Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

Redskins Reached Out To DRC Last Week

The Redskins reached out to free agent cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie last week, according to JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter links).

Washington’s interest in Rodgers-Cromartie sheds light on the club’s decision to release fellow cornerback Orlando Scandrick earlier today. As Finlay notes, the fact that the Redskins looked into DRC doesn’t mean he’ll sign (or even meet) with Washington, but the move to cut Scandrick clearly wasn’t executed without the Redskins first exploring other options.

The Redskins were Rodgers-Cromartie’s first visit at the outset of free agency, but his asking price was too high for Washington at that time, reports John Keim of ESPN.com. Since then, DRC has worked out for the Seahawks while the Chargers and Raiders have reportedly eyed the 32-year-old defensive back.

Scandrick had been projected as Washington’s slot corner, and that’s a role with which Rodgers-Cromartie is extremely familiar. However, the Redskins are pleased with their more youthful options, as Quinton Dunbar, Fabian Moreau, and supplemental draft pick Adonis Alexander are now expected to see more time. But head coach Jay Gruden didn’t rule out the possibility of signing a veteran, per Kimberely A. Martin of the Washington Post.

“We still have time,” Gruden said. “If it doesn’t work out, or somebody gets injured, we still have time to make moves also ourselves. … We’re going to go with what we have. We may sign another here shortly.”

In 2017, Rodgers-Cromartie appeared in 15 games (six starts) for the Giants, managing 31 tackles, a half-sack, and one pass defensed while grading as the NFL’s No. 58 cornerback, per Pro Football Focus. On 25 targets, DRC allowed 7.2 yards per pass, more than double his 2016 average of 3.5.

DRC Didn’t Work Out For Raiders

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie indeed worked out for the Seahawks this week, but it doesn’t sound like he auditioned for the Raiders (as was previously reported). The free agent cornerback told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that Oakland simply inquired on whether he was in shape, “like a lot of other teams” (Twitter link). DRC added that he hasn’t scheduled a workout with Oakland.

While a former Pro Bowler is usually a welcome addition to any roster, the Raiders didn’t necessarily seem like an ideal fit for the 32-year-old. After all, the team has a relatively crowded cornerback depth chart. Gareon ConleyRashaan Melvin, and Daryl Worley are projected to be the team’s top corners, while Shareece WrightDexter McDonald, fourth-rounder Nick Nelson, and Leon Hall are in play for backup roles.

Of course, DRC’s production also slipped last season. His 77.2 overall score from Pro Football Focus was his lowest since 2012, and he ultimately finished as the league’s 58th-ranked cornerback. He settled into more of a reserve role with the Giants, finishing the campaign with 48 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and one pass defended in 15 games (five starts).

Rodgers-Cromartie did acknowledge that he worked out with the Seahawks on Friday morning, saying the audition went “real good. They were impressed.” The connection with Seattle makes sense, especially after the team let go of slot cornerback DeAndre Elliott. If he were to join Seattle, the veteran would likely compete with Dontae Johnson, Byron Maxwell, Tre FlowersNeiko Thorpe, and Trovon Reed for backup reps.

DRC To Work Out For Seahawks, Raiders

Free agent cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will work out for the Seahawks at some point over the next few days, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). After that, he’ll audition for the Raiders. 

DRC was originally scheduled to workout for Seattle last week, but that had to be rescheduled due to a family matter. The Seahawks should be keenly interested in DRC since they could use a slot cornerback after waiving DeAndre Elliott. Behind projected starters Justin Coleman and Shaquill Griffin, the Seahawks are also rostering Dontae Johnson, Byron Maxwell, Tre FlowersNeiko Thorpe, and Trovon Reed.

Rodgers-Cromartie’s age (32) was likely a factor in the Giants showing him the exit, but that is hardly a deterrent for Jon Gruden. And, even though the Raiders already have plenty of cornerback talent, they are apparently interested in seeing what DRC has to offer. The Raiders project to use Gareon Conley, Rashaan Melvin, and Daryl Worley as their top corners with support from the likes of Shareece Wright, Dexter McDonald, fourth-rounder Nick Nelson, and veteran Leon Hall.

