HEADLINES

Corey Coleman

NFC Notes: Seahawks, Cardinals, Falcons, Cowboys

September 7th, 2018 at 7:23pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

A growing rift in the Seahawks’ locker room over the team’s treatment of Russell Wilson was the catalyst for the trade or release of many Seahawks veterans this offseason, according to an explosive report from Robert Klemko of SI.com. The story, which is well worth a read, details how Richard Sherman and other Seahawks defenders objected to coach Pete Carrol’s alleged preferential treatment of Wilson.

The story also describes how many former Seahawks players think the rift was responsible for the team getting rid of veterans like Sherman, Michael Bennett, Jeremy Lane etc., and rebuilding the team around Wilson. It’s an unwelcome distraction for Seattle just days before their season opener, and it will be very interesting to see how Carrol and Wilson respond.

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • 2016 first round pick Corey Coleman never fit in with the Browns. Released after just two injury plagued seasons, the young speedy receiver is now looking for a new home and visited with the Cardinals today a source told Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link). The Cardinals are a bit thin at receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald, so this could be a good landing spot for both sides.
  • The Falcons lost starting safety Keanu Neal for the season during last night’s opener with a torn ACL, but his absence might not be as devastating as some had thought. Even before last night’s game, rookie fifth round safety Damontae Kazee had “emerged as the versatile swing safety type that’s incredibly valuable in today’s NFL” during training camp according to Albert Breer of SI.com. The coaching staff apparently loves Kazee, so the loss of Neal isn’t as disastrous as it might’ve seemed.
  • Cowboys guard Travis Frederick hasn’t been placed on injured reserve “but he continues to have some numbness in both arms” according to Todd Archer of ESPN. It’s a situation far more important than football, and Frederick acknowledged to Archer he has no idea when he’ll be back on the field.

AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Cannon, Coleman

September 2nd, 2018 at 12:21pm CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins currently have three quarterbacks on the roster, and it looks like it will stay that way. Per Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, Dolphins head coach Adam Gase said he anticipates keeping three signal-callers all year, although he would not say whether David Fales or Brock Osweiler would serve as Ryan Tannehill‘s primary backup. Beasley suggests the No. 2 QB could change depending on the week (Twitter links).

Now for more from the AFC East:

  • The Dolphins cut former third-round pick Leonte Carroo yesterday, but Beasley tweets that Carroo could find himself on the team’s practice squad if he clears waivers. Although Carroo has disappointed in the pros thus far, other teams with a need at wide receiver may be willing to give him a shot.
  • Patriots right tackle Marcus Cannon, who missed the entire preseason with a leg injury, is expected to be cleared to play in Week 1, as Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets. As Howe details, Cannon’s availability could have an impact on other members of the team’s roster (Twitter link).
  • The Bills cut Corey Coleman yesterday, less than one month after trading a non-conditional draft pick for him and assuming his guaranteed base salaries in each of the next years. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes that Buffalo did not like Coleman’s attitude from the time he arrived, and the former first-rounder is also still dealing with tightness in his hamstrings. It is telling that the Bills would let Coleman go despite the team’s obvious need for receiving talent.
  • The Jets made a strong offer for Khalil Mack, but that offer did not include two first-round picks, which helped convince the Raiders to ship Mack to Chicago.

Bills Move Roster To 53 Players

September 1st, 2018 at 5:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bills have moved their roster to 53 players but cutting the following:

Buffalo will take on dead money by releasing Coleman, whom it acquired from Cleveland earlier this year. Ryan lost out in the punting battle to Colton Schmidt.

Bills Release WR Corey Coleman

September 1st, 2018 at 9:28am CST by Ben Levine

Corey Coleman‘s brief tenure in Buffalo has come to an end. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Bills are releasing the wideout.

Following a pair of underwhelming seasons in Cleveland, Coleman was traded to the Bills earlier this month for a seventh-rounder. The move seemed to be of little risk for the Bills, who were hoping the receiver would show some of the promise that made him a 15th-overall pick in 2016 draft. However, he 24-year-old didn’t end up showing a whole lot in the preseason with his new team, hauling in only three receptions for seven yards.

After being traded at the beginning of the preseason, Coleman seemingly didn’t have enough time to crack Buffalo’s roster. With the wideout out of the picture, any one of Andre Holmes, Jeremy Kerley, or Kaelin Clay could push for the third receiver spot behind Kelvin Benjamin and Zay Jones.

Coleman had shown intermittent promise during his time with the Browns, although he had only managed to compile 56 receptions for 718 yards and five touchdowns in 19 career games. The former Baylor standout struggled with injuries — most notably, two hand breaks — and he saw the GM who drafted him ousted last year. Coleman was signed through the 2019 season and would have been under Bills control through 2020 via the fifth-year option.

