HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

49ers Considered Re-Signing Eric Reid

September 27th, 2018 at 1:39pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers signed free agent Eric Reid on Thursday, but they weren’t the only club with interest. The 49ers were among the clubs that made a “sincere run” at the safety and had interest in signing him to a one-year deal, according to Jim Trotter of NFL.com (on Twitter). 

Starting strong safety Jaquiski Tartt was held out of Week 3 with a shoulder injury and free safety Adrian Colbert was forced out of that game with a knee issue, so the Niners could be looking for reinforcements. It’s not clear whether Reid was interested in returning to San Francisco after the team moved him all around the field in 2017 and showed little interest in re-signing him during the height of the offseason.

Either way, Reid’s focus is now on helping the Panthers win. And, apparently, the Panthers were not focused on Reid’s anthem protests. The team did not ask Reid about how he plans to handle the anthem this year, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, though raising the question wasn’t really an option after the backlash the Bengals received earlier this year.

Titans Release WR Rishard Matthews

September 27th, 2018 at 11:27am CST by Zachary Links

As expected, the Titans announced their intention to release Rishard Matthews. The wide receiver asked the team to cut him on this week and the Titans obliged after being unable to find a suitable trade for him. 

The Titans’ passing offense has struggled this year, in part because the injury to Marcus Mariota that forced Blaine Gabbert into action. Matthews, meanwhile, was upset about his limited role and wants to join a club that will utilize him more.

“I’ve been the leading receiver for two years,” Matthews said. “Then all of a sudden I’m barely playing and not even starting. Using my injury as the scapegoat. Look at number of snaps and targets.”

As Field Yates of ESPN.com notes (on Twitter), receiver-needy teams like the Cowboys, Patriots, Bills, Seahawks, and Cardinals would all make sense for Matthews. The Bills, in particular, could be a likely landing spot for the veteran. Bills wide receivers coach Terry Robiskie was Tennessee’s offensive coordinator in 2016 and 2017, so he knows what Matthews can do when he’s at his best.

Matthews had something of a breakout season with the Dolphins in 2015 and parlayed that into a free agent deal with the Titans in 2016. Matthews responded by amassing 945 receiving yards in his first year with Tennessee and had nearly 800 yards last season. In three games this year, Matthews had just three catches off of six targets.

After releasing Matthews, the Titans are left with five wide receivers on the roster – Corey Davis, Tajae Sharpe, Taywan Taylor, Darius Jennings, and Nick Williams. Davis leads the team with 13 catches for 151 yards through three weeks.

Panthers To Sign S Eric Reid

September 27th, 2018 at 10:19am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have signed free agent safety Eric Reid to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Reid will help to fill the void after the team was forced to place safety Da’Norris Searcy on injured reserve last week. 

This offseason, Reid fell victim to a stagnant free agent market for safeties. His role in national anthem protests and alignment with Colin Kaepernick may have also played a role in his extended unemployment. Whatever the reason, Reid is undoubtedly happy to be back in football and in a situation where he has an opportunity to shine.

“Eric has been a starting safety in the NFL and has played at a high level throughout his career,” GM Marty Hurney said in a statement. “After we put Da’Norris Searcy on injured reserve, Ron [Rivera] and I discussed our options, and Eric was at the top of our list. He is a physical safety with good ball skills and play-making ability.”

Reid took a visit with the Bengals earlier this year, but later filed a grievance after Cincinnati asked him about his anthem stance. He was scheduled to meet with the Titans earlier this month, but multiple flight cancellations prevented Reid’s visit. He was linked to the Falcons recently after they lost their second starting safety of the year, but they did not pursue him.

Reid, 26, was something of a playmaker during his first two NFL campaigns, as he posted seven total interceptions from 2013-14. While he hasn’t kept up that rate of turnover creation, Reid is still a solid starter, and Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s No. 30 safety a year ago.

The Panthers’ signing of Reid does not impact his collusion grievance against the NFL, Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter) hears. Reid is represented by attorney Mark Geragos, the same lawyer representing Kaepernick in his case against the league.

Seahawks’ Earl Thomas Skips Practice Again

September 27th, 2018 at 9:53am CST by Zachary Links

Recently, Earl Thomas skipped two Seahawks practices inside of a week. Unfortunately for Seattle, this could be the start of a pattern. On Wednesday, Thomas missed yet another team practice for non-injury reasons, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link) hears. 

Thomas is in the final year of his contract and is frustrated after unsuccessfully pushing the team for a new deal. Thomas has said that he would like to stay with the Seahawks “if they want him,” but if they don’t want to pay him at the top of the safety market, he would likely prefer a trade elsewhere.

The veteran’s warm feelings towards the Cowboys have been well-documented and were underscored last week when he bowed to the Dallas bench after an interception. There are conflicting reports as to whether the Cowboys are likely to trade for him, though it’s believed that the Chiefs could make a play for Thomas. If Thomas continues to express his frustration by skipping practice, the Seahawks could be motivated to move on from him before the Halloween deadline.

Titans Unlikely To Trade Rishard Matthews

September 27th, 2018 at 9:37am CST by Zachary Links

On Wednesday night, wide receiver Rishard Matthews asked the Titans for his release. The transaction has yet to be processed, but it’s “doubtful” that the team will find a trade partner for him, Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky hears (on Twitter). 

Presumably, then, it’s a matter of time before Matthews’ request for a release is granted. Once he’s cut, Matthews will be free to sign with any club of his choosing since he is a vested veteran.

