Richie Incognito

Extra Points: HGH, Incognito, Jammer, Welker

August 26th, 2014 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

The NFL and the NFLPA have yet to come to an agreement on how to institute HGH testing for the league’s players, but according to a new survey conducted by ESPN, most players would be willing to sign off on HGH testing in exchange for guaranteed contracts.

As Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com details, 82 current players were asked which concession they’d make if it meant earning guaranteed contracts, like those in Major League Baseball. 63% of the respondents said they’d submit to HGH testing, while the other options – an 18-games schedule (17%), free agency after five years instead of four (14%), and more offseason practices (6%) – garnered less support.

While the results of the survey are interesting, they may ultimately be moot, as the NFL is unlikely to agree to fully guaranteed contracts for any reason. Here’s more from around the NFL:

If the Buccaneers decide not to sign free agent guard Richie Incognito, there are a couple teams that would be willing to do so, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). As Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune tweets, Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht said the team’s meeting with Incognito went well and that he remains an option, but no move is imminent.
Veteran free agent Quentin Jammer doesn’t intend to retire this year, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN, who tweets that the longtime Chargers cornerback is hoping to play for at least another season.
Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that retirement isn’t currently an option being considered by Wes Welker, and that the Broncos receiver was feeling better yesterday after sustaining a concussion in the team’s most recent preseason contest.
A league source tells Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link) that the Chiefs are mulling the possibility of keeping two kickers on their roster. While carrying a second kicker may not be the best use of a regular season roster spot, Kansas City has two solid options in Ryan Succop and Cairo Santos, so the team may not want to lose one for nothing.

Bucs Meeting With Richie Incognito, Could Sign Him

August 25th, 2014 at 10:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

10:00pm: Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network tweets that the meeting between Incognito and the Buccaneers has concluded. Both sides said the meeting went well, but nothing is imminent at this time. Darlington noted in an earlier tweet that, since Incognito has been cleared to resume football activities, it would not be surprising if other teams make a bid for his services.

2:24pm: Smith cautions not to get too excited about a simple visit, per Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). “I think we’re jumping the gun a little,” said Smith. “We look at everyone available. Nothing more than that.”

2:15pm: Incognito probably won’t sign a deal with Tampa Bay today, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who notes that Incognito’s visit is scheduled for later tonight, making it tough to get a contract in order before the day is through.

10:33am: The Buccaneers are visiting with free agent offensive guard Richie Incognito, and if all goes well, could sign him to a contract, tweets Jay Glazer of Fox Sports 1. Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network adds (via Twitter) than Incgonito has not been fully reinstated by the NFL as of yet. Indeed, Incognito could still be subject to a suspension in 2014, though Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes that the union would likely fight any such ban.

Incognito, 31, was suspended indefinitely last year following his involvement in the Jonathan Martin bullying scandal. Interest in Incognito has been scant, though he had told Josh Peter of USA Today that his agent had received “a few nibbles” from inquiring teams. When the subject of Incognito was raised several weeks ago, Bucs head coach Lovie Smith didn’t rule out bringing in the veteran guard.

Despite his off-the-field concerns, Incognito is certainly a talented player. Incognito has started 102 games over the course of his career, spending time at both guard spots (though he has played only left guard in recent seasons). Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required) only goes back to 2007, but the site’s advanced metrics have positively graded each of Incognito’s seasons. For most of his career, PFF’s statistics indicated that Incognito was a better run-blocker than pass-protector, but since 2012, those data points have flipped. Regardless, Incognito is unquestionably a top-30 guard, and topped out as the 16th-best guard in the league in 2010.

I posited Tampa Bay as a potential destination for Incognito in my free agent stock evaluation of him a few weeks ago, as the Bucs are thin up front after they agreed to part ways with veteran G Carl Nicks earlier this month. Currently, Tampa’s starters at guard are Oniel Cousins and Jamon Meredith, with Kadeem Edwards and Patrick Omameh acting as backups.