It was an underwhelming 2017 campaign for Rodgers-Cromartie, who finished out as Football Focus’ 58th-ranked cornerback. He finished the season with 48 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and one pass defended in 15 games (five starts) for the Giants.

Seahawks To Work Out CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie?

Yesterday, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported (via Twitter) that veteran cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would be working out for the Seahawks this weekend, which came on the heels of rumors that DRC was generating interest from Seattle and the Chargers. ESPN’s Josina Anderson, however, tweeted this morning that while DRC was indeed scheduled to be in Seattle today, he had a family matter to attend to and could not make the trip. There is no word yet on whether the visit will be rescheduled.

It’s been a relatively quiet offseason for the 32-year-old since he was let go by the Giants in March. It sounded like Rodgers-Cromartie could have joined the Redskins, but the team ultimately found that the asking price was too high. The 10-year-veteran had also received some interest from the Saints, but there have been no other reported workouts. Despite that, DRC still earned a spot on our recent listing of the top available free agents.

It was an underwhelming 2017 campaign for Rodgers-Cromartie. His 77.2 overall score from Pro Football Focus was his lowest since 2012, and he ultimately finished as the league’s 58th-ranked cornerback. As he settled into more of a reserve role, his numbers also took a predictable dip. He finished the season with 48 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and one pass defended in 15 games (five starts). He also clashed with former Giants coach Ben McAdoo before being suspended “indefinitely” for conduct detrimental to the team.

Of course, the Seahawks have had their fair share of head cases over the years, so Pete Carroll‘s staff would be plenty prepared for DRC’s antics. The team could use a slot cornerback, especially after waiving DeAndre Elliott. Behind projected starters Justin Coleman and Shaquill Griffin, the Seahawks are also rostering Dontae Johnson, Byron Maxwell, Tre FlowersNeiko Thorpe, and Trovon Reed.

Chargers, Seahawks Interested In DRC

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie may be closer to finding an NFL home. The free agent is receiving interest from the Seahawks and Chargers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. 

The Seahawks are showing the most interest in DRC, Rapoport reports, but the Chargers’ are also in the mix thanks to their recent cornerback injury. Now that Jason Verrett is done for the year with an Achilles injury, DRC could step in as the club’s first cornerback off of the bench to support Desmond King and Casey Hayward.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, just recently waived DeAndre Elliott, leaving them thin at slot cornerback. DRC would help address that issue and he might also be able to contribute at safety when needed.

Last year, Rodgers-Cromartie earned a 77.2 overall score from Pro Football Focus, his lowest showing since 2012. He graded out as the 58th ranked cornerback in the NFL, portraying him as someone who is on the fringe of starter quality. His on-field performance was problematic, but there were also behavioral issues. Rodgers-Cromartie clashed with former coach Ben McAdoo on four separate occasions before being suspended “indefinitely” for conduct detrimental to the team. He was brought back after just one game, but teams could still be wary of his locker room influence.

Chargers’ Jason Verrett Tears Achilles

Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett suffered a torn Achilles during a conditioning test, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via ESPN colleague Josina Anderson on Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com was the first to report (via Twitter) that Verrett sustained an injury that would likely cost him the season. Injuries have limited Verrett to just five total games over the past two seasons, so this is obviously devastating news for the 27-year-old. 

Verrett was a full participant in June’s minicamp and reportedly looked like his old self. The Bolts were cautiously optimistic about Verrett after he flashed the ability that earned him a Pro Bowl nod in 2015.

“We can be real special,” Verrett said recently when asked about the Chargers’ secondary“I know it’s a tough for the coaches to make a decision on who’s going to go out there, just because of how deep we are. But I think just how tight we are as a group, it’s going to allow us to keep feeding off each other. Everyone’s going be wanting to get better each and every day because you know the guys behind you are going to want to be where you are.”

Without Verrett, the Bolts will lean more heavily on the likes of Casey HeywardTrevor Williams, and Desmond King. It’s conceivable that they could also explore outside help, such as free agent Bashaud Breeland. Anderson reports that the team is keeping another big name free agent, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, in mind, but that there is no rush to bring DRC in at this time.

Verrett, a 2014 first-round selection, is entering the walk year of his contract. Between his two knee surgeries and this latest setback, Verrett’s future is very much in flux.

