2018 May - Pro Football Rumors

Recently Retired LB Jerrell Freeman Received 2-Year Suspension

May 14th, 2018 at 4:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Suspensions dogged Jerrell Freeman during the latter portion of his career, and although the former Colts and Bears linebacker announced his retirement earlier this month, any attempt to reverse course will likely be difficult after the league handed out a rare suspension last week.

The NFL suspended Freeman for two years on Friday, NFL reporter Howard Balzer tweets. While the cause isn’t specified, it’s safe to assume another positive test for performance-enhancing drugs caused it.

Freeman already incurred a four-game ban in November of 2016 and then was slapped with a 10-game suspension in October 2017. A third positive test triggers a two-year suspension, according to the NFL’s PED policy.

The 32-year-old inside linebacker played four years with the Colts and two with the Bears, having signed a three-year deal with Chicago in 2016. But Freeman only played in one game last season, with the suspension and a chest injury keeping the veteran off-ball ‘backer off the field. The Bears released Freeman in February.

Jets Claim T Antonio Garcia Off Waivers

May 14th, 2018 at 4:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets will take a flier on a recently waived Patriot. Second-year tackle Antonio Garcia will have a chance with the Jets after the team plucked him from the waiver wire, Field Yates of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

A 2017 third-round pick, Garcia did not play as a rookie and saw the Patriots revamp their tackle situation during the most recent draft weekend.

The Patriots waived Garcia with a non-football injury designation. The former Troy standout had blood clots in his lungs, causing him to miss last season. He spent it on the Patriots’ non-football illness list. Although New England lost Nate Solder in free agency, Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown are now in the picture. And Garcia will head to the Jets, who also gave Kony Ealy a shot last year after the Pats cut him.

Shipping three draft choices to the Colts for the right to select Sam Darnold, the Jets did not address their tackle situation with outside help in the draft or in free agency. Kelvin Beachum started all 16 games for the Jets at left tackle last season, and Brandon Shell started 12 at right tackle. Both were top-45 tackles last season, per Pro Football Focus. The Jets re-signed Ben Ijalana as well, and Garcia is now in this mix.

Texans Claim QB Stephen Morris

May 14th, 2018 at 3:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Stephen Morris wasn’t out of work for long. After being waived by the Seahawks over the weekend, the Texans claimed the quarterback on Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Morris, 26 in August, becomes the fourth quarterback on Houston’s roster. He’ll provide the Texans with the fourth camp arm that they need, but he may also have a real shot at making the final cut as he goes against Brandon Weeden and Joe Webb for a backup spot behind starter Deshaun Watson.

Weeden’s one-year deal has just $230K in guaranteed cash while Webb’s only guarantee is his $90K signing bonus. If Morris outperforms either player, they won’t have second thoughts about keeping him over either veteran.

Morris has been with five different teams – the Jaguars, Eagles, Colts, Redskins, and Seahawks – since entering the league as a UDFA in 2014. He has yet to thrown an NFL pass, but that could change with club No. 6.

Panthers Release WR Russell Shepard

May 14th, 2018 at 2:53pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s officially official. On Monday afternoon, the Panthers announced the release of wide receiver Russell Shepard.

Shepard signed a three-year deal with the Panthers last year, but his time in Carolina is up after just one season. The Panthers believed that Shepard would build off of his 23 catches for 341 yards and two touchdowns with the Bucs in 2016. Instead, he never really found a place for himself in the Panthers’ offense.

The Panthers recently asked Shepard to accept a pay cut, but he refused. It was something of a no-brainer decision for Shepard as the difference between his severance and expected intake for 2018 is just $900K. The Panthers will now save $2.125MM against the cap with $1.4MM in dead money by releasing him.

With Shepard out of the picture, the Panthers will move forward with Devin Funchess and first-round pick D.J. Moore as their top wide receivers. Veterans Torrey Smith and Jarius Wright are also in the mix, as well as 2017 second-round pick Curtis Samuel.

Shepard joins Dez Bryant, Dontrelle Inman, Eric Decker, and Jeremy Maclin on the free agent wide receiver pile.

Adrian Peterson Open To Saints Reunion

May 14th, 2018 at 1:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Things didn’t work out so well for Adrian Peterson and the Saints last year, but the running back is willing to give it another go. The free agent running back says he’d be open to signing with New Orleans, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

“Of course I would,” Peterson said. “I’m not tripping over the past, plus it would be a different look.”

The Saints could consider free running backs in the wake of Mark Ingram‘s four-game suspension and head coach Sean Payton says the team would “absolutely” consider Peterson if they went in that direction. Still, the Saints are reportedly focused on those that are already under contract. The Saints have sixth-round Louisiana Tech product Boston Scott, former Bills rusher Jonathan Williams, and Trey Edmunds behind top RB Alvin Kamara.

It only makes sense for Peterson to be open to a Saints return given the lack of interest in the 33-year-old this offseason. However, it remains to be seen whether the Saints will actually pursue another go ’round with No. 28. Last year, Peterson appeared in just four games for the Saints and found himself frustrated by his place in the pecking order. In October, the Saints shipped him to the Cardinals for a conditional draft pick.

Peterson averaged just 3.4 yards per carry last year, but to his credit, he did have two 100-yard games.

Saints To Sign DT Jay Bromley

May 14th, 2018 at 12:57pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are signing veteran defensive tackle Jay Bromley, a source tells Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune (on Twitter). Bromley participated in the Saints’ recent rookie minicamp and earned a spot on the 90-man roster.

