HEADLINES

Mychal Kendricks

West Notes: Hawks, Brown, Raiders, Bolts

September 11th, 2019 at 7:37pm CST by PFR Staff

Pete Carroll said the Seahawks indeed looked into Antonio Brown once the Raiders released him on Saturday, according to Brady Henderson of ESPN. Carroll said he and GM John Schneider always communicate on potential moves but added, “Not everything is always as it seems and you’ve got check into stuff and figure out what’s going on.” Carroll also gave the impression that a stronger Seahawks pursuit of the four-time All-Pro may not have mattered, indicating Brown was intent on signing with the Patriots. “He was headed to New England. He was going,” Carroll said. The Seahawks and Browns were the two other teams mentioned as interested in Brown.

Now for more from the league’s west divisions:

  • More than a year after pleading guilty to insider trading, Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks has still not been sentenced and will not be any time soon, according to Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith. Kendricks’ sentencing, which has already been delayed for nine months, was delayed again and is now scheduled for November 21. Kendricks started for the Seahawks this past Sunday against the Bengals, tallying seven tackles (one for loss).
  • Jon Gruden scoffed when asked about Brown’s lawsuit, as Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Authentic relays (Twitter link). “I’m not aware of anything,” Gruden said. “If you want to ask about him you can call his employer.” The civil suit surfaced three days after Brown agreed to terms with the Patriots.
  • Adding to the Chargers’ injury woes, Anthony Lynn said today that he is concerned about the knee of wide receiver Mike Williams, ESPN’s Adam Schefter relays (Twitter link). Earlier today, it was reported that tight end Hunter Henry had suffered a tibia fracture to his left knee and would be sidelined for 4-6 weeks. The Bolts are already without starting left tackle Russell Okung and All-Pro safety Derwin James. Williams dealt with injury trouble as a rookie but played in 16 games last season.
  • Seahawks first-round pick L.J. Collier returned to practice today for the first time since spraining his ankle early in camp. Carroll said the TCU defensive end product has a chance to make his debut Sunday against the Steelers, Henderson adds. The Seahawks stand to have their entire defensive line healthy soon, with Ziggy Ansah also on the verge of making his Seattle debut. Ansah was limited Wednesday.

West Rumors: 49ers, Seahawks, Broncos

August 8th, 2019 at 7:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

It’s been a long offseason for the 49ers, who have seen numerous key players deal with injuries throughout the spring and summer. Add more to the list of San Francisco talents set to miss the preseason. Jerick McKinnon and Weston Richburg are both unlikely to play until Week 1. Given $18MM guaranteed, McKinnon is still dealing with knee trouble after missing all of last season with an ACL tear. The sixth-year running back received a platelet-rich plasma injection on his knee and is expected to miss the 49ers’ August slate, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com notes. The team activated him from the PUP list Tuesday, but Kyle Shanahan said his prized 2018 offseason signing experienced significant soreness after going through individual drills the past two days. Richburg, who remains on the active/PUP list after a January knee surgery, is being targeted a Week 1 return. So are Nick Bosa and Jason Verrett. The 49ers hope Dee Ford, who received a PRP injection on his injured knee, can play by the team’s dress-rehearsal preseason game.

Here’s the latest West news from outside of San Francisco:

  • With the Seahawks in desperate need of available pass rushers come Week 1, more blitz opportunities may be on tap. Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright and Mychal Kendricks (should he be on the field) are in position to be used more as rushers. “If we can play really good D, it’s going to be because of Bobby and K.J. and Mychal and the guys in the linebacker spot. We’re going to utilize them as much as we can to be a factor in all aspects, run and pass [defense],” Pete Carroll said, via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson. “Those guys are really good pass defenders, and they love coming off the edge too. We’ll plan on using those guys a lot.” After Frank Clark‘s departure, the Seahawks have Ziggy Ansah and L.J. Collier injured. Jarran Reed incurred a six-game suspension. Wright has not collected a sack since 2016, when he had four. Wagner had 4.5 that year but recorded 2.5 since.
  • Theo Riddick will earn a $2MM 2019 base salary with the Broncos, and $750K of it is fully guaranteed, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Another $250K will be available in per-game roster bonuses. Overall, Riddick signed for $2.5MM with $1MM guaranteed. This makes it a near-certainty Riddick will appear on the Broncos’ 53-man roster in September.
  • The Broncos are already down Todd Davis for multiple weeks; they will be without one of his top backups for longer than that. Joe Jones suffered a triceps injury this week, and a second opinion delivered more clarity on the inside linebacker’s timeline. Jones will be out between six and eight weeks, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic tweets. But he will not need surgery, which could increase his chances of making the Broncos. If Jones hits IR before the Broncos finalize their 53-man unit, the special-teamer will be ineligible to return for them this season.
  • Returning 2018 fifth-round pick Johnny Townsend would seemingly be in line to keep his job as the Raiders‘ punter, but Jon Gruden said rookie UDFA A.J. Cole has put himself in the conversation to unseat the incumbent, per Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (on Twitter). Cole would be an option to handle Raiders kickoffs as well.

