HEADLINES

Ryan Mallett

AFC East Notes: Patriots, Jets, Wilson

August 10th, 2014 at 6:11pm CST by David Kipke

The Patriots should be happy with rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo‘s performance in his preseason debut against the Redskins, writes ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss. Reiss believes the Eastern Illinois product could have already surpassed Ryan Mallett to become Tom Brady‘s backup. Let’s look at some other news from around the AFC East:

  • The Patriots remain uncertain regarding a return date for All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. Although his once-torn ACL was medically cleared for practice before the start of camp, the University of Arizona product has yet to participate in any full-contact work.
  • Jets cornerback Dee Milliner has suffered a high ankle sprain, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. As we reported earlier, Milliner, who was the ninth overall pick in the 2013 draft, was one of two Jets corners to be cut down by injury today. Rookie corner Dexter McDougle left practice to discover that he had torn the ACL in his left knee.
  • Elsewhere in the Jets‘ secondary , rookie safety Calvin Pryor is planning on making his NFL debut on Saturday against the Bengals, after being held out of the first preseason game due to a concussion.
  • As our own Rory Parks surmised earlier today, Jimmy Wilson will likely be the Dolphins‘ starting safety heading into September following incumbent starter Reshad Jones‘ four-game suspension. An AP report stated that Wilson took most of the snaps with the first team during today’s practice.

Mallett, Cousins Trade Value

August 9th, 2014 at 6:55pm CST by Rob DiRe

An old NFL cliche is that everyone always loves the backup quarterback, and Albert Breer of the NFL Network spoke to a few team executives to see how much they love a pair of the league’s most interesting potential starting passers, Ryan Mallett and Kirk Cousins.

Mallett was drafted in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Though purely on talent he was projected as a possible first-round pick, he fell in the draft due in part to character issues surrounding him leading up to the draft. In his three seasons with the Patriots, he has yet to see any significant game action.

One AFC general manager was quoted by Breer regarding Mallett’s trade value (via Twitter):

“New England has invested a lot of time in him. If they were really high on him, they would not have drafted one this year, pending UFA or not.”

An NFC executive also made a point about how Mallett is valued among Patriots’ coaches, noting that not only did the team draft Jimmy Garoppolo, but no former Patriots’ coach expressed interest on bringing in Mallett as they switched teams (via Twitter):

“The fact that nobody Pats-related ever went after him speaks volumes. Plus, he can’t help you this year, so why not just sign him as a FA?”

Redskins’ backup Cousins has considerably more value according to the sources Breer spoke to. Cousins was drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft, as a fourth-round pick. The team chose Robert Griffin III with the second-overall selection, which slid Cousins immediately into a long term backup role.

An AFC executive prefers Cousins to Mallett because Cousins has a body of work to show for, and has another year on his contract the team would control (via Twitter):

“In my mind better than Mallett – he has a body of evidence. I think he could be a low-end starter or at very least a ‘compete with starter’ piece.”

An NFC Pro Scouting Director is also ambivalent about his ability (via Twitter):

“You could probably get as high as a conditional 3rd for him. Depends on the desperation of the club. … A low end starter. Someone that you’ll end up looking to replace. Better than Cassel and look what was given up for him.”

One NFC general manager did say he might be able to fetch the Redskins a second-round pick, but more likely a third rounder would be a higher pick (via Twitter):

“If you look at trade history, high end would be a 2nd round pick. Or realistically a 3rd.”

Yes, Cousins could grab the Redskins an extra pick, but none of the sources Breer spoke to was particularly high on either quarterback. While there is a common thought that both Cousins and Mallett could become one of the top 32 quarterbacks in the league, but they would still be the bottom rung of starters.

It is unlikely that either player gets traded in the near future, as both passers are more valuable as backups with their current teams than they are as potential starters elsewhere in the league.

Rookie Quarterback Roundup: Bortles, Bridgewater, Carr, Manziel

August 9th, 2014 at 8:02am CST by Matt Feminis

Jaguars No. 3 overall choice Blake Bortles had an encouraging pro debut against Tampa Bay last night, completing 7-of-11 pass attempts for 117 yards, “which included three drops and just one questionable decision, a check-down effort on 3rd-and-19 that was tipped and nearly picked off,” according to the Orlando Sentinel’s Paul Tenorio. Head coach Gus Bradley was quoted after the game, saying, “I thought [Bortles] did a nice job, showed some good poise. We felt like we could protect him. Just the poise factor, we wanted to see that in him, and he did a nice job.”

