Leonard Hankerson - Pro Football Rumors

Sunday Roundup: Cowboys, RGIII, Pagano

December 20th, 2015 at 12:52pm CST by Rory Parks

Let’s take a look at some links from around the league while waiting for the murky playoff picture to begin to sort itself out:

Although Kellen Moore did not exactly set the world ablaze in the Cowboys‘ loss to the Jets last night, he nearly helped his team to an upset victory and demonstrated that he is a better option than Matt Cassel moving forward. However, as ESPN’s Todd Archer writes, head coach Jason Garrett is as yet unwilling to name Moore the starter for the final two games of the season. The Cowboys will need to address the backup quarterback situation behind Tony Romo next year, and it makes sense for the club to at least see what it has in Moore.
Last night’s loss officially eliminated the Cowboys from playoff contention, so owner Jerry Jones expects the team to put Romo on injured reserve, according to Charen Williams of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter).
Washington has made it clear that it is ready to move on from Robert Griffin III, but Ian Rapoport (article via Conor Orr of NFL.com) identifies a number of teams that may be interested in RGIII. That list includes the Cowboys, Eagles, Texans, and Saints (or whichever team happens to employ Sean Payton).
While Chuck Pagano‘s future in Indianapolis is still very much up in the air, if the Colts do decide to part ways with him, Rapoport says that he would immediately become one of the most sought-after head coaching candidates in the league. Although Pagano has previously said the Colts job would be his last coaching gig, there will apparently be no shortage of teams trying to change his mind.
Although things could change in the next several weeks, Mark Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com suggests that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is growing increasingly weary of his team’s performance and could be leaning towards a “clean sweep” that would see both head coach Mike Pettine and GM Ray Farmer lose their jobs. We had previously heard that one of Farmer or Pettine would be fired, but not both.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says the NFL-to-Los Angeles process is getting uglier by the minute, with “members of the league’s Los Angeles committee making promises to St. Louis in an effort to keep the Rams there and publicly trashing San Diego in an effort to get the Chargers out.” Florio suggests one way to placate all parties involved may be to have Chargers owner Dean Spanos and Rams owner Stan Kroenke swap their franchises, much like the Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles Rams were swapped in 1972. The entire article is worth reading, and although Florio concedes it is something of an outlandish idea, he suggests it could gain traction as we get closer to the critical owners meetings in January. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, however, was quick to throw cold water on that notion (via Twitter).
According to Rapoport (via Twitter) Leonard Hankerson, who was claimed by the Patriots this week, was released by the Falcons off the injured reserve list when he told Atlanta that he was healthy and wanted to be cut. The Falcons obliged, and now Hankerson is suited up for New England this afternoon.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com looks at the 2016 class of free agent cornerbacks.

AFC Notes: Jets, Patriots, Chargers

December 19th, 2015 at 11:27am CST by Ben Levine

The Jets could be seeking one or two running backs this offseason, as Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell and Stevan Ridley are set to become free agents. Responding to a letter from a reader, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini said Eagles running back DeMarco Murray could be an option for the Gang Green.

Murray’s cap number isn’t necessarily prohibitive, it’s similar to Brandon Marshall‘s cap number when he was dealt to New York. However, the $14.5MM salary between 2016 and 2017 could make the team think twice about acquiring the All-Pro, as they’d probably be able to afford Ivory and Powell for a similar price.

Overall, Cimini doesn’t believe the Jets will invest that kind of money into one running back. The writer says the team should re-sign Ivory, draft a running back in the third or fourth round, and then use the extra money at other positions.

Let’s look at some more notes out of the AFC…

Patriots coach Bill Belichick added receiver Leonard Hankerson to the roster on Wednesday, and the logic behind the move was rather straight forward. “He’s been a good player and he was available,” Belichick said (via Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com). “It’s not that frequent that you see players like that available at this time of year, so we claimed him.”
Hankerson, meanwhile, is doing his best to learn the Patriots’ complicated offense. “It’s a totally different system than what I was in, so you’ve got to come in and work hard,” he said (via Petraglia). “You’ve got to get the playbook down, you’ve got to know what you’re doing, and you’ve got to be on top of your stuff. The most important thing is just knowing what you’re doing: Knowing where to line up, knowing how to get back to the locker room, learn how everything is done around here.”
Chargers defensive lineman Corey Liuget has been ruled out for the rest of the season, and the 25-year-old acknowledge that he played much of the season with a knee injury. “It was not the season I planned,” Liuget told Tom Krasovic of The San Diego Union-Tribune. “It was nowhere near what I wanted.”

Patriots Claim Leonard Hankerson, LaAdrian Waddle

December 19th, 2015 at 10:00am CST by Ben Levine

SATURDAY, 10:00am: The Patriots have officially announced the pair of moves.

WEDNESDAY, 4:35pm: The Patriots made a pair of moves today to help improve their depleted receiver and offensive line depth. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the team has claimed wide receiver Leonard Hankerson and offensive lineman LaAdrian Waddle off waivers. To make room on the roster, the team placed running back LeGarrette Blount on the IR and released wideout Damaris Johnson (via Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com).