Richie Incognito Cleared To Play

August 25th, 2014 at 8:28pm CST by Rory Parks

Free agent guard Richie Incognito has been cleared to resume all football activities, including playing in regular season games, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. We learned earlier today that the Buccaneers were meeting with Incognito, though Tampa Bay head coach Lovie Smith cautioned this afternoon that it was a “simple visit” that was perhaps being over-hyped as something more. Cummings also noted (via Twitter) that at least three other teams were interested in acquiring him.

Despite Smith’s comments, it would seem that, given Incognito’s baggage, any team that brings him in for a visit has more than just a cursory interest in signing him. The Bucs are certainly thin on the offensive line, and are said to be monitoring the Alex Boone situation in San Francisco as well. However, when asked whether Tampa Bay was the favorite to land Incongito at this point, Cummings tweeted that the “Bucs have [the] edge. He’s here.” And now, as Cummings notes, they do not have to worry about whether the NFL will allow him to play.

For an in-depth evaluation of what Incognito brings to the table–the good and the bad–read our Dallas Robinson’s free-agent stock watch post.

Latest On Richie Incognito

August 13th, 2014 at 8:46pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks may have checked in on free agent guard Richie Incognito, but they won’t be signing him, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports 1 (video link). The veteran guard is probably the best interior lineman still available on the open market, but the Jonathan Martin scandal is clearly standing between him and NFL employment. Garafolo added that the Raiders “at least have been keeping tabs” on him and that the Cardinals had “inquired about his availability,” but all indications are that he won’t land in Arizona. Meanwhile, the Seahawks appear poised to roll with J.R. Sweezy and James Carpenter as their starting guards.

Earlier this week, Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith was asked if the former Dolphins guard could be a consideration for his team’s shaky offensive line and Smith didn’t rule him out. Incognito recently told Josh Peter of USA Today that his agent had received “a few nibbles” from teams during the offseason, but clubs are ostensibly worried about bringing him into the locker room, the ensuing media attention, and the possibility that he won’t be a 16-game addition. If and when Incognito gets back to football, commissioner Roger Goodell may hit him with a multi-game suspension. After being blasted for his slap on the wrist to Ray Rice, Goodell may come down hard on Incognito.

Incognito has made 102 starts over the course of his career, spending time at both guard spots but lining up exclusively at left guard in recent seasons. Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required) has positively graded each of Incognito’s seasons since 2007. For most of his career, PFF’s statistics indicated that Incognito was a better run-blocker than pass-protector, but since 2012, those data points have flipped. Still, anyway you slice it, Incognito is unquestionably a top-30 guard. Our own Dallas Robinson recently checked in on the free agent stock of one of the league’s most vilified players.

NFC Links: Saints, Bucs, Cardinals, Vikings, Packers

August 11th, 2014 at 10:38pm CST by Ben Levine

The Saints’ 2014 roster isn’t likely to match or exceed the total of eight undrafted free agents who earned spots on the roster or practice squad a year ago, but the team prides itself on finding hidden gems, as GM Mickey Loomis tells Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune.

“Our college scouting staff takes a lot of pride in finding guys that no one’s heard about, or small college guys, and finding a trait that each one has that transfers to the NFL,” Loomis said. “It’s also a great credit to our coaching staff being willing to look at player and not worry about how we acquired them but just go by what we see and going by what their potential is to fit within our scheme offensively and defensively. We’ve had a lot of success with undrafted free agents, and I think that’s going to continue.”

