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Kellen Clemens

QB Notes: Ravens, Levis, Colts, Richardson, Rams, Bennett, Hurts, 49ers

May 16th, 2023 at 2:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens hosted Anthony Richardson on a pre-draft visit, and GM Eric DeCosta did not shoot down the idea of taking a first-round quarterback. Of course, the Ravens squashed any such contingency plan by agreeing to terms with Lamar Jackson on his record-setting extension. Had that not happened, the team is believed to have been intrigued by Will Levis. The Ravens would have considered Levis with their first-round pick had Jackson not signed, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. Baltimore had pursued Baker Mayfield as well and entered draft week with neither of its top QBs signed beyond 2023. Tyler Huntley is on an RFA tender.

Selecting a quarterback at No. 22 would have both been a leverage play and certainly would have cost the team its best opportunity to add weaponry around Jackson, thus weakening the 2023 Ravens edition. A number of teams were connected to Levis coming into the draft, and trade rumors — centered around teams eyeing a move up for the falling Kentucky prospect — emerged in the late first round and early second. The Ravens now loom as a Levis “what if?” Though, they will probably not be the first team mentioned as a near-miss regarding the strong-armed prospect. Considering Jackson’s contract, Levis may barely be a footnote for the team.

Here is the latest news from the quarterback position:

  • Seeing as the Colts and Titans are in the same division, Indianapolis will probably be the top Levis “what if?” team. The Colts were tied to Levis for weeks ahead of the draft, but they successfully masked their Richardson interest. Even though Richardson’s ceiling enamored Colts brass, Fowler adds Levis had a few fans in Indy’s building. The Penn State transfer might be readier to play compared to Richardson, a one-year Florida starter, though Ryan Tannehill‘s presence in Tennessee may ensure Richardson begins his QB1 run first. Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds was a Richardson skeptic at first, but fellow seventh-year Indy front office staffer Morocco Brown — who primarily scouted the Gators talent for the Colts — made near-weekly trips to Gainesville to chart the athletic prospect’s progress. Ex-Shane Steichen Eagles coworker Brian Johnson, Florida’s OC during Richardson’s freshman year (2020), also vouched for Richardson, per Fowler.
  • The Rams did not consider Levis, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue, who notes they came into the draft with a goal of landing a Day 3 passer (subscription required). Despite Levis having played for 2022 Rams OC Liam Coen in 2021, team brass was split on the prospect. Los Angeles ended up with Stetson Bennett via the No. 128 overall pick. This came after the Rams hired one of their former QBs, Kellen Clemens, as a consultant to evaluate Bennett and other arms, Rodrigue adds. Clemens met with Bennett in Georgia before the draft, but even though Bennett is a 26-year-old rookie, ex-Broncos backup Brett Rypien may begin as Matthew Stafford‘s backup.
  • The Eagles‘ Jalen Hurts extension (five years, $255MM) laid the groundwork for Jackson’s, and the Ravens QB scored more fully guaranteed money ($135MM to $110MM). But Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes the Hurts deal jumps to $157.3MM fully guaranteed by 2025. This is because Hurts’ 2026 option bonus ($49.8MM) becomes guaranteed in stages. Hurts will see $16.5MM of that bonus become guaranteed in 2024, and $30MM of that payout locks in by 2025. These guarantees vest in March 2024 and ’25, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets. The Eagles ditched Carson Wentz‘s contract less than two years after authorizing it, but they moved back into the QB-paying business with this megadeal.
  • Former Detroit and Washington practice squad QB Steven Montez spent the weekend in San Francisco auditioning at the 49ers‘ rookie minicamp, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. The Colorado alum served as the Seattle Sea Dragons’ backup, behind Ben DiNucci, who has since signed with the Broncos. The 49ers have four QBs rostered and have not signed Montez.

