Eric Rowe - Pro Football Rumors

Eagles Shopping CB Eric Rowe

September 2nd, 2016 at 11:48am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Eagles are attempting to trade cornerback Eric Rowe, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com, who adds that Philadelphia has been trying to deal Rowe since training camp began. Rowe, 24 next month, was drafted in the second round of the 2015 draft.

During his rookie campaign, Rowe appeared in all 16 games (starting five), and played on about 40% of the Philadelphia’s defense snaps. In that time, Rowe posted one interception, five passes defensed, and 24 tackles. He doesn’t appear ticketed for a starting job under new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, however, as Nolan Carroll, Leodis McKelvin, and Ron Brooks look to be the Eagles’ top three defensive backs.

De facto GM Howie Roseman hasn’t been afraid to deal away players acquired by former head coach Chip Kelly, as he’s already shipped out Byron Maxwell, Kiko Alonso, and DeMarco Murray.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Broncos, Long, Eagles

June 19th, 2016 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Parks

Trevor Siemian, the Broncos‘ presumptive No. 2 quarterback, was more consistent in many ways than presumptive starter Mark Sanchez during the team’s OTAs and minicamp, and given that head coach Gary Kubiak said in his offseason-ending press conference last week that Sanchez and Siemian are in a virtual tie for the starting job, there has been some speculation that Siemian could be under center when Week 1 rolls around. But Mike Klis of 9News.com, while acknowledging Siemian’s strong performance, agrees with the prevailing consensus that, unless Sanchez completely flops in the first two games of the preseason–which is a distinct possibility–his experience will force Kubiak’s hand and he will be named the starter prior to the all-important third preseason contest.

Now let’s take a look at some more links from around the league:

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com says that a long-term deal between Von Miller and the Broncos remains the most likely outcome, but if the July 15 deadline for a new contract comes and goes, the two sides could work out an alternative one-year agreement that provides Miller with a little more incentive to sign. For instance, the team could promise to not use the tag on Miller again in 2017, which means that Miller, assuming he is willing to risk injury/ineffectiveness in 2016–while earning the full $14.129MM of the franchise tender in the process–would be guaranteed to hit the open market and get his big payday in 2017. If stubbornness prevails and there is no new deal by July 15, that currently unlikely scenario suddenly becomes more plausible.
Before coaching at yesterday’s University of Michigan Big Man camp, free agent left tackle Jake Long said that he is finally healthy. The former No. 1 overall pick added, “This is the healthiest and best I’ve felt in probably about five, six years. My knee’s back. I’ve just been working out, feeling good and ready for the opportunity when it comes along” (article via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com). Long, of course, spent the first five years of his career with the Dolphins and was widely-regarded as one of the best left tackles in the league during that time, but he tore his ACL in each of his two subsequent seasons, which he spent with the Rams, and he appeared in only four games with the Falcons last year, starting none. If he is, in fact, completely healthy, he should be able to land a job as teams look to replace injured or underperforming players during training camp and the preseason.
Two of the Chiefs‘ best players, Jamaal Charles and Justin Houston, are recovering from torn ACLs, and the team is being cautious with both, as Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com writes (citing Adam Teicher of ESPN.com). Houston will not be ready for the start of training camp and may not suit up until sometime after the regular season begins, while Charles will be eased into camp and should be ready for Week 1. Neither player, though, will be on the field before they are completely healthy, as they are too important to the team’s plans to risk re-injury.
In the Eagles‘ crowded and confusing defensive backfield, it is too early to predict who will emerge as the regular contributors. But Mark Eckel of NJ.com writes that a source with knowledge of the way DC Jim Schwartz and DB coach Cory Undlin are thinking says that, if the season started today, the top of the cornerback depth chart would look like this: Leodis McKelvin, Nolan Carroll, Jalen Mills, Ron Brooks, and Eric Rowe.

East Notes: Cousins, Carroll, Soliai

February 21st, 2016 at 8:54am CST by Rory Parks

It is difficult to imagine Kirk Cousins playing anywhere besides Washington next season, either under the franchise tag or under a lucrative, long-term deal. The most recent report regarding contract negotiations between the two parties suggested that the prospect of Cousins and Washington striking a multi-year deal was “not good,” although the application of the franchise tag always seems to invigorate stalled contract talks.

But even if Cousins ultimately plays out the 2016 season under the tag, it may not handicap Washington that much in the short-term. As John Keim of ESPN.com observes, Washington’s 2016 cap number already includes Robert Griffin III‘s $16.15MM option, and the team is almost certainly going to cut Griffin in the near future. As such, putting the franchise tag on Cousins really only adds an extra $4MM or so to the team’s cap commitment, as the tag value for quarterbacks is projected to be around $20MM. Certainly Washington would rather have an extra $4MM to spend, particularly since it does not have a ton of cap room to begin with–plus, signing Cousins to a long-term deal might put his first-year cap hit under $10MM, thus creating even more space–but for 2016, at least, the tag might not be as crippling as it otherwise could be.

