HEADLINES

Ryan Nassib

Extra Points: Ravens, Jags, Titans, Seahawks

January 31st, 2018 at 9:19pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Ravens auditioned free agent quarterback Ryan Nassib on Wednesday, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Nassib, a former fourth-round pick, spent four years as Eli Manning‘s backup in New York, but attempted only 10 total passes during that time. After hitting free agency last spring, Nassib initially signed with the Saints, but was quickly released. Another one-year deal, this time with the Jaguars, ended in the same fashion, and Nassib spent the majority of the 2017 campaign unsigned. Baltimore, meanwhile, only has two quarterbacks under contract for 2018: starter Joe Flacco, and former undrafted free agent Josh Woodrum, who signed a futures deal earlier this month.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • Although the Jaguars exceed nearly everyone’s expectations by advancing to the AFC Championship Game, they could still do a bit of salary cap work this offseason to trim their 2018 obligations, as Mike Kaye of First Coast News writes. Perhaps the most obvious cap casualty is expected to be running back Chris Ivory, who managed 112 carries behind Leonard Fournette last season. While Ivory is scheduled to count for nearly $7MM next year, Jacksonville could release him and save $3.25MM. Wide receiver Allen Hurns ($7MM cap charge) is another candidate to be cut, but Kaye notes that Hurns’ status as a team leader could lead the Jaguars to approach him with a reworked contract.
  • The Titans have formally announced another wave of coaching hires, and although some of the moves had already been reported, a few hires on new head coach Mike Vrabel‘s staff had yet to be noted. Former assistant special teams coach Craig Aukerman has been promoted to the full-time role, while Tennessee has opted to retain tight ends coach Arthur Smith. Furthermore, the Titans have hired former Dolphins defensive line coach Terrell Williams for the same position, reports Alex Marvez of the Sporting News. Williams had led Miami’s front four since 2015, and will now work with a Tennessee unit that ranked among the top half of the NFL in both adjusted line yards and adjusted sack rate.
  • The Seahawks have hired Jethro Franklin as their new assistant defensive line coach, as Marvez details. Franklin spent one season (1989) as a player for Seattle, but has worked as a coach since 1991. Boasting a plethora of collegiate and NFL experience, Franklin has served as the defensive line coach for Green Bay, Tampa Bay, and, most recently, Oakland. He won’t be the primary D-line coach with the Seahawks, but he’ll undoubtedly be an asset to Seattle defensive line coach Clint Hurtt.

Jaguars Release QB Ryan Nassib

October 7th, 2017 at 11:08am CST by Ben Levine

Less than a month after signing with the team, quarterback Ryan Nassib‘s tenure with the Jaguars has come to an end. The team announced that they have released the 27-year-old. The team has promoted offensive lineman Chris Reed from the practice squad to take Nassib’s spot on the roster.

Ryan Nassib (vertical)The 2013 fourth-rounder was signed in mid-September to provide the team with some additional depth behind behind Blake Bortles and Chad Henne. With Bortles struggling and Henne disappointing during a brief cameo, the pairing made sense, especially when you consider Nassib’s connection to Tom Coughlin and Doug Marrone. Ultimately, Nassib didn’t see the field for Jacksonville during his two weeks with the squad. The quarterback only has five NFL games under his belt, but he’s completed nine of his 10 pass attempts for 128 yards and one touchdown.

Reed joined the organization as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State in 2015. He ultimately appeared in 10 games as a rookie, including four starts. His season ended prematurely when he was placed on the injured reserve with a toe injury. He was waived by the organization in early September, but he subsequently caught on with the practice squad. He’ll presumably compete with the team’s reserve lineman (including Tyler Shatley, Josh Wells, Will Poehls, and Josh Walker) for reps.

