HEADLINES

Alfonzo Dennard

South Notes: Saints, David, Texans, Colts

August 6th, 2015 at 8:50am CST by Luke Adams

It’s been an eventful year for cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, who received a raise for 2015 and won a Super Bowl with the Patriots within the first few weeks of the year. However, since then, he’s been cut twice, by the Pats and Cardinals, negating that non-guaranteed raise that he earned back in January. Currently, Dennard is a free agent, and Josina Anderson of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that he’s working out for the Saints today.

Dennard missed 10 regular season contests in 2014, as he was plagued throughout the season by shoulder and hamstring issues. In New Orleans, he could help provide depth for a secondary that’s banged up early in training camp — cornerbacks Keenan Lewis and Delvin Breaux were among the players absent from the team’s walkthrough on Wednesday.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two South divisions:

  • Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David will likely be keeping a close eye on the financial terms for DeAndre Levy‘s new extension with the Lions, since David figures to surpass Levy’s deal. According to Anderson (via Twitter), the Bucs and David were “still not close” to working out a new contract as of Wednesday morning.
  • Pierre Thomas and the Texans could revisit a deal, even though there’s no pact at this time, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Wilson, who says Houston offered Thomas a minimum-salary contract, indicates that the two sides will likely remain in touch, since the former Saint was “clearly” the Texans’ preferred choice of the backs that auditioned for the team.
  • Former Patriots and Rutgers linebacker Steve Beauharnais worked out for the Colts on Wednesday, a source tells Wilson (Twitter link). The 25-year-old saw a little regular season action with Washington in 2014.

Cardinals To Release Alfonzo Dennard

July 29th, 2015 at 2:58pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals are releasing cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, according to a source that spoke with Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Dennard’s stint in Arizona lasted less than three months, after the Cards claimed him off waivers from the Patriots in early May.

Dennard, 25, was limited to just six games in 2014, having been plagued by shoulder and hamstring issues. He also saw his role in New England reduced with the arrivals of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, and played in just 241 regular season snaps before landing on injured reserve. While the sample size was small, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) also graded him as the Pats’ least effective coverage corner — he allowed QBs to complete 68.2% of their passes and accumulate a 111.2 passer rating on throws into his coverage.

Due to an escalator in his rookie contract, Dennard had been set to earn a base salary of $1.542MM this season after making the minimum for his first three years, so his release by the Pats doesn’t come as a total surprise. However, that salary is non-guaranteed, so if he clears waivers after being cut by the Cards this time, a team should be able to take a flier on him at a lesser price.

NFC Notes: Cards, Cowboys, Washington

May 13th, 2015 at 9:28am CST by Zachary Links

Claimed off waivers by the Cardinals last week, Alfonzo Dennard says he was surprised that the Patriots let him go, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes. Still, he’s not upset about how things turned out.

“It was shocking, because I thought I did everything right,” Dennard said. “I guess they had other plans and I wasn’t in it. But I’m happy to be here with the Cardinals.”

Dennard, 25, was limited to just six games in 2014, having been plagued by shoulder and hamstring issues. He also saw his role reduced with the arrivals of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, and played in just 241 regular season snaps before landing on injured reserve.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Quarterback Phillip Sims, who was signed by the Cardinals on Monday, is there to be more than just a camp arm, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic tweets. Cards coaches are impressed with his arm and brain and he could compete for the No. 3 job in Arizona.
  • Last week, La’el Collins got the first round draft pick treatment from the media after he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cowboys. That was just fine with the Cowboys’ actual first round pick, Byron Jones, who was happy to fly under the radar. “For me it didn’t really matter where I go or where anybody else goes,” Jones said, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “I’m just here to work, here to do my job and that’s play cornerback for the Cowboys.“
  • Washington linebacker Ryan Kerrigan is taking on a larger leadership role with the team as he looks to sign an extension with the team, Mike Jones of the Washington Post writes. “I’m kind of the elder statesman in the room now, as weird as it is to say,” said the two-time Pro Bowler selection. “It’s kind of my role now. … I enjoyed that role as a senior at Purdue when we had a lot of young guys, so I kind of embrace that.” Kerrigan, who is coming off of a career-best 13.5-sack season, is entering the final year of his deal but indicated on Monday that contract talks between his agent and the team are “progressing well.” General manager Scot McCloughan also expressed optimism that a deal would get done.
  • Former Washington tackle Tyler Polumbus recently had a tryout with the Falcons, Howard Balzer of USA Today tweets. Polumbus had been Washington’s primary right tackle for the last three seasons, but his services likely won’t be required in D.C. this year with No. 5 overall pick Brandon Scherff taking over at the RT position.

Cardinals Notes: Dennard, Collins, Martin

May 6th, 2015 at 6:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Bruce Arians said the Cardinals were “extremely comfortable” at cornerback after the recent draft in which they took zero cornerbacks. However, today’s signing of Alfonzo Dennard shows they’re still on the look for upgrades, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes. Dennard, a seventh-round pick of the Patriots in 2012, started 20 games in three seasons with New England. The Cardinals are looking to keep a solid secondary following the departures of defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and cornerback Antonio Cromartie, both now with the Jets. Here’s more out of Arizona..

  • In an interview on SiriusXM, Cardinals GM Steve Keim called this year’s UDFA class the best that the team has ever signed, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com tweets.
  • When asked about the possibility of signing La’el Collins, the Cardinals GM said it’s a “pretty tough decision” until there’s “some type of info you can hang your hat on,” Weinfuss tweets.
  • Keim says that the Cardinals will be moving defensive lineman Kareem Martin to outside linebacker in 2015, Pat Kirwan of CBSSports.com tweets. Martin would make for a very menacing linebacker at 6’6″ and 270 pounds.

