Dekoda Watson - Pro Football Rumors

Cowboys To Sign Dekoda Watson

November 13th, 2014 at 4:51pm CST by Zachary Links

4:51pm: The Cowboys will cut linebacker Will Smith to make room for Watson, but they hope to re-sign him to the taxi squad, according to Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram (on Twitter).

8:16am: The Cowboys will sign linebacker Dekoda Watson, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter). Watson was waived by the Jaguars earlier this week.

The Jags signed Watson, a former Buccaneers linebacker, to a three-year deal this past offseason that included $1.5MM in guaranteed money. However, he battled multiple injuries during OTAs and training camp and didn’t produce much once he got onto the field.

The 26-year-old has 69 career games of experience dating back to 2010. In 2013 with Tampa Bay, Watson appeared in 15 games and recorded 42 tackles and two sacks. This season with the Jaguars, Watson started in just one game and turned in a total of 14 tackles.

Jags Claim Teddy Williams, Cut Dekoda Watson

November 11th, 2014 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jaguars have added two new players to their 53-man roster, claiming wide receiver and kick returner Teddy Williams off waivers from the Bears, and activating cornerback Aaron Colvin from the non-football injury list, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links). To make room for the incoming players, the club has waived linebacker Dekoda Watson and cornerback Peyton Thompson.

Watson is perhaps the most notable name of the bunch, as the Jags signed the former Buccaneers linebacker to a three-year deal this past offseason that included $1.5MM in guaranteed money. However, he battled injuries during OTAs and training camp, and was underwhelming once he actually got onto the field.

This set of transactions doesn’t include one involving Allen Robinson, who is out for the year with a foot injury and will presumably land on injured reserve soon.

AFC Mailbags: Titans, Chiefs, Raiders

October 11th, 2014 at 11:15am CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN’s NFC mailbags earlier today. Let’s now check out notes from ESPN’s AFC mailbags…

Even though Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt previously said that he’d make roster changes if play doesn’t improve, Paul Kuharsky doesn’t think that’s realistic. As the writer points out, roster building takes place in the spring, not in October.
Adam Reicher writes that it may take some time, but the Chiefs will eventually look to extend linebacker Justin Houston. If that doesn’t happen, Reicher suggests that the team could franchise the 25-year-old.
If the Raiders can’t get Jon Gruden or Jim Harbaugh as their next head coach, Texas A&M skipper Ken Sumlin could be a candidate, writes Bill Williamson.
Michael DiRocco can’t see linebacker Dekoda Watson returning to the Jaguars after the season unless his play improves. The writer adds that Watson wasn’t signed to be a building block, and that will make it easier to cut the player.
Jamison Hensley observes that the Ravens have historically kept the players they’ve wanted to keep. As a result, he believes that Torrey Smith will ultimately sign an extension with the team.

AFC Links: Talib, Ravens, Pouncey

September 27th, 2014 at 9:51am CST by Ben Levine

Patriots safety Devin McCourty has a playful rivalry with his brother, Titans cornerback Jason McCourty. Therefore, as the Patriots prepare to take on the Chiefs, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Patriots’ All-Pro defender is looking to top his brother’s production against quarterback Alex Smith. In the Titans’ first game of the season, McCourty picked off Smith twice.

When asked if he’d somehow outdo Jason, Devin sounded optimistic (via Jeff Howe of The Boston Herald). “I hope so,” he said. “You’ve got to tell Alex Smith to throw me the ball.”

Devin acknowledged that he has watched some of his brother’s interceptions to get a read on opposing quarterbacks:

“I always watch every interception a quarterback throws just to get an idea, see if there is a similarity of where it happens and different formations and what they like. I always try to see the turnover opportunities out there as far as throwing the ball, especially if it’s downfield.”

Let’s see what else is happening around the AFC…

The NFL was not impressed by Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib‘s late, fourth quarter hit against the Seahawks. According to Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com, the league has fined Talib $8,268.
Ravens defensive back Jimmy Smith has been assigned an October 7th court date in regards to his misdemeanor disorderly conduct case, according to Baltimore County police spokesman Shawn Vinson (via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun). Smith is subject to a maximum punishment of 60 days in jail.
Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com says the the Jaguars‘ biggest free agent disappointment is linebacker Dekoda Watson. The former Buccaneers draft pick has already had a pair of surgeries and couldn’t earn the starting spot once he returned.
However, DiRocco writes that he liked the majority of the Jaguars‘ offseason moves and still hasn’t soured on many of them. Instead, he criticizes the team for failing to sign center Alex Mack.
Dolphins center Mike Pouncey was hoping to make his season debut in London against the Raiders, but ESPN.com’s James Walker warns that it’s unlikely. Instead, Walker says it’s more likely that the former Pro-Bowler will make his debut in two weeks following the team’s bye.

