Patrick Robinson - Pro Football Rumors

Colts Place CB Patrick Robinson On IR

December 13th, 2016 at 5:44pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Colts will make their push for the playoffs without one of their better defenders, as the club announced today that they’ve placed cornerback Patrick Robinson on injured reserve. Robinson had missed the past two games while dealing with a groin injury.

Signed to a three-year, $14MM contract after a breakout 2015 campaign with San Diego, Robinson could never get fully healthy with Indianapolis, as nagging injuries — including a concussion, a knee ailment, and now the groin issue — limited him to six games on the year. When he was on the field, the 29-year-old Robinson wasn’t overly effective, as Pro Football Focus graded him as the No. 93 cornerback among 120 qualifiers. However, it’s fair to assume Robinson’s play was affected by his injury woes, and given that he’s signed at an affordable rate ($3MM base salary, $1MM guaranteed) in 2017, he will likely be brought back.

For the Colts, the loss of Robinson signifies yet another hit at an already-weak position on the roster, as Indy has cycled through defensive backs for most of the year. Vontae Davis is still available (but not playing at his usual level), but otherwise, the Colts will rely on Rashaan Melvin, Darius Butler, Darryl Morris, Chris Milton, and the recently-signed Charles James for the remainder of the year.

Contract Details: P. Robinson, Robertson, Cook

March 28th, 2016 at 2:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Listed below are some specific details on several of the latest contracts recently agreed upon or signed by NFL free agents. All links courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless otherwise indicated.

AFC:

Patrick Robinson, CB (Colts): Three years, $14MM. $6MM guaranteed. $1.5MM signing bonus. $2MM roster bonus due this Tuesday. $1MM roster bonus due on fifth day of 2017 league year — becomes fully guaranteed if on roster beyond this Friday (all Twitter links).
Chris Hairston, OL (Chargers): Two years, $2.9MM. $550K signing bonus (Twitter link).
Brandon Thompson, DT (Bengals): One year, $840K. $50K signing bonus. $30K workout bonus. $150K incentive for playing time (Twitter link).
Leonard Hankerson, WR (Bills): One year, minimum salary benefit. $40K workout bonus. $40K first-game 53-man roster bonus (Twitter link).
Steven Johnson, LB (Steelers): One year, minimum salary benefit. $25K signing bonus. $55K first-game 53-man roster bonus (Twitter link).

NFC:

Craig Robertson, LB (Saints): Three years, $5MM. $1.965MM guaranteed. $1.2MM signing bonus. $250K roster bonus due on fifth day of 2017 league year. $275K due on fifth day of 2018 league year. Up to $1.5MM in annual incentives (Twitter links).
Jared Cook, TE (Packers): One year, $2.75MM. Up to $900K in incentives for catches, TDs, and Pro Bowl (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
Courtney Upshaw, OLB (Falcons): One year, $1.25MM. $390K signing bonus. $100K in per-game active roster bonuses. Up to $250K in incentives for playing time and playoffs (Twitter links).
Mike Morgan, LB (Seahawks): One year, $1MM. $200K signing bonus. $150K incentive for playing time (Twitter link).
Jamarca Sanford, S (Saints): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus. $130K of $885K salary is guaranteed (Twitter link).

Dolphins Notes: Morris, Shelby, Moore, Jordan

March 27th, 2016 at 1:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Dolphins expressed interest in free agent running back Alfred Morris before he signed with the Cowboys, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Miami, of course, signed Broncos restricted free agent C.J. Anderson to a four-year, $18MM offer sheet, only to see Denver eventually match the deal. The club has also eyed free agent options such as James Starks and Chris Johnson, and is now said to be exploring the trade market as its search for a back continues.

Let’s take a look at a few more items out of South Beach…

Morris wasn’t the only free agent whom the Dolphins initially targeted, per Jackson, who reports that Miami also showed interest in cornerback Patrick Robinson before he joined the Colts. Additionally, the Dolphins might have more strongly gone after fellow corner Josh Robinson had they known they’d have cap space available once Denver matched the offer to Anderson.
Among their own free agents, Miami reportedly did not contact defensive end Derrick Shelby “for months,” according to Jackson, before calling him at the last minute to ask if he’d accept $3MM. Shelby ultimately signed a $21MM deal with the Falcons.
Like Shelby, quarterback Matt Moore received the cold shoulder from the Dolphins as the club met with Brandon Weeden and, per Jackson, showed interest in Luke McCown before he re-signed with the Saints. Moore eventually re-signed with Miami after being endorsed by head coach Adam Gase, reports Jackson.
The Dolphins weren’t fans of this year’s class of free agent corners, which explains why they didn’t target any of the top-rated players on the board at that position.
Miami does still need secondary help, however, and as Jackson explains in a separate article, the Dolphins are studying the top cornerbacks available in the draft.
Jackson believes that former third overall pick Dion Jordan would make the Dolphins’ roster if he’s reinstated from his yearlong suspension.

