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Jordan Evans

LB Jordan Evans Retires

April 22nd, 2024 at 9:10am CST by Adam La Rose

Jordan Evans last played in the NFL during the 2021 season, but he had seen spring league time more recently. Instead of another campaign in either capacity, the veteran linebacker has brought his career to an end.

Evans announced he has retired from football after playing five seasons in the NFL, all with the Bengals. The 29-year-old had his 2021 campaign cut short by an ACL tear, and he was out of football altogether the following season. In total, Evans made 65 appearances in Cincinnati, starting nine games across his first two years with the team.

The Oklahoma product’s most impactful campaign came in 2018, when he totaled 61 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Evans added three pass breakups and one of his two career interceptions that year, but from that point on he was primarily used on special teams. Following the end of his NFL tenure, the former sixth-rounder played with the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons before the league’s merger with the USFL.

The newly-created UFL held a dispersal draft this winter, and Evans was selected by the DC Defenders. He was waived shortly thereafter, however, which led to this decision to hang up his cleats. Evans was one of several linebackers who worked out for the Cowboys last October before their Rashaan Evans signing. He will not pursue a repeat of that attempted NFL comeback.

“Over the many years of my football career, I have dedicated so much time, hard work, dedication and sacrifice to hit the goals I have set for myself,” Evans’ announcement reads in part. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed what this journey has been. I’ve enjoyed every game, practice, workout, wins, and losses, ups and downs.”

Evans played out his rookie contract with Cincinnati before re-signing on a one-year deal. That brought his career NFL earnings to $3.77MM. He will now turn his attention to his post-playing days rather than attempting to find a new spring league opportunity.

Cowboys Expected To Sign LB Rashaan Evans

October 11th, 2023 at 11:34am CST by Sam Robinson

11:34am: Although the Cowboys worked out four linebackers today, they are expected to go with the highest-profile name among that contingent. Rashaan Evans is expected to sign with the team, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reports. This would be a fourth NFL home for Evans, though his third (Philadelphia) did not produce any game action. The former Titans and Falcons starter, however, figures to be part of the Cowboys’ 53-man roster — via direct signing or the practice squad promotion route — soon. Per Archer, Evans will initially land on the P-squad. Though, it should be expected he will vault to the 53-man roster in the near future.

8:53am: Leighton Vander Esch is expected to land on IR, opening the door to questions at the Cowboys’ linebacker position. Although 2022 stopgap Anthony Barr remains unattached, the Cowboys are looking in another direction in the aftermath of Vander Esch’s latest neck issue.

Rashaan Evans will meet with the team Wednesday, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Evans spent time with the Eagles recently but requested a release from the defending NFC champions’ practice squad, eyeing other opportunities. This would qualify as a high-profile chance, should the Cowboys view the former first-rounder as a fit.

While Evans has a Falcons past, he did not overlap with Dan Quinn in Atlanta. The Falcons used Evans as a one-and-done starter in 2022, with ex-Titans OC Arthur Smith bringing in the former Tennessee top pick. Evans started throughout the ’22 season and loomed as an option to stay in Atlanta, but nothing materialized. Evans then waited for several months for an opportunity. Evans caught on with the Eagles’ P-squad shortly after the team lost Nakobe Dean in Week 1, but he was gone days later, aiming for a chance to sign elsewhere. Teams can poach players off P-squads, but the player’s options narrow in those transactions.

Evans going this long without another opportunity is a bit strange. The Alabama product led the Falcons in tackles — by a substantial margin — last season, totaling 159. That number doubled as a runaway career-high mark, as Evans only topped 100 tackles in one Titans season. Tennessee did not pick up Evans’ fifth-year option in 2021, leading to his 2022 defection. The Falcons landed Evans on a one-year, $1.75MM contract.

Pro Football Focus rated Evans just outside the top 50 among off-ball linebackers last season. A buyer’s market formed at the position, however, limited young veterans’ options. Many starter-caliber linebackers fetched deals worth between $5-$7MM per year. Vander Esch landed just south of this bracket, scoring a two-year accord worth $8MM. Evans, 27, was among those on the outside looking in. But the six-year Cowboys starter’s injury could lead to a shot with a third team.

Vander Esch, 27, is expected to miss at least a month with a neck strain. Considering the neck trouble the 2018 first-round pick has battled in the past, it would not surprise to see his recovery timetable lengthened. Vander Esch, who went off the ’18 draft board three spots before Evans, has seen neck injuries limit his earning potential. The Boise State product has missed time with neck trouble in multiple seasons, with a spinal stenosis issue leading to lower-level second and third contracts with the Cowboys. While Dallas kept Vander Esch in its plans, a lucrative extension path never formed despite a dominant rookie season.

