HEADLINES

John Brown

Latest On Cardinals’ Free Agent WRs

March 4th, 2018 at 4:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Two Cardinals free agent wide receivers are already drawing interest around the league: nine clubs are eyeing Jaron Brown, while seven teams have interest on John Brown, according to Mike Jurecki of ArizonaSports.com (Twitter link).Jaron Brown (vertical)

A number of clubs consider Jaron Brown a potential No. 2 wide receiver who can also play special teams, per Jurecki. Brown, 28, posted the best season of his career in 2017 by registering 31 receptions for 477 yards and four touchdowns. He’d previously been a key special teams player for Arizona, but as his role in the Cardinals’ offense grew, his ST playtime decreased. Last year, Brown played on only a third of Arizona’s special teams snaps, a career low.

John Brown, meanwhile, is coming off the worst season of his NFL tenure, as injuries limited him to just 10 games in 2017. During that time, Brown managed only 21 receptions for 299 yards and two scores. As recently as 2015, however, the now 27-year-old Brown put up 65 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns, and he’s now finally healthy, per Jurecki, meaning it shouldn’t be a surprise if clubs see Brown as an upside play.

Extra Points: Vikes, Bills, Cardinals, Patriots

May 17th, 2017 at 9:55pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although his house arrest doesn’t end for another month, newly-signed Vikings wide receiver Michael Floyd will report to Minnesota on Friday after having his confinement transferred from Arizona, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (Twitter links). Floyd was able to secure the transfer because of his change in employment status, but he’ll still need to return to his residence when he’s not training with the Vikings, reports Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. Floyd pleaded guilty to extreme DUI in February.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • The Bills have hired Malik Boyd as their new director of pro personnel, the club announced today. General manager Brandon Beane has worked quickly to revamp Buffalo’s front office, as he’s hired former Texans executive Brian Gaine and former Dolphins staffer Joe Schoen this week. Boyd, meanwhile, has worked for the Cardinals for the past 12 years, and spent the past three season as Arizona’s assistant director of pro scouting. He’s also spent time with the Colts, had a three-year career as an NFL defensive back.
  • In addition to carrying the sickle cell trait, Cardinals wide receiver John Brown was also dealing with a cyst on his spine in 2016, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. Brown has since had the cyst drained, and now says he feels “normal” again, per Weinfuss. Brown, 27, posted the worst season of his three-year career in 2016, as he managed only 39 receptions for 517 yards and two touchdowns. With Floyd now out of the picture, Brown figures to slide into Arizona’s starting lineup full-time, and with his health concerns hopefully behind him, could come closer to his 2015 production (1,000+ yards receiving and seven scores). Brown is slated to earn $1.797MM in 2017 before becoming an unrestricted free agent next spring.
  • The Patriots worked out wide receiver Reggie Diggs on Wednesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Diggs, an undrafted rookie free agent out of Richmond in 2016, landed with Washington last year but spent the entirety of his rookie season on injured reserve. The Redskins waived Diggs earlier this month, and his visit with New England is the first known interest he’s drawn. The Patriots, of course, already have a well-stocked wide receiver depth chart, and auditioned veteran pass-catcher Andrew Hawkins earlier today.
  • The Saints signed former Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas on Monday, but Thomas probably won’t be under center in New Orleans, reports Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. Thomas was listed as a defensive back on the Saints’ roster, and could also play wide receiver, per Triplett. At the Senior Bowl, Thomas played defensive back and kick returner, and worked out as a defensive back, wideout, return man, and quarterback at his Pro Day. Thomas, who stands 5’9″, 185 pounds, ran a 40-yard dash in the 4.3-4.4 second range, so he clearly has the speed required to make a position change.

2017 Proven Performance Escalators

January 17th, 2017 at 6:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

According to the NFL’s contractual bargaining agreement, players drafted in rounds three though seven are entitled to raises during the fourth year of their respective rookie contracts. The pay bumps are tied to playing time — a player must have played in 35% of his team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of his first three seasons, or averaged 35% playing time cumulatively during that period.Donte Moncrief (Vertical)

If one of these thresholds is met, the player’s salary is elevated to the level of that year’s lowest restricted free agent tender — that figure should be around $1.8MM in 2017. Players selected in the first or second round, undrafted free agents, and kickers/punters are ineligible for the proven performance escalator.

