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Dylan Donahue

Dylan Donahue Gets Tryouts From Raiders, Redskins

May 11th, 2019 at 5:37pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Former Jets linebacker Dylan Donahue is looking to get back into the league. The West Georgia product had tryouts with the Redskins and Raiders this week, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

The last we heard of Donahue from an NFL perspective was last September, when the league slapped him with a 14-game suspension. Donahue was a popular sleeper pick among some in the draft community when the Jets took him in the fifth round back in 2017. He got injured a few weeks into his rookie season while blocking a punt, and missed the rest of the year.

Off-field incidents quickly then derailed his career, and the Jets cut him right before the start of last season. Donahue was arrested twice for DWI last offseason, including one incident where he was driving on the wrong side of the road and hit a bus. Given the lengthy suspension, there was no reason for any team to sign him.

He then played for the Atlanta Legends during the ill-fated 2019 AAF season. Now that he’s served his suspension he’s looking to get back on a pro roster, and he’s apparently getting some legit interest. We’ll keep you posted if his comeback picks up anymore steam.

LB Dylan Donahue Suspended 14 Games

September 14th, 2018 at 5:27pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Ahmad Brooks wasn’t the only linebacker suspended today. Just after it was announced that Brooks would miss the first six games of the season, it was reported by Howard Balzer (Twitter link) that free agent linebacker Dylan Donahue will be suspended for 14 games by the NFL. 

Donahue, a 2017 fifth round pick of the Jets, was slapped with the suspension due to multiple DUI arrests, including a “wrong-way crash” in New York earlier this year. It had been reported earlier this summer that Donahue was facing a suspension, and the lengthy nature of it likely played a role in his release from the Jets.

Donahue was waived at final cuts by the Jets and understandably hasn’t been able to latch on anywhere else. He starred at Division II West Georgia and was playing on special teams for the Jets in 2017 before an elbow injury ended his season.

If he wants another shot in the league, Donahue will have to prove that he’s sober and can stay out of trouble. If that chance comes, it will surely be sometime after the season in time for the 2019 league year.

Jets Cut Thomas Rawls, Charcandick West

September 1st, 2018 at 7:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jets have become the latest team to move to 53 players, and did so by making the following transactions:

Waived:

Released:

Placed on suspended list:

Placed on PUP:

Rawls, 25, first entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2015 with the Seahawks and broke out immediately when Marshawn Lynch was sidelined with an abdomen injury. In his very first start for Seattle, Rawls amassed 104 yards off of 16 carries and later turned in a 209-yard game. Things trailed off after that, however. He missed significant time in 2016 with a fractured fibula and became an afterthought in 2017. Rawls initially seemed to have a good chance at making the Jets’ roster in 2018, but he was unable to find a place behind top RBs Isaiah Crowell and Bilal Powell.

West was also fighting for a supporting RB job, and his limited highlight reel with the Chiefs suggested that he had a puncher’s chance to make the roster. West missed most of KC’s camp this year with a concussion and hooked on with the Jets a little over one week ago. Crowell also missed time with a concussion and reserve Elijah McGuire was dealing with a broken foot, but West still couldn’t make enough of an impression on coaches in such a short period of time.

East Notes: Patriots, Jets, Anderson, Donahue, Giants, Beckham

August 27th, 2018 at 5:01pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Patriots are annually one of the toughest teams to gauge heading into September. They often make a few moves right before roster cut-downs, and this year is shaping up to be no different. With a slew of injuries, releases, and retirements to their receiving corps, a move for a veteran wide receiver is a definite possibility.

Whatever happens, it’s clear the Patriots will likely add some players who aren’t currently on the roster before Week 1, whether by trade or free agent signing. With that in mind, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe took a stab at projecting the Patriots‘ roster, and had a few interesting predictions.

It seems to be a consensus now that there is only a single roster spot available for either Jeremy Hill or Mike Gilislee, and Volin thinks Hill will win the battle. Despite being very thin at receiver entering the season, Volin doesn’t think sixth round rookie Braxton Berrios will make the team. He also thinks the team will opt against carrying three quarterbacks this year, cutting rookie seventh-rounder Danny Etling.

