Kony Ealy - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Rumors: Bills, Bortles, Patriots, Broncos

August 26th, 2017 at 8:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marcell Dareus‘ standing with the new Bills regime took a hit Saturday night when the team sent the cornerstone defensive tackle home from its preseason game against the Ravens for violating a team rule. The nature of the violation isn’t known, but first-year GM Brandon Beane addressed the matter pregame.

“A guy with his contract status, you’d hope he’d be a better leader than that,” Beane said, via CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (on Twitter).

A quadriceps injury has slowed the seventh-year defensive tackle in practice, so it’s uncertain he would have played anyway. Nevertheless, this is another run-in with authority for Dareus, who hasn’t been eligible to play in a Week 1 game since 2014. He was suspended for four games last season and one in 2015, and as Mike Rodak of ESPN.com points out, benched in multiple games under Doug Marrone in 2013 because he showed up late to meetings.

Here’s the latest out of Buffalo and some other AFC cities as the league’s most relevant preseason week continues.

Shortly after the Bills sent Dareus home, they lost their quarterback to a concussion. Tyrod Taylor left the game because of a head injury, the team announced. He is in the concussion protocol. A third-down sack led to Taylor’s removal from the game. Nathan Peterman replaced the starter.
One key facet of Blake Bortles‘ game got him the nod to make a third straight Week 1 Jaguars start over Chad Henne. Marrone pointed to Bortles’ scrambling ability as the key, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union notes. Bortles has rushed for 1,088 yards in his three-year career, and the Jags face the Texans and Ravens during the first two weeks of the season. O’Halloran writes this decision doesn’t change the Jags’ 2018 draft strategy, when another quarterback figures to be in play (barring an unexpected Bortles bounce-back effort).
The Patriots cut Kony Ealy a week early in order to help the former Panthers defensive end catch on with his next team early, thus giving him a better shot to make an impact in 2017, Bill Belichick said. “I just think it’s one of those things that didn’t work out or wasn’t going to work out,” Belichick said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. “Nobody’s fault. He worked hard. We worked hard. A lot of effort put in, but in the end, we didn’t feel like this was going to work out. It gives him an opportunity about a week ahead of next week to hopefully create a better opportunity for himself.” Ealy will be placed on waivers.
Saddled with a ravaged defensive end corps, the Broncos would make sense as an Ealy fit. But Troy Renck of Denver7 said the team doesn’t plan to pursue him (Twitter link). Denver is without Derek Wolfe and Jared Crick for the time being and saw recently re-signed defensive lineman Billy Winn tear an ACL in the Broncos’ first preseason game. UFA addition Zach Kerr also left the Broncos’ preseason game Saturday with a first-half knee injury. Ealy’s best game came against the Broncos, with the former second-round pick sacking Peyton Manning three times and intercepting him once in Super Bowl 50.

Patriots To Cut Kony Ealy

August 26th, 2017 at 1:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kony Ealy‘s New England stay does not look like it will make it to the six-month mark. The Patriots plan to cut Ealy, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets.

Garafolo cited poor scheme-fit issues behind Ealy’s struggles. This will further thin out the Patriots’ defensive end corps, but Ealy wasn’t exactly flourishing to the point he was a surefire rotational player. This comes after New England examined the trade market for a potential deal.

Bill Belichick said before the Pats’ third preseason game on Friday the fourth-year defensive end was progressing, but the team will still pull the plug on the brief experiment.

“The last three weeks, he’s definitely on the upswing,” Belichick said of Ealy, via Mike Reiss (on Twitter). “He’s made solid progress for us.”

Having not yet become a vested veteran, the 25-year-old Ealy will be sent to waivers. This creates an interesting option for teams in need of some edge help.

Ealy joins Rob Ninkovich and third-round pick Derek Rivers in being removed from the 2017 Pats defensive end equation, Ninkovich retiring early in camp and Rivers being shelved by a season-ending injury. The Patriots let Jabaal Sheard and Chris Long walk in free agency. Trey Flowers, Lawrence Guy and fourth-rounder Deatrich Wise are three ends now at the top of the equation for the Patriots.