Jaguars Notes: Watson, Gerhart, Evans

July 19th, 2014 at 5:58pm CST by Ben Levine

There’s a chance that one of the Jaguars new additions, linebacker Dekoda Watson, could begin next week’s training camp on the team’s physically unable to perform list. According to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, the former seventh-round pick underwent hernia surgery in late June, but he is expected back for the start of the regular season.

The Jaguars inked the 26-year-old to a three-year deal in March. Watson spent his first four NFL season with the Buccaneers, where he compiled 106 tackles and three sacks. O’Halloran adds that second-year player LaRoy Reynolds took the first-team reps during minicamp and will likely do the same during training camp.

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

NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling believes Toby Gerhart could lead the NFL in carries next season, the reporter said on the Ross Tucker Football Podcast.
“Not participating in organized team activities and minicamp because of foot surgery certainly hurt” the chances for defensive back Josh Evans, says ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco. If Evans can start to show consistency, DiRocco believes he could unseat Winston Guy.
DiRocco believes the team’s biggest position battle heading into training camp is between right guards Jacques McClendon and Brandon Linder. Considering the interior offensive line’s struggles in 2013, production from right guard will be key if the Jaguars hope to have a successful season.
The competition for the the team’s final two receiver spots should be interesting, DiRocco writes. Mike Brown and Kerry Taylor make DiRocco’s projected roster, but the writer warns that Tandon Doss, Allen Hurns and Chad Bumphis are also in play.
When looking at the team’s defensive backs, DiRocco thinks the Jaguars will have to choose between Jeremy Harris or Mike Harris for the final cornerback spot. At safety, the writer snubs Chris Prosinski.

AFC Notes: Jaguars, Ravens, Browns

July 13th, 2014 at 9:46pm CST by Peter Sowards

Paul Posluszny is one of the few constants in Jacksonville. Unfortunately, losing is another. But, that’s not his fault, as he’s played in all but one game in three seasons with the team and is coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance.

But, as The Florida Times-Union’s Ryan O’Halloran writes, there is uncertainty aside from Posluszny in the Jaguars linebacker room. Projected starters Dekoda Watson and Geno Hayes have been battling injuries, and backups LaRoy Reynolds and Telvin Smith are mostly untested.

O’Halloran remarks that linebackers coach Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator Bob Babish and coach Gus Bradley will focus on the group intently, and he assumes that the aforementioned five linebackers are safe, which leaves a single roster spot for J.T. Thomas, John Lotulelei, Nate Stupar, Allen Bradford and Marcus Whitfield.

More notes from the AFC:

The future of Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith is not likely to be affected after his arrest for disorderly conduct, CSNBaltimore.com’s Clifton Brown reports. The team has already exercised Smith’s fifth-year option and plans to sign him to a long-term deal.
Joining the Seahawks, Broncos and Ravens, the Browns will use a live animal as its mascot, according to Cleveland.com’s Tom Reed. Swagger, a bullmastiff, will lead the team onto the field before games.

Sunday Roundup: AFC North, Broncos, Lions

June 1st, 2014 at 12:50pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s have a look at some notes from around the league as we head into the afternoon of this ever-important June 1:

Greg Gabriel of the National Football Post identifies a few second-year players in the AFC North that might break out in 2014.
Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times identifies a few free agents the Ravens could target to address their biggest needs, right tackle and cornerback.
Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes that the Steelers are working hard to reestablish their identity has a running team, and Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette similarly notes that LeGarrette Blount hopes to provide a strong complement to Le’Veon Bell.
In his weekly mailbag, Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com notes that although Browns coaches are excited about the potential of the team’s offensive line, they are reserving judgment until they see how the unit adapts to offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan‘s zone-blocking scheme.
Mike Klis of the Denver Post notes that the Broncos are currently carrying seven running backs on their roster, none of whom have a regular season start. Klis believes the team should not go after one of the remaining veteran free agents–Felix Jones, Michael Bush, and Ronnie Brown, for instance–to take reps away from Denver’s stable of young-but-intriguing RBs, but he concedes that it will be a tough call.
In a separate piece, Klis writes that Broncos‘ QB Peyton Manning intends to play out his contract with Denver, which runs through 2016 (Manning will turn 40 in March of that year).
In two separate pieces, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union discusses how a healthy Roy Miller will impact the Jaguars‘ defense and Gus Bradley’s creation of the “Otto” linebacker, who will replace the traditional “Sam” linebacker and serve as a “physical/athletic/versatile player who will be positioned along the line of scrimmage.” Dekoda Watson will enter the season as the team’s “Otto.”
Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle writes that second-year wideout DeAndre Hopkins surprisingly became one of the few holdovers from the Texans‘ tumultuous 2013 season, and he is essentially a rookie again in 2014. Smith notes, however, that Hopkins has prepared himself well for the challenge.
Kevin Meinke of MLive.com writes that Lions‘ defensive end Devin Taylor is an integral component of new defensive coordinator Teryl Austin‘s desire to bring pressure from all three levels of the defense, and, in a similar vein, Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News writes that players believe aggressiveness will be a hallmark of the Lions’ defense in 2014.

