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Kelvin Beachum

AFC South Notes: Texans, Savage, Jaguars

August 22nd, 2016 at 8:24pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Third-year pro Tom Savage is the Texans’ backup quarterback, head coach Bill O’Brien told reporters, including Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I think [Savage] is No. 2 right now, but that’s not to say that [Brandon] Weeden hasn’t done a good job,” said O’Brien. “I think Weeden has really improved. Tom has been in our system for three years, Weeden’s only been in it for about eight months or close to a year.” Weeden signed a two-year deal with Houston this offseason that includes $450K guaranteed, so it seems unlikely that they’d part ways this soon.

Here’s more from the AFC South:

  • While Chris Ivory and T.J. Yeldon are atop the Jaguars‘ running back depth chart, the club has several interesting players competing for time — or a roster spot — at the end of the backfield list, as Phillip Heilman of the Florida Times-Union writes. Denard Robinson, Joe Banyard, and Corey Grant are all vying for action at the end of the roster, and because Jacksonville doesn’t plan to carry a fullback, it’s possible all three could make the squad. But which of the trio is active on gamedays could come down to special teams, where Grant and Banyard excel. Robinson, on the other hand, played on only 20% of the Jaguars’ ST snaps a year ago.
  • As they prepare to block for those running backs, the Jaguars‘ offensive line is still not set, as Hays Carlyon of the Florida Times-Union details. Free agent signee Kelvin Beachum was supposed to be slotted in as the club’s left tackle, but he’s been slow to recover from a torn ACL and hasn’t taken many live reps. Former No. 2 overall pick Luke Joeckel, meanwhile, was scheduled to transition from left tackle to guard, but given Beachum’s condition, Joeckel hasn’t had much practice on the interior. Jacksonville’s coaching staff is still hopeful that the situation can be ironed before Week 1, however.
  • The Texans‘ injury settlement with cornerback Richard Leonard is worth $176,294, according to Wilson. That’s nine weeks salary at a rate of $330K.
  • Earlier tonight, the Colts signed veteran cornerback Antonio Cromartie to a one-year deal after learning that fellow defensive back Vontae Davis will be sidelined for at least the first month of the season.

Jags Notes: Beachum, Joeckel, Cyprien, Sample

March 26th, 2016 at 6:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Jaguars won’t have a competition at left tackle between Luke Joeckel and free agent pickup Kelvin Beachum, according to Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com. Instead, the job will belong to Beachum if he’s able to return successfully from a torn ACL. Beachum – who signed a unique deal earlier this month that could be worth either $4.5MM for one year or $44.5MM over five years – said Friday that he does indeed expect to start when Week 1 rolls around in September. That’s bad news for Joeckel, who has started in all 35 career appearances since the Jaguars drafted him second overall in 2013. The 24-year-old hasn’t lived up to his draft status, though, and could end up in a reserve role in 2016.

Here are more notes on the Jaguars, all of which come courtesy of O’Halloran:

  • Jacksonville must decide by early May whether to exercise Joeckel’s fifth-year option for 2017, but O’Halloran expects the club to decline it because doing otherwise would kill the lineman’s trade value. If the Jags pick up the option, it would guarantee Joeckel upward of $11MM in 2017, though only in the event of a serious injury. Teams wouldn’t want to risk acquiring Joeckel and being stuck with that kind of financial commitment in the event of a nightmare scenario like, say, a torn Achilles. On the other hand, a version of Joeckel who doesn’t come with a 2017 option attached might appeal to clubs looking for help at left tackle next season.
  • Like Joeckel, safety Jonathan Cyprien could go from No. 1 to backup in 2016. Cyprien, a second-rounder in 2012, has started all 44 of his appearances, but he seems in danger of losing his job to James Sample. Cyprien had a team-high 21 missed tackles last season and hasn’t established himself as a playmaker, O’Halloran notes. As a fourth-rounder last year, Sample doesn’t have Cyprien’s draft pedigree, and he only appeared in four games (two starts) as a rookie because of a shoulder injury. Nonetheless, he has an important fan in head coach Gus Bradley. “We’ve seen flashes of Sample,” Bradley said. “His instincts — he’s a very good football player. In similar ways to Dante [Fowler], Sample is like another draft pick coming in.”
  • Denard Robinson was second to T.J. Yeldon among Jags running backs with 88 touches (67 rushes, 21 receptions) and 430 total yards last season, but the acquisition of Chris Ivory could make playing time scarce. Bradley insists the team isn’t going to phase Robinson out of its offense, though. “He’ll get in there, too,” Bradley said. “He’s our speed back. Again, a different style of running back.”

