2020 August - Pro Football Rumors

49ers Sign WR Kevin White

August 27th, 2020 at 1:40pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers have signed Kevin White, per a club announcement. This marks yet another stop for the former No. 7 overall pick, who has yet to realize his potential as a pro.

White, a West Virginia product, came out of West Virginia with tons of hype. The Bears jumped at the chance to grab him in 2015, but injuries have limited him ever since. Over the last five years, he’s played in just 14 games. And, in the last ~365 days, he’s been pretty much off the radar. The Cardinals were his last employer, and they cut him in August of 2019.

All in all, White has 25 career catches for 285 yards and zero touchdowns. Still, he’s coming into his age-28 season, so there’s reason to believe that he can get back on the right track.

SF already added Tavon Austin and J.J. Nelson, but the team is dealing with a host of injuries. Deebo Samuel remains out with his foot fracture, while Richie James is battling a broken hand. First-round pick Brandon Aiyuk is dealing with a hamstring injury, further clouding the 49ers’ potential first-string wideout picture. Jalen Hurd also suffered an ACL tear recently, with that setback following Travis Benjamin‘s opt-out decision. Meanwhile, they’ve released Jaron Brown with an injury designation.

Latest On Bengals’ Joe Mixon

August 27th, 2020 at 10:14am CST by Zachary Links

Joe Mixon has been out of Bengals practice for the last few days with migraines, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Meanwhile, Mixon is in talks with the Bengals, who are probably hoping that Mixon isn’t looking to cause headaches for the front office.

The Bengals have been adamant about wanting to extend Mixon, but talks have been slow to progress. For now, Mixon is set to play out the final year of his rookie deal with a salary of just $1.2MM. The 24-year-old is clearly in line for a pay bump, however, and Bengals player personnel director Duke Tobin recently pointed out the team’s history of extending players during training camp.

As camp draws to a close, Mixon is said to be seeking Top 8 RB money. That would mean an average annual value of at least $8MM – a substantial, but not unreasonable, raise.

The Bengals currently have upwards of $20MM in available cap room. If they’re not aiming for another major addition, it might behoove them to frontload Mixon’s deal and ease the burden in 2021, when the cap is expected to shrink.

Mixon managed a respectable 4.1 yards per carry average last year, despite the Bengals’ sagging offense. This year, he’ll look to reprise his 2018 performance which included a 4.9 ypc mark.

David Montgomery Suffers Groin Injury

August 27th, 2020 at 10:02am CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 10:02am: Montgomery will be out of action for 2-4 weeks, which means he still has a chance at playing in the Bears’ season opener against the Lions (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).

WEDNESDAY, 12:53pm: Bears running back David Montgomery went down with a non-contact injury on Wednesday, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. After hobbling off of the field, the 23-year-old was diagnosed with a groin strain. Now, the Bears are awaiting word and hoping for the best.

It’ll take at least a day or two to determine Montgomery’s timetable for recovery, but it’s possible that the Bears won’t have the young rusher for the start of the season. Without Montgomery, the Bears will have to lean even more on Tarik Cohen, plus support from Ryan Nall and Artavis Pierce. Cohen, of course, is utilized more as a pass-catcher than a traditional RB. Last year, he carried the ball just 64 times for 213 yards in total while recording a career-high 79 catches. Montgomery, meanwhile, logged 242 totes for 889 yards as a rookie.

This year, the Bears were counting on Montgomery to take a big step forward. The youngster has been eager to show what he can do, especially since cleaning up his diet.

“Whenever I had the craving for a Krispy Creme doughnut, I’d definitely go have one back in the day,” Montgomery said, via the team’s website. “But now, I fight the urge to go have one…I feel amazing. Everything feels good right now, as far as my body. I’m not as sore as I was last year because of the lack of food that I don’t need that has a lot of inflammation to it. And just running. Just being able to run and feeling good at how I run and being able to make the right cuts.”

Mackensie Alexander Leaves Bengals Camp In Search Of Missing Father

August 27th, 2020 at 9:57am CST by Sam Robinson

THURSDAY, 9:57am: Alexander’s father has been found alive and well, as Jay Morrison of The Athletic tweets. Mackensie and other family members are on their way to see him today.

Meanwhile, Alexander has been charged with a misdemeanor stemming from his run-in with a person who saw him just prior to his disappearance.

TUESDAY, 5:41pm: First-year Bengals cornerback Mackensie Alexander left the team’s training camp Tuesday. Alexander departed to search for his father, who has been reported missing, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

Alexander’s father, Jean Odney Alexandre, disappeared Monday on a berry-picking trip, according to the Okeechobee County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office. Alexandre, 65, was with one other man on this trip in northwest Okeechobee County, according to authorities. The other man, however, left Alexandre behind before the latter was reported missing Monday night.

Alexander signed with the Bengals this offseason, coming to Cincinnati after four seasons in Minnesota. The former Vikings second-round pick agreed to a one-year, $4MM deal to join the Bengals.

This marks the second time in three weeks a Bengals player has left camp because of a family emergency. Wide receiver John Ross departed two weeks ago to care for his coronavirus-stricken son. Ross has since returned to the team.

49ers To Work Out Jamon Brown

August 27th, 2020 at 9:51am CST by Zachary Links

Jamon Brown could be on the verge of landing his next job. The 49ers will audition the offensive lineman on Friday, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Brown started nine games last season but the Falcons released him from his three-year, $18.75MM deal earlier this week. Finances may have been a factor, but the Falcons also seem to be high on third-round pick Matt Hennessy, who may wind up as the team’s starting left guard. Brown, meanwhile, is still owed $4.75MM in guaranteed base salary from Atlanta.

