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Bashaud Breeland

NFC Notes: Washington, Artis-Payne, Saints

April 25th, 2016 at 10:22am CST by Sam Robinson

Josh Norman‘s signing with Washington will likely lead to Will Blackmon making the move to safety, Mike Jones and Master Tefatsion of the Washington Post write. Blackmon started 10 games at corner last season. Although Washington signed David Bruton to compete for a starting safety job this offseason, the team has questions on the back line. Kyshoen Jarrett‘s status is unknown after a season-ending injury, and career-long corner DeAngelo Hall‘s full-time transition to the position will come in a season where he turns 33.

Jones and Tefatsion also point out that Bashaud Breeland looks like the favorite to start alongside Norman for Washington this season, since 2015 free agent acquisition Chris Culliver‘s $8MM base salary is non-guaranteed. Washington would take on $3.75MM in dead money if the club decides to release Culliver, Pro Football Focus’ second-worst full-time corner last season.

Here’s more from around the NFC, including a couple more notes on how Norman’s signing affects Washington:

  • Speaking of Breeland, when he first heard the news that Norman was heading to Washington, he “took it as disrespect,” he admitted during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio (SoundCloud link). However, he came to view the signing as a “chess move” that will not only improve the team, but could also allow Breeland himself to improve by working with one of the league’s best corners.
  • Landing Norman shouldn’t negatively impact Washington‘s chances of getting a long-term deal done with quarterback Kirk Cousins or any of the club’s other key contributors, writes John Keim of ESPN.com.
  • Panthers running back Cameron Artis-Payne was arrested after police recorded him driving 102 mph in a 65-mph zone, per WSOCTV (on Twitter).
  • The Eagles brought in Auburn cornerback Blake Countess for a pre-draft visit last week while clubs were still permitted to host prospects, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link).
  • The Saints held pre-draft visits with Washington linebacker Travis Feeney and Nebraska offensive lineman Alex Lewis, reports Joel Erickson of the Advocate. Both prospects project as Day 3 picks, and Lewis is particularly interesting as the college tackle could be moved inside to guard at the pro level.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Chris Culliver Suspended One Game

September 14th, 2015 at 9:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Washington cornerback Chris Culliver has been suspended one game by the NFL for a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy that occurred long before he was a member of the team, the club announced today (via Twitter). Culliver will miss Week 2’s game against the Rams as a result of the penalty.

Culliver, who signed with Washington in free agency this past March, reportedly hit a bicyclist, fled the scene, and threatened a citizen with brass knuckles back in March of 2014. The 27-year-old was originally charged with misdemeanor hit and run and felony possession of brass knuckles. However, his attorneys got the felony charge reduced a misdemeanor and Culliver pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges earlier this year.

The four-year, $32MM deal that Culliver signed with Washington earlier this year calls for base salaries of $8MM in the final three years, but only a $3MM salary this year. That means the former 49ers cornerback will only lose about $176K in salary as a result of his one-game ban.

While Culliver goes on the reserve/suspended list for the week, fellow Washington cornerback Bashaud Breeland comes off of it. Breeland served his own one-game suspension this past weekend, and will be eligible to return to the field for the club’s Week 2 contest.

NFC Notes: Mincey, Eli, Bennett, Saints, Pack

July 31st, 2015 at 7:20pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here’s a look at the latest from around the NFC:

  • Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said the team and defensive end Jeremy Mincey, who is holding out from training camp over a contract dispute, have had some back and forth regarding a new deal, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link). The 31-year-old Mincey started all 16 games last season and totaled 46 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He’s due to earn $1.5MM this year.
  • Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who is entering the final year of his contract, hasn’t set a deadline on getting an extension done, tweeted the New York Daily News’ Ralph Vacchiano.
  • Bears tight end Martellus Bennett said in June that he’s “always working on a new contract,” but he changed his tune Thursday, per ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson. “I’m not even worried about a contract right now,” he said. “It’s just business. I have no hard feelings against anybody.”  Bennett, who caught 90 passes and made his first Pro Bowl trip in 2014, has two years left on his contract and is set to earn a base salary of $4.9 million this season.
  • The NFL suspended Saints tight end Orson Charles for one game without pay for violating its personal conduct policy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The league’s discipline process is confidential, meaning it’s unclear what Charles was suspended for, but Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com wrote that Charles received diversion in February for a 2014 “road rage” incident. The 24-year-old has appeared in 29 NFL games, all with the Bengals (none since 2013), and caught nine passes.
  • Friday was rough for Washington cornerback Bashaud Breeland: The league suspended him one game for a past incident involving marijuana possession and he suffered an apparent right leg injury during practice. ESPN’s John Keim reports (via Twitter) that it’s an MCL injury and Breeland will miss 4-6 weeks.
  • The Packers worked out ex-Sacred Heart running back Keshaudas Spence on Friday, according to Weston Hodkiewicz of the Press Gazette (via Twitter).

