Eugene Monroe - Pro Football Rumors

Ravens Notes: Monroe, Gillmore, FAs, Hill

March 22nd, 2016 at 8:15am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier in the offseason, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome referred to Eugene Monroe as Baltimore’s left tackle. However, there’s some uncertainty about whether Monroe, who has missed 15 of 32 games since joining the team and has an $8.7MM cap number in 2016, has much of a future with the club.

At the NFL owners’ meetings in Boca Raton, Florida today, head coach John Harbaugh perhaps contributed to that speculation, suggesting that there will be a competition for the Ravens’ left tackle spot. Per Harbaugh, right tackle Ricky Wagner may be an option on the left side and the team may still add another player to the mix. Harbaugh later promised that Monroe’s stance on the benefits of medical marijuana doesn’t reflect the organization’s views on the issue (Twitter links via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun).

While Harbaugh’s comments don’t necessarily mean that Monroe’s days in Baltimore are numbered, it seems clear that he’s no longer viewed as the team’s long-term answer at left tackle.

Here’s more from Harbaugh:

Harbaugh was very positive about the outlook for tight end Crockett Gillmore. Although it initially appeared that Gillmore would require surgery on both of his shoulders, the 24-year-old will only undergo a procedure on one shoulder, and should be ready to go for OTAs (Twitter link via Zrebiec).
According to their head coach, the Ravens “aren’t done in free agency,” tweets Zrebiec. As the Baltimore Sun scribe notes (via Twitter), Harbaugh “casually mentioned” at one point today that Dwight Freeney remains unsigned.
The Ravens’ decision to release safety Will Hill last week wasn’t a football one, according to Harbaugh, who added that Hill needs to find the priorities in his life (Twitter link via Zrebiec). The talented defensive back is currently facing a 10-game suspension, his fourth ban since entering the league.
As we discussed earlier this morning, Harbaugh also confirmed that the Ravens have an unofficial agreement in place with free agent running back Trent Richardson.

Ravens Make Aggressive Offer To Kelechi Osemele

February 25th, 2016 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens have offered to make pending free agent offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele their second-highest offensive player behind Joe Flacco, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Head coach John Harbaugh confirmed that Baltimore has made an “aggressive” offer to Osemele, adding that the team views him as its left tackle (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun).

When general manager Ozzie Newsome spoke to reporters on Wednesday, he referred to Eugene Monroe as the team’s left tackle, with Osemele facing free agency, but as Zrebiec writes, it was hardly a ringing endorsement of Monroe’s place in the starting lineup, or even on the roster.

While the Ravens are willing to make Osemele their second-highest-paid offensive player, they may have to do so by a significant margin in order to retain him. In terms of per-year salary, guard Marshal Yanda is currently right behind Flacco among offensive players, with an annual salary of just under $8MM. In terms of total value and guaranteed money, Monroe ranks second behind Flacco, with $37.5MM and $17.5MM respectively.

Unless Osemele is willing to take a hometown discount, I’d expect the Ravens to have to pay him upwards of $10MM per season on a four- or five-year deal, since he’s viewed as a left tackle. If he hits the open market, there will likely be at least one or two clubs willing to pay him that much, so it’ll be interesting to see how his talks with the Ravens play out.

Here are several more Ravens updates:

While Newsome insisted on Wednesday that the Ravens don’t have to rework Flacco’s contract this offseaon, Harbaugh would be surprised if the two sides don’t address Flacco’s deal (Twitter link via Zrebiec).
Harbaugh confirmed that the Ravens are talking to Trent Richardson, though he cautioned that the deal isn’t done yet, per Zrebiec (Twitter link). We heard earlier today that Richardson is expected to sign with the team as long as he passes a physical.
Whether or not Richardson comes aboard, Harbaugh sees Justin Forsett as part of the Ravens’ 2016 outlook, meaning he’s not considered a potential cap casualty, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.
Tight end is a priority for the Ravens, with Crockett Gillmore having undergone surgery on both his shoulders and Nick Boyle facing a 10-game suspension (link via Hensley). Zrebiec notes (via Twitter) that Harbaugh was “all over” Boyle, telling reporters that – while the team has no plans to cut the tight end – “there’s no explanation for dumb.”
Zrebiec passed along several quotes from Newsome’s Wednesday presser, along with interpretations of what those comments meant. Among Newsome’s most notable statements? The GM expects safety Lardarius Webb back at his current cap figure.
Zrebiec tweets that Newsome also challenged quarterback-needy teams to give him a call about the sixth overall pick in the draft.