Of course, considering Coleman’s brilliance in college, some time will surely take a shot at the wide receiver now that he’s a free agent. There are presumably plenty of receiver-needy teams that would be willing to sign the 5-foot-11, 185-pound wideout.

AFC North Notes: Gordon, Browns, Bengals

August 19th, 2018 at 7:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Browns wide receivers have been perhaps the most discussed position group in the NFL this month, with Josh Gordon, Dez Bryant and Corey Coleman commandeering news cycles. The most talented of these players is on his way to being ready for the regular season. While Gordon has not resumed practicing with the Browns since returning to Berea, Ohio, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com believes his treatment program was geared around getting ready for the regular season. While it’s possible Gordon will miss the entire preseason slate, Cabot sees the seventh-year pass-catcher not only being ready to play in Week 1 but starting alongside Jarvis Landry against the Steelers on Sept. 9. Hue Jackson also is of the belief his embattled playmaker will be out there in Week 1. Although, it’s not out of the question the NFL could have some say in Gordon’s return.

Here’s the latest out of Cleveland, along with other North-division cities.

  • The Browns’ Bryant interest was genuine, per Cabot, and not a protection against another prolonged Gordon absence. As was the case when he turned down the Ravens’ three-year offer this spring, Bryant wants a one-year deal that will help him return to free agency in a better spot than he was when the Cowboys cut him. Cabot adds both sides were impressed during Bryant’s visit, but Bryant’s price tag was probably too high for the Browns. Though, Cleveland obviously could afford to sign Bryant to whatever one-year deal he wants due to its league-leading amount of cap space. The Browns are going to continue to examine the receiver market, via trade or free agency, per Cabot.
  • Coleman was not happy with how Hard Knocks handled the sequences that led him being shipped to the Bills. The HBO show only showed the third-year receiver’s frustration in Jackson’s office, and sort-of-serious trade request, and a series of drops or other on-field work Browns coaches deemed unsatisfactory. No discussions about what went into the team’s trade decision were shown, which irked the new Buffalo resident. “With all of that, I’m going to take the high road,” Coleman said after Friday night’s Bills-Browns game (via the Buffalo News). “You all can see for yourself how all that stuff worked out. I just laugh at it because it’s kind of funny. They should have shown the whole thing if they were going to show it.”
  • Only six of the past 25 players the Bengals have selected in drafts’ final three rounds have failed to make the 53-man roster as rookies, but Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer notes some Bengals 2018 picks are on the bubble. The Bengals have combined to make 11 fifth-, sixth-, or seventh-round picks over the past two years, making some of these talents’ paths to the roster more difficult than they would be under normal circumstances. The team’s trio of 2018 fifth-rounders — cornerbacks Darius Phillips and Davontae Harris, and defensive lineman Andrew Brown — are potential roster cuts, per Dehner. The Bengals cut two rookie fifth-rounders last year, with one of those (Jake Elliott) resurfacing as the Eagles’ new kicker after opening the season on Cincy’s practice squad.
  • Additionally, rookie seventh-round wide receiver Auden Tate has a legitimate shot to make the Bengals’ roster, Jim Owczarski of the Inquirer writes. A slow 40-yard dash time (4.68 seconds) diminished Tate’s draft stock, making him one of the April event’s final picks, but the 6-foot-5 Florida State alum has emerged as a possible depth piece after a strong training camp. UDFA linebackers Chris Worley and Junior Joseph are also pushing to make Cincinnati’s roster, per Dehner.

AFC Notes: Dolphins, Bortles, Coleman

August 6th, 2018 at 8:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Frank Gore may be competing for touches with fellow running back Kenyan Drake, but that doesn’t mean the veteran isn’t impressed by his Dolphins teammate. In fact, Gore told Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post that he understands why the organization moved on from their former starter in order to give Drake more reps last season.

“I was like, ‘Man, I kinda see why they traded Jay Ajayi,’” Gore said. “He’s very talented. Jay Ajayi was a great back, too, but Kenyan is a very talented guy. He’s smart. He can do everything on the field. I think that me and him can really help this team be successful this year.”

Ultimately, Gore is expected to be a mentor to both Drake and fourth-rounder Kalen Ballage. Despite running for at least 850 yards for the 12th-straight season in 2017, the veteran is willing to have a larger impact off the field than on the field.

