Chandler Jones (DE) - Pro Football Rumors

Pats Exercise Option On Chandler Jones

April 30th, 2015 at 4:39pm CST by Luke Adams

The Patriots have exercised their fifth-year option on defensive end Chandler Jones, according to Will Brinson of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). Brinson adds that the team has also picked up its option on Dont’a Hightower, which was reported yesterday.

Jones, 25, missed six regular season games last season with a hip injury, but was productive as usual during his time on the field, recording 51 tackles, six sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles. In 2013, the only season in which he has played all 16 contests, Jones racked up 11.5 sacks.

As the 21st overall pick and a defensive end, Jones will be in line for a $7.799MM salary for the 2016 campaign before being eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2017. That salary doesn’t become fully guaranteed until the start of the ’16 league year, and the cap figure could always be adjusted if the Patriots work out something longer-term with Jones.

For all of this year’s fifth-year option decisions, which are due by Sunday, be sure to check out our tracker.

AFC Notes: Hightower, Broncos, Titans

April 19th, 2015 at 8:54am CST by Rory Parks

In addition to putting the finishing touches on their big board, the Patriots have a number of personnel decisions to make before draft day, writes Karen Guregian of The Boston Herald. Specifically, New England needs to decide whether to pick up the fifth-year options on linebacker Dont’a Hightower and defensive end Chandler Jones (the deadline for teams to exercise that option is May 3, one day after the conclusion of the draft).

The fifth-year option would prevent both players from becoming free agents after the 2015 season, so on the surface it appears like an easy decision. And for Hightower, Guregian believes it is. She says not only should the Patriots exercise the option, they should lock Hightower up long-term. Guregian points to Hightower’s critical role in the team’s Super Bowl run last season, which included establishing himself as a playmaker, a leader, and a play-caller in Jerod Mayo‘s absence.

Although Jones represents something of a more difficult decision, as injuries and his struggles against the run tip the scales towards the one-year option rather than a multi-year extension, Guregian writes that Hightower, along with Jamie Collins, are the future of the New England’s defense and should be treated accordingly.

Let’s take a look at a few more notes from the AFC:

The Dolphins will have an official visit with LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins next week, writes Omar Kelly of The Sun-Sentinel. One league source pegs Collins as the frontrunner for Miami’s first-round pick, No. 14 overall, if he is still available when the Dolphins are on the clock.
Mike Klis of The Denver Post expects the Broncos to trade up from their No. 28 overall pick, noting that the team has 10 picks but is in win-now mode and does not have 10 available roster spots.
In the wake of the persistent Philip Rivers-to-Tennessee rumors, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe offers his two cents, asserting his belief that a trade will not happen. For one, although Rivers is by no means a young man relative to other professional athletes, his durability and consistent level of play suggest it is far to soon to worry about his performance taking a sudden downturn. Furthermore, Marcus Mariota, who the Chargers would presumably draft to replace Rivers, is by no means a surefire prospect, which suggests San Diego should stay put at the No. 17 overall pick in the draft and continue to roll with Rivers.
Similarly, Volin believes the Titans‘ statements regarding how much they like second-year quarterback Zach Mettenberger are not a ruse. Given the stalled progress of passers like Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick, Volin believes Tennessee did not make those statements in an effort to disguise their desire to draft Mariota.

AFC Notes: Pats, Gregory, Bolts, Steelers, Jets

April 10th, 2015 at 9:28pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler went from a little-known name to a Super Bowl hero when his late-game interception of the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson helped New England earn its fourth championship in February. Now, with the departure of star corner Darrelle Revis, Butler will have a chance to make a full-season impact in 2015. One of Butler’s teammates, linebacker Chandler Jones, believes he’s up to the task.

“I know you guys only heard of Malcolm Butler during the whole Super Bowl thing and that big play, but Malcolm has been making plays for us the whole season in practice, and he’s been getting good looks for us,” Jones said, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “So I’m excited for him to step up as one of the impact players as well.”

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Nebraska pass rusher Randy Gregory will visit the Chargers on Saturday, and Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that the team has to weigh the risk and reward of drafting the 22-year-old. Gregory is already in the NFL’s substance-abuse program for a failed drug test at the combine, but he is worth the Chargers’ first-round pick (17th overall) based on talent alone. Gregory says his past issues are behind him and he is “focused” on his dream to play in the NFL. The Chargers will have an opportunity to gauge his sincerity this weekend.
Gregory will visit the Steelers next week, according to Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
The Jets will visit with Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty early next week, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Petty could be a target for the Jets in the second round (37th overall).
In the unlikely event Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers hits the trading block, Bills general manager Doug Whaley will do everything in his power to land the five-time Pro Bowler, according to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW (Twitter link).

