HEADLINES

Month: October 2024

Seahawks Interested in Ahtyba Rubin?

July 8th, 2019 at 7:21pm CST by Rory Parks

The Seahawks could be interested in reuniting with old friend Ahtyba Rubin, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets. If Seattle were to sign the defensive lineman, who turns 33 later his month, it would likely be on a veteran minimum deal (or something close to it).

Rubin, a former sixth-round pick of the Browns, was a stalwart on Cleveland’s D-line from 2010-14, and he was generally a solid starter during that time. He hooked on with the Seahawks on a one-year pact in March 2015, and he enjoyed a strong first season in Seattle, starting all 16 games and compiling 36 tackles and two sacks. Seattle rewarded him with a three-year, $12MM deal the following year, but that contract did not hold up particularly well.

Rubin again started all 16 games for the Seahawks in 2016, but the club shopped him prior to the 2017 season and, finding no takers, released him. He played for both the Broncos and the Falcons in 2017 and signed with the Raiders last June, though he tore his triceps during a practice in August and never saw regular season action for Oakland.

He would serve as an experienced rotational piece on running downs and could push second-year player Poona Ford for playing time.

Supplemental Draft Notes: Thompson, Texans, Clarington

July 8th, 2019 at 6:56pm CST by Rory Parks

With the 2019 Supplemental Draft scheduled to take place on Wednesday, let’s round up the latest notes on this year’s prospects:

  • Washington State safety Jalen Thompson is the most-hyped player in this year’s supplemental class, and he held his workout today. According to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com, 26 teams were on hand for Thompson’s exhibition, and the Texans sent their director of scouting. The Packers have also reportedly shown a great deal of interest in Thompson, who is expected to be taken in the later rounds of the draft.
  • No one from the Redskins‘ front office was physically in attendance for Thompson’s workout, but as John Keim of ESPN.com tweets, the team was repped by the BLESTO scouting service. The service will provide Washington with video of Thompson’s workout and his medicals.
  • Former University of Texas commit Devonaire Clarington also worked out for NFL teams today, and Greg Auman of The Athletic put together an excellent piece detailing Clarington’s long journey to the doorstep of pro football. Clarington never suited up for the Longhorns due to academic issues, but at 6-7 with good hands and good speed from the tight end position, it’s not inconceivable that a team could take a late-round flier on him. Indeed, Clarington said he has fielded calls from at least 20 teams, including five different members of the Browns‘ staff.
  • We recently heard that former West Virginia wideout Marcus Simms is, like Thompson, likely to be selected.

Whitney Mercilus Wants To Remain With Texans

July 8th, 2019 at 5:40pm CST by Rory Parks

Whitney Mercilus is entering the last year of the extension that he signed with the Texans in May 2015, but there has been no talk about a new deal for the former first-round pick at this point. And from the team’s perspective, that makes sense, as Mercilus suffered a season-ending pectoral injury five games into the 2017 campaign, wasn’t particularly effective last year — though he appeared in all 17 regular and postseason games — and hasn’t totaled double-digit sacks since 2015.

But the lower sack totals, at least, are not too much of a concern at this point, as Mercilus is no longer being featured as a primary pass rusher. Last year, not only did his snap count drop (partially due to a sore hamstring that bothered him throughout the first part of the season), but he was also routinely asked to drop into pass coverage for the first time in his career.

As Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes, Mercilus concedes that the new responsibilities came with a learning curve. He said, “it was a new adjustment for me: understanding and dropping back into pass coverage, helping out there with the route combinations that were there and jumbling around in my head.”

But he believes that a fully healthy offseason and a year of experience in a different role will yield improved production, and he thinks that his newfound versatility will be a boon to him and to the Texans.

Mercilus is also hopeful that a better showing in 2019 will lead to a new contract with the Texans. When asked if he wants to remain in Houston, he said, “[o]f course. Once we cross that road, we will. Right now, I’m just focusing on having the most stellar season that I can.”

