Logan Ryan

NFC East Notes: Giants, Cowboys, Parks

September 8th, 2020 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants are planning for Logan Ryan to help at cornerback and safety. Joe Judge confirmed Ryan will play multiple spots, and Dan Duggan of The Athletic notes the former Patriots and Titans cornerback is expected to work in a hybrid safety-slot corner capacity (subscription required). Ryan played just 22 snaps at safety — as opposed to 855 in the slot — last season, but late in his free agency stay he began to market himself as a safety. Ryan’s 113 tackles last year led all cornerbacks and would have ranked fifth among safeties. Giants DC Patrick Graham was with the Patriots during three of Ryan’s four New England seasons. Second-round pick Xavier McKinney was set to play this role, but the Alabama product suffered a broken foot. McKinney had surgery late last month and is expected to miss at least two months. But he may well return to team with Ryan later this season.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

Shifting to another team’s safety situation, the Cowboys did not view Ha Ha Clinton-Dix as a starter, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Instead of keeping the seventh-year veteran around as a backup, Dallas cut bait. Darian Thompson is expected to start alongside Xavier Woods, but Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie, Daryl Worley and rookie Reggie Robinson could see time there if necessary. The Cowboys could recoup $1MM if Clinton-Dix signs elsewhere via the offset language in his contract, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets.
Players like Josh McCown, Johnathan Cyprien, Dion Jordan and Matt Moore accepted jobs on teams’ practice squads in recent days. But Jon Halapio did not want to play such a role. The veteran center declined a spot on the Giants‘ P-squad, Duggan tweets. The Giants brought Halapio back last week but cut him Saturday. Halapio, who worked out for the Texans last month, is healthy after suffering an Achilles tear in Week 17. Halapio began the past two seasons as the Giants’ first-string center; he started 15 games last season.
Aldon Smith collected a $100K bonus from the Cowboys, per Archer. That brings his total in 2020 roster bonuses to $440K. Smith, who has not played since the 2015 season, agreed to a $910K base salary that pays out just more than $40K in per-game roster bonuses. If Smith were to reach eight sacks, he would collect $500K, Archer adds. For 10 sacks, the former All-Pro would receive a $1MM bump. In the event of a less likely 14-sack season, that total rises to $2MM.
The Eagles placed Will Parks on IR on Sunday. The veteran safety suffered a hamstring injury that will keep him out up to six weeks, James Palmer of NFL.com tweets. This year, teams can activate players off IR after just three missed games. Though, Parks’ timetable may run into October. The Eagles signed the former Bronco in March.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Giants, Smith

September 1st, 2020 at 6:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jalen Reagor will miss the Eagles‘ season opener, and possibly the first two games of the year, with a labrum tear, Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram hears. The silver lining is that Reagor’s shoulder injury is not major and he will not require surgery. Reagor, the No. 21 overall pick in the draft, racked up 2,248 yards and 22 touchdowns over the course of three seasons at TCU. The speedster figures to play a significant role in the Eagles’ offense when he returns.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

Carson Wentz has missed multiple Eagles practices due to an unspecified soft tissue injury, per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer, but Doug Pederson indicated the fifth-year quarterback is not dealing with anything major. While any Wentz injury is notable given his history, he will be expected to be under center in Week 1.
Logan Ryan‘s Giants deal is a one-year pact worth $5MM in base value, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. The extra $2.5MM in Ryan’s contract comes through incentives. A playing-time structure covers $1.5MM of the incentives, with Florio adding that Ryan can earn up to $1.5MM through these escalators. Ryan would earn that sum if he plays 90% of the Giants’ snaps, however, and it would take an 80% snap rate for him to collect $1MM. The other $1MM in this deal involves accolades, with Ryan receiving $500K for a Pro Bowl honor and another $500K for an All-Pro nod. The seven-year veteran has never made a Pro Bowl.
For the first time since his gruesome November 2018 injury, Alex Smith participated in team drills. The Washington quarterback took snaps in 11-on-11 sessions, John Keim of ESPN.com notes. Washington was not in full pads during this session, but the 36-year-old passer continues to work his way back after what looked like a career-ending injury. Ron Rivera would like to see Smith participate in a fully padded team session this week. Smith’s 2020 base salary ($16MM) is guaranteed. He is set to count $21.4MM against Washington’s cap this season.
Jason Peters has requested a raise to move back to left tackle, and it is not clear the Eagles will oblige. Peters is still working at guard with Philly, which has used Matt Pryor in place of injured left tackle Andre Dillard, per Bowen. A sixth-round pick in 2018, Pryor did not play as a rookie and has seen only 79 snaps of NFL action. Pryor primarily worked as a guard at TCU, though he made six starts at right tackle as a senior. This would be an interesting route for the Eagles to take, however, given their usual commitment to their offensive line.
DeAndre Baker‘s arraignment date has been moved back four months, with the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard reporting the Giants cornerback is now set to appear in court Jan. 20, 2021. This could potentially close the book on Baker’s 2020 season. A 2019 first-round pick, Baker faces four charges of armed robbery with a firearm. He resides on the commissioner’s exempt list.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Logan Ryan To Sign With Giants

