2018 May - Pro Football Rumors

Dolphins Notes: Gase, McDonald, Fitzpatrick

May 10th, 2018 at 1:28pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday, Dolphins coach Adam Gase did a Q&A with local reporters. Here’s a look at the highlights, via Chris Perkins of the Sun Sentinel:

Don’t expect the Dolphins to make a major splash in the late stages of free agency. “It feels right for us right now,” Gase said of the roster. “I feel like we’re in a good place. It feels like we’ve got the type of people all working in the same direction and working toward the same goal.”
The Dolphins stood pat at No. 11 in the draft and did not select a quarterback in the first round, even though some expected them to consider a signal caller. Gase says that has to do with the team’s confidence in Ryan Tannehill‘s knee as well as the potential of backups Brock Osweiler and David Fales. “We felt like those guys were going to go before 11,” Gase said of Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, USC’s Sam Darnold, Wyoming’s Josh Allen, and UCLA’s Josh Rosen, who were all selected within the top 10. “And we knew that was probably going to be the case, and we felt good about what we had as far as Ryan starting and Brock and Fales competing for No. 2.”
The Dolphins, of course, used that No. 11 selection on Alabama safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The addition of Fitzpatrick will not result in T.J. McDonald moving to linebacker, Gase says. McDonald will instead serve as the first safety off of the bench, behind Fitzpatrick and strong safety Reshad Jones.

Vikings Meet With DT David Parry

May 10th, 2018 at 12:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings will meet with defensive tackle David Parry on Thursday afternoon, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This marks Parry’s first known visit since being non-tendered by the Saints earlier this year.

Parry started 32 games for the Colts as a nose tackle in Indianapolis’ 3-4 scheme, but a bizarre incident in February of 2017 put his football future into jeopardy. Parry was alleged to have attacked a taxi cart driver, car(t)jacked said vehicle, and threatened police officers. At one point in time, Parry was facing jail time with four charges against him. One of the charges was for committing a “Super Extreme” DUI in the state of Arizona, since he operated the cart with a high blood alcohol level.

Eventually, the Saints took a flier on him, but an injury in Week 4 cost him the bulk of the season. He was later tagged with a suspension for the aforementioned incident, but he was able to serve his time while on IR.

The Vikings’ impressive defensive line features starting defensive tackles Linval Joseph and Sheldon Richardson. Last year’s fourth-round pick Jaleel Johnson and Cashaud Lyons project to serve as their backups.

Police Close Case Against David Irving

May 10th, 2018 at 11:53am CST by Zachary Links

Police have closed their investigation against Cowboys defensive lineman David Irving, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). A former girlfriend of Irving hacked his Twitter account in April and accused him of domestic violence, but he has since recanted her claims.

Initially, Cops probed Irving on allegations of assault causing bodily injury to a family member; assault against a family member while impeding breath/circulation, and unlawful restraint. The charge of impeding one’s breath/circulation (which, effectively, means choking someone) is a felony.

While Irving will not be charged in relation to this case, the NFL may conduct its own investigation into what transpired. If the league finds that the allegations had merit – despite the findings of police – he could still be subject to a suspension or fine down the road.

This offseason, Irving was retained via a one-year, $2.9MM restricted tender. After the 2018 season, he’ll be on course for unrestricted free agency.

Irving emerged as a playmaker in limited action in 2016 by logging four sacks and four forced fumbles. His 2017 season was cut short due to a concussion and a four-game suspension at the season’s outset, but he still managed seven sacks in eight games. That was good for the second-highest total on the team, trailing only Demarcus Lawrence.

NFC East Notes: Giants, Beckham Jr., Eagles

May 10th, 2018 at 11:37am CST by Zachary Links

The Giants remain hopeful that they will hammer out a new contract with Odell Beckham Jr., but co-owner John Mara says he won’t rush things.

“I wouldn’t say a sense of urgency,” Mara said (via Brian Costello of the New York Post). “The contract will get done when it’s supposed to get done. I think that’s the Dave Gettleman line. I’m gonna adopt that I think, all spring, all summer, as long as it takes.”

Beckham has one more year to go on his rookie deal at a value of $8.5MM. After that, the Giants can realistically control Beckham via the franchise tag through 2020. Still, OBJ has been vocal about his desire for a new deal and it’s not a given that he’ll play ball if he’s franchised next year.

In his first three seasons, Beckham had more than 90 catches, 1,300 yards, and ten touchdowns. Last year, a broken ankle shut him down in October.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

The Eagles could use a boost in run defense after the departure of Beau Allen and Courtney Upshaw could help in that area, as Zack Rosenblatt of NJ.com writes. In 2015, Upshaw ranked eighth in run defense grade amongst 3-4 outside linebackers, per Pro Football Focus. Upshaw, who didn’t see a lot of playing time for the Falcons last year, auditioned for the Eagles this week. With the ability to play multiple positions in the front seven, he could be an intriguing add for Philly. Meanwhile, the Eagles also have some interest in defensive tackle Terrell McClain and it’s not clear whether both players could be a fit.
Jon Machota of the Dallas News believes the Cowboys will add a veteran safety between now and the start of the regular season. The Cowboys have been connected to Seahawks star Earl Thomas this offseason, but so far, nothing has happened on that front. Meanwhile, as a part of his admittedly early roster projection, he classifies Tavon Austin as a running back. Austin could still factor into the passing game, but Machota believes he’ll run the ball as much as he catches it.

