2017 July - Pro Football Rumors

Michael Vick Working As Chiefs Intern

July 25th, 2017 at 6:13pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After expressing interest in a coaching career earlier year, former NFL quarterback Michael Vick has joined the Chiefs as a coaching intern, the club announced today.

“I would love to coach in the National Football League one day,” Vick told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com in May. “… At some point, I’d definitely love to help work with young quarterbacks and develop them and still compete, you know, with the team and with the coaches. It’s another way to chase a championship.

You know I’m not done. I’m not done by any means. You know I didn’t get the championship when I was playing, so, hey, maybe I’d get lucky one year, maybe fortunate enough to join the staff that may be good enough.”

The Chiefs are a logical starting point for Vick’s potential coaching career, as he enjoys a close relationship with head coach Andy Reid, who took a chance on Vick in Philadelphia following his release from prison. But it’s fair to wonder if Vick’s history with dogfighting will affect his chances of becoming a full-time coach. The NFL is quick to give second chances to talented players, but that level of forgiveness isn’t often extended to the coaching realm.

Vick, 37, confirmed this summer that he’s officially retired as an NFL player. He last played in 2015 as a member of the Steelers.

Colts To Place Clayton Geathers On Reserve/PUP

July 25th, 2017 at 5:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Colts will place safety Clayton Geathers on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, meaning he will miss the first six games of the 2017 season, as general manager Chris Ballard announced Monday.

Geathers, 25, suffered a season-ending neck injury in December, and subsequently underwent surgery on a bulging disc in March. Last season, Geathers started nine games before being sidelined, managing 58 tackles and five passes defensed while grading as the league’s No. 26 safety, per Pro Football Focus. He’s under contract through the 2018 campaign.

“A lot of this with Geathers is just the healing process,” Ballard said. “He’s in a good frame mentally. He’s worked hard and he’s done everything from a rehab standpoint. I think once we get into September and October it’ll really start ramping up for him.”

As Roster Resource indicates, second-year safety T.J. Green will likely step into the starting lineup in place of Geathers, lining up opposite rookie first-rounder Malik Hooker. Green started four games last year, seeing action on 44% of Indianapolis’ defensive snaps.

Panthers Sign WR Trevor Graham

July 25th, 2017 at 5:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Panthers have signed free agent wide receiver Trevor Graham, the club announced Monday. Graham, an ex-third-round pick of the Bills, formerly went by the first name T.J., but has since reverted to his given name. Carolina also signed center Greg Van Roten, waived/injured wideout Charles Johnson, and waived defensive end Ryan Delaire with a failed physical designation.

Graham, who turns 28 years old later this week, is now the 13th receiver on Carolina’s roster, and if he makes the club, it will likely be because of his speed. A track athlete while at North Carolina State, Graham averaged 27 receptions and 342 yards during his first two years in the league (both with Buffalo), but hasn’t contributed on offense since.

While Graham’s skillset seemingly should make him a solid return man in the kicking game, that’s not a role he’s been asked to play throughout his NFL career. He’s returned just seven kickoffs during his time in the league, and has never returned a punt. In fact, in his two seasons with the Bills, Graham played only three total special teams snaps.

As such, it will be difficult for Graham to earn a spot on the Panthers’ roster unless he carves out a role as a deep threat à la Ted Ginn Jr. Given that Kelvin Benjamin, Devin Funchess, Russell Shepard are locks to make Carolina’s squad, Graham will be competing with the likes of Damiere Byrd, Brenton Bersin, and Kaelin Clay for reps during training camp.

Johnson — not to be confused with his former defensive end teammate of the same name — won’t be part of that receiver group, as he’s been cut following right knee surgery. He’ll go through waivers but won’t be claimed due to his injury, so he’ll revert to the Panthers’ injured reserve list. At that point, Carolina could agree to an injury settlement with the former Viking in order to clear him from IR. Johnson, 28, signed a one-year deal with a maximum value of $2.2MM earlier this offseason.

Delaire, meanwhile, played 139 defensive snaps for the Panthers a season ago in between two separate stints on injured reserve. In six games, Delaire managed five tackles, one sack, and one pass defensed.

