2020 September - Pro Football Rumors

Cowboys Host Brandon Carr On Visit

September 4th, 2020 at 4:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys are checking in on an old friend. They brought in veteran cornerback Brandon Carr for a visit Friday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

A Cowboys starter from 2012-16, Carr spent the past three seasons with the Ravens. Despite Baltimore’s deep cornerback group, Carr continued his start streak — one that now sits at 192 games. Baltimore declined Carr’s 2020 option.

Dallas lost Byron Jones but still has contract-year corners Jourdan Lewis and Chidobe Awuzie. The team also used second- and fourth-round picks on corners — Trevon Diggs and Reggie Robinson — and signed Daryl Worley. Slot corner Anthony Brown is also back in the fold, following a new deal in free agency.

Carr, 34, has also seen time at safety. The Ravens used him there at points last season, and the Cowboys have a sudden need after making Ha Ha Clinton-Dix a surprise cut. Carr’s ex-teammate, Earl Thomas, has not been connected to the Cowboys in several days.

Carr certainly brings more experience than any current Cowboys defender — and just about any active NFL DB — and is among the most reliable players of his generation, availability-wise.

Pro Football Focus has viewed Carr’s work as average to slightly above average in recent years, but he still played 76% of the snaps for a strong Ravens defense last season. With the Cowboys, Carr lived up to his iron-man reputation. He never played fewer than 94% of Dallas’ defensive snaps in any of his six seasons with the team.

Eagles Work Out T Cordy Glenn

September 4th, 2020 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Cordy Glenn will have a chance to catch on with a third NFL team. The veteran tackle worked out for the Eagles on Friday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

Out of a job since the Bengals released him earlier this year, Glenn has eight years’ worth of experience as a left tackle starter. Although last season did not go especially well for Glenn, who became embroiled in a dispute with the Bengals about a concussion before playing in just six games, he has made 95 career starts.

The Eagles are grappling with an unusual situation. Left tackle Andre Dillard‘s biceps injury sent him to season-ending IR, but Jason Peters — the Eagles’ 11-year left tackle starter re-signed to replace Brandon Brooks at guard — has requested a pay raise in order to return to his usual role. Philadelphia has not confirmed that will happen just yet, so a Glenn visit makes sense. He certainly brings more experience than Matt Pryor, a 2018 draftee with zero NFL starts. The Eagles have used Pryor at left tackle in recent days.

Glenn, 30, was an upper-echelon tackle for years in Buffalo. He worked as the Bills’ blindside starter for six seasons, before being traded to the Bengals in a deal that helped Buffalo draft Josh Allen. Injuries have plagued Glenn in recent years, however.

Rams Cut Kickers Austin MacGinnis, Lirim Hajrullahu

September 4th, 2020 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

In a move that may or may not make the final episode of the latest Hard Knocks season, the Rams have decided on a kicker.

The team made the decision Friday to waive kickers Austin MacGinnis and Lirim Hajrullahu. This will leave Sam Sloman, a seventh-round pick out of Miami (Ohio) as Greg Zuerlein‘s successor.

Sloman separated from the other two competitors over the past week, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue (on Twitter). Sloman made 87% of his field goals as a senior for the Redhawks last season.

The Rams signed MacGinnis and Hajrullahua as UDFAs this year. This will mark the first time since 2011 the Rams will head into a season without Zuerlein as their kicker. They opted to let the Pro Bowl specialist walk in free agency, when he signed with the Cowboys.

Jadeveon Clowney To Wait Until Next Week To Sign?

September 4th, 2020 at 3:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Business is starting to pick up for Jadeveon Clowney, but he won’t necessarily rush to sign his next NFL deal. The defensive end’s camp has advised him to wait for Saturday’s roster deadline to pass before signing, Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com tweets.

By waiting, Clowney could tap into a larger pool of available dollars. He may also see one or two new unexpected suitors, if a projected starter gets dropped between now and Saturday afternoon. Of course, it’s a double-edged sword – the waiting game could actually hurt him if another valuable veteran joins him on the open market.

The Saints and Titans have offers out to Clowney, setting the stage for a high-priced bidding war. Both teams want the former No. 1 overall pick to sign by Monday, but he’ll ultimately dictate the timetable. Clowney, 27, will need to go through the necessary COVID-19 protocols before joining his future teammates.

