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Eric Rowe

Panthers Sign DB Eric Rowe

April 6th, 2023 at 5:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Panthers have added veteran depth to the back end of their defense. The team announced on Thursday that they have signed defensive back Eric Rowe.

The 30-year-old began his career as a corner, upon entering the league with the Eagles in 2015. His time in Philadelphia lasted only one season, however, as he was traded to New England to begin a three-year stint with the Patriots. Rowe was a part of two Super Bowl winning squads during that time, though his playing time took off after his next career move.

The former second-rounder played on a one-year deal in Miami in 2019. It was during that campaign that he began spending significant time as a safety and nickel corner. That trend continued in subsequent seasons, something made possible by the three-year, $18MM extension he signed with the Dolphins. In 2020, Rowe put up career-highs in interceptions (two), pass deflections (11) and tackles (91).

Since then, however, his playing time has fallen off. Rowe logged snap shares of 57% and 60% over the past two seasons, as 2021 second-rounder Jevon Holland emerged as a highly productive Swiss Army knife-type player. Rowe still managed to rack up 127 stops, six pass breakups and a pair of sacks over that span, however. The Dolphins have added DeShon Elliott to their safety group so far in free agency, a move which followed the blockbuster acquisition of corner Jalen Ramsey.

In Carolina, Rowe will join a secondary which already added former Bengals starter Vonn Bell on a $22.5MM pact. The latter can be expected to take on a first-team role alongside Xavier Woods. Rowe’s experience in a number of positions will also help the Panthers use Jeremy Chinn in various formations and alignments. If Rowe is able to find significant playing time in 2023, he could earn himself a starting role next offseason or at least an extended stay in Charlotte.

Injury Notes: Dolphins, Bills, Hankins, Allen

December 17th, 2022 at 8:53am CST by Ely Allen

As we head into what could very well be the season’s first true snow game, the Dolphins and Bills will be preparing to play without a few key players. Miami will be playing without safety Eric Rowe, while Buffalo will head into the matchup without offensive guard Ryan Bates.

Rowe hasn’t been the prominent defensive player he was during his first two seasons in Miami but was forced back into a starting role when safety Brandon Jones was placed on injured reserve. A hamstring injury will hold Rowe out of tonight’s game, pushing the Dolphins to their third-string safety.

With Elijah Campbell also out tonight with a concussion, Miami has only two options to turn to at safety. The team will either have to start undrafted rookie Verone McKinley, who started a game earlier on this year, or veteran Clayton Fejedelem, who hasn’t started a game since 2018 when he was with the Bengals, alongside regular starter Jevon Holland. McKinley did overlap with Holland at Oregon with the two playing a year together in the Ducks’ secondary. The team also has the option of pushing a cornerback like veteran Justin Bethel into the safety role if needed.

The Bills will be without Bates to start a game for the first time this season. Bates suffered an ankle injury in last week’s win over the Jets that knocked him out of the game. Buffalo used two players to fill in for Bates in Greg Van Roten and Bobby Hart. Seeing how Van Roten got the majority of the snaps last week, he’s likely to be tapped to start this week in place of Bates.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the league, these both from the NFC:

  • Cowboys veteran defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins suffered a sprained pectoral muscle early in last week’s win over the Texans, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. The injury appears to be significant as owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones told the media that, while Hankins may make a return for the playoffs, “he won’t be back before then.” The foreseen absence has led the team to place Hankins on IR. Any starts or playing time for Hankins will likely be taken by a combination of Neville Gallimore, Quinton Bohanna, and Carlos Watkins for the remainder of the regular season.
  • The Cardinals also lost a defensive lineman to a significant injury last week when defensive end Zach Allen injured his hand in the third quarter of Monday’s loss to the Patriots, according to Charean Williams of NBC Sports. Allen underwent surgery on his hand that will keep him out this week against the Broncos. When asked about Allen’s prospects to return this season, head coach Kliff Kinsgbury responded with uncertainty. Allen is headed to free agency at the end of this season and, after a strong showing last year with four sacks, five tackles for loss and 14 quarterback hits, Allen improved greatly in his contract year tallying 5.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 19 quarterback hits. Arizona doesn’t have much depth on the defensive line, so Jonathan Ledbetter will likely earn the start opposite J.J. Watt this week while the Cardinals may need to elevate some reinforcements from the practice squad.