Colts Sign Patrick Robinson

March 24th, 2016 at 7:49am CST by Sam Robinson

THURSDAY, 7:49am: Rapoport provides more details on Robinson’s new deal with the Colts, tweeting that the three-year pact is worth $14MM, with $6MM in guarantees.

WEDNESDAY, 7:58pm: Robinson’s three-year deal is worth more than $12MM, Rapoport reports (on Twitter).

7:17pm: The Cowboys were set to pay Robinson $13.5MM on a three-year contract, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. Dallas’ offer contained approximately $5.5MM in guaranteed money, according to Hill. Financial terms of Robinson’s Colts accord haven’t emerged.

7:12pm: Robinson released a statement (via Rand Getlin of NFL.com, on Twitter) stating he never agreed to a deal with another team and didn’t authorize Conner to agree to another franchise’s terms.

6:54pm: Patrick Robinson‘s complex free agency journey will end with the cornerback signing with the Colts, Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral.com tweets.

It’s a three-year deal for Robinson, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Paying a visit to both Dallas and Indianapolis, Robinson ultimately opted for the Colts, where he’ll likely join Vontae Davis as a starting cornerback.

Robinson was one of the best corners remaining on the market. The 28-year-old cornerback re-stabilized his career during his one-year stint with the Chargers, starting in 10 games after his career lost some steam with the Saints. When lined up in the slot, Robinson held quarterbacks to the third-worst rating (67.7), per Nathan Jahnke of PFF (on Twitter).

The former first-round pick of the Saints’ finished as Pro Football Focus’ No. 30-ranked corner last season. He and Davis should be an upgrade from the Davis-Greg Toler tandem the Colts deployed for the majority of the past three seasons. Toler, who signed a three-year deal with the Colts in 2013, remains an unrestricted free agent.

The 5-foot-11 Robinson has 10 career interceptions in 43 starts to his credit after joining the then-Super Bowl champion Saints as the No. 32 overall pick in 2010 out of Florida State.

Robinson was reportedly near a deal with the Cowboys before switching agents, with Ron Butler taking over for Kevin Conner. Butler appears to have brokered a Colts accord. The Giants were also interested in Robinson but couldn’t add to the corner’s two-visit week in time to further complicate Robinson’s second free agency venture in two years.

The Cowboys have now visited with three cornerbacks — Robinson, Nolan Carroll and Leon Hall — with the former duo agreeing to sign elsewhere. Hall remains unsigned.

As Chappell points out (via Twitter), Robinson’s interest in coming to the Midwest may have been aided by the Colts hiring Greg Williams, who coached Robinson with the Chargers last season. Robinson spent seven years with the Chargers, many of those years coming under DC John Pagano, before agreeing to join Chuck Pagano‘s staff in January.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

Giants Interested In Patrick Robinson?

March 23rd, 2016 at 5:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Patrick Robinson‘s sojourn back around the free agent market post-agent switch could have the cornerback eyeing the Giants.

Although Robinson’s visited the Cowboys and Colts this week, the Giants are interested in the veteran corner, a source informs Jordan Raanan of NJ.com (Twitter link).

Tied to the Cowboys prior to switching agents earlier this week, Robinson may now be the best corner available. And moving from Kevin Conner to Ron Butler appears to have reignited Robinson’s market.

Although the Giants already landed the market’s highest-priced corner in Janoris Jenkins on Day 1 of free agency, John Mara recently identified cornerback as an area New York would target, along with wide receiver and offensive line. Big Blue possesses $24.34MM in cap space despite their historic spending rate to kick off this year’s free agency period.

The Giants have Jenkins and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as their projected starters but have a need beyond that. Trumaine McBride is a UFA, and young and unproven corners are currently residing behind the Giants’ big two.

Robinson enjoyed a bounce-back season in San Diego, rehabilitating his value on the one-year deal with the Chargers. He rated as Pro Football Focus’ No. 30- ranked cornerback.

Entering his age-29 season, the former Saints first-rounder in 2010 clearly has some momentum after the top-tier corners signed early in free agency.

