HEADLINES

Jeremy Hill

Former Bengals RB Jeremy Hill Retires

May 24th, 2023 at 8:14pm CST by Ely Allen

Nine years after his NFL debut in Cincinnati, running back Jeremy Hill has reportedly retired from football, announcing the move on his Instagram account yesterday. Hill had refused to give up on a return to the NFL despite not having appeared in a game since Week 1 of the 2018 season, but nearly five years after that final appearance, he’s finally ready to hang up his cleats.

Hill showed immediate promise as a second-round rookie out of LSU, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards as a rookie. Despite having to split carries with Giovani Bernard, a second-round pick in the prior year, Hill earned a consistent workshare in each of his first three seasons as Cincinnati gave him 222, 223, and 222 rush attempts in 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively. Over that period, Hill rewarded them with 2,757 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns.

In 2017, the final year of Hill’s rookie contact, he began to lose carries to the team’s newest second-round running back, Joe Mixon. With Mixon starting to take the driver’s seat, Hill’s role lessened up until the point in the year when an ankle injury landed him on injured reserve after seven games, ending his season. That injury was the beginning of the end for Hill.

The next year, Hill signed with the Patriots as a free agent on a one-year deal. After a preseason battle with Mike Gillislee, Hill won the RB3-spot behind Rex Burkhead and James White. Unfortunately, Hill would tear his ACL in the third quarter of his first game for New England, ending what would be the last season of his career.

After a year removed from the sport, Hill was able to earn a contract with the Raiders after working out with the Lions and Titans, as well. Less than a week later, though, the Raiders moved on from Hill, satisfied with their depth of Josh Jacobs, Devontae Booker, Jalen Richard, and Rod Smith. Despite only being 27 years old at the time, teams stopped calling on Hill. He announced that he would get back on the field by entering the XFL draft last November but never landed with a team.

In the Instagram post, Hill cites the fateful ACL injury as the key reason that he will no longer pursue professional football as a career. It truly marked the beginning of the end of a career that began with so much promise before fizzling out due to injuries.

Raiders To Release RB Jeremy Hill

August 5th, 2020 at 1:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Less than a week after agreeing to terms with Jeremy Hill, the Raiders are moving on. They are releasing the former Bengals starting running back, Vic Tafur of The Athletic tweets.

Hill has not played in a game since Week 1 of the 2018 season. The Raiders’ running back room will return to its previous setup. This move also comes shortly after the team removed offseason addition Devontae Booker from its reserve/COVID-19 list.

The Raiders’ backfield depth chart consists of Josh Jacobs, Jalen Richard, Rod Smith and Booker. Hill may well have been insurance in case Booker was sidelined for an extensive period. As a vested veteran, Hill will not have to pass through waivers.

A former Bengals second-round pick, Hill signed with the Patriots after an injury-marred 2017 season. He suffered an ACL tear in Week 1 of the 2018 slate and was out of football last season.

While Hill is still just 27, he is running out of chances. The LSU product worked out for the Lions and Titans last season but went unsigned. Hill amassed 29 touchdowns in his first three seasons and eclipsed 1,100 rushing yards as a rookie. He has not, however, cleared 4.0 yards per carry since his 2014 debut campaign.

Raiders Expected To Sign Jeremy Hill

July 31st, 2020 at 3:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

3:49pm: This deal looks like it will come together. The Raiders indeed plan to sign Hill, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, though an agreement will be contingent on the former second-round pick passing a physical and a COVID-19 test.

3:40pm: The Raiders are looking to add to their running back group. They are hosting Jeremy Hill on a visit Friday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

Hill, who has not played since the 2018 season, last popped up on the radar when he visited the Titans in November 2019. Under the current pandemic-reshaped landscape, teams are only allowed to bring in players for visits if they are seriously considering signing them. Hill may have a chance to continue his career in Las Vegas.

The former Bengals and Patriots running back would join a Raiders group that houses Josh Jacobs, Jalen Richard, Rod Smith and Devontae Booker. The latter, however, resides on Las Vegas’ reserve/COVID-19 list. The Raiders placed Booker, a 2020 addition, on the list Thursday.

Still just 27, Hill is attempting to come back after suffering another serious injury. He suffered an ACL tear in Week 1 of the 2018 season. His 2017 season in Cincinnati ended in an IR stay due to an ankle malady.

