Donte Moncrief - Pro Football Rumors

Colts To Let Donte Moncrief Walk?

March 8th, 2018 at 9:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts aren’t likely to re-sign Donte Moncrief by the time the legal tampering period begins Monday, and Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star notes they probably will let the fifth-year wide receiver walk as a free agent.

Holder writes “all current indications” point to Moncrief departing as a first-time UFA. The current Colts regime appears to have cooled on the former third-round pick.

The inconsistency that’s been associated with Moncrief’s career has frustrated some in the Colts’ organization, and Holder writes Chris Ballard didn’t seem to express much desire to re-sign him.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported the expectation was for a team to sign Moncrief to a one-year deal, which would make sense given his lack of steady production. While Moncrief showed a strong red zone rapport with Andrew Luck, he was effectively demoted last season. After a 64-reception, 733-yard 2015, Moncrief missed seven games in 2016. The talented athlete who still caught seven touchdown passes in 2016 managed just 26 catches last season and two scores on a much worse Colts offense.

AFC North Notes: Bengals, Ravens, Steelers

March 6th, 2018 at 8:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert has missed 41 of 80 potential regular season games due to concussions, stingers, an elbow injury, a torn labrum, ankle surgery, disc repairs, and a knee issue. As he approaches free agency, he tells Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer that “everything is fixed.” Teams, of course, will be taking a thorough medical look at Eifert before extending him any offers. The 27-year-old Eifert is arguably the most talented free agent tight end available, but his injury history will put a ceiling on his market. PFR’s Zach Links recently ranked Eifert as the third-best available tight end, behind Trey Burton and Jimmy Graham.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two North divisions:

Pending Colts free agent wide receiver Donte Moncrief could be a fit for the Ravens, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Baltimore could certainly use help at wideout, as the club ranked 26th in passing DVOA a season ago and could be poised to lose several contributors over the coming weeks. Mike Wallace is scheduled to hit free agency next Wednesday, while fellow veteran pass-catcher Jeremy Maclin has been mentioned as a candidate for release. Moncrief, meanwhile, has been limited by injuries over the past two seasons, but is only 24 years old and managed a 64/733/6 line as recently as 2015. Per Rapoport, Moncrief is likely to sign a one-year deal, which makes sense given his limited record of recent production.
Speaking of the Ravens, center Ryan Jensen is expected to garner a “nice” deal in free agency, and it’s unclear if Baltimore will be able to re-sign him, as Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun writes. Jensen is one of the top free agent centers on the market, but he only has one full season of starting experience. Still, his youth (age 26) should allow him to land a multi-year pact in a free agent market short on interior lineman. Meanwhile, receiver Michael Campanaro has already generated interest around the NFL based on his route-running and special teams prowess, per Zrebiec.
Given that Le’Veon Bell doesn’t seem amenable to a long-term contract that pays less than $15MM annually, the Steelers are now forced to plan for life after Bell, opines Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Bell was assigned the franchise tag for the second consecutive season, but Pittsburgh should look at running backs in the 2018 draft as a hedge against Bell returning to Pittsburgh in 2019. Of course, the Steelers did use a third-round pick on running back James Conner in last year’s draft, but he handled only 32 carries on the season before going down with a knee injury.

Top 2018 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

March 5th, 2018 at 10:09pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL free agency will get underway on Wednesday, March 14th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market. The same goes for players who have been franchise tagged or transition tagged.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2018:

Quarterback:

There were many difficult calls when putting this list together, but ranking Kirk Cousins as the No. 1 QB available was not among them. Cousins is the best quarterback to reach free agency in recent history and he’ll become the highest-paid player of all-time – at least, for some period of time – in mid-March. Who will make history with Cousins? That’s anyone’s guess right now. The Browns have more cap room than any other team, but a recent report from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com listed the Broncos, Cardinals, Jets, and Vikings as the final suitors for Cousins. Of those four, the Jets have the most money to work with, but they’re concerned about the Vikings winning out and Cousins’ desire to win could point him in another direction. If the Broncos and Cardinals want in on the Cousins sweepstakes, they’ll have to get creative with the books.

Drew Brees is included here, but by his own admission, he’ll be re-signing with the Saints rather than testing the open waters of free agency. Unless the Saints lowball their franchise QB, it’s hard to see him leaving New Orleans.

Case Keenum put together a tremendous season for the Vikings, but he doesn’t have a history of success beyond 2017. There will be plenty of interest in Keenum, but only after QB-needy teams strike out on Cousins. The incumbent Vikings could re-sign Keenum, but right now, it seems like they are intent on exploring the Cousins waters first.