Houston’s coaching staff is confident that Mercilus’ athleticism and intelligence will allow him to thrive, and if he does, then the team would certainly be open to re-signing the soon-to-be 29-year-old. The fact that he is well-liked in the locker room and active in the community could also help his cause.

Jaylon Smith Confident He Will Get Extension From Cowboys

July 8th, 2019 at 4:35pm CST by Rory Parks

Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith turned in an excellent campaign in 2018. He started all 18 of Dallas’ regular and postseason games, and he piled up nearly 140 tackles in the process. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus loved him, as he graded out as PFF’s sixth-best LB in the league and was lauded for both his coverage skills and his run-stopping abilities.

As such, team owner Jerry Jones said back in May that an extension for Smith would be in the cards. But the last we heard, no extension discussions had taken place, and since Smith will be a restricted free agent next offseason, there is theoretically no rush for the club to jump into negotiations. Indeed, a report last week indicated that Dallas would tender Smith at the second-round level in 2020, which suggests that contract talks may not begin in earnest until this time next year.

Smith, though, is not sweating it. During an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio (h/t Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk), Smith expressed confidence that he would get a new contract from Dallas. He said, “[w]hen it’s time for [Jones] to cut the check, it will happen. I just have to embrace where I’m at. I’m blessed for sure.”

Indeed, Smith is now far removed from the devastating ACL/LCL injury that he suffered in the last game of his collegiate career, which turned him from a surefire top-five pick in the 2016 draft into the No. 34 overall selection. Last season, he showed why college scouts were so high on him prior to that fateful Fiesta Bowl, and if he reprises his 2018 performance in 2019, it would not be difficult to imagine another team signing Smith to an offer sheet that Dallas cannot match if Dallas only uses a second-round tender on him. In that scenario, the signing team would only have to forfeit a second-round draft choice, which is not too high of a price for a young and uber-talented ‘backer.

The Cowboys are likely about to fork over some serious coin to Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, Ezekiel Elliott, and Byron Jones, but if they wait too long on Smith, the Notre Dame product could price himself out of their range. As of right now, though, neither side seems too concerned.

DE Carl Lawson Eyeing Week 1 Return

July 8th, 2019 at 3:35pm CST by Ben Levine

Carl Lawson is less than nine months removed from suffering a torn ACL, but the Bengals defensive end is still confident that he’ll be ready for the start of the season. The 24-year-0ld told NFL Network’s Good Morning Football that he’s looking to return in time for Week 1.

“The goal is to be out there Week 1, and I’m feeling great,” Lawson said (via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra). “Thankfully I can take care of my body, I’ve got a lot of different resources, I can fly to places, I can do everything underneath the sun because I have the money to do it. So, it’s been a great rehab process.”

Lawson was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft and immediately contributed on the Bengals’ defensive line. While Cincy limited his playing time during his rookie campaign (Lawson played 41% of the team’s defensive snaps in 2017), he still managed to post 8.5 sacks and 21 quarterback hits, the latter of which tied him for 19th league-wide. This past season, Lawson had posted only one sack, but still was ranked as a top-15 edge rusher, per Pro Football Focus.

The Bengals will look a whole lot different in 2019, with head coach Zac Taylor leading the new additions. The team will also welcome back a number of injured players, including Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, Preston Brown and (potentially) Tyler Eifert. If the Bengals can remain healthy next season, Lawson is confident that the team can compete.

“You can expect a lot, but at the same time, in this league, that’s what separates different teams, being able to be healthy throughout the season,” he said. “I think the main thing is being able to have that depth, and that carry over, so when things do happen. You know, because everybody’s like ‘Oh, well if we were healthy, if this or that, whatever’ — not that many injuries as we had last year — but I think you can expect a lot from us.”