August 31st, 2020 at 3:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants are adding a big name to their secondary. Logan Ryan agreed to terms on a one-year, $7.5MM deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

While the value is not quite what Ryan hoped for earlier this offseason, it represents a nice payday for a player who spent more than five months in free agency. Ryan, who changed agents over the weekend, will also return to his native New Jersey for his eighth NFL season.

Earlier Monday, Ryan was reported to have interest in joining the Giants, who had been monitoring his market for a while. This will take one of the top free agents off the market. Although Ryan will have less than two weeks with his new team before Week 1, he has a history with new Giants head coach Joe Judge and DC Patrick Graham. Both were in New England during Ryan’s four-year Patriots tenure.

Ryan’s fit will be interesting, because the Giants could use help at multiple spots. The former Patriots and Titans slot defender recently marketed himself as a safety, citing his cornerback-most 113 tackles last season as a selling point. The Giants, though, saw Sam Beal opt out and DeAndre Baker land on the commissioner’s exempt list. But second-round pick Xavier McKinney, an expected safety starter, suffered a broken foot. Ryan saw far more time at slot corner than safety in 2019. Regardless, the Rutgers product will be expected to be a full-time player for the Giants this season.

The 29-year-old defender intercepted four passes last season and has 17 career picks; 13 of those came with the Patriots. The Jets were close to a deal with Ryan earlier this year, and the Dolphins expressed interest in adding another ex-Patriot to their roster. The Ravens were also moderately interested, though Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic tweets Baltimore was not prepared to pay $7.5MM. But the Giants won out and will help their needy defense with a player who may play a versatile role in 2020.

The Giants ranked 31st in pass-defense DVOA last season. They have now added Ryan and James Bradberry to their secondary, which could include McKinney during the season’s second half. He looms as an IR-return candidate. While questions remain about Big Blue’s pass rush, their secondary looks to be upgraded.

Mutual Interest Between Giants, Logan Ryan

August 31st, 2020 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

With issues at cornerback, safety and outside linebacker, the Giants are set to again enter Week 1 with major questions about their pass defense. But they may be eyeing 11th-hour help.

The Giants have been eyeing Logan Ryan for months, and Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes the free agent defensive back has interest in signing with the NFC’s Big Apple franchise (Twitter link).

Ryan has carried a high price tag this offseason, which has led to his lengthy stay in free agency. Earlier this year, Ryan was reported to be seeking a $10MM-AAV deal. No team appeared willing to pay that price. However, the veteran slot cornerback has recently marketed himself as a safety and changed agents.

The Giants are down cornerback DeAndre Baker (on the commissioner’s exempt list) and rookie safety Xavier McKinney (broken foot). Ryan would help Big Blue’s secondary, potentially in multiple capacities.

Ryan, 29, has a history with both Joe Judge and new Giants DC Patrick Graham. Judge was on New England’s staff throughout Ryan’s four-season tenure, while Graham was there for Ryan’s first three NFL seasons.

Although the Giants hold more than $22MM in cap space, Raanan adds they will not splurge for Ryan. The team handed out some big deals in free agency this year — to James Bradberry and Blake Martinez — but has held firm on further upgrades to its defense. The Giants laid back on the edge rusher market in March and have not expressed interest in Jadeveon Clowney, despite the Pro Bowler’s reported interest in a New York stay.

Ryan has played seven seasons with the Patriots and Titans. He led all corners last season, by a significant margin, with 113 tackles and graded as one of the top slot defenders, per Pro Football Focus. The Giants ranked 31st in pass-defense DVOA last season.

Logan Ryan Hires New Agent

August 30th, 2020 at 10:14am CST by Rory Parks

Free agent DB Logan Ryan has hired one of the NFL’s top agents, Joel Segal, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (Twitter link). Rapoport says Ryan is “poised to do a deal.”

