Malcolm Mitchell - Pro Football Rumors

Malcolm Mitchell Announces Retirement

March 23rd, 2019 at 2:05pm CST by Ben Levine

Malcolm Mitchell is calling it a career. The 25-year-old wideout announced atTedxUGA (via RedandBlack.com) that he’s decided to retire.

The former Georgia standout joined the Patriots as a fourth-round pick during the 2016 draft. He proceeded to appear in 14 games (six starts) that season, hauling in 32 receptions for 401 yards and four touchdowns. He was also a standout during Super Bowl LI, catching six passes for 70 yards.

During that monumental comeback victory, Mitchell snared five fourth-quarter receptions, four of which going for first downs. But injuries did not allow him to build on that standout performance.

Mitchell missed the entire 2017 season after suffering a knee injury and underwent a knee procedure last July. The Patriots ultimately waived him in August, and the receiver hadn’t generated much interest since being a free agent.

Extra Points: Fins, Bengals, Pats, Redskins

October 25th, 2018 at 9:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Dolphins are not inclined to trade wide receiver DeVante Parker unless they receive “serious, serious compensation,” tweets Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, who adds Parker is now on a “better footing” in South Beach given the Dolphins’ rash of injuries at wideout. Miami had reportedly been seeking a third-round pick for Parker, whose agent recently lashed out at head coach Adam Gase, going as far as telling Gase to “make himself inactive” instead of altering Parker’s gameday status. Parker started Thursday night against the Texans after the Dolphins lost several pass-catchers, including Albert Wilson (who’s done for the year) and Kenny Stills (who could return in Week 9, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).

Here’s more from around the NFL:

The Bengals have lost a number of tight ends to injury, but they’re “not thrilled” with the idea of trading for a replacement, reports Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer, who adds Cincinnati believes it would be difficult for an acquisition to get “acclimated” to a new offense at midseason. Tyler Eifert, who has been affected by injuries for the majority of his career, broke his ankle earlier this season, while Tyler Kroft is currently dealing with a foot injury that has no return timetable. C.J. Uzomah is now the club’s starting tight end, with Matt Lengel and Jordan Franks in reserve. While a trade may be unlikely, Dehner did offer a number of candidates who could make sense, including Jared Cook (Raiders), Marcedes Lewis (Packers), and Charles Clay (Bills).
Former Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell underwent yet another surgery on his knee two days after New England released him, according to Kevin Duffy of the Boston Herald. The Pats cut Mitchell, a 2016 fourth-round pick, in August after failing to trade him. Injury issues have derailed the Georgia product’s career, as he missed the entire 2017 campaign and was unable to fully participate in practice this offseason after undergoing a minor procedure on his knee. After being waived, Mitchell filed a grievance against the Patriots, arguing that he should be paid his entire 2018 base salary ($640K). Per Duffy, Mitchell is still working out with the hope of returning to the NFL, although he has no timetable for recovery.
Redskins cornerback Quinton Dunbar is dealing with a nerve issue in his shin after taking a recent hit, as Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk writes. “That’s something that’s going to take a little bit of time,” said Washington head coach Jay Gruden. “He’s going to try to run [Thursday], see [how] his leg feels and see if it can hold up or not. We’ll make a decision hopefully by Friday.” Dunbar, 26, is a full-time starter for the first time in his career, and he’s played more than 90% of the Redskins’ defensive snaps while grading as the NFL’s No. 32 corner among 112 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. If Dunbar can’t go against the Giants on Sunday, Greg Stroman would likely see more action against in the Redskins’ nickel package alongside Josh Norman and Fabian Moreau.
The 2018 offseason saw seven NFL clubs make a change at head coach, and a similar number of teams will likely be looking for new leaders next January. As front offices attempt to find the next Sean McVay, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero asked around the league to find out what young coaches could take over clubs next winter. Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores is a de facto defensive coordinator and has the respect of his locker room, per Pelissero, while Cowboys defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Kris Richard has helped Dallas’ secondary transform into a competent unit. Other assistants who could garner 2019 interest include Vikings OC John DeFilippo, Saints TEs coach Dan Campbell, and Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley.

Patriots Notes: Gordon, Jones, Mitchell

September 21st, 2018 at 12:31pm CST by Zachary Links

No surprise here, but Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn’t offer much insight on the newly-acquired Josh Gordon when speaking with reporters on Friday. When asked about the wide receiver and newly re-signed defensive back Cyrus Jones, Belichick said the two have “done as much as they can do in the few days they’ve been here, we’ll see how it goes,” (via Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston).

