HEADLINES

Marcedes Lewis

Jaguars, Marcedes Lewis Rework Contract

April 20th, 2015 at 8:22am CST by Ben Levine

MONDAY, 8:22am: According to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (all Twitter links), Lewis agreed to reduce his salary for 2015 from $6.8MM to $2.65MM, which consists of a $2MM base salary ($500K guaranteed), a $250K signing bonus, and $400K in per-game roster bonuses.

Lewis can earn a maximum of $3MM of that lost salary back through not-likely-to-be-earned playing time incentives, and his cap number is now $3.85MM, creating $4.4MM in extra room for the Jags.

SATURDAY, 12:55pm: After the Jaguars spent big money to secure Julius Thomas, there was speculation that tight end Marcedes Lewis could be let go. It appears the veteran is staying put, as Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com reports that the two sides have restructured the final year of Lewis’ contract. The 30-year-old is finishing up a five-year, $35MM contract signed in 2011.

Lewis’ cap hit for this upcoming season was at $8.2MM, and the team would have been left with $1.4MM in dead money if they chose to cut him prior to June 1st. O’Halloran suggests that the restructuring could make Lewis a more attractive trade asset, but his source indicated that the tight end would remain in Jacksonville through the 2015 season.

Lewis has struggled greatly since receiving that big contract in 2011. He rated as the 10th best tight end in the NFL in 2011, and fifth in 2012, before falling off a cliff and coming in at 30th and 48th the past two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Much of that fall in rankings is due to the decline in his ability as a run blocker, where he was among the best in the league for his career before grading out negatively in 2013 and 2014.

Of course, the reason he got that contract in the first place wasn’t for his excellent blocking skills. In 2010, in addition to being one of the best blocking tight ends in the league he caught double digit touchdowns to establish himself as a force at the position. He caught 10 touchdowns over the next four seasons combined. He will now be joined with incoming talent Thomas, in hopes together they can provide Blake Bortles huge weapons in the middle of the field.

AFC Mailbags: Ravens, Rivers, Carr, Jags

April 18th, 2015 at 10:41am CST by Ben Levine

We took a look at ESPN.com’s NFC mailbags earlier this morning. Let’s now shift our focus over to the AFC…

  • The current group of Ravens tight ends have a combined one NFL start, and Jamison Hensley believes the draft will present an opportunity for the team to acquire a veteran. The writer suggests Brandon Pettigrew (Lions) or Marcedes Lewis (Jaguars) as potential targets.
  • Considering Rich Cimini can’t envision Marcus Mariota dropping to pick number six, he doesn’t think a Philip Rivers trade will work out between the Jets and the Chargers. However, if Mariota were to be available, the writer says the Jets would need to get a long-term commitment from Rivers before pulling the trigger.
  • Bill Williamson would be “stunned” if the Raiders drafted Marcus Mariota and traded Derek Carr. The team’s coaching staff is counting on Carr to be part of the future of the organization, so a shift in philosophy would be a “major storyline.”
  • Besides an edge rusher, wideout Amari Cooper would be the only other player the Jaguars would consider with the third pick, opines Mike DiRocco.

Marcedes Lewis Drawing Trade Interest

March 11th, 2015 at 4:28pm CST by Zachary Links

Despite signing Julius Thomas, but Jaguars don’t plan on cutting veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Teams have inquired about inquiring Lewis via trade, however.

Earlier today, Jaguars GM David Caldwell told reporters that Lewis would “have to compete to be” with the Jaguars in 2015. Lewis, 31 in May, played in only eight games last season after suffering a high ankle sprain in September. His IR-DTR status allowed him to return later in the year.

In his limited time on the field, Lewis hauled in 18 catches for 206 yards with two touchdowns. Lewis’ best season came in 2010 when he recorded 58 catches for 700 yards and ten touchdowns, though he had a similar reception total in 2012. That 2010 campaign marked Lewis’ first and only Pro Bowl selection to date.

Jaguars GM On Murray, Cobb, Hardy

March 11th, 2015 at 1:24pm CST by Zachary Links

Jaguars GM David Caldwell told reporters, including John Oehser of Jaguars.com (on Twitter), that his work is not done in free agency. However, he says there’s not a whole lot brewing on star running back DeMarco Murray. Here’s more from today’s presser..

  • Caldwell said that he had a brief conversation with Murray’s agent last night and he also talked with the team’s finance people, Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Caldwell says he wanted a slot wide receiver and targeted Packers star Randall Cobb, DiRocco tweets. He’ll only sign one going forward if the right situation presents himself. Of course, he’s not going to find another slot wide receiver as good as Cobb.
  • Caldwell wouldn’t close the door on signing Greg Hardy, DiRocco tweets. The GM explained that he would have to do his research on the troubled star. His philosophy is that if a guy shows remorse for his actions, they can give him a second chance.
  • Caldwell said Jared Odrick‘s versatility was key to his signing, Oehser tweets. Interestingly, Caldwell referred to Odrick, who previously lined up as a defensive tackle, as a defensive end. Odrick’s deal will see him earn $8.5MM per season with $22MM guaranteed overall.
  • When asked about tight end Marcedes Lewis‘ future with Jacksonville, Caldwell said “he’ll have to compete to be here,” DiRocco tweets. Lewis, 31 in May, played in only eight games last season after suffering a high ankle sprain in September. His IR-DTR status allowed him to return later in the year.
  • Caldwell said (via Oehser on Twitter) that the team had five initial targets and wound up landing three of them. Free agency might not have been a home run, he says, but he said it was probably more like hitting a double. The GM added that the Jags “probably haven’t” spent as much as he expected, according to Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union (via Twitter).
  • Caldwell explained there has been no decision yet on Red Bryant, DiRocco tweets.

