HEADLINES

Matt Slauson

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/24/17

October 24th, 2017 at 5:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

  • Waived: C Dillon Day

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Jets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chargers’ Matt Slauson Out For Season

October 23rd, 2017 at 4:52pm CST by GregGoldstein

The Chargers already lost one starting offensive lineman when rookie Forrest Lamp suffered a torn ACL before the season even started, now they can add another name to that list. According to the Chargers official Twitter account, offensive lineman Matt Slauson will miss the remainder of the season with a biceps injury. The tweet was a direct quote from head coach Anthony Lynn, confirming the news.

Matt Slauson

Slauson, 31, started at left guard in each of the Chargers first seven games. The veteran lineman originally signed with the team after the 2015-16 season for two years, $4 MM. Slauson was the starter at center last year before shifting over to guard for the 2017-18 season.

The news is a bit of downer for the Chargers considering that the team has won three games in a row after an 0-4 start. Los Angeles will now have to turn to rookie third round pick Dan Feeney to start in place of the nine-year veteran. The Chargers team may also decide to add another offensive lineman to the active roster with now only three backup lineman on the depth chart.

Extra Points: Bolts, Bills, Lechler, Seahawks

May 15th, 2017 at 10:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

After parting ways with Orlando Franklin with three years remaining on his deal, the Chargers are going to have a revamped offensive line in 2017. But they will be doing some rearranging on their own as well. Matt Slauson functioned at center for the 2016 Bolts, but the former Jets and Bears guard looks like he’s going to be moving back to his original position. The second-year Charger worked at left guard during the team’s voluntary minicamp last month, Dan Woike of the San Diego Union-Tribune notes. Franklin lined up at left guard the past two years for the Bolts. Slauson played center, and graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 18 player there last season, but he was a left guard starter for his first five-plus seasons in the league. Slauson moved to center with the 2015 Bears due to a Hroniss Grasu injury. New Bolts HC Anthony Lynn was the Jets’ running backs coach throughout Slauson’s time with Gang Green.

Woike adds that Forrest Lamp has begun working at right guard, where D.J. Fluker played in 2015-16, and Indiana Dan Feeney took early reps at center. That would be a way to get both Day 2 picks in the lineup, along with Slauson. A 2016 third-round pick, Max Tuerk could also factor into the equation at center.

Here’s more from around the league.

  • In moving from the Texans to the Bills, Brian Gaine made a lateral move in Brandon Beane‘s eyes. As Bills VP of player personnel, Gaine will oversee the Bills’ pro and college scouting departments while reporting directly to Beane, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com reports. Beane, of course, beat out Gaine for the Buffalo GM job. But the New York native saw enough in the Bills’ offer to move over from a similar job with what’s been a more successful franchise to the franchise with the longest active postseason drought among American major pro sports teams.
  • Speaking of the Texans, Shane Lechler‘s 2017 deal will contain a $500K signing bonus, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports. The 40-year-old punter re-signed with Houston for $2MM this year and doesn’t sound like retirement is especially close. This will be his 18th season. Despite being regarded as one of the greatest punters in NFL history, Lechler at this point is a middle-of-the-pack player in terms of salary. He’ll be making $200K more than last season.
  • The Seahawks don’t plan to play Malik McDowell as a defensive tackle, but rather as an interior player on passing downs, Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com notes, adding that Pete Carroll wants him to operate in a Michael Bennett-like capacity. That means McDowell may be a second-stringer as a rookie but play multiple positions. While Carroll said the second-round pick would see time at the three-technique spot in Seattle’s 4-3 scheme, he doesn’t view the Michigan State product as a pure tackle. “We’ll play him a little more at defensive end,” Carroll said, per Kapadia. “He played inside a lot. He was over the center a lot, and he doesn’t look like that kind of player in our system to us.” The Seahawks still have 2016 second-rounder Jarran Reed and Ahtyba Rubin at defensive tackle, along with third-round rookie Nazair Jones.
  • The Eagles did not sign safety Weston Steelhammer after inviting the Air Force alum to their rookie minicamp. One of three Air Force products to receive a tryout over the weekend, Steelhammer sits in limbo after the Department of Defense reversed its more lenient ruling just before the draft. If nothing changes, Steelhammer and more prominent Air Force prospect Jalen Robinette must serve for two years before beginning an NFL career. “Things didn’t work out how we thought or how we hoped, but everything happens for a reason,” Steelhammer said, via Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com. “I’ll just try to make the most of it.”

10 Centers The Saints Could Pursue

May 8th, 2017 at 12:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Saints center Max Unger went under the knife to help fix an issue with his foot, and that surgery will cause him to miss the start of the season. With no exact timetable in place for his return, the Saints will likely consider out-of-house options to help fill the void.

