Malik McDowell - Pro Football Rumors

Seahawks Sue Malik McDowell To Recoup Signing Bonus

May 30th, 2019 at 7:17pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks are suing 2017 second-round pick Malik McDowell in order to recoup an additional $799,238 in signing bonus money, according to Matt Charboneau of the Detroit News. McDowell has never made an NFL appearance after getting injured in an ATV accident three months after being drafted.

Earlier this year, an arbitrator ruled McDowell must repay Seattle a total of $1,599,238. The Seahawks withheld McDowell’s 2018 salary of $800K, and the club is now searching for the rest of the total. McDowell didn’t dispute the ruling or appeal, but he’s yet to make a payment to the club.

By sustaining severe injuries in that ATV accident, McDowell violated a portion of his contact which states he shall not “engage in any activity other than football which may involve a significant risk of personal injury,” as Brady Henderson of ESPN.com writes. McDowell spent his first two NFL seasons on the non-football injury list, and the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement indicates players on said list may be required to forfeit signing bonus money, per Henderson.

McDowell, a Michigan State product, was officially waived in March of this year and is now a free agent. Two weeks after getting cut by Seattle, McDowell took a visit with the Cowboys, but Dallas’ doctors haven’t been able to give him a clean bill of health. McDowell’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said in March that his client has been medically cleared by independent doctors.

As Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports writes, the suit between the Seahawks and McDowell reveals the existence of a an extremely strained relationship between the two parties. A team suing a player for a relatively small amount of money is nearly unprecedented, per Robinson, who adds Seattle previously attempted to recoup all of McDowell’s rookie contract and is now seeing interest on the current missed payment.

Extra Points: McDowell, Broncos, Browns

March 25th, 2019 at 2:59pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Malik McDowell is still looking to play football again. The talented defensive lineman was taken by the Seahawks in the second round of the 2017 draft, but has never played a down in the NFL. An ATV accident before his rookie year resulted in serious injuries that up until this point have prevented him from playing. The Seahawks finally decided to move on and waived him earlier this month after he couldn’t gain clearance. He still wants to play however, and recently met with the Cowboys.

McDowell’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, revealed today that McDowell had been cleared to play again by independent doctors (Twitter link via Calvin Watkins of The Athletic). However, the Cowboys’ team doctors have been unable to clear him yet. Clarence Hill Jr. of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram tweeted that Rosenhaus also said the Cowboys remain interested his client, but it sounds like there’s still a big medical hurdle to clear. It seems Dallas’ interest is legitimate, and if their doctors are able to clear him there’s a very good chance he’d sign. He was the 35th overall pick out of Michigan State for a reason, so if he’s ever able to get back on the field it could prove to be a great pickup.

Here’s more from around the league:

Center Matt Paradis left the Broncos this offseason, and signed a big deal with the Panthers. We heard shortly before he signed with Carolina that Denver was working to re-sign him, but that apparently wasn’t a realistic effort. The Broncos essentially lowballed Paradis, offering him a one-year “look-see” deal that they knew he wouldn’t accept, according to Mike Klis of Denver 9News. Despite the reported effort, it sounds like the Broncos never truly intended to retain Paradis, who got three years and $27MM from the Panthers.
Speaking of the Broncos, their ownership dispute could be inching toward a resolution. Brittany Bowlen, one of the daughters of owner Pat Bowlen vying to take over the team, will soon start a job in Denver’s front office, Broncos CEO Joe Ellis told Klis (Twitter link). There’s been a drawn out dramatic dispute playing out between members of the Bowlen family for a while now, and Brittany is believed to be the favorite of Broncos and league brass. Klis calls it a “potential huge step” toward her one day taking over the team.
We heard a couple of weeks ago that the Browns were shopping Emmanuel Ogbah, and that’s apparently still the case. Ogbah is still being shopped, a source told Tony Grossi of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Additionally, Grossi reports that “there’s a lot of interest” in the defensive end. Ogbah is still only 25 and on his rookie deal, so it makes sense that there’s legit interest. With Olivier Vernon now in the fold opposite Myles Garrett, the Browns don’t have much of a need for Ogbah.

Cowboys To Host Malik McDowell

March 18th, 2019 at 6:47pm CST by Rory Parks

The Cowboys are setting up visits left and right, and they are scheduled to meet with DT Malik McDowell tomorrow, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets.

McDowell, 22, was the 35th overall pick of the 2017 draft, and the Seahawks selected him with the belief that he could become a regular along their defensive line. But he was involved in an ATV accident in the summer of 2017, and he has never played a down in the NFL.

