HEADLINES

Month: November 2024

Jets Cut WR Josh Doctson

May 7th, 2021 at 10:36am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets are doing some spring cleaning. On Friday, the Jets released six players from their offseason roster, including wide receiver Josh Doctson. Meanwhile, they also welcomed 12 new undrafted free agents. Here’s the full rundown:

Released:

Signed:

Doctson, a former first-round pick of the WFT, joined the Jets in February as a street free agent. In August, he exercised his right to opt out, tolling his one-year pact to 2021. While Doctson did not deliver on Washington’s investment, he did post multiple 500-plus-yard seasons from 2017-18 and profiled as a somewhat interesting candidate to factor into the Jets’ wideout mix last season. Now, he’ll seek employment elsewhere.

Dede Westbrook Drawing Interest

May 7th, 2021 at 10:18am CST by Zachary Links

Former Jaguars wide receiver Dede Westbrook has received interest from “several teams,” ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler hears (Twitter link). Now more than six months removed from his ACL tear, Westbrook hopes to be ready for training camp in August. 

The Oklahoma product went down in late October against the Chargers on an ill-fated kick return. Soon after he was carted off of the field, doctors confirmed that his year was through. Before that, Westbrook recorded 66 grabs in both 2018 and 2019 for an average of 699 yards and four touchdowns per slate. He was hoping to get back into the offensive mix last year — instead, he played in just two games between the ACL tear and an early season injury.

Westbrook could be a logical fit for the Lions, who did not draft a wide receiver until the fourth round. In addition to USC product Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Lions have Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman, Quintez Cephus, Kalif Raymond, Damion Ratley, Geronimo Allison, Jonathan Adams, Tom Kennedy, and Victor Bolden in their WR group.

Texans Host LB Neville Hewitt

May 6th, 2021 at 10:21pm CST by Ben Levine

Neville Hewitt could be heading west. The free agent linebacker visited with the Texans today, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).

Despite going undrafted out of Marshall, Hewitt has had a consistent NFL gig since 2015. After spending his first three seasons in Miami, Hewitt joined the Jets back in 2018, and he’s been a staple of their defense ever since.

Following a 2019 campaign that saw him finish with a career-high three sacks, Hewitt arguably had his best NFL campaign in 2020. He ultimately finished the season with 134 tackles (the eighth-highest mark in the league), six tackles for loss, two sacks, and one forced fumble. Hewitt also finished the year having appeared in 99-percent of his team’s defensive snaps, while his previous career-high saw him appear in only 69-percent of his team’s defensive snaps.

Hewitt is a bit of a curious fit in Houston; the Texans have already added seven free agent linebackers, and they added TCU’s Garret Wallow in the fifth-round of last week’s draft. In total, the team currently has 15 linebackers on their roster.

Patriots Sign UDFA K Quinn Nordin

May 6th, 2021 at 8:35pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots have finally added an undrafted free agent. The team announced today that they’ve signed rookie kicker Quinn Nordin.

Nordin appeared in 37 games during his four years at Michigan, connecting on 42 of his 58 field goal attempts and 119 of his 124 extra point attempts. This included a 2017 campaign where he led the Big Ten in field goals made (19) while finishing fifth in points (92). Nordin didn’t have many opportunities to show off his skills in 2020, as he was limited to only four games. He connected on two of his five field goal attempts this past year, although he did convert each of his 12 extra point tries.

The Patriots were already rostering a pair of kickers, including incumbent Nick Folk. The team also picked up former second-round pick Roberto Aguayo late last season. The team used a fifth-round pick last season on Justin Rohrwasser, but he was waived by the team back in March.

For a front office that seems to love their hidden gems, it’s a bit of a surprise that the Patriots have been so inactive following the draft. However, ESPN’s Mike Reiss provides a potential explanation, noting that the team could still be operating on 2020 rules as they await final word on 2021 rules. Specifically, teams were allowed to carry up to 90 players if they went with the “split-squad set-up” in 2020, but they were only allowed to keep 80 players if they went with the full-team route. The Patriots fell into the latter category, and as a result, the Patriots were forced to cut bait with a handful of undrafted free agents (including some with guaranteed money) to get to the limit. The team is currently rostering 83 players (including Nordin), so the team may be awaiting clarity on rules before they add a handful of players.

