Robert Griffin III

AFC Notes: Allen, DeCastro, Osweiler, RG3

The Chargers are not yet ready to confirm a torn-ACL diagnosis for Keenan Allen, but Mike McCoy acknowledged there is speculation about that likely season-ending injury, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets.

The fourth-year wideout who signed a four-year, $45MM extension this summer will have an MRI done on Monday. But the widespread notion remains the Bolts’ No. 1 target will join Stevie Johnson on IR.

San Diego, which has two wideouts on its practice squad, could opt to bring back James Jones, whom the team cut after signing him following the Johnson injury. Or, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out, the Chargers could look at other available wideouts like Roddy White, Brian Hartline or Aaron Dobson. Florio also posits the Chargers could attempt to trade for Josh Gordon, given that they’ve lost two of their top four targets over the past several weeks.

Here’s the latest from around the AFC as Week 1 moves into its Sunday-night game.

  • Signed to a five-year, $50MM deal earlier this week, Steelers All-Pro guard David DeCastro called the commitment “a weight off his shoulders,” according to Ralph Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The fifth-year guard who was previously entering a contract year also said he would have considered other options had the Steelers and his camp not come together on the extension. “I tried not to think about it early on, but I was really hoping I could stay here,” he said. “Obviously, when we were getting close, it was harder to push back. Now we can move forward and worry about what’s important.”
  • Robert Griffin III said he sprained his shoulder during the Browns‘ 29-10 loss to the Eagles today. “I can move my left arm. I’m in pain, but it will be OK, just have to monitor it,” Griffin said, via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “We’ll see more tomorrow and see how my shoulder is feeling and just move on from there.” Griffin, who made his first start since 2014 on Sunday, finished the game and expects to play in Week 2.
  • Texans owner Bob McNair gave new starter Brock Osweiler a glowing endorsement today after the Texans’ Week 1 win over the Bears. “I think he’s everything we thought he would be,” McNair said via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “He performed under pressure. Several times he escaped. He completed some passes after getting pressure. He has good composure and he’s poised.” The fifth-year passer and recipient of a four-year, $72MM deal completed 22-of-35 passes for 235 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in his Houston debut.
  • The Patriots‘ clearing out $2.8MM in cap space thanks to Devin McCourty‘s restructure will help them retain their key defenders playing on expiring contracts, Doug Kyed of NESN.com writes. An in-season extension for impending UFA Dont’a Hightower, thus lowering his $7.75MM 2016 cap hit, would be a way to help the Patriots sign both 2017 UFA Jamie Collins and RFA Malcolm Butler, Kyed offers. New England possesses more than $11MM in cap space for 2016 and stands to possess more than $60MM come 2017. Jabaal Sheard, Logan Ryan and Sebastian Vollmer join Hightower and Collins as key UFAs for the seven-time defending AFC East champions.

Browns Exec: RG3 Not Just Short-Term Option

The Browns signed quarterback Robert Griffin III to a two-year, $15MM deal over the offseason, and while RG3 has been labeled as a “bridge QB” — an option for Cleveland until it can acquire a franchise passer in the draft — executive VP of football operations Sashi Brown views RG3 as part of the Browns’ future. Speaking Friday to reporters, including Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Brown outlined his vision for Griffin’s time in Cleveland.Robert Griffin III (Vertical)

“To be fair to Robert, he’s young in his career in terms of his development as a quarterback,” said Brown. “We will develop him over time. He’s under contract here two years, but we don’t look at it as certainly just a two-year venture or a week-to-week venture.

“This is something we’re going to have to stick by him, put the right pieces around him and help him learn how to play that position as well. So it’s not a short-term kind of look at him.”

Clearly, Brown has no choice but to exhibit confidence in Griffin at this stage of his Cleveland career, and it’s always possible that the Browns perform much better in 2016 than most observers expect. But Cleveland is likely to finish last in the AFC North — the Football Outsiders’ Almanac gives the Browns a mean win projection of 5.2 wins (last in the NFL) and a 41% chance of winning less than four games. Those totals would entitle Cleveland to a top-five draft pick once again, and it would difficult for the club to pass up on a quarterback.