Nonetheless, his youth and draft pedigree suggested that there would be at least a couple of teams willing to give him a shot, and the Cowboys are one of those teams. McDowell tallied 24.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 32 games at Michigan State, and Dallas could see him as a backup to Tyrone Crawford or Antwaun Woods, especially now that David Irving is out of the picture.

Seahawks Waive DT Malik McDowell

March 2nd, 2019 at 3:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

A 2017 second-round pick, Malik McDowell saw an ATV accident change his NFL fortunes. And the Seahawks are finally moving on from the one-time well-regarded defensive tackle prospect.

The Seahawks waived McDowell on Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This marks the end of the Michigan State product’s run in Seattle.

McDowell reverted to Seattle’s IR list last year upon being waived. He’s now unattached, but Rapoport adds the 22-year-old lineman hopes to continue his career. One of the top-rated defensive lineman two years ago, McDowell tallied 24.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 32 games at Michigan State.

Extra Points: Cardinals, Johnson, Gurley, Running Backs, Jets, Darnold, McDowell, Seahawks

July 27th, 2018 at 9:44pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

David Johnson made waves when it was announced he was staying away from the team’s mandatory minicamp in June in search of a new contract. He put an end to any speculation he might hold out for an extended period of time by showing up to training camp on time. Johnson was one of the best players in the entire league in 2016, but missed almost all of last season with a wrist injury. Despite making his desire for a new deal clear, Johnson is now saying he’s not concerned with his contract.

“There are people that need to concern themselves with Johnson’s potential contract – Johnson just doesn’t want to be one of them” writes Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Johnson reportedly said ““I’ve heard of former players, not just Cardinals but in the league, having the stress of the contract on them and it ends up affecting their play” adding that’s what he’s seeking to avoid. “I don’t have time to think about” a contract, Johnson said. Johnson, who will be 27 this December, is a little old for a player still on his rookie deal. With the short shelf-life running backs in the league tend to have, this could be his one and only opportunity to cash in with a big contract. It makes sense why Johnson would want to wait for the best deal possible, and both sides remain optimistic something will get done. Johnson did talk a little bit about Todd Gurley‘s recent mega-extension, saying it’s “good to see running backs get deals.”

Here’s more from around the league:

Speaking of Gurley and running back deals, Gurley did backs like Johnson, Ezekiel Elliott, and Alvin Kamara a “huge solid” by getting his deal writes Albert Breer of SI.com. “I’m just happy to even be in a position to take the next step for us running backs” Gurley told Breer. Gurley definitely paved the way for running backs to get huge guarantees, and it will be fascinating to see how the market reacts across the league.
Although many Jets fans have been worried by the team’s inability to sign Sam Darnold to his rookie contract, coach Todd Bowles isn’t concerned. “It’s part of the business” Bowles declared after practice today while explaining why Darnold’s absence from training camp isn’t a big deal. It might not be significant yet, but if Darnold misses too much more of camp it could turn into a real problem as he battles for the starting job.
Defensive tackle Malik McDowell has cleared waivers and has reverted to the Seahawks’ injured reserve list, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). McDowell was released yesterday after he was unable to ever return to health following an ATV accident last summer. McDowell, the 35th overall pick of the 2017 draft, has never played a down in the NFL and it’s unclear if there’s a chance he ever returns.

Seahawks Release Malik McDowell

July 26th, 2018 at 12:48pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s officially official. On Thursday, the Seahawks released 2017 second-round pick Malik McDowell. It was first reported back in April that Seattle would be moving on from the defensive tackle.

The Seahawks had high hopes for the Michigan State product last year, but an ATV crash last summer changed the course of his career. Then, in the midst of his would-be rookie season, he was arrested for disorderly conduct after an incident at an Atlanta night club. According to reports, McDowell demanded a refund on a $600 alcohol purchase. When he was told that he had not yet paid that $600 tab, he got into a shouting match with club employees. When police arrived on the scene, he got into a verbal tirade with officers.

Last year, the Seahawks moved down three times from No. 25 before selecting McDowell with the No. 35 overall pick. At the time, it appeared be a savvy maneuver. Unfortunately, it turned out to be yet another draft miss from the Seahawks’ front office.

The 6’6″, 295-pound McDowell tallied 24.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 32 games at Michigan State, where he earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in each of his final two seasons on campus.

Seahawks To Release DT Malik McDowell

April 16th, 2018 at 4:34pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks have not yet cleared 2017 second-round pick Malik McDowell, and they are expected to release him in the near future, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The defensive tackle’s camp hopes another team will medically clear him.

McDowell has yet to make his NFL debut. Last year, a summer ATV crash ruled him out for his entire would-be rookie season. In December, his career took another step back when he was arrested for disorderly conduct after an incident at an Atlanta night club. According to reports, McDowell demanded a refund on a $600 alcohol purchase. When he was told that he had not yet paid that $600 tab, he got into a shouting match with club employees. When police arrived on the scene, he got into a verbal tirade with officers.

