2019 July - Pro Football Rumors

Malik McDowell Receives Two-Game Ban

July 12th, 2019 at 4:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

In addition to Richie Incognito‘s two-game suspension, this news-dump Friday included another multi-game ban. Free agent defensive lineman Malik McDowell‘s troubles continue, with the former Seahawks draft pick set for a two-game suspension, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

The No. 35 overall pick in 2017, McDowell has never played an NFL down. An ATV accident during his rookie offseason scuttled chances of the Michigan State product making an early impact as a pro, and the 2019 offseason has gone poorly from a legal perspective.

McDowell has been charged for two separate incidents, one more squarely in the NFL’s purview than the other. McDowell was charged with assault and resisting arrest, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated and, according to the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, “receiving and concealing stolen property” in purchasing a Ford truck with a $74K value for just $3K.

McDowell spent 2017 and 2018 on Seattle’s NFI list, but agent Drew Rosenhaus said in March he’d received clearance from an independent doctor. The Seahawks never cleared McDowell, waived him on March 2 and then sued to recoup part of his signing bonus. Although he visited the Cowboys later in March, this suspension will obviously not help the former second-rounder’s chances of taking the field as an NFLer soon.

NFL Suspends Raiders’ Richie Incognito

July 12th, 2019 at 3:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Richie Incognito will have to wait a little while before making his Raiders debut. On Friday, the league suspended the offensive lineman for two games, per an NFL press release.

The suspension was long anticipated. This ban, in particular, stems from Incognito’s funeral home incident of last year. Incognito pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct stemming from the August 2018 arrest.

According to the arrest report, funeral home employees say the former Pro Bowler wanted his father’s head cut off for research purposes and walked through the funeral home punching caskets and throwing objects. 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.

Incognito’s off-the-field behavior has been troubling, to say the least, but he could prove to be a strong addition to the team’s offensive line if he stays on the straight and narrow. If he sticks on the roster, he’ll be eligible to debut in Week 3 when the Raiders face the Vikings.

Jets’ Chris Herndon Suspended By NFL

July 12th, 2019 at 2:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Jets tight end Chris Herndon has been suspended for four games by the NFL. Herndon’s ban stems from a drunk driving arrest and subsequent guilty plea.

Ordinarily, Herndon would be facing a two-game ban for the violation. However, a woman at the scene of the crash later claimed bodily harm, raising the suspension to four games.

As a rookie, Herndon tallied 39 receptions for 502 yards and four touchdowns across a full 16-game slate. This year, he won’t be eligible to play until Oct. 13, but can participate in preseason contests.

It’s a bad blow for the Jets as Herndon is among their most promising young offensive players. They’ll have to get by without him for games against the Bills, Browns, Patriots, and Eagles before he can return to face the Cowboys.

Cowboys’ Randy Gregory To Apply For Reinstatement On Monday

July 12th, 2019 at 1:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Cowboys edge rusher Randy Gregory will apply for reinstatement to the NFL on Monday, according to Mike Fisher of 105.3. We first learned last week that Gregory would petition the league for his return.

Gregory is presently under “indefinite suspension” for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy, but plans to request a “full reinstatement.” The hope, in Gregory’s camp, is that the rehab path will include the ability to partake in preseason games and training camp.

Given Gregory’s struggles, it seems likely that any reinstatement plan will ease him back into football life. Gregory has succumbed to his demons several times before, though he continues to have strong support from owner Jerry Jones. Just recently, JJ gave Gregory a new extension that secures his rights through 2020, despite the indefinite ban.

Gregory reportedly has not failed or missed a drug test during his latest suspension, a promising sign for his personal future.

Rolando McClain Eyeing NFL Comeback

July 12th, 2019 at 1:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain is hoping to make an NFL return, as Matt Zenitz of AL.com writes. McClain, 29, hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2015, but he says he feels better than he has in years past.

“Every time I got in my linebacker position, it was bone on bone grind,” said McClain, the former No. 8 overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft. “Not only do I feel good, I’m recovered and I’m rested. I feel better now because I know I’ll be playing with two legs.”

McClain had three productive seasons with the Raiders, though they were marred by controversy. In 2012, he was booted from team practices after several incidents, and McClain subsequently took to Facebook to complain about the organization, going as far as to say that he wanted “to be anywhere besides here.” He was released by the team the next offseason before briefly catching on with the Ravens. However, less than a month after signing with Baltimore, McClain suddenly announced his retirement.

The Cowboys then took a bit of a risk trading for the linebacker in 2014, despite the fact that McClain had sat out the previous season. It ended up paying off for Dallas, as the linebacker would go on to appear in 13 games for his new team, compiling 81 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. He earned his first suspension from the NFL the following offseason, limiting him to only eleven games in 2015, although he still collected 80 tackles and a pair of sacks.

