DeAngelo Hall - Pro Football Rumors

DeAngelo Hall May Start Season On PUP List

May 16th, 2017 at 8:16pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Veteran Redskins safety DeAngelo Hall may begin the season on the physically unable to perform list, head coach Jay Gruden told reporters, including John Keim of ESPN.com.

Hall, 33, appeared in only three games last season before suffering a torn ACL. Scheduled to earn $4.25MM in non-guaranteed base salary in 2017, Hall could conceivably be viewed as a candidate for release. But Washington has no plans to cut Hall at the moment, per Keim, as the club wants to give him a shot at recovery before deciding to part ways.

If Hall does have to miss time at the start of the 2017 campaign, the Redskins should be well-prepared to account for his absence. Washington signed D.J. Swearinger to a three-year, $13.5MM contract in March, and plans to use 2016 second-round pick Su’a Cravens at safety full-time. Other safeties on the Redskins’ roster include Will Blackmon, Montae Nicholson, Deshazor Everett, and Josh Harvey-Clemons.

Extra Points: Kaepernick, 49ers, Bears

March 30th, 2017 at 10:09pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

After talking with general managers at the league meetings, Tom Pelissero of USA Today doesn’t sense that free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick‘s political beliefs have stopped him from landing a contract. The problem isn’t Kaepernick’s asking price, either; rather, it’s that he needs a specific type of offense to fit his style as a mobile signal-caller who has issues with accuracy and struggles when he has to stay in the pocket. Notably, the 49ers’ new head coach, Kyle Shanahan, indicated to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle that they’re not bringing Kaepernick back because he’s not right for their scheme. “I think Colin has a certain skill set that you can put a specific offense to it that he can be very successful in,” said Shanahan. “When we first looked at it … that wasn’t necessarily the direction I wanted to go.”

NFC Notes: Vikings, Redskins, Eagles

February 24th, 2017 at 5:40pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman hasn’t yet spoken with Adrian Peterson‘s agent regarding the running back’s future, but that will change at next week’s combine, tweets Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. Peterson is due a $6MM roster bonus March 11, two days after the market opens, and Spielman said Thursday that the seven-time Pro Bowler’s fate will become known prior to free agency. Spielman will also meet with the agent for cornerback Terence Newman next week, relays Cole. Newman is coming off his age-38 season, in which he totaled 38 tackles and an interception across 15 appearances (nine starts), and is on track to hit free agency. The 2016 campaign was Newman’s second in Minnesota, which re-upped him to a $3MM pact last March.

More on the Vikings and two other NFC franchises:

The likelihood is that the Redskins won’t retain safety DeAngelo Hall at his $5MM-plus cap hit for 2017, according to Rich Tandler of CSN Mid-Atlantic. The club will either release the 33-year-old, which would save $4.25MM, or keep him at a lesser rate, Tandler suggests. Hall sat out 13 games last season on account of a late-September ACL tear and has missed a combined 31 contests since 2014.
Wide receiver Josh Doctson, another member of the Redskins who wasn’t much of a factor in 2016, is making encouraging progress in his recovery from a strained right Achilles’ tendon, details Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Doctson hasn’t had any setbacks since doctors cleared him to run earlier this month, and the Redskins “are closely monitoring his progress” with fellow wideouts Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson set to reach the open market. After going 22nd in last year’s draft, Doctson missed all but two games and caught two passes as a rookie.
While Eagles pass rusher Connor Barwin has expressed a willingness to take a pay cut to remain in Philadelphia, it’s time for both sides to move on, opines Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com. Barwin probably wouldn’t accept enough of a reduction from the $7.75MM he’s due next season to make keeping him worthwhile for the team, writes Zangaro, who notes that getting rid of the 30-year-old would open up more playing time for Vinny Curry. Overall, Barwin has been quite productive during his four-year stint with the Eagles, but his numbers declined last season in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz‘s scheme. Thus, Zangaro argues that Barwin deserves to play in a defense that’s more suited to his abilities. The eight-year veteran won’t have any difficulty finding a job if the Eagles do let him go.
Although they had interest in Alterraun Verner when he was on the open market in 2015, the Vikings have not reached out to the cornerback’s reps at this point, per Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter link). Verner became a free agent when the Buccaneers released him Thursday.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

DeAngelo Hall Done For Season

September 26th, 2016 at 10:26am CST by Zachary Links

Redskins defensive back DeAngelo Hall is done for the season. The cornerback suffered a painful leg injury on Sunday and an MRI today confirmed that he has torn his ACL, Erin Hawksworth of ABC 7 tweets. Now, Hall must wait until the swelling goes down before Dr. James Andrews can operate on him.