East Notes: Ridley, Jets, Garcon

March 29th, 2015 at 8:53am CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots under Bill Belichick have frequently utilized a merry-go-round of sorts at the running back position, leading to matchup confusion for opposing defenses and perennial consternation for fantasy owners. But out of all the backs to come and go over the years, Stevan Ridley is one of the more intriguing talents. Ridley had a breakout campaign in 2012, compiling 1,263 yards on 290 attempts (4.4 YPC) and crossing the goal line 12 times. He received fewer opportunities in 2013 but still played well, but in 2014 his season was cut short by a torn ACL and MCL that he sustained in early October.

The 26-year-old free agent therefore enters the free agent market as something of an unknown commodity, albeit one with a great deal of upside. As Christopher Price of WEEI.com writes, Ridley will likely have to accept a one-year deal to reestablish his value, but he could represent a steal for a team looking to plug a hole in its backfield. As we learned several days ago, Ridley is not likely to return to New England, and the Vikings and Cowboys have been rumored as potential fits. He is expected to make his first free agent visits this week, and he could simply be waiting for the Adrian Peterson situation to be resolved before choosing his next home.

Let’s have a look at a few more notes from the league’s east divisions:

Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com passes along news on Patriots linemen on both sides of the ball. Although he does not hear that there is any long-term concern about Chandler Jones‘ health, the fact that Jones is still walking with the aid of crutches and is on more of a rehab track than a regular offseason workout track is worthy of note. Reiss also says that free agent guard Dan Connolly has not received a ton of interest from other clubs, so he and the Patriots–who were willing to let Connolly establish his value on the open market–are in a holding pattern. Without Connolly, though, New England’s guard depth looks fairly thin.
Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com believes new Jets head coach Todd Bowles is sending mixed messages with his statements regarding the team’s quarterback situation. While Bowles has said that it’s hard to get a feel for Geno Smith, he added that Smith will get the majority of first-team reps when training camp opens. Cimini believes it should be an open competition between Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com takes a look at whether there are players other than Marcus Mariota who would make Washington‘s No. 5 overall pick a hot commodity. Tandler believes Kevin White or one of the draft’s premier edge rushers could garner some interest from other teams looking to trade up.
On the topic of young wideouts, Tandler believes that if Washington selects Kevin White or Amari Cooper with their No. 5 pick, the team could look to deal Pierre Garcon to a receiver-needy club either during the draft or in training camp.

AFC Notes: Browns, Housler, Titans, Jags, Pats

March 23rd, 2015 at 3:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Having lost Jordan Cameron to the Dolphins and missed out on Charles Clay, who signed with the Bills, the Browns are considering tight end Rob Housler, writes Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. According to Fowler, the Browns have had discussions with Housler, and there’s mutual interest between the two sides, but no visit has been planned and no deal is imminent. Housler, who turned 27 last week, caught just nine balls for the Cardinals last season after recording 84 combined receptions in 2012 and 2013.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean takes a closer look at Tommy Smith‘s decision to retire as CEO of the Titans, reporting that the decision was made in part because of a shift in thinking within the club’s ownership group. According to Wyatt, there was no longer a consensus among ownership that Smith’s wife, Susie Adams Smith, daughter of the late Bud Adams, should be the franchise’s controlling owner. The Titans are currently on the lookout for a new president and CEO.
Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley discussed one running back his team landed and one that got away, telling reporters today, including Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter links) that GM David Caldwell has done “a lot of research” on Bernard Pierce, and that the team “held [its] stance” in pursuit of DeMarco Murray.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft pointed to upcoming free agencies for players like Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower in explaining why the team couldn’t offer Darrelle Revis a massive contract, tweets Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
Per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Darian Stewart‘s two-year contract with the Broncos is worth $4.25MM, with a $1.5MM signing bonus and a 2016 escalator.

AFC East Notes: Jackson, Chandler Jones, Jets

October 26th, 2014 at 11:00am CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots are rumored to be on the lookout for help at running back and wide receiver in advance of Tuesday’s trade deadline, and Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald believes such an addition would be ideal. Although the team recently acquired Akeem Ayers via trade, Guregian says “Band-Aids” like Ayers and Isaac Sopoaga, who came to New England at the 2013 trade deadline, are not enough to make the Patriots realistic contenders for the AFC Crown.

Instead, she believes the team needs to make a deal similar to the one it swung for Aqib Talib back in 2012. Guregian mentions a series of pipe dreams, like the Texans‘ Andre Johnson and the Redskins‘ Pierre Garcon, but while she does not mention Vincent Jackson, it appears as if he could be a realistic option. Jackson would give Tom Brady a dynamic target whose size and physicality complements the speed and shiftiness of Julian Edelman, and, as James Walker of ESPN.com tweets, his presence would give New England a real chance of upsetting the Broncos if the two teams should meet again in the playoffs.