Dolphins Lose $8MM In Cap Space

February 21st, 2021 at 12:30pm CST by Rory Parks

Although the Dolphins have not signed a single player to a standard 2021 contract this month, the club has still lost about $8MM in cap space, as Barry Jackson and Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald report. That’s because a few players hit incentives in their contracts that increased their 2021 cap charges.

For instance, WR DeVante Parker‘s 2021 cap number increased from $11MM to $12MM, while safety Eric Rowe‘s number grew from $5.05MM to $6.05MM. As such, Miami now has $25.4MM of cap space, assuming the cap floor of $180MM does not increase.

That’s not an insignificant amount of wiggle room, but the Dolphins do have a number of high-value draft picks, including the Nos. 3 and 18 overall selections and two second-round choices. If they keep all of those picks, Miami would need to allocate about $11.9MM for its draft class, per Jackson and Beasley. That doesn’t leave a ton of space for the team to conduct the rest of its offseason business.

After all, the ‘Fins will need to sign a wide receiver, a backup QB, and several linebackers, and they will also need to re-sign C Ted Karras or acquire a new center (though Jackson and Beasley say the club is high on Wisconsin-Whitewater OL Quinn Meinerz, Miami is not going to deploy a D-III rookie as its starting pivot).

The Dolphins do have plenty of options to create additional room, including cutting safety Bobby McCain or restructuring the contract of linebacker Kyle Van Noy. And the situation would be completely altered if the club were to trade for Texans QB Deshaun Watson, which appears to be a legitimate possibility.

Dolphins, Eric Rowe Agree To Extension

December 2nd, 2019 at 2:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins’ extension talks with Eric Rowe look to have transpired quickly. The parties agreed on a three-year, $18MM deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Miami’s latest in-season re-up will commit $7MM in guaranteed money to the veteran defensive back. Rowe initially signed with the Dolphins this offseason, and the ex-Patriot will stick around into the 2020s.

An 11-game starter at cornerback and safety this season, Rowe joins Allen Hurns as first-year Dolphins given extensions since the season’s outset. A former second-round Eagles pick, Rowe played for Dolphins HC Brian Flores with the Patriots and followed him to Miami on a one-year, $3.75MM deal. He will bypass a 2020 free agency stay to be part of the Dolphins’ unique rebuild.

Rowe’s 720 snaps already through three quarters of the regular season already represent a single-season high. The Dolphins removed every other recognizable talent from their secondary, trading Minkah Fitzpatrick and placing Xavien Howard, Reshad Jones and Bobby McCain on IR.

Though Pro Football Focus has not graded Rowe well as a safety, the 27-year-old defender has made a career-high 59 tackles. Having moved to safety midseason, Rowe looks like a future starter for the Dolphins at this spot. With Jones not expected back, Rowe and McCain may form the Fins’ 2020 back-line tandem.

Dolphins, Eric Rowe Discussing Extension

November 27th, 2019 at 2:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Perhaps the only recognizable name in the Dolphins’ current secondary to most, Eric Rowe is finishing out a one-year contract. But the Dolphins would like him to return.

The former New England cornerback is discussing an extension to stay in Miami, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. Rowe signed a one-year, $3.5MM deal to join former Patriots assistant Brian Flores‘ first Dolphins team. And he’s been a key part of the secondary, one that has seen most of its notable talent either traded or land on IR.