“People said that I wouldn’t be here and I wouldn’t (last) more than three years, and I’ve been blessed going into my 14th year,” the 35-year-old said. “Now I want to go out here and be successful, have fun and do whatever it takes with my team and try to get some wins.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC…

  • Blake Bortles is looking forward to his first healthy season in several years. The Jaguars quarterback told ESPN’s Michael DiRocco that he’s been tolerating a right wrist injury for several seasons, forcing him to have three cortisone injections in 2017. Bortles finally opted for surgery this offseason to repair a partially torn ligament on the outside of his wrist, and the 26-year-old said the operation helped him have the best offseason and training camp of his career. “When you do not have to worry about going to rehab or going to get treatment, you have to make sure you warm it up the right way, you have to take anti-inflammatory [medication] and do all of that stuff. … It is just a lot of process to be able to go out there and do what you should be able to do without any pain,” Bortles said. “To be able to do that now finally is pretty awesome.” Despite the injury, Bortles managed to complete a career-high 60.2-percent of his passes last season for 3,687 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.
  • The Bills traded for former first-round wideout Corey Coleman last night, and Joe Buscaglia of WKBW.com believes the receiver could have an immediate impact on his new team. The writer points out that Kelvin Benjamin and Jeremy Kerley are the only two players locked in at the top of the Bills depth chart, and this was emphasized when the coaching staff add recently-recovered Andre Holmes to the first team during camp (Zay Jones has since recovered from his injury, as well). At the very least, Coleman will provide the Bills with unmatched speed, a skill set that the team’s fellow receivers are lacking.
  • When the Patriots released wideout Malcolm Mitchell earlier today, many assumed the former fourth-rounder was still battling a nagging knee injury. While that could be partly true, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the receiver was waived as a healthy player. This means Mitchell passed his final physical with the organization. After making six starts as a rookie in 2016, Mitchell sat out the entire 2017 campaign due to injury.

Browns Get Seventh-Rounder For Coleman

August 6th, 2018 at 9:44am CST by Zachary Links

In 2016, the Browns selected Corey Coleman with the No. 15 overall pick. This week, when they shipped the wide receiver to the Bills, all they got in return was a 2020 seventh-round choice, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 

[RELATED: Browns Trade Corey Coleman To Bills]

Coleman has flashed at times during his two NFL seasons, but he has struggled for the most part. Injuries have been a big part of the problem, including two hand fractures.

When considering the Browns’ needs at wide receiver, the weak return in the deal shows how little the Browns expected out of Coleman this year. While the Browns added Jarvis Landry in free agency, Josh Gordon‘s status is up in the air as he tries to stay on the straight and narrow. At the same time, it sounds like the Browns are confident in their other receivers such as Rashard Higgins and Antonio Callaway.

For his career, Coleman has 56 catches for 718 yards and five touchdowns. With the Bills, he has a chance to shine alongside Kelvin Benjamin and Zay Jones. With tons of question marks around Jones, Coleman should have an opportunity to make an impact.

Browns To Trade Corey Coleman To Bills

August 5th, 2018 at 8:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns are cutting bait on their 2016 first-round pick, and the Bills will take a chance on a young wide receiver with two years remaining on his contract.

Cleveland agreed to trade Corey Coleman to Buffalo in exchange for a draft pick, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Browns will receive a late-round pick for Coleman, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). The Browns announced the trade.

Coleman’s shown intermittent promise with the Browns, but for the most part, his first two NFL seasons have not gone well. The Baylor product’s struggled with injuries — most notably, two hand breaks — and saw the GM who drafted him ousted last year. And this offseason, Coleman’s been mentioned as either a trade candidate or a player who needed a strong training camp to have a key role with the Browns this season. He’ll now have to learn a new offense to make an impact in Year 3.

This also continues a Browns/Bills trade pipeline. The sides most notably agreed on a deal that sent the Browns Tyrod Taylor in exchange for a third-round pick, and John Dorsey dealt with the Bills during the 2017 draft as well (albeit with former GM Doug Whaley) in a trade that routed Patrick Mahomes to Kansas City.

This is also interesting because Coleman appears as a starter on the Browns’ first 2018 depth chart. Josh Gordon is away from the team, and Coleman’s name is listed with the first-stringers alongside Jarvis Landry. With the 2016 No. 15 overall pick now Buffalo-bound, players like Rashard Higgins and Antonio Callaway will have clearer paths to playing time. Dorsey also expects Gordon to return to the Browns at some point, and it’s believed the former All-Pro pass-catcher is getting closer to rejoining his team.

Just 24, Coleman is signed through the 2019 season and could be under Bills control through 2020 via the fifth-year option. That decision is due in May, making Coleman’s 2018 season pivotal.

The first wideout chosen in the 2016 draft, Coleman played well early in his career — posting a 104-yard, two-touchdown day in his second NFL game — before breaking his hand in September 2016. He has yet to record another 100-yard game and was not much of a factor for an abysmal Browns passing offense last season.

For his career, Coleman has 56 catches for 718 yards and five touchdowns. He’ll join a Bills receiving corps fronted by Kelvin Benjamin and Zay Jones. Beyond those two, and Benjamin is only signed through 2018, there isn’t much clarity. The Bills’ activated Jones off their NFI list earlier Sunday.

