they picked up his fifth-year option. Beckham stayed away from Giants OTAs due to the pursuit of a new deal, Schefter reports. Another report indicated Beckham is merely exercising his right to skip these voluntary workouts. Considering his age (24) and production, the three-time Pro Bowler would seemingly be in line to surpass Antonio Brown‘s Steelers extension from earlier this year and become the highest-paid receiver. Beckham could be in line for a contract exceeding $100MM in total value, but that fifth-year option worth $8.46MM could make matters tricky for now.

Patriots lock up Julian Edelman. Entering this summer as a contract-year player, Edelman will be tied to the Patriots through 2019 after a key transaction this week. The 31-year-old wideout signed a two-year, $11MM extension this week. So, Edelman’s reign as the Patriots’ top slot receiver could well match or exceed Wes Welker‘s six-year run. This contract comes with $9MM in guarantees and $7MM in full guarantees, and Edelman will have a chance to earn up to $3.5MM in incentives in 2019.

Bills, Ravens make Jeremy Maclin interest known. Maclin spent most of the week in two eastern cities, trekking to both Buffalo and Baltimore for two-day visits. The recently released wideout left both summits without a deal and has not yet visited another team, nor has a third suitor emerged. The Eagles were connected to Maclin, but Doug Pederson — who has a history with the 29-year-old wideout in both Philadelphia and Kansas City — said the team is not interested in Maclin at this time. Despite the prospect of both Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown moving on after this season, Bruce Arians said the Cardinals are not interested. The Browns, who have more than $60MM in cap space, are likely to inquire about Maclin as well. Both the Bills and Ravens possess less than $13MM in space.

AFC Notes: Hill, Ingram, Boyle

June 11th, 2017 at 11:59am CST by Rory Parks

Tyreek Hill was a revelation for the Chiefs last year, and his success as a rookie is one of the reasons the club was comfortable making the surprise decision to release Jeremy Maclin. And as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes, Hill’s role with Kansas City this year will evolve accordingly.

For one, Hill will not be used on kickoff returns, as the team cannot afford to risk his health any more than is strictly necessary (though he will still be deployed on punt returns). Secondly, because Hill is fairly small — Paylor says the 185-pounder is closer to 5-8 than the 5-10 he is listed as — the Chiefs will need to limit his workload to some degree, although head coach Andy Reid, who was generally successful in managing the workloads of players like DeSean Jackson and Brian Westbrook, is unconcerned about that aspect of Hill’s development. Finally, the team expects Hill to step into Maclin’s “Z” receiver spot, the spotlight position in Reid’s offense. The Chiefs believe Hill’s abilities make a Steve Smith-like trajectory — i.e. a small but electric return man becoming a similarly prolific wideout — a strong possibility.

Now for more from the AFC:

The Chargers are still negotiating a long-term deal with Melvin Ingram, who is one of two franchise-tagged players yet to sign their tenders or reach a long-term deal with their respective teams (Le’Veon Bell is the other). However, given that Ingram is likely looking for an Olivier Vernon-esque contract (five years, $85MM), Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com says it is more likely Ingram plays under the tag in 2017. That may end up being the best result for both sides, as Ingram would still collect a nice payday this year ($14.55MM), and he would hit the open market at age 29 next year, as Los Angeles is unlikely to tag him again. The Chargers, meanwhile, would get the benefit of Ingram’s services this season, and there is a good chance new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley can adequately develop one of the team’s young pass rushers to replace Ingram’s production in 2018.
Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes the Browns may get more involved in the Jeremy Maclin sweepstakes if he does not sign with either Baltimore or Buffalo — which seems like a long shot at the moment — and she says Cleveland will likely at least inquire on Eric Decker, which the team has done with every quality veteran receiver hitting the market.
Even without Dennis Pitta, the Ravens have a crowded tight end corps., but Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com believes little-known Nick Boyle could be the player to emerge as Joe Flacco‘s go-to target at the position. Boyle has size and good hands and is a capable blocker, and though he has already been suspended twice in his brief career for PED violations, health has not been an issue for him, as it has been for his fellow tight ends on the roster. The team has also discussed using him as a fullback.
We rounded up a number of Jets-related notes earlier today.

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