HEADLINES

Month: October 2024

Saints Envision Jameis Winston Starting Week 1

May 9th, 2022 at 12:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Saints were one of the finalists to acquire Deshaun Watson, but they ultimately brought back a familiar face to be their starting quarterback for the immediate future. Jameis Winston is recovering from a torn ACL, but new head coach Dennis Allen plans on him being healthy to start the 2022 season. 

When speaking on the Rich Eisen Show, Allen was asked about Winston’s recovery (video link). “I think he’s doing well in the rehab process” he said, adding that “he’s working his tail off and really doing a really good job in the rehab and I like where he’s at”. That would point to the 28-year-old being ready for the fall, as was reported in March.

When asked if Winston was, as of now, seen as the Week 1 starter, Allen answered, “well… that’s certainly the plan. There’s a lot of days between now and Week 1, but we certainly like where he’s at right now. We like the progress that he’s making… My vision and my hope is that he continues to progress on the same level as he gets another year in the system.”

After a turnover-filled tenure with the Buccaneers, the former No. 1 pick headed to New Orleans as Drew Brees‘ backup. His level of play as the starter last season, though – 1,170 yards, 14 touchdown passes and three interceptions in seven games prior to the injury – earned him a two-year extension. The team also signed veteran Andy Dalton as his backup, and declined to add a developmental signal-caller during the draft.

That leaves Winston as the No. 1 heading into a season which, the Saints hope, can see significant improvement in the passing game. A healthy Michael Thomas, first-round receiver Chris Olave and, of course, a fully recovered Winston would go a long way to accomplishing that goal.

Latest On Richard Sherman

May 9th, 2022 at 11:53am CST by Adam La Rose

Richard Sherman is still a free agent, but it appears his next destination won’t be an NFL locker room. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (on Twitter) that Sherman is “deep in talks with Amazon” to become part of their broadcasting team. 

The 34-year-old spent last season in Tampa Bay. One of several veterans joining the Buccaneers eyeing another Super Bowl title, his campaign didn’t end nearly as well as it began. He played nearly every snap during his first two games with the team, but struggled to stay on the field shortly thereafter. A calf strain and, later, an Achilles injury, each landed him on IR. Overall, his 10th NFL season ended with 11 tackles and one interception in five games.

Sherman is best known, of course, for his time in Seattle. A fifth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2011, he played an instrumental part in the team’s success during the ‘Legion of Boom’ era. The 2012 campaign saw him earn First-Team All-Pro honors, something which he repeated in the following two years. He was also named a Pro Bowler four straight times from 2013-16, and again in 2019. The latter year saw him earn his final Pro Bowl during his three-year stint with the division rival 49ers, a tenure which included his third Super Bowl appearance.

Sherman hasn’t completely resigned himself to ending his on-field football career; Rapoport adds that “the door is open for a return in the right situation” (Twitter link). Absent an offer from a team eyeing experienced depth in their secondary, however, he is set to transition to the second chapter of his football life.

Lions Sign No. 2 Pick Aidan Hutchinson

May 9th, 2022 at 10:07am CST by Adam La Rose

The list of rookies to sign their first NFL contracts continues to grow, and now includes the draft’s second overall pick. The Lions have signed Aidan Hutchinson to his rookie deal, as confirmed by his agent, Mike McCartney. 

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport details (on Twitter) that the contract has a fully-guaranteed value of just over $35.7MM across four (or, with a team option, five, years), and includes a signing bonus of nearly $23.2MM. Hutchinson becomes the second top-five pick to ink his inaugural deal, joining Ahmad Gardner of the Jets.

The Michigan native followed in his father’s footsteps playing for the Wolverines in college. His career started to take off during his sophomore season, as he totalled 69 tackles, including 11 for a loss and 3.5 sacks. That led to heightened expectations for the following campaign, but it was cut short by a fractured leg.

While Hutchinson was again the subject of optimism for an overall strong Michigan defense going into this past season, he wasn’t in the conversation to be in consideration for the top pick. That changed week by week, as he authored one of the most productive campaigns in school history, setting a program record with 14 sacks, adding 16.5 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles. That made him a finalist for the Heisman trophy, as well as a candidate for Jacksonville with the No. 1 pick.

Ultimately, the Jaguars made Travon Walker the top selection, leaving the dream scenario in play for Detroit. The Lions didn’t hesitate to pick Hutchinson, making him an immediate anchor of the team’s defense. He – alongside third-rounder Josh Paschal – will look to boost the Lions’ pass rush and continue the overall progress made at the end of the 2021 campaign.

