HEADLINES

Richie Incognito

Seahawks Hire Jeff Ireland As Draft Consultant

April 26th, 2014 at 11:35am CST by Matt Feminis

Former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland is assisting the Seahawks’ draft preparations, reports Fox Sports’ Alex Marvez, who says Ireland and the team could discuss a full-time role after the draft.

Ireland served as the Dolphins’ GM from 2008 until January when he was jettisoned — not coincidentally — amidst the team’s bullying scandal involving Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito. Under Ireland’s leadership, the Dolphins managed a mediocre 35 wins over his his last five years at the helm, in part because of his poor drafting and inability to assemble a productive, cohesive offense. Notable busts on his record include Chad Henne, Phillip Merling and Pat White, while last year’s No. 3 overall pick Dion Jordan has already hit the trade block. Several other players drafted in the first four rounds have also struggled to establish themselves.

Aside from constructing a lackluster roster, Ireland did not do the organization any favors from a public relations standpoint, either. In 2010, he infamously asked draft prospect Dez Bryant if his mother was a prostitute. In 2012, he swore at a fan. And most recently, it was revealed that Martin’s agent brought the bullying issue to Ireland’s attention, at which point the GM suggested Martin fight Incognito.

Ireland began his professional scouting career working for the National Scouting Combine before working for the Chiefs as an area scout, then climbing the ladder in Dallas, where he earned the respect of Bill Parcells, who handed Ireland the reins in Miami.

The Super Bowl champs hiring a controversial executive would be mildly surprising if not for the fact Ireland and Seahawks GM John Schneider are “buddies,” notes NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter).

Raiders Notes: L.A., Incognito, FAs, Howard

March 24th, 2014 at 3:45pm CST by Luke Adams

With rumors about a move back to Los Angeles constantly swirling around the Raiders, owner Mark Davis didn’t exactly move to shut them down in a conversation with Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com yesterday at the owner meetings in Orlando.

“We’re not done in Oakland. We’re trying really hard, and we’ll see how that goes,” Davis said. “But Los Angeles is something that I’ve definitely thought about and haven’t pursued. There are other places as well. Until we can find out if Oakland is real, then I’m still staying in Oakland. If we can get something done in Oakland, I will stay in Oakland.”

Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post adds (via Twitter) that Davis said today Raiders fans shouldn’t be worried about a possible move to Los Angeles. But as Davis’ specific wording (“not at this time”) suggests, the Raiders owner’s comments come with an implied threat, even if it’s not laid out explicitly. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk digs deeper into that topic, and we’ll dig deeper into a few more Raiders-related items:

  • Free agent guard Richie Incognito has expressed interest in signing with the Raiders, and Davis didn’t rule out that possibility today, as Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com details. However, Davis also suggested asking general manager Reggie McKenzie about Incognito, and when Marc Sessler of NFL.com did exactly that, he was met with a smile and silence from the GM, as he tweets.
  • Speaking to Bair (Twitter links), McKenzie conveyed some disappointment in losing Jared Veldheer and Lamarr Houston in free agency, suggesting that the Raiders made fair market offers to both players. The GM also stressed that it wasn’t a case of letting Veldheer go, but rather than the offensive tackle made the decision to leave Oakland.
  • Austin Howard, one of the Raiders’ major free agent signings this month, was actually signed to play guard rather than right tackle, tweets Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. According to Tafur, the team hopes 2013 second-round pick Menelik Watson can take over right tackle in 2014.

FA Rumors: Ihedigbo, DeCoud, Britt, Incognito

March 21st, 2014 at 9:16am CST by Luke Adams

James Ihedigbo won’t be returning to his old team, and there’s a chance he also won’t be headed to the club he looked likely to land with last week. According to Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times, the Ravens are no longer in the running for the free agent safety, who has narrowed his decision down to three NFC teams — one is believed to be the Lions, who appeared to be closing in on Ihedigbo last Thursday. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun adds (via Twitter) that Baltimore wasn’t willing to match the Lions’ initial offer, but it sounds like two other clubs are at least in that ballpark.

