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Michael Vick

East Notes: Bills, Vick, Cowboys, Milliner

August 7th, 2015 at 3:39pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bills have yet to name a starting quarterback, and it may be several more weeks until they do so. Matt Cassel, E.J. Manuel, and Tyrod Taylor are currently vying for the job, and head coach Rex Ryan admitted today on PFT Live that he and the Bills also considered Michael Vick (Twitter link). However, Ryan had concerns about Vick playing in bad weather in Buffalo. Vick, of course, played for Ryan in New York last year, but it doesn’t appear that his old coach will bring him in for a look this year.

Here’s more from out of the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • The Cowboys worked out several players today, bringing in the following players for auditions, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link): Offensive tackle Cody Clay, running backs Tim Cornett and Demitrius Bronson, and linebackers Jerrell Harris and Alex Singleton.
  • Shortly after learning that Antonio Allen had torn his Achilles and waiving the injured safety, the Jets saw another one of their defensive backs go down with an injury. According to a team release, cornerback Dee Milliner, who missed most of last season with an Achilles injury of his own, is undergoing surgery today to repair a torn tendon in his wrist, and will likely be sidelined for six to eight weeks.
  • Giants defensive line coach Robert Nunn said today that he has been in contact with Jason Pierre-Paul throughout the offseason, both before and after JPP’s fireworks accident, writes Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. “When I’ve talked to him, we’ve talked more about where he is from a mental standpoint, just texted back and forth to let him know we’re here for him, whatever he needs,” Nunn said. “And his response has been, ‘Coach, I’m good. I want to get myself right and I’ll be back.'”

North Notes: Browns, H. Smith, Steelers

July 30th, 2015 at 8:46am CST by Luke Adams

The 2015 season will likely be a redshirt year for rookie cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Browns head coach Mike Pettine said on Wednesday, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. At one point, Ekpre-Olomu, who continues to recover from a serious knee injury, was viewed as a potential first-round pick, but Cleveland snagged him in the seventh round in May following his torn ACL and disclocated knee. The Browns will have to wait until the end of training camp to move the Oregon alum to injured reserve if they want to avoid the risk of losing him on waivers.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two North divisions:

AFC East Notes: Brady, Brown, Dolphins, Vick

July 23rd, 2015 at 5:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Negotiating with Tom Brady makes commissioner Roger Goodell look soft, Gary Tanguay of CSNNE.com opines. Tanguay believes that news of the talks was leaked by the Patriots quarterback’s camp in an attempt to force Goodell to fold and wipe Brady’s suspension to zero games. Goodell is reportedly being pushed by “a small handful of influential owners” to uphold Brady’s four-game suspension, but attorney Gregg Levy, who participated in the appeal as a legal consultant to Goodell, has been warning the commissioner that it will be hard to make a suspension stick in court. Here’s more from the AFC East..

  • Mike Reiss of ESPN.com gives his full endorsement to the Patriots’ signing of cornerback Tarell Brown. If healthy, Reiss believes that Brown can compete for a starting job or, at the very least, he can provide the Pats with veteran depth. Brown broke his foot last December and landed on season-ending injured reserve.
  • James Walker of ESPN.com looked at the best values on the Dolphins‘ defense. Linebacker Jelani Jenkins, earning $585K this year, tops the list after he came out of nowhere in 2014, replaced injured linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, and led the Dolphins with 110 tackles. Defensive end Olivier Vernon, making $1.552MM with 21.5 sacks in three seasons, is rated as the second-best value. Cornerback Jamar Taylor, who could wind up as a starter, comes in at No. 3 with his meager salary of $734K.
  • Free agent quarterback Michael Vick took to Twitter this week to let teams know that he’s ready to go. The veteran has said that he wants to play for three more seasons, but it’s telling that he remains unsigned in late July. There is reportedly some skepticism around the league that Vick is ready to accept a backup role and to put in the work necessary even when he doesn’t expect to play. The former No. 1 overall pick supposedly didn’t study up on the Jets‘ playbook last season and yielded many of his practice reps to Matt Simms.

