2019 August - Pro Football Rumors

Russell Okung Will Miss At Least Week 1

August 30th, 2019 at 5:53pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Updates have been hard to come by on Chargers left tackle Russell Okung. Okung has been sidelined all offseason, and it’s never been clear exactly what is wrong.

Okung was placed on the NFI list last month with an undisclosed illness, and Chargers GM Tom Telesco said he had been dealing with a “pretty serious medical issue” since June. At the time it was reported that he could miss all of training camp, and that’s exactly what happened. Now we have confirmation that he’ll miss regular season time, as Telesco said recently that Okung will not be ready for Week 1, via Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Further, Telesco said that he’d have “a better update on Okung’s health status in a couple weeks.” It sounds like there’s a good chance Okung isn’t back anytime soon. Obviously this isn’t good news for the Chargers, as they’re looking to follow-up on last year’s strong 12-4 campaign. Los Angeles has already dealt with some tough injury luck, as star safety Derwin James will be sidelined for a few months with a foot issue.

Okung signed a four-year, $53MM deal with the Chargers in 2017, and he made the Pro Bowl that year. He’s started 30 games for them the past couple of years, and his absence will be a huge downgrade to Philip Rivers‘ offensive line. The Chargers will now move forward with Sam Tevi, Trenton Scott, and Trey Pipkins as their top three tackles. None of them are particularly inspiring options.

Seahawks Waive Paxton Lynch

August 30th, 2019 at 5:29pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Paxton Lynch experiment in Seattle is over. The Seahawks have waived the former first-round pick quarterback, a source told Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link).

With Lynch being cut, that means that Geno Smith has won the right to carry Russell Wilson‘s clipboard during the regular season. Condotta writes that the Seahawks “may try to keep Lynch on the practice squad.” Lynch drew some positive reviews earlier this preseason, but he melted down in the team’s fourth and final game. He completed just one of seven passes for four yards, which likely sealed his fate if it wasn’t sealed already.

The Broncos drafted the Memphis product 26th overall back in 2016, and he never panned out in Denver. He never got a chance to be the full-time starter, a feat very rare for first-round quarterbacks. During his time with the Broncos he started a total of four games, tossing four touchdowns and four interceptions while averaging only 6.2 yards per attempt.

After spending the entire 2018 season out of football, he signed with the Seahawks in January. Lynch has plenty of athleticism and can make the occasional splashy play, but has never been able to put it all together. There have been questions about his maturity, and he’s running out of chances to show he can deliver on his potential.

Titans Sign C Ben Jones To Extension

August 30th, 2019 at 5:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans and veteran center Ben Jones agreed to an extension Friday, the team announced. Jones has been the Titans’ starting center since signing with the team in 2016. It’s a two-year deal that will keep Jones in Tennessee through the 2021 season, Paul Kuharsky of Paul Kuharsky.com tweets.

This re-up will pay Jones $13.5MM in new money, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. It marks an AAV bump for the eighth-year snapper who was entering the final year of his contract, but with it being on the low end for veteran centers, this marks a team-friendly pact.

The former Texans blocker has played in all 48 regular-season Titans games since signing his initial four-year, $17.5MM deal. He will no longer be entering a walk year, with the Titans viewing the 30-year-old lineman as a key piece going forward.

Tennessee has used a run-oriented offense throughout Jones’ tenure, and the franchise added longtime Rams guard Rodger Saffold this offseason to further bolster its ground attack. Jones joins Saffold and left tackle Taylor Lewan as Titans blockers signed long-term.

A former fourth-round pick out of Georgia, Jones has never missed a game since joining the Texans in 2012. His 112 straight games are the most among active NFL offensive linemen, as are his 80 consecutive starts. Jones graded as the NFL’s No. 12 center last season, per Pro Football Focus, and has been viewed as a consistent blocker for a Titans team that’s ranked third, 15th and sixth in rushing since he switched AFC South sides.

Browns Trade QB David Blough To Lions

August 30th, 2019 at 4:45pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Lions are stockpiling quarterbacks. Detroit is trading for David Blough, acquiring him from the Browns, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

In perhaps the most minor trade on a day full of minor trades, the two teams will swap seventh-round picks in 2022, Schefter notes. Blough is an undrafted rookie from Purdue who had been operating as Cleveland’s fourth-string quarterback in camp. The Lions are in the process of trimming their roster so this will likely change shortly, but as of right now they have five passers on their roster.

Behind starter Matthew Stafford, they currently have Tom Savage, Josh Johnson, and former AAF signal-caller Luis Perez. Perez was just signed a couple of days ago. Savage started the offseason as Stafford’s backup, and the team signed the legendary journeyman Johnson after Savage sustained a concussion in the preseason. Blough was a starter for most of the past four years at Purdue, earning a third-team All-Big Ten selection last year.