It’s unclear if that means Ryan, 29, is set to sign a contract or just that Segal has some ideas to get his new client signed as the regular season draws closer. Ryan, who is now marketing himself as a safety, has seen his name crop up in some informal speculation recently.

The Ravens just parted ways with Earl Thomas, thereby opening up a theoretical spot for Ryan, and the Browns lost rookie safety Grant Delpit for the season due to an Achilles tear. Meanwhile, Browns’ starting corner Greedy Williams is dealing with a shoulder injury, so Cleveland could definitely use some reinforcements in the secondary.

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com says the Browns have likely inquired about Ryan, but the most recent reports regarding his salary demands indicated that he was looking for a $10MM/year contract. That number has almost certainly come down, so we will see if he can come to terms with a new club in the coming days.

Ryan led all corners — by a significant margin — in tackles last season, racking up 113 combined. No other corner topped 82. The then-Titans slot defender also paced corners with 73 solo tackles. Ryan’s tackling prowess extended to his New England days as well, with the former Patriots starter registering 74 solo stops in 2016.

Ryan only played 22 snaps at safety — compared to 855 in the slot and 243 at outside corner — last season. Still, his intelligence and experience should make the switch to safety a relatively straightforward one, and though his coverage abilities at corner are not as strong as they used to be, he can still serve as effective CB depth if necessary.

Logan Ryan Preparing To Play Safety

August 11th, 2020 at 3:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

A free agent for nearly five months, Logan Ryan is now making a versatility-based pitch in hopes of securing the kind of contract he has sought this offseason.

The unattached cornerback now views himself as a safety, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com noting Ryan’s agent emailed all 32 teams stats comparing his client to the top NFL safeties (Twitter link).

Ryan indeed led all corners — by a significant margin — in tackles last season, racking up 113 combined. No other corner topped 82. The then-Titans slot defender also paced corners with 73 solo stops. Ryan’s tackling prowess extended to his New England days as well, with the former Patriots starter registering 74 solo stops in 2016.

Ryan, however, only played 22 snaps at safety — compared to 855 in the slot and 243 at outside corner — last season. Earlier this summer, teams were reportedly viewing Ryan as a nickel corner. This could be an 11th-hour attempt for the 29-year-old defender to pitch himself as a defensive chess piece.

Nearly three months have passed since Ryan appeared squarely on the Jets’ radar. They have a greater need at corner than safety, despite the Jamal Adams trade. The Dolphins expressed interest at multiple junctures, but that also has cooled. Ryan sought a $10MM-per-year deal earlier this offseason. That no longer seems realistic, and with the cap likely set to drop in 2021, the seven-year veteran may need to reduce his expectations. But he is making another effort to secure a respectable deal ahead of the 2020 season.

Dolphins Backing Off Logan Ryan Pursuit?

July 10th, 2020 at 4:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite making major investments at cornerback this offseason — in signing Byron Jones and drafting Noah Igbinoghene in the first round — the Dolphins were linked to Logan Ryan at multiple junctures this offseason.

The team may have backed off in this pursuit. The Dolphins are not aggressively pursuing the free agent cornerback, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Rumors about Ryan landing with the Dolphins (and former Patriots assistant Brian Flores) circulated in March and May, but nearly four months into free agency, the former Patriots and Titans corner remains a free agent. The seven-year veteran’s price demand almost certainly has contributed to this. Ryan was linked to wanting $10MM per year earlier this offseason. The Jets have been the team most closely connected to Ryan this offseason.

Additionally, the Dolphins do not appear to be angling to add Larry Warford to their offensive line, Jackson adds. The Dolphins signed Ereck Flowers to be one of their starting guards and drafted Robert Hunt in Round 2. Hunt has been linked to lining up at guard or right tackle, however, giving the team a possible need at guard. Pro Football Focus and Football Outsiders assessed the 2019 Dolphins’ offensive line as the league’s worst.

Warford was connected to the Bears and Texans shortly after his Saints release, but the former bowed out of the bidding early. The Pro Bowl guard, as of June, was seeking a contract north of $7MM per year.

Teams Viewing Logan Ryan As Nickel CB?

June 10th, 2020 at 6:11pm CST by Zachary Links

Logan Ryan stands as one of the most attractive free agents left, in part due to his ability play both on the inside and the outside. However, some teams see Ryan as only a nickel cornerback, according to Adam Caplan of Inside The Birds.

