Mychal Kendricks - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Haley, Browns, Patriots, Kendricks, Seahawks, Harrison, Lions

October 26th, 2018 at 6:27pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Rumors of clashing egos within the Browns’ coaching staff have been swirling ever since HBO cameras picked up some internal disagreements on Hard Knocks, and coach Hue Jackson recently added fuel to the fire. After a pair of disappointing Browns losses, Jackson hinted he was going to take back more control of the offense, seemingly taking shots at offensive coordinator Todd Haley in the process.

But Haley is pushing back on reports of a feud, saying he and Jackson are on the “same page”, according to Pat McManamon of ESPN. It’s highly possible, if not likely, that Haley is just saying that to the media and that there actually is bad blood behind the scenes. Haley and Jackson have never seemed like a perfect match for the Browns, and tensions are high with everyone’s jobs in danger. Jackson is backing off his initial comments and expressing more confidence in Haley, McManamon writes, but it will still be something to monitor going forward, and firings could be imminent.

Here’s more from around the league:

In addition to working out former Raiders second round pick Obi Melifonwu today, the Patriots also had a pair of other players in for tryouts. They had “TE Ben Koyack (Notre Dame), S Dexter McCoil (Tulsa) in for free-agent workouts today”, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN (Twitter link). Koyack has been with the Jaguars the past few years, and caught the game winning touchdown in Jacksonville’s first playoff game last year.
Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks has been suspended indefinitely by the league, and while he’s working to negotiate an agreement with the league office, there’s still no word on when he’ll be able to return. Coach Peter Carroll “says he has been in communication” with the league and while there’s been no “definitive word” they’re “hoping for more clarity early next week”, according to Bob Condotta of The Athletic (Twitter link). Kendricks was suspended due to being charged with insider trading, which led to his release from the Browns earlier this year.
Damon Harrison was traded from the Giants to the Lions earlier this week, and now we have more details on the trade. It was reported that Harrison was traded for a fifth round pick, but that pick is apparently conditional, according to veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (Twitter link). Balzer doesn’t state what the conditions are, but it’s fair to assume they’re related to snaps or games played.

Mychal Kendricks To Meet With League Office

October 21st, 2018 at 9:12am CST by Rory Parks

Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks, who was suspended indefinitely earlier this month, will meet with the league office sometime this week to discuss his ban, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Kendricks’ suspension, of course, stems from his involvement in insider trading, to which he has pleaded guilty. He will be sentenced in January 2019 and could receive 30 to 37 months in prison.

As a result, Kendricks, his lawyers, and the NFLPA have been battling to prove that the NFL does not have the right to impose an indefinite suspension under these circumstances. Although the indefinite suspension was upheld on appeal, arbitrator Harold Henderson’s written ruling suggested that a more specific punishment should be forthcoming. Some sources familiar with the situation, however, believe the league wants to postpone such a decision until after Kendricks is sentenced.

Florio opines that the NFL should impose a suspension of a fixed number of games and should do it quickly out of fairness to Kendricks. He adds that, since the standard punishment for first-time domestic violence offenders is a six-game suspension, Kendricks should be banned for at most four games, and Florio says there is no good reason a decision in that regard has not been made already. Kendricks’ suspension has forced him to miss Seattle’s last two contests, though the team is on a bye this week.

He was playing well in his brief time as a Seahawk, posting 15 tackles and two sacks in three games with the club. Seattle, at 3-3, would certainly like to have him back soon, and Kendricks — who may be 31 when he is released from prison — is obviously anxious to get back on the field while he still can.

NFC Notes: Thomas, Garoppolo, Griffen

October 7th, 2018 at 11:33am CST by Rory Parks

The obscene parting shot that Seahawks safety Earl Thomas made in the direction of his team’s bench as he was being carted off the field last week was not directed at any one person or player, but at the Seattle organization as a whole, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. And, even though all signs were already pointing towards a parting of the ways between Thomas, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, and the only NFL team he has ever known, Schefter reports that the Seahawks are not expected to use the franchise tag on Thomas, which all but ensures that he will not return to Seattle in 2019.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Thomas will have surgery to have a rod inserted in his leg this week, which will increase his chances of healing while lowering his chances of a re-fracture, so he is expected to be fully healthy well before free agency officially opens in March.