Hall, 32, hurt his knee in the second quarter of Washington’s 29-27 victory over the Giants. He paced the sidelines hoping to get back in the game, but he was ruled out for the rest of the contest.

The veteran was a cornerback for his entire career up until this offseason when the Redskins asked him to transition over to safety. Now, the Redskins are down a starter and they’ll likely bump Will Blackmon or Duke Ihenacho to the starting spot opposite David Bruton Jr. We can also expect the Redskins to look outside for help.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

DeAngelo Hall Out With ACL Tear?

September 25th, 2016 at 7:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

DeAngelo Hall made an interesting proclamation after the Redskins’ 29-27 win over the Giants on Sunday, telling ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson (Twitter link) doctors told him he tore his ACL.

“We think you tore your ACL,” Hall said (via Master Tefatsion of the Washington Post) Redskins doctors, including Dr. James Andrews, told him after the injury. “It kind of feels like you did.”

The recent safety convert will undergo an MRI on Monday, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Schefter categorized Hall’s ailment as a knee injury for now but was more concrete on secondary mate Bashaud Breeland, whom the longtime reporter said has a right high-ankle sprain.

Hall suffered what was at the time called a sprained right knee during the second quarter and was walking around on the sidelines before being told he could not return to the game. Anderson added the 32-year-old safety seemed to be walking fine after the game, so it’s possible his season is not yet over.

The former cornerback and 13th-year veteran missed 13 games in 2014 with a ruptured Achilles’ tendon and five last season due to a lesser malady. He spent his first full offseason as a safety in 2016. A starter in all three Washington games this season, Hall being out would leave the team with Will Blackmon and Duke Ihenacho at safety. The Redskins already lost 2015 part-time starter Kyshoen Jarrett to a nerve-related injury that induced them to cut the second-year player.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Freeney, Berger, McClain, Hall

June 4th, 2016 at 8:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals could still probably use Dwight Freeney this season, but depth chart and financial issues are complicating a reunion. The former All-Pro’s most recent employer plans to see what its younger pass-rushers are capable of before committing to another Freeney contract, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic reports.

Chandler Jones‘ arrival via trade fills a key need for one of the Super Bowl favorites, with less-experienced incumbents Alex Okafor and Shaq Riddick, along with CFL signee Tristan Okpalaugo representing the younger contingent opposite Markus Golden that are causing the team to pass on signing the 36-year-old Freeney for now. Another matter comes from Arizona’s preference to sign either Tyrann Mathieu, Michael Floyd or Calais Campbell to an extension this year, with the team’s preference that it be Mathieu.

The Cardinals possess $4.6MM in cap space and could probably afford Freeney on a veteran-minimum-type deal — the former Syracuse star played for $875K with $800K in incentives upon signing during last season — but are willing to gamble the productive situational sack artist will be available if they need him.

Freeney has visited the Falcons and Bengals in the last two weeks but indicated a seeming preference to return to Arizona, where he registered nine total sacks (one in the playoffs) in 12 games. Like Steve Keim, Dan Quinn didn’t rule out a signing down the road, so some options still likely exist for the former first-round pick.

Here’s the latest from around the NFC.

The Vikings are assembling one of the most experienced offensive lines in the NFL, but as OTAs progress, they don’t have a certain place in their starting lineup for Joe Berger. Pro Football Focus’ second-best center last season, Berger returns to the backup center spot he occupied before John Sullivan‘s season-ending injury last August. Minnesota should find a way to try him at another position — which would almost certainly be guard if the Vikes intend to do so — to maximize their talent up front, Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes. Berger rated as by far the best Vikings blocker last season, per PFF, and has started 26 games over the past two seasons after starting nine in his previous three campaigns in the Twin Cities. Hartman indicated next week the Vikes might reshuffle their line, which now houses Alex Boone and Andre Smith as potential right-side starters, in the near future.
Although the Cowboys‘ selection of Jaylon Smith in the second round this year points to a potential changing of the guard at middle linebacker in Dallas, that isn’t likely going to come in 2016. After signing a one-year, $5MM deal in March to stay in Dallas, Rolando McClain remains the projected starter there, but he’s absent from OTAs. Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News points to additional issues perhaps surrounding the 26-year-old McClain’s absence. George didn’t specify, but McClain has endured a complicated career that included a brief early retirement and continued with a four-game suspension for violation of the substance-abuse policy to start 2015. Jason Garrett said McClain’s absence during the first two weeks of OTAs is related to a family matter. Combining that and the injury-related absences of Sean Lee and Barry Church should cause some concern, George writes. “It’s certainly disappointing when [players are] not here,” Stephen Jones said recently. “But at the same time we know there’s always circumstances where guys are gonna miss. And that doesn’t necessarily indicate if that guy’s gonna have a good year or a bad year. I think it certainly gives them a better chance to have a good year when they’re in our competitive offseason conditioning programs, the OTAs, all those things.”
DeAngelo Hall looks prepared to claim one of the Redskins‘ starting safety positions, Tarik El-Bashir of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. The 32-year-old Hall made the switch last season, but this represents his first full offseason working as a safety. He rated as Pro Football Focus’ No. 57 safety last season. David Bruton leads the competition for Washington’s strong safety spot.