Bashaud Breeland Suspended One Game

July 31st, 2015 at 9:56am CST by Luke Adams

Washington cornerback Bashaud Breeland will serve a one-game suspension to open the 2015 season, stemming from a citation for marijuana possession from last summer, reports Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link). The penalty will sideline Breeland for the club’s Week 1 contest at home against the Dolphins.

Breeland, 23, was cited for marijuana possession on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University last August, before he had played in a regular-season NFL game. However, the incident didn’t stop him from earning a starting job for Washington and playing nearly 900 defensive snaps for the team in 2014.

The fourth-round pick was a below-average defender in his rookie year, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required), with his 13 penalties negatively impacting his grade. However, even after Washington went out and added Chris Culliver in free agency, Breeland still projects as a starter in the team’s secondary in 2015. In Week 1, either DeAngelo Hall or David Amerson figures to get the opportunity to start across from Culliver.

NFC East Links: Schwartz, Cowboys, Redskins

August 23rd, 2014 at 4:07pm CST by Rob DiRe

Giants‘ guard Geoff Schwartz was brought in this offseason to sure up the offensive line, but in light of his recent injury, the team needs to look at potential replacements on the roster, writes Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Rookie center Weston Richburg is the logical replacement, although he was thought of as the center of the future and was already competing to be the starter at the other guard spot with Brandon Mosley. John Jerry and Dallas Reynolds are the other guards on the roster.

Here are some more links from around the NFC East:

  • The Giants‘ offensive line is not the only cause for concern heading into the regular season, as the team’s tight ends and their quarterback Eli Manning have struggled as well, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The team is also short on wide receivers with rookie Odell Beckham Jr. and former practice squad star Marcus Harris struggling with injuries. Harris was thought to be a lock to make the roster before his injury, writes Raanan.
  • There are still a few starting spots on the Cowboys‘ depth chart up for grabs, and David Moore of DallasNews.com points out three places where those jobs are up for grabs. The team still has a decision to make at left guard, left defensive end, and middle linebacker.
  • The writers of DallasCowboys.com have highlighted two players each to watch going into the Cowboys‘ preseason game against the Dolphins. The players to watch are not necessarily in straightforward position battles, and range from rookie Devin Street to franchise quarterback Tony Romo.
  • The Redskins‘ cornerback depth chart is still up in the air, with multiple players impressing so far during camp. Tracy Porter seems to have the slot corner spot locked up, but if his injury history comes back to haunt him, that could open up a roster spot for a player like Chase Minnifield, writes John Keim of ESPN.com. Bashaud Breeland has also had an excellent camp, but must learn how to play the slot before he sees significant playing time.

Redskins Sign Six Draft Picks

May 16th, 2014 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

Rather than announcing their 2014 draft pick signings one at a time, the Redskins nearly got the entire class locked up before making an announcement today. According to the team, six of eight Redskins draftees have officially signed their rookie contracts. That group includes guard Spencer Long, cornerback Bashaud Breeland, wide receiver Ryan Grant, running back Lache Seastrunk, tight end Ted Bolser, and kicker Zach Hocker.

With those six players under contract, only second-round linebacker Trent Murphy and third-round offensive tackle Morgan Moses remain unsigned for Washington.

Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap has the breakdown of the anticipated signing bonuses and overall contract values for the Redskins’ picks, including those that have yet to officially sign. Meanwhile, if you want to keep tabs on all of this year’s draft pick signings, you can do so right here.

AFC Draft Notes: Steelers, Carr, Bengals, West

May 10th, 2014 at 11:01am CST by Matt Feminis

The Steelers first three picks — linebacker Ryan Shazier, defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt and receiver/running back/returner Dri Archer (he of the sub-4.3 speed) — have instant impact ability, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.com.