Redskins To Work Out Mark Sanchez, Others

November 18th, 2018 at 5:56pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins are bringing in a group of quarterbacks to work out on Monday, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Mark Sanchez, E.J. Manuel, and T.J. Yates will show their stuff for Washington as they seek a new backup quarterback for new starting QB Colt McCoy. Kellen Clemens and Josh Johnson will also get a workout, as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

McCoy was thrust into the starting lineup when Smith suffered a broken tibia and fibia. This trio of prospective QBs is not the most exciting bunch, but the Redskins are hoping that none of the three veterans will have to see action.

McCoy has not attempted a pass since 2015, but he is considered one of the NFL’s better No. 2 signal callers. In recent years, the team has flirted with the idea of starting him, so they clearly have confidence in his ability.

On the plus side, all four veterans offer NFL experience. By the end of business on Monday, one of them will take a step closer to seeing live action.

49ers Hosting Group Of Veteran QB’s

September 24th, 2018 at 6:18pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

In the wake of Jimmy Garoppolo‘s ACL tear that will sideline him for the rest of the 2018 season, the 49ers are making moves to bolster their quarterback room, as the team will host a group of veteran signal callers according to head coach Kyle Shanahan (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN).

The quarterbacks coming in for workouts tomorrow include Tom Savage, T.J. Yates, and Kellen Clemens. Wagoner adds that Shanahan said Matt Moore is “another possibility” and that Nick Mullens would likely be activated from the practice squad. Shanahan has already said that the team won’t bring in any competition for C.J. Beathard, so any quarterback signed would be added solely as a backup to Beathard.

Savage started seven games for the Texans last year, but found himself released by the Saints at final cuts after New Orleans traded for Teddy Bridgewater. Yates also most recently spent time with the Texans, starting three games for them last year. He’s bounced around the league as a spot starter, and even won a playoff game for the Texans a few years back. Clemens just recently saw his long tenure as backup to Philip Rivers come to an end when the Chargers decided not to re-sign him after the 2017 season. Clemens hasn’t seen meaningful action in a long time, as Rivers never missed a start during Clemens’ run with the Chargers.

Overall, it’s not exactly an inspiring group. Beathard should have no trouble keeping the starting job the rest of the way assuming he can stay healthy, and it’s possible the team opts to just stick with Mullens as their backup. Mullens was an undrafted free agent in 2017 who has stuck around on San Francisco’s practice squad.

Jags Audition Kellen Clemens, Austin Davis

April 2nd, 2018 at 4:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kellen Clemens saw the Chargers agree to terms with Geno Smith on Sunday night, and it looks like he’ll be in need of another employer. A potential suitor emerged Monday.

The Jaguars worked out both Clemens and Austin Davis, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The Jags lost longtime backup Chad Henne recently but traded for Cody Kessler.

Blake Bortles agreed to an extension to stay in Jacksonville but is recovering from offseason wrist surgery. Kessler is the only other quarterback on the Jags’ roster, so the team may have some work to do for depth purposes. They will need more arms to run offenses during OTAs at the very least, and Clemens has been one of the game’s longer-tenured backups.

This is the 34-year-old passer’s first visit this offseason. He spent the past four seasons backing up Philip Rivers and has worked in this capacity for most of his career. Although, he started nine games for the 2013 Rams in Sam Bradford‘s stead. A former second-round Jets pick, Clemens has attempted 100 passes in a season just twice in a 12-year career.

A teammate of Clemens’ in St. Loius, Davis spent the 2017 season backing up Russell Wilson in Seattle. The Seahawks remain in need of a No. 2 QB behind Wilson, and both Davis and Clemens worked under new Seattle OC Brian Schottenheimer with the Rams. So, they would be natural options to play behind Wilson. Seattle has not been connected to either quarterback thus far this offseason, however.

Davis, 28, served as the relief arm for Bradford in 2014, when he suffered another knee injury, but has not thrown a pass in a game since the 2015 season while with the Browns.