Here are a few more Friday morning free agent updates:

  • Free agent safety Thomas DeCoud may represent a Plan B for the Lions if they can’t land Ihedigbo. DeCoud, who was released by the Falcons earlier in the offseason, is visiting Detroit today, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link) expects the Lions to sign a safety very soon, and says it sounds like there are three potential options on the table, which suggests the team is eyeing another player in addition to Ihedigbo and DeCoud.
  • Agent Pat Dye Jr. confirmed last night that Kenny Britt had received from the Bills, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says (via Twitter) the free agent receiver will be making his next visit to Buffalo.
  • Rapoport also reports (Twitter links) that while free agent guard Richie Incognito can sign with an NFL team, he can’t play or be paid until undergoing a comprehensive evaluation by medical advisors designated by the league and the NFLPA.
  • Adam Caplan of ESPN.com passes along a pair of free agent nuggets, tweeting that fullback Spencer Larsen worked out for the Bills and cornerback Elbert Mack worked out for the Bengals.
  • With Matt Schaub heading to Oakland, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) predicts that the Browns will land Rex Grossman, adding that perhaps Mark Sanchez ends up on the Bills and Michael Vick lands with the Jets. Vick is visiting with the Jets today, and the club also has to make a decision soon on Sanchez, who is owed a roster bonus on Tuesday.

FA Rumors: Fitzpatrick, Ihedigbo, Underwood

March 20th, 2014 at 3:27pm CST by Luke Adams

When the Titans released Ryan Fitzpatrick last week, there was an expectation that it wouldn’t take long for the veteran quarterback to find work. Fitzpatrick remains on the market, but at least one potential suitor has emerged. According to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link), Tennessee’s division rivals, the Texans, are hosting Fitzpatrick for a visit today.

Let’s round up a few more Thursday odds and ends related to the free agents still available….

  • According to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com (via Twitter), center Brian De La Puente finished his visit in Washington and is still considering multiple options, including the Redskins and Saints.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports (via Twitter) that safety James Ihedigbo, repped by a new agent, has at least two other teams in the mix for him besides the Lions, who seemed to be close to signing him earlier this week. The Ravens appear to be one of those two, as Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun notes (via Twitter).
  • Wide receiver Tiquan Underwood is visiting the Panthers today, says Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). The receiver-thin Panthers already signed Jerricho Cotchery today, and it “looks promising” that they could add Underwood as well.
  • Richie Incognito, who is aiming to return to the NFL in 2014, believes the Raiders make “a lot of sense” as a possible destination, writes Michael Silver of NFL.com.
  • Free agent defensive back Chris Owens had a visit this week with the Steelers, tweets Aaron Wilson.
  • Wilson also reports (via Twitter) that the Broncos tried out free agent safety Jordan Pugh.
  • The Bengals have confirmed (via Twitter) that Louis Murphy visited the club today, which means the wide receiver left the meeting without a deal in place.

Florida Notes: Incognito, Bucs, Jaguars

March 20th, 2014 at 8:38am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to WSVN in Miami, free agent guard Richie Incognito suggested yesterday that he remains on track to return to the NFL following last year’s bullying scandal and recent treatment for erratic behavior. As James Walker of ESPN.com details, Incognito would like come back to Miami and play for his old team.

“Returning to the Dolphins was my number one goal from the time I got suspended,” Incognito said. “I want to return to the community in Miami and resume my playing career as soon as possible.”

Even with Jonathan Martin now in San Francisco, the odds of Incognito playing in Miami again, for a Dolphins team now hyper-conscious of public relations, seems virtually impossible. Here’s more on the free agent offensive lineman and a couple other notes on the NFL’s Florida teams:

  • In a separate piece at ESPN.com, Walker agrees that while some NFL team may be willing to take a chance on signing Incognito for the 2014 season, that team won’t be the Dolphins.
  • Discussing an interview conducted with head coach Lovie Smith by the Buccaneers‘ official website, Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune notes that the team still feels as if it has a few more moves left to make in free agency. Cummings adds that there’s a chance Earl Bennett, recently released by Chicago, could interest the ex-Bears head coach.
  • The Jaguars were focused on free agency up until this Tuesday, but GM Dave Caldwell suggests to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union that about 95% of the club’s attention has now shifted to the draft, meaning there likely won’t be many more free agent additions in Jacksonville. Caldwell also weighed in on the Jags’ additions of Jason Babin and Chris Clemons, among other topics.

