2020 August - Pro Football Rumors

Jets Cut Kenneth Dixon

August 19th, 2020 at 9:24am CST by Zachary Links

Kenneth Dixon‘s time with the Jets has come to an end. On Wednesday, the Jets dropped the running back to make room for Chris Hogan.

Dixon joined the Jets late last year in the wake of Bilal Powell‘s ankle injury. Before that, he spent the early part of his career with the Ravens. The 2016 fourth-rounder played well when he was healthy, averaging 5.6 yards per tote in 2018. However, that came in a small sample size – Dixon had just 60 carries that year.

Between injuries and suspensions, Dixon was on the field for just 18 games across three Baltimore seasons. When the Ravens added Mark Ingram and Justice Hill, they had no room for Dixon. The Jets, with less depth in the backfield, have come to the same conclusion. With just a few weeks to go before the start of the season, they’ll forge ahead with a young group of RBs behind Le’Veon Bell and Frank Gore.

Hogan agreed to join the Jets earlier this week, but his deal did not become official until earlier today. The two-time Super Bowl champ can now say that he has inked deals with all four teams in the AFC East.

Michigan OL Jalen Mayfield Declares For Draft

August 18th, 2020 at 4:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Big Ten’s decision to postpone its football season created ripple effects across the college football landscape. A possible spring season will make it difficult for 2021 draft-eligible prospects. A few such talents opted out of the season when the conference was still hoping to play this fall.

One such player will pass on a not-yet-certain spring slate. Michigan tackle Jalen Mayfield announced he is declaring for the draft ahead of what was set to be his redshirt-sophomore season (Twitter link).

Mayfield rated as a first-round talent on Todd McShay’s first 2021 big board. But he will leave the Wolverines program after just one season of action. The former four-star prospect operated as Michigan’s starting right tackle as a freshman last season.

Mayfield joins fellow Big Ten Round 1 hopefuls Micah Parsons (Penn State), Rondale Moore (Purdue) and Rashod Bateman (Minnesota) in opting out of the in-limbo college football season.

Dolphins’ Vince Biegel Tears Achilles

August 18th, 2020 at 4:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins are set to be without a key defensive role player this season. Linebacker Vince Biegel suffered an Achilles’ tendon tear Tuesday, Josh Tolentino of The Athletic tweets.

A fourth-year defender, Biegel started 10 games for the Dolphins last season. He led the team with 13 quarterback hits. The former Packers draftee entered 2019 without any QB hits in his previous two seasons.

Biegel and the Dolphins were discussing an extension in January. While the pandemic prompted many teams to table extension talks, Biegel’s value will take a serious hit with Tuesday’s news. The Dolphins tendered the former fourth-round pick as an RFA this offseason.

While the Dolphins featured plenty of opportunities for previously under-the-radar players to see playing time last season, they featured some experience at linebacker in Raekwon McMillan and Jerome Baker. Biegel still played 56% of Miami’s defensive snaps — after previously never clearing the 12% threshold while with the Packers and Saints — and recorded 59 tackles and an interception.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/20

August 18th, 2020 at 4:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the afternoon.

Cleveland Browns

Waived/injured: DE George Obinna

Dallas Cowboys

Signed: T Pace Murphy

Las Vegas Raiders

Waived: CB Ken Crawley
Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Rod Smith

Minnesota Vikings

Signed: LB Hardy Nickerson
Waived: CB Marcus Sayles

Seattle Seahawks

Claimed (from Falcons): QB Danny Etling
Signed: DT P.J. Johnson

Cowboys Release Gerald McCoy

August 18th, 2020 at 4:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

It does not appear Gerald McCoy‘s three-year Cowboys contract will make it into Year 1. Following the veteran defensive tackle’s quadriceps injury, the Cowboys are releasing him, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

An injury waiver exists within McCoy’s deal, and Schefter adds the Cowboys are using this mechanism to release McCoy (Twitter link). While a standard release would have cost Dallas $7MM, the franchise will move off this contract and pay out just $3MM.

