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DeAngelo Williams

DeAngelo Williams Undergoes Knee Surgery

November 10th, 2016 at 6:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams underwent knee surgery today, according to Mark Kaboly of DKPittsburghSports.com. Williams, Pittsburgh’s backup to Le’Veon Bell, could miss anywhere from two weeks to a month while recovering, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter links)."<strong

[RELATED: Bud Dupree To Return From IR]

Bell, clearly, will continue to carry the majority of the load for the Steelers, but new No. 2 back Fitzgerald Toussaint figures to assume many of Williams’ duties as the club’s reserve runner. And if Pittsburgh wants to promote a player from its practice squad, the team will have two interesting options. One is Daryl Richardson, the former Rams RB who spent the early portion of the season on the Steelers’ active roster. The other is Karlos Williams, the second-year back who recently signed on with Pittsburgh after a tumultuous offseason with the Bills.

Williams, 33, was highly effective during his two-games stint as the Steelers’ starter earlier this year, rushing for 237 yards and scoring twice while adding 10 receptions (and another touchdown) through the air. His contract with Pittsburgh is up after this year. If he misses a full month, Williams will be sidelined for the Steelers’ contests against the Cowboys, Colts, Browns, and Giants.

AFC Notes: Clay, Browns, Worilds, Wilfork

March 22nd, 2015 at 9:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the offseason’s biggest winners, Charles Clay reportedly twice received offers worth more in 2015 than he was asking for from the Dolphins, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports.

Initially, Clay only sought $6.8MM per year from the Dolphins when the sides were negotiating, but Clay’s would-be salary for this season rose to $7MM when the Dolphins placed the transition tag on their developing tight end. Clay’s initial asking price represented the logic behind Miami opting to place the lesser-used transition tag on Clay as opposed to the franchise tag ($8.2MM for tight ends this year), per Salguero. This would’ve forced the Bills to part with two first-round draft picks if they matched the offer and ultimately kept Clay in Miami.

The Bills will now pay Clay, who signed a five-year contract worth $38MM, more than any tight end over the next two seasons ($11.5MM per season in ’15 and ’16) due to the frontloaded deal.

  • The Browns are the frontrunners to be the subject of this season’s Hard Knocks, reports Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News reports on Twitter. This would mark the first such time the Browns, who finished 7-9 last season, would appear on the HBO training camp show.
  • Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said prior to Jason Worilds‘ retirement he was not in the Steelers’ plans, as the team thought the improving linebacker would receive an offer they weren’t prepared to match, reports Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via Twitter.
  • Signing DeAngelo Williams required the Steelers’ brass to take a “little leap of faith” after what happened regarding LeGarrette Blount‘s abrupt midseason exit, Colbert said (via ESPN’s Scott Brown on Twitter). Coming off a career-worst season and entering his age-32 campaign, Williams received a key endorsement from quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner, who recruited and coached the running back when he was on staff at Memphis in the early 2000s (Twitter link).
  • Colbert told Brown the Steelers will pursue cornerbacks in the draft and that three of Pittsburgh’s four starting linebacker positions, excluding the inside backer spot manned by Lawrence Timmons, are open competitions.
  • Texans owner Bob McNair wanted to sign Vince Wilfork when he became a free agent in 2010, reports Tom Curran of CSN New England. Instead, Wilfork re-signed with the Patriots on a five-year, $40MM contract — then a league-high pact for defensive tackles. McNair received a slightly lesser version of the run-stuffing tackle this year, with the now-33-year-old signing for $9MM across two years.
  • Elite edge-rushing prospect Randy Gregory will visit the Ravens, whom he already met with at the NFL Scouting Combine, according to the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson.
  • Former Titans and Ravens linebacker Brandon Copeland participated in Sunday’s inaugural Veteran Combine and caught the eye of several teams, per Wilson on Twitter. Copeland, who will be 24 in July, told Wilson he spoke with the Chiefs, Titans, Colts, Bengals, Giants and Eagles after a workout that he said included a 4.52-second 40-yard dash. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound linebacker went undrafted out of Pennsylvania and appeared on the Ravens and Titans rosters in 2013 but did not accrue any statistics.

Contract Updates: Manning, Suh, Parker

March 14th, 2015 at 2:58pm CST by Rob DiRe

Peyton Manning‘s contract restructure with the Broncos includes a no-trade clause, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. However, that clause only applies for 2015, so theoretically the Broncos would be free to trade him after this season.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Steelers Sign DeAngelo Williams

March 13th, 2015 at 4:44pm CST by Luke Adams

4:44pm: It’s a two-year deal for Williams and the Steelers, the team announced (via Twitter).