The Patriots and Panthers swapped draft picks, allowing Carolina to move up a mere eight spots, in the March Ealy deal. Ealy started 15 games for the Panthers over the past two seasons, and the former second-round pick out of Missouri is best known for his dominant outing in Super Bowl 50 when he recorded three sacks and an interception.

Patriots Shopping Kony Ealy

August 25th, 2017 at 8:54am CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots have gauged the trade market for Kony Ealy, sources tell Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Ealy reportedly hasn’t lived up to expectations this offseason and Pelissero says he’s someone to keep an eye on in tonight’s preseason game as the Patriots evaluate their options.

The Pats acquired Ealy in a trade with the Panthers that saw them move down from the No. 64 pick in the second round to the No. 72 selection in the third round. The hope was that Ealy would fill the pass rushing void left by Rob Ninkovich‘s retirement. Instead, the 25-year-old has been running with the second string unit.

It makes sense that the Patriots would consider moving on from Ealy considering his shaky performance this summer, but the Patriots are paper thin in the pass rush department after losing rookie Derek Rivers to a torn ACL. If the Patriots were to dump Ealy, they’d likely promote Lawrence Guy to the starting bookend opposite Trey Flowers, leaving fourth-round pick Deatrich Wise as the first DE off of the bench. If the Patriots trade Ealy, they better have their next course of action already mapped out.

Ealy is slated to make just $800K in 2017 and his salary is not guaranteed.

Extra Points: Pats, Cowboys, Panthers, Bills

August 10th, 2017 at 9:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Newly-acquired defensive end Kony Ealy is in a “legitimate fight” to earn a place on the Patriots roster, opines Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. Thought to be a contender for a starting job (especially following Rob Ninkovich‘s retirement), Ealy has been practicing with New England’s reserves, per Reiss, who indicates Ealy simply “hasn’t clicked” since joining the defending Super Bowl champions. The Patriots essentially got Ealy for free from the Panthers, as they moved down only eight picks in the draft to pick up the 25-year-old. He’s signed through the 2017 season, but his $800K salary isn’t guaranteed.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

Alfred Morris played ahead of Rod Smith during the Cowboys‘ Hall of Game exhibition last week despite having seen fewer carries than Smith during training camp, leading Todd Archer of ESPN.com to wonder if Dallas was showcasing Morris for a potential trade. Reports in March indicated the Cowboys were likely to shop Morris, who is behind Ezekiel Elliott, Darren McFadden, and Smith on the backfield depth chart, but his salary ($1.2MM) could prove a hindrance. Plus, with Elliott likely to serve a league-mandated suspension, Morris’ presence on the roster could become all the more important. In his first season in Dallas, Morris managed 69 carries for 243 yards and two touchdowns.
Second-year defensive tackle Vernon Butler is believed to have escaped with only a knee sprain after leaving the Panthers‘ first preseason game on Wednesday, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Butler will undergo an MRI today, but even a sprain could lead to a multi-week absence, meaning Butler may not be ready for the regular season opener. The 30th overall pick in the 2016 draft, Butler is expected to serve as Carolina’s third interior defender behind Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei. Butler played 21% of the Panthers’ defensive snaps a season ago.
Expected to battle for a starting role, Bills linebacker Reggie Ragland is now playing with the club’s third-team defense, and is now behind both Preston Brown and free agent addition Gerald Hodges on Buffalo’s depth chart, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. As such, it’s conceivable the 2016 second-round draft pick could become a trade candidate, Rodak opines. Ragland not only missed the entirety of his rookie campaign with a torn ACL, but was selected by the Bills’ prior regime. Neither general manager Brandon Beane nor head coach Sean McDermott has any link to Ragland, so the 23-year-old could be on the block.
The Cardinals worked out punter Brock Miller on Wednesday, reports Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link). Miller, a former undrafted free agent out of Southern Utah, has been on the NFL workout circuit for much of the past three years. He signed a reserve/futures contract with San Francisco earlier this year, but was waived in May. Arizona sifted through three punters in 2016, and while Matt Wile is currently the incumbent, Richie Leone is also on the roster.