The former top-five pick was due $9MM in guarantees on the three-year, $18MM pact he signed in March. The Cowboys, however, are off the hook for McCoy’s $2.5MM 2020 base salary and $750K roster bonus, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets. The team inserted this waiver into McCoy’s contract after determining he had a pre-existing quadriceps condition, Gehlken adds (via Twitter).

McCoy is not expected to play this season. He suffered a torn quad earlier this week. The Cowboys have been busy on their defensive line this offseason, adding Dontari Poe, Aldon Smith and Everson Griffen. But McCoy was slated to be a key player for the Cowboys this season. The team has already moved on, with the release showing up on the league’s transaction wire.

The Buccaneers released McCoy last summer, and the six-time Pro Bowler found his way to the Panthers. McCoy played in 16 games last season, registering five sacks to give him 59.5 for his career. His best hope of adding to this total will be a return to health in advance of his age-33 season in 2021.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Washington, Staff, Vander Esch

August 18th, 2020 at 2:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Eagles are not officially holding out hope Brandon Brooks can return late in the 2020 season, they have not shut that prospect down. They placed the Pro Bowl guard on the PUP list, rather than injured reserve. Lane Johnson said his longtime teammate is ahead of schedule and can see him returning from his latest Achilles tear before the season ends, Tim McManus of ESPN.com tweets. Brooks recovered from a January 2019 Achilles tear to return in time for Week 1 last season. Following the same timetable, Brooks could conceivably be in play for a late-December or January re-emergence. As players like Terrell Suggs and Michael Crabtree showed during the 2010s, an offseason Achilles tear is not an automatic season-ender. Of course, Brooks is carrying a bit more weight and suffered his injury later in the offseason. Longtime Eagles left tackle Jason Peters is currently manning Brooks’ right guard position.

As the NFC East teams begin their padded training camp practices, here is the latest from the division:

Doug Pederson is back at work after contracting COVID-19. The fifth-year Eagles HC was the third known coach to test positive for the coronavirus, following Sean Payton and Anthony Lynn. Unlike the Saints and Chargers coaches, Pederson, 52, was asymptomatic.
Leighton Vander Esch has been playing a new position at Cowboys camp. The third-year linebacker has swapped spots with Jaylon Smith, with Vander Esch now playing middle linebacker and Smith shifting to the weak side, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes. Both players are set to reprise their roles as Dallas’ three-down ‘backers. The Cowboys changed defensive coordinators this offseason, moving from Rod Marinelli to Mike Nolan. Vander Esch is returning from offseason neck surgery.
Washington made a historic business-side hire, naming Jason Wright as team president. A former linebacker who played seven seasons with the Falcons, Browns and Cardinals, Wright is the NFL’s first Black team president and the fourth former player to be named to such a post. While the 38-year-old exec will succeed Bruce Allen, his responsibilities will be exclusively on the business side, John Keim of ESPN.com notes. Washington remains without a nominal GM.
The Cowboys will have a new voice in their quarterbacks room, at least for training camp. Seneca Wallace is working with Dallas’ QBs as a training camp staffer, Jon Machota of The Athletic tweets. Wallace joins fellow recent NFL passers Kellen Moore and Scott Tolzien on the Cowboys’ staff. Like Tolzien, Wallace spent time in Green Bay during Mike McCarthy‘s run.

Bears CB Artie Burns Tears ACL

August 18th, 2020 at 2:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bears will be without one of their offseason additions. Artie Burns suffered a torn ACL during practice, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Tuesday tests confirmed the diagnosis, which will end the cornerback’s season.

A former Steelers first-round pick, Burns signed a one-year deal worth just more than $1MM. This was to be a comeback bid of sorts for Burns, who did not do well to justify his draft slot in Pittsburgh.

Chicago cut Prince Amukamara earlier this year and was counting on Burns to play a role in its secondary. The team drafted Utah’s Jaylon Johnson in Round 2, however. Despite this being a difficult year for rookies to transition to the pro game, the Day 2 selection may be asked to contribute from the start.

