Dion Jordan - Pro Football Rumors

Seahawks To Activate Dion Jordan This Week

November 6th, 2017 at 12:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Dion Jordan will be activated to 53-man roster this week, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll tells reporters (Twitter link via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times). Carroll added that the defensive end is “ready” to play.

It’s a big step forward for the former No. 3 overall pick in the draft. Thanks to suspensions, knee injuries, and a host of other issues along the way, Jordan has not played in a game since December 28, 2014. His return to football is more than just a feel-good story for the Seahawks, however, given their defensive line issues throughout the season.

Through 26 games in 2013 and 2014, Jordan registered only 46 tackles and three sacks. He may never realize his massive potential in the NFL, but the Seahawks were optimistic enough to give him a low-risk, one-year deal in April. Jordan now has an opportunity to reward Seattle’s faith in him and potentially set himself up for a lucrative contract in March.

If all goes according to plan, Jordan will make his on-field return on Thursday night against the Cardinals.

NFC Notes: Lions, Bucs, Cowboys, Seahawks

October 28th, 2017 at 9:31pm CST by Micah Powell

Tight end Eric Ebron is the biggest name being floated around by the Lions with the trade deadline looming, according to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. General manager Bob Quinn has been aggressive since assuming the job nearly two years ago, and even pulled off a midseason deal in 2016 when he traded Kyle Van Noy to the Patriots, Meinke notes. A first-round pick out of North Carolina in 2014, the athletic tight end was expected by many to have a breakout campaign following a career year in 2016 but that has not been the case. Ebron has tallied more than two catches in a game just once this season but still possesses freakish physical traits that could lead a team to take a shot on the fourth-year pass catcher. Ebron is signed through 2018 and is due to earn $8.25MM next season.

Here’s more from the NFC:

Jameis Winston reinjured his shoulder against the Bills in Week 7, Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter confirmed in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). “[Jameis] was doing better, he played very well, especially in the second half against Buffalo,” Koetter said. “We did have that one sack-fumble in the first half, and he did kind of reinjure it, and so that’s what led to him not throwing on Wednesday or Thursday this week.” Despite missing two days of practice, Winston took all reps on Friday and will start vs. Carolina in Week 8.
The Cowboys are not looking to move any of their receivers, team vice president Stephen Jones said in a radio interview with 105.3 The Fan (Twitter link). Jones added the team has not specifically been asked about Cole Beasley‘s availability in a trade. After posting a career-high 75 catches in 2016, Beasley has hauled in just 16 grabs in the team’s first six games this season. It also doesn’t bode well for the slot receiver’s future in Dallas that the team drafted Ryan Switzer, a near carbon copy of Beasley, in the 2017 NFL Draft. Beasley is signed through 2018 and is due to make $3.25MM next season.
The Seahawks are paying Dion Jordan $7.2K and Malik McDowell $5K per week while the two are on the NFI list, tweets Joel Corry of CBS Sports. Though a team doesn’t have to pay a player on the NFI list since the injury occurred away from the field, Seattle was able to come to terms with the two defenders. Jordan returned to practice this week, so the team has three weeks to activate him to the 53-man roster or he will not be eligible to play again this season. McDowell is still out indefinitely.

Seahawks’ Dion Jordan Returns To Practice

October 25th, 2017 at 2:11pm CST by Zachary Links

The clock has started ticking on Dion Jordan. The Seahawks defensive end is returning to practice this week, the team announced. The team will now have three weeks to activate him to the 53-man roster. If they fail to do that, he will not be eligible to play again in 2017.

Seattle added some reinforcements to the defensive line this week by signing veteran Dwight Freeney. In three weeks time, the Seahawks may or may not need Jordan’s services. It’s also not a given that he’ll be in football shape. Thanks to personal problems and injuries, Jordan has not played in a game since December 28, 2014.

The former No. 3 overall pick has just three career sacks to his name. The potential is still there for him to do something at the NFL level, but he’ll first have to get himself on the right track. The Seahawks, who took a very mild risk on him with a $615K non-guaranteed contract, are curious to see what he can offer.

Seahawks Notes: Avril, Joeckel, Alexander

October 17th, 2017 at 8:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As he continues to deal with a neck injury, Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril has sought multiple medical opinions and is visiting another doctor today, tweets Mike Garafolo of NFL.com. Head coach Pete Carroll originally indicated Avril would be sidelined “awhile” with a stinger and numbness in his arm, but subsequent reports have expressed concern about the future of Avril’s career. While Seattle has the defensive line depth to withstand a Avril absence (Frank Clark, Marcus Smith), his absence will certainly be felt, and doubts about his ability to continue playing are certainly worrisome.

