HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

NFC East Notes: Redskins, Eagles, OBJ

August 7th, 2018 at 11:25am CST by Zachary Links

Redskins running back Samaje Perine could be a trade candidate, as ESPN.com’s John Keim writes. The Redskins have a surplus of running backs, with Derrius Guice and Chris Thompson as their lead rushers. Rob Kelley was once thought to be on the bubble, but coaches say that he looks quicker this summer than he has in previous years. The Redskins also seem to be eyeing Byron Marshall or Kapri Bibbs as their third-down back, which could leave Perine as the odd man out.

The Oklahoma product drew a great deal of attention in the 2017 draft, so other teams could be interested in giving him a shot. The Redskins, meanwhile, could net a future draft choice for him if they are comfortable enough with the rest of the group.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • Within the aforementioned piece, ESPN.com’s Tim McManus suggests that Eagles cornerback Rasul Douglas could wind up on the block. There hasn’t been a ton of talk about Douglas being traded, but the Eagles have plenty of cornerback options and could afford to part with Douglas for the right offer. The former third-round choice out of West Virginia offers good size with his 6’2″, 209-pound frame and could hold some appeal for other clubs. McManus notes that the Eagles also could deal from their surplus receivers and offensive linemen.
  • On Monday, we heard conflicting reports regarding the negotiations between Odell Beckham Jr. and the Giants. One report indicated that the Giants are offering OBJ less than Sammy Watkins‘ average annual value of $16MM/year. Later, we heard that the Giants are willing to make OBJ the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. The discrepancy likely comes from different interpretations of the same offer, as Mike Florio of PFT writes. In an unusual role reversal, it seems that the team is evaluating the offer based on the new money average, while the player’s agent is going off of the cumulative average, which includes Beckham’s 2018 salary of $8.49MM. In theory, the Giants’ offer to Beckham could be a five-year, $85.5MM deal, which would give him a league-leading $17.1MM new money average. However, if the 2018 salary is included, that would give him an average of $15.659MM. Reading between the lines, it sounds as though OBJ’s team could be looking to top Antonio Brown‘s AAV including the current year, which would be a very lofty goal.

Sean Smith To Be Released From Jail

August 7th, 2018 at 10:36am CST by Zachary Links

Former Raiders cornerback Sean Smith is slated to be released from jail in September, according to TMZ. Smith has served less than half of his year-long sentence, but he is on track to be let go next month due to good behavior and overcrowding in the facility.

Smith was sentenced to one year in jail plus five years probation after pleading guilty to felony assault. The incident took place last summer, when a dispute between the cornerback and his sister’s boyfriend turned violent. The victim suffered several major injuries in the attack, and Smith was subsequently released by the Raiders.

Smith lost out on the money he was owed on his four-year, $40MM deal, and it stands to reason that he may attempt an NFL return in order to make up for the lost cash. If that’s the case, he’ll almost certainly have to serve a suspension first, and it could be lengthy given the nature of his situation.

The veteran graded out as just the No. 73 cornerback among 121 qualifiers last year, per Pro Football Focus. He’s picked off two passes in each of the last three seasons, but had a career-low four pass defenses last year while appearing in 14 games, starting eight.

Extra Points: Panthers, Cardinals, Texans

August 6th, 2018 at 9:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Earlier this offseason, Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis made it sound like 2018 was going to be his final season in the NFL. However, the veteran acknowledged last month that he was open to continuing his playing career in 2019. Today, the 35-year-old echoed that sentiment, telling Panthers.com that his impending four-game suspension played a role in him changing his mind.

“I look at the way things transpired this offseason and think back to, really, my legacy and the things that I’ve been able to do as a football player,” Davis said. “I don’t want to leave on a sour note. You never want to walk away from the game knowing that you served a four-game suspension. That’s my mindset right now.”

Davis, who finished last season with 52 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 15 games, has been especially upbeat during this year’s training camp.