Jaguars Links: Blackmon, Rookies, Shorts

December 25th, 2014 at 4:12pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jaguars will be scoreboard watching this weekend, but not because of the playoffs. Instead, the team will be hoping that fellow 3-12 teams, the Jets and the Raiders, win their respective games. If those two teams win their contests and the Jags lose, Jacksonville will clinch the third pick in this year’s draft.

Let’s take a look at some more notes out of Jacksonville…

AFC Mailbags: Jets, Chiefs, Jaguars

December 20th, 2014 at 8:55am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags and answering questions from readers. Let’s take a look at some interesting notes out of the AFC…

  • According to Rich Cimini, the vibe around the Jets organization is that owner Woody Johnson wants to replace general manger John Idzik. However, the writer suggests that Idzik could stick around in a reduced role.
  • Cimini writes that the majority of the Jets upcoming unrestricted free agents are replaceable, but he believes linebacker David Harris “still has value.”
  • As the Chiefs‘ contract negotiations with linebacker Justin Houston drag on, Adam Teicher is under the impression that the upcoming free agent is “headed for the franchise tag.”
  • Of the Jaguars upcoming free agents, Michael DiRocco gives defensive end Tyson Alualu the best chance of returning. The writer is not very optimistic about Cecil Shorts, Alan Ball or Marcedes Lewis re-signing.
  • Meanwhile, DiRocco focuses on positions the Jaguars will likely pursue in free agency. He points to offensive line, tight end and wide receiver as particular areas of need, and he throws out Patriots safety Devin McCourty as a “name to watch.”

Jaguars To Activate Lewis; Robinson To IR

November 17th, 2014 at 12:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles will get one pass catcher back in the lineup this week while another one has officially been ruled out for the rest of the season. According to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com (via Twitter), the team is activating tight end Marcedes Lewis from injured reserve and will place wideout Allen Robinson on IR, formally ending his rookie season.

The team announced last week that Robinson had sustained a stress fracture in his foot and would miss the rest of the year, but since the Jags were on their bye week, they didn’t immediately place the first-year receiver on the injured reserve list. Robinson, who hauled in 48 passes for 548 yards and pair of touchdowns this season, is scheduled to undergo surgery soon on that injured foot, per John Oehser of Jaguars.com (via Twitter).

Head coach Gus Bradley initially said he expected to promote a player from the practice squad to take Robinson’s spot on the roster, but with Lewis set to get back on the field, it makes sense that the veteran tight end would slide into that opening instead. Lewis has been sidelined since Week 2 with an ankle injury, having received the designation to return when the team placed him on IR.

Jags Cut Cameron Bradfield; Lewis To IR-DTR

September 16th, 2014 at 1:29pm CST by Luke Adams

1:29pm: In addition to waiving Bradfield, the Jaguars have also placed tight end Marcedes Lewis on injured reserve with the designation to return, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com. The moves opened up two spots on the club’s 53-man roster, which Jacksonville filled by signing wideout Tavarres King from the Panthers’ practice squad and promoting tight end Marcel Jensen from the Jags’ own practice squad (Twitter link).

12:48pm: A week after their offensive line allowed Chad Henne to be sacked 10 times by the Redskins, the Jaguars are making some changes. According to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter), the team has cut starting right tackle Cameron Bradfield.

Bradfield, who turned 27 on Sunday, didn’t have a great birthday — according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), he was responsible for two of the 10 sacks on Henne, and also allowed three additional quarterback pressures. The -5.1 grade for the game, on top of Week 1’s -2.5 mark, made him one of the league’s worst tackles through two weeks, per PFF. Unfortunately, that’s nothing new for the Grand Valley State product. His -29.1 mark in 2013 made him a bottom-five tackle in the NFL, out of 76 qualified players at the position.

The Jaguars inked Bradfield to a two-year contract extension in March, so they’ll be on the hook for a little dead money as a result of the move. However, that contract didn’t include a signing bonus, so the effect on the club’s 2015 cap will be limited. Sam Young and Austin Pasztor are among the in-house candidates to replace Bradfield at right tackle, and the team will also have an open roster spot to add another player, though it remains to be seen if that will be another lineman.

More Injury Updates: Monday

September 15th, 2014 at 3:52pm CST by Luke Adams

We passed along one round of Monday injury updates earlier today, and since then we’ve learned that the Bears will be placing Charles Tillman on their injured reserve list with a season-ending triceps injury. There are still plenty of items to round up this afternoon though, so let’s dive right in….

  • Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis sustained a high ankle sprain yesterday and is expected to miss six to eight weeks of action, the team announced today (Twitter link). That recovery timeline could make Lewis a candidate for the injured reserve list with the designation to return.
  • Jamaal Charles also appears to have suffered a high ankle sprain, though Chiefs head coach Andy Reid indicated today that it “doesn’t look to be a real severe one,” according to B.J. Kissel of KCChiefs.com (via Twitter). The timetable for Charles’ return isn’t yet clear, but it looks like Knile Davis will probably get the nod for Kansas City in Week 3.
  • Per Aditi Kinkhabwala of the NFL Network (Twitter link), Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said today that it’s too early to predict a return date for Robert Griffin III, but Gruden expects the signal-caller to return this season and says he isn’t an IR candidate.
  • Rams wideout Tavon Austin has been diagnosed with a sprained MCL and is expected to miss a couple weeks, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
  • Dolphins guard Shelley Smith will also be sidelined for two to four weeks due to a grade two knee sprain, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).

AFC Mailbags: Bengals, Steelers, Colts, Jags

June 1st, 2014 at 8:54pm CST by Ben Levine

ESPN’s NFL writers answered questions from their readers this weekend. Let’s take a look at some interesting notes from the AFC…