There isn’t a ton of footage on A.J. McCarron, which made his placement on this list awfully tricky. We know this much: McCarron did well in place of Dalton in the home stretch of the 2015 season and his former offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was salivating at the chance of landing him before the Browns bungled the trade with the Bengals. McCarron’s relative youth is a plus (he won’t turn 28 until September) and his lack of experience can be looked at as a positive. Unlike some of the other names on this list, he hasn’t run up his NFL odometer.

What will NFL teams make of Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford this offseason? Not long ago, both seemed like quality starting options. However, there are serious injury questions about both players and any team signing them will either look to backstop them with another decent option or ask them to come onboard as a QB2. With that in mind, one has to wonder if Bradford would consider retirement if asked to hold the clipboard for another signal caller. Bradford has earned upwards of $110MM over the years in the NFL, so it’s safe to say that he has enough money in the bank to call it quits if he wants. For now, he’s intent on playing.

Colin Kaepernick‘s placement on this list is sure to draw some strong reactions from his fans and detractors alike. Looking purely at his football ability, there’s no question that he belongs on someone’s roster. At minimum, Kaepernick profiles as a high-end backup, even after a year out of the game.

Quarterbacks coaches have long believed that Mike Glennon is capable of great things, due in part to his height. At 6’7″, he can see over any defensive line, but he hasn’t done much on the field to prove that he is a quality Week 1 starting option. Josh McCown, who is a decade his senior, edges him here for his surprisingly strong performance in 2017 at the helm of a weak Jets offense.

Running back:

We’re in the illegal tampering period which, frankly, is just as active as the legal tampering period. Already, Dion Lewis is attracting attention from a number of teams and it’s speculated (wink wink) that the Jets, Texans, 49ers, Raiders, and Colts will have interest in him when things get underway next week. Le’Veon Bell has a franchise tag coming his way, so Lewis stands as the most attractive RB option out there.

Carlos Hyde didn’t have the kind of platform year he was hoping for, but he’s still just 26 and could headline a running back by committee group.

Jerick McKinnon‘s placement on this list figures to be controversial, but his athleticism and pass-catching ability can blow a game wide open. No one will bank on McKinnon to carry the ball 20 times per game, but he can be a real difference maker for a team out there.

Can Frank Gore outrun father time? History indicates that he can’t and so does his 3.7 yards per carry average in 2017. You have to give credit where credit is due, however. Gore has been ruled out by many for years, but he has not missed a regular season game since the 2010 season. He’s also just one year removed from cracking 1,000 yards and he almost did the same last year.

Wide receiver:

For most teams, Allen Robinson would be a franchise tag candidate. However, that may be too much of a luxury for the cash-strapped Jaguars. He presents a fascinating free agent case. Robinson missed all but three snaps of the 2017 season after suffering a torn ACL, but he’s the most talented wide receiver on the board in the eyes of many. His 2015 season – 80 catches, 1,400 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns – makes GMs drool. His quieter year in 2016 (73 catches, 883 yards, and six touchdowns) is less worthy of salivation. His 2017 season, of course, was a lost cause. For all the question marks, you can expect Robinson to see more dollars than any other free agent WR this year, particularly since Jarvis Landry has been held back by the tag.

Some in the football world may prefer Sammy Watkins for his big-play ability, but his down contract year amidst a capable offense is cause for concern. His injury history doesn’t do him any favors either. No matter your feelings on Watkins, there’s no debating that this year’s WR market has a top tier comprised of just two players – Watkins and Robinson. With few quality receivers out there, they’ll both get paid.

Marqise Lee represents a much less sexy option (speaking in football terms, of course), but he had the most receptions of any Jaguars receiver in 2017 (56) and finished second in receiving yards (702). Teams looking for a quality WR2 in free agency could do a lot worse than Lee and he’ll be far cheaper than the two-man top tier.

Danny Amendola hauled in 61 receptions for 659 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season and continued his strong play in the playoffs. However, teams will wonder if he can thrive in his age-33 season while playing outside of the Patriots’ offense. It’s also quite possible that he never tests the market as his stated preference is to remain in New England.

After that, you’ll notice a pretty significant drop off. That’s because this year’s WR class isn’t all that deep. Terrelle Pryor had to settle for a one-year prove-it contract last year and, to put it mildly, he did not prove it. Paul Richardson caught 44 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns in 2017, but that marked his first NFL season of real note.

Tight end:

Trey Burton spent most of the year behind Zach Ertz on the Eagles’ depth chart, but he emerged late in the season and set himself up nicely for free agency. Given his age and potential, there’s no question that he is the belle of the ball at tight end.

