2018 August - Pro Football Rumors

Raiders Release S Obi Melifonwu

August 23rd, 2018 at 3:39pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have waived/injured safety Obi Melifonwu, according to a press release from the team. The move will help create room for the signing of cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Per league procedure, Melifonwu will be placed on injured reserve if he clears waivers on Friday. Given Melifonwu’s inability to stay healthy, that may be the likely outcome. After that, the Raiders will probably work out an injury settlement to terminate his deal, making him a free agent.

Melifonwu was looking to carve out a role on Jon Gruden‘s team this year, but he has so far been unable to bounce back from hip surgery. Earlier this offseason, Gruden indicated that he wasn’t very optimistic about the UConn product’s outlook

“It doesn’t look close at all,” the head coach said of the 2017 second-round pick. “I’ll leave it at that. He doesn’t look close, to me, at all...I haven’t seen much of Obi except in the training room.”

The good news is that the Raiders have plenty of other options at safety, including Karl Joseph, Reggie Nelson, and Marcus Gilchrist. It’s also possible that DRC will be asked to contribute in the middle of the field.

Melifonwu appeared in just five games last year and finished out with just seven total tackles. That’s a far cry from his 118 tackles as a college senior.

Buccaneers Place RB Charles Sims On IR

August 23rd, 2018 at 2:34pm CST by Zachary Links

The Buccaneers have placed Charles Sims on injured reserve. The running back suffered a knee injury on the opening kickoff of the team’s most recent playoff game against the Titans.

Sims was re-signed to a one-year deal this offseason and was hoping to get back to his old form after getting limited carries in 2017. Although teams are permitted to bring two players back from IR, the Bucs’ announcement made it sound as though Sims is done for the year. He’ll have to wait until 2019 for redemption, and there’s no guarantee that will happen in Tampa.

Appearing in all 16 games, Sims totaled just 21 rushing attempts for 95 yards. He did have 35 catches for 249 yards and one score, however.

The Buccaneers have Peyton Barber, rookie Ronald Jones, and Jacquizz Rodgers effectively locked in for the 53-man roster. Sims was pushing for a spot behind him, and that will now likely go to Duke product Shaun Wilson. Dare Ogunbowale also has improved odds of making the cut now that Sims is out of the picture.

Steelers Sign Vince Williams To Extension

August 23rd, 2018 at 2:18pm CST by Zachary Links

The Steelers have signed linebacker Vince Williams to a new three-year extension, the team announced. The new pact, which will keep Williams under contract through the 2021 season, is a three-year add-on worth more than $20MM, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

“I feel like the Rooney family gave me an opportunity to play professional football,” Williams said in a statement released by the team. “It’s a great culture here. A great fan base. I take pride in being in Pittsburgh. It’s a hard-nosed group of individuals who work here. I feel like the people here are no nonsense, hard-working individuals. They are proud people too. I love this place.”

Last year, Williams set a single-season career high with eight sacks last season, second only on the team to Cameron Heyward. The former sixth-round pick started in all 16 games and finished out with 88 tackles in total.

It’s possible that Williams’ loyalty to the Steelers has cost him some serious free agent upside. After compiling eight sacks, the linebacker would have sailed past $6MM/year on the open market with a repeat performance. Still, he does gain financial security through the extension, and that has value in a violent sport.

It has been a busy day for the Steelers. Minutes before announcing Williams’ extension, they also signed kicker Chris Boswell to a new four-year extension.

AFC East Notes: Incognito, Patriots, Bryant

August 23rd, 2018 at 2:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Disturbing new details have emerged about Richie Incognito‘s arrest. According to the arrest report, funeral home employees say the former Bills Pro Bowler wanted his father’s head cut off for research purposes and walked through the funeral home punching caskets and throwing objects (via Stevie Johnson of the Democrat and Chronicle).

