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Dennis Kelly

AFC South Notes: Colts, Dupree, Texans

August 19th, 2022 at 12:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shaquille Leonard undergoing back surgery midway through the offseason seemed to put his early-season availability in question. Although the Colts‘ mid-June expectation was for Leonard to be back near the start of training camp, he remains on the team’s active/PUP list. Leonard should be expected to come off that list soon, as not doing so would mean four missed games, but Frank Reich does not expect his top linebacker to be 100% when he returns.

“I think when he gets cleared, he’s not going to be 100% and he’s going to have to work his way back into it,” Reich said, via ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder (on Twitter). “… He’s going to have to figure out how to play feeling the way he feels — not feeling 100%, feeling like maybe this isn’t all the way back but I still gotta figure out how to play winning football.”

The nerve issue for which Leonard underwent surgery affected him in 2021, leading to calf and ankle problems. Leonard still earned his third first-team All-Pro honor — during a season in which he intercepted four passes and led the NFL with eight forced fumbles — but the prospect of another season being impacted by the injury is somewhat concerning for the fifth-year star.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

  • Bud Dupree pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in connection with a January incident at a Walgreens, TMZ reports. The Titans outside linebacker turned himself in on a assault-fear of bodily injury charge in February. Police said Dupree grabbed a 20-year-old Walgreens employee, attempted to take his phone and fled the scene. The employee allegedly heckled Dupree and threatened to spit on the women accompanying the veteran pass rusher, according to TMZ. Dupree, who is set for his second Titans season, faces a potential suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
  • Dennis Kelly joined Leonard in undergoing a summer surgery. The veteran Colts tackle recently had a procedure done on one of his knees, Mike Chappell of CBS4 tweets. Kelly is competing for a swing job in Indianapolis, which is making another transition at left tackle. Matt Pryor and third-round rookie Bernhard Raimann are vying to be the team’s blindside starter. Kelly, who signed a one-year deal worth $1.27MM, has made 51 career starts. The 11th-year vet’s $75K guarantee obviously does not guarantee him a roster spot, and this surgery keeping him out of action for a stretch will not help his cause.
  • The Texans added Jarrod James to their coaching staff as an offensive assistant, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. James interned with the Chiefs, Vikings and Ravens in the late 2010s and had been working as Michigan State’s assistant offensive line coach this year.

Colts To Sign Dennis Kelly

May 10th, 2022 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Not long after visiting the Colts, Dennis Kelly has decided to join the team. Indianapolis has agreed to terms with the veteran tackle (Twitter link via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star). 

Kelly, 32, began his career with the Eagles, starting 15 of 30 games played in Philadelphia. His longest NFL stint came with the Titans, though, after they traded for him in 2016. As the team’s swing tackle throughout his first year in Nashville, he played just 145 snaps, but showed enough during that time to sign a three-year extension.

Kelly’s playing time increased the following year, but it wasn’t until 2020 that he became a full-time starter. Stepping into the right tackle spot vacated by Jack Conklin that year, he played more than 1,000 snaps for the first time in his career, committing two penalties and not allowing any sacks. During the subsequent offseason, however, he was released with one more year left on his most recent extension.

That led him to Green Bay, where he started four of 10 games as the Packers dealt with injuries at both tackle spots. After the season ended, the Purdue product visited the Colts, as they continued the re-making of their tackle depth. With Kelly in place, they will have experienced depth at a minimum, if not another option to compete for the starting left tackle spot alongside Matt Pryor and third-round rookie Bernhard Raimann. With those three, along with right tackle Braden Smith, the team hopes to have some much-needed depth and stability at both ends of the offensive line.

Colts Meet With T Dennis Kelly

April 26th, 2022 at 4:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts will enter the draft without two starters from their 2021 offensive line. Mark Glowinski signed with the Giants, and Eric Fisher remains in free agency — with no signs of an Indianapolis return having emerged.

Two days ahead of the event, the Colts looked into a veteran tackle. Former Titans starter Dennis Kelly met with the Colts on Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

Kelly, 32, spent last season with the Packers, starting in four games and playing in 10. Green Bay spent nearly the entire season without David Bakhtiari, while Billy Turner missed time due to injury as well. This marks Kelly’s first known visit or connection to a team this offseason. While it would seem the Colts are checking on the ex-Titan starter and swingman for a backup role, he has 51 starts on his resume. Sixteen of those came for the 2020 Titans, who deployed a 2,000-yard rusher.

Right tackle Braden Smith signed a long-term extension last year, but the Colts’ post-Fisher left tackle is uncertain. Indianapolis did not have to worry about its left tackle spot for most of the 2010s, with Anthony Castonzo in place, but Castonzo’s 2021 retirement has injected instability into this situation. The recently re-signed Matt Pryor is set to receive an opportunity to replace Fisher, but it makes sense for the Colts to look into backup plans.

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/4/22-1/5/22

January 5th, 2022 at 11:32pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Tuesday and Wednesday’s activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Jared Cook, LB Damon Lloyd (remains on IR)

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/3/22

January 3rd, 2022 at 8:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Monday’s activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OT Mike Remmers (remains on IR)

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Raymond Calais (remains on IR)

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Dolphins Considered Alejandro Villanueva, Rick Wagner, Dennis Kelly For RT Job

May 14th, 2021 at 10:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins have a few young offensive linemen in place to start, but they have multiple veterans vying for jobs as well. Miami recently considered adding at least one other veteran blocker.

