HEADLINES

Corey White

Cardinals Place Chris Johnson On IR-DTR

December 1st, 2015 at 4:02pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals announced that they have placed running back Chris Johnson on IR-DTR, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com tweets. In related moves (link), the Cardinals promoted running back Kerwynn Williams from the practice squad, signed cornerback Corey White, and cut cornerback Robert Nelson Jr.

The unfortunate news brings an end to one of, if not the, best comeback stories in the NFL this season. In 2015, the 30-year-old enjoyed a resurgence that few imagined could be possible over the offseason. In 11 games (9 starts) for the Cards, Johnson rushed for 814 yards and three scores off of 196 carries. If he plays again this season, it would have to be in the Super Bowl.

Last season for the Jets, Johnson ran for just 663 yards, the first time in his career he recorded fewer than 1,000 yards in a season. However, he averaged a respectable 4.3 yards per carry for Gang Green in 2014 and the Cardinals saw potential in Johnson when no other team in the league did. The ground game was a weak spot in Arizona last season, as the team’s leading rusher, Andre Ellington, totaled just 660 yards, averaging 3.3 yards per carry, prompting the Cards to make the low-risk, potentially high-reward signing.

Williams, 24, has just one carry with the Cardinals to his credit in 2015. Last season, Williams ran for 246 yards off of 53 carries in five games for Arizona.

In October, the Cardinals went on record saying that they would look into an extension for CJ2K. Obviously, the Cards will now wait until the offseason to discuss their future with the veteran.

Workout Notes: Raiders, Colts, Packers

December 1st, 2015 at 2:46pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s workouts from around the league:

NFC Notes: Kaepernick, Cowboys, Giants

November 23rd, 2015 at 9:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Peter King of The MMQB talked to a “few league people” over the weekend about possible landing spots for 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The ordered list starts with the Eagles at the top which makes sense given Chip Kelly’s offense and their need for a signal caller. After that, it’s the Jets, Ravens, and Raiders on King’s list.

The Raiders are a surprising one, of course, because of the presence of Derek Carr, but it could be a possibility for Kaepernick if he doesn’t get a starting opportunity elsewhere. King hears that the Raiders likely would have picked Kaepernick in the 2011 draft had the 49ers not leapfrogged them on the draft board. “Al [Davis] was upset,” Hue Jackson, the coach at the time, told King a couple of years ago. “So was I. Scouting him, I fell in love with the kid.” Years later, King hears that there are some within the Raiders organization that believe Kaepernick can be saved.

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • Cowboys running back Christine Michael and cornerback Corey White were released, in part, because they did not wear suits on their road trip to Tampa Bay, a source tells Brandon George of SportsDay DFW. “Sometimes you just have to drop the hammer,” a Cowboys player said about the decision to part ways with the two veterans. White later confirmed that version of events with TMZ.
  • Giants center Weston Richburg has a high ankle sprain, according to Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger (on Twitter). That’s potentially bad news for the center’s availability going forward.
  • Panthers wide receiver Stephen Hill, who is currently on IR, has been suspended for one game for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, as David Newton of ESPN.com writes. Hill was stopped and cited for possession of marijuana over the summer, leading to his one-game ban. Hill can serve his suspension now, despite being medically unfit to play.

Cowboys Cut Christine Michael, Corey White

November 17th, 2015 at 2:24pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been a busy day of roster moves for the Cowboys, who cut Brandon Weeden to pave the way for Tony Romo‘s return earlier today. Now, the team has waived two more players, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, who reports (via Twitter) that running back Christine Michael and cornerback Corey White are being released.

Michael, who turned 25 last Monday, had been expected to get an increased workload after Joseph Randle was demoted and then released, but it was the veteran, Darren McFadden, who ended up taking many of those carries. In five games with the Cowboys, Michael ran for just 51 yards on 15 attempts, adding a single reception for two yards.

According to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter), the Seahawks, who traded Michael to the Cowboys earlier in the year, are still expected to receive a conditional pick from Dallas as a result of that swap, since the running back was on the Cowboys’ active roster for enough games.

White, a fifth-round Saints pick in 2012, started 19 games with New Orleans the past three seasons, including nine last year. However, he didn’t see the field much during his time with the Cowboys in 2015.

Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), Michael and White were cut for both “playing and locker room reasons,” though Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears from a Cowboys source that they’re “not bad kids” and were cut based on their on-field performance. Regardless of the Cowboys’ motives, the club will now have multiple open roster spots to work with, as Week 11’s game against the Dolphins approaches. Michael and White, meanwhile, will be subject to waivers.

