HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

This Date In Transactions History: Ryan Clark

May 27th, 2018 at 7:55pm CST by Ben Levine

14 years ago today, a former undrafted free agent’s future was in question. Fast forward to now, and he’s one of the most beloved players in Steelers history.

After going undrafted out of LSU in 2002, safety Ryan Clark spent two forgettable seasons with the Giants. The defensive back was relatively productive during his sophomore campaign (21 tackles, one sack, two passes defended in 16 games (four starts)), but he seemingly didn’t do enough to earn a longer look from the organization. On May 27th, 2004, the Giants let go of the young safety.

This ended up being a blessing in disguise for the Steelers, but it’d take several years to translate. After all, Clark initially caught on with the Redskins, who he’d play with for two seasons. Thanks to injuries to Matt Bowen and Andre Lott, Clark got an opportunity to start, and he ended up starting 24 games between 2004 and 2005. However, in a widely-panned moved, Washington ended up moving on from Clark after inking Adam Archuleta to a lucrative deal.

Clark then landed in Pittsburgh, where he’d spend the next eight years of his career. The safety started all but two of his games while he was with the Steelers, and he compiled at least 80 tackles for six straight seasons. Clark started all three postseason games for the Steelers en route to their Super Bowl XLIII victory, and he also helped guide the team to a Super Bowl loss during the 2010 campaign. He even made a Pro Bowl in 2011 after finishing with 100 tackles, one sack, five passed defended, and one interception.

By the time Clark ended up returning to Washington in 2014, he had earned a spot on a couple of the Steelers all-time top-1o lists, including tackles (10th – 448) and passes defended (8th – 44). Still, if the Giants had decided to give the safety a longer look, who knows if Clark would have ever found his way to Pittsburgh.

Buccaneers Notes: Peterson, Front Office, Godwin

May 27th, 2018 at 6:50pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Buccaneers have a number of young running backs on their roster, the team could be seeking a veteran upgrade. Could that upgrade be future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson? Roy Cummings of Florida Football Insiders seems to think so.

While the website doesn’t report anything definitive, they cite several reasons why Peterson could be a logical target for the Bucs. For starters, the organization showed interest in the veteran last offseason before he ultimately joined the Saints. Furthermore, while the 33-year-old looked like a shell of his former self in 2017, he could provide an upgrade to the team’s current options (a grouping that includes Peyton Barber, Jacquizz Rodgers, Charles Sims, and second-round rookie Ronald Jones). Finally, Peterson had previously worked out with quarterback Jameis Winston, meaning there’s already an existing relationship between the two.

Following an underwhelming 2017 campaign, Peterson has started posting videos of his workouts to social media in the hope that it will catch a team’s attention. Teams still might be wary after he finished this past year with only 529 rushing yards and two scores on 156 carries.

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of Tampa Bay…

  • For what it’s worth, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times reiterates (via Twitter) that there “was no rumor that the Bucs were interested” in Peterson. The reporter also doesn’t expect the team to pursue the seven-time Pro Bowler.
  • Pat Perles, who had been with the Bucs organization for four years, has left to become a defensive analyst for Kansas football, tweets Auman. The executive had recently served as Tampa Bay’s player personnel scout. Perles has also spent time with the Chiefs and Rams organizations.
  • Receiver Chris Godwin was plenty productive during his rookie campaign, hauling in 34 receptions for 525 yards and one touchdown. Now, heading into his second year in the league, the team is expecting even more from the third-rounder. “I see him as a starter,” said offensive coordinator Todd Monken (via USA Today’s Bonnie Mott). “That’s how I see it. He’s earned the right to be a starter. Whether it works out that way or not, I don’t know. But he’s earned the right, finished the year that way … Whatever we’ve asked him to do, he’s done it well, and he’s only going to continue to get better. Why? Because he’s big, he’s fast, he’s physical, he’s smart. He’s going to continue to develop and it’s important to him. He takes care of his body, does it exactly the way you want.” Godwin will still have to battle to work his way up the depth chart, as he’s currently slotted behind Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, and Adam Humphries.
  • In case you missed, former Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman decided to retire from the CFL yesterday.