Here’s more from the league’s Eastern divisions:

  • One final note on Odell Beckham Jr.’s record deal with the Giants, the base value is actually only $90MM not $95MM according to Albert Breer of SI.com (Twitter link). The deal contains $5MM in incentives in the final two years of the deal that could push the total value to $95MM.
  • Receiver Robby Anderson and linebacker Dylan Donahue haven’t been suspended yet, but neither Jets player is out of the woods, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN (Twitter link). “Both cases remain under review” writes Cimini. Anderson was arrested multiple times this offseason and Donahue, a 2017 fifth-rounder, was arrested twice for DWI.
  • In case you missed it, the Patriots signed guard Shaq Mason to a huge five-year extension worth up to $50MM.

 

Extra Points: Patriots, 49ers, Raiders, Jets

August 4th, 2018 at 9:42pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although Eric Decker‘s one-year contract with the Patriots has a base value of $1.9MM, the veteran wideout received only $75K in guaranteed money, all in the form of signing bonus, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. Decker can earn $2.1MM in total by maxing out bonuses and incentives, but New England won’t have a financial reason not cut him at the end of camp. However, Decker could prove valuable on a Patriots’ depth chart that is not only down Julian Edelman (suspension) for four games, but just lost Jordan Matthews via release. Decker, 31, posted 54 receptions for 563 yards and one touchdown during his lone season with the Titans in 2017.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • The 49ers are exhibiting “growing concern” about guard Joshua Garnett‘s right knee injury, per a report from the Associated Press. Garnett, a first-round pick in the 2016 draft, missed the entire 2017 campaign after having surgery on the same knee, so the issue is doubly concerning. After Garnett reportedly banged knees with a teammate in late July, he was expected to return to practice this week, but his presence has been delayed. Garnett is competing for time at right guard — the only open spot on San Francisco’s offensive line — with Jonathan Cooper and Michael Person.
  • After being arrested in April as a member of the Eagles, now Raiders cornerback Daryl Worley plead guilty in to DUI, carrying firearms in public, and resisting arrest, reports Vic Tafur of the Athletic (Twitter link). Worley was sentenced to three days in jail and two years of probation, and his legal issues are now resolved. As such, Worley could be forced to serve a suspension during the 2018 season, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Worley was traded to Philadelphia in exchange for wide receiver Torrey Smith earlier this year, but the Eagles cut him the day he was arrested.
  • Speaking of legal problems, Jets linebacker Dylan Donahue plead guilty to a Montana DUI charge earlier this week, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Donahue was sentenced to three months in jail, but that punishment was suspended upon payment of $1K fine. The second-year defender also plead guilty to a DWI charge in New York earlier this year. Donahue, who rarely played during his rookie campaign, will likely face a NFL-imposed suspension this year.
  • The Bears worked out free agent interior offensive lineman Alex Officer, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Officer went undrafted out of Pittsburgh earlier this year but landed a deal with the Raiders in May. He was waived just two weeks into his Oakland tenure, and has been sitting on the open market since. Per Wilson, Officer conducted a solid workout, but Chicago isn’t aiming to sign him immediately.

AFC East Rumors: Bills, Boldin, Jets, Pats

March 20th, 2018 at 1:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bills have not contacted the Browns about trading for the No. 1 overall pick, a source tells Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

The Bills moved up to the No. 12 selection in the Cordy Glenn trade with Cincinnati and they also hold the No. 22 overall pick in the draft, fueling speculation that they could vault into the top five to select their quarterback of the future. However, it’s hard to imagine the Browns trading down from No. 1 and passing up a chance to get their favorite QB, despite GM John Dorsey‘s proclamation that he is open to a deal. The Bills are effectively blocked from moving up to No. 3 after the Jets acquired that pick from the Colts, so one has to wonder if the Bills will look to engage the Giants for the No. 2 pick. Then again, the Giants also seem unlikely to move down given their need for a successor to Eli Manning or a playmaker like Saquon Barkley.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

  • Anquan Boldin says he hasn’t thought about whether he could play again, but he’s confident that he could pick up where he left off. “Definitely,” Boldin said (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun). “If I wanted to, I know I could.” Boldin was released from the Bills‘ reserve/retired list last week, fueling speculation that he could return to the field. Boldin will turn 38 in October, which is well past the expiration date for a wide receiver. He also averaged just 8.7 yards per reception in 2016, his last NFL season.
  • Jets linebacker Dylan Donahue is facing even more legal trouble. In addition to his recent DWI arrest after crashing into a bus while going the wrong way in the Lincoln Tunnel, Donahue is facing a drunken driving charge in Montana, according to ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. Donahue is one of several Jets players with legal issues and one has to imagine that his roster spot is in jeopardy.
  • The Patriots are among the teams interested in former Bills wide receiver/special teams ace Marcus Easley now that he’s back to full health, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). The Giants also have interest, per Wilson.