After signing another one-year deal with the Cowboys during the 2016 offseason, McClain was handed a ten-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He then failed another drug test midway through the season, and the NFL slapped him with an indefinite suspension. After his third ban in two years, McClain was cuffed on a 2017 arrest for firearm and drug charges.

Given his off-the-field issues and a reported addiction to “purple drank,” it remains to be seen if McClain will get another NFL opportunity.

Patrick Peterson Wants To Be With Cardinals “For Life”

July 12th, 2019 at 12:14pm CST by Zachary Links

It has been a strange saga between the Cardinals and Patrick Peterson, but the star now says that he wants to stay with the team “for life.” In an interview with SiriusXM, Peterson said he was willing to bury the hatchet with the club and remain for years to come.

“Yeah, I would love to be a Cardinal for life, but things happen,” he said. “Hell, something could change next month. The things happen not only in football, but in the world in general. So, I would love to be a Cardinal for life. I would love to be one of those guys to bring this organization its first championship.”

Things, in fact, have changed frequently with Peterson. P2 demanded a trade in 2018, though he apologized for his outspokenness in January and said he’s in Arizona “to stay.” But, tensions resurfaced in April amidst speculation that the cornerback wanted out yet again. Then, in May, he was slapped with a six-game suspension for PEDs.

Peterson says much of his dissatisfaction came from the arrival of Steve Wilks and the major overhaul made to the defense. Now, with Kliff Kingsbury in charge, he seems happier.

“So it was just a lot of whirlwind going on last year,” Peterson said. “And I was just frustrated. I love Arizona. I definitely want to be there. Just that time of the year, last year, like I said, it was just very, very tough to deal with. But as being one of the leaders, I definitely felt it shouldn’t have gone that way. But people upstairs can trade players and try to shop players around whenever they need to. So I didn’t see what was wrong with me asking for a trade at the time. So it kind of works both ways.

“But right now I’m in a very, very happy place with the team. All of this is behind us right now, obviously. And something new just came up with me being suspended the first six games. But you know, I’m a man. I have to lick my wounds and be able to move forward from all of this. I have moved forward, and I’m ready to see what the future has for me.”

Latest On Chargers, Melvin Gordon

July 12th, 2019 at 9:05am CST by Zachary Links

Chargers running back Melvin Gordon has threatened to skip training camp and even potentially ask for a trade if he does not receive a long-term extension from the club. Furthermore, his agent says there is a possibility that he could extend a holdout into the regular season. Apparently, that’s more than just talk.

Last fall, when Sports Illustrated (Twitter link) spent a day with Gordon and his family, the running back was asked about his take on the Le’Veon Bell situation. Gordon’s father asked his son if he thought Bell would really sit out the entire year and the running back responded: “I would, too.”

“Come back and get hurt?,” Gordon asked, rhetorically. “Gave y’all everything he had for about five, six years. Y’all can’t pay the man?”

Gordon, meanwhile, has given the Chargers four years of service, including two Pro Bowl seasons. And, last year, he took a major step forward with an average of 5.1 yards per carry.

It’s debatable as to whether Bell’s stance paid off. Bell gave up $14.5MM on the Steelers’ 2018 franchise tag before signing a four-year, $52.5MM contract with $27MM fully guaranteed. It’s not quite the payday he had in mind, but a catastrophic injury would have prevented him from signing anything in that neighborhood.

If Gordon misses games, he’ll sacrifice roughly $330K per week, representing 1/17th of his $5.6MM salary.

Browns, Damarious Randall Discussing Deal

July 12th, 2019 at 8:50am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns and defensive back Damarious Randall have had “very preliminary” talks about a new deal, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com hears. For now, Randall is set to play out 2019 on his fifth-year option, which would pay him $9.069MM.

Already, Randall has seen a significant bump from his previous pay. Over the first four years of his career, Randall earned just $7.915MM combined. A new deal would likely keep him paid around the $9MM/year level, over multiple seasons.

The Browns shifted Randall from cornerback to free safety, but even at his new position, Randall stands to earn a solid payday. Currently, Tyrann Mathieu (Chiefs, $14MM/year), Landon Collins (Redskins, $14MM/year), and Earl Thomas (Ravens, $13.75MM) lead the way at the position and Randall figures to be somewhere in the second tier.

For his part, Randall has said that he wants to stick around in Cleveland after spending the early part of his career in Green Bay.

“I would want to finish my career here in Cleveland,” Randall said. “I love it here. The fans, the coaches, everybody in charge here, I just love Cleveland.”

Extra Points: 2020 NFL Draft, Gronk, T-Rich

July 12th, 2019 at 8:42am CST by Zachary Links

The wide receiver crop in the 2019 NFL draft left much to be desired, but it’s a different story in 2020, as Kalyn Kahler of The MMQB writes. This year, there was not a receiver chosen until No. 25 overall when the Ravens took Marquise Brown. This year, there are several players with high-end potential.

“On the surface it looks as though there are much better route runners with legit gas in this class,” one scout told Kahler. “Not just big jump-ball guys. There could be several Calvin Ridley-types, which could play multiple roles in offenses, increasing their value.”