Colts Trade OL Evan Boehm To Dolphins

August 30th, 2019 at 4:33pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Dolphins are adding another interior offensive lineman. Only a couple hours after trading for guard Danny Isidora, Miami is now making a deal with Indianapolis to acquire center/guard Evan Boehm, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Per Schefter, it’s for a conditional pick in the 2020 draft. Boehm was originally drafted by the Cardinals in the fourth-round back in 2016. He was waived just prior to last season, and ended up latching on with the Colts. He appeared in 11 games for Indy, making four starts when normal center Ryan Kelly went down with an injury. In 2017, he started eight games at guard for Arizona, so he has a decent amount of starting experience.

The Dolphins have had interior line troubles for seemingly forever now, so it makes sense why they’re making these minor moves. Boehm has valuable versatility and it wouldn’t be at all surprising if he sees real playing time for Miami given the current state of their offensive line. The Missouri product also spent a brief amount of time on the Rams’ practice squad last year before the Colts signed him.

Jadeveon Clowney Doesn’t Want To Play For Dolphins

August 30th, 2019 at 4:18pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It seems like Jadeveon Clowney won’t be headed to the Dolphins after all. The Texans outside linebacker is “adamant” that he doesn’t want to play for Miami, a source told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Just a few days ago, we heard that the Dolphins considered themselves the favorites to land the former first overall pick. The Jets, Redskins, Seahawks, and Eagles have all also held conversations with Houston about trading for Clowney. Since Clowney can’t be traded until he signs his franchise tender, he has the leverage to shoot down a potential trade. He’s apparently more interested in joining a playoff contender, as Seattle and Philadelphia are said to be his preferred destinations.

Clowney met with Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and other members of the organization in person, but he clearly wasn’t swayed by their pitch. In a follow-up tweet, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle writes that Clowney specifically hasn’t signed his tender because he doesn’t want to play for the Dolphins.

Miami has been the most active publicly in their pursuit, and there have been rumors of a potential swap involving left tackle Laremy Tunsil. It was reported yesterday that there would be a “revolt” in the locker room if the Dolphins traded Tunsil. It’s unclear how interested the other four teams are, or if they’ll be willing to meet Houston’s asking price. Clowney has let it be known he’s willing to miss regular season games, so it doesn’t seem like there’s an end in sight here.

Saints Cut Kayvon Webster

August 30th, 2019 at 3:09pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints have cut cornerback Kayvon Webster, according to multiple reports. The 28-year-old’s run in New Orleans lasted less than three months.

The Saints auditioned several cornerbacks early on this summer and liked what Webster brought to the table. But, with a solid group of CBs already locked in, a spot was far from guaranteed for the vet.

Webster garnered some hype as a backup in Denver, but injuries spoiled what could have been his true coming out party with the Rams. Instead of taking off in old friend Wade Phillips‘ system, his season ended after just eleven games. Last year, he latched on with the Texans, but he was limited to just two games thanks to multiple injuries and two IR stints.

Panthers Place Graham Gano On IR

August 30th, 2019 at 3:06pm CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have placed kicker Graham Gano on injured reserve (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com). There was some discussion about Gano being carried on IR, but they’ll move on from him instead and turn to Joey Slye.

Gano, a kicker with a solid track record, was not a trade candidate because of his injury and his high cap number (roughly $3.7MM).

Slye, a Virginia Tech product, auditioned for the Bucs last year but ultimately remained unsigned. He’s impressed the Panthers enough to get a crack at the job for 2019, and potentially beyond if he performs well.

Eagles Cut CB Orlando Scandrick

August 30th, 2019 at 2:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles are cutting cornerback Orlando Scandrick (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Scandrick, who spent years with the rival Cowboys, joined Philly earlier this summer.

At the time of signing, the back-half of the Eagles’ defense was badly banged up. Things have improved on that front, so the veteran’s services were no longer needed.

After playing the first ten years of his career with the Cowboys, Scandrick signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Redskins last offseason. He didn’t even make it out of camp with them before he was released. Then, he was then scooped up by the Chiefs. He played out the year in Kansas City’s league-worst secondary, making seven starts.

Vikings Trade Danny Isidora To Dolphins

August 30th, 2019 at 2:46pm CST by Zachary Links

We have yet another trade involving an offensive lineman. The Vikings have shipped offensive guard Danny Isidora to the Dolphins, per an announcement from both clubs.

In the swap, the Vikings will get a 2020 seventh-round pick from the Fins. It’s a decent take-away for a player who was highly unlikely to make the final cut.

In the past, the Vikings have struggled with interior offensive line depth. These days, they’ve got a bit extra, and they’ve managed to parlay it into a bit of extra draft capital.