North Notes: Ravens, Barnidge, Daniels, Packers

December 15th, 2015 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

The five-year, $37.5MM contract the Ravens gave to left tackle Eugene Monroe in 2014 looks like an obvious mistake now, but it was applauded at the time, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. After missing just three games due to injury in his first four seasons, Monroe hasn’t been able to stay on the field during the last two years, and now the team will face a tough offseason decision.

While cutting Monroe in the offseason is one option, the Ravens wouldn’t clear much cap room by doing so, since the lineman’s deal still includes $6.6MM in dead money. It seems to me that a more logical solution would be to rework Monroe’s deal to convert a chunk of his $6.5MM salary for 2016 into per-game roster bonuses. That would allow Monroe to keep his spot on the roster and give him an opportunity to earn his full salary, while also alleviating the risk for the Ravens — if the veteran tackle gets hurt again, Baltimore won’t be on the hook for his entire salary.

As we wait to see what the Ravens decide on Monroe, let’s round up some other items from around the AFC North, including a couple more out of Baltimore….

Within the above-linked piece, Zrebiec also notes that if Kelechi Osemele holds up well at left tackle over the final three games of the season, it could change the lineman’s outlook for free agency. The Ravens likely can’t afford to sign another guard to a lucrative contract after extending Marshal Yanda, but if Osemele can play left tackle, that’s a position the team would be willing to spend on — of course, so would many other rival clubs.
Before the Ravens decided to sign Ryan Mallett, the quarterback assured the team that he has received professional help for personal issues that led to his ouster in Houston, a league source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com. Having been signed for the 2016 season, Mallett could serve as Joe Flacco‘s backup next year if the Ravens like what they see from him.
Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter links) passes along a few more details on Gary Barnidge‘s new contract with the Browns, reporting that the three-year, $12.3MM pact features $5.73MM in guaranteed money, though not all of that money is fully guaranteed yet. Barnidge’s $1.5MM salary for 2016 becomes fully guaranteed in March.
Speaking of contract details, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter links) has a few for Packers defensive lineman Mike Daniels, providing the year-by-year cap breakdown for Daniels’ extension. Daniels will count against the cap for $7.4MM in 2016, with his hits jumping to the $10-11MM range for the final three years of the deal.
Now that the Packers have extended Daniels, who’s next in line for a new contract in Green Bay? Rob Demovksy of ESPN.com takes a closer look at some possibilities.

Ravens Place Eugene Monroe On IR

December 12th, 2015 at 11:07am CST by Rob DiRe

The Ravens are sending left tackle Eugene Monroe to IR with a shoulder injury that will cost him the rest of the season, writes Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Monroe had ranked as the 23rd-best left tackle in the NFL this year, according to Pro Football Focus. However, he has played in only six of the team’s first 12 games, and only finished three of those starts while dealing with injuries. Unfortunately, while the Ravens nightmare season carries on, Monroe’s has ended.

Monroe’s career in Baltimore could also come to an end. He has only played in 17 out of 34 games since signing a five-year extension after the 2013 season. The team could consider cutting him, although they would assume $6.6MM in dead money on their cap next year.

The team has also cut offensive lineman Kaleb Johnson, opening up a second roster spot for the team (via Twitter). The team has added quarterback Bryn Renner and wide receiver Chris Matthews to the active roster.

North Notes: Browns, Tulloch, Monroe

December 11th, 2015 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Whatever differences of opinion might exist within the Browns‘ organization, one thing that head coach Mike Pettine, GM Ray Farmer, president Alex Scheiner and the rest of the front office should agree on is that “it’s a teardown job” in Cleveland, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today. As Pelissero argues, it’s impossible to look at a club that has lost 15 of 17 games by an average of two touchdowns and say that the team just needs to fill a few holes.

While Pelissero acknowledges that tearing down the Browns’ front office structure multiple times within the last few years is hardly ideal, he suggests that the dysfunction within the organization – along with the relative lack of promising young talent – makes it the most logical move for owner Jimmy Haslam to make more big changes this winter.