How did the other rookie QBs fare?

  • Vikings first-rounder Teddy Bridgewater’s first play was encouraging, as he bootlegged right and threw a 21-yard strike on the move. The gain was negated by penalty, but Bridgewater performed well enough against Oakland to generate excitement despite an uneven stat line (6-of-13, 49 yards, two sacks, fumble). Overall, Bridgewater generated excitement, but clearly has aspects of his game to work on before he challenges for the starting job. “He looked unsteady at times when challenged by unfamiliar defensive alignments,” according to Brian Murray of TwinCities.com.
  • Meanwhile, Derek Carr, chosen by the Raiders four picks after Bridgewater, went 10-of-16 for 76 yards an interception (which should have been caught by the intended receiver). Carr was victimized by a few drops and bailed out on a few throws behind his receiver, but overall received passing grades in his debut. In terms of improvement areas, ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez notes the rookie needs to work on his touch.
  • As Dallas Robinson mentioned last night, Patriots second-rounder Jimmy Garoppolo looked better in his first NFL game action than he had looked in practice, outshining veteran backup Ryan Mallett. The rookie from Eastern Illinois went 9-of-13 for 157 yards and a touchdown. Garoppolo “showed a poise and pocket presence that was impressive,” according to the Boston Herald’s Karen Guregian. “The players in the huddle responded to him. And, unlike Mallett, who struggled at times dealing with a shaky offensive line, Garoppolo made plays when the going got tough during Thursday night’s 23-6 loss to the Redskins in the preseason opener.”
  • As for Browns 22nd overall pick Johnny Manziel, his debut in Detroit tonight ranks as one of the most anticipated preseason games in recent memory. “The Johnny Football Circus comes to Detroit” as Free Press columnist Drew Sharp puts it. The game is sold out and the Lions issued credentials for all 200 seats of the press box, reports Sharp’s colleague Dave Birkett.

East Notes: Mallett, Pouncey, Jets, Cowboys

August 8th, 2014 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

After Ryan Mallett’s preseason debut for the Patriots, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe thinks it’s time to stop pretending that any of the league’s 31 other teams will give up anything of value for New England’s backup signal-caller. As I wrote yesterday, the Pats seem to be showcasing Mallett this summer in the hopes of finding a trade partner, but Volin believes the 26-year-old is too much of an enigma to even warrant a fourth- or fifth-round pick in a deal.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • It hasn’t been a great year for Mike Pouncey, who is expected to miss several weeks of the regular season with a hip injury and also was involved in the Dolphins‘ bullying scandal, but he may have finally caught a break — according to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins center isn’t expected to face charges for an incident at his South Beach birthday party last month. However, his brother, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, is likely to be charged with misdemeanor battery, says Beasley.
  • There were no “competition-tilting developments” for Geno Smith or Michael Vick in the Jets’ first preseason game, but the fact that Vick led the team to its only touchdown drive indicates the free agent signee is continuing to push the incumbent QB, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
  • Team executives around the NFL are upset after a TMZ video showed head of officiating Dean Blandino out for a night of partying with Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora quotes several execs voicing concerns about possible preferential treatment, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that no formal complaints have been lodged with the league office about Blandino’s and Jones’ night out.

Pats Showcasing Ryan Mallett For Trade?

August 7th, 2014 at 8:50am CST by Luke Adams

Multiple pundits, including NFL Network’s Mike Mayock, have praised Ryan Mallett‘s play in training camp within the last week or two, prompting others to wonder if the Patriots are trying to pump up the quarterback’s trade value as he enters a contract year. That campaign appears set to continue tonight, as Mallett will start the team’s first preseason game in place of Tom Brady, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.

Mallett, who has been Brady’s backup in New England for multiple seasons, has drawn trade interest during the past couple years, and became more expendable after the club drafted Jimmy Garoppolo this past May. The Pats won’t just give him away, of course, but Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that Mallett “might as well be wearing a For Sale sign around his neck” this summer.