Julio Jones On OTA Absence: “I’m Not Going Anywhere”

May 27th, 2018 at 5:56pm CST by Ben Levine

Julio Jones has been absent from the Falcons’ organized team activities, leading some to assume that the superstar receiver was leveraging for a new contract. However, Jones told TMZ that we shouldn’t be reading into his no-show.

“We’re good,” Jones said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “It’s not even about that. Everyone wants a story right now. There’s no story. I’m just working on getting myself better. There’s no bad blood with the team or anything like that…I’m not going anywhere.”

We heard earlier this month that Jones was seeking a reworked deal, especially after quarterback Matt Ryan signed a record-breaking extension. The 29-year-old receiver is set to earn $10.5MM in base salary this season, and there are a handful of minimal guarantees remaining on the deal. Meanwhile, his $14.25MM average annual salary ranks eighth among wideouts, and Jones is listed behind names like Jarvis Landry, Sammy Watkins and Davante Adams.

While Jones could certainly argue that he deserves to be the highest-paid wideout in the NFL, the Falcons probably aren’t looking to rip up a deal that runs through 2020. ProFootballTalk.com’s Mike Florio said this should realistically be the wideout’s final payday, and “he may have to take a real stand” to get the organization to budge.

On the flip side, as our own Sam Robinson pointed out, Atlanta’s brass has continually been in support of Jones, so there shouldn’t be any resentment between the two sides. Furthermore, owner Arthur Blank and coach Dan Quinn have both said that they aren’t concerned about Jones’ current absence, and it’s believed he’ll attend mandatory workouts.

The receiver is coming off his fourth straight season with at least 1,400 yards, as he finished with 88 receptions for 1,444 yards and three scores. The 2011 first-round pick has made the Pro Bowl in each of his last five healthy seasons.

5 Key NFL Stories: 5/20/18 – 5/27/18

May 27th, 2018 at 4:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

NFL introduces new national anthem policy. The NFL responded to recent national anthem protests by instituting a new policy that will fine teams if players show signs of “disrespect” for the anthem. Players will no longer be required to be on the field for the pregame ceremony, but those that are will be required to stand. Additionally, personnel who do not stand can be “appropriately” disciplined by commissioner Roger Goodell. The new strictures were put in place without consultation with the NFLPA, and players are now reportedly devising other methods to protest.

Chargers lose Hunter Henry. After suffering a torn ACL last week, Henry will now miss the entirety of the campaign. Henry, who’d been set to enter his third pro season, was expected to take on a larger role after managing 45 receptions and 579 yards a season ago. The Chargers had previously announced they wouldn’t re-sign franchise icon Antonio Gates, but that could possibly change now that Henry is sidelined. Indeed, general manager Tom Telesco said the Bolts will consider all options at tight end and didn’t rule out a Gates pursuit.

Reuben Foster has charges dismissed. Although prosecutors intended to press on with domestic charges against Foster even though his ex-girlfriend testified she’d concocted her story, a judge put an end to Foster’s case by dismissing the DV charges last week. Additionally, Foster saw the charges in an Alabama marijuana case dismissed, as well, although he is still facing a weapons charge in California. Foster, a first-round pick in 2017, has already been welcomed back to the 49ers’ facilities.

Bills cut Richie Incognito. Incognito, who announced his retirement earlier this year, apparently wants to play again, and the Bills have released him from the reserve/retired list. That transaction made Incognito a free agent, meaning the Pro Bowler can now sign with any team of his choosing. Clubs will likely be troubled by Incognito’s most recent incident, however, which involved him getting into an argument at a Florida gym and claiming he is working for the government.

Eagles release Mychal Kendricks. After spending much of the last few years on the trade block, Kendricks was finally cut loose by the Eagles. Kendricks, who is only 27 years old, is expected to garner a significant amount of interest on the free agent market, although he is recovering from a minor ankle operation. Philadelphia lost another linebacker last week, as free agent addition Paul Worrilow tore his ACL on Tuesday.