As we wait to see how the Browns address their front office, coaching staff, and roster this offseason, let’s check in on a few more notes from around the NFL’s North divisions….

Veteran Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch is due to make a $5.5MM salary, and is in line for a $500K roster bonus in March, raising questions about his future in Detroit, says Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Tulloch has played well in recent weeks, but it’s been an up-and-down season overall, and he remains a liability against the pass. The Lions could create $6MM in cap savings by cutting him this offseason, so the team will have to think about such a move.
Ravens offensive tackle Eugene Monroe hasn’t seen his injured shoulder make much positive progress over the last several weeks, and may be ticketed for the injured reserve list, which would end his season, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Cornerback Deveron Carr and wide receiver DeAndre Carter had workouts for the Bengals this week, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Carr most recently spent time on Washington’s practice squad, while Carter was on Oakland’s practice squad earlier in the season.
Wilson also passes along word of a Lions tryout, tweeting that Detroit took a look at defensive back Kendall James. James was just cut from the Browns’ practice squad on Tuesday.

AFC Rumors: Jets, Ravens, Workouts

September 19th, 2015 at 1:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite signing a four-year, $16MM extension last October, Jeremy Kerley played just one snap for the Jets in Week 1 and doesn’t appear to have a role in Chan Gailey‘s offense. Gailey prefers receivers play different positions. Kerley’s skill set is mostly limited to slot work, putting his future with the team in doubt, according to Dom Cosentino of NJ.com. Kerley, who established career highs with 56 catches for 827 yards in 2012, missed time this summer with an Achilles injury and a concussion, leading to being phased out of the offense thus far. “We started molding [the offense] around other things, and we are where we are,” Gailey told media. Eric Decker played 43 snaps in the slot last week.

Here are some other items emerging from other AFC locales.

With Eugene Monroe set to miss tomorrow’s Ravens-Raiders game due to a concussion sustained in the first half of Week 1, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com posits the Ravens are not receiving good value from Monroe after he signed a five-year, $37.5MM deal last season. Monroe’s latest absence will mark the sixth time the Baltimore left tackle’s missed a game since signing that extension, and after quality seasons prior to last, Monroe graded out as Pro Football Focus’ 63rd-ranked tackle last year.
The Colts worked out cornerback Brandon Dixon, Bill Bentley and Robert McClain, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter) the latter of the trio having 17 career starts to his credit. The Patriots cut the 27-year-old McClain earlier this month after signing the ex-Falcon this offseason. A former Division II All-American and twin brother of Saints cornerback Brian Dixon, Brandon Dixon played 14 games last season for the Buccaneers. Bentley, a 2012 third-rounder, started eight games for the Lions in 2012-13 but ended up on injured reserve last season after playing in just one game.
The Browns worked out linebacker Jayson DiManche, and defensive ends Cam Johnson and Nordly Capi, Wilson tweets. DiManche played in 28 games for the Bengals the past two seasons, with Johnson suiting up in 13 for the 49ers and Colts in the past three.
In addition to trying out Bernard Pollard on Friday, the Raiders also brought in free safeties Durrell Eskridge and Ryan Murphy for auditions, notes Wilson (on Twitter).

AFC Notes: Ravens, Manning, McCown, Colts

September 18th, 2015 at 7:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Let’s look at some of the news coming from AFC teams’ camps as teams begin final preparations for Week 2.