Extra Points: Pats, Ravens, Bears, Keller

April 5th, 2014 at 12:52pm CST by Matt Feminis

The Patriots raised eyebrows this week with a string of quarterback draft prospect visits, and overthecap.com’s Aaron Fitzgerald says the team has structured its salary cap to allow for the addition of Tom Brady‘s successor.

Miscellaneous lunchtime news, notes and links. . .

The Ravens are expected to draft a safety, and ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley discusses the merits of three of the top available, saying Northern Illinois’ Jimmie Ward might be the best fit. Last year’s first-rounder, Matt Elam, who did not produce an abundance of impact plays as a rookie, is expected to be used closer to the line of scrimmage more often next season. Says Hensley: “The Ravens can’t afford for Elam to disappear so much in games this year.”
Dustin Keller, who tore his ACL, MCL and PCL and also dislocated the knee last August, is not yet 100 percent, but “hasn’t been ruled out and remains on the Dolphins’ radar,” writes ESPN.com’s James Walker.
A brief, position-by-position analysis of the Jaguars’ off-season moves is provided by Jacksonville.com’s Ryan O’Halloran, who describes under-the-radar free agent acquisition Dekoda Watson as an “ascending player.”
During an edition of ESPN’s First Draft podcast (listen here), ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay campaigns for the Bears to draft Pittsburgh three-technique Aaron Donald 14th overall, saying the team’s Plan B would be “panic” in a scenario where Donald is off the board. McShay also called Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert the most overrated player in the draft.
Georgia Tech pass rusher Jeremiah Attaochu, recovered from a torn hamstring injury, worked out for scouts at GT’s pro day yesterday, and has visits scheduled with the Colts, Eagles and Patriots.
A list of reported prospect workouts/visits as well as head coach and general manager sightings at various pro days can be found on NFL.com.

Jaguars To Sign Dekoda Watson

March 13th, 2014 at 12:06pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 12:06pm: Watson’s three-year contract is worth $6.25MM, with $1.5MM in guaranteed money, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

WEDNESDAY, 9:33am: The Jaguars have agreed to terms with free agent linebacker Dekoda Watson, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Jenna Laine of Sports Talk Florida first reported that Watson would ink a deal with Jacksonville.

Watson, 26, also drew interest from the Dolphins and reportedly had a visit planned with the Bills if he hadn’t yet reached an agreement, but the Jaguars didn’t let him get past Jacksonville. Watson, a Florida State product, had been a part-timer during his four seasons with the Buccaneers, logging his best season in 2013. In 15 games, Watson saw 263 defensive snaps, recording 34 tackles, sacking the quarterback twice, and recording a solid +5.2 grade, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). The former seventh-round pick was also a solid contributor on special teams.

Financial details of the agreement aren’t yet known.

AFC Rumors: Chiefs, Jordan, Raiders

March 12th, 2014 at 5:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Chiefs aren’t one of the four teams that have reached out to free agent center Alex Mack, but teams are getting creative with their proposals to the Browns free agent, tweets Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. Here’s a look at the latest out of the AFC..

Donte Whitner told reporters today, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link), that he has encouraged the Browns to look into signing Ted Ginn Jr., who would like to come to Cleveland. The Bucs are hosting the speedy return man today.
The Patriots and Vince Wilfork have discussed an extension this offseason, but an agreement isn’t close, tweets Albert Breer of NFL Network. Talks aren’t active at the moment, but could pick up again as the Pats need additional room (link). Adrian Wilson could also potentially be cut for cap savings.
Linebacker Dekoda Watson says he had interest from nine-ten other teams before he signed with the Jaguars, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com. The Bills, Patriots, 49ers, and Browns were among the interested clubs.
Chiefs free agent linebacker Akeem Jordan is scheduled to visit the Titans on Monday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). We heard earlier this week that Jordan has interest from half a dozen teams.
The Falcons and Raiders had interest in Linval Joseph before he signed with the Vikings, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN. Ultimately, neither club came close to Minnesota’s offer.
Chris Clemons‘ first visit will be to the Jaguars, tweets Terry Blount of ESPN. The Seahawks recently released the veteran defensive end.