Extra Points: Richardson, RG3, Beachum, Cowboys

March 25th, 2016 at 9:44pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent running back Trent Richardson expects to sign with the Ravens before the start of their voluntary conditioning program on April 18, he told Matt Zenitz of AL.com as part of a highly interesting, recommended piece. Richardson looked on the verge of signing with the team in late February, which obviously didn’t happen, but head coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week that he thinks a deal will get done. The delay is thanks in part to Richardson’s conditioning.

When he visited the Ravens in February, Richardson didn’t expect to work out with the team. The Ravens had other ideas, though, and after eating heavily both the night before and the morning of the meeting, Richardson weighed in at 238 pounds. General manager Ozzie Newsome told Richardson that “we really want you here,” but with the caveat that the four-year veteran would first have to get his weight down to 225 pounds. Richardson is now at 218, his lightest weight since high school, and is hoping to play more like the Alabama back who went third in the 2012 draft than the disappointing pro version who couldn’t even crack anyone’s roster last season.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • The Browns’ Robert Griffin III will head to Los Angeles to conduct offseason workouts with quarterback guru Tom House, reports Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. House, an ex-Major League Baseball pitcher who’s close with Browns head coach Hue Jackson, has worked with Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Andy Dalton, Carson Palmer, Terrelle Pryor, A.J. McCarron, Alex Smith and Tim Tebow in the past. He spent a large portion of last offseason with Dalton, who went on to have a career year.
  • Recently signed Jaguars offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum, who’s recovering from a torn ACL, told Tom Pelissero of SiriusXM NFL that he will put on a knee brace next week and begin football movements. “I’ll be starting Week 1,” Beachum added (Twitter link). In order to do that, Beachum will have to beat out incumbent No. 1 left tackle Luke Joeckel.
  • The Cowboys are the latest of seven teams that have ventured to UCLA to work out offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch, reports Gil Brandt of NFL.com (on Twitter). Benenoch is regarded as a potential top-75 draft choice.
  • Saints head coach Sean Payton isn’t a fan of today’s football helmets, saying, “[W]e’re way behind where should be right now with what we’re putting on the players.” However, he expects the safety of helmets to improve at “warp speed” over the next couple years, per Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. “If you took the analogy of an automobile in the ’60s and ’70s and how much of the impact passengers received in a collision and fast-forward to where we are now … I think the same thing is happening and needs to happen with the helmet that we’re wearing,” Payton stated.

Jaguars Notes: Kiffin, Draft, Hurns, Beachum

March 21st, 2016 at 1:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jaguars made a big-name addition to their coaching staff today, formally announcing that veteran NFL coach Monte Kiffin would be joining the team as a defensive assistant. Kiffin, formerly the defensive coordinator in Dallas, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, and Minnesota, served in 2014 and 2015 as an assistant head coach for the Cowboys. In 2016, he’ll work with a unit that will be adding Malik Jackson, Prince Amukamara, and 2015 first-rounder Dante Fowler Jr., among others.