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

Patrick Robinson To Visit Colts

March 22nd, 2016 at 9:46pm CST by Rory Parks

9:46pm: It appears Robinson’s decision to switch agents may indeed push him away from the Cowboys, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Robinson will visit with the Colts tomorrow. Plus, the agreement that Conner negotiated with Dallas may now be off the table entirely, as Moore tweets that the two sides “had an agreement in principle until [Robinson] changed agents.” From the Colts’ perspective, Robinson would represent a quality replacement for Greg Toler, who could depart in free agency.

7:58pm: We heard earlier today that the Cowboys were wrapping up a three-year deal with free agent corner Patrick Robinson and that the deal would be consummated once Robinson resolved his “agent situation.” As it turns out, Robinson has actually switched agents. According to David Moore of The Dallas Morning News, club officials began discussions with Kevin Conner but have now been told that Ron Butler represents Robinson.

Dallas began negotiating with Conner before Robinson’s visit with the team, and the two sides had agreed in principle to the parameters of a three-year deal before Butler advised the Cowboys yesterday that he now represents Robinson. The reasons for the switch are unknown, and it is a little difficult to get a read on how the Dallas media contingent interprets this development.

While Moore couched his report a little pessimistically, opining that Robinson’s switch had thrown a wrench into the negotiations, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says the team has no intention of changing the deal that Conner had negotiated for his former client (Twitter link). Hill, who also authored the above-referenced tweet from this morning indicating that the deal would be completed once Robinson sorts out his agent situation, seems to suggest that, as long as Butler does not try to dramatically alter the contractual framework that has already been put in place, a deal will get done. Todd Archer of ESPN.com, meanwhile, says that the switch is the reason for the delay, and that Robinson was expected to sign yesterday (Twitter links). The fact that Robinson has not yet signed, and the fact that the team had still not met with Butler as of Archer’s tweets several hours ago, indicate that there may still be some work to do.

Robinson, of course, is one of the best free agents still available. After spending the first five years of his career with the Saints, he appeared in all 16 of the Chargers’ games in 2015, including 10 starts, and he put up 49 tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble. His play over 713 defensive snaps with the Bolts earned him a 30th-place ranking among corners at Pro Football Focus among 111 qualifiers. Robinson also played 31.7 percent of the Chargers’ special teams snaps. If he does ultimately wind up with the Cowboys, Brandon Carr‘s future in Dallas would be cast into greater doubt.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

NFC East Rumors: Cowboys, P. Robinson, Cruz

March 22nd, 2016 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

The Cowboys have already agreed to terms with one of the veteran free agents who visited the team on Monday, locking up running back Alfred Morris on a two-year deal. And it may just be a matter of time until the club also has an agreement with the other noteworthy free agent who was in Dallas on Monday.

According to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link), a three-year deal between the Cowboys and cornerback Patrick Robinson is “pretty much done.” Hill suggests Robinson just needs to “resolve his agent situation,” while David Moore of the Dallas Morning tweets that the team is expected to meet with Robinson’s agent today.

As we wait to see if the two sides can finalize a deal, let’s check in on a few more items from out of the NFC East….

Washington‘s relative lack of activity in free agency this month can be partially attributed to all the expiring contracts the team has on its books for a year from now, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com. Tight end Jordan Reed, wideouts DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, and defenders Chris Baker and Junior Galette are all entering the final year of their deals, and that’s not even taking into account quarterback Kirk Cousins, who will require another raise if he has a strong 2016 campaign, assuming he isn’t extended before then.
Jordan Raanan of NJ.com has a breakdown of Victor Cruz‘s new deal with the Giants, which reduces his 2016 cap hit from $9.9MM to $4.4MM. Cruz also had $1MM of his base salary in 2017 and 2018 converted into a roster bonus to be paid out early in the offseason, which should force the Giants to make an early decision on whether or not to keep him around.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman suggested on Monday that the idea of teams being able to land a productive running back in the late rounds of the draft or in undrafted free agency is overblown. Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer examines Roseman’s comments about the rarity of finding a “special talent” at the position, exploring whether they might hint at a potential first-round selection of Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott.