Now let’s take a look at some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

Mark Eckel of LehighValleyLive.com takes a look at how the Eagles will address their secondary this offseason, a conversation that necessarily begins with cornerback Nolan Carroll, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Carroll is a solid player, but the price to keep him should not be prohibitive, especially since he ended the season on IR after breaking his ankle in the team’s Thanksgiving contest against Detroit. If Carroll is retained, Philadelphia could shift Eric Rowe from cornerback to safety, his more natural position, to replace Walter Thurmond, who is likely to depart in free agency.
The Falcons will release Paul Soliai on or after March 9, and the 32-year-old defensive tackle would apparently like to return to the Dolphins, according to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald (via Twitter). Soliai spent the first seven seasons of his career with Miami before signing with Atlanta prior to the 2014 campaign, and although his 2015 performance was not up to his usual standards, he could still be a valuable member of either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme.
The Jets will make a concerted effort to address the tight end position in free agency and/or the draft, per Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. The team needs a tight end who can challenge a defense in the middle of the field, and although this year’s free agent class of tight ends is uninspiring–Antonio Gates will likely stay in San Diego, leaving players like Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen at the top of the market–but Arkansas’ Hunter Harvey, widely regarded as the best TE in the draft, should be available when Gang Green makes its first selection in this year’s draft.
Patriots RB Dion Lewis, who was a catalyst of the team’s offense prior to tearing his ACL on November 8, is making good progress in his recovery and should be available for the start of the regular season, as Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com reports.

Eagles Sign Rookie Eric Rowe

May 6th, 2015 at 4:45pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles announced that they have signed three picks, including second-round defensive back Eric Rowe, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Philly has also signed sixth-round defensive back Randall Evans and defensive end Brian Mihalik.

As they did with Jordan Matthews in 2014, the Eagles set their sights on Rowe in the second round and moved up several spots to grab him. The Utah product started three years at safety before moving over to cornerback in his senior year, so he has the versatility to play multiple positions within the secondary. For his part, Comcast SportsNet’s Derrick Gunn recently said that Rowe will probably translate better to safety, but coach Chip Kelly feels that he’ll probably start out at corner.

Several teams were in on Rowe before the Eagles moved up to nab him. The Steelers were interested in drafting Rowe in the second round and the Packers considered taking the Utah product in the first round.

Extra Points: Gregory, Texans, Bengals

May 1st, 2015 at 9:19pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here’s a look at the latest from around the NFL as the 2015 draft continues:

Representatives for Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory, whom the Cowboys chose 60th overall, made it clear before the draft that he’d need significant support from his NFL team, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That support is expected to include a security person and personal handler for Gregory, whose draft stock plummeted because of off-field concerns – notably marijuana use and potential mental health issues.
The Texans aren’t going to trade cornerback Johnathan Joseph, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). The nine-year veteran is entering the final season of his contract, but McClain reports that his place on the team is safe.
The Bengals filled a need along their offensive line Thursday when they used their first-round pick on Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi. Had Ogbuehi been gone before then, the Bengals would’ve selected Oregon’s Jake Fisher, tweets ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. As luck would have it, Fisher was still available at No. 53, the Bengals’ second-rounder, so they were also able to land him.
Before drafting Mississippi cornerback Senqeuz Golson with the 56th pick, the Steelers attempted to move up and grab LSU’s Jalen Collins, who went 42nd to the Falcons, reports Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com (via Twitter). They also liked Utah’s Eric Rowe, whom the Eagles selected at No. 47.
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said he traded up for Hobart guard Ali Marpet because offensive line depth in the draft was shrinking, Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com tweeted. The Bucs selected Marpet in the second round after sending the 65th and 109th picks to the Colts for Nos. 61 and 128.
Michigan defensive end Frank Clark, whom the Seahawks chose with the 63rd pick, said he had a lot of pre-draft contact with the team, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Clark’s agent told him that the Seahawks “had a man crush on [Clark],” according to Condotta.

