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Denard Robinson

Jags Notes: Beachum, Joeckel, Cyprien, Sample

March 26th, 2016 at 6:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Jaguars won’t have a competition at left tackle between Luke Joeckel and free agent pickup Kelvin Beachum, according to Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com. Instead, the job will belong to Beachum if he’s able to return successfully from a torn ACL. Beachum – who signed a unique deal earlier this month that could be worth either $4.5MM for one year or $44.5MM over five years – said Friday that he does indeed expect to start when Week 1 rolls around in September. That’s bad news for Joeckel, who has started in all 35 career appearances since the Jaguars drafted him second overall in 2013. The 24-year-old hasn’t lived up to his draft status, though, and could end up in a reserve role in 2016.

Here are more notes on the Jaguars, all of which come courtesy of O’Halloran:

  • Jacksonville must decide by early May whether to exercise Joeckel’s fifth-year option for 2017, but O’Halloran expects the club to decline it because doing otherwise would kill the lineman’s trade value. If the Jags pick up the option, it would guarantee Joeckel upward of $11MM in 2017, though only in the event of a serious injury. Teams wouldn’t want to risk acquiring Joeckel and being stuck with that kind of financial commitment in the event of a nightmare scenario like, say, a torn Achilles. On the other hand, a version of Joeckel who doesn’t come with a 2017 option attached might appeal to clubs looking for help at left tackle next season.
  • Like Joeckel, safety Jonathan Cyprien could go from No. 1 to backup in 2016. Cyprien, a second-rounder in 2012, has started all 44 of his appearances, but he seems in danger of losing his job to James Sample. Cyprien had a team-high 21 missed tackles last season and hasn’t established himself as a playmaker, O’Halloran notes. As a fourth-rounder last year, Sample doesn’t have Cyprien’s draft pedigree, and he only appeared in four games (two starts) as a rookie because of a shoulder injury. Nonetheless, he has an important fan in head coach Gus Bradley. “We’ve seen flashes of Sample,” Bradley said. “His instincts — he’s a very good football player. In similar ways to Dante [Fowler], Sample is like another draft pick coming in.”
  • Denard Robinson was second to T.J. Yeldon among Jags running backs with 88 touches (67 rushes, 21 receptions) and 430 total yards last season, but the acquisition of Chris Ivory could make playing time scarce. Bradley insists the team isn’t going to phase Robinson out of its offense, though. “He’ll get in there, too,” Bradley said. “He’s our speed back. Again, a different style of running back.”

AFC South Notes: Colts, Titans, D. Robinson

February 4th, 2016 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

After spending big on veteran free agents last offseason, Colts owner Jim Irsay doesn’t expect to take the same approach this time around. While Indianapolis will delve into free agency a little if there’s a good fit, Irsay wants to recommit to building the roster through the draft, as Mike Wells of ESPN.com details.

“The draft is where we’re really going to get better,” Irsay said. “I think over the next two drafts, continue to identify guys, particularly defensively, that are going to be key guys going forward.”

Let’s check in on the rest of the teams in the AFC South…

  • According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, NFL personnel executives say there’s a real chance that the Titans will select Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil with the first overall pick in this year’s draft, assuming the team keeps the pick and doesn’t trade down. Having drafted Marcus Mariota a year ago, Tennessee doesn’t need a quarterback, so Tunsil or Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa look like the most logical targets for the club.
  • Jaguars running back Denard Robinson is extension-eligible for the first time this offseason, and tells Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com that he “definitely” wants to stay in Jacksonville. “It’s a great place and I enjoy it, enjoy the coaches and everything,” Robinson said. Still, the former fifth-round pick acknowledged that there have been no discussions with the Jags about a new deal so far.
  • The NFL has been tentatively planning to play a game in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium in 2016, and it appears that game will feature the Texans and Raiders, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. The Raiders are a logical candidate to be the “home” team since they’re currently without a stadium lease, while the Texans have a growing fan base in Mexico and have expressed interest in being a part of the league’s international series.

