HEADLINES

Kerry Wynn

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/15/19

October 15th, 2019 at 6:28pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a rundown of early-week minor NFL moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Signed: T Dan Skipper (from Patriots’ practice squad)

Indianapolis Colts

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Signed: DE L.T. Walton

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Redskins

Bengals To Sign Kerry Wynn

March 22nd, 2019 at 3:57pm CST by Zachary Links

Kerry Wynn is signing a one-year deal with the Bengals, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Giants hoped to keep the defensive lineman, but he’ll ply his craft in Cincinnati instead. 

Wynn spent five years with the Giants and totaled 4.5 sacks in that span. He’s not a household name, but he has the ability to play multiple spots in the defensive line and offers strong special teams help. After tying for second on the Giants with eight special teams stops in ’18, he figures to be an asset for the Bengals in the third facet of the game.

Meanwhile, the Giants will have to look elsewhere for defensive line help after losing out on Wynn and whiffing on Vinny Curry, who returned to the Eagles on Thursday.

North Notes: Bengals, Steelers, Packers

March 21st, 2019 at 10:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With former Giants defensive backs coach Lou Anarumo now in place in the Bengals‘ defensive coordinator, Cincinnati is attempting to corner the market on ex-New York defenders. Having already signed cornerback B.W. Webb and met with defensive end Kerry Wynn, the Bengals sat down with former Giants safety Curtis Riley on Thursday, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). A former undrafted free agent and special teamer with the Titans, Riley was forced into a premier role with New York in 2018 and ended up starting all 16 games. He looked overmatched, however, and graded as just the No. 79 safety among 93 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Cincinnati is already set at safety with Jessie Bates and Shawn Williams as 2019 starters, so Riley would likely revert to a special teams role if signed.

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

  • Justin Houston didn’t appear to be on the Steelers‘ radar before signing with the Colts earlier today, tweets Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Indianapolis gave Houston $24MM over a two-year term, and that $12MM annual average was likely to pricey for Pittsburgh, which only has about $7MM in available cap space. While Houston would have been a solid addition for the Steelers, they don’t necessarily need any pass-rush help. Pittsburgh tied for first in sacks (52) in 2018 and ranked first in adjusted sack rate, and will bring back T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, and Anthony Chickillo next season.
  • The Packers monitored the free agent slot receiver market when free agency opened but opted to spend in other areas, reports Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link). Green Bay allowed Randall Cobb to leave for a one-year, $5MM deal with the Cowboys earlier this week, but the club could search for a veteran slot receiver in the coming weeks, with Dontrelle Inman, Jermaine Kearse, and Rishard Matthews profiling as options. However, the Packers might be tighter on cap space than is publicly believed: while most assessments peg Green Bay with roughly $13.5MM in funds, Tom Silverstein of MJS says the Packers may only have ~$5MM in space (Twitter link).
  • In case you missed it, the Ravens re-signed backup quarterback Robert Griffin III to a two-year deal.

Bengals To Meet With Kerry Wynn

March 21st, 2019 at 3:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Kerry Wynn will visit the Bengals on Thursday, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Wynn, a versatile lineman and quality special teams player, also has the interest of the incumbent Giants. 

Wynn, 28, notched 1.5 sacks and 39 tackles while playing both end and tackle last year. For his work in 393 snaps, Wynn graded out as the No. 77 ranked defensive tackle in the league last year, per Pro Football Focus. The Bengals, meanwhile, got solid performances from Geno Atkins (No. 18) and Andrew Billings (No. 38), plus quality support from Christian Ringo, Josh Tupou, Adolphus Washington, and Ryan Glasgow in smaller samples.

The Giants were interested in signing Vinny Curry, but he left the Bucs to return to the Eagles on Thursday. That could ramp up the Giants’ urgency in getting retaining Wynn, but he’ll first hear what the Bengals have to say.

Giants Interested In Vinny Curry

March 18th, 2019 at 12:49pm CST by Zachary Links

The Giants are on the lookout for defensive line help after losing Josh Mauro to the Raiders. With that in mind, the Giants are in the mix for defensive end Vinny Curry (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com). 

Curry, a pass-rushing veteran, hit the open market in February when he was released by the Buccaneers. Last year, Curry tallied 21 tackles, 2.5 sacks, seven quarterback hits, and five tackles for a loss, numbers that don’t exactly jump off of the page. However, pass rushers are continually in demand, and his 2017 season with the Eagles showed promise, so Curry could still be in line for a nice payday from the G-Men or another club.

