Robert Turbin

Colts To Place Robert Turbin On IR

The Colts are shutting down Bobby Turbo and firing up Marlon Mack. Robert Turbin is headed to injured reserve with a dislocated elbow, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). This was the feared, but expected outcome after he suffered the injury on Monday night. "Robert

Turbin has been playing behind Frank Gore and getting a decent number of snaps. That has been a source of frustration for Colts fans and fantasy owners who have been waiting for Mack to get an opportunity to shine. We’ll now find out of Mack can keep his production up with a heavier workload. He has 4.8 yards per carry this year off of 27 attempts, plus two touchdowns.

Turbin’s season ends with 53 yards on the ground and 56 yards through the air. Last year, he enjoyed one of his most productive NFL seasons, running for 164 yards and seven touchdowns.

The veteran has one more year to go on the two-year deal he signed in March, but it’s not a lock that he’ll be back in Indianapolis in 2018.

Colts RB Robert Turbin Likely Done For Year

The Colts expect running back Robert Turbin to miss the remainder of the season after suffering an arm injury on Monday night, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.Robert Turbin (vertical)

Turbin, Indianapolis’ backup running back since 2016, has been a key contributor on both offense (31.9% of snaps) and special teams (39.6% of snaps) this season. Serving behind starter Frank Gore, the 27-year-old Turbin has managed 53 yards on the ground and 56 yards through the air. He signed a two-year contract prior to the 2016 campaign, so he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next spring.

The Colts have two young running backs who should now see increased usage with Turbin sidelined. Marlon Mack, a fourth-round rookie who’s shown game-breaking ability already this season, and former Redskin Matt Jones will pick up where Turbin left off. Indy has running back George Winn on its practice squad, and he’s now a candidate for promotion following Turbin’s injury.

Colts Re-Sign RB Robert Turbin

Bobby Turbo is back in Indy. The Colts have re-signed Robert Turbin to a two-year deal worth up to $4.1MM, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). "<strong

Turbin had one of his most productive NFL seasons in 2016, running for 164 yards and seven touchdowns. The 27-year-old also collected a career-high 26 receptions to go along with 179 yards and one score. He’s now slated to battle it out for playing time with veteran Frank Gore and Josh Ferguson. It’s a safe bet that the Colts will explore some upgrades at the position as well.

Turbin missed the cut on my top 15 list of free agent running backs, but he did garner honorable mention. We haven’t heard much on him since the legal tampering period kicked off six days ago, so there might not have been much of a market for him outside of Indy.

Latest on Colts Offseason

Colts general manager Chris Ballard has been very busy during his first offseason on the job. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets that the executive has been very active in free agency. The Colts are particularly interested in retaining safety Darius Butler and running back Robert Turbin. Meanwhile, the team is also exploring top defensive free agents like linebacker Nick Perry and defensive tackle Dontari Poe.

Darius Butler (vertical)Butler has established himself as one of the Colts’ most reliable defensive backs since joining the team in 2012. Last season, the 30-year-old finished with 33 tackles, seven passes defended, and three interceptions. Butler was listed fourth in our rankings of the best free agent safeties.

Turbin had one of his most productive NFL seasons in 2016, running for 164 yards and seven touchdowns. The 27-year-old also collected a career-high 26 receptions to go along with 179 yards and one score. The Colts could certainly use some reinforcement at the position, as the team is only rostering two running backs in Frank Gore and Josh Ferguson.

Perry was listed as our best available edge defender, while Poe was ranked fourth among interior defensive lineman. The Colts could use some help on the defensive line, as Hassan Ridgeway, T.Y. McGill, and Henry Anderson are currently slotted in as the starters.

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 2.0: Offense

NFL free agency is right around the corner! The legal tampering period starts on Tuesday and free agency officially starts on Thursday. The list of available free agents will change between now and then as players re-sign with teams or get cut loose, but we have a pretty good idea of who will be available right now. After looking at the top defensive players, we now shift our attention to the other side of the ball.

Here are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each position. The rankings aren’t determined by earning power, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with a combination of short- and long-term value taken into account. You won’t find restricted free agents or franchise tagged guys here since they are unlikely to go leave their current clubs.

