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Pierre Desir

Seahawks Were Interested In Pierre Desir

March 29th, 2020 at 9:20am CST by Rory Parks

Cornerback Pierre Desir recently signed with the Jets one day after being released by the Colts, but there were a number of teams interested in his services before he elected to join Gang Green. The Seahawks were one of those teams, per Connor Hughes of The Athletic.

After a bumpy start to his career, Desir spent the latter portion of the 2016 season on the Seahawks’ practice squad. He signed a reserve/futures deal with the club that offseason, and while he was cut prior to Week 1 of the 2017 campaign, he credits his time spent in the DB room with members of Seattle’s famed Legion of Boom as a key factor in his career rejuvenation.

Desir was claimed by the Colts shortly after being waived by the Seahawks, and he became a full-time starter midway through the 2017 season. He enjoyed a career year in 2018 and parlayed that into a three-year, $25MM deal with Indy last offseason. Though he regressed in 2019, which led to his ouster, he was playing through a painful hamstring injury for much of the season. The Colts had hoped to re-sign him to a cheaper deal after cutting him, but the Seahawks — along with four other clubs — were not going to let that happen.

This is only speculation, but it could be that missing out on Desir led to Seattle’s trade for Quinton Dunbar one day after Desir signed with the Jets. Though Dunbar finished the 2019 season as the league’s second-best corner per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, and while he may command a hefty contract extension as a result, it appears that the ‘Hawks may have valued the two players similarly.

Meanwhile, Desir will have a real chance to open the 2020 campaign as a starting CB for the Jets, an opportunity he may not have had in Seattle.

Contract Details: Brees, Mariota, Apple

March 23rd, 2020 at 9:29pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a closer look at the details of a few recently-signed free agent contracts:

AFC

  • Marcus Mariota, QB (Raiders): Two years, $17.6MM $7.5MM guaranteed. $2.4MM in incentives available in 2020 (60% snaps). $1.5MM in playtime and win incentives. $10MM in similar incentives available in 2021. $2MM in playoff/Super Bowl wins each year. $12MM 2021 salary escalator (Twitter link via Mike Garafolo of NFL.com).
  • Eli Apple, QB (Raiders): One year, $6MM. Fully guaranteed. $500K available via incentives (Twitter link via Garafolo.
  • Pierre Desir, CB (Jets): One year, ~$3.75MM. Max value of $5.5MM via incentives (Twitter link via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News).
  • Chad Henne, QB (Chiefs): Two years, $3.25MM. $2MM guaranteed. Max value of $7.25MM (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com).
  • Nelson Agholor, WR (Raiders): One year, veteran salary benefit. $887K guaranteed. $137K signing bonus (Twitter link via Pelissero).

NFC

  • Drew Brees, QB (Saints): Four years, $100MM. $25MM guaranteed. Void years used in 2022-23. Brees receives no-trade clause and no franchise/transition tag can be used after 2021 (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
  • Jalen Mills, DB (Eagles): One, $4MM. Up to $1MM available via incentives (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio).
  • Thomas Davis, LB (Redskins): One year, $3.5MM. $250K available via incentives (Twitter link via Pelissero).
  • Shon Coleman, T (49ers): One year, $2.2MM. $1.37MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Miles Killebrew, S (Lions): One year, $2MM. $1.137MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Jayron Kearse, S (Lions): One year, $2MM. Up to $1.25MM available via incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Pharoh Cooper, WR (Panthers): One year, $1.21MM. $300K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).

Jets To Sign Pierre Desir

March 22nd, 2020 at 12:55pm CST by Rory Parks

One day after being released by the Colts, CB Pierre Desir has a new home. The Jets have agreed to sign Desir to a one-year deal, per Connor Hughes of The Athletic (via Twitter).

The Jets were connected to some of the top free agent corners this offseason, but GM Joe Douglas, unlike his predecessor, has shown a great deal of restraint when it comes to doling out FA contracts. Gang Green did not overbid on players like James Bradberry and Byron Jones, so as of right now, Desir is slated to line up opposite Brian Poole in a new-look secondary.

Of course, the club will continue to monitor the FA market and could add a CB or two in the draft, but Desir may turn out to be a solid addition, especially since he’s joining the team on a short-term pact. He graded out as the league’s 18th-best corner in 2018 per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, and even if that was not an entirely accurate portrayal of his effectiveness, there’s reason to believe he can be a decent starter.

The 2014 fourth-rounder has seen regular season action with the Browns, Seahawks, and Colts. Thanks to his strong 2018 showing, he earned a three-year extension with Indianapolis last March, but he only made it through the first year of that deal. He finished the 2019 season with 50 tackles, 11 passes defended, and a career-high three interceptions.

Colts Release CB Pierre Desir

March 21st, 2020 at 11:11am CST by Ben Levine

The Colts have let go of one of their starting cornerbacks. The team is releasing Pierre Desir, reports NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).

The defensive back was set to make $7MM in 2020, but the Colts released him with zero dead money (per Rapoport).