Eugene Monroe will miss the Ravens‘ second game after sustaining a concussion in their first, Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com reports. James Hurst will likely start at left tackle. Hurst helped DeMarcus Ware receive a J.J. Watt-esque +10.6 grade from Pro Football Focus in the Ravens’ Week 1 loss to the Broncos. Breshad Perriman will also miss Week 2.
John Harbaugh deemed recently signed pass-rusher Jason Babin fit to suit up for the Ravens on Sunday, with the team likely using him in pass-pursuit situations behind Elvis Dumervil and Courtney Upshaw, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports.
Josh McCown did not believe he sustained a concussion on his end zone dive against the Jets and drove himself home from the Browns‘ facility after the game, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reports. Cleveland’s primary starter expected to be cleared for this week but will comply with the concussion protocol, Cabot notes. Mike Pettine seemed to acknowledge McCown endured a setback this week, according to Cabot, noting that such an occurrence resets the recovery clock in the concussion protocol.
Gary Kubiak‘s offense continues to be a dud with the Broncos thus far, Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post reports, with Peyton Manning‘s hot stretch coinciding with the 18-year veteran taking 31-of-37 snaps out of the shotgun following his second-quarter pick-six compared to being under center for seven of the 13 plays prior to Marcus Peters‘ interception, per Football Outsiders. “We’re trying to help him by running the football better and do some things,” Kubiak told media. “But we also know what he’s very comfortable doing, so we’re trying to somehow find a medium between the two and we think that will be good for our team.”
Joel Corry of CBSSports.com examines whether a potential Colts dynasty has been squandered due to the failure to form a quality roster around Andrew Luck. Corry’s chart of contenders’ quality players lists the Colts with having nine, a number well below their top-tier brethren; the Broncos have 17, the Patriots 15, the Packers 14 and the Seahawks 13 in this analysis.
Jonathan Cyprien (calf) is doubtful for the Jaguars‘ AFC Florida supremacy battle, while Luke Joeckel (ankle) is questionable, according to an Associated Press report.

Ravens To Sign Eugene Monroe

March 11th, 2014 at 4:05pm CST by Zachary Links

4:05pm: It’s a five-year, $37.5MM deal, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The deal gives Monroe $19MM guaranteed, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

3:45pm: The Ravens have completed their deal with Eugene Monroe, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The two sides are just putting the finishing touches on the contract.

We heard just yesterday that the Ravens and Monroe were “deep in productive talks.” The Dolphins, once expected to be a strong suitor for Monroe, have seemingly opted to sign Branden Albert instead, and the Cardinals inked Jared Veldheer, freeing up Monroe to resume negotiations with the Ravens.

In earlier talks with the Ravens, at a time when a reunion seemed unlikely, Monroe was said to be seeking $10MM per season, while Baltimore was hoping to pay closer to $8-9MM annually. With Albert reportedly in line for a $10MM per year salary, it seems likely that the final figures on Monroe’s deal will end up closer to that amount than what the Ravens wanted to pay.

Ravens Rumors: Monroe, Mack, Jones

March 11th, 2014 at 10:22am CST by Zachary Links

The latest out of Baltimore..

Sources predict that the Ravens and offensive tackle Eugene Monroe will get a deal done before he can hit the open market, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The two sides were far apart last week but they have apparently made some serious progress since then. The offensive tackle market is quickly shrinking, with an number of players expected to quickly sign deals when free agency opens including Branden Albert (Dolphins), Jared Veldheer (Cardinals) and Rodger Saffold (Raiders).
Meanwhile, if things don’t work out with Monroe, the Ravens’ backup plan is to make a run at Browns offensive lineman Alex Mack, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets.
Wilson adds that the Ravens have had productive talks with wide receiver Jacoby Jones.
There’s mutual interest in a return for special teams ace Jeromy Miles, Wilson tweets.
Ravens aren’t close to a deal with middle linebacker Daryl Smith, sources tell Wilson (on Twitter). Smith, who will celebrate his 32nd birthday this week, saw a career high in sacks (5.0) with 57 solo tackles.

Ravens, Eugene Monroe Close To Deal

March 11th, 2014 at 7:57am CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens and left tackle Eugene Monroe are “very close” to agreeing to a new contract that will keep the free-agent-to-be off the open market, reports Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com and the NFL Network (via Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) are also hearing that the two sides should hammer out a deal today, barring any last-minute snags.

We heard just yesterday that the Ravens and Monroe were “deep in productive talks.” The Dolphins, expected to be a strong suitor for Monroe, have seemingly opted to sign Branden Albert instead, and the Cardinals appear to be focusing on Jared Veldheer, freeing up Monroe to resume negotiations with the Ravens.

In earlier talks with the Ravens, at a time when a reunion seemed unlikely, Monroe was said to be seeking $10MM per season, while Baltimore was hoping to pay closer to $8-9MM annually. With Albert reportedly in line for a $10MM per year salary, it seems likely that the final figures on Monroe’s deal will end up closer to that amount than what the Ravens wanted to pay.