HEADLINES

Mychal Kendricks

North Notes: Bears, Ravens, Packers, Browns

September 1st, 2018 at 9:15pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Among the offers the Raiders received for edge rusher Khalil Mack, the Bears‘ was “by far” the strongest, tweets Michael Lombardi of The Athletic. Chicago eventually acquired Mack, so it’s unsurprising their offer was the most substantial, but Lombardi’s report may indicate the Bears outbid rivals by several magnitudes. In the end, Chicago sent Oakland a 2019 first-round pic, a 2010 first-round pick, a 2020 third-round pick, and a 2019 sixth-round pick in exchange for Mack, a 2020 second-round round pick, and a conditional 2020 fifth-round pick. The Bears have since extended Mack, making him the NFL’s highest-paid defender.

Browns Release Mychal Kendricks

August 29th, 2018 at 7:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns announced they’ve released Mychal Kendricks. The 27-year-old linebacker was charged with insider trading earlier on Wednesday and if convicted could face up to 25 years in prison.

“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.

“Recently, we were provided an update on the matter and the circumstances have changed. We are now dealing with a different set of facts and the additional information we’ve gathered has led us to the decision to release Mychal from our team.”

The Browns knew Kendricks was involved in a federal investigation upon signing him earlier this year, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. However, both Cabot and the Associated Press’ Claudia Lauer report the team did not know the extent of the investigation. Kendricks’ camp led the Browns to believe the 27-year-old defender was not the target of the probe and wouldn’t be facing a situation like the one he’s in now, Cabot reports.

Kendricks admitted wrongdoing in a scheme that went into effect four years ago. In addition to the possible lengthy prison term, he faces a $5.25MM fine, per Lauer. Both Kendricks and Damilare Sonoiki, whom U.S. attorney William M. McSwain said orchestrated the trades, are expected to plead guilty soon, according to Philly.com. Sonoiki helped Kendricks turn $80K in a brokerage account into $1.2MM in less than five months, detailed in the charges (via Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson, on Twitter). Kendricks said he did not use any of these profits will pay back all funds obtained illegally.

“Since the beginning of the investigation, I have fully cooperated with the authorities and will continue to do so,” part of Kendricks’ statement read. “I accept full responsibility for my actions. Although I did not take any of the profits for myself, I am committed to repaying all of the funds gained illegally and accept the consequences of my actions.”

The Eagles released Kendricks earlier this year after he hovered on the trade block for multiple offseasons. He’d recently helped Philadelphia secure its first Super Bowl title by working as a three-down linebacker for most of last season. With the Browns, he joined a deeper linebacker corps but was expected to play plenty. He signed a one-year deal worth $2.25MM.

Browns’ Kendricks Admits To Insider Trading

August 29th, 2018 at 10:15am CST by Zachary Links

Browns linebacker Mychal Kendricks was charged with insider trading, according to an announcement from U.S. attorney William McSwain. Shortly after the announcement, Kendricks publicly fessed up to the crime. 

“I apologize. Four years ago, I participated in insider trading, and I deeply regret it,” Kendricks said in a statement. “I invested money with a former friend of mine who I thought I could trust and who I greatly admired. His background as a Harvard graduate and an employee of Goldman Sachs gave me a false sense of confidence. To that point, I had worked my tail off since I was 5 years old to become the football player that I am today. I was drawn in by the allure of being more than just a football player. While I didn’t fully understand all of the details of the illegal trades, I knew it was wrong, and I wholeheartedly regret my actions.”

In a statement of their own, the Browns said that Kendricks will not join the team in Detroit for Thursday’s preseason finale against the Lions. Kendricks will enter a guilty plea when the time comes, but it’s not clear what kind of punishment the government will be seeking. Even if Kendricks escapes serious legal consequences, he could be subject to a suspension from the NFL.

Kendricks appeared in 15 games last season for the Eagles and racked up 75 tackles. He also logged 16 tackles in the postseason amid the Eagles’ run to their first-ever Super Bowl title. After years of trade speculation, the Eagles cut Kendricks in May, freeing him up to join the Browns.

North Notes: Vikings, Dunlap, Jackson

July 29th, 2018 at 7:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the final pieces to the Vikings‘ extensive extension puzzle, Stefon Diggs does not want to leave the Twin Cities anytime soon. Although the emerging wide receiver could be in line for WR1 money on the open market next year, Diggs would prefer his second contract come from the Vikings — as so many of his peers’ have in recent years.