Here’s more on the Jaguars:

  • In addition to hiring Kiffin, the Jaguars also announced a couple more coaching changes, adding John Benton as assistant offensive line coach and John Donovan as offensive quality control coach.
  • GM Dave Caldwell is open to the idea of moving down in the draft, suggesting to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union that he’d be willing to go from No. 5 overall to “somewhere in the early teens.” Caldwell’s comments suggest that the Jags probably feel the top of the draft is fairly deep, and that the team will keep an eye out for opportunities to add another early pick.
  • Caldwell acknowledged that the Jaguars may look into a contract extension for wide receiver Allen Hurns this offseason now that he’s eligible for a new deal. “I think we’ll wait until after the draft to see where we’re at,” Caldwell said, per O’Halloran. “And if we did anything, it would be before the season.” I’d be surprised if Jacksonville gets anything done with Hurns this year, since he won’t be eligible for unrestricted free agency until 2018.
  • Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle provides several details on the Kelvin Beachum contract (all Twitter links). The deal is worth $5MM in year one, with a $2.5MM salary and up to $1MM in per-game roster bonuses. $1.5MM of that $5MM comes in the form of a guaranteed roster bonus. After the 2016 season, the Jaguars will have until 22 days prior to the start of the 2017 league year to decide whether or not to exercise Beachum’s $5MM option bonus for 2017-2020, when his salaries would range from $7.5MM to $10MM.

Jaguars Sign Kelvin Beachum

March 17th, 2016 at 3:47pm CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 3:47pm: Beachum’s pact is a one-year, $4.5MM deal plus a four-year option worth $40MM, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). It’s a creative deal for the left tackle who is coming off of an ACL injury.

WEDNESDAY, 2:44pm: The Jaguars have officially signed Beachum, per John Oehser of Jaguars.com (Twitter link).

TUESDAY, 4:23pm: The Jaguars have agreed to sign offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Exact terms of the deal are not yet known.Kelvin Beachum

Beachum, 26, was on his way to becoming one of the more reliable left tackles in the NFL before a torn ACL wiped out most of his 2015 season. The fact that he hasn’t fully recovered from that injury could have put a damper on his market, but teams apparently were confident that he would return to 100% health. Few offensive linemen on the market had as much upside as Beachum, who didn’t miss a game in 2014 as the Steelers’ left tackle.

In addition to the Jaguars and the incumbent Steelers, Beachum also drew interest from the Jets and Seahawks. The Jaguars, however, appeared to be his most fervent suitor. On Monday, it was reported that the Jags tried to convince the free agent not to board his flight going from Jacksonville to Pittsburgh. The Jaguars, ostensibly, did not want the lineman to leave without inking a contract, but the doors on the flight were already shut by the time the team reached him.

The Steelers, meanwhile, addressed their tackle situation on Tuesday afternoon by signing former Broncos lineman Ryan Harris. Once the Steelers moved on, the decision probably became a lot easier for Beachum.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Free Agent Rumors: Robinson, Jaguars, Beachum

March 14th, 2016 at 8:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Well, that was fun while it lasted. Just days after announcing a planned attempt at playing in the NFL, former NBA guard Nate Robinson has signed a deal with an Israeli basketball team, as Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors writes. Robinson, a former football standout at the University of Washington, had not stepped on the gridiron in more than a decade. Now, his NFL dream is on hiatus and, perhaps, done for good.

Here’s the latest on the guys who are still hoping to play in the NFL in 2016:

Mike Wallace To Visit Ravens

March 12th, 2016 at 4:27pm CST by Zachary Links

SATURDAY, 4:27pm: Wallace will visit the Ravens on Monday, SI.com’s Don Banks tweets. However, Baltimore’s interest hinges on the recently released receiver accepting a low-budget deal, per Banks. 

WEDNESDAY, 9:34am: The Ravens are interested in free agent wide receiver Mike Wallace, Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com tweets. The Ravens are clearing cap space, she writes, in an effort to do something significant in free agency. The Ravens are also interested in left tackle Kelvin Beachum (link).

The Vikings released Wallace on Tuesday when they could not agree on a pay cut. During his first and only season in Minnesota, Wallace matched or set career-lows by catching just 39 balls for 473 yards and two touchdowns. The 29-year-old becomes the latest in a long line of veteran wideouts to hit the open market, joining free agents like Marques Colston, Roddy White, and Greg Jennings, and Andre Johnson.

Prior to last season, Wallace logged five straight seasons of 60-plus receptions, 800 or more yards and at least five touchdowns.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Kelvin Beachum To Visit Jets, Seahawks, Jaguars

March 12th, 2016 at 2:03pm CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY, 2:03pm: Beachum will also make a trip to Jacksonville on Monday to meet with the Jaguars, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets.