Community Tailgate: Best FA Besides Evan Mathis?

June 22nd, 2015 at 4:43pm CST by Zachary Links

We’re still a few months away from the start of battles on the NFL gridiron, but there’s no offseason when it comes to debate amongst fans. This month, we launched a new series here at PFR that will be known as the Community Tailgate. What’s the Community Tailgate all about? Well, it’s pretty simple. Every weekday, we’ll highlight one of the top stories going on in the NFL. Then, in the comment section below, we want you to weigh in and let us know what you think.

Of course, while the debate may get spirited, we ask that it all stays respectful. If you need a reminder of our rules, please check out our commenting policy. Basically, we ask that you refrain from inappropriate language, personal insults, and attacks. Speaking of commenting: we’ve made it much easier to leave a comment here at Pro Football Rumors. You are no longer required to be a registered user – simply put in your name, email address, and comment and submit.

Today, we’re asking PFR readers to weigh in on the top remaining free agents. Excluding talented players with legal troubles like linebacker Brandon Spikes and defensive end Ray McDonald, former Eagles guard Evan Mathis is universally regarded as the best player without a deal at this time. Beyond Mathis, however, there’s hardly a clear cut silver medalist.

Over the weekend, PFR’s Dallas Robinson put together his list of the best available remaining free agents. After Mathis, he ranked tackle Jake Long No. 2, citing the former No. 1 overall pick’s talent level while also acknowledging his frustrating injury history. Tight end Jermaine Gresham, who underwent back surgery in March to repair a herniated disc, comes in at No. 3 thanks to his pass-catching ability and history of solid blocking. One-time fantasy darling James Jones is ranked fourth even though he has yet to put up the kind of numbers that he did with the Packers in 2012. Defensive end Dwight Freeney, 35, has remained productive despite his age and lack of sack totals, and was ranked No. 5. Safety Dawan Landry, guard Rob Sims, defensive lineman Red Bryant, center Chris Myers, and offensive lineman Anthony Collins rounded out the top ten. Honorable mention went to notables such as defensive end Osi Umenyiora, running back Pierre Thomas, safety Bernard Pollard, running back Ahmad Bradshaw, and quarterback Michael Vick.

Long could definitely pay dividends for a team willing to roll the dice on a low-cost deal and one could hardly be slammed for considering him the most intriguing free agent after Mathis. After all, in 2013, Long graded out as the seventh-best tackle in the league with a strong 22.5 overall score, based on Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). However, he has torn his ACL in each of the past two seasons and in 2014, Pro Football Focus ranked him as just the No. 36 tackle out of 84 qualified players. Do you consider someone like Gresham, who was a focal point of the Bengals’ offense for multiple seasons, to be a better buy? Does that mantle belong to Freeney, who graded out as one of the best at his position in terms of pass-rush productivity? Or, would you cast your vote for someone else?

In the comment section below, let us know who you think is the second-best free agent on the board and why. 

AFC East Notes: Mosley, Vollmer, Vick

June 14th, 2015 at 10:28am CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins‘ late addition of C.J. Mosley, on a strong recommendation from their slightly higher-profile ex-Lions defensive line newcomer, came as a result of concerns about the depth toward the bottom of their depth chart, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Mosley, who will make just more than $1MM in what will be his 11th season, is a more reliable piece than what the team currently has behind Ndamukong Suh — unproven performers in A.J. Francis and Anthony Johnson — but it shouldn’t be viewed as an indictment on second-rounder Jordan Phillips‘ progress, writes Jackson.

Here are some more Sunday-morning news items from Miami and the rest of the AFC East.