Here’s more from Seattle:

Left guard Luke Joeckel is expected to miss four-to-five weeks after undergoing knee surgery during the Seahawks’ bye week, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). Joeckel, who signed a one-year, $8MM contract this spring, has played every snap at left guard for Seattle this season. Perhaps unsurprisingly given his track record with the Jaguars, Joeckel had struggled — along with the rest of the Seahawks’ offensive line — through five games, grading as the No. 44 guard among 75 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Mark Glowinski and rookie Ethan Pocic will now compete to replace Joeckel, per Condotta.
Free agent safety Maurice Alexander is visiting with the Seahawks this week, as Condotta writes in a full piece. Seattle should be relatively familiar with Alexander, as he’d spent the entirety of his four-year NFL career with the Rams. Alexander, who has also auditioned for the Jets and Cardinals since being waived last week, offers valuable experience (18 starts over the past season-plus), but he’d seemingly be overkill in Seattle. The Seahawks already boast two of the NFL’s best safeties in Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, plus veteran Bradley McDougald and rookies Delano Hill and Tedric Thompson in reserve.
If recent history is any indication, Seahawks defenders Dion Jordan and DeShawn Shead likely won’t return to the field for three more weeks, opines Brady Henderson of ESPN.com. Both Jordan, a defensive end, and Shead, a cornerback, are allowed to resume practicing today, but neither player is ready to roll just yet. Once they are, Seattle will get a three-week window during which Jordan and/or Shead can be added to the 53-man roster. Jordan is currently on the non-football injury list, while Shead is on the physically unable to perform list. As Henderson notes, the Seahawks have typically given their players ample practice time before activating them.

NFC West Rumors: Hawks, Sherman, 49ers

April 18th, 2017 at 4:15pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although Richard Sherman doesn’t plan to attend the start of Seahawks workouts today, he is expected to report before OTAs, meaning he’ll be in attendance in early or mid May, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link). Sherman, of course, reportedly asked for a trade, and Seattle is now attempting to oblige him. After originally setting an ask of a first-round pick and another player, the Seahawks have reduced the Sherman price to a 2017 first-round pick and a conditional mid-round pick in 2018.

Here’s more from Seattle and the rest of the NFC West:

Before inking Seahawks restricted free agent Garry Gilliam to a one-year, $2.2MM deal, the 49ers approached Gilliam with two- and three-year offers, both of which were rejected, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. By agreeing to a one-year commitment, Gilliam affords himself the possibility of reaching unrestricted free agency in 2018. Seattle had the option of matching San Francisco’s offer sheet, and though the Seahawks had five days to make a decision, they used just over 12 hours to turn down the terms. Gilliam will earn $1.4MM in guarantees under his new 49ers pact, while his RFA tender with Seattle would have paid him $1.797MM in non-guaranteed base salary.
Defensive end Dion Jordan‘s one-year contract with the Seahawks is worth only $615K, per Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. The deal comes with a $25K workout bonus, but doesn’t contain any guarantees, meaning Seattle can move on without any dead money incurring on its salary cap. Additionally, Jordan agreed to a split salary: if he gets injured, the Seahawks will owe him only $378K. If Jordan does succeed this season, Seattle can keep him for 2018 as a restricted free agent. Because he entered the league as first-round pick, the Seahawks could use the original round tender to retain Jordan without worrying about another club signing him to an offer sheet.
Collegiate basketball player and aspiring tight end Mo Alie-Cox is scheduled to meet with the Seahawks today, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, who adds Alie-Cox has a visit lined up with the Colts on Monday. 30 NFL clubs attended a recent Alie-Cox audition, and teams are now hoping to sign the 6’7″ hoopster to play offense. Alie-Cox is not eligible for the draft, and is able to sign an NFL contract immediately.

Seahawks Sign DE Dion Jordan

April 11th, 2017 at 9:37am CST by Zachary Links

Dion Jordan has agreed to terms with the Seahawks, a source tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter). The former No. 3 overall pick will now try to get a fresh start in a completely different part of the country.

Late last month, the Dolphins officially released Jordan after weeks of buildup. The 27-year-old held lots of promise upon entering the league in 2013, but he has done very little at the professional level. Jordan was hit with three separate drug policy suspensions and the most recent one cost him the entire 2015 season. Then, in 2016, he suffered a significant knee injury and had surgery without first informing the team. The Dolphins figured they would get another chance to evaluate Jordan, but it wound up being another lost season. After all the headaches, here’s where we are: Jordan has not played in a game since December 28, 2014 and has just three career sacks to his name.

The Seahawks are hoping that their locker room culture can help get Jordan’s career back on track, but he’ll also have to stay healthy in order to contribute.The Seahawks now have five defensive ends under contract: Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Frank Clark, Garrison Smith, and Jordan.

Dolphins Release Dion Jordan

March 31st, 2017 at 2:48pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dion Jordan saga, finally, is over in Miami. The Dolphins are releasing the former No. 3 overall pick, according to Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post. The move has been expected for some time. The Dolphins have since officially announced the transaction, adding that Jordan has been bounced with a failed physical designation.

Jordan, 27, has missed the past two seasons due to suspension and injury. Despite the lofty expectations for him when entering the league, he has started only one game in his career. At various times, Jordan’s commitment to football, sobriety, conditioning, and health have all hampered his development. He may try to reboot things in 2017, but it won’t be in Miami.

“Obviously from where he was selected to today it’s not a move that’s worked out,” Dolphins executive vice president Mike Tannenbaum said earlier this week.