Player evaluation is always subjective, so we encourage you to make your voices heard in the comments section in cases where you disagree with us.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:

Updated 3-7-2017, 2:55pm CT

Quarterback:

  1. Mike Glennon
  2. Nick Foles
  3. Brian Hoyer (story)
  4. Ryan Fitzpatrick
  5. Colin Kaepernick
  6. Josh McCown
  7. Case Keenum
  8. Matt McGloin
  9. Mark Sanchez
  10. Ryan Mallett
  11. Christian Ponder
  12. Blaine Gabbert
  13. Geno Smith
  14. Matt Schaub (story)
  15. EJ Manuel

Honorable mention: Ryan Nassib, Landry JonesShaun Hill Mike Glennon (vertical)

Colin Kaepernick’s agents have (wisely) let everyone know that their client will stand for the National Anthem in 2017. That may seem like a minor point, but teams say they would have automatically removed him from consideration if he continued his attention-grabbing protest. He grabbed headlines for his actions on the sidelines last year, but he actually turned in an OK season. From a football standpoint, Kaepernick would make sense for a lot of teams as a QB2 with upside.

Interestingly, this list includes three quarterbacks who couldn’t cut it as the Jets’ starter and three rejects from the 49ers. They say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure and all six of those players (Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kaepernick, Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert) come with varying degrees of potential and proven effectiveness. Smith, somehow, could reportedly be retained by the Jets and installed as the starter in 2017.

Ryan Nassib is just outside of the top 15 here with EJ Manuel getting the final spot. Despite positive word about his play in practice, Nassib is unproven and the Giants’ apparent lack of interest in re-signing him says a lot. It’s also possible that he might not be 100% after ending the 2016 season on IR with an elbow injury. Manuel, for all his warts, has shown potential in small bursts.

Running back:

  1. Eddie Lacy
  2. Adrian Peterson
  3. LeGarrette Blount
  4. Latavius Murray
  5. Jamaal Charles
  6. Darren McFadden
  7. Jacquizz Rodgers
  8. Rex Burkhead
  9. Rashad Jennings
  10. Danny Woodhead
  11. Tim Hightower
  12. DeAngelo Williams
  13. Andre Ellington
  14. Chris Johnson
  15. Christine Michael

Honorable mention: Robert Turbin, Travaris Cadet, Benny Cunningham, Lance Dunbar, Bobby Rainey, Brandon BoldenDenard Robinson, James Starks

Adrian Peterson (vertical)As expected, the Vikings have cut Adrian Peterson loose and he is expected to garner interest from contending clubs this week. Some might peg Peterson as the most talented running back in this year’s free agent class, but it all comes down to how you weigh his age and injury history. Peterson has shocked the football world in the past with an incredible comeback, but I’m a little skeptical of his ability to do it again in his age-32 season. Eddie Lacy, who has injury question marks of his own, takes the top spot at the position.

The Patriots believe they won’t be able to match the offers that come in LeGarrette Blount‘s direction. Latavius Murray could circle back to the Raiders, but he won’t be agreeing to a deal with them before free agency opens on Thursday.

Jamaal Charles has the most impressive resume of anyone on this list, with the exception of Peterson. However, no one knows exactly what he can do after playing eight games in the last two years. He’ll turn 31 in December and that’s usually not an indicator of success for running backs.

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Top 2017 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

[UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST EDITION OF THE TOP 2017 NFL FREE AGENTS BY POSITION]

NFL free agency will get underway on Thursday, March 9th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:

Quarterback:

  1. Kirk Cousins
  2. Mike Glennon
  3. Nick Foles
  4. Brian Hoyer
  5. Ryan Fitzpatrick
  6. Case Keenum
  7. Matt McGloin
  8. Mark Sanchez
  9. Geno Smith
  10. Ryan Mallett
  11. Josh McCown
  12. Christian Ponder
  13. Blaine Gabbert
  14. Matt Schaub
  15. Ryan Nassib

