HEADLINES

Allen Barbre

East Notes: Barbre, Pryor, Colon

July 27th, 2014 at 9:49am CST by Rory Parks

We learned yesterday in a series of Twitter posts that Eagles‘ offensive lineman Allen Barbre would be given the first opportunity to replace suspended right tackle Lane Johnson but that Barbre would be pushing for more playing time even if Johnson had never been suspended. Today, Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com and Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer flesh out those thoughts in full articles, noting that Barbre’s strong performance as a reserve in 2013 and the three-year extension he signed last month suggest that he may remain a starter somewhere on the line–he has more experience on the left side than the right–even when Johnson returns.

Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that the only real positional battle in Eagles‘ camp this year is between Nate Allen and Earl Wolff at strong safety.
  • John Keim of ESPN.com writes that former Redskins running back Tim Hightower was in attendance at Redskins practice on Saturday and would like to return to the league.
  • We also learned yesterday that Jets‘ rookie Calvin Pryor suffered a head injury and possible concussion during practice. Although Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that it was a good sign that Pryor returned to the field on Saturday to watch the remainder of practice, Brian Costello of The New York Post tweets that there was no sign of him when practice began this morning. Costello also tweeted that, since the team will not hold practice tomorrow, it makes senses to give Pryor two consecutive days of rest as a precaution.
  • In better news for the Jets, Costello tweets that Willie Colon is in full pads and appears to be ready to play.
  • Ben Volin of The Boston Globe writes that, despite all the hype that comes with every training camp, the only real goal for the Patriots this summer is to stay healthy.
  • Mark Gaughan of The Buffalo News writes that the battle between Chris Hairston and Kraig Urbik for the Bills’ starting right guard spot will be an intriguing one to keep an eye on as training camp unfolds.

 

NFC East Notes: Barbre, Randle, Carter

July 26th, 2014 at 1:00pm CST by Matt Feminis

With Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson facing a four-game suspension, head coach Chip Kelly says Allen Barbre is next in next man up, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). CSNPhilly’s Goeff Mosher (via Twitter) says Kelly likes Barbre and that the veteran would be pushing for a more prominent role independent of Johnson’s suspension. Mosher wonders aloud if that’s a veiled message to right guard Todd Herremans.

Here’s a few more NFC East links:

  • Giants third-year receiver Rueben Randle is “still something of a mystery,” writes ESPN’s Dan Graziano. “He led the Giants with six touchdown catches in 2013 but got just as much attention (if not more) for mistakes and miscommunications that helped lead to Eli Manning interceptions.” Drafted to be a deep threat in then-offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride’s system, Randle faces an adjustment to Ben McAdoo’s system, which will require receivers to create separation closer to the line of scrimmage.
  • Could Larry Donnell be the Giants’ starting tight end? ESPN’s Dan Graziano said the coaches “really, really like Donnell and don’t have any clearly superior options,” and noted he was listed first at the position on the team’s first unofficial depth chart. Donnell (6-5 265) went undrafted out of Grambling in 2011, but latched on and earned his way on special teams. Now, he’s in position to overtake Adrien Robinson, who GM Jerry Reese is still high on despite the fact the 2012 fourth-rounder has yet to catch an NFL pass and let his weight balloon to nearly 290 pounds last season.
  • Cowboys linebacker Bruce Carter is having fun again, writes ESPNDallas.com’s Tim MacMahon, and DallasCowboys.com’s analyst Bryan Broaddus observes Carter is “playing like a player that has a much better understanding of what his responsibilities are and what technique he has to execute in order to be successful.”
  • Redskins receiver Leonard Hankerson, who is recovering from a torn left ACL and MCL, has been cleared to run, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post.

Lane Johnson Suspended Four Games

July 23rd, 2014 at 1:35pm CST by Ben Levine

JULY 23, 1:35 pm: The Eagles have announced that Johnson has been suspended for the first four games of the 2014 season. The team released a statement:

“We’re very disappointed to learn of his suspension. We have spoken to Lane about the details of the suspension. He understood what he did wrong and took full responsibility. The key for him, however, is to learn from that mistake and move forward with his preparation for the 2014 season.”

Johnson also addressed the suspension:

“In April while training, I mistakenly and foolishly put a prescribed medication in my body to help with a medical issue. I mistakenly failed to clear it with Eagles trainers and check the NFL list of banned substances. I am extremely sorry for this mistake and I will learn from it and be smarter in the future.

“I would like to sincerely apologize to Mr. Lurie, Howie Roseman, Coach Kelly and his staff, my teammates and our amazing Philadelphia Eagles fans. This will be very hard on me to not be battling with my teammates for four games – but I will be ready and better than ever when I return.”

JUNE 30, 3:50pm: McLane has confirmed the report. Citing NFL sources, the reporter tweets that Johnson has indeed tested positive and faces a four-game ban.

3:12pm: An NFL spokesperson would not confirm the reports, tweets Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer:

“Our office has no such information on him at this time.”

2:37pm: Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and will be suspended for the first four games of the 2014 season, sources tell Paul Domowitch of Philly.com (via Twitter). However, there has been no comment from the league spokesman, tweets NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal.

Johnson struggled at times as a rookie, but showed promise towards the end of the season. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him as the 46th-best tackle (about middle-of-the-road), but they also ranked him among the ten worst pass blockers. He did rank positively in run blocking, where he finished tenth among tackles.

The Eagles were expected to return their same offensive line as 2013, but those plans would obviously change if Johnson is suspended. Allen Barbre, who signed an extension with the Eagles this past offseason, would likely take Johnson’s place at right tackle. As Sheil Kapadia of PhillyMag.com notes, it was Barbre who filled in for an injured Jason Peters last season.

Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com guesses that a four-game suspension would likely cost Johnson $934K in salary and forfeiture (via Twitter). He adds that a suspension could also void his guarantees (via Twitter).

If Johnson is indeed suspended, he would be joining teammate Jake Knott, who was suspended in April for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances.

Allen Barbre, Eagles Agree To Extension

June 4th, 2014 at 1:29pm CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 1:29pm: Barbre will receive a modest $600K signing bonus to go along with annual base salaries of $1.25MM in each of the three new years on his extension, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter). Since the bonus will be prorated over four seasons, including 2014, that should mean annual cap hits of $1.4MM over the course of the extension. Of course, those could be slightly higher if there are any additional bonuses or incentives in the contract.

TUESDAY, 2:47pm: The Eagles have agreed to terms on a three-year extension for offensive lineman Allen Barbre, the team announced today (via Twitter). Barbre’s previous contract had just one year remaining, so the new deal will keep him under team control through the 2017 season.

While Barbre is currently penciled in as a backup on the Eagles’ offensive line, he performed well when pressed into action last season. He appeared in 89 overall offensive snaps, including 52 at left tackle in a Week 10 game against the Packers. Philadelphia has one of the top lines in the league, and recently extended mainstays like Jason Peters and Jason Kelce. Still, Barbre heads into the season as the club’s primary backup at guard, where Evan Mathis and Todd Herremans are both in their early-30s. If one of those players – or another lineman – goes down with an injury, Barbre looks like a good bet to be the first reserve off the bench.

In a statement, head coach Chip Kelly praised Barbre’s versatility, noting that his ability to play on the inside and outside of the line makes him a valuable player for the Eagles (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer).

Terms of the agreement aren’t yet known.