HEADLINES

Month: December 2024

Falcons OL Matt Gono Has Surgery

June 17th, 2021 at 3:35pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It sounds like the Falcons’ offensive line may have just taken a significant blow. Versatile offensive lineman Matt Gono has undergone surgery recently, a source told Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

The source told Rothstein that the injury, which is undisclosed, “is not season ending.” That’s concerning, since the fact they felt the need to say it’s not season-ending likely means it’s a pretty serious injury. Details are light, but it sure seems like the implication is Gono might miss some significant time.

A 2018 UDFA from Wesley College, Gono has done well for himself. He established himself as the team’s swing tackle, and can also play guard. He made four starts last year, and the team thought highly enough of him to place a second-round restricted free agent tender on him this offseason.

That means he’s set to make around $3.3MM in 2021. Gono was seen by many as the favorite to be the team’s starting left guard this year after the Falcons cut James Carpenter earlier this offseason. We should know more on the situation soon.

Jets Had Interest In Nick Mullens, In No Rush To Get Veteran QB?

June 17th, 2021 at 2:47pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

There’s been a lot of talk this offseason about the Jets’ backup quarterbacks situation. Rookie second overall pick Zach Wilson is the presumptive starter, and there’s virtually nothing on the depth chart after him.

The only other two passers on the roster are Mike White and James Morgan, both young guys who have never thrown a regular season pass. That’s led many to speculate it’s only a matter of time before they add a veteran with more experience. To that end, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY writes that the Jets were believed to be interested in Nick Mullens, who was just signed by the Eagles on Monday. Mullens would’ve made a lot of sense due to spending so much time with new Jets coach Robert Saleh in San Francisco.

That being said, it certainly doesn’t sound like Saleh is in any rush to bring in an experienced backup. “To just think that just because they’re a veteran it’s going to help a quarterback, there’s a match that has to happen, there’s a scheme familiarity that has to happen,” Saleh said, via Brian Costello of the New York Post.

“If you just bring in a veteran who doesn’t know your scheme, he’s learning just like the rookie is,” he added. “I don’t know if there’s much value aside from being comfortable that if the crap hits the fan you have a veteran who has played football.”

It looks like Saleh might either want someone who knows Jets OC Mike LaFleur’s system already, or he’s sticking with his young guys. For what it’s worth, both Vacchiano and Costello highlight Bears quarterback Nick Foles as someone who has been linked to the Jets. Foles is an afterthought in Chicago, but Saleh’s statements don’t make it sound like he’s looking to trade a late-round pick for a vet who hasn’t played in the team’s system.

Broncos Won’t Sign Shaquem Griffin

June 17th, 2021 at 1:27pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Shaquem Griffin will have to wait a little longer to find a new home. The inspirational linebacker who lost one hand at the age of four recently received an invitation to Broncos minicamp as a tryout player.

Griffin spent the past few days in Denver, but the team will not be signing him at this time, Mike Klis of Denver 9 News tweets. Klis does note that Broncos “coaches/front office were impressed with his minicamp work,” so perhaps he could still be signed down the line.

We heard back in May that multiple teams had expressed interest in signing the twin brother of Jaguars cornerback Shaquill Griffin, but nothing materialized. Both Griffin brothers have played their entire pro careers up until now with the Seahawks. Shaquill landed a big deal from Jacksonville earlier this offseason.

Shaquem mostly played as a special teamer, or regular linebacker when on defense, with the Seahawks. But it was also reported earlier this offseason that he was looking to transition into a full-time pass-rusher.

K.J. Wright Not In Seahawks’ Plans?

June 17th, 2021 at 12:34pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

There’s been some back and forth all offseason, but it appears like things are close to being set in stone with outside linebacker K.J. Wright and the Seahawks. It doesn’t sound like he’ll be coming back for an 11th season in Seattle.

Pete Carroll said a couple of weeks ago the door was open for Wright to return, but Brady Henderson of ESPN.com writes that he’s not in the team’s plans. Wright has said since February that he wanted to return to the Seahawks, but not at a discount. However, Henderson writes the team’s decision is “only partly about money.”

Instead, it’s “mostly because the Seahawks want their top two draft picks from 2020”, Jordyn Brooks and Darrell Taylor, to become starters next to Bobby Wagner at linebacker in their defense. In other words, the team just wants to get younger on defense, which is understandable.

Wright is the longest-tenured member of the team, and has started at least 12 games in all of his pro seasons except 2018 when he dealt with a knee injury. However, the 2011 fourth-round pick will also turn 32 in July.

Wright won Super Bowl XLVIII with the team, and made the Pro Bowl in 2016. One of the last members of the legendary ‘Legion of Boom’ defenses of yesteryear, it sounds like Wright will need to find a new home if he wants to keep playing. He did say in late March he was interested in playing for the Cowboys, with his old defensive coordinator Dan Quinn now coaching in Dallas.

Jets, Morgan Moses Nearing Deal

June 17th, 2021 at 10:53am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets and offensive tackle Morgan Moses are making progress on a multi-year deal, according to a source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). Other teams have been in the mix, but it sounds like the Jets are the frontrunners for the seven-year vet. 

[RELATED: Jets Rework Crowder’s Contract]

Moses went six straight seasons without missing a game for the Washington Football Team and earned a lucrative re-up in 2017. However, Washington opted to revamp their tackle group this year by drafting Samuel Cosmi in the second round and signing longtime Bears left tackle Charles Leno.

Last year, Pro Football Focus graded Moses as a top-20 tackle. However, the advanced metrics framed him as a middle-of-the-road tackle from 2017 through 2019. For the Jets, he’d be a solid choice for their right tackle job, where George Fant and Chuma Edoga are currently duking it out to start opposite of Mekhi Becton.

Meanwhile, they have the dollars available to add Moses after convincing wide receiver Jamison Crowder to take a pay cut. Originally set to make $10MM this year, it’s believed that Crowder will earn something in the neighborhood of $5MM.

Lions Sign Levi Onwuzurike

June 17th, 2021 at 10:47am CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have another draft pick in the fold. On Thursday, they formally signed second-round defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike.

Onwuzurike, a Washington product, opted out of the 2020 season and spent the year preparing for the 2021 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 288-pound lineman earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2019, and finished his Huskies career with 95 tackles and seven sacks.

The 6’3″, 293-pound lineman played defensive tackle with the Huskies. However, he’ll be slotted in as a defensive end that moves inside on clear passing downs, according to defensive line coach Todd Wash. As the No. 41 overall pick, Onwuzurike will earn $8.14MM across four years, including a signing bonus of $3.2MM.

With Onwuzurike signed, the Lions have just a couple of draft picks to go. Here’s the full rundown of their 2021 draft class:

Round 1: No. 7 Penei Sewell, OT (Oregon) (signed)
Round 2: No. 41 Levi Onwuzurike, DT (Washington) (signed)
Round 3: No. 72 Alim McNeill, DT (North Carolina State) (signed)
Round 3: No. 101 (from Rams) Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB (Syracuse)
Round 4: No. 112 Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR (USC)
Round 4: No. 113 (from Panthers through Browns) Derrick Barnes, LB (Purdue)
Round 7: No. 257 Jermar Jefferson, RB (Oregon State) (signed)

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/17/21

June 17th, 2021 at 9:26am CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

  • Signed: OL T.J. Wheatley Jr.

Denver Broncos

 

Falcons Sign Shareef Miller

June 17th, 2021 at 8:51am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have signed edge rusher Shareef Miller, according to agent David Canter (Twitter link). Originally a fourth-round Eagles pick, Miller has played in one regular-season game to date.

The Birds waived Miller last summer, leading him to the Panthers. He was later released, freeing him up to return to the Eagles as a practice squad player. The Cardinals inked him to a futures deal in January, but he became a free agent last week when he was dropped to make room for defensive tackle Xavier Williams.

Now, Miller will compete for a spot behind projected starters Dante Fowler and Jacob Tuioti-Mariner. Jonathan Bullard, Barkevious Mingo, and fifth-round pick Ta’Quon Graham are also in the mix at defensive end.

Panthers, Terrace Marshall Agree To Deal

June 17th, 2021 at 8:42am CST by Zachary Links

The Panthers have agreed to terms with second-round pick Terrace Marshall. The wide receiver will play on a four-year deal worth $5.7MM, per the terms of his slot at No. 59.

After trading down twice in Round 2, the Panthers planned to select BYU tackle Brady Christensen and add LSU wideout Terrace Marshall Jr. with a subsequent trade-up shortly after. However, they changed course after hearing the Saints’ footsteps. Unwilling to let him get away, the Panthers leapfrogged their rivals and reunited Marshall with offensive coordinator Joe Brady. It all worked out for the Panthers, who still managed to take Christensen in the third round.

Marshall played a key role for LSU’s national championship team alongside Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase. He totaled 23 touchdown grabs between 2019 and 2020, a promising sign of what’s to come.

“Not too many people are 6-2, 200-plus and run a 4.3, and are able to make plays on the ball like Terrace does,” Brady said earlier this year. “When the ball’s in the air, Terrace always finds a way to come down with it, and I think he showcased that every time he was on the football field. Not a lot of games but a lot of production.”

Now, he’ll play alongside Panthers vets D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson, helping to replace ex-WR2 Emmanuel Sanders. Christensen and third-round tight end Tommy Tremble now stand as the Panthers’ last stragglers.

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