HEADLINES

Kevin Hogan

Extra Points: Browns, Bengals, Redskins

September 8th, 2017 at 9:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Kevin Hogan will serve as the Browns‘ backup quarterback on Sunday instead of Cody Kessler, as head coach Hue Jackson explained to reporters, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. While the shifting of reserve signal-caller duties isn’t necessarily earth-shattering news on its own, Kessler’s demotion could potentially have after-effects. If Hogan shows well as Cleveland’s No. 2 quarterback, Kessler would theoretically make for a relatively attractive trade candidate. Only 24 years old, Kessler started eight games and completed 65.6% of his passes as a rookie. The Browns, clearly, haven’t been afraid of dealing current assets for future picks.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • While Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict‘s extension was announced as a three-year, $38.68MM deal, the specifics of the pact aren’t as impressive, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. The only fully guaranteed portion of the contract is Burfict’s $3.3MM signing bonus, while $2.25MM annually is tied to gameday active roster bonuses, an especially hefty total given Burfict’s injury history. And while Burfict’s 2017 base salary will now increase from $3.95MM to $7.936MM, Burfict’s impending three-game suspension will ensure that he loses $1.4MM of that new total.
  • As part of the extension that will keep him with the Redskins through 2019, running back Chris Thompson has agreed to rework his 2017 salary, according to Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post (Twitter link). Originally scheduled to earn a base salary of $2.746MM, Thompson will now take home ~$2.5MM in total compensation for the upcoming season, but will also bring in a signing bonus of $3MM. Additionally, Thompson can earn $250K in roster bonuses in 2018-19, while $1.125MM is available in annual incentives during that same period.
  • Offensive lineman Byron Bell earned his third and final $150K bonus of the offseason by making weight prior to the start of the Cowboys‘ regular season, reports Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Bell scored the same weight bonus (for tipping the scales at fewer than 320 pounds) when minicamp and training camp, respectively, got underway. Signed to a one-year deal in March, Bell will also earn a $1MM base salary, a $250K signing bonus, and $300K in per-game roster bonuses. The 28-year-old will serve as the top reserve lineman on one of the league’s best front fives.
  • Free agent punter Brock Miller worked out for the 49ers on Thursday, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link), but it doesn’t appear that San Francisco will be signing Miller at this time. Instead, the left-footed Miller was brought in to help the 49ers’ special teams unit prepare for Panthers punter Michael Palardy (another lefty). The 49ers will go forward with punter Bradley Pinion, while Miller — who inked a futures deal with San Francisco in January — will continue to hit the workout circuit.

Poll: Who Should Browns Start At Quarterback?

July 2nd, 2017 at 7:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Hue Jackson identified the goal to name a starting quarterback by the Browns’ preseason opener. While that might be ambitious given that the team again brought in multiple new pieces to vie for this job, that date is approaching fast. And Cleveland boasts one of the more NFL’s more interesting quarterback competitions.

The Cody Kessler-vs.-DeShone Kizer-vs.-Brock Osweiler battle brings disparate profiles. While the Browns aren’t exactly in position to challenge for a playoff spot now, they spent an offseason loading up on long-term deals for when they are. So, establishing a quarterback now will be important.

"<strongKessler entered the Browns’ offseason program as the man to beat here. The former USC passer and 2016 third-rounder was thrust into action midway through last season after injuries befell both players in front of him.

Although he obviously did not win any games, going 0-8 as a starter, the 6-foot-1 Kessler fared decently for a player viewed as more of a developmental project. He completed 66 percent of his passes and threw six touchdown passes compared to two interceptions despite the Browns not having much in the way of skill-position depth.

Kizer, though, closed the gap during OTAs and minicamp. The Browns having made a second-round investment in the former Notre Dame signal-caller positions him well in the quarterback-of-the-future discussion. The team is not interested in the 6-4 player sitting just to sit this season, with Jackson saying he will play if he’s ready.

