Jason McCourty - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: McCourty, Broncos, Thomas

April 15th, 2017 at 12:41pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots appear to be a natural fit for recently-released cornerback Jason McCourty. Predictably, you can count brother (and current Patriots defensive back) Devin McCourty among those who’d like to see him land in New England.

“I’m excited for him,” McCourty told Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald. “I was hoping he would be out of Tennessee a couple years ago just to experience something different. I think obviously now everyone is saying ‘he’s going to come here, he should come here.’ But you never know. I hope we’re interested in him.”

Devin believes his brother should be seeking a gig that would allow him to start, which might not be possible in New England. If the Patriots end up keeping Malcolm Butler, McCourty would presumably slot in behind him and free agent-addition Stephon Gilmore on the depth chart.

“He’s not at the point in his career where he just wants to sit on the bench,” Devin McCourty said. “He wants to get a chance to get out there and compete. I’m excited for him. It’s a little bit of the unknown, but he’s my brother, he should do all right. He should just tell people he’s related to me.”

Let’s take a look at some other notes from around the NFL…

Veteran offensive lineman Ryan Clady is arguably the best available free agent, but Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com writes that the 30-year-old hasn’t garnered much interest this offseason. Clady has only appeared in nine total games over the past two seasons, but the four-time Pro Bowler still looked competent when he was on the field. The lineman visited the Seahawks last month, and Smith wonders if teams will start showing interest in Clady following the draft.
Mike Klis of 9News.com believes Broncos general manager John Elway can make the “biggest draft splash of his career” by selecting Stanford running back (and Colorado native) Christian McCaffrey with the 20th-overall pick. If the team is really looking to stir excitement, the reporter suggests the team also trades their second-rounder and third-round compensatory pick to the Browns for veteran offensive lineman Joe Thomas.
Speaking of Thomas, Troy Renck Denver7 can’t envision the Browns trading the offensive lineman (Twitter link). The reporter notes that the organization has rebuilt their offense around their lineman, so it’d be counter-intuitive to deal the best player on that unit. Reports from last season indicated that Thomas was available, although head coach Hue Jackson recently said that the veteran was staying put.

Titans Release CB Jason McCourty

April 13th, 2017 at 2:53pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans are releasing cornerback Jason McCourty, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). McCourty was the team’s longest tenured player, but he’ll now have to seek work elsewhere. The Titans wanted to redo McCourty’s deal, but the two sides couldn’t agree on terms, a source tells Tom Pelissero of USA Today (on Twitter).

There was no real buildup for the move, so McCourty’s release comes as a pretty big surprise. In the past, the Patriots inquired on McCourty, but it didn’t seem like a trade was close to happening. Now that he’s a free agent, one has to wonder if New England will get into the mix in an effort to reunite him with twin brother Devin McCourty.

Jason McCourty, selected in the sixth round of the 2009 draft by the Titans, appeared in 108 games for the team, including 90 starts. The 29-year-old (30 in October) has long been regarded as a quality talent, but he turned in a so-so year in 2016. That came after a 2015 season in which he missed all but four games due to injury. All things considered, the Titans apparently were unwilling to keep McCourty at a $7MM cap number for the coming season. There will be no dead money left over since there was no guaranteed cash remaining on the deal.

In 2016, Pro Football Focus ranked McCourty as the 55th ranked cornerback in the NFL out of 111 qualified players. In his best years (2010-2013), McCourty was ranked comfortably within the top 30, framing him as a starting caliber corner.

The Titans own the No. 5 overall pick in the draft and they could target a top corner like Marshon Lattimore, Gareon Conley, or Marlon Humphrey.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/17/15

November 17th, 2015 at 6:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s minor transactions from across the NFL:

The Dolphins waived center Sam Brenner, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweets.
The Browns waived tight end Rob Housler (hamstring) from injured reserve today, Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal tweets.
The Patriots waived offensive lineman Chris Barker while promoting wide receiver Chris Harper from the practice squad, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets.

Earlier Updates:

The Seahawks have waived wide receiver Chris Matthews, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Matthews had just four receptions during his 12 regular-season games with Seattle, matching the four balls he caught in last season’s Super Bowl against the Pats. Per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (via Twitter), the Seahawks are promoting wide receiver Kevin Smith to the active roster to replace Matthews.
The Dolphins will sign linebacker James-Michael Johnson, tweets Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Johnson was just released by the Lions on Saturday, so he didn’t last long on the open market.
Speaking of the Lions, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press tweets that, as expected, the club will place cornerback Josh Wilson on injured reserve due to what Jim Caldwell called a “significant” knee injury. Detroit is expected to sign a new cornerback shortly to help solidify a position that has been hit hard by injuries.
The Titans have added two players to their 53-man roster, signing wide receiver Tre McBride from their own practice squad, along with wide receiver Andrew Turzilli from the 49ers‘ practice squad (Twitter link via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com). The two wideouts will take the roster spots vacated by WR Justin Hunter and CB Jason McCourty, who were formally placed on injured reserve today.
The Bears have made a change at cornerback, waiving Terrance Mitchell and promoting Jacoby Glenn from their practice squad to fill the newly-opened roster spot, the team announced today (Twitter link).
The Chiefs have placed tight end James O’Shaughnessy on injured reserve due to a foot injury, creating an opening for defensive tackle David King, whom Kansas City claimed off waivers from the Seahawks, according to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
The Giants have waived linebacker James Morris, according to a team release. Morris, who was elevated from the practice squad at the end of October, played on special teams during his brief stint on New York’s 53-man roster.