With some help from PFR’s Dallas Robinson, here are centers that New Orleans could look into acquiring:

  • Nick Mangold (free agent): Mangold remains on the open market and he stands as the most obvious choice for the Saints to consider. The Saints would be hard-pressed to find anyone with a resume as impressive as Mangold’s and the seven-time Pro Bowler probably wouldn’t cost all that much at this stage of the offseason. At the same time, there’s a reason why he is still available here in May and word of clubs asking him to change positions isn’t exactly encouraging. "<strong
  • Jason Kelce (Eagles): Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com was quick to connect the dots on Monday morning after word of Unger’s injury broke. The Eagles reportedly have had Kelce on the trading block for some time now and the Saints would now be a logical landing spot for him. The Eagles beat writer suggests that a Kelce deal could see running back Mark Ingram going to Philly, but I personally have a hard time seeing that happen. If the Saints are unable to meet the Eagles’ asking price for Kelce, however, they might be able to swing a deal for another interesting option on their roster.
  • Stefen Wisniewski (Eagles): If the Eagles were to trade Kelce, Wisniewski or guard Isaac Seumalo would be the top candidates to step into the starting role. However, Wisniewski himself would make lots of sense as a stopgap for the Saints. Wisniewski was a starter for five straight years with the Raiders and Jaguars before landing with the Eagles as a reserve. In addition to that starting experience, he also offers experience at guard, so he could be used at multiple spots once Unger returns to action. Pro Football Focus ranked him 39th among 72 eligible guards last season with strong marks for his pass blocking skills.
  • Joe Hawley (Buccaneers): The Buccaneers are moving Ali Marpet to center and he could very well wind up as the starter. There’s also Evan Dietrich-Smith and guard/tackle Ken Pamphile to consider for the No. 1 job and that could make Hawley expendable. The 28-year-old (29 in October) has been the Bucs’ primary center for the last two years, but he could be on the outside looking in after camp concludes. This offseason, he re-signed with the team on a two-year, $5.5MM deal with just $1MM guaranteed. It’s an affordable deal that the Saints could easily wiggle out of next year, if need be. Alternatively, the Bucs may want to dangle Dietrich-Smith in New Orleans’ direction.
  • Tim Barnes (49ers): Barnes just showed up in San Francisco, but indications are that the Niners will use Jeremy Zuttah as their starting center in 2o17. Before getting cut this offseason, Barnes spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons as the Rams’ starter. Another Niner, Daniel Kilgore, could have appeal for the Saints.
  • Cameron Erving (Browns): The Browns are planning to move Erving to right tackle now that J.C. Tretter is in town, but perhaps the Saints would be interested in seeing what he can do in the middle. Then again, he was shifted to right tackle last year after performing poorly in 12 games at center.
  • Matt Slauson (Chargers): Slauson isn’t guaranteed to start this year thanks to the presence of Max Tuerk, Forrest Lamp, and Dan Feeney. All three players are rookies (Tuerk didn’t play in 2016 thanks to his knee injury) but the team is high on each of them. In theory, Slauson could be shifted over to guard with Tuerk starting in the middle, but it’s also possible that Feeney starts at right guard over him. Slauson would be a valuable swing reserve for Los Angeles, but the Bolts might also be willing to trade him thanks to their glut of O-Line options.
  • Joe Berger (Vikings): Vikings coach Mike Zimmer sees third round rookie Pat Elflein as a center, and that could potentially make Berger expendable. Berger, 35 later this month, has started 68 games over the course of his career. He graded out as the 12th best guard in the entire NFL last season, according to PFF. He earned an even stronger overall score in 2015 when he primarily played in the middle. Berger still has plenty in the tank, so it would be harder to pry him away than some of the other names on this list.

AFC Notes: Titans, Bolts, Chiefs, Bills

May 19th, 2016 at 5:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from the AFC:

  • Titans GM Jon Robinson confirmed that he tried to trade Zach Mettenberger before waiving him. “There were a lot of teams we touched base with over the course of the draft weekend that had interest in Zach, and a lot of those teams ended up selecting quarterbacks at some point in the draft,’’ Robinson said (via Jim Wyatt of Titans Online). “For whatever reason those discussions never really manifested, or culminated into anything.”
  • The Chargers‘ two-year contract with center Matt Slauson carries a $3MM base, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego tweets. The veteran can earn another $1.25MM in bonuses and escalators via playing time.
  • The Chiefs had free agent guard Amini Silatolu in for a visit recently, a source tells Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The team is continuing to evaluate the guard position, and that includes a potential signing of the former Carolina lineman.
  • Mike Rodak of ESPN.com has details on Cordy Glenn‘s five-year extension with the Bills. In 2018, $8MM of his $9.25MM base salary is guaranteed for injury only at signing, though $1.5MM of that amount becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2017 league year. The other $6.5MM of that amount becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2018 league year. He can also earn up to $1MM in All-Pro and Pro Bowl escalators. His $2MM roster bonus is due on the fifth day of the 2018 league year.