Jordan has not played in a game since December 28, 2014 and has just three career sacks. Waiving Jordan saves the Dolphins $3.225MM. The Dolphins are now left with four defensive ends on the depth chart: Andre Branch, Cameron Wake, William Hayes, and Terrence Fede.

Dolphins Still Expected To Cut Dion Jordan

March 18th, 2017 at 10:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Former third overall selection Dion Jordan has been expected to be released for some time, and though he’s currently still on the Dolphins roster, Miami still plans to cut ties with the mercurial defensive end at some point before the regular season begins, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.

Jordan, 27, has missed the entirety of the past two seasons due to suspension and injury, and has only started one game in his career. Drafted at No. 3 thanks to his impressive combination of size and speed, Jordan now weighs around 275 pounds (if he’s in shape), and as one Miami coach tells Salguero, simply can’t run anymore. Not only does Jordan lack “explosion,” but he’s dealing with some sort of non-football “issue” that the Dolphins staff won’t discuss in detail, per Salguero.

The Dolphins were expected to target defensive ends this offseason, and while they’ve re-signed Andre Branch and traded for William Hayes, Miami is still likely to spend a relatively high pick on an edge player, reports Salguero. That selection is “very likely” to come in the first round, per Salguero, meaning the Fins could target someone like Derek Barnett (Tennessee), T.J. Watt (Wisconsin), or Carl Lawson (Auburn) at pick No. 22.

If and when Jordan is cut, the Dolphins will save more than $3MM in cap space.

Dolphins Notes: Jordan, Stills, Branch, Sims

January 12th, 2017 at 5:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the Dolphins‘ season-ending loss to Pittsburgh, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald looks at potential changes to the squad. The writer believes that defensive end Dion Jordan has probably played his final game for the organization. The former No. 3 overall pick has been suspended twice and has undergone a pair of knee surgeries, and Salguero reports that “he’s having “issues” again that effectively will get him cut this offseason.”

Salguero doesn’t specify what kind of issues the oft-banned pass-rusher is having, but should this mark the end of Jordan’s tenure in Miami, it will conclude the tenure of one of the worst draft picks in team history. Jordan has not played in a game since 2014 and has just three career sacks. Waiving Jordan would save the Dolphins $3.225MM.

Here’s more from out of Miami.

Kenny Stills comprises part of the Dolphins’ UFA contingent, and the former Saints wideout unequivocally wants to return to Miami. Stills enjoyed a bounce-back year after a down first season in south Florida, hauling in 42 passes for 726 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns. ESPN.com’s James Walker notes Stills could be the team’s top free agent. “I want to be back here,” Stills said. “I love this team. I love these guys. We did something special, just starting 1-4. So we’re going to do whatever we can to try to make it happen.” The Dolphins don’t have a veteran wideout contract on their payroll but are lining up a Jarvis Landry extension, and Stills could be an attractive commodity on the market, being just 24.
Andre Branch wants to be back with the Dolphins as well but may be less enthralled than Stills about the certainty of a return. He could be a key part of this equation, with Cameron Wake set to turn 35 this month and Mario Williams almost certainly being a cap casualty. “I love this place,” the fifth-year defensive end said, via Walker. “They believed in me when not too many people did. I appreciate them for that. But we will see how it goes.”
When assessing the Fins’ priorities in terms of their UFA strategy, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes re-signing Stills will be high on the list, along with finding a replacement for right guard Jermon Bushrod. But a Dion Sims re-up will factor in as well. An impending UFA, Sims said Adam Gase views him as a starter going forward. Miami does not intend to re-sign Jordan Cameron, who wants to keep playing despite rampant injury struggles. More known for his blocking, Sims caught 24 passes for 256 yards and four TDs this season. Beyond Sims, Miami didn’t boast much at tight end this season.
When accounting for the $8.4MM in carryover from this year, the Dolphins figure to enter the offseason with approximately $36MM in cap space. The team moving on from Jordan, Williams and linebacker Koa Misi as expected should push that total up to $52MM, Jackson notes.
Earlier today, the Dolphins filled Vance Joseph‘s DC position by promoting linebackers coach Matt Burke.

Ben Levine contributed to this report

Dolphins Won’t Activate Dion Jordan

December 13th, 2016 at 4:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Today, the Dolphins shut Mike Pouncey down for the season in order to free up a spot for quarterback T.J. Yates. Today was also the deadline for the Dolphins to find a place for embattled defensive end Dion Jordan. That afternoon deadline has come and gone and the team has opted against putting Jordan on the roster, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets.

Teams have three weeks to make a determination on an NFI list player once he begins practicing. Apparently, the former No. 3 overall pick did not show enough in practice to warrant consideration for the final stretch of the season. Jordan and his reps spent the summer telling everyone that he would fulfill his potential in 2016. Now, we’ll have to wait another year to find out if Jordan can put it all together.

Through 26 games in 2013 and 2014, Jordan registered only 46 tackles and three sacks. He has not appeared in an NFL game since December 28, 2014.