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Month: September 2024

This Date In Transactions History: Rolando McClain

June 30th, 2018 at 9:11am CST by Ben Levine

When linebacker Rolando McClain was handed a 10-game suspension on this date in 2016, it was assumed he’d be back for the Cowboys’ late-season run. However, two years later, it’s uncertain if the 28-year-old will ever play in the NFL again.

The 2010 first-round pick had three productive seasons with the Raiders, although it was accompanied by its fair share of controversy. In 2012, he was booted from team practices after several incidents, and McClain subsequently took to Facebook to complain about the organization, going as far as to say that he wanted “to be anywhere besides here.” He was released by the team the next offseason before briefly catching on with the Ravens. However, less than a month after signing with Baltimore, McClain suddenly announced his retirement.

The Cowboys then took a bit of a risk trading for the linebacker in 2014, despite the fact that McClain had sat out the previous season. It ended up paying off for Dallas, as the linebacker would go on to appear in 13 games for his new team, compiling 81 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. He earned his first suspension from the NFL the following offseason, limiting him to only 11 games in 2015, although he still collected 80 tackles and a pair of sacks.

After signing another one-year deal with the Cowboys during the 2016 offseason, McClain was handed the 10-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He then failed another drug test midway through the season, and the NFL slapped him with an indefinite suspension. Following his third ban in two years, it doesn’t sound like McClain will be making a return anytime soon. Since he was suspended indefinitely, we’ve only heard one bit of news about McClain: a 2017 arrest for firearm and drug charges.

Two years ago today, the Cowboys were surely disappointed hearing about McClain’s suspension. However, it’s unlikely they would have thought that he’d be out of the NFL two years later.

AFC Notes: Patriots, Allen, Chiefs, Beal, Supplemental Draft, Jets, Winters

June 29th, 2018 at 9:38pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Tight end Dwayne Allen is entering the third year of a four-year $29.4MM deal he signed back in 2016. He signed the deal as a member of the Colts before he was traded to the Patriots before last season. Despite being an elite redzone threat with Indianapolis, combining for 14 touchdowns in 2014 and 2016, Allen played sparingly last season with New England.

Now even with Rob Gronkowski‘s injury concerns, Allen could be cut from the team, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Reiss said Allen is in the “roster-cut conversation” due to a salary that’s disproportionate to his role with the team. Reiss thinks that because the Patriots use Allen almost exclusively as a blocking tight end, the team may deem him too expensive and decide to move on. The only thing that could save Allen is the lack of experience of the Patriots’ other backup tight ends, but if one of them emerges this summer, Allen could very easily be a goner.

Here’s more from the AFC:

  • Matt Miller of Bleacher Report “could see the Chiefs making a bid on Sam Beal in the Supplemental Draft” (Twitter link). Miller thinks Beal “could fill a huge hole” and that the Chiefs would probably have to bid a second round pick to get him. Miller added that he keeps hearing that Beal is “pro ready” and that he thinks Chiefs GM Brett Veach will be aggressive enough to make the move.
  • Jets guard Brian Winters signed a four-year $29MM deal with the team before last season, but 2018 could be his last with the team if he doesn’t improve his play, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Costello notes that there is no more guaranteed money in his deal after this year and that the Jets will “make a decision” on the lineman after this year. He’s struggled with injuries the past two years and if he isn’t able to return to form he’ll be “looking for a new team” writes Costello.
  • In case you missed it, Zach Links took a look back at the Colts’ decision two years ago today to make Andrew Luck the highest paid player in football.

NFC Notes: Sweezy, Seahawks, Buccaneers, Eagles, Barnett

June 29th, 2018 at 8:26pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Guard J.R. Sweezy was only released earlier this afternoon, but speculation is already starting about where he could be heading next. Sweezy made it just two years into the five-year, $32.5MM deal he signed back in 2016 before he was cut by the Buccaneers. Both his years with Tampa Bay were injury plagued, but the interior lineman is still a good player when healthy.

As such, Sweezy should have some suitors despite still being injured as he continues to recover from a broken bone in his leg. A reunion with his former team, the Seahawks, is something that “would make a lot of sense” writes Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link). Garafolo adds that he’d be “a natural fit” and that he thinks it’s something the Seahawks will “explore.” There’s definitely some familiarity there and the Seahawks could definitely use some interior line help. It will be an interesting situation to keep an eye on this late in the offseason.

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • In addition to potentially looking at Sweezy, the Seahawks “will aggressively go after pass rushers who become available as training camp begins”, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. After the trade of Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril‘s injury, the Seahawks are a bit thin at pass-rusher, so it makes sense why they’d look for some help from someone who might get cut in the coming months. Their one proven pass-rusher, Frank Clark, is looking for a new contract as well.
  • The cap space freed up from Sweezy’s release could be used to extend other Buccaneers veterans, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Auman thinks the added cap room could “certainly facilitate a longterm extension” for one of Kwon Alexander, Ali Marpet, or Donovan Smith. He adds that it “would be good for Bucs to lock one of them up before the season.”
  • Defensive end Derek Barnett was listed as the Eagles player most likely to have a breakout season in 2018 by Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com. Shorr-Parks writes that Barnett is the only Eagles defensive end “guaranteed to be on the roster in 2019”, and that because of that the Eagles will seek to get the 2017 first-rounder as much playing time as possible.