Honorable mention: Shaun Hill

As of this writing, Kirk Cousins is far and away the best potential free agent quarterback in this year’s crop. By the time March gets here, we’re fully expecting Cousins to be spoken for. Ultimately, the Redskins could franchise tag him, work out a long-term deal with him, or swing some type of trade that nets them a massive haul of talent and picks. That will leave a crop of retread quarterbacks that would probably best serve as transitional options for QB-needy teams. Kirk Cousins

Mike Glennon hasn’t done much in his 18 career starts, but talent evaluators are still in love with his size and potential. The 6’7″ quarterback will get more money this spring than you might expect, particularly since there are no surefire QBs in this year’s draft.

Teams looking for stopgap QBs will find a plethora of experienced, though perhaps uninspiring, signal callers. Nick Foles, Brian Hoyer, and Ryan Fitzpatrick all have their best football behind them, but they could hold down the fort for a team in 2017 and maybe even find some success if the defense is strong enough. Of course, the ideal role for those guys would probably be as a backup to a better, younger quarterback.

Running back:

  1. Le’Veon Bell
  2. Eddie Lacy
  3. LeGarrette Blount
  4. Latavius Murray
  5. Darren McFadden
  6. Jacquizz Rodgers
  7. Rashad Jennings
  8. Danny Woodhead
  9. Rex Burkhead
  10. Tim Hightower
  11. DeAngelo Williams
  12. Andre Ellington
  13. Chris Johnson
  14. Christine Michael
  15. Robert Turbin

Consider Le’Veon Bell‘s name written in Etch-A-Sketch, because he is very unlikely to get near the open market. That could leave Eddie Lacy as the best tailback available in March. Lacy has struggled with weight issues in recent years and he lost much of the 2016 season to injury. Still, he is a bruising back that could nicely complement a quicker ball carrier. Before he was shut down for the year, Lacy was averaging 5.07 yards per carry in five games for Green Bay.

LeGarrette Blount (vertical)In the last two years, LeGarrette Blount seems to have put his off-the-field troubles behind him. Whether that’s a sign of his maturity or a product of the Patriots’ culture remains to be seen. Teams can ignore his past indiscretions, but they will be wary of his age. Blount turns 31 in December.

Latavius Murray has shown glimpses of being a special running back, but he has been inconsistent and his 4.0 yards-per-carry average of the last two years isn’t overly impressive. Darren McFadden ran for more than 1,000 yards in 2015, but 2016 was pretty much a lost year for him. Jacquizz Rodgers seemed to break out last year, but he wound up succumbing to the same injury bug that took down a host of other Buccaneers running backs. Speaking of injuries, Rashad Jennings was initially brought to the Giants to be a workhorse back, but two of his three years in New York were marred by ailments. Everyone in this tier has the potential to make a difference, but none should be counted on as anyone’s main guy in 2017.

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AFC Notes: Colts, Turbin, Steelers, Brown

Could Robert Turbin be the Colts‘ running back of the future? If the team wants him to stay in the fold, they’ll have to sign the pending free agent to a new contract. Turbin, for his part, says he wants to return but he is also seeking “security” in his new deal, Zac Keefer of the Indy Star writes. In 2016, Turbin had seven rushing touchdowns off of just 47 carries, plus one receiving score. Frank Gore still projects as the Colts’ starter in 2017, but the team has to start thinking about a successor since his contract runs out after 2017 and he will turn 35 before the start of the ’18 campaign.

Turbin has never been the go-to guy for any team, but he’s ready to change that.

I don’t want to be labeled as a backup running back or a third-down back,” Turbin said in late December. “I want to be a starter in this league. I believe I can be a starter. It’s just about timing. I’ll continue to work hard like I always have and try to make the most of my opportunities.”