Now for some more notes from the AFC East:

CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reports that Patriots defensive lineman Chandler Jones will not need surgery on his injured hip. He will be out, however, for at least four weeks, though he does hope to be ready for the stretch run.
Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News opines that the Jets are better off tanking in 2014 to assure themselves of the chance to draft a true difference maker in 2015.
Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes that the Dolphins have a deep roster without glaring weaknesses–unlike their division rivals–and rather than make a big addition, Miami simply needs more consistency to make a legitimate run at the AFC East.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Harvin, Jones, Pats

October 25th, 2014 at 2:58pm CST by Zachary Links

New acquisition Percy Harvin should make an immediate impact for the Jets, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The Jets probably won’t overload the 26-year-old playmaker in his first game, but he should have a ripple effect on the rest of the offense. In Mehta’s mind, Harvin is the Jets’ only pass-catching option that puts a scare into opposing defenses. Here’s more out of the AFC East…

The Jets made waves with their acquisition of Percy Harvin this year, but they could have had him in the 2009 draft, as Justin Tasch of the New York Daily News writes. After selecting Mark Sanchez, the Jets thought about trading for another first-round choice to get Harvin, who ultimately went to the Vikings at No. 22. “No,” Ryan replied when asked if he wonders whether he and then-GM Mike Tannenbaum could’ve pulled it off. “Why spend that kind of time? You should be looking at what you have right now. (There will be) time to reflect maybe 20 years from now or something.”
Bad news for Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones. The team is fearing that in a worst-case scenario, his hip injury could keep him out of the lineup for the rest of the regular season, a source tells Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. The best case for the Pats is that he’ll be out six weeks from the point on injury, which would allow him to return for Week 13 against the Packers. The Pats traded for Titans’ defensive lineman Akeem Ayers in the wake of Jones’ injury.
When the Patriots signed Brandon Browner in the offseason, many believed that he was brought aboard to stifle bigger receivers at the line and make the matchups easier for Darrelle Revis. As the Patriots look ahead to a matchup against Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey, Browner doesn’t neccessarily agree with that idea, writes Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com. “I wouldn’t say anything like that. I’m here because they wanted me here,” Browner said. “It’s a good matchup for me this week, me and [Revis].”

AFC East Notes: Jones, Kerley, Bills

October 21st, 2014 at 6:31pm CST by Zachary Links

Maybe this is why the Patriots traded for Akeem Ayers. Chandler Jones missed practice today due to a hip injury and a league source says it’s expected that he’ll be sidelined for about a month, according to Shalise Manza Young of The Boston Globe (on Twitter). Chandler is now the third member of the Jones family to be sidelined with a leg injury in 2014. Arthur Jones has been out of action with an ankle injury while brother Jon Jones, the UFC’s light heavyweight champion, had to postpone his August title defense against Daniel Cormier. On a positive note, Arthur could return on Sunday against the Steelers while Jon will return to the Octagon on January 3rd. More from the AFC East..

The timing of the Jets‘ extension for Jeremy Kerley is curious given his recent slump and the arrival of Percy Harvin, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Still, it’s a good business move by the Jets, who are only on the hook for ~$5.4MM in guarantees. Cimini wouldn’t be surprised to see GM John Idzik extend other potential free agents like running back Bilal Powell and linebacker David Harris. The Jets would also like to lock up defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, currently signed through 2015, for the long term.
Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com looked at what Ayers can bring to the Patriots.
The Bills, who are without the services of Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller, made a play for Broncos running back Kapri Bibbs, leading to Denver promoting him to the active roster today, tweets Mike Klis of The Denver Post.

Jeffery Buoying Emery’s First Draft

July 19th, 2014 at 11:48am CST by Matt Feminis

Bears GM Phil Emery has been on the job two and a half years, and with a series of bold moves, has positioned the Bears as a legitimate Super Bowl contender entering the 2014 season. That’s noteworthy status given the fact Emery’s first draft class (2012) has been fruitless with the exception of rising star Alshon Jeffery.

Buried in an article about the Bears’ kick coverage units, CSN Chicago’s John Mullin notes that 2012 19th overall selection Shea McClellin, a disappointment through two NFL seasons, has been used on special teams this offseason. Unable to hold up against the run, the Bears have converted him from defensive end to linebacker, where he’s competing with John Bostic for the starting job on the strong side. Position changes and special-teams impact are things typically associated with rookies, not third-year pros, especially ones drafted as highly as McClellin. His backward career trajectory doesn’t bode well for his future in Chicago.