Rowe has played both corner and safety this season, moving to the back line midway through the year. Pro Football Focus categorizes Rowe as a safety but has graded him as one of the league’s worst this season. After part-time roles in Philadelphia and New England, Rowe has played 95% of Miami’s snaps this season. The Dolphins traded Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Steelers and placed both Reshad Jones and Bobby McCain on IR last week.

The Eagles traded Rowe to the Patriots after his first season. The 2015 second-round pick started two playoff games for the Pats, including Super Bowl LII against his former team, and was a seven-game starter during their 2016 championship season.

The Pats let Rowe walk in free agency this year, but the Dolphins look to view him as part of their rebuild. Despite the Dolphins’ 2019 veteran purge, they have extended Jakeem Grant, Allen Hurns and Jesse Davis over the past three-plus months. The team is projected to hold north of $100MM in 2020 cap space.

Contract Details: Smith, James, Wake

March 13th, 2019 at 2:11pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest details on deals from around the NFL:

Dolphins To Sign CB Eric Rowe

March 13th, 2019 at 9:46am CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins have agreed to sign cornerback Eric Rowe, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. It’ll be a one-year deal with a maximum value of $4.5MM, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter) adds, but his $500K signing bonus represents his only guarantee. In essence, Rowe will have to secure his roster spot in order to realize any significant cash from the deal.

[RELATED: Former Dolphins DE Cameron Wake Signs With Titans]

Rowe, a former second-round pick of the Eagles, battled a groin injury throughout the season. Finally, in late October, the Pats were forced to place him on IR. Heading into March, the Patriots were expected to let him walk, and they’ll now see him twice in 2019, provided that he’s healthy and on the field.

Over the last three years with New England, Rowe has missed 27 possible regular season games. However, he offers promise and he could be in line for a larger role now that he is reunited with former Patriots defensive guru and new Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. Ultimately, however, there is a ceiling. Rowe figures to battle for a supporting role at cornerback behind Xavien Howard, Bobby McCain, and Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Patriots Notes: Kraft, Flowers, Tate

February 24th, 2019 at 10:32am CST by Rory Parks

Patriots owner Robert Kraft will likely not face many legal repercussions from his prostitution charges, according to a Florida criminal defense attorney (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe). Kraft will probably be required to pay a several hundred dollar fine and attend counseling of some sort, at which point the charges may be dropped.

But the consequences from an NFL standpoint are likely to be much more severe. Volin believes commissioner Roger Goodell should “come down hard on Kraft” and impose at least a six-game suspension and a hefty fine (the maximum fine is $500K). Kraft is obviously one of the most prominent and powerful owners in the league, but he may be relieved of some of his duties (he is a part of five major ownership committees). He was supposed to guide the league through a potential 2021 lockout and lead negotiations with television networks when those contracts expire in 2022, but that is all in question now.

Volin still believes Kraft will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but his induction will now be delayed, and the 77-year-old may not be around to enjoy his enshrinement when it does happen (Volin says Kraft was likely to get the HOF nod in a year or two). And, while Kraft will almost certainly not be forced to sell the club or hand it off to his son, Jonathan, this incident will be a permanent blot on his reputation.

Now let’s take a quick look at a few on-field notes from Foxborough:

  • Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers will be a hot commodity if he hits the open market, but Jim McBride of the Boston Globe says locking him up to a long-term deal is high on New England’s list of priorities. The Pats are unlikely to use the franchise tag on Flowers, and they are unlikely to keep him if it takes an Olivier Vernon-esque deal to do so (five years, $85MM). However, McBride believes Flowers will ultimately return to New England on a multi-year contract, even if he tests the free agent market first.
  • In the same piece linked above, McBride looks at the other Patriots eligible for free agency and their chances of returning to the club. For instance, he believes specialists Stephen Gostkowski and Ryan Allen will certainly be back, while Eric Rowe and Danny Shelton are more likely to find homes elsewhere.
  • Assuming the Patriots don’t trade out of the first round, Doug Kyed of NESN.com sees tight ends Noah Fant (Iowa) and Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama) and DB Taylor Rapp (Washington) as potential fits.
  • Golden Tate would be a good fit in the Patriots’ offense, but Kyed does not believe the Pats will be willing to meet Tate’s asking price.
  • Brothers Devin McCourty and Jason McCourty have announced that they will continue their careers in 2019 after some retirement speculation prior to the Super Bowl. Devin is still under contract with the Patriots, but Jason is eligible for free agency.