Among 2020’s top WRs is Alabama junior Jerry Jeudy, who boasts impressive route running despite being undersized at 6’1″ and 192 pounds. Last year, Jeudy reeled in 14 touchdowns and dropped just four of his 72 catchable balls.

Others to watch: Colorado’s Laviska Shenault Jr., TCU’s Jalen Reagor, Oklahoma’s Ceedee Lamb, Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace, and Clemson’s Tee Higgins.

As you gear up way, way too early for the 2020 NFL Draft, here’s more from around the league:

The NFL and the NFLPA are set to meet on Monday-Wednesday to discuss a new CBA and Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that the players are interested in creating shorter rookie deals for incoming players. Currently, draft picks are signed to four-year contracts, with teams holding fifth-year options for first-round picks. With shorter rookie deals, players would be able to reach free agency at an earlier date and earn market-value deals sooner.
Take this with a grain of driveway salt, but as Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports writes, a recent interaction captured between former Patriots star Rob Gronkowski and Drew Brees has conspiracy theorists (and amateur lip readers) buzzing. Gronk, some say, told the Saints quarterback that he is “coming back [to football].” For now, we’re assuming that the tight end is staying retired, especially since he has slimmed down considerably since the Super Bowl.
Running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Connor Cook are participating in the XFL’s “Summer Showcase” in St. Louis on Saturday, as Michael David Smith of PFT writes. T-Rich, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 draft, is apparently still focused on getting back to the NFL. Last year, he led the AAF with 12 touchdowns before the league went belly-up. Cook, meanwhile, was never able to do much in the NFL despite some buzz heading into the 2016 draft.
CAA, one of the most powerful agencies in the NFL, is driving a hard bargain for rookies, Mike Florio of PFT writes. This year, four of the five remaining unsigned first-round picks are repped by CAA. And, last July, five of seven unsigned players in the top 10 were repped by CAA. As of this writing, the following first-rounders are unsigned: 49ers defensive end Joey Bosa (No. 2; represented by CAA), Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (No. 3; represented by Nicole Lynn of Young Money APAA Sports), Bucs linebacker Devin White (No. 5; CAA), Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (No. 6; CAA), and Panthers linebacker Brian Burns (No. 16; CAA).

Release Candidate: Lions RB Theo Riddick

July 11th, 2019 at 9:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Calling Theo Riddick a running back is a bit misleading, as he’s really more of a pass-catcher than a ball-carrier. In three of his six seasons with the Lions, the 28-year-old Riddick has garnered more pass targets than rush attempts. He’s been a valuable asset in Detroit’s receiving game, but is he a lock to remain on the club’s roster in 2019?

The Lions’ run game has been a disaster for most of Matthew Stafford‘s tenure under center. Detroit famously went without a single-game 100-yard rusher from 2013 until September of 2018, when rookie Kerryon Johnson accomplished the feat against the Patriots. Johnson is expected to handle the majority of the Lions’ carries next season, although Detroit management has refrained from labeling him a “bellcow.” The Auburn product posted 641 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 118 attempts last year, but missed most of the second half of the campaign with a knee injury.

Detroit set out to add at least one more option to its backfield this offseason, and general manager Bob Quinn & Co. zeroed in on a pair of Rams alums. First, the Lions inked Los Angeles restricted free agent Malcolm Brown to a two-year, $3.3MM offer sheet, but the Rams ultimately matched those terms and retained the 26-year-old. The Lions looked elsewhere on the market and found fellow ex-Ram C.J. Anderson, signing the veteran to a one-year pact worth $1.5MM.

Johnson and Anderson are locks for the Detroit roster, so assuming the Lions keep four running backs, Riddick will compete with Zach Zenner and sixth-round rookie Ty Johnson for a roster spot. If the Lions feel as though they need a dedicated pass-catching back, Riddick should be safe. If not, or if Detroit thinks Kerryon Johnson will handle enough receiving work on his own, the Lions could retain the special teams skills of Zenner and take a flier on a minimum salary player like Ty Johnson.

Riddick’s contract — not his talent — is his true barrier to making the Lions’ roster. The Notre Dame product agreed to a three-year, $11.5MM extension with Detroit in 2016, and he’s set to count for $4.625MM on the team’s 2019 salary cap. If the Lions release Riddick, they’ll clear all but ~$963K of that total.

There’s an argument to be made that if the Lions wanted to cut Riddick, they would have already done so. But it’s also possible that Detroit will wait until the regular season is closer to part ways with Riddick. He’d have little leverage at that point, and could probably be pressured into accepting a pay cut (or simply re-signing with Detroit at a cheaper rate after being released).

Riddick can still be a valuable player as a pass-catcher, but it’s hard to see the Lions being comfortable with his near $5MM cap charge, especially given the projected workload of Johnson and Anderson. Therefore, Riddick could find himself on the free agent market later this summer.