Jaguars DE Yannick Ngakoue Changes Agents

May 27th, 2018 at 3:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue has hired Roc Nation and Ari Nissim as his new representatives, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter link). Ngakoue had previously employed agent Adisa Bakari.

Ngakoue just wrapped his second NFL campaign, and given league rules stipulate no player can sign a contract extension until after his third pro season, Ngakoue isn’t allowed to receive a new deal until 2019 at the earliest. Because he wasn’t a first-round pick, Ngakoue doesn’t have a fifth-year option attached to his pact, so he’ll base salaries of $735K and $834K over the next two years before hitting free agency.

Those figures are undeniable bargains for Ngakoue, who turned 23 years old earlier this year. The former third-rounder has been exceptional through two seasons in Jacksonville, as he’s posted 20 sacks since 2016, good for 12th in the NFL during that time. While Ngakoue isn’t much of a run defender, his pass-rush prowess enabled him to grade 23rd among all edge defenders a season ago, per Pro Football Focus.

The Jaguars have invested heavily in their defensive line in recent years, using draft picks on players such as Ngakoue, Dante Fowler Jr., Dawuane Smoot, and — most recently — Taven Bryan, signing free agents Malik Jackson and Calais Campbell, and trading for Marcell Dareus.

PFR Originals: 5/20/18 – 5/27/18

May 27th, 2018 at 2:12pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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

AFC Notes: Bridgewater, Pats, Dareus

May 27th, 2018 at 12:35pm CST by Rory Parks

Teddy Bridgewater has looked very good in OTAs, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, and if his strong performance continues, the Jets could be faced with a difficult decision. They could trade Bridgewater — which was the plan when they signed him — or they could name him their starting QB for at least the beginning of 2018 while they continue to groom Sam Darnold. Starting Bridgewater would likely mean keeping three quarterbacks on the roster, as the nearly 39-year-old Josh McCown doesn’t really have any trade value. But head coach Todd Bowles, who is coaching for his job this year, will want to start the best quarterback he has, and he is a big believer in Bridgewater.

Let’s take a look at a few more rumors and notes from the AFC:

  • Cimini also details Christian Hackenberg‘s last few months with the Jets before he was shipped to the Raiders. We already knew that Bowles was not aware Hackenberg changed his throwing motion until after the fact, but Hackenberg first approached Jets QB coach Jeremy Bates about making the change, and Bates was skeptical. That caused some friction between the two men, and it forced Hackneberg to go outside the organization to seek help with his mechanics.
  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe points out how Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady continue to (needlessly) fan the flames of controversy that owner Robert Kraft keeps trying to extinguish, and that the apparent tension between Belichick and Brady may be one of the reasons why Brady has not attended spring practices. However, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says Brady’s absence has not created as big of a leadership void as one might expect, as younger players are taking a more active role in that regard and veteran players like Julian Edelman and Dont’a Hightower are back after their 2017 season was marred by injury.
  • The Broncos released C.J. Anderson last month, leaving Devontae Booker and De’Angelo Henderson as the top candidates to become the team’s next No. 1 RB. However, Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post says Royce Freeman, whom the team selected in the third round of last month’s draft, has the durability and history of production to suggest he can be an every-down back at the next level, and he will get a chance to make a major impact right away. His heavy collegiate workload could have contributed to his falling to the third round.
  • Marcell Dareus more than wore out his welcome in Buffalo, leading the Bills to ship him to the Jaguars before last year’s trade deadline. Dareus, though, found new life in Jacksonville, and per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk (citing Mike Kaye of First Coast News), Dareus continues to be a good soldier for the Jags. Head coach Doug Marrone said, “I’m very happy with the way he’s worked, the way he has come into camp. I think those are things he has done a much better job of than what maybe he had done in the past. I can appreciate that and see that in him.” That is not an insignificant statement, as Dareus’ effort in Buffalo seemed to evaporate after he signed his big-money extension, so perhaps he has matured and will continue to be a solid contributor to Jacksonville’s talented defensive front. Marrone, of course, was also Dareus’ coach in Buffalo during Dareus’ best two seasons to date (2013-14), so he has a pretty good reference point.