Jaguars Sign QB Ryan Nassib

September 18th, 2017 at 12:54pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars announced that they have signed quarterback Ryan Nassib. Nassib currently sits as the team’s No. 3 QB behind Blake Bortles and Chad Henne, though that order could be rearranged after Sunday’s 37-16 loss to the Titans. Ryan Nassib (vertical)

[RELATED: Jaguars Place SS Calvin Pryor On IR]

Nassib served as Eli Manning‘s backup in New York for several years. His connection with Jaguars czar Tom Coughlin undoubtedly paved the way for his new opportunity in Jacksonville. He also has some history with Doug Marrone from their time together in Syracuse.

Nassib never got to make a start for the G-Men and they didn’t make an attempt to re-sign him this offseason. In June, he hooked on with the Saints, but he was released prior to the 53-man roster deadline in early September. He was said to be neck-and-neck with Garrett Grayson for the Saints’ QB3 spot, but both players were cut and that role has since been filled by BYU product Taysom Hill.

Nassib occupies the QB3 spot for now, but that could change if the team opts to bench Bortles for the entire season so that they do not risk him getting injured and collecting on $19MM+ in 2018 when they don’t want him. In that scenario, Henne would take over as the starter with Nassib as his backup.

Saints Reach 53-Man Roster Limit

September 2nd, 2017 at 10:16pm CST by Zachary Links

Every team had to get under the 53-man limit by Saturday’s deadline, but the Saints were the last to publicly announce their cuts. Here’s the full rundown of their moves:

Waived:

Released:

IR:

The Saints re-signed Cadet this offseason only to put him on the trade block in June. They didn’t find any takers then and they apparently couldn’t find any now. The Jets, who pursued him in free agency, could have interest in signing him.

South Notes: Falcons, Saints, Colts, Titans

August 7th, 2017 at 9:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Falcons don’t intend to waive recently suspended cornerback Jalen Collins in the very near future, but it appears the club is still assessing its options, as D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. “The disappointment for having a second, repeat offense is stronger,” head coach Dan Quinn said Monday. “This just came through yesterday. Some trust has been broken. We’ll take all the time that we need to make the best decision for the team.” Atlanta now has the secondary depth to withstand a Collins release, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who identifies C.J. Goodwin and Deji Olatoye as valuable reserve pieces. Collins is suspended through late November, so the Falcons don’t have to make a decision on his status for some time.

Let’s check in on the latest from the NFL’s two South divisions:

  • Chase Daniel will almost assuredly serve as the Saints‘ backup quarterback during the upcoming season, meaning the battle for New Orleans’ third signal-caller job will come down to Garrett Grayson and Ryan Nassib, as Nick Underhill of the Advocate details. Grayson, a third-round pick just two years ago, currently has the upper hand, per Underhill, as Nassib — a free agent addition who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Giants — is considered a “long shot” to earn a roster spot. Of course, the Saints could opt to keep only two quarterbacks, at which the team would likely attempt to sneak Grayson onto their practice squad.
  • Colts wide receiver Chester Rogers has changed representation, hiring Rosenhaus Sports to replace Warren and Simpson, tweets Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal. As a former undrafted free agent, Rogers is eligible to renegotiate his contract after only two seasons (in his case, following the 2017 season). Thus far, Rogers hasn’t done enough to earn an extension, as he managed only 19 receptions for 273 yards during his rookie campaign. However, the 23-year-old Rogers has been working as the Colts’ No. 3 receiver during training camp, ahead of Kamar Aiken and Phillip Dorsett, reports Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link).
  • If the stress fracture in his right foot continues to act up, Titans wide receiver Tajae Sharpe could begin the season on the physically unable to perform list, which would force him to miss the first six games of the year, Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com writes. Sharpe, a fifth-round selection in 2016, reportedly has a tenuous grasp on a roster spot, but placing him on PUP could give Tennessee more time to make a decision on his fate. Currently being sued after an alleged assault, Sharpe is countersuing his accuser.