Cardinals Claim Alfonzo Dennard

May 6th, 2015 at 4:02pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals have claimed Alfonzo Dennard off waivers from the Patriots, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The cornerback was let go by New England on Tuesday.

Dennard, 25, was limited to just six games in 2014, having been plagued by shoulder and hamstring issues. He also saw his role reduced with the arrivals of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, and played in just 241 regular season snaps before landing on injured reserve. While the sample size was small, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) also graded him as the Pats’ least effective coverage corner — he allowed QBs to complete 68.2% of their passes and accumulate a 111.2 passer rating on throws into his coverage.

Due to an escalator in his rookie contract, Dennard had been set to earn a base salary of $1.542MM this season after making the minimum for his first three years, so his release doesn’t come as a total surprise. Given his age and experience, it wasn’t a surprise to see a team scoop him up quickly either. The Cards have now added to their depth in the secondary while the Pats have totally overhauled the cornerback position with Dennard, Revis, and Browner playing elsewhere.

Pats Cut Alfonzo Dennard, Two Others

May 5th, 2015 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

3:21pm: The Patriots have confirmed they’ve waived Dennard, announcing in a press release that long snapper Tyler Ott and linebacker Deontae Skinner have been let go as well.

8:11am: Having lost a pair of key cornerbacks in free agency this offseason, when Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner signed elsewhere, the Patriots are continuing to overhaul the position. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the team is parting ways with three-year veteran Alfonzo Dennard, who started 20 games in New England over the last three seasons.

Dennard, 25, was limited to just six games in 2014, having been plagued by shoulder and hamstring issues. He also saw his role reduced with the arrivals of Revis and Browner, and played in just 241 regular season snaps before landing on injured reserve. While the sample size was small, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) also graded him as the Pats’ least effective coverage corner — he allowed QBs to complete 68.2% of their passes and accumulate a 111.2 passer rating on throws into his coverage.

Due to an escalator in his rookie contract, Dennard had been set to earn a base salary of $1.542MM this season after making the minimum for his first three years, so his release doesn’t come as a total surprise. He’s a candidate to be claimed on waivers, or to quickly sign elsewhere, given his age and the experience he’s had early in his NFL career.

2015 Proven Performance Escalator Raises

January 16th, 2015 at 8:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time in said snaps for the duration of his first three years in the league. If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s restricted free agent qualifying offer — that figure was $1.431MM last year, and will inflate commensurate with the salary cap increase. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.

Here are the players who will see their 2015 salary rise due to the PPE, courtesy of Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap.

Bengals: George Iloka, S; Mohamed Sanu, WR

Bills: Nigel Bradham, LB

Broncos: Malik Jackson, DL; Danny Trevathan, LB;

Browns: Billy Winn, DL

Cardinals: Bobby Massie, T

Chargers: Johnnie Troutman, G

Colts: Dwayne Allen, TE; T.Y. Hilton, WR

Dolphins: Lamar Miller, RB; Olivier Vernon, DE

Eagles: Brandon Boykin, CB; Nick Foles; QB

Falcons: Lamar Holmes, T

Jets: Demario Davis, LB; Antonio Allen, DB

Packers: Mike Daniels, DL

Panthers: Josh Norman, CB

Patriots: Alfonzo Dennard, CB

Raiders: Miles Burris, LB

Rams: Chris Givens, WR; Trumaine Johnson, CB

Ravens: Gino Gradkowski, C

Saints: Akiem Hicks, DT; Corey White, CB

Seahawks: J.R. Sweezy, G; Russell Wilson, QB

Steelers: Kelvin Beachum, T

Texans: Brandon Brooks, G; Jared Crick, DL; Ben Jones, G

Titans: Coty Sensabaugh, CB

Vikings: Robert Blanton, S: Rhett Ellison, TE; Josh Robinson, CB; Jarius Wright, WR

Washington: Alfred Morris, RB

Patriots Place Alfonzo Dennard On IR

December 27th, 2014 at 4:40pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Patriots have placed cornerback Alfonzo Dennard on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, reports Field Yates of ESPN (via Twitter).

Dennard, a seventh-round pick in 2012, has been inconsistent during his time with New England. He has only played in 29 out of a potential 48 games in his three seasons, intercepting five passes during that time.

The Patriots still have starters Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner on the outside, and while Kyle Arrington has also struggled with a hamstring injury, he is expected to be ready for playoff football. The team still has Logan Ryan as an option at cornerback as well.

The Patriots have promoted wide receiver Josh Boyce from the practice squad to the active roster to fill Dennard’s roster spot.

The team has also signed cornerback Daxton Swanson back to the practice squad, reports Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com (via Twitter). They released defensive end and utility lineman Cam Henderson to make room for Swanson to return to the practice squad.

Reiss writes that the promotion of Boyce could indicate that the team’s two injured starting wideouts, Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell, could miss the game or receive a smaller workload in Week 17 against the Bills (via Twitter).

Edelman and LaFell are working through a concussion and shoulder injury, respectively.

Patriots Notes: Revis, Edelman, Anderson

June 7th, 2014 at 3:28pm CST by Peter Sowards

Defense was the cornerstone of the Patriots’ three Super Bowl victories between 2001 and 2004, and stellar play from the secondary had much to do with it. Now, with the addition of Darrelle Revis, arguably the best defensive back in football, coach Bill Belichick has more flexibility than ever to implement his defensive strategy, opines ESPN.com’s Jeffri Chadiha.

Revis’ inclusion to the team means good things for the rest of his defensive counterparts, per Chadiha. Safety Devin McCourty can take more chances, defensive end Chandler Jones could add to his 11.5 sacks last season, and the defense could regain the swagger last seen in the Romeo Crennel days of yesteryear.

More from the defending AFC East champs below…