Reiss also wonders if a shallow group of UDFAs could be an explanation for the lack of moves, and the reporter also notes that Bill Belichick and co. may be more interested in bringing in players on a tryout basis.

If precedent tells us anything, the Patriots will probably add at least a couple more UDFAs. If any of them (or Nodin) make the active roster, it will be the 18th straight season that an undrafted free agent has made the team, the third-longest streak in the NFL behind the Chargers and Colts (per Reiss).

Bobby McCain To Visit WFT

May 6th, 2021 at 6:20pm CST by Ben Levine

Bobby McCain is already lining up his suitors. After getting released by the Dolphins earlier today, the veteran safety is set to meet with Washington on Monday, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).

[RELATED: Dolphins To Cut Bobby McCain]

The 2015 fifth-round pick had become a staple of the Dolphins’ defense over the past six years, but he saw a drop off in play during the 2020 campaign. While his counting stats were fine (46 tackles, five passes defended, one interception in 16 games (15 starts)), he ranked just 55th out of 94 qualified safeties, per Pro Football Focus. The Dolphins ultimately decided to pivot to younger (and, of course, cheaper) options at the position, spelling the end of his tenure in Miami.

Following news of McCain’s impending release, there were some whispers that Miami could simply be leaking the news with the hope of making a trade. However, the team officially announced the transaction this afternoon.

Washington has an opening for a free safety, and McCain’s versatility means he could certainly fill that slot. Per JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington, head coach Ron Rivera has indicated that the organization would audition free agents for the gig after the draft. Other than a free agent addition, the team could end up turning to fifth-round rookie Darrick Forrest.

Dolphins To Sign CB Jason McCourty

May 6th, 2021 at 5:09pm CST by Ben Levine

Jason McCourty is switching AFC East squads. The veteran cornerback is signing with the Dolphins, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). Ian Rapoport tweets that it’s a one-year deal for the 33-year-old.

Earlier this offseason, McCourty made it clear that he intended to continue his playing career, with the Giants being mentioned as a potential suitor. Instead of heading back to New Jersey (where he played both college and high school football), he’s heading to Miami. On the Dolphins, he’ll be reunited with head coach Brian Flores, who served as McCourty’s defensive coordinator during their lone season together in New England.

Besides the familiarity between the vet and the head coach, there could be another reason for the signing. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald wonders (on Twitter) if the McCourty signing is “insurance against a Xavien Howard contract issue.” Howard is seeking a raise, and Salguero seems to imply that the cornerback could miss time due to the negotiations. Even if Howard is in the lineup, McCourty is still a savvy veteran who the coaching staff can safely rely on. The defensive back could also be an option at safety.

The Patriots had one of the NFL’s best cornerback contingents last season, and McCourty was one of the captains of the defense. However, he saw a reduced role in 2020, as the 33-year-old (34 in August) played on 65% of the Pats’ defensive snaps and started eleven games. Pro Football Focus placed him outside of the top 75 at his position — a significant drop from 2018 (No. 6) and 2019 (No. 18) rankings. The veteran ultimately finished the campaign having compiled 42 tackles and three passes defended.

McCourty accomplished his goals of playing alongside his brother, Devin McCourty, and winning a Super Bowl during his three-year stint in New England. The former sixth-round spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Titans before a one-year stint with the Browns in 2017.

Packers OL Yosh Nijman Signs ERFA Tender

May 6th, 2021 at 4:50pm CST by Ben Levine

Yosuah Nijman is heading back to Green Bay. The offensive tackle has signed his exclusive rights free agent tender, reports ESPN’s Rob Demovsky (via Twitter).

The ERFA tender is a non-guaranteed, one-year deal worth $780K, which is the league minimum for a player with one season of experience.

