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Month: September 2024

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Elliott, Wilson

July 6th, 2017 at 9:12am CST by Zachary Links

It sounds like linebacker Eric Pinkins is now looking to make the Giants 53-man roster as a safety. Pinkins tells Dan Duggan of NJ.com that he saw an opportunity to move back to the secondary and jumped on it.

“Honestly, I took initiative,” Pinkins explained. “I went up to the guy that runs the scout cards because they had two receivers at safety. I was like, ‘I’ll give a way better look than receivers out there.’ So he ended talking to the head man (Ben McAdoo) and I saw him just smirk and shake his head, ‘Yes.’ Then I was like, ‘Yes! It’s my opportunity to show them I can play safety.’ I ended up going back there. Two plays later, (Sterling Shepard) was running a corner route, I picked it and I’ve been playing safety ever since.”

Pinkins appeared in six games for Seattle in 2015 and made five appearances for the Giants last season. He hasn’t seen a ton of action over his two NFL seasons, but he might have an opportunity to see more time as a backup to Darian Thompson and Landon Collins this year.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • Ezekiel Elliott‘s situation with the league office has dragged on for months and it’s anyone’s guess as to why things are taking so long. It could be that investigators are working toward resolving what amounts to a dispute between the Cowboys running back and his accuser as to what he did and didn’t do, Mike Florio of PFT writes. It could also be that the person making the decision at the league office is getting pressure from both Jerry Jones and the league’s public relation arm. Many expected that there would be a resolution for Elliott during Fourth of July weekend, but that did not happen.
  • The arrest of Cowboys linebacker Damien Wilson does not put additional pressure on Jaylon Smith to perform, Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News opines. If Smith has as much talent as Jones has indicated, then he might be the better player of the two anyway. Of course, it still remains to be seen whether Wilson will miss significant time due to the unfortunate events that transpired on Tuesday. There’s also no guarantee that Smith will be ready for the start of the season, though he is confident that he’ll be ready for Week 1.
  • Former Eagles wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham has cleared waivers.

Andy Reid Not Involved In Chiefs GM Search

July 5th, 2017 at 9:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has played “little to no role” in the club’s general manager interview process, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), who reports owner Clark Hunt and president Mark Donovan are leading Kansas City’s search.Andy Reid

As La Canfora notes, Reid’s lack of presence in the Chiefs’ GM quest further confirms previous reports that it was Hunt — not Reid — who was responsible for firing general manager John Dorsey. Indeed, sources told Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star last month that Dorsey’s ouster was prompted by Hunt’s concern about Dorsey’s lack of internal communication and casual management style.

“[Dorsey]’s not a big disciplinarian or big on chain of command,” one source said, “so people did what they wanted.”

Although Reid is not overly involved in the Chiefs’ GM search, and reportedly won’t take on a larger personnel role, that doesn’t mean his fingerprints aren’t on the club’s hunt. Kansas City co-director of player personnel Brett Veach and ESPN commentator Louis Riddick, considered the top candidates for the Chiefs vacancy, both have professional ties to Reid. Earlier today, La Canfora indicated Veach could be promoted LINK to general manager before the start of training camp.

Broncos C Matt Paradis Medically Cleared

July 5th, 2017 at 8:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After undergoing hip surgery last December, Broncos center Matt Paradis has been medically cleared and should be able to take part in training camp, reports Mike Klis of 9News.Matt Paradis (Vertical)

“I never was that worried,’’ said Paradis. “I might have been worried about quality. And that’s something we’re still going to have to work out. But man, they’re feeling great. I guess I never realized how much pain I was in previously and now it’s like, “You mean I’m not supposed to be in pain all day, every day?’’

Paradis dealt with pain all season and didn’t practice at all over the last ten weeks of the year, according to Klis, but he still managed to start all 16 games for the second consecutive campaign while grading as the league’s No. 1 center, per Pro Football Focus. The 27-year-old Paradis earned a 90.7 overall mark, a score that included a league-high 90.6 run-blocking grade.

