2019 April - Pro Football Rumors

49ers’ Cedric Thornton Ends Retirement

April 15th, 2019 at 4:34pm CST by Zachary Links

The retirement of defensive tackle Cedric Thornton appears to be over. On Monday, Thornton was added to the 49ers’ active roster, Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears.

A former three-year starter for the Eagles, Thornton signed a four-year deal with the Cowboys prior to the 2016 campaign but lasted only a single season. He latched on with the Bills just before the 2017 season got underway and ultimately appeared in 15 games, playing on roughly a third of Buffalo’s defensive snaps. In 2018, he signed a lost-cost deal with the Niners, only to hang ’em up in August.

It’s not clear why Thornton retired in the first place, but it sounds like he has the itch to play once again. If he makes the Niners’ cut, Thornton will count for about $915K on the books.

Packers Claim K Sam Ficken

April 15th, 2019 at 4:27pm CST by Zachary Links

The Packers have claimed kicker Sam Ficken off of waivers from the Seahawks, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Ficken now appears poised to compete for the club’s kicking job alongside Mason Crosby.

Ficken served as Greg Zuerlein‘s injury replacement, but the Rams cut him prior to Zuerlein recovering. Ficken’s brief trial period ended after he missed two of three field goal tries between Weeks 3 and 4.

Crosby, meanwhile, has been the Packers’ kicker since entering the league in 2007. On the whole, Crosby has been very solid, but he had some shaky moments last year, including four missed field goals in a 31-23 loss to the Lions in October.

For his career, Crosby has converted on 80.4% of his field goal tries and 98% of his extra point attempts.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Kelce, Giants

April 15th, 2019 at 3:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the NFC East:

Eagles center Jason Kelce says he played through a grade two MCL sprain, a broken foot, a “torn elbow” and other nagging injuries in 2018 (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). Kelce, who recently re-upped with the team on an extension to take him through the 2021 season, says he’s not quite 100%, noting that he’s “as healed as I’m going to get.” Following the Eagles’ Divisional Round loss to the Saints, Kelce hinted that he may end up retiring, so it’s unlikely that Kelce will actually play through ’21. Instead, his new deal simply signals that he’s committed to play this season.
Eagles running back Josh Adams is expected to miss the start of the team’s offseason conditioning program as he recovers from shoulder surgery, Mike Kaye of NJ.com hears. The good news is that Adams’ six-month timetable from January labrum surgery should put him in line to participate in July’s training camp. Adams put himself on the map last year with a team-leading 511 rushing yards plus three touchdowns. His usage dropped after five consecutive starts, but he’ll have an opportunity to build on that progress in 2019.
Sterling Shepard‘s contract extension talks with the Giants appeared to have picked up after the Odell Beckham trade, Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com tweets. Shepard’s new deal – a four-year, $41MM pact – was larger than expected, though the going rate for wide receivers shot up dramatically this offseason. Had the Giants not extended Shepard, teams such as the Patriots would have been ready to pounce on him in free agency next year.

NFL Draft Notes: Giants, Haskins, Metcalf

April 15th, 2019 at 3:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants will host Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins on a top 30 visit on Monday and Tuesday, a source tells NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). After the G-Men brought out the big guns for Haskins’ Pro Day, chatter is building about the Giants possibly targeting the signal caller with the No. 6 overall pick.

Fully expected to become a top-10 pick, Haskins also met with the Broncos (No. 10) and the Redskins (No. 15) last week. The Giants appear to be well in range, but teams tend to move up and reach for stud QBs. The Giants also have the firepower necessary to move up for Oklahoma star Kyler Murray, but they may prefer to spread the wealth and address other areas instead, including the pass rush.

Here’s the latest NFL Draft buzz:

Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf visited the Ravens on Monday, Rapoport tweets. Metcalf could give them a much-needed shot in the arm at WR, but it’s not a given that he’ll be available when they’re called to the podium at No. 22. For now, their WR consists of new addition Seth Roberts, Willie Snead, Chris Moore, and 2018 draft picks Jordan Lasley and Jaleel Scott.
Speaking of the Ravens‘ WR need, they’ll host Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise Brown on Monday, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter). This year, the Ravens are set to pick at No. 22 overall with no picks in the second round due to last year’s Lamar Jackson trade.
More from Rapoport, who notes that Ohio State wide receiver Parris Campbell is visiting with the Bengals. Campbell is a very unlikely target for Cincinnati at No. 11 overall, but he could be a candidate for their second-round choice at No. 42. Last year, Campbell broke out with 90 catches for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Michigan defensive lineman Rashan Gary will huddle up with the Seahawks and Raiders this week, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears.
Arizona State wide receiver will meet with the N’Keal Harry 49ers on Monday before traveling to the Seahawks, Pelissero hears. Projections for Harry are all over the board, but he appears to be a late-first to early-second round type.
Washington tackle Kaleb McGary will visit the Seahawks on Monday and the Falcons on Tuesday, Schefter hears (Twitter link). The Falcons’ No. 14 pick would probably be a bit high for McGary, who projects as a right tackle at the next level, but a trade-down scenario could bring him to Atlanta.
The Patriots have done “extra pre-draft” work on Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham and Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson, both of whom visited recently (Twitter link via Pelissero).
Versatile Oklahoma offensive lineman Cody Ford spent Friday visiting with the Bengals, who pick No. 11 (Twitter link via Rapoport). Ford was a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2018 and helped Oklahoma win Joe Moore Award, given to the country’s best offensive line.