Not long before the Hutchinson signing was announced, the Lions inked their final 2022 draftee. Seventh-rounder Chase Lucas agreed to terms on his rookie deal, per Rapoport’s colleague Mike Garafolo (Twitter link).

Steelers To Conduct Second GM Interview With Doug Whaley

May 9th, 2022 at 9:05am CST by Adam La Rose

Another candidate for the Steelers’ general manager position has emerged. The team will be conducting a second interview with Doug Whaley, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). 

[RELATED: Steelers To Hold Second Interviews With Cowden, Spytek]

Whaley began his tenure in NFL front offices with the Steelers. He was hired by Pittsburgh in 2000 as a pro personnel coordinator, beginning years of tutelage under outgoing general manager Kevin Colbert. One decade later, he joined the Bills under the titles of assistant general manager and director of pro personnel, which he held for three seasons before becoming general manager.

Whaley’s tenure at the helm in Buffalo saw plenty of roster and coaching staff turnover. In 2015, he was part of the group that hired Rex Ryan as head coach – a stint which lasted less than two full seasons. More encouragingly, he was also involved in the hiring process for Ryan’s replacement, current HC Sean McDermott. It was during the latter’s first season that the team matched its best record under Whaley at 9-7.

Despite the lack of team success on the field – a result, in part, of decisions like trading up to draft Sammy Watkins fourth overall and signing Marcell Dareus to a lucrative contract – Whaley received an extension after the 2016 season. That came amidst speculation regarding his job security, ultimately becoming a moot point one year later. He was fired immediately after the 2017 draft.

That was the last time Whaley worked in an NFL front office. After a brief stint as a recruiter for the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, he was hired as a part of the re-started XFL. After the announcement of another re-booting of the league, it was announced in November he would regain his role working alongside the likes of Russ Brandon and Marc Ross.

With the news of a third second-interview candidate in Pittsburgh, here is an updated look at their search:

Bears Cut Recently Signed UDFA, Sign New UDFA

May 8th, 2022 at 8:52pm CST by Ely Allen

Chicago recently announced their undrafted rookie free agent class and held their rookie minicamp. One of the recently signed undrafted rookies, former Utah State return specialist Savon Scarver, has been cut, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.

Scarver was a consensus All-American return man. In five years with the Aggies, Scarver had seven kickoff return touchdowns, making sure to return at least one a year, even in the team’s COVID-shortened, four-game 2020 season. He added 757 yards receiving and 5 receiving touchdowns to his stat sheet, but he was mainly seen as a special teamer at the next level.

Along with their 16 announced UDFAs, the Bears invited 36 other undrafted players for rookie tryouts at minicamp. Among those 36, was Western Michigan defensive back A.J. Thomas. Thomas played safety for most of his career with the Broncos, but switched to linebacker for his final season.

It appears that he was asked to participate in Chicago as a defensive back. Regardless, at the conclusion of rookie minicamp, the Bears agreed to sign him as an undrafted free agent, according to Wilson.

NFC Rumors: Gronkowski, Bears, Dean, Graham, Lions, Patterson

May 8th, 2022 at 7:34pm CST by Ely Allen

In an interview with Sports Illustrated last weekend, free agent tight end Rob Gronkowski was asked about the potential for his return. In reality, the question and answer were played off a bit as a joke.

The reporter specifically asked Gronkowski if he would return should Tampa Bay sign retired wide receiver Julian Edelman. Gronkowski didn’t hesitate to commit to returning for a full season alongside Edelman were that to occur. Realistically, if Gronkowski is to return for another season with the Buccaneers, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones expects that decision to be made after minicamps.

Here are a few more rumors from around the NFC, starting with a rumor out of the Windy City:

  • In the 2022 NFL Draft, the Bears heavily addressed their offensive line, drafting four offensive linemen and signing one more undrafted free agent lineman. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune expects the team to continue trying to add to the group, saying that they should be on the lookout specifically for “an experienced option to compete for the right guard job.” Biggs also expects Chicago to target veterans at defensive line and wide receiver over the next few weeks.
  • New Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean was expected to be a first round pick during last month’s Draft. Dean was the victim of one of the least predictable slides of all time, falling down to the third round of the Draft due to concerns over his health. Well, according to EJ Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Dean has been a full participant in the team’s rookie minicamp, making an effort to disprove the notion many teams held that he would potentially miss his entire rookie season with a pectoral injury.
  • Two games into the 2021 NFL season, Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham suffered a season-ending tear of his Achilles tendon. Well, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com, Graham says he feels like the injury never even happened. He will return to the field with no restrictions this preseason. This wouldn’t be the first time Graham has made a full recovery from a long-term injury. He tore his ACL 13 games into his rookie season. Despite the serious injury, Graham has become the impact player he is today, the same player he is expecting to be this upcoming season.
  • Two Thursdays ago, the Lions were more than happy to walk away from the 2022 Draft with the hometown defensive end from Michigan, Aidan Hutchinson. If things had not worked out so perfectly for Detroit, though, and Hutchinson had been told to pack his bags for Duval, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports that the Lions would have selected the player Jacksonville actually did select, Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker.
  • Falcons wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson has always been a bit of a swiss army knife. He has made impressive plays in the kick and punt return games and, while performing mainly as a wide receiver for most of his career, Patterson has displayed the ability to run the ball when required, as well. After signing to join the Falcons last year, Patterson was asked to run the ball more than ever before, serving as Atlanta’s top rusher in terms of both attempts and yards. Well, Michael Fabiano of Sports Illustrated quoted ESPN’s Michael Rothstein stating his belief that Patterson will return to his primary position, expecting the 31-year old to spend more time at wide receiver than running back next year. Whether this would be a result of offseason additions like free agent signing Damien Williams or newly drafted Keaontay Ingram or if Patterson just requested a return to his natural role, Patterson is expected to take fewer snaps at running back next season.

AFC Rumors: Jaguars, Williams, Van Roten, Leonard, Browns, Griffin III

May 8th, 2022 at 5:29pm CST by Ely Allen

After the Jaguars fired former head coach Urban Meyer, it became public that Jacksonville had no intentions of paying Meyer the remaining money on his contract, as he was being fired for cause. There was speculation at the time that the parties may follow existing precedents and negotiate a settlement in order to avoid a legal situation.

According to Jarrett Bell of USA Today, an anonymous source with knowledge of the situation informed the columnist that, to date, the two sides have been unable to strike a settlement agreement.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC, starting with a rumor out of South Beach:

  • The Dolphins should have plenty of options for their offensive line configuration, but it most likely hinges on what they do with interior offensive lineman Connor Williams. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Miami isn’t quite sure what to do with Williams, working him at center and left guard over the past three weeks. The good news, is that it gives them plenty of options. With Terron Armstead solidified at left tackle and Robert Hunt solidly at right guard, Williams could fit at either position. If you put Williams at left guard, the team would likely have Michael Deiter start at center and leave Liam Eichenberg and Austin Jackson to compete for the starting right tackle job. If you start Williams at center, Eichenberg can slide in to the left guard job and Jackson can man the right tackle position.
  • The Jets recently released guard Greg Van Roten. According to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY, head coach Robert Saleh claimed that they released Van Roten because they believe he has the potential to start for other teams in the league. His release is meant to allow him to find those teams that would provide him a starting opportunity. Saleh was quoted saying they’d “love to have him back,” if he fails to find such opportunities.
  • Colts linebacker Darius Leonard had ankle surgery in June last year before the season. The surgery helped him to get healthy for the season, where he played every game but one and was named a first-team All-Pro for the third time in his career. While the ankle is still ailing him, Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star reported that Leonard says the ankle is better now than it was at this point last year. This is an encouraging sign for Leonard and a scary message for the other teams in the AFC South. Leonard has been named to an All-Pro team every year of his career while being nagged by his ankle ailment. A healthy Leonard is a dangerous weapon for opposing teams to have to game-plan against.
  • With the return of free agent wide receiver Jarvis Landry seeming less and less likely, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com believes the Browns will be able to push a bit harder now for free agent pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney to return. Cabot points out that drafting UAB pass rusher Alex Wright makes the need to sign Clowney a little less urgent, but also mentions that fellow pass rusher Myles Garrett wants Clowney back, which could help his case. Cabot claims that, if the two parties can’t agree to a new deal, Cleveland will consider former Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes instead.
  • We’ve all seen Rich Eisen of NFL Network run the 40-yard dash for charity. Well, this year, former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III, currently an analyst for ESPN, participated and reportedly was clocked at 4.48 seconds. Mike Florio of NBC Sports reports that on Eisen’s show, Griffin made the claim that some teams took notice of his impressive run and reached out to him. This doesn’t necessarily mean that any teams have offered to bring him back to the NFL, but Griffin has publicly stated his desire to return to football in the past, even claiming that his contract with ESPN would allow him to sign with an NFL team if the opportunity presents itself. Griffin last spent time in the league as Lamar Jackson‘s back up on the Ravens. He filled in multiple times leading many to wonder if he still had the ability to lead an NFL offense based on his brief appearances.