In not re-signing Barr, the Cowboys went with second-year player Damone Clark alongside Vander Esch. Quinn said the prospect of Micah Parsons playing more at linebacker is in play, but considering the Defensive Player of the Year candidate’s value as an edge rusher, that might ultimately be deemed counterproductive. Dallas also lost third-round rookie linebacker Demarvion Overshown to an ACL tear this summer. The team has used P-squad elevation Malik Jefferson as a backup option this season; he figures to factor in more prominently following Vander Esch’s injury.

The Cowboys have also brought in Tanner Vallejo, Brandon Smith and Jordan Evans for this linebacker workout, per the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins and ESPN’s Todd Archer. Jordan Evans started nine games for the Bengals from 2017-18; he has not played in a regular-season game since 2021 but saw action for the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons. A six-year veteran who started seven Cardinals games from 2021-22, Vallejo did not make the Vikings’ 53-man roster out of camp. The Panthers drafted Smith in the 2022 fourth round; he played in 12 games as a rookie.

NFL COVID-19 Updates: 1/21/22

January 21st, 2022 at 9:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are the COVID-19 updates of the last few days from around the league:

Cincinnati Bengals

Tennessee Titans

  • Placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Greg Mabin

 

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/3/22

January 3rd, 2022 at 8:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are Monday’s activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OT Mike Remmers (remains on IR)

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Raymond Calais (remains on IR)

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Bengals’ Jordan Evans Done For Year

October 11th, 2021 at 9:30am CST by Zachary Links

Bengals linebacker Jordan Evans has been diagnosed with a torn ACL (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). That’ll be a season-ender for the fifth-year pro, so the Bengals will place him on the injured reserve list later today. 

Evans went down late in the second quarter on Sunday. The Bengals went on to lose to the Packers in OT, dropping them to 3-2 on the year. His season will end with five tackles in five games.

Evans, a 2017 sixth-round pick, has appeared in 64 games with nine career starts. They’ve mostly used him on special teams since 2019; some believed that he would see more defensive snaps this year. That didn’t happen through five games, and the ACL tear means he won’t get an opportunity to crack the rotation.

All in all, Evans has 110 tackles, 3.5 sacks, seven pass defenses, and two interceptions as a pro. He could still hold interest as a special teamer in the spring — last year, Pro Football Focus assigned him a special teams grade of 77.6, good for No. 3 on the Bengals.

Bengals Re-Sign Jordan Evans

March 28th, 2021 at 3:47pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bengals have re-signed linebacker Jordan Evans to a one-year deal, per a club announcement. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed. 

[RELATED: Bengals Tried To Sign Joe Thuney]

Evans, a 2017 sixth-round pick, has appeared in 60 games over the last four years. In 2019 and 2020, the Bengals used him mostly on special teams. This year, he may have an opportunity to get back into the defensive rotation, especially if linebacker Josh Bynes isn’t re-signed.

Now set to enter his fifth pro season, Evans will look to build on his 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks, seven pass defenses, and two interceptions. Even if he doesn’t see an uptick in snaps, he figures to continue in his key role on special teams. Last year, Pro Football Focus assigned him a special teams grade of 77.6, good for No. 3 on the team. Meanwhile, Cethan Carter, Cincy’s top-ranked ST player, is out of the picture after joining the Dolphins.

 

Draft Pick Signings: 5/15/17

May 15th, 2017 at 8:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are today’s draft pick signings, with teams continuing to work on their Day 3 additions.

  • The Bengals added five draft choices on Monday — including five of their final six picks in an 11-selection draft. Cincinnati reached agreements with fourth-round defensive tackle Ryan Glasgow (Michigan), fifth-round kicker Jake Elliott (Memphis), sixth-round linebacker Jordan Evans (Oklahoma), sixth-round safety Brandon Wilson (Houston) and seventh-round tight end Mason Schreck (Buffalo). This large draft contingent will bring about heavy roster competition, with 11 roster spots likely unavailable. Elliott was one of three kickers taken in the draft, but the other two came off the board in the seventh round. He and Randy Bullock figure to battle for a job.
  • Fourth-round safety Eddie Jackson signed his Bears deal. The Alabama product will step into a safety corps that includes recently signed Quintin Demps and two-year starter Adrian Amos.
  • Continuing the string of fourth-round signings, the Colts and tackle Zach Banner (USC) agreed to terms. Banner could provide depth or possibly compete for a starting spot on the right side of Indianapolis’ offensive line, which is less settled than the left side. The Colts did not use another pick on a blocker after having four offensive linemen from their 2016 draft class on the roster.