Now for more from the NFC, starting with another item out of Seattle:

Seahawks LB Mychal Kendricks was hit with an indefinite suspension earlier this week, and Schefter reports that Kendricks, his lawyers, and the NFLPA are still battling to prove that the NFL does not have the right to impose such a ban in his case. Instead, Kendricks is arguing that the league should suspend him for a specific number of games, thereby allowing him to return to action this season and play until he receives his sentence for insider trading in January.
In keeping with a report from several days ago that 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo underwent successful surgery on his torn ACL, Rapoport tweets that Garoppolo faces a relatively obstacle-free rehab. His ACL was the only thing that needed to be repaired, so he is expected to make a full recovery.
We heard at the end of last month that there was no definite timeline for Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen to return to the team, and Schefter reported today that Griffen is not expected to return anytime soon. Griffen, of course, is tending to apparently serious mental health issues.
Lions guard T.J. Lang suffered at least the fifth concussion of his career last week, and assuming he wants to continue his career, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com believes 2018 will be his last season in Detroit. Lang is under contract through 2019, but he missed games last year because of brain, back and foot issues, and he is dealing with brain and back issues again this year. He would carry a cap hit of $11.7MM in 2019, and Meinke does not envision Detroit ponying up that kind of cash given Lang’s recent spate of injury problems.
The Buccaneers recently worked out former first-round draft choice Paxton Lynch, but Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Bucs have no interest in signing Lynch at this time.

Seahawks’ Mychal Kendricks Suspended Indefinitely

October 2nd, 2018 at 4:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL suspended Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks indefinitely for insider trading, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The veteran will be barred from playing until further notice from the league office.

The Browns signed Kendricks back in June, but Cleveland quickly released him after news of the insider trading charge broke in August. Seattle head coach Pete Carroll opted to give him a second chance, but the NFL’s disciplinary arm sees things differently.

When the Browns signed Kendricks, they believed that the former Eagle was somehow involved with an insider trading case as a victim, but did not know the full extent of his involvement. Later, it came to light that he was the focal point of a federal investigation.

“Prior to signing Mychal, we were informed that there was a financial situation that he had been involved with in 2014. We were told Mychal had fully cooperated with investigators as a victim,” GM John Dorsey said in a statement. “From what was communicated at that time and based on the numerous questions we asked and further due diligence on our part, including checking with the league office, there was no information discovered that conveyed otherwise.”

Kendricks, who turned 28 on Friday, had a sack in each of his first two games with the Seahawks. He has 15 total tackles to his credit this year, and that could go down as his final stat line for 2018 if his situation is not resolved quickly.

The linebacker is facing 30 to 37 months in prison if convicted of the charges against him.

West Rumors: Chiefs, Hawks, Rams, Tryouts

September 17th, 2018 at 6:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

With Patrick Mahomes being arguably the NFL MVP through two weeks, the Chiefs are exiting a tough two-game stretch — road assignments against the Chargers and Steelers — at 2-0. They’ve done this without their defensive centerpiece. Eric Berry‘s been bothered by a nagging heel injury and hasn’t practice since early August. However, the three-time All-Pro safety is improving in his recovery and may be ready to practice this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The cancer survivor was already trying to surmount his second severe NFL injury, having also missed most of the 2011 season prior to tearing his Achilles’ tendon in Week 1 of last year, and is important for a Chiefs defense that’s struggled in shootout wins.

Here’s the latest out of the Wests entering the Seahawks-Bears Monday tilt.

