Kenneth Dixon - Pro Football Rumors

AFC North Notes: Browns, Steelers, Ravens

September 18th, 2018 at 9:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Prior to the Browns waiving kicker Zane Gonzalez, Hue Jackson did not know the second-year specialist was dealing with a groin injury. The third-year Browns HC (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk) said he knew “nothing about an injury whatsoever” and that no one from the Browns’ medical department told him Gonzalez was hurt, which could set up for an interesting situation as Cleveland pivots to another kicker. It hasn’t been reported that Gonzalez was waived with an injury designation, and Florio posits an injury grievance from Gonzalez could be in the cards. Gonzalez’s groin malady required an MRI, but he still attempted a 52-yard field goal in the final seconds Sunday. This information also doesn’t put Jackson in an especially positive light, given Gonzalez’s struggles on Sunday — ones that led directly to Cleveland’s 21-18 loss.

Shifting from a player the Browns just cut to one they opted not to draft, here’s the latest from the AFC North:

Sam Darnold did his best to not offer much regarding his draft-night mindset, but he did say he expected the Browns to take him at No. 1 due to the amount of time John Dorsey and Co. spent with him leading into the draft, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes. The Browns spent time with all four of the top quarterback prospects before narrowing their decision to Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen. “We spent time with (Darnold) and his family, and obviously, every quarterback. We feel very comfortable with the guy that we selected in Baker, and I’m sure they do with him,” Jackson said. “He’s a fine prospect and is going to be a fine player. I think they got a good one, but we feel we have a really good one, too.”
The Ravens are not counting on having C.J. Mosley available for their Week 3 game against the Broncos, David Ginsburg of the Associated Press notes. The three-time Pro Bowl linebacker suffered a bruised left knee in Baltimore’s loss in Cincinnati. Rookie Kenny Young and Patrick Onwuasor were called to action in place of Mosley, who’s only missed two games (both in 2016) in his career. A fourth-round pick, Young looks like the Sunday starter, per Ginsburg.
Broncos rookie UDFA Phillip Lindsay sits third among the league’s rushing leaders going into Week 3’s Baltimore trip, and Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic tweets the Colorado product narrowed his post-draft choices to the Broncos and Ravens. Lindsay (178 rushing yards on 6.1 per carry) is part of a two-rookie backfield in Denver. The Ravens opted to retain their status quo at running back, with Alex Collins, Kenneth Dixon and Javorius Allen back.
Allen is now on IR, though the Ravens would’ve preferred to keep both he and cornerback Maurice Canady on their active roster rather than shelve them for at least two months, Jeff Zreibec of The Athletic notes. Neither’s injury is a season-ending setback, and Dixon is a candidate to return from IR later in the season.
Le’Veon Bell‘s agent, Adisa Bakari, attended the Steelers‘ season-opening tie in Cleveland, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes the vibe between he and Steelers brass wasn’t particularly uncomfortable. Bakari also represents Tyrod Taylor. Nothing on the Bell front’s transpired in several days, and Pittsburgh’s bracing for a long absence.
Mike Tomlin expressed frustration with punter Jordan Berry, per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (on Twitter), and he may be on the verge of losing his job. The Steelers brought in free agent punters Jeff Locke and Justin Vogel for workouts today, Kaboly tweets. Berry’s been Pittsburgh’s punter since 2015, and the Steelers signed him to an extension in February.
With Joe Mixon out for a bit, the Bengals brought in a host of running backs for Tuesday workouts. Thomas Rawls, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Troymaine Pope and Matthew Dayes trekked to Cincinnati for auditions, Sirius XM’s Adam Caplan tweets.

Kenneth Dixon Could Return From IR

September 18th, 2018 at 9:47am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens placed running back Kenneth Dixon on injured reserve last week, but his season is not necessarily over. Dixon is a candidate to return from IR this season, according to head coach John Harbaugh (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic).

Per league rules, each team is permitted to bring two players back from IR each season, provided that they are sidelined for at least eight weeks. Therefore, Dixon could return as soon as Week 11, after the Ravens’ bye in Week 10.