Viewed as relatively raw and coming with the kind of questions his 2017 rookie-QB peers also had, the 21-year-old Kizer may benefit from observing for a bit. But he’s not exactly blocked by a proven player, so Jackson may want to get him reps soon. Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot saw Kizer show superior physical skills during OTAs compared to the other quarterbacks, and QBs coach David Lee said the rookie has a bright NFL future.

"<strongThe obvious wild card here after arriving in one of the weirdest trades in NFL history, Osweiler has impressed thus far. He brings the most experience, even if no action of consequence occurred until his fourth season, but is a polarizing presence after the way the Texans season unfolded.

Osweiler is being paid $16MM this year as part of the agreement with the Texans, and he helped the 2015 Broncos secure home-field advantage en route to their Super Bowl title. But after his Denver audition had peaks and valleys, the 26-year-old passer bombed in Houston, throwing 16 interceptions and limiting the Texans’ offense. Lee is working on refining the 6-7 quarterback’s three-quarters delivery, and Cabot notes he is a viable threat to start in Week 1.

Kessler probably has the best handle on Jackson’s system, with Kizer having a higher upside as of now. One anonymous exec still thinks the Browns will find a way to trade Osweiler before the season. The team tried to do so after acquiring him, making Osweiler’s chances at securing the job interesting. But he also isn’t facing the kind of steep odds most backup-type passers are around the league. Kevin Hogan is also on the team, and Jackson said he would receive first-team reps, but the 2016 fifth-rounder is not likely to be a serious candidate come camp.

So, who will win this job? Did Kessler show enough on a 1-15 team last season to earn another opportunity? Or will Jackson throw Kizer into the fire despite his age and seeming need for development? How much of a chance do you give Osweiler here? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Browns Cut QB Charlie Whitehurst

October 11th, 2016 at 1:07pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns announced that they have promoted quarterback Kevin Hogan and defensive lineman Gabe Wright off of the practice squad. To make room, the team reached an injury settlement with quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, dropping him from the roster. Wide receiver Mitch Mathews was also signed to the practice squad. Charlie Whitehurst (vertical)

After losing Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown to shoulder injuries during their first two games, the Browns signed Whitehurst to give them additional depth. Cody Kessler got the start in Weeks 3-5, but a big hit left him with serious bruises in his chest and ribs. Whitehurst entered the game on Sunday, but he suffered a knee injury of his own. Now, he’s been jettisoned from the roster in favor of Hogan, a fifth-round pick of the Chiefs in this year’s draft.

Kessler is aiming to suit up for the Browns on Sunday against the Titans. Cleveland is still in search of their first win this year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC North

September 4th, 2016 at 6:33pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Ravens, Bengals, Browns, and Steelers are noted below.

Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day. All links go to Twitter unless otherwise noted:

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Pittsburgh Steelers

Chiefs Move Roster To 53

September 3rd, 2016 at 4:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Chiefs have moved their roster to 53 by cutting the following players:

The Chiefs also traded WR Rod Streater to the 49ers. Reaves was also a late cut by the Chiefs this time last year. KC signed him to the taxi squad in October of 2015 and he later inked a future/reserve deal with the team in January 2016.

Chiefs Sign Six Draft Picks, Seven UDFAs

May 6th, 2016 at 5:39pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Chiefs have officially locked up the majority of their nine-player draft class, having signed six selections to contracts, the team announced. Along with the previously reported Chris Jones (second-round pick), the Chiefs inked the followers players to deals:

The Chiefs traded out of the first round this year, making third-round defensive back Keivarae Russell their most significant unsigned draft pick as of now. The team also officially signed seven undrafted free agents, including three cornerbacks:

Additionally, Kansas City waived Lithuanian-born linebacker Tautvydas Kieras, per a team announcement (Twitter link).

Draft Notes: Smith, Hogan, Cowboys, Broncos

April 23rd, 2016 at 11:28am CST by Ben Levine

It’s been less than four month since Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith had surgery on his left anterior cruciate ligament. Considering the recovery time for a torn ACL and MCL, many have declared the top prospect out for next season.