Mychal Kendricks will play plenty in his Seahawks debut Monday night, John Schneider said (Twitter link via Stacy Jo Rost of ESPN 710). Austin Calitro will be Seattle’s middle linebacker in place of the injured Bobby Wagner, Schneider said, and Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times expects Kendricks to primarily play on the weak side (Twitter link). He’s working with the starters in warmups, per Condotta (on Twitter). Kendricks is facing an NFL suspension for his insider trading charge but is appealing and is thus allowed to play tonight.
Rams practice squad center Aaron Neary‘s run into trouble. He was arrested Sunday for suspicion of DUI and hit and run charges, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com reports. Neary’s blood-alcohol level of .17 was more than twice the legal limit, and Thiry adds he was booked into the Ventura County Jail. Neary came to the Rams recently, after being waived by the Browns to create roster space for Anthony Zettel. He spent most of last season on the Rams’ practice squad, playing in one 2017 game, but may have trouble keeping that spot.
Clive Walford ventured to Kansas City for a Chiefs workout on Monday, Rapoport tweets. The former Raiders tight end was a Jets cut this summer. After being a regular in Oakland’s passing game in 2015-16, the one-time third-round pick only caught nine passes for 80 yards last season.
The Raiders‘ affinity for 30-somethings this offseason should be well known, and Jon Gruden said the team would have signed Clinton McDonald in March had a medical issue not intervened, per Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (on Twitter). McDonald signed with the Broncos, but they reworked his contract because of an injury. He’s now with the Raiders, having made his Raider debut in Denver.
Joe Callahan was among a contingent that worked out for the Raiders on Monday, Gehlken tweets. The now-well-traveled backup quarterback was most recently with the Eagles during the preseason. Quarterback Kyle Allen, tight end Billy Brown, running back Orleans Darkwa, wide receivers Roger Lewis and Hunter Sharp also auditioned for the Silver and Black, per NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter). The Colts, Jets, Bills, Patriots (twice) and Redskins have brought in Darkwa for workouts this year.
Former Broncos backup inside linebacker Zaire Anderson will work out for the Cardinals on Tuesday, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Anderson spent three years with the Broncos — 2015-17, being on Denver’s practice squad during its Super Bowl season — before being a post-preseason cut. Also working out for the Cardinals: linebacker Nigel Harris, per Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter).

Seahawks LB Mychal Kendricks Suspended, Has Appealed

September 16th, 2018 at 12:23pm CST by Rory Parks

The NFL has suspended new Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. However, Kendricks has appealed the suspension — the length of which is not yet known — and will therefore be eligible to play until the league makes its ruling. The appeal is expected to be heard within the next 10 days or so.

Kendricks, of course, was suspended for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, as he has pleaded guilty to insider trading and has a sentencing hearing scheduled for January 2019. He is reportedly facing 30 to 37 months in prison.

The Browns signed Kendricks back in June, but Cleveland quickly released him after news of the insider trading charge broke in August. Seattle head coach Pete Carroll, however, said his team did all of the research it could before signing Kendricks, whom Carroll believes is entitled to a second chance.

Carroll said, “We had done a lot of homework on it. [The insider trading] happened four and a half years ago, so it’s a story that’s been worked on for a long time. There’s a lot of good information. We’ve come to learn who he is and what he’s all about and how remorseful he was and how he admitted to his mistake a long time ago.”

As Schefter observes, the NFL — which was considering placing Kendricks on the commissioner’s exempt list before Cleveland released him — will have a tough decision to make. Kendricks made immediate restitution and has no criminal record, so the league must figure out what to do with a player involved in a white-collar crime who has tried to make amends for the situation.

Kendricks will make his Seattle debut tomorrow night against the Bears. He will likely see a lot of playing time, as the Seahawks have already injured linebackers Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright.

Reactions, Notes On Mychal Kendricks Signing

September 13th, 2018 at 9:55pm CST by Ben Levine

The Mychal Kendricks saga took an interesting turn this evening, as the free agent linebacker signed a deal with the Seahawks. The 27-year-old recently pleaded guilty to insider trading after profiting more than $1MM from non-public investment information.

Even with the news that Kendrick was working out for Seattle earlier today, there was skepticism that the free agent would be able to secure a deal. After all, the charge would seemingly fall under the NFL’s personal-conduct policy, meaning the league could impose their own, separate punishment. “NFL PR Guy” Brian McCarthy told NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport that no decision has been made regarding a potential suspension (Twitter link).

“The matter is under review,” McCarthy said. “He is currently permitted to sign and participate in activities including games.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes and reactions to the Kendricks signing…

ESPN’s Adam Schefter provides some clarification (via Twitter) on Kendricks’ sentencing and potential punishment. While the player was originally scheduled to be sentenced in December, Schefter says the date has been moved to late January. This is important when it comes to Kendricks’ playing status, as it’d mean he’d be able to play the entire season (barring a suspension). Schefter also notes that the linebacker is facing 30 to 37 months in prison, a far cry from the 25 years that was originally suggested.
Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times writes that Kendricks pleading guilty to the charge likely contributed to the Seahawks decision to sign him. In fact, admitting to the crime was a bit shocking, and it led the judge to question whether he was coerced into the plea. “…I know I was wrong,” Kendricks said. “I know that I made the decision to accept information, secret information, and it wasn’t the right thing to do.”
The reason to add another linebacker could be partly attributed to K.J. Wright‘s absence, as the veteran has been recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. While he’s expected to miss this weekend’s game, Pete Carroll sounded optimistic that the 29-year-old will return soon. “He’s running today,” Carroll said (via ESPN.com) .“He felt pretty good. We’ll see how he goes. He’s going day-to-day. He ran yesterday and he’s working out again today so — he hasn’t done that yet, but he’s making progress. He’s feeling pretty good.”