Saints To Sign QB Ryan Nassib

June 12th, 2017 at 2:08pm CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are expected to sign quarterback Ryan Nassib, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rapoport adds that the Saints have “always been high on him,” so they’re happy to have him in the fold. Ryan Nassib (vertical)

Nassib becomes the fourth quarterback on the Saints’ roster after starter Drew Brees, primary backup Chase Daniel, and Garrett Grayson. It would appear that the Saints are pitting Nassib against Grayson for the QB3 role, though it’s not a certainty that they’ll carry three quarterbacks on the final 53-man roster. If the Saints are planning on having just Brees and Daniel come September, then Nassib and Grayson could wind up as practice squad candidates for New Orleans.

Nassib was selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft by the Giants, but the Syracuse product never got to make a start for the G-Men. Nassib received praise from Giants coaches for his work in practice, but the team didn’t try to re-sign him this offseason.

Last year, Nassib’s season ended early thanks to an elbow injury. At this stage, however, he is presumably healthy and ready to compete.

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Cards, Lions

June 8th, 2017 at 5:58pm CST by Zachary Links

Free agent linebacker Daryl Washington says that he has been in conversations with a few clubs, though he hopes to land with his “hometown team,” the Cowboys (Twitter link via SiriusXM). In an interview on Wednesday, Washington made a case for why the Cowboys should sign him. It’s not clear if Dallas has real interest in the linebacker, particularly since he has not played a down of football since 2013. On the flipside, he was a Pro Bowl caliber player when he was at his best in Arizona.

More on Dallas and a few other NFC clubs:

  • The Giants regard Paul Perkins a three-down running back, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, who points out that their opinion of Perkins explains why they didn’t make a splash at the position in free agency. Perkins averaged 4.1 yards per carry on 112 attempts during his rookie year and is now the clear favorite to start over the likes of Shane Vereen, Orleans Darkwa, Shaun Draughn and Wayne Gallman. “I really like what Paul Perkins has been doing so far,” said RBs coach Craig Johnson. “He ended last season playing like a guy that is ready to take over the job. There is nothing so far in the offseason to show he’s not going to be able to handle that role. But that is today. It’s a long way from today to the opening game.”
  • Cardinals GM Steve Keim says he’s still looking to add a handful of veterans to the mix this summer, as Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes. “(Team president) Michael [Bidwill] and I talked about six to eight players, who are still on the street, who could potentially come in and help us,” Keim said in an appearance on Arizona Sports 98.7. Urban speculates that Arizona could look into reinforcements at cornerback or even guard if Evan Boehm doesn’t keep moving forward. A running back could also be in order if Andre Ellington and/or Eli Penny disappoint.
  • The Cowboys will not be signing any of the players that auditioned for them on Thursday, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star Telegram (on Twitter). That group included quarterback Ryan Nassib and safety Jeron Johnson. The Cowboys will stick with Zac Dysert as a third-string QB for the time being.
  • Wide receiver Jared Abbrederis has emerged as a candidate to earn a roster spot with the Lions since signing a reserve/futures contract in January, according to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com. The former Packer has impressed during OTAs, and the Lions have open spots at receiver behind Golden Tate, Marvin Jones and third-round pick Kenny Golladay. “The guy’s a really good route runner — very, very good just in terms of his ability to find open areas,” coach Jim Caldwell said of Abbrederis. “He has good spatial awareness.” The 26-year-old Abbrederis was a return man during his time at Wisconsin, which could further help his cause in cracking Detroit’s roster, notes Meinke.

Cowboys To Audition QB Ryan Nassib

June 8th, 2017 at 9:42am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys are auditioning four players today, including former Giants quarterback Ryan Nassib, as Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. Safeties Jeron Johnson and Duke Williams and wide receiver Lance Lenoir are also working out for the team. Ryan Nassib (vertical)

To date, Nassib has spent his professional career as a clipboard holder for Eli Manning. Since being selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft, the Syracuse product hasn’t made a single start for the Giants. Nassib received praise from Giants coaches for his work in practice, but the team didn’t make much of an effort to retain him this offseason.