3:23pm: After paying a visit to the team’s facility today, running back DeAngelo Williams will sign a new contract with the Steelers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette first reported (via Twitter) that it looked as if the two sides would strike a deal, and the veteran back himself has since tweeted about his new team as well, assuring his followers that he has plenty of gas left in the tank.

Williams, a former first-round pick, is coming off the worst season of his career, one marred by injuries. The 31-year-old played only six games for the Panthers, and wasn’t productive when he did play, averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry on 62 total attempts. Carolina had been on track to head into the 2015 league year with three running backs among their top 10 cap numbers — Jonathan Stewart, Williams, and Mike Tolbert counted for about $18MM combined, so it came as no surprise when the club decided to part ways with Williams, a longtime Panther.

For the Steelers, Williams certainly won’t be asked to carry the load — that task will fall to Le’Veon Bell, the AFC’s leading rusher in 2014. Williams figures to have the inside track on the backup role in Pittsburgh, with Dri Archer serving as a change of pace and all-purpose weapon.

FA Rumors: Harrison, Williams, Wilson

March 11th, 2015 at 11:05am CST by Zachary Links

Many speculated that James Harrison could follow former coach Dick LeBeau to the Titans, and on Wednesday we received confirmation of that. “We are certainly interested,” agent Bill Parise said of his client’s interest in the Titans, according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. “James feels very, very strongly about coach LeBeau. And I know Dick feels the same way. It’s a natural thing. I’m sure the Steelers are still in play, too. It will probably be one of those. I hope it’s one of those. We are not ruling anybody out, but the two logical fits are Tennessee and Pittsburgh. Those are the team teams that make the most sense.” More from around the league..

  • Former Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams is scheduled to visit the Steelers on Friday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • Safety Jimmy Wilson told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that he will be visiting the Chargers on Friday. However, agent Drew Rosenhaus is still in talks with the Dolphins, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets.
  • The Rams are still working on Kenny Britt, but there are other teams interested in him as a second choice or a Plan B at wide receiver, Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch tweets. Meanwhile, the Rams are thinking that they could get Joe Barksdale on the rebound, Thomas tweets. The thinking there is that the offensive tackle might be over-estimating his market value.
  • Former Eagles free safety Nate Allen will visit the Raiders later today, John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game tweets.
  • Pass rusher Adrian Clayborn is scheduled to visit the Falcons today, a league source tells Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • Seahawks free agent linebacker Heath Farwell, 33, says he plans to continue to play and he believes defensive tackle Kevin Williams, 34, feels the same way, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Farwell wouldn’t name any teams except to say the Vikings aren’t one that has reached out and that the Seahawks have expressed interest in bringing him back.

Panthers Release DeAngelo Williams

March 10th, 2015 at 4:16pm CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 10th, 4:16pm: The Panthers officially announced that Williams has been released. The running back will be designated as a post-June 1st cut, which will save Carolina about $2MM against the cap, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter).

FEBRUARY 23rd, 3:49pm: While Williams’ release looks inevitable, the Panthers may not make it official for a little while. As Joel Corry of CBSSports.com points out (via Twitter), Carolina would have to wait until the new league year begins on March 10 if the team wants to designate the running back as a post-June 1 cut.

2:45pm: Williams’ release isn’t official, a Panthers spokesman tells David Newton of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Of course, considering the running back himself announced it, it seems like a good bet that it will become official soon enough.

2:10pm: The Panthers have parted ways with longtime running back DeAngelo Williams, according to Molly Grantham of WBTV. Williams himself confirmed to Grantham that he was cut by the club last week during a meeting with Carolina head coach Ron Rivera and GM Dave Gettleman.

“We sat down and [they] told me ‘The fact of the matter is we’re going to have to release you,'” Williams said. “I said you know, ‘Why?’ and he said, ‘Because we don’t run the ball enough. Just like you said back before the season started, we don’t run the ball enough to keep you and both [Jonathan Stewart], so we’re going to release you.'”

Williams, a former first-round pick, is coming off the worst season of his career, one marred by injuries. The 31-year-old played only six games, and wasn’t productive when he did play, averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry on 62 total attempts. The Panthers had been prepared to head into the 2015 league year with three running backs among their top 10 cap numbers — Stewart, Williams, and Mike Tolbert counted for about $18MM combined, so the team had been expected to make some sort of move to address that situation.

With three years still left on his contract, including two void years, Williams would count for $6.6MM against Carolina’s cap in 2015 if the team doesn’t designate him as a post-June 1 cut. I’d expect Williams to be treated as a post-June 1 cut, allowing the Panthers to spread his cap hit over two seasons. If the team does that, the veteran running back will count for about $4.33MM in dead money on the ’15 cap, creating $2MM in cap savings.