Seahawks Sign LB Mychal Kendricks

September 13th, 2018 at 7:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Despite his ongoing legal issues, Mychal Kendricks will get another shot in the NFL. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the Seahawks have signed the free agent linebacker. Kendricks worked out for Seattle earlier today.

After being charged with insider trading in late August, the 27-year-old was released by the Browns. Kendricks has since pleaded guilty, and he faces a lengthy prison stay. The charge stems from an incident that occurred while he was with the Eagles four years ago.

The sentencing has been scheduled for January (via Twitter), so the Seahawks could get a full season out of the veteran (Schefter notes that Kendricks is expected to play on Sunday). Of course, the charge could very well fall under the NFL’s personal-conduct umbrella, meaning Kendricks could be forced to miss additional games due to suspension.

The 2012 second-round pick spent the first six seasons of his career with the Eagles, including a 2017 campaign that saw him compile 77 tackles, two sacks, and six passes defended en route to a Super Bowl championship. After requesting a trade, Philly released the linebacker in May, and he later signed a one-year deal to join the Browns.

The Seahawks still have K.J. Wright recovering from knee surgery; he missed Week 1 and could vert well miss Week 2. Shaquem Griffin and Barkevious Mingo flanked Bobby Wagner as Seahawks second-level starters against the Broncos, and the team is also rostering Jake Martin, Jermaine Grace, and Austin Calitro. It’s uncertain how much playing time Kendricks will receive once the linebacker corps is entirely healthy.

Mychal Kendricks Visiting Seahawks

September 13th, 2018 at 3:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mychal Kendricks‘ time with the Browns ended ignominiously after he was charged in an insider trading scandal. He’s since pleaded guilty and could face substantial prison time.

However, at least one team is still curious about the linebacker’s football future. Kendricks visited the Seahawks on Thursday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

It’s uncertain at this juncture, obviously, that Kendricks will be able to continue his NFL career. He faces up to 25 years in prison because of the insider trading incident that occurred while he was with the Eagles four years ago.

Kendricks is one of the better linebackers in the NFL and isn’t yet 28. He played a key role for the Super Bowl champion Eagles edition last season and was set to see extensive time for a Browns team that has a crowded linebacker situation.

The Seahawks still have K.J. Wright recovering from knee surgery; he missed Week 1 and could well miss Week 2. Shaquem Griffin and Barkevious Mingo flanked Bobby Wagner as Seahawks second-level starters against the Broncos.

But with Wright presumably set to return at some point in the near future, this fit seems curious — especially given Kendricks’ extraordinarily rare situation and potential lack of availability. Even if Kendricks can evade prison time, this incident figures to fall under the NFL’s personal-conduct umbrella.

In the meantime, he may still have an opportunity to play. Sentencing isn’t scheduled until December in Kendricks’ case, but it would certainly make for a strange situation were the six-year veteran to sign somewhere prior to that point.

Mychal Kendricks Pleads Guilty To Insider Trading

September 6th, 2018 at 3:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Former Eagles and Browns linebacker Mychal Kendricks pleaded guilty to insider trading in front of a federal judge on Thursday in Philadelphia, Tommy Rowan of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Kendricks could be sentenced to up to 25 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for December. The 27-year-old defender admitted guilt in scheme perpetrated years ago a statement last week, shortly before the Browns released him.

“Because I know I was wrong,” Kendricks replied when U.S. District Judge Gene E.K. Pratter asked why he pleaded guilty. “I know that I made the decision to accept information, secret information, and it wasn’t the right thing to do. I’m making the decision because it’s the right thing to do.”

The former Goldman Sachs analyst-turned-sitcom writer who participated in this scheme with Kendricks, 27-year-old Damilare Sonoiki, is also expected to plead guilty. Kendricks said he did not use any of the $1.2MM profits and intends to pay back all illegally obtained funds.