The LSU product rushed for a career-high 1,124 yards as a rookie in 2014 and scored a career-best 12 touchdowns in 2015. He rushed for nine TDs in 2016. Since, Hill has not delivered much in the way of notable work. He played in only seven 2017 games, after Joe Mixon‘s Cincinnati arrival, and has not averaged more than four yards per carry in a season since his rookie year. But the Raiders are planning to offer the veteran another chance despite a near-two-year hiatus.

Titans Work Out RB Jeremy Hill

November 13th, 2019 at 6:54pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Titans recently worked out running back Jeremy Hill, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). While Hill’s audition reportedly went “very well,” Wilson says Tennessee will not be signing Hill at this time.

Hill, now 26, enjoyed several seasons as the Bengals’ main ball-carrier 2014 to 2016, averaging 222 carries, 919 yards, and 10 touchdowns during that time. 2014 and 2015, notably, were especially productive campaigns for Hill, as he ranked as a top-12 back in Football Outsiders’ success rate metric in both seasons.

Hill was Cincinnati’s nominal starter in 2017 even after the club used a second-round pick on Joe Mixon, but Hill went down with a ankle injury in November and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. He inked a one-year, $1.5MM deal with New England prior to the 2018 campaign and was listed as the team’s third running back, but his season ended after he tore his ACL in Week 1.

Tennessee doesn’t necessarily need help at running back — Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis are more than capable of handling the load, so Hill’s audition was probably more about updating the Titans’ emergency list. Hill also worked out for the Lions this year.

Lions Work Out RB Jeremy Hill

October 18th, 2019 at 3:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions made a backfield swap this week, adding Tra Carson and jettisoning Paul Perkins. They may not be done looking at options.

Jeremy Hill worked out for the Lions, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). This is Hill’s first known workout since a torn ACL ended his 2018 after one game. The former Bengals back categorized himself as close to returning as of July, and he’s now ready to audition for teams.

The former second-round pick latched on with the Patriots on a one-year deal in 2018. But the knee injury scuttled his chances of contributing to last season’s Super Bowl champions.

Hill has struggled with multiple injuries over the past two seasons. Set to 27 this weekend, Hill does have three seasons in which he cleared 790 rushing yards. They came from 2014-16, with 2014 being the only time he surpassed 4.0 yards per carry.

Kerryon Johnson, Ty Johnson, J.D. McKissic and Carson reside on the Lions’ roster. It’s possible the Lions opted for a Carson waiver claim over Hill, but other teams may soon inquire about the five-year veteran.

Running back Jeremy Cox also showed his stuff for Detroit on Friday, as Howard Balzer tweets.

Latest On Free Agent RB Jeremy Hill

July 11th, 2019 at 8:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent running back Jeremy Hill barely logged any time with the Patriots before going down with a torn ACL in Week 1 of the 2018 season, but he says he’s nearly ready to return to the field.

“I think for me coming off a big ACL injury, I’m just doing what I can to get back to 100%,” Hill said, per Herbie Teope of the Advocate. “I know there’s going to be a job waiting on me when I get cleared, so that’s all I’m doing now. I’m just trying to get healthy and once that happens, I’ll be back. I’m pretty close. I’m about eight months out of surgery, so hopefully soon.”

Hill, now 26, enjoyed several seasons as the Bengals’ main ball-carrier 2014 to 2016, averaging 222 carries, 919 yards, and 10 touchdowns during that time. 2014 and 2015, notably, were especially productive campaigns for Hill, as he ranked as a top-12 back in Football Outsiders’ success rate metric in both seasons.

Hill was Cincinnati’s nominal starter in 2017 even after the club used a second-round pick on Joe Mixon, but Hill went down with a ankle injury in November and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. He inked a one-year, $1.5MM deal with New England and was listed as the team’s third running back, but the aforementioned ACL injury ended his season.

With training camp fast approaching, Hill remains on the open market alongside fellow free agent backs Jay Ajayi, LeGarrette Blount, Corey Grant, and Chris Ivory, among others.