Extra Points: Kaepernick, Bills, Panthers

March 29th, 2017 at 2:16pm CST by Zachary Links

The notion that Colin Kaepernick has requested $9MM-$10MM per year is “completely false,” a source tells Mike Florio of PFT. On Tuesday morning, it was reported that Kaepernick is seeking low-end starter/high-end backup quarterback money with a real chance of a starting job, which sounds out of range given his controversial views and lack of on-field performance. If Kaepernick isn’t seeking $9MM+, then we’re still left wondering exactly what he’s asking for. If he’s seeking a guarantee in excess of $5MM, then I believe he’s still looking for more than the market will give him.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

In Arizona this week, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about Kaepernick and the accusation by some that he is being “blackballed” by the league. “I haven’t heard that from our clubs in any way,” Goodell said (via Ben Volin of The Boston Globe). “My experience in 35 years is that our clubs make any player evaluations, if they think a player can improve their team, they’re going to do that.”
New head coach Sean McDermott thinks the Bills‘ No. 2 wide receiver is already on the club’s roster, although he didn’t specify if he has a certain player in mind, tweets Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. While the Bills have eight wideouts behind Sammy Watkins on the depth chart, none are all that uninspiring. Corey Brown, Andre Holmes, Dezmin Lewis, Jeremy Butler, and Brandon Tate are among the pass-catchers currently on Buffalo’s roster.
The Panthers were willing to part with Kony Ealy via trade in part because of the team’s re-signing of Mario Addison, coach Ron Rivera says (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Mike Rodak). Of course, there was also matter of looming contract negotiations with Ealy.

Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Kaepernick, Butler, Panthers, Ravens

March 25th, 2017 at 12:27pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL…

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News believes the Jets haven’t pursued quarterback Colin Kaepernick because he doesn’t fit their offensive system. If the team preferred a backup who can fit their scheme, Mehta believes the Jets would be better re-signing Geno Smith. Ultimately, the writer believes Kaepernick would be a good fit with the Seahawks, but the organization hasn’t expressed any interest in the signal-caller.
There has been “momentum” regarding a Malcolm Butler-to-Saints trade, and Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com believes the deal will ultimately happen. The pundit says the Saints and Patriots “are motivated to make it happen,” and it will be a matter of New Orleans meeting New England’s price for the deal to be finalized.
The Panthers essentially moved up eight spots when they dealt defensive end Kony Ealy to the Patriots, and general manager Dave Gettleman was perfectly happy with making that move. “It’s a heavy draft and it was an opportunity for us to move up. To you guys, eight spots doesn’t seem like much. But to me, it’s gold,” he said (via Conor Orr of NFL.com). “You’ve got to give up something to get something. You’re not fooling anybody anymore. There’s too much film available. We just wanted to move up and get another second-round pick. I think it gives us more flexibility.”
Former NFL executive Mike Lombardi says the Ravens could look to trade defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan. “I think Jernigan is a fabulous player, but they can’t afford to sign him,” Lombardi said (via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley). The organization recently made Brandon Williams the highest-paid nose tackle in the NFL, and they also have Michael Pierce, Carl Davis and Willie Henry competing for playing time.

Panthers Trade DE Kony Ealy To Patriots

March 10th, 2017 at 2:54pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers are trading defensive end Kony Ealy and a third-round pick (No. 72) to the Patriots in exchange for New England’s second-round pick (No. 64), reports ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).

Ealy had played his entire three-year career with the Panthers since being selected in the second-round of the 2014 draft. The 25-year-old has only missed one regular season game during his career, and he’s started a combined 15 games over the past two years. The defensive end has compiled exactly 32 tackles and five sacks in each of the past two seasons, and he’s added another five forced fumbles during that time.

The Patriots could certainly use some help at defensive end as they search for a player to play opposite Trey Flowers. Ealy would presumably slide into the starting lineup over Geneo Grissom, or Rob Ninkovich could theoretically return to the position. New England could also bring back free agent Jabaal Sheard, but those slim chances have seemingly declined following this trade.

On the flip side, the Panthers have plenty of depth at the position after re-signing Charles Johnson. Mario Addison figures to start alongside Johnson, with Wes Horton, Ryan Delaire, and Larry Webster serving as backups.