Chargers Sign Matt Slauson

May 9th, 2016 at 1:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

MONDAY, 1:24pm: The Chargers have officially confirmed their two-year agreement with Slauson in an announcement on their website.

SATURDAY, 3:08pm: The first of Matt Slauson‘s two visits has turned into his new NFL home, with the Chargers and the free agent interior lineman agreeing to terms on a two-year deal, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets.

Released by the Bears on Sunday, Slauson also visited the Bills’ headquarters this week, but left without a contract. The 30-year-old lineman vacillated between his usual left guard spot and the center position in 2015, with Pro Football Focus giving the newest Charger its fifth-best grade among snappers last season.

The Chargers have highly paid Orlando Franklin at left guard and D.J. Fluker at right guard, and the team just picked up Fluker’s fifth-year option. Slauson’s temporary position of center could be a longer-term project for the former Jets draft chioce. Chris Watt resides there in San Diego and is probably the most vulnerable of the Chargers’ starters right now.

Caplan confirms (on Twitter) that Slauson, who played half of last season as the Bears’ center, is being brought in to play the same position in San Diego. The Bills, interestingly, also didn’t want Slauson to play at this customary guard spot either. Buffalo sought him as a right tackle option, Caplan reports (on Twitter).

The Bears signed Manny Ramirez and Ted Larsen before drafting Cody Whitehair in the second round. They decided to cut ties with Slauson despite the productive lineman having two years left on his deal. He assumed snapping duties to start last season due to rookie Hroniss Grasu‘s injury. Once Grasu returned, Slauson shuttled back to left guard, where he’d played since signing with Chicago in 2013.

A 6-foot-5, 320-pound performer, Slauson worked with new Chargers offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo with the Jets in 2012.

Pro Football Focus rated the Chargers as having the NFL’s worst offensive front last season. Franklin, Fluker, Watt and left tackle King Dunlap suffered through injuries to limit their effectiveness, and the group’s regression mirrored the team’s descent into last place in the AFC West. Many experts expected the Chargers to select a tackle with their No. 3 overall pick that emerged out of last season’s mess, but San Diego selected Joey Bosa instead and left the line unchanged, likely hoping health would provide enough of an upgrade.

Concussion and shoulder troubles resulted in Watt spending the second half of last season on IR, with replacement Trevor Robinson rating as PFF’s worst overall offensive lineman among regulars. The Chargers have a lot of money tied up in their offensive line after agreeing to long-term deals with Franklin and Joe Barksdale the past two offseasons, along with extending Dunlap and triggering Fluker’s fifth-year option. They now look to have supplied that group with a quality center to belatedly replace the retired Nick Hardwick.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

Extra Points: Slauson, Okoye, Flacco, Amendola

May 7th, 2016 at 12:26pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted notes from around the NFL on this Saturday morning…

  • Former Bears offensive lineman Matt Slauson left his visit with the Bills without a contract, tweets Michael Gehlken of San Diego Union-Tribune. The 30-year-old is also set to meet with the Chargers, who Gehlken says are “very much in the mix.”
  • Amobi Okoye is attempting another NFL comeback, writes Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The former first-round pick was stricken with a rare illness, which seemingly ended his career in 2012. Luckily, the defensive tackle made his way back with the Cowboys last season, but he was cut before he could take the field. “The illness happened and I really beat it,” Okoye said. “I’m feeling really good. My doctor has cleared me for full-contact football since August of 2014. I’m working hard to get back in the NFL. I’ve always felt a passion for working out and my recovery has gone very well. I’ve been going through my normal training regimen. I’m full-go, training hard and waiting to get that call to get back on a team. I’m still fairly young. That kind of helps.”
  • There was one interesting participant at the Ravens rookie minicamp (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun on Twitter): tight end Michael Flacco, brother of quarterback Joe Flacco.
  • Danny Amendola‘s role on the Patriots is “irreplaceable,” said the Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe on CSNNE.com. As a result, the reporter says it would have been interested if the wideout has called the Patriots’ bluff in regard to a pay cut.