Titans Placing Jason McCourty On IR

November 16th, 2015 at 1:40pm CST by Luke Adams

In addition to placing wide receiver Justin Hunter on injured reserve this week, the Titans will be sending a key defender to IR, according to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com, who tweets that cornerback Jason McCourty will undergo groin surgery, ending his season.

McCourty, 28, was selected in the sixth round of the 2009 draft by the Titans, and is one of Tennessee’s more effective defenders when healthy. After racking up 85 tackles to go along with three interceptions a year ago, McCourty missed the first month or so of the season with a groin injury. The former sixth-round pick was able to return for four games, but will now see his season ended prematurely by a second procedure on that troublesome groin.

Around the trade deadline, there were rumblings that the Patriots had interest in McCourty, and spoke to the Titans about a possible deal that would pair him with twin brother Devin McCourty. Even if the Titans had been inclined to move their standout cornerback, however, it’s not clear if he would have passed a physical — he played his last game of the season prior to the trade deadline.

With Hunter and McCourty heading to IR, the Titans will open up two spots on their 53-man roster. According to Kuharsky (via Twitter), Tennessee will use one of those openings on a wide receiver, while the other one may or may not be filled by a cornerback.

AFC South Notes: LeBeau, Jaguars, Griffin

November 13th, 2015 at 4:18pm CST by Luke Adams

With Ken Whisenhunt now out of the picture in Tennessee, it’s not clear whether the Titans will retain defensive assistant Dick LeBeau beyond this season, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Titans interim CEO and president Steve Underwood said last week that he’d like to see the team target a “great offensive mind” in its search for a permanent head coach, suggesting that the defense would be in fine shape with LeBeau at the helm.

However, LeBeau initially joined the Titans in large part due to his relationship with Whisenhunt, and his contract expires at the end of the 2015 season. As the 78-year-old himself observes, there’s no guarantee that a new head coach wouldn’t want to bring in his own assistants.

While we wait to see whether LeBeau is one-and-done in Tennessee, let’s check in on some other items from out of the AFC South….

The Jaguars had former 49ers running back Kendall Hunter in for a tryout this week, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Hunter, who has seen his NFL career derailed by injuries in recent years, was removed from Sam Francisco’s injured reserve list in September with a settlement, making him a free agent.
Texans tight end Ryan Griffin, who was placed on injured reserve with the designation to return after Week 1, should be able to play Monday against the Bengals, head coach Bill O’Brien told reporters today (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle). Griffin, who is returning from an MCL injury, would need to be activated to the 53-man roster by Monday afternoon to play this week.
Per Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com (Twitter link), Titans cornerback Jason McCourty is weighing the possibility of undergoing another procedure on his troublesome groin. Another surgery may be a season-ender for McCourty, who could also attempt to rehab the injury.

Extra Points: McCourty, Pats, Murray, Cowboys

November 3rd, 2015 at 8:48pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots tried hard to get cornerback Jason McCourty from the Titans, but in the end they simply could not get a deal done, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. McCourty, selected in the sixth round of the 2009 draft by the Titans, is one of Tennessee’s more effective defenders, racking up 85 tackles to go along with three interceptions a year ago. After missing the first month or so of the season with a groin injury, McCourty has been active for the team’s last four games.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

The Cowboys cut ties with Joseph Randle today, but COO Stephen Jones says that he still doesn’t regret letting DeMarco Murray walk in free agency, as Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News writes. The Cowboys face Murray for the second and final time this regular season on Sunday night.
Representatives from San Diego, St. Louis, and Oakland will make presentations to a joint meeting of the NFL’s Los Angeles committee and the Stadium and Finance Committees next week, according to Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego (on Twitter).
Tight end Ryan Griffin, who is on the Texans‘ IR-DTR list, says he’ll begin working out with the team on Monday, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter). The tight end adds that he feels good and believes that he’s ready to go.
Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com found it interesting that Titans GM Ruston Webster was not at the podium facing questions about the direction of the franchise as interim CEO/president Steve Underwood and interim coach Mike Mularkey spoke. Of course, after Ken Whisenhunt was shown the door, it’s fair to wonder what will happen to Webster. At the same time, the two execs spoke highly of him at the press conference.