Henne spent four seasons as Bortles’ backup but signed to play behind Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City. It’s likely the Jaguars will at least look at passers in this year’s draft, and with Kessler now in the picture, there might not be room for a veteran should Jacksonville take a quarterback in the middle rounds or higher. But both Henne and Davis have more experience as NFL backups than Kessler.

Chargers Re-Sign QB Kellen Clemens

September 4th, 2017 at 11:50am CST by Zachary Links

Kellen Clemens is back with the Chargers. The Bolts re-signed the quarterback on Monday, just 48 hours after releasing him. Kellen Clemens

Clemens, 34, will return for a fourth season as a backup to Philip Rivers, though he may not be Rivers’ primary understudy. The Chargers acquired former Ohio State standout Cardale Jones through a trade with Buffalo earlier this offseason and he may be the first one in the game if Rivers suffers an injury.

With that said, Rivers has been remarkably healthy throughout his career and has not missed a regular season game since becoming the Chargers’ starter in 2006. If that continues, this could be an uneventful season for both Jones and Clemens.

Clemens has attempted only ten passes with the Chargers, but he does have 21 career starts to his name thanks to his time with the Jets and Rams.

Chargers Reach 53-Man Limit

September 2nd, 2017 at 3:07pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chargers announced 37 player moves on Saturday, bringing them down to the 53-man limit. Here’s the full breakdown.

Released:

Waived:

Waived/Injured:

Reserve/Suspended:

Reserve/Injured:

Barner seemed to have a decent chance of cracking the roster as a pass-catching back, particularly after the loss of Danny Woodhead. On 27 carries last season, Barner averaged a career-best 4.8 yards per attempt.

Clemens, 33, was slated to return for a fourth season as Philip Rivers‘ backup. Instead, that job will go to Cardale Jones, who was acquired in a trade with Buffalo earlier this offseason.

Chargers To Re-Sign Kellen Clemens

March 9th, 2017 at 11:25am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Chargers and quarterback Kellen Clemens are in agreement on a one-year deal, tweets freelance reporter Michael Gehlken.

Clemens, 33, will return for a fourth season as Philip Rivers‘ backup, a job that’s been among the league’s simplest in recent years. During his three-year run with the Chargers, Clemens has attempted all of 10 passes in relief of Rivers. A former second-round pick, Clemens does have 21 career starts to his name, all coming with the Jets and Rams.

Chargers Notes: Stadium, Bosa, Mettenberger

August 20th, 2016 at 3:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Thought to be trailing in their hopes to receive enough votes for the downtown stadium measure to pass this November, the Chargers mounted an offensive at a city councilman who voiced opposition to the team’s plan.

The Chargers funded a Facebook ad campaign against councilman Chris Cate, who is one of the leaders of a coalition called “No Downtown Stadium – Jobs and Streets First,” David Garrick of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The ads posted Cate’s office phone number and urged fans to call and ask why he wants the Chargers to leave.

The team stated in these ads and through a spokesperson it would leave for Los Angeles without a downtown stadium — Dean Spanos does have an agreement in principle to join up with Stan Kroenke and the Rams in 2017 — but that hasn’t been formally announced since the Chargers are still playing at the Mission Valley site that’s housed them since 1961. So this ad campaign could be another attempt at leveraging the city. This time, that effort is directed at voters. The Chargers, as of now, need a two-thirds majority for the stadium measure to pass.

“The Chargers have spent the past 15 years and tens of millions of dollars trying to find a solution to stay here in San Diego,” team spokesman Fred Maas said, via Garrick. “It is an insult to our fans and all San Diegans to have inexperienced politicians with blind ambition use our initiative as a vehicle to pursue higher office, like mayor. If they want us to leave for L.A, folks have every right to ask why, so please call Chris and ask him.”

A coalition spokesman refuted Maas’ claims that Cate’s political agenda is driving this message.

Here’s more from San Diego.

