Ahtyba Rubin - Pro Football Rumors

DT Ahtyba Rubin Visiting Seahawks

July 9th, 2019 at 7:00pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We heard yesterday that the Seahawks could be interested in veteran defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin, and now they’re following through on that interest. Rubin is in Seattle right now to visit with the team, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

Condotta writes that if the two sides can agree on a deal, Rubin “would likely sign a one-year, low-risk (veteran minimum or just above) deal.” Rubin has some familiarity with the Seahawks, as he spent two seasons with the team in 2015 and 2016. He originally entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Browns back in 2008, and he spent the next seven seasons in Cleveland.

He had a productive 2015 campaign, and earned a new three-year, $12MM extension from Seattle. He lasted just one year into that pact before getting cut just prior to the start of the 2017 season. Rubin signed with the Raiders last offseason, but missed the entire year with a biceps injury. Rubin is turning 33 later this month but Seattle’s run-defense really struggled last year, so perhaps he could help out in a situational role.

Condotta writes that it’s a position of need, and that the Seahawks will keep looking for help there if they don’t end up signing Rubin. He notes that “the defensive line remains one of the team’s top two or three main areas of concern entering training camp, and Seattle is expected to continue looking to add players to that spot as preseason rolls along.”

Seahawks Interested in Ahtyba Rubin?

July 8th, 2019 at 7:21pm CST by Rory Parks

The Seahawks could be interested in reuniting with old friend Ahtyba Rubin, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets. If Seattle were to sign the defensive lineman, who turns 33 later his month, it would likely be on a veteran minimum deal (or something close to it).

Rubin, a former sixth-round pick of the Browns, was a stalwart on Cleveland’s D-line from 2010-14, and he was generally a solid starter during that time. He hooked on with the Seahawks on a one-year pact in March 2015, and he enjoyed a strong first season in Seattle, starting all 16 games and compiling 36 tackles and two sacks. Seattle rewarded him with a three-year, $12MM deal the following year, but that contract did not hold up particularly well.

Rubin again started all 16 games for the Seahawks in 2016, but the club shopped him prior to the 2017 season and, finding no takers, released him. He played for both the Broncos and the Falcons in 2017 and signed with the Raiders last June, though he tore his triceps during a practice in August and never saw regular season action for Oakland.

He would serve as an experienced rotational piece on running downs and could push second-year player Poona Ford for playing time.

Raiders Place Ahtyba Rubin On IR

August 16th, 2018 at 10:30am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have placed defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin on injured reserve. Rubin suffered a torn biceps during last week’s joint practice with the Lions, as Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

Rubin was set to enter the final year of a three-year, $12MM deal with the Seahawks in 2017. Instead, he was cut in early September. The Broncos signed him later on that month, but he was cut loose after dressing for two games. In October, he hooked on with the Falcons and went on to appear in ten games as a reserve. In June, the Raiders inked him to a one-year deal.

In his first Seahawks season (2015), Rubin amassed 36 tackles, two sacks, and finished fourth among the team’s defensive linemen in snaps. In 2016, he once again had a perfect attendance record in the regular season as he racked up 39 tackles, one sack, and three forced fumbles. However, he wasn’t quite living up to the standards of his deal in Seattle. Then, in his ten games for the Falcons last year, Rubin amassed 15 total tackles and zero sacks.

The Raiders claimed defensive lineman Gabe Wright off waivers from the Dolphins this week, so he’ll now compete for a spot behind Justin Ellis, Eddie Vanderdoes, and others.

AFC West Notes: Henderson, Broncos, Penn

August 15th, 2018 at 8:31pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Carlos Henderson has had a tough time so far in the NFL. After being taken with the 82nd overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Broncos, Henderson is yet to make his NFL debut. A hand injury cost him his entire rookie season, and he’s been away from the team this training camp for undisclosed reasons.

The team took Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton in the draft this year, making the receivers room very crowded with no clear spot for Henderson. To make matters even worse, Henderson was suspended for the first week of the season for a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy reports Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic (Twitter link).

