HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Teddy Bridgewater Likely To Land On PUP List To Start Camp

July 23rd, 2017 at 6:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike Zimmer expects Teddy Bridgewater to begin training camp on the PUP list, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

The Vikings quarterback returned to the practice field in May, nine months after his gruesome knee injury sidetracked his career. Tomasson notes this re-emergence included Bridgewater throwing to wide receivers, but the former first-round pick wasn’t cleared to practice. The team will begin practice Thursday from Mankato, Minn.

Minnesota placing Bridgewater on the Active/PUP list does not mean its former starter is shelved for the first six weeks of the season. Were Bridgewater to remain on the PUP once the regular season begins, though, it would. And then the situation would become complicated.

Bridgewater landing on the Reserve/PUP list come Week 1 could cause his contract to toll, meaning he’d still be attached to his 2017 Vikings salary ($2.18MM) in 2018 instead of hitting free agency. The Vikings did not pick up Bridgewater’s fifth-year option. A report surfaced in May Bridgewater’s camp would fight a PUP designation, if it’s believed the passer could pass a physical.

But that is several weeks away. Tomasson reports Bridgewater, who wore a knee brace when he took the field to throw passes earlier this offseason, threw without a brace in a subsequent session.

Isaiah Crowell Hires Drew Rosenhaus

July 23rd, 2017 at 5:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Isaiah Crowell and the Browns have been in discussions about a new contract for months, but there will be a new face in the middle of these negotiations. The fourth-year running back joined Drew Rosenhaus’ company, Rosenhaus Sports, the powerful agent tweeted Sunday.

Crowell parted ways with Universal Sports Management agents Robert Brown and Kevin Conner. Rosenahus also represents Joe Haden, but his most recent dealings with the Browns involved an interesting negotiation with Terrelle Pryor — one that saw the quarterback-turned-wideout depart Cleveland via modest one-year Washington deal, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes.

The Browns devoted considerable resources to upgrading their interior offensive line this offseason, which should benefit Crowell. The former UDFA rushed for a career-high 952 yards (4.8 per carry) without the likes of Kevin Zeitler or J.C. Tretter blocking for him. The Browns having signed that pair and extended Joel Bitonio should help Crowell be in a great position to become the team’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Peyton Hillis in 2010.

Crowell joined Browns OTAs after signing his second-round RFA tender (worth $2.746MM) in May. The 24-year-old runner said in late May the sides were working to get a deal done, but nothing has transpired since, perhaps explaining Crowell’s decision to change representation.

Should no extension come Crowell’s way, he stands to be a UFA in 2018. Running back free agency forays are not what they used to be, but the Browns’ current starter would be one of the more intriguing backs to reach the market. The Browns, though, have more than $53MM in cap space after authorizing the offensive line pacts and top-market deals for Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey.

Eagles Cut Dwayne Gratz

July 23rd, 2017 at 5:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Eagles convene for training camp, the team made a few moves on Sunday. One of them was jettisoning fifth-year cornerback Dwayne Gratz.

Philadelphia announced the release of Gratz, whom the team signed late last season to a two-year deal. No guaranteed money was attached to Gratz’s $775K contract. The Eagles also placed Sidney Jones and Beau Allen on the Active/NFI list. Philly will meet for camp on Monday and begin practice Thursday.

The Eagles are the third team since October 2016 to part ways with Gratz. The Jaguars cut him in October, but Gratz didn’t make it to free agency when the Rams claimed him. However, Los Angeles cut Gratz as well after deploying him in three games. The Eagles signed him in advance of Week 15 last season. The 27-year-old corner did not play any games for Philly. Gratz functioned as a primary starter for the 2014 Jags but has otherwise been a backup.

Philly does not have a particularly deep cornerback contingent, but Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes (on Twitter) 2016 UDFA C.J. Smith and CFL import Aaron Grymes performed better than Gratz during offseason workouts.

Jones could still miss the season due to his Achilles injury, and Allen suffered a chest injury while working out this offseason. The defensive tackle who has served as a rotational player is not expected to be ready by Week 1.