East Notes: Beckham, S. Jones, Patriots

The Giants and star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. are far apart in extension talks, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes Beckham should stage a holdout. After all, if Beckham reports for training camp — as he said he will do — but does not get the deal he’s looking for, then he would essentially be foreclosed from holding out. As Florio notes, a player who reports and then leaves subjects himself to a “five-day letter,” in which a team advises such player that, if he does not return within five days, he will be put on the reserve/left squad list, thereby tolling his contract for a full year. And, if Beckham reports but does not practice with the team until he gets a new deal, he could be subject to fines and suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.

As such, Florio believes Beckham’s only chance to get the contract he deserves this year is to hold out and put a little pressure on the Giants, which none of his other alternatives would do. Beckham, though, appears to be sensitive to the stigma associated with holdouts, so this will remain a fascinating case to monitor.

Now for more from the league’s east divisions:

  • Matt Lombardo of NJ.com names the secondary as perhaps the biggest weakness on the Giants‘ roster, though he says UDFA cornerback Grant Haley — who reportedly received a whopping $100K in guaranteed money from Big Blue — could be a solid slot corner in his rookie season. Lombardo also says the team could reunite with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, which grows more likely the longer DRC lingers on the open market.
  • Eagles cornerback Sidney Jones had a strong offseason, but as Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com observes, Jones spent the last three practices of the spring on the sideline with soreness in his lower body. Philadelphia has said that soreness is wholly unrelated to the Achilles injury that forced Jones to miss almost all of his rookie season, but Shorr-Parks says the fact that the Washington product was forced to miss the most important practices of the spring with a vague injury is noteworthy. The team needs Jones to live up to his collegiate potential, which would have a positive trickle-down effect on the rest of a secondary that needs to replace Patrick Robinson (as of now, Shorr-Parks says, Jalen Mills is the favorite to serve as the Eagles’ nickel corner, a role that Robinson filled so admirably last year).
  • Free agent WR Eric Decker indicated earlier this week that the Patriots would be a good fit for him, and while no team — including the Patriots – has publicly expressed interest in Decker in nearly three months, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says New England could be interested once it has had the opportunity to fully evaluate its receiving corps in training camp.
  • One potentially key member of the Patriots‘ receiving corps, Malcolm Mitchell, is unsure if he will be ready for the start of training camp. Per Stephen Hewitt of the Boston Herald, Mitchell — who missed all of the 2017 campaign with a knee injury after a promising rookie season — simply said “we’ll see” when asked if he would be ready to go when camp opens next month. New England would love to have a healthy Mitchell, especially in light of Julian Edelman‘s impending four-game suspension.
  • Reiss says that Patriots‘ UDFA punter Corey Bojorquez is a legitimate threat to incumbent Ryan Allen.

The Best Remaining NFL Free Agents

There are still plenty of impact free agents left on the board, including some big names. Here’s a look at some of the high-profile veterans that are still looking for work in advance of training camp: 

Kaepernick probably stands as the most talented quarterback left on the open market, but his ongoing collusion case against the NFL complicated matters. It seems unlikely that he’ll land anywhere between now and the start of the season, but friend and former teammate Eric Reid probably has a better chance of signing somewhere, despite being in a similar boat. Recently, the duo was spotted working out together in California.

It seems like just yesterday that Murray was the league’s most fearsome running back. Unfortunately, Murray’s age has caught up to him to some extent and he was overshadowed last year in Tennessee by the younger Derrick HenryThe Titans dropped Murray in March and he has not found a new NFL home despite meeting with the LionsSeahawks, and Dolphins since his release. Recently, the Saints tried to include Murray in their cattle call for running backs, but he declined the invite.

Peterson has lobbied the Texans, Saints, Packers, Panthers, Dolphins, and Rams to sign him, but we have yet to hear of any reciprocated interest from those clubs. It’s possible that Murray and Peterson won’t sign unless a running back injury opens up an opportunity for them. Teams could also steer clear of Peterson altogether given his desire for a starring role despite his lack of star performance over the last two years.

Bryant is the biggest name on this list, but we shouldn’t expect to see him sign anywhere until July. There have been conflicting reports on his market, but the latest word indicates that he is receiving interest, despite concerns about his demeanor in the locker room.

