Orlando Franklin - Pro Football Rumors

OL Orlando Franklin To Retire

May 5th, 2018 at 3:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

A day after the Redskins released him, Orlando Franklin is ready to call it a career.

The former second-round pick and six-year NFL starter will not attempt to play an eighth NFL season. Franklin, 30, posted on Instagram that he will retire to spend time with his wife and son in Denver.

Franklin’s best seasons came with the Broncos, who selected him in the second round in 2011. He served as Denver’s starting right tackle for three seasons before the team relocated him to left guard prior to the 2014 season. That move helped Franklin, who enjoyed a solid contract campaign and signed a five-year, $36.5MM deal with the Chargers that came with $20MM guaranteed.

While Franklin could not replicate the success he had in Denver with San Diego, he started for two seasons with the Bolts. Injuries limited him to 10 games with the Chargers in 2015, but he returned to man their left guard spot for 16 contests in ’16. The Chargers released him last year, which led to short stays with the Saints and Redskins. Franklin played in one game with Washington last season.

Overall, the former Miami Hurricane started 89 of the 90 regular-season games in which he played. He also started for the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Redskins Release Orlando Franklin

May 3rd, 2018 at 4:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following his departure from San Diego, Orlando Franklin has not been able to re-establish his career. The Redskins made the decision to release the veteran guard on Thursday.

A former six-year starter with the Broncos and Chargers, Franklin played in one regular-season game with the Redskins last season. Washington signed Franklin in late October of last year but waived him shortly after. However, the Redskins reacquired him in mid-January via reserve/futures contract.

He’ll now return to free agency. Franklin took multiple visits last year and signed with the Saints as well, but New Orleans cut him before the season began. Aside from selecting Louisville tackle Geron Christian in the third round, the Redskins did not make other moves to bolster their offensive front. Although, Franklin was added during a season that featured rampant injury trouble to Washington’s existing starters — players expected to be healthy by training camp.

The former second-round pick turned 30 in December. He’s started 89 of the 90 career regular-season games in which he’s played. He’s also the most recent Bronco to open back-to-back seasons at right tackle. Denver’s addition of Jared Veldheer figures to extend its streak of Week 1 right tackle starters to five since Franklin was moved to guard prior to the 2014 season.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/19/18

January 19th, 2018 at 9:33pm CST by GregGoldstein

Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:

Arizona Cardinals

LB Praise Martin-Oguike

Oakland Raiders

LS Andrew East

Pittsburgh Steelers

S Malik Golden
LB Darnell Leslie
P Matt Wile

Tennessee Titans

QB Tyler Ferguson

Washington Redskins

G Orlando Franklin

Redskins Sign Orlando Franklin

January 19th, 2018 at 7:00pm CST by GregGoldstein

The Redskins have made sure to bring some offensive line depth to training camp even before the offseason starts. The team has signed veteran offensive lineman Orlando Franklin to a futures/reserve contract, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Franklin, 30, actually signed with the team during this past regular season while the Redskins dealt with injuries to a number of offensive lineman. However, he was released after just spending a week in D.C. The move to bring Franklin back could be much needed as the Redskins could be losing offensive linemen Shawn Lauvao, Tony Bergstrom and Spencer Long to free agency this offseason.

Franklin spent four years in Denver after the Broncos took him in the second round back in 2011. He then played with the Chargers for two seasons before signing with the Saints last summer, but was cut just five days after agreeing to terms with New Orleans.

Redskins Activate DeAngelo Hall from PUP

November 3rd, 2017 at 10:00pm CST by GregGoldstein

Washington looks to be getting some reinforcements to their secondary in the form of a 33 year-old defensive back. The Redskins have activated safety DeAngelo Hall from the PUP after the veteran returned to practice in Week 7, according to a team announcement. Washington has waived offensive lineman Orlando Franklin to make room on the active roster.

Hall was placed on the PUP back in training camp as he recovered from a torn ACL he suffered last season against the Giants.

The 14-year veteran brings another capable asset into a defensive backfield that consists of Josh Norman, Quinton Dunbar, D.J. Swearinger and Montae Nicholson. It remains to be seen how much playing time Hall will get in the early goings, but it will certainly be a welcomed addition coming on the heels of two crushing defeats by division foes Philadelphia and Dallas.

Hall is not the player he once was when he came into the league with the Atlanta Falcons in 2004, having played his last full season in 2013 when he had four picks on the year. The safety has not registered an interception since that time.

Franklin, 29, signed with the team last week, but was vulnerable after the Redskins offensive line got healthier. The former second round pick spent his first four years in the NFL with the Broncos before moving onto the Chargers for the last two seasons. The guard was cut by Los Angeles at the beginning of this year and will once again be an option for teams looking to build up their offensive line depth in the second half of the year.

Redskins Sign Orlando Franklin, Arie Kouandjio

October 28th, 2017 at 3:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Orlando Franklin‘s Washington workout will produce a signing, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reporting (via Twitter) the UFA offensive lineman agreed to terms with the Redskins.

Needing more offensive line help due to injuries depleting their group, the Redskins also signed Arie Kouandjio off the Ravens’ practice squad, Schefter reports.

Franklin, 29, has not played this season after the Saints released him in August but auditioned for the Redskins earlier this week. He started for six seasons leading up to this one, however, lining up as a right tackle for three years and a left guard for the previous three.

Center Spencer Long and tackle Ty Nsekhe are out for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys. Trent Williams, Morgan Moses and Brandon Scherff are listed as questionable.

