Dorial Green-Beckham - Pro Football Rumors

Titans’ Justin Hunter On Roster Bubble?

August 18th, 2016 at 7:46pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham was a second-round pick just a year ago, but that didn’t stop new Titans general manager Jon Robinson from trading DGB to Philaelphia on Tuesday. Now, another of Tennessee’s previous second-round picks – fellow wideout Justin Hunter – is worried about his job security.

In regards to the Green-Beckham deal, Hunter told Adam Vingan of the Tennessean, “I feel like it sent a message out to everybody — you better get your stuff right. I don’t think anyone in the locker room was expecting it.”

Hunter, whom the Titans drafted 34th overall in 2013, then admitted that cracking the Titans’ roster is going to be difficult.

“It is still going to be hard (to make the team) because we have a lot of talented receivers in the group. We are fighting for spots, and you have to keep up and progress at the same time,” said the 25-year-old.

Like the 6-foot-5, 237-pound Green-Beckham, Hunter (6-4, 203) is a big target. But that hasn’t led to much production in the NFL for the ex-Tennessee Volunteer. Hunter has an uninspiring 68 receptions and eight touchdowns in 35 career games (13 starts). While Hunter has averaged an impressive 16.8 yards per catch, that number dropped to a career-worst 12.0 on 22 grabs last season. The 2015 campaign was a short one for Hunter, who only appeared in nine games as a result of a mid-November fractured ankle.

Quarterback Marcus Mariota likes what Hunter has shown in returning from the injury.

“Coming back from an injury like that, being able to run routes, he’s been pretty clean and crisp in and out of his breaks,” the second-year signal-caller told Vignan.

Despite a vote of confidence from his QB, Hunter is wary about his status under a new regime.

“I feel like everybody is on the chopping block,’’ Hunter stated. “We have a new GM, and he didn’t draft too many people in here. Anybody could go at this point, and we are all fighting for a spot.”

It remains to be seen how many receivers will make the Titans’ initial 53-man roster in the first full season of the Mike Mularkey era, of course, but Vingan notes that they only kept four last year. As Roster Resource indicates, the club currently has free agent signings Rishard Matthews and Andre Johnson, Kendall Wright, Harry Douglas, fifth-round rookie Tajae Sharpe, second-year man Tre McBride and Hunter among its wideout options.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Reaction To Dorial Green-Beckham Trade

August 16th, 2016 at 7:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Titans shocked the NFL world earlier today when they dealt 2015 second-round wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham to the Eagles in exchange for offensive lineman Dennis Kelly. Let’s take a look at some of the reaction to the surprising trade:

The Titans were consistently disappointed in Green-Beckham’s work ethic, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, who adds that DGB repeatedly disregarded instructions to work out harder over the offseason and to enter training camp in the proper shape. Head coach Mike Mularkey confirmed that sentiment, telling reporters, including Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com (Twitter link): “We had many conversations about that and it never did click in.”
However, DGB never did have issues with missed meetings or lateness, tweets McCormick. Rather, Green-Beckham just never mastered the Titans’ offense during his year-plus with the squad.
Trade talks between Tennessee and Philadelphia began last week, per McCormick (Twitter links), and general manager Jon Robinson says the deal boiled down to the fact that the club had a surplus at wide receiver and a need along the offensive line.
The presence of rookie Tajae Sharpe seems to have played a large role in the trade, as McCormick tweets that DHB had lost reps to Sharpe in practice. Indeed, DGB was behind Rishard Matthews, Sharpe, Kendall Wright, Harry Douglas, and Andre Johnson on the Titans’ depth chart, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
According to Robinson, the deal wasn’t intended to send a message to Tennessee’s wide receiver corps, or to make a statement to the team as a whole. Rather, the GM says he was simply trying to improve the Titans’ roster (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com).
The Eagles, meanwhile, had been searching for receiver help for some time, and had even offered a “nice deal” to veteran Anquan Boldin before he signed with the Lions, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman isn’t taking much of a risk by acquiring DGB given that he can easily be waived, but the trade shows the weak state of the Eagles’ wide receiving group, opines Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

Eagles Acquire WR Dorial Green-Beckham

August 16th, 2016 at 9:03am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have acquired wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham in a trade with the Titans for offensive lineman Dennis Kelly, according to announcements from both clubs.

“Not to speak on Philly’s behalf but they inquired about it,’’ Titans GM Jon Robinson told the team website. “They thought it was a good opportunity for him, and we thought adding Dennis would be good for our football team. We are moving on. I appreciate everything Dorial did when he was here. He bought in to what we were trying to do. But in the end we felt like this was the best decision for the team.”

In high school, Green-Beckham was considered to be one of the best wide receivers in the nation. However, off-field red flags pushed him into the second round of the 2015 draft, where the Titans snagged him with the 40th overall pick. That selection was made by the old regime in Tennessee and the new front office apparently wasn’t thrilled with what they’ve seen on him. DGB still has serious talent, but his work ethic in the NFL has been suspect.Green-Beckham hauled in 32 catches for 549 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie last season.