“I want to be here. I love being here,” Diggs said, (Twitter link, via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press). “I love being a part of the organization. They took a chance on me early on so I love it here as far as where we’re at. … Hopefully, we can get some things done and we’ll see how it goes.”

The Vikings have discussed an extension with Diggs’ camp, but nothing appears to be imminent, per Tomasson. Diggs and Anthony Barr represent the final two steps in Minnesota’s years-long effort to fortify a core, one that stands to be in its primes throughout Kirk Cousins‘ contract. If Diggs were to hit free agency, though, he would almost certainly be a coveted commodity. While Odell Beckham Jr. could theoretically be a 2019 free agent, that seems unlikely. Diggs could be the top wideout on a market that as of now would include Devin Funchess, Randall Cobb and Kelvin Benjamin.

Here’s the latest from the North.

  • Carlos Dunlap and the Bengals may be approaching the finish line on what would be a third Cincinnati contract for the veteran defensive end. Drew Rosenhaus spent time in Cincinnati this weekend, and Dunlap said (via Paul Dehner Jr. and Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer), “When you see him out here you know he is doing something. He’s out here for a reason.” Dunlap and the Bengals have made progress on a deal this offseason, but the 29-year-old pass rusher remains tied to his second contract. That deal expires after this season. Dunlap wants to play the rest of his NFL days in Cincinnati. “I would love to get it done. I would love to finish my career here as a Bengal,” he said, via Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com.
  • Lamar Jackson‘s slender frame emerged as a pre-draft topic, but the Ravens rookie not planning a significant weight-gain project as he readies for the NFL. Jackson said (via Terez Paylor of Yahoo.com) he’s at 216 pounds and doesn’t want to be above 220, in order to maintain his elite speed.
  • First-round pick Mike Hughes will work as the Vikings‘ kick returner, while veteran Marcus Sherels will start off as the punt returner, Tomasson tweets. Though there will be competition, this would be the team’s preferred arrangement. Re-signed this offseason, Sherels has been Minnesota’s punt-return man for seven years. Hughes only worked as a return man in one season, last year at Central Florida, but he totaled three return touchdowns in that time.
  • As expected, Mychal Kendricks saw his first Browns action as a weak-side linebacker, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal notes. Recovering from offseason ankle surgery, the former Eagles ‘backer is participating on a limited basis for now. Ulrich suggests Kendricks may be a super-sub, working at all three Browns linebacker spots while Christian Kirksey, Jamie Collins and Joe Schobert retain their first-string roles.

AFC Notes: Condo, Colts, Jets, Kendricks

July 17th, 2018 at 7:05pm CST by Ben Levine

Long snapper Jon Condo spent 12 years with the Raiders, earning a pair of Pro Bowl nods along the way. However, the organization moved on from the 36-year-old this offseason, opting to roll with a younger alternative in Andrew DePaola.

While Condo may have 176 games under his belt, he isn’t planning on hanging up his cleats any time soon.

“I’m a free agent right now,” Condo told Mike Boytim of the Altoona Mirror. “My first year was 2005, so I’ve been in the league for 13 years. I’m happy with where I’m at, but I’m also hungry to get back out on the field. If a team comes calling, I’m definitely staying available and keeping in shape. I want to make myself ready for the opportunity.”

While Condo had a visit with the Texans earlier this offseason, he understands that his opportunities have essentially dried up. However, he’s still optimistic that a job could open up during the preseason.

“There’s definitely teams interested,” Condo said. “But with me being 36 years old, they want to give the reps to the younger guys. They know what I can do. If they want to see me, they can put on 12 years of film. I’ve spoken with my agent, and he told me a lot of teams are interested in me, but right now it’s a matter of someone getting hurt or a team losing confidence in their guy.”