The Browns do have other signal-callers available on the roster, including veteran Josh McCown and third-round rookie Cody Kessler. But every indication is that RG3 will be given a long leash, as Cleveland isn’t in a position to seriously contend anyway. Even Brown didn’t bristle at the notion that his team is “tanking,” though he may prefer a different term.

“The external noise we know is coming and will be there, whether we’re successful or not and we can’t let that bother us,” said Brown. “That just wouldn’t be part of anything we would embrace or be part of. So I appreciate that folks have not seen a strategy quite like this before, but I’d hardly call it tanking.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC North Notes: RGIII, Browns, Ray Rice

Will RGIII succeed in Cleveland? Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report asked around about the free agent acquisition and league execs were not optimistic about how the QB will perform. "<strong

RG3 is going to bury Hue [Jackson,” one GM said.

Hue is going to find out that RG3 isn’t coachable,” another front-office executive said.

RG3 is going to drag Hue down with him,” one scout said.

Griffin was a superstar early on with the Redskins, but things fizzled out for him in a hurry as his relationship with coach Mike Shanahan also went south. Under coach Jay Gruden, he watched Kirk Cousins go from understudy to undisputed starter, ending his D.C. run in bizarre fashion. Still, the Browns see something in the former Baylor star and their commitment to him this offseason clearly demonstrates that. In the spring, the Browns inked him to a two-year pact worth $15MM, with a signing bonus of $3.5MM and $6.75MM in total guarantees.

Here’s more from the AFC North:

  • Will former Ravens running back Ray Rice get another chance in the NFL? Many are skeptical of that, but Rice is staying optimistic. “In my heart of hearts,” Rice told ESPN’s Mike & Mike (video link), “it will happen.” Of course, teams are wary of taking on the PR hell storm that would come with signing Rice and it also doesn’t help that his last season played in the NFL was lackluster. For what it’s worth, Rice blames his 2013 struggles on a torn muscle which has since healed up.
  • Ladarius Green signed a four-year, $20MM contract with the Steelers but has not practiced a down with them yet after January ankle surgery. With that in mind, Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wonders if the Steelers made a mistake with their major free agent signing. As shown on Roster Resource, the Steelers’ TE depth chart beyond Green leaves a lot to be desired. Jesse James has minimal game experience, Xavier Grimble never has played an NFL game, and Michael Cooper and Paul Lang are undrafted rookies. H-back David Johnson has experience, but mostly as a blocker. If Green is going to miss significant time, one has to wonder if the Steelers will be in the market for a tight end addition.
  • Will Desmond Bryant receive his $6MM base salary for the 2016 season? He may have to battle it out with the Browns.

Photo courtesy of PFR on Instagram.

Browns Name RGIII Starting QB

As expected, the Browns have named Robert Griffin III as their starting quarterback. RGIII, whose contract includes playing time bonuses, will start for Cleveland on Friday in the team’s preseason opener at Green Bay. Robert Griffin III Browns (vertical)

It’s time. Robert has earned the right to be named the starting quarterback of the Cleveland Browns,” coach Hue Jackson said in a press release. “Since he was signed back in March, Robert has made it clear through his actions that he is willing to do everything that has been asked of him to earn this role. Throughout this process he has gained the respect from his teammates, the coaching staff and the entire organization that is necessary for him to lead our offense and really the entire team. Pep (Hamilton) has done an outstanding job with that room to get us to this point so we can make this decision at what I feel is the optimal time which enables us to best prepare for the regular season. It’s now on Robert to show the organization and our fans that this is the right decision. Throughout the offseason program and training camp, Robert has shown improvement every day and we expect him to continue to ascend as he becomes more and more acclimated to the offensive system we will employ this season. I’ve been crystal clear on what we expect from Robert. He fully understands the responsibility and I feel he is ready to handle this role.”

With Griffin officially named as the team’s starter, the Browns can be expected to continue discussing trades involving backup Josh McCown. After the Cowboys struck out on free agent Nick Foles last week, they inquired on the veteran. The Browns reportedly want at least a third- or fourth-round pick for McCown and the Cowboys feel that the asking price is too steep.