For now, the Ravens will move ahead with Buck Allen as the team’s top backup to starter Alex Collins. They’ve also promoted running back De’Lance Turner from the practice squad in order to provide depth at the position.

After being selected in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, Dixon averaged 4.3 yards per carry as a rookie. Last year, however, he was set back by a torn meniscus and multiple suspensions.

Ravens To Place Kenneth Dixon On IR

September 12th, 2018 at 2:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kenneth Dixon‘s career has encountered another barrier. The Ravens running back who missed all of 2017 will not be eligible to play again until at least November.

Dixon will head to IR, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, adding that Baltimore will promote running back De’Lance Turner from its practice squad to fill Dixon’s roster spot.

A knee injury was already set to sideline Dixon for multiple weeks, and the Ravens will take him off the 53-man roster for the time being. The soonest Baltimore’s No. 2 running back could return would be Week 11, since the Ravens are off Week 10. In the meantime, Buck Allen will likely become Alex Collins‘ top backup.

A torn meniscus and multiple suspensions set Dixon’s career back in 2017. The 2016 fourth-round pick rushed for 382 yards (4.3 per carry) and totaled three touchdowns as a rookie in 12 games.

Allen has two 500-plus-yard rushing seasons under his belt, in 2015 and ’17, and exceeded 800 yards from scrimmage in each campaign. The Ravens continue to see Dixon run into trouble, but they’ll still have an experienced backup during the first half of the season.

AFC North Notes: Eifert, Browns, DeCastro

September 12th, 2018 at 1:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite being one of the NFL’s biggest injury risks, Tyler Eifert returned to the Bengals this offseason. The team that used a first-round pick on the former Notre Dame tight end has a plan for trying to prevent another significant setback, though. The Bengals are going to try to limit Eifert’s snaps, Marvin Lewis said (via Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer). Since Eifert’s Pro Bowl 2015 season, he’s played in only 11 games. With Eifert being most effective in the red zone (20 career touchdown receptions, 19 from inside the 20, per Dehner), that will surely be a place the Bengals try to deploy the sixth-year pass-catcher. But Lewis identifies Eifert as the team’s best blocking tight end, too. Eifert averaged 58 snaps per game during the 2015 season. Lewis doesn’t envision his starting tight end getting there again.

“Well I hope he never gets 50,” Lewis said. “It’s a plan thing. There are certain things (OC Bill Lazor) is going to plan to do with him on the field, both runs and passes. I think that and then using him as a decoy at times to help open up other things for the other guys.”

This plan may limit Eifert financially. He has $3MM tied up in performance incentives, ones that will become difficult to reach if the Bengals place heavy restrictions on his usage. He played 23 snaps against the Colts.

Here’s the latest from the AFC North:

Emmanuel Ogbah‘s run into injury trouble again. Hue Jackson didn’t believe the third-year edge defender suffered a high ankle sprain but said (via ohio.com’s Nate Ulrich) it was “something like that” and that Ogbah will miss time. Chris Smith entered the fray as Myles Garrett‘s sidekick following Ogbah’s first-quarter injury and should be expected to start Sunday against the Saints. Recent waiver claim Anthony Zettel should have a role, too, Pat McManamon of ESPN.com notes. Ogbah saw a foot injury halt his momentum last year and end his season. His development was part of the reason the Browns selected Denzel Ward over Bradley Chubb.
The Browns‘ left tackle position contributed to several NFL news cycles this offseason, due to Joe Thomas‘ retirement and the layered search for his replacement. But Jackson insists no change will commence between Week 1 and Week 2. Desmond Harrison will remain the Browns’ left tackle, per Jackson (via the Lorain Morning Journal’s Jeff Schudel, on Twitter). The rookie UDFA made the start, despite Greg Robinson and 2018 second-round pick Austin Corbett residing on the roster. Pro Football Focus graded Harrison as the second-worst full-time tackle in his debut, and Rotoworld’s Evan Silva adds (on Twitter) Harrison allowed the most hurries of any lineman last week.
Kenneth Dixon suffered a knee injury in the Ravens‘ blowout win in Buffalo, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com expects (Twitter link) it to keep him out for several weeks. Dixon scored a touchdown against the Bills after missing the entire 2017 season. Buck Allen should move into the role of Alex Collins‘ backup for the time being.
David DeCastro fractured his hand on Sunday, and Mike Tomlin said this could limit him going forward. But the veteran Steelers blocker expects to play Sunday against the Chiefs, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Kenneth Dixon Gets Additional Suspension