  • In the weeks between now and the elections, the Chargers should be able to outmaneuver their political opposition, at least in terms of getting their message out, Tom Krasovic of the Union-Tribune writes. Four local TV stations in San Diego work under parent companies that are broadcast partners of the NFL, and the team also appears ready to outspend opponents in advertising. The Bolts improving on the field would help their cause, Krasovic notes. Despite the 4-12 record they finished with in 2015, the Chargers hadn’t lost more than 10 games in a season since 2003 and in their most recent effort lost nine games by one-score margins.
  • Management and Joey Bosa‘s camp breaking their weeks-long silence — and doing so without many details leaking — shows the sides are serious about finding a resolution this time, Michael Gehlken of the Union-Tribune notes. We heard on Friday the Bolts and Bosa’s agent met this week, and it’s unknown if a new offer emerged after one last went out July 28. Multiple officials involved requested the talks be kept private, per Gehlken.
  • Regardless of Bosa’s status come Week 1, Darius Philon will start opposite Corey Liuget at defensive end for the Chargers, Krasovic writes. While Philon saw his rookie season cut short by injury, he’s enjoyed a productive camp, per Krasovic, who adds that plugging Bosa into the Week 1 lineup after everything that’s occurred would send a bad message.
  • Kellen Clemens will remain Philip Rivers‘ backup, according to Krasovic, who also notes Zach Mettenberger is not a lock to make the team. Now 33, Clemens looks to have withstood the challenge of new OC Ken Whisenhunt‘s former Titans charge. Mettenberger, whom the Chargers claimed on waivers earlier this year, may now be in a battle with rookie UDFA Mike Bercovici, Krasovic writes. Rivers has not missed a start since taking over for Drew Brees to begin the 2006 season.
  • The Chargers claimed wideout Rasheed Bailey off waivers from the Jaguars earlier this week.

Contract Details: Sanu, Lane, Harris, Jones

March 10th, 2016 at 5:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are some of the latest details on recently agreed-upon or signed contracts from around the NFL.

  • Mohamed Sanu, WR (Falcons): Five years, $32.5MM. $14MM guaranteed. $7MM signing bonus. Base salaries of $1MM, $6MM, $6MM, $6MM, $6.5MM. (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, on Twitter). Can earn additional $1.25MM based on receptions, per ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure (on Twitter).
  • Jeremy Lane, CB (Seahawks): Four years, $23MM. $11MM guaranteed. $5MM signing bonus. Base salaries of $2MM, $4MM, $6MM, $6MM (Twitter link via Wilson). $7MM fully guaranteed. Lane’s $4MM salary in 2017 guaranteed in February 2017, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today (via Twitter).
  • Mike Harris, OL (Vikings): One year, $2MM. $500K of $1.9MM base salary fully guaranteed. $100K workout bonus. (via Wilson, on Twitter). Can earn $1.05MM in incentives, per Pelissero (on Twitter).
  • Mason Foster, ILB (Washington): Two years, $2.5MM. $350K signing bonus. Can earn $1.6MM in playing-time incentives, per Pelissero (on Twitter).
  • Adam Jones, CB (Bengals): Three years, $24MM. $16MM in 2016-17, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (on Twitter).
  • Kellen Clemens, QB (Chargers): One year, $1.065MM. $80K roster bonus, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (on Twitter).

Chargers Re-Sign Kellen Clemens

March 9th, 2016 at 7:09pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Chargers have re-signed quarterback Kellen Clemens to a one-year deal, the team announced in a press release. Clemens will serve as Philip Rivers‘ backup for the third straight season.

In his first two seasons in San Diego, Clemens attempted just nine passes in four games. He saw extensive action in 2013 with the Rams, starting nine games and tossing eight touchdowns against seven interceptions. In 44 career appearances (21 starts), the 10-year veteran has 16 TDs and 20 picks. The ex-Oregon Duck entered the league as a second-round pick of the Jets in 2006.

 

 

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