NFC Mailbags: Newman, Norman, Bucs, Reed, Cowboys

June 20th, 2015 at 8:27pm CST by Rob DiRe

Our own Sam Robinson took you through some of the AFC Mailbags earlier today. Now to give the NFC some love, here are a few of the mailbags from that other conference:

  • The Vikings have been going with youth across the roster, and the secondary has been no exception with Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes slated to start on the outside. However, the team also signed 37-year-old corner Terence Newman to bring a veteran presence in the secondary, according to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com. Newman should take a little pressure of Waynes to be effective from day one.
  • The Panthers will definitely put a lot of focus into extending Luke Kuechly, but David Newton of ESPN.com expects that to come next offseason. Josh Norman is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and after performing well for the team he should be a priority for an extension.
  • Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com is guessing starters in his latest Buccaneers mailbag. He picks George Johnson and Jacquies Smith, Danny Lansanah as their third linebacker, and D.J. Swearinger over Chris Conte at safety.
  • Kyle Van Noy and Theo Riddick are a pair of players that have uncertain roles for the Lions in 2015. Van Noy could earn a starting job at linebacker, but won’t see starter’s snaps due to the likely reliance on nickel and dime packages, according to Mike Rothstein of ESPN.com. Riddick will also likely be an afterthough at running back, but should have ample opportunities to catch passes out of the backfield and in the slot.
  • With Jordan Reed‘s injuries, Washington could have used help at tight end either in free agency or the draft, writes John Keim of ESPN.com. While it is surprising, it means the team has confidence in Niles Paul, and believes contributions from the receivers and running backs catching passes could help them survive without Reed for some time.
  • In our lone entry from a non-ESPN writer, Bob Sturm of the Dallas Morning News writes that with the versatility of Byron Jones and Corey White in the secondary, the Cowboys defense could give some very creative looks in 2015. Both players are nominally corners, but each has the ability to play safety as well, and that could let the team mix and match in the defensive backfield.

NFC Links: White, Wallace, Seahawks

March 14th, 2015 at 9:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Corey White will head to Dallas after the Saints waived him Friday, reports ESPN’s Todd Archer. White had less than four years’ experience, which sent him to the waiver process where the Cowboys picked up the cornerback’s contract.

The soon-to-be 25-year-old White, a fifth-round Saints pick in 2012, started 19 games with New Orleans the past three seasons, including nine last year. The Cowboys, who did not place a tender on then-restricted free agent corner Sterling Moore last weekend, also have interest in bringing in ex-Saints corner Patrick Robinson, Archer added.

Moore rated 22nd among cornerbacks on Pro Football Focus (subscription required) last year, while the site ranked White as its third-worst corner.

White’s cap number more than doubles entering his fourth year, going from $614K to $1.6MM, per OverTheCap.

Elsewhere in free agency’s first official weekend …

  • New Vikings No. 1 receiver Mike Wallace did not agree to renegotiate his contract, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Wallace’s Dolphins deal signed in 2013 calls for him to count $9.9MM against the Vikings’ salary cap, which could be the highest figure on the team, depending on what happens with Adrian Peterson ($15.4MM).”I was traded as is, with my contract. We didn’t even discuss anything like that,” Wallace said, via Tomasson.
  • Currently the Seahawks‘ No. 2 quarterback behind Russell Wilson, B.J. Daniels figures to get competition here and may have his role expanded to non-quarterback responsibilities, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. The third-stringer behind Wilson and current unrestricted free agent Tarvaris Jackson, Daniels was signed to a futures contract after the 2013 season. Pete Carroll told Condotta the athletic QB could be in line to have a role at wide receiver along with time as a return man. Daniels, a 49ers seventh-round pick in 2013, rushed for more than 2,000 yards in college at South Florida.
  • Five cornerbacks on the 2013 Super Bowl champion Seahawks signed for a sum of $126.25MM this week, notes Condotta. Although only Byron Maxwell (six years, $63MM, Eagles) and Walter Thurmond (one year, $3.25MM, Eagles) played for the team in Super Bowl XLVIII, Brandon Browner (three years, $15MM, Saints), Perrish Cox (three years, $15MM, Titans) and Ron Parker (five years, $30MM, Chiefs) were on the roster at various points that season or in training camp.
  • OverTheCap provided an analysis of what kind of compensatory draft picks this year’s free agent class can net their former teams. It tabbed Ndamukong Suh, Darrelle Revis, Maxwell and Julius Thomas to result in picks at the end of the 2016 draft’s third round for the Lions, Patriots, Seahawks and Broncos. This year’s compensatory selections are set to be announced later this month.

Saints Cut Corey White

March 13th, 2015 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

A day that started off with a flurry of Titans news has now been taken over by the Saints, who have made their third notable headline of the day. According to Lyons Yellin of WWL-TV (via Twitter), head coach Sean Payton has notified defensive back Corey White that he’s been let go. White will have to pass through waivers before becoming an unrestricted free agent.

White, 24, began the 2014 season as a starting cornerback for the Saints, logging 53 tackles and grabbing a pair of interceptions on the season. However, he was demoted toward the end of the year, and recorded a -17.8 grade for the season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). That grade placed him 106th out of 108 qualified corners in 2014.

The former fifth-round pick was in line for a $1.542MM base salary in 2015, so the team will create that amount in cap savings by cutting him, leaving just $44K in dead money on the cap. Newly-signed veteran Brandon Browner will help fill the void left in the Saints’ secondary.