Poll: Who Will Be Next FA Safety To Sign?

May 27th, 2018 at 11:15am CST by Rory Parks

The slow development of the safety market has been one of the major storylines of the offseason, and while there are a number of reasons as to why some of the top available players at the position remain unsigned, it is still surprising to see players of their ilk without work at this point in the league year. Indeed, three of PFR’s top 10 remaining defensive free agents are safeties, and we would like to know which one you think will be the first to sign with a club.

Our top-rated defensive player still available, Eric Reid, could be having difficulty fining a team because of his history of protesting the national anthem. Indeed, the only team that has brought him in for a visit, the Bengals, asked him about his plans in that regard moving forward. But Reid’s fellow free agent safeties on our Top-10 list, Tre Boston and Kenny Vaccaro, have not made the same public stances — though Boston was fairly outspoken following the shooting death of Keith Lamont Scott by a Charlotte police officer two years ago — and they haven’t had any better luck, so it could be his status as a safety, more so than his status as a political activist, that is dampening Reid’s market.

Of course, Reid himself feels differently, and he has filed a collusion grievance against the NFL. That will surely not help his cause, but on the field, Reid is a solid and versatile player capable of playing either defensive back or linebacker. His skillset would fit nicely on a team like the Cardinals or Buccaneers.

Boston, meanwhile, has drawn interest from a number of clubs, and he is coming off the best season of his career. He is far from a perfect player, but he does have the ability to play deep safety, and he picked off five passes for the Chargers in 2017. He appeared to be coming into his own after being released by the Panthers last year, and while he is not great in coverage, he has shown that he can at least be serviceable in that regard. He is also a capable pass rusher.

Vaccaro, on the other hand, was terrible in coverage in 2017, but he has shown the ability to line up at safety or at slot corner in his career, and he could theoretically play linebacker in sub-packages as well. He recently met with the Colts, and two weeks ago we heard that he was going to meet with the Jets, though it is unclear whether his summit with Gang Green has actually happened yet. He met with the Dolphins earlier in the offseason, but after the Fins used their first-round pick on Minkah Fitzpatrick, they are probably no longer interested in Vaccaro.

Again, these three players are not without flaws, particularly in coverage, and with the league moving further and further away from traditional in-the-box safeties, maybe we shouldn’t be as shocked that they remain without work. After all, younger players on rookie contracts frequently offer a strong presence in the run game while they work on their coverage skills, so it could be that teams just don’t want to pony up the cash for a veteran to do the work that a less experienced player can do.

Presumably, however, Boston or Vaccaro will eventually find a new team, and Reid may as well, despite his grievance. Let us know which of them you think will sign first, or if you think another safety like Corey Graham will get a chance before they do. We’d also like you to explain your choice in the comments section and let us know what you believe is holding up the safety market.

North Notes: Packers, Q. Diggs, Conner

May 27th, 2018 at 10:11am CST by Rory Parks

We heard last month that the Packers would be going “back to Page 1” of their playbook, but as Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal writes, Green Bay is not going to be making any wholesale changes to its offense. In light of all of the new voices on the offensive side of the ball this year — Joe Philbin is back as OC, Frank Cignetti Jr. is in as quarterbacks coach, and there are several other staff changes besides — it made sense for all involved to thoroughly review the team’s play design and philosophy. But as Philbin said, “It’s been a process of refining, enhancing, tweaking, as opposed to, ‘Yeah we scrubbed it down.’ Yes, we went page by page. (But) we’re not starting from scratch here. These players in that locker room, they’ve done some great things.” 