Here are the players who will see their salary rise in 2017 courtesy of the proven performance escalator:

49ers: Aaron Lynch, LB; Marcus Martin, OL

Bears: Charles Leno, T; Will Sutton, DT

Bengals: Russell Bodine, C

Bills: Preston Brown, LB; Seantrel Henderson, T

Broncos: Michael Schofield, OL

Browns: Christian Kirksey, LB

Buccaneers: Kevin Pamphile, G

Cardinals: John Brown, WR

Chiefs: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, G; Zach Fulton, G; Phillip Gaines, CB

Colts: Donte Moncrief, WR

Cowboys: Anthony Hitchens, LB

Falcons: Devonta Freeman, RB

Giants: Devon Kennard, LB

Jaguars: Aaron Colvin, CB; Brandon Linder, G; Telvin Smith, LB

Lions: Nevin Lawson, CB; Travis Swanson, C

Packers: Corey Linsley, C; Richard Rodgers, TE

Panthers: Tre Boston, S; Trai Turner, G

Raiders: T.J. Carrie, CB; Justin Ellis, DT; Gabe Jackson, G

Rams: Maurice Alexander, S; E.J. Gaines, CB

Redskins: Bashaud Breeland, CB; Spencer Long, G; Morgan Moses, T

Texans: C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE; Andre Hal, S

Titans: DaQuan Jones, DL; Avery Williamson, LB

Vikings: Shamar Stephen, DT

John Brown Has Sickle-Cell Trait

October 22nd, 2016 at 2:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals listed John Brown as doubtful for Sunday night’s game against the Seahawks, and it’s now believed a sickle-cell trait is contributing to why.

Inconclusive MRIs led the Cardinals to conduct blood tests, and Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com notes those revealed this condition is causing the third-year pass-catcher’s hamstring pain. Brown’s dealt with constant leg discomfort over the past two seasons, and this diagnosis helps explain the issues.

Sickle-cell-afflicted people often don’t see symptoms arise, but muscle pain can be one of them in certain cases, Bob McManaman of the Arizona Daily Republic writes. Bruce Arians said Friday this is likely the cause of the former third-round pick’s frequent leg pain last season. Although it’s not curable, it’s a treatable condition, one that retired safety Ryan Clark played with during his lengthy career.

“We’re investigating how to help him,” Arians said. “I think he’s very happy that he found out why his legs are hurting so bad.”

Brown continued the Cardinals’ borderline-historic run with third-round picks under Arians, whose team selected Tyrann Mathieu, Brown and David Johnson in this round from 2013-15. The 26-year-old target hasn’t gotten off to the same kind of start that pushed him past 1,000 yards last season. The former Division II All-American has 24 receptions for 301 yards and no touchdowns thus far. He jumped from 696 yards as a rookie to 1,003 as a second-year player, one who could take on a bigger role in 2017 if Michael Floyd departs as a free agent or Larry Fitzgerald decides to retire.

King On Lynch, Fairley, Martin, Pats

October 27th, 2014 at 3:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Let’s check out some of the highlights from Peter King’s weekly MMQB column..

  • King agrees with ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and feels that this is the end for Marshawn Lynch in Seattle. However, he doesn’t see him getting moved by Tuesday’s deadline unless the Seahawks are blown away by an offer. Even a team desperate for a running back isn’t going to give the Seahawks anything like the third-round pick that they would need to start considering a deal, King opines. Lynch is set to earn $6.5MM in 2015 but Seattle might cut him loose instead.
  • The Lions initially believed that defensive tackle Nick Fairley hadn’t suffered a season-ending knee injury in London on Sunday, but King is now hearing that the injury is bad. Fairley’s MRI results should be in later today.
  • King notes that on NBC’s Sunday Night Football telecast, Mike Florio noted that the Patriots could be in the market for Buccaneers running back Doug Martin. Martin is in the midst of a down year and injured his ankle yesterday.
  • John Brown was the Cardinals‘ hero on Sunday and that may have surprised some, but not Cardinals GM Steve Keim. When Keim traded the No. 20 pick in the draft to New Orleans for the Nos. 27 and 91, he was hoping and praying Brown would fall to him at No. 91. Brown, who doesn’t have a big program pedigree, was available, and it would appear that the Cards made one heck of a selection.