Josh Norman Offered To Sign Franchise Tender

April 24th, 2016 at 7:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

As he was on the verge of becoming one of the more noteworthy free agents in the NFL’s free agency era, Josh Norman looked for a way to stay with the Panthers.

The fifth-year cornerback called the Panthers and said he’d fire his agent, Michael George, and sign the $13.952MM non-exclusive franchise tender the team placed on him prior to free agency in an effort to further work toward a long-term deal, Mike Jones and Master Tefatsion report in an extensive breakdown for the Washington Post. But the Panthers had already filed the paperwork to rescind Norman’s tender, a source told Jones and Tefatsion, meaning Norman’s attempt was for naught as he was set for an unlikely sojourn into free agency.

Many Panthers coaches reportedly weren’t aware of the move as it was happening, sources told the Post reporters, and some on the Carolina staff wondered if a non-football component existed to induce the team to rescind the tender.

Norman was also given permission to seek a trade earlier as the gulf between the sides grew, and the Rams and 49ers were among the potential partners that could not agree on terms. Although, Norman was not aware how far apart the Panthers and George were on terms — a chasm that reached $25MM in totality — which hovered at the root of the 28-year-old All-Pro volunteering to fire his agent to help facilitate a deal in Carolina, the Post duo reports.

George sought a five-year deal averaging $16MM per season, which would have put Norman above Darrelle Revis among cornerback contracts, but the Panthers weren’t willing to go past $12MM AAV. According to a source, Jones and Tefatsion note the Panthers did not want to allocate that much money to a cornerback, a position the Dave Gettleman-managed franchise doesn’t value as much as front-seven cogs, when defensive linemen Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei entering their fourth years. Without a fifth-year option that exists for Lotulelei, Short is entering a contract season.

One of 11 teams who expressed interest in Norman, Washington ended up negotiating a five-year, $75MM accord for Norman with Ryan Williams, who took over as the ex-Coastal Carolina cornerback’s primary representative.

Washington’s top decision-makers were in agreement on Norman, according to the report, and the team had the parameters of an agreement in place on Thursday. DeAngelo Hall also met with Norman prior to his Washington visit to persuade him on joining the team.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

East Notes: Williams, Collins, Cowboys, Eagles

November 21st, 2015 at 4:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are some rumors coming out of the Eastern time zone as those squads prepare for Week 11, or in the Giants’ case, Week 12.