The rest of the tight end crop is not nearly as inspiring. Jimmy Graham has enjoyed back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons with the Seahawks, but he’ll turn 32 in November and he’s no longer the monster playmaker that he was in New Orleans. He had ten touchdowns in 2017, but his 9.1 yards per reception average is a career low.

Odds are, you have Tyler Eifert ranked over Austin Seferian-Jenkins given the fact that Eifert has played just ten games over the last two years. ASJ, meanwhile, rebounded from personal issues to post a 50-catch season for the Jets. Personally, I’m picking Eifert based on upside. Hopefully, we can still be friends.

Virgil Green, Darren Fells, and Lee Smith aren’t exactly fantasy football superstars, but they are quality blocking tight ends that will draw more dollars than expected.

With some uninspiring names towards the backend of the list, you may be wondering where former Ravens notable Crockett Gillmore is on this list. Gillmore is transitioning to the offensive line, so he did not warrant consideration here.

Fullback:

Jon Gruden may go eagerly shopping for fullbacks, but they’re not nearly as popular as they once were.

Offensive tackle:

Offensive line play is down across the board and evaluators around the league have been openly complaining about an increasing dearth of tackles coming out of college. That makes for a generally uninspiring lot in free agency.

Nate Solder battled through injuries in 2017 and did not miss a game. He’s no longer a top-flight option, but he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 32 tackle last year, meaning that he’s starter quality at left tackle. You’ll notice that three of the top five tackles on this list are Patriots. There’s little chance that the Pats let all three get away.

Justin Pugh offers the ability to play both guard and right tackle, though he might not do either one particularly well.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Andrew Norwell is the undisputed king of this category after netting an All-Pro selection in 2017. Norwell also earned a career-high 88.8 overall score from Pro Football Focus, which positioned him third in the entire NFL amongst guards. A team with greater means than the Panthers might have used the franchise tag on him. Fortunately for rival teams in need of interior help (such as the Giants), they won’t cuff him with the one-year placeholder.

AFC Notes: Watt, Browns, Ravens, Moncrief

February 3rd, 2018 at 9:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

J.J. Watt looks to have a more optimistic attitude about surmounting his latest severe injury than he did when he was battling through back problems a year ago. Despite this being the Texans defensive end’s second severe injury in the past two seasons, the three-time defensive player of the year did not seriously consider retirement like he did when he was going through back rehab. Watt made it back and was playing at an elite level prior to his leg injury — officially a tibial plateau fracture — but he’s confident he’ll be ready to go once the 2018 season begins.

“Not yet; I know I’m not there yet,” Watt said on The Dan Patrick Show (via the Houston Chronicle) when asked if he was considering retirement. “… With my back, I was. But this time I wasn’t. This time I actually was never close. From day one I was always super-excited about this recovery. I was super-optimistic; I have a great attitude; I have a great attitude about it because the broken leg to me — the back was a little bit of an unknown — a broken leg I can understand. I feel great and I’m excited about the future.”

Now 28, Watt has four years remaining on the six-year, $100MM deal he signed in 2014.

Here’s the latest from the AFC on Super Bowl eve.

Donte Moncrief‘s inconsistency last season frustrated members of the Colts organization, Mike Wells of ESPN.com notes. Moncrief is now an unrestricted free agent and joins several other receivers whose career profiles aren’t beacons of stability — like Sammy Watkins, Allen Robinson, John Brown and Jordan Matthews. This uncertain market could prompt the Colts, who as of now have Andrew Luck on the right track to return next season, to offer Moncrief a short-team deal to determine his legitimacy. Moncrief has shown a rapport with Luck, catching 14 of his 18 career TDs from the cornerstone Colt, but last season was playing behind Kamar Aiken in Indianapolis’ rotation.
While the Browns will explore a Kirk Cousins contract, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com’s consensus after this whirlwind week is the team will eventually shift its focus to a bridge quarterback to pair with the signal-caller chosen at No. 1 overall. Given the near-$30MM-per-year requirement Cousins could come with, given a team like the Browns being likely forced to overpay in this scenario, she concludes the likely outcome will be the Browns pivoting to the likes of A.J. McCarron and whomever the Vikings don’t prioritize.
The Ravens will hire more senior scouts to work with the personnel department in the near future, owner Steve Bisciotti said (via Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun). The team recently lost four scouts to the Eagles in Joe Douglas, Andy Weidl, Ian Cunningham and T.J. McCreight, with Preston writing they had a combined 55 years’ experience with Baltimore. Bisciotti made it clear the Ravens will be targeting experience when searching for scouting assistance. “I think that in retrospect, you can say you can’t lose those three scouts with 30 years of experience between the three of them and then hire 25-year-olds that are ready to give it the old try,” Bisciotti said, referencing some of the Ravens’ recent high draft picks that haven’t panned out. “I think that it shows that we have not done a very good job of filling in for senior people with senior people. So that’s something we’re going to address starting right now.”