Draft Notes: Gregory, Jags, Eagles, Titans

May 1st, 2015 at 7:47pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The latest notes concerning the ongoing 2015 NFL Draft:

Despite possessing immense talent, Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory wasn’t one of the first 50 players taken in the draft. One reason, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, is that Gregory missed at least three pre-draft meetings with various teams, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. That “alienated” some clubs, per Schefter.
Jaguars general manager David Caldwell, who selected Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon in the second round, tried to trade back into the first round Thursday to land either Todd Gurley or Melvin Gordon, tweets NFL.com’s Michael Silver. Both went in the top 15, however, which was too high for the Jags to trade up.
The Eagles tried to acquire the 45th pick from the Vikings, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link), before Minnesota used the selection on UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks. Philadelphia ended up moving from the 52nd pick to No. 47 and taking Utah defensive back Eric Rowe – whom Chip Kelly expected to go higher, per Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (Twitter).
After the Titans traded down from the 33rd overall pick to the 40th selection on Friday, general manager Ruston Webster said they were able to do so because there were four or five players on the board they liked. Therefore, Webster felt moving down was a worthwhile risk, tweets Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com. The Titans ended up taking former Missouri and Oklahoma wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham with the 40th pick.
The mother of new Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker, the 14th pick, had some choice words for Cleveland. “We didn’t want him going to Cleveland,” Reneca Parker said Friday, according to Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald.“They don’t have a team, really, or a quarterback.” The Browns passed on Parker at No. 12, which pleased Dolphins football czar Mike Tannenbaum.“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the result,” he said.

Eagles Acquire 47th Pick From Dolphins

May 1st, 2015 at 7:20pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Eagles will acquire the 47th overall pick from the Dolphins, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), and will select Utah defensive back Eric Rowe, tweets Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. In return, Miami will receive Philly’s second-round choice and two fifth-rounders (Nos. 52, 145, and 156). The Eagles will also get a sixth-rounder (No. 191), per Mike Wilkening of Pro Football Talk (Twitter).

Pauline On Gurley, Bengals, McKinney, RBs

April 28th, 2015 at 4:21pm CST by Zachary Links

After his citation for marijuana possession, the expectation is that Missouri linebacker Shane Ray could fall out of the first round and that’s an opinion shared by many in his camp, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net writes. Earlier today, we learned that teams that wouldn’t have had a chance to land Ray before are now inquiring on him, with both GMs and owners doing their homework. Here’s Pauline’s latest:

The Dolphins are hoping that Todd Gurley doesn’t get selected in the top 10. If the running back is still on the board, Miami will happily snag him at No. 14, per Pauline.
As of now, there’s a very good chance the Bengals take an offensive tackle in round one and they’re said to be looking at Jake Fisher and Cedric Ogbuehi, among others.
Linebacker Benardrick McKinney spent an extensive amount of time the past few days talking with the Broncos and Cowboys. If Kevin Johnson is unavailable when the Cowboys are on the clock in round one, they will strongly consider either McKinney or Eric Kendricks, Pauline hears.
There’s a good possibility that Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu is still available when the third round begins. While teams like his film and cover skills, his knee injury from last December has some clubs concerned. Recently, PFR’s Rob DiRe wrote that he expected Ekpre-Olomu to experience a dropoff in draft stock from last year to this year, but not this severe. Had he gone pro last season, the Oregon notable may have had a chance to be a first-round pick.
There are a number of running back-needy teams who might wait until the fourth round before drafting at the position, due to the quality and depth available this year. David Cobb and Buck Allen have been brought to Pauline’s attention as fourth round types that can contribute off the bat and Miami junior Duke Johnson is also getting buzz.
Alonzo Highsmith, senior personnel director for the Packers, is pushing hard for Denzel Perryman at the bottom of round one. If Green Bay takes the Miami notable, the team would then push Clay Matthews to the outside. The belief is Green Bay still values a cornerback with that first pick and Eric Rowe continues to be in the mix, but Perryman is also a possibility.
Don’t be surprised if tight end Wes Saxton is drafted much earlier than presently predicted, as teams are high on his speed and athleticism. Saxton, a South Alabama product, could go as high as the fourth round. Notre Dame tight end Ben Koyack is also getting additional attention.

Draft Visits: Perriman, DGB, Clemmings, Jones

April 21st, 2015 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

Here are the latest updates on a few draft prospects taking some visits and working out for teams this week:

Breshad Perriman, WR (UCF): Visiting the Titans today, according to Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Second overall is too high for Perriman, but 33rd overall is likely too late to nab him, so Tennessee could be doing its due diligence in the event of a trade.
Dorial Green-Beckham, WR (Missouri): Visiting the Chiefs today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).
T.J. Clemmings, OT (Pittsburgh): Visiting the Saints, Falcons, and Rams this week, and has met with 19 teams since his Pro Day, per Rapoport (Twitter link).
Byron Jones, CB (UConn): Visiting the Dolphins, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Jones was previously identified as a player on Miami’s radar.
Anthony Harris, S (Virginia); Marcus Rush, DE (Michigan State): Both players are visiting the Lions today, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Kyle Emanuel, DE (North Dakota); Eric Rowe, CB (Utah); Doran Grant, CB (Ohio State): All three players visited the Steelers today, tweets ESPN.com’s Scott Brown.
Daryl Williams, OL (Oklahoma); Tyrus Thompson, OL (Oklahoma); Adam Shead, OL (Oklahoma): All three players worked out for Panthers offensive line coach John Matsko today, writes Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Williams and Thompson previously worked out for Cowboys offensive line coach Frank Pollack.
Jesse Davis, OL (Idaho): Has a private workout with the Seahawks later this week, per Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).