However, with the draft quickly approaching, Smith has already started partcipating in some football drills, a promising step in the the 20-year-old’s recovery.

“When you’re in bed for six weeks, not able to move, not able to walk, you’re this dominant force, but yet you have to rely on people to do little things for you,” Smith told Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

“It even makes you appreciate the little things, and being back out on the field – it’s so awesome. Not a lot of people know exactly what I’m doing right now. But I’m killing it.”

Let’s look at some more draft notes from around the NFL…

  • Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan visited the Browns, Chargers and Ravens, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Eagles, Buccaneers, Titans and Raiders also visited the signal-caller at school.
  • The Cowboys are eyeing Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa. “He’s certainly one of the best players in this draft. He’ll certainly get strong consideration from us,” Cowboys CEO and Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones told Jon Machete of The Dallas Morning News (via Twitter).
  • According to Troy Renck of The Denver Post (via Twitter), NFL Network’s Mike Mayock said defensive tackles Jarran Reed (Alabama) or Vernon Butler (Louisiana Tech) could “be a fit” for the Broncos at the end of the first round.
  • The Browns have a variety of holes on their roster, leading Mary Kay Cabot to write that the team could trade back again. After having dealt the second-overall pick to the Eagles, Cabot believes the organization could use the eighth selection to acquire more picks.

East Notes: Cowboys, Jets, Eagles, Bills

April 8th, 2016 at 6:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey has sat atop the Cowboys’ draft board since February, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net reports. The corner-needy Cowboys have the fourth pick and seem like a good bet to choose Ramsey if he drops to their selection, but they have inquired on moving up to No. 1 via trade and could grab him there. Like Ramsey, North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz – the Cowboys’ top-rated signal-calling prospect, per Pauline – is also a possibility in the first round. The club has mixed feelings on a couple Ohio State standouts – running back Ezekiel Elliott‘s stock is high within the organization, while assistant defensive line coach Leon Lett is bearish on end Joey Bosa.

PFR’s Rob DiRe has one of these four players going to Dallas in his first mock draft of 2016. Click here to find out which of the quartet he currently thinks will end up in a Cowboys uniform.

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

  • The retirement of D’Brickashaw Ferguson leaves the Jets in need at three of football’s most significant positions – left tackle, quarterback and pass rusher – Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes. Ferguson would’ve returned for an 11th season had his $10.375MM salary remained in place, but the Jets wanted to cut that figure in half, according to Mehta, and the 32-year-old wasn’t receptive to the idea. Ferguson also worried about the possibility of the Jets releasing him prior to the season because he didn’t have any interest in signing elsewhere and relocating his family, per Mehta.
  • The Eagles’ reported interest in a first-round quarterback is a smokescreen, opines CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, who believes they could trade down from the eighth overall pick to acquire more selections and ultimately address needs elsewhere. Philadelphia leads the league in real dollars spent since the start of the 2015 league year ($200MM-plus), including deals given to quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel. It’s fair to say the Eagles are in win-now mode, then, and La Canfora doesn’t expect them to eschew immediate help at problem positions in order to add a top-round QB to the mix.
  • With Tyrod Taylor entering a contract year, the Bills look poised to select a quarterback by the second day of the draft, as La Canfora details. The Bills are “enamored” of Ohio State’s Cardale Jones, says La Canfora, who reports that they also like Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg and Stanford’s Kevin Hogan.
  • Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall won his civil trial relating to a 2012 altercation outside a Manhattan nightclub, and won’t be responsible for damages, per attorney Harvey Steinberg (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). The NFL is unlikely to pursue any discipline for Marshall, since he never faced criminal charges and the incident occurred years ago.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: Browns, Bears, Bucs