Chiefs Re-Sign DT Stefan Charles

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

Stefan Charles wasn’t out of work for long. The Chiefs announced that they have re-signed the defensive tackle, just days after releasing him.

Charles saw time as a reserve for the Bills and Lions, but hasn’t played much since 2016. Last year, Charles spent much of the year on the workout trail before signing with the Chiefs just prior to their January Wild Card loss to the Titans. He was re-upped in March, then cut on Tuesday along with Rakeem Nunez-Roches, but now he’s back in the fold.

Charles, who will turn 30 in June, registered five sacks for the Bills between 2013-2015. He has 49 career games and two starts on his resume.

The Chiefs project to start newcomer Xavier Williams at nose tackle with third-round pick Derrick Nnadi serving as a backup. Charles will compete with Justin Hamilton and others for a spot on the roster as a reserve DT.

Eagles Interested In DT Terrell McClain

May 10th, 2018 at 9:48am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles are interested in defensive tackle Terrell McClain, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Of course, they’re not alone in that regard.

The Dolphins and 49ers both met with McClain earlier this month. And, on Thursday, the Cowboys will sit down with the 29-year-old (30 in July). The Falcons are also said to have interest in the veteran, though they have yet to schedule a meeting with him.

McClain signed a four-year, $12MM+ deal with the Redskins last year. His $3.25MM base salary was scheduled to become fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2018 league year, but Washington tweaked the deal to make it guaranteed for injury only. With no real financial obligation to McClain, the Redskins released him in late April.

McClain didn’t look great last year, but he had a career year in 2016 with 39 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He would make an interesting addition for the defending champs since defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan might not be available for the season opener. Haloti Ngata projects to step into his role, but McClain could help provide additional depth off the bench.

Saints Work Out Matt Elam

May 10th, 2018 at 9:00am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are briniging safety Matt Elam in for a tryout, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). Elam will join the team for its rookie minicamp this weekend.

Elam, a former first round pick of the Ravens, hasn’t done a whole lot on the field. Elam struggled as a starter in his first two NFL seasons and he missed the entire 2015 campaign thanks to a biceps tear in training camp. Then, after losing much of 2016 to a knee injury, Elam showed very little in the nine games that he did appear in.

Elam is perhaps better known to football fans for his missteps off of the field. Elam’s was arrested in February 2017 when police say he was caught while holding 126 grams of marijuana and three grams of oxycodone. Then, in May, he was arrested for grand theft and battery. Eventually, Elam had all charges against him dropped and he has already served a six-game ban from the NFL as a free agent. If Elam were to sign with the Saints, he would be free to play right away.

Across three seasons with the Ravens, Elam has 130 career tackles to his credit. He started in 26 of his 41 games for the Ravens.

The Saints project to start Marcus Williams and Vonn Bell at safety with veterans Kurt Coleman and Chris Banjo in support.

Cliff Avril Has Interest From A “Few” Teams

May 9th, 2018 at 9:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cliff Avril has signed on to become a radio host on Sports Radio KJR beginning in July, but that doesn’t mean the veteran defensive end has officially retired after being released by the Seahawks last week. While admitting that he’ll have to wait for medical clearance after suffering a potentially-career ending neck injury in 2017, Avril told SiriusXM NFL Radio that “a few” clubs have expressed interest in his availability.

Last season, Avril played only 151 defensive snaps before going down, and garnered a disappointing 44.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. That was the lowest mark of Avril’s career, and he’d been an exceptional player as recently as 2015. It’s unclear, however, whether any team would be willing to risk putting Avril on the field given his recent injury history. As recently as January, Avril reaffirmed his desire to continue his career despite his health risks, but he told SiriusXM that he’s willing to walk away from the game if need be.

“I’m definitely ready (to move on if the doctor recommends as much),” said Avril. “I’ve had about eight months now to kind of wrap my brain around it. My wife and I, we’ve been talking about it. We talk about it pretty much every other week, just understanding, ‘Hey, if you’re not going to play anymore, what’s next? Start preparing yourself for that.’ And that’s kind of where I’m at right now. I’m OK if I’m not able to play ball. If the doctor tells me, ‘Hey, you should definitely reconsider not playing,’ I’m OK with that at this point of my career.”

If the 32-year-old Avril is medically cleared, it’s not out of the question that he could generate real interest on the open market given the dearth of available pass rushers. Other free agent edge defenders include Robert Ayers, Junior Galette, Erik Walden, Elvis Dumervil, Willie Young, and Connor Barwin.