The 2014 fourth-rounder bounced around the NFL a bit during his first few years in the NFL. He eventually found a home in Indy, where he’s spent the past three seasons. After establishing a number of career-highs in 2018 (including 12 starts), the Colt signed Desir to a three-year, $22.5MM extension ($12MM guaranteed) last year.

The 29-year-old proceeded to appear in 12 games (11 starts) during the 2019 campaign. He finished the season with 50 tackles, 11 passes defended, and a career-high three interceptions.

Contract Details: Foles, Tate, Crowder, Desir

March 15th, 2019 at 9:38pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a look at the details of a few recently-signed NFL contracts:

Colts To Re-Sign CB Pierre Desir

March 13th, 2019 at 12:40pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Colts have reached an agreement to re-sign cornerback Pierre Desir, according to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). It’s a multi-year deal, tweets Garafolo, with the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson noting Desir will be tied to the Colts for three seasons.

This contract will be worth up to $25MM, with Erickson adding (via Twitter) Desir will see $12MM guaranteed.

A former fourth-round pick of the Browns, Desir bounced around the NFL without much success until Indianapolis claimed him off waivers in 2017. He earned a starting role midway through that season, and subsequently started 12 games for the Colts in 2018. Desir, 28, posted 79 tackles, one interception, and eight passes defensed on an Indianapolis pass defense that ranked just 20th in DVOA.

Pro Football Focus graded Desir as the NFL’s 18th-best corner a year ago, but Football Outsiders’ charting data didn’t paint as rosy a picture. Among 85 qualifying corners, Desir ranked as roughly a league-average player: 52nd in success rate and 63rd in yards allowed per pass.

Desir will return to a Colts secondary that also includes Kenny Moore, Quincy Wilson, Nate Hairston, and Jalen Collins, but his new deal shouldn’t prevent Indianapolis from targeting another defensive backfield upgrade, either through free agency or the draft.

NFC Notes: Olsen, Suh, Remmers, 49ers

March 11th, 2019 at 6:23pm CST by Ben Levine

We now have some details on Mike Remmers‘ release from the Vikings earlier today. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle points out (on Twitter) that the offensive lineman was cut with a “failed physical designation.” ESPN’s Courtney Cronin notes (via Twitter) that the 29-year-old was listed on Minnesota’s final injury report of the season with a back injury, but he proceeded to play the entire game.

This provides a bit of reasoning for why the Vikings decided to bail on Remmers after inking him to a five-year, $30MM in 2017. In fact, it sounds like Minnesota is actually considering bringing Remmers back. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press tweets that the team would considering re-signing the lineman on a lesser deal.

The move ultimately saved the organization $4.55MM against $1.8MM in dead cap. The veteran has experience playing both offensive guard and offensive tackle, so a team will surely bite on his versatility.

Let’s check out some more notes out of the NFC…

  • Ndamukong Suh isn’t expected to stick with the Rams, but it sounds like the hulking defensive lineman wants to stay on the West Coast (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). As the writer points out, that’d leave Suh with three options: the 49ers, Chargers, or Seahawks. The 32-year-old signed a one-year, $14MM deal with the Rams last offseason, and he proceeded to compile 59 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 16 starts.
  • It sounds like some networks were working hard to add Panthers tight end Greg Olsen. Joe Person of The Athletic tweets that both ESPN and Fox made offers to the veteran, but it wasn’t enough to convince Olsen to retire. Person warns that Monday Night Football “could still come calling, but nothing imminent.” The 34-year-old battled injuries for a second straight season, finishing with 27 receptions for 291 yards and four scores in nine games.
  • Bradley Roby isn’t the only cornerback the 49ers are eyeing. According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic (via Twitter), the team is also showing interest in Colts cornerback Pierre Desir. The 28-year-old has a breakout season with Indy in 2018, finishing with 79 tackles, eight passes defended, two forced fumbles, and one interception.

New York Notes: Giants, Cornerbacks, Jets, Saffold

March 10th, 2019 at 9:34pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Giants have been overhauling their defense recently. They’ve traded away defensive end Olivier Vernon, and they’ve decided not to retain safety Landon Collins. Dave Gettleman is looking to rebuild the unit, and he is reportedly looking to add to the secondary. The Giants “will target veteran starting cornerbacks” in free agency, sources told Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. Dunleavy points out that their secondary has only one returning starter for next year, so the back half of their defense will look quite a bit different.

Specifically, the Giants will be interested in Colts cornerback Pierre Desir when the market opens, a source told Dunleavy. Desir had been a bit of a journeyman early in his career, but blossomed into a full-time starter with Indianapolis last year and had a really good season. Pro Football Focus graded him as the 18th-best cornerback in the NFL last year. Whatever happens, defensive coordinator James Bettcher will have a lot of new parts next season.