Belichick went on to say that Gordon is a “smart kid” who has “picked up a lot,” so that could bode well as the former Browns standout tries to learn the Patriots’ playbook in short order.

Here’s more on the Pats:

Speaking of Jones, his new two-year deal gives him the same base salaries he was set to make on his previous Patriots contract before they cut him, as Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets. That means the defensive back will earn $814K this year ($718K prorated) and $996K next year. The Patriots probably did that in order to convince Jones to forego restricted free agency next year. If the 2016 second-round pick plays up to his potential, it will be a worthwhile investment for New England.
Former Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell filed an injury grievance against the team seeking his entire 2018 salary of $630K, Volin writes. Mitchell had six catches for 70 yards in the Patriots’ Super Bowl victory over the Falcons, but missed the entire 2017 season with a knee injury. He was cut in August without an injury designation, meaning that he was unable to recoup any of his salary. Mitchell will be examined by a neutral doctor selected jointly by the NFL and NFLPA and a neutral arbitrator will decide the case, as per the rules laid out in the collective bargaining agreement.
The 49ers had interest in Gordon before he was traded to the Patriots, but they backed out towards the end.

AFC Notes: Dolphins, Bortles, Coleman

August 6th, 2018 at 8:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Frank Gore may be competing for touches with fellow running back Kenyan Drake, but that doesn’t mean the veteran isn’t impressed by his Dolphins teammate. In fact, Gore told Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post that he understands why the organization moved on from their former starter in order to give Drake more reps last season.

“I was like, ‘Man, I kinda see why they traded Jay Ajayi,’” Gore said. “He’s very talented. Jay Ajayi was a great back, too, but Kenyan is a very talented guy. He’s smart. He can do everything on the field. I think that me and him can really help this team be successful this year.”

Ultimately, Gore is expected to be a mentor to both Drake and fourth-rounder Kalen Ballage. Despite running for at least 850 yards for the 12th-straight season in 2017, the veteran is willing to have a larger impact off the field than on the field.

“People said that I wouldn’t be here and I wouldn’t (last) more than three years, and I’ve been blessed going into my 14th year,” the 35-year-old said. “Now I want to go out here and be successful, have fun and do whatever it takes with my team and try to get some wins.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC…

Blake Bortles is looking forward to his first healthy season in several years. The Jaguars quarterback told ESPN’s Michael DiRocco that he’s been tolerating a right wrist injury for several seasons, forcing him to have three cortisone injections in 2017. Bortles finally opted for surgery this offseason to repair a partially torn ligament on the outside of his wrist, and the 26-year-old said the operation helped him have the best offseason and training camp of his career. “When you do not have to worry about going to rehab or going to get treatment, you have to make sure you warm it up the right way, you have to take anti-inflammatory [medication] and do all of that stuff. … It is just a lot of process to be able to go out there and do what you should be able to do without any pain,” Bortles said. “To be able to do that now finally is pretty awesome.” Despite the injury, Bortles managed to complete a career-high 60.2-percent of his passes last season for 3,687 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.
The Bills traded for former first-round wideout Corey Coleman last night, and Joe Buscaglia of WKBW.com believes the receiver could have an immediate impact on his new team. The writer points out that Kelvin Benjamin and Jeremy Kerley are the only two players locked in at the top of the Bills depth chart, and this was emphasized when the coaching staff add recently-recovered Andre Holmes to the first team during camp (Zay Jones has since recovered from his injury, as well). At the very least, Coleman will provide the Bills with unmatched speed, a skill set that the team’s fellow receivers are lacking.
When the Patriots released wideout Malcolm Mitchell earlier today, many assumed the former fourth-rounder was still battling a nagging knee injury. While that could be partly true, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the receiver was waived as a healthy player. This means Mitchell passed his final physical with the organization. After making six starts as a rookie in 2016, Mitchell sat out the entire 2017 campaign due to injury.

Patriots To Release WR Malcolm Mitchell

August 6th, 2018 at 12:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots have released wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). The Pats put Mitchell on the trade block earlier this summer, but were unable to find any takers for him.

Mitchell, a fourth-round pick in the 2016 draft, appeared in 14 games and made six starts as a rookie, posting 32 receptions on 48 targets for 401 yards and four touchdowns. The 26-year-old was also extremely efficient during the Patriots’ Super Bowl comeback in 2017, putting up six catches for 70 yards as New England defeated Atlanta.

Unfortunately, injuries have held him back as of late. Mitchell missed all of the 2017 season and was unable to fully participate in practice this offseason after undergoing a minor procedure on his knee.

