2018 August - Pro Football Rumors

NFC East Notes: Redskins, Scandrick, Eagles

August 14th, 2018 at 12:55pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins have moved on from cornerback Orlando Scandrick, but it’s not necessarily because of anything Scandrick did, coach Jay Gruden says.

“It has nothing to do with his play. It was really the emergence of the rookies and [we] wanted Orlando to latch on to another team,” Gruden said via Kimberley A. Martin of the Washington Post (on Twitter). “No one could have predicted Ranthony Texada or Danny Johnson.”

With a deep group at cornerback headlined by Josh Norman, Quinton Dunbar, and Fabian Moreau, the Redskins felt that they could move on from Scandrick and save themselves millions in salary. However, they will not be able to recover the $1MM signing bonus they gave him in his two-year deal this offseason.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

The Dolphins are in search of cornerback help and Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com suggests Ronald Darby of the Eagles as a possible solution for Miami. Darby has lots of potential, but he’s set to be a free agent after the season and the Eagles’ have yet to sign him, so he might not be in Philly’s long-term plans. If the Eagles were to trade Darby, the could play Sidney Jones at outside cornerback rather than nickel cornerback. Then, to fill the hole at nickel, the Eagles could give more time to the likes of Avonte Maddox and De’Vante Bausby. The Eagles wouldn’t be as strong at cornerback without Darby, but this could be an opportunity for the Eagles to get something of value for him instead of letting him walk next year.
Giants coach Pat Shurmur isn’t sure if he’ll see fifth-round pick R.J. McIntosh on the field before the start of the season. Shurmur tells reporters (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan) that the defensive lineman is looking at an “extended-rehab type situation,” which may be tied to his thyroid issue. It took a long time for McIntosh to sign with the Giants and it could take even longer for the Giants to find out what they have in the Miami product.

Bears Officially Sign Roquan Smith

August 14th, 2018 at 12:03pm CST by Zachary Links

Roquan Smith is officially in the fold. On Tuesday morning, the Bears announced that Smith has signed his rookie deal.

The Bears, predictably, did not release the details of Smith’s pact, but per the terms of his slot, we know that the No. 8 overall pick has received a four-year, $18MM guaranteed pact. And, via Mike Florio of PFT, we have the details on his guarantee structure in the event of discipline.

The two sides hammered out a formula that protects Smith against most of the potential incidents that would take place on the field. Smith’s guarantees will void only if the league office suspends him for three games or more for something that would happen during a play, such as lowering his helmet or roughing the quarterback. That’s not a cumulative three games, so Smith can be suspended for one or two games multiple times throughout his contract without forfeiting guarantees.

If Smith is suspended for one game for a post-play infraction in which he’s defending himself or a teammate, he’ll maintain his guarantees. For two games, however, he’ll forfeit them. If he’s deemed to be the aggressor in a post-play incident and suspended for one game, he will lose his guarantees.

Ultimately, the Bears had to deviate quite a bit from the standard language in order to get Smith on the practice field. It’s not ideal for Chicago, but the team is undoubtedly relieved to have its top draft pick under contract.

Browns To Work Out Johnathan Hankins

August 14th, 2018 at 11:19am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns will work out defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins on Wednesday, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. This marks Hankins’ first known meeting with a club since April.

Last year, Hankins was among the league’s most sought-after free agent defensive tackles. It’s not clear why his market has dragged this year, but it’s possible that his camp has been asking for significantly more money than what he has been offered thus far. After all, that’s what happened last year. In 2017, Hankins’ camp told teams that he was looking for $15MM per year. Soon after, the asking price was reduced to a more reasonable $10MM per season, and he eventually accepted a $9MM/year pact from the Colts.

Two of the Browns’ defensive tackles – Trevon Coley and Caleb Brantley – are dealing with ankle injuries, so Hankins could provide the club with a healthy alternative. If signed, Hankins would almost certainly start in the team’s 4-3 scheme. He played in a 3-4 setup with the Colts last year, but Hankins had only worked out of a 4-3 scheme prior to joining Indianapolis.

Hankins didn’t offer much against the pass in 2017, but he was exceptional against the run. In fact, only Damon Harrison and Ndamukong Suh ranked better against ball carriers, according to Pro Football Focus.

Redskins Cut Orlando Scandrick

August 14th, 2018 at 8:13am CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins have released cornerback Orlando Scandrick, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Scandrick signed a free agent deal with the Redskins in March, so the move comes as a surprise.

The Cowboys cut Scandrick after ten years with the club and the cornerback hooked on with the rival Redskins just days later. The deal was supposed to be worth $7MM with incentives that could boost the maximum value to $9 or $10MM. Instead, Scandrick is back out on the market and leaves after earning only his $1MM signing bonus.