A former sixth-round pick, Paradis will earn $615K during the upcoming season before becoming a restricted free agent in 2018.

Raiders Sign Rookie DT Eddie Vanderdoes

July 5th, 2017 at 7:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Raiders have signed third-round defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes, the club announced today.Eddie Vanderdoes (Vertical)

Vanderdoes, the 88th overall selection, spent four seasons with UCLA but only saw action in three of those campaigns, as he tore his ACL in the 2015 season opener and was granted a medical redshirt. In 2016, the 6’3″, 305-pound Vanderdoes appeared in 11 games, managing 27 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. Prior to the draft, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared Vanderdoes to current Seahawks interior defender Ahtyba Rubin, while Pro Football Focus lauded Vanderdoes’ quick hands and low pad level.

The Raiders released veteran defensive tackle Dan Williams this offseason, so Vanderdoes will certainly have an opportunity to pick up some of Williams’ 366 defensive snaps. At present, Oakland is projected to start Jihad Ward and Justin Ellis at defensive tackle, with Darius Latham, Vanderdoes, and fellow rookie Treyvon Hester in reserve.

With Vanderdoes, only eight 2017 draft picks remain unsigned, and that list that includes two other Raiders: first-round cornerback Gareon Conley and second-round safety Obi Melifonwu.

Finding A Fit For RB DeAngelo Williams

July 5th, 2017 at 6:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Two years ago, at the age of 32, DeAngelo Williams started 10 games for the Steelers and produced 11 rushing touchdowns, 4.5 yards per carry, and 40 receptions through the air while filling in for Le’Veon Bell, who had been suspended and subsequently injured. In 2016, sidelined for seven games by his own health questions, Williams managed only 3.5 yards per touch on 98 attempts.DeAngelo Williams (Vertical)

Thus far, Williams hasn’t been linked directly linked to any clubs, but he made clear earlier today that he intends to play during the 2017 campaign. It’s possible that he’ll have to wait for an injury to occur before receiving a call, something to which Williams alluded to today. I recently ranked Williams as the third-best free agent back available, behind fellow veterans Chris Johnson and Rashad Jennings.

Williams said today there are four teams he won’t play for, but wouldn’t identify those clubs, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. With the hope that we’re not listing one of those squads, let’s take a look at six teams that could use Williams immediately:

Detroit Lions

Detroit’s 2016 rushing offense was, by almost any measure, putrid. On an NFL-low 350 rushing attempts, the Lions finished 27th in yards per carry, 25th in DVOA, and 31st in adjusted line yards, the latter a measure of a club’s offensive line strength. Detroit attempted to rectify its front five this offseason, swapping out Larry Warford and Riley Reiff for T.J. Lang and Ricky Wagner, but the team’s crop of backs has essentially remained stagnant. Getting former second-round pick Ameer Abdullah back from a Lisfranc injury should help matters, and the Lions have praised reserve Dwayne Washington, but the club’s only free agent addition or draft choice in the backfield was former Viking Matt Asiata, who plodded to a 3.3 yards per carry average a season ago. Williams, then, could offer Detroit a bit more dynamic safety net behind its younger runners.

Los Angeles Chargers

Among the 19 running backs that managed at least 200 carries in 2016, Melvin Gordon finished 13th with only 3.93 yards per rush. So although he scored 10 touchdowns on the ground, it stands to reason the former first-round pick could use a breather from time to time. Kenneth Farrow, who served as Gordon’s primary backup last season, posted only 3.2 yards per carry on 60 attempts, while Branden Oliver (who hasn’t seen the field since October 2015), Andre Williams, and Kenjon Barner aren’t exactly an inspiring crop. With Danny Woodhead having left via free agency, the Chargers have a need for a back like Williams, who can succeed in the passing game.