Brown has bounced around a bit since 2018, when a suspension cost him his starting gig with the Rams. The Giants picked him up off of waivers that year, prior to his free agent deal with the Falcons. All in all, Brown has 60 career games to his credit, including 47 starts.

Dolphins Cut Kalen Ballage

August 27th, 2020 at 8:57am CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins are set to release running back Kalen Ballage, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Ballage had lots of hype as a rookie in 2018, but the former fourth-round pick managed just 135 yards off of 74 carries last year.

Ballage, a taller-than-average RB at 6’3″, averaged 4.4 yards per carry while at Arizona State. As a rookie, he showed promise as a supporting cast member behind Kenyan Drake and veteran Frank Gore. In an admittedly small sample size of 36 carries, Ballage averaged 5.3 yards per attempt. Unfortunately, he regressed in 2019 and failed to make significant strides as a receiver.

Now, the league’s 31 other teams will have an opportunity to claim Ballage off of the waiver wire. If he is not picked up in the next 24 hours, the 24-year-old will be free to sign with any club of his choosing.

Texans Work Out Prosise, Halapio, Others

August 26th, 2020 at 5:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans are looking into some veteran free agents. Running back C.J. Prosise, wide receiver Ryan Grant, quarterback Cody Kessler and center Jon Halapio were among the players who participated in a Texans workout Wednesday.

This marks Prosise’s second August workout; he auditioned for the Lions nearly two weeks ago. The former Seahawks running back showed promise as a rookie and remained with the team throughout his four-year rookie contract, but the former third-round pick could never carve out a consistent role.

Now 30, Grant has bounced around since his Washington run ended. The nixed Ravens agreement in 2018 ended up routing him to the Colts, with whom he saw his last significant game action. Grant caught 35 passes for 334 yards in 2018. The Texans have a veteran-heavy receiving corps — headlined by the Will Fuller–Brandin Cooks–Randall Cobb–Kenny Stills quartet — but are down Keke Coutee at the moment. The third-year wideout is batting a foot stress fracture.

The Patriots carried Kessler for part of last season but released him in April. He has not seen game action since starting four games for the 2018 Jaguars.

Halapio brings the most recent starting experience, having been the Giants’ starting center for 15 games in 2019. He was rumored as a player who could return to the Giants, but nothing has emerged on that front in a bit. The Giants non-tendered him as an RFA in March. Halapio, 29, entered the past two seasons as New York’s starting center, but a broken leg ended his 2018 slate early and an Achilles’ tendon tear knocked him out of a Week 17 game last season.

Ravens-Tony Jefferson Reunion In Play?

August 26th, 2020 at 5:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens released Tony Jefferson in February, but their safety depth chart has obviously changed since then. After the team’s Earl Thomas release, Baltimore may be shorthanded at one of its back-line positions this year.

Jefferson expects to be pass a physical in around two weeks, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, who adds the Ravens hold their three-year starter in high regard. A reunion between these parties is not out of the question, La Canfora notes.

Jefferson has no intentions of playing for another AFC North team and has interest in a Ravens staff position after his career concludes, La Canfora adds. Regarding his on-field status, Jefferson last played in October 2019. His season ended after he suffered an ACL tear. Jefferson’s health timeline could impede a potential Ravens reunion, however, at least by the season’s outset.

As of now, DeShon Elliott has secured the first crack at replacing Thomas alongside Chuck Clark. Elliott, a 2018 sixth-round pick, has played in just six NFL games. Jefferson is still just 28 and started 35 games for the Ravens from 2017-19. The ex-Cardinals starter signed a four-year, $34MM Ravens deal in 2017, choosing Baltimore over interest from Cleveland. Pro Football Focus did not grade Jefferson’s 2019 season (just five games) well but viewed the safety’s 2017 and ’18 work in a more positive light.

Titans Expected To Sign LB Will Compton

August 26th, 2020 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Will Compton is on track to return to the Titans. The veteran linebacker is expected to re-sign with the team he played for in 2018, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

The Titans brought in Compton for a workout earlier this week. He has spent the offseason as a free agent, following a nine-game stay with the Raiders last season.

Best known for his five-year run with Washington from 2013-17, Compton passed through Tennessee next. The Titans used him mostly as a depth player in 12 games during the 2018 season, following the sides’ one-year agreement. It should be expected the forthcoming Titans-Compton pact will also be a one-year agreement. Compton made two starts with the 2018 Titans and was a Raiders first-stringer four times last season.

Tennessee did not re-sign longtime starter Wesley Woodyard but returns Rashaan Evans and Jayon Brown. Compton, who will turn 31 in three weeks, would represent a proven veteran backup at this stage of his career.

Seahawks Host C Justin Britt

August 26th, 2020 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two former Seahawks were back at the team’s facility Wednesday. Justin Britt joined Paul Richardson in meeting with team brass, per Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

The Seahawks used Britt as a starting offensive lineman from 2014-19 but released him shortly after the draft. No team has brought the veteran center in for a visit since. No Britt-Seahawks reunion is imminent, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio tweets.

Britt started 86 games for the Seahawks in his career, including Super Bowl XLIX, but missed eight regular-season games last season. He underwent knee surgery last year. Wednesday’s visit will likely feature a key determination about Britt’s recovery.

Seattle brought in former Pittsburgh part-time starter B.J. Finney to play center this offseason, so it is certainly interesting to see the team reach out to Britt four months after cutting him. However, Britt has been a full-time starter at guard (2015) and tackle (2014). He spent the past four seasons as Seattle’s starting center, earning a contract extension in 2017 for his work in that role. This would be Britt’s age-29 season.