The Steelers are hosting Okung on a visit as well, with the possibility of Pittsburgh and Seattle exchanging tackles still existing.

FRIDAY, 12:22pm: In addition to visiting the Jets, Beachum has a visit with the Seahawks scheduled for Monday, tweets Rapoport. Seattle’s starting left tackle, Russell Okung, is currently set to take free agent visits with the Giants and Lions, so the Seahawks are considering alternatives.

FRIDAY, 11:23am: The Jets are bringing in veteran offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum for a visit, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). According to Rapoport, the Steelers are still hoping to re-sign Beachum, but now face some competition from the team they beat out for a playoff spot last season.Kelvin Beachum

Beachum, 26, was on his way to becoming one of the more reliable left tackles in the NFL before a torn ACL wiped out most of his 2015 season. The fact that he hasn’t fully recovered from that injury could put a damper on his market, but if teams are confident he’ll get back to 100% health, he’s an intriguing target. Few offensive linemen on the market have as much upside as Beachum, who didn’t miss a game in 2014 as the Steelers’ left tackle.

As Rapoport notes (via Twitter), if the Jets are serious about making a run at Beachum, it’s a situation worth monitoring for the Jets’ current left tackle, D’Brickashaw Ferguson. The 32-year-old has a cap hit exceeding $14MM for 2016, and the Jets could create $9MM+ in cap savings by releasing him.

Ferguson has still been pretty solid in recent years, so it would be a little surprising if New York moved on from him. But bringing in Beachum for a visit could help provide the Jets with some leverage if they want to encourage Ferguson to take a pay cut, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap observes (via Twitter).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jermaine Gresham, Shea McClellin Visiting Jets

March 11th, 2016 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jets are hosting tight end Jermaine Gresham and linebacker Shea McClellin on visits, according to multiple reports. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports (via Twitter) that McClellin is visiting Gang Green today, while ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Gresham also met with the team.Shea McClellin

Gresham, 27, signed with the Cardinals last season after spending five seasons with the Bengals. His role was reduced in Arizona, and he caught a career-low 18 balls for 223 yards and a touchdown. During his time in Cincinnati, Gresham earned two Pro Bowl nods, averaging 56 receptions per season.

The Jets, meanwhile, got little to no production from their tight ends in 2015. Gresham’s 18 receptions would have easily ranked first for New York, as the team’s TEs combined to catch just eight balls last season.

As for McClellin, the 26-year-old was the Bears’ first-round pick in 2012, and according to Biggs, Chicago would still like to re-sign him. However, the Jets figure to take a hard look at McClellin, since they have a need at inside linebacker, with both Demario Davis and Erin Henderson now on the free agent market.

The Jets are also hosting quarterback Robert Griffin and offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum on visits.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

FA Rumors: RGIII, Beachum, Lamur, C. Long

March 8th, 2016 at 9:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rams have not shown any interest in free agent quarterback Robert Griffin III at this point, reports Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter link). Ten clubs are reportedly giving Griffin a “hard look.”

Here are a few more free agent rumors from around the NFL:

  • Having reached a deal to bring back veteran guard Ramon Foster, the Steelers think they might be able to re-sign left tackle Kelvin Beachum on a one-year deal, tweets Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Beachum is coming off a torn ACL, which may be limiting his market.
  • Free agent linebacker and special-teamer Emmanuel Lamur is not expected to re-sign with the Bengals, according to Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer, who writes that the Lions, Vikings, and Dolphins are among the teams that have expressed interest in Lamur since the legal tampering window opened.
  • Former Rams defensive end Chris Long enjoyed his visit to Washington and has genuine interest in joining the club, but he has more free agent visits planned, so it doesn’t sound like any deal is imminent, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
  • The Raiders have already made a pair of big splashes in free agency, reaching agreements with Kelechi Osemele and Bruce Irvin. Bill Williamson of Fanrag Sports suggests (via Twitter) that cornerback Janoris Jenkins is another name to watch for Oakland.
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