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

  • While Titans undrafted rookie wideout Deontay Burnett is talented, Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com believes fellow undrafted receivers Jordan Veasy and Devin Ross were more impressive during OTAs. When asked which other undrafted rookies could crack Tennessee’s 53-man roster, Wyatt pointed to running back Akrum Wadley and linebacker Sharif Finch.
  • The Colts have a number of talented offensive and defensive linemen on their roster, and Kevin Bowen of 1070TheFan.com writes that the team will have to cut bait with some notable names. For instance, offensive lineman Le’Raven Clark and Jeremy Vujnovich could end up being on the chopping block, while defensive linemen Margus Hunt, Chris McCain, Hassan Ridgeway, and Rakeem Nunez-Roches are all fighting for limited roster spots.
  • The Jets signed linebacker Avery Williamson to a three-year, $22.5MM contract back in March, but Brian Costello of the New York Post writes that there’s no certainty he’ll be a three-down player. His former team, the Titans, would take Williamson out of the game during passing downs, but Jets head coach Todd Bowles has expressed optimism that the linebacker will remain on the field in all scenarios. While Costello doesn’t sound all too bullish on that sentiment, he does believe Williamson will end up being a primary pass rusher for his new team.
  • Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com lists Mychal Kendricks as the Browns‘ “key linebacker.” The 27-year-old sat out minicamp as he recovered from offseason ankle surgery, but it shouldn’t take long for him to fit in with his new team, as he has the versatility to play any of the linebacker spots. Cabot writes that Kendricks will initially contribute as the “Will” linebacker, although that means he’s behind Christian Kirksey on the depth chart. “Being more in the box, run front, blitzing, covering backs and tight ends from the Will is what he’s done,” said linebackers coach Blake Williams. “That’s where he’ll definitely start out from the get-go to make sure that it’s as seamless a transition as possible. As he can take more, we can move him around more, but we want him to have confidence and success to start out with.”

Extra Points: Bucs, Butt, Browns, Dobbs

June 17th, 2018 at 9:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL is still investigating Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston for allegedly groping an Uber driver in 2016. It’s been seven months since an unnamed woman’s allegation surfaced, but NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times) the matter “remains under review.” Winston has long denied any wrongdoing, but even if no charges were brought, the fourth-year quarterback could face NFL discipline. The Bucs open the season with games against the Saints, Eagles and Steelers. They re-signed Ryan Fitzpatrick, who started three games last season, in preparation for this, Stroud notes, adding that they believe the 35-year-old veteran is the best option to navigate that stretch if Winston is suspended. Of course, if the Bucs go into training camp without knowing if Winston will be suspended, it could make allocating reps difficult.

As minicamp week concludes, here’s the latest news:

  • The Browns plan to slot Mychal Kendricks at weakside linebacker going into camp, per Zac Jackson of The Athletic (subscription required). Christian Kirksey played every snap at that spot last season and is signed long-term. Jackson doesn’t see him losing his job. The Browns believe Kendricks can play all three linebacker positions, but how Cleveland distributes playing time will be interesting since Jamie Collins — the league’s highest-paid off-ball linebacker — and 2017 Pro Bowler Joe Schobert are the other incumbents. It’s arguable Kendricks, long upset with his role in Philadelphia, had an easier path to playing time with the defending Super Bowl champions than he does with a team coming off an 0-16 season.
  • Excluding the 2 1/2 seasons Peyton Manning was healthy for the Broncos, the franchise has not been able to generate much from its tight end spot this decade. The Broncos, though, might have their best chance in a while to do so with one-time highly regarded prospect Jake Butt healthy. After essentially redshirting in 2017, which does not count as an accrued-service year for Butt since he spent it on Denver’s PUP list, the Michigan product could be in position to start. “He looks healthy, finally,” Vance Joseph said, via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com. “ … Right now, he’s totally healthy.” The Broncos have struggled for three years to generate much in the passing game outside of their two starting wideouts, but with Butt in the mix, Case Keenum figures to have more options than his immediate predecessors. Denver used a 2017 third-round pick on Carlos Henderson only to see him miss all of his rookie year, and the Broncos now have second- and fourth-round picks Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton potentially ready to fill the auxiliary pass-catcher void.
  • File this away to the what-if department: had the Buccaneers not selected O.J. Howard at No. 19 overall last year, they were “poised” to take Dalvin Cook, Stroud notes. This would have been a wildly different path for Cook, who sat on the board until the Vikings selected him at No. 41 overall. Tampa Bay instead waited a year to make a big draft investment at this position, taking Ronald Jones at No. 38 this year.
  • The Steelers‘ Mason Rudolph selection will likely leave Joshua Dobbs as the odd man out in Pittsburgh, barring injury. Pittsburgh is expected to go into the season with Ben Roethlisberger, Rudolph and Landry Jones as its three quarterbacks, Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes, leaving 2017 draftee Dobbs as either trade bait or waiver wire fodder. Jones is due $2.2MM this season but would profile as the veteran backup to complement the developing Rudolph.

North Rumors: Steelers, Vikings, Browns

June 6th, 2018 at 9:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier will not play in 2018 after suffering a devastating spinal injury in 2017, but he today reiterated his desire to resume his career at some point, per Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link). Meeting with the media for the first time since his injury, Shazier took an optimistic tone, but it’s unclear if he’ll ever realistically have the chance to step on the field as a player again. Pittsburgh has already placed him on the physically unable to perform list, meaning he’s now ineligible to play during the upcoming campaign. In something of a goodwill gesture, the Steelers also converted the majority of Shazier’s 2018 base salary into a signing bonus, allowing the former first-round pick to collect his entire paycheck immediately.