Here’s more from the Big Apple:

  • Before making the trade for Kelechi Osemele, the Jets “had been eyeing” Rams guard Rodger Saffold, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com (Twitter link). Pauline writes that they’ll no longer be interested after bringing in Osemele to be a starting guard. Saffold has had a big last couple of years in Los Angeles, and will be landing a hefty contract on the open market. The Rams are hoping to retain him, and it’s possible the Jets making this trade will indirectly help them get their left guard back.
  • “There will be a market for” Giants defensive end Kerry Wynn, an impending free agent, sources told Dunleavy. Given that Wynn is apparently expected to draw heavy interest, Dunleavy thinks the team might be better off trying to retain Josh Mauro, another impending free agent. Wynn had just 1.5 sacks last year, but teams are apparently high on him. Dunleavy also reports that the team has no plans to release cornerback Janoris Jenkins or restructure his contract, and that they plan on Jenkins anchoring the secondary next year.
  • In case you missed it, the Jets are looking to add a blocking tight end and were interested in the recently released Darren Fells.

Colts Rumors: Doyle, Geathers, Brissett

February 27th, 2019 at 6:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts will likely be without tight end Jack Doyle for the bulk of the offseason, GM Chris Ballard told reporters on Wednesday. Doyle, of course, missed significant time in the 2018 season thanks to a hip injury and finished out the year on IR thanks to a kidney injury that required surgery.

In six games last year, Doyle caught 26 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Eric Ebron picked up the slack with 66 grabs for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns. The Colts hope to have both players in the mix in two tight end sets, but if Doyle misses time, they have a deep TE unit to draw from including the recently re-signed Ross Travis and former basketball player Mo Alie-Cox.

Here’s more from Indy:

  • The Colts want to re-sign safety Clayton Geathers, GM Chris Ballard says (Twitter link via Mike Chappell of FOX 59). Geathers, 27 in June, amassed 89 tackles and three passes defensed as the Colts’ starting strong safety. However, he missed four games and earned a so-so 67.4 score from Pro Football Focus, positioning him as just the 51st best overall safety in the NFL.
  • Geathers, cornerback Pierre Desir, and wide receiver Dontrelle Inman will be allowed to test the market in March, even though there is interest in bringing each player back, Stephen Holder of the Indy Star (on Twitter) hears. Holder adds that safety Matthias Farley will likely be tendered and should return to the squad in 2019.
  • The Colts are still exploring backup quarterbacks and those conversations almost led them to signing Calgary Stampeders QB Bo Levi Mitchell recently, Holder hears (Twitter link). Still, Holder does not expect those conversations to have any direct impact on Jacoby Brissett‘s status for the coming year. The Colts say they’re not shopping Brissett, but if they do, they should find a decent market for his services.

AFC Notes: Colts, Browns, Jets, Ravens

June 30th, 2018 at 11:12am CST by Ben Levine

Pierre Desir was having a breakout season for the Colts through nine games last year. The former fourth-rounder had already established a career-high in passes defended with seven, and he also compiled 32 tackles and one interception.

However, after forcing his way into the starting lineup, the 27-year-old suffered a season-ending pectoral injury in Week 13. Despite the injury, the organization still brought Desir back on a one-year deal, with the team expecting him to be ready for training camp. The cornerback is also confident he’ll be back, and he believes he can continue to build off his productive 2017 season.

“I think I’m going to be able to use my size and my length to my ability,” Desir told Jake Arthur of Colts.com. “It’s going to allow me to mess up the timing of the receivers, because the front seven — they are going to get some pressure. So that’s going to allow me to create opportunities to make some plays, so I think I fit well.

“I look at this year being a big year for me. Last year, the season didn’t end the way I wanted it to. I feel like I have a lot of upside, a lot of good football to play, and I’m definitely excited and looking forward to playing in this scheme and playing for these coaches.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC…
  • Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com takes a look at some of the most intriguing position battles for the Browns offense as they head into training camp. With Joe Thomas retiring this offseason, the writer first points to left tackle as an intriguing position to watch. While Shon Coleman appeared to be atop the depth chart during spring practices, he didn’t do much to impress coaches, leading to the team adding free agent Greg Robinson to the mix. The team could also turn to second-round rookie Austin Corbett. Ulrich also points to wide receiver (where the depth chart is questionable behind Josh Gordon and Jarvis Landry) and running back (where any of Carlos Hyde, Duke Johnson, or Nick Chubb could earn the starting role) as interesting position battles.
  • Darryl Slater of NJ.com explored which Jets players are currently on the roster bubble. Cornerback Rashard Robinson led the list, with the writer pointing to the player’s lack of production and offseason arrest. Cornerback Juston Burris, fullback Lawrence Thomas, offensive lineman Jonotthan Harrison, running back Thomas Rawls, tight end Clive Walford, receivers Charone Peake and Devin Smith, and linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin were listed as other potential roster casualties. Ultimately, Slater believes Burris has the best chance of sticking around, as coach Todd Bowles tends to carry “a bunch” of cornerbacks.
  • Receiver Janarion Grant may have gone undrafted out of Rutgers, but Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com says the rookie still has a good chance of making the Ravens‘ roster. Following the loss of Michael Campanaro, the team is now searching for a new returner, and the speedy Grant seems to have the edge over Tim White. “Janarion Grant is a young man that I thought had exceptional college tape,” said special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg. “He came in as a tryout player in our rookie minicamp and earned a roster spot because of those things and his skills as a receiver.”
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