Sturm On Cowboys: Peterson, Trades, Draft

April 15th, 2015 at 8:03pm CST by Rob DiRe

Bob Sturm took questions from Cowboys fans in his Wednesday chat for the Dallas Morning News.

Here are some of the highlights from his Q&A session:

On whether it would be a good idea to trade their second-round pick for Adrian Peterson:

“I think so. Again, I don’t like it at all. They had 3 choices this offseason for RB (maybe 4). Choice 1 was pay the NFL rushing champion to stay here (which he wanted to do). They passed. Choice 2 would be take a RB and although he is unproven, he will cost about $4m for 4 years (or $1m per season). So, the price is worth it. Choice 3 is to trade a top pick AND pay Peterson “Murray money”. This makes no sense because of age, work load, and the fact he costs you a 1st or 2nd round pick when Murray would not cost you any of that. Choice 4 is to use McFadden and Randle and see how that works. Peterson, to me, is the worst choice. However, he is Adrian Peterson and that is plenty exciting for all involved, I admit..”

On the difficulties in completing a trade for Peterson:

“There are many reasons why this trade is difficult, and I admit that one of them might be history. But, the bigger one is that the Cowboys have done everything possible to give all leverage away on this deal. They have practically telegraphed their desires publicly for a year, and this doesn’t assist in helping you get a cheap deal. Most of the principles in the Walker deal are long gone, but they know Jerry deep inside needs Peterson. Again, I don’t think the Cowboys should consider this.”

On options at cornerback in the draft:

“Well, there are a lot of really strong corners in that range. I agree that Trae Waynes and Kevin Johnson are gone. Marcus Peters is likely gone too. I would take Johnson and Peters if they are there. [Byron] Jones from UConn is next with [Eric] Rowe from Utah and [Ronald] Darby from Florida State for me. Each have their pluses and minuses. Jones might be a better athlete than a player – with his Combine performance being so much of his buzz. Rowe looks like a much better safety to me and Darby is a track guy who isn’t the best tackler ever. But, all of them are solid players.”

On whether the team should trade down from No. 27:

“One reason I don’t dive into the mock draft business is because I have found that trying to figure out what ONE franchise is planning to do is next to impossible. Trying to figure out what ALL of the franchises are doing is so absurd it is a waste of everyone’s time. That said, I would agree that those are reasonable ideas as are a few others – NYJ come to mind to get back into Round 1. But, when I look at who did deals last year, they often were not telegraphed and that is how it usually works. So, I still believe the trade-down is ideal, but finding the partner requires value issues, need issues, and the Cowboys agreeing with us that they need to trade out of #27.”

On whether he would prefer an interior lineman or edge rusher in the first round:

“I think they will look at both of those spots – as well as CB, RB, and LB – try to place values on each and try to take the BPA – best player available. I think you need both badly as DT is thin for penetrating forces and DE is likely weak unless you are going to do a longterm deal with Hardy. So, Malcom Brown or Eddie Goldman are great there – but so are so many of the edge guys. Look and see what #27 has.”

On where in the draft the Cowboys will find their running back:

“It seems to me that if you want a RB, you better plan on Round 2 being the place. And as we mentioned already, that is still not a great guarantee. Round 3 may get picked over before it gets to 91. I suspect they have their plan – which, unfortunately, may include trading one of those top picks to Minnesota.

“I have 5 RBs on the board in the 1st 2 rounds. Gordon and Gurley in Round 1, [Jay] Ajayi, [Tevin] Coleman, and Duke Johnson in Round 2. But, that view may not get them to pick #60 in Round 2. In fact, I am expecting that Ajayi and Coleman might be gone before #50. This is why I would prefer to trade back from #27 and pick up a 2nd and a 3rd, use the 2nd to get my RB and then have #60 and 2 3rds to work on my defense. But, if I can’t trade back, the other option is to use #27 on defense, then use #60 and #91 to move up and try to get into the late 40s to grab on of those 5 players. It is difficult to predict how this might work out.”