The Ravens may also get involved, though the finances are a bit tricky. In terms of cap space, the Titans are in the best position of any known suitor with $22MM+ available. The Saints, meanwhile, will have to work some magic – they’ve got less than $7MM in spendable dollars.

Cowboys To Place Sean Lee On IR

September 4th, 2020 at 2:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys will place linebacker Sean Lee on injured reserve to start the year, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are expected to park at least a few more players on IR thanks to a slew of training camp injuries.

This is, unfortunately, familiar territory for Lee. The veteran saw his 2014 season completely wiped out by a torn ACL tear and played in just 18 total games between 2017 and 2018. Still, the Cowboys know what he’s capable of doing when healthy, having employed him since 2010.

Lee did manage to stay on the field for much of 2019 and he closed out the year on a high note. After tallying double-digit tackles in two of his final five games, including a 17-stop showing in their Week 16 game against the Eagles, the Cowboys re-upped him on a one-year, $4.5MM deal. All in all, Lee finished out with 86 stops, one interception, one sack, and four passes defensed as he filled in for Leighton Vander Esch.

Gehlken adds that cornerback Jourdan Lewis is also likely to land on IR with a left ankle injury. Among the other banged up Cowboys: wide receivers Amari Cooper and Ventell Bryant, linebacker Luke Gifford, cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, safety Xavier Woods, and right tackle La’el Collins.

Broncos Release LB Todd Davis

September 4th, 2020 at 2:32pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos have released inside linebacker Todd Davis, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The move brings an end to the veteran’s six-year tenure in Denver and puts an experienced vet on the market days before the start of the season.

[RELATED: Broncos Sign Mark Barron]

Davis has been with the Broncos since 2014, and, over time, he evolved into one of the organization’s most productive players. Despite appearing in only 14 games last season, the 28-year-old finished with a career-high 134 tackles. Davis was set to count for $6MM against the Broncos’ cap this year. Instead, they’ll drop him to gain $1.5MM in additional wiggle room.

Without Davis, Von Miller stands as the lone defender left from the team’s Super Bowl-winning squad. Things might have been different if not for Davis’ latest mid-training camp injury, a calf issue that has dogged him throughout the summer. Last year played out similarly and his calf was also the culprit.

Not long ago, the Broncos were expected to trot out rookie Justin Strnad and Davis as their top ILBs. Now, thanks to Strnad’s season-ending injury, they’ve had to revamp the position. Newcomer Mark Barron now figures to play a larger than expected role in Denver’s front seven.

Broncos Trade Christian Covington To Bengals

September 4th, 2020 at 1:25pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos have agreed to trade defensive tackle Christian Covington to the Bengals in exchange for linebacker Austin Calitro, as Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com tweets. The deal appears to be a one-for-one swap, with no additional draft capital attached.

Covington joined the Broncos on a one-year, $1.75MM deal in April. Before that, he spent the 2019 season with the Cowboys and the previous four years with the Texans. With Dallas, he had one of his most productive seasons to date, posting a career-high 28 tackles to go with one sack and one pass defended in 16 games. For his career, he has 93 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and a forced fumble to his credit.

Calitro suited up in 13 games (including four starts) for the Jaguars last year, but they dropped him in late April to make room for their incoming class of draft picks and a host of undrafted free agents. The Bengals scooped him up off of waivers, using their higher priority to beat out the Broncos. The Browns, Jets, and Raiders also tried to claim Calitro, who registered 40 tackles and a sack while serving as a key special teams contributor in 2019.

49ers Rework Tom Compton’s Deal

September 4th, 2020 at 12:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers and veteran offensive lineman Tom Compton agreed to a reworked deal to lower his base salary from $2.15MM to $1.05MM, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Compton still has the opportunity to cover the $1.1MM differential through bonuses and he appears locked in for a reserve roster spot.

Compton joined the Niners in March, bringing him to his fifth team in five years. Following four years with Washington, the 31-year-old turned into one of the league’s most available journeymen. He’s played in at least eleven games with four different teams – the Falcons, Bears, Vikings and Jets – over the past four seasons.