Bromley was not retained by the Giants this year as the team switched from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 look under new defensive coordinator James Bettcher. Although he was not a fit in New York, he offers experience with appearances in 47 games over the last three years as a rotational piece. We had Bromley ranked as the 15th-best defensive tackle on the open market heading into free agency in March. Bromley is the last player in the top 15 to find a deal for 2018.

Last year, the Saints’ defensive line finished 15th in adjusted line yards, according to Football Outsiders. Meanwhile, they allowed more open field yards than the average club, which suggests that there is more work to be done when it comes to the run-stopping abilities of their linebackers and secondary players.

The Saints project to start Sheldon Rankins and Tyeler Davison at defensive tackle in their 4-3 set while David Onyemata, Woodrow Hamilton, and Davaroe Lawrence are jockeying for position in reserve.

Giants Sign Six, Cut Six

May 14th, 2018 at 12:44pm CST by Zachary Links

The final draft choice of Jerry Reese‘s tenure as Giants GM has been released. Offensive lineman Adam Bisnowaty was handed his pink slip on Monday, along with linebacker Derrick Mathews, tight end Stephen Baggett, and cornerbacks Brandon Dixon, Bryon Fields, and C.J. Goodwin. To fill those spots, the G-Men signed cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris, guards Chris Scott and Malcolm Bunche, running back Robert Martin, defensive back Mike Jones (Temple) WR Alonzo Russell (Toledo)

Bisnowaty was the Giants’ sixth-round pick in 2017 and spent the majority of last season on the practice squad. The 6’6″ athlete played tackle at Pittsburgh, but the Giants were using him at guard in practice. It looked like he might have had a shot at sticking as an interior lineman on this year’s roster, but that did not pan out.

In other Giants news, former first-round pick Ereck Flowers reported to the team on Monday morning. Things have been strained between the Giants and the tackle, to say the least, but the team is apparently intent on keeping him and seeing what he can do at right tackle.

Titans Release QB Tyler Ferguson

May 14th, 2018 at 12:15pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans released quarterback Tyler Ferguson as a part of their Monday morning roster shakeup. The release of Ferguson leaves the Titans with three quarterbacks on the roster in Marcus Mariota, Blaine Gabbert, and sixth-round pick Luke Falk.

In addition to Ferguson, defensive back Ryan McKinley, defensive back Elijaah Goins, and running back Larry Rose have also been cut. All three players were signed just last week as a part of the Titans’ 22-man UDFA class.

In their stead, the Titans have signed former Tennessee-Martin defensive back Joseph Este, tight end Anthony Firkser (Harvard), linebacker Robert Spillane (Western Michigan), outside linebacker Tobenna Okeke (Fresno State), and defensive lineman Connor Flagel (Central Missouri)

The Titans may look to bring in a fourth QB as a camp arm, but they are likely set under center for the final 53-man roster.

Redskins’ DeAngelo Hall Retires From NFL

May 14th, 2018 at 11:04am CST by Zachary Links

DeAngelo Hall is calling it a career. The Redskins defensive back says he’s “done” playing football (Twitter link via John Keim of ESPN.com). Hall has yet to make it official, but the 34-year-old is considering offers to join a front office or work in television.

The Falcons brought Hall into the league as the No. 8 overall pick in the 2004 draft and he went on to earn two Pro Bowl nods in Atlanta. Prior to the 2008 season, he was shipped to the Raiders and signed a seven-year deal worth up to $70MM with the club. That deal was terminated after just eight games, leading him to the Redskins.

Over the last ten seasons, Hall has appeared in 106 regular season games for the Redskins with 97 starts. In recent years, however, he has been limited by injuries. Hall has played in just eight games over the last two seasons and hasn’t turned in a full season since 2013, so this is probably the right time for him to hang ’em up.

Hall leaves the game with three Pro Bowl selections (2005, 2006, 2010) as well as a place in the record books. In 2010, Hall picked off Bears quarterback Jay Cutler four times, including a 92-yard pick six, which ties him for the single game record along with 13 other players in league history. Only two players – Hall and Deltha O’Neal – have hit that watermark since 2001.

Giants’ Ereck Flowers Reports To Team

May 14th, 2018 at 10:39am CST by Zachary Links

For now, it sounds like the Giants and Ereck Flowers will be moving forward together. The former first-round pick returned to work on Monday after missing the team’s previous offseason program, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Schefter hears a trade is still an option, but right now the plan is for the Giants to play him at right tackle.

Flowers was reportedly upset about the Giants’ signing of left tackle Nate Solder this offseason, but it’s not hard to see why the Giants wanted an upgrade at the position. Despite some serious buzz that led to him being taken No. 9 overall in 2015, Flowers has yet to do much at the pro level. Last year was his best season to date and he graded out as just the No. 54 tackle in the NFL out of 81 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Meanwhile, in a “down year,” Solder was the 32rd ranked tackle, per PFF. In previous years, he placed as one of the league’s best.

The Giants will pit Flowers against second-year UDFA offensive tackle Chad Wheeler, 2018 UDFA Tyler Howell, and others for the right tackle job and it wouldn’t be surprising to see another veteran or two thrown into the mix. Ideally, the Giants would probably like to move on from Flowers altogether, but teams balked when asked to part with a mid-round pick for him last month.

Given the dearth of quality tackles available, the Giants could have better luck unloading Flowers this summer in the event of an injury to a starter. For now, the Giants will see what he can do on the opposite side.