“When you factor in that (suspension), and the fact that I may not ever get another training camp – I embrace it every day,” Davis said. “Talk trash to Cam (Newton) at a high level daily. Just competing and having fun with my teammates – that’s what training camp is all about.”

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

  • Markus Golden is still working his way back from an ACL injury that ended his 2017 campaign. The Cardinals defensive end hasn’t been able to participate in coach Steve Wilks and coordinator Al Holcomb‘s defense, but he’s still found reasons to be encouraged heading into next season. “Ever since I got injured – especially once I found out I wasn’t going to be in camp – I wanted to encourage guys,” Golden told Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. “You can tell they are competing. And that’s what I want to see.” Specifically, Golden was pointing to the trio of players who are stepping up in his absence: Vontarrius Dora, Benson Mayowa and Arthur Moats.
  • While Texans running back D’Onta Foreman remains on the physically unable to perform list, it sounds like the second-year weapon is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon. “I think he’s progressing well,” coach Bill O’Brien told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I think he’s doing well. He’s on the right track, and we’ll see. We’ll see how it goes, but I think he’s headed in the right direction.” Foreman’s season ended in November, at which point he had compiled 327 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 78 carries.
  • In case you missed it, the Patriots moved on from wideout Malcolm Mitchell earlier today. The former fourth-rounder had been unable to stay healthy during his stint in New England.

AFC Notes: Dolphins, Bortles, Coleman

August 6th, 2018 at 8:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Frank Gore may be competing for touches with fellow running back Kenyan Drake, but that doesn’t mean the veteran isn’t impressed by his Dolphins teammate. In fact, Gore told Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post that he understands why the organization moved on from their former starter in order to give Drake more reps last season.

“I was like, ‘Man, I kinda see why they traded Jay Ajayi,’” Gore said. “He’s very talented. Jay Ajayi was a great back, too, but Kenyan is a very talented guy. He’s smart. He can do everything on the field. I think that me and him can really help this team be successful this year.”

Ultimately, Gore is expected to be a mentor to both Drake and fourth-rounder Kalen Ballage. Despite running for at least 850 yards for the 12th-straight season in 2017, the veteran is willing to have a larger impact off the field than on the field.

“People said that I wouldn’t be here and I wouldn’t (last) more than three years, and I’ve been blessed going into my 14th year,” the 35-year-old said. “Now I want to go out here and be successful, have fun and do whatever it takes with my team and try to get some wins.”

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

  • Blake Bortles is looking forward to his first healthy season in several years. The Jaguars quarterback told ESPN’s Michael DiRocco that he’s been tolerating a right wrist injury for several seasons, forcing him to have three cortisone injections in 2017. Bortles finally opted for surgery this offseason to repair a partially torn ligament on the outside of his wrist, and the 26-year-old said the operation helped him have the best offseason and training camp of his career. “When you do not have to worry about going to rehab or going to get treatment, you have to make sure you warm it up the right way, you have to take anti-inflammatory [medication] and do all of that stuff. … It is just a lot of process to be able to go out there and do what you should be able to do without any pain,” Bortles said. “To be able to do that now finally is pretty awesome.” Despite the injury, Bortles managed to complete a career-high 60.2-percent of his passes last season for 3,687 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.
  • The Bills traded for former first-round wideout Corey Coleman last night, and Joe Buscaglia of WKBW.com believes the receiver could have an immediate impact on his new team. The writer points out that Kelvin Benjamin and Jeremy Kerley are the only two players locked in at the top of the Bills depth chart, and this was emphasized when the coaching staff add recently-recovered Andre Holmes to the first team during camp (Zay Jones has since recovered from his injury, as well). At the very least, Coleman will provide the Bills with unmatched speed, a skill set that the team’s fellow receivers are lacking.
  • When the Patriots released wideout Malcolm Mitchell earlier today, many assumed the former fourth-rounder was still battling a nagging knee injury. While that could be partly true, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the receiver was waived as a healthy player. This means Mitchell passed his final physical with the organization. After making six starts as a rookie in 2016, Mitchell sat out the entire 2017 campaign due to injury.