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NFC Notes: Bradford, Cardinals, Breeland, Rodgers-Cromartie, Giants

Sam Bradford‘s tenure as the Cardinals’ unquestioned starting quarterback didn’t last long. Just a month after signing a one-year $20MM deal with an option for a second year, the Cardinals selected Josh Rosen 10th overall. The move suggested that the Cardinals don’t view Bradford as their longterm answer, and see him more as a bridge quarterback/stopgap option.

If Bradford plays well though, it will be hard for the Cardinals to turn to Rosen and Bradford has certainly shown he’s capable of playing at a high level when he’s able to stay healthy. Bradford’s health may end up being the determining factor for when Rosen sees the field, and Bradford is apparently now beginning to ramp up his on-field work according to Mike Jurecki (Twitter link).

Jurecki reports that Bradford “will be able to participate more in the mandatory minicamp” this week and that as long as Bradford is healthy he thinks he’ll be the week one starter, noting that Bradford’s “accuracy has been impressive during workouts.”

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • Free agent Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has made it clear he still wants to play, and told reporters at Landon Collins‘ charity softball game that he “knows where he will sign before training camp”, according to Paul Schwartz of the NY Post (Twitter link). Rodgers-Cromartie said he didn’t want to do OTAs anywhere and told the assembled Giants writers that “Y’all might see me again.” Schwartz added in a follow-up tweet that he thought Rodgers-Cromartie was referring to playing against the Giants this upcoming season, perhaps for a division rival.
  • Despite a recent report that the Cardinals wanted to re-evaluate cornerback Bashaud Breeland in a “few weeks”, Jurecki tweets that “as of today, he’s not on the radar” for the Cardinals. Breeland agreed to a three-year, $24MM deal with the Panthers earlier this offseason, but the deal was nullified due to a foot injury Breeland suffered.
  • In case you missed it, Odell Beckham Jr.’s ankle may be what is causing the Giants to move slowly on an extension for their star wide receiver.

The Best Remaining NFL Free Agents

The biggest names in this year’s free agent class such as Kirk Cousins, Sammy Watkins, Allen Robinson, and Trumaine Johnson have long been spoken for, but plenty of notable players remain on the board here in June. With a hat tip to James Palmer of NFL.com (on Twitter), here’s a look at some high-profile veterans who are still seeking work this summer: 

Of course, Kaepernick’s situation is more complicated than the rest. Lately, the only updates we’ve heard regarding Kaepernick have been tied to his pending collusion case against the NFL. Former teammate Reid is certainly closer to the NFL radar after an April meeting with the Bengals, but he also believes teams are shying away from him due to his participation in anthem protests. Reid filed a grievance of his own against the NFL in May and has been spotted working out with Kaepernick.

Unfortunately for Murray and Peterson, filing a grievance for age bias against running backs is not an option. The Titans kicked Murray to the curb in March and he has not found a new NFL home despite meeting with the Lions, Seahawks, and Dolphins since his release. Peterson has lobbied the Texans, Saints, Packers, Panthers, Dolphins, and Rams to sign him, but we have yet to hear of any reciprocated interest from those clubs. Given Peterson’s reluctance to be on the lower end of a timeshare in New Orleans last year, one has to imagine that Peterson will not be a real consideration for teams unless a starter gets injured in camp. Murray could be a more attractive option for teams. Although he averaged just 3.6 yards per tote with the Titans last year, he contributed in the passing game with 39 receptions.

Bryant says he has no regrets about turning down a three-year, $21MM offer from the Ravens, but right now it looks like he blew his opportunity at a solid free agent deal. Reportedly, many teams are unwilling to consider him for even the league minimum, so it seems unlikely that he’ll find the lucrative one-year contract he’s seeking. On the plus side, his former employer says multiple teams have checked in on him.

Things have been eerily quiet for Maclin after he was displaced by the Ravens, though the Eagles and Cowboys considered him internally in the spring. We also haven’t heard a peep about Decker since his spring meetings with the Raiders and Ravens. Both players are roughly in the same boat – they were 1,000-yard receivers in 2015, but they are on the wrong side of 30 and haven’t done much on the field in the last two years. Still, both profile as low-risk/high-reward signings.

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