Center Billy Price To Visit Cardinals

May 8th, 2022 at 3:24pm CST by Ely Allen

Former first-round pick Billy Price is looking to join the third team of his career. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Price will be visiting the Cardinals with hopes to end his stint as a free agent. 

Price was drafted No. 21 overall in 2018 to become the new starting center for the Bengals. After starting the first two games of his rookie season, Price injured his foot and missed six games before returning to start the rest of the season. He started his sophomore season on the bench, returning to the starting lineup intermittently throughout the year. In his third season, Price was much more consistently on the bench, starting only one game in 2020, his last start as a Bengal. The Bengals declined his fifth-year option at the conclusion of the season, making the 2021 NFL season a contract year for Price.

Just prior to the 2021 season, Cincinnati traded Price to the Giants in exchange for defensive tackle B.J. Hill. Price didn’t start Week 1 for the Giants, possibly due to the short acclimation period, but earned the starting center job for the rest of the season, only sitting out a Week 17 game to heal from a personal family loss.

Last year, Arizona traded for then-Raiders center Rodney Hudson. While Hudson performed well during his first year in Arizona, he did miss five games throughout the year, some with rib and shoulder injuries and some with COVID-19. Arizona no longer rosters Max Garcia who filled in for Hudson last year, and the only other center on the roster is Marcus Henry who has appeared in six games since joining the league in 2016 without ever making a start.

If signed, Price would add some quality depth to the Cardinals’ offensive line, giving them a solid back up option should Hudson need to miss any games next year.

Eagles To Hire Charles Walls As Director Of Player Personnel

May 8th, 2022 at 12:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

After a slew of departures in their front office, the Eagles have reportedly made an executive hire. Philadelphia is adding Charles Walls as their new director of player personnel (Twitter link via ESPN’s Kimberley Martin).

Walls began his NFL tenure with the Packers. Originally joining the team in 2013, he ultimately became a regional scout for them in 2017. His time in that role lasted three seasons, leading him to a promotion from the Browns in 2020.

Walls served as a national scout in Cleveland for the past two years, and his work during that span has again earned him a promotion from an outside team. In Philadelphia, he will replace Brandon Brown, whose role was vacated when he was hired by the Giants as their new assistant general manager. The same is true of Ian Cunningham, who is now in Chicago.

Those two are among numerous losses suffered by Howie Roseman‘s staff. The list of other departures in the front office includes Casey Weidl, Shawn Heinlen, T.J. McCreight and, most recently, Tom Donahoe. This news connects the Eagles and Browns for the second time this offseason, of course; Cleveland has hired former Eagles vice president of football operations Catherine Raiche, reuniting her with Andrew Berry.

With Walls in place, Roseman will have made one of many hires needed this offseason to replace the Eagles’ front office.

Ravens Intend To Keep Chuck Clark

May 8th, 2022 at 10:55am CST by Adam La Rose

After the events of this offseason, and the draft in particular, veteran Ravens safety Chuck Clark has been named as a player the team might look to move on from. Head coach John Harbaugh doesn’t see him going anywhere, however. 

When speaking to the media, Harbaugh said, “the idea is to have as many good players as you can have and have them in the right spots and the right roles. I love the fact that we have very versatile players in the backend and at safety. So, to me, Chuck is a big part of this team, and I’m planning on Chuck being here.”

Those comments were made in light of the fact that the team drafted safety Kyle Hamilton 14th overall. Lauded for his range and positional versatility, many felt that his addition would make Clark redundant. The latter has been a starter for the past three seasons, totalling 249 tackles, four interceptions and 25 pass deflections during that stretch. He has also worn the green dot as the player responsible for organizing the defense on the field.

Still, the overlap in skillsets between Clark and Hamilton has led to speculation that the Ravens could handle his situation in a similar fashion to those of Orlando Brown Jr. and Marquise Brown – highly regarded players whose trade requests were honored despite the team having the option of keeping them for at least one more season. The 27-year-old is under contract for two more years, with cap hits of $4.6MM and $5.2MM, though he has no guaranteed money remaining on his deal.

Assuming Clark is retained, he could still see plenty of playing time even if Hamilton starts right away. He has experience lining up in a number of positions, just as the latter does from his time at Notre Dame. The team should have opportunities to use three-safety packages (complementing free agent signee Marcus Williams) given their lack of established veterans at the inside linebacker and slot corner positions. If they do part ways, though, Baltimore would turn to the likes of Brandon Stephens, Tony Jefferson and Geno Stone to fill the safety void.

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