Griffin is entering his fifth NFL season out of Baylor. Originally selected by Washington with the No. 2 overall pick in 2012, Griffin has appeared in 37 games with 35 starts. Griffin set NFL rookie records for passer rating (102.4), interception percentage (1.27) and rushing yards by a quarterback (815) en route to being named the Offensive Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowl selection. Starting 13 games in 2013, Griffin recorded a career-high 3,203 passing yards and became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to record 3,000 passing yards in each of his first two seasons. Unfortunately, things have petered out for Griffin since that point and he is hoping to get back to his old form with his new team.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Browns Notes: RG3, McCown, DePo, Hairston

The Browns have made numerous changes over the past few months, altering their front office, field staff, and roster. If you haven’t been following along, we’ve got you covered — check out our Offseason In Review to learn about Cleveland’s moves on and off the field, and read our Impact Rookies piece to see scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas’ thoughts on the Browns’ expansive rookie class.

Here’s the latest of out of Cleveland:

  • The quarterback competition is all but over in Cleveland, and Robert Griffin III is highly likely to be named the starter ahead of the club’s first preseason game, as Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes. Of course, the Browns and head coach Hue Jackson seemed to favor Griffin from the moment they signed him to a two-year deal, so veteran Josh McCown and third-round rookie Cody Kessler never had much of a shot to wrest away the starting gig. Cleveland isn’t likely to carry four quarterbacks on its opening day roster, so either Austin Davis (who signed an extension in September) or McCown is probably going to be released or traded. McCown, for what it’s worth, was mentioned in trade talks earlier this year.
  • Although the Browns are pleased with Griffin, the team figures to continue its ongoing search for a franchise quarterback, chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta tells Tony Grossi of ESPN.com. DePodesta made the argument that we’ve heard other Cleveland decision-makers espouse, asserting that quarterbacks are valuable enough that a club should never cease trying to acquire difference-makers at the position. The former MLB executive also explained why Cleveland opted to trade the No. 2 overall pick rather than select North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, suggesting that the team may have kept the draft choice had Jared Goff been available. “I think the hardest part, and where we have to stay the most disciplined, as much as you want a player, you can’t invent him if he doesn’t exist,” said DePodesta. “In a given year, there may be two or three NFL-ready quarterbacks at the college level. In another year, there literally may be zero. There just may be not be anybody in that year who’s good enough to be a top 20 quarterback in the NFL.”
  • The Browns are bringing in former East Carolina running back Chris Hairston for a workout, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets. Hairston, not to be confused with the Chargers offensive lineman of the same name, went undrafted earlier this year, but he did earn an invite to the Chiefs’ rookie minicamp. During his senior season, Hairston rushed 165 times for 754 yards and eight touchdowns, and also added 29 receptions. Cleveland’s roster currently includes a number of backs, with Isaiah Crowell, Duke Johnson, Raheem Mostert, and Terrell Watson among them, but lacks an established option.

Breer On RGIII, Miller, Foles, Geno Smith

Some would say that RGIII is coming to Cleveland with baggage, but new Browns coach Hue Jackson wouldn’t agree. "<strong

I said this to all the players: Everybody’s slate is clean,” Jackson said, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB. “You always want to give guys the benefit of the doubt coming in, and I have not seen, heard or felt any negativity out of him. That’s the only Robert Griffin I know. He’s been an ideal teammate, a hard worker, he wants to please his coaches and he’s followed directions. That’s all I know.”

Griffin started out red hot with the Redskins before injuries and in-fighting led to his downfall. Eventually, the Redskins found their new franchise quarterback in Kirk Cousins while Griffin was on the outside looking in. Because of the stop-and-start nature of the last few years, Jackson & Co. know that they have a lot of work to do when it comes to the Baylor product.