Latest On Aaron Donald, Rams

August 6th, 2018 at 7:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Earlier today, our own Zach Links explained how Rams defensive end Aaron Donald would become a restricted free agent next offseason if he failed to attend training camp by tomorrow. Well, it sounds like that will end up being the case, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the Pro Bowler “has no plans to rejoin the team” as he pursues a contract extension. Schefter notes that Donald won’t be at camp on Tuesday, “nor anytime soon.”

Earlier today, Rams coach Sean McVay seemed to echo that sentiment, telling Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times that he didn’t expect the two sides to agree to a contract extension.

“I don’t think anything’s going to change with that in the near future. I’ve had a little bit of dialogue with Aaron and we’re hopeful that we’ll get something done,” McVay said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “I don’t think there’s any realistic deal to kind of that August 7 being a date that changes really anything. But you never know. And things remain the same. I’m looking forward to trying to connect with him later today and we’ll see where we’re at.”

As Zach explained earlier today, Donald’s presumable restricted free agent status shouldn’t be that big of a deal to the player. The Rams will likely franchise the 27-year-old since they’d risk another team signing him to a first-round tender, thus earning the defender a nice payday. However, Donald will start to lose money if he misses Thursday’s preseason opener, as the Rams are allowed to fine him a regular season game check for every exhibition game he misses. Donald could sacrifice up to $3.2MM if he fails to report prior to the regular season.

Previous reports hinted that the defensive lineman is looking to reset the market and become the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. This means the Rams would have to hand out a contract that beats Von Miller‘s league-leading average annual salary of $19.1MM. At the very least, we know Donald is surely looking for a raise on the $6.89MM he’s slated to make next season.

The 27-year-old has certainly earned the right to be the highest-paid defender in the league, as he’s garnered four straight Pro Bowl nods and three straight first-team All-Pro honors. While he ultimately missed a pair of games last season, the defensive lineman was still plenty productive. Donald finished the campaign with 41 tackles, 11 sacks, and a career-high five forced fumbles.

Dolphins Sign RB Jeremy Langford

August 6th, 2018 at 6:08pm CST by Ben Levine

Jeremy Langford has found a new home. ESPN’s Josina Anderson reports (via Twitter) that the running back has signed with the Dolphins.

It’s been a quiet offseason for the 26-year-old running back, as he hadn’t generated any reported interest after being cut loose by the Jets in April. The former fourth-rounder split the 2017 campaign between the Ravens’ and Jets’ practice squad, but he didn’t end up seeing the field for a regular season game. He inked a future/reserves contract with New York following the season.

The running back’s last notable contribution came in 2016 with the Bears, when he ran for 200 yards and four touchdowns on 62 carries. He also added another 19 receptions for 142 yards. Langford compiled more than 800 offensive yards during his breakout 2015 campaign. The running back will be reuniting with head coach Adam Gase, who was Chicago’s offensive coordinator in 2015.

Langford may have a tough time making the Dolphins’ opening-day roster. Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore sit atop the depth chart, and the organization seems to be optimistic about fourth-rounder Kalen Ballage. Therefore, the two-year veteran will likely have to compete with Senorise Perry and Brandon Radcliff for a roster spot.

WR Brandon Coleman Could Return To Saints

August 6th, 2018 at 5:52pm CST by Ben Levine

The Saints released Brandon Coleman yesterday, but the receiver could end up finding his way back to New Orleans. Head coach Sean Payton hinted that the 26-year-old could return to the organization once he’s healthy enough to play.

“He’s got a little bit of time still in his rehab,” Payton said (via Luke Johnson of NOLA.com). “He’ll be able to go ahead and rehab and get healthy. I would anticipate that it’s not the last time we’ll see him. He and I had a good visit today, we’re all on the same page.”