Recently, Curry took his first visit of this free agent cycle when he met with the Bengals. The Bengals have Carlos Dunlap and Sam Hubbard slotted in as starters, but Curry could compete with Carl Lawson and Jordan Willis for reserve time. There’s also opportunity in New York for Curry after the trade of Olivier Vernon to the Browns.

The Giants still have interest in bringing back Kerry Wynn, though Raanan notes that Wynn also has some other options.

New York Notes: Giants, Cornerbacks, Jets, Saffold

March 10th, 2019 at 9:34pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Giants have been overhauling their defense recently. They’ve traded away defensive end Olivier Vernon, and they’ve decided not to retain safety Landon Collins. Dave Gettleman is looking to rebuild the unit, and he is reportedly looking to add to the secondary. The Giants “will target veteran starting cornerbacks” in free agency, sources told Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. Dunleavy points out that their secondary has only one returning starter for next year, so the back half of their defense will look quite a bit different.

Specifically, the Giants will be interested in Colts cornerback Pierre Desir when the market opens, a source told Dunleavy. Desir had been a bit of a journeyman early in his career, but blossomed into a full-time starter with Indianapolis last year and had a really good season. Pro Football Focus graded him as the 18th-best cornerback in the NFL last year. Whatever happens, defensive coordinator James Bettcher will have a lot of new parts next season.

Here’s more from the Big Apple:

  • Before making the trade for Kelechi Osemele, the Jets “had been eyeing” Rams guard Rodger Saffold, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com (Twitter link). Pauline writes that they’ll no longer be interested after bringing in Osemele to be a starting guard. Saffold has had a big last couple of years in Los Angeles, and will be landing a hefty contract on the open market. The Rams are hoping to retain him, and it’s possible the Jets making this trade will indirectly help them get their left guard back.
  • “There will be a market for” Giants defensive end Kerry Wynn, an impending free agent, sources told Dunleavy. Given that Wynn is apparently expected to draw heavy interest, Dunleavy thinks the team might be better off trying to retain Josh Mauro, another impending free agent. Wynn had just 1.5 sacks last year, but teams are apparently high on him. Dunleavy also reports that the team has no plans to release cornerback Janoris Jenkins or restructure his contract, and that they plan on Jenkins anchoring the secondary next year.
  • In case you missed it, the Jets are looking to add a blocking tight end and were interested in the recently released Darren Fells.

East Notes: Allen, Cooks, Eagles

July 22nd, 2018 at 10:28am CST by Rory Parks

Bills fans are anxiously looking forward to the inevitable ascension of Josh Allen, and Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News takes a look at the team’s quarterback competition with training camp fast approaching. A.J. McCarron and Nathan Peterman know that, if either of them start the season under center — and McCarron is generally seen as the favorite to open the year as the starting signal-caller — they would just be keeping the seat warm for Allen. Carucci notes that Allen’s natural talent was on full display throughout spring practices, and he adds that all three competitors have developed a friendship during their time together. The Buffalo News scribe examines each player’s case to start on Week 1, and he notably does not rule out any possibility at this juncture.

Now let’s take a look at a few more notes from the league’s east divisions:

  • Former Patriots receiver Brandin Cooks just inked a massive extension with the Rams, and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says New England had a pretty good idea that Cooks, who was scheduled for unrestricted free agency at the end of the 2018 season, was going to get that kind of money given the robust state of the wide receiver market. However, the Patriots just did not value him that highly and were approaching this year as though it would be Cooks’ last in Foxborough. So, when presented with the opportunity to get a first-round pick for him this offseason, New England pounced.
  • Earlier today, the Patriots signed No. 31 overall pick Sony Michel.
  • Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com takes a look at 10 Giants who are in danger of being cut because of their salaries, the status of their position groups, or some combination thereof. Dunleavy’s list is headlined by guard John Jerry and defensive end Kerry Wynn.
  • Eagles executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman has made more trades than any other general manager since 2010, per Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com, who believes that Roseman will make more trades in the coming weeks. Shorr-Parks puts a potential return on each player on the roster, and he notes that Roseman would likely be open to moving Nick Foles and Brandon Graham, though it would take at least a first-round pick to acquire Foles and a third-rounder to land Graham.
  • In a separate piece, Shorr-Parks offers his take on the locks, longshots, and bubble players on the Eagles‘ roster as it currently stands. As Shorr-Parks has indicated previously, Ronald Darby is another trade candidate if De’vante Bausby continues to play well in training camp.