Nassib’s workout will be key for the Cowboys since they only have have preseason games and the occasional regular season cameo on film to evaluate him on. If signed, Nassib could compete for the No. 3 QB role behind Dak Prescott and Kellen Moore. Recently, the Cowboys claimed Zac Dysert off waivers from the Cardinals and he is also hoping to make the cut.

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 3.0: Offense

March 17th, 2017 at 12:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The initial wave of NFL free agency is now complete, and while many of the league’s top available players are now off the board, there are still plenty of quality options still on the open market.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These 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, as well as players who received the franchise tag, aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

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

Quarterback:

  1. Jay Cutler
  2. Chase Daniel
  3. Ryan Fitzpatrick
  4. Colin Kaepernick
  5. Josh McCown
  6. Robert Griffin III
  7. Case Keenum
  8. Matt McGloin
  9. Mark Sanchez
  10. Christian Ponder
  11. Blaine Gabbert
  12. Ryan Nassib
  13. Shaun Hill
  14. Kellen Moore
  15. Austin Davis

Tony Romo is not a free agent…at least not yet. If the Cowboys do not find a suitable trade and release him, you’ll find him at the top of this list.

Laugh if you must, but Cutler is far and away the best quarterback available on the open market. While most of this year’s QB-needy teams are done with their free agent shopping, the Jets are still searching for their 2017 starter and no one would make more sense for them than Cutler. He’s not all that far removed from playing solid football and he’s a logical transitional option for the Jets until they can isolate a better, younger option for 2018. Jay Cutler (Vertical)

Kaepernick’s reps wisely told the press that he will be standing for the National Anthem this year. Still, Kaepernick is an outspoken guy who wants to use his platform to discuss hot button issues, so there’s no guarantee that the media circus around him will cease. Jets owner Woody Johnson loves seeing his team on the back pages of the New York tabloids, but even he has to have more sense than to entertain Kaepernick. McCown, who has been contact with the team, would be an okay choice if they can’t get something done with Cutler. Chase Daniel could be an option too, but there isn’t much game film on him.

Needless to say, the No. 3 ranked player on this list isn’t an option in New York.

Running back:

  1. Adrian Peterson
  2. LeGarrette Blount
  3. Jamaal Charles
  4. Rashad Jennings
  5. Tim Hightower
  6. DeAngelo Williams
  7. Chris Johnson
  8. Christine Michael
  9. Benny Cunningham
  10. Bobby Rainey
  11. Brandon Bolden
  12. Denard Robinson
  13. James Starks
  14. Matt Asiata
  15. Kenjon Barner

Honorable mention: DuJuan Harris, Antonio Andrews, Khiry Robinson

Adrian Peterson (vertical)The Vikings have moved on and Peterson will not be back in Minnesota. Where he goes from here is anyone’s guess. When Peterson’s option was declined by the Vikings earlier this month, there were tons of stories (likely sourced by Peterson’s camp) about interest from a litany of contenders. Since then, each team – through anonymous sources – has denied being in the mix for the veteran. It would be easy to doubt Peterson at this juncture, but he has come back from serious injuries multiple times in his career and he is only one year removed from his stellar 2015 campaign. He gets the top spot over the bruising Blount as well as Charles, who hasn’t been healthy in a long while.

Jennings was brought to New York with the idea that he would be the team’s workhorse. Unfortunately, two of his three seasons with the G-Men were marred by injury. Jennings is currently putting his agility to good use on Dancing With The Stars and it remains to be seen how committed he is to football. After that, we have a trio of vets (Hightower, Williams, CJ2K) who could still advance the ball in limited spurts.

In case you’re wondering – Mike Gillislee is not listed here because he is a restricted free agent.

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Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 2.0: Offense

March 6th, 2017 at 11:00pm CST by Zachary Links

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 Jones, Shaun 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 Bolden, Denard 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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