HEADLINES

Russell Allen

South Rumors: Manziel, Bucs, Graham, Allen

April 23rd, 2014 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

Johnny Manziel is on the short list of players the Buccaneers are “heavily considering” with the seventh overall pick in the draft, a source tells ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure. Tampa Bay doesn’t have a long-term answer at the quarterback position and Manziel is viewed as one of the top two or three options in the draft, so the Bucs’ interest isn’t a huge surprise.

Let’s round up a few other items from out of the NFC and AFC South divisions….

  • Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk passes along a report from JoeBucsFan.com indicating that Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack paid the Buccaneers a visit in Tampa. Word of the visit was broken by defensive end Steven Means, a current Buc and Mack’s former teammate at Buffalo.
  • Saints head coach Sean Payton told Mike Triplett of ESPN.com today that he doesn’t expect Jimmy Graham to participate in the club’s offseason conditioning program as long as the tight end’s contract situation remains unresolved, but Payton isn’t concerned, suggesting that’s “normal” (Twitter link). Graham was franchised by the Saints but has yet to accept or sign the franchise tender, as the two sides continue to work on a long-term agreement.
  • Former Jaguars linebacker Russell Allen, who was forced into early retirement for health reasons, will receive 50% of his 2014 salary, according to Ryan Halloran of the Florida Times-Union (via Twitter). Allen’s base salary before he was released was set to be $1.975MM, so he should receive about $1MM.

Russell Allen To Retire

April 22nd, 2014 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Former Jaguars linebacker Russell Allen, who was released last week by the club, will retire from the NFL for health reasons, according to a feature by Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com. Allen suffered a stroke during a Week 15 game against the Bills last season and was diagnosed with a “dead” spot on his cerebellum.

As Klemko writes, “none of the doctors Allen consulted could find a precedent for a pro football player suffering this kind of stroke” and the former Jaguar was told definitively by the last neurosurgeon he consulted that he should never play football again. Klemko’s entire piece, which provides an account of how the stroke happened and its effect on Allen, is worth reading.

A San Diego State alum, Allen spent his entire five-year career in Jacksonville, developing into a full-time starter with the club over the last two seasons. The 27-year-old was a key contributor on defense for the Jaguars in 2013, playing 601 snaps and providing nearly league-average production at the outside linebacker spot, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Allen, who logged 64 tackles and a sack, saw his PFF grade buoyed by solid play against the run.

Jaguars Cut Russell Allen, Three Others

April 17th, 2014 at 3:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jaguars have released linebacker Russell Allen, who started 13 games for the club last season, according to Jags PR coordinator Tad Dickman (via Twitter). Dickman adds that the team also waived wide receiver Jabin Sambrano and defensive ends Will Pericak and D’Aundre Reed.

While the other three players didn’t see regular-season action for the Jaguars in 2013, Allen was a key contributor on defense, playing 601 snaps and providing nearly league-average production at the outside linebacker spot, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The 27-year-old, who logged 64 tackles and a sack, saw his PFF grade buoyed by solid play against the run.

Allen will immediately become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any club, while the other three players will have to clear waivers. The release of Allen also creates $2.5MM in cap savings for the Jags, though it’s very unlikely they’ll need or use that space this year.