Here’s a handful more AFC draft-related notes as we settle in for the completion of the draft:

  • The Raiders landed Derek Carr in the second round, and Bleacher Report draft analyst Matt Miller (video) calls the Fresno St. gunslinger a “nicer Jay Cutler.”
  • In the wake of the Bengals’ second-round selection of LSU running back Jeremy Hill, veteran BenJarvus Green-Ellis‘ days with the Bengals are officially numbered,” says ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey.
  • Did the Browns trade up to make sure they got Towson running back Terrance West, a Baltimore native, before the Ravens could? Tom Reed of Cleveland.com seems to think so.
  • The Jets have nine picks today, writes ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini, who says the team could tab a quarterback in the fourth round. He also points out GM John Idzik’s “next in-draft trade (for picks) will be his first. Ever.”
  • Of the Bills‘ predraft visitors, eight players — includuing Baylor running back Lache Seastrunk and Clemson cornerback Bashaud Breeland — remain undrafted, according to Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550.

Pre-Draft Visits: Jaguars, Beckham, Raiders

April 9th, 2014 at 5:50pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jaguars have been bringing in a number of notable prospects, including some of the draft’s top quarterbacks. Tomorrow they will add Alabama’s A.J. McCarron, LSU’s Zach Mettenberger, Fresno State’s Derek Carr, and UCF’s Blake Bortles, reports Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter).

Here are some other visits from across the NFL:

  • LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has a visit scheduled with the Bills for Thursday, reports Sirius NFL XM Radio (via Twitter). Beckham met with the 49ers and Steelers earlier this week.
  • Clemson defensive back Bashaud Breeland met with the Raiders on Tuesday, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Breeland has played both safety and cornerback, and has already met with the Bills.
  • Nevada offensive lineman Joel Bitonio had his visit with the Rams today, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch (via Twitter). Thomas writes that Bitonio could be drafted somewhere as high as the late first round.

Draft Notes: Savage, Lions, Bills, Falcons

April 3rd, 2014 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

With the 2014 NFL draft now just five weeks away, you can expect at least one round of draft updates per day from us, and often it’ll be more. Here’s Thursday’s afternoon updates on a few prospects and the NFL teams that are eyeing them:

  • The stock of Pittsburgh quarterback Tom Savage is on the rise, according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com, who says Savage has had workouts with nine NFL teams so far and has another seven scheduled for this month (Twitter links).
  • Martavis Bryant certainly isn’t the biggest name among the Clemson receivers in this year’s draft class, but he seems to be drawing some interest from the Lions, who hosted him for a pre-draft visit today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
  • The Bills announced two more pre-draft visits today, revealing that Clemson defensive back Bashaud Breeland and Duke cornerback Ross Cockrell were in town on Thursday.
  • Speaking of Breeland, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link) hears that the Falcons are high on the Clemson DB. Pauline adds that the team is at Liberty University today, working out cornerbacks Walt Aikens and Kevin Fogg.
  • Kansas State safety Ty Zimmerman recently met with Falcons defensive backs coach Joe Danna, tweets Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com.
  • Middle Tennessee State defensive tackle Jimmy Staten will visit the Chargers next week, reports Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
  • The cousin of Cardinals running back Andre Ellington, South Carolina wide receiver Bruce Ellington, has a pre-draft visit scheduled with the Cards, tweets Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic.

Draft Updates: Clowney, Bortles, Robinson

April 2nd, 2014 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

With no throws to make or brooms to evade, Jadeveon Clowney‘s Pro Day may not have had the fanfare of Johnny Manziel‘s event at Texas A&M, but plenty of coaches and executives showed up to watch Clowney at South Carolina today. Following his Pro Day, Clowney will make visits to work out for the Rams and Falcons, he confirmed today, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

Here’s more on May’s draft and the 2014 class of prospects:

  • The Browns are conducting their private workout with Blake Bortles today, a source tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link).
  • Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson is visiting the Rams in St. Louis today, tweets Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
  • Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter link) hears from several sources that Clemson cornerback Bashaud Breeland, who had dinner with GM Trent Baalke following his Pro Day, is drawing “heavy interest” from the 49ers.
  • The Panthers worked out Wyoming defensive back Marqueston Huff today and will do the same for Wyoming wideout Robert Herron and quarterback Brett Smith on Thursday, says Gil Brandt of NFL.com (Twitter links).
  • According to Brandt (via Twitter), Ball State quarterback Keith Wenning has nine workouts lined up with nine NFL teams, including the Jaguars, Browns, and Patriots.
  • Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (all Twitter links) passes along details on three prospects visiting the Titans: Auburn running back Tre Mason, who left Nashville today; West Virginia running back Charles Sims, who will visit later this week; and UCLA edge defender Anthony Barr, who will be in town next Tuesday.
  • The Bills hosted Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby, Baylor running back Lache Seastrunk, and Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier today, according to the team.