Panthers Sign Second-Rounder Kony Ealy

May 29th, 2014 at 3:33pm CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers have locked up second-round defensive end Kony Ealy, according to the team, confirming today in a press release that Ealy has signed his four-year rookie contract. The former Missouri pass rusher is the fourth of six Carolina draftees to ink his deal, with only first-round wideout Kelvin Benjamin and third-round guard Trai Turner still unsigned.

“We had a first-round value on Kony Ealy. He’s got a lot of potential,” general manager Dave Gettleman said in a statement. “You cannot have too many pass rushers. You can’t. It’s impossible.”

The 60th overall pick, Ealy should be in line for a signing bonus worth just under $900K, according to Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Overall, Ealy’s contract will have a base value of approximately $3.547MM.

NFC Rumors: Glennon, Hardy, Cowboys, Bears

May 13th, 2014 at 10:26pm CST by Zachary Links

Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith reaffirmed that Mike Glennon is the team’s quarterback of the future, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be the QB of the present, writes Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune.

“I made it clear right away that Josh McCown is our starter, which he is,” Smith said during an interview on WDAE (620 AM). “And hopefully for quite a few years he will be. And I said I really like Mike Glennon. Mike’s a young player coming up. In an ideal situation you don’t want young players to have to come in and start right away, you want them to be around an established veteran.”

Glennon was believed to be a trade candidate earlier this offseason but Smith’s kind words have put that talk to rest. More from around the NFL:

With this week’s legal run-in, Greg Hardy has seriously jeopardized his future with the Panthers, writes David Newton of ESPN.com. The Panthers guaranteed the Pro Bowl player $13.1MM in 2014 not just because he collected a team-best 15 sacks last season, but because he appeared to have matured past the mistakes he made early in his NFL career and at Ole Miss. The club was considering locking Hardy up long-term this year, but that seems unlikely today.
What would the Cowboys have done in the draft if they hadn’t traded up to get Demarcus Lawrence early in the second round? Cowboys COO Stephen Jones told season ticket holders on a conference call today that Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy would have been the selection at No. 47 followed by LSU guard Trai Turner in the third round, according to Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News.
In today’s mailbag, a reader asks Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune if there’s any chance the Bears could swing a trade for help in the secondary. Biggs says that while many would like to see a blockbuster like a deal for Chiefs safety Eric Berry, that type of thing won’t be in the cards thanks to his sizable salary.
Bears sixth-round pick David Fales appears to be a good fit for the team, writes Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. Fales last season threw for 4,189 yards, 33 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and completed 64.1 percent of his passes in 12 games.
Released running back Bradley Randle says the Vikings might end up bringing him back, writes Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.

NFC Notes: Panthers, Redskins, Finley, Eagles

May 10th, 2014 at 12:04am CST by Dallas Robinson

The latest news and notes from the National Football Conference:

Panthers GM Dave Gettleman says the team had a first-round grade on defensive end Kony Ealy, whom Carolina selected with the No. 60 pick, tweets ESPN.com’s David Newton.
Gettleman also hopes to draft a corner on Day 3, according to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). Along with offensive line and receiver, both of which were addressed, defensive back was considered a strong need for the Panthers.
The Redskins, having missed out on Charles Sims, were hoping that running back Tre Mason would be available at pick No. 78, but he went No. 75 to the Rams, says Chris Russell of ESPN 980 in Washington (Twitter link).
Packers general manager Ted Thompson doesn’t rule out a return to Green Bay for tight end Jermichael Finley simply because the team selected Richard Rodgers. “I don’t necessarily think the two are tied at all,” said Thompson (via Jason Wilde of ESPN.com on Twitter).
The Eagles might want to draft some “redshirt” players on Day 3 (i.e. injured prospects who may miss most of their first year in the league), and Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that Philadelphia could be interested in Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin, who tore his ACL during Senior Bowl practice in January.
Nothing is official, but veteran offensive guard Brian Waters probably won’t return to the Cowboys in 2014, according to ESPN.com’s Todd Archer (via Twitter), who notes that Waters still has not had surgery on his torn triceps.