Hankerson, a five-year veteran, was released from the Falcons injured reserve list yesterday. The 26-year-old had compiled 26 catches for 327 yards and three touchdowns this season before getting shutdown with a hamstring injury. As PFR’s Luke Adams pointed out, the release from the IR was a likely indication that Hankerson should be healthy going forward. The former third-rounder is set to become a free agent at the end of the season.

Waddle, a former undrafted free agent, was cut by the Lions yesterday after playing two-plus seasons with the team. The 24-year-old started 24 of his 30 career games, but as our own Zach Links noted, he’s battled injuries over the past two seasons, including a torn ACL in 2014. Waddle will be a free agent following this season.

Johnson made his lone 2015 appearance in Week 13 against the Eagles, when he hauled in one catch for six yards.

Falcons Cut Hankerson, Place Moore On IR

December 15th, 2015 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

3:54pm: The Falcons have made Hankerson’s release official, and have confirmed two more roster moves, announcing in a press release that they’ve moved safety William Moore to IR and promoted guard Ben Garland from the practice squad.

Moore, a former Pro Bowler, had been a starting safety for Atlanta once again this year, racking up 51 tackles and two interceptions in 11 games.

12:05pm: The Falcons are cutting wide receiver Leonard Hankerson from their injured reserve list, according to Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk. The move will allow other teams to place a claim on Hankerson — if he clears waivers, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.

Hankerson, who turns 27 next month, totaled 26 receptions for 327 yards and three touchdowns in his first season with the Falcons. He was placed on injured reserve earlier this month after aggravating a hamstring injury, and it seemed at the time that he had played his last game in Atlanta, since his contract was set to expire at season’s end.

The fact that the Falcons are releasing Hankerson from IR without an injury settlement suggests that he should be healthy going forward, so we could see him draw interest from a contending team short on wide receivers down the stretch.

Falcons Activate Devin Hester; Hankerson To IR

December 4th, 2015 at 1:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Falcons have activated receiver and return man Devin Hester from IR-DTR, sending wideout Leonard Hankerson to season-ending injured reserve in a corresponding move, the team announced today in a press release. Hester’s next snap will be his first this season, as a toe injury has sidelined him for the year until now.

Hester, 33, earned his fourth Pro Bowl berth last year in his first season with the Falcons, after leading the league in kick return yardage and punt return average. However, the team determined in early October that he needed to be placed on IR with designation to return due to that toe injury. After having spent eight weeks on IR-DTR, this is the earliest he was eligible to return.

In Hester’s absence, Eric Weems has been Atlanta’s primary return man on both kickoffs and punts. While it’s not clear if Hester will immediately take over both of those roles, he’s one of the league’s all-time best returners, so he figures to see some action on special teams. Having caught 38 balls last year for Atlanta, he may also contribute on offense, particularly with Hankerson out.

Hankerson, who turns 27 next month, totaled 26 receptions for 327 yards and three touchdowns in his first season with the Falcons. He had been sidelined recently by a hamstring injury. Since he’s on a one-year contract, Hankerson may have played his last game for Atlanta, as he nears free agency for the second straight offseason.

Falcons To Sign Leonard Hankerson

March 11th, 2015 at 2:11pm CST by Luke Adams

2:11pm: It’s a one-year, $1MM deal for Hankerson, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.

1:47pm: The Falcons and Leonard Hankerson have reached an agreement on a contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who tweets that Hankerson is Atlanta’s newest receiver. The wideout himself broke the news, tweeting “#RiseUp #DirtyBirds #DoneDeal.”

Hankerson, 26, spent the first four years of his NFL career in Washington after being selected by the club in the third round of the 2011 draft. He was an occasional target in Washington’s passing game in 2012 and 2013, averaging 34 receptions and 459 yards in those two seasons, but he spent most of 2014 on the PUP list recovering from a torn ACL and MCL, and didn’t see any meaningful action after being activated.

In Atlanta, Hankerson figures to compete for the spot in the lineup vacated by No. 3 receiver Harry Douglas, who finalized a deal with the Titans today after being cut by the Falcons. Hankerson will also be reunited with former Washington offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.

FA Links: Forsett, Royal, Melton, Cameron

March 10th, 2015 at 7:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

The latest free agent rumors on Day 1 …

Justin Forsett will be Ravens‘ the primary backfield target after they cleared some cap room, Baltimore Sun reporter Aaron Wilson said via Twitter. The runner’s also drawn interest from the Falcons, Colts and Washington. The Colts’ signing Frank Gore today should limit their interest, however.
Contrary to earlier reports, there is no agreement in place or visit scheduled between Eddie Royal and the Bears, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken on Twitter.
The Bucs set up three more visits, with the team set to bring in Henry Melton, Stefen Wisniewski and Bruce Carter, Sports Talk Florida’s Jenna Laine reports.
The Browns remain interested in bringing Jordan Cameron back to be their tight end, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports on Twitter. But ex-Bengals veteran Jermaine Gresham‘s drawn interest from the eastern Ohio team as well. Despite not having a season like Cameron’s 80-catch, 917-yard 2013 on his resume, Gresham’s made two Pro Bowls. But he saw his yards per reception drop drastically to 7.4 last season.
Leonard Hankerson will visit the Falcons tonight, Yahoo! Sports’ Rand Getlin tweets. Missing all but one game in 2014 to injury, Hankerson played for current Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan with Washington.
Despite cutting Shelley Smith earlier today, the Dolphins aren’t dismissing the chance at bringing him back at a reduced cost, the Miami Herald’s Adam Beasley notes via Twitter. The Dolphins like backup tackle Billy Turner, however.
The Cardinals will host center A.Q. Shipley, ESPN’s Adam Caplan said on Twitter. The Colts did not tender Shipley, their starting center in 2012 and 2014, a contract offer, sending him to the market.