I’m not gonna say he’s raw, but he is still developing. And most young quarterbacks are still developing,” Jackson said. “I’d give coach (Mike) Shanahan and his son a lot of credit—he came into the league and they fashioned an offense for him that worked for him. And I’d give him credit too, coming out of the Baylor system, without the traditional footwork you play with, he produced right away. Those guys were able to mesh together a great season, but all that is in his past. It’s about mastering the quarterback position now. Mastery of how to play the position is the key to his success.”

Here’s more from Breer’s column:

  • Here’s an interesting twist to the Von Miller saga. As previously reported, if Miller opts to sit out the 2016 season, the Broncos will only be able to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on him and will not have the exclusive franchise tag at their disposal. Typically, a team that is able to pry a player away on the non-exclusive tag would have to forfeit two first-round picks to the former team. However, if Miller were to sit out, a union source tells Breer that the compensation price would drop from two first-round picks to a first and a third. I imagine that there are some teams that would at least consider forfeiting two first-round choices to land Miller, regarded as one of the best defensive talents in the game. If the price drops to a first- and third-round choice, I think that market opens up even more. Of course, any team that would sign Miller to an offer sheet would also be giving him a $100MM+ deal with significant guarantees.
  • The Rams have yet to trade Nick Foles because they believe that his trade value could increase a bit once training camp begins, Breer hears. At that point, rival teams will have injuries under center and other clubs may find that their backups aren’t coming along as planned.
  • While there is some feeling inside the Jets that they could get by with Geno Smith, many outside of the organization are skeptical. “I think they’ll struggle if [Geno is] the guy,” one rival defensive coach told Breer. “Too inconsistent, stares guys down, average at reading defenses, makes poor decisions. … Fitz is much smarter, more accurate, and a better leader.”
  • Former Baylor coach Art Briles has been linked to NFL jobs in the past but it seems unlikely that he would be in the mix for a job right now following the program’s recent scandal. However, there are factors beyond those events that could keep Briles from getting a chance in the pros. “The big-picture stuff, he’s good at,” said one AFC scout. “The detail is why his offense would fail in the NFL. His offense at Baylor is not detailed—we’re gonna play tempo, we’re gonna play fast, and we’ll get you with our speed and just out-athlete you because our guys don’t have to think and your guys do.
  • Like the RGIII jersey swap above? Follow Pro Football Rumors on Instagram for more great pics.

AFC Notes: RGIII, J. Cameron, Forte

Let’s take a look at some notes from around the AFC:

  • In response to a reader wondering when Browns head coach Hue Jackson would officially name Robert Griffin III Cleveland’s starting quarterback, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer said that the formal designation would probably come after the preseason games begin. Per Cabot, Jackson wants Griffin to earn the job, and RGIII is getting a strong push from Josh McCown—who looks ready to start tomorrow—and rookie Cody Kessler, who is handling his learning curve nicely.
  • When deciding whether he should accept a paycut this offseason or risk being released, Dolphins TE Jordan Cameron spoke with a number of people, including current Jaguars TE Julius Thomas, as James Walker of ESPN.com writes. Per Cameron, Thomas “called me immediately and said you have to play for [new Dolphins head coach Adam Gase]. I’ve had a lot of conversations about [Gase] and what he can do. It was kind of the things I heard about Coach Gase (that helped make my decision).” Gase was Thomas’ offensive coordinator in Denver, and he is well-known for having success with tight ends. In the end, of course, Cameron agreed to take the paycut.
  • One of the primary reasons Matt Forte signed with the Jets, according to Darryl Slater of NJ.com, is New York’s training room. The 30-year-old back, who has been burdened by a heavy workload in his career, said, “That was one of the reasons for me wanting to come here, because the training room is so good. At this point in your career, health is so important. You’re not as young as you used to be, or recover as fast as you used to. But if you get the right [trainers] in there and work with them, you can turn back the time.”
  • The JaguarsPeyton Thompson has been cut six times by four different teams since he entered the league in 2013, but after making the switch from cornerback to safety, Thompson feels as though this year marks the best chance he has had to make a Week 1 roster, as Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union writes. Thompson appeared in 15 games for Jacksonville last season, and he will compete this year to be a key special-teamer and backup to newly-signed safety Tashaun Gipson. Thompson says, “The amount of special teams I can play and being somebody [the team] can interchange from from cornerback to nickel to safety and know the whole defense no matter where I am, that definitely gives me the upper hand.”
  • Earlier today, we learned that the Dolphins would not be pursuing veteran corners like Leon Hall and Antonio Cromartie at this time.