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

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that the Buccaneers have real interest in 49ers guard Alex Boone if the price is right (via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com). However, another source told Rapoport that there’s been no “real” conversations between the two sides.
The Buccaneers could use some help on the offensive line, and coach Lovie Smith was asked if the team would consider Richie Incognito. “[A]ll players are looked at and [if] we think they could fit we bring them in,” he told the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud (via Twitter).
Rookie wide receiver John Brown continues to make a “buzz” at Cardinals camp, tweets CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora. Considering the team’s depth at the position, La Canfora suggests that the team could carry six wideouts on their final roster.
ESPN’s Ben Goessling tweets that Vikings tight end Chase Ford is getting close to a return and may not need to start the season on the PUP list.
Packers running back Rajion Neal caught the eyes of coaches after he ran for 39 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown, on five carries in the team’s preseason opener. Unfortunately, the undrafted rookie suffered a knee injury in the third quarter, and he understands that he has to get healthy quickly if he hopes to make the squad. “I’ve got to play; there ain’t no way around it,” Neal told ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky. “Being in the position I’m in, I can’t afford it.”

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Richie Incognito

August 10th, 2014 at 4:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

As I noted in my evaluation of Jonathan Vilma‘s free agency stock, there are several positions in today’s NFL that are quite fungible — among them are running back, inside linebacker, and offensive guard. Of these devalued positions, guard might be the spot where veteran experience is still highly esteemed. Unlike the backfield or a front seven, a successful offensive line requires not only talent, but a sort of unspoken connectivity among the linemen. The best front fives in football are often those who have experienced stability, allowing the five players to mesh.

If a team suffers a guard injury in the coming weeks, it may not want to turn to a rookie or another unseasoned young player. Rather, a team in need of line help might seek a veteran player with several years of experience under his belt. At this point in the offseason, however, such players don’t come without warts, so if and when a team looks for reinforcements at guard, the best remaining option might be the embattled Richie Incognito.

The reason why Incognito is still unemployed is obvious — his involvement in the Jonathan Martin scandal, during which Incognito bullied and harassed Martin until he left the team, is unsettling, to say the least. From an outsider’s perspective, it’s hard to judge whether Incognito’s behavior was incongruent with that of a typical NFL locker room. But the fact that he remains unsigned is an indication that either teams were disturbed by Incognito’s conduct, or aren’t willing to handle the media swarm that would occur following his signing.

But despite Incognito’s troubles, the reality of the NFL is that talent wins out. Players like Michael Vick and Ben Roethlisberger were accused of and/or charged with unsavory acts, but both were allowed back into the NFL. Vick was signed to a massive extension with the Eagles, and the Steelers will look to tack on years to Roethlisberger’s deal after 2014. If a player is able to compete at a high level, the league tends to look the other way when it comes to his past.

The 6’3″, 320-pound Incognito has certainly displayed effectiveness since entering the NFL as a third-round pick of the Rams in 2006. After several anger-related incidents, and racking up 38 penalites (seven unnecessary roughness calls), he was waived by St. Louis in 2009. After being claimed by the Bills, he spent one season in Buffalo before playing with the Dolphins from 2010-13. He was suspended indefinitely in November of last year, and his contract expired after the season.

In total, Incognito has started 102 games over the course of his career, spending time at both guard spots (though he has played only left guard in recent seasons). Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required) only goes back to 2007, but the site’s advanced metrics have positively graded each of Incognito’s seasons. For most of his career, PFF’s statistics indicated that Incognito was a better run-blocker than pass-protector, but since 2012, those data points have flipped. Regardless, Incognito is unquestionably a top-30 guard, and topped out as the 16th-best guard in the league in 2010.

So will Incognito find a team for 2014? It’s difficult to project — on May 28, one general manager told Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that despite Incognito’s attempts to get back in the league, his return was unlikely, as “no one trusts him.” A month later, sources were telling Freeman’s colleague, Dan Pompei, that while Incognito is easily the best available interior lineman, no team wants to deal with the fallout of signing him. However, on August 8, Incognito told Josh Peter of USA Today that his agent had received “a few nibbles” from teams during the offseason.

Any team that brings in Incognito will factor in the possibility that he will be suspended and miss a portion of 2014. However, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently sounded quite pleased with Incognito’s headway since the bullying incident took place. “It’s a broad issue,” said Goodell, via Connor Orr of the Newark Star-Ledger. “I would say that the one person who has been very responsive in going through the program has been Richie Incognito. We’re working with his people and monitoring his progress on that front.”