East Rumors: Cowboys, Patriots, Michel, Jets

November 6th, 2018 at 9:24pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee aggravated his hamstring injury in Monday night’s game against the Titans and will be sidelined for “a little bit,” head coach Jason Garrett told reporters, including Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Lee, of course, has had problems staying healthy throughout his lengthy career, as he’s never played a full 16-game slate and just recently missed Weeks 4-6. While Dallas’ defense has historically posted vastly inferior production without Lee on the field, those splits have become less stark thanks to the excellent play of fellow Cowboys linebackers Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • Lee isn’t the only member of the Cowboys expected to be sidelined for multiple weeks, as left guard Connor Williams is likely to require knee surgery that will knock him out of action for a few games, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News. Williams’ injury isn’t season-ending, but he’s going to have to sit out for several weeks as he recovers. The 50th overall selection in the 2018 draft, Williams has been a middling option at guard this season, ranking 42nd among 75 positional qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Per George, it’s unclear how the Cowboys will replace Williams, but La’el Collins — a former guard — won’t be moved off right tackle.
  • In the AFC, we have news on two injured Patriots running backs, including rookie Sony Michel. Michel suffered a knee injury against the Bears in Week 7 and hasn’t played since, but he’s on track to return against the Titans on Sunday, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. New England hasn’t had any trouble in its backfield even without Michel thanks to the efforts of James White and Cordarrelle Patterson, but Michel — who managed at least 18 carries and touchdown in Weeks 4-6 — will give the Patriots a more balanced attack.
  • Fellow Patriots running back Jeremy Hill announced on Twitter that he underwent surgery for his torn ACL on Monday. Hill suffered his knee injury in Week 1, but players will often wait on surgery for a variety of reasons. Hill, who is in his first season with New England, may have waited for swelling to subside, or, as Kevin Duffy of the Boston Herald tweets, Hill could have hoped to restore range of motion prior to an operation. After inking a one-year, $1.5MM deal this offseason, Hill will hit free agency next spring entering his age-27 campaign.
  • Is offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates the right play-caller to lead Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold‘s development? That’s the question Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News attempts to answer in his most recent column, noting that Darnold has displayed signs of progress despite his high interception totals.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/10/18

September 10th, 2018 at 7:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Here are today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

Patriots Lose RB Jeremy Hill For Season

September 10th, 2018 at 2:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jeremy Hill‘s hopes at rebounding and establishing himself with the Patriots this season endured a crushing blow in Week 1.

The fifth-year running back suffered a torn ACL during New England’s win over Houston, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). Hill will miss the rest of the season.

A sequence involving Hill trying to make a tackle after a Rob Gronkowski fumble resulted in the injury that will end the former second-round pick’s season. Hill was down for several minutes after the play. Prior to that sequence, however, Hill played well. He gained 25 rushing yards on four carries and caught a pass. His highlight of his ultimately brief 2018 season was blocking a punt in the Pats’ 27-20 win.

Hill signed with the Patriots after his stock trended down as his Bengals run concluded. He received just 37 carries last season and played in just seven games, an injury bringing an early end to his Cincinnati game work. The former 1,100-yard rusher was a full-time player during his previous three seasons with the Bengals.

He signed a one-year deal with the Patriots and will end up collecting his $1MM salary, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, who adds that Hill had $281K tied up in additional per-game roster bonuses (Twitter link).

The Patriots’ running back corps has seen some eventful happenings in 2018. Dion Lewis, Mike Gillislee and Brandon Bolden are no longer part of the equation, and Sony Michel suffered an injury that wiped out most of his training camp. The Patriots released Gillislee after Hill had beaten him out for the team’s big-back role during the preseason, leading Gillislee to the Saints. James White and Rex Burkhead remain healthy, however, and will continue to be counted on as reliable cogs in this evolving committee.

Contract Details: Cousins, Graham, Davis

March 18th, 2018 at 9:32pm CST by Micah Powell

Let’s take a look at the most recent new contracts around the NFL:

  • Kirk Cousins, QB (Vikings): Three years, $84MM. Guaranteed salaries of $22.5MM, $27.5MM and $29.5MM. Guaranteed $500K workout bonuses each year. Up to $2MM in incentives per year. No-trade clause and a no-transition tag provision in 2021 (Twitter link via Dan Graziano of ESPN).
  • Jimmy Graham, TE (Packers): Three years, $30MM. $11MM signing bonus, $300K per-game roster bonuses each year. $2MM base salary in 2018, $3.45MM in 2019 and $7.45MM in 2020. $5.67MM 2018 cap number. $5MM roster bonus due on third day of 2019 season (Twitter links via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, ESPN’s Rob Demovsky and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein).
  • Demario Davis, LB (Saints): Three years, $24MM. $16MM guaranteed. $9.2MM signing bonus. Annual salaries of $850K, $5.95MM (guaranteed) and $7.35MM. (Twitter links via Graziano and Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
  • Jeremy Hill, RB (Patriots): One year, $1.5MM. $150K signing bonus. $1M base salary. (via Pelissero, on Twitter, and ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss).
  • Bruce Ellington, WR (Texans): One year, $1.25MM. $730K base salary, $200K signing bonus (via Wilson, on Twitter).
Load More Posts