Last year, the Seahawks moved down three times from No. 25 before selecting McDowell with the No. 35 overall pick. At the time, it appeared be a savvy maneuver to land the Michigan State standout. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the latest draft miss from the Seattle front office.

Seahawks DL Malik McDowell Arrested

December 10th, 2017 at 8:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Malik McDowell is spending his rookie season on the NFI list after an offseason accident, and the young defensive lineman’s troubles continued this weekend.

McDowell was arrested for disorderly conduct, TMZ Sports reports, early Sunday morning stemming from an incident at a nightclub in Atlanta. The Michigan State product’s arrest followed a profane tirade, one that was based around a financial transaction.

TMZ reporting the matter involved a $600 alcohol purchase McDowell wanted back. He was then told he hadn’t yet paid the $600 he sought. When this confusion resulted in incessant shouting from McDowell, he was thrown out of the club. TMZ reports McDowell then got into a shouting match with police officers after leaving the club.

The Seahawks did not comment on the matter prior to their game against the Jaguars, per ESPN.

A second-round pick, McDowell suffered injuries in a summer ATV crash that will keep him out all season. The Seahawks held out hope he could play this season, but he’ll have to attempt to rebound from a rough 2017 beginning in the offseason.

Seahawks’ Malik McDowell Won’t Play In ’17

November 29th, 2017 at 9:58am CST by Dallas Robinson

Rookie defensive lineman Malik McDowell won’t play in 2017 after suffering a severe concussion in a July ATV accident, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). Carroll indicated in early October that McDowell still had a chance to see the field this season, but the Michigan State product hasn’t made enough progress in his recovery.

Seattle could certainly use help along the defensive line, as Cliff Avril is done for the season with a neck injury while while Dion Jordan is also batting health questions. The Seahawks also recently waived veteran end Dwight Freeney, so the club’s depth up front is lacking. McDowell, whom Seattle selected in the second round of the 2017 draft, could have potentially filled a vacancy on the interior or on the edge and helped a defensive line that ranks just 20th in adjusted sack rate.

Because McDowell will spend his entire rookie campaign on the non-football injury list, his contract will toll, meaning he won’t gain credit for the 2017 season. As such, the Seahawks will now control his rights through 2021 instead of 2020.

NFC Notes: Lions, Bucs, Cowboys, Seahawks

October 28th, 2017 at 9:31pm CST by Micah Powell

Tight end Eric Ebron is the biggest name being floated around by the Lions with the trade deadline looming, according to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. General manager Bob Quinn has been aggressive since assuming the job nearly two years ago, and even pulled off a midseason deal in 2016 when he traded Kyle Van Noy to the Patriots, Meinke notes. A first-round pick out of North Carolina in 2014, the athletic tight end was expected by many to have a breakout campaign following a career year in 2016 but that has not been the case. Ebron has tallied more than two catches in a game just once this season but still possesses freakish physical traits that could lead a team to take a shot on the fourth-year pass catcher. Ebron is signed through 2018 and is due to earn $8.25MM next season.

Here’s more from the NFC:

Jameis Winston reinjured his shoulder against the Bills in Week 7, Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter confirmed in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link). “[Jameis] was doing better, he played very well, especially in the second half against Buffalo,” Koetter said. “We did have that one sack-fumble in the first half, and he did kind of reinjure it, and so that’s what led to him not throwing on Wednesday or Thursday this week.” Despite missing two days of practice, Winston took all reps on Friday and will start vs. Carolina in Week 8.
The Cowboys are not looking to move any of their receivers, team vice president Stephen Jones said in a radio interview with 105.3 The Fan (Twitter link). Jones added the team has not specifically been asked about Cole Beasley‘s availability in a trade. After posting a career-high 75 catches in 2016, Beasley has hauled in just 16 grabs in the team’s first six games this season. It also doesn’t bode well for the slot receiver’s future in Dallas that the team drafted Ryan Switzer, a near carbon copy of Beasley, in the 2017 NFL Draft. Beasley is signed through 2018 and is due to make $3.25MM next season.
The Seahawks are paying Dion Jordan $7.2K and Malik McDowell $5K per week while the two are on the NFI list, tweets Joel Corry of CBS Sports. Though a team doesn’t have to pay a player on the NFI list since the injury occurred away from the field, Seattle was able to come to terms with the two defenders. Jordan returned to practice this week, so the team has three weeks to activate him to the 53-man roster or he will not be eligible to play again this season. McDowell is still out indefinitely.