Philbin, of course, is primarily referring to star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers indicated that verbiage has changed — and Philbin acknowledged that such changes were made in order to streamline the playcalling — and that has created something of a learning curve. But passing game Jim Hostler said that the goal is for the offense to look the same as it always has with Rodgers under center, even if there are some refinements and enhancements here and there.

Now for more from the league’s north divisions:

  • Opposing defenses were already treating Packers WR Davante Adams as the team’s No. 1 wideout last season, so the departure of Jordy Nelson will not represent much of a change in that regard, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes. But Green Bay has not (yet) signed a veteran wideout to replace Nelson, so Adams will need to take on a more active role in terms of leadership. The Packers drafted three receivers this year — one each in the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds — and return 24-year-old Geronimo Allison as the presumed No. 3 WR on the depth chart, so Adams is suddenly the second-oldest player in the wide receiver room. He was not present for the start of OTAs, which caused some concern in light of his concussion history, but neither player nor team seem concerned about his availability. Head coach Mike McCarthy simply said Adams is “battling a couple things,” presumably minor injuries.
  • Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com says Quandre Diggs has a real chance to permanently supplant Tavon Wilson as the Lions‘ starting strong safety in 2018. Diggs, a former sixth-round selection, played well in that role last season, and Rothstein suggests he may even be the favorite to start at this point. Miles Killebrew, a former fourth-round choice, appears to be on the outside looking in and may need to continue to stand out on special teams to retain his roster spot.
  • James Conner, a feel-good story and 2017 third-round choice, is featuring prominently in Steelers‘ OTAs due to Le’Veon Bell‘s continued absence, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes. Conner showed flashes in his rookie campaign, which ended with a Week 15 MCL tear, but if he can cement himself as the team’s No. 2 back behind Bell this season — and he will need to improve in pass protection in order to do so — that could be the first step towards a starting job in 2019, depending on Bell’s contract situation.
  • John Ross is once again a full participant in the Bengals‘ OTAs, as Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer observes. Although Ross dropped a few passes, he also made some difficult grabs and is seeing a lot of passes come his way. Tyler Eifert, meanwhile, is a limited participant, but having both players involved at the beginning of full team work is a beautiful thing for Cincinnati fans.
  • Neil Stratton of InsideTheLeague.com (via Twitter) details a few more changes to the Browns‘ scouting department that were not covered several days ago.

Cameron Meredith Ahead Of Schedule

May 27th, 2018 at 8:49am CST by Rory Parks

Cameron Meredith, who entered this offseason as a restricted free agent, provided a rather interesting case study. The Bears signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Illinois State in 2015, and he showed enough during training camp and preseason that year to stick on Chicago’s roster. Although he recorded just 11 receptions in 2015, he exploded in 2016, posting 66 catches for 888 yards and four touchdowns. His physical gifts were beginning to translate to on-field production, and he entered 2017 looking to cement himself as the Bears’ No. 1 WR and one of the better wideouts in the league.

Unfortunately, he tore his ACL and MCL last preseason, so he entered restricted free agency as a player with tantalizing athleticism and measurables (6-3, 207), but also a major medical red flag and a UDFA pedigree. Plus, his route running is not yet as refined as it needs to be for him to truly take the next step.

However, he drew significant interest from both the Saints and Ravens — he also visited with the Colts — before choosing to sign an offer sheet with New Orleans. The Bears were reportedly too wary of Meredith’s medicals to match the offer, so Meredith became a Saint, and the early returns are promising.

Head coach Sean Payton said Meredith is “way ahead of schedule” in his recovery (via Amos Morale III of the Times-Picayune). Although the 25-year-old receiver is not participating in team drills every day just yet. Payton said, “Just watching him move around and, you guys saw him, he’s way ahead of schedule. And certainly where our doctor our doctors had hoped and even better. So, he’s going to factor in this year. He’s a player that we’ve got a real clear vision for.”

Meredith could be a force in the slot in 2018, with Ted Ginn and Michael Thomas currently expected to operate outside the numbers. His contract with New Orleans is a two-year, $9.6MM pact, so he could also represent a major bargain for the Saints if he remains healthy.

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