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

  • The Vikings have lost undrafted free agent edge rusher Hercules Mata’afa for the season after he suffered a torn ACL today, reports Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com (Twitter link). While he ultimately wasn’t selected in the draft, Mata’afa was labeled as a potential fifth-rounder by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, who lauded Mata’afa’s toughness and motor. Mata’afa, a Washington State product, would have had to make the Minnesota roster on special teams, but he’ll now have to wait until his second NFL season for another opportunity. He’ll be waived/injured and removed from the Vikings’ active roster, and then placed on injured reserve if he’s not claimed.
  • Mychal Kendricks‘ one-year, $3.5MM deal with the Browns contains a $500K signing bonus and a $1.4MM base salary, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com. As such, it appears Kendricks is due either a roster bonus or a significant total in per-game roster bonuses. Either way, his new pact doesn’t appear to guarantee him a roster spot in Cleveland, especially given the Browns’ depth at the position. Cleveland believes Kendricks can play all three linebacker positions, but the club already boasts Jamie Collins, Christian Kirksey, and Joe Schobert at the second level, meaning snaps could be sparse for Kendricks.
  • The NFL announced it has fined the Ravens and head coach John Harbaugh, and docked the club its final two organized team activity sessions, following a “violation of offseason workout rules.” While the infraction is unclear, it’s possible — based both on Baltimore’s history and the club’s statement — that players were either asked to hit or practice for too long a duration, violating the collective bargaining agreement.

Browns Sign LB Mychal Kendricks

June 4th, 2018 at 6:04pm CST by Ryan Posner

The Browns have agreed to a deal with veteran linebacker Mychal Kendricks, according to his agent, Doug Hendrickson (on Twitter). Kendricks and the Browns agreed to a one-year, $3.5 MM pact, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

Kendricks was released by the Eagles last month after reportedly refusing to take a pay cut of $4.5MM. He has spent the last six seasons with the Eagles and visited with the Vikings and Raiders, along with the Browns. The Eagles took Kendricks in the second round of the 2012 draft. Kendricks’ brother, Eric, was a second-round choice of the Vikings in 2015 as a linebacker as well.

The 27-year-old is expected to report to the Browns’ OTAs on Tuesday, per Cabot. He’ll compete for a starting spot in the 4-3 scheme of Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, with 2017 Pro-Bowler Joe Schobert, Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey. Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports reported late last week that Kendricks was expected to immediately assume a starting role with the Browns.

Kendricks appeared in 15 games last season, starting 13, and racked up 75 tackles. He also logged 16 tackles in the postseason amid the Eagles’ run to their first-ever Super Bowl title. Pro Football Focus rated Kendricks as the No. 9 linebacker in the NFL.

The Eagles had shopped Kendricks around before his May release but were unable to move him during or prior to the draft. Kendricks had also requested a trade in the 2016 offseason after diminished playing time in 2015 and ’16 but was pressed into action last season after a season-ending Achilles injury to Jordan Hicks.

North Notes: Bears, Browns, Ragnow

June 3rd, 2018 at 9:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

Fans of another Midwestern team will recognize much of what the 2018 Bears‘ offense looks like. Matt Nagy said, via Dan Pompei of The Athletic (subscription required) the Bears’ offense will be 70-80 percent the same as what the Chiefs run under Andy Reid.

“It will be different in some regards, which is only fair to our coaches on offense and the ideas they have,” Nagy said. “But the identity is going to be the same. It will feel very similar to Kansas City’s. We’re in the lab now. That’s the fun part. All the coaches are giving their ideas and thoughts. Coach [Reid] always said he had 51 percent of the say. So ultimately, he had final say. Now I have that. There are plays I liked that Coach [Reid] didn’t like, so now those plays are in.”

Reid and Nagy each had roles as the Chiefs’ primary play-caller during the pair’s two years working in an HC-OC relationship, with Nagy’s shift toward play-calling responsibilities coinciding with Kansas City’s late-season charge toward a second straight AFC West title. He’ll attempt to replicate that with the Bears.

With OTAs continuing for some and minicamps starting elsewhere this week, here’s the latest from the North divisions.