The Giants could have interest in Incognito — longtime guard Chris Snee announced his retirement last month, and New York had no problem bringing in Incognito’s former teammate John Jerry, who was also involved in the Martin scandal. The Buccaneers, who parted ways with Carl Nicks on July 25, could also use help at guard. Additionally, teams will inevitably suffer injuries at the position as the preseason proceeds, and will seek to add veteran depth.

In the end, Incognito’s fate will be determined by a simple cost-benefit analysis: Factoring in the inexorable media pressure that would ensue, is Incognito’s above-average play worth the headache of adding him? My guess is yes — his talent is undeniable, and a team will eventually get desperate enough to sign him. Guaranteed money or a guaranteed roster spot will be out of the question, but some team will be willing to take a gamble on Incognito in order to reap the reward.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dolphins Notes: Jones, Tannenbaum, Incognito

August 8th, 2014 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Here’s the latest out of Miami, where the Dolphins have announced some front office moves and lost a key defender for the first month of the season….

Safety Reshad Jones has been suspended for four games for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, the team announced today (Twitter link). Jones, who has started every game for the Dolphins over the last two seasons, was penciled in as a starting safety alongside newcomer Louis Delmas for 2014, but the suspension means that he, like Dion Jordan, will miss the month of September.
Per Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter), Jones’ suspension figures to cost him about $1MM in salary. For his part, Jones released a statement through the NFLPA explaining that he took a supplement he didn’t know was banned by the league, and apologized to the team and its fans.
The Dolphins announced a series of front office promotions and additions today, and the most notable one of the bunch was the hiring of former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum as a consultant. Tannenbaum, who will continue on as an agent for Priority Sports and Entertainment, has been working with the club in that consultant role for several weeks already, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Richie Incognito, who was at the center of last year’s bullying scandal, told Josh Peter of USA Today that his agent has received “a few nibbles” from teams this offseason. While it’s fair to assume that the free agent guard won’t be rejoining the Dolphins, it seems likely that he’ll catch on with another club at some point.

Pompei On Flowers, Incognito, Holmes, FAs

June 20th, 2014 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

In his latest Read Option piece for Bleacher Report, Dan Pompei spoke to three front office executives from around the league about the best remaining free agents on the market. Let’s dive right in and check out what Pompei and the trio of execs had to say about the top available players….

One exec wonders if Brandon Flowers might be declining after a poor 2013, while another likens him to Alterraun Verner, who received a $26MM deal ($14MM guaranteed) from the Bucs earlier this offseason.
All three of Pompei’s sources agree that Richie Incognito is easily the best interior lineman available, but no teams want to deal with him after last year’s bullying scandal.
Although Santonio Holmes is the most intriguing unsigned wide receiver, there are concerns about his durability, his asking price, and potentially his off-field presence. “We’d have to look more closely at what happened in New York with him in the locker room,” said one front office man.
Jason Babin and Ryan Pickett are both entering their mid-30s, meaning teams will proceed with caution. There’s also some concern that both players have become increasingly one-dimensional – Babin as a pass-rusher and Pickett as a space-eater – but the execs think both players will sign somewhere.
One exec on Josh Freeman: “He is probably better as a starter, but he isn’t going to get a starting job now. And if he knows he’s a backup, he might not prepare like he’s a starter.”
Michael Bush may be hard-pressed to find a role, since the devaluation of running backs means clubs are more inclined to pick up a rookie who can play special teams rather than a veteran like Bush.
Offensive linemen Eric Winston, Kyle Cook, and Tyson Clabo also earned mentions to round out the list of 10 players.