  • Back under the guidance of a more enthusiastic coach in Mike Zimmer, Mike Wallace either strongly prefers this personality trait compared to the lower-key Joe Philbin or is trying to please his new employer. “Honestly, [Zimmer]’s more of my type of guy — fired up. It’s cool when you do things and just do them. But when you do them and have some fire with it, it’s a lot more fun,” Wallace is quoted in Jackson’s notes piece. “I think it’s more of an environment for me, coming from [Steelers] coach [Mike] Tomlin being fired up and going to Coach Philbin, who was a lot more reserved, then coming back to another coach who’s fired up. I love it.”
  • Despite each undergoing labrum surgeries this offseason, Dont’a Hightower and Sebastian Vollmer are on divergent recovery courses, reports Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Vollmer is on track to be ready for training camp, while Hightower’s status for Week 1 isn’t a lock. Hightower, who had surgery in February after playing through a torn labrum during the latter portion of last season, played with a bigger brace than Vollmer, which indicates his tear needed a more extensive surgical overhaul. Vollmer, however, likely played with a mere labrum fray, inducing a smaller-scale surgery, notes former Chargers team doctor David Chao. Chao does expect Hightower to be on the field for Week 1.
  • Although Patriots fifth-round long snapper Joe Cardona‘s received apparent clearance from the navy to postpone his service time to play in New England this season, the team doesn’t know how long it’ll have him. It’s structured Cardona’s contract accordingly, notes Volin. Receiving only a $100K bonus rather than the $190K that would’ve been customary with his draft position, Cardona will receive roster bonuses for each year he’s with the Patriots and not in the navy. Per Volin, Cardona will collect just more than $17K, $37K and $45K for the 2015-17 seasons, respectively, if he’s on the active roster for at least one game, the PUP list or injured reserve.
  • The Pats are now extremely well-equipped to challenge teams at the goal line, writes Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald, with their addition of 6-foot-6 Scott Chandler to go with Rob Gronkowski. With New England also adding Fred Davis to go with goal-line threat Michael Hoomanawanui, the team could add to its inside-the-20 proficiency after scoring 39 red zone touchdowns last season, a figure which was tied for the league high.
  • Michael Vick‘s unemployment extending into the summer likely stems from his lax work ethic last season, reports Volin, who notes the former No. 1 overall pick barely looked at the Jets‘ playbook last season and yielded many of his practice reps to Matt Simms.

Extra Points: Gordon, D. Thomas, Vick

June 9th, 2015 at 9:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Agent Drew Rosenhaus tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that he believes Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, suspended for the 2015 season, “still has a very bright future in the NFL.” Pointing to another one of his clients that signed with the Patriots this offseason after a lengthy suspension, Rosenhaus said that Gordon is “just as determined to make it back as Fred [Davis] was.” Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • The Broncos have been in “win-now” mode for the last couple years, but they need to be conscious about their long-term future when making contract decisions, says Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap, writing for The Sporting News. Fitzgerald’s breakdown of Denver’s cap outlook includes a discussion of Demaryius Thomas, whose contract situation we examined earlier today.
  • Michael Vick is still looking for work, and has said that he wants to play in the NFL for another three years or so, but he believes he’ll have to wait for a quarterback to suffer an injury in order to get an opportunity, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. As Florio notes, there may be some skepticism around the league that Vick is ready to accept a backup role and to put in the work necessary even when he doesn’t expect to play.
  • The Chargers have been aware of Malcom Floyd‘s intentions for some time, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego tweets. The wide receiver said last year he planned to play out his contract and retire, and that remains the plan today. Floyd indicated last week that this could be his final season in the NFL.
  • Representatives from the Chargers, Rams, and Raiders are in New York to update owners on developments on their respective projects, Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego tweets. The reps from the three teams will meet with owners on Wednesday.


Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Rice, Manning, Rams, Vick

May 28th, 2015 at 9:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Rex Ryan learned a lot in his time with the Jets, including the important of partnering with a franchise that shares his vision, Albert Breer of NFL.com writes. “I’ve had six years of experience,” the Bills coach said. “So am I gonna be better now? Of course. You’re not gonna be worse by having experience. The other thing is understanding what’s important, because the second time, I was lucky — I got to choose where to go. The thing about that was, go to an organization where you see the direction, and it’s the same direction (you believe in).” Here’s more from around the NFL..

  • NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith told Sal Paolantonio of ESPN that he believes that former Ravens running back Ray Rice is being blackballed from the game. “This, unfortunately, is a league that has a history of blackballing players. I find it hard to believe that a player of Mr. Rice’s caliber hasn’t at least gotten one offer from a team to come work out,” Smith said (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). While Smith is suggesting some kind of collusion against the troubled Rutgers product, it seems very possible that all 32 teams have independently decided that Rice is simply not worth the trouble.
  • Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders doesn’t think that this will be Peyton Manning‘s last year in the NFL, Mike Klis of 9NEWS writes. “I think he’s got a lot left in the tank,” Sanders said Wednesday. “He’s wearing a glove and his spiral is back. He’s throwing a good ball. You can tell that the glove is helping him. He didn’t wear it this early last year. His arm is not a problem. His ball is accurate. I don’t see anything that says this is his last year.”
  • Missouri lawmakers are challenging the authority of Gov. Jay Nixon and other officials to build a new stadium for the Rams, as Marie French of The Associated Press writes. “I want nothing more than for the Rams to stay,” said Rep. Rob Vescovo. “But I don’t think the governor has the authority to bury us under the additional debt without proper vetting.” The lawsuit filed by Vescovo and his associates asks the court to stop any further action by the governor and the authority immediately.
  • Even after a forgettable season with the Jets, Michael Vick believes that he has more left in the tank, Ed Miller of The Virginian-Pilot writes. “I still feel like I can help a football team win a couple of games,” the soon-to-be 35-year-old said Wednesday. Vick reiterated his desire to play for three more years and pointed to last year’s performances against the Chiefs and Steelers as evidence that he’s still got it.
  • Eleven teams are showing interest in West Georgia pass rusher Darrius Caldwell, Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post tweets. We learned on Wednesday that Caldwell is entering his name in the supplemental draft.

Free Agent Notes: Vick, Barksdale, Spencer

May 14th, 2015 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

As Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap outlines in his latest piece for The Sporting News, the Ravens are currently projected to earn three compensatory draft picks in 2016, which may not have been possible if the team had been active in free agency. Now that the May 12 deadline has passed though, veteran free agents are no longer tied to the compensatory pick formula, meaning we could see Baltimore and other clubs sign some veterans off the scrap heap in the near future.

In his Sporting News piece, Fitzgerald examines a few noteworthy names still on the market, including wide receivers Reggie Wayne and Wes Welker, running back Chris Johnson, and linebackers Lance Briggs and Brandon Spikes. Fitzgerald also mentions Michael Vick, and we’ve got an update on Vick in our latest round of free agent notes. Let’s dive in…

  • Vick has been training with Chris Chambers at Chambers’ fitness center, and the former Dolphins receiver said he encouraged agent Joel Segal to let him work with the quarterback for a few weeks before Vick and Segal entertained offers. “There was a lot of political stuff with him and Geno Smith with the Jets last year,” Chambers said of Vick, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “Last two weeks, he has done phenomenal. There are several teams that want him. He wanted to be on a winning team. He wants to play three years. Eventually, he wants to start again.”
  • As Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange observes (via Twitter), with the Falcons opting to sign Tyler Polumbus after working out Joe Barksdale earlier this month, Barksdale’s options may be dwindling. The Rams reportedly still have some interest in bringing back the free agent tackle, but didn’t tender him a contract offer at the May 12 deadline, Balzer tweets. For what it’s worth, as Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com details, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn says his team is still “actively talking to” Barksdale.
  • Free agent offensive lineman Chris Spencer, who has 95 career starts on his NFL résumé, tore his Achilles the day before the draft and almost certainly won’t be able in 2015, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. While Spencer wants to continue his NFL career, he acknowledged that his top priority for now is getting healthy. “Before this happened, I was thinking I might sign back with the Titans at some point,” Spencer said. “But right now, football is on the back burner until I get through this and see where it stands.”

Extra Points: Manziel, Mack, Vick, Kaepernick

April 11th, 2015 at 12:16pm CST by Ben Levine

Quarterback Johnny Manziel has been released from his rehab program, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter on Twitter). The 22-year-old is expected to rejoin the Browns on April 20th.