The Virginia Tech product went undrafted during the 2019 draft, but he quickly caught on with the Packers. He spent time on the practice squad and active roster during his rookie season, but he didn’t see the field for a regular-season game. The lineman managed to get into all 16 games in 2020, although most of his playing time came on special teams; Nijman was limited to only 14 offensive snaps last season.

The 25-year-old has a chance to take on a larger role in 2021. As Demovsky notes, Nijman could be called upon to start in place of David Bakhtiari, who’s been named to an All-Pro team in each of the past five seasons. The veteran’s 2020 season was cut short by a torn ACL, but Bakhtiari is apparently ahead of schedule and could even be ready for the start of next season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/6/21

May 6th, 2021 at 3:52pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: WR Juwan Green

Indianapolis Colts

  • Waived: CB Will Sunderland

Las Vegas Raiders

  • Signed: G Marquel Harrell

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Claimed (from Cowboys): DB Kemon Hall

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

  • Claimed (from Cowboys): CB Saivion Smith
  • Signed: TE Nick Guggemos

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Claimed (from Cowboys): LB Ladarius Hamilton
  • Signed: CB Nate Brooks

Tennessee Titans

Washington To Host T Charles Leno On Visit

May 6th, 2021 at 3:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Days after the Bears released Charles Leno, the veteran left tackle will have an opportunity to catch on elsewhere. The Washington Football Team will host Leno on a visit Monday, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets.

In transition at left tackle for the past two years, with Trent Williams skipping the 2019 season and Washington trading the Pro Bowler away in 2020, the WFT did invest highly in this position in the draft. Washington chose Texas tackle Samuel Cosmi in Round 2, but the team appears to be in the market for a stopgap starter.

The Bears cut Leno earlier this week, doing so after they made a second-round tackle investment — Teven Jenkins — at the position. Washington passed on a tackle in the first round, selecting linebacker Jamin Davis instead. Cosmi may well profile as Williams’ true long-term successor, after the team shuffled a few players here over the past two seasons. But the Leno visit could signal Washington will view the ex-Longhorn as not being ready to step in to start the season.

Despite being a seventh-round pick, Leno has been a left tackle starter for the past six seasons. Chicago gave the former long-shot prospect an extension in 2017, and he served as the team’s blindside protector from 2015-20. Pro Football Focus graded Leno as a top-25 tackle in three of the past four years, including the 2020 season. Leno, 29, has not missed a game since his rookie season.

The Bears, however, have cut both their longtime bookends — Leno and Bobby Massie — and are starting over at the position. Jenkins may well be expected to start in Week 1; Cosmi may play a second-string role to begin his career. Washington has longtime right tackle Morgan Moses in place, but the team will see about pairing him with an experienced left tackle.

Dolphins Sign TE Jibri Blount

May 6th, 2021 at 3:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins added an interesting UDFA Thursday, coming to terms with former North Carolina Central basketball player Jibri Blount. The 6-foot-7, 225-pound football convert is the son of Steelers Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount.

Jibri Blount began his hoops career at Cleveland State, after playing at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, but did not break out until his transfer to North Carolina. With the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference program, Blount played a centerpiece role. As a senior, he scored 19.1 points per game and pulled down 9.3 rebounds per contest. This earned Blount MEAC Player of the Year acclaim. Jibri, however, did not play football in college.

This marks the second of Mel Blount’s sons to sign with the Dolphins. The team added Akil Blount as a UDFA in 2016. Akil did not play in a regular-season game but did have a football background, having played linebacker at Florida A&M. Jibri is attempting to make a basketball-to-football crossover, a move a few tight ends have completed over the past several years. Jibri will play tight end, according to the Dolphins.

Linked to Kyle Pitts ahead of the draft, the Dolphins were not in position to select the Florida star. They did add Boston College tight end Hunter Long in Round 3, however. Long joins Mike Gesicki on Miami’s roster. Jibri Blount certainly qualifies as a developmental player, but with practice squads expected to remain at or near the 16-player limit from last season, such gambles make sense.

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