Los Angeles Rams

Like Gordon, Todd Gurley struggled from a lack of team running back depth, as he finished 19th out of 19 on the list linked above with just 3.18 yards per attempt. The Rams offense was a disaster as a whole, ranking 32nd in both pass and rushing DVOA. Los Angeles has seemingly found a fix at left tackle, upgrading from Greg Robinson to Andrew Whitworth, and are now 18th in Pro Football Focus‘ offseason offensive line rankings. Still, when the “running back” with the most carries behind Gurley is Tavon Austin with 28, backups are an issue. The Rams already signed former Cowboy Lance Dunbar to handle third-down work, but Williams would offer a more prototypical skill-set as a reserve.

Miami Dolphins

Jay Ajayi was excellent during his second NFL season, rushing for more than 1,200 yards while ranking seventh in DYAR and finishing third in PFF’s running back grades. But there are certainly reasons to be concerned about Ajayi, and chief among them is the knee issues that led to his draft slide in 2015. Severe knee injuries scared off teams that year, and Ajayi has put a lot of work in during the past four seasons. Between Boise State and Miami, Ajayi has managed 249 carries in three of the past four seasons (including a whopping 347 attempts during his final collegiate campaign). Personally, I’m a fan of backup of Damien Williams, but his lack of production during his three-year NFL tenure may leave the Dolphins looking for an experienced reserve such as DeAngelo Williams.

New York Giants

The Giants regard second-year runner Paul Perkins as a three-down back, but they haven’t added much insurance in the event Perkins doesn’t perform (or gets injured) in 2016. Shaun Draughn and Orleans Darkwa haven’t done much in their limited NFL action, Shane Vereen has proven himself to be a passing game specialist, while fourth-round rookie Wayne Gallman was labeled an impatient runner and compared to journeyman Khiry Robinson in Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com predraft profile. Big Blue’s rushing attack ranked 26th in DVOA a season ago, and doesn’t figure to improve if Perkins doesn’t grow into a No. 1 role. Still, the Giants are the least likely club on this list to bring in Williams or any other veteran.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Williams was an excellent investment for the Steelers, as he provided stability in the club’s backfield (especially in 2015) while earning only $4MM over the life of a two-year contract. He could conceivably play a similar role for Pittsburgh in 2017, but the Steelers have added other factors behind Le’Veon Bell. In addition to signing free agent Knile Davis, Pittsburgh also spent a third-round choice on local product James Conner. Fitzgerald Toussaint is also in the discussion for backup carries after posting 4.1 yards per attempt in 58 touches last year. General manager Kevin Colbert said in March the Steelers weren’t yet closing the door on Williams, but that statement was made before Pittsburgh draft Conner. Williams himself said today he wasn’t ruling out a return to the Steelers.

Chiefs Could Promote Brett Veach To GM By Training Camp

July 5th, 2017 at 5:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chiefs could potentially promote co-director of player personnel Brett Veach to general manager before the beginning of training camp, sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).

After firing John Dorsey last month, Kansas City reportedly set a “loose goal” of finding a new GM prior to the start of training camp, so promoting Veach in the coming weeks would accomplish that goal. Veach, along with ESPN commentator Louis Riddick, have been considered the favorites for the Chiefs vacancy, as both offer familiarity with head coach Andy Reid. In addition to serving alongside Reid in Kansas City, Veach spent several seasons working with him in Philadelphia.

As our Chiefs GM Search Tracker indicates, six candidates have been linked to the Kansas City position. Veach and fellow co-director of player personnel Mike Borgonzi, Riddick, Seahawks co-director of player personnel Scott Fitterer, Titans director of player personnel Ryan Cowden, and Vikings assistant general manager George Paton have all been mentioned in connection with the Chiefs job, although Paton declined to interview.