NFC FA Rumors: Irving, Cowboys, Falcons

March 10th, 2015 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

The Cardinals are expected to lock up former Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon to a new contract once free agency opens, but the team has interest in adding two free agent linebackers, not just one, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport reports that Nate Irving could be that second linebacker, as the former Bronco is likely to visit Arizona this week.

The Cowboys have some interest in free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie, tweets Rapoport. Cromartie has been almost exclusively linked to the Jets, but there’s no agreement in place between the two sides yet.
Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets that he has been told “repeatedly” that the Falcons aren’t real players for Brian Orakpo. However, Jones adds that Atlanta does appear to have interest in another Washington free agent, wide receiver Leonard Hankerson.
Running back Antone Smith has yet to hear a whole lot about his free agent status, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who says (via Twitter) that the Falcons would like to bring him back. Smith has also reportedly drawn some interest from the Giants.
In the wake of the Saints‘ release of Curtis Lofton, there’s mutual interest between the team and Ramon Humber in getting a deal done to help bolster the inside linebacker spot, tweets Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com.
No longer a free agent, Randall Cobb told reporters today, including Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link) that he had five other offers when he decided to return to the Packers, and got a sixth after he had made his decision.
After offering him a contract, the Vikings remain in contact with quarterback Shaun Hill, who has yet to make a decision, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.

FA Rumors: Murray, Raiders, Orakpo, Hill

March 9th, 2015 at 1:46pm CST by Luke Adams

While DeMarco Murray may not land an eight-digit annual salary, his camp sounds confident that there are teams willing to pay $8MM per year for his services, tweets Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports. However, as Getlin notes it’s not clear yet whether the Cowboys are one of those teams. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Murray is willing to move on from Dallas if a better opportunity presents itself, but the running back is approaching free agency slowly and methodically rather than rushing into any decision.

While we wait to see if Jerry Jones opens up his check book for the NFL’s leading rusher before Murray hits free agency tomorrow, let’s check in on some few other free agent news….

The Raiders are “hot after” Mike Iupati, widely considered to be the top free agent guard available this winter, reports Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link). Oakland figures to be up against the Bills and Jets, among other teams, in the bidding for Iupati. Landing the 49ers veteran after agreeing to terms with center Rodney Hudson would certainly help the Raiders solidify their offensive line.
The Falcons were mentioned a week ago as a potential favorite for Brian Orakpo, and it doesn’t appear that’s changed. Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington tweets that she’s hearing Atlanta is the current frontrunner for the free agent pass rusher.
The Titans are still in play for Derrick Morgan, but so are about a half-dozen other teams, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
According to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter), the Cowboys and Raiders are among the teams showing interest in quarterback Shaun Hill, who also has reportedly has an offer on the table from the Vikings.
The Steelers have no immediate plans to re-sign veteran outside linebacker James Harrison, who could potentially be a late-summer addition for the club, tweets Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
We can add the Chiefs to the growing list of teams that has inquired on free agent cornerback Cary Williams, tweets Nick Jacobs of TWC SportsChannel in Kansas City.
Washington hasn’t been in contract with wide receiver Leonard Hankerson, but the free-agent-to-be has heard from a few other teams, says John Keim of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

NFC Mailbags: Newton, Lions, McCarthy, Giants

February 14th, 2015 at 10:00am CST by Ben Levine

We checked out ESPN.com’s AFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus to the NFC…

If quarterbacks like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco can average $20MM annually, David Newton believes Cam Newton could certainly be included in that group. Ultimately, the writer believes the Panthers quarterback will receive a contract totaling about $100MM.
Kicker Matt Prater and defensive back Rashean Mathis want to return to the Lions next season, according to Michael Rothstein. There has been some contact between the organization and the agents for the team’s multiple free agents, but the writer cautions that nothing’s been “locked down.”
Despite Mike McCarthy‘s interest in the personnel aspect of the league, the Packers head coach does not want to be the team’s general manager, writes Rob Demovsky. The writer says the coach’s recent shuffling of the coaching staff indicates that he’d like to get involved in other areas of coaching.
Dan Graziano doesn’t see any incentive for the Giants to pursue Ray Rice over any other running back.
Considering the linebacker’s age and injury history, John Keim can’t envision Washington investing too much money in Brian Orakpo. Meanwhile, the writer could see the team bringing back quarterback Colt McCoy, tight end Niles Paul, and “perhaps” running back Roy Helu and wideout Leonard Hankerson. Santana Moss is among the players Keim would be surprised to see return.