The brother of Cyrus Kouandjio, Arie Kouandjio spent two seasons with Washington after the franchise selected the Alabama blocker in the fourth round of the 2015 draft. He started two games at left guard for the 2016 Redskins but could not make this year’s roster. The Ravens signed the older of the two NFL Kouandjios in September and stashed him on their practice squad.

The Chargers cut Franklin after two seasons earlier this year, doing so after signing him to five-year deal in March 2015.

Redskins Work Out Orlando Franklin, Others

October 26th, 2017 at 8:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Orlando Franklin continues to search for another NFL landing spot after his Saints stay ended up being brief. The free agent offensive lineman took a trip to the nation’s capital for a Redskins workout, Howard Balzer of SportsOnEarth tweets.

Franklin’s been on the market since the Saints cut him after less than a week over the summer. This came months after the Chargers released him two seasons into a five-year contract. Franklin worked out for the Giants earlier this season.

Washington is dealing with injuries at all three positions up front, and the 29-year-old Franklin boasts experience at both guard and tackle. He was the Broncos’ starting right tackle from 2011-13, moved to guard in 2014 and signed a lucrative Bolts pact leading to a two-year guard stay in San Diego.

Trent Williams is battling a knee injury and putting off surgery, and Morgan Moses did not practice Thursday either after suffering an ankle malady Monday night. Swing tackle Ty Nsekhe remains out after surgery. Starting guard Brandon Scherff hasn’t practiced yet this week. Neither has center Spencer Long.

Washington also auditioned centers Taylor Boggs, Demetrius Rhaney and Max Tuerk. The latter ended up accepting an offer to join the Chargers’ practice squad. The Bolts waived Tuerk earlier this season, and the former USC snapper’s Washington workout came after he fulfilled obligations to be reinstated following a four-game PED suspension, Balzer reports (on Twitter).

Giants Audition OL Orlando Franklin

October 13th, 2017 at 5:05pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Giants auditioned or met with a host of free agents today, according to Field Yates and Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (Twitter links), and the club specifically focused on the offensive line. Here’s the entire list:

Workouts

OL Orlando Franklin
OL Nick Becton
OL Connor Bozick
OL Laurence Gibson
OL Victor Salako
LB P.J. Dawson
DB Darryl Morris

Visits

OL Cyrus Kouandjio
OL Reid Fragel

Franklin, 29, has already been released twice this calendar year, first by the Chargers — who employed Franklin for the past two seasons — and then by the Saints, with whom Franklin lasted less than a week. A knee injury reportedly led to New Orleans cutting ties, and though there was some thought that Franklin could re-sign with the Saints, a new deal never came to fruition.

A guard by trade, Franklin has also played tackle (the area of most need on the Giants’ roster), but it’s not clear that he’d be an improvement over Ereck Flowers or Bobby Hart. To be sure, Flowers and Hart have struggled mightily this season, but Franklin graded as one of the seven worst guards in the NFL a year ago, per Pro Football Focus. As far as reserves go, however, New York could do worse, as Franklin boasts 89 starts worth of pro experience.

Kouandjio offers several intriguing traits, as well, and chief among them is his youth, as he’s still only 24 years old. The former second-round pick was waived by the Bills earlier this year following an odd off-field incident, and then failed to beat out draft bust Greg Robinson for the Lions’ fill-in left tackle job. He’s only started 12 games in three NFL seasons.

AFC Notes: Ravens, Fins, Texans, Bolts

August 3rd, 2017 at 6:29pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

In the wake of John Urschel‘s retirement and Nico Siragusa‘s season-ending knee injury, the Ravens’ top priority is to add to their offensive line, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. General manager Ozzie Newsome has discussed trades with other teams, reports Zrebiec, who points out that free agency could be a tough route to take because the Ravens don’t have much cap room. Further, while the Ravens showed interest in free agent center Nick Mangold during the offseason, there are questions as to whether the 33-year-old is committed to continuing his career, relays Zrebiec. Notably, Mangold indicated in May that he could retire.

Saints Could Re-Sign Orlando Franklin

August 2nd, 2017 at 7:17pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Saints released guard Orlando Franklin on Tuesday, less than a week after they signed him last Thursday. It turns out a knee injury may have been behind New Orleans’ decision to quickly cut ties with Franklin.

“The second day, he had some soreness in his knee,” head coach Sean Payton told reporters, including NOLA.com’s Herbie Teope, who notes that Franklin underwent knee surgery in January.

Payton later suggested the Saints could re-sign a healthy Franklin, saying: “I think one of the big things with us being down on the offensive line — and I’m not saying it’s not going to work out with him possibly later for us — but we needed healthy bodies.”

Health is indeed an issue along New Orleans’ offensive line, where stalwarts Terron Armstead (left tackle) and Max Unger (center) are nursing injuries. If the Saints do bring back Franklin to compete for a job when his condition improves, it wouldn’t be the first time an offensive lineman has yo-yoed between their organization and unemployment. New Orleans has signed and released Khalif Barnes on numerous occasions dating back to last season. For the moment, Barnes is on the Saints’ roster as a reserve tackle.

Franklin also worked as a second-teamer during his few practices with the Saints in training camp, which represented new territory for the longtime starter. The 29-year-old started in all 89 appearances with the Broncos and Chargers from 2011-16, but he didn’t turn in a No. 1-caliber performance in San Diego last season. Pro Football Focus ranked Franklin an ugly 65th among 75 qualified guards in 2016, and he then went without a team between his release from the Chargers in mid-May and his short-lived union with the Saints. Franklin drew interest from the Jaguars and Jets in recent months, but it doesn’t seem as if he’ll land anywhere again until he progresses physically.

“I think he’s still trying to get strength back in that knee,” Payton said.