A 2008 fifth-round pick, Scandrick played a key role on the past several Cowboys defenses. He started 11 games in 2017 and was signed with the hope that he might start opposite of Josh Norman in 2018. Now, it sounds like 2017 third-round pick Fabian Moreau or Quinton Dunbar will handle that job.

If the Redskins open up their cornerback search again, they could theoretically explore a reunion with Bashaud Breeland. The Redskins didn’t make much of an effort to re-sign him in March, but his asking price should be lower at this stage of the offseason. There’s also Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to consider. The Redskins explored signing DRC before they inked Scandrick, but he wanted too much money at the time.

Extra Points: Packers, Collins, Broncos

August 13th, 2018 at 9:54pm CST by Ben Levine

The Packers selected Washington State offensive guard Cole Madison in the fifth round of this past year’s draft. However, the rookie has sat on the did not report list and hasn’t attended training camp. While his absence isn’t encouraging, general manager Brian Gutekunst is confident that he’ll be able to contribute eventually.

“We’re fully supportive of what’s going on,” Gutekunst told ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “He’s dealing with a [personal] issue, when that issue is resolved we’ll get back to the football part of it.”

Gutekunst added that he believes Madison wants to continue playing, and he even hinted that the rookie could end up returning to the team at some point during the preseason.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFL…

The Cowboys received some good news today. Howard Balzer tweets that Maliek Collins has passed his physical and been activated from the physically unable to perform list. The 23-year-old has undergone a pair of surgeries over the past four months to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot. With several weeks to go before the end of the preseason, the Cowboys are confident Collins can return for the start of the regular season. “He’s just progressing,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said earlier this week (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). “He’s done a really good job with his rehab, and we’re taking him day-by-day, we’ll see if he’s available at some point to come practice here in the next week or so.” Collins finished last season with 22 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
The Broncos signed Alexander Johnson earlier today, and it sounds like the organization has high hopes for the embattled linebacker. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets that the organization is giving the rookie $50K in guaranteed money, more than they gave to any of their other undrafted rookies. The former Tennessee star, who has dealt with his share of off-field issues, hasn’t played organized football in more than four years.
Denver wasn’t the only suitor for Johnson. Volin tweets that the Dolphins (along with a “couple other teams”) had expressed interest in the rookie linebacker before he joined the Broncos.
The Cowboys worked out a number of players today (via Jon Machota of the Dallas News on Twitter): receiver Darren Carrington, offensive linemen Jacob Alsadek and Daronte Bouldin, and safeties Dominick Sanders, Ryan Murphy, and Deron Washington. The team ended up signing Alsadek and Carrington later in the day.
Former Southern Miss wide receiver Allenzae Staggers worked out for the Redskins today, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Following a breakout 2016 campaign where he hauled in 63 receptions for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns, the wideout took a step back in 2017, finishing with 44 catches for 471 yards.

Raiders Restructure Donald Penn’s Contract

August 13th, 2018 at 8:29pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Donald Penn will be sticking with the Raiders. Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports (via Twitter) that the two sides have agreed to a restructured contract. We heard last week that the organization wanted the offensive lineman to take a pay cut, and they’d consider trading the veteran if he refused.

According to Gehlken, Penn agreed to a deal with “team-friendly parameters.” In exchange, the lineman will receive more guaranteed money over the next two years. The 35-year-old was set to earn a $6MM salary in 2018 (including $3MM in guaranteed money), as well as up to $1.75MM in per-game roster bonuses. These numbers stem from the two-year, $21MM extension he signed last year following a hold out. The deal runs through the 2019 season.

The 12-year veteran appeared in 14 games for the Raiders last season, the first time in his career that he failed to appear in all 16 regular season contests. Pro Football Focus ultimately ranked him 23rd among eligible tackles, proving that the veteran still has something left in the tank. The team seemingly selected a successor in first-rounder Kolton Miller during this past year’s draft, but the Raiders are hoping to slot both players into the starting lineup.

Of course, Penn still has to return to the field to make that a reality. He ended last season on the injured reserve with a foot injury, and he’s currently sitting on the Raiders’ physically unable to perform list following offseason surgery.

Dolphins Release DT Gabe Wright

August 13th, 2018 at 7:47pm CST by Ben Levine

Hours after being involved in an on-field altercation, the Dolphins have let go of Gabe Wright. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that Miami has released the defensive tackle.