Julio Jones Will Attend Training Camp

July 8th, 2019 at 2:32pm CST by Ben Levine

Falcons wideout Julio Jones reported to his team’s minicamp last month, a clear indication that he won’t hold out as he pursues a new contract. The Pro Bowl receiver reiterated this sentiment to TMZ.com, saying he trusts owner Arthur Blank and won’t miss training camp.

“Mr. Blank gave us his word. . . . That’s golden,” Jones said (via Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk.com). “[Blank’s] word is that it’s going to get done. . . . There’s no stress on my end. I’m not thinking about it.

“[Blank] makes it easy for me to go out and just work every day and not have one of those situations where there’s a holdout or anything like that.”

Blank had previously said he expects Jones (along with teammates Grady Jarrett and Deion Jones) to be “Falcons for life.” There had been reports of progress on the Jones front throughout the offseason, but with two years remaining on the receiver’s contract, the organization may be patient as they work to extend their offensive star. The lack of an new contract hasn’t prevented Jones from participating in team workouts; while he skipped OTAs for a second-straight year, the 30-year-old attended minicamp last month.

Jones has been pushing for a new contract since the 2018 offseason — before Odell Beckham Jr. signed his five-year, $90MM deal. Beckham’s $18MM-per-year pact and Antonio Brown‘s redone deal — which reset his APY figure to $19.8MM — lead the receiver market. Jones will presumably be looking to approach those marks, with our own Zach Links recently suggesting a three-year extension that adds $60MM in new money to his pact.

Going into his ninth season, Jones is coming off his sixth Pro Bowl slate and second-highest single-season yardage total. He posted a 1,677-yard season in 2018, leading the league in receiving but falling short of a third first-team All-Pro honor.

Bucs Sign Third-Round CB Jamel Dean

July 8th, 2019 at 12:23pm CST by Ben Levine

With rookies set to report to training camp in two weeks, the Buccaneers have almost finished signing their entire draft class. Today, the organization announced that they’ve signed third-round cornerback Jamel Dean to his rookie contract.

Dean struggled through knee injuries early in his collegiate career, but the defensive back improved his draft stock over the past two seasons. In 26 games at Auburn, Dean compiled 73 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, a pair of interceptions and 17 passes defended. The cornerback’s measurables (six-foot-one, 206 pounds) already impressed scouts, but he stole the show at the NFL Scouting Combine after running the best 40-yard dash time among cornerback prospects.

The Buccaneers’ secondary struggled in 2018, meaning Dean should have an opportunity at a role heading into next season. Vernon Hargreaves and Carlton Davis are projected to start on the outside, while Ryan Smith or M.J. Stewart will have first dibs at the nickel spot. However, Dean will have a chance to compete with second-round rookie Sean Murphy-Bunting for backup reps.

Following today’s signing, first-round linebacker Devin White is the only Buccaneers rookie left unsigned. The Buccaneers’ entire draft haul is listed below:

This Date In Transactions History: Giants Extend Victor Cruz

July 8th, 2019 at 11:30am CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2013, Victor Cruz likely performed one of the most enthusiastic salsa dances of his career. Heading into a contract year worth $2.879MM, the Giants receiver inked a five-year extension worth up to $43MM. 

It was a substantial payout for Cruz, but one that reflected his value to the club as well as the league’s increased appreciation of the slot receiver position. Lining up mostly on the inside, Cruz broke out in 2011 with 82 catches, 1,536 yards, and nine touchdowns. His 2012 encore wasn’t quite as efficient (he posted an 86/1092/10 stat line), but he was still recognized as a vital part of the Giants’ passing attack and earned his first career Pro Bowl nod.

Not wanting to risk losing Cruz to free agency after his one-year restricted free agent tender – particularly after watching him carve up the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game – the Giants moved to lock down Cruz for the long term. Cruz could have gambled by staying on track for free agency after the 2013 season, but the added security of the deal, including nearly $16MM in guarantees, provided him with financial security.