For his part, Williams – who is eligible to sign with another team as soon as the move is official – recognizes that the Panthers are making a business decision, and says he’s not upset by the move.

“I don’t feel bitter at all. [Stewart] had the hot hand at the end of the season. He’s a great running back, obviously. I don’t feel bitter at all. It’s a business,” Williams said. “And that business comes back and reminds us year after year – whether it be Steve Smith, whether it be Jordan Gross, whether it be myself – it’s going to happen to every guy in that locker room, so it doesn’t bother me at all.”

NFC South Notes: Williams, Saints, Falcons

February 24th, 2015 at 10:46am CST by Zachary Links

DeAngelo Williams, who was recently informed by the Panthers that he will be released, was unhappy with the team’s support (or lack thereof) last year at the time of his mother’s death. “That was the end. That was it. Nobody came to the funeral,” Williams told WBTV’s Molly Grantham. “The owner didn’t reach out. He didn’t say anything. Never talked to me. Nobody upstairs ever talked to me. The only two people who ever said anything to me was coach Rivera and Dave Gettleman. . . . There’s nothing that coach Rivera and Dave Gettleman can do to me that will make me mad or make me hate them because in my darkest hour they were there for me. More from the NFC South..

  • While Williams said the Panthers informed him they didn’t run the ball enough to justify his contract, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer notes that only four teams had more rushes than Carolina last season. Meanwhile, over the last three seasons, only the Texans ran the ball more than the Panthers. Williams’ release had more to do with his declining production and his age, according to a team source.
  • Two team negotiators confirmed to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) that the Panthers will get a $1MM 2016 salary cap credit from Williams’ option bonus that’s being prorated by cutting him.
  • The Saints have a tough cap situation this offseason and some tough decisions to make. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter) would put money on linebacker David Hawthorne, guard Ben Grubbs, and Brodrick Bunkley getting cut. Meanwhile, he sees wide receiver Marques Colston, guard Jahri Evans, and linebacker Curtis Lofton agreeing to pay cuts. Pro Football Rumors recently looked at the Saints’ situation as a part of our ongoing Offseason Outlook series.
  • Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (on Twitter) is hearing from agents that the Falcons are still evaluating which players fit their scheme before re-signing or releasing anyone.
  • D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution looked at pending Falcons free agent Javier Arenas. The fifth-year cornerback played just 54 snaps in six games and couldn’t win the nickelback job on the worst defense in the league. It doesn’t seem all that likely that new head coach Dan Quinn will push to re-sign the unrestrictd free agent.

Combine Pressers: Texans, Giants, Panthers

February 19th, 2015 at 12:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we recapped some noteworthy comments made by head coaches and general managers who spoke to the media this morning at the combine in Indianapolis. Those press conferences will continue through the afternoon until Falcons head coach Dan Quinn wraps things up with his appearance at 3:00pm central time. Here are some highlights from a few of the recent sessions, with all links going to the Twitter accounts of reporters in attendance:

Texans general manager Rick Smith and head coach Bill O’Brien:

  • Asked about how Larry Fitzgerald‘s new contract with the Cardinals might apply to Andre Johnson‘s situation in Houston, Smith said the club may have to address the veteran wideout’s cap number, but hopes to see him spend his entire career with the Texans.
  • Smith was very impressed with what he saw from quarterback Ryan Mallett in 2014, and said it was “apparent” he’d picked up leadership traits from Tom Brady during his time with the Pats. Both Smith and O’Brien said they’re hopeful Mallett, a free-agent-to-be, will be back in Houston. That’s not an uncommon sentiment at this time of year, but the enthusiasm coming from the Texans’ brass for Mallett seems genuine, and I’d be surprised if he ends up elsewhere.
  • Smith also expressed interest in re-signing cornerback Kareem Jackson.
  • While re-signing Mallett is a priority, the Texans intend to look at all the draft-eligible quarterbacks in this year’s class, though the top two likely won’t be available by the time the team picks in the first round.
  • O’Brien believes Arian Foster has plenty of football left in him, but wants to try to manage his workload going forward, and identified running back as a position where the team could look to add someone.
  • O’Brien called Case Keenum a “very viable” quarterback option for the Texans, though it’s not clear if the head coach meant as a starter, or simply as a piece on the 53-man roster.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin:

  • The Giants’ goal is to keep Jason Pierre-Paul on their roster not just for 2015, but for many years beyond that, according to Coughlin, who wants to see JPP retire as a Giant. “How that works out remains to be seen,” he added.
  • Asked about his own contract situation, Coughlin said that it’s been set in motion and he hopes to be able to provide an update soon on that front. It sounds as if he may be in line for another one-year contract extension.
  • Coughlin had nothing but praise for safety Antrel Rolle, whom he wants to re-sign, but added that the team “obviously” has some financial limitations. The head coach wasn’t quite as enthusiastic when asked about bringing back defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, declining to comment on whether there’s still a place for Kiwanuka on the roster.

Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman:

  • While he thinks the Panthers’ salary cap situation is in a better place than it used to be, Gettleman cautioned that Carolina is “still not out of the hole,” adding that the team wants to make sure to do things right.
  • According to Gettleman, he walked into a situation in which the Panthers had a ton of money tied up in running backs, and is still working his way through it. The GM acknowledged that he has spoken to DeAngelo Williams since the season ended, but declined to say whether the veteran back will remain on the team’s roster for 2015.
  • Although he wasn’t talking specifically about Greg Hardy, Gettleman rhetorically asked, “Who wants a ticking time bomb?” when discussing the possibility of drafting or signing players with a history of domestic violence.
  • As for Hardy, Gettleman told reporters he has nothing to say about the free agent pass rusher as long as he’s still on Carolina’s exempt list.

NFC Notes: Bucs, Panthers, Saints, Cutler

December 27th, 2014 at 12:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Wide receiver Louis Murphy agreed to a three-year extension with the Buccaneers yesterday, and the 27-year-old is thrilled to be sticking around Tampa. The former fourth-rounder said as much to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times:

“I believe in this team, I believe in coach Lovie (Smith), I believe in the organization. I believe in all the guys in that locker room, regardless of what the record says. I believe we’re going to be contenders in the future and I want to be a part of it. I want to see it turn around.”

Murphy, who currently has 31 catches for 380 yards and a pair of scores, reflected on his tumultuous tenure with the Raiders, Panthers and Giants:

“My dad always told me growing up when preparation and opportunity meets, it equals success. So this year, I wrote it on my bathroom wall. Early on in the game, you can drop a ball and say, ‘Oh, I’ll get another chance at this.’ But with the road that I’ve taken and the road I’ve had to go through, I said, ‘No, I’m not going to let anything slip through the cracks.’ And that’s the mind-set I’m going to keep from here on out.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of the NFC…

  • ESPN.com’s David Newton is skeptical about the return of two key Panthers (on Twitter): running back DeAngelo Williams and defensive end Greg Hardy.
  • Saints wideout Marques Colston isn’t thinking about next season. When asked by Nick Underhill of The New Orleans Advocate whether he’s consider returning for less money, the receiver responded that he’d cross that bridge when he comes to it (Twitter link).
  • The Saints will enter the offseason over the salary cap, but veteran guard Jahri Evans isn’t worried about his team’s predicament. “(The front office) will figure a way to figure it out. That’s what those guys get paid to do,” he told Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com. “I don’t see myself going anywhere.”
  • The Giants have yet to reach out to defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul regarding an extension, tweets ESPN’s Josina Anderson. The lack of communication is not a concern, however, and Anderson notes that the team will start the process following the season.
  • If one head coach could help turn around the play of Jay Cutler, ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio believes it would be the man who drafted him: Mike Shanahan. Of course, that would depend on the Bears keeping the embattled quarterback and not shipping him off to another franchise.

Injury Updates: Monday

December 1st, 2014 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

With just four weeks left in the NFL regular season, injuries that may not have been considered season-ending a month or two ago could now result in players being placed on injured reserve lists, as teams try to maximize their roster flexibility. Here’s the latest on injuries from this weekend’s action that could potentially necessitate roster moves:

  • Giants defensive end Robert Ayers tore his pectoral muscle during yesterday’s loss to the Jaguars, and the injury will end his season, tweets Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News. Ayers was only a part-time player for New York this season, coming off the bench most games and playing the third-most snaps among the team’s defensive ends, but his excellent production as a pass-rusher made him the league’s fourth-best 4-3 DE this season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
  • The Jaguars confirmed today that right tackle Austin Pasztor tore his hamstring yesterday, and will likely be out for the rest of the year, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter link).
  • Titans wideout Justin Hunter remained in a Houston hospital today after lacerating his spleen, but the belief is that he won’t require surgery, says Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com (Twitter link) hears from a source that Hunter should be okay, though “he may not play anytime soon.”
  • Panthers head coach Ron Rivera believes DeAngelo Williams‘ right hand is broken, and the running back may see a hand specialist, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
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