September 15th, 2017 at 5:11pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The NFL has added an extra two games to Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon‘s four-game suspension, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). Dixon’s latest ban came after he violated the league’s substance abuse policy. The NFL first disciplined him for a performance-enhancing drugs offense.

Given that Dixon’s out for the season because of a torn meniscus, this suspension isn’t going to have an on-field effect for the Ravens. Before his injury, the 23-year-old was slated to compete for carries alongside Terrance West, Javorius Allen and Danny Woodhead. A fourth-round pick in 2016, Dixon managed 4.3 yards per carry on 88 rushes as a rookie last season, and also added 30 receptions out of the backfield.

Already without Dixon and now Woodhead, who’s on injured reserve, the Ravens are down to West, Allen and Jeremy Langford as their RB options. West and Allen were effective in the Ravens’ 20-0 win over the Bengals in Week 1, combining for 151 yards on 40 carries.

Ravens’ Kenneth Dixon To Miss 2017 Season

July 25th, 2017 at 5:17pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon will miss the entire 2017 campaign after undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Baltimore had been hopeful that Dixon, a 2016 fourth-round selection, would only need his meniscus trimmed, which would’ve lead to a much shorter recovery period. Instead, Dixon underwent a full repair, per Rapoport, which means he’ll miss five-to-six months. With the regular season fast approaching, Dixon won’t be able to make it back on the field in time to play this year.

Entering his age-23 campaign, Dixon had been slated to compete for carries alongside Terrance West, Danny Woodhead, and the rest of the Ravens’ backfield crew. A four-game PED suspension was already set to temper Dixon’s 2017 outlook, but now he won’t play again until 2018. Last season, Dixon managed 4.3 yards per carry on 88 rushes, and also added 30 receptions out of the backfield.

With Dixon sidelined, the Ravens made a move to add running back depth earlier today, agreeing to terms with veteran Bobby Rainey.

Ravens RB Kenneth Dixon Suffers Injury

July 25th, 2017 at 8:27am CST by Zachary Links

Bad news for the Ravens. Running back Kenneth Dixon suffered a tear in his meniscus, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). He’ll undergo surgery with the hope that the meniscus only needs to be trimmed. After the operation, we should know more about Dixon’s condition and timetable for a return.

Dixon was already slated to miss the first four games of the season due to a PED suspension. Now, he’ll have to miss valuable camp time that he was hoping to use to separate himself from some of the other running backs on the roster.

Dixon, a fourth-round pick in the 2016 draft, was part of a committee backfield employed by the Ravens last season. He was on the short end of the stick, however, as he finished out with only 88 carries. The 23-year-old put up a solid 4.3 yards per carry average on those limited attempts and also added 30 receptions.

Terrance West, free agent addition Danny Woodhead, and Buck Allen are expected to be the top backs for Baltimore to start the year. Lorenzo Taliaferro profiles as the RB4 to begin the season while the newly-signed Bobby Rainey will try to push for a roster spot.

AFC Notes: Osweiler, Butler, Campbell

March 12th, 2017 at 5:31pm CST by Ben Levine

A Week 17 altercation with head coach Bill O’Brien fueled the Texans to move quarterback Brock Osweiler, writes Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com.

Osweiler, who was traded in a cap-dump to the Browns last week, was inserted into that game against the Titans after starter Tom Savage went down with a concussion. Savage was ruled out for the game during half time, at which time Osweiler learned that he’d be playing the rest of the contest.