Latest On Carson Wentz’s Timetable

April 15th, 2019 at 2:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after the Eagles’ 2018 season ended, Carson Wentz was believed to be on track to be ready for the start of the team’s 2019 offseason program. That prospective return date has since been revised.

Wentz is not yet recovered from the back injury that ended his third NFL season. The fourth-year Philadelphia quarterback said (via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, on Twitter) he is progressing in his recovery from the 2018 stress fracture but is not there yet. Wentz’s return goal is now the Eagles’ OTA sessions, which are set for next month.

While Wentz has not returned to full strength, he did say (via NFL.com) he has been running and throwing some this offseason. The Eagles, who began their offseason program on Monday, have their OTAs scheduled to start May 21.

With Nick Foles now a Jaguar, the Eagles obviously need Wentz at full strength now more than they have the past two seasons. Wentz spent the 2018 offseason rehabbing from the torn knee ligaments that ended his 2017 season. A sizable chunk of this offseason will have been spent recovering from the back ailment that brought Foles back into action in December. After starting the first 29 games of his NFL career, the 26-year-old passer has missed eight over the past two seasons.

Nate Sudfeld has taken over for Foles as the Eagles’ backup quarterback. Although the new Philadelphia QB2 has served in this capacity frequently over the past two years, the former Washington sixth-round pick has thrown just 25 NFL passes. The Eagles placed a second-round RFA tender on Sudfeld; he signed the tender Monday.

Draft Notes: Packers, Dillard, White, Fins

April 15th, 2019 at 1:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Midway through a rather notable offseason, given the recent behind-the-curtain look at their previous power structure, the Packers are investigating some high-end quarterback prospects. They are obviously set at sports’ marquee position, but with Aaron Rodgers set to turn 36 by season’s end, Green Bay is at a similar point compared to when it last made a major quarterback investment. The Packers will host Drew Lock on a visit Tuesday, Terez Paylor of Yahoo.com reports (on Twitter). They also tried to set up a summit with Daniel Jones, but the parties’ schedules did not line up, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (via Twitter). The Packers took Rodgers when Brett Favre was 36 and sat him for three years. While Green Bay pulling the trigger on a passer would be rather surprising, especially given Rodgers’ contract status, the team does have two first-round picks this year.

Here is the latest from the draft world, staying on the subject of quarterbacks:

Lock will also meet with the Chargers, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com (on Twitter). Teams have ramped up their signal-caller-related preparation, in the event Kyler Murray does not go No. 1, according to Robinson, who notes some teams believe this year’s passers could slide a bit should Murray not be the Cardinals’ choice atop the draft. Some modest steam picked up on this notion earlier Monday.
The Dolphins, who already met with Jones, will head to the Duke campus to work out the former Blue Devil starter, Rapoport reports (on Twitter). Teams only have a few more days to host prospects on “30” visits but can still work them out after that deadline passes. Miami will also host Michigan linebacker Devin Bush and Florida tackle Jawaan Taylor, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Devin White‘s stock has risen during the pre-draft process, to the point he may be the rare off-ball linebacker to be picked in the top five. One of the teams holding such a selection, the Raiders, brought in White for a visit, Rapoport tweets. The Buccaneers, who hold pick No. 5, have been closely connected to the LSU ‘backer. The Raiders have the No. 4 overall pick. Oakland, which also holds the Nos. 24 and 27 selections, will meet with tight end Noah Fant, on Monday as well, Rapoport tweets. The Raiders lost their starting tight end of the past two seasons, Jared Cook, in free agency.
For weeks, the Jets have been viewed as a team that would love to trade down. They are meeting with a prospect Tuesday that would support the fact this is a consideration. Ed Oliver will visit the Jets, per Schefter (on Twitter). While the defensive tackle is a surefire first-round talent, he has not been mocked as a player who would be a consideration at No. 3 overall.
The Titans are visiting with defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, per Rapoport (on Twitter). This is the Notre Dame-developed defender’s second known visit, the first having come with the Saints recently. Tillery remains in rehab after surgery to repair a torn shoulder labrum.
Not much has surfaced about which teams are researching an Andre Dillard pick. That has changed. The Washington State tackle prospect is visiting the Falcons on Monday and will meet with the Chargers later this week, Schefter tweets. Additionally, Schefter adds the first-round offensive line hopeful has already visited or worked out for a host of teams — the Giants, Jets, Dolphins, Ravens, Titans, Panthers, Vikings, Jaguars, Bills, Texans, Bengals, Packers, Redskins.