AFC Rumors: Slauson, Chargers, Bills, V. Miller

May 5th, 2016 at 7:58pm CST by Zachary Links

All along, Matt Slauson has planned on visiting both the Chargers and the Bills and he will not rush his decision, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego tweets. After wrapping up his visit with San Diego on Wednesday, the center/guard is now meeting with team brass in Buffalo. Slauson doesn’t have a deal with the Bolts yet, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything one way or the other.

Here’s more out of the AFC:

  • Contract talks are at a standstill between Von Miller and the Broncos, but the Super Bowl MVP says that he doesn’t plan on going anywhere. “I’m going to be here in Denver no matter what,” Miller said, as Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post writes. “The contract is going to take care of itself. I’m going to be a Denver Bronco for life.” Miller, who was hit with the franchise tag, is not expected to take part in team workouts this week.
  • Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona “may have to leave the Patriots for a year or so,” a Navy official told The Dan Patrick Show (transcript via ESPN.com). The second-year player has been assigned to a ship, which prompted New England to sign free agent long snapper Christian Yount.
  • Chiefs rookie return specialist Tyreek Hill will not be subject to NFL discipline upon entering the league but could be considered a repeat offender under its conduct policy if he is involved in another incident of domestic violence, as Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star writes. The fifth-round choice out of West Alabama pleaded guilty in August 2015 to a domestic abuse incident involving his pregnant girlfriend. The policy only applies when the player’s first infraction occurs while the player is in the NFL. However, the league will not hesitate to hit Hill with advanced punishment if another incident takes place.

Matt Slauson To Visit Chargers, Bills

May 4th, 2016 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of his release from the Bears’ roster, veteran offensive lineman Matt Slauson didn’t waste much time setting up visits as he looks for a new NFL home. According to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Slauson has visits lined up with the Chargers and Bills.Matt Slauson

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets that the visit to San Diego is taking place today, with a trip to Buffalo expected to follow. Other teams could be in play for Slauson as well, according to Biggs.

Chicago’s primary left guard since 2013, Slauson played with the Bears for the last three seasons, starting all 37 games in which he played. However, after the Bears signed Manny Ramirez and Ted Larsen in free agency, then selected Kansas State guard Cody Whitehair, Slauson became expendable, and was cut by the club following the draft.

As Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (Twitter links) notes, Slauson has some connections to members of the Bills’ coaching staff, including head coach Rex Ryan and offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, who previously coached the 30-year-old with the Jets and Bears, respectively. Buffalo, having created some cap room after extending Cordy Glenn, is looking at Slauson as a possible right tackle, a source tells Rodak.

The Chargers, meanwhile, having a coaching connection of their own to the ex-Bear — new assistant offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo was Slauson’s offensive line coach in 2012 with the Jets.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bears Release Matt Slauson

May 1st, 2016 at 6:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

6:54pm: The Bears did not offer Slauson a chance to take a pay reduction, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. He carried a $2.89MM base salary for 2016. Slauson made just $2.75MM last year and resided as the Bears’ second-highest-paid lineman — behind Bobby Massie — going into the weekend.

6:01pm: A couple of hours after announcing Antrel Rolle‘s time in the Windy City would be limited to one year, the Bears moved on from a longer-tenured cog by releasing Matt Slauson, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times reports (on Twitter).

Chicago’s primary left guard since 2013, Slauson played with the Bears for three seasons, starting every game in which he played. However, the Bears selected Kansas State guard Cody Whitehair, a prospect viewed by many as the top guard in the draft, and it looks like he’ll be given a strong chance to become Slauson’s successor at left guard as Kyle Long ventures back to right guard.

Entering his age-30 campaign, Slauson was set to make $3.4MM this season. The Bears, who also signed Manny Ramirez and Ted Larsen to help out on the interior, will take on just more than $800K of dead money as a result of this transaction. Should the Bears designate Slauson as a post-June 1 cut, that amount can be spread over each of the final two years of his Chicago contract.

This also marks the second offensive line starter Chicago jettisoned this offseason; new Dolphins lineman Jermon Bushrod was released with a failed physical designation.

Second-year GM Ryan Pace praised Slauson and Rolle for their leadership (via Jahns, on Twitter).

Slauson should generate some interest on the free agent market for guard- or center-needy teams after he rebounded nicely from a malady-marred 2014 season in which a torn pectoral muscle limited him to five games. A former sixth-round selection of the Jets’ in 2009, Slauson shifted to center for much of last season due to 2015 rookie Hroniss Grasu‘s neck injury-induced eight-game absence and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ fifth-best player at that spot last season. Ramirez slotted in at No. 4. The former John Fox charge in Denver has extensive experience playing both center and guard.

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