AFC East Notes: Patriots, Amendola, Jets

February 26th, 2018 at 7:07pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the AFC East:

Jets LB Dylan Donahue Charged With DWI

February 26th, 2018 at 10:58am CST by Dallas Robinson

Jets linebacker Dylan Donahue has been arrested and charged with DWI and reckless driving after causing a car crash in New Jersey early this morning, according to Caitlin Mota of NJ.com.Dylan Donahue (Vertical)

Donahue, 25, reportedly drove around traffic cones near the Lincoln Tunnel and eventually hit a jitney bus carrying 15 people. Four of those passengers suffered minor injuries and were subsequently treated, while Donahue failed sobriety and breathalyzer tests, per Mota.

The Jets used a fifth-round pick to select Donahue — a West Georgia product — in the 2017 draft. He played 53 defensive snaps and 38 special teams snaps before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 4.

Donahue has three years remaining on his rookie contract, and is scheduled to count for more than $600K on New York’s salary cap in each of the next three seasons. The Jets would save roughly $450K if they waived Donahue this offseason.

Jets Sign DL Ed Stinson, LB Obum Gwacham

October 4th, 2017 at 11:43am CST by Zachary Links

The Jets have signed defensive lineman Ed Stinson and plucked linebacker Obum Gwacham from the Cardinals’ practice squad. To help make room, the team placed rookie outside linebacker Dylan Donahue on IR. Ed Stinson (vertical)

The Jets have the option of bringing Jalin Marshall back from suspension this week, but they’ll need to make another roster move if they want to do that. By adding the two defenders and placing Donahue on IR, the Jets are back up to the 53-man max.

Stinson, a fifth-round pick of the Cardinals in 2014, appeared in 29 games for Arizona over a three-year period. He was hampered by injuries this summer and he wound up being cut from IR last month.

Gwacham made ten appearances for the Saints over the last two years. He missed New Orleans’ final cut, but hooked on with the Cardinals’ taxi squad. He now has an opportunity to make a mark on the main roster in New York along with a fellow ex-Cardinal.

Donahue injured his elbow during Sunday’s win over the Jaguars. He’ll technically be eligible to return in December, if he recovers in time and the Jets want to go that route.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/23/17

May 23rd, 2017 at 6:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s draft pick signings:

  • The Jets announced that they’ve signed second-round safety Marcus Maye and fifth-round linebacker Dylan Donahue. Maye, a Florida alum, was the second safety New York drafted last month, joining sixth overall selection Jamal Adams. With Marcus Gilchrist having been released, and Calvin Pryor in danger of being traded or cut, Maye and Adams could be Gang Green’s starters come Week 1. Donahue, meanwhile, will likely begin his NFL career on special teams as he transitions from Division II West Georgia.
  • The Seahawks have signed third-round wide receiver Amara Darboh, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Darboh, the penultimate pick of Day 3, put up 57 receptions for 862 yards and seven touchdowns during his senior season at Michigan. At 6’2″, 214 pounds, Darboh will give Seattle some size on a wide receiver depth chart that includes smaller pass-catchers such as Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett.
  • The Buccaneers have agreed to terms with third-round linebacker Kendell Beckwith, fifth-round running back Jeremy McNichols, and seventh-round defensive tackle Stevie Tu’ikolovatu, the club announced today. Tampa Bay traded up in the draft to acquire both Beckwith and Tu’ikolovatu. Of the trio, Beckwith seemingly has the best chance for playing time early in his career, as he can take over at strong-side ‘backer for Daryl Smith. McNichols, meanwhile, could earn a role pending Doug Martin‘s eventual martin, although the Boise State product is recovering from surgery.