Latest On Seahawks LB Mychal Kendricks

June 11th, 2019 at 5:45pm CST by Rory Parks

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said he expects linebacker Mychal Kendricks to be available this season, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets. That is perhaps unsurprising given that Seattle signed Kendricks to a one-year, $4.5MM deal in March, but in light of Kendricks’ legal situation, Carroll’s remarks are still noteworthy. Carroll added that Kendricks himself is optimistic about a favorable resolution to his criminal case (Twitter link via Brady Henderson of ESPN.com).

Kendricks was supposed to face sentencing for insider trading in April, but his sentencing date keeps getting pushed back, and the new date is currently unknown. John P. Gilbert of FieldGulls.com observes that Kendricks’ co-defendant, Damilare Sonoiki — whose sentencing is scheduled for July 15 — petitioned the court for permission to travel in May so that he could seek employment. And as Gilbert points out, it would be curious if Sonoiki filed that petition in search of two-month employment prior to a court appearance that could theoretically send him to jail for a significant stretch, so it sounds as if Sonoiki believes he can avoid prison time entirely.

Since Sonoiki and Kendricks both pleaded guilty to the same crimes, it stands to reason that if Sonoiki can avoid jail time, Kendricks can, too. Kendricks was said to be facing 30 to 37 months in prison.

Carroll could not offer any further comment, but he would obviously love to have a talented LB like Kendricks in the fold. Kendricks made his Seahawks debut — following a post-arrest release from the Browns — in Week 2 of the 2018 season against the Bears, but after some back-and-forth with the league, he was hit with an eight-game suspension in October. His 2018 season ended with 20 tackles and two sacks over the course of four games.

Contract Details: Ingram, Suggs, Kendricks

March 19th, 2019 at 10:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the latest details from some agreed-upon contracts during the second wave of free agency. All links courtesy of the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, unless otherwise noted.

Seahawks Re-Sign LB Mychal Kendricks

March 13th, 2019 at 4:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks have re-signed linebacker Mychal Kendricks, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). It’s a one-year, $4MM deal, tweets Mike Garfolo of NFL.com. Kendricks, of course, was arrested for insider trading last year and will face sentencing next month.

Previously, head coach Pete Carroll indicated that he would like Kendricks back in 2019, provided that a prison sentence did not interfere with his availability. Kendricks could be facing 30-to-37 months in prison, so there’s no way of knowing whether he’ll be able to play football again anytime soon. If he is imprisoned for 37 months, he’ll be 31 years old at the time of his release and three years removed from the game.

Kendricks made his Seahawks debut — following a post-arrest release from the Browns — in Week 2 against the Bears, but after some back-and-forth with the league, he was hit with an eight-game suspension in October. His 2018 season ended with 20 tackles and two sacks over the course of four games.

Seattle could potentially lose fellow linebacker K.J. Wright to free agency, so Kendricks could help fill at the second level, provided he’s allowed to play.

Latest On Seahawks’ Mychal Kendricks

January 16th, 2019 at 3:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Mychal Kendricks‘ sentencing date for his insider trading case has been moved from Jan. 25 to April 4, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. District court in Pennsylvania handling the case (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson). It’s a development that could impact Kendricks’ football future. 

Previously, head coach Pete Carroll indicated that he would like Kendricks back in 2019, provided that a prison sentence did not interfere with his availability. Kendricks could be facing 30-to-37 months in prison, so there’s no way of knowing whether he’ll be able to play football again anytime soon. If he is imprisoned for 37 months, he’ll be 31 years old at the time of his release and three years removed from the game.

Of course, the later sentencing date further complicates matters. Kendricks will not realistically be able to sign a contract with a team or gear up for the 2019 season while his freedom hangs in the balance. In a best case scenario, Kendricks can hope for a slap on the wrist and the ability to market himself in the second wave of free agency.

NFC Notes: Saints, Seahawks, Lions, 49ers

December 13th, 2018 at 9:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints cut Brandon Marshall on Wednesday, but head coach Sean Payton says New Orleans could still re-sign the veteran wideout, tweets Nick Underhill of the Advocate. Marshall, 34, has miraculously never made a postseason appearance during 13-year NFL career, but that could change if he ends up back with the Saints. Meanwhile, another mid-30s pass-catcher might be close to returning to the field in New Orleans, as Payton told reporters Ted Ginn Jr. could be nearing activation. Ginn, who underwent knee surgery in October, is reportedly one of two candidates under consideration to be activated from the Saints’ injured reserve list, the other being offensive lineman Josh LeRibeus.