Even though Julian Edelman is suspended for the first four games of the 2018 campaign and Jordan Matthews is no longer in the picture, the Patriots still have a busy wide receiver depth chart, particular with options such as Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, and the newly signed Eric Decker available. Kenny Britt, Phillip Dorsett, and rookie Braxton Berrios are also in the mix and each player brings something different to the table.

Latest On Patriots WR Malcolm Mitchell

July 24th, 2018 at 9:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although Patriots wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell did recently undergo an operation on his knee, it was not a surgical procedure, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Instead, the operation was designed to “accelerate healing” on Mitchell’s knee, which has sidelined him for the entire 2017 season.

Mitchell is now on the trade block, although this most recent procedure — even if it wasn’t surgical in nature — figures to reduce any possible interest other clubs may have expressed. Nevertheless, Rapoport indicates New England is “poised to move on from the [Mitchell] and his health issues,” which sounds as though the Patriots are prepared to waive Mitchell if no team decides to take a flier via trade.

Even though Julian Edelman is suspended for the first four games of the 2018 campaign, the Patriots still have a busy wide receiver depth chart, with options such as Chris Hogan, Jordan Matthews, and Cordarrelle Patterson available. In his most recent look at New England’s roster, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com predicted Mitchell would not make the club’s 53-man squad, which could open a spot for Kenny Britt, Phillip Dorsett, or rookie Braxton Berrios.

Mitchell, a fourth-round pick in the 2016 draft, appeared in 14 games and made six starts during his rookie campaign, posting 32 receptions on 48 targets for 401 yards and four touchdowns. The 26-year-old was extremely efficient during the Patriots’ Super Bowl comeback in 2017, putting up six catches for 70 yards as New England defeated Atlanta.

Malcolm Mitchell Undergoes Knee Procedure

July 23rd, 2018 at 5:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sidelined all of last season due to a knee injury, Malcolm Mitchell needed another knee procedure on Monday, Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal reports (on Twitter).

Mitchell is now a trade candidate, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who adds (Twitter link) that this operation explains some of the Patriots’ frustration here. But this procedure figures to complicate any trade talks New England will have regarding the third-year wide receiver.

The Patriots are high on Kenny Britt‘s ability to bounce back after a dreadful showing with the Browns, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). New England also has Jordan Matthews, Cordarrelle Patterson and rookie Braxton Berrios in the mix now. And while Julian Edelman will miss a second straight September, he’s going to lead the receiving group upon return. There might not be room for Mitchell, leading Daniels to tweet that Mitchell is facing an uphill battle to make the roster while floating the idea of an injury settlement at this point (Twitter links).

Mitchell showed promise as a rookie in 2016, catching 32 passes for 401 yards and four touchdowns. He added 70 air yards in Super Bowl LI but could not build on that momentum because of the rampant knee trouble he experienced last year.

Patriots Looking To Trade Malcolm Mitchell

July 23rd, 2018 at 3:26pm CST by Zachary Links

Malcolm Mitchell is on the trade block. The Patriots have been shopping the wide receiver this summer, sources tell Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Mitchell has shown potential in the Patriots’ offense, including the 2016 season in which he had 32 catches. However, he has been held back by injuries and he may be on the wrong side of a numbers crunch this offseason, even when factoring in Julian Edelman’s four-game suspension.

The Patriots hope they’ll be able to turn back the clock and get bounce-back seasons out of Kenny Britt and Jordan Matthews. Beyond that, they also have Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, Braxton Berrios, and special teams ace Matt Slater in the mix. It’s likely that they could move forward with those six WRs for Week 1, which would allow them to perhaps net a draft pick for Mitchell.

Mitchell — who missed all of the 2017 campaign with a knee injury – had 32 catches for 401 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie. Then, in the Super Bowl, Mitchell caught six passes for 70 yards as the Patriots defeated the Falcons.

East Notes: Beckham, S. Jones, Patriots

June 24th, 2018 at 10:20am CST by Rory Parks

The Giants and star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. are far apart in extension talks, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes Beckham should stage a holdout. After all, if Beckham reports for training camp — as he said he will do — but does not get the deal he’s looking for, then he would essentially be foreclosed from holding out. As Florio notes, a player who reports and then leaves subjects himself to a “five-day letter,” in which a team advises such player that, if he does not return within five days, he will be put on the reserve/left squad list, thereby tolling his contract for a full year. And, if Beckham reports but does not practice with the team until he gets a new deal, he could be subject to fines and suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.