The Eagles’ wide receiver group is headlined by Jordan Matthews and Nelson Agholor with support from free agent pickups Chris Givens and Reuben Randle plus Chip Kelly holdover Josh Huff. The arrival of DGB could drastically shake up the Eagles’ WR depth chart.

Kelly, entering his fifth NFL season, has appeared in 30 games with 15 starts for the Eagles. The former fifth-round pick has appeared at both tackle and guard and should provide the Titans with some O-Line depth.

“I like his versatility,’’ Robinson said. “He has really good size, he’s versatile, he’s played a lot of positions. He embodies the traits we look for in an offensive lineman – smart, tough, and dependable.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Rumors: McCourty, Browns, Jaguars

June 6th, 2015 at 4:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The free agency defections of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, coupled with the release of Kyle Arrington, have the Patriots with a thin cornerback crop. One solution thrown around is moving Devin McCourty back to corner from the safety spot where he’s become an impact talent, but the recently re-signed McCourty has little interest in moving back outside, per the Boston Globe’s Steve Silva.

“I want to play safety, but it’s out of my control so whatever the coaches decide is what it will have to be,” McCourty said to reporters after an OTA session Friday.

Relocating McCourty would leave New England thin on its back line as well, although Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner are entering their fourth seasons with the team — profiles that generally depict starting-capable players in the era of four-year rookie deals. The 2012 draft picks have combined for just four starts, however. Doubting the Patriots’ ability to make a patchwork secondary productive would be foolhardy at this point, though, given their track record.

Let’s look at some additional points from around the AFC.

The Browns‘ special teams makeover now includes punter, kicker and long snapper, after acquiring Andy Lee, cutting Billy Cundiff and Garrett Hartley and releasing snapper Christian Yount, notes Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. 2014 rookies Travis Coons and Carey Spear are vying to take over at kicker in Cleveland, and rookie Duke Johnson is expected to become the team’s new kick returner, though Justin Gilbert will likely be given a chance to do so as well, Cabot reports.
Fourth-round free safety James Sample will miss at least part of training camp after fracturing his arm in a Jaguars OTA session Thursday, reports Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Sample underwent surgery on Friday. Expected to battle Sergio Brown for a starting position, Sample joins Dante Fowler Jr. as Jags rookies who’ve sustained serious injuries before shoulder pads enter the equation.
Steelers veteran nose tackle Steve McLendon said he played through a significant shoulder injury last season and after an offseason surgery is in better position to help out and push for a third contract with the team, reports Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The third-year starter is one of three Steelers starting defenders, along with Cameron Heyward and William Gay, entering a contract season. The 29-year-old who has missed six games the past two years is in the final year of a three-year, $7.25MM deal that represents the eighth-highest pact among nose tackles.
Third-round rookie John Miller is the frontrunner to start at left guard for the Bills this season, offers Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Chris Williams, who started three games last year for the Bills, hasn’t shown up to minicamp yet, and Rex Ryan told Maiorana he hasn’t spoken to the absent veteran. The Bills scribe doesn’t expect the former Bears flameout to be on the team much longer, especially if he doesn’t appear at mandatory minicamp next month.
Titans rookie Dorial Green-Beckham is seeking to trim down to 225 pounds by the time training camp begins. The mercurial specimen who hasn’t played in a game since 2013 is hovering in the high 230s now, notes The Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt.
Speaking of weight fluctuations, Melvin Ingram has slashed 20 pounds off his frame and sits at 245 this summer as he makes an attempt at a healthy campaign entering his fourth season with the Chargers, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken. Ingram hasn’t played in more than nine games since his rookie campaign in 2012.

Titans, Dorial Green-Beckham Agree To Deal

June 1st, 2015 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Titans have agreed to terms with their second-round draft pick, the team announced today, tweeting a photo of wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham signing his rookie contract. With Green-Beckham locked up, Tennessee needs to sign second overall pick Marcus Mariota and third-round offensive lineman Jeremiah Poutasi to complete its draft signings.

Green-Beckham will be one of the more interesting players to monitor from this year’s draft class. Based on talent alone, he’d be considered one of the top wideouts in this year’s group, and would’ve easily been a first-round pick. However, off-field red flags pushed him into the second round, where the Titans snagged him with the 40th overall pick.

The Titans were originally slated to pick first in the second round, at No. 33, but the team felt confident that it could move back a little and still land DGB. In exchange for moving down seven spots to No. 40, the Titans picked up an extra fourth-round pick and a seventh-round pick from the Giants.

As for Green-Beckham’s contract, he’ll get a signing bonus worth about $2.335MM, and his deal will have a four-year value of approximately $5.604MM, per Over The Cap.

AFC Draft Notes: Pats, Browns, Chargers, Titans

May 1st, 2015 at 12:25pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots have had a number of successful drafts during Bill Belichick‘s tenure, but Malcom Brown is confident he’ll be regarded as one of the best picks in team history.

Following the Patriots’ selection of the hulking defensive lineman last night, the University of Texas standout expressed his confidence to reporters (including Phil Perry of CSNNE.com):

“Ya’ll about to get the best player ya’ll have ever drafted so just be ready for when I touch the field.”