NFL Contract Details: Scandrick, Shelby, Latimer, Wynn

March 22nd, 2018 at 8:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

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

  • Orlando Scandrick, CB (Redskins): Two years, $6.85MM. $1MM guaranteed. $1MM signing bonus (Twitter link via John Keim of ESPN.com).
  • Derrick Shelby, DE (Falcons): One year, $3.25MM. $2MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
  • Cody Latimer, WR (Giants): One year, $2.5MM. $2.47MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com).
  • Marshall Newhouse, T (Bills): One year, $1.5MM. $500K guaranteed. $500K signing bonus. $250K available via playing time incentive (Twitter link via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com).
  • Kerry Wynn, DE (Giants): One year, $1.25MM. $500K guaranteed (Twitter link via Raanan).
  • L.P. Ladouceur, LS (Cowboys): One year, $1.015MM. $630K guaranteed. $90K signing bonus. Minimum salary benefit (Twitter link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com).

Giants To Re-Sign Kerry Wynn

March 19th, 2018 at 9:39am CST by Zachary Links

The Giants have agreed to re-sign Kerry Wynn, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal for the defensive lineman. 

Wynn has been with the Giants for his entire NFL career, dating back to when he entered the league as an undrafted free agent. However, his return was not assured due to the presence of new defensive coordinator James Bettcher. There was some thought that he would not fit well in the former Arizona DC’s 3-4 scheme, but the Giants apparently believe that he can make the transition.

Wynn appeared in 15 games last season, including three starts. He finished out with 19 tackles and a sack.

The Giants also plan on meeting with defensive lineman Josh Mauro, who has history with Bettcher.

Giants Notes: Darkwa, Richburg, Bromley

March 6th, 2018 at 9:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although he’s drawing interest from the cross-town Jets, the Giants still want to re-sign running back Orleans Darkwa, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. Darkwa, 26, broke out with Big Blue in 2017, posting career-highs in starts (11), yards (751), and touchdowns (five). A former undrafted free agent out of Tulane, Darkwa had only managed 287 rushing yards in the three prior years of his NFL tenure. The Giants could conceivably lose both Darkwa and fellow free agent Shane Vereen to the open market, which would leave them with Wayne Gallman, Paul Perkins, Terrell Watson, and Jalen Simmons on their running back depth chart.

Here’s more on the Giants, all courtesy of Raanan:

  • Teams around the league are viewing Giants free agent Weston Richburg as both a center and a guard, per Raanan. Richburg has played at the pivot for the past three years, but he spend time at guard during his rookie season in 2014. Although injuries limited him to only four games in 2017, Richburg will be the best center available on the open market, leading a positional group that also includes Ryan Jensen, John Sullivan, Russell Bodine, and Travis Swanson, but he could increase his number of suitors by exhibiting versatility.
  • The Giants could field five new starters along their offensive line in 2018, a source tells Raanan. While that overhaul likely wouldn’t removing Brett Jones, who filled in for Richburg at center last season, but it would still represent a massive overhaul. Notably, changeover at all five positions would mean New York has moved on from former first-round pick, and incumbent left tackle, Ereck Flowers. Panthers guard Andrew Norwell could be part of the renovation, as Giants general manager Dave Gettleman reportedly “loves” the Carolina free agent, Raanan writes in a separate piece.
  • A number of Giants free agents are unlikely to remain with the club next year, per Raanan. Defensive lineman Jay Bromley and Kerry Wynn aren’t expected to re-sign, as neither is a good fit for new defensive coordinator James Bettcher‘s 3-4 scheme. Bromley, notably, is reportedly looking for a larger role on defense, according to Raanan, as he’s spent the majority of his career as a reserve. Linebacker Jonathan Casillas, additionally, doesn’t appear to be on the Giants’ radar, as the club is looking to get younger at the second level of its defense.
  • Gettleman will likely try to improve the Giants’ locker room culture by inking established veterans on the defensive side of the ball, and Raanan lists incumbent linebacker Kelvin Sheppard and Dolphins’ special teams ace Michael Thomas as players New York could sign for their leadership.
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