Extra Points: Draft, Irsay, Carr, Incognito

June 7th, 2014 at 12:46pm CST by Matt Feminis

The NFL draft has become a behemoth, so much so that rumors of its location changing have become headlines. Meanwhile, small details such as, ya know, the players involved, tend to get lost in the shuffle. After 36 of 98 underclassmen who declared early eligibility (i.e. giving up collegiate eligibility) went undrafted, and Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage is calling for reform.

Speaking to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, Savage advocates for pushing back the declaration deadline in order provide teams with more evaluation time and prospects for more thorough, insightful feedback:

“The bottom line is we have to figure out a way to make it more attractive to stay in school for one more year for some of these guys [and] give them a chance to go from being a sixth-round pick to a third-round pick. . .Some of these kids are going to come out regardless. They weren’t going to be going back to school or they have families to support or something else. But a lot of them think they run a 4.5, and then get to the combine and they run a 4.75 and they’re surprised and disappointed with what happens. That kind of information, maybe that helps reduce the numbers. Maybe we can give them a window where they’re really assessed, then understand it and then they say, ‘I really need to go back to school.'”

Here’s a handful of miscellaneous links from around the league:

“People around the league” think Colts owner Jim Irsay will be suspended six to eight games and be fined $1MM, according to Pro Football Talk, who cites a report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Ravens insider Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun compares the contracts of Joe Flacco and 49ers trigger man Colin Kaepernick. While Flacco’s $120.6MM deal and Kaepernick’s $126MM deal seem similar on the surface, Wilson says, “the reality is that the deals are vastly different and the original reports about Kaepernick’s financial windfall are fairly misleading.” Wilson calls Kaepernick’s contract “extremely team-friendly” and characterizes it as “pay-as-you-go.”
In a video piece for NFL Network, Albert Breer reports, “There is now an internal belief” Raiders projected starter Matt Schaub will be pushed by second-round rookie Derek Carr.
Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr could be playing for his Cowboys future in the opinion of ESPN’s Todd Archer, who thinks a good season could lead to a contract restructuring, while a bad season could spell the end. Carr is in the third year of a five-year, $50MM deal which includes $25.5MM guaranteed and has cap hits of $12.2MM in 2014, $12.7MM in 2015 and $13.8MM in 2016. Last season, Carr managed an overall grade of -0.9, according to Pro Football Focus, including a -5.0 coverage rating.
Whether or not Richie Incognito gets another shot in the NFL “is going to be a football decision, not an emotional one,” thinks Bleacher Report’s Michael Schottey.

Extra Points: Incognito, FAs, Finley, Patriots

May 28th, 2014 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of last year’s bullying scandal, Richie Incognito has predictably had trouble finding NFL work. As Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report writes, the offensive lineman’s reps have been contacting teams over the last few weeks and months, but there has been virtually no interest. Said one general manager: “He’s trying to get back in the game, but the door remains shut. No one trusts him.”

Here’s more from around the NFL:

A pair of veteran free agents, offensive tackle Eric Winston and cornerback Drayton Florence, are expected to make visits next week to unidentified clubs with interest, reports Alex Marvez of Fox Sports. As Marvez notes, interest in unsigned veterans should pick up around the league next week, when June 1 passes and free agents are no longer linked to compensatory draft picks.
A source tells Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com that Jermichael Finley‘s meeting with the Packers is a “formality.” The free agent tight end had previous plans to travel to Green Bay with his family, so he’ll check in with team doctors, but no medical clearance, contract signing, or even testing is anticipated, according to Demovsky’s source.
The Patriots and the representatives for Aaron Hernandez have a June hearing scheduled to go before an arbitrator as the team attempts to recoup the former tight end’s signing bonus money, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
General manager Jim Popp of the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes confirmed today to Eric Edholm of Yahoo! Sports that former Bengals star Chad Johnson has received his work permit to play in Canada and is “at camp as we speak.”
Following up on Chris Johnson‘s Twitter plea for the Jets to acquire Andre Johnson, Brian Costello of the New York Post takes a look at a few reasons why trading for the Texans wideout could make sense for the Jets, as well as several reasons why it may not work.

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