That might help to explain the 29-year-old’s prolonged stint in free agency. Ryan is believed to be seeking $10MM per year and that’s not the kind of coin given to nickel defenders. Justin Coleman (Lions, $9MM/year), Tavon Young (Ravens, $8.6MM/year), and Chris Harris Jr. (Chargers, $8.5MM/year) lead the position in pay and Ryan probably can’t top that with a team only using him in the slot.

“A few of us during our early free agency meetings discussed whether to sign him and move him to safety,” one AFC official told Caplan. “You love his smarts, toughness and leadership…you just get concerned with putting him up against guys who can really run.”

The Jets have been heavily connected to Ryan, who was thought to be a natural fit opposite of Pierre Desir. The Dolphins – despite having already committed serious dollars and resources to the position – are also reportedly interested in Ryan, but they would only have room for him as a nickelback. Caplan notes that the Raiders – who were looking for an outside corner earlier this year – saw Ryan as a slot man. With Lamarcus Joyner already in that role, the Raiders did not pursue him.

Last year, Ryan set career-highs in tackles (113), passes defended (18), sacks (4.5), and forced fumbles (four). Given his past performance, Ryan shouldn’t have a hard time finding work, but he might not get the $10MM figure he’s seeking.

AFC East Notes: O’Shea, Warford, Ryan

May 22nd, 2020 at 12:57pm CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins fired former OC Chad O’Shea after just one season in his post, and the move surprised many at the time. After all, Miami’s offense wasn’t exactly brimming with talent, but O’Shea’s unit actually ranked in the top-10 in passing offense and top-15 in scoring offense after QB Ryan Fitzpatrick reentered the starting lineup in Week 7.

We had previously heard that O’Shea’s offense was overly complex for the young Dolphins talent, but as Barry Jackson, Adam H. Beasley, and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald write, the term “overly complex” may not be strong enough.

O’Shea, who brought in elements of the Patriots’ notoriously difficult offensive system after spending 10 years as New England’s WRs coach, tried to install especially advanced and complicated portions of the Pats’ scheme, which went over the heads of his new charges in Miami. And though he can’t be faulted for trying to replicate an offense that has thrived for years, players complained that he was a terrible teacher to boot, with one player calling his instruction during film study a “disaster.”

Head coach Brian Flores had O’Shea pulled out of his exit meeting with Fitzpatrick to advise him of his dismissal. O’Shea was reportedly blindsided by the news, and Fitzpatrick was apparently taken aback as well. It’s unknown if Flores asked Fitzpatrick about Chan Gailey — who was immediately hired as O’Shea’s replacement — prior to O’Shea’s firing. Fitzpatrick has played under Gailey for five seasons.

Let’s round up several more items from the AFC East:

In his most recent mailbag, Connor Hughes of The Athletic says the Jets should pursue former Saints guard Larry Warford, who was released by New Orleans earlier this month. Hughes believes Warford would represent an upgrade over incumbent RG Brian Winters — whose release would create a cap savings of $7MM — but he does not get the sense the Jets are interested. Warford does not fit the mold of the athletic, quick O-linemen that head coach Adam Gase wants in his system.
Hughes also notes that while the Jets are definitely interested in free agent corner Logan Ryan, Ryan will have to come off his current $10MM/year ask in order to reach an accord with Gang Green. We recently heard that New York believes it will sign Ryan, and it seems as if no team is willing to touch the $10MM sticker price at this point.
The Patriots have a talented crop of undrafted free agents, and their UDFA wideouts are particularly intriguing. Doug Kyed of NESN.com believes Miami product Jeff Thomas has the best chance to make the team, though Will Hastings — who received a salary guarantee of $57.5K and who served as Jarrett Stidham‘s slot receiver at Auburn — also has a good shot.