April 3rd, 2016 at 5:36pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Browns are set to meet with Stanford QB Kevin Hogan, according to Alex Marvez of FOXSports.com (via Twitter). This is a potentially intriguing development, as Cleveland has been expected to take one of this year’s top quarterback prospects with the No. 2 overall pick despite having signed Robert Griffin III late last month. Hogan is considered more of a mid-round talent, but he certainly has his fans in the scouting community after setting a Stanford school record for victories (36). The Browns may just be doing their due diligence, but if they pass on a quarterback with the No. 2 overall selection with the intention of picking up a signal-caller like Hogan or Christian Hackenberg later in the draft, it could have major ramifications for the teams picking immediately behind Cleveland in the first round.

More of the latest draft-related news…

  • German wide receiver Moritz Boehringer will host a private workout for teams Friday, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Boehringer, who could go as high as the fourth round, has already met with Minnesota officials. He also has visits scheduled with the Bears, Rams, Panthers, Chiefs and Broncos, per Andy Fenelon of NFL.com.
  • The Bears look poised to draft a quarterback this year, writes John Mullin of CSNChicago.com, as the team dedicated a sizable amount of its interview time at the February combine to signal-callers. “It’s a good position in the draft,” general manager Ryan Pace said last month. “We’ve gotta be smart.” Other than entrenched starter Jay Cutler, the Bears’ in-house options under center include 2014 sixth-round pick David Fales and Matt Blanchard – who signed a reserve/futures contract in January.
  • The Buccaneers invited Western Kentucky tight end Tyler Higbee to their pro day, but the 6-foot-6, 250-pounder is only doing private workouts and top-30 visits, tweets Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. Higbee hauled in 38 passes, averaged 14.8 yards per catch, and racked up eight touchdowns last season.
  • Former Georgia Tech and Florida linebacker Anthony Harrell will attend the Buccaneers’ local workout on April 15, Auman reports (on Twitter).

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

Draft Notes: Cravens, Lawson, Hogan

March 29th, 2016 at 9:52pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s round up some draft notes to close out this Tuesday evening:

  • Contrary to prior reports, USC linebacker Su’a Cravens will not be holding any private workouts for interested clubs, according to agent Fadde Mikhail (article via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). Mikhail said, “There have been too many teams that have called to set up private workouts, and I think Su’a’s body of work on film speaks for itself.” Cravens played linebacker for much of 2015, but many teams view him as a safety at the next level, and he is seen as a late first-round or early second-round prospect. As Florio notes, the decision not to work out for teams is gradually becoming more popular with some agents, who believe the reward of potentially increased draft positioning does not justify the risk of an injury that could be sustained at a workout. Greg Gabriel of NFPost.com, however, disagrees with that line of thinking, as he thinks private workouts are a critical part of the draft process that allow a team to learn more about a player’s talent and personality. He adds that Mikhail’s decision will cause Cravens’ draft stock to drop (Twitter links).
  • Clemson DE Shaq Lawson, who already has a number of visits/workouts lined up, will also visit with the Lions, according to Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press.
  • The Eagles worked out Stanford QB Kevin Hogan, WR/TE Devon Cajuste, and LB Blake Martinez today, according to Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (Twitter links).
  • 16 teams showed up to watch LB Victor Ochi at Stony Brook’s pro day yesterday, per Pauline, who adds that the Colts privately worked out Illinois State running back Marshaun Coprich (post via WalterFootball.com).
  • UCLA KR/WR Devin Fuller worked out for “multiple members of the Falcons braintrust” yesterday, according to Rand Getlin of The NFL Network (via Twitter).
  • Minnesota CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun will visit with the Vikings next week, according to Darren Wolfson of KTSP (via Twitter).
  • The Bengals were on hand at Western Kentucky’s pro day today to watch TE Tyler Higbee, as Robert Klemko of SI.com tweets.
  • Temple CB Tavon Young will work out for the Cardinals, Jets, Titans, and Ravens, and will visit the Steelers and Ravens, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (article via NFPost.com).
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