  • The Browns believe Mychal Kendricks can play all three linebacker positions, per Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Lining up the ex-Eagles starter — who is set to sign with the Browns on Monday — in the middle would give him the best chance of starting, with Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey on the outside. However, Joe Schobert started all 16 Browns games as the middle linebacker and was the top-rated (per Pro Football Focus) Browns ‘backer last season. Kendricks was unhappy with his role with the Eagles, but in Cleveland, the Browns’ recent futility notwithstanding, he’s going to be playing with a deeper group of linebackers. A three-down role won’t be guaranteed. Of course, the previous Browns regime re-signed Collins and extended Kirksey, which could complicate matters a bit as John Dorsey steps into his first full season with the franchise.
  • Also in Cleveland, Browns coaches are high on Duke Johnson, despite the team signing Carlos Hyde and drafting Nick Chubb, and Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com envisions an extension coming to fruition this offseason. The Browns have nearly $70MM in cap space, and Johnson would seemingly fit alongside either Hyde or Chubb as a passing-down back. The sides have been discussing a re-up for a bit now.
  • Despite being open to Joel Bitonio as Joe Thomas‘ replacement, the Browns kept him at left guard at OTAs this week, per Terry Pluto of cleveland.com. Bitonio would prefer to stay at guard, and the Browns — who drafted Austin Corbett, Bitonio’s left tackle successor at Nevada — in Round 2. Corbett is currently working behind Shon Coleman at left tackle.
  • On the subject of rookie offensive linemen’s roles, the Lions have begun first-round pick Frank Ragnow‘s tenure at guard, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com notes, adding he took some first-team reps at that spot. This is interesting considering Graham Glasgow played well at guard last season. The Lions have T.J. Lang entrenched at the other guard slot and signed ex-Jets center Wesley Johnson. However, Detroit’s discussed the notion of moving Glasgow to center. Ragnow played center for all but one game as an upperclassman but started throughout his sophomore season at guard for Arkansas.
  • Tyler Matakevich underwent surgery to repair three areas — his rotator cuff, labrum and a biceps muscle — repaired shortly after the Steelers‘ divisional-round loss to the Jaguars. And the Steelers subsequently signed Jon Bostic, seemingly to replace Ryan Shazier this season. However, Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review notes Matakevich was the first-string inside linebacker alongside Vince Williams throughout OTAs this week. While this situation is likely far from being settled, the Steelers holding a competition between a 2016 seventh-round pick and a sixth-year veteran who started 14 games last season is interesting.

Browns Finalizing Mychal Kendricks Deal

June 3rd, 2018 at 8:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

This appears to be real this time. Jordan Schultz of Yahoo.com reports (via Twitter) confirms a report from earlier today via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicating Mychal Kendricks will sign with the Browns.

Schultz adds the Browns will pay Kendricks up to $3.5MM on his one-year deal, and Rapoport confirms he’ll make at least $3MM in 2018 (Twitter link). Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reported Kendricks is expected to sign the deal Monday. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press confirms Schultz’s report (Twitter link).

This process became rather strange when the linebacker emphatically refuted Rapoport’s initial report of him being Cleveland-bound. And Kendricks continued to be evasive Sunday night, hanging up when Tomasson attempted to contact him regarding Schultz’s report of the $3.5MM agreement (Twitter link).

Kendricks visited the Browns, Vikings and Raiders this week but will be the latest high-profile newcomer to make a trip to Cleveland, joining the likes of Tyrod Taylor, Jarvis Landry, Baker Mayfield and others. A seventh-year player, Kendricks will be in line to start alongside Jamie Collins and Christian Kirksey in the Browns’ 4-3 scheme. Even if Kendricks reaches that $3.5MM mark, he’ll be the third-highest-paid Browns linebacker. Collins is on Cleveland’s books at $12.2MM in 2018, with Kirksey slotting in at a $6.2MM cap number.

The 27-year-old ‘backer will add to a talented Browns defensive second level, having graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 9 linebacker last season. He did this despite being involved in Eagles trade rumors for years. Extended during Chip Kelly‘s one year with personnel control, Kendricks was soon seen as an ill-fitting piece in Jim Schwartz’s system. He served as the third linebacker for Philadelphia in 2016, behind Jordan Hicks and Nigel Bradham, but became a key cog during the Eagles’ Super Bowl campaign after Hicks went down with a season-ending injury.

It will be interesting to see how Gregg Williams deploys Kendricks, since he already has two sub-package ‘backers in Collins and Kirksey. And Pro Bowler Joe Schobert started 16 games for Cleveland last season. Nevertheless, the Browns will attempt to fit the ex-Eagle into the fold, and he figures to play considerably in 2018 — a year that will serve as an audition year for Kendricks as free agency could again loom in March.

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