Latest On Eagles RB Ryan Mathews

July 23rd, 2017 at 4:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

While the Eagles are still expected to release Ryan Mathews, the veteran running back will likely stay on the club’s roster until at least August as he continues to recover from a neck injury, according to Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer.Ryan Mathews (Vertical)

As Bowen has previously reported, Philadelphia needs to wait to cut Mathews until he’s healthy in order to avoid paying $1.1MM in injury protection. Mathews will still count for $1MM in dead money once he can pass a physical and is released, but that money will only count for salary cap purposes. No further cash will head Mathews’ way if the Eagles hold off on cutting him until he is fully recovered.

Mathews, 30, has often been effective on a per-play basis during his seven-year career, but injuries have limited his overall contributions. He’s appeared in all 16 games just once during his NFL tenure, started 14 games just twice, and has managed only 510 carries over the past three seasons. On the bright side, Mathews did average 4.6 yards per carry during that three-year span.

The Eagles have prepared for the eventual loss of Mathews by signing free agent LeGarrette Blount to a one-year deal and drafting Donnel Pumphrey in the fourth round of this year’s draft. Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood, and Byron Marshall comprise the rest of Philadelphia’s current backfield options.

NFC East Rumors: Cowboys, Giants, Redskins

July 23rd, 2017 at 3:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The NFL is reportedly wrapping up its investigation into Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, but franchise owner Jerry Jones stood behind Elliott when addressing the media earlier today, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “I have reviewed everything and there is absolutely nothing – not one thing – that had anything to do with domestic violence,” Jones said. Last week, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported a “growing sense” that Elliott will face a league-imposed suspension. Elliott was never arrested or charged in the incident, but his accuser addressed her allegations in a statement today.

Here’s more from Dallas and the rest of the NFC East:

  • Echoing statements he made earlier this year, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones reiterated his club’s desire to reach an extension with right guard Zack Martin, tweets Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “We’d love to get Zack Martin‘s [deal] done,” said Jones. “He’s an important part of our future…confident we’ll get something worked out.” The Cowboys plan to meet with Martin’s agent during training camp, per Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Dallas, which has already hammered out deals with left tackle Tyron Smith and center Travis Frederick, controls Martin through 2018 via the fifth-year option. Martin, a 2016 All Pro, ranked as the second-best guard in the league a season ago, per Pro Football Focus.
  • With B.J. Goodson entrenched as the club’s starting middle linebacker, the Giants are unlikely to re-sign Kelvin Sheppard, reports Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. Sheppard, 29, started 11 games for New York last season, but was essentially a two-down player, as he saw action on only 40% of the team’s defensive snaps. Goodson, Jonathan Casillas, and Devon Kennard figure to serve as Big Blue’s starting ‘backers, with Kenan Robinson and J.T. Thomas serving as relatively high-priced reserves.
  • The Giants aren’t expected to reach an extension with guard Justin Pugh, as the fifth-year pro seemingly wants to reach the free agent market in 2018, as James Kratch of NJ.com writes. The upper echelon of the guard market has now hit the $12MM mark, and it’s possible Pugh could hit that barrier with another solid season. Pugh, a 55-game starter during his career, will earn $8.821MM next year, and Kratch believes the franchise tag (with a cost near $15MM) could be in play for 2018.
  • Free agent addition Brian Quick isn’t likely to act as one of the Redskins‘ top four wideouts next season, meaning his roster spot could be in danger, details John Keim of ESPN.com. If Quick isn’t a contributor on offense, he’d need to be a factor on special teams, something he hasn’t been throughout his career. Washington inked Quick on a minimum salary benefit contract that contained just $80K in guarantees, so cutting him wouldn’t represent much of a fiscal loss.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

5 Key Stories: 7/16/17 – 7/23/17

July 23rd, 2017 at 2:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Panthers make a front office change. Carolina shocked the NFL world last week by firing general manager Dave Gettleman and re-hiring former GM Marty Hurney in an interim capacity. Gettleman was known to be a “brusque” contract negotiator, and his personality often rubbed others the wrong way. Hurney has worked quickly, as he’s already finalized a contract extension for guard Trai Turner and released tackle Michael Oher. New deals for linebacker Thomas Davis and tight end Greg Olsen could also be on the table, as Gettleman wasn’t inclined to address either veteran’s pact before his ouster.