According to Jackson, Wright was involved in one of several incidents during Monday’s practice. The defensive tackle grazed his elbow into the back of running back Kenyan Drake, who wasn’t wearing a helmet. A source told the reporter that the “shot was uncalled for.” The hit took place moments after defensive tackle Anthony Moten and running back Senorise Perry were involved in a “dust up.”

Of course, Monday’s incident wasn’t the only reason for Wright’s release. The former fourth-round pick out of Auburn has only appeared in 13 games in three NFL seasons, compiling 11 tackles and two passes defended. Jackson writes that the 26-year-old hasdshown some promising flashes during camp, and he was involved in at least one pass rush during Miami’s preseason opener.

However, he was seemingly buried on the depth chart, as the Dolphins seem set to roll with Akeem Spence, Davon Godchaux, Jordan Phillips and Vincent Taylor as their four defensive tackles. Miami is also rostering versatile lineman William Hayes, and they could add undrafted rookies Jamiyus Pittman and Moten to the practice squad.

Cowboys Place OL Marcus Martin On IR

August 13th, 2018 at 6:18pm CST by Ben Levine

Marcus Martin has landed on the injured reserve. After injuring his toe during the Cowboys preseason opener, the team placed the offensive lineman on the IR today, reports ESPN’s Todd Archer. The Cowboys have also waived/injured wideout Marchie Murdock, and they’ve signed lineman Jacob Alsadek and receiver Darren Carrington to fill the open roster spots.

The former 49ers starter was planning on returning to football for the first time since 2016, and the Cowboys were hoping they’d have a reliable backup guard and center. Unfortunately, Martin injured his toe on Thursday night, and the injury will require surgery. The lineman was ultimately diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right big toe.

With Martin out of the lineup, key reserve Joe Looney will now be tasked with a larger role behind projected starters Zack Martin, Travis Frederick and Connor Williams. The team will also be giving a look at Alsadek, who went undrafted out of Arizona in this year’s draft.

Murdock, a former standout at Iowa State, joined the Cowboys shortly after going undrafted. The team will be replacing him with the six-foot-two, 199-pound Carrington, who split his collegiate career between Oregon and Utah.

Chargers Claim TE Je’Ron Hamm

August 13th, 2018 at 5:56pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chargers added a tight end to their roster today, but it probably wasn’t the player fans were hoping for. The team announced that they’ve claimed tight end Je’Ron Hamm off waivers from the Seahawks. To make room on the roster, the Chargers waived wideout Marcus Peterson.

The 26-year-old Hamm has bounced around the NFL since going undrafted out of Louisiana-Monroe back in 2014. He had a pair of receptions for 13 yards in 2015 with the 49ers, and he’s also had stints with the Saints, Redskins, and Seahawks. He signed with Seattle back in July, and after being waived and re-signed, he was waived a second time yesterday.

Of course, following the season-ending injury to Hunter Henry, there’s been plenty of speculation that the Chargers would re-sign veteran Antonio Gates. Head coach Anthony Lynn recently said that negotiations were ongoing, and the need for a veteran was clear after Chargers tight ends accounted for five drops during the team’s preseason opener. However, for the time being, the team is rolling with Hamm, Virgil Green, Sean Culkin, and Braedon Bowman.

Peterson signed with the Chargers earlier this month. He became the first Seton Hill University alumni to sign with an NFL team.

Latest On LeSean McCoy

August 13th, 2018 at 4:42pm CST by Ben Levine

Bills running back LeSean McCoy has been named in a lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend, reports WKBW.com. On Friday, Delicia Cordon filed a personal injury lawsuit against the veteran and his former University of Pittsburgh teammate, Tamarcus Porter. The lawsuit stems from a July home-invasion incident in which Cordon was injured and robbed.

Cordon has continually pointed the finger at McCoy, claiming the 30-year-old was somehow responsible for the robbery (the running back has consistently denied any wrongdoing). While a suspect hasn’t been named in the criminal investigation, the lawsuit argues that McCoy should be held responsible for the injuries.

As ESPN’s Mike Rodak explains, the suit says McCoy “breached his duty to use ordinary care to protect Plaintiff from dangerous activities being conducted at the Residence” by changing and withholding the security codes to the house. The lawsuit also details arguments between the two, with Cordon accusing the running back of “beating his dog and beating his son frequently, as well as other issues.”

As Rodak writes, the lawsuit does not specifically accuse McCoy or Porter “of conducting or ordering the attack.” However, since Porter told police that he had access to a live feed of the home’s security cameras, the suit is arguing that the pair had “actual and constructive knowledge of criminal activity existing on the property on July 10, 2018.”

Last month, the NFL said they were still reviewing the matter. McCoy reported to Bills camp in late July.