One AFC executive who spoke to Breer wasn’t overly bullish on the signal-caller’s value, suggesting that it wouldn’t be ideal to trade for a quarterback entering the final year of his contract unless an injury made it necessary (Twitter link). In the exec’s view, a fourth- or fifth-round draft pick seems about right for Mallett. For his part, the Pats backup has said he feels as if he’s a starting-caliber NFL quarterback, but he isn’t unhappy with his situation in New England, as Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe details.

Mallett, 26, has only thrown four passes in NFL regular season games, during a brief stint in relief of Brady in 2012. As such, any teams with interest in him will likely be keeping a close eye on his performance tonight and in the rest of the preseason. I wouldn’t expect the Pats to move him quite yet, but Mallett’s situation will be worth watching over the next few weeks, and even all the way to the trade deadline.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Pats, Mallett, Dolphins

August 6th, 2014 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Let’s round up a few Wednesday items from around the AFC East….

  • Terry Pegula, one of the bidders on the Bills, announced yesterday that his company closed on a $1.75 billion sale of petroleum acreage in West Virginia and Ohio. In a press release, Pegula delivered a rare comment about his financial reserves, writes Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. “Our team truly is a leader in the domestic oil and gas industry,” Pegula said. “Our affiliate companies still retain significant oil and gas assets in Colorado, Wyoming, New York, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. “We are not going away.” It’s probably not a coincidence that Pegula chose to boast about his major transaction in the midst of the bidding process.
  • Tom Brady‘s contract often gets mentioned as an example a particularly team-friendly deal for a star quarterback, but in Jason Fitzgerald’s view, Patriots offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer has an even more favorable contract. In his latest piece for Over the Cap, Fitzgerald also identifies Logan Mankins as the player with the worst contract on the Pats.
  • Patriots backup quarterback Ryan Mallett has been receiving positive reviews for his performance in camp this summer, but as long as Brady remains healthy and in New England, Mallett isn’t likely to see the field much. As the former third-round pick enters a contract year, he’s not worried about his situation, and is looking forward to seeing regular game action in the preseason, writes Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com. “You can’€™t control what you can’€™t control,” Mallett said. “It’€™s the uncontrollable. You have to deal with it. I was dealt the hand I was dealt, so I’€™m playing cards.”
  • Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald passes along 15 notes and observations from Dolphins training camp. Meanwhile, Bill Barnwell of Grantland takes an in-depth look at Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who is entering a critical year as he attempts to convince the Dolphins that he’s the team’s signal-caller of the future.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Tuitt, Mallett, Brooks

August 4th, 2014 at 11:05pm CST by Matt Feminis

The Steelers thought Stephon Tuitt was a steal at No. 46 overall, writes Triblive.com’s Alan Robinson, and the rookie defensive lineman out of Notre Dame is already working with the first-team defense, drawing praise from coaches and teammates.

Here’s a few more miscellaneous notes to conclude the evening:

Patriots’ Quarterback Depth Chart

May 26th, 2014 at 10:28am CST by Rob DiRe

One of the bigger surprises of the NFL Draft was the Patriots using their second-round pick on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo of Eastern Illinois. With Tom Brady still leading the charge on a team that was only one game short of a sixth Super Bowl appearance under the current regime, it was a bold choice to use such a valuable pick planning for the future.

While the team is still in a position to win now, Brady was not surprised the team selected a quarterback in the draft, writes Peter King of Monday Morning Quarterback.

“I felt like I had a pretty good idea we’d take a quarterback,” Brady said. “Coach Belichick doesn’t care who the quarterback is here. He’s always going to play the guy who he thinks gives him the best chance to win.”

It was not too long ago that the team used a third-round pick on former Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett. Mallett, drafted in 2011, is now coming to the end of his rookie contract, and will be a free agent after this coming season.

Mallett was involved in trade rumors during the NFL Draft, most notably with the Texans to reunite with his old offensive coordinator, Texans’ head coach Bill O’Brien.

Of course, no deal was agreed to, and Mallett was announced as not available by the Patriots, meaning the team will enter the season with a crowd at the quarterback position.