After starting training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list, the Saints released Coleman with a failed physical designation yesterday. Payton told reporters that the receiver is dealing with neck and hip injuries, and the estimated recovery time meant the Saints were forced to part ways with the former undrafted free agent.

“It would be too early for me to say three weeks, four weeks, but his progress is going well,” Payton said. “It’s just going to take a little bit longer. Right now, with where we’re at, we’ve got to keep making room so we can play these games.”

The six-foot-six, 225-pound Coleman may have stood above his fellow Saints wideouts, but he was unable to put up big numbers with New Orleans over the past three seasons. His 2017 campaign was on-par with his usual production, as he finished with 23 receptions for 364 yards and three scores. If Coleman were to return to the Saints, he’d have a tough time improving on those stats, as Michael Thomas, Cameron Meredith, and Ted Ginn Jr. seemed to be locked in atop the depth chart.

OBJ, Giants Progressing Toward Extension

August 6th, 2018 at 4:49pm CST by Ben Levine

A new contract for wideout Odell Beckham Jr. could be right around the corner. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the receiver’s agent, Zeke Sandhu, and the Giants have “engaged in good-faith negotiations” that would make Beckham the highest-paid wideout in the NFL. While a deal isn’t expected to be finalized in the coming days, Rapoport says the two sides are “encouraged” that a deal could be finalized before the start of the regular season.

We learned yesterday that OBJ was optimistic about a new deal, but reports from today indicated that the Giants’ offer may have been relatively underwhelming. New York’s reported offer would have paid Beckham a lower average annual salary than Sammy Watkins, which our own Zach Links says would be south of $16MM. If Beckham is going to be the highest-paid player at this position, he’d have to earn more than the $17MM that Antonio Brown is set to make in his extension with the Steelers.

The 25-year-old is set to earn a bit less than $8.5MM in his fifth-year option season, meaning he could be looking to double his salary in 2019. For what it’s worth, the wideout previously acknowledged that he may have to sacrifice some money for long-term security, which could be an indication that Beckham is willing to give the Giants a slight discount if they sign him to a longer deal. If OBJ doesn’t sign an extension with the organization, the Giants could realistically control the receiver for more two additional seasons via the franchise tag.

The 2014 first-round pick was limited to only four games last season, finishing with 25 receptions for 302 yards and three scores. However, there’s no denying his talent, as he finished the previous three campaigns with at least 1,300 receiving yards.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/6/18

August 6th, 2018 at 3:32pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Los Angeles Rams

New York Jets

Oakland Raiders

Seattle Seahawks 

Falcons, S Ricardo Allen Agree To Extension

August 6th, 2018 at 1:26pm CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have agreed to a three-year extension with safety Ricardo Allen, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The pact, worth $19.5MM, will keep Allen in place through the 2021 season. 

The Falcons retained Allen this offseason by assigning the $2.914MM restricted free agent tender to him. He took his time before signing the deal, waiting until June to ink the contract. Allen took a small gamble by waiting to sign his tender, but the Falcons were unlikely to pull it the given his past performance.

In four seasons with the team, Allen has played in 46 games, including 45 starts. All in all, he has made six interceptions, ten deflected passes, one fumble recovery, and 158 tackles. Allen made it clear that he wanted to play in Atlanta beyond the 2018 season and the interest was mutual, so it was only a matter of time before a deal came together.

The $6.5MM average annual value on the deal puts Allen in the top 20 amongst all NFL safeties. Currently, four other safeties – Glover Quin (Lions), Barry Church (Jaguars), Jaquiski Tartt (49ers), and Eric Weddle (Ravens) – make the same per year on average.

Still, it’s a reasonably priced deal that should give the Falcons enough room to work out an extension with defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. Meanwhile, Allen has obtained financial security that will spare him from testing a weak market for free agent safeties.

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