North Notes: Ravens, Lions, Browns, Vikings

The Ravens are relishing the presence of three-time Pro Bowl safety Eric Weddle, whom they signed to a four-year, $26MM deal in March, as Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. “If he has anything to tell me I’m always listening,” said fellow safety Lardarius Webb. “He’s going to be big for this defense – for this team.” Webb added that Weddle is “being himself and were loving it,” also referring to the acquisition of the longtime Charger as a “great move.” Head coach John Harbaugh agrees, stating, “He fits in with how we do things around here perfectly. I give (general manager) Ozzie (Newsome) all the credit in the world. That was a great signing.”

More from the NFL’s two North divisions:

  • Still-unsigned linebacker Mike Neal visited the Lions in March, but they no longer have interest in the 28-year-old, reports Justin Rogers of MLive.com. As Rogers points out, the Lions picked up Wallace Gilberry in free agency and addressed both defensive end and outside linebacker via the draft, thereby lessening the need for Neal. The Lions are of course quite familiar with Neal, who has so far spent his entire career (2010-15) with the division-rival Packers. PFR’s Dallas Robinson rates Neal as the sixth-best defensive free agent remaining on the market.
  • Browns coach Hue Jackson says he’s not ready to name a starting quarterback coming out of OTAs, Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer tweets. Signs are pointing toward Robert Griffin III, though, per Tony Grossi of ESPN.com. Whether veteran Josh McCown makes the team will depend on how Griffin and third-round rookie Cody Kessler fare in the coming months, Grossi opines.
  • The Vikings haven’t ruled out adding another punter to compete with incumbent Jeff Locke, special teams coach Mike Priefer said Wednesday (link via Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star Tribune). Minnesota tried out a pair of rookie punters last month, and neither signed with the Vikings or any other team. That could change, however, according to Priefer. “We had two good, young rookie punters at minicamp who performed very, very well so we know those guys are out there if we need to go that route,” commented Priefer. As for Locke, 26, he’s entering a contract year after ranking dead last in yards per punt (41.6) and third from the bottom in net yardage (37.8) in 2015.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Mike Shanahan Wasn’t Sold On RG3 Trade

Lukewarm about Washington trading so much to acquire Robert Griffin III in the first place, Mike Shanahan became further divided against the team’s then-franchise quarterback and Daniel Snyder, whom he felt was partially responsible for pulling the strings for Griffin, after a February 2013 meeting.

The current Browns projected starter, Griffin addressed Mike Shanahan, then-OC Kyle Shanahan and then-QBs coach Matt LaFleur to discuss things he wanted to change about the offense, according to an expansive report from TheUndefeated.com’s Jason Reid. Then coming off a torn ACL sustained during Washington’s playoff defeat against the Seahawks, Griffin said 19 of Washington’s plays were unacceptable to run, primarily identifying several from the zone-read-based package that helped the former Baylor spread passer to the 2012 offensive rookie of the year award, and expected them to be removed from the playbook, Reid writes. RG3 concluded the meeting, which featured video examples of his points, by identifying himself as a dropback passer rather than a running quarterback.

Griffin using the word “unacceptable” pointed Mike Shanahan to connect the dots to this mandate having a Snyder touch, in his opinion, with Washington’s owner using that word often.

I said to Dan, ‘Do you realize what you’re doing to this kid?’” Shanahan told Reid of a coach-owner summit that occurred immediately after Griffin’s address. “He was using phrases Dan used all the time. There’s only one way a guy who’s going into his second year would do something like this: If he sat down with the owner and the owner believed that this is the way he should be used. He had to have the full support of the
owner and, in my opinion, the general manager to even have a conversation like that. … We tried to get him to slide. We tried to get him to throw the ball away. If he had told me he was hurt, I would have taken him out of the [playoff] game. To hear him … it was really incredible
.”