Here’s more from the NFC:

  • The Seahawks will likely have interest in re-signing linebacker Mychal Kendricks after he serves a sentence for insider trading, according to Brady Henderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). “He wants to be part of this thing so badly, but he doesn’t get to this time around,” head coach Pete Carroll said of Kendricks after the latter was placed on injured reserve earlier this week. “We’ll look forward to getting him back next time and keep him with us.” Kendricks will face sentencing in January, but as Henderson notes, Carroll’s comments could be an indication Seattle doesn’t expect Kendricks to serve a lengthy term. Technically, Kendricks could be facing 30-to-37 months in prison.
  • Ezekiel Ansah has likely played his final down for the Lions after going on IR Tuesday, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. Ansah, 29, played the 2018 campaign under a one-year, $17.1MM franchise tag, but it’s extremely unlikely Detroit will use that tender again next season. While he’s historically been limited by nagging injuries, Ansah typically didn’t miss many games until this year, when he’s only managed seven appearances. Ansah may need to take a one-year, pillow contract in 2019 to re-establish his value, but it doesn’t seem like that deal will come from the Lions.
  • The 49ers are already armed with the eighth-most projected cap space in 2019, and they could create even more by parting ways with several veterans this offseason, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Sunday was a pointed example of exactly which aged players could be on the chopping block: wideout Pierre Garcon missed a fourth consecutive game with injury, while linebacker Malcolm Smith and defensive tackle Earl Mitchell saw their snaps either reduced or eliminated altogether. With their quarterback of the future already locked into a long-term deal, San Francisco could spend the upcoming offseason re-tooling other parts of its roster.

Seahawks’ Mychal Kendricks Done For Year

December 12th, 2018 at 1:02pm CST by Zachary Links

Mychal Kendricks‘ tumultuous season will end on a down note. The Seahawks linebacker suffered a broken tibia on Monday night and will miss the rest of the season, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). Kendricks will be placed on injured reserve this week, opening up a spot on the 53-man roster. 

Kendricks, of course, has bigger things to worry about than football. After pleading guilty to federal insider trading charges, Kendricks will face sentencing in January. He faces between 30 and 37 months in prison, meaning that Monday night’s game could mark his last in the NFL. If he is imprisoned for the full 37 months, he’ll be 31 years old at the time of his release and three years removed from the game.

Kendricks made his Seahawks debut in Week 2 against the Bears, but after some back-and-forth with the league, he was hit with an eight-game suspension in October. His 2018 season ends with 20 tackles and two sacks over the course of four games.

The loss of Kendricks stings for Seattle as they’ll have a thinner group of LBs to draw from in the playoffs. Moving forward, they project to start Barkevious Mingo, Bobby Wagner, and K.J. Wright, assuming that Wright’s knee is stable enough to play. Late round rookies Jake Martin and Shaquem Griffin are also on hand to sub in at outside linebacker and Villanova product Austin Calitro can contribute in the middle.

Seahawks To Activate Mychal Kendricks

December 3rd, 2018 at 5:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mychal Kendricks‘ suspension is over, and he is back on the Seahawks’ active roster. The team activated the embattled linebacker on Monday, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets.

The Seahawks waived linebacker Emmanuel Ellerbee to make room on the 53-man roster. Kendricks played in three games for the Seahawks earlier this season before serving an eight-game suspension.

Having pleaded guilty to federal insider trading charges, on which he is awaiting sentencing in January, Kendricks stands to return to game action Sunday. He registered two sacks and 15 tackles for the Seahawks during his brief game stint in September. The former Eagles starter (and brief Browns employee) made two starts with Seattle.

When Kendricks was suspended, the Seahawks were viewed as a rebuilding team that was not especially likely to return to the playoffs. Now, Kendricks will stand to help a team that is contenting for its sixth postseason berth in seven years.

However, the outside linebacker faces between 30 and 37 months in prison at the January 24 sentencing. So, it’s quite possible these upcoming Seahawks games will be the last of the 28-year-old defender’s career.

NFL Suspends Kendricks For Eight Games

October 30th, 2018 at 11:02am CST by Zachary Links

The NFL suspended linebacker Mychal Kendricks for eight games, according to Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter). The Seahawks defender will be credited for the three games served under his previous “indefinite” suspension, making him eligible to practice with the club in Week 12. 

Kendricks’ first game back is slated to come on Monday, Dec. 10 when the Seahawks host the Vikings. In theory, Kendricks could appeal, but he might just accept his punishment since it’s more lenient than expected. The league seemed determined to keep him off of the field until his insider trading case was settled in court, but he will instead be allowed to return to action for the Seahawks’ playoff push.

At 4-3, the Seahawks have an uphill battle in trying to beat out the Rams for the NFC West crown. However, they’re very much in Wild Card contention, and Kendricks can be a game-changer if they’re still afloat in December.

Kendricks was playing well in his brief time as a Seahawk, posting 15 tackles and two sacks in three games with the club.

Load More Posts