Trade Rumors: Cowboys, Young, McCourty

November 3rd, 2015 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Will we see any trades finalized around the NFL today? Teams have less than an hour before this afternoon’s 3:00pm CT deadline arrives, so they’ll have to act fast to get anything done. Here are a few of the latest rumors and rumblings:

The Cowboys won’t be making any trades today, according to owner Jerry Jones (link via Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com). Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said the team had some calls, but nothing serious developed.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), the defensive end market has been the most active today, with names like Vinny Curry (Eagles), Willie Young (Bears), and Jeremy Mincey (Cowboys) generating interest. It’s not clear yet whether their respective teams will move them, however.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) also mentions Young in his list of the players he’s heard mentioned the most today. La Canfora’s other names include 49ers tackle Joe Staley, Rams right end Jared Cook, Browns linebackers Paul Kruger and Barkevious Mingo, Raiders wideout Rod Streater, and Chiefs cornerback Marcus Cooper.
Per La Canfora (via Twitter), the Jets are among the teams that have been “sniffing around” pass rushers.
After reporting earlier that the Patriots had interest in Titans cornerback Jason McCourty, Rapoport says he’s now hearing that McCourty is no longer available (Twitter link).

Pats Have Interest In Jason McCourty

November 3rd, 2015 at 12:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Apparently not satisfied with having just one McCourty on the roster, the Patriots have some interest in acquiring cornerback Jason McCourty from the Titans and pairing him with his twin brother Devin McCourty, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). However, Rapoport adds that the two sides aren’t expected to make a deal for now, with less than three hours to go until the trade deadline.

Jason McCourty, selected in the sixth round of the 2009 draft by the Titans, is one of Tennessee’s more effective defenders, racking up 85 tackles to go along with three interceptions a year ago. After missing the first month or so of the season with a groin injury, McCourty has been active for the team’s last four games. He has two more years left on his contract beyond the 2015 season, and is owed a $7MM annual salary in 2016 and 2017.

As for the Patriots, Bill Belichick‘s club is always willing to discuss trades as the deadline nears, having consummated deals on – or a little before – deadline day in each of the last three years. The Pats could use some help at cornerback, but it would be a surprise if the team did anything too splashy in the next few hours.

Extra Points: McCourty, Levitre, Broncos

August 25th, 2015 at 10:14pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rams announced today that they have hired Bud Sasser as their External Football Affairs Coordinator. The wide receiver, as you might recall, was the team’s sixth-round pick in this year’s draft. However, the Rams learned that he would be unable to take the field due to a previously unknown pre-existing heart condition. Despite that, the team signed him to a contract that paid him a signing bonus of more than $113K before releasing him with the non-football related illness designation in June. Now, he’ll work for the organization in a different capacity.

Here’s tonight’s look around the NFL..

After undergoing groin surgery, Titans cornerback Jason McCourty could be out for the first three games of the season and return after the team’s bye week, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Andy Levitre, who signed a blockbuster six-year, $46.8MM free-agent contract in 2013 with the Titans, is openly wondering if there is a spot for him on the team’s roster, David Climer of The Tennessean writes. “If it doesn’t work out here, there’s other places,” Levitre said. Levitre has started all 32 games since joining the Titans but has not lived up to expectations.
The Broncos‘ signing of Evan Mathis could hurt Ben Garland‘s chances of making the roster, Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweets.

AFC Notes: Browns, McCourty, Miller

December 8th, 2014 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

Let’s check in on a few Monday morning links from around the AFC….

In his latest notes post at CBSSports.com, Jason La Canfora touches on a handful of topics, suggesting the Colts should take a flier on Ray Rice, speculating that the Dolphins could make an offseason run at Jim Harbaugh, and arguing that the Chiefs need to consider quarterback options besides Alex Smith for 2015.
It’s time for the Browns to make the switch from Brian Hoyer to Johnny Manziel for the rest of the season, so the team can see what it has for the future, says Tom Reed of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. If Cleveland is going to start Manziel in Week 15, head coach Mike Pettine and the club should make the decision swiftly and announce it soon, rather than letting it linger until the middle of the week again, writes Pat McManamon of ESPN.com.
Hoyer earns a spot on Jason Fitzgerald’s “Stock Down” piece at OverTheCap.com for the second consecutive week, with Fitzgerald suggesting that if the Browns signal-caller gets a chance to start next year, it will likely just be as a stopgap for a team developing a young quarterback. Fitzgerald also writes that the recent play of Titans cornerback Jason McCourty has made him a reasonable candidate to be cut during the offseason.
On the other hand, Percy Harvin‘s performance on Sunday could make the Jets think long and hard about guaranteeing his “bloated” 2015 salary, given the team’s lack of big-play talent on offense, says Fitzgerald in his “Stock Up” post.
Appearing on WSVN in Miami, agent Drew Rosenhaus said yesterday that it’s disappointing the Dolphins don’t use his client – running back Lamar Miller – more often, tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Miller has one year remaining on his rookie contract after this season.