This trade also comes on the same day the Eagles extended the power structure responsible for trading up to draft Carson Wentz. The Browns traded down out of that No. 2 spot and ended up at No. 15, selecting Coleman. None of Cleveland’s eight first-round picks from 2012-16 is still with the franchise.

AFC North Notes: Jackson, Browns, Steelers

May 6th, 2018 at 7:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

It didn’t take the Ravens long to start implementing some unique Lamar Jackson-centric packages. But instead of lining the first-round pick up at quarterback in a wildcat-type look during their rookie minicamp, Mike Jones of USA Today notes that Jackson was playing different positions around the formation in a 1995 Kordell Stewart fashion. It’s clear the Ravens, who do not plan to move him to another position long-term, have designs on getting their unique weapon onto the field early.

“We do it in the laboratory. Obviously, we’ve had coaches who have had a lot of experience with that, so that’s helpful to us,” John Harbaugh said this week. “We do it on the practice field. We ran a lot of stuff out here today you guys probably saw. We’re going to always try to get our players making plays for us, and Lamar is a guy that can help us win games.”

OC Marty Mornhinweg served as assistant Eagles HC during Andy Reid‘s final Philadelphia years, when the team coaxed electric play from Michael Vick. While Vick eventually supplanted Donovan McNabb, he initially returned to the field in special packages while McNabb started. Jones notes Joe Flacco‘s attitude toward the Ravens’ usage of Tyrod Taylor in wildcat formations was not exactly positive when the team tried this years ago. However, Jones writes the Ravens do not have a defined timetable for when Jackson will make a legitimate push to usurp Flacco.

Here’s the latest from some of the Ravens’ top rivals:

  • Corey Coleman was not believed to be on the trade block during the draft, but Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports the Browns haven’t been pleased with the 2016 first-round pick. They’ve called for the Baylor product to elevate his work ethic and production. Twice missing extensive time due to hand breaks, Coleman has not lived up to his No. 15 draft slot. And now that a new regime is calling the shots, one that drafted Antonio Callaway in the fourth round last month, Cabot notes Coleman could become expendable.
  • Additionally, the Browns are open to Joel Bitonio replacing Joe Thomas at left tackle, per Cabot. However, the main plan remains to try second-round pick Austin Corbett there. Corbett replaced Bitonio as Nevada’s left tackle in 2014 and started four years there for the Wolf Pack. Both Bitonio, a well-paid guard, and Corbett are almost certainly going to start for the Browns this season, Cabot writes. It’s just unclear where. This would make 2017 right tackle starter Shon Coleman a swing player, with Chris Hubbard set to man the right tackle job.
  • The Steelers‘ draft was too light on defensive help, Paul Zeise of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. In particular, Zeise zeroes in on Pittsburgh’s third-round Mason Rudolph pick — one he calls a wasted selection because it may do nothing to help the team capitalize on its closing championship window. Ben Roethlisberger made this point earlier this week, and with the Steelers taking more of an upside project in Round 1 in safety Terrell Edmunds and wideout James Washington in Round 2, Zeise writes that the franchise should have devoted a bit more help to its needs on defense as Roethlisberger’s career winds down.
  • In a series detailing every team’s biggest post-draft issue, ESPN.com’s Charles McDonald writes (Insider link) the edge-rushing group sits as the Steelers’ trouble spot. Despite the Steelers leading the NFL with 56 sacks in 2017, and housing upper-echelon defensive ends in Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt, McDonald writes Bud Dupree‘s inconsistency and the lack of depth at this spot could pose a problem for the defending AFC North champs.

Browns Activate Coleman, Cut Williams

November 16th, 2017 at 1:45pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns are releasing wide receiver Kasen Williams in order to make room for Corey Coleman on the active roster (Twitter link via Tony Grossi of ESPN.com). Williams will be subject to waivers, meaning that the league’s 31 other teams will have a chance to add him in the next 24 hours. Corey Coleman (vertical)

Williams, 25 in December, appeared in just three games for the Seahawks between 2015 and 2016. However, he broke out during the preseason with nine catches, 208 yards and one touchdown. That performance caught the attention of executives around the league and the Browns pounced on the chance to claim him off waivers when he missed the Week 1 cut in September. Now that he’s back on the wire, it wouldn’t be surprising to see multiple teams put in claims on him.

Waiver wire priority, of course, goes by the inverse order of the NFL standings. The Browns are the league’s worst team at 0-9, so the 1-9 49ers will have the first chance to add him to the roster. The 6-3 Seahawks may also have some interest in a reunion, but most teams are ahead of them in the queue.

In his time with Cleveland, Williams appeared in seven games and pulled down nine grabs for 84 yards.

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