Injury Updates: Cutler, Lacy, Boyd, Adams

September 21st, 2015 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

While we don’t cover every NFL injury at Pro Football Rumors, we keep a close eye on them nonetheless, and we’ll often pass along injury news if it pertains to a key player, or if a team may have to make a roster move due to an injury. Here are some of the latest noteworthy updates on injuries sustained by players during this weekend’s games:

NFC:

  • Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has a strained hamstring, according to head coach John Fox, who added that the Bears haven’t decided whether or not to add another QB to the roster this week (Twitter links via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune).
  • Packers running back Eddie Lacy sprained his ankle against the Seahawks last night, but the injury is minor and he could play in Week 3, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
  • While the initial diagnosis on Packers defensive tackle Josh Boyd suggested that his ankle injury may not be too significant, an MRI revealed torn ankle ligaments, and his season is now in jeopardy, tweets Rapoport.
  • Falcons running back Tevin Coleman fractured a rib yesterday, and will likely be sidelined for a couple weeks, depending on his pain threshold, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Despite the injury, head coach Dan Quinn said he doesn’t anticipating adding another running back to the roster, according to ESPN’s Vaughn McClure (Twitter link).
  • Panthers wideout Jerricho Cotchery has a high ankle sprain, which is often a multi-week injury, but the team hopes he’ll be ready for Week 3, says Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
  • Cardinals receiver J.J. Nelson is expected to miss two to four weeks with a shoulder injury, according to head coach Bruce Arians (Twitter link via Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic).

AFC:

  • Texans offensive lineman Jeff Adams suffered a torn patellar tendon in his knee, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). It’s a season-ending injury for Adams, who figures to land on the team’s injured reserve list this week.
  • Bills defensive back Aaron Williams sustained what appeared to be one of the more serious injuries of Week 2, but head coach Rex Ryan passed along some positive news today, indicating that Williams was back at the team’s facility and is “doing OK.” As Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News details, Ryan said it’s probably a stretch to think Williams will be back for this Sunday’s game against the Dolphins, but it sounds like he avoided a significant injury.
  • Jaguars running back Denard Robinson‘s knee injury is a sprained MCL, and he’s considered week to week, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter links).

Jaguars Place Denard Robinson On IR

December 16th, 2014 at 9:10am CST by Luke Adams

DECEMBER 16: The Jaguars have officially placed Robinson on injured reserve, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com. No corresponding move has been announced yet.

DECEMBER 10: Jaguars starting running back Denard Robinson has been ruled out for the final three games of the season, the team announced today (Twitter link). Robinson, who suffered a mid-foot sprain, will be placed on Jacksonville’s injured reserve list soon, tweets Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com.

Robinson, 24, established himself as the top option in the Jaguars’ backfield during the team’s Week 7 win over Cleveland, when he rushed 22 times for 127 yards and a touchdown. The sophomore’s carries have been on the decline in every week since then, but he had still been getting the ball more than any other Jacksonville running back, including Toby Gerhart, who was signed in the offseason with the expectation that he’d be the starter. For the year, Robinson totaled 582 yards and four touchdowns on 135 rushing attempts.

When Robinson officially lands on IR, the Jags will have a spot open on their 53-man roster to promote or sign a player. With Robinson out, Gerhart and Jordan Todman figure to be first in line for carries.

AFC South Notes: Wayne, Jaguars, Titans

December 12th, 2014 at 1:42pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Colts prepare to try to lock up the AFC South by defeating the Texans this coming Sunday, let’s round up a few Friday notes from out of the division….

  • If Reggie Wayne retires after this season, he’ll stay retired, as Zak Keefer of the Indy Star writes. “Whatever the decision is, that will be the decision,” the Colts wide receiver said. “I won’t do the whole Brett Favre thing.“
  • The Jaguars are in no rush to move running back Denard Robinson to injured reserve, even though his season is over, since any call-up would be inactive this Sunday anyway, says Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (Twitter links). Robinson will likely be placed on IR before next week’s game against the Titans, allowing Jacksonville to see if there are any positions requiring additions following Week 15’s game against the Ravens.
  • There are no easy answers for the Titans, but declaring Zach Mettenberger the Titans’ No. 1 quarterback for 2015 based on his body of work would be foolish, opines David Climer of The Tennessean. Climer would rather see the Titans be open to the draft or the free agent pool, even if the offseason’s crop of available QBs is not all that appealing.
  • With injuries to their top two right tackles, the Titans could wind up starting Terren Jones, who was signed last week off the Ravens’ practice squad, or Jamon Meredith, who signed as a free agent earlier this week, writes John Glennon of The Tennessean.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Sunday Roundup: Jags, Colts, Graham

June 22nd, 2014 at 12:51pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s round up some of today’s links from around the league:

  • As our Luke Adams noted earlier this month, the Jaguars do not know when Justin Blackmon will be reinstated by the league. The team does not expect Blackmon to contribute in 2014, and they are distancing themselves from even talking about the troubled wideout, writes Gene Frenette of The Florida Times-Union. Even friends, teammates, and ex-coaches are finding it difficult to get a read on where Blackmon is and how his recovery is progressing.
  • Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida-Times Union writes that the ulnar nerve damage that Jaguars‘ jack-of-all-trades Denard Robinson suffered through last season is behind him, so he hopes to put his full skill-set on display in 2014.
  • In the same piece, O’Halloran adds that the Jaguars are likely to keep three tight ends on their roster, and with Marcedes Lewis and Clay Harbor as locks to make the team, the competition between Brandon Barden, Marcel Jensen, Reggie Jordan and D.J. Tialavea will be a fascinating one to watch.
  • John Keim of ESPN.com explains why he is impressed with Redskins‘ outside linebackers coach Brian Baker.
  • Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com wonders if Ravens‘ wide receiver Jeremy Butler can become this year’s Marlon Brown: an undrafted gem that unexpectedly turns into a legitimate threat in the passing game.
  • Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com gives a list of five Ravens that will be “feeling the heat” this summer.
  • In a photo gallery, The Detroit Free Press projects the Lions‘ starters on both sides of the ball.
  • Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer believes the Browns will try to add another receiver or two, and she writes that if quarterback Connor Shaw impresses in training camp as he did in OTAs and minicamp, the team may have to keep him on the 53-man roster rather than put him on the practice squad and risk his being signed by another club.
  • George Thomas of The Akron Beacon-Journal describes the battle for playing time that Browns‘ cornerback Leon McFadden–who was projected to be a starter in his rookie season in 2013–now faces after the influx of talent in the team’s secondary.
  • In a two-part mailbag, Mike Wells of ESPN.com looks at a number of Colts-related items. He writes that, although the team will not hand a starting job to Mike Adams, he would not be surprised to see Adams starting alongside LaRon Landry at safety. Wells also notes that GM Ryan Grigson does not plan on using all of the team’s $13.7MM in salary cap space because he wants to have room to pay Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton down the road.
  • Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes that the league wants the Saints to settle Jimmy Graham‘s grievance case, and Florio believes the team would be wise to do so.

AFC Notes: Clary, Johnson, Archer, Pats

May 17th, 2014 at 10:08am CST by Matt Feminis

During Chargers rookie minicap, third-rounder Chris Watt was working at right guard, “the same position of Jeromey Clary, who is to make $4.55 million in total compensation in 2014,” writes ESPN’s Eric D. Williams. “Watt lining up at right guard probably is not a coincidence.”

This comes on after an ESPN Insider piece (subscription required) about veterans whose jobs are in jeopardy in which Nathan Jahnke put the magnifying glass on Clary: “Thanks to the drafting of D.J. Fluker in 2013, Clary was moved from right tackle to right guard last year. The move didn’t work out well for Clary, who had the third-lowest run-block rating for all guards per PFF. In addition, the Chargers’ running backs averaged 4.6 yards per carry when running to the left compared to 3.6 yards per carry when running to the right, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Clary had something to do with that large difference.”

Here’s a few more AFC news and notes:

  • Any rumors of Andre Johnson being reunited via trade with Gary Kubiak in Baltimore were quashed by ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
  • Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com passed along a few Patriots tidbits: The team will carry three quarterbacks (Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Mallett), but Mallett is expected to depart via free agency at year’s end; Shane Vereen could earn a contract extension with a healthy, productive season; and 2013 fourth-rounder Josh Boyce, who struggled with the “mental aspect” as a rookie, will “compete for the kickoff return job while also vying for a role as a No. 3-5 option on the depth chart.”
  • Free agent linebacker James Anderson, who started all 16 games for the Bears last season, tried out for the Patriots, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).
  • On third-rounder Dri Archer, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert told Post-Tribune writer Alan Robinson, “We think we got the fastest player in the draft.” The Steelers hope to take advantage of Archer’s versatility, according to Colbert, who says the rookie could be used as a kick returner, in the slot, in the backfield and maybe as an H-back.
  • When asked about potential surprise cuts depending on how many rookies/young players make the Jaguars, ESPN’s Michael DiRocco mentioned Tyson Alualu, Denard Robinson and Ricky Stanzi as bubble players.
  • With the Jets adding Daryl Richardson via waivers, Mike Goodson is not expected to be with the team, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).

Extra Points: Benton, Dolphins, Amendola

March 1st, 2014 at 8:01pm CST by Peter Sowards

The Dolphins have promoted John Benton to offensive line coach and named Jack Bicknell Jr. the team’s assistant offensive line coach, the team announced today.

Benton was originally hired by the Dolphins on January 29. He replaces Jim Turner, who was fired earlier this month for his involvement in the Richie Incognito–Jonathan Martin bullying scandal.

Bicknell spent the 2013 season as the Steelers‘ offensive line coach. Before that, he had NFL stops with the Chiefs and Giants, and 24 seasons coaching at the collegiate level.

Here are some more bits and pieces from a relatively slow Saturday night…