West Notes: 49ers, Hawks, Raiders, Chiefs

May 9th, 2018 at 8:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Before signing Mike Person earlier today, the 49ers also worked out veteran offensive linemen Oday Aboushi, Josh LeRibeus, and Brian Schwenke, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). San Francisco was clearly on the lookout for an experienced lineman capable of playing multiple spots along the interior, and Person won the job. Each of Aboushi, LeRibeus, and Schwenke boast at least one season of regular starting work, but none have generated any known interest to this point in the offseason. If the 49ers are in need of more center/guard as the year progresses, however, it’s fair to assume they’ll circle back to these same candidates.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two West divisions:

Seahawks general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll have both denied that Seattle is entering a full-scale rebuild, and the club’s meeting with veteran wideout Brandon Marshall only verifies that stance, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes. While the Seahawks have shed a mass of talent this offseason by releasing or trading stalwarts such as Richard Sherman, Michael Bennett, and Cliff Avril, the club doesn’t intend to sacrifice its intention to compete. Marshall, of course, hasn’t been productive since 2015, but he’d add a physical element to a wide receiving depth chart that includes Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett, and Jaron Brown.
Linebacker Derrick Johnson rebuffed offers from two-to-three other clubs in order to sign with the Raiders, as Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. Johnson, 35, reiterated that the opportunity to play for head coach Jon Gruden played a large role in his decision to join Oakland’s squad, where he is expected to play middle linebacker in a 4-3 scheme for the first time in his career. The Raiders have made multiple additions to the second level of their defense, adding Tahir Whitehead, Emmanuel Lamur, and Kyle Wilber in addition to Johnson. As such, it’s becoming clear that fellow linebacker NaVorro Bowman is unlikely to return to the Bay Area.
Byron Maxwell‘s new deal with the Seahawks has a base value of $2MM, reports Brady Henderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The veteran cornerback, who is now in his second stint with Seattle, will collect a $950K base salary, a $500K signing bonus, a $100K roster bonus paid if he makes the Seahawks’ 53-man roster, and up to $450K in per-game roster bonuses. Maxwell looks like the clear favorite to start at outside corner opposite Shaquill Griffin, but he’ll be pushed by Justin Coleman and free agent addition Dontae Johnson.
The Chiefs announced that they’ve promoted Mike Borgonzi to director of football operations. As Adam Schefter of ESPN.com points out (Twitter link), Borgonzi will now take over the position manned by Chris Ballard before he became the Colts’ general manager, meaning the former should now be viewed as a future GM candidate. Kansas City also promoted Ryan Poles to assistant director of player personnel and named Ryne Nutt director of college scouting.

Draft Pick Signings: 5/9/18

May 9th, 2018 at 7:24pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s draft pick signings:

The Falcons have agreed to terms with second-round cornerback Isaiah Oliver, fourth-round running back Ito Smith, sixth-round receiver Russell Gage, and sixth-round linebacker Foyesade Olukom. That leaves Atlanta with just two remaining unsigned draft picks, first-round wideout Calvin Ridley and third-round defensive tackle Deadrin Senat. None of the four selections signed by the Falcons today figure to have much of a 2018 role, but given the strength of Atlanta’s roster, the club was able to target future value. Oliver fits the Falcons’ size requirements for a defensive back and could help out down the line, while Smith is a hedge against Atlanta failing to sign Tevin Coleman, who will become a free agent at season’s end.
Fifth-round offensive lineman Tyrell Crosby has signed his rookie deal with the Lions. Crosby surprisingly fell to Day 3 of the draft after many analysts pegged him as at least a Day 2 selection. Although he played tackle at Oregon, Crosby could shift to guard in Detroit, especially given the presence of incumbent tackles Taylor Decker and Ricky Wagner. Crosby may compete to start at left guard, but with Graham Glasgow likely locking down that position, Crosby is probably looking at reserve duty for 2018.
The Steelers have inked their first rookie to a contract, as fifth-round rookie running back Jaylen Samuels is now signed. Samuels, a North Carolian State product, was something of a jack-of-all-trades during his collegiate days, and it won’t be surprising if he sees action at fullback, tight end, or receiver during his rookie season in Pittsburgh. Long-term, Samuels could be a candidate to replace Le’Veon Bell, who will once again play under the franchise tag in 2018.
Fifth-round wideout Justin Watson has singed his rookie pact with the Buccaneers, tweets Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. Watson posted excellent athletic testing results and put up outstanding production at Pennsylvania, but he’s coming from a small school and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com says Watson “doesn’t move with desired suddenness.” Watson likely won’t factor into Tampa Bay’s offense this season, but could carve out a role on special teams.
The Patriots didn’t land a first-round quarterback as many had projected, but they did pick LSU signal-caller Danny Etling in the seventh round, and he’s now under contract. New England doesn’t figure to keep three quarterbacks on its roster, so Etling will likely (at best) spend the 2018 season on the club’s practice squad. It’s possible he’s just a camp arm.