Matthews surely has his reasons for wanting out of Tennessee, but the perception around the league may be that he quit on his team. With that in mind, it’s hard to see another team giving up a draft pick, even a late one, to add Matthews in the middle of the season. Instead, interested clubs are likely willing to wait things out and try to sign the receiver to a cheap one-year deal.

Cowboys, Packers Tried To Sign Brian Price

September 27th, 2018 at 9:28am CST by Zachary Links

Recently, the Cowboys and Packers both tried to reunite with defensive tackle Brian Price, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. To keep him from being poached from their practice squad, the Browns quadrupled his salary, boosting his pay from $7,600 a week to $37,058 a week. 

Price missed the Cowboys’ final cut this year and subsequently hooked on with the Raiders. But, after the Raiders added interior defensive linemen Johnathan Hankins and Clinton McDonald, he was squeezed out. The Browns signed him to the taxi squad last Friday, and calls from two of his former teams – the Cowboys and Packers – soon followed.

The Browns are leaning on recent additions Carl Davis and Devaroe Lawrence as their reserve defensive tackles behind starters Larry Ogunjobi and Trevon Coley. Both have talent, but neither offers the pedigree of Price, who was on track to be a high draft pick in 2016 before he tossed an official to the ground in a fit of rage. The pay bump for Price indicates that he may not be far off from a promotion to Cleveland’s varsity squad.

Panthers Waive T Corey Robinson

September 26th, 2018 at 9:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

After acquiring Marshall Newhouse from the Bills on Tuesday, the Panthers waived fellow offensive tackle Corey Robinson, according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).

Like Newhouse, Robinson was sent to the Panthers via trade, as Carolina shipped a conditional 2020 seventh-round pick to Detroit in exchange for the 26-year-old. Those conditions were evidently tied to Robinson’s time on the Panthers’ roster and were not met, tweets Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer, who notes Carolina will now recoup that draft selection.

Robinson, a seventh-round pick in the 2015 draft, appeared in 23 games and made eight starts during his first three years in the NFL, all of which came with the Lions. He played in the Panthers’ first two contests of 2018, but only spent time on special teams (zero offensive snaps, three ST snaps).

The Panthers have dealt with numerous injuries to their offensive line this year, and projected tackle starters Matt Kalil and Daryl Williams are both on injured reserve. At present, Carolina is fielding Chris Clark, Greg Van Roten, Ryan Kalil, Trai Turner, and Taylor Moton left-to-right.

NFL Workout Updates: 9/26/18

September 26th, 2018 at 9:06pm CST by Dallas Robinson

oday’s workout updates, with all links going to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer’s Twitter account unless otherwise noted:

Chicago Bears

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

Titans WR Rishard Matthews Requests Release

September 26th, 2018 at 8:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Wide receiver Rishard Matthews has requested his release from the Titans, as he tells Austin Stanley of A to Z Sports. Matthews says he and Tennessee have reached an agreement, although the club has yet to announce any transaction.

“I’ve been the leading receiver for two years,” Matthews said. “Then all of a sudden I’m barely playing and not even starting. Using my injury as the scapegoat. Look at number of snaps and targets.”

Matthews has appeared in all three games for the Titans this season, but is tied for sixth in targets with tight end Luke Stocker and fellow receiver Tajae Sharpe. He’s played exactly 50% of Tennessee’s offensive snaps, which ranks him third among Titans wideouts behind Corey Davis and Sharpe. The 28-year-old has produced just three receptions for 11 yards on six targets.

Mathews agreed to an extension just over a month ago, a self-negotiated deal that was widely panned. the pact tacks on a one-year team option in 2019 that’s valued at $7.5MM, but the extra year doesn’t contain any guaranteed money. Matthews is earning a base salary of $5MM this season, and while that total should be guaranteed given that he made the Titans’ Week 1 roster as a vested veteran, Tennessee could look to negotiate that total down, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap tweets.

Despite his lackluster production in 2018, Matthews is indeed an accomplished receiver. He led the Titans in receiving yards in both 2016 and 2017, and he averaged 59 receptions, 870 yards, and 6.5 touchdowns during that time.

Matthews will presumably garner a good deal of free agent interest once he reaches the open market, and he’ll join a list of available pass-catchers that includes Dez Bryant, Kendall Wright, Kenny Britt, and Jeremy Maclin, among others.

Packers Work Out DL Quinton Dial

September 26th, 2018 at 7:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Packers worked out defensive lineman Quinton Dial on Tuesday, according to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (Twitter link).

Green Bay is searching for defensive line depth after losing Muhammad Wilkerson for the season, and Dial should be familiar with the Packers after spending the 2017 campaign with the club. While the Packers have since moved to a different defensive scheme after swapping out ex-coordinator Dom Capers for Mike Pettine, Green Bay is still running a 3-4 look.

Dial, 28, has spent the entirety of his NFL career in 3-4 fronts. A former fifth-round pick, Dial played his first four pro seasons in San Francisco, and was a full-time starter in 2015-16. Last year, Dial appeared in 13 games (two starts) for the Packers, managing 12 tackles and one pass defensed while playing on roughly a third of the club’s defensive snaps.

If Dial is signed by the Packers, he’d join a defensive line rotation that includes Kenny Clark, Mike Daniels, new projected starter Dean Lowry, and Montravius Adams. Last season, Dial signed a one-year deal with Green Bay that paid him a single dollar more than the veteran’s minimum, which left open the possibility of an in-season extension. The Packers could conceivably use that strategy once again if they view Dial as a possible long-term addition.

Dial met with the Lions and Seahawks after hitting free agency in March, and auditioned for the Bills last week, but has yet to garner a contract this year.

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