As such, Florio believes Beckham’s only chance to get the contract he deserves this year is to hold out and put a little pressure on the Giants, which none of his other alternatives would do. Beckham, though, appears to be sensitive to the stigma associated with holdouts, so this will remain a fascinating case to monitor.

Now for more from the league’s east divisions:

Matt Lombardo of NJ.com names the secondary as perhaps the biggest weakness on the Giants‘ roster, though he says UDFA cornerback Grant Haley — who reportedly received a whopping $100K in guaranteed money from Big Blue — could be a solid slot corner in his rookie season. Lombardo also says the team could reunite with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, which grows more likely the longer DRC lingers on the open market.
Eagles cornerback Sidney Jones had a strong offseason, but as Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com observes, Jones spent the last three practices of the spring on the sideline with soreness in his lower body. Philadelphia has said that soreness is wholly unrelated to the Achilles injury that forced Jones to miss almost all of his rookie season, but Shorr-Parks says the fact that the Washington product was forced to miss the most important practices of the spring with a vague injury is noteworthy. The team needs Jones to live up to his collegiate potential, which would have a positive trickle-down effect on the rest of a secondary that needs to replace Patrick Robinson (as of now, Shorr-Parks says, Jalen Mills is the favorite to serve as the Eagles’ nickel corner, a role that Robinson filled so admirably last year).
Free agent WR Eric Decker indicated earlier this week that the Patriots would be a good fit for him, and while no team — including the Patriots – has publicly expressed interest in Decker in nearly three months, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com says New England could be interested once it has had the opportunity to fully evaluate its receiving corps in training camp.
One potentially key member of the Patriots‘ receiving corps, Malcolm Mitchell, is unsure if he will be ready for the start of training camp. Per Stephen Hewitt of the Boston Herald, Mitchell — who missed all of the 2017 campaign with a knee injury after a promising rookie season — simply said “we’ll see” when asked if he would be ready to go when camp opens next month. New England would love to have a healthy Mitchell, especially in light of Julian Edelman‘s impending four-game suspension.
Reiss says that Patriots‘ UDFA punter Corey Bojorquez is a legitimate threat to incumbent Ryan Allen.

Patriots Notes: Matthews, Mitchell, QBs

April 8th, 2018 at 8:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Tom Brady may be a year-to-year proposition following the 2018 season, his timeline may not matter to Jordan Matthews since the receiver signed only a one-year deal with the Patriots. And the wideout factored the future Hall of Fame quarterback into his decision considerably. Matthews wanted to catch passes from Brady, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes. The reigning NFL MVP is still near the peak of his powers despite going into his age-41 season, and Matthews made a point to include two of the game’s premier quarterbacks in his free agency tour. Matthews visited the Packers and Patriots, with Titans and Cardinals stops being on his spring itinerary as well, but he will spend a year in New England. The fifth-year receiver has done his most prominent NFL work in the slot, but Julian Edelman is due back this season. Reiss reports Matthews had other offers. The Cardinals extended one to him before signing Brice Butler. Matthews faced the Patriots once last season while with the Bills but did his best work — three 800-plus-yard seasons — with the Eagles.

Here’s the latest out of New England:

Malcolm Mitchell also figures to be a part of Brady’s receiving corps in 2018 after missing all of his second season with a knee injury. He’s expected to be ready for OTAs, per Reiss, and has been working with Alex Guererro at the TB12 Sports Therapy Center.
Troy Niklas may not factor in prominently in Brady’s arsenal, having caught just 19 passes in four seasons and being known for his blocking more. But Reiss notes a knock on the former Cardinals tight end has been that his physicality doesn’t match up with what would be expected from a 6-foot-6, 270-pound player. Should he make the New England roster, it’s likely he’ll be asked to block plenty considering Rob Gronkowski is expected back.
The Patriots may be taking a flier on Luke Bowanko because of his versatility. Reiss writes Bowanko worked at all five offensive line spots in practice while with the Jaguars, and Bill Belichick values an assorted skill set. An interior lineman in games, Bowanko would seemingly be in line for a swing backup job if he were to make the 53-man roster.
Belichick’s history and the Patriots’ need for talent capable of helping the near-future rosters points to New England not pulling off a blockbuster trade for a quarterback, Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston writes. Curran expects Brady to at least play out his through-2019 contract before evaluating if he wants to play what would be a 21st season in 2020. Although, Robert Kraft said the team needs to think about taking a quarterback this year since there is no longer a viable succession plan after the Jimmy Garoppolo trade.