2015 Proven Performance Escalator Raises

January 16th, 2015 at 8:21pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time in said snaps for the duration of his first three years in the league. If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s restricted free agent qualifying offer — that figure was $1.431MM last year, and will inflate commensurate with the salary cap increase. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.

Here are the players who will see their 2015 salary rise due to the PPE, courtesy of Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap.

Bengals: George Iloka, S; Mohamed Sanu, WR

Bills: Nigel Bradham, LB

Broncos: Malik Jackson, DL; Danny Trevathan, LB;

Browns: Billy Winn, DL

Cardinals: Bobby Massie, T

Chargers: Johnnie Troutman, G

Colts: Dwayne Allen, TE; T.Y. Hilton, WR

Dolphins: Lamar Miller, RB; Olivier Vernon, DE

Eagles: Brandon Boykin, CB; Nick Foles; QB

Falcons: Lamar Holmes, T

Jets: Demario Davis, LB; Antonio Allen, DB

Packers: Mike Daniels, DL

Panthers: Josh Norman, CB

Patriots: Alfonzo Dennard, CB

Raiders: Miles Burris, LB

Rams: Chris Givens, WR; Trumaine Johnson, CB

Ravens: Gino Gradkowski, C

Saints: Akiem Hicks, DT; Corey White, CB

Seahawks: J.R. Sweezy, G; Russell Wilson, QB

Steelers: Kelvin Beachum, T

Texans: Brandon Brooks, G; Jared Crick, DL; Ben Jones, G

Titans: Coty Sensabaugh, CB

Vikings: Robert Blanton, S: Rhett Ellison, TE; Josh Robinson, CB; Jarius Wright, WR

Washington: Alfred Morris, RB

NFC South Notes: Bucs, Falcons, Saints

January 2nd, 2015 at 12:44pm CST by Luke Adams

The Buccaneers had been hoping to interview Titans tight ends coach Mike Mularkey for their open offensive coordinator job, but that won’t happen, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport tweets that Tampa Bay has been denied permission to speak to Mularkey.

NFL teams aren’t allowed to block assistant coaches from interviewing for – or accepting – a job as a head coach, but that rule doesn’t apply to other jobs, including coordinator positions. In this case, the Buccaneers’ job would qualify as a promotion for Mularkey, but the Titans are within their rights to deny the Bucs the opportunity to talk to him.

Here’s more from around the NFC South:

  • The Falcons will interview Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for their head coaching opening today, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, by way of his colleague Vaughn McClure (Twitter link).
  • Rex Ryan has also scheduled his interview with the Falcons — it’ll happen on Tuesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. While Ryan could be a good fit in Atlanta, some observers believe the ex-Jets coach is talking to NFL teams in order to squeeze more money out of ESPN, says Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).
  • Examining the reserve/futures contracts signed by the Saints, Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune points out that kicker Dustin Hopkins inked the longest deal, a three-year pact that keeps him under team control through 2017.
  • Saints defensive backs Stanley Jean-Baptiste and Corey White had somewhat frustrating 2014 seasons in New Orleans, and aren’t quite sure what the team has in store for them in 2015, writes Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.

NFC Notes: Saints, Washington, 49ers

May 30th, 2014 at 10:53pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Saints have a few positions battles that might not be decided until late in training camp, according to Rachel Whittaker of NOLA.com. She mentions options at starting center, as well as the overhaul of the receiving corps.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

  • Another position on the Saints that is left in limbo is the defensive backfield, writes Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. The team knows who the starting safeties should be, but they have a deep group of cornerbacks behind Keenan Lewis fighting for the second corner job. The team gets Patrick Robinson back from injury, in addition to Corey White, free agent veterain Champ Bailey, and second-round pick Stanley-Jean Baptiste, among others. There are 11 cornerbacks on the 90-man roster, when only five made the final roster last season.

  • Recently suspended Cardinals‘ linebacker Daryl Washington stand to lose a lot of money due to his most recent transgressions, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Washington will forfeit his 2014 base salary of $2.9MM and his prorated signing bonus of nearly $500,000, but will still have almost $13MM of potential earnings upon his return, as his current contract runs through 2017.
  • 49ers‘ linebacker Michael Wilhoite and third-round pick Chris Borland will fight for a starting job at inside linebacker to begin 2014, writes Eric Branch of SFGate.com. The position is open due to NaVorro Bowman‘s injury at the end of the NFC Championship Game, and one of those two players could be lining up next to Patrick Willis at times in the upcoming season.
  • Jeremy Maclin is back with the Eagles, and head coach Chip Kelly is excited to have another weapon in his offensive arsenal, writes Andy Jasner of ESPN.com. “Mac’s doing a really good job, just getting back familiar with it. I was really excited about how he would fit into what we do because of what he can do. And then to lose him that early in camp was disappointing. You got a taste of him,” said Kelly. “But having him out there full speed running out there right now, he’s doing a really good job.”
  • The Falcons have a long list of expiring contracts on their roster, and as they move to more 3-4 opportunities on defense, they could be in store for a major overhaul in talent, writes David Choats of TheFalcoholic.com. They put together a list of these players who will be free agents in 2015.
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