Burns, 25, has made 32 career starts. But he trended down with the Steelers as his career progressed. The ex-Miami Hurricane prospect played just 6% of Pittsburgh’s defensive snaps last season and will now have to wait until 2021 to resume his career. Notable veteran corners remain available in free agency. Logan Ryan, Aqib Talib, Dre Kirkpatrick and Trumaine Johnson represent the biggest names out there.

49ers Work Out Jaron Brown

August 18th, 2020 at 11:04am CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers are bringing wide receiver Jaron Brown in for an audition, as NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Brown could serve as additional depth in the wake of Jalen Hurd’s suspected ACL tear.

Hurd went down with a non-contact injury while practicing on Sunday. It’s yet another setback for the 2019 third-round pick, who missed his would-be rookie season with a back injury. The Niners, meanwhile, are looking thin at the position. Deebo Samuel will be out for a stretch with a Jones fracture in his foot and Travis Benjamin is out of the equation following his opt out.

The Niners added reinforcements by signing Tavon Austin and J.J. Nelson last week, but they could still use some more bodies. Brown, who has spent seven seasons in the NFC West between the Seahawks and Cardinals, could stay in comfortable territory for an eighth year. In 2019, Brown caught 16 passes for 220 yards and two scores. His best season came in 2017, when he registered 31 catches for 477 yards and four touchdowns with Arizona.

Jaguars DE Aaron Lynch Retires

August 18th, 2020 at 10:25am CST by Zachary Links

Jaguars defensive end Aaron Lynch will retire from the NFL, per a club announcement. Lynch, 27, leaves the Jaguars with yet another hole to fill in the front seven.

On Monday, fellow Jaguars DE Rodney Gunter arrived at the same decision. Previous to that, defensive tackle Al Woods opted out of the 2020 season, pushing his three-year, $18MM deal into 2021. All three of those players were new arrivals in Jacksonville, and none of them will be playing this year. Woods and Gunter were supposed to help fill in for Marcell Dareus and Calais Campbell. Lynch, meanwhile, was set to serve as a rotational edge rusher.

Lynch entered the league in 2014 as a fifth-round pick of the 49ers. He spent his first four seasons in SF and made a dent early with 12.5 sacks through his first two pro campaigns. Suspensions and injuries limited him to only 14 games between 2016 and 2017, and he moved on to the Bears in 2018. All together, he leaves the sport with 20 career sacks.

Melvin Ingram Skips Chargers Practice

August 18th, 2020 at 10:12am CST by Zachary Links

Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram is sitting out of practice in hopes of getting a new deal, sources tell Daniel Popper of The Athletic. As it stands, Ingram has one year to go on his four-year, $66MM deal.

There’s no word on when Ingram will suit up, or how long he might be willing to hold his position. At the age of 31, Ingram might be looking for a new long-term deal to give him security for the remainder of his career. He might also be seeking some short-term insurance. Ingram is slated to earn $14MM in base salary this year, but it’s completely non-guaranteed. Ingram’s agent didn’t offer much clarity when contacted by Popper, though he did deny that Ingram is sitting out in search of guaranteed cash.

Teams have been reluctant to commit big bucks to players in the midst of the pandemic, but that didn’t stop the Bolts from handing Joey Bosa a five-year, $135MM re-up in late July. The COVID-19 excuse likely won’t fly with Ingram, who is still at the team facility but abstaining from on-field activity. Because this isn’t a full-on holdout, Ingram will not be subject to the usual $50K in daily fines.

“Melvin Ingram is in meetings, he’s in walkthroughs, he’s at everything, individual,” head coach Anthony Lynn said this week. “What he does on the practice field, we’ll see later. But like I said earlier, that’s kind of company business, and I’m just going to leave it at that because I don’t have to talk about it right now. I got a lot of other things that I got to get done. I don’t really want to spend a lot of time talking about that.”

Last year, Ingram notched seven sacks and 48 tackles in 13 games. For his career, he has 49 sacks across eight seasons, all with the Chargers.