Suspension notes: Winston, Turbin, Colts, Darby

June 29th, 2018 at 7:02pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

More information continues to trickle out about the suspensions handed down this week. One part of the Jameis Winston case that flew a bit under the radar was the involvement of Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby. When the allegations against Winston first surfaced last November, Darby came to Winston’s defense and insisted that Winston was innocent and said he was in the car during the Uber ride in question.

During the NFL’s investigation that followed, Darby reportedly backtracked. He told investigators he “no longer recalled” the Uber ride, per ProFootballTalk. Despite his initial defense of Winston and his now apparently conflicting statements, it looks like Darby is in the clear. An NFL spokesman told Aaron Kasinitz of PennLive that Darby “will not face punishment” from the league (Twitter link).

Here’s more on the recent suspensions:

  • Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star suspects that the Colts have known about Robert Turbin‘s four game suspension for a while. He notes that the team has deflected from talking about him all offseason and that the Colts have kept him away from the media (Twitter link).
  • Turbin’s suspension will cost him $235K according to Mike Chappell of Fox59. Chappell says “no one should understate the possible impact of Turbin’s absence” and writes that the Colts were counting on him to fill a big role with Frank Gore no longer with the team.
  • Between his base salary, portions of his signing bonus he’ll have to pay back, and loss of roster bonuses, Winston’s three game suspension will end up costing him a total of $1.14MM according to former NFL agent and current CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry (Twitter link). The total could rise to $1.42MM depending on how the roster bonuses are calculated, he notes.

Extra Points: XFL, AAF, Agents, Supplemental Draft

June 29th, 2018 at 4:46pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

One of the main reasons for the initial demise of the XFL was its relative lack of funding. The low amount of initial startup funds plagued the league from the beginning and forced them to offer low salaries and no insurance benefits to players. Founder Vince McMahon is taking precautions to ensure the new iteration of the XFL is much more successful, and is spending a lot more money according to Darren Rovell of ESPN.com.

Rovell reports that McMahon is planning on spending $500MM over the first three years of the league. A lot of the money will be going to player and coaches salaries, and the league is planning on paying players a base salary of $75,000 with stars earning a lot more. Rovell also hears that it’s significantly more money than the rival upstart AAF has raised. It should be interesting to watch how these two new professional football leagues continue to battle it out.

Here’s more from the football universe:

  • Speaking of the XFL and AAF, Jason Fitzgerald of Overthecap.com notes that while the XFL will offer more money, the AAF will be more open ended and potentially provide more opportunities for players to enter the NFL. He also points out that neither league’s salary will match that of an NFL practice squad (Twitter link).
  • Oregon State linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu announced recently that he was joining the 2018 Supplemental Draft, and now he’s had his Pro Day. Six teams, the Packers, Seahawks, Patriots, Saints, Bears, and 49ers, attended his Pro Day, where he ran a 4.97 40-yard dash according to DraftAnalyst.com’s Tony Pauline (Twitter links). The Supplemental Draft will take place July 11th.
  • The NFL announced a while back they were having a very controversial “continuing education” exam for the league’s agents, and now the results are in. Many agents opposed the test, which could strip them of their certification if they failed, but the vast majority passed, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (Twitter link). La Canfora hears that around 95 percent of agents passed, as only 30 out of 651 failed the exam.

RB Martayveus Carter Eligible For Supplemental Draft

June 29th, 2018 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Add the supplemental draft contingent to five. Grand Valley State running back Martayveus Carter will be part of the prospect pool available July 11 for the supplemental draft, Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

Carter is the only offensive player eligible for the July draft thus far. He joins defensive backs Adonis Alexander, Sam Beal and Brandon Bryant, along with linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu.

With the Lakers in 2016, Carter led Division II in rushing touchdowns with 20 and amassed 1,908 rushing yards. He finished fifth in the voting for the Harlon Hill Award, which is D-II’s Heisman equivalent, and was D2Football.com’s offensive player of the year. Last season as a junior, Carter played in nine games and rushed for 957 yards (7.6 per carry).

Carter will not participate in a pro day, Brandt tweets.

NFL To Suspend Eagles LB Nigel Bradham

June 29th, 2018 at 3:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Having already released Mychal Kendricks, the Eagles will see their linebacking corps further thinned out to start this season. Nigel Bradham is facing a one-game suspension, ESPN.com’s Field Yates reports (on Twitter).

Bradham is an unquestioned Eagles starter and just re-signed to stay in Philadelphia long-term. He and Jordan Hicks are expected to be the defending Super Bowl champions’ primary every-down linebackers this season, but for Week 1 — expected to be Hicks’ first game back after ending last season on IR — could well force Philly to get creative.