NFC West Links: Sam, Williams, Harvin, Brown

August 23rd, 2014 at 2:31pm CST by Rob DiRe

As the final cut from 75 to 53 is only a week away, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch takes some time to break down where everyone on the Rams’ roster stands. Thomas divided each player on the roster into one of three categories: safe and sound, on the bubble, or probably not. The big name that is still on the bubble is rookie defensive end Michael Sam. With a crowded defensive line, Sam has only a week left to make his final impression and land on the team’s roster.

Here are some other links from around the NFC West:

  • While Brian Hoyer has earned the starting job for the Browns, Rams‘ head coach Jeff Fisher is looking forward to seeing a lot of Johnny Manziel, writes Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat. “I’m hoping he gets to play a lot,” Fisher said. “He’s an outstanding athlete, and he’ll test our defense if he breaks the pocket and takes off running.”
  • 49ers‘ Ian Williams had won the starting nose tackle job last season before being sidelined with an injury, but he is healthy again and head coach Jim Harbaugh thinks he looks better than he did before the fractured leg, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “Just in the movement, in the quickness, the burst of separation, driving to the ball,” Harbaugh said. “He looks better than before. That’s what I’ve seen so far.”
  • Seahawks‘ receiver Percy Harvin has flashed his playmaking ability this preseason, and has fans imagining what he could do if he stays healthy for a full season, writes Dave Boling of the News Tribune. “The Seahawks finished 18th in the NFL in offensive gains last season,” writes Boling. “Harvin will get them near the top 10 with his efforts alone.”
  • Harvin has drawn praise from his fellow Seahawks as well, with quarterback Russell Wilson touting his top target, writes Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “What Percy brings to the offense is grit, and a desire to get into the end zone, a desire to get the ball in his hands and make something happen,” said Wilson. “Every time he touches the football, he’s either going to run over you or run by you, one of the two. That’s what he brings to the table, his explosive mentality.”
  • Cardinals‘ rookie receiver John Brown has taken camp by storm, and Peter King of Sports Illustrated is the latest to join the bandwagon of praising the young Division II wideout. King notes that he has had success working in a number of different packages and should be heavily involved in the offense this season.

NFC Links: Saints, Bucs, Cardinals, Vikings, Packers

August 11th, 2014 at 10:38pm CST by Ben Levine

The Saints’ 2014 roster isn’t likely to match or exceed the total of eight undrafted free agents who earned spots on the roster or practice squad a year ago, but the team prides itself on finding hidden gems, as GM Mickey Loomis tells Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune.

“Our college scouting staff takes a lot of pride in finding guys that no one’s heard about, or small college guys, and finding a trait that each one has that transfers to the NFL,” Loomis said. “It’s also a great credit to our coaching staff being willing to look at player and not worry about how we acquired them but just go by what we see and going by what their potential is to fit within our scheme offensively and defensively. We’ve had a lot of success with undrafted free agents, and I think that’s going to continue.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC…

  • Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that the Buccaneers have real interest in 49ers guard Alex Boone if the price is right (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). However, another source told Rapoport that there’s been no “real” conversations between the two sides.
  • The Buccaneers could use some help on the offensive line, and coach Lovie Smith was asked if the team would consider Richie Incognito. “[A]ll players are looked at and [if] we think they could fit we bring them in,” he told the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud (via Twitter). 
  • Rookie wide receiver John Brown continues to make a “buzz” at Cardinals camp, tweets CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora. Considering the team’s depth at the position, La Canfora suggests that the team could carry six wideouts on their final roster.
  • ESPN’s Ben Goessling tweets that Vikings tight end Chase Ford is getting close to a return and may not need to start the season on the PUP list.
  • Packers running back Rajion Neal caught the eyes of coaches after he ran for 39 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown, on five carries in the team’s preseason opener. Unfortunately, the undrafted rookie suffered a knee injury in the third quarter, and he understands that he has to get healthy quickly if he hopes to make the squad. “I’ve got to play; there ain’t no way around it,” Neal told ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. “Being in the position I’m in, I can’t afford it.”