Ironically, Shanahan changed Washington’s offense to fit Griffin’s speed and lack of polish as a dropback passer. Griffin, though, hasn’t been the same since that rookie slate when he threw for 20 touchdown passes and rushed for 815 yards while throwing for 3,200. In 13 games in 2013, RG3 threw for 3,203 but rushed for just 489 as Washington went 3-10 during his starts before giving way to the now-franchise-tagged
Kirk Cousins to close out that season.

When I finally sat down with Dan, I said, ‘Hey, you own the team. We can work with him and do some things. But we haven’t seen anything on tape that warrants giving [up] this type of compensation.’ To me, it was absolutely crazy,” Shanahan told Reid about his stance at the time on Griffin, for whom Washington traded its first-round pick in 2012, along with its 2013 and ’14 first-rounders. “But I told Dan that if that’s what he wanted to do, I’d make it work.”

Responding to his former coach’s comments, the recently signed Browns passer did not offer a rebuttal, according to the team website.

I’m so far removed from Washington now and focused on this opportunity here in Cleveland that I don’t even worry about those things anymore,” Griffin said. “I can only focus on what I can control and that’s here in Cleveland … I didn’t even see that story.”

Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

Browns Rumors: RG3, McCown, Nassib, Trades

Although the Browns paid a high-end backup price for Robert Griffin III at two years and $15MM, the team signed the wayward quarterback with the intention he could be their long-term option.

Our plan would be for Robert, if it carries out, to come in, solidify himself and then, if we felt like he’s our answer longer-term, to begin working on a longer-term deal,” GM Sashi Brown told media — including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “... He’s just 26 years old and he wants to play for a long time. He provides that upside, if he’s able to come in and do what’s first, which is establish himself as a starter and a capable starter for us.”

Cleveland’s brass is not ready to hand the starting job to Griffin right now, with Josh McCown still in the mix and third-round pick Cody Kessler likely a developmental option. But the Browns are at least paying lip service to the fact the 2012 offensive rookie of the year can resurrect his career for a team that’s had the worst run at quarterback since re-spawning in 1999.

Here’s more coming out of Cleveland.

  • Despite Griffin’s signing cosmetically looking like it leaves McCown without a place on a rebuilding team, the 36-year-old passer remains a threat to keep his starting job, per Ulrich. The Browns would also consider keeping him if he doesn’t. “[We want to] have him come in and compete to be our starter,” Brown said. “Josh has been a great presence for our young guys in the locker room, and that QB room is enhanced by his presence. I think [keeping him even if he doesn’t win the starting job will] be a consideration.” Amid the disastrous Johnny Manziel experiment that cycled in and out of the huddle last season, McCown completed 63.7% of his passes and threw 12 touchdown passes compared to four interceptions despite being saddled with one of the league’s worst pass-catching contingents. McCown is owed just more than $5MM this season, the last year of his contract, and the Browns would carry $2.33MM in dead money if they cut him. Of course, with more than $41MM in cap space right now, the Browns aren’t exactly geared toward 2016 contention.
  • One of the Browns’ Day 2 picks, Carl Nassib, caused the new GM to make a lofty comparison. Brown said the 6-foot-7 former Penn State pass-rusher has “as good of a motor, if not better, than Joey Bosa,” per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The Vince Lombardi Award winner after registering a Division I-FBS-best 15.5 sacks for the Nittany Lions last year, Nassib out-produced Bosa last season. But the Ohio State pass-rusher collected 26 sacks in three seasons and recorded 51 tackles for loss in that span, giving the former Buckeye a much more consistent resume.
  • Although there isn’t much of a way to disprove this, Brown said Emmanuel Ogbah was the top player the Browns hoped would still be there when they picked at No. 32 (via Ulrich, on Twitter). As a junior at Oklahoma State, Ogbah finished tied for fourth nationally last season with 13 sacks.
  • Brown also challenged those who questioned the team’s pick of Princeton tight end Seth DeValve in the fourth round, telling media (including Ulrich, on Twitter) that they won’t be second-guessing the selection for long.