This suspension could be coming for Bradham as a result of a 2016 incident involving an alleged assault at a hotel. Bradham turned himself in to police in July 2016 and was charged with aggravated battery. However, the veteran off-ball ‘backer avoided jail time in this case. The NFL’s personal conduct policy, though, does not require the burden of proof to be nearly as high as the country’s legal system does.

Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets this ban indeed stems from that 2016 incident in south Florida, and Bradham himself confirmed this (on Twitter), adding that the matter has been resolved legally.

Having re-signed the 28-year-old defender on a five-year, $40MM deal, the Eagles are counting on him to play a key part in their title defense this season. Bradham’s been a full-time starter for the Eagles the past two seasons. His 2016 arrival coincided with Kendricks being relegated to a part-time player. With Kendricks gone and Hicks being an injury risk, Bradham represents the most stable linebacker on Philadelphia’s roster.

Beyond Bradham, the Eagles have the recently signed Corey Nelson, converted safety Nate Gerry and Kamu Grugier-Hill. Those three are vying for Kendricks’ old job, and it’s likely one will now have to join Hicks in the Eagles’ nickel set when they face the Falcons on opening night.

Scouts Not High On 2019 QB Class

June 29th, 2018 at 3:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Early reviews of the projected 2019 quarterback class continue to paint a grim picture for the immediate future of sports’ marquee position. The four trades teams made to land first-round passers this year could be a reflection of what’s to come.

“That’s why you see so many teams giving up the farm to get a quarterback this year. You’d rather trade up for an Allen or Rosen than bet on one of these guys,” a scout told Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller about the players expected to comprise the 2019 draft-eligible quarterback group.

Every scout with whom Miller has discussed the ’19 class said each member of the Baker Mayfield/Sam Darnold/Josh Allen/Josh Rosen/Lamar Jackson 2018 first-round quintet would have entered next year’s draft as the top-rated passer. With Darnold, Allen, Rosen and Jackson declaring for the this year’s draft early, Miller notes that’s depleted next year’s talent pool.

In the past two years, the Bears, Chiefs, Texans, Jets, Bills, Cardinals and Ravens all sacrificed draft capital to move up and select their long-term hopeful solutions. Teams like the Patriots, Jaguars, Giants or Chargers and select others may be waiting for the 2020 draft, per Miller, who has previously discussed the interesting predicament QB-needy franchises could be in next year. That could be dicey for some teams. Save for 2013, every draft since 2002 has seen at least two signal-callers be chosen in the first round.

While recent drafts have produced late risers like Mayfield or Carson Wentz, this one’s immediate top tier — as of now consisting of players like Missouri’s Drew Lock, Oregon’s Justin Herbert and Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham — has scouts “terrified”, per Miller.

“There’s maybe three — Herbert, Drew Lock and the Auburn kid —who look like dudes. But there are a lot — a lot — of issues here,” another scout told Miller. “I’m terrified of this class. I hope everyone got their guy last year.”

However, a silver lining may be coming via the 2020 class, with a scout mentioning Georgia’s former duo of Jake Fromm and since-transferred Jacob Eason (now at Washington) as much better bets. Fromm could enter the draft in 2020, while Eason could do so in 2019. But the 2016 Bulldogs’ starter is not eligible to play for his new program, Washington, until the 2019 season because of NCAA transfer rules. It’s fairly early to project that far ahead, but scouts were doing that with Rosen and Darnold back in 2016. And considering the stakes associated with Round 1 quarterback picks, it’s probably not too soon to assess possibilities.

“That kid at Georgia and the one that left are legit dudes,’ this scout said of Fromm and Eason. “They could go 1-2 and they were at the same school! Those are the ones to watch.”

Robert Turbin Facing PED Suspension

June 29th, 2018 at 1:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Colts running back Robert Turbin is facing a four-game suspension after testing positive for performance-enhancing substances. Turbin confirmed this news on his Twitter account.

Turbin is entering the second season of his two-year Indianapolis deal and is now part of a Colts running back contingent that doesn’t include three-year starter Frank Gore. Turbin, 28, will be shelved for at least a fourth of the Colts’ games after playing in just six last season.

Gore’s absence clears the way for Marlon Mack to have a much bigger role. However, Mike Wells of ESPN.com tweets Turbin operated as the team’s first-unit back this offseason, doing so despite his 2017 season ending early because of an arm injury. Mack underwent shoulder surgery this offseason, per Mike Chappell of Fox 59 (Twitter link). The former Seahawks back rushed for seven touchdowns in 2016 with the Colts but scored just one last year and saw just 23 carries.

The Colts made multiple additions to their backfield on Day 3 of this draft, so this suspension likely puts Turbin’s roster spot in jeopardy. Indianapolis selected Nyheim Hines out of North Carolina State in the fourth round and added Jordan Wilkins out of Ole Miss in the fifth. The Colts also house Turbin’s former Seahawks teammate, the now-well-traveled Christine Michael, and 2016 UDFA Josh Ferguson.

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