No deals for remaining franchise players. Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, and Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson all failed to reach extensions with their respective clubs by last week’s deadline, meaning all three will play out 2017 under one-year tenders. Washington claimed it offered Cousins $53MM in guarantees, but Cousins wants more time to evaluate the organization following this year’s front office changes. Bell, meanwhile, reportedly rejected a five-year, $60MM proposal from Pittsburgh.Ezekiel Elliott (Vertical)

Ezekiel Elliot saga nears a resolution. The NFL is wrapping up its investigation into Elliott, and has already shared its findings with the NFLPA and the Cowboys running back. A suspension would not only cost Elliott games, but money, as Dallas would have the right to recoup a portion of his signing bonus. Earlier today, Elliot’s domestic violence accuser addressed her allegations against the second-year pro. Meanwhile, Elliott was reportedly involved in a recent bar fight, but Dallas police are dropping their investigation due to a lack of evidence.

RG3 drawing free agent interest. Robert Griffin III could soon be joining a new club, as teams have reportedly expressed “mild” interest in the veteran quarterback. The only team to express public intrigue in Griffin so far this season had been the Seahawks, but they went in another direction by signing journeyman Austin Davis. Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report indicated NFL clubs are curious to see what RG3 has left to offer after numerous injuries have limited him in recent seasons.

Anquan Boldin takes a visit. The Bills are planning to work out Boldin on Monday as they seek a another receiver to add to their uninspiring pass-catching unit, which is currently lead by Sammy Watkins and second-round rookie Zay Jones. Boldin, 36, reportedly may seek to sign with a club that plays closer to his Florida residence. Perhaps seeking to avoid the grind of training camp, Boldin is apparently willing to wait for a new deal, and could look to ink a contract later in the offseason.

PFR Originals: 7/16/17 – 7/23/17

July 23rd, 2017 at 1:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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

Alterraun Verner Has Visit Next Week

July 23rd, 2017 at 12:42pm CST by Rory Parks

Free agent cornerback Alterraun Verner has a workout with an unidentified team scheduled for next week, according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson (via Twitter). Verner most recently worked out for the Jaguars back in May, but apparently that audition did not go well, as Verner was a little out of shape. However, reports at the time indicated that the two sides could reconvene later on, so perhaps this latest workout will again be with Jacksonville.

Alterraun Verner (Vertical)

The Buc released Verner in February, and immediately thereafter, Verner himself said that four or five teams had reached out to him. Before the Jaguars visit, however, we did not know of any specific teams with interest. The UCLA product has been quite durable during his seven-year career, but he saw his playing time wane dramatically over the past two seasons. He started just three games in 2016, tying a career low, and only appeared in 22.8% of Tampa Bay’s defensive plays. Still just 28, Verner will not command anywhere close to the same type of money he did when he inked a four-year, $25.5MM pact with the Bucs in 2014, but he never seemed to play to his potential in Tampa Bay, and it’s possible that a change of scenery could reinvigorate him.

Verner was selected by the Titans in the fourth round of the 2010 draft, and he parlayed an excellent 2013 campaign into that multi-year free agent pact with Tampa. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2013 and was a second-team All-Pro. He intercepted a career-best five passes that season, and although the fact that he showed up to his Jaguars workout out of shape is disappointing, he makes plenty of sense as a rotational piece, with the upside to be more.

AFC Notes: Bengals, Osweiler, Hali

July 23rd, 2017 at 11:38am CST by Rory Parks

Tyler Eifert and Vontaze Burfict are both entering their contract seasons, and while the Bengals have not allowed a Pro Bowl player to leave via free agency who is under the age of 32 since 2011, both players present unique considerations. Both are justified in aiming to be paid at the top of the pay scale for their respective positions, but Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer says Burfict, because of his injury history and run-ins with the league’s player safety rules, is more likely to receive a contract like Dont’a Hightower‘s (four years, $35.5MM with $17MM in guarantees) than Luke Kuechly‘s (five years, $61.8MM with $34MM in guarantees). Also, given Hightower’s difficult time in free agency this season, it is unclear whether Burfict will want to try his luck on the open market.