Colts Discussing Donte Moncrief Trade

October 31st, 2017 at 10:15am CST by Zachary Links

The Colts are open for business as the trade deadline approaches. The Colts have received calls on Donte Moncrief and they are listening, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter).

The Andrew Luck-less Colts sank to 2-6 on Sunday with their 24-23 loss to the Bengals. It’s no surprise that they’re open to trading name players given their current position. Cornerback Vontae Davis, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, running back Frank Gore, and offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo have also been mentioned in trade rumors. Teams that find the asking price for Hilton to be too rich may view Moncrief as a less thrilling yet less costly alternative.

Moncrief, 24, has 18 catches for 271 yards and one touchdown so far this season. He’s on pace for far less than the 64 catches for 733 yards and six TDs that he had in 2015, his last complete campaign.

2017 Proven Performance Escalators

January 17th, 2017 at 6:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time cumulatively during that period.

If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s lowest restricted free agent tender — that figure should be around $1.8MM in 2017. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.

Here are the players who will see their salary rise in 2017 courtesy of the proven performance escalator:

49ers: Aaron Lynch, LB; Marcus Martin, OL

Bears: Charles Leno, T; Will Sutton, DT

Bengals: Russell Bodine, C

Bills: Preston Brown, LB; Seantrel Henderson, T

Broncos: Michael Schofield, OL

Browns: Christian Kirksey, LB

Buccaneers: Kevin Pamphile, G

Cardinals: John Brown, WR

Chiefs: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, G; Zach Fulton, G; Phillip Gaines, CB

Colts: Donte Moncrief, WR

Cowboys: Anthony Hitchens, LB

Falcons: Devonta Freeman, RB

Giants: Devon Kennard, LB

Jaguars: Aaron Colvin, CB; Brandon Linder, G; Telvin Smith, LB

Lions: Nevin Lawson, CB; Travis Swanson, C

Packers: Corey Linsley, C; Richard Rodgers, TE

Panthers: Tre Boston, S; Trai Turner, G

Raiders: T.J. Carrie, CB; Justin Ellis, DT; Gabe Jackson, G

Rams: Maurice Alexander, S; E.J. Gaines, CB

Redskins: Bashaud Breeland, CB; Spencer Long, G; Morgan Moses, T

Texans: C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE; Andre Hal, S

Titans: DaQuan Jones, DL; Avery Williamson, LB

Vikings: Shamar Stephen, DT

Extra Points: Eagles, Bucs, Cowboys, Injuries

October 28th, 2016 at 9:27pm CST by Zachary Links

There’s a lot of talk about receivers the Eagles could acquire, but which players could they look to trade themselves? Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com runs down some candidates, including linebacker Mychal Kendricks. The Eagles are somewhat thin at linebacker, but it seems defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz isn’t that high on Kendricks and other teams would probably use him more than Philly has. Other suggested trade candidates include interior offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski, wide receiver Nelson Agholor, defensive end Connor Barwin, and running back Ryan Mathews.

Will the Buccaneers acquire a veteran wide receiver between now and the trade deadline? Roy Cummings of Florida Football Insiders notes that there is a need there after Louis Murphy‘s latest setback and looks at a handful of candidates around the league. Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery is a game-changing talent, but he’s in his contract year and the Bucs would have to juggle re-signing him while trying to extend Mike Evans this offseason. For that reason, someone like 49ers receiver Torrey Smith might make more sense for Tampa Bay.
The Cowboys had interest in Chase Daniel as a backup quarterback during the offseason, Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram tweets. However, that was before the Eagles made Daniel the league’s highest-paid reserve QB.
Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link) has injury updates on a number of key players. Colts receiver Donte Moncrief will play, but Falcons running back Tevin Coleman won’t. Neither will Redskins rusher Matt Jones, whose teammate, tight end Jordan Reed, is questionable.
Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis admitted that he’s “breaking down,” but he’s not thinking retirement.

Colts’ Donte Moncrief Returning To Practice

October 25th, 2016 at 9:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Colts wide receiver Donte Moncrief is returning to practice this week after missing the past six games, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Moncrief fractured his scapula in late September and has been sidelined ever since.