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Rookie Notes: Clowney, Bortles, Manziel, Beckham Jr., Cooks

June 27th, 2014 at 11:12am CST by Matt Feminis

This week, Texans top overall pick Jedeveon Clowney opened up about the sports hernia injury he had surgically repaired two weeks ago, admitting the injury bothered him as far back as last football season. The Houston Chronicle’s John McClain has the story of Clowney revealing the information to Gil Brandt, while Pro Football Talk wonders if the Texans should have known.

In other rookie news and notes…

  • Jaguars third-overall pick Blake Bortles will receive first-team reps in training camp, writes NFL.com’s Mike Coppinger.
  • Meanwhile, Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel continues to be a lightning rod even during the slowest of news periods, as he told Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, “I’m not going to change for anybody.” A couple of Hall of Famers advise Manziel to stay out of the non-football headlines, though. Joe Montana weighed in on NFL Network, while Warren Moon talked to Alex Marvez and Pat Kirwan SiriusXM NFL Radio.
  • “[Draft picks] better all contribute right away, whether it be on special teams, defense, offense, whatever it is they’re going to be,” Giants head coach Tom Coughlin tells Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. “There’s no waiting around in this game today.” With that in mind, Raanan examined realistic expectations for rookie receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
  • The ingenuity of the Saints’ offensive system should enable first-rounder Brandin Cooks to thrive given the rookie’s explosiveness, playmaking and versatility, asserts SI.com’s Doug Farrar.
  • Bleacher Report’s Dan Hope highlights ten rookies already making favorable impressions and earning early reps, including the Raiders’ Gabe Jackson, the Cardinals’ John Brown.

Extra Points: Mathieu, Strozier, Ravens

May 18th, 2014 at 7:52pm CST by David Kipke

Cardinals GM Steve Keim says that he has not ruled out a Week 1 return for injured defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, according to Brent Sobleski of USA Today. After having an impactful start to his rookie campaign last season, Mathieu tore both his ACL and LCL in his left knee in a Week 14 matchup against the Rams. Lets look at a few other news bits from around the league:

  • In a mailbag post, John Clayton of ESPN wrote that rookie wide receivers were impressive around the league during rookie mini-camps. He noted that Sammy Watkins of the Bills and John Brown of the Cardinals shined particularly brightly.
  • The Ravens gave UDFA Jerry Rice Jr. good feedback following his workout with the team, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Although the UNLV product was not offered a deal, he is on the Ravens’ emergency list should they look further for additional receiving options.
  • The Ravens also are impressed with former North Carolina tackle James Hurst. Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times, points out that Hurst, who plays left tackle, would join the likes of Justin Tucker and Priest Holmes if he were to catch on as a major contributor with the Ravens as an UDFA.
  • Former BYU standout receiver Cody Hoffman is hoping to catch on with the Redskins, according to Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.

Cards Sign Second-Round Pick Troy Niklas

May 15th, 2014 at 5:45pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals announced that they have signed second-round pick Troy Niklas, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The club also announced officially the signings of third round picks Kareem Martin and John Brown.

Niklas, a tight end out of Notre Dame, is a solid blocker but he also had 32 catches for 498 yards and five touchdowns in 2013, so opposing defenses will have to respect his pass catching ability. The Cardinals used offensive tackle Bobby Massie in jumbo packages last season, but plugging Niklas in that role in 2014 will help keep defenses honest. Arizona General Manager Steve Keim feels like he has a hybrid in Niklas and believes that he has an incredibly high ceiling. “This, to me, is a guy who could really transcend into being one of the top all-around tight ends at some point in his career,” Keim said, according to Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com.

We learned earlier today that the Cards agreed to terms with Martin, a defensive end out of UNC. Division II Pittsburg State isn’t known as a football powerhouse, but Brown, taken with the No. 91 overall pick, showed that he was NFL material during his time there. A three-time Division II All-American, the wide receiver virtually re-wrote the record books, setting new watermarks in career catches (185), receiving yards (3,330), and touchdowns (32).