Patriots CB Jonathan Jones Signs RFA Tender

April 15th, 2019 at 11:55am CST by Dallas Robinson

Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Jones will now be paid $3.095MM for the 2019 season.

Jones becomes one of several second-round RFAs to ink his tender today, joining Ravens linebacker Patrick Onwuasor, Colts receiver Chester Rogers, and Eagles quarterback Nate Sudfeld. Rival clubs could have signed Jones to an offer sheet and sacrificed a second-round pick in order to land him, but Jones will instead sign his tender on the day New England begins its offseason workout program.

A former undrafted free agent, Jones hasn’t missed a single game during his three-year run with the Patriots. Over the past two seasons, he’s contributed on defense, playing between 40% and 50% of New England’s defensive plays in each year. Pro Football Focus graded Jones as the No. 73 cornerback among 112 qualifiers, while Football Outsiders charted him as below average in both yards per pass and success rate.

Colts WR Chester Rogers Signs RFA Tender

April 15th, 2019 at 11:40am CST by Dallas Robinson

Colts wide receiver Chester Rogers has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, the club announced today. Safety Matthias Farley inked his original round RFA tender, while wide receiver Marcus Johnson signed his exclusive rights free agent tender.

Rogers earned only $695K in 2018, but he’ll now see a pay bump to $3.095MM for the upcoming season. An undrafted free agent in 2016, Rogers’ playing time has hovered between 45% and 65% during his three years in the NFL, but his production has increased year-over-year. In 2018, Rogers set career-highs with 53 receptions for 485 yards and two scores; his catch and yardage totals ranked second among Colts wideouts.

Any other club could have signed Rogers to an offer sheet, but they would have been forced to hand over a second-round pick to the Colts in order to land him. While Rogers is a solid complementary offensive piece, he’s probably not worth a second-round selection.

Julio Jones Not At Falcons Workouts

April 15th, 2019 at 11:05am CST by Dallas Robinson

Wide receiver Julio Jones is not in attendance for the beginning of the Falcons’ offseason workouts, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.

Workouts at this stage of the offseason are not mandatory, so Jones isn’t at risk of being fined for not being present. The star pass-catcher is pushing for a new contract, so it’s possible he’s sending a message to Atlanta by sitting out. Per McClure, Jones doesn’t have a “set time” when he plans to report.

Jones, 30, didn’t attend workouts last offseason, either, but didn’t get a new contract as a result. Instead, the Falcons converted $2MM of Jones’ 2019 base salary into a signing bonus, affording him more money up front but not changing the overall terms of his deal. Reports last month suggested Jones was nearing an extension with the Falcons, but there’s no been no more news on that front since.

When Jones signed a five-year extension in 2015, his $14.25MM annual salary made him the NFL’s second-highest-paid wide receiver behind Calvin Johnson. Four years later, Jones is only the 11th-highest-paid wideout, as fellow pass-catchers such as Odell Beckam Jr., Mike Evans, and DeAndre Hopkins have increased the positional market.

Panthers Re-Sign DT Kyle Love

April 15th, 2019 at 10:02am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Panthers have re-signed defensive tackle Kyle Love to a one-year deal, Carolina announced Monday.

Love was part of a four-man defensive tackle rotation for the Panthers in 2018, playing 468 snaps while appearing in all 16 games. Kawann Short, Dontari Poe, Vernon Butler, and Love all played between 33% and 59% of Carolina’s defensive snaps a season ago, and all four are set to return next year.

Love, 32, entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State in 2010. He spent three seasons with the Patriots, appearing in 41 total games, before he was waived with a non-football illness designation after being diagnosed with diabetes. Love played in only three contests from 2013-14 while playing for the Chiefs, Jaguars, and Panthers, but he’s since reestablished his career with the Carolina, totaling 57 games since 2015.

Last offseason, Love re-signed with the Panthers on a two-year, $2.2MM deal that contained $200K in guaranteed money.