Since 2009, the Patriots have only carried more than two quarterbacks on the roster once, in 2011 during Mallett’s rookie year, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Brian Hoyer was the main backup for the Patriots that year, in his third year with the team. Mallett was the third-string string quarterback as a rookie, before earning full backup duties in his second year with the team, as Hoyer was let walk.

The Patriots might elect to bring Garoppolo along in a similar fashion, letting him take his rookie year to learn as the third option, but it would be surprising for the team to bring back Mallett in 2015 after using such a high pick on Garoppolo.

 

Poll: Who Will Be Traded?

May 25th, 2014 at 9:15pm CST by Ben Levine

As a result of free agency and the draft, there are players around the league that now find themselves in a bit of roster limbo. Plenty of veterans could be on a team’s trading block, so NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling took a look at the top-ten trade candidates in the league.

The Vikings added Matt Cassel and rookie Teddy Bridgewater and as a result, incumbent quarterback Christian Ponder tops Wesseling’s list. The writer states that Ponder has higher upside than a typical backup, and lists the Saints, Packers, Panthers and Falcons as potential trading partners. Fellow quarterback Ryan Mallett of the Patriots was second on the list, with Wesseling suggesting the Texans and Cowboys as landing spots.

Michael Roos‘ contract (and the addition of rookie Taylor Lewan) makes the Titans offensive tackle a definite trade option. Roos is number-four on Wesseling’s list, with the Panthers and Ravens listed as destinations. 49ers running back LaMichael James, Cardinals tight end Rob Housler and Raiders wideout Denarius Moore round out Wesseling’s offensive options.

On defense, Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers leads the way at number-four. The team is reportedly open to trading the Pro Bowler, and Wesseling suggests the Texans, Titans and Colts would be interested. Defensive end/linebackers Brandon Graham (Eagles) and Dion Jordan (Dolphins) come in at five and six, followed by Titans defensive end Derrick Morgan.

Wesseling mostly focused on players that were squeezed out of their team’s plans following the offseason. That means he omits Texans wideout Andre Johnson, who would clearly top the list if included. The Pro Bowler has been the subject of trade rumors for the past month.

Which player do you think is most likely to be traded? Is there somebody that you think should have been included? Let us know in the comments.

Patriots Notes: Mallett, RBs, Siliga, Jones

May 23rd, 2014 at 7:44pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Panthers GM Marty Hurney isn’t exactly buying Bill Belichick‘s answer when he was asked yesterday if he’d be interested in trading quarterback Ryan Mallett, writes ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss. “He was regarded highly enough as a quarterback coming out [in 2011], and I think the position creates interest in itself,” Hurney said of the Patriots signal caller. “I said this statement [from Belichick] is like if you ever go to dinner and a person says, ‘I don’t want dessert’ so you order a chocolate cake and a big piece of chocolate cake comes out and all of a sudden you look and the other person is eating half of it. I think, if the chocolate cake looks good enough for Bill Belichick, they would be interested in trading Ryan Mallett.”

Meanwhile, Doug Kyed of NESN.com answered roster questions as part of a mailbag. Among his answers:

  • The futures of running backs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley, both free agents at year’s end, are dependent upon production, health (in the case of Vereen), ball security (in the case of Ridley) and the performance of rookie James White. As of now, Kyed believes Vereen has a higher chance of being retained.
  • Nose tackle Sealver Siliga played well in late-season duty, and if that continues through training camp, he’s the “perfect” backup for veteran Vince Wilfork.
  • Fourth-rounder Bryan Stork, who offers center/guard versatility, could compete for a starting job this season.
  • Meanwhile, the Pats have yet to add a legitimate No. 3 tight end, seemingly a position of need. Undrafted free agent Justin Jones out of East Carolina could be a sleeper, however, writes Karen Guregian in the Boston Herald. She talked to Jones’ college coach, Ruffin McNeil (who also coached Wes Welker and Danny Amendola in college), who had this to say: “I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised with him. He’ll catch on. He’ll work hard. Justin was taught the same concepts in our offense, as Danny and Wes had at Texas Tech. Plus, he’s got great hands, athleticism, and he’s got length. He was a mismatch any time in the red zone.” The 6-8, 277-pounder went undrafted after not playing in 2013 when he was academically ineligible.
Load More Posts