In hindsight, it was the smart play for the former undrafted free agent. Initially slowed by a heel bruise, came two yards shy of the 1,000-yard mark in 2013, despite missing two games. Unfortunately, in 2014, the course of his career changed dramatically. A torn patellar tendon ended his campaign after just six games and a calf injury in the following season put him under the knife before he could take the field.

By the time Cruz returned to action in 2016, the Giants’ offense was fully focused on Odell Beckham Jr., who routinely toasted opposing defensive backs and gobbled up targets, catches, yards, and touchdowns. At this point, Cruz’s trademark speed was no longer there, and neither was his former Rabbi, Tom Coughlin. Cruz took a pay cut to stay in the fold, but registered just 39 catches for 586 yards. The two sides were expected to hammer out a similar arrangement for his 2017 season, but they released him instead.

Cruz moved on to the Bears, but a knee injury in the final preseason game torpedoed his comeback attempt. Later, he tried to lobby the Giants to sign him via the local press, but his request went unanswered. Finally, in August of 2018, Cruz announced his retirement and entry into the world of broadcasting with ESPN.

Although Cruz’s time on top was brief, he left the game with a tremendous highlight reel, multiple productive seasons, a Super Bowl ring, and an iconic touchdown celebration that will forever be remembered by Giants fans.

Delanie Walker To Start Training Camp On PUP?

July 8th, 2019 at 10:52am CST by Ben Levine

Delanie Walker was able to achieve his goal of participating in Titans OTAs, but that doesn’t mean the tight end is fully recovered from his dislocated and fractured ankle. The veteran told Sports Illustrated’s Jenny Vrentas that he’s uncertain if he’ll start training camp on the physically unable to perform list.

“I’ll leave that up to the coaches,” the 34-year-old said. “We have great coaches and training staff. They’re probably not going to let me hit the ground running like I want to, but I look forward to getting into my groove.”

It makes sense for the Titans to operate with some caution, especially considering Walker’s age and injury. The tight end will be 35 by Week 1, and he’s also set to play in his 14th NFL season. If the team wants him to replicate the production from his first five seasons in Tennessee, it makes sense to bring him along slowly.

Walker joined the Titans back in 2013, and he earned three-straight Pro Bowl nods between 2015 and 2017. Prior to last season, the team gave the veteran a two-year extension worth $17MM ($12.6MM guaranteed). Walker ranks top-10 in Titans history in receptions, touchdowns, and receiving yards.

If Walker were to miss any time, the Titans would likely lean on former third-rounder Jonnu Smith. The Titans are also rostering tight ends Anthony Firkser, Ryan Hewitt, MyCole Pruitt, and Cole Wick.

Latest On Colts TE Jack Doyle

July 8th, 2019 at 10:04am CST by Ben Levine

Jack Doyle had a breakout season in 2017, earning a Pro Bowl nod along the way. Unfortunately, the Colts tight end couldn’t build off that campaign, as he struggled with injuries throughout 2018.

After appearing in the first two games of the season, Doyle missed the next five with a hip injury. The tight end made it back to the field for four games in October and November, but his season came to an end after he suffered a lacerated kidney. The 29-year-old ultimately finished the year having hauled in 26 receptions for 245 yards and two touchdowns in six games.

While Doyle was capable of running routes during the Colts offseason camp, he cautioned that he’s not targeting any specific return date.

“I really am trying to take it one day at a time, not rushing anything,” Doyle told Heather Bremer of The Herald Bulletin. “But I’m happy with where I’m at and happy with the progress I’ve made. It’s definitely going in the right direction, and when it’s time to get back out there, I’ll be excited to be back out there. I promise you that.”

While Doyle may not be ready for the start of training camp, that won’t stop offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni from gushing about the depth at tight end. Doyle will be joining Eric Ebron, who finished last season with a career-high 13 touchdowns. The team is also rostering Mo Alie-Cox, who showed some flashes last year.

“It’s exciting to know that he is making a full recovery from his hip, from his kidney and we are going to have the Jack Doyle that we had at the start last year,” Sirianni said.

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