Here’s more out of the AFC:

  • After releasing former top-10 pick Justin Gilbert, it’s time for the Steelers to stop giving up draft picks for other teams’ cornerbacks, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler opines. The Steelers also gave up a pick for their short time with cornerback Brandon Boykin and Fowler would rather see the team acquire secondary help in the draft and cultivate their own corners. Recent late-round picks Anthony Chickillo, Dan McCullers, Vince Williams and L.T. Walton all contributed to the Steelers’ 2016 defense in varying degrees, so the mechanisms are there to build a CB.
  • An Antonio Brown extension won’t have guaranteed money like the deal given to Falcons standout Julio Jones, former agent Joel Corry says (on Twitter). Instead, Corry says, it will be more like the structure of A.J. Green‘s since the Steelers do not guarantee base salary. The Steelers and Brown have already started extension talks as the wide receiver enters his final year under contract.
  • New Colts GM Chris Ballard will use analytics in his decision making, Colts.com’s Kevin Bowen writes. In his 16 years in the game, Ballard has watched analytics evolve to a point where they must be taken in heavy consideration along with watching game film.

Contract Details: Bruton, Soliai, M. Wallace

Here are specific details on several of the latest agreed-upon and signed contracts from around the NFL. All links are courtesy of Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle unless otherwise indicated…

NFC:

  • David Bruton, S (Washington): Three years, $9MM. $3.4MM guaranteed. $2.5MM signing bonus. $500K annual playing-time escalator in 2017 and 2018. $500K in incentives in 2018 (Twitter links via Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post).
  • Paul Soliai, DT (Panthers): Two years, $6.5MM. $3MM guaranteed. $2MM signing bonus. $740K in annual per-game active roster bonuses. $500K roster bonus due on the fifth day of the 2017 league year (Twitter link).
  • Leodis McKelvin, CB (Eagles): Two years, $6.2MM. $3MM guaranteed. $500K signing bonus. $1.2MM bonus due on fifth day of 2017 league year. $100K Pro Bowl incentive. $350K playing-time incentive (Twitter link).
  • Cory Harkey, TE (Rams): Three years, $5.7MM. $2.5MM guaranteed. $500K roster bonus due on 10th day of 2016 league year. $500K roster bonus due in 2017, guaranteed for skill and injury (Twitter link).
  • Rolando McClain, LB (Cowboys): One year, $4MM. $750K signing bonus. $1.25MM base salary. $2MM in per-game roster bonuses. Up to $1MM in playing-time and playoff incentives (Twitter link).
  • Rhett Ellison, TE (Vikings): One year, $1.75MM. $100K signing bonus. $790K in per-game active roster bonuses. Up to $500K in incentives (Twitter link).
  • Chris Givens, WR (Eagles): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus. $100K of $760K base salary is guaranteed (Twitter link via Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News).

AFC:

  • Mike Wallace, WR (Ravens): Two years, $11.5MM. $4.5MM signing bonus. $1MM roster bonus due on fifth day of 2017 league year. Option for second year to be exercised/declined prior to end of 2016 league year (Twitter links).
  • Matt Moore, QB (Dolphins): Two years, $3.55MM. $2.25MM guaranteed. $750K signing bonus. $1.25MM in annual incentives (Twitter link).
  • Sean Spence, LB (Titans): One year, $2.5MM. $500K signing bonus. $500K in per-game active roster bonuses (Twitter link).
  • Robert Turbin, RB (Colts): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K in incentives for rushing yards (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).

Colts To Sign Robert Turbin

The Colts have agreed to sign running back Robert Turbin, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it’s hard to imagine this being anything more than a one-year deal.Robert Turbin (vertical)

During his first three NFL seasons, Turbin served as Marshawn Lynch‘s primary backup in Seattle, compiling 928 rushing yards on 231 carries, along with another 427 yards on 43 receptions, from 2012 to 2014. In September of 2015, however, the Seahawks waived Turbin off of their IR shortly after acquiring veteran Fred Jackson. Since then, Turbin has bounced around a bit, seeing time with the Browns and Cowboys in 2015.

The 26-year-old appeared in three games for Cleveland before being shown the door. In those three contests, the tailback ran the ball 18 times for 60 yards, adding another eight yards on two receptions. After an unremarkable 2015, we haven’t heard much about Turbin’s free agency up until today’s agreement with Indianapolis.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Workout Notes: Jets, Giants, Pats, Colts

Wednesday’s workouts from around the NFL: