HEADLINES

Month: September 2024

Bills’ Dion Dawkins Not Close To Full Strength After COVID-19 Hospitalization

August 18th, 2021 at 4:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dion Dawkins has not participated in team drills throughout Bills training camp, and Sean McDermott said the team’s starting left tackle is not close to being ready to return to full work. Dawkins landed on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list July 28 and required hospitalization after contracting the virus, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com reports.

The 6-foot-5, 320-pound lineman was hospitalized for four days after developing severe COVID-19 symptoms. Dawkins lost 16 pounds and may have an uphill battle to be ready by the time the Bills begin their season.

“He’s not close to where he needs to be to play and help us,” McDermott said. “So he’s got a long road here. … He’s going to control what he can control, and so are we. He’s got to continue to work hard to get himself back to where he’s — I mean, this is what, going on Week 4 of training camp at this point, so he’s missed a lot of time.”

The Bills activated Dawkins off their reserve/COVID list late last week, and he has begun doing conditioning work. Dawkins, 27, was not considered fully vaccinated at the time of the hospitalization. Dawkins’ hospitalization marks another rough step for the Bills on the virus front. Tight end Tommy Sweeney missed all of the 2020 season after developing myocarditis, a heart condition associated with COVID-19.

Dawkins’ status, of course, will have a bigger impact on the Bills. He is in the first season of a four-year, $68MM extension and has been the team’s left tackle starter since 2017. Buffalo has given third-round rookie Spencer Brown the bulk of its left tackle reps during camp. The team drafted Brown out of Northern Iowa with the No. 93 overall pick.

Texans Waive OT Roderick Johnson

August 18th, 2021 at 4:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans activated Roderick Johnson and Tytus Howard from their reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, but only Howard will move forward with the team. Following Johnson’s move back to Houston’s active roster, the team waived him.

Johnson re-signed with the Texans this offseason, collecting $350K in fully guaranteed cash, but will hit waivers. The Texans placed Johnson, Howard and Laremy Tunsil on their reserve/COVID list last week, with Aaron Wilson of 790 Sports Talk noting (via Twitter) Johnson was a high-risk close contact. Players can only be classified as such if they have not been vaccinated.

A former Browns draftee, Johnson has been with the Texans since the 2018 offseason. He started six games over the past two seasons and played 245 snaps in 2020. However, offseason waiver claim Geron Christian — a former Washington starter at tackle — had surpassed him in training camp, per Wilson.

Houston has Tunsil in place as its left tackle, and its most recent depth chart has Howard sticking at right tackle. Trade acquisition Marcus Cannon resides behind Howard on the right side.

Dolphins Make Changes On Offensive Line

August 18th, 2021 at 3:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Trading for 2019 second-round pick Greg Little, the Dolphins continue to shuffle their offensive line group. But they are making more changes among their in-house personnel as well.

They have shifted second-round pick Liam Eichenberg from tackle to guard, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. While Dolphins offensive line coach Lemuel Jeanpierre initially said the move was to give the Notre Dame product experience at guard, Adam Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com notes the Dolphins view versatile veteran Jesse Davis as a better option to start at right tackle this season than Eichenberg. Davis, a former UDFA, was the Dolphins’ primary right tackle in 2019. Eichbenberg was an All-American left tackle with the Fighting Irish, starting there for three years.

Eichenberg is working as Miami’s first-string left guard, however. The team’s directions with Davis and Eichenberg have resulted in two starters from last season — Robert Hunt and Solomon Kindley — vying for the starting right guard role, Beasley adds. The Dolphins moved Hunt from tackle to guard this offseason. While they have been high on the 2020 second-round pick, viewing him as a possible Pro Bowler inside, the Louisiana product is currently battling for a starting spot in camp.

Additionally, Miami appears to be moving toward giving 2019 third-round pick Michael Deiter — a full-time guard starter as a rookie but a backup in 2020 — its starting center position over free agent acquisition Matt Skura, per Beasley. Skura represents a veteran presence on a group that lost D.J. Fluker early in camp, but Davis could end up being the only seasoned starter tabbed to be part of the Dolphins’ O-line in Week 1. Deiter played more games at guard at Wisconsin but was a 16-game center starter with the Big Ten program.

Pro Football Focus ranked the 2020 Miami O-line 28th, and it is possible only one player — left tackle Austin Jackson — will end up in the same position he primarily played last season. The team traded 2020 guard starter Ereck Flowers this offseason as well, and that change may be one of many at this Dolphins position group this year. It will certainly be interesting to see how Miami’s O-line configuration looks come Week 1.

Eagles TE Tyree Jackson To Miss Time

August 18th, 2021 at 3:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

After showing some promise in his conversion from quarterback to tight end, Tyree Jackson is set to miss extensive time. The aspiring Eagles contributor is set to miss eight to 10 weeks after suffering a fracture in his back, Zach Berman of The Athletic notes.

Jackson is not expected to need surgery, but this setback will certainly hinder his chances of factoring into the Eagles’ pass-catching mix this season. The 6-foot-7 Buffalo alum, who entered the NFL as a 2019 UDFA, has yet to play in a regular-season game but did see time in the XFL as a quarterback.

The Eagles added Jackson on a reserve/futures deal in January, guaranteeing him $25K. He led the team in targets in its preseason opener, catching two passes for 32 yards against the Steelers last week. In order for Jackson to play for the Eagles this season, the team must carry him through to its 53-man regular-season roster. An IR placement before that point would shelve him for the year.

For the time being, Philadelphia remains deep at tight end. Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert and Richard Rodgers remain on Philly’s roster, though Ertz has been a trade candidate for months.

Jets G Alex Lewis Retires From NFL

August 18th, 2021 at 12:03pm CST by Zachary Links

Alex Lewis is calling it a career. With just a few weeks to go before the start of the season, the guard has decided to retire from the NFL (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com). 

This was the expected news after Lewis was placed on the exempt/left squad list earlier this month. Lewis’ reasons for leaving the game aren’t immediately clear. When asked about him recently, head coach Robert Saleh simply said that Lewis is battling issues “much greater than football.” With that said, Lewis sustained a head injury during a recent practice, which may have played a role in his decision.

Lewis, still only 29, agreed to a pay cut earlier this year, reducing his salary from $5.8MM to $3MM. That trim likely would have been enough to solidify his spot on the roster.

The Jets used Lewis as a starter for most of his New York tenure, dating back to the team’s 2019 saga with Kelechi Osemele. But, after 21 games as a first-stringer, the Jets traded up in Round 1 to draft USC guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. Between Vera-Tucker and Greg Van Roten, there might not have been a ton of reps left for Lewis.

Lewis leaves the game with 44 appearances across four seasons for the Ravens and Jets. We here at PFR wish him the best in retirement.

Falcons Sign Eli Ankou

August 18th, 2021 at 10:59am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have signed defensive lineman Eli Ankou, per a club announcement. He’ll fill the 85th spot on the Falcons’ roster and push to make the final cut before the start of the season. 

Ankou spent some time with the Falcons earlier this year, so he’s already familiar with the playbook. He had a cup of coffee with the Bills in between, but he spent most of that time working out on his own.

A UDFA out of UCLA, Ankou started his career with the Texans. After getting cut by Houston he was claimed by the Jaguars, and played a sizable role in with the Jaguars in 2017. In nine games as a rookie, he had 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks as a rotational run defender. His NFL journey has also included stops with the Browns, Colts, and Cowboys.

Ankou finished the 2020 season in Dallas where he played around one-third of the defensive snaps in seven games. Still only 27, Ankou offers size and intriguing upside as a run-stuffer for Atlanta.

Contract Details: Bears, Peters, 49ers, Kendricks

August 18th, 2021 at 10:52am CST by Zachary Links

The Bears and 49ers both managed to make notable upgrades in the middle of August. Now, we have details on their recent deals, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Field Yates (Twitter link):

Peters, a nine-time Pro Bowler, agreed to terms late last week. He’ll help to solidify the line in the wake of Teven Jenkins’ back surgery. While the second-round rookie recovers, he’ll slot in as the left-side starter opposite of Lachavious Simmons. Still imposing at the age of 39, Peters is not far removed from his stellar 2019 campaign — Pro Football Focus graded Peters as its No. 6 overall tackle that season.

Kendricks, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back from legal turmoil and health issues.Now 30, Kendricks played in just one game last season. On the plus side, he is another year removed from his 2019 ACL tear.

Bears’ Teven Jenkins Done For Year?

August 18th, 2021 at 10:39am CST by Zachary Links

Teven Jenkins‘ rookie season might have to wait. The second-round left tackle will undergo back surgery later today, according to Bears head coach Matt Nagy.

The “hope is to have Jenkins back this season,” Nagy says, but it doesn’t sound especially promising. Jenkins, the No. 39 overall pick in this year’s draft, was slated to support starters Jason Peters and Lachavious Simmons. Now, he’ll likely have to focus on rehab with an eye on 2022.

The Bears have high hopes for Jenkins. After selecting quarterback Justin Fields in the first round, they packaged No. 52 and a third-round pick to nab the Oklahoma State standout early in the second. And, just a couple of days after drafting Jenkins, the Bears released long-time tackle Charles Leno.

With Jenkins sidelined, the Bears may look to beef up their offensive line in the coming weeks. If they look to the free agent market, the Bears could consider the likes of Mitchell Schwartz, Russell Okung, and Demar Dotson.

DE Everson Griffen To Work Out For Vikings

August 17th, 2021 at 9:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Everson Griffen‘s hope of rejoining the Vikings could come true. The veteran defensive end is set to work out for the Vikings tomorrow, reports Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News in Minnesota (via Twitter).

We heard last month that the longtime Vikings pass rusher wanted to return to Minnesota, with Griffen acknowledging that he “never should have left the Vikings” in the first place. That report indicated that the veteran also had the support of some former teammates regarding a reunion, but the signing wasn’t expected to come to fruition. Now, Griffen has a chance of landing back in Minny.

Following a 10-year stint with the Vikings that saw him make four Pro Bowl appearances, the 33-year-old split the 2020 season between the Cowboys and Lions. Despite playing for two teams and missing two games due to contracting COVID-19, Griffen finished with six sacks last season. No Viking rusher compiled more than five. Yannick Ngakoue reached five before the Vikings traded him in October; no one still with the team tallied more than three sacks in 2020. The Vikings finished with just 23 sacks last season, which ranked 28th in the NFL.

Minnesota’s D-line situation looks better going into the 2021 season. Danielle Hunter is on track to return after missing all of last season due to a neck injury. The team has three veteran D-tackle starters — Michael Pierce, Dalvin Tomlinson and Sheldon Richardson — set to join Hunter. The Vikings also used third- and fourth-round picks on ends — Patrick Jones II (Pittsburgh) and Janarius Robinson (Florida State) — in April. That said, Griffen could profile as a veteran stopgap opposite Hunter. He has three double-digit sack seasons on his resume and was a Pro Bowler as recently as 2019.

Latest On Giants GM Dave Gettleman’s Job Status

August 17th, 2021 at 8:30pm CST by Ben Levine

The Giants have gone 15-33 since Dave Gettleman took over as general manager, but president and co-owner John Mara wouldn’t go as far as to say the executive was on the hot seat.

“We’re all on the hot seat with our fans in particular, we’ve given them too many losing seasons…it’s time to start winning,” Mara told reporters today when he was asked about Gettleman’s spot on the hot seat (via SNY on Twitter). “But, no I wouldn’t say that’s an accurate statement.”

The owner didn’t reveal any specific mandate to make the playoffs, and he hinted that incremental improvements could be enough for everyone (including the head coach and quarterback) to keep their gigs in 2022. However, Mara also acknowledged that the organization can’t take a step back in 2021.

“I gave the same answer last year, I think, but when I walk off the field after the last game, whenever that is, I want to feel like ‘Does this group give us a chance to win the Super Bowl? Are we moving in that direction?’” Mara said (via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv). “If the answer to that is yes, then we’re not going to consider making big changes. If I feel like we’re going backwards, that’s another discussion.”

“I’ll look at that at the end of the season and see whether I think we’re continuing to make progress and moving in the right direction, but I’m not issuing a playoff mandate,” Mara added. “I don’t think those ever do any good. I don’t think I need to say or do anything to motivate the people in this building any more than they’re already motivated. They all want to win.”

The Giants’ six wins in 2020 was their best showing in three years. While seven wins probably wouldn’t be tolerable among Giants fans, it just might be enough for Gettleman and co. to keep their jobs.

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