Of course, that may be a bit of an overstatement, especially since the team stole future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady in the sixth round. However, Brady made similar comments following the 2000 draft (also via Perry):

“I’m the best decision this organization has ever made.”

Let’s take a look at some more draft notes out of the AFC…

Browns GM Ray Farmer denied trying to move up to the No. 2 pick for quarterback Marcus Mariota, as Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. “No, no, no,” Farmer said. “Again, I’ve tried to tell people without telling them specifically, but the answer is no. There were no conversations of trading.”
The Chargers traded up to No. 15 because Melvin Gordon was the last of seven “impact players” left on their board, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego writes.
Meanwhile, Chargers general manager Tom Telesco told reporters (including Michael Gehlken of UTSanDiego.com) that he’s open to trading down either Friday or Saturday.
ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini examines some possible targets for the Jets on the second day of the draft. Among the possibilities are Virginia outside linebacker Eli Harold and Ohio State wideout Devin Smith.
The Titans like Dorial Green-Beckham, and Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com says he wouldn’t be “shocked” if the team selects the wideout with the 33rd pick (via Twitter).

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: DGB, Ray, Bradford, Falcons

April 30th, 2015 at 9:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Troubled receiver Dorial Green-Beckham received a lot of interest from teams in the middle of round one, but none selected him, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link), who suggests that in 2014 (before the NFL dealt with numerous high-profile off-the-field incidents) DGB would have been selected already.

Extra Points: Mariota, Welker, Forte, Gurley

April 30th, 2015 at 8:27pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Titans will not trade Marcus Mariota after selecting him second overall, GM Ruston Webster said, per Paul Kuharksy of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Moreover, he’ll be the Week 1 starter, says head coach Ken Whisenhunt (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean). Additionally, despite reports that Zach Mettenberger wants to be traded, Webster says he think the incumbent QB will come to embrace his new backup role, adding that Mettenberger won’t be traded (link).

Free agent receiver Wes Welker has been cleared to play by a top concussion expert, according to Mike Klis of 9 News, who writes that Dr. Stanley Herring (a member of the NFL’s Head, Neck, and Spine Committee) has given Welker the green light. The 33-year-old Welker indicated in February that he intends to play in 2015 despite a myriad of health concerns.
Despite the fact that he wasn’t present at voluntary workouts, Bears running back Matt Forte doesn’t intend to stage a training camp holdout as he angles for a new contract, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. Though Forte admits he wants an extension, and says he and GM Ryan Pace discussed such a deal earlier this offseason, Forte realizes he has little to no leverage in the situation.
Todd Gurley was the No. 1 player on the Rams’ board, so choosing him at No. 10 was an easy call, per Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link).
The Eagles apparently aren’t interested in players with character concerns, as neither Marcus Peters nor Dorial Green-Beckham is on their board, reports Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

Draft Rumors: Collins, Gregory, DGB, Spain

April 30th, 2015 at 4:25pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s “some suspicion” that LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins may go undrafted all three days this weekend, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Even though Collins is not considered a suspect in a Louisiana police investigation, the case involves a shooting death and NFL investigators haven’t been able to uncover much info on it, so teams figure to play it safe until they know more. In an effort to buy time to clear his name, Collins asked for permission to withdraw from his draft and be eligible for the supplemental draft instead, but the league denied that request.

Here’s more on the draft:

A personnel man whose team has a top-10 pick tells Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) that his team is preparing to draft Nebraska edge rusher Randy Gregory tonight. “We’re not going to let him get past us,” Getlin’s source said. That sounds like it could be a smoke screen, given all the negative reports swirling around Gregory this week. Still, according to Getlin, this personnel man believes Gregory may be the most talented player in the draft, likening him to Derrick Brooks and Jason Taylor (Twitter links).
A source close to Dorial Green-Beckham‘s camp tells Danny Parkins of 610 AM in Kansas City (Twitter link) that the Chiefs, Cowboys, Bengals, Texans, and 49ers have shown “a lot” of interest in the young wideout within the last 36 hours.
West Virginia offensive lineman Quinton Spain, who received a fourth-round grade from some teams, worked out for the Jets, Steelers, Bengals, Titans, Falcons, and Buccaneers, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post.
Albert Breer of the NFL Network identifies six teams he believes can control this year’s draft.

NFC West Notes: Rams, Fisher, DGB

April 28th, 2015 at 8:09pm CST by Zachary Links

A look at the NFC West..

At a pre-draft press conference, Rams coach Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead said their board is basically set other than a little fine tuning, Jim Thomas of the Post-Dispatch tweets.
The Rams are still interested in retaining offensive lineman Joe Barksdale and the team is in “constant contact” with him, Thomas tweets. Barksdale recently visited the Titans but left without a deal. The 27-year-old has been with the Rams for three seasons and started all 16 games in 2014.
Fisher said “it’s very possible” team could take an edge rusher at No. 10, Thomas tweets. Thomas rightly notes that both Shane Ray and Randy Gregory could be available there.
John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game (on Twitter) would be shocked if the 49ers roll the dice on Dorial Green-Beckham at No. 15.