Extra Points: Benton, Dolphins, Amendola

March 1st, 2014 at 8:01pm CST by Peter Sowards

The Dolphins have promoted John Benton to offensive line coach and named Jack Bicknell Jr. the team’s assistant offensive line coach, the team announced today.

Benton was originally hired by the Dolphins on January 29. He replaces Jim Turner, who was fired earlier this month for his involvement in the Richie Incognito–Jonathan Martin bullying scandal.

Bicknell spent the 2013 season as the Steelers‘ offensive line coach. Before that, he had NFL stops with the Chiefs and Giants, and 24 seasons coaching at the collegiate level.

Here are some more bits and pieces from a relatively slow Saturday night…

AFC East Notes: Wendell, Mankins, Dolphins

February 20th, 2014 at 9:24am CST by Luke Adams

As Thursday’s slate of head coach and general manager press conferences gets underway at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, let’s check in on a few updates out of the AFC East, including a certain Dolphins head coach finally breaking his silence on the Ted Wells report….

  • The Patriots have yet to enter negotiations with free agent center Ryan Wendell about a new deal or talk to Logan Mankins about an extension to reduce his cap number, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). Volin adds in a second tweet that both players would likely be receptive to those talks.
  • Speaking to reporters at the combine today, Dolphins coach Joe Philbin indicated that no decisions have been made yet on whether the team will bring back players like Richie Incognito, John Jerry, and Mike Pouncey (Twitter link via Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe). While that may be true, it seems pretty clear that Incognito and Jerry, who are eligible for free agency, won’t be back.
  • Philbin also told reporters, including Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has reached out to Jonathan Martin and will meet with him. Philbin was noncommittal on Martin’s future with the club.

Dolphins Updates: Incognito, Martin

February 17th, 2014 at 9:12pm CST by Rob DiRe

The bullying allegations outlined in the Wells Report have greatly changed the free agent stocks of Dolphins’ offensive linemen John Jerry and Richie Incognito. Here at Pro Football Rumors, we’ve looked at how the report has changed the way teams view these players. Between the character questions and looming suspensions, the amount of money Jerry and Incognito stand to lose could be significant.

While Jerry’s prospects are still as slim as they were, things have changed slightly for Incognito. Pundits have been speculating the severity of the embattled guard’s suspension, with many floating the idea that he might be forced to sit out another year. Now there is a possibility he will not be suspended at all, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

According to the CBA, Article 46, Section 4 a player cannot be disciplined by both the Commissioner and the team for the same act. Incognito was suspended by the Dolphins for eight games in 2013, as allegations were first becoming public. This could preclude the NFL from adding an additional suspension. Florio adds that the NFLPA planned on fighting any suspension on these terms.

Florio continues to write that the league could argue the original suspension was for his behavior towards Jonathan Martin, but could still suspend him for other offenses.

While avoiding suspension would certainly help Incognito’s chance of landing with another team, he may have already further hurt his case via his own Twitter rants in the aftermath of the report becoming public. He returned to Twitter today, with an apology. Still, the few defenders who thought his “edge” or “mean streak” was an asset could have trouble reconciling his social media accounts with the idea that he still had some redeemable character qualities.

The victim, Martin, was also thought to have suffered from the report. His release from the club was considered a certainty. It seemed best for both parties to allow him to move on if the team could not trade him.

Cutting Martin seems unlikely, writes Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post. Abramson spoke to employment attorney William Amlong of Fort Lauderdale.

“Cutting him would be idiocy because then you do have a lot of great potential for litigation,” Amlong said. “If I were representing him, my argument is going to be that maybe this guy is not the greatest tackle in the world yet, but he’s a second-year guy and he has enough potential. If they didn’t have any plans to cut him before he started complaining and now they do, that’s not good.” 

Martin’s agent is set to meet with the Dolphins at the Scouting Combine this week. Abramson notes that the best solution Amlong provided was for the team to pay Martin the $1.87MM he’s owed for the final two years of his contract, and then they would be free to release him.

AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Jerry, Jones

February 17th, 2014 at 8:48am CST by Rob DiRe

On Saturday we took a look at how the Wells Report would hurt the four Dolphins‘ players involved, and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald believes the NFL will come in with fines and suspensions at some point this offseason. While Richie Incognito could get off easy because he was already suspended last season. Mike Pouncey could still be suspended a few games, and Salguero guesses that offensive line coach Jim Turner could be sidelined for the season due to his involvement.

Ted Wells Report: Future With Dolphins

February 15th, 2014 at 7:17pm CST by Rob DiRe

Since the Ted Wells Report was released, the Richie Incognito–Jonathan Martin controversy has returned to the forefront of sports talk radio and hundreds of sports blogs and columns. In addition to those two, Dolphins guard John Jerry and their Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey seem to be equally implicated as part of the bullying that allegedly went on. It seems that everybody has to weigh in on what this means to the modern NFL locker room, and has somehow been paired with the other big NFL story, the acceptance of Michael Sam into the NFL.

These stories are plenty important, but what they are replacing is the normal NFL offseason chatter about who is going where and what team is looking at which player. Until some semblance of a contract materializes for Incognito or Jerry, or a trade happens for Martin, these players are only important as it pertains to the Wells Report. However, all four have been seriously hurt in terms of their football stock.

Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross has been open in that he believes it is unlikely that either Incognito or Martin will return to the team in 2014, though the club does own Martin’s rights. The second-round pick out of Stanford still may have some value, writes Darrin Gantt of Pro Football Talk, since he is still a cheap option at right tackle. James Walker of ESPN.com writes of Martin: “He’s young, cheap and can play left and right tackle. Those players do not grow on trees.” Walker also notes that because other teams know that the Dolphins will release him Martin they cannot trade him, that does significantly lower his trade value.

Former coach Jim Harbaugh was an avid defender of Martin, which may prompt speculation that San Francisco could be a destination. However, the 49ers are set at tackle, with Joe Staley and Anthony Davis on each side. The Colts also have that connection, with Pep Hamilton and a number of former Stanford players there. Of course, they also have a lot of money already invested in tackle play, with Anthony Castonzo and Gosder Cherilus.

Incognito and Jerry are both free agents, making them easy decisions for the Dolphins — both will most likely be let go. Incognito was probably set for a pretty large contract extension with the Dolphins, due to his high level of play and status as a “leader” in the team’s locker room. Now, his value is minimal. He didn’t make many friends with the Rams before he joined the Dolphins, so he does not have a lot of coaching staffs to fall back on. The Raiders’ offensive coordinator Greg Olsen could put a good word in for him, as the Raiders are in need of offensive line help.

Vinnie Iyer of SportingNews.com does note that in the landscape of the modern NFL, Incognito has a better chance of being accepted into another locker room than Martin. “Incognito doesn’t come out of the investigation looking like Mr. Nice Guy, but he hasn’t tried to. There’s a reason his mean streak is one of his biggest assets as a player,” Iyer writes. “For teams needy of interior line help, such as the Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts or San Diego Chargers, he’s Mr. Nice Price.”

Jerry was also a candidate to be retained by the Dolphins before being implicated in the Wells Report, but his return is now unlikely, writes Charlie McCarthy of Fox Sports Florida. Jerry doesn’t have the history of performance that Incognito did. What he does have in his favor is a far less noticeable role in the bullying of Martin, but still he will find it difficult to sign a deal similar to one he could have had with the Dolphins had he not been implicated. Both Incognito and Jerry’s free agency could be further hurt if the league decides to suspend them for a few games during the 2014 season.

Finally, there is Pouncey, who despite his age, might be the most accomplished of the four, and definitely has the brightest future. Much like Jerry, he is able to downplay his role in the bullying, but unlike Jerry he is under contract for 2014. Also unlike Jerry, he has performed on the field as one of top lineman at his position over his short career thus far, reaching the Pro Bowl this past year. Still, a week ago James Walker of ESPN.com listed Pouncey as one of the players on the Dolphins who has outperformed his contract and is deserving of a raise. After his name became involved in the Wells Report, and with a looming suspension possible, that raise seems highly unlikely.

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