Patriots Place CB Eric Rowe On IR

October 30th, 2018 at 6:00pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots are down a cornerback. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that New England has placed Eric Rowe on the injured reserve. The 26-year-old has been battling a groin injury throughout the season.

It’s a tough break for the impending free agent. The 2015 second-round was seemingly coming into his own this season, as he had compiled 10 tackles and one pass defended in four games (two starts). While he didn’t play enough snaps to earn a spot on Pro Football Focus‘ cornerback rankings, his score would have placed him right in the middle of the list.

The move leaves the Patriots relatively thin at cornerback for the time being. Starters Jason McCourty and Stephon Gilmore are both healthy, but the team is rostering three inexperienced cornerbacks behind the duo: Jonathan Jones, J.C. Jackson, and Keion Crossen.

Fortunately for the Patriots, they’ll soon be receiving some reinforcement. As ESPN’s Mike Reiss points out (via Twitter), rookie Duke Dawson is eligible to come off the injured reserve next week. Assuming the 2018 second-rounder is healthy, he could soon find himself as the team’s top reserve cornerback.

Patriots Notes: Kraft, McClellin, Rowe

September 29th, 2018 at 10:43am CST by Ben Levine

Back in January, an explosive piece from ESPN.com detailed a major rift within the Patriots organization. Since that time, there have been continued whispers about the tension in Foxborough, particularly between head coach Bill Belichick and franchise quarterback Tom Brady. Owner Robert Kraft has continually denied those rumors, and he did that once again on Friday. Appearing on CNBC, Kraft attributed the reports to “envy and jealousy.”

“We’ve been together 19 years, which is unheard of for a head coach, a quarterback and an ownership group,” Kraft said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “Thankfully, we have had a lot of success and whenever that happens you become a target. We understand that and there is always tensions and issues and different things you’ve got to deal with. That is part of the privilege of owning a team and being successful. I have a little saying that envy and jealously are incurable diseases. You’d rather be a recipient than a donor. That is what is going on now.”

A new book by ESPN’s Ian O’Connor has renewed interest in the dynamic between Belichick and Brady. In “Belichick: The Making of the Greatest Football Coach of All Time,”O’Connor reports that Brady would “divorce” Belichick if he could, but feared alienating New England fans after the Patriots traded backup (and possible successor) Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers last season.

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of New England…

  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets that retired Patriots linebacker Shea McClellin filed for Injury Protection last night, which entitles him “to 50 percent of the base salary he was supposed to make this year.” Therefore, the team ended up losing another $1.075MM worth of cap space, dropping them down to $1.17MM of room. As Volin observes, it’s an interesting predicament for the Patriots, who haven’t been so close to the cap in at least a half decade. The team doesn’t have a whole lot of high-priced players, leading the reporter to wonder whether the issue is by design or due to “poor cap management.”
  • Eric Rowe returned to practice yesterday, but Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal points out that the cornerback was limited after having missed the past two sessions. It’s still no guarantee that the 25-year-old will end up playing this weekend, and he’s currently listed as questionable (along with 10 other teammates, including tight end Rob Gronkowski, offensive lineman Marcus Cannon, safety Patrick Chung, and defensive end Trey Flowers).
  • Despite adding Josh Gordon to the mix, the Patriots are still eyeing some reinforcement as wide receiver. Over the past week, the team has auditioned three wideouts: Breshad Perriman, Jeremy Kerley, and Dontrelle Inman.
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