At two of his previous career stops, however, Compton worked with Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan. It’s a background he shares with fellow swing man and one-time Atlanta teammate Ben Garland.

A former sixth-round pick out of South Dakota, Compton has spent most of his career as a backup. His lone season as a full-time starter came with the 2018 Vikings, whose offensive line left much to be desired. Compton played 363 snaps last season with the Jets, starting five games for an embattled unit, and graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 67 overall guard.

Saints, Titans Pushing To Sign Jadeveon Clowney

September 4th, 2020 at 11:33am CST by Sam Robinson

The Titans look to have company in their pursuit of Jadeveon Clowney. The Saints are now be in the mix, with ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini reporting both New Orleans and Tennessee are making strong pushes to sign the Pro Bowl pass rusher (Twitter link).

Clowney has listed New Orleans as a place he would like to land, while Tennessee has been one of the teams most closely linked to the former No. 1 overall pick this year. On Friday, head coach Mike Vrabel confirmed that the Titans have an offer out to the edge rusher, though he declined to go into further detail (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of the team website). Add the Jaguars to the mix as well, per Russini (on Twitter). While Pete Carroll did rule out a Clowney signing, Russini adds the Seahawks still view Clowney’s price tag as too high.

This could mean a high-stakes bidding war for the Titans, who have monitored Clowney for months. But the Saints are throwing an all-out attack at Clowney, per Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who note Sean Payton has spoken to the free agent defender multiple times about a deal (Twitter link).

Both teams want Clowney under contract by Monday, Russini adds, noting Titans and Saints players and coaches are acting accordingly by attempting to persuade the former No. 1 overall pick (Twitter link). This would put him in position to clear COVID-19 protocols and be in uniform for Week 1. This now makes two straight years the 27-year-old talent has skipped training camp.

The Titans hold $22MM-plus in cap space; the Saints possess less than $7MM. However, New Orleans has approached multiple veterans about restructuring to free up room, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

While two unnamed teams remain in the Clowney mix, per NFL.com, the Saints entering the equation would be significant given Clowney’s previous interest and the team’s status as a Super Bowl frontrunner. The Saints have added Emmanuel Sanders and Malcolm Jenkins to a roster that already stood as one of the NFL’s best. Clowney would join a defensive front that already houses All-Pro Cameron Jordan and former first-round pick Marcus Davenport.

It is unclear if Clowney has dropped his price at the 11th hour, but that would make sense given the apparent acceleration of his market. The former Texans and Seahawks edge player sought a $20MM-per-year deal, then lowered it later in the spring. The Browns and Seahawks offered Clowney deals in the $15MM-AAV ballpark. The Ravens and Raiders have also been mentioned as Clowney suitors as well. The Browns redid Olivier Vernon‘s deal over the summer and have not been viewed as strong Clowney pursuers since.

The Titans may be growing frustrated with the three-time Pro Bowler, who apparently has been difficult to pin down recently. He would join Harold Landry and the recently signed Vic Beasley in Tennessee. The Seahawks would seemingly need Clowney most, but they have stood pat with lower-profile edge rushers all offseason. However, Seattle waited until roster cutdown day to reform their pass rush around Clowney last year. Regarding Jacksonville, Clowney may not be especially interested given his rebuffing of a trade to rebuilding Miami last year.

Raiders To Cut Damarious Randall

September 4th, 2020 at 11:02am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders are releasing safety Damarious Randall, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The Raiders are still on the hook for the veteran’s $1.5MM guaranteed base salary, though that will be offset by the salary paid to Randall by his new team.

Randall, 28, spent the first three years of his career with the Packers before moving on to the Browns in 2018. Last year, he was limited to just eleven games, though he still managed 2.5 sacks, 61 total stops, and six passes defensed. All in all, he’s got 56 career starts and 14 interceptions to his credit across five NFL seasons. The Raiders inked him to a one-year deal worth up to $3.25MM in early April, but they’ve decided to go in a different direction.

The Washington Football Team and the Seahawks also expressed interest in Randall in March. Those teams may or may not circle back to him, but it stands to reason that he’ll find work somewhere. The Raiders’ secondary, meanwhile, will work to improve their work against the pass. Last year, they surrendered 256.7 passing yards per game, the eighth-highest total in the league.