The 22-year-old entered a drug and alcohol treatment facility in late February following a tumultuous rookie season. After being selected 22nd overall in last year’s draft, Manziel disappointed during his first campaign, compiling only 175 passing yards and a pair of interceptions before succumbing to injury.

Newly-signed quarterback Josh McCown figures to be the sophomore’s main competition for the Browns’ starting gig.

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

  • Following Mike Pouncey‘s extension with the Dolphins, Joel Corry of the National Football Post says (on Twitter) there is an increased likelihood that Browns center Alex Mack will void the final three years of his contract in 2016 (worth $24MM). Pouncey’s new deal was for five years and $52.15MM.
  • Meanwhile, Corry implies that the Dolphins will potentially lead the league in 2016 salary commitments, especially after they exercise Ryan Tannehill‘s $16.155M option.
  • Quarterback Michael Vick still intends to play next season, and Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com reports that the veteran is hoping interest will pick up following the draft. The 34-year-old will specifically be eying teams that miss out on their quarterback targets.
  • Colin Kaepernick has been working this offseason to transform his game and his body. It’s clearly worked, as teammate Vernon Davis almost didn’t recognize his quarterback. “When I saw him yesterday, I didn’t even know that was Colin. No, seriously,” the 49ers tight end told Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. “He was working on his dropback and I was like, ‘Who is that?’… You guys are in for a treat. He looks like a totally different guy.”

Jets Links: Ryan, Idzik, Decker, Casserly

December 27th, 2014 at 3:18pm CST by Rob DiRe

Jets head coach Rex Ryan has cleaned out his office at One Jets Drive, reports Dom Cosentino of NJ.com. With the team set to finish the season no better than 4-12, most fans and pundits believe that it will be Ryan’s last game with New York.

Team owner Woody Johnson has hired Charlie Casserly to serve as a consultant, likely in an effort to help him to hire replacements for both Ryan and general manager John Idzik.

Here are some other notes from around Jets camp:

  • While Ryan has already cleaned out his office, many of his players are still giving their full support and effort to their head coach, reports Kimberly Martin of Newsday. One of his newest additions, Percy Harvin, was adamant about how much he likes playing for Ryan. “I love him. I loved him before I got here and I’m that much more in love with him now that I’m here,’‘ said Harvin. “I don’t think anybody in this locker room has anything negative to say about Coach. That’s why you see guys still playing hard these last few games, still giving their all for Coach. He’s a players’ coach and definitely a guy you want to play for.”
  • Idzik could very well be joining Ryan in packing up his stuff, and if he does get fired, he will have his 8-8 2013 to blame, writes Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com. Fitzgerald surmises that the surprise 8-8 season is more damaging than a three-win 2014 campaign because it elevated and highlighted Ryan’s gifts at a coach to take a bad roster to the brink of playoff contention, and it blurred the line between whether Ryan or Idzik was more to blame for the lack of success, and cost Idzik a chance at a high draft pick and a new coach this past offseason.
  • If Casserly has been contacting potential coach and general manager candidates, he may have committed tampering, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. He notes that the league has made no comment about the situation or the conflict of interest, as Casserly sits on the Career Development Advisory Panel. Florio’s source tells him that Casserly is calling about candidates, not contacting them directly. The influence Casserly has from sitting on that panel could be invaluable, and is considered a rare genius move by Florio.
  • This Sunday’s game against the Dolphins could be the last in green for a few of the Jets’ veteran player, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Some players who may not be back include Michael Vick, Willie Colon, Dawan Landry, Bilal Powell, and David Harris. Cimini also writes that Harvin, Chris Johnson, and Calvin Pace could be cap casualties this offseason.
  • Although Eric Decker will be missing the playoffs for only the second time in his NFL career after signing with the Jets this past offseason, he has no regrets about the decision, according to Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. “I don’t have any regrets. When I made my decision to come to New York I wholeheartedly felt it was the best decision,’’ Decker said. “Even though the record is not the same and the stats aren’t the same [as they were in Denver], I still believe that my purpose is to be here. I believe there is a greater plan for me. I realize that is probably hard to see that in the moment.’’
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