It’s unclear if Moncrief will be able to return to game action immediately, but the mere fact that he’s returning to the practice field means he should be available to play in due time. Without Moncrief in the lineup, the Colts have ranked near the middle of the pack on offense — Football Outsiders places Indianapolis 10th in rushing DVOA, 16th in passing DVOA, and 14th in total offensive DVOA.

T.Y. Hilton has maintained his status as Indy’s No. 1 wide receiver, but Phillip Dorsett missed Week 7 with foot and hamstring injuries. As such, Chester Rogers, Devin Street, and Tevaun Smith make up the rest of the Colts’ wide receiver depth chart. Another pass-catcher, tight end Dwayne Allen, is week-to-week as he deals with a sprained ankle.

Moncrief, 23, caught 64 passes for 733 yards and six touchdowns last season. In two games (really, one game and change) this year, Moncrief had seven receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown.

Colts WR Donte Moncrief Out 4-6 Weeks

September 21st, 2016 at 10:53am CST by Zachary Links

Donte Moncrief will be out for 4-6 weeks with a fractured scapula, coach Chuck Pagano told reporters moments ago. Moncrief suffered the painful shoulder injury during Sunday’s loss at Denver.

With Moncrief out, the Colts can be expected to incorporate Phillip Dorsett into the offensive gameplan even more. The 2015 first-round pick has tons of upside, but he also has a similar build to star T.Y. Hilton. Moncrief was a big target and that might explain why the team opted to sign 6’3″ Devin Street earlier today.

Moncrief, 23, caught 64 passes for 733 yards and six touchdowns last season. In two games (really, one game and change) this year, Moncrief had seven receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Bowe, Bortles, Blue

August 15th, 2014 at 12:11pm CST by Matt Feminis

Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe will be suspended for the season opener as a result of his marijuana possession arrest last November, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Bowe is dealing with a “shot” finger, as Andy Reid told the KC Star’s Terez Paylor.

Here’s some more miscellaneous links from around the league:

Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles’ second preseason game was televised nationally last night, and praise is pouring in. “It was against the second- and third-team defenders for the Bears, but there was no question Blake Bortles looked the part of a viable NFL quarterback on Thursday night in Chicago,” said CBS’ Will Brinson. Bortles “showed why he’s the future of the franchise, and why the future just might be now,” said Bleacher Reports Ty Schalter. “Bortles has looked to be every bit of the future Pro Bowl quarterback a team expects to get with a top three draft pick,” said USA Today’s Chris Strauss, who calls for the Jags to name Bortles the starter immediately. And ESPN’s Michael DiRocco says Bortles needs first-team reps this week.
Could the Ravens be trying to sneak sixth-round quarterback Keith Wenning onto the practice squad? Backup Tyrod Taylor is scheduled for most of the work in tomorrow’s preseason game, and ESPN’s Jamison Hensley makes an “educated guess” the team will limit Wenning’s exposure to other teams who might want to poach him. “The presumed plan is to develop Wenning into the primary backup by next season, when Taylor is a free agent,” says Hensley.
Another rookie making waves is Texans sixth-round running back Alfred Blue. ESPN’s Tania Ganguli relayed praise for Blue from Bill O’Brien, who assessed the rookie’s skill set: “Good teammate, hardworking guy, football smart, three-down back — he’s got to continue to improve catching the football. But good runner, good vision, good on special teams, understands football, asks good questions. I see some good things from Alfred.” An ACL injury and crowded LSU backfield limited Blue’s college exposure — he carried just 209 times in 40 games — but scouts took notice of his physical ability once he declared for the draft, forgoing another year of eligibility. In his NFL Draft Preview book, Nolan Nawrocki described Blue as “A physically gifted runner who would have been the No. 1 back at most schools given his combination of size, speed, power and competitiveness.” Nawrocki added that Blue is a prime candidate to be a “far more productive pro than college player if he proves he can stay healthy.”
ESPN’s staff spotlighted each team’s most intriguing skill-position battle. Among the most notable capsules, Mike Reiss talks about the Patriots’ trio of running backs, saying Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen or James White could be featured any given week.
Greg Toler and Donte Moncrief are among four standouts in Colts camp identified by IndyStar.com’s Stephen Holder. On Toler, Holder says, “Toler has been all over the field during camp, showing his superior ball skills and ability to play man coverage in the Colts defense. If he continues to perform like this heading into the regular season, the Colts won’t see much of a dropoff from franchise cornerback Vontae Davis to Toler.”
The Packers are deeper this season in the eyes of Journal Sentinel writer Bob McGinn, who analyzes the team’s projected roster position by position.