Packers Sign Rookie Montravious Adams

July 5th, 2017 at 4:59pm CST by Zachary Links

The Packers have signed third-round pick Montravius Adams. With the defensive tackle under contract, Green Bay has now signed its entire 2017 draft class.Montravius Adams (Vertical)

Adams was highly recruited coming out of high school but it took him a little while to really get started at Auburn. In 2016, he seemed to put it all together has he totaled 8.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. The 6’4, 304 pound athlete may wind up starting at nose tackle for the Packers in the early going as Letroy Guion serves a four-game suspension.

Adams was one of ten unsigned rookies heading into Wednesday. With Raiders sign third-round pick Eddie Vanderdoes also under contract, we’re now down to just eight unsigned draft picks league-wide. Interestingly, seven of those eight players are first-round selections.

Here’s the complete rundown of the Packers’ draft class:

Dorial Green-Beckham Clears Waivers

July 5th, 2017 at 3:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Before the holiday, the Eagles put wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham on the waiver wire. Today, we’ve learned that the league’s 31 other teams declined to take on his contract. Green-Beckham cleared waivers, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Dorial Green-Beckham (vertical)

In high school, DGB was one of the country’s most sought after recruits. However, after two disappointing seasons in the NFL, his stock is at an all-time low. Green-Beckham’s lack of work ethic led the Titans to ship him out just one year after the organization used a second round pick on him. Now, his stint with the Eagles is over after less than one calendar year. During his lone season in Philly, the 24-year-old hauled in 36 receptions for 392 yards and two touchdowns.

Green-Beckham could still find a new NFL home, but it will have to be at a salary cheaper than what he was making as a 2015 second-round pick. You can expect the 24-year-old to get calls this summer, but he’s likely to only get offered one-year deals with low base pay.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Wilson, Eagles

July 5th, 2017 at 3:40pm CST by Zachary Links

We now have some details on the arrest of Cowboys linebacker Damien Wilson, via Amanda Guerra of KRLD (Twitter links). Wilson was looking for place to park for Fourth of July festivities while a group of tailgaters were taking up several spaces. After he asked to park, an argument broke out between him and the group. He then backed his truck into the parking space and intentionally hit a person in the process, police say. At some point during the kerfuffle, Wilson produced a gun. The 24-year-old is facing two counts of aggravated assault with deadly weapon.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Redskins Notes: Jackson, Garcon, Cousins

July 5th, 2017 at 1:59pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins are down two big-name receivers in DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, but they might actually be better off in the red zone, according to some numbers crunching by Raymond Summerlin of Rotoworld. Jackson and Garcon combined to catch just two touchdowns on 24 red zone targets in 2016 and that helps to explain why the Redskins had one of the worst TD rates in the red zone as a team. Meanwhile, newcomer Terrelle Pryor converted on 30.8% of his red zone looks last year, including 3-of-4 inside the 10-yard line. Josh Doctson is something of an unknown after injuries stripped away his rookie season, but he was drafted in part because of his ability to catch the football through traffic. The Redskins may have lost some star power at wide receiver, but they could have more chances to find paydirt with the revamped group.

Here’s more from D.C.:

  • Does Kirk Cousins deserve to be the highest paid quarterback in the NFC East? While he doesn’t have the resume of Eli Manning or perhaps the same kind of upside as Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz, he has proven himself over the last two years and is right in his quarterback prime, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com argues. Opinions on Cousins may vary, but I personally don’t think a $24MM salary is out of line for Cousins. The fact of the matter is that he would have garnered a monster multi-year deal with an even higher average annual salary this offseason if he were allowed to explore free agency unencumbered.
  • With Robert Kelley, Samaje Perine, and Chris Thompson as locks to make the Redskins’ roster, running backs Mack Brown and Keith Marshall find themslves on the bubble, CSNMidAtlantic.com’s Rich Tandler writes. Brown has shown coaches that he has ability, but if the Redskins carry four tight ends, they could wind up keeping only three RBs. Meanwhile, Marshall is something of a longshot to make the 53-man roster if the other four stay healthy, but could wind up back on the practice squad. While Brown and Marshall fight for a spot, Matt Jones continues to sit in limbo.
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