Incognito also made a gun gesture towards an employee and told him that he had guns in his truck. When police searched Incognito’s car, they found a tan Glock 17 9mm handgun, a black Glock 35 .40-caliber handgun, three rifles and four magazines.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

Some Patriots fans have been clamoring for Dez Bryant after the release of Kenny Britt, but Doug Kyed of NESN.com doesn’t think it’s an automatic fit. Bryant famously turned down a $7MM/year from the Ravens while accomplished wide receiver Eric Decker came on board for less than $2MM. If Bryant still wants top dollar, the Pats might not be the right place for him. Bryant may be a better option than Decker, but he’s not necessarily worth more than triple the money, Kyed argues. It’s also worth noting that Decker came in with knowledge of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ offense while Bryant would have to learn the offense in less than three weeks.
There has been a lot of talk about a potential Teddy Bridgewater trade, but Brian Costello of the New York Post doesn’t think the Jets should be in any rush to trade the quarterback. Nothing says the have to move Bridgewater before the season starts and he argues that it doesn’t make sense to do so unless a starting QB gets hurt in the preseason and that team gets desperate. Personally, I think it’s hard to argue with that line of thinking. Bridgewater has shown that he is a starting-caliber QB, and the Jets should not settle for anything short of full price for the former Vikings standout.

Steelers, K Chris Boswell Agree To Extension

August 23rd, 2018 at 1:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Steelers and kicker Chris Boswell have agreed to an extension, the team announced on Thursday. Four years have been tacked onto Boswell’s deal at a value of $19.72MM, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.

Boswell will still play out his 2018 tender, worth $2.97MM. After that, the new four-year deal will begin. All in all, he’s under club control through the 2022 season.

The new pact makes Boswell the sixth highest-paid kicker in the NFL. It only makes sense after Boswell nailed 35 of 38 field goal attempts and 37 of 39 extra point tries last year. His 35 field goals set a franchise single-season record and marked the first time a Steelers kicker has made at least 30 field goals since Shaun Suisham did so in 2013.

Five other kickers earn at least $4MM annually, and the most recent member of that club — the Panthers’ Graham Gano — signed a deal in March that came in above Justin Tucker‘s 2015 contract.

In his career Boswell has connected on 85 of 95 field goal attempts, with the long being his 53-yard game-winning field goal against the Packers last year. He’s also converted 99 of 102 extra points.

Bills LB Keenan Robinson Retires

August 23rd, 2018 at 11:15am CST by Zachary Links

Bills linebacker Keenan Robinson has retired from the NFL. On Thursday, Robinson came to the conclusion that he no longer has what it takes to play in the NFL and said goodbye to his teammates, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. The Bills subsequently placed him on the reserve/retired list.

Robinson appeared in 58 games for the Giants and Redskins from 2012-2017. He was a 13-game starter in 2013, but his playing time has been reduced ever since and he missed ten games last year due to a quad injury.

As an experienced player with special teams abilities, Robinson had a real chance to make the Bills’ final cut when he joined the club in late July. After competing with fellow veteran linebackers Ramon Humber, Julian Stanford, and Deon Lacey for about a month, however, Robinson felt that he had lost a step.

We wish Robinson the best in retirement.

49ers Trade Eli Harold To Lions

August 23rd, 2018 at 10:49am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have acquired outside linebacker Eli Harold from the 49ers, a source tells Kyle Meinke of MLive Media Group (on Twitter). San Francisco will receive a conditional 2020 seventh-round pick in the trade.

Harold has to be on Lions’ roster for four weeks in order for the pick to be conveyed to the 49ers, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. So, if Harold doesn’t make the final cut on Sept 1 – or doesn’t last until the Lions’ Week 3 contest against the Patriots – the Niners will get nothing in return.

Harold, a third round pick in the 2015 draft, has played in all possible 48 games since entering the league. He started ten games last year and seemed to be in the mix for a starting job this year before the trade. Without Harold, Dekoda Watson is likely to start at outside linebacker in San Francisco with Pita Taumoepenu as his primary backup.

In Detroit, Harold will compete for an OLB job in support of presumptive starters Devon Kennard and Christian Jones. The Lions have yet to record a sack through two exhibition games, so they’re open to making changes in the front seven.

For some, Harold may be best known for his anthem protests, but he has been standing for the anthem so far in the preseason.