If McClellin can’t find a way to make an impact this season, he’ll be stamped with the bust label, which prompts a more macroscopic concern. Emery, whose background is rooted in scouting, was hired to replace Jerry Angelo, whose first-round failures still resonate with Bears fans who cringe at the memories of names such as Rex Grossman, Michael Haynes, Cedric Benson, Chris Williams and Gabe Carimi. Emery is supposed to reverse that debilitating trend, but aside from Jeffery in the second round, his 2012 draft class has failed to live up to expectations:

First round: McClellin – “Earned” -30.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2013, and has just 6.5 sacks in 28 career games.
Second round: Jeffery – Made the Pro Bowl in his second year, a breakout season in which he totaled 89 catches for 1,421 yards and 7 touchdowns, teaming with Brandon Marshall to form one of the most dominant receiving duos in the league.
Third round – Brandon Hardin: Arrived an injured player and departed an injured player, never playing a game for the Bears.
Fourth round – Evan Rodriguez: Considered a reach because of character concerns, Rodriguez was released after his rookie season (and two off-season arrests).
Sixth round – Isaiah Frey: Has yet to make a significant contribution and faces a training camp battle to stick as the team’s fifth cornerback.
Seventh round – Greg McCoy – Cut at the end of 2012 training camp.

In McClellin’s case, the Bears might have misevaluated his utility, as many draft scouts projected the Boise State pass rusher as a 3-4 rush rush linebacker. Nolan Nawrocki’s 2012 Draft Preview graded McClellin as a mid-round talent with tweener traits, strength deficiency and an inability to defend the run: “Functional, character football player who plays better than he tests and could warrant consideration as a stand-up, upfield 3-4 rush ‘backer. Versatility and dependability increase comfort level and could drive up draft status.”

Nawrocki’s assessment proved accurate, as McClellin ascended all the way to the 19th pick, where Emery pounced on him with 3-4 teams such as the Patriots (who took Chandler Jones 21st), Texans (who took Whitney Mercilus 26th) and Packers (who took Nick Perry 28th) lurking in subsequent picks. McClellin’s versatility was key to the selection, with the thinking at the time being if he doesn’t pan out as a defensive end, he could be a starter-caliber linebacker, be it as Brian Urlacher‘s long-term replacement in the middle, or on the outside. The time is now for McClellin to reward Emery’s confidence before Chicago’s all-too-familiar first-round failure worries are stirred up.

AFC East Links: Brady, Satele, Trump

June 29th, 2014 at 9:00am CST by Rory Parks

Ben Volin of The Boston Globe notes that there are seven Patriots players set to make more money than Tom Brady this year, whose $2MM base salary is tied for eighth-most on the club. Of course, Brady did receive $33MM as a result of last year’s extension that pushed his contract into 2017. However, if Brady honors that deal, he will be making a total of $27MM over the course of the next three seasons, just $9MM per year when the going rate for franchise quarterbacks is at least twice as much.

Brady’s contract situation has made Volin wonder if there was any subliminal meaning to head coach Bill Belichick‘s statement, “we know what Tom’s age and contract situation is” after the team drafted Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round of last month’s draft. Although neither side has mentioned anything about a contract dispute, Volin opines that the Patriots could be preparing themselves for one just in case.

Now some more notes from the AFC East:

In a video segment for CSNNewEngland, Tom Curran, Mike Giardi and Phil Perry discuss the success of the Patriots‘ two first-round picks in 2012, Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower. They agree that the team needs to decrease Jones’ workload a bit to ensure his continued effectiveness, and they also note that 2014 is a “pseudo-contract year” for both players. As first-round picks under the new CBA, they will be under club control for two more seasons (assuming that New England picks up the fifth-year option for both, which is probably a given). Nonetheless, the Patriots do like to get contract issues resolved early, so 2014 may well be the best time for Jones and Hightower to boost their leverage.
In their continuing search for a replacement for injured center Mike Pouncey, the Dolphins will bring in Samson Satele–who spent the first two seasons of his career with Miami–for a workout on Monday, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson adds that the team will bring in two other linemen as well, but it is unclear who those players are at this point.
Although the Jets‘ competition is not an open one–Geno Smith is expected to take 70 to 75 percent of the first-team reps in training camp–it is not an entirely closed competition either, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Normally, a veteran starter takes about 90 percent of reps with the first team.
As our Luke Adams wrote last week, Donald Trump, one potential bidder for the Bills franchise, believes he is the only bidder who would keep the team in Buffalo. Phil Perry of CSNNewEngland writes that if Trump were to purchase the club–which is a dubious proposition at best–he has indicated that the Bills would need a new stadium, perhaps within the Buffalo city limits.