Cowboys Rumors: Robinson, Morris, Mayowa

March 21st, 2016 at 6:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones spoke with reporters to address a pair of open items. Here are some of the highlights:

The Cowboys are still talking with free agent cornerback Patrick Robinson and free agent running back Alfred Morris, but there is no deal for either player yet (Twitter link via David Moore of The Dallas Morning News). Both players visited Dallas on Monday and it was expected that one of them would sign with the club, with Robinson being the more likely of the two to land with the Cowboys. The Cowboys had interest last offseason in Robinson before he ended up inking a $2MM deal with the Chargers.
Jones said Cowboys are still awaiting the Raiders’ decision on whether to match their offer for Benson Mayowa, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. The Cowboys signed the defensive end to an offer sheet that would give him a three-year deal and a $3.3MM signing bonus with base salaries of $700K, $2.5MM, and $2.75MM. Oakland has until Wednesday to reach their verdict.
The Cowboys see a great deal of upside in Mayowa and they believe that he possesses the attributes that they want in a pass rusher (Twitter link via Archer). Mayowa, 24, has only made three starts so far in his NFL career, but he has appeared in 30 total games for the Raiders and Seahawks. In 2015, he recorded 16 tackles, a sack, two fumble recoveries, and a safety.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Washington, Eagles

March 21st, 2016 at 12:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Cornerback Patrick Robinson and running back Alfred Morris are visiting Dallas today, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported this morning (via Twitter) that there’s an expectation that at least one of them – likely Robinson – could sign with the club. Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram confirms (via Twitter) that the Cowboys are indeed closer to getting a deal done with Robinson than they are with Morris, though nothing has been finalized yet.

As we wait to see if the team can work something out with Robinson, and perhaps Morris as well, let’s check in on some other NFC East items….

Washington general manager Scot McLoughan sounds prepared to move down more than once in this year’s draft, suggesting that he’d like to add four more picks to the club’s current collection of eight. Andrew Walker of Redskins.com has the details and the quotes from McLoughan.
Nose tackle is a position of need for Washington, and the team has plenty of options, including re-signing Terrance Knighton. As John Keim of ESPN.com writes, Washington hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bringing back Pot Roast, but could opt instead to sign another veteran or add a prospect in the draft.
Whereas money “does a lot of the talking” early in the free agent process, Eagles GM Howie Roseman believes offering players the opportunity to fill a potential hole or compete for playing time is a key factor during this later stage of the free agent period, per Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. Roseman acknowledged the Eagles may still add some free agent depth, but said the club is shifting its primary focus to draft preparation.
The Cowboys are scheduled to have a private workout with Florida State linebacker Terrance Smith today, tweets Todd Archer of ESPN.com. Smith projects as a probable late-round pick.

NFC East Notes: Robinson, Weddle, Giants

March 20th, 2016 at 7:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here’s the latest from the NFC East as Week 2 of free agency concludes.

Patrick Robinson and Alfred Morris are scheduled to meet with Cowboys position coaches tonight and Monday after arriving in Dallas today. The former Chargers cornerback and Washington running back, however, spent time on the phone with Jason Garrett before he left for the NFL Owners’ Meetings in South Florida, Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones told media, including David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. “Jason’s spent some good time on the phone with them,” Jones said. “So have we. Obviously, we tried to get them in there before we left but in their particular cases it didn’t work out that way.”
Jones told media, including Moore, Eric Weddle was interested in joining the Cowboys, but the team wasn’t ready to go where the Ravens were financially to secure the 31-year-old safety’s services. Interested in coming to Dallas partially due to special teams coach Rich Bisaccia having been on the Chargers’ staff in 2011-12, Weddle ended up landing in Baltimore for four years and $26MM. Both Bisaccia and Garrett contacted Weddle during free agency, however, Moore reports.
John Mara and his top front office assistants thought the Giants had a realistic shot of signing two of the three high-priced players on Big Blue’s list of durable, in-their-prime free agents, Jordan Raanan of NJ.com reports. The cap-rich Giants instead landed their preferred defensive trio of Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison and Janoris Jenkins in hopes of fixing their last-ranked defense. Mara did concede that troika proved to be pricier than anticipated. “The three guys were a little more expensive than I thought they were going to be, but they are all young, they are all healthy and they fulfill needs,” Mara told media, including Raanan. Jenkins has missed four games in four seasons, while Vernon suited up for every Dolphins contest since 2012. Harrison played and started in each Jets contest since 2013. The Giants were the most injured team in the NFL in each of the past three seasons, per Raanan.
After allocating more money to this year’s class of free agents than they did in the previous four seasons combined, the Giants expect to dial it back significantly next spring, Mara told media, including Raanan (Twitter link). “I certainly don’t see us being this aggressive next year,” Mara said.