It likely stems from his arrest back in January on marijuana charges. Given that Henderson was already being projected by many as a roster cut and still hasn’t reported to the team, at this point it would be surprising if the former third round pick remains in Denver much longer.

Here’s more from the AFC West:

The details are in on Donald Penn‘s contract restructuring with the Raiders. His cap number in 2018 has been reduced to $4.975MM (down from $8.38MM0, and he’ll get $2.75MM in extra guaranteed money on his deal for 2019, a source told Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link).
The reason for Martavis Bryant‘s absence from the last couple of Raiders practices is migraines, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic (Twitter link). Tafur adds that migraines have “plagued him for years.”
The Raiders placed veteran defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin on injured reserve with a biceps tear, according to Michael Gehlken of Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link). To make up for the loss of Rubin, the team claimed defensive tackle Gabe Wright off waivers today.

Raiders Sign DT Ahtyba Rubin

June 11th, 2018 at 3:35pm CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have signed defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin, according to an announcement from his agency. Rubin finished the 2017 season with the Falcons but will now look to suit up for the fifth team of his NFL career.

Rubin was set to enter the final year of a three-year, $12MM deal with the Seahawks in 2017. Instead, he was cut in early September. The Broncos signed him later on that month, but he was cut loose after dressing for two games. In October, he hooked on with the Falcons and went on to appear in ten games as a reserve.

In his first Seahawks season (2015), Rubin amassed 36 tackles, two sacks, and finished fourth among the team’s defensive linemen in snaps. In 2016, he once again had a perfect attendance record in the regular season as he racked up 39 tackles, one sack, and three forced fumbles. However, he wasn’t quite living up to the standards of his deal in Seattle. In his ten games for the Falcons last year, Rubin amassed 15 total tackles and zero sacks.

The Raiders will start Eddie Vanderdous and Justin Ellis in the middle of their four-man defensive line. Second-round choice P.J. Hall projects as the first defensive tackle off the bench, but Rubin could push Treyvon Hester, fifth-round pick Maurice Hurst, and the other DTs this summer.

Falcons To Sign DL Ahtyba Rubin

October 19th, 2017 at 11:29am CST by Zachary Links

The Falcons have signed defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rubin became a free agent on Tuesday when he was released by Denver.

Rubin was set to enter the final year of a three-year, $12MM deal with the Seahawks this year. Instead, he was cut in early September. The Broncos signed him later on that month, but he was cut loose after dressing just twice.

In his first Seahawks season (2015), Rubin amassed 36 tackles, two sacks, and finished fourth among the team’s defensive linemen in snaps. Last year, he once again had a perfect attendance record in the regular season as he racked up 39 tackles, one sack, and three forced fumbles. However, he wasn’t quite living up to the standards of his deal in Seattle.

With the Falcons, Rubin will help provide depth in the wake of injuries to starting defensive end Courtney Upshaw and reserve defensive tackle Jack Crawford. Upshaw did return to practice this week, so there is hope for him to play on Sunday against the Patriots. Crawford, however, is on IR.

Broncos Cut DL Ahtyba Rubin

October 17th, 2017 at 2:55pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos are releasing defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin, a source tells Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). In a related move, offensive lineman Billy Turner has been placed on injured reserve.

Rubin was cut by the Seahawks in early September, making him a free agent in the midst of what was supposed to be a lucrative three-year deal. He signed with the Broncos roughly two weeks later. After dressing just two times in one month, the Broncos are putting him back on the curb.

Klis (Twitter link) expects the Broncos to use their newly-open roster space to add some depth at wide receiver. The Broncos have only three healthy wide receivers available heading into Sunday’s game against the Chargers. Some veteran help would be welcome behind top target Demaryius Thomas as Emmanuel Sanders and Isaiah McKenzie deal with injury.

Broncos To Sign DT Ahtyba Rubin

September 15th, 2017 at 8:57am CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos are set to sign defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin, according to Peter Schrager of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rubin was let go by the Seahawks in early September.