Top Remaining Free Agents

May 20th, 2020 at 9:34am CST by Rory Parks

While most of the top free agents in this year’s cycle have long since signed with new clubs, there are plenty of potential difference-makers still available. Those players remain on the market for various reasons — price tag, injury concerns, etc. — but they all could be a key factor in the fortunes of whatever team they ultimately join. Let’s take a look at the best of who’s still out there:

Jadeveon Clowney: If you think you’ve been reading a lot about Clowney over the past couple of months, you’re right. That’s what happens when a former No. 1 overall pick and a young dynamic talent is still up for grabs this late in the offseason. Clowney’s high asking price, originally said to be $20MM per year, certainly scared some teams off, as did his recent core muscle surgery. Some will also point to his relatively low sack totals as evidence that he is not the dynamic pass rushing force that he believes himself to be. But he undeniably has the chops to be a game-changer against the run and pass, and he is content to wait for the right situation to come along. Once teams have the opportunity to evaluate him themselves, his market should heat up rapidly.
Cam Newton: Here’s another former No. 1 overall pick that we have written a great deal about recently. Like Clowney, the 2015 MVP may be signed by now if interested teams could have their own doctors examine him, and Newton is willing to be patient and wait for that to happen if waiting will allow him to secure a starting gig somewhere. But at this point, it looks like only an injury or major underpeformance will open the door for a QB1 role in 2020, so he may have to settle for a top backup job for now and hit the free agent market again in 2021. He is reportedly warming to that idea.
Everson Griffen: Like Clowney, Griffen is a talented pass rusher, but unlike Clowney, Griffen has multiple double-digit sack campaigns under his belt. The 32-year-old posted eight QB takedowns in 2019, and it is a little surprising to see him unsigned this late in the process. A reunion with the Vikings may be in the cards, and the Seahawks are the only other club to be connected to Griffen at this point.
Jason Peters: The only reason Peters isn’t signed yet is because of his age (38). He turned in a typically terrific season in 2019, and he has been connected to a number of clubs over the past couple of months. The problem is, many of those teams have filled their needs at the offensive tackle spots, so even though Peters has said that he is willing to play on the left or the right side, his options are now more limited. The Chargers could still be in play, and another year with the Eagles may also be a reality.
Logan Ryan: Unlike several of the players ahead of him on this list, Ryan doesn’t have any notable health concerns, but his asking price — he’s seeking around $10MM per year — could be depressing his market. He turned in a productive 2019 season with the Titans and has the versatility to move around the defensive backfield, which has apparently led to multi-year offers. Given the need for quality corners in today’s game, Ryan will likely land a lucrative deal soon, it just may not be as lucrative as he wants. The Jets and Dolphins are involved in the bidding.
Markus Golden: Golden enjoyed what appeared to be a breakout season with the Cardinals in 2016, posting 12.5 sacks in just his second year in the league. But injuries limited the edge rusher over the 2017-18 seasons, and he had to settle for a one-year prove-it deal with the Giants in 2019. He perhaps thought that he proved it, recording 10 sacks for Big Blue, but those 10 sacks came from just 26 total pressures, which is probably an unsustainable conversion rate. So far, only the Giants — who put the rarely-used UFA tender on Golden — have been publicly connected to him.
Devonta Freeman: We haven’t heard a peep about the two-time Pro Bowl running back since the Falcons released him in March. The fact that Atlanta replaced him with Todd Gurley and his frightening injury concerns isn’t a good sign, and Freeman’s 3.6 YPC average in 2019 certainly isn’t helping matters either. Freeman’s own injury problems limited him to two games in 2018, so he is now two years removed from his last effective season. It’s nonetheless a bit of a surprise that there have been no rumors of interest in his services.
Delanie Walker: The best tight end left on the market, Walker has battled injuries over the past two seasons and will turn 36 in August, so it makes sense that we haven’t heard too much about him lately. But while he may not be a TE1 anymore, he could still be a useful weapon in the passing game, and he also has a history of being a strong blocker. The Colts, Packers, and Redskins were said to be interested in him in March, and those teams continue to look like good fits even after the draft. The Ravens, who rely heavily on TEs and who traded Hayden Hurst to the Falcons this offseason, also make some sense.
Eric Reid: The 28-year-old safety turned in what appeared to be a strong year in 2019, starting all 16 games for the Panthers and posting a career-best 130 tackles. The problem is, he may have had so many tackle opportunities because he allowed over 77% of throws in his vicinity to be completed. Still, he is an experienced and generally solid back-end defender, and the Texans — who employ his brother, Justin Reid — seem like a logical fit.
Darqueze Dennard: Dennard, a former first-round pick of the Bengals, thought he had a deal with the Jaguars in March. But Jacksonville backed out of the deal, and while there was no word on why that happened, it could be that health concerns made the Jags skittish. Dennard missed the first few weeks of the 2019 season due to a knee procedure, but he did play every game from Week 10 forward and graded out well in terms of Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. He has been Cincinnati’s primary slot corner over the past several seasons, but there has been no reported interest in him since the failed Jaguars pact.

Load More Posts