Ravens’ Kenneth Dixon To Miss 2017 Season

July 25th, 2017 at 5:17pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon will miss the entire 2017 campaign after undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Baltimore had been hopeful that Dixon, a 2016 fourth-round selection, would only need his meniscus trimmed, which would’ve lead to a much shorter recovery period. Instead, Dixon underwent a full repair, per Rapoport, which means he’ll miss five-to-six months. With the regular season fast approaching, Dixon won’t be able to make it back on the field in time to play this year.

Entering his age-23 campaign, Dixon had been slated to compete for carries alongside Terrance West, Danny Woodhead, and the rest of the Ravens’ backfield crew. A four-game PED suspension was already set to temper Dixon’s 2017 outlook, but now he won’t play again until 2018. Last season, Dixon managed 4.3 yards per carry on 88 rushes, and also added 30 receptions out of the backfield.

With Dixon sidelined, the Ravens made a move to add running back depth earlier today, agreeing to terms with veteran Bobby Rainey.

Texans Place Duane Brown On Reserve/Did Not Report List

July 25th, 2017 at 5:06pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Texans announced that they’ve placed offensive tackle Duane Brown on the reserve/did not report list. Brown is currently holding out of training camp as he pushes for a new contract.

For the most part, Brown’s new roster designation has minimal effect: he doesn’t count towards Houston’s 90-man roster, and he can be removed from the list at any time. However, Brown is costing himself money by not attending camp, as Field Yates of ESPN.com reports Brown has triggered a de-escalator clause in his contract by not taking part in a predetermined amount of workouts. Per Yates, Brown’s 2017 base salary has been reduced from $9.65MM to $9.4MM.

The 31-year-old Brown does hold a certain amount of leverage, however, as the Texans have extremely limited options at left tackle behind him. Chris Clark would probably step in as the starter, but he graded as a bottom-five guard in the NFL a season ago, per Pro Football Focus. Free agent signee Breno Giacomini and rookie Julien Davenport, meanwhile, are considered right tackles only.

The Texans and general manager Rick Smith don’t seem inclined to cave to Brown’s demands, however, as Smith explained to Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. “There’s no contract dispute,” Smith said. “Duane’s under contract for two more years. That’s our position. We’re here to get our football team ready for the season, and he should be a part of it.”

Jaguars, Brandon Linder Agree To Extension

July 25th, 2017 at 4:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Brandon Linder got paid. The Jaguars and the center have agreed to a five-year extension worth $51.7MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The deal will make him the highest-paid center in NFL history on a per year basis, besting the average annual value of Cowboys standout Travis Frederick ($9.4MM per year).

Linder started out as a right guard but was moved to center in 2016. He flourished at the new position and the Jaguars wanted to ensure that he was locked up for years to come.

Guard Trai Turner, who was drafted one spot behind Turner in the third round of the 2014 draft, inked a four-year, $45MM extension with the Panthers earlier this month. Despite playing at center, a position that is generally less valued than guard, Linder is set to earn nearly as much on a per year basis. His salary may indicate that the Jags plan on shifting him back to guard at some point down the road.

Last year, Linder graded out as the No. 5 center in the NFL, per the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus. The former third round pick missed the majority of the 2015 season due to a shoulder injury, but he missed only two games last year and was on the field for over 900 snaps.

Linder is the first draft pick of GM Dave Caldwell to sign a second deal with the team. Wide receivers Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee and linebacker Telvin Smith are also products of that 2014 draft class and are eligible to sign extensions with the team this year.

Saints Place LB Dannell Ellerbe On IR

July 25th, 2017 at 3:10pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are placing linebacker Dannell Ellerbe on IR, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Once the veteran heals up from his foot injury, he’ll be waived by New Orleans.

Ellerbe has struggled to stay healthy over the last three seasons, but he has shown that he can still be a difference maker when he is on the field. In 2016, Ellerbe tallied 44 total tackles and 4.0 sacks for the Saints across nine games. This year, he was expected to compete for the Saints’ starting weakside linebacker job. Now, we could see either rookie Alex Anzalone or the returning Hau’oli Kikaha on the first unit.