Packers Receiving Trade Interest In Cobb

August 23rd, 2018 at 8:20am CST by Zachary Links

The Packers have received trade interest in wide receiver Randall Cobb, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). However, the Packers are not shopping him and expect him to be a contributor for them this season.

At one point this offseason, Cobb’s spot on the team was in jeopardy. However, the Packers opted to cut fellow wide receiver Jordy Nelson instead, saving them $10.2MM against the cap. Cobb’s contract, and his $12.72MM cap hit, remain on the books.

Cobb has been a major producer in the Packers’ offense for a long time, but he is coming off of two straight down years. In 2016, he missed three games and finished out with 60 catches, 610 yards, and four touchdowns. Last year, he put up a 66/653/4 line while missing only one game, though many of those contests were played without the services of Aaron Rodgers. His performances over the last two seasons are a world away from his career-high 1,287 receiving yards in 2014, or even his 800+ yard showing in 2015.

This year, Cobb figures to serve as the Packers’ WR2 behind Davante Adams and ahead of Geronimo Allison.

NFC East Notes: Redskins, Eagles, Giants

August 22nd, 2018 at 9:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Adrian Peterson just signed with the Redskins on Tuesday, but head coach Jay Gruden wants to get the veteran back on the field for Friday’s preseason game against the Broncos, as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes. While Gruden didn’t fully commit to Peterson seeing the field, he did say Washington will attempt to get Peterson “up to speed” before Friday. The Redskins are dealing with multiple injuries at the running back position, so Peterson will compete to handle early-down work that would have gone to second-round rookie Derrius Guice, who tore his ACL earlier in the preseason.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

The Eagles will likely release linebacker Corey Nelson prior to the regular season, not only because he’s been outplayed during camp and the preseason, but because doing so will net a Philadelphia a sixth-round compensatory pick, according to Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice. The NFL’s comp pick process is based on complicated cancellation charts that track how many free agents each team gained or lost. If Nelson is cut before the season (or anytime prior to Week 10), he’ll be removed from the comp pick formula, and therefore open up a sixth-round pick for the Eagles (in exchange for losing corner Patrick Robinson in free agency). Philadelphia would also pick up $1MM in cap space by releasing Nelson, although they’d take on $600K in dead money.
With a room full of injured running backs, the Giants added free agent runner Jhurell Pressley earlier this week. But New York also worked out fellow back Jahad Thomas on Monday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Thomas, 22, went undrafted out of Temple in 2017, but landed a contract with the Cowboys and then spent the majority of the regular season on the Jets’ practice squad. Thomas, who was briefly on the Winnipeg Bombers’ (CFL) roster earlier this summer, averaged 4.6 yards per carry and scored 30 total touchdowns over his final two collegiate seasons.
After winning the Super Bowl in 2017, the Eagles returned much of their loaded roster and added more depth. Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com runs down the projected 53-man squad and potential roster cuts.

Texans Work Out CBs Zack Sanchez, Teddy Williams

August 22nd, 2018 at 8:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Texans recently worked out free agent cornerbacks Zack Sanchez and Teddy Williams, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.

Houston may be on the lookout for defensive back help after starting corner Kevin Johnson suffered a concussion during Saturday’s preseason game. While the Texans have already added one cornerback in 2017 undrafted free agent Bryce Jones, the club could bring in more bodies behind Johnson, Aaron Colvin, and Johnathan Joseph.

Sanchez, 24, entered the league as Panthers fifth-round pick in 2016. He lasted only five games before being placed on injured reserve during his rookie campaign, and subsequently spent the majority of the 2017 season on Carolina’s practice squad. After being waived by the Panthers in May, Sanchez auditioned for the Giants but has yet to land a contract.

Williams, 30, offers far more experience than Sanchez, as he’s appeared in 36 NFL games (though none since 2016). He actually overlapped with Sanchez on the Panthers’ roster in 2016. Williams has never made a start in the pros, as he’s mostly served on special-teams duty during his NFL tenure. He inked a one-year deal with the Giants in May, but requested his release earlier this month in order to deal with a family issue.