Rex Ryan admits there’s a 50-50 chance the Bills‘ wild card push won’t include Kyle Williams, the Associated Press reports. The 10th-year Buffalo starter and four-time Pro Bowler’s been out since Week 7 with a left knee injury. A setback in the defensive tackle’s recovery caused his season to be in jeopardy.
Jamie Collins will miss his third straight game with an undisclosed illness, but the Patriots‘ standout linebacker doesn’t have MRSA, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Unlike recent scenarios where the Giants and Buccaneers had to disinfect their facilities for MRSA, the Patriots have not had to do this, Howe reports.
Greg Hardy‘s recent tardiness issues stemmed from being “humiliated” by a Twitter mishap and the embattled Cowboys defensive end needing time to regroup before facing his teammates, Jeremy Mincey conveyed to Albert Breer of NFL.com.
Jerry Jones admits the Cowboys have tried to get “cute” at the quarterback spot in his tenure, bringing in players like Quincy Carter and Brandon Weeden, the Dallas owner said on 105.3 The Fan (as relayed by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “I’ve tried to get cute — and I don’t mind saying tried to be cute — at the quarterback spot,” Jones said. “I tried to get us what I thought was the equivalent of a Romo with Quincy Carter in the (second) round (in 2001). We tried to get one that was drafted high, obviously in somebody’s eyes had high potential, in this case Mike Holmgren thought Weeden was certainly a first-round pick.” Jones also lamented not trading for Matt Cassel prior to the season, believing the Cowboys would not be 2-7 had they given Cassel more time to learn the system.
With the Eagles moving to Mark Sanchez after Sam Bradford‘s latest injury, Breer writes of the lose-lose trade that now has both one-time starters — Bradford and Nick Foles — on the bench in their new locales. But Sanchez being a superior runner to Bradford at least makes teams account for another dimension in a disappointing Philadelphia attack. “If they just use the zone-read and run the ball, yes. Otherwise, he’ll throw the ball to the other team in crucial situations,” an NFC executive told Breer when asked if the Eagles are better off with Sanchez. Technically, Sanchez is a better runner than Bradford, but he’s never gained more than 110 yards in a season, so it’s a limited upgrade.
Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall is transitioning to safety, playing on the back line on passing downs as free agent signing Jeron Johnson lined up there in run situations last week, the Washington Post’s Mike Jones reports. A starter at corner for the Falcons, Raiders and Washington from 2004-15, the 32-year-old Hall’s been supplanted at his natural position this season.
In an itinerary of how the Giants can book their first playoff berth since their latest Super Bowl year, 2011, Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News suggests Orleans Darkwa be given a bigger role in Big Blue’s muddled running back corps. The second-year UDFA sports a team-best 4.7 yards per carry but on just 23 totes. Top ball-carriers Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams‘ per-carry figures sit under 4.0, with Williams’ sitting at 2.8.

NFC Notes: D. Hall, Cowboys, Lions

November 19th, 2015 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

Washington defensive back DeAngelo Hall, a longtime cornerback who has earned three Pro Bowl nods at the position, wants to play safety not just to extend his career, but to make a real impact, writes Liz Clarke of the Washington Post.

“I’m not gonna try to go play safety just to try to extend my career,” Hall said. “I’m gonna go play safety just to be a damn good safety. I’m not in the business of just trying to just tack on years. I can go home and hang with my kids and my family before I do that.”

Here’s more from around the NFC:

In addition to the trio of ex-Seahawks running backs the Cowboys have acquired this year, Dallas also tried to sign Thomas Rawls as a priority free agent, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets. The Cowboys are currently carrying former Seattle backs Robert Turbin and Rod Smith on their roster, having recently cut Christine Michael.
Explaining why the Seahawks released wide receiver Chris Matthews this week, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said that the club “just didn’t feel like we got what we were looking for” from Matthews (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times). The Seattle OC praised Matthews talent, but cautioned there was more to on-field success than that. “You have to be able to fit in and you have to be able to make plays when your opportunities come,” Bevell said. “You have to be able to understand the offense and do the right thing, and all those things together, it just wasn’t enough.”
With a game against Carson Palmer‘s old team coming up this weekend, Cardinals GM Steve Keim said he can’t believe his club got the quarterback “for basically nothing,” tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Of course, Arizona’s game this week is against the Bengals, who got a much more significant return for Palmer when they sent to him to Oakland than the Raiders did when they sent him to the Cards.
The Lions‘ search for secondary depth resulted in workouts for defensive backs Danny Gorrer, R.J. Stanford, and Brock Vereen, along with a visit from cornerback Josh Gordy, per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter links). The team ultimately signed veteran corner Bill Bentley, who also had an audition this week.

DeAngelo Hall To Miss 3-4 Weeks

September 25th, 2015 at 4:25pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall will miss three to four weeks with a sprained toe, head coach Jay Gruden announced Friday (link via CSNMidAtlantic.com).

Hall, who has started all three of Washington’s games this season, suffered the injury to his right foot in the third quarter of the team’s 32-21 loss to the Giants on Thursday night. This is the second straight season in which injuries will limit Hall, who didn’t miss a game from 2010-13. The 31-year-old sat out all but three games in 2014 because of a torn Achilles.

Hall has 16 tackles this year and has earned a positive grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), which ranks him 22nd out of 64 corners who have played at least 50 percent of defensive snaps in 2015. His loss should hamper Washington, though it’s not exactly facing a litany of great quarterbacks over the next handful of weeks. Other than Matt Ryan, whom Washington will deal with in Week 5, the club will match up against Sam Bradford, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Jameis Winston before its Week 8 bye.