Eifert’s own injury history could hinder his financial prospects, though league sources indicate he is in line for a five-year pact with an AAV of roughly $9MM. Unlike Burfict, however, the franchise tag is an option for Eifert if the two sides cannot hammer out a long-term deal this year, although both parties are motivated to get something done.

Now for more from the AFC:

  • Brock Osweiler apparently still has a chance to start for the Browns in Week 1. Although Cody Kessler and DeShone Kizer are considered the most likely candidates to open the season under center, a lot will depend on Kizer’s development. As Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes, if Kizer does not develop as anticipated during training camp — he has progressed well to this point, but things can always change when the pads are on — then Osweiler could reenter the mix as a challenger to Kessler.
  • Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich is entering his contract year, but at this point, he does not foresee himself playing for anyone other than New England, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. Ninkovich was drafted by the Saints in the fifth round of the 2006 draft and spent several years with the Dolphins, but his career did not blossom until he signed with the Pats in 2009. Since 2010, he has posted at least four sacks per season as a versatile defensive end/linebacker, including three consecutive eight-sack seasons from 2012-14. He is so grateful for his time in New England that, when asked if he could envision himself playing for another club, he said, “I wouldn’t do that.”
  • Tamba Hali‘s Twitter rant last night drew quite a bit of attention, but the Chiefs linebacker says he is not considering holding out and he has not been told he is not in the team’s 2017 plans. He said he simply wants to play more (Twitter link). Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star says (via Twitter) that Hali did address the matter internally back in January, and he was told by head coach Andy Reid to just “keep getting better.” That obviously did not sit well with Hali, who apparently stewed about it for some time before unleashing a bit last night.
  • Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union wonders what, if anything, Trai Turner‘s recent four-year, $45MM extension could mean for Jaguars center Brandon Linder, who was drafted one spot behind Turner in the 2014 draft. Linder started his career at right guard but was moved to center last season after missing 13 games due to a shoulder injury in 2015. He has missed 15 total games in his career, and it sounds as if Jacksonville will simply allow him to play out his contract because of that injury history. If contract talks do commence this year, it will be interesting to see if Linder gets paid like a center or if he receives a deal that suggests he could return to right guard in the future.

Duane Brown Not Expected To Miss Games; Latest On DeAndre Hopkins

July 23rd, 2017 at 10:07am CST by Rory Parks

Texans left tackle Duane Brown stayed away from the team during voluntary OTAs and mandatory minicamp to express his displeasure over his current contract. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports, unsurprisingly, that Brown is expected to miss the start of training camp as well.

Duane Brown (vertical)

Brown is subject to fines of $40K for each day of camp that he holds out, though Wilson concedes that the 31-year-old has some leverage considering that Houston, which has championship aspirations this season but virtually no experience at the quarterback position, does not have an adequate replacement at left tackle. Nonetheless, there have been no negotiations between player and team, as Brown still has two years remaining on his current contract and the Texans do not renegotiate deals with two or more years remaining (Houston made exceptions to that rule for franchise icons Andre Johnson and J.J. Watt, but as good as Brown has been, he is not at that level).

Wilson adds, however, that Brown is not expected to miss any regular season games, so if the team does not give in, it sounds as if Brown will ultimately report. He ranks 11th among left tackles in cash compensation this year, as the six-year, $53.4MM deal he signed with Houston a few years ago has been surpassed by larger deals. He stands to earn $9.65MM in 2017.

In other Texans news, Wilson writes that the team and star wideout DeAndre Hopkins remain “highly motivated” to come to terms on a long-term deal, although negotiations have yet to pick up steam. However, there has been no “acrimony” on either side, and Hopkins is expected to report to camp on time, in contrast to his one-day holdout last year. Hopkins is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is due to earn $7.9MM in 2017.

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