The now-traded quarterback “reacted negatively” to this news, according to Florio, claiming that the Texans were only playing him because O’Brien “needs him.” An argument ensued, and at one point, the coach apparently blocked Osweiler from exiting the office. The quarterback would subsequently say that he was “held hostage” during the confrontation. Previously, former NFL defensive back Bryant McFadden had said players and coaches had to hold O’Brien and Osweiler back.

With all the said, the Browns are now stuck with Osweiler, and the team is reportedly looking to move him. ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini believes the Jets are a team to watch when it comes to the embattled quarterback.

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

The Patriots and Malcolm Butler “have a difference of opinion” when it comes to the value of a potential contract extension for the cornerback, writes ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss. Reports from last week indicated that the organization hadn’t reached out to Butler’s camp in a while.
The Ravens‘ decision to sign free agent running back Danny Woodhead to a three-year deal was not a response to Kenneth Dixon‘s four-game PED suspension, general manager Ozzie Newsome told reporters, Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun. “We’ve known about Kenneth for a long time, but yes, we needed to add another element to our offense, and Danny brings that from the backfield, and we’re still working to try to do some other things at receiver and maybe offensive line,” Newsome said. “But yes, he still would have been a big part of our conversation. We still would have signed him.” Woodhead’s new deal is worth $8.8MM and contains $4.25MM guaranteed.
There was a bit of confusion following news that defensive lineman Calais Campbell had joined the Jaguars last week, as subsequent reports said the player was having a change of heart and considering the Broncos. However, Florio notes that there was no agreement in place with Jacksonville when these reports emerged. Ultimately, the player did ultimately join the organization on a four-year, $60MM.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Ravens RB Kenneth Dixon Suspended

March 9th, 2017 at 3:24pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The NFL has suspended Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon four games for violating the league’s policy on PEDS, tweets Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun.

Dixon, a fourth-round pick in last year’s draft, was part of a committee backfield employed by the Ravens in 2016. Dixon was the less-used part of that rotation, however, as he managed only 88 carries on the season. The 23-year-old put up 4.3 yards per carry on those touches, and also added 30 receptions.

Baltimore agreed to sign running back Danny Woodhead to a three-year deal today, and he’ll presumably handle much of that work that would’ve been assigned to Dixon.

Injury Notes: Dixon, Pead, Harris, Gilbert

August 28th, 2016 at 7:52pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Ravens rookie Kenneth Dixon is expected to miss four weeks with an MCL tear, but the running back won’t require surgery, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Dixon, a fourth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech, wasn’t going to play a large role on offense (at least early in the season), but this injury means it will take him even longer to ingrain himself into Baltimore’s offense behind Justin Forsett, Javorius Allen, Terrance West, and Lorenzo Taliaferro.

Let’s take a quick look at the latest NFL injury news as teams prepare their rosters for the start of the regular season:

Baltimore isn’t the only AFC club dealing a running back injury, as the Dolphins‘ Isaiah Pead will be sidelined at least two weeks with a hamstring injury, head coach Adam Gase told reporters, including Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Pead, a former second-round pick, had been drawing rave reviews in recent weeks, if it’s unclear if Miami will hold a roster spot for him while he gets healthy.
An MRI has revealed that Steelers right tackle Marcus Gilbert is dealing with a “significant” hyperextended elbow, writes Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Gilbert, however, vowed that he won’t miss any action, telling Fowler that he’ll play in the regular season opener “no matter what.” Just last week, the 28-year-old offensive lineman agreed to restructure his contract and give Pittsburgh some financial breathing room.
The Jets can rest easy after an MRI showed that linebacker David Harris is merely dealing with a shoulder bruise, tweets Schefter. Harris won’t play in New York’s final preseason game (and probably woudn’t have even barring injury), but he’s expected to be ready for Week 1.
Elsewhere in New York, Giants tight end Matt LaCosse will require knee surgery and is out indefinitely, a source tells Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. The 23-year-old LaCosee, an undrafted free agent in 2015, could potentially miss the season, per Raanan.