Per the terms of his restructured deal, it is believed that Ellerbe’s $1.7MM base salary for 2017 is fully guaranteed and his roster bonus of $750K is guaranteed for injury.

Since 2014, injuries have limited Ellerbe to just 16 total games.

Dolphins Sign Verner, Put Misi On IR

July 25th, 2017 at 2:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Well, that didn’t take long. Hours after auditioning him, the Dolphins have signed cornerback Alterraun Verner to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). In a related move, linebacker Koa Misi has been placed on injured reserve.

Misi underwent spinal fusion surgery late last year and the hope was that he would be ready to go for the season opener. Apparently, he’s going to need more time before he can think about getting back on the field.

Misi, 30, managed only 127 defensive snaps in 2016 before going down with injury. In 2015, Misi’s last predominantly healthy season, he totaled 78 tackles and had one pass defensed. Though he’s never had huge sack totals, he did have 12 sacks from 2010 through 2014. Pro Football Focus, for the most part, has always been high on the former second-round pick. In 2014 and 2015, he had scores of 81.5 and 80.8, painting him as a top-30 linebacker in the league. Earlier this year, Misi accepted a pay cut for the second consecutive year, as he agreed to slash his salary by ~$3MM.

The good news is that the Dolphins were not necessarily counting on Misi’s health. The Dolphins signed former Steelers ‘backer Lawrence Timmons to a two-year, $12MM deal in March and used a second-round pick on Ohio State product Raekwon McMillan. Timmons and McMillan project to start along with Kiko Alonso while Mike Hull, Neville Hewitt, Trevor Reilly, and others will come on in support.

Verner did not live up to his big money deal in Tampa Bay, but the Dolphins are not expecting him to be a shutdown corner in 2017. They’ll likely look at Verner as a slot option who could potentially take the job from 2015 fifth-round pick Bobby McCain.

Cowboys, La’el Collins Agree To Extension

July 25th, 2017 at 2:39pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys and offensive lineman La’el Collins have reached agreement on a new deal. It’s a two-year, $15.4MM extension that will keep him in place through the 2019 season, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Collins would have been a restricted free agent following the 2017 season. With the new contract, Collins has traded in that one RFA year plus his first year of scheduled unrestricted free agency. The Cowboys theoretically could have controlled Collins through the 2019 season with the franchise tag, but by extending him now, they have given themselves cost certainty while leaving the tag available for another star player.

The new deal gives Collins a $7.7MM average annual salary in the additional two seasons, which currently would represent the second-highest AAV of any right tackle in the NFL.

Collins was expected to be a first round pick and potential top ten pick in the 2015 draft. However, he went undrafted after he was linked to the shooting death of a pregnant woman and his agent that he would hold out if he were selected beyond the third round. Once he was cleared of any wrongdoing, he signed with the Cowboys on a modest three-year contract worth roughly $1.6MM. Collins’ new contract will him like a first round pick and reflects the tremendous production he has provided at the professional level.

Collins excelled at left guard as a rookie and was slated to hold down the position again in 2016 before a foot injury ended his season after three games. This year, the 6’5″ lineman will be shifting over to right tackle. It’s a return to Collins’ roots as he started at left tackle for LSU in the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

Jets Host Orlando Franklin On Visit

July 25th, 2017 at 1:36pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets hosted guard Orlando Franklin on a visit Tuesday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Franklin has been looking for work ever since being released by the Chargers in May.

Franklin met with the Jaguars earlier this offseason, but he hasn’t gotten a ton of bites in general. The Dolphins, who have a clear need for help on the interior line, aren’t interested for one reason or another.

Franklin, 29, came to the Chargers as a free agent prior to the 2015 season, but he did not live up to his five-year, $35.5MM contract. He played in all 16 games last season – something he didn’t do in 2015 – but he also graded out as one of the seven worst qualified guards in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Jets probably can’t offer Franklin an opportunity to win a Super Bowl, but they are a team in need of depth along the offensive line. Franklin would have a good chance of making the Jets’ final cut and he could get opportunities to showcase himself for a more lucrative contract next offseason.