The Seahawks shopped Rubin after acquiring Sheldon Richardson from the Jets on Friday, but they could not find takers for his contract. After he was dropped from his three-year, $12MM deal, Rubin auditioned for the Bills and 49ers but did not sign with either club. He’ll now join up with a contending team in Denver.

Rubin will help to fill in the gaps for the Broncos while Jared Crick recovers from back surgery. No one knows exactly when Crick will be back in action, but it is clear that he will be out for a while.

The 31-year-old started in all 32 of his appearances with the Seahawks, recording 75 tackles and three sacks. Before that, he started in 75 of 99 games as a Brown from 2008-14.

49ers Work Out Seven Defenders

September 13th, 2017 at 5:31pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The 49ers hosted a few established defensive linemen on Wednesday, working out free agents Ahtyba Rubin, Jaye Howard, Kendall Langford and Tony McDaniel, according to Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link). They also tried out defensive tackle Stefan Charles and a pair of defensive backs – Devonte Johnson and Josh Thornton – per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

Rubin, perhaps the most notable of the bunch, spent the previous two years in the 49ers’ divisio – the NFC West – with Seattle. The Seahawks, who play the 49ers this week, released Rubin at the outset of the month, and his only known interest prior to his meeting with San Francisco came from the Bills. The 31-year-old DT started in all 32 appearances with the Seahawks, registering 75 tackles and three sacks, and previously started in 75 of 99 games as a Brown from 2008-14. Kyle Shanahan, the Niners’ rookie head coach, was Cleveland’s offensive coordinator during Rubin’s last season there.

Howard, 28, worked out for the Lions this week before his visit to San Francisco. The former Chief has been on the hunt for a job since the Bears released him Sept. 2. Howard didn’t play a down in Chicago, which signed him in May after the Chiefs released him, and is coming off an injury-played 2016. After Howard posted back-to-back 16-game seasons and combined for 24 starts from 2014-15, a hip ailment limited him to eight and five in those categories last year.

Like Rubin and Howard, Langford and McDaniel earned summer releases from their previous employers. The Colts cut Langford with a failed physical designation in August, indicating that the 31-year-old hadn’t recovered from the knee injury that ended his 2016 campaign in October. He was, however, the picture of durability from 2008-15 with the Dolphins, Rams and Colts, appearing in eight straight 16-game seasons. Langford’s also just two years removed from a career-high seven-sack showing.

McDaniel, whom the Saints released at the beginning of the month, is an 11-year veteran who spent three of the previous four years in Seattle. The 295-pounder is familar with first-year 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who worked on the Seahawks’ staff during one of McDaniel’s seasons with them (2013). McDaniel started a personal-best 15 games that season and notched 53 tackles (a career mark) and two sacks.

It’s unclear if the 49ers will sign any of these players, but doing so would perhaps improve a defensive line that didn’t generate much pressure during their 23-3 loss to the Panthers in Week 1. The 49ers hit Panthers quarterback Cam Newton just twice and failed to register a sack in Saleh’s debut atop their defense. They did, however, hold Carolina to a measly 3.1 yards per rush on 38 attempts.

Bills Host Ahtyba Rubin On Visit

September 6th, 2017 at 2:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Recently cut by the Seahawks, Ahtyba Rubin has generated some interest elsewhere. The veteran defensive tackle took a visit to Buffalo in recent days, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

The Seahawks attempted to shop Rubin prior to cutting him over the weekend, and the 31-year-old defender is attempting to secure a job with a third NFL team. This was the would-be 10th-year veteran’s first known visit since the Seahawks released him.

Rubin played for the Browns for seven seasons prior to signing two Seahawks contacts — the second of which a three-year, $12MM pact in 2016.

The Bills are pivoting back to a 4-3 scheme under Sean McDermott, and Rubin proved solid in that set in Seattle after working as a 3-4 base defender in Cleveland. Buffalo has mercurial superstar Marcell Dareus and longtime cog Kyle Williams entrenched inside but may be on the hunt for a rotational option.

Garafolo NFL.com colleague Ian Rapoport reported the Broncos as a top contender to land Rubin, but nothing’s developed on that front since.