Prior to the draft, the Dolphins spoke with longtime Steelers left tackle Alejandro Villanueva about a potential right tackle role, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. The team also held discussions with veteran right tackle Ricky Wagner, whom the Packers released ahead of free agency, and 2020 Titans right tackle starter Dennis Kelly.

These discussions centered on moving Robert Hunt to guard, where the Dolphins believe the 2020 second-round pick can be a Pro Bowler, Fowler adds. However, the draft may have changed the organization’s plans here. Miami drafted Liam Eichenberg out of Notre Dame in Round 2. Eichenberg played left tackle primarily for the Fighting Irish, starting three seasons there, but is viewed as a better fight on the right side. With Tua Tagovailoa being a lefty, Eichenberg would retain a blindside role as a pro.

Hunt started 11 games as a rookie, primarily playing right tackle. He started at guard as an underclassman at Louisiana but played right tackle as a junior and senior. Pro Football Focus viewed Hunt as a below-average tackle last season, grading him just outside the top 50 at the position. Miami rosters multiple veterans with versatile NFL pasts as well, in Jesse Davis and D.J. Fluker.

Villanueva opted to sign with the Ravens shortly after the draft; the six-year Pittsburgh left tackle starter is set to take over Baltimore’s right tackle job. Kelly participated in the Broncos’ brigade of right tackle workouts this week, but Denver chose Bobby Massie and Cameron Fleming from those. The Titans released Kelly during the legal tampering period; he spent the past five seasons in Tennessee.

Wagner, the Packers’ starting right tackle last season, is expected to retire, Fowler adds. While the former Ravens and Lions right tackle has not announced any retirement plans, this was believed to be a consideration when the Packers cut him three months ago. Wagner, 31, has made 96 pro starts.

Broncos To Host OL Dennis Kelly

May 5th, 2021 at 11:16am CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos scheduled to meet with free agent tackle Dennis Kelly next week, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). If signed, Kelly could give Denver help at right tackle to replace Ja’Wuan James. 

[RELATED: Ja’Wuan James Tears Achilles]

Kelly started 16 games for the Titans last year but wound up as a cap casualty in March. After serving in mostly a swing role through his first four seasons in Tennessee, the 31-year-old had an opportunity to play on the first string in 2020. To his credit, he committed just three penalties while appearing in 98% of the Titans’ offensive snaps. The Ravens recently took a look at Kelly, though their RT needs have likely been filled by Alejandro Villanueva.

The Broncos will consider multiple tackles, Fowler hears, but they’ll be hard-pressed to find one on James’ level at this stage of the offseason. James joined Denver on a four-year, $51MM in 2019, but missed the bulk of the year due to injury. Then, last year, he opted out due to the pandemic. James’ deal came with $30MM+ guaranteed, but the Broncos have only seen James suit up for three games.

OL Dennis Kelly To Meet With Ravens

April 24th, 2021 at 12:50pm CST by Ben Levine

The Ravens aren’t wasting time finding a replacement for Orlando Brown. Offensive tackle Dennis Kelly is set to visit with Baltimore this weekend, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).

[RELATED: Ravens Trade Orlando Brown To Chiefs]

The Titans released Kelly last month after he had spent five years with the organization. After serving in mostly a swing role through his first four seasons in Tennessee, the 31-year-old had an opportunity to start in 2020. He ultimately started all 16 games, committing only three penalties while appearing in 98-percent of his team’s offensive snaps.

Kelly isn’t the first veteran offensive lineman that the Ravens have gotten a look at, as the Ravens met with with Alejandro Villanueva recently. Later reports indicated that the team wouldn’t be adding any veteran until after the draft, as they’ll have a better understanding of their status at each position. The team could also avoid the compensatory pick formula by waiting until early May.

The Ravens need an offensive tackle after moving Brown to the Chiefs this week. Even if the team addresses the position in the draft, it’d make sense for them to add a veteran; Ronnie Stanley.will return to left tackle after missing most of the 2020 season, and the five-year veteran has yet to appear in all 16 games in a single season.

Titans Release Adoree’ Jackson, Dennis Kelly

March 16th, 2021 at 3:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

After this year, players attached to fifth-year options will be protected from free-of-charge releases. But the Titans will take advantage of that opportunity in its final year. They are set to release former first-round pick Adoree’ Jackson.

The Titans are cutting both Jackson and starting right tackle Dennis Kelly, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Jackson’s option season was set to cost the Titans $10.2MM. They will turn that entire amount into cap space, a luxury that will not be available to teams beginning next year.

This is certainly not a surprise, however. Jackson played in only three games last season; a knee injury cost the 2017 first-round pick most of his season. The Titans shelved Jackson on IR ahead of Week 1, and although they activated him off the injured list in early November, Jackson continued to miss time. He will be entering free agency at a bad time, coming off his worst season and doing so after the salary cap dropped by $16MM. Some interest figures to come Jackson’s way, however. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 8 overall corner in 2019 and landed in the advanced metrics site’s top 40 corners in ’17 and ’18.

Tennessee will unveil a new group of corners next year. The Titans have now cut Jackson and Malcolm Butler. They will also have a new right tackle.

After the Titans passed on Jack Conklin‘s fifth-year option, they drafted Isaiah Wilson in the 2020 first round. After a disastrous rookie year, Wilson is now with the Dolphins. The Titans used Kelly at right tackle throughout last season, elevating him from the swing role he previously held. Kelly’s most recent extension ran through the 2022 season.

Overall, the Titans will create more than $17MM in cap space by making these moves. That will bump the team’s total to nearly $30MM, per OverTheCap. They also will have to replace two key cogs.

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